Broc left Crystal Valley with his “repaired” favourite sword. Although the loss of Magic Shield left a thorn in his heart, the repaired “Blood River” finally gave him a little compensation and psychological comfort. Surely, due to the need to be an undercover, someone’s sinister intentions wouldn’t be exposed yet. Therefore, “Blood River” still had some time to go from its final flash to its death.
Broc’s appearance confirmed the speculation in Chen Rui’s mind. Regardless of the Demon Shield or Blood River, these pranking tricks were just trivial. The actual thing that he had to think about was how to weaken the strength of the Crystal Valley or even create and expand internal disputes. By then, the joint efforts of inner and outer forces would naturally succeed in one try. Not only that, Chen Rui also had to find a way to rescue Kia’s mother and release Kia’s and her mother’s [Soul Shackles].
Kia’s mother was called Freya. She was originally at the base in the Bloody Vine City. A few years ago, she was brought to Crystal Valley’s Devouring Hall by Sabrina, and she was abused. This time, she happened to be taken away by Sabrina’s rival, Azgalor’s other wife, Izola, and she hadn’t yet returned.
“Repairing” the Blood River and making it close to the legendary grade allowed Manu to witness Chen Rui’s “capabilities”, so Chen Rui’s value had become more important in his heart. However, there were many important things outside that Manu couldn’t neglect, so he didn’t stay much longer in the Crystal Valley. He left the next day after Broc left.
During this time, apart from going to the crystal dragon to “study” the magic circle from time to time, Chen Rui had been staying behind closed doors most of the time. This was also a “common issue” of many mechanic masters.
However, Chen Rui hadn’t been immersed in “researching” the artifact, Demon Shield as others imagined. Instead, all his effort was spent on the training of Megrez state.
Actually, during his days at the Custer Family, Chen Rui attempted to train his Migrez state multiple times. However, the “world” was really mysterious. It was just beside him, but it was actually very ambiguous. Therefore, he didn’t know where to start. His experience value was still zero.
Super System’s advancement was very strange as it didn’t measure experience based solely on strength but based on the objective of current training. Even if one of his stats had reached Demon Emperor, he still wouldn’t break through to the next state. The previous [Refined Body], [Refined Power] were still literal. When it reached [Refined Mind], it was a bit mysterious already. Now, [Refined Principles] made him feel like he didn’t know where to start.
Relying on the help of realm king fruits seemed to be the only possible shortcut. Anyway, the longest shelf life of a king’s fruit was only three months. Now, more than a month had passed so it’d wither and disappear automatically without trying.
The realm king fruits wasn’t a real fruit but the essence created in the Aurora Frost. After consuming it, it could produce hallucinations corresponding to the mind. Then, it could derive a special spiritual imprint according to the mind of the user and later absorbed by the user.
This spiritual imprint was the feeling of “territory”. Certainly, this type of territory was only the primary level of territory, which was the pseudo-territory mastered by the Demon Emperors. However, the pseudo-territory was the foundation of an actual territory. It was also the greatest difference between Great Demon King and Demon Emperor.
The strength gap between the Great Demon King was actually very huge. Although some people might have reached Demon Emperor in terms of strength, they hadn’t mastered the power of territory, so they were still Great Demon King, and they couldn’t be regarded as Demon Emperor.
The difference in strength between a “pseudo-Demon Emperor” without the power of territory and a real Demon Emperor was huge. That was a difference in quality.
In the same way, if he could understand the strength of Megrez state, he would be undefeatable among those below the strength of Demon Emperor. If he could fully grasp the strength of Megrez state, he might even be able to rival those that just advanced to Demon Emperor.
However, the power of realm king fruits was too strong. Only Demon Emperors could bear its effect. He wasn’t even sure whether the modes of “Star Devouring” and “Star Conversion” could be used.
Chen Rui took out the realm king fruits. The appearance of this fruit was exquisite as if it was a flawless crystal artwork. It was also exuding a faint fragrance. It won’t feel like eating glass right… He raised his head and swallowed the fruit.
The realm king fruits was originally produced in the extremely cold environment at Aurora Frost. He felt cold in his hands but after it entered the stomach, it started to burn like a fire and spread all over his body quickly.
