Translator: CinderTL
That day, in Red City.
Whoosh!
Above the bustling city, fighter jets landed.
The lingering white trails of condensation hung in the air as aircraft circled overhead.
A Warship, hundreds of meters long, spewed dozens of scorching tail flames like an airborne aircraft carrier. Looking down, the closely packed skyscrapers resembled an ocean of steel, with bustling crowds surging through the city's heart.
At the city's center, a sword-shaped tower pierced the clouds, its circular shield-like device levitating in mid-air, intersecting with the tower.
People walked through the fiberglass connecting corridors. Looking closely, one could even spot several Flying General-level Apostles moving about, while well-trained elite warriors patrolled with rifles.
"I heard the situation in Nanjiang has stabilized!"
"That was terrifying! An Evil God Angel actually crossed over."
"They say Flying General Wang barely made it in time. It was thanks to the strongest martial artist's intervention that they managed to hold out until the Radiant Light Secret Realm Migration was complete..."
Complex conversations filled the corridors, each person having received news from various sources in Nanjiang.
"I heard things are more complicated than just the Evil God Cult."
"Divine General Master was on his way to Nanjiang for rescue, but other Secret Realms also had incidents."
"Sigh, let's wait a bit longer. The meeting should be ending soon."
A sigh echoed through the voices.
Curious gazes from several Flying Generals finally turned toward the tightly shut metal door of the room.
They knew a high-level meeting was underway inside, attended by their current Red Guard Supreme Commander, who was connected via communication.
However, the atmosphere they expected was different from what they imagined.
If someone could peek inside, they would see only a single figure sitting cross-legged.
Tall and slender, clad in a white robe with gold patterns.
A blue light tattoo adorned the exquisite face, and seven or eight holographic projections floated around the figure.
"The Nanjiang incident is far from a simple accident."
"Indeed. Not only did the Radiant Light Secret Realm migrate ahead of schedule, but the Heavenly River and Eastern Sea Secret Realms also experienced abnormal spatial fluctuations, triggering large-scale Black Tide attacks."
"It's clear this was a premeditated plan. These Evil God Angels prepared long ago, aiming to scatter and delay our forces."
The holographic projection hovering around them buzzed with hushed, grave discussions.
Someone turned to the woman seated cross-legged, asking about the situation.
"Divine General He, what about the Heavenly River and Eastern Sea?"
"Divine Monarch Senior has already suppressed the Heavenly River rebellion, and the Abyss rift in the Eastern Sea has closed," the woman replied calmly. The surrounding figures breathed sighs of relief.
"Then it seems the Black Tide has temporarily receded."
"I never expected the spatial fluctuations caused by the Secret Realm Migration to be so violent. We were just moments away from an Evil God Angel's descent."
"Speaking of which, if Red Wave Energy hadn't acted so recklessly, the Black Tide's impact wouldn't have reached this scale. According to our investigation, they're also connected to the Roth Family. I believe they should be severely punished to serve as a warning to others."
Someone suddenly spoke, initiating accountability.
"Agreed!"
"I concur!"
One by one, the high-ranking figures of Red City voiced their agreement. Some offered gentle reminders, pointing out the vast implications of taking down a Mega Corporation, which would affect tens of thousands of families.
"Without the Han Family, the Red Nation will only thrive!"
The final reprimand sealed the decision, and no one dared to object.
"How should we handle the Nanjiang incident?" a Councilor Representative suddenly asked. "Grandmaster Chen turned the tide, and those fallen soldiers sacrificed much during the Black Tide crisis. We owe them an explanation."
"I have a proposal for this matter," another Councilor said. "But what about the White Giant?"
An elderly man in a silk robe frowned, his expression grave. "We've strictly sealed off all Legendary-grade resources and technology. There's no way any could have leaked into the civilian population. Could he be connected to the Platinum Federation?"
The sentence trailed off, but the atmosphere in the room grew heavier. Most attendees wore solemn expressions.
A Legendary-level bio-modified human had suddenly appeared.
Regardless of who it was, such a being would naturally be met with suspicion and caution.
"I've already received a full report on the situation at the scene."
Unexpectedly, the woman who had remained silent throughout the entire meeting, sitting cross-legged on the floor, spoke first.
"Based on his previous record, I believe this person is trustworthy."
"As for Legendary-grade modification resources... aren't there always unexpected events and opportunities in this world?"
"If not for such circumstances, Senior Divine Monarch and the others wouldn't have come this far."
Her calm explanation caused some to visibly flinch, recalling hidden truths about the Divine Generals.
Each Divine General's emergence was a unique, unreplicable miracle.
This went beyond mere modification technology; otherwise, the Red Nation wouldn't have remained with so few Divine Generals for so long.
"Divine General He, do you think the White Giant was also..."
"I'm not certain."
Facing the crowd's gaze, the woman sitting cross-legged remained expressionless.
"All I know is that he is a hero."
"If we were to let a hero's heart grow cold..."
She shook her head gently, leaving the unspoken words to sink into everyone's minds.
Eyes met, and finally, they all tacitly agreed to drop the topic for the time being.
Two days later.
Movement finally stirred within the Flame Tiger Martial Arts Hall's Meditation Chamber.
