"Alright, let Ming Lin co with ." Su Chen thought about it and agreed with the reasoning.
After their conversation, Chong Jingtian did not even return to the banquet, hurriedly gathering his n to help collect the hearts.
Su Chen pondered for a mont before taking advantage of the cover of night to head outside the city. He boarded the spaceship and sought out Qing Cang.
Upon hearing the AI's notification and opening the door, Qing Cang looked slightly surprised. "Leaving under the cover of night?"
"Uh... no..." Su Chen shook his head, explaining, "I'll probably have to wait another day or two."
"Mhm." Qing Cang nodded. A five-day delay was still within expectations.
"Then what brings you to ..." He stepped aside to invite Su Chen in. He addressed him as junior brother quite naturally now. A gentle breeze swept up a teacup from the table, filling it to the brim for his guest.
"I wanted to ask, Senior Brother, is there any way for to contact Crimson Thunder Planet once I'm at the Qingcang Faction?" Su Chen accepted the teacup, a rich fragrance wafting to his nose.
"Separated by the Nether Domain, there is only one way to communicate over such vast distances..." Qing Cang mused for a mont before declaring, "Nether Domain Stones."
'It's that thing...' Su Chen's heart stirred, but he put on an attentive expression. Qing Cang imdiately explained, "The Nether Domain is the dark side of the universe, the resting place of spirits. Through the Nether Domain, even if separated by hundreds of millions of miles, it can be as close as right before your eyes."
He reached out, drawing a black, tallic stone from the void. "This is a Nether Domain Stone."
"Oh?" Su Chen took it, feigning surprise.
[Nether Domain Stone - Child Stone (Special Item): Can establish a connection with a specific location in the Nether Domain.]
He had seen this item before; it was confiscated from Lan Hao. Even though there was a description, Su Chen had not dared to use it carelessly.
"Nether Domain Stones are divided into Mother Stones and Child Stones. This is a Child Stone. Through it, one can project their consciousness into a special room constructed by the Mother Stone," Qing Cang explained.
"Is that so..." Su Chen marvelled. Communicating through the Nether Domain was truly miraculous.
Promptly, he asked, "Then how does one obtain these Nether Domain Stones?"
"Naturally, they are mined within the Nether Domain." Qing Cang put the stone away and sighed. "This item is quite rare, and every ti a Child Stone is used, it is consud. The farther the distance and the thicker the Nether Fog, the greater the consumption. If you were to contact Crimson Thunder from the faction, it would cost a minimum of four stones each ti."
'Mined in the Nether Domain, and they're quite precious?'
Su Chen's eyes flickered as he inquired, "Is the Nether Domain very dangerous?"
"Beyond dangerous," Qing Cang replied, his expression grave. "It is the dwelling place of the Eldritch Gods, or rather, the Eldritch Gods are simply a type of powerful creature born within the Nether Domain."
"The stronger a living being's spirit, the more likely they are to attract attacks in there. This is especially true in places where rare treasures are born. For instance, there are always powerful Nether creatures guarding the vicinity of Nether Domain Stones."
"Even I wouldn't dare stay in the Nether Domain for too long. The faction only possesses a few mining veins."
"That does sound dangerous," Su Chen nodded in deep agreent, though a strange glint briefly flashed through his eyes. It seed... he possessed an entire mountain of treasure.
Before even arriving at the Qingcang Faction, he seemingly already had the foundation to establish himself.
However, Crimson Thunder's research on the Nether Domain was far too lacking. Su Chen had only entered it that one ti to find the Essence of Spirituality.
Every ti one entered, it would be a different location, making exploration incredibly difficult.
Thus, he probed further, "I've accidentally entered the Nether Domain a few tis myself. But every ti, it was a completely new area. If one wants to mine these Nether Domain Stones, is there another thod involved?"
"Correct," Qing Cang confird. "Without an anchor, when an ordinary spirit enters, their coordinates within the Nether Domain are entirely random. You can only fix your location by using an anchor."
