Free Web NovelChapter 242: Out of the Cocoon
— On the River Bank —
Wei Chen let out a sigh as he looked at the armies surrounding them. He glanced at Youqi, who seemed to be on the verge of losing her temper.
He then looked at the sky and the ground, both crowded with warriors from the three Hidden Ancient Forces. From the looks of it, there were more than 50,000 people.
At this rate, all of these morons would end up dead. And since their deaths would also be included in his performance evaluation, he would rather bash the leader’s head in and then beat the shit out of everyone here.
Wei Chen then looked at his balance of negative 500,000 Underworld Gold Coins. This was the result of his latest shopping spree. The reason his account was deep in the red now sat inside his Broadcasting Orb’s storage.
[Underworld Dragon’s Soul Core
Essence of an ancient dragon. Grants the Underworld Dragon Immortal Physique, increasing qi capacity and affinity with all draconic arts.]
He had bought this just in case he needed it as a medium to ascend into the Soul Transformation Realm.
Of course, using a soul core to ascend into the Soul Transformation Realm was optional. But from what he had learned from his big boss, it seemed that in order to truly transcend mortality, the soul core of an advanced lifeform was a necessity.
According to the Lord of Death, the cultivation technique he started with, the Samsara Sovereign’s Scripture, was a technique designed to prepare one’s soul to transcend into a higher form of existence. freewēbnoveℓ.com
But it was only preparation. To walk the path without deviating from one’s destination, one needed a map of that destination. That map was the soul core of a higher being.
And from what he had asked, the Lord of Death had said that there were soul cores from beings even higher than the Underworld Dragon. However, those were not available in the shop. He would have to obtain them himself from the Underworld Desolation Zone.
That was because each of them belonged to an apex predator of the Underworld Realm, and one’s own state of being had to be compatible with the soul core being used.
Otherwise, if someone used an incompatible soul core, they would mutate into a monster and eventually be consumed by madness.
The item sold in the shop, however, was 100% safe. That was why it was available for purchase in the first place.
Looking at the enemy armies, Wei Chen came up with a brilliant plan.
"Ms. Youqi, may I have a little talk?" Wei Chen said as he deployed a soundproof barrier.
He then explained his plan to Youqi. After listening, she dispelled Wei Chen’s barrier and thought about it for a moment before nodding.
"Fine. I’ll allow it."
With the plan approved, Wei Chen’s smile widened.
"But..."
That single word from Youqi immediately wiped the smile from Wei Chen’s face.
"If there’s any deviation from the plan, I’ll crush all of them. Understood? I’ve tolerated them long enough." Youqi delivered her ultimatum.
"Of course, Lady Boss," Wei Chen agreed.
He then flew up into the sky, making himself the center of attention for the entire army.
"Yo! Baldy! How about we settle this with a one-on-one fight?" Wei Chen opened with his signature punchable smirk. His voice was infused with spiritual qi, allowing everyone in the area to hear him clearly.
"What did you just say, brat!? I dare you to say it again!" the Nether Patriarch roared in anger. The aura of his sealed Great Ascension Realm cultivation flared violently.
"Yes, Ugly Baldy. Why? Do you have hearing problems?" Wei Chen repeated.
"You... you..."
The Nether Patriarch’s face turned red as his anger rose. freёwebnoѵel.com
Yes, this was not the first time in his life that someone had called him bald. But it was the first time those words had come from someone as young as Wei Chen.
"Say it again! I dare you!" the Nether Patriarch shouted, trembling with rage as he pointed at Wei Chen.
"Man... this is the first time I’ve seen someone get an orgasm from being insulted. Alright, as you wish, you fucking bald donkey who gets excited every time someone insults him. I don’t know how you’ve been living your life, but if eating shit is your main diet, I’d advise you to change it. It’s making your breath smell like shit and lowering your intelligence. At this point, I can’t even tell the difference between you and a bald gorilla..."
Wei Chen continued spouting insults without pause, causing the Nether Patriarch to shake with increasing fury.
"You... die!"
The Nether Patriarch rushed toward Wei Chen. His powerful palm strike manifested into a massive spiritual attack the size of a flying ark. It was the full extent of the power he could unleash without unsealing his cultivation.
Boom! Splash!
