Cooperation?

Zhou Zheng relied on the wide-range detection provided by the Proto Micro-particle True Meaning, along with the intelligence Feng Zhuhong and Mo Zitong had given him, to repeatedly strike at the Transcendentals scattered throughout this small Transcendent World. In just over two hours, three Transcendental squads had fallen to his hands.

However, walls had ears.

The first two Transcendental squads had reacted a beat too slowly and failed to spread the news, but the final squad had informed the others about Zhou Zheng before they fell.

For a time, the remaining Transcendental squads all became vigilant.

Whoosh!

Zhou Zheng sped through the air.

Suddenly, Zhou Zheng frowned and came to an abrupt stop.

Not far ahead of him, a Transcendental had appeared at some unknown moment, clad in a black robe with a black mask covering his nose and mouth.

This person had appeared so close to Zhou Zheng, yet he had not noticed his existence beforehand.

"..."

Zhou Zheng pondered briefly, then immediately understood. This was probably the Transcendental who had mastered the Third-grade True Meaning, Shadow Space.

The Proto Micro-particle True Meaning alone could not probe inside Shadow Space, so Zhou Zheng naturally could not detect this person's approach.

However, Zhou Zheng was not particularly worried at this point.

This person had previously been suppressed by Shockwave. Shadow Space was most likely only at the first tier, with only a small possibility of being at the second tier. Reaching the third tier was simply impossible.

If this were a Transcendental with a third-tier Third-grade True Meaning, Zhou Zheng would have been somewhat wary before mastering a complete Second-grade True Meaning. But first and second tier were nothing much. He now possessed two Second-grade Proto True Meanings and was exceptionally strong in every aspect. Naturally, he did not take a first- or second-tier Shadow Space seriously.

Of course, Zhou Zheng felt that he probably could not do anything to this person either.

Shadow Space was an extremely specialized True Meaning. It possessed virtually no offensive power, but its ability to preserve one's life was first-rate.

Once someone who mastered it hid within Shadow Space, any Transcendental without a means of attacking Shadow Space could only stare helplessly.

To attack Shadow Space, one either needed sufficient power or mastery of the corresponding mysteries.

Zhou Zheng clearly lacked the power. Of the True Meanings he had mastered, only Time Deceleration could affect Shadow Space, but Time Deceleration itself had no offensive capability. Therefore, unless the other party voluntarily exposed a weakness, Zhou Zheng felt that he could not deal with him.

"Are you the Lightning Swordsman?" the Transcendental suddenly asked.

"Hm?"

Zhou Zheng was slightly startled, then understood. Wu Jiuxin must have taken news of him outside.

However, the news had probably not spread very far. The first few groups of Transcendentals he had dealt with had clearly not recognized him.

"That's me!"

Zhou Zheng nodded.

"Why are you attacking other Transcendentals?" the black-robed figure asked again.

"You came looking for me just to ask that?" Zhou Zheng immediately lost any interest in wasting time and raised a hand.

Whoosh!

The flow of time throughout a vast area instantly slowed, and Zhou Zheng vanished from where he stood in an instant.

Zhou Zheng was incredibly fast, closing in on the man almost immediately.

The other party was clearly startled as well. Without hesitation, he willed it, and his entire body swiftly disappeared.

Whoosh!

Zhou Zheng struck down with his palm, but hit only an afterimage.

"Shadow Space."

Zhou Zheng carefully sensed through countless Micro-particles and found that he could barely detect the existence of another space. His mastery of the Micro-particle True Meaning was still too low; after all, this was only a prototype.

"Hmph!"

Zhou Zheng did not want to waste time tangling with this person. He directly transformed into Wind Thunder and swiftly departed.

He asked why I was attacking other Transcendentals. It seems what I've been doing has been exposed. As long as the other Transcendentals aren't idiots, they'll be on guard now. It looks like it'll be difficult to succeed with another sneak attack! Zhou Zheng thought.

But he was not worried. The Special Lifeform Corpses thrown out by those Transcendental natives probably had not yet been completely scavenged. He could call Feng Zhuhong and Mo Zitong again and continue searching for the Special Lifeform Corpses that had yet to be found.

In any case, there was still nearly half a day left. He still had plenty he could do.

However, as Zhou Zheng was thinking, he suddenly detected something strange through the Micro-particles behind him.

"You still dare to make a move?"

Zhou Zheng was slightly startled. He truly could not do anything to this person while he hid in Shadow Space, but if he dared to emerge—especially this close to Zhou Zheng—he was courting death!

Those who mastered the Shadow Space True Meaning were indeed natural-born assassins. They could silently approach others before launching a surprise attack.

But that depended on whom they were ambushing.

Zhou Zheng possessed the Proto Micro-particle True Meaning. Not even the slightest fluctuation of a Micro-particle could escape him. Once this person emerged from Shadow Space, he would inevitably disturb the Micro-particles, and Zhou Zheng would naturally know at once.

Of course, this person could not possibly know that Zhou Zheng had mastered the Proto Micro-particle True Meaning. It was understandable that he was being so stubborn now.

Whoosh!

A hand suddenly extended from behind Zhou Zheng and shot toward his back.

Zhou Zheng pretended not to notice. After most of the hand and arm had emerged, he suddenly willed it, and time in the surroundings immediately slowed twentyfold.

The hand hurriedly tried to retract, but under Time Deceleration, it was far too slow.

Swish!

Zhou Zheng turned and struck out with his palm.

Bang!

As Zhou Zheng's palm descended, invisible destructive force instantly entered the arm and swiftly spread through it toward the person's entire body.

But in the next moment, a flash of cold light streaked through that space, and the arm was instantly severed and flung away.

The person hiding inside Shadow Space had actually taken the initiative to cut off his own arm.

"Decisive," Zhou Zheng thought in surprise.

To a Transcendental, an arm was nothing.

A Transcendental who had mastered an Immortal Body could regenerate a severed limb in the blink of an eye. Even those without an Immortal Body had countless methods of regrowing a severed limb.

After breaking through to become a Transcendental, the very essence of one's life changed. One could transform in countless ways at will. One arm truly meant nothing.

Of course, Zhou Zheng's mastery of the Micro-particle True Meaning was still insufficient. Otherwise, once he had struck the other party, there would have been no time to discard the arm.

Zhou Zheng did not do anything else. He continued transforming into Wind Thunder and swiftly left the area.

However, before Zhou Zheng had flown very far, the black-robed figure appeared before him once more in the distance.

"Have you made up your mind to annoy me to the bitter end?"

Zhou Zheng frowned slightly. Was this person planning to stick to him like a leech?

"Lightning Swordsman, you truly are strong. I think perhaps we can cooperate," the black-robed figure said.

"Cooperate?"

Zhou Zheng was slightly surprised, but a hint of interest soon appeared on his face. He asked directly, "How do you propose we cooperate?"

"You should be a Transcendental of the Temporal Temple. Your mission here is for the Special Lifeform Corpses. Am I correct?" the man asked.

"Correct!"

Zhou Zheng nodded slightly. The Temporal Temple was not an absolutely secret existence. When Cyclic Reincarnators carried out missions, they could reveal their identities when necessary to obtain some assistance.

It was perfectly normal for his identity to be guessed at this point.

"Then there's no problem. We have every basis for cooperation!" the man said again.