Time flowed swiftly. After the World Conference concluded, within days, Donghuang's third colossal base city, 'Jiangnan Base City,' illuminated the dawn, marking its official establishment.
Thus, three of the planned five major base cities were now in existence, with the remaining two entering their later stages of development. The small defensive perimeter was within sight.
However, on the other hand, no positive news had yet arrived from Yiyue Luxi's side. It seemed that to maximize the effect of the 'Longevity Fruit,' Yiyue Luxi's grandmother was conducting research, preparing to pair it with auxiliary concoctions and treasures.
To be honest, Fang You himself couldn't quite ascertain how many years Yiyue Luxi's grandmother could extend her life.
He could only guarantee that the 'Longevity Fruit' was free of issues and its effects were real. But if a person was already critically ill, how much would the effectiveness be compromised? That was hard to say.
He hadn't used it himself, nor did he have any test subjects.
"It should be fine. To ensure a resounding success, I've also thrown in a small amount of Water of Life. Just be patient."
He was just a bit impatient.
But for the Great Oasis, no, for most people, even ordinary individuals, a few days were an incredibly short span. What could be accomplished in such a time? A quick nap, a bit of dawdling, and a few days would pass, only for one to realize that work and assignments were still untouched.
Because the time was so brief, the other Great Oases were the same; no news had come in.
Well, only from Metisa's side was there confirmation that they were preparing to depart, finally.
As for 'Xinhuo's number one powerhouse,' Xidina, she was still walking and walking within the Ghost Realm. Mentor Fang could only provide her with some living supplies and nothing more.
Fortunately, Xidina, having stepped into the Mythical tier, already possessed a body that transcended the mortal realm. She didn't need to eat or sleep. In short, all her bodily functions were unnecessary.
Mythical tier beings not needing to defecate was indeed a blessing.
Fang You also looked forward to it.
And it was precisely because Xidina required almost no rest, and even when she did, she could maintain a certain level of vigilance, that she possessed the ability to traverse the Ghost Realm alone. Otherwise, even someone at the Six Senses level would collapse within days.
The Ghost Realm was not a place for normal people to travel for extended periods!
Er, perhaps not necessarily.
A proper Six Senses individual couldn't manage it; their stamina would falter. But if An Jianyou were to travel alone, it seemed like it wouldn't be an issue. When she wanted to rest or sleep, she could simply deploy a few Cataclysm-level or Hell-level malevolent spirits, or directly enter her Netherworld Domain.
Perfectly safe.
...
In the guest house of the Xinhuo Training Camp, Shui Ze Base City.
The honored guest, Yiyue Luxi, resided here. Fang You also met this young lady for a meal, engaging in discussions. For the most part, An Jianyou was the one hosting her, as she had a good relationship with Yiyue Luxi. However, while Yiyue Luxi could spend her days feasting and drinking, An Jianyou didn't have that much leisure time.
After a few days of brief leave, An Jianyou was ready to reclaim her title as Xinhuo's number one worker.
However, before resuming work, she had an experiment to conduct.
Thinking about it, it was a rather thrilling experiment.
"Mentor, I'm ready."
In a certain eastern region of Europe, after exiting the passage from Torch Town, An Jianyou boarded the Hundred-Eyed Flying Fish and flew at full speed, arriving here.
The environment here was the same as in most areas of the Blue Star.
The sky was shrouded in dark clouds, with wisps of gray fog drifting about, refusing to dissipate. The trees in the forest appeared somewhat withered, and the occasional buildings encountered exuded an aura of decay. Looking around, not a soul could be seen.
Withered! Lifeless!
Only the remains of malevolent spirits, dissolving into smoke, were visible, along with a white-robed figure standing amidst the carcasses of these spirits, seemingly detached from the world.
"Mentor~"
An Jianyou leaped off the Hundred-Eyed Flying Fish, recalled the creature, and ran forward.
Seeing her mentor nod, she then spread out her Netherworld Domain. The ink-like domain expanded in circles, and in a blink, the two of them 'fell' one layer down, entering the shallow levels of the Ghost Realm.
Here, according to reliable clues, and based on An Jianyou's observations using her 'Netherworld Eye' some time ago, they had finally located a terrifying malevolent spirit that surpassed Cataclysm-level!
It was approximately in this vicinity!
Carrying the Bright Light Lantern, Fang You dared not be careless, traversing the dense gray fog with An Jianyou.
After a while, finding it too slow, he mounted the Hundred-Eyed Flying Fish and traversed at lightning speed. Both pairs of eyes constantly scanned the gray fog, their old eyes growing weary.
Yet, even so, they couldn't guarantee finding that surpass-Cataclysm-level malevolent spirit.
