《Genshin Impact: Supreme Justice of Teyvat》 Chapter 1 - Trapped by Cultists! How to Survive Chapter One: Trapped by Cultists! How to SurviveThe serene moonlit night was shrouded by oppressive clouds, while the myriad stars dimmed their brilliance, meekly adorning the vast canvas of darkness. In a modest home within Hang City, a sharp cry of agony pierced through the quiet. ¡°Ninth time already!¡± Lu Yu jolted awake from his restless slumber, clutching his throbbing head as he tried to suppress the nauseating disorientation. His lips trembled, muttering the fragmented whispers from his nightmare: ¡°¡­Stars¡­ Glorious days are gone¡­ Apocalypse¡­ Breaking free¡­ Blood¡­ Awakening¡­ God¡­ They¡­¡± The sinister murmurs reverberated through the room like a dirge played by Death itself. It felt as though the Mother of Darkness extended her cruel hands, ready to strangle life away into her suffocating embrace. The haunting memories of his dream flitted away like ephemeral blossoms, fading before they could take root. Lu Yu rubbed his temples and drained a glass of water from his bedside table. This marked his ninth nightmare¡ªone that transcended mundane horrors, plunging him into an abyss of unspeakable terror. Each vision carried the same eerie elements: low chants like forbidden hymns, and masked figures with upside-down triangular visages carving grotesque, malevolent symbols. The very sight of them in his dream would stir waves of nausea and unease. The cultists seemed to chant a name, one he could never decipher despite reliving the dream nine times. It felt like a forbidden utterance, a perilous truth shrouded in taboos. His instincts screamed at him¡ªthis was no ordinary nightmare. Shaken and devoid of sleep, Lu Yu reached for his phone, intending to distract himself with the news. ¡°Breaking: All female students vanish from a high school dormitory in Long¡¯an City. Only scattered clothes and bloodstains remain; surveillance destroyed.¡± ¡°A town in Beihai City massacred in a cult ritual. The entire population was sacrificed to summon a god¡¯s emissary, later subdued by the Special Forces.¡± ¡°Public Notice: Avoid venturing into the wilderness during this period¡­¡± One grim headline followed another, the faint glow of his phone illuminating his youthful, handsome face. ¡°This world¡­ truly perilous. The one I came from was so much safer.¡± Lu Yu tightened his grip on his cup, his expression darkening as he read. He wasn¡¯t from this world. He hailed from a blue planet¡ªEarth. Unlike Earth¡¯s familiar modernity, this world fused a contemporary setting with an ever-present menace: grotesque monsters. These creatures, ranging from beasts to unspeakable horrors, had existed since ancient times, consuming resources and human lives indiscriminately. Humanity, though intelligent, was frail. Against such monstrosities, they were powerless. But just as extinction loomed, the first ¡°Awakened¡± appeared, heralding a new era of resistance. Through their sacrifices, pioneers carved cities from the wilderness, erecting barriers to keep the horrors at bay. Their legacy allowed humanity to survive and prosper. Lu Yu understood now: this was no Earth, but an entirely different world. If given the choice, he would never have come here. In his past life, he¡¯d painstakingly built a fortune worth millions through sheer determination. He wasn¡¯t a tycoon, but his wealth guaranteed a life of comfort and indulgence. Just as he was preparing to enjoy his financial freedom, fate had other plans. One blink, and he¡¯d woken in this perilous world. No parents, no inheritance¡ªjust a lone orphan thrust into the nightmare difficulty of life. Worse, it was as if the ¡°game¡± deleted his progress, reset him to zero, and cranked the difficulty to ¡°hardcore mode¡± without a starter kit. Lu Yu only wanted a peaceful life, free from the turmoil of heroics. Thanks to his late parents¡¯ modest inheritance, he¡¯d managed to grow up relatively unscathed. He avoided dangerous exploits, refrained from occult games, and kept to himself. Yet, even such caution couldn¡¯t shield him from ominous nightmares. Sighing, Lu Yu strolled to the window, hoping the night view might ease his nerves. But as he glanced across the street, he froze. In the opposite building, where the curtains were conveniently left open, a scene of dread unfolded. Cloaked figures gathered in a dimly lit room, surrounded by unholy symbols. Cultists. And not just one¡ªan entire group. ¡°Damn it!¡± Lu Yu¡¯s heart sank. No wonder he¡¯d been plagued by nightmares. A cult of evil worshippers had set up shop right next door! ¡°I gave up on being some overpowered protagonist the moment I landed here. All I want is a quiet, uneventful life. Why must trouble find me?¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Images from the news flooded his mind: carnage, blood sacrifices, and soulless atrocities committed by these fanatics. Cultists thrived on human life to please their deities and gain power, leaving devastation in their wake. The thought of his tranquil existence crumbling into chaos, of becoming yet another lifeless victim, made his brow furrow. ¡°As a rational youth aligned with core values, this mess is better left to the professionals.¡± Lu Yu pulled out his phone decisively. He wasn¡¯t about to play the reckless hero. With no guarantee of plot armour, self-preservation was his only creed. Besides, reporting a cult could net him a reward of fifty to two hundred thousand yuan. ¡°If I snag a hundred grand, my meals are sorted for years.¡± Just as he was about to dial, a grand, mechanical voice resonated in his ears: ¡°Detected: traces of an evil god¡¯s aura¡­ Initial task completed¡­ Binding Anomalous Editing System¡­ Reward distribution in progress¡­¡± The voice was emotionless, yet its words ignited a surge of excitement within Lu Yu. ¡°The system¡­ It¡¯s real!¡± For sixteen years, he¡¯d waited. Finally, it had arrived. Even as complaints bubbled within him, Lu Yu couldn¡¯t suppress his elation. With a system, he could finally fight back. Suppressing his thoughts, he called out softly: ¡°System!¡± A grey mist enveloped his vision, shrouding the world in an ephemeral haze. Before him, a stream of black light trailed sparks, solidifying into an ornate bronze chest. The box was engraved with intricate, majestic patterns that shifted alongside the swirling mist, as though the cosmos itself was etched within. ¡°Open the chest?¡± Without hesitation, Lu Yu extended a hand. The moment his fingers touched it, the chest shattered into bronze fragments, releasing five mysterious items: a pitch-black cloth, a glowing blue orb, a fragment of a blade, a burning jet-black flame, and a broken pocket watch. ¡°What¡­ are these?¡± As confusion flickered across Lu Yu¡¯s face, the system¡¯s cold voice continued: ¡°Select and combine these base materials to create your first subordinate entity. The growth potential of the entity will depend on your choices. Additionally, one of its abilities will be bestowed upon you, solidifying into a permanent skill. Your hands are now the hands of chaos, creators of monstrosities.¡± A glimmer of determination flashed in Lu Yu¡¯s eyes as he gazed at the materials before him. His destiny had shifted, and with it, so had his resolve. Finally, the game had begun. Chapter 2 - The Monster Editor System Chapter Two: The Monster Editor System¡°Edit monsters?¡± Lu Yu looked at the five ¡°materials¡± before him and asked in confusion: ¡°Am I supposed to choose a few of these to combine and edit?¡± System: [Yes, you can select a few, or you can fully combine them. The editing process is driven by your imagination. However, editing is not simply about mixing to create strength, but about achieving infinite possibilities based on your intent!] As the system¡¯s notification sounded, the names and information of five materials appeared before Lu Yu. The blood-stained yellow cloth was called the Unknown Burial Shroud. It originated from the corpse of an unidentified being. Stained with that entity¡¯s blood, it had absorbed an ominous aura and gained eerie powers. If touched by hand, it could potentially drain life force, leading to death. Its evaluation: Three-star material. All materials in the system are rated on a ten-star scale. The higher the star rating, the greater the material¡¯s power and potential, or the more extraordinary its origin. Materials can be obtained either by opening reward chests from system tasks or by extracting them directly from objects! For instance, humans can provide materials such as souls and flesh, although extraction carries a risk of failure! The blue orb of light was a Pure Soul, a legendary treasure said to weigh only 21 grams. According to Western belief, after death, a soul ascends to heaven to attain eternal bliss. However, in Eastern beliefs, souls undergo the Six Paths of Reincarnation, pass through the River of Forgetfulness, cross the Bridge of Helplessness, and drink Meng Po¡¯s Soup to embark on a new life. Regardless of the belief system, souls remain shrouded in mystery. As for the blade fragment, it was simply the remnants of a weapon after battle, rated at One-star, with little value. The flames, named Hellfire, were wicked flames from the depths of hell. They carried intense corrosive and malevolent properties, posing a terrifying threat to all living beings. Rating: Two and a half stars. The last item, however, was a pocket watch, whose system evaluation was somewhat ambiguous: [(Four-star) Damaged Pocket Watch]: Once worn by an unknown being, this pocket watch bears traces of time and shadow energy. It transformed from a mundane object into something extraordinary but was also tainted by the blood of an evil god, granting it a power that induces madness. ¡°Power that induces madness?¡± Lu Yu stared at the golden pocket watch floating in mid-air. Its hands were slowly turning, seemingly ordinary, but the dark red stains added a sinister touch. This pocket watch held traces of temporal power! In any world, time and space are supreme laws! Even the mightiest deities or invincible beings cannot escape the ravages of time, eventually becoming mere grains of sand in its endless river. Though the pocket watch carried significant risks, Lu Yu was unfazed. After acquiring the Monster Editor System, he realised that to grow stronger, he needed to extract vast amounts of materials¡ªbe it from powerful beings, monsters, or even the chaotic evil gods that dwell beyond the crystal walls of the world. Those entities are powerful, chaotic, and insane. Even the slightest overflow of their power can unleash madness and carnage in any world. ¡°Phew¡­ Looks like my future will be anything but dull. Goodbye to the calm, ordinary life!¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lu Yu exhaled deeply. Though his tone was contemplative, his face showed no hint of nostalgia¡ªonly excitement! He had long grown tired of mediocrity. He was determined to ascend step by step to the highest throne, becoming an eternal, invincible taboo existence! Lu Yu slowly extended his hands. Grey energy surged as he moved, like a sea god raising his trident to summon a storm over the ocean. A peculiar sensation welled up within him. For a moment, it felt as though he grasped the laws of the universe, holding everything under his control! With a mere thought, the five materials floated before him, emitting faint glows. The higher the star rating, the brighter the light. Monster editing was not as simple as combining everything into a chaotic mix. While that approach was possible, the system¡¯s hints made it clear: the more perfect the monster editing, the stronger its innate abilities and the greater its growth potential! In other words, as the creator, he needed to meticulously edit his monster. ¡°Editing is not simply about mixing to create strength, but about achieving infinite possibilities based on your intent!¡± Lu Yu murmured the system¡¯s guidance softly. With a flick of his finger, he dismissed the one-star blade fragment! This fragment might have been usable, but its low quality would only hinder the monster¡¯s potential, offering no benefit whatsoever! Lu Yu was a perfectionist and would not allow his first creation to have significant flaws. As for the pocket watch, Lu Yu chose to set it aside for now. The rare power of time deserved to be used on a more suitable creation. Having dealt with these two materials, Lu Yu turned his attention to the Soul, Hellfire, and Burial Shroud. An idea had already formed in his mind! It was a monster he had once read about in a story during his previous life! ¡°Hand of Chaos, manipulate the threads of destiny!¡± Like the whispers of a god, the entire grey space began to stir. Threads of laws intertwined in Lu Yu¡¯s palms, and the three materials were drawn into his grasp! ¡°Be born, my first monster¡­¡± Chapter 3 - The Birth of the First Monster Chapter 3: The Birth of the First Monster In the grey void, Lu Yu stood tall like a deity amidst chaos, carving out the boundaries between life and death. With a casual wave of his hand, a radiant soul, resembling a blue gemstone, disintegrated into countless glowing fragments, slowly merging into the hellfire. ¡°Crack! Crack! Crack!¡± The fire roared as though more fuel had been added to its flames, causing its heat to surge outward in terrifying waves, threatening to scorch everything in its path. However, just as the hellfire was about to spread, a mysterious force confined it within a small space. No matter how fiercely it raged, it could not escape this invisible prison. Lu Yu¡¯s expression remained indifferent. The yellow burial shroud, responding to his thoughts, fluttered in the wind, spiralling through the air before encasing the fire. The shroud gradually formed a sphere, and through its fabric, the blazing black flames within were visible. As the shroud interacted with the fire, a mysterious transformation began. ¡°Ssss¡­¡± A faint hissing accompanied the changes. The spherical shroud sprouted a yellow ribbon dangling from its surface, while dark red blood began seeping through the fabric. As the blood emerged, a foreboding aura filled the void, as though a terrifying demon had awakened, intent on devouring all life. ¡°So, this is the blood of that unnamed entity? Its life-devouring properties are intriguing, though unfortunately, I am invincible in the monster-editing state.¡± Lu Yu murmured to himself as he observed the transformation, extending his forefinger to gently trace patterns on the fabric, as though painting a masterpiece. Yet what he painted was destined to inspire terror in the hearts of all who beheld it. The dark red blood became his paint, guided by his finger until it formed a sinister, grotesque, scarlet grin. The yellow, spherical shroud now hovered mid-air, the eerie grin adorning it like the sinister caricature of a Halloween balloon drawn by a deranged artist. At the instant Lu Yu withdrew his finger, a dark red halo appeared around the ¡°balloon,¡± resembling the rings of a planet, revolving ominously around it. Simultaneously, the monster¡¯s data surfaced in Lu Yu¡¯s mind: [Terror Balloon: Two-Star Level]Abilities:: An innate soul-shaking force that mentally terrifies all beings who face it. Those who fail to resist will be plunged into unending fear, while even successful resistors will experience diminished strength.: Absorbs the life force of nearby living beings to heal itself. Sufficient life force allows for an upgrade.: Summons a whip imbued with hellfire, possessing corrosive and dark energy, to lash at opponents.Evaluation:Excellent ¡°Ding! First monster creation exceeding the Excellent standard detected. Achievement unlocked. Rewards: Additional skill solidification chance and one-tenth of the Terror Balloon¡¯s power. Please select the skill to solidify!¡± ¡°An achievement system too?¡± A faint smile appeared on Lu Yu¡¯s face. More skills were always welcome, especially in such a perilous world where survival depended on abilities. Among the skills, was an unparalleled boon¡ªa godlike halo ability! It was not only easy to activate but could also heal by absorbing life force and even progress to higher levels through energy consumption. In theory, as long as enough life force was absorbed, it could propel him to the pinnacle of this world. Sadly, reality demanded caution against overloading himself with excessive life force. Nevertheless, the skill was a remarkable surprise. As for the system¡¯s second skill¡­ After a brief moment of thought, Lu Yu made his decision and declared, ¡°I choose and !¡± This decision was made after careful consideration. To blend into the ranks of this world¡¯s powerful, he needed abilities as his ticket. While was a decent skill, it lacked self-defence capabilities. In every realm, strength was paramount, and the granted him that edge while concealing the as his trump card. As soon as his words fell, two bronze lights emerged from the Terror Balloon and surged into Lu Yu¡¯s body. A peculiar force fused deep into his soul, embedding the two skills as though they had always been innate. With just a thought, he could now use them effortlessly. Upon solidifying the skills, an overwhelming power coursed through him, causing his aura to skyrocket. ¡°So powerful¡­¡± Lu Yu closed his eyes as the strength surged, radiating an energy wave that shattered a cup several metres away. ¡°If just one-tenth of its strength is this potent, what level of power does the Terror Balloon possess? And what is my awakening tier now?¡± Uncertainty filled Lu Yu¡¯s mind. While he knew a bit about awakeners, key details had been erased from public knowledge. Still, he was confident that the power within him far surpassed ordinary levels. Creating monsters above the Excellent standard yielded one-tenth of their strength. This was only a two-star monster. What if he created higher-tier ones? As Lu Yu envisioned designing beasts capable of devouring stars and reversing time, his excitement soared. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Even a small portion of their strength could transform an ant into a dragon capable of annihilating worlds. And the rewards for creating Perfect or Supreme monsters? One-fifth? One-third? Or¡­ all of it? By repeatedly crafting monsters of superior standards, Lu Yu could rapidly ascend to the pinnacle of strength in this world. This was nothing short of cheating. Lu Yu chuckled at the thought but didn¡¯t mind becoming a ¡°cheat¡±¡ªthe thrill was unparalleled. As the grey mist dissipated, the Terror Balloon floated to the ceiling, letting out baby-like giggles of It began exploring its new world with curiosity, drifting freely. ¡°Why does it feel like I¡¯m raising a curious kitten¡­¡± Lu Yu sighed, unable to stop the Terror Balloon from exploring its surroundings. After all, it was now his greatest asset besides the monster editing system. Thump! Thump! Thump! Just as Lu Yu was deep in thought, a rhythmic knock sounded behind him, startling him. His eyes widened, cold sweat forming on his brow as his heart raced in fear. For behind him¡­ Was the seventh floor, with nothing but a glass window. How could someone be there? Chapter 4 - The Twisted Shadow! The Sacrifice to the Evil God! Chapter Four: The Twisted Shadow! The Sacrifice to the Evil God! Lu Yu turned his head, but looking through the glass, all he saw was the pitch-black night sky. Nothing was there! Was it just my imagination? Or maybe a bird? But even a bird striking the glass wouldn¡¯t make such a rhythmic knocking sound! Could it be something unclean paying a visit? Various suspicions surfaced in Lu Yu¡¯s mind. If it was indeed something unclean, he might actually feel¡­ excited! That¡¯s right¡ªexcited! Thanks to the Monster Editing System, he could extract materials from all things in existence, as long as the target didn¡¯t resist! And with those materials, he could create one monster after another, gaining their abilities in the process! Even the most mediocre person could tread the path of supreme power with such talents. What¡¯s more, Lu Yu never considered himself mediocre. In his previous life, despite being an orphan, he had amassed millions in assets through his own efforts. Now, with the assistance of a stronger system, he was determined to soar high, spreading his wings to the farthest horizons! Crack, crack, crack! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just as he was pondering, the strange sound came again. This time, strands of black hair began to fall, growing denser by the second! ¡°Is Sadako coming out? Didn¡¯t she always use televisions? What¡¯s she doing with glass now? This is a dead-end strategy!¡± Lu Yu quipped, taking a step back. He mentally commanded the Fear Balloon to float up to the ceiling and stay put. ¡°Eek eek!¡± The Fear Balloon paused, its grotesque face contorted with confusion, as though it couldn¡¯t understand why its supreme master wanted it to stay still. Nevertheless, it obediently floated in place. To keep itself from swaying in the breeze, it even lifted one of its yellow ribbons, looped it around the ceiling light, and tied a bow! After this meticulous effort, it happily looked at Lu Yu, seemingly waiting for praise. This idiot! Lu Yu couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes, and his tension dissipated somewhat. The eerie atmosphere had been utterly ruined by the Fear Balloon¡¯s antics. It was impossible to feel scared anymore! At least show some respect to the ghost with the long hair outside¡ªit has its dignity too! Bang! A hand suddenly slapped against the glass outside. But that was only the beginning. Bang! Bang! Bang! More and more hands began pressing against the glass. Dark red blood oozed from between the fingers, trailing down the surface and leaving crimson streaks. The ¡°ghost¡± outside slowly began descending, revealing its true form! It had a human head, with a man¡¯s face, but its hair hung like wet seaweed draped over its shoulders. If that were all, it wouldn¡¯t have been too remarkable. But its lower body was a massive ball of flesh, sprouting eight arms like a spider! The eight limbs clung to the wall with an eerie adhesive quality, supporting its weight as it stood. ¡°What the hell is this? A human-spider hybrid? Disgusting!¡± Even Lu Yu couldn¡¯t suppress a gag reflex. It wasn¡¯t fear¡ªjust a natural reaction to seeing such a grotesque form! The creature looked like a spider wearing human skin. Utterly revolting! ¡°Grrrk¡­¡± The spider-like creature tilted its head. Its pitch-black eyes peered through the glass at Lu Yu, and it opened its insect-like mandibles to utter a raspy, guttural voice: ¡°Was it you just now? Were you spying on our sacred ritual for the Spider God, you lowly, inferior creature?¡± ¡°A ritual? Inferior creature? Are you a servant of an evil god?¡± Lu Yu quickly realised the truth. This wasn¡¯t a ghost or demon as he¡¯d initially thought. This was one of the evil god¡¯s followers he had glimpsed earlier. Who¡¯d have thought they¡¯d come knocking so quickly? The creature before him was clearly a being twisted by the power of an evil god¡ªa spawn, if it could even be called that. Such beings had forsaken their humanity entirely¡ªabandoning dignity, emotions, and memories¡ªto become mindless slaves of the evil god! Lu Yu recalled purchasing travelogues that detailed information about evil god rituals. This creature was undoubtedly a product of such a ritual! Judging by its degree of mutation and its mention of the ¡°Spider God,¡± Lu Yu surmised that once it grew eight single eyes, it would fully transform into a spider and begin weaving webs across the city to hunt humans! ¡°Evil god?¡± The spider creature¡¯s human face twisted with displeasure. In a fanatical tone, it declared: ¡°No! His Eminence is not an evil god! Lord Atlach-Nacha is a noble, benevolent god! He resides in the Dreamlands, merciful and compassionate, with the most beautiful form in existence! You pathetic humans could never comprehend His greatness! In the space between dreams and reality, He weaves a grand bridge. Once it is complete, He will descend, bringing paradise with Him!¡± As it spoke, the creature¡¯s face grew even more distorted. Its flesh split apart, revealing a grotesque insectoid eye. The new eye fixed on Lu Yu, emitting a low, menacing growl: ¡°I had planned to wait until tomorrow, but since you¡¯ve witnessed our ritual, you shall become a sacrifice to His Eminence!¡± With that, it raised its limb-like forearms and brought them down in a fierce strike! Chapter 5 - Dropping Rare Materials! The City Shrouded in Spider Shadows! Chapter Five: Dropping Rare Materials! The City Shrouded in Spider Shadows! With the shattering of glass, countless shards flew through the air as a twisted monster burst into the room! Its horrifying single eye locked firmly on Lu Yu, who stood at the doorway. It let out a hoarse voice: ¡°Tremble in fear! Wail in despair! This is the chasm between you lowly humans and superior beings. You shall be chewed and crushed bit by bit, becoming a part of me. Consider this your greatest honour¡­¡± The spider monster¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Lu Yu, eager to witness his panic. The thrill of toying with its prey was irresistible! Unfortunately for the creature, Lu Yu¡¯s expression remained calm. He simply furrowed his brows and impatiently said: ¡°Are you done talking? Even after becoming an ugly spider, you still brag so much. If I installed a propeller on your head, would you fly straight into space?¡± Though Lu Yu¡¯s tone was indifferent, his words dripped with disdain, infuriating the spider monster. It roared: ¡°How dare a lowly human spew such arrogance? I will tear you apart and chew you to bits!¡± With that, the spider monster moved all eight legs, lunging forward in a grotesque manner. Its gaping maw aimed directly at Lu Yu¡¯s head! ¡°Becoming infected has indeed made you more like a wild beast. I wonder if those minions of the evil gods are the same¡­¡± Lu Yu casually remarked while slowly raising his arm. An intense heat began radiating from his palm. At his command, black flames flickered into existence, quickly forming a flaming whip in his grasp. Though the whip burned with enough heat to incinerate everything, it lay docile in Lu Yu¡¯s hand, like a tame cat awaiting its master¡¯s touch. ¡°Interesting!¡± Lu Yu chuckled, raising his arm as the whip lashed out with a thunderous crack! The sound reverberated as the infernal flame whip slashed forward like a black blade, slicing through the spider monster¡¯s twisted body. The creature¡¯s frame split in half, sent flying into the wall by the force of the whip. Dark green blood seeped from its wound but was ignited by the infernal flames, never reaching the floor. Such was the power of the flames¡ªcorrosive, consuming all life it touched. The spider monster¡¯s upper half, severed and writhing, stared in disbelief, muttering: ¡°Awakening¡­¡± Before it could finish, its head was engulfed by the black flames, rapidly desiccating and crumbling into ash. ¡°Infernal flames are quite convenient. Built-in cleaning feature¡ªa must-have for any killer!¡± Lu Yu rubbed his chin, evidently satisfied with his new ability. Simultaneously, he activated the Life Drain Aura! A crimson halo emerged around him, pulsing as the spider monster¡¯s corpse released a surge of life energy. The energy flowed into Lu Yu¡¯s body, replenishing the power he had spent. Excess energy integrated into his physique, enhancing his physical attributes¡ªmuch like gaining experience points in an online game. ¡°My strength increased slightly. Are you tempting me to embrace the path of devouring, to become a killing emperor through slaughter?¡± Clenching his fists, Lu Yu felt the subtle changes in his body. The Life Drain Aura was truly a divine skill! While he had no qualms about consuming his enemies¡¯ blood and flesh to grow stronger, mindless slaughter could easily twist one¡¯s sanity. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lu Yu vowed not to be a puppet of power but its master! Approaching the spider monster¡¯s corpse, he extended his hand and softly said: ¡°Extract material!¡± A white glow spread out, enveloping the partially scorched body and drawing forth a radiant orb of light. [Twisted Spider Poison Sac (Rare)]: A mutant sac formed in the bodies of spider monsters corrupted by the aura of evil gods. Contains venom with paralysing properties and inflicts bleeding and paralysis effects. [Rating: One Star] ¡°A rare monster that drops such a potent poison sac? Lucky I didn¡¯t let it get close¡ªthis could have been dangerous,¡± Lu Yu remarked with excitement, storing the material in his system. For someone with only two materials, this was an unexpected windfall! Initially, he had merely sought to slay the spider monster, never anticipating he could extract such a rare material! If he could collect more poison sacs, he might create monsters like the Venom Abomination, the Corrosive Three-Headed Serpent, or even the Nine-Headed Xiangliu. With enough imagination, the possibilities were endless. Now, the spiders appeared to Lu Yu as moving treasure chests¡ªeasy to defeat and rich in high-quality materials. They were perfect targets! To craft top-tier monsters, a single poison sac wouldn¡¯t suffice. He needed more powerful materials¡­ As Lu Yu pondered, he heard the growing sounds of crawling outside, accompanied by human screams and cries for help. Walking to the window, Lu Yu looked out and saw a terrifying scene. The once-bustling city, with its towering skyscrapers, was now shrouded in black smoke. White spider silk connected the buildings, and grotesque spider monsters scuttled across the webbing. ¡°Help me! I don¡¯t want to die! Spare me¡ªI have a family!