With a thought, Chen Yan's figure vanished like smoke, disappearing once more into the depths of the boundless universe.
Cold, deathly silent, and devoid of light.
Only the unchanging stardust drifts slowly in the void, like the ashes of countless departed souls.
Chen Yan sat down again on the cracked, desolate meteorite. His robes remained still, but a barely perceptible ripple of calamity aura emanated from his body.
The peace and tranquility of Blue Star is nothing more than a thin veil of illusion.
He knew better than anyone that now that the power of the Black Tide had manifested, it would not stop at a single test.
That eerie power capable of obliterating souls and distorting life may be lurking in some dimensional rift, quietly spreading and eroding the boundaries of reality like a plague.
Blue Star, however, was completely unprepared.
Faced with a true cataclysmic tide, the East Continent Alliance and even the entire Blue Star Civilization are as fragile as sandcastles.
"Calm is merely the calm before the storm."
Chen Yan closed his eyes, Chaos Myriad Laws Golden Core slowly rotated within his body, drawing upon the energy of the Zhou Tian Heaven and the wandering tribulation energy to intertwine into a net.
He knew that when the next Black Tide descended, it might not just be a test, but a full-scale invasion.
If he hasn't reached the Martial God realm by then, who can resist the Black Tide?
On the entire Blue Star, no one will be able to stop them.
The only way is to become stronger.
Faster, faster!
Chen Kefa returned to the Forward Base and, without a moment's delay, headed straight for the command post.
The highest-ranking person in charge of the Zero Rift Base is a Grandmaster named Zhou Ling.
According to official statistics from the East Continent Alliance, the total number of Grandmasters in the entire the Alliance is only eighty-six.
There are only nine Martial Saint among them.
This means that any Grandmaster is enough to be among the top 100 strongest individuals in the East Continent Alliance. The significance of being able to oversee a strategic location like the Rift Base is self-evident.
Chen Kefa stood outside the command room, took a deep breath, and then pushed the door open to enter.
"Report!" he shouted.
In the command room, Zhou Ling was facing away from him, looking at the densely packed map of the Zero Rift on the wall.
He was tall and imposing, with short hair standing on end like steel needles, exuding an aura of authority without anger.
Upon hearing the voice, Zhou Ling turned around and gestured for Chen Kefa to sit down.
"How is the situation?" Zhou Ling's tone was calm, yet carried an irresistible air of authority.
Chen Kefa's report was brief, but every word carried weight.
He described in detail the sudden change that befell the new team, the terrifying existence that seemed to be an eighth-tier ferocious beast, and how he risked his life to cover their retreat.
By the end, his voice had become somewhat hoarse.
"... That monster was enveloped in corpse energy, with a blue face and fangs; it was indeed Hanba. But its eyes were pure black, and its right arm was composed of black crystals, making it impervious to ordinary lightning magic. If I hadn't used special methods, this time I'm afraid..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.
After finishing his report, he stood to the side with his hands at his sides, feeling uneasy.
He personally brought in this group of new recruits.
Each of them is a seed with both talent and strength, and like him, they have a high probability of reaching the realm of Grandmaster or even Martial Saint.
This trip almost resulted in total annihilation; if the higher-ups investigate...
Fine beads of sweat appeared on Chen Kefa's forehead.
Zhou Ling listened in silence, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.
He flipped through the battle records submitted by Chen Kefa, and after a long while, he slowly spoke.
"Based on your description, that thing's characteristics closely match the top-tier mission target, ' Corpse Ancestor Hanba.' It possesses eighth-tier strength and an overwhelming aura of corpse energy..."
He paused, his brow furrowing slightly. "However, according to existing data, the Corpse Ancestor Hanba has never exhibited the mutation you described. This is worth investigating further."
Zhou Ling did not make things difficult for Chen Kefa; on the contrary, he affirmed Chen's handling of the situation.
"You've done a great job protecting these new recruits. That Corpse Ancestor Hanba was indeed troublesome, and the mutation it caused was beyond the realm of ordinary events. The Alliance won't blame you for this."
Chen Kefa breathed a slight sigh of relief, and his opinion of Grandmaster Zhou Ling rose even higher.
He knew that Zhou Ling was covering for him.
Zhou Ling filed the record, then suddenly changed the subject.
"Now that you're back, there's something I can tell you in advance."
Chen Kefa was taken aback.
" The East Continent Game will soon open a new module for Grandmaster-level and above players." Zhou Ling looked at him, a deep meaning flashing in his eyes. "At that time, not only East Continent, but also strong individuals from different regions and countries across the entire Blue Star will have the opportunity to compete on the same stage."
Chen Kefa was startled.
He naturally knew what the East Continent Game meant—it was an important platform used by the Alliance to select talent and hone combat capabilities.
Opening up modules for Grandmasters and above means...
"The final ranking will directly affect the redistribution of training resources." Zhou Ling's voice was calm and unhurried, yet every word carried immense weight.
"If you can outmaneuver your rivals and surpass those from other countries in this competition, the resources you gain will be enough to give you a significant boost."
He paused, his gaze falling on Chen Kefa.
"It's not impossible to use this as a stepping stone to become a Grandmaster."
Grandmaster...
Chen Kefa's breathing paused slightly.
That was the realm he had always dreamed of.
After retraining the National Qi Induction Technique, his foundation was more solid than before, and his combat power was also stronger.
However, there is an insurmountable chasm between Grandmasters and Great Grandmasters. Countless talented martial artists spend their entire lives stuck at this threshold, unable to make any progress.
Zhou Ling's words undoubtedly ignited a spark in his heart.
He looked up and met Zhou Ling's deep eyes, where he saw a silent expectation.
"Grandmaster... Grandmaster Zhou, are you saying I really have a chance?"
Chen Kefa clenched his fists, his voice trembling slightly.
Zhou Ling chuckled lightly:
"Opportunity favors the prepared. Your foundation is solid. Moreover, you demonstrated sufficient potential and responsibility while leading the team this time. The Alliance's leadership has high hopes for you."
"This year's East Continent Game is unlike any previous one. It's not just a selection process, but also a preview of the current situation on Blue Star. The changes deep within the Rift are increasing, and we can no longer sit idly by."
Chen Kefa understood the deeper meaning in Zhou Ling's words.
This is not just a competition, but a selection process to build up strength for future wars.
"I understand, Grandmaster Zhou." Chen Kefa stood up solemnly and gave a standard military salute. "I will do my utmost and live up to the Alliance's expectations!"
Zhou Ling nodded, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.
"Go ahead and prepare well. I'll apply for a special training program for you. During this time, besides necessary tasks, use all your other time to improve yourself. Remember, time is running out."
"Yes!" Chen Kefa turned around and strode out of the command room.
The door slowly closed behind him, shutting out Zhou Ling's deep gaze.
Chen Kefa felt full of energy, as if he had returned to his youthful days.
Grandmaster!
These three words were like a bolt of lightning, illuminating his path forward.
He took a deep breath; the air seemed to carry the smell of gunpowder.
"The special training program... looks like we'll have to tackle this tough challenge for a while."
He walked briskly towards his dormitory, already planning the upcoming training schedule in his mind.