It moved! The environment of the Ghost Realm was also unpredictable. If it weren't for this being only the shallow layer, and An Jianyou's backdoor for immediate return to the Blue Star, he wouldn't be running around so haphazardly.
However...
"Found it!"
Huh? Found it already!
Fang You, who had mentally prepared for searching for a day and a night, eating and sleeping on the Hundred-Eyed Flying Fish, was suddenly taken aback.
He turned his head to see An Jianyou's eyes shimmering with a faint blue light, looking in a certain direction.
He followed her gaze. In his field of vision, there was only gray fog. He could only vaguely see a not-too-distant mountain peak; anything further was completely hidden in the gray fog.
But if he couldn't see it, it didn't mean An Jianyou couldn't.
The Netherworld Eye proved immensely useful at this moment.
"Let's chase!"
"Alright, Mentor, hold on tight~"
An Jianyou steered the flying fish, the dense gray fog and the scenery hidden within it blurring past them.
Not long after,
Noises reached their ears, and the gray fog before them surged, with gusts of wind lashing against them.
Mountains roared, seas collapsed, and the heavens and earth twisted.
In the distance, amidst the gray fog, a colossal, indescribable shadow loomed.
It floated in the high sky, like an unspeakable cosmic behemoth. A mountain hundreds of meters tall still appeared minuscule beneath it.
Its form was slender, with what appeared to be tentacles, much like the two antennae on a cockroach's head, constantly swaying. Anything they swept across would result in the collapse of heaven and earth.
"This is… a malevolent spirit beyond Cataclysm-level?"
"An Apocalypse-level malevolent spirit!"
"As expected…"
"So ugly!"
An Jianyou was a connoisseur of aesthetics. Even when commanding malevolent spirits, she tried to choose those that weren't too hideous. The Furnace Golem, the Laughing Puppet, the Faceless Dancer – these were all somewhat acceptable to her standards.
But this massive lump before her…
She rubbed her eyes, feeling soiled. "Wuwuwu."
Yet, she understood that Apocalypse-level malevolent spirits were not easily found. Locating this one was already quite a challenge. There was no choice; they had to fight.
Before the Apocalypse-level malevolent spirit, the two of them were infinitesimally small, even smaller than ants. They hadn't even attracted the attention of this casually wandering colossal entity.
Only the sanity-assaulting impact, like waves crashing against them, was unbearable. Even if they could resist it, it felt as though dozens of naked men were dancing before them, or as if they were submerged in a dung heap – a revolting and nauseating experience.
Fortunately, the almighty An Jianyou was there.
As Sister An's Netherworld Domain enveloped them, the wind stopped, the rain ceased, and the surging waves of impact dissipated into nothingness.
Seated on the Hundred-Eyed Flying Fish, An Jianyou began to activate her 'Meditation' skill!
She sat cross-legged, her palms, soles, and the Baihui acupoint pointing towards the heavens. Her entire body levitated slightly, and a deep blue radiance diffused outwards.
Meditation was a skill that could temporarily enhance one's mental power.
An Jianyou was the first to learn it within Xinhuo.
After she cultivated it to the Expert level, Fang You immediately borrowed the seeds and distributed them to Yiluo Xi and others for exchange. He himself used one. However, for the past period, all his energy (cultivation cards) had been devoted to the Epic skill 'Furnace Tempering.' Mentor Fang's Meditation was only at the Proficient level.
Slow operation, short duration, low enhancement.
But it didn't matter.
Immediately, he copied An Jianyou's Expert-level, nearly Master-level Meditation and began to meditate as well.
After a while, both of them finished.
The plan to capture an Apocalypse-level malevolent spirit officially began.
...
For this plan, An Jianyou had prepared extensively.
Not only had she cultivated the 'Meditation' skill, but she had also 'released' many malevolent spirits, freeing up sufficient 'contract slots.' Currently, she only had one Cataclysm-level malevolent spirit left.
This was the software. She had also added external hardware – the Legendary-level Ghost Artifact, the 'Senluo Mask.'
It possessed the essential ability of a Legendary-level Ghost Artifact: powerful two-dimensional amplification!
An Jianyou did not wear it on her face but hung it diagonally on top of her head.
She was fully prepared.
Boom!
The Furnace Golem landed.
As soon as this enormous Cataclysm-level malevolent spirit appeared, it attracted the attention of the indescribable colossal entity before them.
A tentacle ripped through space and swept towards them.
Crack!
A fissure appeared on the Furnace Golem's body. The Furnace Golem, renowned for its defense, was immediately injured. However, the indescribable colossal entity seemed unsatisfied and opened its mouth, spewing boundless black mist that corroded the surrounding world.
Mountains melted in an instant.
