[Discovered special class: Stigmata Doctor. Complete the class requirents to assu the role.]
[Class Requirent 1: Assu at least five top-tier physical-type classes.]
[Class Requirent 2: Use exquisite dical skills to repair the physical injuries of at least ten thousand people.]
[Class Requirent 3: Perform a flawless surgery in the dical Hall using Flawless Light Silk, Living Regeneration Crystal, Old Scar Tissue, and the Needle of Sin Cleansing.]
[Flesh and blood are fragile scriptures, and my duty is to write the verses of healing with my own hands. The Stigmata Doctor pays the highest respect to the Great Exalted. Class Requirent 2 has been reduced: repair the injuries of at least five thousand people.]
Su Chen glanced at the panel. This was truly an unexpected harvest...
He had originally planned to stuff the two classes he had already acquired from the Phoenix sequence into the Lifeburner class.
But looking at it now, this Phoenix holy class actually had so promising prospects.
If he could take on this class, it would be incredibly useful. After all, it involved returning from the dead, and the Great Exalted's class requirents included a similar resurrection condition.
That ant he needed to put so thought into Lan Hao. Su Chen lowered his gaze. Having said his piece, he watched Lan Hao tremble violently, forcefully enduring the agonizing pain tearing through his spiritual body.
There was no helping it. In Lan Hao's eyes, these Weird God believers were all ntally deranged. There was no telling when they might suddenly snap, and surviving an encounter with them relied entirely on luck.
"Mmh..."
Hearing the other party's thoughtful hum, Lan Hao's heart leaped into his throat.
"You've been quite cooperative," Su Chen said, feigning satisfaction. "This isn't our first ti dealing with each other. I see a lot of potential in you. Why don't you follow and worship my Lord?"
What? Lan Hao's mind went blank. This was no different from killing him! If he beca a Weird God believer, he would be exposed in less than half a month.
His only option would be to defect from the faction the mont he left the Nether Realm. But he was the legitimate son of the Lan family, enjoying a high status within the faction. Leaving the sect would be asking for trouble.
"This..." Spiritual bodies could not sweat, but he felt as though he was drenched in it. Not daring to refuse outright, Lan Hao racked his brain for a counterasure.
"What, are you unwilling?" Su Chen's voice turned remarkably cold.
A flash of inspiration struck Lan Hao. He gritted his teeth and said, "Turning into a Weird God believer isn't the best thod."
"Oh?" Su Chen feigned confusion.
"I can be your spy within the faction." Lan Hao's Adam's apple bobbed. In the Dust Star Sea, there were many who had secret dealings with Weird Gods, primarily because the abilities of these entities could accomplish many things that were normally impossible.
"My status isn't low. I can provide you with a lot of assistance. But if I beco a believer, my only choice would be to leave the faction," Lan Hao continued.
"Is that so..." Su Chen looked thoughtful. "What you say does make so sense."
"In that case, I will give you a chance."
Having said that, Su Chen conjured a streak of black light at his fingertip and flicked it into Lan Hao's spiritual body.
Lan Hao was startled and hurriedly cried out, "The aura of a Weird God believer is easily detected! You can't use any sinister tricks on !"
"Relax. They will absolutely never discover this trick of mine."
Su Chen chuckled softly. He hadn't actually done anything; it was purely an intimidation tactic to keep Lan Hao in line. "Furthermore, you must enter the Nether Realm once every month. Leave the core area of the Bronze Cult and arrive here during the Dark Sun period."
"If you don't see by the ti the Dark Sun period ends, you may leave. But if I don't see , you should understand the consequences."
Su Chen's words carried a profound, threatening implication.
Lan Hao shivered all over, despair washing over his heart. 'I'm afraid I'll never be able to escape this guy's control for the rest of my life.'
"However, rest assured. If you perform well, there might be benefits in it for you."
Su Chen added, offering a slight comfort.
In truth, his main goal was to obtain the subsequent classes of the Phoenix sequence from Lan Hao. As for any deep secrets of the faction, he held no real hope for them.
"Do you understand?" Su Chen's voice sharpened. Lan Hao nodded with difficulty. "U-understood."
Regardless of the future, surviving right now was the most critical thing.
Seeing that he had bluffed him enough, Su Chen changed the subject and asked, "Have you thought of how to explain things?"
Lan Hao quickly replied, "I'll just say we were attacked by Nether Realm creatures. Even if they suspect , there's nothing they can do about it."
"I eagerly look forward to our next eting."
Lan Hao forced an awkward smile. Watching the man and the black ape disappear into the nether mist, he looked dazed. He nearly collapsed to the ground, on the verge of tears.
"Hmm?
"
Deacon Feng's expression shifted. He pulled his gaze away from the violently fluctuating energy field in the sky and cast a suspicious look behind him.
Sensing his movent, Qin Tianlin, who was standing beside him, could not help but ask, "What's wrong?"
Deacon Feng hesitated for a mont. "I feel like sothing isn't right."
He was not entirely sure. The Nether Realm was truly unpredictable and bizarre, and the mist severely suppressed both vision and spiritual perception.
