Translator: CinderTL
That night, in the eastern region of Luoyue, the night curtain, studded with stars, illuminated the darkness, while incandescent lamps dotted the Gobi Desert.
A massive, kilometer-deep pit was encircled by a sprawling encampment.
Steel wire mesh formed the outermost perimeter, and countless firepower weapons, like slumbering steel behemoths, lay dormant around the camp.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The wind howled relentlessly. Even in the darkness, bright searchlights swept across the surrounding terrain in luminous beams.
Aircraft, flashing red and blue lights, continued to enter and exit the Secret Realm, while Warships loomed overhead like celestial leviathans, casting their gaze upon the earth.
Observing this scene from the southeastern corner of the camp, Celine sighed in admiration.
Squatting at the entrance of her tent, she casually snatched a cigarette case and lighter from Yang Wudi beside her and lit a cigarette.
"This is what a true superpower looks like," she murmured, exhaling a plume of smoke, her voice tinged with envy.
Celine keenly felt the vast gulf separating nations like Moguo and Luoyue from the Red Nation.
Beyond Legendary-grade technology and Warships, and even disregarding the staggering disparity in individual combat power, the sheer scale of strategic resource deployment and the rapid mobilization of military forces across vast distances left the nations of the Eastern Continent in awe.
In just a single day, the Red Nation's representatives had coordinated with the Luoyue Military, deploying a massive army and establishing this sprawling camp.
Heavy firepower support arrived in a steady stream, and defensive structures were erected at a visible pace.
Even more astonishing, when they looked up, they saw several naval vessels being carried by massive Flying Cars. Guided by specialized spotlights, the ships were suspended and lowered, gradually crossing the Spatial Barrier to enter the Secret Realm of the Sea.
"No need to overthink it," Yang Wudi said calmly, a cigarette clenched between his teeth, his brown trench coat billowing in the wind. "You've done Moguo proud, working tirelessly for years."
"Moreover, such national power isn't built overnight, nor can it be accumulated by individual effort alone."
He rarely offered such words of comfort, fully aware of Celine's contributions to Moguo. With her Pseudo Sixth-Tier martial arts strength, she had helped local officials suppress rebellions, forge alliances, and combat the armed rebel forces backed by the Federation. Even her presence in Luoyue was related to these efforts. She genuinely wanted Moguo to grow strong and prosperous.
"Heh."
Celine chuckled and shook her head, saying nothing more.
The ember of her cigarette glowed brighter in the night wind as she glanced back with a mixture of envy and admiration. The burly black-robed youth sat cross-legged inside the tent, his eyes slightly closed, as if already beginning his next cultivation session.
Backed by a great nation and possessing the supreme power of an individual at the pinnacle of martial arts, he never seemed to pause in his relentless pursuit of progress. Instead, he constantly surpassed himself, determined to climb to the very peak of this path, to the apex of the world.
Whoosh...
For a moment, the night wind rustled through the camp, and the stars twinkled overhead.
Yang Wudi and Celine stood or sat outside the tent, enveloped in a brief silence.
Inside the tent, Chen Feng remained oblivious to the external commotion and lingering thoughts, his consciousness focused on the panel before him:
[Azure Armor LV8: 39/100]
[Steel Bones LV7: 25/100]
The gains from the Luoyue expedition were decent.
In addition to two new Fragments of Divinity and the discovery of the world ark, which further advanced his Martial Arts True Skill and awakening method progress, his Extraordinary Talents had also received some nourishment.
The Believers of the Evil God Cult and members of the Roth Family had left behind fear in their final moments. The Legendary-grade Modified Human named Amon had also left behind fragments of his melting-grade rainbow iron Flying Shuttle.
The Holy Shield Colossus had preserved these remnants, eventually converting them into primal nourishment that revitalized Chen Feng's Steel Bones, which had stagnated for days.
"Still not enough," Chen Feng muttered, shaking his head with mild dissatisfaction.
Melting-grade rainbow iron had become less effective for him, and Legendary-grade Modified Humans and Cyborgs were exceedingly rare, all being prominent figures listed in the registries of the Red Nation and Platinum Federation.
Each one was under intense scrutiny, and their deaths would inevitably draw widespread attention.
As a result, Chen Feng could no longer act with the same reckless abandon as before, ignoring the consequences.
Once or twice, he could get away with it, masking his actions with feigned vengeance.
But after repeated incidents, anyone would start to suspect something was amiss.
Perhaps I should find another opportunity to visit the Calamity Secret Realm, Chen Feng mused inwardly, recalling the technologically advanced world he had plundered before.
Only there could he pillage without regard for the consequences.
Unfortunately, his previous two raids had caused such a massive uproar that the entire Tedo Kingdom was now on high alert, and the area he had left from was heavily blockaded.
Using the Small Stone Statue he had left behind, he could see a massive fleet of warships suppressing the main city circle, along with other apparent security measures.
