The Post Sky Tipping Era
Chapter 568 - 405: Changes

Chapter 568: Chapter 405: Changes

Li Yi did not flee across dimensions; he chose to stay in Tianchang City. During the day, he assisted the investigation bureau in handling some tricky matters, and at night, he returned to the Peace Finance Building to continue his cultivation. At the same time, he kept up with the constantly shifting situation through Zheng Gong.

One could say that Earth now undergoes drastic transformations every single day.

If it wasn’t cities destroyed by earthquakes, it was catastrophic floods descending from the skies and submerging them. Sometimes, mythical creatures would appear, occupying cities and forcing residents to relocate, or cultivators from foreign worlds would stir chaos everywhere... On top of that, spaceships had been constantly transporting residents from across the globe to settle in Tianchang City over the past few days.

The city, which used to feel somewhat desolate, had ironically become more prosperous as a result, to the point where even former derelict districts now had people moving in.

But none of this had anything to do with Li Yi for the time being.

He felt that if he wanted to drastically improve his strength in a short period, staying on Earth to cultivate wasn’t enough. While Earth abounded with cosmic energy, most of it was polluted. Coupled with the scarcity of resources and the instability of the environment, the best solution was to cross dimensions again and head to a more formidable world to advance himself.

The first thought that came to Li Yi’s mind was the Barbaric World.

That world had gods, abundant cosmic energy, and all sorts of rare treasures and exotic beasts, making it an ideal place for tempering oneself.

But then he shook his head.

The Barbaric World was far too powerful. Although it had immense resources, surviving there was incredibly difficult. The last time he ventured there, he had almost failed to return.

"There’s one world that’s perfect for me... The one I seized the coordinates for from Xu Wen Dao—the End of Dharma Cultivation World." His eyes lit up as he thought of a place where he could quickly enhance his abilities.

The End of Dharma Cultivation World had once developed to its pinnacle, but due to a lack of cosmic energy, it had rapidly declined. Nonetheless, it was still a world full of deep potential.

Back then, Xu Wen Dao had obtained storage magical artifacts, magic swords, puppets, and other treasures from that world. If Li Yi could bring along a batch of Life Extending Pills, he’d undoubtedly gain a lot from it. Although that world no longer had cosmic energy, Li Yi possessed something that could ensure his cultivation wouldn’t be affected.

He reached into his storage magical artifact, and with a flash of light, a Seven-Colored Stone overflowing with immense cosmic energy appeared in his hand.

As soon as the stone materialized, it emitted a dazzling brilliance, all composed of energy, which flowed outward and formed an energy field several meters in diameter.

He had obtained this stone by taking a great risk, using the Fei Mu Needle to pierce a fine thread hanging down from the heavens.

Although he didn’t fully understand its purpose, the sheer magnitude of cosmic energy in the stone made it clear that it was as powerful as a complete miracle item. It was more than sufficient to supply his cultivation needs. During the End of Dharma era, this would have been a prized treasure, far superior to the incomplete coin he had.

The coin, being half-intact, not only had a limited energy field, but when brought to places with scarce cosmic energy, it would quickly degrade.

From a scientific perspective, the coin lacked energy storage.

In locations rich in cosmic energy, the coin could emit an energy field; in areas without cosmic energy, the field would vanish.

It was like a solar-powered flashlight—glowing under sunlight but entirely useless in darkness.

It sounded rather absurd.

But that was simply the truth. There was nothing Li Yi could do about the coin’s inherent flaw.

"Although I have the coordinates, crossing dimensions requires me to go to Golden Academy. Only there can I use their cross-border machines, and beyond that, I’ll need to save enough for the crossing fee." Deep in thought, he began planning his next moves.

Moreover, he needed to figure out a way to revisit World No. 36.

At this point, there were bound to be many cultivators seeking dimension crossings. Incomplete miracle items, fully intact ones, and dimensional coordinates would inevitably rise in value. It was very likely that Golden Academy’s crossing fees had already increased.

But no matter what, he had to head back to Golden Academy. Only there would he have more opportunities. Staying in Tianchang City was as good as sitting around waiting for doom.

After cultivating for an entire night,

Li Yi sought out Zheng Gong the next day to explain the situation, informing him of his decision to return to Golden Academy.

"At a time like this, Tianchang City really needs you. If you leave, we won’t have another expert capable of handling emergencies. You know as well as I do that even Captain Zhang Lei has already fallen..." Zheng Gong said with some difficulty, clearly conflicted.

As an investigator, his job was to prioritize the well-being of the city.

After some thought, Li Yi replied, "I’ll leave behind the Thunderbolt Fighter and Niu Niu. Together, they’re capable of handling Spirit Power Realm-level enemies. As for permissions, I’ll grant them to both you and Zheng Lan. This is the most assistance I can provide."

Given his current capabilities, the Thunderbolt Fighter’s firepower was becoming increasingly inadequate. It mainly served as a means of transport now. But since he had the flying mutant beast, Good Wings, as a replacement, and since Niu Niu seemed to have taken a liking to studying and was reluctant to venture out, leaving them behind to guard the base made sense.

"Li Yi, that’s not what I meant," Zheng Gong said.