Vegetation withered instantaneously and continued to spread outwards, extending for miles, tens of miles, hundreds of miles!
In the blink of an eye, the surroundings had turned into a dead land.
The Furnace Golem's solid rock armor, within the black mist, also melted and peeled off like candle wax.
If it continued, it wouldn't last ten seconds.
Fang You made his move.
His attack was earth-shattering. A colossal palm of lightning continuously grew, growing larger and larger, from several meters to tens of meters, then hundreds of meters.
The Lightning Palm Seal lunged towards the indescribable colossal entity.
Bang—
The lightning dispersed. The indescribable colossal entity swayed slightly, and the black mist in the sky and on the earth was somewhat dispelled.
Then, it was gone.
The colossal entity's terrifying eyes looked over.
An Jianyou's confused gaze met his.
Mentor Fang's old face flushed slightly. "Ahem, just testing the data of an Apocalypse-level malevolent spirit."
An Jianyou understood and nodded. "So that's how it is. As expected of Mentor, your consideration is always thorough."
To be fair, Fang You hadn't used his full strength.
But it had still attracted the attention of the indescribable colossal entity. In a moment, its abdomen opened, and countless dark shadows flew out, buzzing – they were flying malevolent spirits.
There were three-star, four-star, and five-star levels.
Innumerable.
They surged forward like a black tide.
No major problem.
The Furnace Golem was drawing the main fire, and An Jianyou was continuously healing it while controlling the Hundred-Eyed Flying Fish to maneuver.
Mentor Fang began his second attempt.
After the Lightning Palm Seal swept away a circle of minor enemies, he extended a finger. At its tip, lightning flickered, and a lightning pellet the size of a coin shot out like an electromagnetic projectile.
Puchi—
The indescribable colossal entity bled.
But not completely.
Mentor Fang wore a serious expression and nodded slightly. "Let's begin our third attempt."
Not long before, even before the battle commenced, Fang You had been secretly gathering Faith Power. The Faith Power from the Xinhuo Apostles, the Faith Power from the European region.
They converged like a torrent.
The formless and intangible Faith Power, visible only to himself, burned like firewood, which was then fed into the 'Furnace Tempering · Quenching Lightning Pellet.'
He formed a sword with his fingers and swung it sharply.
"Go!"
The lightning pellet distorted space and, in a fraction of an instant, pierced through the indescribable colossal entity.
It unleashed roars like mountains collapsing.
The colossal entity bled, and the world cracked.
Its cold and terrifying eyes stared intently, as if ten million high-pitched speakers were roaring.
But it wasn't enough!
Fang You held the Brilliant Scepter, a golden halo radiating from his body. The secret realm on the Blue Star transmitted an intangible force, extending all the way to the shallow levels of the Ghost Realm, this special stratum born from the Blue Star.
Brilliant Domain · Secret Realm Power · Faith Fire · Quenching Lightning Pellet Invincible Strike.
"Go!"
Cracks appeared in space, and the heavens and earth trembled. The gray mist rippled outwards in circles, and the indescribable colossal entity let out a mournful roar.
Now!
"Youyou!"
An Jianyou's eyes widened, bright blue light piercing through. The hair on her head billowed in the wind. She extended her hands, palms facing the distant indescribable colossal entity, and clenched them slightly.
Hum—!!!
Ripples continued to form.
A massive vortex materialized in the heavens and earth. The pierced indescribable colossal entity struggled incessantly.
Ten seconds,
Twenty seconds,
Thirty seconds,
The roaring fog tide of earth-shattering calamity surged, and An Jianyou gritted her teeth, her eyes streaked with blood.
Suddenly,
Zheng—!
It was as if a guitar string had snapped. An Jianyou slumped down softly, and Fang You caught her.
"Mentor... I'm sorry... I failed."
"Just... a little bit short."
Her eyes dimmed.
It was both a backlash and disappointment.
After breaking free from the restraint, the indescribable colossal entity in the distance became even more ferocious and terrifying.
Fang You watched, making no move, his gaze icy.
"Qian Hong."
A giant hole tore open in the gray, overcast sky. A red figure descended from the heavens, bringing a righteous, crushing blow!
Boom—!!!
The indescribable colossal entity plummeted straight down, the earth shaking and cracking, surrounding mountains collapsing inch by inch, and spatial fissures spreading like a spiderweb.
Blood enveloped Qian Hong's body. It was like a god of blood, unleashing a god-slaying blow amidst the fury.
After a while,
The shattered space slowly healed.
The wreckage of the indescribable colossal entity lay sprawled across the land, like a mountain range.
One object separated from its remains, suspended between heaven and earth, emitting a halo. It was golden divine radiance.