Translator: CinderTL
That evening, at dusk.
Crimson clouds stretched across the sky, painting the fiery clouds in a particularly enchanting hue.
An aircraft slowly departed from the Flame Tiger Sect's Mountain Gate in the outskirts. Chen Feng stood on the blue-stone Martial Arts Arena, watching it for several breaths.
With the Inverted Pyramid exploration scheduled in three days, he planned to stay at the Flame Tiger Sect for the next few days.
A figure in the departing aircraft waved at him. He waited silently for over ten seconds until it finally disappeared completely over the horizon.
"She's really working hard," Master Li Tong said from his side, his usual white robe adorned with red patterns.
Chen Feng didn't respond, simply withdrawing his gaze.
Chen Yun, who had rarely returned home, had already left again for Red City. The research headquarters' project team was about to begin a new round of technological breakthroughs and related experiments.
Perhaps because of his influence, the higher-ups had been exceptionally supportive and attentive to Chen Yun, showing her considerable respect.
He could see that she was passionate about her work, so he naturally respected her decision to leave again.
His gaze then shifted.
Standing in the pavilion corridor of the blue-stone Martial Arts Arena was another figure.
Dressed in a long blue robe and silver boots, she stood motionless.
Golden hair, alabaster skin—it was Iphia, the woman who had been critically wounded and unconscious, recovering within the sect.
She had only recently regained consciousness.
Her aura seemed stable, but her expression remained somewhat dazed.
"Grandmaster Chen," Iphia said, approaching him with Lin Xiaoyun, a True Disciple, at her side.
"I heard you're leaving?" Chen Feng asked, having received the news before returning to the Flame Tiger Sect.
"I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you these past few days," Iphia said, bowing slightly in gratitude.
She knew that without Chen Feng's intervention, she would have died.
Before that, there had been some distance between them, yet he had held no grudges.
She finally understood why Kromode had sent her to seek help, and she was completely humbled by the man before her.
"What are your plans now?" Chen Feng asked, waving his hand dismissively.
He could sense a subtle abnormality in her. Or, more precisely, he sensed that her emotions were off.
"Kromode still has family. I need to live for him," Iphia said, her voice low, a lingering sorrow in her eyes.
It was clear she and Kromode had been close, otherwise he wouldn't have sacrificed his life to help her escape.
But the shadow of that event clung to her, making it impossible to fully move on.
"So, you want to avenge him?"
Chen Feng narrowed his eyes, finally sensing the source of the anomaly.
It was rage—hatred for the person responsible for Kromode's death.
In other words, her departure and urgent return to the Platinum Federation were also motivated by the fugitive Han Mingchuan.
Iphia pursed her lips.
Their gazes met. Though surprised he'd guessed her intentions, she didn't deny it.
Silence fell between them, broken only by the gentle breeze of approaching summer.
"Han Mingchuan is under the protection of the Roth Family."
"Do you really think you stand a chance?"
The harsh reality loomed before her. Not to mention, when he fled, he had been accompanied by a team of formidable Security Personnel.
A flicker of despair crossed Iphia's eyes, but the flame of hatred remained unextinguished.
Recognizing her stubborn resolve, Chen Feng nodded inwardly and finally revealed his plan.
"If you truly seek revenge, I can help you."
"But only if you offer something of equal value in return."
With just a few words, the light in Iphia's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Finally, Chen Feng watched her leave.
Li Tong, who had stood silently to the side throughout the conversation, frowned and couldn't help but ask anxiously, "She's from the Platinum Federation. Can we really trust her?"
He had heard everything clearly.
Although Iphia had agreed to join the Martial Dao Alliance and secretly monitor Han Mingchuan, it was still the Roth Family's territory.
Faced with such a colossal power, who could guarantee she wouldn't betray them?
"The Roth Family is indeed formidable, but..."
Chen Feng turned away, his voice calm. "We have the entire Red Nation behind us."
Li Tong's expression shifted dramatically.
Before he could recover, Chen Feng had already begun walking toward his private courtyard.
Recruiting Iphia hadn't been a spur-of-the-moment decision. The Martial Dao Alliance was still in its early stages and desperately needed powerful new blood.
To have reached the Pinnacle Realm in this era meant one was already a peerless genius in the Martial Arts World, though Chen Feng's arrival had somewhat overshadowed their achievements.
In the past, whether in talent or perseverance, they were one in a million, even one in ten million. No one was more suited to cultivate the Martial Arts Method, no one could advance faster, and no one had a greater chance of achieving Transcendence and becoming stronger.
This was perfectly embodied by both Yang Wudi and Liu Duanyun.
Yet, after the star palace tragedy in Niduo Kingdom's Capital and the successive deaths of Blade and Kromode, Earth's Pinnacle Realm had dwindled to a mere handful.
He hoped to preserve as much of the Martial Arts World's Fire Seed as possible.
With that thought put aside, he walked step by step down the wooden corridor.
Passing the cobblestone path and the steps of blue stone, he finally entered the courtyard's inner room.
With a creak, the wooden door closed without a breeze.
Sitting cross-legged, he banished all unnecessary thoughts.
The exploration of the Inverted Pyramid in three days was his primary focus.