Furthermore, Lan Yunting was still battling that Tier 9 creature, and the intense energy fluctuations were disrupting his senses.
That was the direction ng Shiyu and Lan Hao had gone... Qin Tianlin furrowed his brows slightly. Deacon Feng had not noticed the two of them leaving, but he was fully aware of it.
Still feeling uneasy, Deacon Feng took a deep breath and abruptly unleashed a wave of spiritual energy. "All faction mbers currently outside, return at once! Cease gathering resources!"
Qin Tianlin secretly shook his head. The vast majority of Nether Realm creatures acted purely on instinct, and the intelligent ones were even less likely to approach this place at such a ti.
However, before his thoughts could settle, he saw a figure running frantically out of the distant mist, an expression of sheer terror plastered across his face.
'Lan Hao?' Qin Tianlin's eyes narrowed. Deacon Feng reacted even faster, imdiately dashing forward to support the breathless Lan Hao.
"S-Sothing happened!" Lan Hao's expression was fraught with panic. He pointed behind him, his fingers trembling so violently that he could barely speak.
"What happened?" Deacon Feng's expression shifted slightly.
"ng Shiyu—ng Shiyu is dead!"
"What?!" Deacon Feng's face drastically changed, and his heart sank. He looked in the direction Lan Hao was pointing and instinctively wanted to rush over.
But after a brief mont of hesitation, he remained firmly rooted to the spot. Who knew what kind of danger was lurking out there?
"ng Shiyu is dead?" Qin Tianlin, who had already stepped forward, paled in shock and exclaid, "How is that possible?!"
His voice was laced with absolute disbelief.
Su Chen was shrouded in far too many mysteries. The Crimson Thunder Star was too distant and completely enveloped by the nether mist, making it extrely difficult to gather any intelligence.
To gain a more detailed understanding of Su Chen, they could only start with the people who had followed him there.
But the escort guards at the ti had all been dispatched elsewhere by Qing Cang. The only ones who could truly provide insight were Wan Chen and his two companions.
eting Lan Hao this ti was a rare opportunity. Not only could they build a closer relationship, but they could also probe for information about Su Chen. If they could use Lan Hao to tie the Lan family to their chariot, the benefits would be substantial.
But he never expected that in just a brief mont, ng Shiyu would actually perish, his body and soul destroyed.
"What exactly happened?" A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, filled with scrutiny and suspicion. ng Shiyu had died, yet this guy had survived. That was clearly abnormal.
Still looking shaken, Lan Hao replied, "Senior Brother ng just called over to collect spirit liquid, and we were casually chatting."
"But unexpectedly, a Nether Realm creature suddenly attacked from the mist! To cover my escape, Senior Brother ng fought the creature in close combat. But he was no match for it, and right on the spot—" Lan Hao spoke with a face full of profound grief, appearing as if he were about to burst into tears.
"A Nether Realm creature attacked?" Qin Tianlin stared fixedly at him and interrupted, "How could any Nether Realm creature approach this place at a ti like this? Furthermore—"
He didn't finish his sentence. The most glaring issue was that ng Shiyu would never sacrifice himself to cover Lan Hao's escape. The story was riddled with holes.
Deacon Feng groaned inwardly. He knew from the start that this was a terrible assignnt.
However, given the current situation, he had no choice but to speak up. "Your Excellency, Your Excellency, the Nether Realm is entirely unpredictable, and the creatures here act without any logic. It is inevitable that such accidents occur."
He didn't want to know the specific details. All he needed to do now was to stabilize these two. Once the more important figures returned, it would naturally no longer be his problem.
Lan Hao kept his head bowed, his face full of sorrow, though he was secretly quite nervous. His story had far too many flaws, but he wasn't soone who could be casually pushed around either.
Moreover, the things ng Shiyu had been discussing with him were underhanded and could not be brought to light. Qin Tianlin would likely just end up shooting himself in the foot if he pressed the issue.
But after today, he feared he had completely offended the most talented individual in the Bronze Cult.
Boom!
Right at that mont, a deafening explosion echoed across the horizon. The crowd couldn't help but look up. Near the mountain peak, a blinding blast of energy suddenly detonated, sending a ring-shaped shockwave sweeping outward.
A figure was violently thrown from the center of the explosion, his body carving a twisted trajectory through the air, wreathed entirely in purple flas.
With an incredibly grim expression on his face, it was none other than Fan Zhao.
"This Nether Realm is truly a treasure trove for ," Su Chen could not help but sigh in admiration as he looked at the newly recorded class on his panel.
According to Lan Hao, this Stigmata Doctor could condense "Stigmata," allowing for rapid healing of oneself and others in a short period. It could be used at any ti.
In reality, while located in the core of the Bronze Cult, he dared not pull the sa reckless stunts he had back in the Tribunal.
But here in the Nether Realm, he could act without any reservations. Even if it wasn't exactly his ho turf, it could definitely be considered half of one.
'Since Lan Hao has beco a spy, I no longer need to worry about the Phoenix sequence classes.'
