Translator: CinderTL
[Heart of Glory LV5: 66/100]
[Azure Armor LV7: 52/100]
[Steel Bones LV5: 91/100]
Chen Feng's gaze swept over the progress of his three talents. The battle at the Niduo King's Royal Palace had yielded substantial nourishment.
One Flying General-class cyborg and three Martial Artists comparable to Sixth-Tier experts.
While this paled in comparison to the gains from the Holy Shield Colossus and Azure Armor, the sheer number of opponents and the clashes with the Niduo Military had given both talents a significant boost.
As for Steel Bones...
General Mord of Niduo proved a decent opponent, and his Stellar Grade Titanium armor was a valuable resource.
"Just a little more, and Steel Bones will level up," Chen Feng muttered.
His attention lingered primarily on Steel Bones' progress, a myriad of thoughts swirling in his mind.
Perhaps after Lei Long and the others reached Merman Bay, he should venture into the Dead Crow Secret Realm to absorb the Blue Heart Stone he had acquired.
Or perhaps...
He glanced down at the war emblem etched into his palm—crossed battle axes symbolizing conflict.
[Calamity Power: 1800/100]
He had long possessed a second opportunity for a Dream Incursion into the Calamity Secret Realm, yet he had never seized it.
If an advanced technological civilization truly existed there, then Steel Bones' nourishment needs would undoubtedly be met.
The thought flashed through Chen Feng's mind as his gaze shifted once more.
[Serpent Spirit Power: 1000/100]
[Power of the Dead: 1600/100]
The depleted Serpent Spirit Power had been replenished, allowing him to confidently revisit the Serpent Spirit Secret Realm later.
Buzz!
At that moment, Stone Statue No. 2, linked to his mind, began sharing its visual feed. Chen Feng's heart quickened, and he immediately focused on the display, witnessing the scene he had been eagerly anticipating.
Whoosh!
A waterfall cascaded down, and the majestic Holy City stood tall in the distance. Blue runes flickered across the city walls as a Flying Eagle Beast emerged from the highest palace, its wings catching the wind.
Many eyes from the black-walled encampment turned to watch the creature descend, its brown wings stirring up clouds of dust as it landed.
"Lord Kali!"
"Legion Commander Kali!"
Molly, clad in Vine Armor, her eyes shining brightly, respectfully greeted Kali from behind the other Fifth-Tier Commanders.
"Hmm."
Kali, draped in a green vine cloak, nodded lightly as she dismounted the Flying Eagle. The intricate patterns on her face pulsed with an emerald glow.
Two Silver Armor Warriors stood behind Kali, one cradling a delicate golden box that drew considerable attention.
"Has Olon returned yet?" Kali asked. The Holy City had dispatched its elite warriors at the earliest opportunity to escort the thousands of ordinary humans migrating southward.
"A message arrived early this morning, Your Excellency," a Fifth-Tier Commander replied respectfully, his eyes shining with hope. "They should reach the Holy City within four days at the latest."
The thousands of ordinary humans, along with any Serpentfolk Tribes they encountered along the way, would be crushed, allowing for the rescue of even more humans. After enduring numerous costly wars and suffering heavy losses, the depleted Holy City finally had a chance to replenish its ranks.
"Hmm."
Without pressing further, Kali turned her gaze to Molly in the crowd. She gave a slight nod and beckoned with her hand.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The White Ash Stone Statue flew off Molly's shoulder, hovering a foot in front of her, and began to spin gently.
"Little one," Kali murmured calmly, her voice heavy with unspoken meaning. "You must endure this."
The surrounding crowd stiffened in surprise as thorny vines erupted from the ground, separating everyone, including Molly, from Kali.
An emerald green light obscured most of the view, leaving only Kali and her two Silver Armor Guards visible.
Click!
The golden box opened, and a flash of golden light seemed to escape from within.
Without hesitation, the White Ash Stone Statue darted forward, its bean-sized rocky eyes widening in intense concentration.
A golden flame materialized before it, burning ceaselessly.
Within seconds, smoke began to rise from its white ash body, and it plummeted to the ground.
"Little Stone!" Molly cried out from outside the barrier, her face paling as she watched.
At the critical moment, Kali swiftly caught the falling statue.
"As expected," she murmured, shaking her head with a hint of regret.
Emerald green light then emanated from her body, rapidly healing the statue's injuries.
"It got hurt?" Chen Feng thought, observing the shared vision. He was astonished to discover that the vessel for the Awakening Method Manual was a golden flame.
Merely witnessing it inflicted burns, as if that were the price for mastering the method.
He focused intently, carefully assessing the situation.
Only when he confirmed that Stone Statue No. 2 was stable and being properly treated by Kali did he sever the mental connection.
"Well done," Chen Feng murmured, sending a final soothing mental message to Stone Statue No. 2. He began processing the information it had transmitted.
The flame persisted, yet held a profound, hidden meaning. Though the small stone statue hadn't endured for long, its efforts hadn't been in vain.
Divine Awakening Method—the ultimate nemesis of evil.
Capable of incinerating all things and dispelling darkness.
A higher-tier Life Seed Awakening Method.
Though incomplete, Chen Feng was certain it could be cultivated to the Angel-tier.
Upon closer examination, he sensed a connection between this method and the Sacred Flame Awakening Method. It seemed the latter had evolved from the former.
Could the Sacred Flame Awakening Method be a simplified version of the Divine Awakening Method?
Several hypotheses surfaced in his mind, but Chen Feng quickly suppressed them. Regardless of their relationship, acquiring this method was a significant gain.
Without further delay, he sat cross-legged and began converting the awakening method.
Two days passed.
Whoosh!
