Translator: CinderTL
Crack! Crack! Crack!
That night, inside a wooden cabin at the camp outside the Holy City:
[Metal Essence +1!]
[Metal Essence +1!]
[Metal Essence +1!]
One after another, the obsidian stones shattered rapidly, their Metal Essence completely drained. The deep black color faded swiftly to gray, leaving behind only piles of crumbling residue. By the end, hundreds of obsidian stones acquired through trade had been completely consumed.
Chen Feng halted his talent activation as the Steel Bones progress remained stagnant. He glanced at the panel before him:
[Steel Bones LV6: 16/100]
"Just as I expected."
A glint of understanding flashed in his eyes. Having anticipated this increase in difficulty from his time in the Dead Crow Secret Realm, Chen Feng wasn't surprised by the stagnation of his Steel Bones progress.
He wasn't exactly disappointed, but he couldn't help feeling a tinge of regret as he recalled what Adams had told him at the end of their transaction.
Obsidian had once been mined from a vein.
Legend had it that during the Ancient Taiduo Empire, alchemists had refined it through a unique process, blending precious materials to enhance its quality. But with the empire's fall, this technique was lost forever. Centuries of mining had long since depleted the vein.
In the Holy City, obsidian was now a strategic resource, mostly salvaged from ancient ruins. It was typically reserved for crafting weapons for Fourth-Tier warriors and above, and after their deaths, the weapons would be recovered and remelted.
"Could this legendary Ancient Taiduo Empire..."
"...be a remnant of the Ancient Taiduo Civilization?"
Chen Feng frowned. During his trade negotiations, he had specifically inquired about the Holy City's past and the hidden secrets of this world.
Unfortunately, whether Adams was withholding information or genuinely unaware, Chen Feng learned very little.
The only certainty was that the Holy City's prince was likely a descendant of the Ancient Taiduo Empire's nobility. It was through the power inherited from his ancestors that the Holy City had been successfully unearthed, becoming humanity's last sanctuary on the Serpent Spirit Continent.
After pondering for a moment, Chen Feng suppressed his urge to delve deeper. He glanced at the snake-patterned mark on his palm, noting the Serpent Spirit Power gradually depleting at a steady pace.
The intense feeling of rejection from the Serpent Spirit Secret Realm and the chilling malice of unseen eyes remained palpable, likely emanating from the Winged Serpent King or an even more powerful Serpent God.
Fortunately, his earlier defeat of Chu Dingkun in the Niduo Kingdom's Capital had provided him with ample reserves of Serpent Spirit Power, which should sustain him through his current transactions.
"Still..."
"Why wasn't I ambushed by the Serpent God Temple this time?"
Puzzled, Chen Feng recalled his entry into the Serpent Spirit Secret Realm.
The surrounding green plains and barren desert stretched empty and desolate, devoid of the Serpent God Temple's usual ambushes.
He suspected that his annihilation of the Three Great Tribes had taught the Serpentfolk that ambushes were futile unless a Serpent Angel descended.
The thought flickered through his mind, and he shook his head.
Finally, his gaze settled on the four vials of Sacred Spirit Essence on the table—the true objective of his journey. Without hesitation, he swiftly consumed them all.
A surging heat sank into his lower abdomen, a torrent of vital energy comparable to the Life Source Liquid itself. While the effect of a single vial might have been weaker, their combined power approached equivalence.
Instantly, Chen Feng sat cross-legged on the wooden bed and closed his eyes. The core principles of the Divine Awakening Method began to circulate within him, each stream of heat transforming into nourishing energy, steadily fueling the growth of the crimson-gold flame in his Dantian.
In the blink of an eye:
[Divine Awakening Method: Sixth-Tier (25%→26%→27%)]
"These items are truly remarkable," he murmured.
At the summit of the Holy City, within the palace, bright candlelight shone like sacred light. Kali had temporarily relieved Yan Le of his guard duty on the city walls, allowing the Legion Commander to return to headquarters.
"These Crimson Gloves can spread disease—perfect for the Thorn Corps to sow chaos among the Serpentfolk Tribes."
