Blind Spot
Chapter 672 - 617 approaches 1

Chapter 672: 617 approaches 1

Just as Li Chengyi began preparing for the second enhancement,

thousands of kilometers to the south of this forest, within an ancient town.

The architecture of the town resembled that of China in the eighties and nineties: flat houses amidst some plain-looking ten-story buildings.

The streets were mostly filled with cyclists and pedestrians, with the occasional car passing by belonging to the rare few who could afford one.

Vendors carried vegetables and meat to the market, some simply setting up shop on the roadside to sell their wares.

Sounds of music from radios and broadcast stations would occasionally drift out from the shops along the streets, a trendy element of that era.

Now and then, a colored TV in a large department store would draw the gaze of passersby, causing them to stop and watch.

Grey, white, black, and the simple red, blue, yellow—these were the main colors of that period.

And at the heart of this ancient town, next to a block of affluent housing, sat a spacious ground as large as a middle school.

Inside the grounds were a sports field and courtyard, from which one could faintly hear the sound of shouting, but due to the high walls, passersby couldn’t see what was within.

The only clue was the three characters on a large sign above the entrance: Fierce Tiger Sect.

Within the high walls,

at this moment, a group of robust men and women dressed in grey outfits was surrounding an elder with white hair, glaring at someone on the open ground in front of them.

The old man had a physique like a bear, which made his full head of white hair seem wild with untamed energy, showing no signs of frailty.

The wrinkles on his forehead vaguely formed the character for "king," giving him the appearance of a fierce and dangerous tiger, exuding an intimidating presence.

He was Xiang Hesong, the current leader of the Fierce Tiger Sect.

"Hong Shan, you’ve deeply disappointed me..." Xiang Hesong held back his anger, staring at the disciple who wouldn’t rise from his knees.

He had only this daughter, Xiang Hanying, yet she was almost violated by this trusted disciple in the night. Had it not been for the patrolling guards who sensed something was amiss, the unthinkable might have happened...

"Master... it’s all a misunderstanding...! I never thought of doing such a shameless thing to Junior Sister!!" Hong Shan knelt on the ground, crying and weeping, his expression one of remorse.

"I really am being framed... someone must be deliberately slandering me!"

A powerless plea.

Xiang Hesong felt a coldness settle in his heart; despite being among the top three in talent within the entire Fierce Tiger Sect, Hong Shan had done something utterly unacceptable.

He remembered the days when he had rescued Hong Shan from the streets, a skinny boy close to death, with eyes that were pure and innocent.

And now...

"From today onwards, you are no longer a disciple of my Fierce Tiger Sect," Xiang Hesong said in a deep voice.

He had raised Hong Shan since he was five years old until now, at nineteen, providing for his needs and teaching him martial arts. And what did he get in return?

"Master!!" Hong Shan cried out in despair, knocking his head on the ground frantically.

But it was to no avail; two disciples lifted him up and threw him out the gate by force.

Thud.

The gate was locked tight, shut.

Hong Shan, with red eyes, knelt outside, his body trembling, without rising for a long time.

’Just a little bit more!’

’Just a little more and I would have had that wretched woman, made the deed a done deal, and secured my right to inherit the sect!!’

’If it weren’t for those two meddling patrol guards...!!’

While he appeared sorrowful on the outside, inside he was filled with unspeakable rage.

Years of planning destroyed in an instant, a blow he found utterly unacceptable.

’And that old bastard, just for an attempted assault, actually had the nerve to kick his adopted son out of the sect...’

’How much have I done for the sect over the years? How much hard work have I put in? How can they kick me out just based on a few words!?’

Hong Shan’s heart was filled with hate for his teacher, Xiang Hesong, and anger towards the two guards.

But now wounded, he had no chance of making a comeback and could only struggle to his feet, look up at the sky, and walk towards the crowd that had gathered to watch the commotion.

Just as he stood up and left,

above the Fierce Tiger Sect, in mid-air,

suddenly, a transparent vortex flashed by.

From within the vortex, three invisible ripples shot out, thunderously falling into the alley below and entering the bodies of three old men who were sitting and playing chess.

The three men shuddered, abruptly pushing aside the chessboard to stand up.

"What is this place... what’s going on!?"

The short elder with graying hair looked bewildered as he examined his own hands.

"My power... it’s all gone!?"

He was a Saint!

A being of Eternal Vitality, embodying Primal Chaos Unity within the Saint Position!

Merely tracking the third generation that His Majesty was concerned about, he had been ordered to reclaim the Royal Castle System and thus had utilized his unique Flower Language Technique to begin the long-distance tracking.

Tian Ju Pavilion could block the Divine Flower Generals, but they weren’t as precise in stopping Hundred Flowers Generals and Thousand Leaves Army at that level.

Especially now, with Tian Ju Pavilion starting a large-scale operation, they had no time to pay attention to other matters.

So he had seized the opportunity, activated the Flower Language Technique, and tracked the third generation.

But now the problem is, the pursuit had led to a world. Yet the situation here...

"My power... What’s happening!? It all disappeared!?" Hundred Flowers General Yalong’s heart sank with dread, entirely unprepared for such a development.

"What place is this exactly!? Why can’t any power leave our bodies!?" The two beside him from the Thousand Leaves Army were also visibly shocked.