Li Yi waved a hand to cut him off. "I understand. But, Zheng Gong, you need to realize that the safety of a city doesn’t rest on one person alone—it depends on everyone. I’ve already done my part. If the investigation bureau believes the city would fall apart without me, then such a fragile city is bound to collapse under the Sky Tipping event sooner or later."

"What we need to do is seize the time to cultivate. A powerful cultivator can influence the fate of an entire world. You witnessed what happened a few days ago—if an inter-dimensional attack hadn’t been countered by someone crossing over and striking back, giving a warning, we’d be facing far more invaders than we are now."

Hearing this, Zheng Gong sighed helplessly. "Earth lacks the kind of truly powerful individuals who can shape the world’s fate. But we’ve had too little time to cultivate. We lack deep foundations. Still, you’re right—ensuring the safety of a city can’t depend on just one person; it requires the effort of all."

"Li Yi, you should go. I hope you grow stronger and return in the future."

"Of course. As long as there’s the slightest hope, I’ll never abandon my home. But if Earth proves to be beyond saving, I’ll have no choice but to leave." Li Yi added, "Don’t be too stubborn, either. If things get too bad, head to Ghost Street."

"Understood, I will," Zheng Gong nodded.

He, too, knew the secrets of Ghost Street, though he had never disclosed them to anyone.

After giving some instructions, Li Yi immediately began preparing. He made sure to leave strict orders with Niu Niu to watch over the house and transferred the Thunderbolt Fighter’s permissions to Zheng Lan.

"Zheng Lan, are you really not considering going to the Four Seas and Eight Continents?" he asked once more. "Though you’re a Genetic Warrior and stronger than ordinary people, your current strength makes it hard to survive in situations involving disasters or enemies. I think you should retreat to the Four Seas and Eight Continents to avoid trouble."

Zheng Lan smiled. "It’s okay. Someone has to keep things running here. Go take care of your own affairs, Li Yi. If anything particularly serious happens, my cousin Zheng Gong and I will make our way to Ghost Street."

"That’s good to hear." Li Yi nodded. "If you encounter any issues, don’t hesitate to call me. Also, when Sister Lin finishes settling the others, she should return as well. She’s not the type to stay long in the Four Seas and Eight Continents—cultivating there doesn’t suit her. Here, she’ll make faster progress."

"By the way, what about Fan Zhizhou? He’s still in the cultivation cabin on the second basement level. Even with everything happening outside, he hasn’t come out," Zheng Lan suddenly remembered and asked.

"Leave him be. Once he comes out, have Lan Ji update him on recent events," Li Yi said.

Fan Zhizhou was steadily advancing on his cultivation path. With the help of the cultivation cabin and ample nutrient fluids, he was likely trying to reach the Spiritual Realm and wouldn’t emerge until he succeeded.

"Got it," Zheng Lan replied.

After some thought, Li Yi said, "I don’t know when I’ll be back. You’ve helped me a lot, but I’ve never had the chance to pay you. Take this storage magical artifact as a gift. Although you can’t use it yet, now that you’ve started cultivating, it’s only a matter of time before you learn the Guiding Skill."

He handed Zheng Lan a white Treasure Bead.

Among the countless storage magical artifacts Li Yi had obtained from Xu Wen Dao, this one, resembling a large pearl, seemed particularly fitting for women and made for an excellent gift.

"Thank you."

Zheng Lan’s eyes lit up, obviously delighted with the sparkling, translucent bead. She admired it carefully, already imagining it as a necklace she could wear.

Li Yi smiled. "I’m glad you like it."

After making all his arrangements, he wasted no time leaving the building. Calling forth Good Wings, he bade farewell to Zheng Lan, Zhao Lingfu, and several others.

Good Wings spread its wings and let out a piercing cry.

In the blink of an eye, it sped off toward Golden Academy.

Sitting atop the creature, Li Yi circulated his Gang Qi to shield himself from the fierce winds, ensuring he wouldn’t be swept off.

Before long,

he left Tianchang City behind.

Yet as Li Yi truly exited the city, he fully grasped the horrors of the Sky Tipping event. He saw a towering mountain, seemingly from another world, suddenly appear as though it had been thrust into the land. It jutted up like a celestial pillar, splitting the ground around it into a vast network of chasms. Strange and terrifying creatures were already claiming the area as their domain.

Even just passing by, he spotted a colossal snake-like entity slithering through a massive fissure. It was unclear whether it was a snake or a Jiao Long.

He also witnessed cities turned entirely into ruins, where investigation bureau personnel were coordinating rescue and relief efforts, organizing transportation for survivors using spaceships.

Among the ruins, there were even cultivators clad in traditional Daoist robes, wielding talismans to exorcise malevolent forces. It wasn’t clear which world they had come from, but they didn’t appear hostile.

As if that wasn’t enough,

new interdimensional crossing points had appeared across the landscape. These crossings linked Earth to unknown worlds, turning familiar terrains into unfamiliar environments within moments. A lush forest would transform into a sprawling desert in the blink of an eye. In that desert, Li Yi caught a glimpse of enormous desert worms partially emerging from the sand, alongside truck-sized scorpions skittering about.

It was unclear if any civilizations could thrive in such hostile environments.

On his journey to Golden Academy, Li Yi witnessed countless changes. He couldn’t help but feel estranged—was this still the Earth he knew?

Earth was now fractured beyond recognition, and in the days to come, any unimaginable event could become reality.