Netherworld Oil (Part 2)

As the life-threatening feeling gradually faded, the Hu Mang couldn't help but bare its teeth.

To outsiders, the Heavenly Gate's strength is built on an exaggerated number of high-level cultivators.

But only those inside Heavenly Gate truly understand that Heavenly Gate's strength lies in the construction of its entire system.

This naturally includes the combat system.

Psionic radar, satellite surveillance, underwater sonar arrays, automated rune turrets, early warning systems based on big data analysis, a global network of Spiritual Qi pipelines... Individually, none of these things are particularly groundbreaking, but when they are integrated into a complete, multi-layered combat system, the resulting effect far exceeds the simple sum of the abilities of a single cultivator.

Even a Golden Core Realm cultivator, with the support of this system, can unleash combat power sufficient to threaten Nascent Soul Realm cultivator.

Conversely, even a Nascent Soul Realm stage cultivator who tries to force his way through the core of this system's defenses will be worn down and killed by the endless interception methods.

The immense power of individual cultivators is not what Heavenly Gate is currently pursuing.

For example, right now, he can feel a dense array of threats emanating from the seabed, while the strange Divine Sense sweeping down from outside the atmosphere are no longer just at the Nascent Soul level.

Could it be that satellite technology has made another breakthrough? Are they already capable of building Law Treasure surveillance satellites?

Even if only a few months have passed, if you let Hu Mang do the same thing again, he would most likely not escape.

That's why he obediently stopped and called Lin Zhiying directly.

A streak of light flashed by, revealing the figure of a dashing female officer.

"This is our first meeting, isn't it, Advisor Hu?" Lin Zhiying said with a smile, extending her hand.

No, actually we've met before. You were really eager to pursue me back then.

"Hello, Major Lin."

"I'm a lieutenant colonel now."

"Uh, sorry, sorry, my eyesight isn't very good."

Hu Mang scratched his head. "How many stripes did the lieutenant colonel have?"

Lin Zhiying laughed heartily, "Just kidding. Compared to Hui the Eighth, you're much more honest. Just call me Sister Lin from now on, don't be so formal."

"Okay, Sister Lin."

Hu Mang laughed and said, "Shall we take action now? Eighth Master Hui is probably waiting for me to send him the data."

"Of course."

Both of them were decisive and efficient, and they acted immediately. Soon, they dived back into the sea, and the seabed was much better than it had been during the Dragon Blood Tide.

During the Dragon Blood Tide, the seawater is heated to near boiling point, visibility is less than an arm's length, and everywhere there are deformed algae and mutated creatures that have grown wildly after being polluted by the Dragon Blood energy. The turbulent flow of Spiritual Qi cuts through the water like a knife.

Now, the seabed is calm and peaceful, and large schools of fish can be seen swimming by from time to time, which is very beautiful.

Even the turbulent flow of Spiritual Qi seemed to have disappeared.

"Why is the seabed like this now?"

The Hu Mang wondered to itself, "This is quite different from the scenery I saw when I was sailing around in my ghost ship."

It should be noted that in some special sea areas, the intensity of Spiritual Qi energy can be comparable to that of Dragon Blood Tide.

However, Hu Mang soon found out the reason.

The once rugged seabed, riddled with reefs and cracks, has now been replaced by vast expanses of foundation land.

The foundations were made of a grayish-white, concrete-like material, covered with intricate runes that glowed faintly with a blue light in the dark seabed.

Rows of neat pipes are laid on the foundation.

These pipes are as thick as an adult's waist, cast entirely from a dark silver alloy, with a semi-transparent layer of Spiritual Qi insulating wrapped around their outer walls.

Along the pipeline, at regular intervals, there is a circular, well-like structure.

The facilities were about ten feet in diameter, with a ring of psionic runestones embedded around the edges. The runestones emitted a stable blue light in the water, forming a hemispherical protective shield that isolated the wellhead from the surrounding seawater.

Inside the protective shield, a thick drill pipe can be seen penetrating deep into the ground.

There appeared to be black liquid moving inside the pipe.

"What is this?" Hu Mang asked telepathically.

"Gas and oil."

"What?"

"Turbid Qi and Turbid Oil, haven't you been through that stuff before?" Lin Zhiying retorted.

The Hu Mang's pupils immediately dilated, and it silently moved further away from the object.

He knew how dangerous this thing was.

"In fact, this operation was only made possible by the discovery of large amounts of gas and oil on the seabed. The Dragon Vein is just the surface; we don't fight battles without any benefit."

Since they were all on the same side, Lin Zhiying had no intention of hiding anything.

"Moreover, without these Turbid Qi Turbid Oil, that Dragon Vein probably wouldn't have been able to develop."

"So, all the places on the seabed where Dragon Vein exist are actually oil fields?" Hu Mang asked.

"Theoretically, it's possible, but it depends on the specific circumstances."

"Can this Turbid Qi be used after it's been transformed?" Hu Mang wondered.

Even after separating all the Turbid Qi, it's still just Turbid Qi.

This thing can actually be used for cultivation?

"Ordinary cultivators naturally cannot use it for cultivation, but for certain beings, it is a great tonic," Lin Zhiying glanced at Hu Mang.

"The separated, Turbid Oil is also called 'Netherworld Oil'."

Hu Mang's heart skipped a beat. This time, Eighth Master Hui was in such a hurry; could this thing be for the Ghost Dragon Vein?

"Furthermore, the decomposition process of these Netherworld Oil produces many new substances that greatly promote the chemical field within the Heavenly Gate."