¡± A spider monster carried a middle-aged man in a suit to the massive web between two buildings. Ignoring his desperate pleas, it flung him onto the sticky threads, where he became firmly entangled. ¡°What is this? How can there be such massive spiders in the city? Where¡¯s the special task force? Save me!¡± The man struggled in vain, his fear mounting as he shouted for help¡­ Chapter 6 - A Dark Night for Monster Battles Chapter Six: A Dark Night for Monster Battles The spider monsters appeared entirely uninterested in his frantic screams. Opening their grotesque, multi-fanged mouths, they spewed out white threads, wrapping him tightly until he became a massive cocoon. Like prey caught in a web, these unfortunate humans would be dissolved by the toxins embedded in the silk before being devoured by the swarm of spiders. ¡°Help! Why isn¡¯t the military here yet?¡± ¡°Where are the Special Division agents? I don¡¯t want to die!¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t take my child away¡­¡± On the ground, chaos reigned as crowds of people fled in terror. However, the spider monsters were unnervingly fast, easily catching up to their targets. The creatures¡¯ horrifying fangs pierced the bodies of their victims, injecting a venom that quickly drained their strength, leaving them drowsy and on the verge of unconsciousness. One by one, these helpless individuals were lifted onto the spiders¡¯ webs, encased in silk, forming a chilling spectacle. Dozens of white cocoons hung ominously from the webs. Some writhed faintly, the people inside still struggling, but the sticky silk was too strong to escape. From a distance, the scene resembled a grotesque illustration from a horror artist¡¯s portfolio¡ªgrim and spine-chilling. In that moment, Lu Yu felt the crushing weight of humanity¡¯s frailty. Reduced to mere fodder for these monsters, humans were at the mercy of their gruesome predators. The harsh realities of this world were laid bare before him, dispelling any notion of this being a game. Here, death was real. ¡°I thought cities had defensive systems. Why are these monsters rampaging without triggering a counterattack?¡± Doubt clouded Lu Yu¡¯s thoughts. Humanity¡¯s survival in this world depended heavily on the sophisticated defence systems within cities, which kept external threats at bay and allowed civilisation to thrive. But now, those systems seemed to have suffered a catastrophic failure, rendering them half-crippled. As anger simmered within Lu Yu, his gaze shifted toward the sacrificial chamber he had spotted earlier. The sinister glow emanating from it had intensified, with purple light resembling the writhing limbs of a deep-sea monster clawing its way out of the abyss. As more humans were encased in cocoons, the eerie radiance grew brighter and the air heavier with malice. ¡°Is this part of the ritual?¡± Lu Yu deduced that the spiders weren¡¯t consuming their prey immediately. Instead, they were offering them as sacrifices to their god¡ªa Spider Deity dwelling in the Dreamland. Through this grisly act, they sought the deity¡¯s blessings. If left unchecked, the ritual might summon the deity¡¯s acolytes¡ªor worse, an avatar of the god itself. The deity¡¯s true form was unlikely to manifest, as such beings were barred from directly entering this world. Only by sacrificing an entire city could their attention be drawn. However, if the spiders continued, high-level monsters might soon descend, leading to the city¡¯s annihilation. Lu Yu couldn¡¯t allow that to happen. Still, he wasn¡¯t the type to rush in blindly. He had his reasons for acting¡ªhis own secret weapon. ¡°Fear Balloon, get down here!¡± At his call, the yellow balloon with a grotesque human face, hovering near the ceiling, quivered with excitement. Its expression shifted to one of flattery as it quickly floated down toward him. ¡°Wait!¡± Lu Yu shouted suddenly, but it was too late. The balloon had forgotten that he had tied its dangling ribbon to a chandelier earlier to keep it still. As it descended, the ribbon yanked the chandelier free, bringing it crashing down with a thunderous bang, chunks of debris scattering everywhere. The heavy weight dragged the Fear Balloon to the ground as well. ¡°Eeee-yah-yah!¡± The balloon screeched in confusion, flailing about as though it couldn¡¯t comprehend what had just happened. ¡°This silly thing¡­¡± S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lu Yu rolled his eyes, wondering if this creature¡ªhis own creation¡ªwas truly a two-star monster. Was it secretly a mischievous husky in disguise? Despite his grumbling, Lu Yu remained curious. The spider monsters weren¡¯t even one-star entities, so what kind of power could his two-star Fear Balloon unleash? After untying the ribbon, the balloon floated back into the air, its expression calmer now. It began circling Lu Yu, acting like a playful puppy eager to please its master. Lu Yu¡¯s lips twitched at its antics but maintained a composed demeanour. Looking at the balloon, he remarked, ¡°Little Seven, you¡¯re a two-star monster. Act dignified! Show some class!¡± The name ¡°Little Seven¡± came from a play on the word for ¡°balloon¡± in Chinese. The grotesque face of Little Seven contorted in confusion, unable to grasp the meaning behind Lu Yu¡¯s words. However, it didn¡¯t dampen its enthusiasm. To Little Seven, its master was always right. Amused, Lu Yu found an old faceless mask he had once purchased and placed it over his own face. Staring at his reflection in the mirror, now masked and enigmatic, he muttered softly, ¡°Whatever kind of evil god you are, this is humanity¡¯s domain. Go back to where you belong.¡± Gripping the yellow ribbon tightly, Lu Yu strode forward, the balloon floating obediently behind him. ¡°Little Seven, it¡¯s time to fight some monsters and gather materials!¡± Chapter 7 - Little Spider, You and Your Master Have Crossed the Line Chapter Seven: Little Spider, You and Your Master Have Crossed the Line In the city! Boom! Boom! Boom! The sound of intense gunfire echoed, as dozens of soldiers in black uniforms fired their weapons at the spider monsters. Blue flames erupted from the barrels, and specially designed metal bullets tore through the air, aiming at these monstrous creatures! Rat-a-tat-tat! The fierce gunfire became the only melody of the battlefield, bloody and brutal! However, while the soldiers¡¯ guns were fast, the speed of the spider monsters was not to be underestimated. They quickly darted behind rubble and abandoned vehicles, bending their bodies to avoid the bullets! ¡°Damn it, die!¡± one soldier roared in fury, tightening his grip on his weapon, wishing he could turn these flesh-eating monsters into a sieve! But apart from a few spiders who had no cover and were shot through, the rest had hidden themselves. The entire battlefield became eerily quiet! This black sky seemed like a joke from the Goddess of Night, providing the best hunting ground for these spiders. After all¡­ Humans do not possess night vision! One soldier advanced cautiously, his hands tightly gripping his gun, his gaze alert to his surroundings, ever watchful for any sudden spider attacks! At that moment, a voice came from behind him: ¡°Watch out for the sky!¡± The sky! The soldier snapped his head upwards and saw a massive dark shadow descending from above. Before he could raise his gun, the shadow opened its mouth and spat a thick, sticky white web that enveloped his body, binding him tightly, rendering him immobile! ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ move¡­¡± he barely managed to say before the spider monster launched a sharp front limb, slicing off his head with a swift motion! The soldier¡¯s head, wide-eyed with terror, rolled onto the ground beside his still-bound body. ¡°Watch out for aerial ambushes!¡± the commander shouted urgently, but it was already too late. One after another, spiders descended from the sky, like the scythe of death, harvesting the lives of soldiers! ¡°Damn it!¡± The commander clenched his fists, water streams swirling around him as he summoned a water arrow to shoot out swiftly! He, too, was an awakened one¡ªalbeit only at the fifth rank¡ªbut it was enough to deal with regular spiders! Whoosh! The water arrow screamed through the air, piercing the head of a spider attempting to decapitate a soldier, its massive body crashing to the ground! ¡°Everyone, defend the rear and stay away from these high-rise buildings! The terrain here is too favorable for the spiders!¡± The commander began directing the soldiers to fall back. At that moment, several awakened ones specializing in wind, fire, and earth arrived! ¡°Cutting wind blades!¡± ¡°Fire lance!¡± ¡°Earth thrust!¡± It was like a scene from a fantasy movie. The awakened ones, though unable to kill the spider monsters directly, at least managed to create a standoff! With the help of these awakened ones, the soldiers¡¯ burden was noticeably lighter, and the commander couldn¡¯t help but sigh in relief! However, just as he was about to rejoice, a massive black shadow fell from the sky. Before a strength-based awakened one could react, their body was impaled, floating in mid-air! A giant spider, three meters tall, appeared, casually lifting the fallen awakened one in its claws and devouring them. This spider was different from the others. Its body was covered with large black insect shells that shimmered coldly under the lights! After its arrival, all the spiders hidden in the dark emerged, bowing to it as if paying homage to their king! ¡°What is this?!¡± Everyone was stunned. That was a strength-based awakened one at rank four, and yet, they were killed in one encounter! They hadn¡¯t even seen the giant spider clearly! A few awakened ones fearfully retreated. They were supposed to be clearing out some killer spiders, not encountering such a terrifying monster! The commander was also filled with fear, but he thought of the other innocent people in the city. If he retreated, they would be doomed! So, he took a deep breath and shouted loudly: ¡°Fire! Open fire!¡± Rat-a-tat-tat! The bullets, scraping against the air, filled the atmosphere with the distinct scent of blood and battle! Hundreds of bullets flew like arrows, hitting the giant spider¡¯s shell! Cling! Cling! The bullets sparked off the shell, leaving white marks, but failed to penetrate! ¡°How is this possible!¡± The commander was horrified, but years of combat experience kept him calm. He quickly formed another water arrow to launch, and the other awakened ones followed suit, releasing their attacks! Torrential elemental forces converged in the air, forming terrifying attacks. Even a large rock would be pulverized by their force! But the giant spider only chewed on the body of the awakened one in its mouth, its eight eyes flashing with disdain as it watched the attacks fly at it. Slowly, it lifted its claws and waved them casually! Boom! All the elements in the air were shattered by the black front limbs, turning into light dots that scattered in all directions! Simultaneously, the humans¡¯ confidence was shattered! ¡°How could it be so strong? Isn¡¯t this just an ordinary spider follower?¡± ¡°This¡­ What kind of monster is this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die¡­¡± S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As if the fear from the humans piqued its interest, the spider monster opened its menacing jaws and spoke in a raspy voice: ¡°I am the priest of the Spider God, Gusa. I will use you awakened ones and all the lives in this city as a sacrifice to please the great Atrak Nakya, and in return, I shall be rewarded with the chance to ascend to the Morning Star!¡± ¡°Morning¡­ Morning Star monster?¡± The commander¡¯s eyes widened, his teeth chattering. He knew that awakened beings had nine ranks, and above that was the Morning Star level. Once ascended to the Morning Star level, one would begin to wield legendary power. Not only could they control vast energy, but mere numbers could no longer threaten them! They were what the legends called the enemy of thousands! And once a monster ascended to the Morning Star, it would be even more terrifying. With its massive body and tough shell, even an army of a hundred thousand would struggle to wear it down. Only powerful heavy artillery could stand a chance! But Morning Star beings were not sitting targets. Their terrifying speed would be a nightmare for all humans! ¡°It¡¯s over¡­ This city is doomed. A monster is about to ascend to the Morning Star¡­¡± The commander collapsed onto the ground, unable to fathom that a Morning Star monster was going to be born in the very city he had sworn to protect. Especially since the city¡¯s only Morning Star general had taken all their elite forces to deal with a powerful monster nearby. There was no one left to stop this one. That meant its ascension was inevitable! The commander transmitted the message to others, advising them to evacuate the city. With a Morning Star monster about to rise, they would all perish unless the generals returned! He took out a pocket watch, clutching it in his hand, and opened it. Inside was a photo of a man in military uniform and a little boy wearing a military cap. ¡°Son, father cannot stay to watch you grow, but I will not back down. I will uphold my duty and protect the civilians in this city!¡± The commander spoke softly as he stood up, summoning another water arrow, but it was easily shattered by the spider monster, whose voice dripped with mockery: ¡°Foolish humans!¡± Suppressing the fear that was rising within him, the commander looked up at the approaching spider priest and sneered: ¡°We humans may be weak. I, Zhou Zheng, am just an ordinary officer. But I am a thousand times better than you, who abandoned your humanity to become this¡­ abomination. Even if you kill me today, you will be hunted down by the powerful human warriors. I am proud to be human. The heavens will judge, and the human race will endure!¡± ¡°Such repulsive words. Humans should simply accept their fate as food!¡± The eight eyes of the spider priest glowed with intense disgust, clearly angered by the commander¡¯s words! Thud! Thud! Thud! The giant spider¡¯s massive body moved forward like a giant war machine, aiming to crush anything in its path. It was done talking. It would sacrifice the awakened ones as appetizers, and then use all the city¡¯s lives to ascend, aiming for the Morning Star, and even higher, to touch the power of immortality¡­ Zhou Zheng looked at the approaching spider priest, took a deep breath, and pulled out a grenade, ready to sacrifice himself. Just as he prepared to pull the pin, a calm male voice rang out: ¡°Little spider, you and your master have crossed the line!¡± Chapter 8 - The Forgotten One in the World Chapter Eight: The Forgotten One in the World As the voice faded, everyone turned their gaze toward the source. Under the pitch-black night sky and the radiant crescent moon, a figure appeared at the street corner. It wandered out of the darkness, as though walking in an empty place. Dressed entirely in black, the figure wore a faceless mask and held a yellow balloon. The balloon had strange patterns on it, resembling childlike doodles. It looked odd, as though the person had just returned from a masquerade ball. However, through the mask, one could catch a glimpse of detached eyes, cold and indifferent, resembling those of a god, gazing down upon the earth. The sudden appearance left everyone frozen. Even the spider priest halted in its steps. It crushed a small car blocking its path, raising its increasingly deformed head. Its eight eyes locked onto the figure, and it growled, ¡°Who are you?¡± The masked figure responded calmly, his voice flat, ¡°Ask your master behind you. You are not worthy.¡± This person was, of course, Lu Yu, who had just arrived. He glanced at the dozens of spiders lying on the ground, his eyes nearly glowing with excitement. This was all material! Even with a 10% drop rate, he could still get a few venom sacs! And this spider priest was clearly much stronger than the rare monsters he had encountered before. It might even drop better materials! To avoid revealing his true identity, Lu Yu planned to disguise himself as an ancient powerful being, thus diverting everyone¡¯s attention. After all, he was still unsure about the top-tier structure of this extraordinary world. Would they harbor ill intentions toward him, the creator of these monsters? Better to develop in a low-key manner. And names shouldn¡¯t be mentioned casually! This was a world with evil gods. Though he used two worlds in his name, who could guarantee these evil gods wouldn¡¯t use certain curses related to names? Caution was key! The spider priest, hearing Lu Yu¡¯s words, froze for a moment. Then, its anger ignited. How arrogant! Was he claiming to be an eternal god like the Spider God? Only a god could hear his name? ¡°You arrogant fool! You think I will fear you just because you¡¯re bluffing? You, a lowly being, how could you compare to the great Spider God?¡± the spider priest hissed, baring its fangs. It stood tall, facing the masked figure. Its beastly senses detected no power emanating from him, meaning this was likely just a human trying to bluff. Having once been human, the spider priest had abandoned its lowly human form to become a noble spider priest. It knew humans were skilled in deception, and it believed this was another such attempt. ¡°Foolish thinking. You¡¯ve truly become a bug, haven¡¯t you? Your brain is clearly malfunctioning!¡± Lu Yu whispered, his tone calm, but it twisted the already hideous face of the spider priest even further. Without curses, without rage, but the sheer contempt in his voice pushed the spider priest to the brink of madness. It swung its claws violently, severing the small car in front of it into pieces. The flying metal shards embedded into nearby walls. As the spider priest¡¯s mind twisted further from its human origins, the beastly rage took over, and it no longer cared for strategy¡ªit wanted to devour flesh! Upon hearing Lu Yu¡¯s mockery, it decided it would no longer waste time with these humans. It would sacrifice the city to earn the Spider God¡¯s favor and ascend to the Morning Star level, or even higher! S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then, it could establish a spider kingdom on Earth, freely devouring flesh without hiding in the shadows. As the spider priest¡¯s eight eyes spun wildly, it shouted, ¡°Let me feast on this fool!¡± At its command, eight spiders that had been hiding leapt from the shadows, baring their sharp, terrifying mandibles as they charged at Lu Yu. The spider priest itself lunged forward, leaping into the air with its razor-sharp claws raised. It seemed ready to slice through anything in its path! Unlike the other monsters, the spider priest always aimed for a quick kill, ensuring no chance for its prey to retaliate. ¡°Watch out!¡± the commander cried, but soon realized this was a creature near the Morning Star level¡ªwhat good would a warning do? It was already too late for anyone. This mysterious figure had likely intended to scare off the spider priest, but it had been seen through! After all, how could a person without any visible power bluff as one of the strong? ¡°All is lost!¡± the thought crossed everyone¡¯s minds. Some couldn¡¯t bear to watch what would happen to Lu Yu next and instinctively closed their eyes. In that moment, human fear and despair flooded the scene. The spider priest, sensing these emotions, let out a wild laugh, looking down at the motionless Lu Yu. ¡°Die!¡± Lu Yu lifted his head, his heart racing, though he didn¡¯t show it outwardly. It was his first time facing so many monsters at once, and it was during such a dramatic moment¡ªhe almost wanted to take a picture to remember it! But of course, no photographer would dare to capture this! He remained unfazed, knowing his own strength was his confidence. With that thought, Lu Yu¡¯s lips curled slightly under his mask. He released the yellow ribbon from his hand, whispering to himself, ¡°Fear Balloon, activate the Aura of Absorption!¡± Ding! The Fear Balloon didn¡¯t lag behind; the patterns on it glowed. A blood-red ring expanded and enveloped Lu Yu and the balloon, rapidly enlarging! Boom! Boom! Boom! A terrifying surge of magic rose, scattering the clouds above like a nuclear explosion, sending shockwaves in all directions! The spiders, including the spider priest, were blown away, crashing to the ground and tumbling several times! Even the distant humans could feel the magical pressure, staggering back. Some weaker ones collapsed to the ground, while others began to tremble in fear. This was a two-star monster, the power of the Fear Balloon! The commander¡¯s eyes widened as he trembled, ¡°This¡­ this power is¡­?¡± ¡°Morning Star level!¡± the spider priest screeched in fear, its voice filled with disbelief. It began retreating, its eight legs unable to support its weight. Countless thoughts raced through its mind. It didn¡¯t know why a Morning Star entity had suddenly appeared, but it knew its plan had failed. It had to run! Run! The farther, the better! ¡°I haven¡¯t become a Morning Star yet, I can¡¯t die!¡± it thought as it bolted away, its eight legs propelling it with impressive speed. But Lu Yu wasn¡¯t about to let it escape. As he subtly squeezed the Fear Balloon, he made sure it didn¡¯t slack off. True to its purpose, the Fear Balloon expanded further, the blood-red ring rising into the sky, appearing as a blood moon from afar. It resembled a terrible beast with open eyes, scanning for its prey. Sizzle! Within the range of the blood moon, every spider monster had blood-colored mist rising from their bodies, being drawn into the sky. Their bodies rapidly withered, like trees losing moisture, transforming into dried husks! Seeing this, the spider priest was paralyzed with fear. When it tried to flee further, it suddenly realized it had lost all strength! Looking down, it saw its lower body had withered, and in its frantic escape, it stumbled and fell to the ground. It could feel its life force being drained with no resistance. Staring in horror with its eight eyes, it could only watch as it was drained of all its vitality, emitting one final cry: ¡°I¡­ won¡¯t accept this¡­¡± Thud! With the last fall of the spider priest, every spider monster was killed, their life force stripped away and turned into dry corpses! ¡°What¡­ is this power?¡± the commander and his men stared in disbelief! Just moments ago, the powerful, ravaging spider creatures had been effortlessly destroyed by this mysterious figure¡¯s aura! But this scene felt too much like the descent of some evil god! Could it truly be the awakening of some evil god? The thought briefly flashed through the commander¡¯s mind but was quickly discarded. How could an evil god possibly come to save these mere humans? This must be a human expert with some unusual abilities! Lu Yu had no idea what was going through their minds. Even if he did, he wouldn¡¯t care! He walked slowly toward the fallen spider monsters, gazing down at the dried-up creatures. He spoke flatly, ¡°When you overstep, you must accept the punishment.¡± With that, he gently flicked his finger, and the spider priest¡¯s body shattered. A light, unseen by humans, was gently squeezed in his hand as he turned and left. Each time he passed a spider monster¡¯s body, it disintegrated into dust. Occasionally, one or two of the bodies would emit a faint glow, as if to honor his departure! This scene deeply shocked the humans. The commander, now realizing what had happened, immediately shouted, ¡°Who are you, sir?¡± ¡°Who am I?¡± Lu Yu paused as he thought, considering the commander¡¯s impression of him. He might need to approach the extraordinary world through their channel later. Perhaps, it was time to further solidify his disguise, to have an identity to use in the future. After thinking for a moment, Lu Yu had an idea. He then continued walking, holding the Fear Balloon, and said without turning back, ¡°A forgotten man in this world!¡± As he spoke, hellfire began to burn around him, blending black flames and darkness. His figure disappeared without a trace, leaving behind only the destroyed spider corpses. Chapter 9 - The Forbidden Being Awakened from the River of Time Chapter Nine: The Forbidden Being Awakened from the River of Time ¡°Forgotten by the world¡­¡± The commander was stunned after hearing this phrase. Why would he be forgotten by the world? The world isn¡¯t human¡ªhow could it possibly remember someone¡¯s name? Could he mean that this person once had immense glory in a past era? But no one had ever heard of a powerful being wearing a faceless mask. Could he come from an even older time? It¡¯s been so many ages; even the oldest of times should have been washed away by the river of time. ¡°We survived!¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The other survivors looked at the countless spider corpses on the ground and couldn¡¯t help but cheer in relief. They had thought they were going to be the food for these twisted spiders, but suddenly, a mysterious powerful being had appeared and wiped out all the monsters! Although the person¡¯s abilities were strange and terrifying, power doesn¡¯t dictate character¡ªno matter how sinister the power, it was still under someone¡¯s control! A large man exhaled in relief and said, ¡°Finally, no more death! That was terrifying!¡± An excited awakened girl said, ¡°He¡¯ll be my idol from now on! I want to be the wife of a strong person like him!¡± Her best friend couldn¡¯t help but tease, ¡°You¡¯re probably thinking of (peach refers to a woman, hinting at sexual desire). A powerful man like him would never lack women. Even if you offered yourself to sleep with him, he wouldn¡¯t even look at you!¡± ¡°Ahhh, Li Tongtong, you always ruin my plans! I¡¯ll make you submit!¡± ¡°Yuan Jing, I¡¯m not scared of you! You¡¯ve never beaten me in a fight!¡± The girl immediately became furious and began to playfully argue with her best friend. The other survivors couldn¡¯t help but smile at the scene! They were all alive¡ªsuch a relief! But with admiration, naturally, came questions: ¡°Why is this mysterious strong person holding a balloon?¡± The group fell silent. Why would such a powerful being hold a toy like a balloon? Could it be that becoming strong came with some special preferences? The commander wiped the sweat from his forehead, smiling as he said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s some kind of commemorative item.¡± The others nodded, not dismissing this possibility. The girl named Li Tongtong made her own guess: ¡°Maybe it¡¯s to bring back to his kids. Warm and powerful¡ªwhat a perfect man! I really want to see what he looks like under that mask¡­¡± As they were discussing, a presence suddenly appeared behind the commander. Before he could turn around, a figure was already standing next to him. ¡°Has the evil god ritual ended?¡± A deep, resonant voice echoed. This was a middle-aged man dressed in a dark green military uniform, with a tall frame and a square jaw, speaking in a slow tone but with immense confidence! Upon seeing this person, everyone straightened up and respectfully said, ¡°Colonel Li!¡± This man with the square jaw was Li Xuan, the strongest person in Hang City, a Morning Star-level existence, the legendary one-man army! In this world where power ruled, a Morning Star-level being, if unchallenged by others of the same rank, could easily destroy a city by breaking through its defenses. Not only was Colonel Li Xuan a Morning Star, but he also controlled the military of Hang City, the protector of millions! Li Xuan nodded in response to their salute and turned to the commander, softly asking, ¡°I received your distress signal and rushed back. How is the situation? Did the spider priest escape?¡± Li Xuan had prepared himself mentally for Hang City¡¯s destruction. However, upon entering, he found that only the northern district had been affected. No spider monsters had appeared, and even the spider priest had vanished without a trace. Had their movements become that swift? The commander didn¡¯t hesitate and quickly described everything that had happened, emphasizing the words the masked figure had left behind! ¡°Forgotten by the world¡­¡± Li Xuan repeated the phrase, and his face suddenly changed. The commander, nervous, asked, ¡°Colonel, is something wrong?¡± Li Xuan¡¯s face became serious as he nodded, replying gravely, ¡°If what he said is true, and considering his nonchalant tone towards the evil god, then there¡¯s a strong possibility he is a forbidden existence!¡± Zhou Zheng, confused, asked, ¡°Forbidden existence? But he only showed Morning Star-level power. Why would you call him forbidden¡­?¡± ¡°Foolish, at such a level of power, one can precisely control every ounce of strength. He did this all to avoid harming you,¡± Li Xuan said with certainty, though in his heart, he had another suspicion he didn¡¯t voice. He had just checked the twisted spider and the spider priest¡¯s corpses, and not only had their body moisture been drained, but all their vitality and souls had also been taken! Such terrifying power was far beyond Morning Star-level. When considering that the being hadn¡¯t even unleashed his full power, this person could very well have just awoken from an eternal slumber, still not fully restored to his former strength! For he had once heard his teacher say that certain beings who reach the forbidden realm can only be killed by erasing all traces of their existence. Otherwise, if anyone speaks their name, they will revive from the depths of time and space, reclaiming their power and authority! Realizing this, Li Xuan¡¯s gaze grew serious. He knew he was carrying an important message. He turned and left, intending to return to the office to upload all the information to the higher-ups at headquarters. As for Zhou Zheng, he was tasked with overseeing the restoration and aftermath of Hang City¡¯s northern district. All the spider corpses were to be sent to the laboratory for sampling! Zhou Zheng scratched his head, self-doubt creeping in as he muttered, ¡°Does a forbidden existence also buy balloons? Maybe I¡¯ll go buy one too!