Chen Feng withdrew from the Dream Realm and opened his eyes.
His Perception quietly spread out, painting a vivid picture of his surroundings in his mind.
The Martial Hall remained largely intact, suffering minimal damage.
Master Li Tong and the others were in the Meditation Chambers on the first and second floors, while his elder sister, Chen Yun, had temporarily taken up residence there.
"Don't worry, Xiao Yun," Li Tong said again in the guest room, seeing the lingering worry on Chen Yun's face. "Xiao Feng has always been steady. If he says it's nothing serious, then it definitely isn't."
The Martial Hall was eerily empty at the moment, with most of the disciples away.
Chen Feng's Perception extended outward, taking in the scene outside.
He saw that most of the disciples were busy in the district, either helping the Safety Bureau maintain order and patrol the streets or voluntarily distributing supplies.
The city had been devastated, and chaos was rampant.
Not everyone could maintain their principles, especially in this opportune moment for opportunism.
The Safety Bureau had suffered heavy casualties and was short-staffed, a situation mirrored by the Red Guard and the military.
Other martial halls, even the entire Nanjiang Martial Arts World, had also suffered devastating losses due to the Blood Sacrifice.
Various factions and sectors had tacitly chosen to join forces, each contributing whatever they could.
"Unity in the face of adversity..."
Witnessing this, Chen Feng's gaze wavered.
He glanced toward the ruined district nearby, where armored vehicles and Flying Cars with flashing red and blue lights were stationed at the intersection, conducting patrols and maintaining vigilance.
Traffic and pedestrian flow were sparse. Warriors stood guard with rifles at the ready, while the Flame Tiger Martial Arts Hall disciples, now clad in camouflage and combat gear, blended seamlessly into the scene.
Even Tian Hao Security, the Black Crystal Group, and even the Mega Corporation Blue Sky Group dispatched some of their security personnel and logistics staff to participate in the post-disaster reconstruction efforts.
Buzz!
The air vibrated. Looking up, I saw that many nearby high-rise buildings had collapsed. Giant flying cars from various corporations were suspended overhead, carrying heavy loads as they began to rebuild the city.
Bulldozers rumbled into the rubble-strewn areas, pushing down and clearing away the broken walls and debris. They loaded the crushed concrete and bricks onto trucks for removal.
Some high-rise buildings that couldn't be repaired were completely demolished, with plans to rebuild them from scratch. The deep craters and cracks in the ground were already being filled with concrete and asphalt.
"Mom, when can we go home?"
"Soon, Xiao Yao. We'll be home soon."
"Grandma, don't cry. We'll have a new home soon."
Faint, melancholic conversations drifted through the air from the open spaces in the city and the isolated temporary housing areas in the plazas.
Numerous camouflage tents had been erected. With their homes destroyed, many people were left homeless and forced to take temporary shelter here.
"The disaster may have passed," Celine said, standing among the crowd offering comfort. She wore a black jacket and was helping the Flame Tiger Martial Arts Hall disciples distribute supplies for the Safety Bureau.
Tens of thousands of people were temporarily housed in the tent area.
Men and women of all ages, from the elderly to children and pregnant women, were present. Many still wore pale faces, unable to shake off the lingering shadows.
Witnessing the deep fissures and craters firsthand, as well as the bloody invasion through the dark gate, she suddenly felt that the so-called natural and man-made disasters she had experienced before seemed utterly ordinary by comparison.
"It seems we narrowly escaped disaster back in Niduo," Yang Wudi sighed, gazing at the survivors before him. He couldn't help but recall the situation in Niduo Kingdom's Capital.
A void fissure had appeared then too, nearly forming a spatial gate.
The defenses and garrison forces of Niduo Kingdom's Capital were clearly inferior to those of the Red Nation. If such a situation had truly unfolded back then, the outcome would have been far more tragic than what had befallen Nanjiang.
"So, we have Chen to thank," Celine said, after distributing the last case of bottled water. She couldn't resist stepping forward to ask, her gaze drifting toward the distant Flame Tiger Martial Arts Hall, where shock and a multitude of emotions still lingered.
"But can Yang. Transcendence truly reach his level?"
Yang Wudi fell silent, understanding the complex emotions of the other person. Even he hadn't fully processed everything he'd witnessed that day.
Martial Artists could actually fly and move through the earth?
To possess such terrifying power through their physical bodies alone was almost beyond comprehension, even for him. He considered himself to have already achieved Transcendence, capable of World Imprint. Yet he could never achieve the earth-shattering feats of the strongest martial artist.
Perhaps the gap between Transcendence and Transcendence is even greater than the chasm between the Pinnacle Realm and ordinary humans?
This thought unexpectedly surfaced, leaving Yang Wudi with a strange look in his eyes. He finally couldn't resist reaching into his trench coat pocket for a cigarette, lighting it with a snap of his metal lighter.
Click!
He closed the lighter and turned to Celine. "Perhaps it's time we left."
Remaining by the side of the strongest martial artist, even in Transcendence, would only make them fade in comparison. If they truly wished to climb higher and go further, they had to forge their own path anew.
(End of the Chapter)
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