Above the enormous golden cocoon, a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon circled and coiled, while a sacred, radiant presence flowed over the cocoon.
At the very moment Xu Qing transformed into the enormous golden cocoon, an incomparably dense vitality spread outward through the steel fortress, sweeping across a thousand-li radius.
Countless zombies and mutated creatures were drawn to this vitality like beasts scenting blood, locking onto the fortress's location.
The zombies raised their heads and roared at the sky, their hoarse cries rising one after another.
A gigantic mutated beast also let out a deafening roar. In an instant, innumerable zombies and mutated beasts surged toward the steel fortress like a tide.
The earth trembled faintly, and a chaotic mix of savage roars echoed through the air.
The sky also dimmed slightly, giving the impression of wind filling a tower before a mountain storm.
Soon, the first wave of zombies closest to the fortress arrived.
The thick steel fortress walls, specially reinforced with cement by Xu Qing, were impregnable. As expected, they kept every last zombie surging in like a tide outside.
Hoarse roars rang out in an unending chorus.
But as the seconds and minutes ticked by, more and more zombies gathered outside the fortress, their density skyrocketing.
Countless zombies and mutated beasts piled up layer upon layer, one zombie squeezing against another, one mutated beast stacked atop another, densely carpeting the streets before the fortress.
Grayish-white hands rose and fell.
The zombies' grayish-white eyes were filled with greed and longing.
Moreover, there were over twenty level-two zombies and mutated beasts among the horde. Some had tall, powerful bodies, while others had long, sharp claws extending from their hands.
At last, as the zombies outside piled frantically atop one another, several used the height of the horde to clamber over the walls. Accompanied by a savage roar, several others smashed straight through the fortress's alloy gate.
Several zombies poured inside and immediately spotted the enormous golden cocoon floating in the center, its entire surface dazzling.
Incomparably dense vitality radiated from the enormous golden cocoon.
Their eyes blood-red, they roared and lunged straight at the cocoon.
Just as the zombies were about to touch the enormous golden cocoon, the illusory Five-Clawed Golden Dragon coiled around its exterior abruptly opened its eyes.
"ROAR!"
An utterly overbearing dragon roar thundered out, and terrifying draconic might instantly swept through the entire space.
The zombies that had just approached had no way to resist. The terrifying pressure instantly hurled them backward, slamming them into the ground.
Immediately afterward, the phantom Five-Clawed Golden Dragon opened its mouth and gave a slight tremor. A sacred, radiant sound wave spread out in a mighty surge, enveloping the entire fortress.
The moment the zombies and mutated creatures that had just climbed to their feet touched the golden wave of light, white smoke rose from their bodies, like specters melting beneath a blazing sun.
Sizzling sounds of corrosive burning rang out without pause, and agonized howls echoed between heaven and earth.
The next instant, the bodies of these zombies and mutated beasts rapidly dissolved, turning into airborne ashes in the blink of an eye and scattering on the wind.
All that remained were cold crystal cores, which fell to the ground with crisp clinks.
Immediately afterward, these crystal cores rapidly softened, changing from solid to liquid before vaporizing into streams of pure energy that gathered inside the fortress. Before long, streams of energy took shape, pouring ceaselessly into the enormous golden cocoon and becoming nourishment for the transformation of Xu Qing's body.
Drops of rain slowly fell from the darkened sky, washing over heaven and earth.
Douluo Continent
Time slowly passed, and before long, evening mealtime arrived.
Tang Xue had long since finished preparing dinner when the front door opened. Xu Yan pushed his way inside and washed his hands.
Before long, he seemed to notice something amiss.
Where was that boy?
From the moment he returned home until now, he had not seen any sign of Xu Qing.
Looking puzzled, Xu Yan turned to Tang Xue beside him. "Has Xiao Qing not come back yet?"
"I saw him this morning. After that, he seemed to have gone to his room to cultivate. But he seems to have stayed in his room a little longer than usual today?"
Both of them grew somewhat puzzled. Tang Xue and Xu Yan then went to Xu Qing's bedroom door, intending to call him downstairs for dinner.
Just as they were about to knock on Xu Qing's door, Gu Yuena happened to come upstairs. Seeing this, she spoke up to stop them.
"Uncle, Auntie, are you looking for Xu Qing?"
Tang Xue nodded in reply. "Yes. We haven't seen that child for half the day. Who knows where he's gone?"
"You don't need to worry," Gu Yuena reassured them softly. "He's probably concentrating on cultivating in his room, which is why he hasn't come out."
Tang Xue and Xu Yan exchanged a glance. Assuming that their child had simply become engrossed in cultivation, they relaxed and returned to the living room to wait.
Once they had left, Gu Yuena's gaze shifted slightly as she looked at Xu Qing's tightly closed bedroom door with deep suspicion.
She had noticed the abnormalities long ago. Xu Qing often vanished into thin air, then suddenly reappeared in his room. She guessed that he probably possessed some kind of teleportation device.
The space around her rippled slightly. The next moment, she appeared inside Xu Qing's room.
After looking over the neatly arranged furnishings, she carefully sensed the surrounding space. It was stable, without the slightest connecting fluctuation from spatial travel.
She could not detect Xu Qing's whereabouts at all.
Gu Yuena's heart sank slightly, but she soon calmed down.
He should be somewhere relatively safe right now. Otherwise, he wouldn't have left to study it. But he hasn't returned after so long. Could he really absorb that piece of gold of life?
Xu Qing, you'd better give me a reasonable explanation when you get back.
Otherwise, I'll definitely make you pay!
The night deepened, and before long, it was late at night.
Yet Xu Qing had never come out of his room. Tang Xue and Xu Yan finally realized that something was wrong. Growing increasingly anxious, they were about to force the door open to check inside.
Just then, Gu Yuena stepped forward in time to stop them.
"Uncle, Auntie, don't worry. I'll tell you the truth."
The two froze and looked at her together.
Gu Yuena said softly, "I met my family during the day."
Tang Xue was both surprised and delighted, though she also felt a barely perceptible reluctance to part with her. "Nana, you found your family?"
Gu Yuena nodded. "Yes, Uncle, Auntie. They originally wanted to take me away, but I refused. Before leaving, an elder in my family gave me a medicinal pill. I gave it to Xu Qing earlier. He should be in seclusion refining the pill right now, which is why he hasn't come out for so long."
"A medicinal pill?!"
Tang Xue and Xu Yan looked utterly astonished.
They were only ordinary people, after all, and knew very little about the world of Soul Masters. Still, they understood that this should be a good thing for their son.
However, Xu Yan asked worriedly, "Nana, you gave such a precious medicinal pill to that boy. Will your family's elders blame you?"
Gu Yuena shook her head. Naturally, she understood Xu Yan's concerns. "Don't worry, Uncle. It's fine. But refining the pill may take a long time, so we'll have to trouble you to request leave for him from Red Mountain Academy and the workshop."
Xu Yan nodded.