Shaking his head, Chen Feng quickly suppressed these distracting thoughts, refusing to dwell on the matter.
The Tedo Kingdom's warship fleet was formidable and their defenses impenetrable. He needed to wait for the right moment.
Before that, however, his gaze shifted downward to another section of the panel:
[Heart of Glory LV6: 91/100]
While the Evil God Angel named Eudo had neither feared him nor provided any metallic nourishment, the glory of defeating him in direct combat had been substantial.
Thanks to this, the Heart of Glory talent was now on the verge of leveling up again.
I wonder what conditions will be required for the Holy Shield Colossus's transformation, Chen Feng thought solemnly, his mind focused on this crucial point.
He had his own methods for acquiring the final portion of Glory Points nourishment.
However, obtaining the Earth Vein Power required for the Holy Shield Colossus's next transformation posed a more challenging problem.
After all, the Holy Shield Colossus's previous two transformations had nearly drained the Niduo Mountains dry, leaving little remaining to sustain another metamorphosis.
Moreover, these events had caused significant disturbances, drawing the attention of various factions on Earth who were now speculating about the underlying cause.
It was clear that any similar incident would inevitably expose the Holy Shield Colossus to the world, making it impossible to conceal its true nature any longer.
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, a gust of wind stirred outside the tent, lifting the curtain.
Searchlight beams continued to descend, illuminating the Secret Realm Space, which resembled an independent world. Increasingly, military personnel and firepower weapons were penetrating the Spatial Barrier and entering the realm.
"Hmm?"
Witnessing this, Chen Feng's mind stirred.
"The Earth Vein Power compatible with the Holy Shield Colossus isn't limited to the Niduo Mountains."
His eyes gradually brightened as he nearly forgot about his hidden card.
The three Secret Realm Worlds he had accessed through Dream Incursion all contained treacherous mountain ranges.
Could these mountains serve as the Earth Vein nourishment for the Colossus's next transformation?
With this idea taking shape, Chen Feng began formulating a plan.
Refraining from immediate action, he shifted his gaze downward to examine his final harvest.
[Power of the Dead: 1800/100]
He should have possessed more Evil God Power, considering he had plundered the power of an angel's clone.
The key lay in:
[Black Dream Light]
[Activation Progress: 65%]
[Current Function: Consumes stamina to activate Black Dream Light, briefly disrupting the Black Tide's power.]
Buzz!
Chen Feng's gaze flickered as he focused his mind.
Instantly, the Evil God Power within the mark on his palm surged wildly, flowing toward his forehead.
Strands of dark light coalesced there, forming a six-pointed star mark resembling an eye that slowly opened.
This special ability, acquired after the Nanjiang black tide incident, allowed him to project Black Dream Light, creating a disruptive force.
In subsequent experiments, he had used it to sever portions of the black tide mist within the Qinggang City Dreamscape, preventing the resurrection of Black Tide Creatures.
This act had driven the Blood Moon into a frenzy, causing it to tremble.
"Still a ways to go," Chen Feng murmured, sensing the activation progress of this talent. He noticed the Evil God Power consumption had decreased slightly.
Even so, he remained hesitant to use this ability lightly.
He suspected it was the Black Tide's bane. He had considered using it against Eudo earlier but ultimately suppressed the urge.
This was his trump card, not yet ready to be revealed.
He didn't want to alert the Evil God Angel prematurely, giving it time to prepare.
The thought flashed through his mind, and Chen Feng finally dispersed the Evil God Power.
The six-pointed star mark on his forehead slowly receded, its dark light gradually fading into nothingness.
As night deepened, his consciousness sank into focus.
Unnoticed by anyone, the Dream Realm of Qinggang City reappeared.
Whoosh!
A black ocean of chaos stretched endlessly.
Strands of dark mist pierced through the Spatial Crystal Wall, revealing a desolate, pitch-black world.
Boundless darkness shrouded everything, and an icy stillness solidified among the ruins and wreckage.
Time flowed onward until a certain moment.
Buzz!
Spatial ripples surged through the air as the Sea of Mist churned violently. Six colossal, crimson vertical pupils materialized within the swirling darkness.
Vast, sky-obscuring bat wings swept across the heavens, and a ferocious voice echoed through the void:
"Lava Lord, I demand an explanation!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The reverberating voice carried the weight of divine authority. Beneath the massive bat wings, a wolf-like figure could be faintly discerned.
Six crimson wolf eyes burned with boundless savagery. The flapping wings unleashed a storm, causing the ruined earth to tremble ceaselessly.
"Shutesu, you never change."
A thunderous voice echoed, and only then did the earth begin to tremble violently.
Cracks split the land beneath the ruins of steel and concrete, and mountains coiled into a colossal, endless python.
The Lava Lord's clone materialized, its amber vertical pupils locking onto the crimson eye in the sky.
