For several days in a row,
Chen Yan's divine sense clone had been like a tireless scavenger,
diligently circling the outer edges of Grandmaster Wang Anguo's vast field of perception.
"Scavenging is fun, too!"
The Grandmaster sat firmly at the center, drawing in the purest essence. He was "eating meat."
Meanwhile, Chen Yan carefully gathered the relatively thin streams of energy drifting out from the core region. He was "drinking soup."
[Absorbed the Spirit Race's scattered spiritual essence! Mental strength +72!] [Skill "Meditation Method" proficiency +145!] [Skill "Divine Sense Differentiation" proficiency +139!]
Another day passed.
[Absorbed the Spirit Race's scattered spiritual essence! Mental strength +68!] [Skill "Meditation Method" proficiency +135!] [Skill "Divine Sense Differentiation" proficiency +131!]
The numbers on the system panel were skyrocketing at an unprecedented rate.
The proficiency that would normally have taken more than ten days of arduous cultivation to gain...
Now surged in like floodwaters bursting through a dam. The efficiency had increased more than tenfold!
"Sure enough, for warriors like us to grow stronger, opportunities are indispensable!"
"This isn't drinking soup... I'm practically guzzling it straight from the pot!"
Feeling the steady surge of fullness through his divine sense, Chen Yan was secretly delighted.
The feeling of reaping the benefits without lifting a finger was simply too wonderful.
While he was immersed in the thrill of his rapidly expanding strength,
as his divine sense continued absorbing these energy streams, it also captured and brought back some fragmented, chaotic memories.
At first,
most of these fragments were meaningless howls and killing instincts from individual members of the Spirit Race.
But as he absorbed more and more energy,
the fragments began to piece together faintly.
Suddenly, an extremely indistinct yet shocking image flashed through his mind.
It was an endless expanse of dark space.
Cold and silent, without a glimmer of light.
One enormous ship after another, each with a sinister design,
their hulls gleaming with a dim metallic sheen,
formed a fleet stretching beyond sight.
Their shapes varied. Some resembled gigantic metal beetles,
while others looked like deep-sea monsters with many legs.
But every one of them radiated destruction and plunder.
Like a silent pack of predators, this vast fleet traveled through the stars, seemingly slow but utterly relentless!
Given Chen Yan's limited experience, it looked like something straight out of a science-fiction movie.
Chen Yan's heart suddenly tightened.
That icy sense of danger instantly washed away all his joy at the gains.
The destruction of the passage on Jiang City's side might have been only the beginning.
The Spirit Race's threat to Blue Star was far from over!
It might even... have only just begun!
The discovery cast a shadow over his scavenging afterward.
But that was all.
He still couldn't afford to miss a single drop of soup!
Several days later.
The overwhelming aura above the ruins, vast as an abyss and as boundless as the sea, had finally begun to ease as its tremendous energy-devouring momentum subsided.
Grandmaster Wang Anguo slowly concluded his cultivation, and the faint spatial distortions around him vanished completely.
He rose to his full height and glanced at Chen Kefa, who had been guarding him. Then he cleared his throat, breaking the silence.
"Ahem... Come to think of it, I arrived at just the right time this time."
His tone was calm, though a trace of relief was hard to miss. "Fortunately, it was this old man who came."
"If those old fellows in the Imperial Capital learn that the Spirit Race's energy is a 'great tonic' that can temper the spirit and nourish the Ancestral Aperture, I'm afraid they'll be unable to hold back. They'll come swarming over to claim a share."
"By then, there might not even be much of these ruins left."
At his words, Chen Kefa's expression stiffened slightly, and he was dumbfounded.
So...
Even people at the Grandmaster level could be so... frank and practical when it came to looking after their own interests?
The thought surfaced before he could stop it.
His reverence for the Grandmaster vanished in an instant!
Of course, he would never dare say that aloud. The thought merely flashed through his mind.
He immediately composed himself and respectfully cupped his fists. "In any case, we owe you a great debt, Grandmaster Wang. You've eliminated a grave threat to Jiang City!"
"Everyone in Jiang City is deeply grateful!"
He paused, his face brightening with genuine delight, and added, "We should also thank you for stepping in to treat my comrade Yu Lei's mental affliction."