After their initial shock, the trio soon realized that everyone else around them was in the same predicament, devoid of any extraordinary fluctuations.

Clearly, this wasn’t targeted only at the three of them; it was very likely directed at all extraordinary beings.

"This place... it should be the Black Sea Depths..." Yalong abruptly thought of a locale that perfectly matched the situation they were experiencing.

"The Black Sea Depths... the primitive layer that greatly restricts all powers!?" One of the Thousand Leaves Army soldiers, who seemed to be knowledgeable, exclaimed.

"Indeed, only our Flower Language Ability bestowed by His Majesty can be utilized here, but all other powers and cultivation levels are restricted," Yalong uttered somberly. "No wonder the superiors couldn’t pinpoint his location. He actually hid in such a deep layer..."

All members of the Hundred Flowers and the Thousand Leaves Army were searching for the third generation, ready to kill the opponent and seize the Royal Castle System.

As per His Majesty’s command, whoever managed to recapture the Royal Castle System first would be granted a new Divine Flower General title.

Although the Flower Language Technique of the Hundred Flowers General was usable, its strength and usability were nowhere near that of a Divine Flower General.

Moreover, it could not evolve or rise in level. Whatever level it started at, it remained.

"Here, aside from the Flower Language Ability being slightly usable, we have no particular advantages. The only definite good news now is that... the third generation must be here, otherwise our Flower Language wouldn’t have brought us to this place."

"Lord, it seems we must now seek help from the native forces..." a soldier from the Thousand Leaves Army said in a grave voice.

"It’s fine, even if we have lost our powers, our knowledge remains. It won’t take long to rise again. Besides..."

Hundred Flowers General Yalong clenched his fist tightly.

"My Saint Position’s indestructible body naturally transforms and manifests here, turning into a physique forged from the most solid materials of this world."

He could feel that his body at the moment was as hard as if it were made of diamond. Incredibly solid.

This was the innate advantage of a Saint.

Even in the Black Sea Depths, it put him far ahead of those at other realms.

With such a body, even if his other qualities still matched those of an ordinary person, combined with his mastery of countless martial arts, he could still become a top-tier fighter.

"Let’s go. The Flower Language Technique brought us here for a reason, and according to the tracking of cause and effect, this place must be connected to the third generation."

Without another word, the trio left the alley, only to come face-to-face with Hong Shan, who had blood on his forehead.

Their eyes met, and they instantly sensed something peculiar flash by.

Yalong narrowed his eyes as he stared at Hong Shan. His Flower Language Ability stirred momentarily.

His Flower Language Ability was a weakened version derived from the Flower Language Technique of the Golden Phoenix, a Divine Flower General named Reminiscence. It was among the Twelve Flower Generals, the most convenient power for pursuing and tracking enemies.

This ability, if released by that still unawakened Divine Flower General, required but a smidge of evidence to immediately trace the target’s location and state.

But he was only a Hundred Flowers General, and his Flower Language Ability was far weaker, capable only of sensing all traces and information related to the target, without the ability to precisely distinguish or recognize them.

Observing Hong Shan’s contorted face, hiding anger and hatred, Yalong’s lips curled into a cold smile.

He was not one of those Saints who sought enlightenment through traditional ways, with personal convictions and principles. His Saint Position was granted by His Majesty, a forced elevation tied to the Divine Flower Generals.

Thus, his mission was everything.

"You... look like you could use some help..." Yalong stopped in his tracks, speaking with a gentle voice.

*

*

*

At the edge of the forest.

Kui and Li Chengyi, in the form of a squirrel, stepped out of the woods together.

Both looked up at the brilliant sky above, the sunshine turning the clouds to gold, as if waves rolled and tumbled.

"What are your plans now?" Li Chengyi asked.

"The league starts in a month, and weren’t you going to give me some pointers? Maybe I can get some new inspiration from you to make a breakthrough," Kui said earnestly.

"You’ve got a solid foundation. However, about the league, I’m actually interested in participating myself," Li Chengyi stated.

"?" Kui looked at him in surprise.

"Don’t be surprised. I also want to see how strong the outsiders are," Li Chengyi said calmly.

"Alright... But are you really up for it, looking like that?" Kui was somewhat skeptical.

"Just tell me if it can be done or not."

"It can be done... the league doesn’t care about your race, once you’re on the field, you’re an opponent. According to the rules, it doesn’t break any if the two of us join together," Kui responded hesitantly.

"Then it’s settled," Li Chengyi said.

Before leaving the forest, he had fully replenished all possible Flowers Energy.

The materials needed for the second enhancement were already prepared in batches, and the first set was ingested, beginning the enhancement reaction. Now, the next step was to digest it as quickly as possible. Once an enhancement starts, it cannot stop; otherwise, it would turn into an indissoluble poison.

The materials needed for the essence of Eternal Vitality were not rare in and of themselves. Its real limiter was the uniqueness of the forbidden knowledge and the significant side effects on oneself.

So now, it was time for continuous, staged enhancement.

"So, where specifically will we do the intensive training?" Li Chengyi asked again.

"I plan to return to one of the sects where I previously studied," Kui answered. "It’s just that it’s quite a distance away, and we’ll need to take a plane."

"Let’s go then. Don’t forget your promise," Li Chengyi said indifferently.