"An anchor..." Su Chen murmured thoughtfully.
anwhile, Qing Cang continued, "As for the communication thod between Crimson Thunder and the faction, the faction will handle it. When I return and dispatch soone to collect the seeds from Chong Jingtian, they will bring a batch of Nether Domain Stones."
"Understood," Su Chen replied clearly. He chatted with Qing Cang for a bit longer and confird their departure ti, which was set for two days later.
Over the next two days, Su Chen t with a few acquaintances, including Old Bai, Zhang Hengyu, and others. When they learned he was leaving Crimson Thunder Planet, they were all stunned for a long ti.
"I knew you'd rise quickly, but I never expected it to be this fast."
In the living room of Su Chen's residence, Bai Fengxi gazed out the window. Her mind inevitably recalled the ti back at Nanfeng Academy when Su Chen had to borrow money from her just to eat.
Unknowingly, two years had already passed since then.
Ever since joining Yingfeng, she had been constantly trying to catch up to Su Chen's footsteps, but she was still too slow.
"You absolutely must think of every possible way, use whatever ans necessary..." Bai Fengxi turned around, her eyes fixed intently upon him, her voice firm and powerful. "Reach the very top... the absolute pinnacle..."
Su Chen blanked for a second before declaring, "I will."
The two days passed in the blink of an eye. Su Chen entrusted the three families that had been supporting him to Old Xia's care.
These three families had been quite cooperative in the past, doing everything in their power to handle whatever tasks he gave them.
Under Chong Jingtian's orders, Yingfeng's internal operations surged with restrained intensity for two days. In total, they collected seventy-six different Tier 4 mutant hearts from various species.
Trying to collect any more would lead to diminishing marginal returns, and the ti required would grow exponentially. Su Chen didn't waste any more ti on it.
On this day, the sky was clear and the air was crisp.
Beneath the Copper Star vessel, Chong Jingtian, Xia Hanshi, and the others were all present.
"The Qingcang Faction is not peaceful internally. Although you have the protection of an Ancient King, anyone who genuinely dares to cause trouble for you will also have an Ancient King backing them," Chong Jingtian advised earnestly. "Do not get into petty disputes out of pride."
He knew Su Chen had always been steady, but Yingfeng and the Qingcang Faction were ultimately completely different places.
"If you must deliver a lethal blow, do not hesitate," Xia Hanshi added in a deep voice, his gaze as icy as ever. This sharp blade had not been dulled by his youthful martial aunt.
"I know what to do." Su Chen listened and finally nodded.
Su Chen boarded the spaceship and stood by the porthole, looking down. Pairs of eyes stared back at him—so filled with genuine sincerity, others driven by mutual interests. But at this very mont, they were all undoubtedly brimming with concern.
Ming Lin stood by Su Chen's side, inevitably feeling a bit anxious and lost.
As the cabin doors sealed shut, Su Chen gathered his thoughts, glanced at Ming Lin, and comforted, "Rest easy..."
Ming Lin looked up at Su Chen. Seeing his expression as calm as ever, his heart settled a little.
Then, the second half of Su Chen's sentence drifted over leisurely: "...The worst that can happen is death."
Ming Lin stumbled, utterly speechless, but the anxiety in his heart completely dissipated.
"I hope he has a safe journey." Chong Jingtian watched the spaceship disappear into the horizon before gathering his thoughts. "Qing Cang ntioned that soone will co in about six months. Do you want to head to the Dust Star Sea?"
"Purging the fog from your body can grant you an extra span of life out of thin air," he added.
"Heh..." Xia Hanshi let out an inexplicable cold chuckle. "Whether we go or not is, to so extent, not up to us."
"If Su Chen can establish a firm foothold there, even if we don't want to go, soone will co and assist us."
Chong Jingtian's eyes flickered, and he let out a heavy sigh. "That is indeed true."
Qing Cang had already stated that cleansing the fog from their bodies would require a significant price. Could Crimson Thunder even afford it?
