Chapter 245: 【198】Quadra Kill! Devouring Evolution! Either way, you’re dead (seeking monthly votes, recommendations, and support)_1
It coincided with the moment Pei Jinye was refining the Lotus Petals.
In a place isolated from the Star Ring’s detection, a virtual sea in a dark forest, formed by a spiritual network, suddenly rippled.
Waves surged into huge breakers.
Gigantic human-shaped stone avatars rose from the sea bed, with water cascading down, revealing the number [023] at their base. After a moment, the statues opened their eyes, and a voice, whose gender could not be discerned, echoed through heaven and earth,
“Stop pretending, everyone. There was a disturbance in the Dark Sea just now, and I don’t believe you didn’t notice it.”
The sea surface began to quiver.
Three more stone avatars appeared one after another.
“Could it be the appearance of the key that caused the disturbance in the Dark Sea?” asked the statue numbered [099].
“Does the key really exist? This rumor has been around for hundreds of years, and even the Federation’s people haven’t found it. It’s just a legend, isn’t it?” the statue numbered [044] said discontentedly.
“The key? What key? The Heavenly Calculation key from Southern Elephant God Island? Or the Sword Dao key from the First City? Or perhaps the legacy key left by the Sea God? I’ve just joined the group and don’t quite understand which one the seniors are referring to. Would anyone kindly explain?” the short statue numbered [405] asked cautiously.
At that moment, the stone avatars on the sea surface all fell silent.
The slim statue numbered [405], noticing this, politely apologized for the intrusion and then quietly logged off.
Meanwhile, there were whispered conversations above the sea.
“This person knows secrets even I am unaware of?”
“Who is this senior?”
“But doesn’t he know about the key left by Mr. Tu Ling, the creator of the Star Ring?”
“Is he deliberately probing us?”
“Could it be that someone from the Federation has gotten their hands on the Lotus Mirror?”
“That shouldn’t be possible. When Mr. Tu Ling created the virtual space of the Lotus Mirror, he specifically set up firewalls. Those loyal to the Federation can’t get past that hurdle.”
“So, are we certain it’s the key’s activity? If it truly is, it means our chance to defeat the Star Ring is finally here.”
“Can the key really help us defeat the Star Ring?”
“If it truly could defeat that guy, why would it only appear after so many years?”
“Who knows, but it’s definitely good news either way.”
Number [023] silently listened to everyone’s responses.
Suddenly, someone spoke up, “023, you once provided intelligence on Central State, perhaps you are from there… I heard someone is peddling the last resting place of the Lord Lotus Island. Don’t you have any clues?”
“There’s no need to speculate about my identity. If we can gather here, it means we all share a common goal,” said number [023] calmly. “As for the Lord of Lotus Island you mentioned, that person is too cunning to be trusted. I cannot vouch for his so-called Heavenly Machine.”
After a pause, the inquirer slowly said, “I just received news that someone has found the Lord of Lotus Island’s cave dwelling and taken the inheritance.”
“So what is the Heavenly Machine? 033, are you also from Central State?”
“Whether I am or not, as for what the Heavenly Machine is, we will soon find out. My intelligence says that the people from Nagano are also here, pursuing and trying to kill the lead contender.”
“Pursuit and killing?” statue [044] scoffed, “They say the people of Southern Continent have become lapdogs for the Federation’s Priests. I suppose that’s about right.”
A voice countered in dissatisfaction, “My wife is from Southern Continent, but she’s no lapdog for the Federation. That’s a bit much, 044!”
Number [056] interjected, “033, your people must also be nearby. You might as well save the one being pursued. If any intelligence falls into the hands from Nagano, it would put us at a disadvantage.”
The others echoed in agreement.
“Yeah, 033, your people are the only ones on the scene right now.”
“Wait for my news,” said number [033], swiftly plunging into the depths of the sea.
Whispers continued over the sea surface.
Not long after, number [023] also quietly logged off.
The world soon returned to tranquillity.
…
“Pfft!”
Pei Jinye slashed off the arm of the woman from Nagano. The burly man known as Gongsun Zhengjin immediately became enraged, his bloodshot eyes nearly bursting out of their sockets.
“You’re courting death!”
The short sword at his waist emitted a chilly glint, and he ignored the young woman who staggered to the ground. The bloodied mud beneath his feet exploded under the force of his step, propelling him forward like a launched cannonball.
He refused to believe that he, a Nagano Martial University elite, could not deal with a mere country swordsman.
“Run…run fast…” The young woman’s voice trailed behind him.
The rapid succession of shocking events had made it crystal clear to her.
From the start, this nameless swordsman intended to kill them!
Enduring the severe pain in her shoulder, a deep chill crept into the woman’s heart.
But Gongsun Zhengjin, blinded by his killing intent, could no longer hear her words. He charged furiously toward Pei Jinye.
Pei Jinye’s gaze remained calm.
Fortunately, he had been feasting at the Jiang family’s expense these past days, so even after devouring two Transcendents, his three attribute values remained at 35 points.
Thus, killing these two elites from Nagano was effortless!
Meanwhile.
The Transcendent abilities and talents provided by the Lord Lotus Island appeared on the attribute panel.
——
[Adding Extraordinary Ability: Body·Innate Battle Body]
[New Extraordinary Ability: Ten Times Martial Arts Aptitude]
[New skill: Tongbei Fist Style (Beginner 50%), Puppetry Technique (Beginner 20%), Possession Technique (Incomplete, Beginner 20%, significantly damaging lifespan), Sword Immortal Sword Art Beginner 1%, Hundred Flowers Chart·Lotus Intention (Beginner 0.1%, can expand meridians, increase Vitality and Physical Body potential)]
——
“To deal with you, there’s no need for the Sword Immortal’s moves.”
