The outskirts of the Ruined City.
A group of people in black robes were wandering aimlessly.
Leading them were a man and a woman, each holding a black bead, like a magic orb.
The man's expression was serious, and a curse-like aura seemed to flicker in his eyes as he muttered...
"Now we're going to take action."
"The Seventh Seat Lord has been waiting for a long time."
The woman beside him had an unusually cold expression and said, "The arrival of the Eerie Tide is just in time for our operation."
"We don't know where the Seventh Seat Master has gone."
"The Ninth Seats Lords have all arrived with their men, but how do we get into the Ruined City now?"
The man toyed with the black bead in his hand, glanced at the Ruined Pass that was not far away, and said nothing more.
The Ruined City won't let them in so easily.
Even during the current period of the Eerie Tides, the defensive forces are still very strong.
After all, it is one of the Four Great Passes of the Human Race.
It's not that easy to break through.
For a time, they could only stand with a group of people, walking endlessly through the swirling yellow sand, waiting for an opportunity to arise.
Another place was also shrouded in yellow sand.
The Ninth Seat was occupied by a man in a black trench coat.
Behind them were tens of thousands of men in black robes, but their minds seemed somewhat vacant and empty.
They are clearly all manipulated puppets.
However, the sheer number of black-robed figures standing there created an oppressive atmosphere.
Ninth Seats, with a Soul Cigarette dangling from his lips, looked into the distance and spoke.
"Fifth Seat, I didn't expect the sect leader to even send you."
"Just how important that Child of Destiny truly is, it seems only the leader knows."
"But just how strong are you?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a gray aura instantly erupted from the Ninth Seat. He looked at the Fifth Seat beside him, but he didn't say anything, and didn't even move the hem of his clothes.
Clearly, the aura he had just unleashed had no effect.
However, the man known as the Fifth Seat wore a mask that obscured his expression.
He said calmly, "Ninth Seat, I don't recommend you test me."
"You can try asking the cult leader why he arranged for me to come here."
"As for matters that you, the Ninth Seat, are not qualified to ask me."
Ninth Seat withdrew his aura, gave a cold snort, and said nothing more.
He was lost in thought.
It is clear that the place the Evil Cult is about to attack is the Ruined City.
However, at this moment, the Fifth Seat seemed to have spotted the outline of the Ruined Pass in the distance, and disappeared in a flash.
They didn't know where they were going, but Ninth Seat didn't care and continued leading the group on their way.
Fire snakes danced everywhere in the air Ruined Pass.
The sound of bullets being loaded, machinery collapsing, and machines rising never ceasing.
Gu Cheng stood above, holding a high-tech longsword, still wearing his white lab coat, which had now been dyed black.
[Lord Main Brain, a group of unidentified men in black robes are approaching the Ruined City.]
[Preliminary analysis suggests that the group of men in black robes fits the description of the Evil Cult you mentioned. Should we activate the defense system?]
Gu Cheng frowned, and after a few seconds, he said coldly, "Activate. Seal off the entire Ruined City."
[Yes, Lord Main Brain]
[Defense system is activating]
[...]
A pale blue barrier suddenly appeared above the Ruined City below, indicating that the defense system had been activated.
At this moment Yu Qingnian walked to his side, glanced at the situation below, and asked, "Gu Cheng, what happened?"
He clearly knew that the defense system was activated, which meant that the Ruined City was also in danger. After all, the Ruined City was only safe if the Ruined Pass collapsed.
The Ruined Pass is not in much danger now.
Therefore, the source of the crisis can only be Ruined City.
As for what it was, Yu Qingnian had no idea.
Gu Cheng frowned and said...
"The Evil Cult has arrived; they're not far outside the city."
"But it seems they came prepared. What do they want from here?"
"These Evil Cult organizations shouldn't be staying inland. Did they come to this godforsaken border region to try and break through the border?"
"This is not beneficial to them, it's only harmful."
For a moment, Gu Cheng couldn't figure out what these Evil Cult organizations were trying to do.
Yu Qingnian, standing beside him, only hesitated for a few seconds before speaking up, "The arrival of the Evil Cult has made the war here even more chaotic."
"Since you're staying here, I'll go and defend the city."
"Neither the pass nor the city can be breached."
Gu Cheng nodded slightly, looked at the Eerie Monsters that were still charging forward relentlessly, and asked, "Should you release your students?"
"The time is almost up. Any longer... I'm afraid... your trainees will die in the Slaughter Arena."
Yu Qingnian hesitated for a moment.
"It's alright, let them hold out for another half a quarter of an hour before releasing them."
"This war was also a test for them."
Gu Cheng's lips twitched; even the attacks of the Eerie Tide had become a training ground for his students.
I have no idea how his students managed to survive for so long under his watch.
Seemingly recalling something from the past, Gu Cheng's lips suddenly curled up slightly as he looked at the departing Yu Qingnian and murmured, "Indeed, he really is as the captain said, unsuitable to be Sequence Master."
"But before I knew it, a long time had passed."
"We've all gone down the same old path, so be it... so be it, it's more comfortable to stay with these Eerie Monsters."
In the Slaughter Arena.
The battle has been going on for some time.
The trainees were exhausted; the constant influx of Eerie Monsters left them no time to rest.
If it weren't for the two weeks of preparation they had spent there, their strength and teamwork would have improved considerably, and they would have known the weaknesses of these Eerie Monsters.
Otherwise, they would have given up long ago.
The robots, however, were well protected by them, with only a few lost.
After all, these robots are one of their weapons.
In the Slaughter Arena, Li Chen continued his slaughter among the Eerie Monsters without stopping.
These Eerie Monsters were not frightening to him; they would even shatter with the slightest touch.
As for being tired? He wasn't tired at all.
The mental energy was still being used, constantly being replenished through the absorption of other abilities.
The so-called "infinite blue" isn't just hype.
Li Chen glanced at the mountain of Eerie Monsters corpses piled up at his feet and pursed his lips.
He wanted to absorb the Forbidden Substances within these weak Eerie Monsters, but the quantity was too enormous.
Even if you use your abilities to absorb them one by one, it would take a very long time, and it wouldn't have much effect on improving your body.
"A body at the Withered Sea Realm must absorb an unknown amount of Forbidden Substances."
"But why do those Eerie Monsters possess such powerful physical bodies despite having only a trace of Forbidden Substance within them?"
Is it because I am "human" and they are "ghosts"?
For a moment Li Chen stood above, lost in thought.
Today, he was thinking about more and more questions, and he felt more and more uneasy. He became curious about those Eerie Monsters and mysterious things.
This isn't just about knowing the origins of these Eerie Monsters; it's about investigating the source of this Forbidden Substance.
The masked man had told him in the strange space that the world had become what it is today because of this Forbidden Substance.
This strange world seemed increasingly different to Li Chen, but he couldn't explain why.
It felt like I was doing a math problem, but the answer to that problem was always wrong.