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Su Chen's gaze shifted to Little Black by his side. The creature was currently curled up on the ground, whimpering softly.
Changes were occurring all over its body. Its arched back heaved violently, and it seed as if countless living things were squirming beneath its skin. He had noticed earlier that this process had gradually begun right after it swallowed ng Shiyu's spiritual fragnts.
The transformation seed to have reached a critical point. Its pitch-black fur stood on end, an oily dark light rippling across the surface. At a rate visible to the naked eye, the fur beca thicker and coarser, as though covered in a dense layer of energy armor.
Its body swelled and bulged like a balloon being inflated. Its finger joints elongated, and the sharp claws jutting from the tips glead with a cold, tallic luster. Its face twisted as its lower jaw jutted forward, and its canine teeth grew longer and sharper, piercing right through its lips.
Its pupils shrank rapidly, turning into two vertical slits brimming with brutality and sharp glints, staring dead ahead.
An aura far more ferocious and solid than before began to wildly radiate outward with every inch of its body's tamorphosis.
It had actually advanced to Tier 6... No wonder these Nether Realm creatures were so covetous of extraplanar spiritual bodies.
Su Chen looked at the drastically transford Little Black. "M-Master." Little Black knelt on the ground, transmitting a ntal wave filled with reverence and devotion.
Su Chen faintly sensed a bizarre energy transmitting from Little Black. It was incredibly minuscule, like a strand of hair wrapping around him.
'Is this faith?' he muttered inwardly, deep in thought. He didn't know what use this thing had for an extraplanar spiritual body like him. At present, it was far too faint to feel anything.
'Little Black might actually be of great use later on.'
The thought vanished from Su Chen's mind as he suddenly sensed sothing and looked up at the sky.
A streak of purple light was sent flying backward. It was exactly Fan Zhao.
"There really are other Nether Realm creatures on that mountain." Su Chen wasn't surprised. He narrowed his eyes and, without any hesitation, bypassed the direction where Qin Tianlin and the others were located, approaching from the flank.
At the foot of the massive mountain, the unintelligent Nether Realm creatures had already been frightened into scattering and fleeing in all directions.
"Don't co up with . Head back to that mining area and hang out with that Centipede Dragon—the guy with the two rows of claws. I'll co find you later."
Su Chen thought for a mont and decided to let Little Black leave first. If he ran into danger, he could quickly exit the Nether Realm, but the sa couldn't be said for this creature.
"Can you find the place?" he specifically asked.
After advancing, Little Black's comprehension and intelligence had both improved significantly. It accurately replied, "I can find it."
"Nether Realm creatures have a better sense of direction here than I do." Su Chen waved his hand, dismissing it.
He then found a small path and began ascending the mountain. Although the terrain was jagged and rugged, it posed no real difficulty for him.
Halfway up, he switched to his Black Buddha Priest form, which would serve a special purpose later on.
Upon reaching the mountainside, the silhouettes of Nether Realm creatures gradually reappeared. There were Tier 6 creatures patrolling the area, but upon seeing him, they all recoiled in shock, dodging far away and not daring to approach.
The booming sounds continued in the sky, and Su Chen could now see the battlefield relatively clearly. There were three Nether Realm creatures battling Fan Zhao. A creature resembling a scorpion-armored Tyrannosaurus led the assault, the barbed stinger on its tail glinting coldly. There was also a creature that looked like an amalgamation of a giant ape and a rhinoceros, its snout wreathed in ominous, purplish-black arcs of lightning.
Coiled on the right side was a creature with a long, centipede-like body, a milky compound eye opened upon every segnt of its back carapace.
Su Chen couldn't make out the exact details; he could only see the dazzling radiance of their clashing energies.
'This Fan Zhao is quite formidable. Taking on three at once without losing ground, and all while rely using a spiritual body. These carefully selected and ticulously nurtured individuals really cannot be underestimated.'
Su Chen marveled inwardly. Becoming even more cautious, he took another detour and gradually approached the summit.
The summit was not a sharp peak, but rather a massive bowl-shaped depression. Its edges were jagged and nacing, closely resembling a giant crater left behind by a volcanic eruption.
In the central area lay a deep, secluded cave. Su Chen furrowed his brows slightly and carefully stepped inside.
Inside, it was exceptionally calm, carrying a faint, foul stench. The cave was not very deep. At the very end, a cluster of flas about half a person's height burned silently.
The flas were not the usual orange or yellow, but a purer, more translucent pale yellow. Its texture resembled molten colored glaze and flowing light, exuding a soft halo.
"Spirit Fire!"
Su Chen's footsteps paused, his expression growing slightly solemn as a burning fervor surged in his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.
Because a Nether Realm creature resembling a giant python had slithered out from the nearby darkness. Its body was covered in dense, dark, nearly black scales that gave off a luster akin to cooled, solidified lava.
Where its neck forked, it surprisingly grew two human-faced heads. The left face was fair and delicate—an absolutely beautiful woman's face. The right face was flawlessly masculine and handso. If one ignored the part where their necks intertwined, they would perfectly resemble an ideal, gorgeous couple.
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