Curtain of Flesh IV

With the ring hidden, the danger of being discovered vanished, and the tension that had gripped Yuan finally eased.

Waiting time is always long, so Yuan diverted a small portion of his focus to chat with the others in the hunting party, while the vast majority of his mind remained fixed on erasing the mental imprint on the space ring.

Yuan's thoughts stirred, and he suddenly asked, "I've been busy cultivating, so I don't know much about many of the rumors on the wasteland."

"From what you all mean, the Northern Rock Race was wiped out in an instant? A power of that magnitude—even a demigod couldn't achieve that, right!"

Zong Cao, who was closest to Yuan and had previously taught him how to hunt Desolate Beasts, took over the conversation: "Not a demigod! What you Isis Race call a demigod is at best only World Rank!"

Zong Feng, one of the youths who had previously taught Yuan the Die Feng Sword Art, added, "So what if they are World Rank? The world power they possess is said to be able to create all things, or even an entire world!"

"But that still can't compare to the immortal gods of legend who possess terrifying might!" Zong Cao looked around, lowering his voice as if afraid of being overheard.

"Rumor has it that when their divine power sweeps across the land, it doesn't matter if you are World Rank or Domain Lord Rank; everyone falls in an instant, not even knowing how they died! That is how the Northern Rock Race was wiped out in an instant!"

"I heard that this is because the immortals of the Light-Deriving Snake killed all the immortal gods of the Northern Rock Race during a certain divine war."

"Without the protection of gods, it's no wonder the Northern Rock Race perished! Sigh. Tell me, Brother Yuan, doesn't the Isis Race also have immortal gods? Have you ever seen them?"

Yuan was shocked by the truth behind the extinction of the Northern Rock Race; this was a secret he would never have known while living within the Isis Race.

It would have been better not to know; he could have just lived a peaceful life.

Now that he knew, Yuan finally understood that the life of the Isis Race humans was not as stable as he had previously perceived.

Yuan shook his head helplessly and said, "I haven't seen them, not even on television. There have been some suspicious and blurry photos circulating on the Isis Race network, but no one can prove if they are real!"

Hearing that there were photos, everyone perked up. Yuan opened the smart watch on his wrist and projected one of the photos he had saved.

The angle of the image was slightly tilted. A tall warrior clad in armor, radiating golden light from his entire body, stood on a massive mountain rock with his back to the camera, holding a long spear.

As if the image had been interfered with by some strange power during the shooting, the entire picture was incredibly blurry. Yuan explained, "The photo was taken over a hundred thousand years ago."

"It is said that the photographer was only let go because they didn't capture the face of the immortal god, which allowed this photo to be passed down!"

Looking at the blurry figure in the projection, everyone couldn't help but feel a sense of fanaticism, immersed in the fervent worship of the strong and the intense ambition that they, too, might one day reach such a realm!

"It's fortunate that your Isis Race also has immortal gods. You are only suffering some oppression now; otherwise, you might have been wiped out like the Northern Rock Race!" Zong He, Zong Feng's younger sister and the other girl who taught him the Die Feng Sword Art, suddenly sighed.

She realized immediately that she might have said the wrong thing and carefully observed Yuan's reaction to her words.

Zong He had a very good impression of this enthusiastic and cheerful boy, who possessed a sense of humor different from the dull Starship Humans, and she didn't want him to have any misunderstandings about her.

At this moment, however, Yuan suddenly became expressionless. He stared at the girl, who had blue scales on her cheeks and a beauty full of exotic charm, and asked coldly, "The Light-Deriving Snake oppresses humans? Why do you say that?"

"You didn't know?" The others were a bit surprised, while Zong He breathed a sigh of relief; Yuan was not displeased by the second half of her slip of the tongue.

Zong Feng glanced at his sister, finding her reaction somewhat strange.

He then deliberated and said, "We once heard the village chief mention that the Isis Race immortals haven't appeared for many years. The Light-Deriving Snake has been oppressing the Isis Race humans in many ways to test them."

"They were even forced to give up the mining rights to the Qingsi Marrow Ore, which is the key to your Isis Race cultivation!"

As Zong Feng spoke, with occasional additions from the others, Yuan finally gained a relatively intuitive and comprehensive understanding of the historical truth behind the grievances between his race and the Light-Deriving Snake.

Yuan's expression was complex. He stopped trying to erase the mental imprint on the space ring and said, "The ordinary people of our Isis Race know almost nothing about these things. Everyone is just working hard for the lives of themselves and their families."

Thinking of those hardworking people whose life's work was ultimately contributed to a group of snakes, just so their children could break through to the Earth Rank.

The heart that had previously felt fragile and numb suddenly surged with an uncontrollable anger. It wasn't because the resources were precious, as he had originally thought, but because they were being oppressed by those green-eyed snakes!

The reaction of the Starship Humans youths was even more unexpected to Yuan; almost all of them yearned for the life Yuan had just described, even if it meant cutting off the path to becoming a powerhouse.

Zong He's pretty face was filled with longing: "How wonderful such a life would be, not having to run around every day, not living in constant fear, and being able to stay together with the one you love..."

The quieter Zong He spoke, the more embarrassed she became, and the scales on her cheeks turned a deeper blue...

The wind blew, causing the trees to sway gently, and Yuan felt a rare sense of tranquility.

