Zhang Meng's Unease

At this moment, Zhang Meng, who had just consolidated his initial stage of Bone Tempering Initiation, was sitting alone in a dark room, sighing and complaining.

'Sigh, this godforsaken place may offer quick military merits, but it's ultimately a desolate wilderness, isolated from news,' he thought dejectedly. 'I wonder how that kid Dongfang Yueming is doing now? Judging by the time, even with his exceptional talent, he's probably only just begun his attempt to break through to the Flesh Refining Realm, right?'

The thought of Dongfang Yueming filled Zhang Meng's eyes with a deep-seated hatred!

'Hmph! Once he's painstakingly cultivated to the Flesh Refining Realm, he'll definitely come to this Beast Defense Frontier seeking a breakthrough, just like everyone else! At that time... as long as he dares to come! I'll make him know the consequences of offending me! I'll make him kneel on the ground, begging for mercy like a dog!' He viciously imagined the scene of his revenge.

Just then, his communicator vibrated. It was a message from Captain Xi Lang, instructing him to find a newcomer named "Dongfang Ri" and probe his background.

Upon seeing this order, Zhang Meng's heart sank, and a clear look of fear flashed across his face!

' Dongfang Ri? Isn't that the supposedly flashy newcomer? You want me to test him?' Zhang Meng panicked. 'I've only just broken through to the Bone Forging Realm Initiation, my foundation isn't even stable yet! What if that kid is really powerful? Wouldn't I be going to my death?!'

However, he dared not disobey the captain's orders! Captain Xi Lang wielded considerable power on the outskirts of Black Stone Fortress, and his methods were ruthless. Moreover... Zhang Meng had vaguely heard that there was a powerful Blood Replacement Realm general in the fortress, whose surname seemed to be Xi! Although he didn't know the specifics of their relationship, this alone was enough to make Zhang Meng dare not harbor the slightest thought of disobedience!

'Damn it! What bad luck!' Zhang Meng cursed inwardly, but ultimately had no choice but to give in.

He reconsidered and comforted himself, "Oh well! I'll go then! I'm not really going to fight him!"

'I'll pretend it's a chance encounter, act friendly, strike up a conversation, chat casually for a bit, and try to gauge his feelings,' he decided. 'We're all in the same boat, there's no need to start a fight the moment we meet, right? As long as I'm nice, he won't attack me for no reason, will he?'

Thinking this way, Zhang Meng's fear lessened slightly. He straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and walked towards the area where the other party might appear.

In the quiet cultivation room, Hongxiu slowly opened her eyes.

An aura far more powerful and refined than before emanated from her exquisite body! Her skin seemed to have become even more translucent, faintly shimmering with a precious light!

"Finally... I've broken through!" Hongxiu felt the powerful force surging within her body like a mighty river, and an uncontrollable joy appeared on her face!

The Dragon Elephant's Force!

The second level of Flesh Refining Perfection refinement!

With the help of resources secretly provided by her father and the aid of the [Hundred Beasts Flesh Refining Method], she finally took this crucial step! Her strength was several times greater than before!

After the joy subsided, a figure involuntarily surfaced in her mind.

'I wonder... how is Brother Dongfang doing now?' Hongxiu's lips curled slightly as she thought of the young man who always had a calm expression but could always do amazing things, and a strange sense of concern arose in her heart.

Just as her thoughts were drifting, the exquisite necklace around her neck, with its translucent gemstone pendant, swayed slightly, flashing a barely perceptible glimmer of light.

Hongxiu subconsciously reached out and touched the gemstone, her Spirit Transformation somewhat complicated and wistful.

'Mother...' she murmured softly.

This necklace was the only keepsake left to her by her long-deceased mother. Her memories of her mother were very vague; she only remembered that she was an extremely beautiful and gentle woman, yet always melancholy.

She examined the necklace closely; the gemstones were crystal clear, and it seemed as if there were galaxies flowing inside, making it look like an extraordinary piece.

'This thing... it feels a bit unusual,' Hongxiu thought to herself. 'But after wearing it for so many years, apart from occasionally wobbling on its own when my emotions are running high, I haven't noticed any special effects...'

She sighed softly, tucked the necklace back into her clothes, and suppressed the distracting thoughts in her mind.

Just as he put away the necklace, a series of steady footsteps came from outside the stone door of the cultivation room.

Immediately afterward, a tall, robust middle-aged man, clad in crimson armor, with a dignified face and a thick red beard, appeared at the doorway. He looked at Hongxiu, his eyes filled with complex emotions—concern, relief, and a hint of barely perceptible guilt.

It was Li Yu, Hongxiu's father and one of the three great generals of Black Stone Fortress, known as the "Red-Bearded General".

Upon seeing her father, the joy that had just appeared on Hongxiu's face vanished instantly, replaced by undisguised disgust and indifference. She turned away, not even bothering to glance at him.

Seeing this, the light in Li Yu's eyes dimmed slightly. He moved his throat as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, it only turned into a heavy sigh. He knew that his daughter still resented him, and the estrangement of many years could not be resolved overnight.

He gazed intently at his daughter's retreating figure, but ultimately said nothing, turning and silently leaving.

'Sigh...' Li Yu's heart was filled with bitterness. 'Should I tell her the truth? Tell her... that her mother is actually still alive?'

This idea had swirled in his mind countless times, but he never dared to put it into action.

'Even if I told her, what good would it do?' he thought helplessly. 'Knowing the truth would only increase my longing...'

Li Yu clenched his fists, feeling the surging power of the Blood Replacement Realm within his body. To outsiders, Blood Replacement Realm expert was already a top-tier existence in this Beast Defense Frontier, enough to guard a region.

'But in reality... what does the Blood Replacement Realm even amount to?' A deep sense of powerlessness flashed in Li Yu's eyes. In the face of those truly terrifying beings, the Blood Replacement Realm was still as insignificant as an ant.

Just as Li Yu walked a short distance, lost in thought, another figure approached him.

The newcomer was also clad in armor and exuded Bufan aura, though his face was somewhat sinister. He was Xi Zhenyue, another general of Black Stone Fortress, who was Xi Lang's nominal uncle. Although they were several levels apart, Xi Lang often abused this relationship to act arrogantly.

"General Li, how have you been?" Xi Zhenyue greeted him with a fake smile.

Li Yu simply nodded in response, without stopping, and walked straight past him. His attitude was quite indifferent, even somewhat dismissive.

Xi Zhenyue's smile froze slightly, a barely perceptible hint of resentment and gloom flashing in his eyes. As a fellow fortress general, Li Yu always seemed to be one step ahead of him, not only because of his seniority, but also because Li Yu's strength was indeed a notch above his own! This had been a source of resentment for him, yet he felt helpless about it.