"I just received word from the Association. He's doing much better. He's now lucid for nearly half of each day, and he can recognize people and distinguish objects without any trouble."
Grandmaster Wang gave a casual "Mm," clearly unconcerned. "His foundation wasn't damaged. His soul was simply corroded too deeply by the turbid energy."
"If things continue this way, a period of rest and some mild medicine should be enough for him to recover completely."
Unable to hold back his curiosity, Chen Kefa asked, "Grandmaster, forgive me for speaking out of turn."
"Why was Wang Xiaoming, the Association's expert in Jiang City, unable to do anything despite studying this for days, while you were able to...?"
"It's difficult, but it's also simple."
Wang Anguo smiled faintly, interrupting him, and looked at Chen Kefa with a profound gaze. "The key is whether you've 'knocked on the Heavenly Pass' and truly developed the Ancestral Aperture in your brain."
"Spiritual wounds can't be healed through brute force or ordinary medicine."
"Only by using the 'spirit' you've refined yourself can you sense, untangle, and even cleanse the chaotic minds of others."
"If you reach this realm, you'll naturally be able to heal him."
Then Wang Anguo changed tack, his tone taking on a hint of guidance. "Besides, this isn't entirely a one-sided effort."
"If you control it properly while untangling the turbid energy in someone else's spirit, your own consciousness can be tempered as well. You'll gain finer control over your mental strength. It benefits both sides."
"Kefa, you have excellent talent and a solid foundation. There's no reason you can't reach this realm one day."
Chen Kefa was deeply moved. He quickly bowed.
"Thank you for your guidance, Grandmaster! I'll work hard and do my best to live up to your expectations!"
Wang Anguo nodded and said nothing more.
Since they hadn't brought a driver along, Wang Anguo and Chen Kefa decided to hurry back to the city on foot.
For a fifth-stage professional warrior like Chen Kefa, going all out meant moving faster than ordinary vehicles could travel through the city.
Having a driver for everyday travel was mostly a matter of comfort and appearances.
If every second counted, his own legs were the most efficient means of transportation.
Needless to say, the same was even more true of Grandmaster Wang Anguo. His title was "Floating Cloud Startling Swan"!
His signature martial art was famed for its elusive movements and lightning speed.
At that moment, he simply strolled along, precisely matching Chen Kefa's all-out sprint.
He moved with effortless grace, as if taking a leisurely walk...
A stark contrast to Chen Kefa beside him, whose blood and energy surged as he raced like the wind.
Chen Kefa didn't dare slack off for even a moment, much less make the Grandmaster slow down for him.
He could only grit his teeth,
and drive his blood and energy to the absolute limit.
He became a blurred, dark blue-gray streak, racing along the city's designated fast lanes for warriors.
Wang Anguo, meanwhile, was like a drifting cloud, like a fleeting glimpse of a startled swan.
He stayed beside Chen Kefa without ever hurrying, his bearing utterly composed.
Their speed as they raced through the city naturally drew stares from everyone along the way.
A young man riding an electric scooter felt two gusts of wind roar past him. His handlebars jerked in fright.
He barely managed to steady himself, then cursed at the receding figures. "Holy crap! Why are you going so fast in the city? Are you in a hurry to die?!"
"Have you got no sense of public safety? I'm calling the Public Security Bureau to report you for speeding!"
A slightly older passerby quickly stopped him. "Hey, buddy, don't make a scene! Didn't you get a good look? The one up front wearing the Special Investigation Team's combat uniform is Chen Kefa, the captain from our Jiang City!"
The young man froze, and his bravado immediately faded. "C-Captain Chen? Then who's the old gentleman behind him... keeping up so easily?"
The passerby squinted and tried to get a better look, then shook his head. "No idea... But anyone who can keep pace with Captain Chen that effortlessly must be a very important figure."
"Forget it. They're probably on an urgent mission. Let's not get involved."
The delivery rider stopped his electric bike and stared at the two specks that had all but vanished on the horizon in the blink of an eye. He muttered, "That speed... They're hustling harder than we do when chasing orders!"
"So this is what high-level warriors are like? They're practically humanoid mechs!"
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