¡± Meanwhile, Lu Yu had no idea that his identity had already upgraded from an ancient powerful being to a forbidden existence who had crawled out of the river of time! Right now, he was rushing to do something important! Chapter 10 - Did I Rip Off the Evil God’s Sheep Chapter 10: Did I Rip Off the Evil God¡¯s Sheep The ritual of the Evil God involves the followers of the Evil God constructing an altar, offering sacrifices, and receiving rewards in return. However, since the Evil God¡¯s followers had been obliterated by the Fear Balloon, the altar Lu Yu had previously seen became useless. As the altar used for the Evil God¡¯s ritual, it naturally contained a valuable item to act as a medium for communication with the Evil God. Taking advantage of the fact that the soldiers hadn¡¯t reacted yet, Lu Yu quickened his steps towards the building where the Evil God¡¯s followers were located. Following the memory of the layout he had seen before, he reached the front door and casually destroyed the security cameras along the way. Staring at the door blocking his path, Lu Yu gave a faint smile and slowly raised his foot. Boom! The door was kicked open. However, instead of charging in immediately, Lu Yu threw the Fear Balloon inside to scout the area. Naturally, the Fear Balloon had no idea what Lu Yu was thinking. With its simple mind, it happily wandered about, calling out to Lu Yu to join the fun. But Lu Yu ignored it. Once he confirmed there were no traps, Lu Yu swaggered inside. However, as soon as he stepped through the door, a strong stench of blood and decay overwhelmed him. ¡°Disgusting!¡± Lu Yu frowned as he observed the interior structure. The floor and walls were covered with bloodstained, eerie, and evil runes. At several key points, there were shriveled hearts and severed limbs, the source of the putrid stench. In the center of the formation, there was a massive root, resembling a grotesque mass of flesh. Strange symbols were carved on it, forming what seemed to be a name. The twisted symbols curved together, resembling the eight eyes of a spider from a distance. The appearance of the Evil Gods seemed to be merely a human fantasy. No one had seen them, nor did anyone understand them. Even their names were just phonetic transcriptions by humans and not their true names. Everything about them was a product of human imagination, so it was only natural that there were no statues of the Evil Gods. In addition, there were several dismembered bodies in the corners of the room. Judging by their clothing and the photos scattered around, they were likely the original owners of the house. Looking at their faces twisted in terror and pain, Lu Yu sighed. ¡°They¡¯ve already been killed by me. You can rest now.¡± Saying this, Lu Yu summoned the Hellfire Whip and set the bodies alight. The black flames followed the blood, wrapping around the corpses and consuming them. Whether it was his imagination or not, as the bodies burned, their expressions seemed to relax slightly, no longer as pained as before. The corpses were soon reduced to ashes, drifting away with the wind. Having finished this, Lu Yu approached the statue and carefully examined it. He looked at the eight black obsidian eyes and reached out to pry one off. ¡°So it¡¯s not a black diamond, but obsidian? This is used for warding off evil. Are you sure it¡¯s a good idea to make a statue of the Evil God out of this?¡± Lu Yu couldn¡¯t help but complain. After all, in his past life, obsidian was used for making protective bracelets, not for Evil Gods. But considering the terrifying power of the Evil Gods, Lu Yu understood that it wasn¡¯t the obsidian that was weak, but the overwhelming evil force. No matter how much protection obsidian provides, in the end, it¡¯s the power of force that matters. Despite the complaints, Lu Yu¡¯s body was honest enough to pocket the eight pieces of obsidian. After all, they were valuable and could fetch a good price. After prying the Evil God¡¯s eyes off, he searched the room but found nothing of value. ¡°Still, these few pieces of obsidian aren¡¯t exactly treasure, are they?¡± Lu Yu muttered to himself as he examined the statue again. He suddenly noticed something strange. Despite the room being filled with the stench of decay, the statue emitted a faint fragrance. ¡°Could it be¡­?¡± Lu Yu¡¯s mind raced, and he activated his material extraction ability on the statue. Crack, crack, crack! The statue began to crumble, and a white light gradually emerged. The extraction succeeded! What rating is this material? Hopefully, it¡¯s a five-star material, though four stars would be fine too! Lu Yu thought to himself as he extended his hand to check the material¡¯s properties. However, just as he touched it¡ª Crack, crack, crack! Suddenly, countless spiderweb-like lines appeared before his eyes. The world seemed to shatter like broken glass, falling apart. ¡°What is happening?¡± Lu Yu was alarmed, but before he could react further, the world around him began to distort. The webs multiplied, and the strands grew thicker, as if he had entered a giant spider¡¯s world! Within the dense webs, Lu Yu saw a grand, terrifying, and indescribable reflection. He glanced briefly, but all he could see was a black abyss. When he tried to look again, his instincts screamed at him to stop because¡ª It would mean certain death! Do not gaze at the God! Even though the deity hadn¡¯t noticed him, the very sight of it was dangerous. The Evil God, Atrak Nakya! The terrifying Spider God resided deep within that dreamlike web world. But it seemed to be in a deep, dreamlike slumber, not fully awake. Its breathing generated a breeze that felt like the poisonous air of an abyss. Even from a distance, it made Lu Yu¡¯s mind churn with maddening thoughts, as if his brain was about to tear itself apart. His body began to twist in agony, bones, flesh, and organs contorting as if he were about to transform into a grotesque spider. ¡°Damn it!¡± Lu Yu gritted his teeth and resisted the overwhelming force. Even if he had to die, he didn¡¯t want to become a hideous human-spider hybrid! ¡°Detected presence of the Evil God¡­ activating protection mode¡­ preparing to break out of the illusionary world¡­ countdown 10 seconds¡­ 7¡­ 6¡­¡± The system¡¯s cold voice rang in Lu Yu¡¯s ears. A more powerful force swept through him, dispelling the distorting aura within his body. The space around him began to crumble. It seemed the system was about to take him out of the illusory realm! Lu Yu shifted his gaze, making sure not to look at the terrifying figure. Such an entity, if stared at too long, could leave an indelible mark on the mind, becoming a permanent nightmare. But leaving the Evil God¡¯s lair empty-handed wasn¡¯t his style. So, as his thoughts spun, an audacious idea sprang to his mind! The system¡¯s power seemed far more formidable than this Spider God¡¯s. In other words, his background was much stronger than this being! S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The system¡¯s voice continued: ¡°3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­¡± At the moment the countdown reached 1, a brilliant light enveloped Lu Yu¡¯s body, as dreamlike as the eternal, undying chaos light, ready to carry him away. Lu Yu looked up once more at the terrifying, distorted reflection. The instant their gazes met, a terrifying force rushed through his eyes into his body, warping his thoughts and trying to transform him into a monstrous creature. But the system¡¯s power was even more dominant. It eradicated the distortion, preserving Lu Yu¡¯s body and soul in their pure form. After confirming the reliability of his ¡°background,¡± Lu Yu¡¯s smile widened. He whispered: ¡°Atrakk, my old friend, I came all this way, I should at least take some souvenirs. But no need to trouble you; I¡¯ll help myself¡­¡± As the words left his mouth, the light took him away from the webbed world. In the formless light, a pair of massive blood-red eyes opened. The entire web world crumbled under the weight of this terrifying pressure. Amidst the shattered void, a voice echoed¡ªsomething incomprehensible to humans: ¡°Who stole my body?¡± Chapter 11 - Five-Star Material! System Achievement Rewards Chapter Eleven: Five-Star Material! System Achievement Rewards S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A flash of light passed, and Lu Yu once again returned to the blood-soaked room! He smelled the familiar stench, but there was no longer the previous disgust in his heart; instead, he felt relieved. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it really worked!¡± Lu Yu lowered his head and looked at the snow-white thread in his hand, his excitement impossible to describe. He had successfully plucked wool from the Evil God! Although it felt like being tainted by some malicious force, he had nonetheless left the dreamlike land. And as far as he knew, the Evil God couldn¡¯t directly descend into the main world; if it tried to forcefully descend, it would be rejected by the world itself. This was the basis of Lu Yu¡¯s confidence¡ªbecause he knew the Evil God couldn¡¯t directly descend into this world, and with the system as his backing, he dared to do such a big thing! [Spider God¡¯s Silk (Five-Star): A thread from the body of an indescribable Evil God. It is a deity similar to a spider, though no one has ever seen its form, and those who have seen it went mad and perished. Deities cannot be gazed upon directly, but everything about them is far superior to earthly beings, carrying maddening divine power. Those ensnared by their threads struggle to break free from the binding strength of the threads.] Five-star material! And this was just a thread! If it were the Evil God¡¯s pincers, tear ducts, sensory limbs, or legs, it would be six-star material, or even seven-star! A few three-star materials combined could create terrifying monsters like the Fear Balloon, capable of destroying an entire city! If enough high-level materials could be obtained, could he not create a god? Create a deity! ¡°Gulp!¡± Thinking about this possibility, Lu Yu couldn¡¯t help but swallow his saliva, trying to relieve his dry throat! The Evil God was far above, and even humans were just its toys and pawns. If not for the Evil God¡¯s inability to enter the main world for some special reason, humanity might have been wiped out long ago! But even so, with the Evil God¡¯s presence gradually infiltrating the world, all humans could do was prepare and resist with difficulty! But Lu Yu was different. Once he created a god-level monster, he could obtain one-tenth of its power, and the higher the evaluation, the more power he would gain! This was the fastest and safest shortcut through the Supreme Path for Lu Yu! Once he possessed divine abilities, he wouldn¡¯t just have confidence in this world, but even beyond it. He would have the power to contend with the Evil God! That would be when he could truly control his own fate! As for the material extracted from the statue, it had shattered, but the description remained. [Fragment of the Dream Bridge (One-time use): A fragment fallen from the Dream Bridge, sculpted into an Evil God statue by its followers. It briefly allows the opening of the Dream Bridge, but as it¡¯s a fragment, it can only be used once.][Evaluation: Do you wish to face the Evil God directly?] ¡°This is basically a death pass!¡± Lu Yu scoffed. If not for the system¡¯s protection, he would have been distorted in the Dreamland, turning into the Evil God¡¯s spider slave. Lu Yu squeezed the shattered material in his right hand, which turned into countless light spots and vanished. ¡°Congratulations, host! After facing the Evil God and escaping, you have completed the system achievement ¡®Survivor of the Evil God,¡¯ unlocking level 2/5 of the authority. Current authority level: lv1!¡± ¡°Authority level? What rewards come with unlocking authority?¡± Lu Yu asked curiously. After all, the system was his greatest trump card, and he needed to understand all its functions! System: ¡°For each increase in authority level, a random treasure chest will be rewarded. It contains one or more materials, with no limit on star levels. It may also result in an empty chest.¡± ¡°Wait, so materials up to nine or ten stars could be in the rewards?¡± Lu Yu exclaimed in surprise. If he could really receive nine-star materials, then creating the Evil God would no longer be a fantasy. He continued to ask, ¡°Are there any other achievements left? Can you give me some hints?¡± ¡°All must be sought by the host on their own.¡± The system¡¯s voice remained mechanical, devoid of any emotional color! Lu Yu wasn¡¯t surprised. After all, the achievement system was a form of alternative reward, and if it were told how to obtain rewards, it would be too much like cheating. So, Lu Yu dusted himself off and left the building, removing his coat and mask in a dark corner before returning to his room! Looking at the mess in his room, with the windows smashed to pieces, he figured the police might show up tomorrow to ask questions. However, with the crazy spider attacks on many households and the monster¡¯s corpse thoroughly burned, he didn¡¯t expect to attract suspicion! After tidying up the relatively intact furniture, Lu Yu decisively took a shower and washed the clothes soaked in sweat! He had briefly glimpsed the Evil God, and although he didn¡¯t look directly, the spiritual shock from seeing such a terrifying unknown presence still made him break out in a cold sweat! But fortunately, he had successfully plucked wool, so he felt it was worth the cold sweat! After showering and drying his hair, Lu Yu entered his room, locked the door, and drew the curtains to ensure no one would disturb him. Then, he began to tally today¡¯s gains! Apart from the Evil God from whom he plucked wool, he had killed dozens of spider monsters, including a Spider Priest. After removing some failed extractions, his harvest was considerable! The first was the Spider God¡¯s Silk, a five-star material, currently the highest-level material in his possession! The second was the venom sacs he had extracted from rare monsters; he had obtained four more from the spiders, meaning he now had five venom sacs! As for the BOSS monster, the Spider Priest, he had extracted something that surprised him¡­ Chapter 12 - The Twisted Spider Egg of Mutation! A New Monster Editing Awaits Chapter Twelve: The Twisted Spider Egg of Mutation! A New Monster Editing Awaits [Twisted Spider Egg of Mutation (Three-Star): This egg, originating from the mother of the mutated Twisted Spider, which is on the verge of becoming the Morning Star, has been continuously eroded by blood and the aura of an evil god, resulting in its mutation and granting it immense potential, different from the mother creature. Since it is in an unborn state, its star rating is based on potential rather than power.] The Spider Priest¡¯s¡­ egg! The ferocious, rugged spider with a crude appearance and a rough voice was actually female! How could something look so comical in its appearance! S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lu Yu felt as if his worldview was collapsing. The shock was no less than confronting an evil god directly. However, recalling that female spiders are generally stronger and the fact that he had already slain the Spider Priest¡ªno way would it rise from hell to disgust him again! Instead, this material was quite interesting¡ªit wasn¡¯t any part of a corpse but an egg that had yet to be born. Moreover, it was rated at three stars. Though it¡¯s potential rather than strength, it still indicated that this egg might be able to transcend the Morning Star tier. ¡°Is this egg considered a living creature?¡± Lu Yu fell into deep thought. This was not a random musing, but a consideration of deeper significance. That was, can living creatures be used as material for editing? If so, then all living creatures in the world could be deliberately edited and enhanced! Even a fear balloon could undergo secondary or tertiary edits, continually growing stronger to keep pace with him, rather than being discarded after use. Lu Yu was a sentimental person. Whether in his past or present life, even the spent pen refills from school were kept and stored away. Although the fear balloon was foolish like a silly fawn, it was still his first creation. He didn¡¯t want it to be discarded into a corner, alone and abandoned. Since there was doubt, Lu Yu, of course, did not keep it to himself but directly asked the system, only to receive the reply: ¡°Egg-shaped creatures that have not fully formed are still considered materials. However, once the creature inside the egg is fully developed and about to hatch, it can no longer be edited. As for secondary editing of monsters, the host currently lacks the necessary permissions.¡± ¡°Current permissions? So, if my permissions increase, I can edit it?¡± Lu Yu quickly grasped the key information from the system¡¯s words¡ªhis lack of permissions was the only obstacle! So, improving his permissions would allow him to do these things? The system¡¯s mechanical voice responded again: ¡°Please continue to improve your permissions.¡± Lu Yu¡¯s lips curled into a smile. He had obtained the information he needed. The higher his permissions, the stronger his ability to edit monsters! At this moment, Xiao Qi, not understanding why its master was suddenly so happy, floated toward Lu Yu with its yellow body, making ¡°eee, aaa¡± sounds. ¡°Xiao Qi, your Morning Star creature¡¯s prestige is about to plummet¡­¡± Lu Yu looked at the silly fear balloon and couldn¡¯t help but reach out to pet its head¡­ or rather, its balloon-like body. He had expected it to feel rough, but to his surprise, it felt like stroking high-quality satin¡ªdelicately soft. From the calls of those around him, he had learned that the Morning Star was a level above Awakeners, seemingly very prestigious. ¡°This cloth feels like some strong person¡¯s burial cloth, soaked in blood, causing a sinister aura. What level of existence could it belong to?¡± Lu Yu pondered for a while before giving up on the guesswork. Regardless of the other¡¯s strength, it was a burial cloth now, likely long dead, and no longer of any concern to him. He waved Xiao Qi to one side and took out all the materials he had gathered! Since he had obtained so many materials, as a monster editor, he would never leave them gathering dust in storage! ¡°System, start the editing!¡± With a soft call, grey, formless mist appeared in the air, slowly enveloping him and pulling him back into the chaotic space once again! Upon entering this space, Lu Yu felt as though he could weave the laws of all things in the world, like a supreme ruler! This time, he didn¡¯t rush to start editing, instead taking his time to feel the immense power. But unfortunately, the power within was too profound! Though he could freely use it with the system¡¯s help, he was still far from able to comprehend it! It was like a toddler stumbling through life. Even though, with the aid of an external tool, they could cheat their way through math problems and see all the answers, the process of solving them was still completely beyond their grasp! Lu Yu gave up on further exploring the essence of this power and waved his hand, summoning all the materials to him! Among them, the silks of the evil god were the most powerful, residing at the top, emanating a purple glow. Next was the four-star pocket watch, quietly floating within the grey mist, as if at peace with the world. The remaining materials appeared faint and insignificant in comparison, like distant stars beside the moon. But this time, the main focus for Lu Yu¡¯s editing was the spider egg! Chapter 13 - Time and Shadow Power! The Blood of the Unknown Evil God! Chapter Thirteen: Time and Shadow Power! The Blood of the Unknown Evil God! Lu Yu flicked his finger lightly, and the twisted spider egg was lifted by the chaotic air currents and floated in front of him! In monster editing mode, Lu Yu could see far more details, including the faint trace of life within the egg! This didn¡¯t mean a small spider had already been born, but rather, it was the embryonic state of all life¡ªthe process of birth, governed by the laws of life, creation, and duality! Now that the system had given the green light to edit the spider egg, he wasn¡¯t going to leave it sitting in the material library gathering dust! With so many precious materials, converting them into his own strength seemed like the wisest choice. So, Lu Yu pointed at the twisted spider egg. Grey mist surged into the egg, merging with the weak life energy inside. The thin white membrane of the spider egg slowly turned grey and became a small grey ball! At that moment, Lu Yu took out the precious material from his chest¡ªan old pocket watch containing a hint of time and shadow power! [Four-Star Broken Pocket Watch: This pocket watch was once worn by an unknown entity. It absorbed traces of time and shadow energy, transforming from an ordinary object to something extraordinary. However, it was also tainted by the blood of an evil god, carrying a maddening power.]** When editing the fear balloon, Lu Yu hadn¡¯t used this watch because adding more materials wasn¡¯t always beneficial. It depended on whether the materials were suitable. The fear balloon, made with regular materials, had already reached its power limit, having gained Hellfire and the Life-Steal aura. Adding the pocket watch would have only raised its rating by a star or added a new skill, but it would not have enhanced its evaluation! Lu Yu had learned some rules about the monster editing system: higher-grade materials often had a capacity to assimilate other materials. For example, the burial cloth used in creating the fear balloon absorbed the Life-Steal power, which became the core of the fear balloon¡¯s strength. The Hellfire whip only served as an accessory. Moreover, lower-star materials would pull down the rating of higher-star materials. Even though the fear balloon had used three-star materials, it had become a two-star monster. The pocket watch, being four-star material, would likely assimilate all lower-star materials, turning them into part of its own power. That wasn¡¯t how Lu Yu preferred to operate¡ªhe wanted to maximize the benefits. Though high-tier materials were great, he didn¡¯t want to waste any of the lesser ones. However, now there was a new vessel¡ªthe mutated spider egg! Given its potential of three stars due to mutation, it was an excellent medium to absorb the time and shadow powers of the pocket watch. Thinking about this, Lu Yu looked at the golden pocket watch, its dark red bloodstains still visible. He reached out and gently tapped it! As soon as his fingertip made contact with the pocket watch, the watch exploded into countless golden dots, slowly fusing into the twisted spider egg! The egg, which had turned grey, began to sparkle with golden light, gradually being covered on the surface! ¡°Spider Evil God¡¯s silk¡­ since it¡¯s a spider, would adding it cause further evolution?¡± Lu Yu pondered as he prepared to add the Evil God¡¯s silk. But just as he was about to do so, the twisted spider egg began to resist, sending out an aura akin to the Evil God¡¯s presence¡ªspreading madness and destruction across the world. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Unknown Evil God¡¯s aura!¡± Lu Yu¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. The change in the egg puzzled him, but as he quickly searched his memory, he soon realized what was happening! In the material description of the pocket watch, it had mentioned not only time and shadow power but also a blood taint from an unknown evil god. An unknown evil god¡¯s blood! He had initially overlooked it, thinking the pocket watch itself was the key. But it turned out the Evil God¡¯s blood had been part of the pocket watch, and through a long battle of wills, it had integrated into the egg! Evil gods, though often spreaders of chaos and fear, were disordered and mad. Long ago, the and had clashed in a violent war¡ªcausing massive destruction and spreading madness and slaughter! The battles had destroyed a small nation, and though special forces later suppressed the cults of both evil gods, the cost was unimaginable! But from this, Lu Yu realized that evil gods were not part of a unified faction; they even fought each other! And thus, the blood of two different evil gods could not merge, at least not with Lu Yu¡¯s current permissions! So, he withdrew the and instead added two venom sacs to the egg, giving this unborn creature offensive power. After the sacs were added, the egg stopped absorbing more energy and began to stabilize. The life aura inside grew stronger, and the egg settled into a golden orb the size of a fist, covered with mysterious grey runes as if they were painting a beautiful picture. The spider egg slowly fell into Lu Yu¡¯s hand, and information about it appeared¡­ Chapter 14 - The Egg of the Void Shadow Spider! Special Department Visit Chapter Fourteen: The Egg of the Void Shadow Spider! Special Department Visit ¡¾Void Shadow Spider Egg: Based on the mutated egg of a twisted spider, this egg is infected by the blood of an unknown evil god and has formed a faint connection with the Void, gaining Void attributes. It has become a Void creature. At the same time, it contains the powers of time and shadow. Its best nourishment is the shadows and the flow of time. Upon birth, it will possess Morningstar-level power and a connection with the river of time. Though not adept at combat, its potential is immense.¡¿ ¡¾Abilities: Void Venom Sac (Can inject Void poison to cause the body of living creatures to collapse.) Time Weave (Passive ability. It has a faint connection with the river of time, allowing it to cleanse its presence, preventing most divination, fortune-telling, rituals, and powerful beings from peering into it.) Shadow Minion (By absorbing enough shadows, the Void Shadow Spider can spawn a shadow minion (spider form). Up to ten can be created. These minions can infiltrate shadows, acting as natural assassins and loyal servants.) Void Chest (As a life form naturally existing in the Void, it can create a space to store non-living items. The stronger the spider, the larger the space it can open.)¡¿ ¡¾Rating: Four-star excellent!¡¿ ¡¾Time to hatch the Void Shadow Spider Egg: One month¡¿ ¡°This attribute is ridiculously strong. Upon birth, it will surpass the Fear Balloon. Though it needs to grow, it¡¯s still overpowered. It¡¯s as though its birth marks the end of someone¡¯s lifetime, but most of its abilities are not combat-oriented. No wonder it¡¯s said to be not good at fighting, but Morningstar-level is still Morningstar!¡± Lu Yu gazed at the powerful attributes and couldn¡¯t help but be amazed. This creature could be considered his first monster, although it would still need a month to hatch. However, Lu Yu planned to live quietly for the next month and investigate the world of Awakened Ones, learning about the level and power divisions. He also intended to try out the cultivation system of this world. While Lu Yu was deep in thought, the system¡¯s voice suddenly echoed: ¡°Beep. Host, you have edited an excellent-level monster, completing the achievement¡ªElite Editor. Reward: One-tenth of the Void Shadow Spider¡¯s power, and the ability to solidify two skills for yourself.¡± As the system¡¯s voice faded, a surge of power far greater than the Fear Balloon flowed into Lu Yu¡¯s body, causing a feeling of discomfort from the overflowing energy. However, this power quickly started enhancing his physical condition and even strengthened his soul! It was as if he were cultivating new land. Lu Yu¡¯s body expanded, and his meridians and organs were all reinforced. After ten minutes of strengthening, the energy settled, and his internal power had grown more than three times greater than before! If he had been a small water bottle before, now he was a large water kettle. This was still due to the Void Shadow Spider¡¯s inexperience in battle and its undeveloped state! If a higher-tier monster had been involved, the one-tenth of the power might have caused him to explode. Thinking about that possibility, a black line appeared on Lu Yu¡¯s forehead¡ªhe certainly didn¡¯t want to be exploded by the power he just gained, or he¡¯d never live it down. To avoid this, he secretly decided to make his body indestructible, which meant working on his strength¡ªbuild up muscle until enemies couldn¡¯t touch him. But this was just an idea; implementing it was far from easy. Thinking about this, Lu Yu spoke to the system: ¡°I choose [Time Weave] and [Shadow Minion]!