A Trip to Jiangnan

After spending a few days in Kyoto Base City and catching up with some old friends, Ji Yun flew straight out of the city.

Ji Yun first visited Lu Xiangsheng at Jinmen War Base. When they met again, the white in the major general's hair was gone, and he looked quite robust. The Jinnan Military Region hadn't faced any major monster hordes in the past six months. At most, a few Lord Monsters had led attacks, and none of them had been high-level Lords.

As a senior military officer, Lu Xiangsheng naturally knew that Ji Yun had become a Councilor-level powerhouse. After informing the commander, he naturally didn't dare neglect him.

Ji Yun took the opportunity to challenge the King Rank Monster in Bohai Bay.

The King Rank Monster in Bohai Bay was equivalent to a second-level Planetary-level human Martial Artist. Its strength was about that of a capable Councilor, but in the sea, it could easily fight a third-level Planetary-level Martial Artist.

"Councilor, you mean you're going to look for that King Rank Monster?" The military region commander was shocked when he heard what Ji Yun meant.

"Years ago, that King Rank Monster attacked War Base and retreated after a fierce battle with Councilor Jia Yi. Although Councilor Jia Yi had the monster on the back foot, you've only just broken through. Isn't that too dangerous?"

It was no wonder he said that. Every Councilor was one of humanity's foremost forces against the monsters, and losing even one would be a tremendous blow.

"Don't worry. I'm confident I can get out unharmed."

Martial Artists who possessed a Domain at the Planetary Level were known as invincible at that level. Although Ji Yun was only at the first level of the Planetary Level, ordinary Martial Artists at the fourth or fifth level were no match for him. Only Thor and Hong could suppress him.

Hong and Thor were even stronger than the two Beast Emperors. They simply couldn't kill them because they were underwater.

"But..." The commander still wanted to insist.

"It's only an ordinary King Rank Monster," Ji Yun said. Then he flew straight out of War Base. His dark cyan robe transformed into a black Combat Suit, and he gripped a dark cyan spear with a streak of blood-red at its tip.

"He's flying! He really is a Councilor-level powerhouse!"

The senior officers in the military region sighed in amazement. They had already heard the news, but seeing it with their own eyes was something else. A Councilor-level powerhouse who was only nineteen was still almost unbelievable.

The vast sea shimmered beneath the morning sun, whose rays had dispelled the mist and left the view remarkably clear.

The wind flowed through the water and air, guiding Ji Yun toward the King Rank Monster.

Flying monsters kept attacking him, but before they could get close, the wind shredded them into pieces. Their corpses fell across the sea, drawing a large number of monsters.

"According to the military region's records, this is a King Rank Mountain-Quaking Whale, a major overlord of the coastal waters." A few minutes later, after flying recklessly at full speed, Ji Yun reached the monster's vicinity.

"This should be the place." Ji Yun slowly descended through the air until he was only a few dozen meters above the sea. At that height, the Mountain-Quaking Whale couldn't catch him by surprise, and he could still spot it as soon as it appeared.

Before long,

"Roar!"

A roar that seemed ready to burst his eardrums rang out from the sea. The surface suddenly churned violently. In an instant, a whale with a sharp horn on its head shot up from beneath Ji Yun, as if it meant to swallow him whole.

"Whoosh!"

Ji Yun had been ready. While the whale was still underwater, he had already gained altitude and flown into the sky.

Its attack had missed. The whale's hundred-meter-long body floated on the water, its enormous eyes fixed on Ji Yun with murderous intent. It couldn't forget how, years ago, it had led monsters in an attack on land and been gravely wounded by a human powerhouse, forcing it to flee deep into the ocean to recover. The injury had delayed its advancement.

This human looked young, but he could fly, and he seemed fairly strong.

Still, he was so young that he couldn't possibly be very powerful. King Rank Monsters had intelligence on par with humans. In fact, once they reached the Planetary Level, all animals—except plant-based life-forms—developed good intelligence.

The whale stared at Ji Yun for a while, then suddenly spouted a column of water before diving beneath the waves.

Ji Yun's gaze turned cold. "Then I'll come down there."

He plunged downward at high speed and released his Domain, spearpoint aimed at the sea. A spiraling tornado formed within a hundred meters of him, and he shot straight into the water. The seawater began to spin as well, quickly forming an oceanic vortex that roiled across the surrounding thousand meters.

The vortex would reach Kyoto Base City within a few hours.

"Boom!"

Ji Yun's Domain enveloped the whale.

"It's just a monster below the third level of the Planetary Level!" Ji Yun's gaze turned murderous as he attacked the whale head-on!

Several hours later, a figure burst out of the water. His black Combat Suit transformed back into a dark cyan robe.

The water did place severe restrictions on human Martial Artists. On top of that, Ji Yun wasn't yet skilled at using his Domain, and the Mountain-Quaking Whale had managed to escape.

"The Wind Domain should excel at speed. Why did I focus only on cutting and killing?" Ji Yun regretted his mistake. He could have killed the whale by restraining it with his Domain, but he had overlooked that. Combined with the whale's special abilities, that had allowed it to get away.

"Still, even though I didn't gain any materials this time, I've become more proficient in using my Domain." Before, Ji Yun had only known how to use his Domain to clash with his opponents. Now he could use it skillfully in battle, including controlling it precisely within its range.