"And this Silver Scimitar can cleave Fifth-Tier Wind Blades—just right for your Falcon Corps, Legion Commander Yan Le."
The burly Yan Le sat on his stone throne, his massive shadow obscuring the candlelight as he picked up the crimson gloves and silver scimitar one after the other.
Adams' expression held a hint of surprise. Despite being only Fifth-Tier artifacts, their power surpassed even weapons forged from Obsidian.
"Each of these items comes with its own price for use," he cautioned. "It's unwise for a single person to wield them frequently." He shook his head, emphasizing the need for caution.
He attempted to use the Power of the Holy Sword to cleanse their Origin, but unfortunately, he couldn't remove the associated flaws and costs. It seemed to be a fundamental influence, deeply rooted in the fabric of reality, making it nearly impossible to alter.
"No matter," Yan Le chuckled optimistically. "We'll reserve them as trump cards for the various military branches. Rotating their use will also mitigate the drawbacks."
Adams didn't argue; this was indeed the best approach. Since continuous use by a single person would incur unbearable costs, sharing the burden through rotation would lessen the negative impact.
"Kali shares this view as well," Adams added. "If there are no further objections, take them to the city wall later and hand them over to the respective Legion Commanders."
As they discussed, footsteps echoed from outside the palace. Adams froze mid-motion, and Yan Le's expression sharpened in awareness.
Soon, a silver-haired youth in white robes arrived on a green vine palanquin, escorted by several Silver Armor Warriors of the Falcon Corps.
"Your Highness!" Yan Le exclaimed in delight, while Adams breathed a sigh of relief. The Holy Sword's violent outburst had been so unprecedented that he had constantly feared something might go wrong. Fortunately, nothing had.
"I'm fine," the silver-haired youth said softly with a gentle smile. Though still somewhat weak and pale, his eyes shone brightly, like the stars in the night sky.
The Silver Armor Warriors carried him to the throne, and Adams promptly informed him of the day's events.
"Oh? Lord Feng Chen has arrived?" The youth's gaze flickered with surprise as he absorbed the details of what had transpired during his slumber.
He accepted the Crimson Gloves and Silver Scimitar, examining them with keen interest.
"How intriguing," he mused. "I sense they're imbued with some kind of divine law."
He nodded thoughtfully, a fleeting golden light flickering in his eyes, and the golden mark on his forehead pulsed faintly.
Adams watched in silence for a moment before exchanging glances with Yan Le. Finally, he stepped forward to ask the question that had been puzzling the entire Holy City—including the three Legion Commanders themselves:
"Your Highness, what caused the Holy Sword's unprecedented outburst?"
"Your Highness, do you know what caused the Holy Sword's violent reaction?" Yan Le asked, his expression curious. The Holy Sword's abnormal fluctuations that day had been so extreme that they had nearly shaken the entire Holy City and plunged the prince into a deep slumber, almost undermining the army's morale.
"Hmm..." The white-haired youth's smile faded as he set down the Extraordinary Artifact in his hand. "An angel serving the Serpent God has interfered with the world's laws, causing an Incarnation to descend."
"The Holy Sword was alarmed by this interference and granted a revelation."
As the words settled, Yan Le's expression turned grave. No wonder. This aligned closely with their earlier speculations, yet it also brought an indescribable pressure. Even the weakest Serpent Angels were High-Ranking Angels. Even if weakened by the world's laws, an Incarnation of such a being could easily annihilate any Saint.
Overwhelmed by these thoughts, Yan Le proposed a discussion of countermeasures.
The white-haired youth on the throne nodded and shook his head intermittently, his demeanor seemingly casual. But Adams subtly frowned, stealing a glance at his revered prince from the corner of his eye. A flicker of unease crossed his mind; something felt off.
While the Holy Sword occasionally granted revelations, instances of it inducing slumber were exceedingly rare. Is His Highness truly telling us everything?
Whoosh!
Early the next morning, a massive Flying Eagle Beast soared from the palace atop the Holy City and landed at the encampment.
A towering figure leaped down, shaking the ground like a small mountain as he strode towards the wooden cabin.
