Not long after the volcanic eruption, the crater was completely engulfed by the explosion's aftershocks and torrents of lava. Amid the chaos and destruction, Liu Yun used his extraordinary Psychic Power to find an unexpected shelter inside the enormous remains of the Undying Bird's mother. Though lifeless, its massive body and sturdy bones had unexpectedly formed a natural shield, protecting him from most of the impact and heat outside.
"I may not have the protagonist's destiny, but I've got the protagonist's problems. This guy shouldn't die by my hand!"
Liu Yun couldn't help complaining. He used his Psychic Power to control the Undying Bird and take flight. The shock wave from the volcanic explosion was the perfect boost, sending him hurtling into the distance.
As for Li Wei and the others who had been left behind, Liu Yun didn't know whether they were alive or dead. But the entire volcanic vent had been blasted away in the explosion, so people of flesh and blood had probably been reduced to nothing.
The shock wave was incredibly powerful. It propelled Liu Yun, riding his Undying Bird Airlines, far away at incredible speed. Meanwhile, Liu Yun had known all along that the HR Alliance's equipment had a location-tracking problem. He used his Machine Race Clone to alter the tracking data, so his location should now appear to be Yingzhou, three thousand li away.
He had completed the Undying Bird mission, but planned to take a detour. His Machine Race Clone had sent him a long list of monster materials and rare metals it needed, and he would gather them one by one before heading back to upgrade the base.
The off-road vehicle was still fine. Liu Yun lifted the branches and other camouflage off it, then drove away. He might have completed the mission, but the volcanic eruption had completely destroyed the road.
Meanwhile, in the most luxurious district of the prosperous Jiangnan Base City, lush mountains rose above a landscape of cascading waterfalls and clear lakes. It stood in stark contrast to the surrounding forest of high-rises, where every inch of land was worth a fortune. Spanning several kilometers, the area's unique scenery made it the dream home of countless wealthy people.
It ranked first in Jiangnan Base City and second in all of Huaxia Nation. This was the famous Jiangnan Landscape Residential Area, especially its villa district atop Huayao Peak.
Beneath the night sky, stars glittered above a mountaintop villa's terrace. A powerful man in a dark blue martial arts uniform sat with his eyes closed. His long hair fell over his shoulders, and his face was as stern as a stone carving. Even with his eyes shut, the biting chill and heart-pounding aura of killing around him were unmistakable. He was Li Yao, a High-level War God renowned throughout the world and known as the "Vulture."
Suddenly, a shrill alarm rang from the ordinary watch on Li Yao's wrist, shattering the night's quiet. He snapped his eyes open, lightning flashing in them. A trace of anger and alarm appeared on his impassive face as he murmured, "A-Wei..."
Li Yao quickly sent a command through his watch, trying to contact his son Li Wei's two bodyguards, but received no response. Furious and anxious, he became a blur and rushed into the spacious audiovisual room on the villa's third floor.
"Activate Martial Artist search mode!" Li Yao ordered in a deep voice.
At his command, a massive device at the edge of the audiovisual room powered up, casting a hazy light. The light converged in the center of the room to form a three-dimensional projection. An elderly man with silver hair and black clothes appeared in it. He was the specialist in charge of the search.
"Mr. Li Yao, please confirm the search range you require," the black-clad old man said respectfully.
"Determine my son Li Wei's exact coordinates, and search for every War God Level martial artist within a hundred li," Li Yao said, his voice brooking no argument.
But when he learned that there were no War God Level martial artists within a hundred li of Li Wei, Li Yao's expression changed dramatically. He knew that, given his son's bodyguards' abilities, anyone who could kill them in such a short time had to be a War God-level expert. But why had the search come up empty? The baffling result filled him with unprecedented unease.
"Search for every Advanced War General within a hundred li!" Li Yao immediately issued a new command.
But the black-clad old man told him that searching for War General-level martial artists required S-level authorization from the HR Alliance, and Li Yao didn't have the necessary clearance. That only made his anger flare hotter.
Just then, the sound of an air explosion approached from afar, and a white woman with blond hair, blue eyes, and a contorted expression rushed into the audiovisual room. She was Li Yao's wife and the younger sister of the powerful head of the Polenas Family, one of the HR Alliance's most influential families. She was Venina Polenas, a High-level War God. She had hurried over after hearing that her son had been killed, her eyes full of grief and grim determination.
"Now can you search?" Li Yao fixed his gaze on the black-clad old man in the three-dimensional projection, while the old man turned to Venina.
"Yes. You have S-level authorization. I'll devote myself to serving you..."
After that, they immediately searched for Advanced War Generals, but the search soon failed as well. There were no Advanced War Generals nearby.
They even investigated every Advanced War General who had traveled away during this period. They found only a handful, and nearly all were at the far ends of the earth, impossibly far from here.
Liu Yun in particular was wandering around Yingzhou, so the couple ruled him out first. Eliminating the right answer at the outset made the search for the killer far more difficult.
But Liu Yun had still completed the Undying Bird hunt. Even though he could alter his location data, he couldn't hide the fact that he had been here.
Meanwhile, Glinda of the HR Alliance also knew that he had War God-level strength. If the news leaked in the future, there was no guarantee people wouldn't suspect him.
After completing the Undying Bird hunt, Liu Yun didn't return to Jiangnan Base City immediately. Instead, he chose a more remote route, making his way through Yingzhou's rugged mountains to evade any possible pursuit or investigation. His figure appeared and disappeared among the dense woods, each step seeming to merge him with nature. Even the sharpest tracker would struggle to pick up his trail.
When night fell, Liu Yun found a secluded valley to use as a temporary camp. Moonlight slipped through sparse clouds and fell over a strange scene: the remains of tigers as large as hills were scattered all around. He had encountered and defeated these mutant beasts along the way, and their enormous bodies bore witness to his terrifying strength.
"Strength is always the best weapon for protecting myself and others," Liu Yun said to himself. Then he took out the list of materials sent by his Machine Race Clone and began planning his next move.
There were many ways to break the deadlock. Clearly, Liu Yun planned to improve his strength, forcefully shift the balance of power, and then face whatever challenges came his way.
Could the Planetary Stage really be that hard to break through? After confirming that the surroundings were safe, Liu Yun began processing the tiger remains. Using the high-tech tools he carried, he extracted valuable gene samples and rare materials from the carcasses. They would be crucial resources for upgrading the base and manufacturing new weapons. He also learned from each battle, continually refining his combat techniques and strategies.
As the night deepened, low roars echoed through the valley, as if even the creatures of nature were shaken by this formidable power. Liu Yun, however, seemed to be in another world. His thoughts held nothing but a longing for strength and anticipation for the future.
"One day, I'll stand at the top of this world and make all my enemies tremble." Liu Yun swore it to himself. Then he closed his eyes again and entered a deep meditative state to further consolidate and improve his strength.
Beneath the moonlight, a mysterious radiance seemed to envelop the entire valley. Liu Yun's figure gradually grew indistinct and profound in its glow, as if he would endure as long as heaven and earth and shine alongside the sun and moon.
Before you continue