For the first eighteen years, due to the pressure of his limited lifespan and his parents' expectations, he had focused solely on cultivation to reach the Earth Rank.

Recently, the Purple Crystal, which had been silent for years, suddenly had consciousness and could communicate, eventually leaving him stranded in the wilderness.

Fortunately, he met the Starship Humans who saved his life, and then he gained insight into the Light Artistic Conception, giving him the strength to protect himself in this wasteland!

"Misfortune and fortune are interdependent!" Yuan looked at the black hole in the sky as it gradually set, and suddenly, he didn't want to blame the Purple Crystal anymore.

Originally, he had thought of a bunch of snarky remarks, waiting for the Purple Crystal to wake up so he could lash out at it.

Just like the novels on the Isis Race network, now he wanted more to figure out the origin of the Purple Crystal and persuade it to become his "cheat code" on the path to becoming a powerhouse!

The boy, who had previously been content to just get by, began to think about his future for the first time!

Compared to the ordinary Isis Race members struggling at the bottom, his life was still free from worry about food and clothing.

Not to mention compared to the Starship Humans who lived in constant fear!

"I was able to comprehend the Light Artistic Conception at the Earth Rank; I already have the qualifications to enter the club of the strong! I cannot waste my talent in vain!"

Yuan made a firm resolution: "I will continue to cultivate and climb the peaks of the strong, not just to live longer, and not just to let my loved ones live a better life!"

"It is also so that the Isis Race and the Starship Humans on Dongyuan Planet will no longer be bullied by any foreign race!"

"And perhaps one day, I can walk out of Dongyuan Planet and see the vast world outside!"

Yuan's heart was suddenly filled with grand aspirations!

Yuan's state of mind underwent a strange change, and he finally possessed the foundation to become a powerhouse!

"Click~ click~" Yuan felt an invisible pressure on his spirit shatter, and in an instant, his senses became sharper and clearer.

His speed of thought also accelerated significantly. Although Yuan did not understand the change in himself, he knew it was definitely a good thing.

In reality, the strength of Yuan's consciousness had stepped into the Flying Star Rank (Star Rank) in that very moment!

The chain reaction continued; the more powerful cognitive abilities of the Flying Star Rank allowed Yuan to perceive the Light Artistic Conception more profoundly.

The urge to manipulate the outside world became stronger and uncontrollable, yet he did not want to manipulate light directly, fearing the unpredictable consequences.

Therefore, Yuan, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly drew the Tier 1 Origin Energy Weapon sword from his back amidst the surprised gasps of others and injected his Genetic Origin Energy into it.

"Kid Yuan! What are you doing! Everyone else, get away from him!" a Flying Star Rank warrior on the perimeter roared, stepping forward instead of retreating, intending to stop Yuan's inexplicable behavior.

"I'm fine, I think I've realized something, you should move away too!" Yuan said urgently. As the Genetic Origin Energy used the sword as a medium, it became uncontrollable the moment it touched the external light.

His Genetic Origin Energy began to spiral out of control, pouring into the sword like a floodgate being opened, as if it were worthless!

The light around him finally distorted completely! He vanished from everyone's sight, and the few Flying Star Rank warriors nearby finally realized: "This is? A Domain!"

A figure shot up from the tree branches; it was Yuan, clad in black armor, holding a long sword with eyes like lightning!

The area within dozens of meters was shrouded in black. Yuan had an illusion that he could control everything within this range, as if he were a god within this domain!

This black domain showed signs of expanding further, and the Genetic Origin Energy within Yuan's body began to drain away at an even faster rate.

Left with no choice, Yuan, in mid-air, struck his right hand, which held the sword, with his left palm, causing the sword to fall!

Without the weapon as a medium, the domain finally stopped expanding and vanished instantly!

The people in the distance breathed a sigh of relief. Yuan was falling through the air, but he did not panic; he stirred his Genetic Origin Energy to glide toward the spot where his sword had fallen!

The few Flying Star Rank warriors confirmed that Yuan was unharmed upon landing, merely weak from excessive consumption of Genetic Origin Energy.

As for the injuries from the fall, with his Earth Rank Tier 3 strength, he would recover quickly.

Afterward, they said loudly: "The commotion from Brother Yuan breaking through to the domain was too great. To avoid attracting too many Flying Star Rank Desolate Beasts, we must leave here quickly..."

One of the Flying Star Rank warriors carried the exhausted Yuan on his back and reminded the others: "Take Yuan's sword, and don't forget to leave a mark for the village chief!" "Understood!"

Having recovered, Yuan thanked everyone for their concern and, wanting to contemplate the domain he had just grasped, stayed by himself in a corner of the new temporary camp.

The joy of accidentally mastering a domain had not yet faded; after all, this meant he was now invincible within the Earth Rank!

Coupled with the miraculous changes in his consciousness within his sea of awareness, he was even somewhat confident that he could hold his own against a low-level Flying Star Rank warrior!

No one could have expected Yuan to step into the domain realm so quickly, and since Yuan himself did not even know how to control the domain, it had led to the blunder that just occurred!

"When the Shenghui Village chief returns, I will ask them for techniques on controlling a domain. Once I reach Earth Rank Tier 9, that will be the time for me to return home!" At this moment, Yuan no longer doubted his talent and became full of confidence!

He lowered his head, feeling the space ring hidden beneath the skin of his finger: "And then there is you. You've made me wait so long; I hope you can give me enough of a surprise!"