Yang Zicang sprinted with his eyes shut, relying entirely on Shenyin’s Awareness of the environment, never daring to look back.
Panic. Rejection. Abandoned by heaven and earth.
The monster closed its eyes, savoring this sudden surge of emotions, and let out a soft sigh.
–I see. The ability to communicate with all things is indeed a fine trait for a candidate. Even in my era, you would have been worth mentoring as a Vein Researcher or a Quintessence Seeker.–
It watched Yang Zicang fleeing before it, his figure nearly reaching the boundary of this newly emerged Shibin Wastes.
The monster turned its gaze to the distant figures bolting away. In Yang Zicang’s perception, they were mere black dots; soon, apart from Chin Mong, the others would lose their connection.
–Not good.–
Yang Zicang had no choice but to turn, opening his eyes in defiance: –Get back here! Your opponent is me!–
He severed the Syn-Link with Junyin Chase, relayed this message to Wang Chong, telling them: keep running, and do not look back.
Justiceer chuckled as it locked eyes with the now-facing Yang Zicang: –That’s more like it. Come on, they are the stakes of our fight. If you win, they live. If you die, they die.–
The moment Yang Zicang laid eyes on it, that Lunar-Grade silhouette vanished in an instant, reappeared right in front of him, and swung a fist.
The first collision of two heavy, powerful fists.
Boom!
Rumble!
[I have offset 2000N of principal.]
Ouch, that hurts.
[Ju Yin Chase wants to Invest for me.]
｛Tell me how much Chronos you need.｝
–Three thousand nine hundred.–
[Ju Yin Chase Invested 3900N for me.]
After Yang Zicang activated Chronos, he engaged in a hit-and-run battle with Justiceer, the two figures darting and weaving on the ground like martial arts masters.
At this moment, the light clusters in the sky chased after Yang Zicang and the other, faint telepathic voices could be heard but unclearly, as if they, fearing to disturb the ones below, had deliberately muted the chat.
One could guess these were just bland mutual praises between babies.
Yang Zicang dodged a punch and mentally spoke quickly:
[How much Chronos do you have? I need to return the Chronos I used to boost myself.]
｛Well… I still have a lot over here, give me a second to sort things out.｝
Two seconds later, Ju Yin Chase said:
｛Alright, give me five thousand first, then I’ll send you five thousand.｝
[I returned the Invested 3900N with a super bonus of 5200N!]
Yang Zicang watched nervously as the monster across from him swung its arm, until, after what felt like either one or one and a half seconds, he received the new Chronos Investment. He faced the onrushing figure, quickly opening his Moxel on his chest!
Quadra Flare!
The silver spear, carrying a phantom of blazing flames, struck towards the monster’s chest, and in the instant the monster sidestepped to dodge the thrust, it changed from a thrust to a sweep, swinging horizontally!
A golden-red apparition suddenly emerged from the flames, mingling with the inferno.
Boom! The Lance struck Justiceer solidly.
[I have nullified 15000N]
–How is that possible!– Justiceer, having made a dodge yet still been hit, was greatly astonished.
But the parts of him that were struck swiftly regenerated. The aged, withered muscles rapidly restored themselves, like plants brimming with life anew.
–Stunned by my regenerative ability, aren’t you? Want to know why this is?–
He wanted to know, but…
An indescribable alarm of danger welled up in Yang Zicang’s heart.
From a distant spacetime beyond, it was as if a gaze had slowly cast over. The information spoken by the figure from the dream flashed rapidly through Yang Zicang’s mind.
—They are seeking the –Flash.–
He could not listen to this secret—at least not at this moment.
Justiceer chuckled with a hint of ferociousness: –Because, all abilities come from…–
The light clusters drew closer from the sky.
–No, you don’t!–
Yang Zicang lashed out with a punch, bringing with it gale-force winds and blazing fire, knocking the monster who was about to spill the truth of the world with a wipe of its mouth flat.
–Shut up!–
After all, having cultivated for thousands of years, fortunately, when first entering the Near Realm world, to avoid wasting Chronos and to teach the savages the seeds of civilization, he spent at least half of the time genuinely, thus gaining training.
The monster before him, though possessing bizarre abilities, its martial skills clearly trailed behind the techniques he had honed for years. Its combat secrets were meager, limited to the wind from its claws, nothing more.
[I have now claimed a name in the Shibin Wastes.]
Yang Zicang finally understood who the reputation belonged to—it was for this very land.
He severed the link with Ju Yin Chase again and swiftly contacted the fleeing Zuo Feixian. Through telepathy, the other party was prepared to apologize before speaking, but Yang Zicang cut him off gruffly:
–That hand of yours once said, it would help when danger strikes next. Where is he now?–
After a two-second pause, Zuo Feixian, whose pants were practically slipping off as he ran, sobbed:
–Brother, that lord of mine said it was for your crisis. But this crisis is not yours.–
–Tsk!–
Yang Zicang instinctively turned to look at the old man far away… The aging Chin Mong had exhausted all his lifespan, staring back with apologetic eyes filled with desolation.
A jagged line flashed away as Yang Zicang prepared to extend Chin Mong’s remaining lifespan through [Invest].
[Elect Chin Mong has rejected my Invest.]
–I don’t deserve your help.–
The monster rose from the ground, twisting its neck with a series of cracking sounds as bones snapped back into place.