¡± Right now, he wasn¡¯t lacking in combat skills, but he could not handle some odd abilities. The Time Weave, which specifically blocked divination and the peering of powerful beings, was perfect for him after having gained favor from the Spider Evil God! Even if he later went undercover, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being easily deduced, which made a lot of things easier. As for Shadow Minions, it would solve his problem of being a solitary figure. These minions could help with reconnaissance and assist in combat. Besides, wasn¡¯t it cool to have Shadow Minions by your side? Strength is temporary, but being cool lasts forever. Two beams of light entered his body, and a rune formed a circle on his right hand. From a distance, it resembled an ouroboros, the snake eating its own tail¡ªthis was the Time Weave! From this day forward, he no longer needed to worry about being divined or affected by fate. As for the [Shadow Minion] skill, it required absorbing shadows from living beings as nourishment to create minions. He would have to wait until tomorrow to try it. After finishing his skill selection, a translucent screen appeared before him, visible only to him: sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¾Host: Lu Yu¡¿ ¡¾Companions: Fear Balloon, Void Shadow Spider (unhatched)¡¿ ¡¾Skills: Hellfire Whip, Absorption Halo, Time Weave, Shadow Minion¡¿ ¡¾Permissions: One-Star Monster Editor¡¿ ¡¾Material Library: Twisted Venom Sac¡Á3, Spider Evil God¡¯s Silk¡Á1¡¿ ¡°It even has an attribute panel now. It¡¯s becoming more considerate,¡± Lu Yu praised, though the system remained silent. After finalizing the skills, the gray mist dispersed, and Lu Yu returned to his original room. The familiar layout and scent remained, though there was now a Fear Balloon flying aimlessly around the ceiling. ¡°Yiya!¡± The Fear Balloon, seeing Lu Yu awake, quickly floated down, shaking its yellow spherical body, expressing its joy. ¡°I swear, you really do act like a husky.¡± Lu Yu patted its head, then took the Void Shadow Spider Egg out of his pocket. An invisible aura emanated from the golden egg! ¡°Yiya!¡± The Fear Balloon, still being petted, suddenly felt the aura. It fluffed up like a frightened cat, and the grim face on the balloon became even more terrifying, seemingly attempting to intimidate. But while intimidating, it kept drifting toward the corner of the room, a clear display of bluffing. ¡°Coward, stay quiet!¡± Lu Yu laughed at its antics, then ordered the Fear Balloon to be quiet before turning to the Void Shadow Spider Egg. ¡°I¡¯ll name it Xiao Ba, your companion. You two should get along well, okay?¡± After all, spiders have eight legs, so naming it Xiao Ba felt fitting. Xiao Qi (the Fear Balloon) and Xiao Ba¡ªit was easy to remember and sounded nice. The Fear Balloon, hearing this, returned to its previous silly appearance. It cautiously floated back and gently touched the Void Spider Egg with its yellow ribbon, almost as if extending a hand. Ding! There was no response from the egg¡ªit wasn¡¯t even formed yet, so it couldn¡¯t react. ¡°Yiya!¡± But Xiao Qi, realizing the egg wouldn¡¯t retaliate, grew curious and poked it repeatedly with the ribbon, testing it at different angles, dangerously close to its limits. Eventually, Lu Yu, unable to tolerate this any longer, tied it to a coat rack to keep it still. The balloon looked at him with a pitiful expression. Lu Yu gave the silly creature a glance, ignored its pleas, and carefully placed the Void Shadow Spider Egg back into his pocket. This was a potential four-star monster. If it were lost or ruined by this foolish balloon, Lu Yu felt he might just snap. He kept it close, where he could guard it properly. Having done all this, Lu Yu began feeling tired. He was, after all, still human and needed rest. Just as he was about to wash up and sleep, the doorbell rang. ¡°Is anyone home? We are from the Special Department. Please open the door¡­¡± PS: I just posted it by mistake, sorry! I¡¯ve corrected it, please save, send flowers, vote, and leave your feedback! Chapter 15 - Post-Disaster Cleanup Squad! Acting Like an Oscar-Winner Chapter 15: Post-Disaster Cleanup Squad! Acting Like an Oscar-Winner Special Operations Department! Have they discovered my true identity? Lu Yu furrowed his brows. There wasn¡¯t much panic in his heart. Even if they had discovered his identity, it didn¡¯t matter. He was no longer the helpless ordinary man he once was. Armed with the Morning Star-level and the soon-to-hatch , these two powerful Morning Star forces, alongside his own four strong abilities, made him capable of destroying several cities. He was essentially a walking nuclear bomb. Now, he had the qualifications to engage in conversation with the Special Operations Department. However, unless necessary, he did not want to oppose them. After all, he was also a member of the human race. Though humanity fought hard to survive, it was weak in comparison to the power of the evil gods. Yet, when faced with monsters, humans were powerful. If the Federation fully mobilized, they would send out strong figures beyond imagination. There would certainly be individuals above the Morning Star level among them. Moreover, if they had truly confirmed his identity, there should have been several strong people surrounding him right now, not someone at the door ringing the bell! It was also possible that this was simply post-disaster cleanup. After all, after every disaster, some monsters would hide in human homes, secretly devouring flesh to evolve. The Special Operations Department was always responsible for dealing with these situations. Thinking of this, Lu Yu stood up and put on a brown jacket. To prevent them from kicking in the door, he shouted loudly: ¡°I¡¯m coming!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± A voice came from outside, sounding relieved. Creak! The door slowly opened, and Lu Yu saw the three people standing outside. Two middle-aged men and a sweet-faced young girl with long hair. They wore black uniforms with golden rune designs on the shoulders, and the small letters ¡°Special Operations Department¡± were written on them. As Lu Yu opened the door, both middle-aged men placed their hands on their waistbands, always ready for a sudden attack. This was not due to suspicion of Lu Yu, but because they had experienced so many surprise attacks that it had become second nature. Some evil god followers and monsters even disguised themselves as pregnant women, children, or the elderly to gain sympathy and launch attacks. The precautionary measures written in books were all learned at the cost of human lives. On the other hand, the young girl appeared much more innocent but still cautious, stepping back a little. When they saw Lu Yu, who was wearing a jacket, they completely relaxed because he showed no signs of mutation or any evil god aura. However, to avoid the possibility that he was a disguised monster, the man on the left took a step forward and said with a smile: ¡°Although I know this might be impolite, we saw that the glass in your house had been attacked. To prevent any monsters hiding inside, may I ask if something just happened? We are from the Special Operations Department, here are our credentials with official codes. If you don¡¯t believe us, you can check online.¡± This man spoke politely, and his words made people feel good. Lu Yu also thought it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal to let them inspect the place since they were just doing their routine to ensure the safety of the residents. But the premise was that they couldn¡¯t discover his secret! Lu Yu nodded, leaned slightly forward, and displayed a fearful expression as he spoke: ¡°Yes, just now, a spider monster suddenly crashed through the glass and rushed in, looking as if it wanted to eat me. Fortunately, I was hiding in the wardrobe in the room, so it didn¡¯t find me. After waiting for a long time without hearing any movement, I came out and saw the mess in my house. It¡¯s really unlucky. By the way, have these spider monsters been dealt with?¡± Lu Yu¡¯s expression shifted from fear to complaint as his hand unconsciously pushed the door a little further, allowing the three to see inside the scene. The more one tries to hide, the more it raises suspicion, so Lu Yu opened the door wide, letting them see the room. He thought to himself that his acting skills today were worthy of an Oscar. Perhaps he could even win an Oscar statuette! Too bad this world didn¡¯t have an Oscar. What a waste of such talent! The three members of the Special Operations Department, of course, had no idea about Lu Yu¡¯s internal thoughts. The stern man, seeing Lu Yu cooperate so readily, entered and began a simple inspection. Lu Yu sighed as he watched them check, already silently laughing at how good his acting was. Another man, seeing this, thought Lu Yu was worried about the furniture, and he comforted him: ¡°You¡¯re actually very lucky. The house was only damaged a bit. The fat guy next door was trapped in spider webs and melted¡­¡± At this point, the man shook his head helplessly, recalling the grim fate of the neighbor¡¯s family. He felt a bit nauseous. After all, seeing a living person melt in front of you like a burning candle¡ªwhat a horrible feeling¡­ ¡°Captain, stop saying it!¡± The young girl beside him turned pale at the mention of it, clearly repulsed and disturbed, as it had left a significant psychological impact. While the inspection continued, Lu Yu casually chatted with the young girl. With his experience, he quickly figured out that her name was Ning Xin, a very quiet name. The man beside her was her captain, and the one inspecting inside was called Old Zhang. Lu Yu also learned that they were here for post-disaster cleanup, so he casually asked: ¡°Post-disaster cleanup must be quite troublesome, you¡¯re such a calm girl, it¡¯s really rare.¡± Ning Xin, hearing the praise from the handsome guy, felt a little better after being affected by the bodies. She jokingly replied: ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not in charge of post-disaster cleanup. I should be responsible for communications. But today¡¯s incident left us short-handed, so they moved me over to help with the cleanup.¡± Lu Yu continued, ¡°Really efficient. You¡¯re basically splitting one person into two. Do you get overtime pay?¡± ¡°Overtime pay? How is that possible!¡± Ning Xin rolled her eyes helplessly and said: ¡°Besides, they assigned us a new task to find the awakened¡­¡± sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her captain furrowed his brow, interrupting Ning Xin: ¡°Ning Xin, we should go now!¡± Seeing her captain¡¯s expression, Ning Xin understood that she had said too much, so she stuck out her tongue to try to cover up her mistake! As for Old Zhang, after inspecting the living room and finding nothing unusual, he walked toward the bedroom. Lu Yu narrowed his eyes upon seeing this. Although his body didn¡¯t move, a dangerous aura radiated from him, making the already cold night even more chilling. Is he going to make a move? Chapter 16 - The Ominous Forbidden Existence! The Special Department Trapped in Dehua Chapter Sisteen: The Ominous Forbidden Existence! The Special Department Trapped in Dehua ¡°How cold!¡± Ning Xin shuddered as the cold air brushed against her, instinctively hugging herself. She couldn¡¯t help but curse the person who had assigned her from logistics to the combat department. They had no understanding of cherishing delicate things! Ning Xin¡¯s voice made Old Zhang pause for a moment. As he prepared to open the door again, the captain, cigarette in mouth, scolded him sarcastically: ¡°Old Zhang, the person just came out of the room, and you¡¯re still going in to inspect? Are you suspecting this guy, you blockhead?¡± Old Zhang was stunned for a second before he silently walked to the door and softly muttered, ¡°No problem.¡± He then turned and apologized to Lu Yu, ¡°Sorry!¡± Old Zhang wasn¡¯t one to speak much, but he had made a mistake. After all, Lu Yu had just exited the room, and if he went back in to inspect, it would seem like he was doubting him. ¡°No worries,¡± Lu Yu waved it off, not expecting such politeness. After all, the other party was an awakened one, so to apologize to an ordinary person showed excellent character. But avoiding conflict was better. Unless secrets were exposed, Lu Yu didn¡¯t want to resort to drastic measures. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The captain nodded at the situation and said, ¡°Let¡¯s move on to the next one. There are still several buildings to inspect!¡± With that, the captain turned and left. Ning Xin lingered a moment longer, casting a reluctant glance at Lu Yu¡¯s handsome face before waving goodbye and following him. Lu Yu watched her leave with some regret. This girl was really interesting. If it hadn¡¯t been for the captain interrupting just now, he could have gathered quite a bit of useful information! However, Lu Yu didn¡¯t mind too much. After yawning, he prepared to go back to sleep. As for the trio from the Special Department, they continued walking forward. When they reached the corner, Ning Xin turned to the captain apologetically: ¡°Sorry, Captain, I talked too much again. I won¡¯t do it next time!¡± The captain glanced at her and said, ¡°You might have to stitch that mouth shut if you want to stop talking nonsense!¡± ¡°That¡¯s an exaggeration!¡± Ning Xin retorted loudly, but the moment she met the captain¡¯s gaze, she lost her confidence. Her eyes quickly darted away, and she changed the subject. ¡°Captain, is it true that an ancient existence has awakened in this city?¡± The captain gave her a side-eye before scanning the hallway to make sure no one was around. He then replied indifferently: ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or not, your job still needs to be done. Don¡¯t think about slacking off.¡± Ning Xin¡¯s face flushed, but she quickly hid it and responded: ¡°I¡¯m not trying to slack off. I just want to understand the mission better. That way, I can finish it more efficiently.¡± ¡°And then go home to play games, right? When your dad came, he told me to make sure you see the cruelty of the world instead of playing games all day.¡± The captain saw right through his teammate¡¯s little thoughts, which left Ning Xin speechless. Rolling her eyes, she quickly changed the topic. ¡°Captain, let¡¯s discuss how to find that ancient existence.¡± The captain blew a bubble, chewing his gum as he mocked: ¡°You think an ancient existence is as easy to find as cabbage? That kind of being has transcended time, holding unimaginable terrifying power. Moreover, all they told us is that the person holds a yellow balloon and wears a mask. This is like asking us to find a needle in a haystack.¡± Ning Xin thought for a moment and curiously asked, ¡°So, we need to find clues from the fact that they are holding a balloon?¡± ¡°Wrong!¡± The captain looked at Ning Xin, who looked confused, and slowly said: ¡°We just need to deal with the affected residents. As for this mission, it¡¯s all about fate. Report any clues, but don¡¯t do anything unnecessary.¡± ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t this our mission?¡± Ning Xin stood frozen, confused by the captain¡¯s dismissive attitude toward the task. The captain took a deep breath, exhaled a smoke ring, and glanced at the puzzled Ning Xin before grinning: ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? Sometimes you just slack off and kill time. Maybe report an injury for some extra benefits. Isn¡¯t that life? Why do so much work? Even if we find something, there¡¯s not much to gain. It¡¯s better to finish early and get some sleep.¡± ¡°Old scoundrel!¡± Ning Xin rolled her eyes but didn¡¯t deny his point. She too wanted to get home and sleep, so she quickly caught up with him. The captain walked ahead, his eyes peering through the hallway at the dark night sky. The cocky expression on his face vanished, and in his mind, he silently said: ¡°Because I don¡¯t want anyone else to die¡­¡± The ancient existence wasn¡¯t something easily observed. Even if it wasn¡¯t hostile to humans, actively probing into it could bring disaster and misfortune! His former comrades had all encountered doom because of this, leaving him as the only survivor. It wasn¡¯t because he was stronger, but simply because he had happened to leave the area for something else. The helpless feeling of having no ability to fight back was something others could never understand. Beside him, Old Zhang knew about the captain¡¯s past but still felt curious, softly murmuring: ¡°What does the ancient existence holding a balloon symbolize? The sky, the air, or the moon¡­¡± He believed there was some deep meaning behind the balloon, but he couldn¡¯t yet fathom it. He was sure that if he kept looking through the classics, he would eventually uncover the identity of this being. Too bad, he probably wouldn¡¯t figure it out before he died. The being only carried the balloon because the balloon was stronger than the being. Everything that happened was due to the balloon, and all the events were just imagined by themselves! And so, the three of them, each with their own thoughts, continued their mission. Meanwhile, the mastermind, Lu Yu, was lying in his room, sleeping peacefully, completely unaware that his fabricated mysterious strongman persona¡ªbecause of the balloon¡ªhad been upgraded in people¡¯s minds into an ancient existence with unknown powers. Chapter 17 - The Oddities of the Rules System Chapter Seveteen: The Oddities of the Rules System The next morning, before the sun had fully risen, golden rays pierced through the night sky, scattering light across the world and waking up those who had spent the night in fear. However, the streets were still sparsely populated, with only a few unfortunate office workers trudging along to their jobs. Although all the twisted spiders had been slain by a mysterious powerful figure, and the webs and damaged buildings had been repaired by the army¡¯s logistics overnight, the fear left behind in people¡¯s hearts could not be easily erased. Since all the spiders were killed before they could fully complete their ritual, the disaster was confined to a small area in the northern district of Hang City, sparing the rest of the city from its effects. Even so, hundreds of people suffered varying degrees of loss in the catastrophe, with some even witnessing their loved ones, friends, or partners being dragged away by the spiders and wrapped in webs, only to be reduced to piles of rotting flesh. This was undoubtedly a tragedy! However, thanks to the special department¡¯s swift efforts, more than eighty people were rescued from over a hundred cocoons, with only five seriously injured, all of whom could still receive treatment in the hospital. Although the casualties were severe, this was the best possible outcome! After all, in this chaotic world, the only thing one could do was live humbly. ¡°A new day has begun!¡± Lu Yu awoke from his sleep and opened his eyes to see the fear balloon floating on the ceiling, its appearance almost like a little fish swimming in the sea. However, if most people saw such a terrifying face floating above their heads, they would probably faint in fear. After all, the fear balloon¡¯s visage was so hideous that it was equipped with a skill called . Lu Yu, however, felt nothing. He had already earned the achievement of encountering the Evil God and surviving! Although he had only seen its terrifying, magnificent, and profound reflection, with the help of the system, he had resisted the indescribable corrupting power and even taken some ¡°wool¡± from the Evil God. Compared to the reflection of the Evil God, the fear balloon¡¯s intimidation felt like a little girl acting cute and begging for attention. Should he hang a sign that says, ¡°The Man Who Successfully Ripped Off the Evil God¡¯s Wool¡±? While pondering, Lu Yu swatted away the fear balloon that had tried to float toward him, deciding to maintain his low-profile lifestyle. Even though he now had the skill , which could protect him from the Evil God¡¯s attempts to locate him, being too high-profile would risk attracting the attention of the Evil God¡¯s high priests or followers. That scenario would certainly be intense! After washing up, Lu Yu changed into a white shirt and blue shorts, then ordered the fear balloon not to float around as he headed downstairs to prepare for breakfast. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unfortunately, he had overestimated his situation. After the twisted spider disaster, a gloomy atmosphere hung over the entire northern district, leaving few people in the mood to get back to work. From the words of passersby, he learned that the owner of the breakfast shop had been so scared by the spiders the previous day that he nearly suffered a heart attack, and had to be hospitalized. Fortunately, he was out of danger. With no other choice, Lu Yu took a taxi to the nearest breakfast shop in the eastern district and ordered some steamed dumplings. Sitting at the breakfast shop, he listened to the conversations of people discussing the events from the previous night and began to think about his future plans. Having inherited the good habits of his past life, Lu Yu always preferred to plan ahead before doing anything, ensuring he wouldn¡¯t be caught off guard or forget things. Currently, the Void Shadow Spider was still in its incubation stage and would only hatch after another twenty-nine days. As for the fear balloon, it needed a large amount of life force to advance, but harvesting human lives would surely attract the wrath of powerful human beings. Moreover, such actions didn¡¯t align with Lu Yu¡¯s own values. What¡¯s more, after unlocking , it could directly steal life energy. However, ordinary humans¡¯ life energy was not very concentrated. Based on his own estimates, the life energy gained from one twisted spider was equivalent to that from seven or eight ordinary humans. Thus, was better suited for hunting powerful magical creatures in the wild, while also collecting useful materials. However, Lu Yu was not familiar with the world of awakeners, and although he had heard that the wilds were dangerous, he wasn¡¯t sure exactly what kind of dangers lurked out there. He wasn¡¯t afraid of direct confrontation with his current strength, and after the Void Shadow Spider hatched, he would be even more confident. But he worried about encountering some unusual tactics, as he had once read a post where something strange could suddenly appear while walking in the wild, offering you a drink of water. The odd thing was that you couldn¡¯t refuse it, and if your willpower wasn¡¯t strong enough, you would drink the poisoned water, which would corrode your internal organs. The post was from near Yang City, where a powerful individual had resisted the force using his willpower, only to discover a dozen or so bodies with their organs ripped out nearby. The event was subsequently documented. Thinking about these strange forces, Lu Yu was a little worried, but mostly curious! He wondered if such entities could be used as materials, and if combining venom sacs and some mind-corrupting toxins could create a rules-based monster. If successful, Lu Yu could simply prepare a bowl of water before each battle and cheerfully say, ¡°Brother, how about a drink?¡± Moreover, he could combine it with lightning, giving his opponent a shock with an electric-charged drink, or with shadows, creating a bowl of shadow water to end their lives¡­ By defeating enemies without a fight, he could truly call himself a lover of peace! With that self-praise in his heart, Lu Yu picked up a steamed dumpling, dipped it in vinegar, and took a bite. It tasted good! Just then, a voice called out from behind him. ¡°Why are you here in the Eastern District?¡± Chapter 18 - A Good Girl, Turns Out to Be a... Chapter 18: A Good Girl, Turns Out to Be a¡­ The next morning, as the sun had yet to fully rise, golden rays pierced the night, scattering across the world and awakening those who had spent the night in fear. However, the streets were still eerily quiet, with only a few poor souls, the weary workers, forcing themselves to head to work. Despite the fact that the twisted spiders had all been slain by mysterious powers, and all the webs and damaged buildings had been swiftly repaired by the military, the terror that lingered in people¡¯s hearts could not be erased. Because all the spiders had been killed before they could complete their ritual, the disaster was limited to a small area in the northern district of Hangzhou city and didn¡¯t spread throughout the entire city. Even so, hundreds of people had suffered varying degrees of loss, with some even witnessing their relatives, friends, or lovers being dragged away by the spiders, wrapped in webs, only to be revealed as nothing more than a pile of mush. It was undeniably a tragedy! However, thanks to the efforts of the special task force, more than eighty people were rescued alive from over a hundred cocoons, and only five had sustained serious injuries, which could be treated in the hospital! Although the losses were heavy, it was still the best possible outcome! After all, in this chaotic world, one could only live humbly. ¡°A new day¡­¡± Lu Yu woke from his slumber, opening his eyes to the sight of a terrifying balloon floating on his ceiling, eerily resembling a small fish swimming in the sea. Normally, seeing such a monstrous face floating above would be enough to make anyone faint from fear. After all, the terrifying balloon¡¯s appearance was grotesque, which was why it had the skill to intimidate! But Lu Yu wasn¡¯t fazed. After all, he had completed the achievement of seeing an evil god and living to tell the tale! Though he had only seen that terrifying, magnificent, and profound reflection, with the help of his system, he had resisted the nameless corrupting force and even profited from the encounter. Compared to the reflection of the evil god, the intimidation from this fear balloon seemed like a little girl acting cute. Maybe he should hang up a sign that says ¡°The man who successfully extracted wool from the evil god.¡± As he thought this, Lu Yu slapped the fear balloon away, which had tried to float closer to him, deciding that he would maintain his low profile. Although he now had the skill ¡°Protection of Time,¡± which allowed him to avoid the evil god¡¯s attempts to track his position, being too high profile could attract attention from the god¡¯s advanced priests or followers, which would surely be¡­ thrilling. After washing up, Lu Yu put on a white shirt and blue shorts, then ordered the fear balloon to stay still before heading downstairs to get some breakfast. Unfortunately, he had perhaps overestimated his expectations. After the twisted spider disaster, the entire northern district was enveloped in a heavy, gloomy atmosphere, and no one seemed to be in the mood for work. He learned from a passerby that the owner of his usual breakfast shop had almost suffered a heart attack from the spider attack yesterday, and was rushed to the hospital. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t a serious matter. With no other option, Lu Yu took a taxi to the nearest breakfast shop in the eastern district and ordered some xiao long bao (soup dumplings). Sitting at the breakfast shop, Lu Yu overheard people discussing the events of the previous night, which led him to reflect on his future plans. Following the good habits of his past life, he always liked to make plans before taking action, so that he wouldn¡¯t panic or forget things at the last minute. The Void Shadow Spider was still in its hatching phase, and it wouldn¡¯t emerge for another twenty-nine days. The fear balloon also needed a large amount of life force to level up, but harvesting human lives would definitely attract the wrath of powerful humans. Moreover, such actions went against Lu Yu¡¯s principles. Even with the ¡°Absorb Halo¡± skill activated, which allowed him to directly harvest life energy, the energy in a normal human body wasn¡¯t very potent. According to Lu Yu¡¯s estimation, absorbing the life energy from a single twisted spider was equivalent to absorbing the life energy of seven or eight ordinary people. So, the ¡°Absorb Halo¡± was better suited for hunting powerful magical creatures in the wild, where he could also gather useful materials. However, Lu Yu wasn¡¯t yet familiar with the world of awakened beings. He had heard that the wilderness was dangerous, but the specifics of those dangers were unclear to him. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His strength wasn¡¯t afraid of direct confrontation, and once the Void Shadow Spider hatched, he would be more confident. But what worried him were the peculiar methods employed by some beings. He had once read about something strange that could suddenly appear in the wilderness and offer you a drink of water. Faced with this strange force, you couldn¡¯t refuse, and if your willpower wasn¡¯t strong enough, you would drink the poisonous water, which would corrode your internal organs. This story had been posted near Yangcheng, and it wasn¡¯t until a strong individual used their willpower to resist the strange force and killed the attacker that they discovered over ten disemboweled corpses nearby. This incident had been recorded. Thinking about this eerie force, Lu Yu felt a little uneasy, but his curiosity was greater than his fear! He wondered if the strange creature could be harvested for materials. Maybe combining venomous sacs and corrupting willpower toxins could create a rule-based monster. If successful, he could offer a bowl of water before every fight and politely say, ¡°Brother, let¡¯s have a drink!¡± And, if he combined it with lightning, he could serve an electrified bowl of water, or, combined with shadows, a bowl of shadow water. His enemies wouldn¡¯t even know what hit them¡­ Not needing to fight to send them to the afterlife¡ªwhat a peaceful person he was! Proud of himself, Lu Yu took a dumpling and dipped it in vinegar, taking a bite¡ªit tasted good! Just then, a voice came from behind him. ¡°Why are you here in the Eastern district?