"A metal lifeform?"
Like everyone else, Locke was seeing a metal lifeform for the first time.
That said, even though this was his first encounter, he already possessed some knowledge about metal lifeforms, so he wasn't particularly shocked.
What truly caught him off guard was the fact that this golden dragon metal lifeform did not transform into a humanoid form. Instead, it maintained its colossal golden dragon shape as it slowly descended, revealing an opening along its abdomen.
The soldiers emerging from the metal lifeform were originally heading in another direction. Soon, however, Nien flew out from his own unit, exchanged a few words with the leading squad captain, and even pointed toward Locke's direction.
The god level squad captain glanced at Locke and gave a slight nod.
Nien patted the captain on the shoulder with a grin, then returned to his unit, continuing to help arrange the newcomers emerging from the planar teleportation array.
After that, the squad changed direction and headed toward Locke and the others.
Upon arriving before them, the squad captain stepped up to Locke.
"So you're the little brother Locke that Big Brother Nien mentioned?"
"You flatter me, sir," Locke replied politely. "My name is Locke. Captain can just call me Locke."
Although the man's attitude was friendly, Locke had no intention of letting that go to his head.
He didn't know what Nien had said to this squad captain, but Locke knew his own limits well. At his current level, there really wasn't anything about him that deserved a god's high regard.
"Hahaha, no need to be so distant. My name's Barrow," the captain said with a hearty laugh.
"Big Brother Nien and I have been through life and death together. Since I promised him I'd see you safely to Yilan City, I won't go back on my word."
"Thank you very much, Brother Barrow," Locke said sincerely.
Barrow nodded, ending the conversation, then turned to the surrounding crowd. His expression hardened once more.
"You lot are really lucky—to have run into a benefactor."
"Get on the metal lifeform, now. Don't waste our benefactor's time."
"Otherwise, don't blame me for tossing you off halfway just to save time."
The group of beings who had only just arrived in Hell from a material plane dared not delay. Under the direction of the Purple Thorn Legion soldiers, they quickly boarded the metal lifeform.
Locke and Captain Barrow boarded last. Barrow had personally arranged a seat for him. Locke felt a slight tremor, and when he looked out through the window, he saw the scenery outside streaking backward at incredible speed.
Along the journey, at regular intervals, the metal lifeform would slow down. Each time, soldiers of the Sovereign Legion would throw batches of beings out of the metal lifeform.
Most of those tossed down were at the Saint rank.
Near every group that was dropped off, there were tribes of varying sizes scattered across the land.
These beings would be absorbed by the tribes, becoming members who struggled to survive in Hell.
Occasionally, when one or two demigod-level experts were dropped off, demigod-level powerhouses from the tribes would come out personally to welcome them.
It was obvious that within these tribes, demigod-level beings and Saints were treated very differently.
Locke understood this well. In Hell, strength reigned supreme.
A demigod-level expert could increase a tribe's overall power and help it secure more resources.
Saints, on the other hand, were merely the lowest rung of the tribe.
They were the tribe's "property."
Only when they themselves broke through to the divine realm could they truly be considered "people" in Hell.
Ten days later, Locke parted ways with Captain Barrow and disembarked from the metal lifeform near Yilan City.
Watching the metal lifeform depart at high speed, Locke quietly let out a sigh of relief.
During this time, Barrow's enthusiasm had almost been too much for him to handle.
Slowly descending onto a mountain ridge, Locke headed toward Yilan City.
If he wanted to reach the Purple Thorn Mountains, he first needed to obtain a map of Hell.
Otherwise, given Hell's sheer vastness, wandering aimlessly might mean that even after tens of thousands of years, he still wouldn't reach his destination.
Yilan City should have what he needed.
Walking through the forest, Locke felt a faint sense of nostalgia.
It seemed that hundreds of years had already passed since he had entered the Magical Beast Mountains of the Wakanda material plane to cultivate.
Now, strolling through a forest in Hell, he felt an inexplicable sense of emotion.
He couldn't help but wonder—were the forests of Hell, like the Magical Beast Mountains of the material planes, also home to powerful magical beasts?
His divine sense spread outward.
Soon, Locke shook his head.
Perhaps because his soul was still weakened, the range of his divine sense in Hell was less than ninety meters.
His soul power was even worse—it could only extend to about fifty meters.
That meant if Locke wanted to use soul attacks against someone in Hell, he would have to be within at least fifty meters.
Any farther, and his soul power simply couldn't reach the target.
After testing his effective range, Locke proceeded forward cautiously.
In material planes, forests were the paradise of magical beasts.
The forests of Hell were likely no different.
Yet, to Locke's surprise, before encountering any magical beasts, he instead ran into a group of bandits.
"Move, move, move! I just saw a metal lifeform stop here for a moment. Someone definitely got off and headed toward Yilan City!"
"Keep your eyes sharp! Anyone who can ride a metal lifeform is either incredibly strong or filthy rich."
"If it's a powerful highgod, then we're just refugees passing by Yilan City."
"But if the target isn't that strong, then this is our lucky break!"
"Who knows—after pulling off this job, we might all be able to settle down in Yilan City directly!"
Locke pressed his back against a large tree.
He pushed his water-element Floating Shadow Technique to its absolute limit.
By bending and reflecting the surrounding light, he merged his body into the shifting shadows, hiding himself completely.
As long as no one reached out and physically touched him, it was impossible for them to discover his presence.
After all, Locke's attainments in soul-related abilities had even drawn admiration from an Highgod like Celes.
How could a band of looters led by just two gods possibly detect him?
The group searched frantically through the forest. Before long, taking the spot where the metal lifeform had paused as the center, they scoured a five-kilometer radius.
Yet they found no trace of Locke.
"Lord Diaz, we've practically turned this whole area upside down," one of them reported.
"There's no sign of anyone at all."
(End of Chapter)
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