"We are currently seeking investment and hoping to attract some large spiritual enterprises to participate in the development."

Looking at it this way, Lord Lin doesn't seem like the expansionist military strongman that outsiders imagine; he's quite shrewd in his calculations.

"Where are we going now?" Hu Mang asked again.

"The two of us alone can't explore the interior of the Turbid Dragon Vein. Let's find another person; he's up ahead."

Soon, after crossing a stretch of sea, the Hu Mang was once again astonished by what it saw before it.

Because what was in front of us was actually a breeding area.

Within the Spiritual Qi- filled protective barrier lies a three-dimensional ecosystem composed of artificial reefs and seaweed beds. Countless psionic buoys float in the water, monitoring water quality and Spiritual Qi concentration in real time.

The aquaculture area is teeming with spirit fish, spirit shrimp, and spirit shellfish, and even a dozen sea monsters. These aquatic creatures grow exceptionally plump and delicious in the Spiritual Qi- rich seawater, and their shells gleam with a pearly luster under the illumination of the spirit energy lamps on the inner wall of the barrier.

Many of the "large-scale underwater cargoes" that Hu Mang see at trade fairs are cultivated in these environments.

Many monks wearing protective suits were using scalpels to collect and harvest, seemingly conducting some kind of cultivation experiment.

"Colonel Ao!" Lin Zhiying called out.

Hu Mang's gaze swept across the breeding area shrouded by the barrier and landed on the only figure in it who was not wearing protective clothing.

The man was extremely large. Standing among a group of technicians in white protective suits, he resembled a tiger that had strayed into a flock of sheep, exuding a sense of oppression simply by standing there.

He was shirtless, wearing only a pair of dark, loose-fitting trousers, revealing his bronze-colored, muscular physique and the fine scales covering his chest and back; those scales were golden, gleaming brilliantly under the light of the psionic lamps on the inner wall of the underwater barrier, and pulsating slightly with his breath, as if he himself were a living Law Artifact.

At this moment, he was standing in front of a coral that was growing extremely lushly, with a thoughtful expression on his face.

The coral was over ten feet tall, with a deep, dark red color throughout. It had many branches, layer upon layer, like a miniature underwater mountain range. The Hu Mang recognized it quite well, because it exuded the same aura as the dragon blood coral reef he had sold before.

"Lieutenant Colonel Lin, and this gentleman, is that Advisor Hu?"

The burly man with golden scales heard the sound of flowing water as they approached, turned around, his gaze falling on the Hu Mang. He grinned, "I am Ao Tianhai, and I may have started my training later than you."

Hello, hello.

Hu Mang grinned; this was another acquaintance.

This is a player whom I couldn't suppress even with all my demonic methods during the Dragon Blood Tide.

At that time, this guy was already in the Golden Core Late Stage, but now he gives the impression of being at the Golden Core Great Perfection?

However, the opponent's aura quickly disappeared, replaced by a surging, powerful true blood dragon aura.

The Ghost Dragon Vein's consciousness within the Hu Mang's body was stimulated and almost couldn't be suppressed.

Is it the evolution of the Yang Dragon Vein?

Lin Zhiying briefly explained the situation, and Ao Tianhai nodded, seemingly lost in thought, and said, "I know about this mission, but Consultant Hu arrived faster than I expected."

Hu Mang felt a chill run down his spine, but his expression remained unchanged. He smiled and said, "If you had flown here directly, it wouldn't have taken so long."

Lin Zhiying had no doubts. Instead, she praised, "As expected of someone introduced by Hui the Eighth, Little Hu probably set off as soon as he heard the news, disregarding the Seaquake and flying directly over the sea. It's true that acquaintances are more reliable. Departments like the Underworld Bureau always love to talk in official jargon."

Where does this negative feeling of yours come from?

The Hu Mang's expression was strange.

"Tianhai, open the door for me! A large amount of the Turbid Oil has been removed; it should be safe down there now."

"OK."

After leaving the aquaculture area, the three of them swam towards deeper and more distant waters, covering nearly a hundred miles until they could no longer see any trace of man-made facilities, leaving only the primitive, pitch-black deep-sea landscape.

The seabed is covered with jagged black reefs, and the bottomless ravines crisscross like wounds on the earth. All around is quiet, and you can only hear your own heartbeat and the sound of the rushing water.

Ao Tianhai stopped on a flat seabed. He first tested the ground with his foot to confirm the location, then turned to Hu Mang and Lin Zhiying and gestured, "Back off, at least three miles away."

The two did as instructed.

Ao Tianhai stood in the center of the rock bed, slowly closed his eyes, and his aura began to change drastically.

His body began to swell, his muscles bulging as if inflated, and golden scales spread down from his neck, quickly covering his entire upper body and arms.

His fingers began to thicken and lengthen, his nails transforming into sharp black dragon claws, their tips gleaming with a chilling light in the dark seabed; two short horns rose from the top of his head, and the pupils of his eyes turned into vertical golden dragon eyes, burning with a captivating light in the darkness.

Nascent Soul!!

Moreover, the feeling Hu Mang gets from the other party is that it is a human-shaped Dragon Vein.

Half-dragon Ao Tianhai raised his right arm, his fully dragon-transformed claw spreading its five fingers, pointing towards the void in front of him.

He took a deep breath, and the water on the seabed surged violently with his inhalation, forming a brief whirlpool. Then, he suddenly exerted his strength, tearing the void in front of him with his dragon claw.

That tearing motion seemed to rip space itself apart like a piece of cloth.