Sensing the approaching presence, Chen Feng withdrew his gaze from the horizon and focused on the interface before him.
[Divine Awakening Method: Sixth-Tier (50%)+]
"Not bad," he muttered, nodding silently as he glanced at his palm.
A wisp of crimson-gold flame curled into existence, its hue noticeably deeper than before.
The effects of four portions of Sacred Spirit Essence were roughly equivalent to one portion of Life Source Liquid. If he could trade twice more, the benefits would be substantial.
"However, it seems the Sacred Spirit Essence in the Holy City is also a legacy from the Ancient Taiduo Empire."
"After millennia of consumption, and without proper alchemical techniques, their reserves might be dwindling."
Chen Feng recalled his brief conversation with the two Legion Commanders the previous day. Though their words had been few, he sensed the Holy City's precarious situation.
Thousands of years of depletion could easily consign many precious resources to history. Moreover, obtaining a single portion of the Essence required killing a Saint, underscoring its extreme scarcity.
To learn more, Chen Feng discreetly sought out Molly for information.
Among the three Legion Commanders, only a handful of Commander-Class individuals had ever been fortunate enough to consume Sacred Spirit Essence, a substance said to greatly increase the chances of breaking through to the Fifth-Tier.
As this thought flashed through his mind, the tremors in the ground abruptly ceased.
The light filtering through the cracks in the wooden cabin was blocked. Chen Feng, already aware of the visitor's approach, stepped forward and opened the door.
"Lord Feng Chen."
"Legion Commander Yan Le."
Chen Feng nodded. The commander's towering frame obscured most of his view.
But then, his gaze drifted downward to the silver object in Yan Le's hand.
"The Power of the Holy Sword?"
"Indeed. Her Highness awoke last night, and channeling the Holy Sword's power went remarkably smoothly," Yan Le replied, his expression noticeably graver than before.
Chen Feng pondered this as he accepted the silver short blade.
It was the same dagger whose Holy Sword power had been exhausted, the one he had retrieved from the Black Dream Space the previous day to serve as a new vessel for the Holy Sword's energy.
"Hmm?"
As soon as he grasped the blade, Chen Feng's gaze pierced through its intricate surface patterns, focusing on the golden light emanating from the scabbard. Narrowing his eyes, he detected a subtle anomaly.
The intense repulsion from the Serpent Spirit Secret Realm persisted, but the chilling malice in its gaze had significantly diminished.
While the Power of the Holy Sword had previously offered some protection, its effectiveness had been severely weakened by the Serpent God's projection.
But now?
"Last night, His Highness informed me that the Holy Sword had granted him a vision: a Serpent Angel Incarnation will descend," Yan Le explained, noticing Chen Feng's confusion. "Therefore, the Holy Sword's power you now wield is actively bestowed upon you by His Highness, further enhancing its divine potency."
That made sense.
Chen Feng nodded in understanding, then raised an eyebrow slightly.
An Angel Incarnation?
"The specific angel remains unknown, but each Incarnation possesses immense power," Yan Le warned gravely, imparting crucial details. "Lord Feng Chen, please exercise utmost caution on this mission."
Chen Feng nodded solemnly, silently committing the information to memory.
Soon, Molly, Olon, and the other elite warriors approached, fully equipped and ready for battle.
After final preparations, Chen Feng finally emerged from the camp's wooden hut.
Whoosh!
The vanished Holy Shield Colossus reappeared, plummeting from the sky with tremendous force, unleashing a massive shockwave.
But just as it was about to land, the Stone Statue abruptly halted its descent, hovering half a meter above the ground.
All eyes turned to Chen Feng, who leaped onto its massive shoulder.
He surveyed the assembled elite warriors, meeting their gazes one by one.
Chen Feng nodded lightly, and the colossal Stone Statue spread its wings and soared into the sky.
"Then, let's begin."
(End of the Chapter)
---
📖Read (MF) on Pa.treon@CinderTL - c514. [+5.1k]
🔑Early Access at $5.
✍Translated (6) Series, (4.1K+) Chapters, (5.8M+) Words.