Whether it was for the possible Fragment of Divinity or to delve deeper into the mystery of his Dream Incursion ability, it all hinged on one prerequisite:
Having sufficient self-defense capabilities to overcome any exploration dangers.
The thought solidified instantly, and I turned my gaze to the panel before me.
Steel Bones was close to a breakthrough, and in the short term, this was the only talent that could significantly boost his strength.
Buzz!
In the azure sky, two suns, one large and one small, hung side by side.
White clouds drifted lazily as a circular aircraft soared through the air. In the wilderness, the crunch of dry leaves underfoot echoed through the green forest.
"Why are we here? This just looks like an ordinary wilderness mountain range."
"Who told you it was ordinary? Let me tell you, six warships landed in this wilderness just a few days ago!"
"What? Impossible!"
"Why not? There's been a big shot in the wilderness lately. He even destroyed a warship from the ninth legion."
"Quiet down, you two! Don't let anyone hear us!"
Whispered discussions rippled through the Greenfield. The figures crunching through the dry leaves exchanged hushed, shocked whispers, their footsteps growing lighter.
They advanced another dozen meters, but before they could reach the mountain range, the green forest ahead suddenly parted.
Two pitch-black mechanical soldiers, their eyes glowing crimson, emerged from the dense foliage, their black hole-like gun barrels trained on them.
The figure resembled a human, with metallic hands and legs. Standing over two meters tall, it exuded a palpable sense of intimidation.
[WARNING: You have entered a restricted zone. Leave immediately!]
A cold warning echoed, and the mechanical soldier's eyes flashed red, locking onto the scavengers like targeting scopes.
Its gun barrel rose, as if ready to pull the trigger at any moment.
The few who had been bold enough to approach earlier paled, hastily apologized, and retreated with bowed heads.
"Those wilderness remnants—at least they know when to back down."
This scene unfolded in the aircraft, displayed as live surveillance footage.
The circular aircraft began to slow and circle, as if following a fixed pattern as it hovered above the mountain.
"If we weren't on a mission and couldn't violate regulations, we could have just executed them on the spot."
The earlier speaker's tone remained flat. Numerous light screens floated within the cabin, along with intelligent virtual avatars.
All the mechanical soldiers were under unified command, ready to transform into weapons of firepower at any moment.
"Alright, don't make the captain angry. Just expel him."
"As for this godforsaken place, I've had enough."
A companion in the cabin shook his head, then couldn't help but complain.
The first speaker sighed, replying helplessly, "Who told that outsider to stir up such a commotion?"
"Just hold on a little longer. We haven't found anything in days. We'll probably be pulling out soon."
The two sighed in unison, both deeply nostalgic for the comfortable life within the main city circle.
Their conversation was filled with resentment toward the Unknown Awakened who had caused such a massive disturbance.
At that moment, no one knew that every sound and conversation, every image, was being sensed by an invisible wave.
"It seems the Tedo Kingdom finally pinpointed my approximate departure location," Chen Feng mused, absorbing all the information he had perceived. He stood at the mouth of the cave where he had disappeared.
A thought flashed through his mind, and he amplified his Perception.
Only a few scattered aircraft remained in the sky, maintaining a blockade and surveillance. In the distance, across the wilderness, only two small squads of mechanical soldiers continued their search.
It was clear that his departure had erased all traces of him from the deep web's tracking systems.
After a period of searching, most of the people here had lost patience, assuming he had gone elsewhere and withdrawn the majority of their forces.
For caution's sake, Chen Feng carefully scanned the surroundings.
He found no hidden mechanical reconnaissance devices.
Looking up at the sky, he saw two suns, one large and one small, hanging motionless.
Their scorching light poured down, but Chen Feng had long since suppressed his Life Energy Field and quelled the activity within his flesh and blood.
"It worked," he thought, nodding inwardly. The sense of being tracked that he had felt upon entering the Calamity Secret Realm had vanished.
He could now be fairly certain that he had successfully evaded the deep web lock here.
"They should have a rough idea of my strength by now," he mused. "If I were to reveal any trace of myself, they wouldn't give me a chance to escape or retaliate. They'd likely deploy at least several battleship legions to surround and attack me simultaneously, or even launch a long-range annihilation strike."
Chen Feng glanced left and right at the wilderness, acutely aware that this environment was highly unfavorable to him.
In this desolate, rarely-visited wilderness, if this world truly possessed some form of long-range lethal strike, he would be in considerable danger.
Thoughts raced through his mind.
In the short term, he needed to conceal his tracks and find an opportunity—a chance to escape without triggering a massive lockdown and encirclement, while also obtaining sufficient Steel Bones nutrients.
Gradually, his eyes brightened as a clear plan formed.
Rather than passively waiting for a massive enemy force to converge on him, he would take the initiative.
By timing his escape with the return to the Dream Realm, he could ensure his safe departure.
With a decisive step, he immediately left the cave.
The release of his Perception caused no fluctuations in his Life Energy Field. Using this advantage, he continuously evaded patrolling aircraft and mechanical soldiers, moving through the wilderness like a phantom, leaving no trace of his passage.
(End of the Chapter)
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