¡± Chapter 19 - The Second Slaughterhouse! Creating Shadow Servants Chapter Nineteen: The Second Slaughterhouse! Creating Shadow Servants East District Flower and Bird Market! Although it is called a flower and bird market, it is not just a place selling flowers and birds; it also offers a variety of small beasts and special kinds of poultry. No matter the world, some wealthy people, often bored, enjoy trying new things, including exotic meats. However, the wilderness in this world is extremely dangerous. Apart from the official roads guarded by the army, the rest are filled with lethal plants and fierce beasts. This has given rise to a new, doorless profession¡ªtreasure hunters. The name sounds good, but it is a high-risk industry, and treasure hunters often become rich overnight after finding rare plants and beasts. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, what most people see is their wealth, unaware of how many treasure hunters venture deep into the wild and end up buried in the bellies of beasts. This flower and bird market is where treasure hunters come to sell rare plants and beasts, and they even provide slaughtering services, which is why it is also called the second slaughterhouse. However, Lu Yu is not here to seek novelty like those wealthy people. His purpose is not to find rare beasts or plants. He is here to test his skill, Shadow Servant! Shadow Servant: After absorbing enough shadows, the Void Spider can spawn a shadow servant (in spider form). A maximum of ten can be created, capable of blending into shadows, being natural assassins and loyal servants. This is the original description of the skill. However, after extracting the skill and solidifying it within himself, the skill has undergone a change. Shadow Servant: After absorbing enough shadows, the Void Spider can spawn a shadow servant (in both spider and human forms). A maximum of ten can be created¡­ The form option has changed from simply spider form to include both human and spider forms. This means the skill adapts based on the user¡¯s characteristics. This change greatly pleases Lu Yu, as if the shadow servants are in spider form, their appearance would easily be associated with the evil camp, and might tie them to the twisted Spider Sect. However, human form is widely accepted among humanity and could help Lu Yu maintain his disguise. Yet, this human-shaped shadow servant gives Lu Yu a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, reminding him of a creature named Ghost Shadow Ninja from . The creature was strong, could fight, tank, and work. Though an ancient life form, it could also manipulate electronics¡ªfunctioning quite comprehensively. When watching anime in his past life, Lu Yu had wished for such minions to give him massages, cook, and perform other tasks. Unfortunately, adulthood brought a dose of reality. He hopes the ones he creates will be even smarter. With this in mind, Lu Yu did not linger at the door and directly entered the renowned second slaughterhouse¡­ uh, flower and bird market. The structure inside is somewhat similar to a flower and bird market from his previous life. There¡¯s a central walking path with numerous shops lined on both sides. The scale of the North District Flower and Bird Market is quite large. Every 100 meters or so, there are three or four security guards maintaining order. The streets are filled with the strong smell of blood and animal droppings. However, the people here seem to have gotten used to the smell and do not raise any objections. After all, animals can¡¯t use the restroom like humans, right? Even if an animal were intelligent enough to use a toilet, its power wouldn¡¯t be something a regular flower and bird market could hold. Lu Yu scanned the area and bypassed some flower shops, heading directly to a rabbit shop. Rows of cages were stacked together, with many rabbits cramped inside, most of them gray, though a few were white. Although there were plenty of rabbits, the place was clean, with no strong odor. The owner, a young man wearing glasses, had a regular appearance. Upon seeing Lu Yu, he simply nodded as a courtesy but did not show any enthusiasm. After all, the flower and bird market sees a large flow of people daily, and most of them are just browsing. If the owner greeted every person warmly, he would have been exhausted by now. As long as the genuine customers pay for what they want, it doesn¡¯t matter if the greeting is cold. Lu Yu was pleased to see the rabbit shop owner looking down at his phone, making it easier for him to test his skill. He stepped forward and blocked a few cages with his body, scanning quickly and soon locking onto a large gray rabbit. This rabbit was bigger than the others and stood a full head taller, occupying a small area of the cage. The other rabbits dared not approach it. Because it took up so much space, the rabbit¡¯s shadow on the ground was large and compact, casting a tangle of shadows. ¡°Big Brother Rabbit, you¡¯re the one!¡± A smile tugged at the corner of Lu Yu¡¯s mouth, but the rabbit, sensing danger, began trembling and looked around with blood-red eyes. But it was too late. ¡°Shadow Servant!¡± Lu Yu raised his hand, and with a delicate motion of his index finger, a strange power he could only see gathered at the tip of his finger. This formed a gust of air that moved toward the rabbit¡¯s shadow. Slowly, it took shape, resembling a pair of scissors that gently snipped at the shadow. Chapter 20 - A Soul’s Projection? The Infinite Potential of Skills! Chapter 20: A Soul¡¯s Projection? The Infinite Potential of Skills! With a faint sound, delicate as the snip of scissors slicing through paper, the shadow beneath the grey rabbit was severed. Truly severed! As though cleaved into two distinct entities, the sliced shadow was drawn by an unseen force and absorbed into Lu Yu¡¯s palm. The grey rabbit, now devoid of its shadow, resembled a phantom from folklore¡ªghostly creatures that leave no shadows behind after death. Stripped of its shadow, the rabbit¡¯s eyes dulled and glazed over, as if its very soul had been snatched away. It staggered, swaying unsteadily, before collapsing inside the cage. The remaining rabbits, alarmed, shuffled nervously, their movements creating a cacophony of sound. The shopkeeper, accustomed to the occasional scuffle among the rabbits, glanced up briefly but dismissed it. With no further commotion from Lu Yu, the shopkeeper resumed scrolling through the day¡¯s most sensational news¡ªthe North District had been attacked by the Twisted Spiders, resulting in massive casualties. Even with the censored photos, the grotesque scenes still oozed through, a grim reminder of the tragedy. The shopkeeper sighed in relief, grateful to be in the relative safety of the East District. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll celebrate tonight by roasting a rabbit,¡± he mused aloud. Lu Yu¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the grey-furred rabbit. Its lifeless eyes stared blankly, its body visibly shrinking, until it finally closed its eyes and exhaled its last breath. The shadow in Lu Yu¡¯s palm, however, came alive, writhing like a sentient being. Under his will, it morphed into the shape of an arm. ¡°Stealing its shadow¡­ does that mean stealing its life as well? No, that¡¯s not quite right. It¡¯s the soul¡ªor perhaps its essence¡ªbeing taken, leading to sudden death and the rapid decline of vitality¡­¡± Lu Yu analysed the phenomenon with precision, recalling old legends that linked shadows to souls. In some myths, a shadow was said to be a projection of the soul. If that¡¯s true, then to steal a shadow is to steal a soul by proxy! But no¡­ it must be more than just a projection. There¡¯s a deeper, uncharted connection at play here. Could it be the material manifestation of a soul¡¯s core essence? This power reminded Lu Yu of a character from a past life¡¯s anime, . Gecko Moria, one of the Shichibukai, wielded the Shadow-Shadow Fruit, enabling him to sever shadows and implant them into corpses, creating zombies with the abilities of the original shadow owner. However, unlike those cursed by the Devil Fruit, Lu Yu¡¯s abilities were unbound by weaknesses like sea-stone or seawater. His power brimmed with untapped potential. This world was no mere game. While Lu Yu¡¯s abilities originated from solidified monster skills, there were no rigid mechanics here. This was reality¡ªa world where he could reverse-engineer the fundamental principles of his powers. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. For instance, the skill [Shadow Servant] clearly drew strength from the domain of shadows, just as [Hellfire Whip] was derived from infernal flames. Lu Yu was determined not to be a mere spell-caster, mindlessly unleashing skills. Instead, he sought to unearth their primal sources, mastering shadow and hellfire alike to unlock entirely new abilities. One day, when he had unravelled the mysteries of shadow, hellfire, and even the power of time itself, he would wield unparalleled might, independent of the system. His destiny would be his own to command. With this resolve, Lu Yu turned to the shopkeeper. ¡°How much for this entire cage of rabbits?¡± By his estimate, the cage held thirteen rabbits, including the recently deceased grey one. Their shadows would suffice to create a single Shadow Servant. Additionally, he wanted to test whether shadows from different creatures would yield distinct results, necessitating a broader range of experiments. The shopkeeper, engrossed in the news, jolted upright at the mention of a large purchase. His excitement caused him to misstep, his shin colliding painfully with a protruding corner of the table. His face contorted in agony. ¡°Ow, ow, ow¡­¡± he muttered, rubbing the sore spot. Forcing a smile through the pain, he replied, ¡°Thirteen rabbits in total. Normally, that¡¯d be 1,300, but for a valued customer like you, it¡¯s 1,200.¡± At roughly 100 per rabbit, and given their likely domestic origin, the price seemed steep, especially since they weren¡¯t breeding stock. Still, Lu Yu didn¡¯t haggle. He paid without complaint, though he noted the grey rabbit¡¯s death could arouse suspicion upon closer inspection. To avoid unnecessary trouble, he also requested some mice and birds, citing ¡°research purposes.¡± The shopkeeper, delighted by the prospect of a hefty commission, eagerly obliged. Birds were pricier, at 200 each, and Lu Yu purchased twenty. The mice, being smaller with minimal shadows, were cheaper, so he bought fifty. In total, Lu Yu spent over 7,000. The shopkeeper, beaming, offered delivery services, which Lu Yu gladly accepted. Transporting such a large number of animals in his own vehicle would have been both cumbersome and malodorous. Back home, Lu Yu secured his windows and arranged the animals methodically. Drawing on his earlier experiments, he began extracting their shadows one by one. As each creature lost its shadow, it fell into a trance-like stupor before succumbing to death. The once-lively room was now eerily silent. Three enormous, ink-black shadow clusters hovered in the air, writhing and shifting their forms¡­ Chapter 21 - Eternal Void Homeland! The Unnameable Existence! Chapter 21: Eternal Void Homeland! The Unnameable Existence! The three masses of shadow began to twist and writhe, resembling the black mud manifestation of ¡°Evil of Humanity¡± from the Fate series. They squirmed in a horrifying manner, as though some monstrous being was on the verge of awakening within. The sound resembled that of a clear spring flowing through a mountain valley, but it emanated from these black mud-like entities. Their shapes started to distort, much like an artisan shaping figures from molten sugar. As the transformations progressed, shadow energy gathered continuously, causing the room¡¯s temperature and light to plummet. Even with the lights on, the atmosphere grew dim and hazy. Taking advantage of this moment, Lu Yu calmed his mind and began to comprehend the operating principles of [Shadow Minions], immersing his consciousness into the enigmatic, awe-inspiring power of the shadows. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The shadow energy was not inherently evil; it was simply an integral part of the world¡¯s composition, devoid of morality or malevolence. There was no intense wickedness intertwined within it, only an eternal silence. The Realm of Eternal Silence. Soundless, thoughtless, emotionless, and lawless¡ªit felt as if Lu Yu was cradled in the arms of a Dark Mother Goddess, his consciousness tempted to drift into perpetual slumber. ¡°Sleep¡­ sleep¡­ the Eternal Homeland¡­ the Void Haven¡­¡± A strange whisper arose in his heart, like a gentle spring breeze soothing his soul, attempting to erase all his emotional fluctuations. Simultaneously, Lu Yu¡¯s consciousness roamed through the shadows. In a daze, he seemed to perceive an unnameable entity. He could not discern the colossal, bizarre figure clearly, yet it exuded an irresistible allure. His consciousness slowly approached it through the shadowy realm, as though returning to this being was the ultimate destination of life¡ªthe mysterious essence of all existence. ¡°Detecting unknown entity¡¯s aura¡­ assessing threat level¡­ initiating automatic eradication¡­¡± The system¡¯s voice suddenly echoed in Lu Yu¡¯s mind, snapping him awake. His consciousness swiftly returned to his body. Lu Yu¡¯s body jolted violently, beads of sweat forming on his forehead and sliding down his cheeks, dripping onto the floor with an audible . Wiping his sweat with a sleeve, Lu Yu muttered with lingering fear, ¡°I nearly allowed the shadows to assimilate my consciousness and turn me into sustenance for that entity¡­¡± He had delved too deeply into the shadows during his comprehension, merging with the shadow realm and even sensing the aura of a vast, unfathomable being. The eternal silence of the shadows and the majestic aura of this entity had almost led him to be assimilated, reduced to a puppet of the shadows. Fortunately, the system had promptly eradicated the presence of this aura, and the entity appeared oblivious to his existence, sparing both him and the city beneath his feet from certain destruction. This incident, however, served as a stark warning to Lu Yu: recklessly immersing oneself in energies¡ªeven those devoid of malevolence¡ªwas fraught with peril. Initially, he had intended to further explore the origins of Hellfire and Time, but he decided to postpone such pursuits until he possessed sufficient strength and confidence to securely grasp these forces¡¯ essence. Moreover, this world seemed to harbour many secrets. The murmurs he had just heard began to dissipate swiftly, like forbidden memories slipping away like grains of sand through his fingers. Even so, Lu Yu forcibly retained fragments of these whispers in his memory. He chose not to utter them aloud but instead buried them deep within his consciousness. This was not a past-life world where such revelations could be spoken carelessly. Here, terrifying entities existed in abundance, and even reciting their names or contemplating them for too long could attract their attention. ¡°Could it be that every source of energy harbours such an existence?¡± A bold hypothesis emerged in Lu Yu¡¯s mind. If this conjecture proved accurate, it could unveil a spine-chilling truth that might plunge the cultivation community into widespread panic. ¡°Speculation is futile. With the Monster Creator System in my possession, I only need to craft increasingly powerful monsters. One day, I will converse with these beings as equals and uncover this world¡¯s secrets.¡± Encouraged by his thoughts, Lu Yu regained his resolve. This was no idle fantasy. By creating time-reversing, star-devouring monsters, he would obtain boundless strength. Despite the dangers, his foray into the shadow realm was not without gains. Lu Yu felt his mastery over shadow energy had deepened significantly. In the near future, he believed he would wield the power of shadows in combat. Raising his head, Lu Yu observed that the three masses of shadow had coalesced into humanoid figures. Tall and faceless, the three figures knelt silently before him, their postures radiating loyalty. ¡°So, these are Shadow Minions?¡± Gazing at the three minions, Lu Yu felt an intangible connection to them, one built entirely around his will. He held absolute control over their existence. With a single thought, he could destroy their cores and disperse them back into shadows. ¡°Complete control over life and death¡ªno wonder they are called minions!¡± Lu Yu muttered to himself, approving of this absolute dominance, which would also play a crucial role in future intelligence-gathering operations. With a calm and indifferent gaze, he addressed them, ¡°What abilities do you possess?¡± Chapter 22 - The Fastest Way to Understand the Mystical Side Is… Chapter 22: The Fastest Way to Understand the Mystical Side Is¡­ The moment Lu Yu¡¯s words fell, the three shadow servants dissolved into black liquid, vanishing into the ground, leaving no trace of their prior presence. ¡°Such formidable concealment capabilities, with barely any detectable energy fluctuations,¡± Lu Yu remarked, his eyes lighting up with satisfaction. Then he commanded, ¡°Attack me!¡± As the words left his mouth, the previously silent room suddenly became fraught with killing intent. Three figures emerged from the shadows¡ªbehind him, beneath him, and even from the ceiling¡ªwielding black blades aimed directly at Lu Yu! The blades, as dark as flowing ink, sliced through the air, splitting currents with their sharpness. A single strike could decapitate effortlessly. These assassins, birthed from the shadows, descended upon him as silent harbingers of death. Even Lu Yu felt a palpable danger. A slight tingling sensation prickled his skin, a warning from his instincts against the razor-sharp edges aimed at him. Yet, he remained unperturbed. Calmly, he raised his hand and clenched it tightly. Boom! Black flames erupted from his palm, expanding outward in a circular wave that repelled the attacking shadow servants. The abyssal flames, like an inferno meeting oil, soared skyward as they engulfed one of the shadow servants entirely, relentlessly consuming the shadowy energy. Though the shadow servant emitted psychic wails of agony, it made no attempt to flee, kneeling instead as if awaiting Lu Yu¡¯s next command. These entities lacked independent intelligence, existing solely to obey Lu Yu¡¯s will. Observing this, Lu Yu extinguished the hellfire with a wave of his hand. After all, these shadow servants were crafted from animal shadows that cost him several thousand yuan¡ªhe couldn¡¯t afford to waste them. Post combustion, the shadow servant¡¯s form had visibly shrunk, and Lu Yu noticed that its shadowy hue seemed even darker, although he dismissed it as inconsequential. Based on his observations during the ambush, Lu Yu began categorising the shadow servants. He found that servants crafted from rabbit shadows were slightly stronger than those from bird shadows, while both surpassed those made from rat shadows in energy intensity. In terms of comparison, the weakest¡ªrat-shadow servants¡ªmatched the strength of the commander Zhou Zheng he encountered that night. Servants from bird shadows were about 1.2 times Zhou Zheng¡¯s strength, while rabbit-shadow servants reached 1.4 times his level. Thus, a new strength measurement unit emerged: Commander Zhou Zheng! ¡°The stronger the creature¡¯s shadow, the more powerful the resulting shadow servant. It aligns with the law of energy conservation. What if human shadows were used?¡± Lu Yu contemplated the idea of crafting shadow servants from human shadows, speculating they might possess greater intelligence or potential. It was an enticing notion. However, Lu Yu dismissed the thought immediately. He was not someone who would harm innocent civilians for personal gain. It clashed with his moral compass. If human-shadow servants were to be created, it would have to wait for a more appropriate opportunity. ¡°You three, investigate any anomalies nearby and report back immediately if anything unusual occurs.¡± Lu Yu issued simple tasks to the three shadow servants. Given their limited intelligence, they had no objections. As they melded into the darkness and vanished, one even took the animal cages and carcasses along for disposal. ¡°How convenient. They¡¯ll probably become smarter than the Shadow Ninjas from someday.¡± Reclining on the sofa, Lu Yu mused aloud. Though these servants resembled the Shadow Ninjas from his past life, he believed his creations surpassed those weaklings spawned by the Shadow King. ¡°Still, despite having sufficient power for self-defence, shadow servants for assassination and intelligence gathering, a Fear Balloon, and a Void Shadow Spider in incubation, my personal strength remains untrained. It¡¯s as if I have immense power but no proper technique to wield it¡­¡± Lu Yu reflected on his shortcomings. What he lacked was not rare materials or potent abilities, but a comprehensive understanding of the awakened world and a systematic training method. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, information about the supernatural realm seemed deliberately obscured. While the public knew of the existence of superhumans and their extraordinary powers, deeper insights into the origins of their abilities or secret lore remained hidden. It was as if these individuals wore masks, showing only the tip of the iceberg to ordinary people. Lu Yu understood the necessity of such secrecy. This world harboured countless terrifying and bizarre entities, some of which could propagate chaos merely through the dissemination of information. That said, as someone who had stepped into this extraordinary world, it was immensely frustrating to lack access to crucial knowledge. Nevertheless, where there is a will, there is a way. The absence of a total information blackout suggested that, as long as he avoided widespread dissemination, accessing such knowledge was feasible. Surely, there were forums or offline gatherings exclusive to the awakened community, facilitated by the advanced communication and internet technologies of this world. What Lu Yu needed to do was simple¡­ Start by posting on an online forum! Chapter 23 - The Importance of Fishing for Information Chapter 23: The Importance of Fishing for Information Sun Jun, an individual who had awakened for two and a half years, remained at the first level of awakening. Though his abilities were unimpressive, his smooth and amiable personality had earned him a good number of friends. Yet, his lack of power inevitably invited disdain from others. While he often plastered a smile in front of other awakened individuals, deep down, he was someone who loved to show off and boast. His boasting method was unconventional¡ªhe chose to express himself on the internet by commenting on various posts with an air of authority, particularly on forums discussing awakened individuals. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He especially delighted in replying to posts where ordinary people expressed their desire to become awakened, finding satisfaction in the contrast. Among other awakened individuals, he was a fledgling at best, but online, he wielded his ¡°keyboard fist¡± with pride. As usual, Sun Jun was browsing forums related to awakened individuals, eager to find interesting posts to grace with his insights. He wanted to educate the masses on the harsh reality of the awakened world. Scrolling through posts, he began replying: Despite his meagre strength, Sun Jun was indeed an awakened individual, possessing some genuine knowledge. By mixing seven parts truth with three parts falsehood, he presented himself as an all-knowing master. Such responses, which combined useful information with embellishments, naturally attracted attention. Many users left comments, likes, and strings of ¡°666¡± (a popular expression for admiration). Some even sent him private messages, addressing him as a master. The flattery left Sun Jun beaming with joy. Feigning a casual attitude, he moved on to other posts, ready to bask in more admiration. Suddenly, a post caught his eye: A forum for awakened individuals? Sun Jun¡¯s face stiffened. Such forums did exist, but they required a second-level awakening to register. These platforms allowed users to post requests for help and exchange resources¡ªhighly practical and convenient. Unfortunately, Sun Jun had been stuck at the first level of awakening for over two years, unable to advance. As a result, he couldn¡¯t create an account. This limitation had become a sore spot for him, especially when his friends, who had access to the forum, would glance at him with pity whenever the topic arose. The question had struck a nerve, souring Sun Jun¡¯s previously cheerful mood. He quickly checked the profile of the post¡¯s author. After venting his frustration, he decided to recover his mood by replying: Sun Jun believed that it was only a matter of time before he reached the second level of awakening. When that day came, he would finally register and have even more material for boasting. For now, he enjoyed flaunting his superiority. Meanwhile, the post¡¯s author, Lu Yu, was fishing for information. His goal was to cast a wide net online, hoping to uncover useful details. Despite his efforts, most users lacked the knowledge to answer his question, leaving the post dormant for over an hour. Just as he considered offering a reward, a reply appeared from a user named ¡°Peerless Prodigy.¡± Lu Yu muttered, criticising the username. Being a pragmatic person, he disdained such pretentious titles. As someone with the Monster Editor System, Lu Yu was destined to become the Lord of a Thousand Monsters¡ªit was only a matter of time. But ¡°Peerless Prodigy¡±? That reeked of immaturity. Still, the reply seemed credible, prompting Lu Yu to review the user¡¯s previous posts. The more he read, the more intrigued he became. Could ¡°Peerless Prodigy¡± be a real prodigy among awakened individuals? Then again, the awakened individuals Lu Yu encountered recently were no more impressive than low-level grunts. Lu Yu mused. He decided to feign ignorance and asked another question: Sun Jun replied smugly. Submit credentials? Lu Yu frowned. With the power of two Morning Star-level monsters at his disposal, his strength was at least at the ninth level of awakening, far surpassing the registration threshold. However, the requirement to submit credentials made him wary of connecting with the military. What if he stole an account? ¡°Peerless Prodigy¡± seemed knowledgeable and might even have an account. Should Lu Yu pose as a woman, lure him out, and detain him for interrogation? As Lu Yu considered this mischievous plan, Sun Jun, sitting in his southern district home, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as if a ferocious beast had locked onto him. Sun Jun muttered impatiently, anxious for the anticipated adulation. After an agonising minute of waiting, he finally saw Lu Yu¡¯s reply! Chapter 24 - Nightfall Descends, the Yellow Cloak Sets Out! Chapter 24: Nightfall Descends, the Yellow Cloak Sets Out! ¡°You¡¯re making it sound so real, but why do I feel like you¡¯re just a conman? Are you really from the Awakener Forum?¡± Lu Yu¡¯s reply pierced Sun Jun¡¯s heart like a sharp blade, flooding him with frustration but leaving him no outlet to vent. The other party wasn¡¯t wrong¡ªhe had no qualifications to access the forum. Everything he knew about it came second-hand from friends, embellished by his ¡°artistic flair.¡± After all, could one call it lying? No, this was ¡°artistic processing!¡± Admitting the truth, however, was out of the question. The online world was his sole sanctuary. He pondered how best to respond when a flash of inspiration hit him. Laughing, he typed back: ¡°Normally, I wouldn¡¯t explain myself, but since I¡¯m in a good mood today, let me enlighten you. I happen to have an invitation to a night market where plenty of Awakeners gather, even those from other cities. They exchange and trade resources there. ¡°It¡¯s an invitation worth its weight in gold, something only a powerhouse like me could receive.¡± The invitation was real, though acquiring it had required pulling countless strings and emptying much of his savings. Despite the cost, entering the night market would give him plenty of bragging rights online. If he could snag a rare treasure or two, it would all be worth it. The Night Market. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lu Yu¡¯s eyes narrowed. Casting bait in a water-cooler post had netted him a big fish! Night markets, also known as bazaars, were hubs for late-night trade. Awakeners often acquired items during battles in the wilderness that were of no use to them but could be exchanged or sold for things they needed. These markets were treasure troves, offering rare materials and extraordinary knowledge from the world of transcendence. Even if one found nothing of material value, gaining insights into that world was worthwhile¡ªbetter than stumbling in the dark with no direction. Still, Lu Yu resisted the urge to press for the location. Fishing required patience; pulling too hard might scare the fish away. Grinning, he typed: ¡°Anyone can brag. I¡¯ve also been invited to a Federation banquet where they¡¯re introducing me to a princess¡ªfair-skinned, beautiful, and elegant. Shall I spin more tales?¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± Sun Jun slammed the table, furious yet powerless behind the screen. He was used to being the one trolling others, but now the tables had turned. In his rage, he took a photo of the invitation, address included, but hesitated to post it openly. Though angry, he wasn¡¯t reckless. Publicly broadcasting Awakener affairs could invite severe punishment. Instead, he used the private chat¡¯s temporary image feature, allowing the recipient five seconds to view the photo without the ability to screenshot it. ¡°Let¡¯s see how you respond now, troll!¡± Sun Jun stared intently at the screen, imagining the other party¡¯s stunned and panicked reaction upon realising he was an Awakener. Would they cry in apology? Perhaps even beg for forgiveness? He rehearsed a lecture in his mind, adopting a superior tone before magnanimously ¡°forgiving¡± the troll. Surely, they¡¯d worship him as an idol after that. Ah, the simple joys of an Awakener¡¯s life! Ding! A new message appeared, and Sun Jun eagerly opened it: Sun Jun froze, blinking at the screen. Then he sent three question marks in confusion: Meanwhile, on the other end, Lu Yu had already memorised the address in the corner of the invitation: 17 East Baihua Alley, North Suburb, Hang City. Located on the outskirts near the wilderness, it was a secluded area, rarely visited by ordinary people. Having secured the information he needed, Lu Yu decisively cut ties with the ¡°toolman.¡± Rather than delete the contact, he opted to block them¡ªjust in case he needed more information later. After all, a toolman should stay in their place. Smirking at the thought, Lu Yu glanced at the setting sun. Rising from his chair, he began preparing for the night. His old disguise had already been used and would draw too much attention if worn again. Rummaging through his wardrobe, he pulled out a yellow trench coat and a white mask with a sinister smile. Wearing them, he spoke in a deep voice: Chapter 25 - Is the Night Market a Masquerade? Chapter 25: Is the Night Market a Masquerade? Hang City, Northern Suburbs, East Baihua Alley No. 17. Lu Yu arrived at the location, dressed in a yellow coat and wearing a mask with a sinister smile. He thought his outfit was mysterious enough, but to his surprise, everyone else had also come masked. Masks of chickens, dogs, and monkeys were common, and there was even someone wearing a black balaclava reminiscent of a bank robber. The most outrageous of all was a giant man, standing over two metres tall, wearing a geisha mask. A geisha mask! That pale face combined with an eerie design¡­ Truly, this man has a maiden¡¯s heart, Lu Yu mused. The man in the geisha mask stood behind a white-haired individual wearing a fox mask. He handed over two invitations to the doorman, who examined them before nodding respectfully. ¡°Please, come in.¡± The other masked guests also entered one by one, silently adhering to the rules. At one point, a random person tried to sneak in without an invitation and was promptly thrown out by the doorman with a single hand. It was only then that the crowd realised the doorman himself was a third-tier Awakened. Watching as everyone presented their invitations to enter, Lu Yu frowned slightly and muttered under his breath, ¡°It seems I¡¯ll have to resort to some tricks.¡± As he spoke, his shadow began to ripple, emitting a dense energy of darkness. The shadow transformed into a thin, pitch-black veil that enveloped him, making it seem as though he was draped in the night sky itself. The black shadowed robe intertwined with his yellow trench coat, creating an aura that was both profound and deathly still. Combined with the sinister smile of his mask, he now looked like the very incarnation of death, descending upon the mortal world to harvest souls. This transformation was the result of his recent insights after entering the Shadow Realm. His skill [Shadow Servant] had undergone an initial evolution, enabling him to not only create shadow servants but also wield shadow energy in simple ways. His current form mimicked the faint aura of a terrifying entity that resided deep within the Shadow Realm. Though it was less than a ten-thousandth of the original, it bore an undeniable resemblance. Even this faint resemblance was enough to evoke fear. It was an aura that belonged to an indescribably terrifying existence. The moment Lu Yu appeared, he instantly became the centre of attention. Despite everyone wearing masks, their shock was unmistakable. A young man in a monkey mask glanced at the black veil surrounding Lu Yu and took several steps back in fear. Trembling, he exclaimed, ¡°Who is this? Just looking at that black veil makes me feel like I¡¯m sinking into eternal death!¡± A companion in a pig mask also spoke cautiously, ¡°What a terrifying aura. Even a glance feels suffocating!¡± The newly arrived guests overheard the commotion and gathered at the entrance to see for themselves. Whispering among themselves, they said: ¡°Isn¡¯t this supposed to be a simple night market exchange? Why has such a horrifying figure shown up?¡± ¡°That shadow energy is so powerful¡­ and there¡¯s even a trace of something dangerous mixed in!¡± ¡°Damn it, this guy¡¯s overdoing it with the theatrics!¡± Hearing their remarks, Lu Yu felt a twinge of regret. He had only intended to appear a bit mysterious, planning to tell the doorman that he had lost his invitation and bluff his way inside. But now he had inadvertently become the centre of attention, far too conspicuous. If he had known this would happen, he might have used a few Hellfire illusions instead! Wait, no. Using Hellfire would mean revealing another persona of his. That identity was meant to portray a mysterious powerhouse and would be reserved for future dealings with the military. It wasn¡¯t time to use it yet. Little did Lu Yu know, the persona he had just created had already been misconstrued as a forbidden existence from the depths of time. If he had used that identity, everyone present might have been scared to death. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But now, what should he do? Lu Yu pondered his next move, considering what excuse he could use to get inside. As he was deep in thought, the doorman suddenly approached him quickly and bowed respectfully. ¡°Sir, are you here to attend the night market as well?¡± Of course, Lu Yu thought. Why else would I show up in the middle of nowhere? To watch you all role-play a masquerade ball? Everyone here is more invested in their masks than I am! Suppressing his sarcastic thoughts, Lu Yu deliberately lowered his voice and replied in a deep tone, ¡°Just passing by.¡± Claiming to be a participant without an invitation would raise suspicion, so he decided it was safer to act as though he had stumbled upon the event by chance. Yes, I¡¯m just passing by. If you doubt me, I¡¯ll persuade you with physical arguments until you believe me. The doorman was elated by this response. Although Lu Yu¡¯s reply was curt and aloof, wasn¡¯t that how all true powerhouses behaved? Unlike ordinary Awakened, the doorman could tell that the shadow energy cloaking Lu Yu was of an extraordinary calibre. Even if this individual wasn¡¯t of Morning Star rank, he couldn¡¯t be far off. Morning Star Awakened were powerful beings, self-contained and untouchable. For someone like this to even respond was an honour for an ordinary doorman. If he could convince this powerhouse to participate in the night market, his boss would undoubtedly be delighted. Such an esteemed guest would elevate the market¡¯s reputation, attracting more attendees in the future. And a pleased boss meant promotions and pay rises for him. Truly, the heavens were smiling upon him! Suppressing his excitement, the doorman maintained his composure. After all, someone as formidable as this had surely seen and experienced countless things. It wouldn¡¯t do to appear too eager. Summoning his courage, the doorman asked politely, ¡°Sir, since you¡¯re already here, why not join our night market? You might find something that interests you. Our boss is a gracious host and loves making new friends.¡± The doorman¡¯s voice quivered slightly, but he tried his best to appear calm. He nervously awaited Lu Yu¡¯s response. The sinister smile mask gave no hint of emotion, but the oppressive aura radiating from Lu Yu left the doorman trembling. This is what a true powerhouse feels like, he marvelled, his respect deepening. Unbeknownst to him, Lu Yu had been fretting over how to procure an invitation just moments ago. Now, the doorman had practically handed him a solution. Kid, your future¡¯s looking bright! Chapter 26 - The True Mystical Night Market! Chapter 26: The True Mystical Night Market! What does it feel like to have a pillow handed to you when you¡¯re just about to fall asleep? It feels fantastic! Even before he had to come up with an excuse, the other party had already prepared one for him¡ªand they did so respectfully, even inviting him to participate! Just look at their choice of words: ! That¡¯s how a subordinate speaks to a superior. Even this minor gatekeeper speaks with such sophistication¡ªwhat a promising future ahead of him! Lu Yu was in high spirits, though with his mask concealing his face, no one could detect his change in mood. To onlookers, this enigmatic powerhouse¡¯s mere silence radiated an overwhelming sense of pressure. In reality, Lu Yu hadn¡¯t released any energy waves at all. Apart from using his skills and manipulating some shadow energy, there wasn¡¯t much he could do! Release oppressive energy? Well, first hand me the instruction manual! ¡°How terrifying! Did I say something wrong?¡± The gatekeeper¡¯s legs began trembling uncontrollably. His mind raced, trying to recall if he had misspoken, causing this powerhouse to lapse into silence. After all, the individual before him was likely of Morning Star calibre. If such a figure were to become angry, the first to act would undoubtedly be his boss, who¡¯d probably eliminate the gatekeeper¡¯s entire family to apologise. Beads of sweat as large as beans began forming on the gatekeeper¡¯s forehead. Time seemed to slow down, each moment dragging as though it lasted a year. ¡°Alright,¡± Lu Yu finally replied. To the gatekeeper, Lu Yu¡¯s response was like heavenly music, making him nearly leap with joy. Suppressing his ecstatic urge to act recklessly, he responded with an enthusiastic tone: ¡°Sir, please follow me!¡± Lu Yu gave a slight nod and followed the gatekeeper¡¯s lead. Under the awestruck gaze of everyone present, he stepped through the grand gate. Beyond the gate was not the imagined array of buildings, but a bamboo forest. A narrow cobblestone path ran through it, lined with small wooden stakes, each topped with a burning candle. Without revealing his thoughts, Lu Yu silently followed the gatekeeper through the bamboo forest and soon emerged into a vast clearing. The area was already bustling with masked individuals. In some sections, people had spread cloths on the ground, displaying items for sale with marked prices. Upon Lu Yu¡¯s arrival, many gazes briefly rested on him before quickly shifting away. No matter the setting, staring at someone for too long is considered impolite. In the world of the Awakened, where strength reigns supreme, it is even more so. Staring or scrutinising someone, unless you are stronger, is often taken as a challenge. Whether their gazes truly shifted away, only the observers themselves knew. After leading Lu Yu in, the gatekeeper respectfully retreated. However, instead of returning to the entrance, he headed further into the courtyard¡ªlikely to report this to his superiors. Lu Yu paid no mind to the gatekeeper¡¯s departure. His primary goal was to purchase the items and information he needed from the night market. Thus, he began to wander, quickly realising that while the market wasn¡¯t large, the items on display were quite rare. Most of these goods were impossible to find elsewhere. For example, there was a metre-long white fang. At first, Lu Yu assumed it was ivory, but the label read: Wild Boar¡¯s Fang. Given the proportions, the creature it came from must have been six or seven metres in length. That boar must have grown on steroids! Nearby, there was a black stone. Lu Yu thought it might be a rare gem, but the label identified it as Three-Headed Vulture Droppings and noted its use in concocting¡­ Lu Yu¡¯s mouth twitched as he quickly moved on, fearing that lingering here any longer would completely shatter his worldview. His dramatic, shadow-cloaked appearance only added to his mystique, prompting many to step aside to make way for him. This response left Lu Yu feeling both helpless and secretly pleased. On one hand, it meant he couldn¡¯t easily engage with other Awakened individuals, as his limited knowledge of their world would risk exposing his inexperience. On the other hand, it was immensely satisfying to see these people¡ªso revered by ordinary humans¡ªmaking way for him. The feeling of being the centre of attention was intoxicating! This night market was genuinely valuable. Lu Yu saw many items that could only belong in a truly extraordinary world. However, he hadn¡¯t forgotten his purpose. Soon, he arrived at a stall run by a black-haired girl wearing a small cat mask. She was engrossed in reading a book. When Lu Yu approached, she briefly glanced up before returning to her book, showing no interest in selling her wares. She looked less like an Awakened individual and more like a librarian. The stall¡¯s items were sparse¡ªa dozen notebooks with neatly written titles like: Next to the books was a small white porcelain bottle labelled Five-Burial Corpse Poison. Although the titles sounded like they came straight out of a tabloid, Lu Yu was intrigued by S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Currently, while his energy was abundant, he lacked a systematic method for cultivation and strengthening himself. This book, along with could fill that gap. For other Awakened individuals, these might just be basic manuals, but for Lu Yu, they were treasures! Still, he needed to maintain the persona of a mysterious powerhouse and couldn¡¯t show his eagerness. Clearing his throat, Lu Yu pointed at the porcelain bottle and asked, ¡°Five-Burial Corpse Poison?¡± Chapter 28 - The Value of Monster Materials? Chapter 28: The Value of Monster Materials? ¡°What¡¯s this¡­?¡± The girl was stunned for a moment before she looked at the object in Lu Yu¡¯s hand, exclaiming, ¡°The poison sac of a Twisted Spider! And it¡¯s a complete one! The Twisted Spider is a monster transformed by followers of the Spider God, and each one has awakened power of level four or above. Only a few elite ones can produce poison sacs. Once captured, they go on a rampage, smashing their own poison sacs and contaminating their entire bodies. Moreover, it requires skilled extraction techniques and special secret methods. Even a Morning Star-level expert cannot successfully extract the poison sac from these crazed monsters. So, the price of a Twisted Poison Sac is very high. Even an incomplete one costs over ten thousand Spirit Coins, and a complete one is even rarer. The last one that appeared was bought for a hundred thousand Spirit Coins¡­¡± The girl with the cat mask recited the information as if she knew it by heart, her eyes burning with greed as she stared at Lu Yu, as if she had found a treasure. Lu Yu was surprised that such a simple one-star material was worth so much. It was only now that he realized how incredible his ability to extract materials truly was. He recalled that when he first extracted a material, he had already cleaved the Twisted Spider in half. Normally, the material would have been destroyed, and the subsequent spider monsters were drained into mummies, almost turning into dust. Yet, the system was still able to extract materials from them. Even without the ability to edit monsters, Lu Yu could still quickly amass wealth by extracting materials from corpses. The system¡¯s ability was truly powerful! Lu Yu quietly praised the system in his heart before asking, ¡°Is this enough payment?¡± Although the spider poison sac was precious, it didn¡¯t seem like something worth keeping for him. He could always find an opportunity to raid a lair of the Spider God¡¯s followers and get more. Furthermore, if the followers of the Spider God could transform into spiders, the followers of other evil gods might also undergo mutations, leading to even more materials for him to collect. So, Lu Yu planned to enjoy the feeling of being a rich man, at least for now. ¡°Are you really going to use this as payment?¡± The girl¡¯s mouth dropped open under her mask, surprised that someone who looked like a bandit was actually a wealthy person. A complete Twisted Spider Poison Sac costs over a hundred thousand Spirit Coins! The fact that the other person was offering one as payment was like striking it rich, leaving her a bit dazed. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, despite the huge temptation, the girl shook her head and said, ¡°That¡¯s enough. Even selling ten thousand copies of my handwritten notes, or even some secret methods, would be sufficient. But this is too expensive. My notes aren¡¯t worth this much. This is too valuable for me, so I must refuse. You only need to pay one Spirit Coin!¡± Lu Yu couldn¡¯t help but complain in his heart, but he found himself admiring the girl a little more. She was able to maintain her principles even in the face of such great wealth. That kind of willpower was truly beyond ordinary people. Though she was a bit stubborn, in some ways, she was kind of cute. Lu Yu casually tossed the poison sac to the girl and said, ¡°You¡¯re interesting. Take it for now. I might have other conditions later.¡± ¡°Other conditions?¡± The girl in the cat mask blushed, her voice lowering as she said, ¡°I only like people my age, and such matters can only be done with someone I like, so I can¡¯t agree¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much!¡± Lu Yu decisively interrupted her vivid imagination. If she kept going, she might have started imagining some kind of romance! He had realized that, other than when she was reading, the girl was actually a bit of a goof. But the girl now understood that the strong person before her had no ulterior motives. He was just making a deal, and after thinking for a moment, she took out a card and handed it to him, saying, ¡°Since you¡¯ve accepted the poison sac, these notes are yours. My name is Xu Xiaoqing, here¡¯s my contact information. If you need any help in the future, I will definitely do my best!¡± Lu Yu glanced at the card. It was handwritten, with neat characters listing contact information and an address. It was clear the girl had put effort into it. Lu Yu, who was also looking for someone to help him understand the world of the awakened, lightly flicked his finger. Shadow energy formed a thread, rolled the card into his coat, and held it in his hand. ¡°Such precise control of power!¡± The girl was stunned, about to speak when she suddenly heard a commotion. Turning around, she saw a group of people without masks, striding towards them with a menacing aura. Chapter 29 - The Family That Treats Human Life Like Grass! Lu Yu, Who Doesn’t Follow the Script! Chapter 29: The Family That Treats Human Life Like Grass! Lu Yu, Who Doesn¡¯t Follow the Script! Compared to the secretive night market where people wear masks, this group of unmasked individuals resembled a swarm of fireflies in the dark, attracting everyone¡¯s attention! They did not conceal their identities, so it wasn¡¯t long before people began to recognize who they were. ¡°The leader seems to be the eldest son of the Xu family, Xu Jiuzhou. I heard he was just an ordinary person before, but after eating a mysterious fruit in the wild, his soul was enhanced. He has been advancing rapidly ever since, reaching Awakener level 8 at the age of 20. Now, at 25, he is probably already at Awakener level 9, and he might even have touched the mystery of the Morning Star. He is one of the most likely talents to become a Morning Star.¡± ¡°They seem quite aggressive. Are they here to avenge their people?¡± ¡°The old man of the Xu family is also here. Although he failed to ascend to the Morning Star, his strength is enough to dominate beneath the Morning Star. Moreover, the Xu family has accumulated power over the years. Once Xu Jiuzhou ascends to the Morning Star, they will be able to officially become a prominent family.¡± ¡°It seems like a big show is about to unfold!¡± These people whispered to each other, keeping their voices low so only those nearby could hear, not wanting to attract attention. After all, they just wanted to watch the show, not get into trouble. Xu Xiaoqing saw the group and her eyes flashed with panic for a moment. She quickly said to Lu Yu, ¡°Sir, the Xu family¡¯s people are here. How about you rest for a while at the center of the night market? The market owner is there, and they won¡¯t dare to act recklessly.¡± ¡°Is the Xu family very powerful?¡± Lu Yu¡¯s voice was low, showing no sign of anger, but it was a genuine question. He truly didn¡¯t know how the forces in the Awakener world were ranked. Since the Xu family appeared so imposing, they must have a number of Morning Star-level experts. But when the twisted spiders attacked the North District, why didn¡¯t they show up? Could it be that the aristocratic families looked down on ordinary people and felt their lives were unworthy of saving? Thinking of this, Lu Yu felt a tinge of dissatisfaction with the Xu family. Aristocratic families truly were cold-hearted, viewing the common folk as mere grass! Xu Xiaoqing, hearing Lu Yu¡¯s question, realized that he didn¡¯t know how powerful the Xu family was, and her heart sank. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She had thought Lu Yu might act impulsively, but now she regretted it. She quickly gave a simple explanation of the Xu family¡¯s strength and suggested that Lu Yu wait at the center of the night market until the market ended, then leave. In her view, Lu Yu¡¯s shadow servants were only at Awakener level 5 or 6, so Lu Yu should only be at Awakener level 9 himself. Although this was powerful, the Xu family¡¯s old man had once failed to ascend to the Morning Star. Although he didn¡¯t completely succeed, he had gained part of the Morning Star¡¯s power, which was far beyond what an ordinary level 9 could face. Even though Lu Yu might have an impressive background, that strength came from his family, not his personal power. If he were to die, even if the Xu family were completely destroyed, it would be in vain. Xu Xiaoqing felt anxious. After all, she had accepted such a precious gift from him and promised to serve him for a while. If something happened to him now, she would feel guilty. ¡°Two Awakener level 9s¡­ from a big family?¡± Lu Yu repeated to confirm he hadn¡¯t misheard. Not even a Morning Star level expert, and they dared to call themselves a family? This was because Lu Yu¡¯s starting point was too high. Even looking at the entire Federation, though the Morning Star was not top-tier combat power, it was still in the middle of the pyramid. Such a person could be called strong, possessing the power to conquer a small city alone, and being admired by thousands! However, now that he understood their strength, Lu Yu was even less worried. He began to look at the items on the nearby stalls, but there was very little that could be used as material. Most items were below one star and were completely worthless. Xu Xiaoqing sighed helplessly as she watched Lu Yu browsing, mentally preparing to ask for help. She really feared owing people favors! After a moment of hesitation, her eyes quickly firmed up, and she reached out to guide Lu Yu to the center of the night market. However, before she could touch him, two shadow servants emerged from the darkness, their sharp blades already at her throat! She could even feel the cold sharpness. Just one more move, and her head would be severed, turning her into a headless corpse! This wasn¡¯t how the novel went! Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be that the female lead heroically grabbed the male lead¡¯s hand, leading him to evade danger, and they then lived happily ever after? How is it that I haven¡¯t even touched this guy, and I¡¯m almost decapitated by two shadow monsters? Lu Yu looked up at Xu Xiaoqing, puzzled as to why she was trying to touch him. But he didn¡¯t sense any ill intent from her, so he silently commanded the two shadow servants to stand down. Xu Xiaoqing felt the blade move away from her neck and breathed a sigh of relief. However, the tension caused her legs to give way, and she accidentally fell to the ground, looking up at Lu Yu with a resentful expression. I was trying to help, and yet I almost lost my life, and he doesn¡¯t even bother to help me up? Is there no justice in this world? But she knew that Lu Yu¡¯s surroundings were heavily guarded, so she spoke up: ¡°Big Brother, shall we strategically relocate for now?¡± Chapter 30 - The Lineage of the Shadow Cutter! Chapter 30: The Lineage of the Shadow Cutter! ¡°You must have been a strategist in your past life, you¡¯re so good at currying favor!¡± Lu Yu couldn¡¯t help but internally mock, but he didn¡¯t pay her any mind. Since learning about the Xu family¡¯s background, he knew they were no match for him. Although he hadn¡¯t undergone systematic cultivation, nor did he know any cultivation or combat techniques, he possessed four powerful skills and had a portion of shadow power at his disposal. An ordinary awakened level nine couldn¡¯t match him. Moreover, with three shadow servants on standby, he had plenty of opportunity to retreat if needed. His fear balloon, though at home, could be summoned with a single word. The power of a Morningstar-class monster was not something a few level-nines could resist! Once he activated the Absorption Aura, it would be like the Blood Moon rising, draining all vitality. Even the Spider Priest would be instantly killed. The Xu family was nothing but fish bait in comparison. As for the monkey-faced masked man, he was just a fool, used by others to test him, and then disposed of to warn others. This time, he had only severed the man¡¯s arm as a warning. If it had been someone else, he might have exterminated the entire Xu family. He was still too kind. Lu Yu wasn¡¯t the type to kill indiscriminately, but if the Xu family caused trouble, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to send them all to meet their maker. So, Lu Yu leisurely browsed the goods at a nearby stall. But many of the vendors were becoming anxious, praying not to get caught in the crossfire. Soon, Xu family¡¯s people arrived. The monkey-faced masked man saw them and seemed to have found his saviors. He immediately called out in a low voice: ¡°Big Brother, help me take revenge! He cut off my arm, my life is ruined¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need you to say anything, I already know,¡± Xu Jiuzhou sneered. He had come precisely because he had received the news. Looking at his brother¡¯s miserable state, he frowned. His servants quickly stepped forward to help the monkey-faced man stop the bleeding and bandage him. Although Xu Jiuzhou was barely thirty, he had long since taken control of the Xu family¡¯s power, and there was a natural air of authority around him that didn¡¯t require anger to command respect. He glanced at the shadow-wrapped Lu Yu and his eyes momentarily narrowed when he saw the shadow servants. Suddenly, he took a step forward, and everyone thought he was about to attack. But then, his figure shifted, and he rushed toward the monkey-faced man who was still being bandaged. He grabbed the man¡¯s head with one hand and, in the man¡¯s surprised gaze, twisted it with force! The sound of bones snapping echoed, and the monkey-faced man¡¯s head twisted completely backward. His mask fell off, revealing a face full of disbelief. Without stopping, Xu Jiuzhou drew his sword and severed the man¡¯s head, holding it up in his hand, facing Lu Yu. ¡°I apologize, I failed in my family duties. My subordinate offended you, and I have now executed him myself. I beg for your forgiveness!¡± Everyone gasped in shock. Even Lu Yu was stunned, not understanding what Xu Jiuzhou was doing. This was not what the script called for! Xu Jiuzhou¡¯s action was so swift that no one had time to react. No one knew why he suddenly turned on his own kin with such cruelty! This ruthless attitude, the decisive execution of his own brother as an apology, made one word flash through everyone¡¯s minds: Tyrant! However, aside from the shock of Xu Jiuzhou killing his brother, everyone understood that this was not because he was a strict man¡ªon the contrary, the Xu family was known for their domineering nature and fierce protection of their own. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But today, something was different, meaning the mysterious man in front of them was either incredibly powerful or had a monumental background! Either way, neither of these situations was something they could afford to provoke! Lu Yu, still silent and stunned, was perceived by Xu Jiuzhou as lacking satisfaction, so he continued: ¡°Our Xu family is willing to offer an additional thousand spirit coins. Do you think this is enough? I guarantee with my life that we did not intend to offend the Shadow Cutter lineage!