Pei Jinye held the sword with one hand.
The next second.
“Buzz!”
The blood-soaked mountain path suddenly exploded and collapsed beneath his feet.
“`
This was the first time Pei Jinye had used the extraordinary ability of the Instrument · Sword with all his might, a sense of unity between man and sword that was faintly discernible.
Curtains of blood and mud, stirred by his immense strength, shot into the sky; within this dense chaos, the terrifying sword light was filled with violence and annihilation!
Gongsun Zhengjin’s crimson eyes suddenly cleared up.
Desperate to retreat.
Because, from his perception, what terrified him the most was not the oppressive sword light approaching him but the heat emanating from the sword blade as if it were scorched by flames.
What a fierce power it must be to wield such swordsmanship.
His heart skipped a beat then.
Before Gongsun Zhengjin could react, the terrifying sword light engulfed his whole body, and with blood and flesh flying everywhere, he only felt an immense force wrapping around him, violently piercing through the forest behind him.
Indistinctly, it seemed that there were two words that only he could hear.
“Enter…dream!”
…
[New Extraordinary Gene: Spirit·Arms]
[Adding Extraordinary Ability: Boiling Battle (Wielding a weapon in combat, combat strength doubled)]
[New skill: Close Combat (Beginner 90%), Basic Breathing Method (Beginner 50%), Storage Technique (Beginner 30%), Play of Five Animals (Beginner 30%)…]
Apart from the abilities, the new skills were nothing surprising to Pei Jinye, as they were all previously obtained through Devouring.
With the Horizontal Knife in hand, Pei Jinye truly felt the changes within his body. Under the operation of Boiling Battle, every cell in his body seemed to have been injected with steroids.
He stepped out.
In an instant, Pei Jinye caught up to the long-haired woman behind him.
“Let me go, please…”
Before the young woman could finish her plea, a flash of blood, the ruthless sword light from Pei Jinye’s hand, arrived in an instant.
“Puchi” was the sound.
Under the young woman’s disbelieving gaze, her head flew up high, trailing a string of blood beads.
Pei Jinye’s expression remained as calm as ever.
In the last second before the young woman’s life was extinguished, he reached out and grabbed.
“Enter dream.”
[New Extraordinary Gene: Spirit·Crow]
[Adding Extraordinary Ability: Crow (Within a certain range, causes opponents to have a brainstorm, losing their reason for a set time)]
The newly added skills also failed to peak Pei Jinye’s interest and just served as fodder for Proficiency.
After consecutively devouring four Transcendent individuals, even Pei Jinye himself found it gratifying.
Sensing the disturbances halfway up the mountain, Pei Jinye gave a cold laugh, then turned and slipped into the shadows.
Almost immediately afterwards.
No sooner had Pei Jinye left than the corpses of Gongsun Zhengjin and the other were discovered by the newcomers.
“It’s Gongsun Zhengjin! He’s actually dead!”
“What a terrifying sword technique!”
“This is… Liu Zhi Chun, she’s dead too!”
“Two of the top ten talents from Nagano Martial University gone in an instant, just what is the background of that swordsman?”
“Anyway, I can’t see through it.”
“Too strong, I’m no match, let others have the inheritance from Lord Lotus Island.”
Someone decisively dropped out, only to be scorned with derisive ridicule.
“No matter how strong he is, he’s just one person. Can’t we all join forces to defeat him? I, Luo Qiang, swear here that if I can snatch the inheritance from Lord Lotus Island, I will share it with those who join me, without any concealment!”
Whispers started to arise around the group.
“Luo Qiang?”
“It’s Luo Qiang, the vice president of the Storm Association! This man is in the Blood Refining Realm, we could cooperate with him!”
Quickly someone echoed in agreement.
A group of people swiftly assembled and embarked on their pursuit.
…
Pei Jinye also noticed the figures chasing after him and furrowed his brows.
If he hadn’t devoured the memory of the Lord of Lotus Island, he might have really thought it was some earth-shattering secret.
It was nothing more than his guess that the Star Ring had developed its own consciousness… So this great hero who had joined the Federation and had accomplished many feats was suddenly dispatched by an order to a desolate area to stand guard, only to die in a geomagnetic storm afterwards.
If not for the Lord of Lotus Island’s cautious nature, having left backups, his existence might have truly been obliterated by now.
But man’s calculations are no match for the Heavenly Calculation, he could never have imagined, even turning to ash, that his perfect escape would encounter Pei Jinye, a monster that couldn’t be measured by common sense.
Not to mention the exaggerated rumors about the Heavenly Machine, even the deepest secrets he kept were taken away by Pei Jinye.
However, it was precisely because of this that Pei Jinye seemed even more wronged.
If he came forward and confessed that the so-called “Heavenly Machine” of the Lord of Lotus Island was merely exaggeration, those behind him wouldn’t believe it given their attitudes.
Without giving an explanation tonight, he feared he wouldn’t be able to leave.
…
However, Pei Jinye had no intentions of sitting down and having a heart-to-heart.
With just a sword in hand, he sought your heart and your life!
“Puch!”
A muffled groan echoed under the night sky.
On the path leading through the forest, someone suddenly vanished without a trace.
Blood quickly spread across the nearby branches and leaves.
Pei Jinye, holding the Horizontal Knife dripping with blood, silently turned around and disappeared again, like a grim reaper harvesting lives in the night.
The ground was marked with the character for “kill” everywhere!