Yang Zicang dodged another onslaught from the creature, but the monster seemed indifferent, like an adult toying with a child who lashed out helplessly again and again.
–What do you mean, ‘don’t deserve’? Did I bring you all this way just to hear such bullshit?–
Chin Mong clutched his head in agony. –I can’t face everyone. I brought disaster… If you fall here, the future they’ve just begun to hope for will sink back into darkness.–
–Standing around like a stick of wood won’t change a thing!– Yang Zicang roared. –Aren’t we a team? What are we in your puzzle? You idiot, just accept my Invest!–
Chin Mong lifted his head and gazed into the distance at the two figures locked in constant battle.
–A team… a puzzle.–
Suddenly, a surge of heat flooded Chin Mong’s mind.
[It dawned on me that society is a giant puzzle. Though individuals stand alone, they need not lose the harmony of –unity in diversity -** in solitude. No one can stand on their own without the contributions and needs of others to support their footing.**]
[In that moment of epiphany, I felt as if something within me was about to grow.]
A cluster of tiny light orbs that had been trailing Yang Zicang suddenly diverted, surging toward Chin Mong.
[My fame is rising, out here in the Shibin Wastes.]
In the ring at Chin Mong’s chest, beside the slowly rotating obtuse angle, a new pinpoint of light snapped into existence in the empty space.
{Ah, the luminary erupts in a blaze of awakened power!}
Vague, ethereal flickers of elemental spirits stirred within the small globes of light. These tiny entities brandished pens finer than leg hair, scribbling something on crumpled white paper.
Chin Mong’s eyes slid shut naturally, and the finely etched lines of the triangle on his chest began to flicker wildly.
[Yang Zicang intends to execute a full ChronosInvest on my behalf. I believe I stand in need of this Invest.]
[Yang Zicang has invested in me a full Chronos5000N, with a term of one year.]
Tears welled at the corners of Chin Mong’s tightly shut eyes.
{Ah, what a truly stirring friendship this is.}
{Truly, the luminary’s friend is a person of exceptional virtue, possessing a spirit as pure and unsullied as Hua Piaopiao’s.}
{I must record this profound, heart-swelling moment.}
Chin Mong, his form no longer touched by decay, slowly opened his eyes.
He gazed into the distance. In this moment, the boundaries between men had utterly dissolved in his sight. What he perceived of Yang Zicang was nothing but a shaft of golden light upon which a figure—his own—the number –1,– had come to rest.
[Begin assigning complete fragment: No. 1.]
And the monster chasing him was another dark crimson figure.
Yang Zicang felt something inexplicably missing around him—an indescribable sense, as if he suddenly realized that his originally whole self was never truly whole.
The monster, having taken a few punches, wiped the corner of its mouth. –Some want to change this world, some want to stop change, and others want limited change. That’s the reason you listen or refuse to listen.–
–Shut up!–
One head of the Justiceer turned toward Chin Mong in the distance, while the other fixed its gaze on the youth ahead, suddenly roaring:
–Because this is a new world!–
The light clusters whooshed back over again.
The moon-shadow monster raised a hand and chuckled:
–Although the scumbags who made me are part of the faction halting change! I don’t think much of them, though. O stranger from another world, our former world had plenty of beauty too—scrap heaps can still hide treasures. The stories I tell, you don’t want to hear, but I believe they’re the best our world had to offer.–
{And what might that be, pray tell?}
Among the lights floating across the sky, a few drifted forward and asked.
{Ah, a reporter can’t question a non-celebrity… but I’m dying to know.}
Yang Zicang’s eyes snapped wide open.
The monster actually took several steps back on its own. As it retreated, it opened its mouth and grinned fiercely.
–Shut up!– Yang Zicang said angrily. He had a vague feeling that the more the monster talked about the past, the worse it would be for this place.
–The power comes from the Bloodline Rings…– Justiceer said.
Shua, shua, shua!
The lovely little reporters in the sky all lowered their heads, busy taking notes.
[Your Fame Has Increased Rapidly.]
The two heads of the monster on the opposite side flashed evil smiles. –The Bloodline Rings come from the Soul Hall.–
{Wow, so that’s how it is.}
{Maybe we need a Soul Hall too, right?}
The monster that had spoken was immensely satisfied. It strode forward, its body muscles writhing like a machine of flesh and blood, amassing enormous power.
_-**Heh, want to know where the Soul Hall exists? It exists… Huh?
The ground beneath Yang Zicang’s feet vanished instantly, and he vanished along with it, appearing in a gray, hazy space.
And in Justiceer’s eyes, the young man’s spot was now completely empty.
–Ha! Doesn’t matter. The key anchor of information… The seeds of curiosity are sown, so the world’s anchorage is set… Almost done.–
Yang Zicang looked at the small patch of grassland beneath his feet, floating as if in this space— the only splash of life in the gray haze.
–Where is this? Chin Mong, let me out!–
–Brother ZiCang, thank you. I’m different now. Let me finish this before I set you free.–
The utterly tense Yang Zicang lifted his head. Just moments ago, he felt the entire world watching him, listening to him—until, at that critical moment, he had appeared here.
Where did the Soul Hall come from?
He pondered in a daze.
The bloodline ring—why didn’t he have one? Wait…
Ring?
He lowered his gaze to his chest, where a silver-white ring was slowly spinning.
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