¡± Upon hearing this, even the servants brought by Xu Jiuzhou flickered with discontent, but with the body of the man still lying there, no one dared to protest, lest they risk their own deaths. After all, Xu Jiuzhou had just decapitated his own brother without hesitation. If any of his servants dared speak out, they would meet a gruesome end. What is the Shadow Cutter lineage? Which organization is that? Did they mistake me for someone from that group because of my shadow servants? ¡°Shadow Cutter¡± sounds formidable. Could they be just like the Xu family, a weak family of fools? Lu Yu pondered, his yellow robe fluttering, and the shadow shroud swirling. The eerie smile mask on his face revealed no hint of emotion! His silence made the entire space grow deathly quiet, so quiet that even a pin dropping would be heard clearly. An invisible, oppressive stillness descended, and an overwhelming pressure was released! Xu Jiuzhou, holding the severed head, broke out into cold sweat on his forehead, unsure of what the mysterious man in front of him meant. A full minute passed before Lu Yu finally spoke coldly: ¡°Don¡¯t let it happen again.¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Jiuzhou let out a sigh of relief. Fearing that Lu Yu might change his mind, he hurriedly instructed his servants to hand over a bag full of spirit coins to the shadow servants. Then, without caring about his brother¡¯s body, he led his men out. Once outside, one of his confidants couldn¡¯t help but ask: ¡°Master, why did you¡­¡± Xu Jiuzhou¡¯s expression darkened as he replied coldly: ¡°We almost got duped!¡± Chapter 31 - The Battle of Wits with the Air! Chapter 31: The Battle of Wits with the Air! ¡°Tricked?¡± Everyone in the Xu family felt as though they were caught in a vast web of conspiracy. Could everything today have been orchestrated? Xu Jiuzhou nodded, looked around cautiously, and only when he saw no one nearby did he speak slowly. ¡°Because that shadow guard is something only the Shadow Tribe would possess!¡± ¡°Shadow Tribe?¡± Everyone exchanged confused glances; none of them had ever heard of this organization. ¡°The Shadow Tribe uses shadow energy to reanimate the corpses of people with special constitutions. Through a special ritual, these corpses are turned into shadow guards who serve them. These shadow guards have the ability to briefly merge with the shadows, and because they are dead, they don¡¯t emit any aura. They are born assassins. You may not understand the strength of the Shadow Tribe, but let me put it another way. Have you heard of the Crimson Hand?¡± ¡°The Crimson Hand! Isn¡¯t that the huge assassin organization spanning multiple nations and federations? They have countless powerful killers. As long as you have enough wealth, they can assassinate even those above the Morning Star level?¡± One of the family members exclaimed in shock. The Crimson Hand was a massive force, far beyond the reach of their small city¡¯s family. Xu Jiuzhou nodded, his expression grave. ¡°The Shadow Tribe holds a crucial position within the Crimson Hand because they can integrate with the power of shadows. In fact, there are even members of the Shadow Tribe among the Thirteen Red Moons, the upper echelons of the Crimson Hand.¡± Xu Jiuzhou sighed deeply. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he had learned about this during his travels, he might have fallen into the trap today. ¡°After my brother was injured, the news reached here almost immediately. Someone is trying to use the Shadow Tribe to wipe out our Xu family!¡± When Xu Jiuzhou first saw the shadow guard, he nearly fainted. Shadow guards were elite assassins, and even the Shadow Tribe needed extensive rituals to create one. Each shadow guard required significant manpower and resources to create, making them a precious asset of the tribe. Even elite members of the tribe were only allowed one shadow guard to train. And yet, this person had three shadow guards serving him, which showed just how high his status within the Shadow Tribe must be. Could he be from the higher echelons of the Shadow Tribe? Xu Jiuzhou wiped the cold sweat from his brow and cursed the person who had stirred up this mess. He had no idea that the shadow guards surrounding Lu Yu were not from the Shadow Tribe at all. They were simply the result of the [Shadow Servant] skill that Lu Yu possessed, a unique ability inherited from the Void Shadow Spider. This ability didn¡¯t require rituals, secrets, or special ceremonies¡ªjust the harvesting of shadows to continuously create shadow servants. While the number of shadow servants was limited to ten, this was still far more efficient than the Shadow Tribe¡¯s methods. As for Xu Jiuzhou, he didn¡¯t feel any sorrow for his dead brother. It was his own fault for trying to spy on someone so powerful. Had Xu Jiuzhou not acted quickly, their family might have been annihilated. ¡°The family head truly has foresight!¡± ¡°We¡¯re fortunate to have you, Family Head,¡± Originally, they had all assumed that Xu Jiuzhou had killed his own brother out of fear of causing trouble. Each of them had been harboring anger, unable to express it. They had all contributed greatly to the family, and yet, a life could be sacrificed so casually¡ªwho could remain loyal under such circumstances? But after hearing the explanation, everyone understood. It wasn¡¯t that Xu Jiuzhou was afraid of trouble, but rather that he had seen through the enemy¡¯s scheme and had taken action to eliminate the threat before it could destroy their family. Not only had he thwarted the plot, but he had also avoided becoming enemies with a terrifying organization. His deep planning and control over the situation were evident. After the explanation, Xu Jiuzhou suddenly sighed deeply, tears welling up in his eyes. He said with self-reproach, ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m ashamed of my brother¡¯s death. After we return, I will voluntarily step down as family head and let someone more talented and virtuous take my place.¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His trusted subordinates immediately protested. ¡°Absolutely not! If it weren¡¯t for your brilliant strategy, our family would have been ruined!¡± Others chimed in, ¡°Yes, yes! Xu Le had it coming. If he were still alive, I¡¯d beat him myself!¡± ¡°This idiot almost brought about a disaster. At least his death helped us avoid it!¡± ¡°The family head sacrificed his own brother to prevent the Xu family from facing the wrath of the Crimson Hand. It¡¯s tragic, but please, don¡¯t blame yourself. We need you to continue leading our family!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Well¡­ alright then!¡± Faced with so many pleas, Xu Jiuzhou reluctantly agreed and nodded, shedding a few tears. But in truth, someone like him, a ruthless figure, wouldn¡¯t feel sad about killing a useless brother, especially when it was to prevent a larger threat. This was all just a performance to keep the family members reassured. After all, no matter the reason, killing one¡¯s own flesh and blood was always a heavy act. So Xu Jiuzhou acted the part, ensuring that the family would remain calm. Unlike other ruthless figures, Xu Jiuzhou was clever enough to avoid any dangerous people. If possible, he would prefer never to encounter them again. He understood one thing¡ªsurvival was the key to everything. With that thought in mind, Xu Jiuzhou¡¯s expression hardened, and he said sternly, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, when we return, we must find out who dared to set up our Xu family. Whoever is behind this will pay the price!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± His subordinates responded in unison, quickly leaving the night market where the dangerous figure still lingered. Chapter 32 - The King in Yellow! Chapter Thirty-Two: The King in Yellow! In the night market, everyone looked at Lu Yu with awe. No one thought Xu Jiuzhou was a fool. The reason for his actions was clear¡ªhe must have recognized the identity of the person before him. He might be a core member of a large organization, or even a powerful Morning Star expert! Considering this possibility, no one dared to spy on or discuss Lu Yu. The entire night market fell into a deep silence. Beside him, Xu Xiaoqing wiped the sweat from his forehead, excitedly saying, ¡°Big shot, you scared them off just like that. Did you already expect this, which is why you weren¡¯t even fazed?¡± Lu Yu naturally ignored the chatter, not responding. Though there was no reply, Xu Xiaoqing wore an expression of admiration. This was the true ¡°big shot.¡± The phrase perfectly described the person in front of him. No, the Xu family had fled in disgrace. They were nothing like Mount Tai¡ªmore like a small hill! The level of the ¡°big shot¡± was clearly beyond what ordinary people could comprehend. His heart was as calm as still water; no storm could disturb him. But why did he want to buy my notes? Could it be because his knowledge is so deep that he needs simpler, more mundane knowledge to teach the younger generation? Yes, it must be like that. I truly envy those taught by such a powerful person¡ªthey must be exceptional too! Lu Yu glanced at Xu Xiaoqing¡¯s face filled with admiration, his expression turning a bit strange. In reality, he had no idea why the Xu family retreated. If they had come at him in force, he might have been forced to retreat first, waiting for the fear to subside before striking back. But to his surprise, they had mistakenly thought he was a member of some organization, and fled in panic, apologizing as they ran away. This display of arrogance was not quite what he had expected! The arrogance was there, but where was the ¡°slap in the face¡±? Lu Yu sighed in his heart. He also noticed that no matter where he moved, people would clear the way for him, making it impossible to do any transactions. ¡°I came to buy things, not to drive people away!¡± he thought helplessly. If he stayed any longer, the people in the market wouldn¡¯t dare continue selling to him! But his only gain had been a dozen books, plus a quirky girl who, despite her oddness, seemed to possess a lot of knowledge. Sometimes, the things that come as a bonus can actually be quite valuable! Since the vendors were unwilling to sell to him, Lu Yu decided to leave. Just as he was about to do so, the gatekeeper who had brought him inside walked over with a humble expression and said, ¡°Sir, the owner of the night market wishes to meet with you.¡± The owner of the night market? Why would he want to see me? Although unsure of the other party¡¯s intentions, Lu Yu didn¡¯t mind seeing who the person was. He nodded slightly and replied in a soft voice, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Please, follow me,¡± the gatekeeper said, his voice trembling with excitement as he began leading the way. Xu Xiaoqing hesitated for a moment, grabbed the most valuable items from the stall, and quickly followed. As they left, the others in the market let out a sigh of relief, and the atmosphere grew lively once again. ¡°That was close! I thought I was going to die!¡± a man in a bull mask patted his chest and sighed. ¡°This mysterious man in yellow is so enigmatic. Even without saying a word, I felt like something heavy was pressing down on my chest, almost suffocating me.¡± The man beside him, wearing a rat mask, nodded in agreement. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to witness such an amazing scene at a regular night market. When I looked more closely, I noticed that the shadow energy surrounding him seemed like a black veil, like a ruler of the night. And the yellow clothes¡ªhe looked like¡­¡± The person pondered for a moment, trying to figure out how to describe the mysterious figure. Proud, calm, wise, as if he were a king, controlling everything in the world. Suddenly, he had a flash of insight and excitedly said, ¡°We can call him the King in Yellow!¡± Meanwhile, Lu Yu had no idea that his new alias had been elevated to the title of ¡°The King in Yellow.¡± Had he known, he might have felt a bit troubled, for ¡°The King in Yellow¡± was a title associated with a notorious evil god in his previous life, Hastur. Hastur, from the Cthulhu Mythos, was a powerful ancient deity, second only to the Blind Idiot God Azathoth and the Three Pillars. In some systems, he even represented the element of wind. This evil god was known for wearing yellow robes, bringing madness and chaos wherever he went. Anyone who summoned him would not meet a good end! This accidental naming, in a world where evil gods and mysteries coexisted, and fate intertwined, was not a good omen. Sharing the same name as such a terrifying being was not a small matter. While ordinary awakened individuals were fervently discussing the event, Lu Yu, following the gatekeeper, arrived at a traditional Chinese courtyard. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The gate creaked open, revealing a stone table under a massive peach tree. On the table sat a teapot, and a middle-aged man dressed in a scholar¡¯s robe sat on a stone bench. Across from him were the white-haired man in a fox mask and the large man in an entertainer¡¯s mask¡ªboth the outsiders Lu Yu had met earlier. The man in the scholar¡¯s robe must be the owner of the night market! As the door opened, all their gazes turned towards Lu Yu. Chapter 33 - The Locust That Devours Time! Chapter Thirty-Three: The Locust That Devours Time! The gaze carried a sense of scrutiny, as if searching for clues to uncover the truth about him. Though this look did not contain malice, the intent behind it was extraordinarily powerful¡ªsurpassing the strength typical of an awakened one. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A Morning Star? The thought flickered in Lu Yu¡¯s mind briefly, but it did not influence his judgment. He quickly realised the purpose of the gaze. This was a show of dominance! Testing whether he was worthy to engage in conversation. ¡°Hmph!¡± Lu Yu let out a soft cold snort, and the shadow energy around him began to ripple. The passive ability, , activated. Time¡¯s Protection: Can block divination, fortune-telling, and any form of probing abilities, masking one¡¯s traces. To be connected with the supreme law of time, even though it was a passive skill, it was not a trivial ability. On the contrary, it was highly functional. At the very least, it would allow him to freely adopt disguises without worrying about being detected! ¡°Eh?¡± The white-haired man in the fox mask let out a puzzled sound. In his eyes, Lu Yu, now cloaked in shadow energy, had become even more unfathomable. His aura shifted to something ethereal, as if¡­ It was formless and intangible! As his probing deepened, the white-haired man sensed the world around him begin to fluctuate. A distant, mysterious aura spread out, carrying an ancient feel, blending in a clever way with this new era. This bizarre shift piqued the white-haired man¡¯s curiosity, and his gaze delved deeper. However, it was precisely at this moment that activated. A warm current spread across Lu Yu¡¯s body, and a mysterious pattern appeared on the back of his hand beneath the yellow robe. A golden locust, the size of a fingertip, crawled out of the pattern! It resembled a locust, but it was entirely golden. Every antenna, every segment of its body, was crafted with the skill of the finest artist. The only difference was its multifaceted eyes, resembling countless cut diamonds embedded within them, emitting a silent radiance! Countless images flickered in its compound eyes, then shattered like bubbles, repeatedly cycling through. A time locust! After appearing, it slowly lifted its head. Despite its insect-like form, its body was so exquisite that it didn¡¯t look frightening but rather almost cute, like a special and delicate figurine. However, it was not a toy to be played with. ¡°Zzzz!¡± With a soft hiss, the locust opened its sharp mandibles, releasing an invisible sound wave that spread to Lu Yu¡¯s body, transforming into a mass of intangible time mist. This mist could dissolve all probing, divining, fortune-telling, and other investigative powers and mystic arts, converting them into the locust¡¯s energy. The time energy within the mist was like a deadly poison to most people, an immense barrier. When the white-haired man¡¯s mental probe touched the time mist, it was as though he had stepped into a bog. A portion of his mental energy was instantly dissolved, severing the connection. ¡°Impossible!¡± Realising what had occurred, the white-haired man tried to break free, but his vision blurred, and suddenly, a massive locust appeared before him! A gigantic, shadowy golden locust! The enormous apparition stood behind Lu Yu like it was serving the master of endless ages. The locust was surrounded by flowing waters, but when the white-haired man looked closer, he was horrified to see that these weren¡¯t waters, but time itself! A river of time! Time was like a blade, turning all things, no matter how beautiful or heroic, into mere skeletons, turning everything to dust after a hundred years. The locust opened its mouth, devouring a segment of the stream, as though consuming time itself! And as the white-haired man watched, he felt his own life force being rapidly drained, as if a vast, unseen hand had pressed a shortcut button, causing his life to slip away in moments! In mere seconds, he aged months in the blink of an eye! Such terror! Escape! He had to escape! Otherwise, he would surely die! With a clear decision, the white-haired man abandoned a portion of his mental energy and broke free. However, the backlash still struck his mind, disrupting his blood circulation and causing him to cough up blood. Crimson blood splattered onto the ground, blooming like a blood-red flower¡ªbeautiful yet eerie. ¡°Master!¡± The man in the geisha mask let out an enraged roar. His body swelled, growing over three meters tall, his eyes ferocious as he glared at Lu Yu, like a vicious beast ready to charge and crush him into dust! ¡°Ghost Bear, hold your temper!¡± The white-haired man barked, calming the enraged giant. He then stood up, cupped his hands, and bowed in respect, his gaze now filled with awe as he addressed Lu Yu. ¡°Greetings, my lord!¡± The time locust! The ancient aura! The mysterious shadow energy! All these factors together made the white-haired man immediately realise: The person before him was undoubtedly a major figure! Chapter 34 - The Birth of the Sacred Temple Dragon Knights and the Discovery of Planet Yinghuo Chapter 34: The Birth of the Sacred Temple Dragon Knights and the Discovery of Planet Yinghuo [Your arrival has intensified the conflict between primitive dinosaurs and dinosaur people.].[In particular, the Destruction Tyrant Dragon, relying on its formidable physique, launched an assault on the Lizardmen¡¯s castle.].[With a single strike, it demolished the towering walls. Just as the Destruction Tyrant Dragon mocked the dinosaur people, it fell into a trap and was surrounded by their weapon-wielding forces.].[The Destruction Tyrant Dragon, furious beyond measure, tried to escape but failed. It called for reinforcements, but other dinosaurs also fell into the trap, putting the entire group at a disadvantage.].[The dinosaur people¡¯s leader, after capturing the Destruction Tyrant Dragon alive, chose not to execute it. Instead, he revealed to the dragon that they shared the same origins and should unite their strengths and wisdom to reshape the world.].[The dinosaurs of two evolutionary paths united. The dinosaur people, naturally able to communicate with primitive dinosaurs and ride on their backs, became Dragon Knights. Harnessing the power of the primitive dinosaurs, they reshaped the land, accelerating the construction of roads and castles.].[They built temples to God across the world. With 5,000 Sacred Temple Dragon Knights, they became an unstoppable force, combining the might of their dinosaur mounts with their armored and lance-wielding warriors, far surpassing the combat strength of the Unicorn Beasts of the past!].[Your Faith Value +200!].[Mid-Third Era: The combination of spear and shield rendered the dinosaurs invincible. In this process, as natural selection took effect and talents activated, other prehistoric beasts emerged, plunging the Tianyuan Realm into an era of competition among countless creatures.].[Notable among these were the Titan Python, the Ancient Giant Rhino, and the Skeleton Reptile. Even in the coastal regions, descendants of dragon species such as the Mosasaur appeared, engaging in combat with contemporary creatures like the Helicoprion before the Koutao Fishmen could retaliate.].[In the grand arena of life, the dinosaur people dominated the era with their superior strength, defeating challengers one by one and expanding their territory into the coastal realms.].[Had it not been for concerns about the unpredictable Lord of the Four Seas, the dinosaur people¡¯s leader might have invaded the deep sea.].[Thus, a pact was made: the deep sea belonged to the Lord of the Four Seas, the skies to the Unicorn Beasts, and the land and coastal regions to the dinosaurs.].[Mid-Third Era: At the peak of their prosperity, the dinosaur people remembered your teachings. To them, the world now felt small.].[Through their bloodline knowledge, they realized that only the universe held the promise of progress.].[A group of ambitious individuals gathered to excavate their bloodline¡¯s inherited knowledge, seeking insights about the cosmos.].[As one of the elite races in the multiverse, dragons naturally soar through space, absorbing radiation as they mature, spawning powerful subspecies like Star Dragons and Interstellar Dinosaurs. The dinosaur people greatly benefited from these excavations.].[This effort birthed the Cosmic Wind God Pterosaurs. Some dinosaur people rode these pterosaurs in an attempt to escape the world¡¯s gravity, only to crash spectacularly, earning the ridicule of the Unicorn Beasts.].[This humiliation was engraved into stone as a shameful reminder, motivating the dinosaur people to strive for cosmic exploration.]. ¡°Could they overtake others in this race?¡± S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Su Bai was astonished that the simple dragon blood had brought such surprises. Amid this progression, other creatures¡¯ activities were also recorded: [The Evil Eye Clan continued lurking in the swamps, wary of external wilderness threats. Under the Eye Tyrant¡¯s leadership, they expanded underground, establishing the first dungeon.].[Creation Value +200.].[With the Unicorn Beasts¡¯ assistance, the Tianyuan Realm¡¯s area now exceeded 150 kilometers.].[During cosmic exploration, the Super Bitto Beast unexpectedly discovered a dilapidated reddish planet millions of kilometers from the Tianyuan Realm. It named it Planet Yinghuo.].[Based on its calculations, Planet Yinghuo had a diameter of roughly 2,000 kilometers. The Super Bitto Beast harbored a bold plan.].[To realize this vision, it ordered its kin to open a new space route to Yinghuo and eliminate hidden threats.].[While clearing space debris, a Unicorn Beast discovered traces of new creation on the fragments.]. ¡°What does this mean?¡± Su Bai felt puzzled. Could it be that alien life had already been encountered? In the vast void, all kinds of strange enemies existed, most harboring hostility toward human civilization. If they saw the Tianyuan Realm as a fat prize, wouldn¡¯t it be doomed? Speaking of Planet Yinghuo, Su Bai examined it in real space. It resembled Pluto from his past life, classified as a dwarf planet¡ªbarren, lacking water and spiritual energy. Even so, its soil alone could fatten the Tianyuan Realm! ¡°Ambition is good,¡± Su Bai muttered, though he doubted they could easily seize such a star. The scale of Planet Yinghuo was several times that of the Tianyuan Realm¡ªa snake swallowing an elephant. Suddenly, a subtle text caught his attention: [On the land dominated by dinosaur people, a seemingly weak prehistoric giant ape experienced a genetic mutation. A peculiar variant emerged¡ªlarger, stronger, and smarter.].[Innate traits enhanced its appetite, enabling it to adapt across multiverses.].[Late Third Era: The dinosaur people inadvertently entered the Iron Age. By utilizing the primitive dinosaurs¡¯ fire, they smelted metal ores, creating weapons that surpassed their claws.].[The Destruction Tyrant Dragon began pondering its limits. Experimenting with bloodline refinement and gene fusion, it achieved limited success.].[In terms of weaponry and materials, the dinosaur people excelled. However, in other aspects of life, they remained in the Bronze Age.].[By chance, a group of dinosaur eggs fell into a volcano. The Destruction Tyrant Dragon punished the negligent guards harshly, but it discovered one surviving egg with fiery red markings, capable of absorbing flame and mutated magic from the lava.].[The Destruction Tyrant Dragon decided to keep this Lava Dragon Egg under strict watch instead of removing it.].[Innate traits activated.]. The consecutive talent notifications amazed Su Bai. As the dinosaur people leapt ahead into the Iron Age, his Creation Value surged by 2,000! With years of Unicorn Beast contributions, the total Creation Value now reached 16,000! The rise of civilization also elevated the quality of various sacrificial ceremonies. In this brief time, Su Bai¡¯s Faith Value had reached 800. For an average creator, it would take half a year to achieve this. ¡°Everything is heading in the right direction,¡± Su Bai thought with satisfaction. Yet something felt missing. No sooner had he thought this than his premonition was confirmed. The simulation text turned blood-red: [Late Third Era: The zenith gives way to decline! S-Class Apocalypse Disaster Card activated!]. Chapter 35 - The Eye Thieves! Chapter 35: The Eye Thieves! Li Cheng, wearing a fox mask, froze momentarily, thinking: The ancient aura emanating from the locust shadow behind him suggested that this man was likely one of those immortal old monsters. The vastness of their experience and wisdom made their intentions nearly impossible to decipher. Countless thoughts swirled through Li Cheng¡¯s mind, and in an instant, he realised the reason behind the other party¡¯s question. This mysterious figure probably misunderstood his mention of the treasure as referring to a different item! Considering the strength of such an individual, they must have already considered the treasure as good as theirs. If he was now offering to provide information about it, the senior likely assumed it pertained to another treasure altogether. Alternatively, this might be a test of honesty¡ªone falsehood could mean his doom. Li Cheng silently praised his own quick thinking. The possibility that Lu Yu might genuinely not know about the treasure was immediately dismissed. After all, such a formidable figure wouldn¡¯t casually roam a city as ordinary as Hangzhou¡ªthey were more likely to appear in a major city or even the void itself. What he couldn¡¯t fathom was that Lu Yu wasn¡¯t some enigmatic expert but rather an awakened half-being with raw power but no training! Lu Yu, on the other hand, simply watched Li Cheng¡¯s contemplation with a calm expression. Since he didn¡¯t understand anything, saying less seemed like the safest course of action. Once his thoughts were sorted, Li Cheng began, ¡°This matter began a month ago when a group of Eye Thieves ambushed a small caravan transporting goods¡­¡± ¡°Eye Thieves!¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Xiaoqing exclaimed in shock, her face contorted with disgust before she apologised, ¡°Sorry for interrupting you!¡± ¡°No worries,¡± Li Cheng replied, smiling. ¡°It seems you¡¯re familiar with the Eye Thieves.¡± Xu Xiaoqing nodded, her expression full of revulsion. ¡°I¡¯ve read about them. Eye Thieves were originally ruthless criminals who fled into the wilderness to evade the law. However, as they weren¡¯t awakened beings, they lacked survival skills. ¡°Their leader, a cultist of an evil god, led them in a sinister ritual of blood sacrifice to an unknown deity, transforming them into grotesque creatures with heads covered in eyes. Each eye held an aura of intimidation, capable of unnerving humans and most other life forms¡ªabilities comparable to some awakening techniques. ¡°Because of their monstrous forms, wild creatures generally avoided attacking them, allowing them to survive in the wilderness.¡± Her tone grew indignant as she continued, ¡°While this ritual granted them longevity, it also cursed them with the need to feed exclusively on fresh human eyeballs. Consuming regular food causes severe nausea, and prolonged abstinence leads to the decay of their eye-covered heads and the gradual collapse of their bodies. ¡°Conversely, the more human eyes they devour, the stronger they become. Their psychic intimidation ability can be deadly to awakened beings. Combined with their human intelligence and cunning tactics, they¡¯ve long been humanity¡¯s enemy. ¡°Unfortunately, this evil ritual has leaked. Many criminals or desperate individuals seeking immortality choose to become Eye Thieves, turning into enemies of humanity. They roam the wilderness, preying on caravans and, at times, launching large-scale attacks on human settlements, committing heinous atrocities.¡± Lu Yu mentally gave Xu Xiaoqing a thumbs-up. The more he observed her, the more he appreciated her, despite her talkative and quirky nature. Her encyclopaedic knowledge deserved full marks for this informative session. Learning about the Eye Thieves expanded Lu Yu¡¯s understanding. Previously, he only knew the wilderness was dangerous without grasping the specific threats. Now he realised that human malice could be as perilous as monstrous dangers. Nearby, Ma Yang, the night market vendor, sighed, ¡°Those Eye Thieves are truly despicable! Several of my caravans were attacked by them. All the merchants¡¯ eyes were taken, ruining their lives!