As for the unspoken second half of Xia Hanshi's words, he understood it perfectly well: if sothing happened to Su Chen... the future survival of Crimson Thunder Planet would still rest entirely on their own shoulders.
Aboard the spaceship, Su Chen arrived at the cockpit. Qing Cang was already there, discussing the return voyage with Xia Jie.
"Senior Brother, roughly how long will it take to return to the faction?" Su Chen asked.
"Based on the ti it took us to get here, I'd estimate three months at most," Qing Cang replied.
"Three months..." Su Chen was astonished. "That fast?"
Qing Cang threw him a glance. "That's already quite slow. If we didn't have to navigate through the Nether Fog, the trip would be even shorter."
After his explanation, Su Chen learned that the Royal Court, the factions, and even the minor scattered powers beneath them all had Stargates established.
These allowed for jumps across vast distances in an extrely short amount of ti.
However, there could be no Nether Fog between Stargates, otherwise it would interfere with the spatial jump.
"There's Nether Fog in the Dust Star Sea too?" Su Chen couldn't help but question.
"There is..." Qing Cang explained. "The factions and the Royal Court use Stellar Flas to drive away the Nether Fog, but there are always places beyond their reach."
He brought up a holographic projection on the command console. It flickered dimly, dotted with brilliant stars.
With a pinch of his fingers, the projection abruptly expanded, engulfing the three of them. "The Dust Star Sea is complex. Aside from the massive ring of Nether Fog on the periphery, there are scattered pockets of fog within."
Su Chen scanned his surroundings and spotted an exceptionally bright and dazzling point of light situated right at the center of the star map.
He hesitated. "Is that..."
Qing Cang nodded, the starry map reflecting in his pupils, his expression complex. "The Royal Court. The Radiant Star Pillar has burned for thirteen thousand years."
There were five slightly dimr points of light—these were the Five Great Factions, situated in slightly more peripheral locations. Furthermore, there were sparsely scattered, gloomy points of light.
"Are the Flas the cornerstone for every faction's existence?" Su Chen was intensely curious.
Qing Cang nodded. "Correct. Without the Flas, the Nether Fog will invade, lifespans will erode, and the Eldritch Gods will run rampant. No matter how powerful a faction is, it will inevitably be torn apart."
"Then where do these Flas co from?" Su Chen had many questions.
"Young people truly are full of curiosity." Qing Cang chuckled helplessly. "I don't know where they ca from either. The Flas have been there since the day I was born."
'Alright then...' Su Chen shrugged. Then he heard Qing Cang continue, "In about a month, we will arrive at the Equilibrium Nexus to make a Stargate jump. During this ti, there shouldn't be any disturbances, so you can rest with peace of mind."
Su Chen understood clearly. He asked a few more questions and learned that the Equilibrium Nexus was the largest jump hub on the route to Crimson Thunder Planet. One could purchase a great deal of goods there.
Naturally, that included all varieties of hearts, as well as the sap of the Immortal Ancient Tree.
Having gained a general understanding, Su Chen stepped out of the cockpit and walked down the tallic corridor.
When all the vanity faded away... the most crucial thing was still to improve his own strength.
"Breaking through the limits of the body tempering technique..." Su Chen muttered. He took several turns through the spaceship before finally arriving at the training room—the exact spot where Wan Chen and Lan Hao had fought previously.
"In use?" He glanced at the red indicator light by the door, feeling sowhat surprised.
After waiting for a brief mont, he heard a low hum. The cabin door slid open, and a scorching wave of heat hit his face. It was Lin Yue.
She was clad in a skin-tight combat suit, her breathing uneven and her chest heaving heavily, clearly having just gone through an intense battle.
"Su Chen?" She looked equally surprised to see him.
Quickly, that surprise morphed into a blazing battle intent. She looked eager to try her luck. "Wanna spar?"