A white contrail lingered in the sky as a grayish-black aircraft descended nearby. The crimson maple leaves on its tail stood out vividly, alongside the golden Flying Eagle emblem of the Platinum Federation Military.
The site was located at the base of the White Jade Steps of the Royal Palace, overlooking the deep crater of the Lower City ruins nearly a kilometer away.
The area where the void rifts had appeared was under comprehensive surveillance, and a sturdy barbed wire fence had been erected within just two days. The surrounding gray concrete rubble had been cleared, transforming the landscape into a flat plain.
Military units were stationed at a safe distance, with tanks serving as the primary heavy firepower. Niduo soldiers patrolled the rebuilt residential districts further away, while personnel from other nations' militaries moved about nearby.
"The Royal Family acts swiftly," Zhou Wuren remarked, gazing down from the palace rooftop, his eyes sweeping over the perimeter walls with a hint of admiration.
Beside him, Celine sat on the black roof tiles, lighting a slim cigarette. She handed her metal lighter to the young man in casual blue attire beside her. "Thanks for the lighter, little brother."
Xu Tingxiao's face stiffened momentarily as Celine took a long drag from her cigarette.
"After all, it's the Black Tide. Who wouldn't take it seriously?" Celine exhaled a stream of smoke. "Speaking of which, Yang mentioned you two experienced the Black Tide firsthand back then?"
"That's right. We owe our lives to Grandmaster Chen and Senior Yang."
Zhou Wuren nodded, his black martial arts uniform billowing in the wind, his eyes filled with a mix of recollection and relief.
The situation had been dire. If those two hadn't stepped forward to assist the Suro Military in Suojia City, they might not have held out until reinforcements from the Royal City Flying Generals arrived.
"Interesting," Celine remarked, listening with rapt attention. She flicked a speck of dust from her black jacket and glanced at the figures in the palace courtyard. "Yang never told me all the details."
"Heh, but it's quite amusing that he managed to stay with Zhang," she added with a chuckle.
As she spoke, the figure in the brown trench coat below seemed to sense their presence. A gap opened in his messy bangs, revealing a deep, piercing gaze. His index finger twitched slightly.
"Tch, stingy," Celine muttered before tossing down her silver-and-gold lighter.
Click.
A spark flared, and Yang Wudi lit his thick cigarette.
"Which path did you choose?" Old Leader Zhang asked from his red wooden chair across the table, a slight frown creasing his face. The acrid cigarette smoke was subtly blocked by his Pinnacle Intent.
"How many paths do you think there are?" Yang countered.
"Let's not talk about the New Martial Arts," Yang Wudi retorted, taking another drag of his cigarette. "Martial Divinity is too bizarre, and Gun Martial Arts is unstable."
"Do you mean..."
"I'm not sure," Yang Wudi replied, meeting the other man's questioning gaze. He held his cigarette in his right hand and glanced back at the palace chamber.
"Not sure?"
"This path is... unique. I don't know if it's the same as his."
"Besides, I have a feeling I'm nearing my limit as well."
Yang Wudi's mind swirled with doubts, while Old Leader Zhang's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
He too turned to stare at the tightly sealed red palace chamber, his curiosity growing unbearable, like a cat clawing at his insides.
Yet...
Why hadn't Grandmaster Chen emerged after all this time?
The question hung in the air, unanswered.
Meanwhile, inside the palace chamber, Chen Feng withdrew his Perception, his assumptions confirmed.
"The Black Tide shouldn't erupt anytime soon," he murmured.
Having obtained the awakening method, he resisted the urge to immediately initiate another Dream Incursion. Instead, he entered the Dream Realm of Qinggang City normally.
Everything proceeded smoothly, unlike his previous experience in Suojia City, where he had been trapped between reality and the Dream Realm.
He turned his attention to the skills arrayed before him. Without hesitation, he consumed them all.
[Thunderclap Art: Thunderous Roar (44%+)]
[Golden Dawn Art: Daylight (61%+)]
[Heavenly Aura Overlord Body: Aura Body (15%+)]
All three skills had improved. With the difficulty of enhancing the Extreme Martial Fist skyrocketing once again, Chen Feng decisively used his Extreme Martial Arts points on the Heavenly Aura Overlord Body.
He also retained ninety Limit Breaking Orbs.
"The effectiveness of these orbs is diminishing," he mused. "I'll save them for when a skill is nearing a breakthrough."
Having made up his mind, his gaze shifted downward.
[Divine Awakening Method: Sixth-Tier (Transforming...)]
This Angel-tier awakening method was exceptionally challenging, and the transformation process was agonizingly slow.
To expedite it, Chen Feng had even consumed the Life Source Liquid he'd obtained from the World Fighting Tournament.
The Forbidden Drug secretly blended into it by the Divine Martial Alliance Leader had indeed caused minor harm to his body, but the Heart of Life had quietly repaired all the damage, leaving only pure nourishment.
"I probably need one or two more doses to complete the transformation immediately," he calculated.
A flicker of understanding crossed Chen Feng's eyes. The Life Source Liquid was merely a diluted version, not significantly stronger than an Advanced Life Elixir.
Undeterred, he felt neither disappointment nor lingering curiosity.
This could only mean that the awakening method's effects were exceptionally potent.
He also remembered the Red Kingdom Military's promise: capturing or eliminating Ge Lie would earn him a complete, undiluted version of the Life Source Liquid. If he could secure it, this awakening method...
"Hmm?"
A sudden tremor shook his mind as his mental link abruptly surged with violent fluctuations. The dazzling golden light flared intensely, emitting an overwhelmingly powerful life aura.
In that instant, Chen Feng's eyes lit up.
He knew.
The Holy Shield Colossus's second metamorphosis had finally concluded!
(End of the Chapter)
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