"Such a foul temper. It seems you haven't been having a pleasant time lately?"
"Spare me the chatter!"
The Wolfbat Angel Shutesu snarled, his crimson eye blazing with fury as he glanced toward another part of the icy night sky.
"That damned Winged Serpent must be here too."
"Excellent. I still have a score to settle with him."
Boom!!
As he spoke, a crimson beam pierced through the black mist, tearing through the night sky like scarlet lightning.
The entire world shuddered, as if on the verge of collapse once more.
This sudden, violent attack was a blatant provocation, yet the Lava Lord's expression remained unchanged.
Buzz!!
In an instant, crimson light erupted, forming a world barrier.
The scarlet lightning-like beam was swallowed and corroded by the barrier, revealing the faint silhouette of a colossal, dragon-winged angel coiling through the dark clouds in the distant night sky.
"Shutesu, it seems you're eager to become my primal nourishment?"
A chilling voice echoed through the air as two crimson, vertical pupils materialized high above.
Two streams of blood-red energy collided, creating arcs of crimson lightning that crisscrossed the sky, dyeing the world blood-red.
"You think you can stop me?"
The wolf-bat creature named Shutesu roared violently, blood-red energy erupting from his body like a hurricane, threatening to engulf the world.
"Shutesu, calm yourself," the Lava Lord urged in a deep voice, but Shutesu ignored him completely.
Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, the Lava Lord unleashed his power, summoning the earth to rise into towering rock walls that temporarily blocked the conflict.
"We summoned you here for one purpose," the Lava Lord declared. "The Astral Human who thwarted your descent!"
Boom!!
The words resonated directly into their minds.
The Wolfbat Angel, wreathed in crimson lightning, froze. His six blood-red wolf eyes locked onto the Lava Lord.
"Don't look at me like that," the Lava Lord said, his voice low and steady. "That human ruined our plans too."
Stepping forward from behind the rock walls, the Lava Lord positioned himself between the Wolfbat Angel and the Winged Serpent King.
"Now, will you hear me out?"
Hearing this, Shutesu snorted coldly and ceased his attack.
The Winged Serpent King watched everything with icy eyes, transforming into a blood-red cloud that coiled high in the sky.
The two angels temporarily suspended their battle, and the Lava Lord seized the opportunity to reveal the crucial information.
"He's unique. He can freely traverse the star realm, ignoring all spatial barriers and the weakening effects of the rules."
"This ability belongs only to the Ancient Taiduo."
As soon as these words were spoken, a crimson glint flashed simultaneously in Shutesu's six wolf-like eyes.
"Moreover..."
Whoosh!
The world's oppressive darkness partially dissipated, and the surging sea of black mist receded like a tide, revealing the shattered earth beneath.
A pale, desolate ruined city emerged, its High Walls crumbling and riddled with cracks.
Tens of thousands of buildings lay in ruins, their concrete and steel debris mingled together.
"Don't you think his methods bear a striking resemblance to this world?"
Crack!
The fissures in the earth widened again, leaving the ruined landscape even more ravaged.
The massive Wolfbat Angel's expression tightened slightly as memories flashed through his mind—memories of their joint destruction of this world.
"I see you understand now," the Lava Lord said in a low voice, exchanging a subtle glance with the Winged Serpent King, both their eyes gleaming with greed.
This same expression flickered across Shutesu's face, ultimately hardening into a blood-red gaze that swept over the ruined city below.
"That artifact vanished too abruptly back then."
"If we could extract clues from him—or even retrieve it..."
The Lava Lord didn't finish his sentence, but the greed in Shutesu's eyes grew increasingly intense.
He knew what this meant.
It was a wondrous treasure that had drawn the attention of even the great beings they worshipped, causing ripples in the chaos itself.
Even the King of Angels had fallen and vanished because of it.
"What do you plan to do?" Shutesu quickly suppressed his ferocity and asked coldly.
Their respective patrons were different, and their beliefs even clashed to some extent.
But for the sake of that object, they could temporarily restrain themselves.
"Naturally, we will retrieve it," the Lava Lord said in a deep voice, the Winged Serpent King coiling behind him like a blood-red cloud.
"I know you've left more than one anchor point in the Earth Star World."
"But I doubt you can handle this alone."
Shutesu snorted but didn't refute the claim.
The limitations imposed by the rules of reality severely weakened cross-realm descents—a problem even the King of Angels couldn't solve.
Moreover, he didn't want other beings to learn of this matter.
Instantly, thunderous roars erupted as crimson clouds and flickering scarlet lightning enveloped everything, blocking all observation.
The three angels' discussion remained hidden, the shattered wasteland transforming into a deathly pale backdrop.
Finally, the Sea of Mist churned once more.
Another star realm seemed to have been quietly invaded.
Meanwhile, at the heart of the chaos, within the honeycomb-like cluster of worlds, another bright light flickered and died.
(End of the Chapter)
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