On the other side.
Shen Heng stood still, silently watching the silhouette of the One-Horned Lizard.
"Even though I've managed to get everyone else out of the way, I should still spend a few days learning the Calamity Beast Language when I return to base next time!"
"This will be much more effective in subsequent interrogations and long-range reconnaissance!"
"Hmm... Calamity Beast Language, headquarters should offer courses on that, right?"
With uncertain thoughts in mind, Shen Heng asked:
" Ringing Sound, does headquarters offer courses on the Calamity Beast Language?"
A reply came through the Ringing Sound:
"Yes, in the early years, in order to better obtain intelligence on the Calamity Beast, headquarters assigned specialists to study and summarize the Calamity Beast ' language, and attempted to make it a required course for all inspectors."
"However, because the information that was subsequently transferred to us was almost entirely unavailable, we abandoned this idea."
"Currently, this course can be redeemed in the Martial World Easy Exchange for 100 points!"
"Of course, you can also apply to headquarters separately. Considering your needs, there's a good chance they'll issue it for free."
Having received a definite answer, Shen Heng breathed a sigh of relief and stopped worrying about whether it would be free or not.
He took two steps forward, jumped onto the One-Horned Lizard's head, and then sat down on the bump on the One-Horned Lizard's forehead.
He bent down, rested his left elbow on his knee, and raised his right hand to cover the One-Horned Lizard's forehead.
"Hmm... We need to get the One-Horned Lizard awake, but not overly so. The ideal state is a hazy, half-awake state, where it only has the most basic thinking ability, without excessive thought!"
"Otherwise, with my current abilities, I won't be able to continue interrogating the One-Horned Lizard once it has regained consciousness!"
"Even if it doesn't have a specific cultivation fruit, the spiritual aspect is the same!"
"Hmm... it all depends on whether we can get the One-Horned Lizard back as if nothing happened!"
As Shen Heng pondered, he simultaneously channeled the Origin Power, mental energy, and abilities within his body.
"Does headquarters have any relevant techniques for utilizing mental power?"
"Hmm... it should be quite little, or even none. After all, even Fourth Tier martial artist has only just come into contact with mental power, and the total amount of mental power in their mind is pitifully small!"
"Forget research, just being able to guard your own mind is already quite an achievement, let alone conduct research!"
"Those capable of researching this would need to be at least at the Fifth Tier or Sixth Tier, right?"
"Given the current staff composition at headquarters, it's destined that very few people will be capable of researching this."
"If that's true, the Daoist priest has a higher chance of possessing it?!"
Shen Heng wasn't quite sure. He was wondering if it was necessary to find out more about it and include it in his cultivation tasks.
After a moment, Shen Heng slowly shook his head.
"Forget about that for now. My current cultivation is already taking up almost all of my free time!"
"More importantly, because their skills in the relevant areas are not at a high level, even if they learn them, there are very few places where they can be applied!"
"So for now, I'll focus my main energy on normal cultivation!"
Putting aside his thoughts, Shen Heng continued to fine-tune the energy that had surged into the One-Horned Lizard's brain.
Black snow fell silently, and suddenly, the One-Horned Lizard, which had been lying motionless on the ground, trembled.
Its eyes opened a crack, but only a crack; through the crack, one could see the pupils moving slightly.
Its eyes were moving, as if it wanted to wake up again.
"Quiet--"
A calm voice came from behind, and the One-Horned Lizard's rolling eyes finally stopped moving slowly, but the gap remained open.
Is it finally okay?... Shen Heng let out a soft breath, and without pausing, spoke directly:
Do you know what those crystals are used for?
"Crystal... crystal... what is a crystal?" The One-Horned Lizard's thoughts were conveyed, but it seemed a little confused.
Shen Heng didn't seem to care. He looked at the One-Horned Lizard beneath him and continued to ask:
"Those are the crystals you're guarding, the ones that occasionally emit a ring of energy outwards."
"That... Lion King said those crystals can help us stabilize this space, so we need to guard them well!" the One-Horned Lizard thought to itself.
The Lion King? Was it the one on the mountaintop during the first beast tide attack?... Shen Heng lowered his eyes slightly, turning his attention back to the effects of the crystal.
Although he had already guessed the possible uses of the crystal, he still couldn't help but feel a tightness in his chest when he actually confirmed it.
He then asked:
Do you know approximately how many places like this there are?
"I don't know, only the Lion King and the others probably know the answer!" the One-Horned Lizard thought.
"If those crystals are allowed to remain stable like this, to what extent can the space remain stable?" Shen Heng continued to ask in a deep voice.
"Fifty thousand Third Tier Calamity Beast can enter this space each year. Three years later, even Seventh Tier adults will be able to enter!"
Fifty thousand per year, Seventh Tier in three years?... Shen Heng frowned slightly, quickly thinking about whether there would be any humans capable of reaching the Seventh Tier on Blue Star in three years.
The Daoist priest and his companions reached the Sixth Tier around 23 years ago.
Less than two years have passed since then.
Sixth Tier...
If we consider my own cultivation speed and previous experiences, the time required to break through each stage almost doubles.
It will take more than three years to go from Fourth Tier to Fifth Tier;
It will take 6-7 years to go from the Fifth Tier to the Sixth Tier;
It takes about fifteen years to go from the Sixth Tier to the Seventh Tier!
However, with sufficient Origin Crystal, this time should be significantly reduced, but...
Even including the last three years, it's only five years!
In five years, will the Daoist priest and his companions be able to break through to the Seventh Tier?
Perhaps there are, but...
Shen Heng lowered his eyes, his expression somewhat heavy.
He recalled what Li Daoyi had told him before: there is a qualitative change between the sixth and Seventh Tier, and the Seventh Tier is called Demigod among the Calamity Beast.
Perhaps breaking through to the Seventh Tier won't be as easy as I think.
He let out a long breath and refocused his attention.
Do you know of any other places like this?
"I don't know, I was directly assigned here!"
"If you want to cause damage..."
Shen Heng asked the questions he wanted to ask one by one, and the not-so-conscious One-Horned Lizard answered them one by one.
During this process, Shen Heng's expression grew increasingly grave.
After a long while, he let out a soft breath and temporarily ended the questioning.
He sat atop the One-Horned Lizard's head, quickly going over the questions he had just asked, making sure he hadn't missed anything.
After a moment, Shen Heng seemed to have thought of something and looked down at the scales on the One-Horned Lizard lizard's head.
He asked again:
Why did you come into this space?
"The weather was beautiful that day, and the chicken meat was delicious. I was at the mine..."
Shen Heng's lips twitched slightly. He didn't interrupt, lest there be anything noteworthy in the middle.
Finally, after listening to the One-Horned Lizard tell a lot about the mine...
"... After I finished my assigned tasks, I returned to the tribe, and the chief gathered us together."
"The chieftain said that a new instruction came from the Court Council: there is a new world with many new and unseen minerals."
"If we want to contribute, we have to do our part in this process, so I came!"
Shen Heng's eyes narrowed slightly.
" Court Council?"
"Hmm, the clan chief seemed to have said it was called... the Ruins Abyss Court Council!"