¡± While most people had only heard of the Eye Thieves, Ma Yang had faced them directly. To him, they were nothing short of maniacs. If not for their psychic intimidation and focus on wilderness ambushes, he would have annihilated them long ago. Li Cheng nodded and resumed, ¡°However, this time, among the goods they seized was a highly unusual treasure!¡± ¡°What treasure?¡± Xu Xiaoqing asked curiously. Li Cheng¡¯s expression darkened as he replied gravely, ¡°A dragon egg!¡± Chapter 36 - The Radiant Moon-Grade Utility Dragon! Chapter Thirty-Six: The Radiant Moon-Grade Utility Dragon! When Li Cheng spoke, the courtyard fell into a profound silence. Even the sound of a pin dropping could have been heard. Even Lu Yu was stunned¡ªwhat he had heard was about a dragon egg! Dragons, in any world, were renowned for their formidable physiques, exceptional intelligence, and overwhelming magical prowess from birth. The dragons of this world were no exception. Lu Yu had read posts detailing encounters with dragons¡ªmassive creatures hundreds of metres long, capable of shattering mountains with a single strike. These creatures were living titans. Without any elemental power, their sheer physical presence embodied unparalleled strength. A mere movement of their colossal bodies could incite earthquakes and wreak havoc. What made this revelation more astonishing was that this was a dragon egg¡ªan unhatched embryo! This meant that the dragon within had not yet taken form, allowing the potential for monster editing. A dragon could undoubtedly serve as a three-star material, and more importantly, it would become a critical foundational resource. Being from a country known for its infrastructure excellence, Lu Yu possessed an unrelenting pursuit of quality. He naturally aspired to use the highest-grade materials for monster editing. Moreover, he had a five-star resource. By merging the silk of the Spider Deity with the dragon egg, might it be possible to create a Spider Dragon? sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although the concept sounded peculiar, the resulting creature might inherit a fraction of the Spider Deity¡¯s divine power. If successful, it would equate to seizing the divine authority of a god¡ªeven a dark god. Yet, what puzzled Lu Yu was that in all legends, dragons were known for their poor fertility, which was why they hadn¡¯t dominated the world as a favoured race. A dragon egg, as a vital heir, should have been fiercely guarded. This question, naturally, was posed by the talkative Xu Xiaoqing: ¡°Did that caravan kill two adult dragons?¡± Xu Xiaoqing, an avid reader, had delved into numerous tomes and understood that dragons¡¯ protective instincts for their offspring bordered on fanaticism. Stealing a dragon egg meant not only facing the parents but also a horde of adult dragons. Dragon-kind¡¯s protective tradition for their young was unparalleled. Even if an egg were stolen, the adult dragons would relentlessly pursue the thief to the ends of the earth. Thus, unless the adults were slain, it was nearly impossible to snatch a dragon egg. ¡°Impossible!¡± Li Cheng shook his head with a bitter smile. ¡°This is no purebred dragon egg. It¡¯s the offspring of a male dragon and another creature¡ªa hybrid.¡± Night Market trader Ma Yang understood immediately. ¡°Ah, a hybrid wyvern scorned by pureblood dragons¡­¡± Li Cheng shot him a glance and calmly added, ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate a hybrid. Its father was a Radiant Moon-grade dragon!¡± As he spoke, Li Cheng glanced at Lu Yu, recalling the vision of the time-devouring locust shadow he had witnessed earlier¡ªlike an apocalyptic demon god. Radiant Moon-grade beings were marked by the manifestation of phenomena. In other words, this enigmatic man in yellow might also be a Radiant Moon-grade powerhouse. The others gasped audibly, astounded to learn such an astonishing secret. To them, Morning Star-grade experts were already lofty figures. A Radiant Moon-grade existence was beyond their comprehension. Radiant Moon-grade! Was it truly the level beyond Morning Star? Lu Yu was inwardly shaken, quickly noting the term down while feigning nonchalance. However, in Li Cheng¡¯s eyes, this calm demeanour indicated Lu Yu¡¯s utter confidence in handling any retaliatory efforts from Radiant Moon-grade dragons. Such composure stemmed from unshakable faith in one¡¯s own power. What a remarkable human powerhouse¡ªthis boldness was unparalleled. Li Cheng silently nodded in approval before continuing, ¡°The caravan discovered the dragon egg in a massive cavern, surrounded only by coagulated blood. There were no creatures guarding the egg. ¡°This daring small merchant group took the egg, but misfortune struck¡ªthey encountered the Human Eye Thieves. Almost the entire group perished, with only one survivor escaping through feigned death at the cost of his sight. ¡°In revenge, he released this information, hoping to lure powerful individuals to annihilate the Human Eye Thieves. Unfortunately, those cunning monsters hid themselves well and haven¡¯t hunted recently. However, they can¡¯t consume eyeballs more than two days old. ¡°This leads me to suspect someone is supplying them with fresh eyes. That¡¯s why I came to the Night Market to ask Ma Yang for help investigating any missing persons in nearby cities.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct!¡± Ma Yang nodded in agreement, affirming Li Cheng¡¯s account. Lu Yu nodded slightly, deeply desiring the dragon egg. Though not purebred, its powerful paternal bloodline promised exceptional three-star potential. If combined with the Spider Deity¡¯s silk, would it yield an eight-legged Spider Dragon or a dragon-headed Arachnid? It hardly mattered¡­ The only certainty was that Lu Yu would gain a Morning Star-grade monster¡ªa rideable dragon! The Utility Dragon was imminent! As he pondered, Lu Yu wondered about the Human Eye Thieves¡¯ whereabouts. However, since Li Cheng and Ma Yang were already investigating, he refrained from revealing his suspicions to avoid looking unremarkable. Still, he sought more information, lightly tapping the table with his finger. ¡°How many of them are there?¡± Chapter 37 - The Concept of Quantum Life! Immersed in Wild Thoughts! Chapter 37: The Concept of Quantum Life! Immersed in Wild Thoughts! Li Cheng instinctively responded upon hearing the words: ¡°There are roughly a hundred members in the Renyan Gang. Their leader has lived for over twenty years, attacking thousands of people. I estimate he might possess the strength of a Morning Star¡ªvery dangerous¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, Li Cheng abruptly stopped, wishing he could slap himself. The person before him was very likely a Radiant Moon-level existence. In front of such a being, a Morning Star was as insignificant as an ant. To say that a Morning Star was dangerous in this context was akin to insulting the other party. The man¡¯s question was clearly not about the number of Renyan Gang members but rather about how many Awakened individuals knew of this treasure and whether any peers of his calibre had been drawn by the news. Li Cheng adjusted his posture and spoke earnestly: ¡°The earlier details were unnecessary. This information has indeed spread, but only to a few neighbouring provinces. Moreover, most remain sceptical, treating it as mere hearsay. Awakened individuals like myself who ventured here personally are few, and those of your calibre are practically non-existent.¡± Calibre? What calibre? Aren¡¯t we both Morning Stars? I only just learned about Radiant Moon-level myself. Lu Yu couldn¡¯t help but silently mock as an awkward expression crossed his face beneath the mask. The man before him clearly mistook him for a Radiant Moon-level expert. In truth, he had not even reached the Morning Star stage. By the official cultivation system, he was merely an ordinary person with an abnormally high energy content. But Lu Yu couldn¡¯t reveal this, as it involved his Monster Editor System, his most significant trump card. Who could guarantee that this person, faced with such an extraordinary fortune, wouldn¡¯t succumb to greed? The human heart is unpredictable. While Li Cheng currently displayed utmost respect, it was solely because he assumed Lu Yu was a Radiant Moon-level powerhouse. If the truth were known, Li Cheng might very well turn hostile. In such proximity, even the Balloon of Terror couldn¡¯t intervene in time. Moreover, the Void Shadow Spider, another Morning Star-level entity, was still in its egg stage and entirely useless. The fury of a warrior could spill blood within five steps. And this wasn¡¯t just any warrior but a true Morning Star powerhouse whose unknown techniques could be lethal. Without prior combat experience, Lu Yu couldn¡¯t be certain the Balloon of Terror could overpower him. Ultimately, Lu Yu sighed at his limited understanding of the Awakened world. For his safety, he decided to maintain his facade, replying softly: ¡°I understand.¡± Seeing this mysterious powerhouse accept his overtures, Li Cheng felt relieved, though he quickly let out a sigh: ¡°Alas, my spiritual essence has been severely damaged. I originally hoped to exchange this dragon egg for treasures rich in essence to guide my breakthrough. Yet now, the treasure is beyond my reach, and I¡¯m left without direction. I¡¯m already two hundred years old. I wonder if I¡¯ll ever find a new path¡­¡± The treasure had been his chance, but Lu Yu¡¯s arrival had shattered that hope. Although his lament was softly spoken, it carried deep emotion, causing Xu Xiaoqing and Ma Yang to sigh as well. Behind Ghost Bear, the burly man in the geisha mask said: ¡°Master will surely find a breakthrough opportunity. Even if not, Ghost Bear will scour the earth for longevity treasures to extend your life!¡± But Li Cheng merely shook his head with a bitter smile: ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s too difficult. Low-level longevity treasures are useless to me, and high-level ones are guarded by fearsome beasts. Acquiring them is nearly impossible. In my current state, I¡¯ve lost all confidence¡­¡± Li Cheng¡¯s words weighed heavily on the atmosphere. Even Lu Yu couldn¡¯t ignore the sense of despair, a yearning for life and the future that tugged at his heart. No wonder ancient cultivators pursued enlightenment with such fervour, even at the cost of their lives. Such resolve was awe-inspiring. However, Lu Yu frowned at Li Cheng¡¯s negativity. Regardless of the difficulty, one should never lose hope. Even if the guardian beast was mighty, why not devise weapons to destroy it? Drop a few hundred tonnes of nuclear bombs and see if it survives! If individual power fell short, why not turn to technological strength? The world¡¯s technology wasn¡¯t lacking. Why not explore mechanical immortality or quantum transcendence? Success in such endeavours might forge a new path, transforming one into a quantum being capable of striking across infinite dimensions and processing billions of computations in an instant. Wouldn¡¯t following a technological route or becoming a quantum life form be empowering? The issue wasn¡¯t difficulty but having the determination to overcome it. As long as one had ambition and effort, failure would at least mean trying. With this in mind, Lu Yu glanced at Li Cheng. Since the latter had provided valuable information, Lu Yu decided to offer some guidance. In a deliberately profound tone, he said: ¡°Mutual generation of existence and non-existence; mutual formation of difficulty and ease.¡± This phrase, from Chapter Two of the , conveys that existence and non-existence are interdependent, as are difficulty and ease. At its core, it implies that all things have solutions and that every problem holds its counterpart. Shifting perspectives often yields new answers. It was an apt teaching for reinvigorating this disheartened¡­ elder. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Since Li Cheng had shared so much, Lu Yu naturally reciprocated by inspiring positivity. Li Cheng froze as if struck by lightning, muttering repeatedly: ¡°Mutual generation of existence and non-existence; mutual formation of difficulty and ease¡­¡± His murmurs grew louder and faster until he spiralled into a frenzy. Immense energy surged from him, like waves radiating in all directions, creating a terrifying gale. Ghost Bear, alarmed, glared at Lu Yu with bloodshot eyes and roared: ¡°What have you done to my master?¡± Underneath his mask, Lu Yu was dumbfounded. Maintaining his persona, Lu Yu cast a cold glance at Ghost Bear. The icy gaze silenced him immediately. ¡°Difficulty¡­ ease¡­ existence¡­ non-existence¡­ yin and yang¡­ cyclic rotation¡­ I understand¡­ I comprehend¡­ I¡¯ve finally understood¡­ I¡¯ve achieved enlightenment!¡± Li Cheng shouted, leaving Lu Yu bewildered. Chapter 38 - The Bewildered Fake Big Shot Chapter 38: The Bewildered Fake Big Shot Lu Yu stared at Li Cheng in utter bewilderment. All he had done was quote a philosophical line from the . And yet, you¡¯ve achieved enlightenment? This is absurd! I¡¯ve memorised the entire , so why haven¡¯t I ascended to immortality? Could it be that you¡¯ve paid for a shortcut? Lu Yu¡¯s inner thoughts exploded with a desire to mock. He wished he could grab Li Cheng, crack open his head, and see if his brain was structured differently. Unfortunately, it was just a thought. After all, he was now a stoic and unfeeling powerhouse and couldn¡¯t stoop to such a lowly act. Xu Xiaoqing watched the scene with astonishment and said, ¡°I read about something like this in a book¡ªit seems he¡¯s achieved enlightenment and broken through his bottleneck!¡± Lu Yu glanced at her briefly. What surprised him wasn¡¯t that enlightenment had occurred but that a simple word of encouragement could have such an effect! If he were to share profound concepts like or , would this guy directly ascend to the Hui Yue realm or even soar to stand shoulder to shoulder with an Evil God? Unaware of Lu Yu¡¯s thoughts, Li Cheng sat cross-legged, closing his eyes tightly. A stream of spiritual energy flowed around him like a brook. Whoosh, whoosh! The fluctuations in his energy created fierce winds, causing the peach trees in the courtyard to sway wildly. A rain of peach blossoms fell, forming a mesmerising sakura-like spectacle. Amid this floral downpour, an oppressive morning star aura emanated from Li Cheng, making everyone present feel an overwhelming pressure. Only Lu Yu remained unaffected. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Having once faced the shadow of an Evil God and felt its abyssal aura, Lu Yu found Li Cheng¡¯s presence utterly insignificant in comparison. To Lu Yu, Li Cheng¡¯s energy was like an ant before a dragon. Having witnessed the grandeur of a dragon, Lu Yu was naturally unimpressed by an ant. However, his composed demeanour only deepened the reverence of those around him. High above the courtyard, immense energy gathered, forming a funnel over ten metres tall that continuously poured energy into the area. This phenomenon naturally drew the attention of people outside the night market, who couldn¡¯t help but exclaim: ¡°What an incredible energy fluctuation! What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°With such vast energy converging, could it be the emergence of a treasure?¡± One onlooker¡¯s companion interjected dryly, ¡°Have you ever seen a treasure appear in the middle of a city? Besides, even if it is a treasure, would you dare to seize it?¡± The first speaker stiffened, recalling the terrifying Yellow-Clad King and the forces behind the night market. With an awkward chuckle, he fell silent. Hiding in a corner, Sun Jun¡¯s eyes sparkled as he muttered, ¡°Content¡ªpure gold content! This trip was worth every second. Not only will I brag to ordinary people, but I¡¯ll also flaunt it to those who missed this. Especially that jerk who blocked me and called me a tool!¡± Thinking of the person who had blocked him, Sun Jun¡¯s expression darkened. However, he quickly dismissed the thought. That person was just a regular mortal who would never come into contact with the mysterious world. His short-sightedness was inevitable. Shaking off the negativity, Sun Jun focused on the unfolding scene, preparing to embellish it artistically later. Back in the courtyard, Li Cheng gradually restrained his oppressive aura, his face showing signs of struggle as if he had reached a bottleneck. Meanwhile, Ghost Bear finally realised that this was his master being guided, not insulted. If his actions caused his master to offend such a powerful figure, he would feel guilty for life! Resolving to make amends, Ghost Bear fell to his knees with a loud , bowing deeply as he apologised, ¡°I¡¯ve gravely misunderstood you, my lord. I was blind to your greatness. Punish me as you see fit!¡± He slammed his head against the ground repeatedly, shattering his mask and revealing a rugged face. Blood trickled from his forehead, staining his features crimson. Despite the pain, Ghost Bear continued to bow, determined to atone for his earlier offence. Lu Yu silently praised. Yet he didn¡¯t immediately stop him. After all, Ghost Bear had repeatedly provoked him. Forgiving too easily wouldn¡¯t show magnanimity but weakness. Though Ghost Bear¡¯s loyalty was admirable, he wasn¡¯t Lu Yu¡¯s subordinate. A lesson was necessary. Ghost Bear¡¯s relentless kowtowing produced dull echoes. Ma Yang nodded approvingly, while Xu Xiaoqing looked away in discomfort but held her tongue. After over thirty kowtows, Ghost Bear¡¯s face was soaked in blood, his vision spinning. Only then did Lu Yu calmly say, ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Ghost Bear let out a faint smile before collapsing to the ground, panting heavily as he stabilised his breath. On the other side, Li Cheng opened his eyes, his gaze gleaming like stars. Chapter 39 - The Yellow Robes Become a Nightmare! Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Yellow Robes Become a Nightmare! ¡°Eyes that hold the stars¡­ Could this be the secret of the Morning Star?¡± Lu Yu watched the scene unfold, pondering the true meaning behind the concept of the Morning Star. However, the starlight within Li Cheng¡¯s eyes lasted only a fleeting moment before vanishing like a shooting star. Slowly rising to his feet, Li Cheng¡¯s gaze fell on the unconscious Ghost Bear lying on the ground. His vast experience quickly allowed him to deduce the sequence of events. ¡°This must be because that fool thought he had been betrayed and recklessly said something he shouldn¡¯t have,¡± he sighed inwardly. Upon confirming that Ghost Bear¡¯s qi and blood were merely in disarray, Li Cheng breathed a sigh of relief. Bowing deeply towards Lu Yu, his face alight with emotion, he said: ¡°Sir, you saw through the principles of the Yin-Yang Duality Path at a single glance and directly pointed out the truth of mutual generation and transformation between presence and absence, difficulty and ease. ¡°Presence and absence are opposites, as are difficulty and ease. In essence, presence leads to absence at its extreme, and vice versa. The same applies to yin and yang. Every phenomenon has its counterpart. A shift in perspective produces entirely different outcomes. ¡°Previously, I was fixated on increasing their destructive power, never considering expanding their limits and enabling mutual transformation between the two. Now, my bottleneck has shattered, my spiritual sense has ascended, and I have successfully advanced to the mid-level of the Morning Star tier. The debt I owe you is immeasurable. I am at a loss as to how I can ever repay you.¡± Could this be the cultivation system of this world? Listening to Li Cheng¡¯s explanation left Lu Yu utterly bewildered. While he was familiar with the concept of yin and yang¡ªafter all, no Chinese person would be unaware of the Taiji theory¡ªhe had no idea what an ¡°instrumental path¡± was. Was it different from a ritual? He felt like a primary school student who had wandered into a top-secret research lab, accidentally completing an experiment but not understanding a single word of what the researchers were saying. However, since he had inadvertently stumbled into this situation, he had no choice but to press on with feigned confidence. ¡°Hmm, just a small suggestion.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a suggestion like this, I¡¯d be willing to listen for a lifetime and remain by your side forever,¡± Li Cheng said with admiration, his eyes shining with reverence. To him, this was the bearing of a true expert¡ªa single offhand remark capable of breaking through a bottleneck. Staying close to such a person might even lead him to the peak of the Morning Star tier. Lu Yu grumbled inwardly. Nearby, Xu Xiaoqing and Ma Yang were trying hard to suppress their laughter, their faces flushed. Li Cheng finally realised the potential misinterpretation of his words and hastily clarified: ¡°What I mean is, if you need my assistance, I am at your service and will follow your orders without question.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Lu Yu instinctively wanted to refuse. Prolonged interaction increased the risk of exposing his identity. But as the words reached his lips, he altered them: ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± Li Cheng looked visibly disappointed upon hearing this. After all, reaching the mid-level of the Morning Star tier was no small feat, and yet, it seemed insignificant in the eyes of the other party. However, Lu Yu¡¯s next statement filled him with elation: ¡°I have something else to attend to, but there¡¯s a junior who might benefit from your guidance.¡± This response was carefully thought out. Should his true identity as someone below the Radiant Moon level be exposed, it might attract unwelcome attention. It was better to remain hidden in the shadows, serving as a deterrent while his real identity could seamlessly integrate into the world of Awakened Ones. These plans, however, would have to wait for the future. ¡°Understood! I will do my utmost to care for him!¡± Li Cheng¡¯s face flushed with excitement. Looking after a junior might seem tedious, but it symbolised a connection¡ªa privilege not afforded to just anyone. Helping the prot¨¦g¨¦ of such a powerful figure could deepen their relationship and potentially lead to further guidance. Handing over a business card, Li Cheng bowed respectfully. Lu Yu nodded and instructed his shadow servant to accept it. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lu Yu glanced at a faint light in the night sky, signalling the approach of dawn. Staying any longer would bring daylight, during which his shadow energy would be affected by sunlight. While not entirely dissipated, its cloaking ability would weaken significantly, increasing the risk of exposure. Looking at the group before him, Lu Yu said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Li Cheng and the others nodded solemnly. ¡°We bid you farewell, Senior. If your prot¨¦g¨¦ needs anything, just call the number on the card. It¡¯s my private line.¡± Beside him, Ma Yang also handed over a card, humbly adding, ¡°I¡¯m willing to offer any modest assistance I can.¡± Xu Xiaoqing earnestly said, ¡°I still owe you 99,999 spirit coins. Just one call, and I¡¯ll be there immediately!¡± Lu Yu¡¯s gaze briefly lingered on her impressive figure, but the thought quickly veered towards less appropriate territory. Shaking off these musings, he inclined his head slightly and walked out of the courtyard. Passing through the now-silent night market, under the reverent gazes of everyone present, he gradually melted into the darkness of the street, disappearing completely. Tonight was destined to be anything but peaceful. The King in Yellow was bound to become a nightmare for many. Chapter 40 - The Method of Spiritual Awakening Chapter 40: The Method of Spiritual Awakening In the dead of night, as dawn crept over the horizon, a shadow darted across the street, avoiding several surveillance cameras, and successfully entered an apartment. The door opened and then closed. Lu Yu tossed his mask and yellow trench coat onto the sofa before collapsing onto it with a sigh. ¡°Another perfect disguise! Honestly, it¡¯d be a waste if I didn¡¯t become a movie star,¡± he mused aloud. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In his hand were three business cards: Morningstar expert Li Cheng, Night Market owner Ma Yang, and the talkative girl Xu Xiaoqing. Unfortunately, Lu Yu couldn¡¯t contact any of them yet. His public identity was still that of an ordinary person, and rushing into things might expose certain issues. He needed to wait for the right moment. Still, tonight¡¯s visit to the Night Market had been fruitful. Not only had he acquired a wealth of books on awakened individuals, but he had also obtained information about a dragon egg and learned much about various magical creatures. Recalling the dragon egg, Lu Yu connected it to Li Cheng¡¯s earlier words. Apparently, someone was supplying fresh eyeballs to the Human Eye Thieves. Those traitorous humans who sold out their kind would likely choose cities close to the thieves¡¯ hideouts to keep their activities concealed. Transporting goods over longer distances would only increase their risk of exposure. Based on the Human Eye Thieves¡¯ known areas of operation, if these criminals were hunting for victims, the most likely targets would be Hang City and a few nearby towns. With this thought in mind, Lu Yu snapped his fingers. At the sound, three dark shadows coalesced in front of him. These shadowy servants, whose features were indistinct, appeared, one of them holding a stack of books, which it placed before him. Lu Yu nodded approvingly and issued an order: ¡°From now on, patrol this city. Report back immediately if you uncover any information about human trafficking or the Human Eye Thieves.¡± Without hesitation, the three shadowy servants dissolved into shadowy pools and melted into the darkness. As Lu Yu¡¯s claws in the shadows, they began scouring the city for information. ¡°Convenient, but there aren¡¯t enough of them,¡± Lu Yu remarked, satisfied with their obedience, stealth, and tireless efficiency. They were the perfect employees for a ruthless boss. ¡°It seems I¡¯ll need to find time to create the remaining seven shadow servants. Good thing I still have the contact number for the Flower and Bird Market owner¡ªhe can deliver the materials directly.¡± With these mundane matters handled, Lu Yu picked up the handwritten ¡°Awakeners¡¯ Beginner Knowledge¡± from the talkative Xu Xiaoqing and began reading. Hours passed as he immersed himself in the book. The rising sun illuminated the world, its golden rays driving away the darkness. Closing the final book, Lu Yu marvelled, ¡°So, that¡¯s how the system for awakened individuals works. They rely on cultivating their spirituality to gain power. It¡¯s somewhat like manipulating consciousness to influence reality¡­ no, that¡¯s not entirely accurate. There are also body-tempering techniques, curses, divination, blessing rituals, and various ceremonial methods. It¡¯s more akin to simultaneous cultivation of the soul and body to achieve formidable strength.¡± Awakened individuals derived their power from a force called spirituality, which existed in all things. Every person, and even every blade of grass, possessed spirituality, albeit in varying degrees. Spirituality was the synergy of the soul, body, and mind, enabling individuals to grow stronger and harness the world¡¯s forces. All humans contained spirituality, but only those who surpassed a specific threshold could become awakened. Thus, many schools employed specialised instruments to monitor students¡¯ spirituality. Regular testing ensured that anyone whose spirituality exceeded the threshold could seize the opportunity to awaken. The practice of cultivating spirituality traced back to the human forefather, who devised rituals to enhance it. He named this method the ¡°Spiritual Awakening Method¡± and used it to transcend to higher realms before selflessly spreading his teachings. Subsequently, the human race flourished, producing numerous strong individuals who hunted and expelled the monstrous beings that once preyed on humanity. This marked humanity¡¯s transformation from prey to predators. However, while the forefather¡¯s method was universally applicable, it didn¡¯t allow everyone to maximise their potential. Over time, others began refining and improving the technique. After countless generations of innovation, the ¡°Spiritual Awakening Method¡± evolved into numerous powerful systems, such as Li Cheng¡¯s ¡°Yin-Yang Duality¡±, which integrated vast knowledge, rituals, techniques, and the crucial core: ceremonial patterns. A ceremonial pattern was the heart of any secret technique, akin to a ritual¡¯s blueprint, determining whether a method could be practised. With these patterns, humanity could continually enhance its spirituality, advancing to stages like Morningstar and Luminous Moon, achieving godlike power comparable to deities and demons. Interestingly, the core of ceremonial cultivation resembled a unique system from Lu Yu¡¯s previous life: visualisation diagrams. The essence of a ceremonial pattern lay in visualising it to elevate one¡¯s spirituality, condensing it into a singular point to ascend to Morningstar. This point would then expand, its light growing until it pierced through the boundary of illusion and reality, transforming into Luminous Moon. Finally, the visualised ceremonial pattern would manifest as a shadowy projection, granting the practitioner its immense power. Yet, Lu Yu didn¡¯t possess such sophisticated secret methods. All he had was the most rudimentary version of the ¡°Spiritual Awakening Method¡±, courtesy of the talkative girl. What should he do next?