Watching Su Chen beco the Chosen One, she hadn't felt the sa level of bitter resentnt as Wan Chen and Ni Bin, but she still carried a modicum of indignation and intense curiosity.
"No thanks," Su Chen shook his head, refusing outright. He was already the Chosen One; he didn't know if defeating these acknowledged talents again would even make the Exalted One happy anymore.
Moreover, this woman, Lin Yue, was likely much stronger than Lan Hao. She was a hassle. Losing to her would be troubleso, but winning would be even more so.
Lin Yue frowned and explained, "This training room can suppress both of our cultivations to the sa tier."
"Forget it."
In a battle at the sa tier, Su Chen figured he could instantly one-shot her, but he still refused.
"You can hide now, but you won't be able to hide once we reach the faction," Lin Yue warned with a cryptic tone.
Su Chen simply smiled, carrying an obvious sense of distance, and stepped sideways into the training room.
Lin Yue frowned as she watched the cabin door slide shut, but she did not leave.
"Hmm..." Inside the training room, Su Chen stared at the complex array of buttons before him. He simply called out to the AI and ordered it to simulate an energy turbulence.
In an instant, a surging tide of energy erupted within the enclosed area. Freezing winds, electric arcs, and fierce flas intertwined, constantly emitting blinding flashes of explosive light from within.
The sheer intensity made even Su Chen's hair stand on end. He hurriedly dialed the power down a few notches.
'Qing Cang said that extre external interference might stimulate a body tempering technique to break past its limits.'
Based on his previous experience with Class Fusion, if he didn't have a certain level of accumulated understanding regarding breaking the physical limits, he would be completely lost even if guided.
Su Chen stepped into the energy turbulence. The raw intensity of the maelstrom alone would find it very difficult to cause him any real harm.
He began to circulate the Cloud Dragon Body Tempering Technique, which he had previously elevated to the Master level.
A body tempering technique required incredibly precise energy manipulation to effectively refine the physique. However, under the assault of such extre turbulence, the interference was imnse.
The wind elental power he invoked swept up the external energy currents, acting like countless steel needles piercing in and out of his pores. In just a short while, Su Chen felt a stinging pain envelop his entire body.
'I need to be able to steadily circulate the body tempering technique amidst the energy turbulence before I can even talk about breaking its limits. The intensity of this turbulence has already been lowered significantly; any lower, and it won't have an interfering effect on anymore.'
Su Chen mused for a mont. Was the core principle still to increase his own energy intensity, or rather, his raw strength?
'Let's give it a try...' Having no concrete leads, he was prepared to try every thod available. A crimson fla gradually ignited across Su Chen's skin, beginning to burn his own flesh and blood to enhance his power through the Ravager class.
His heart slowly pumped out a warm current. The strength amplification brought by the Ravager was all-encompassing. The wind currents swirling around his body grew increasingly resilient, gradually filtering out the chaotic energy turbulence entangled within.
'It actually works...' Su Chen's eyes lit up. He even utilized his Class Fusion thods and the enhancents of the Holy Hand, continuously experinting and buffing his own strength.
A long ti later, he let out a heavy breath and pulled out a vial of recovery potion, gulping it down. The internal injuries within his body began to heal. The burden on his physique under these conditions was extrely heavy; he simply couldn't sustain it for too long.
'Still, I do have a bit of a lead now...' Su Chen stepped out of the training room, only to see Lin Yue still waiting outside. He initially thought she was still intent on challenging him to a spar.
Instead, she simply brushed past him and walked into the training room on her own. Relieved, Su Chen happily turned and left.
anwhile, Lin Yue, now inside the training room, curled her lips into a smirk. "This guy probably doesn't know that the training room has a mory simulation function."
"Copper Star..." she called out. "Use Su Chen as a template and generate a training dummy."
Accessing Su Chen's specific usage logs was a hassle—only Qing Cang had the authority to do that.
However, using him as a template to create a training dummy was perfectly doable, as long as the target hadn't specifically issued a command to forbid it.
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