The palm strike crashed into the river where Wei Chen had been standing. The resulting explosion sent water erupting into the air, creating a tsunami-like wave that surged toward the riverbank.
Boom!
The wall of water slammed into the shield Youqi had created to stop the tsunami, protecting the campsite and the ordinary workers.
The water gradually settled. Fish and other aquatic creatures slowly floated to the surface. The river was now covered with countless dead fish, forming what looked like a floating platform. Many large water creatures, such as giant water pythons and thousand-year turtles that had been caught within the range of the palm strike, were also dead.
Many had exploded into blood and flesh, staining the river red.
Seeing no trace of Wei Chen, the Nether Patriarch laughed loudly.
"Hahahaha! See? This is what happens to..."
But a voice interrupted him mid-sentence.
"Ohhhh, scary~ Why are you throwing a tantrum like this, Baldy? Or maybe you’re craving fish and chips? That’s a nice choice for lunch, ain’t it?"
The voice came from behind him.
The Nether Patriarch immediately retreated, putting distance between himself and Wei Chen.
"You... how did you get behind me?" the Nether Patriarch asked, narrowing his eyes.
He discarded all of his arrogance and anger. His mind instantly cleared of everything that had clouded his battle instincts.
He had allowed his rage to cloud his judgment, but seeing that Wei Chen had survived and even managed to get behind him caused all of his confidence as the stronger party to vanish.
Wei Chen also sensed the change in the atmosphere. He clicked his tongue.
As expected of the patriarch of a Hidden Ancient Force. It would not be easy to provoke him into making mistakes.
The two stared at each other.
All arrogance and pretense vanished, leaving behind only two fighters who recognized one another as worthy opponents.
— Meanwhile - Thousand Treasure City —
Right now, Thousand Treasure City has a new spectacle that draws the attention of tourists and ambitious cultivators alike.
It was the sight of a towering pagoda whose shadow covered an entire district with its staggering height of thirty kilometers. The official name of the pagoda was:
Heavenly Demon Enlightenment Pagoda!
This pagoda was, of course, the Myriad Realms Epiphany Pagoda that Wei Chen had left behind for Dream Butterfly and the cultivators under the influence of the Sky-Severing Demon Valley and the Thousand Treasure Pavilion to use.
Both Mo Xingyao and Mo Jue had incorporated access to the pagoda into their organizations’ contribution point systems. Cultivators who entered the pagoda emerged stronger and enlightened. Their comprehension and cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds.
This caused all the demonic forces to salivate over the opportunity to use the pagoda. They even offered gifts and benefits to Mo Jue and the Sky-Severing Demon Valley in exchange for access.
It became another powerful bargaining chip for Mo Jue to use in exchange for resources, cultivation manuals, and combat techniques from other clans and sects. Many organizations that already had good relations with Mo Jue and his sect rejoiced and gained the benefits of the pagoda.
As for those with less favorable relationships, they did everything they could to improve them.
And what about the righteous sects?
Other than the Heavenly Sword Sect, which maintained a good relationship with Wei Chen and the Thousand Treasure Pavilion, none of them had the right to use it.
They truly wanted to start a war and seize control of the pagoda, but...
The Underworld Palace stood like an insurmountable mountain that prevented anyone from daring to act.
Yes, they knew that if all the righteous sects combined their forces, they could win. It would be costly, but victory was still possible.
But...
Who would be the vanguard willing to bear the brunt of the wrath of both the Sky-Severing Demon Valley and the Underworld Palace?
Especially the Underworld Palace.
No one dared.
On this day, at the checkpoint in front of the pagoda where people lined up to reserve usage slots, one of the pagoda’s doors opened, revealing a graceful figure.
Both men and women stared at that figure as though hypnotized, unable to shift their gaze.
The men watched in admiration, not daring to entertain impure thoughts. The women felt awe, and some even felt inferior, yet none dared to feel jealous.
The one who emerged possessed silky black hair and golden eyes that were clear of impurity, yet concealed traces of immense power. Her features were so exquisite that she seemed like a goddess descending into the mortal realm. A mysterious azure seal shaped like a lotus adorned the center of her brows, making her appear even more enigmatic.
She was Dream Butterfly, who had just finished mastering all of the cultivation manuals that Wei Chen had given her.