"It's getting late. I should head to Jiangnan Base City." Ji Yun glanced at his electronic watch, turned, and flew inland.

A day spent taking in Jiangnan's sights could be worth many ordinary days.

With the speed of modern trains, the journey could take a day or more. Ji Yun, a Councilor-level powerhouse, could do it much faster.

Along the way, he passed many desolate cities and saw plenty.

These ruined, deserted cities were known to Martial Artists as Wilderness Zones. But Ji Yun knew that just decades ago, these places had been bustling with people.

With his access privileges upgraded, he could watch a lot of audiovisual materials, including footage from before the Great Nirvana. It was easy for Ji Yun to see the glorious Huaxia of that era, a world far beyond what people could experience now, huddled within Base Cities.

Besides, the monsters weren't humanity's greatest enemy anymore. The greater threat came from the mysterious and powerful Cosmic Humans. Who knew when this beautiful but weak native planet would be discovered? Perhaps it would be found by a Universe Country and Earth would be able to join the universe peacefully. But it was far more likely to be found by some bandits.

Ji Yun was like a gust of wind, gliding high overhead as he slowly took in the sights along the river that ran from north to south.

According to ancient history, it was a man-made canal.

As he went on, some of the larger cities still had rows of towering buildings. Through their windows, he could even see human remains. Their flesh had long since become food for the monsters, and their bones were broken and scattered.

The journey was more than a thousand kilometers. If Ji Yun flew at full speed, he could reach Jiangnan Base City in just over twenty minutes. But because he deliberately stopped along the way, the trip took two or three hours.

Jiangnan Base City had its own security system. If Ji Yun simply flew in without permission, it would identify him as a threat, and he might even be shot down.

Ji Yun found a Supply Base and took a train to Jiangnan Base City.

Stories of Luo Feng's month of frenzied training still circulated at the Supply Base. In just over a month, he had killed more than a hundred thousand high-level Beast Soldiers. The value of the kills wasn't especially high, but the sheer number was staggering.

Jiangnan Base City.

Ji Yun first visited the HR Alliance and the nearby shopping mall. He'd never realized before that the HR Alliance sold accessories, too.

Ji Yun bought an expensive Jade Bracelet at the nearby mall. Most accessories had been made before the Great Nirvana. These rare, out-of-production items were hard to find, and he'd had to contact a manager at the HR Alliance to get his hands on one.

It was already late August, and the universities were gradually reopening. Luo Yue naturally had to get ready for classes, too.

In an upscale residential complex near Jiangnan University.

Each apartment in the complex was two or three hundred square meters, with one apartment per floor, and the buildings were only four stories tall. Because it was close to the university, the prices were even higher than those of some villas.

Ji Yun jumped over the back wall into the complex and found the apartment registered under his name.

"Ding-dong!"

Ji Yun pressed the doorbell and tucked the box into his pocket.

"Who is it? Who is it?"

Hearing the familiar voice from inside, Ji Yun couldn't help smiling.

"Who else would it be?" Ji Yun replied with a smile.

Luo Yue opened the door and looked at Ji Yun in delighted surprise.

"Brother Yun!"

She threw her arms around him and clung to him, as if she had no intention of letting go.

"All right, all right. Let's go inside." Ji Yun smiled as he held Luo Yue, closed the door, and led her into the apartment.

"You've been living here alone for so long, Xiao Yue. Don't you feel lonely? Haven't you found anyone to keep you company?" Ji Yun looked around the apartment curiously. It did feel rather empty.

"Remember Senior Xu, the one I told you about? She stayed with me for a few days, but then she went to help her family with their business. I've been living alone this past month," Luo Yue said with a grin. "It's been a good thing, though. I've learned a lot this month, especially how to cook. I'm really good at it now!"

"Oh, really?" Ji Yun sat on the sofa with Luo Yue in his arms, their eyes meeting.

Before long, Luo Yue burst into laughter.

"Would I lie to you?"

"Haha."

Ji Yun suddenly took a box from his clothes. It was made of sandalwood and gave off a faint fragrance.

"Xiao Yue, open it and take a look." Ji Yun nodded toward the box.

"What is it?" Luo Yue asked curiously as she took it and gently opened it. A string of beads rested inside, set against luminous paper.

It was a Jade Bracelet with a glossy sheen.

"Pretty, isn't it?" Ji Yun took Luo Yue's hand and put it on her himself.

"This was made by a top master before the Great Nirvana. I had to find a collector to get it."

"It really is beautiful."

After they chatted for a while, Luo Yue suddenly asked seriously, "Brother Yun, how long are you planning to stay?"

"I should stay until you graduate," Ji Yun said, tilting his head as he thought it over. "Unless there's some special adventure, I probably won't leave. Besides, Earth is so small. No matter where I am, I can get back quickly."

"That's wonderful." Luo Yue suddenly kissed him. "Ever since you first went into the Wilderness Zone, I've been so worried about you."

"The Wilderness Zone can't threaten me anymore." Ji Yun smiled gently, reassuring her.

"You're amazing!"

"Brother Yun, let me teach you how to cook!"

"Sure." Ji Yun smiled and stroked Luo Yue's hair.

"Then let's go buy ingredients!" Luo Yue waved her hand.