Chen Rui felt an unbearable pain as the fire began to burn in various parts of the body. His muscles began to swell and twist. He could no longer remain seated and fell to the ground while shivering. He struggled to resist the uncomfortable feeling. Fortunately, corresponding magic circles had been laid by him around the laboratory, and he strictly prohibited any disturbance. Therefore, his sound and movement wouldn’t be heard outside.
The fiery feeling was dozens of times greater than the fiery volcano in the training ground. Chen Rui felt that his bones and flesh were going to be vaporized. Besides, his brain began to swell up. It had increased several times in an instant as if it was going to explode.
The pain was real, but the swelling was actually an illusion. Since the realm king fruits must be taken at least with Demon Emperor strength, Chen Rui’s actual strength was only equivalent to the level of a Great Demon King. Thus, he couldn’t bear the power. The trouble was that the Star Devouring and Star Conversion prompt that he expected didn’t appear nor did a prompt for aura conversion.
At that moment, an unknown force surged in his body, gradually weakening the feeling of swelling to burst. That force was the strengthening power from Manu’s [Soul Shackles]. Although it was only a thousandth of a Demon Overlord’s strength, it was an extremely concentrated strength. Regardless of its quality or quantity, it was far superior to Chen Rui’s current strength. They couldn’t be digested completely at once, but it came in handy this time.
Under the dissolution and buffering of that force, Chen Rui’s body gradually returned to normal and Manu’s strength was quickly absorbed into the body. Most importantly, the effect of the realm king fruits was about to manifest.
Chen Rui’s vision and consciousness gradually blurred. When he recovered his consciousness with much effort, he found that the scene in front of him had completely changed. It was a familiar scene that he hadn’t seen for a long time.
Dust-covered roads, noisy car horns, cars parked all around, crowds moving in and out, and two girls walking in front of him while eating sugar cane. A trail of sugarcane’s residue was left behind. It was a very familiar small town. It was backward and dirty, but after all, it was his hometown.
Did I cross-over back?
What about Athena and the others? Paglio and the others? That world had become his real attachment. As for this world that he used to be familiar with, he felt strange now.
Chen Rui took a look at the mobile phone in his hand. The unbranded counterfeit that also has a camera. Why is this so familiar? Isn’t this that phone that appears with the Super System?!
Although there were no life threats here at all times and there was no precarious settlement like the Dark Moon or a dangerous and terrible enemy’s lair like the Crystal Valley, he must return.
Chen Rui immediately pressed the power switch of the counterfeit phone, but an image of a celebrity’s face appeared/ There was also a voice that they thought to be soxy saying, Welcome to XXX phone!
What’s going on? It’s not the Super System?
Chen Rui vaguely remembered that he had consumed the realm king fruits, then he came here. Could it be an illusion? Yet, everything is so realistic. He couldn’t help but walk all the way to the old neighborhood where his grandpa lived, but it had become a demolition area.
Chen Rui walked aimlessly on the street, stood, and sat down. This was originally the world he was most familiar with, but now he seemed like an outsider that was isolated from the surrounding traffic of people.
Once upon a time, he also felt the same way when he was young.
It felt like that time was still, and he was the one who was fading away. He was facing every passerby with a pale smile. Actually, he was the actual passerby.
It was just loneliness.
It was like a passerby on a horse that travelled alone in the desert that was destined to be endless. Perhaps one day, it would be the end when he finally fell.
There was just loneliness.
It was like a disconnected kite that seemed to be soaring freely in the sky. Yet, how long could this free life last?
It was just loneliness, that was all.
Chen Rui suddenly felt that someone was watching him. He immediately turned around and he saw a man sitting at the bus station behind him, showing a strange smile.
Chen Rui was shocked. This guy’s appearance… it’s me. No! That evil eyes and smile… it’s the inner demon that I eliminated during [Refined Mind] or it can also be called – Shura!
“Surprised to see me?” Shura’s voice rang in his ears. The noise around him was suppressed. “Like I said, as long as the darkness inside you still exists, I’ll never disappear.”
Chen Rui had calmed down. After successfully passing the test of [Refined Mind], he had complete confidence to deal with Shura. He looked calmly at the enemy who was once the most dangerous, “Did you create this illusion?”
Shura shook his head, “This isn’t an illusion, but the world in your memory. Look at that…”
Chen Rui turned around and he heard the call for help. A woman shouted “robbery” while a man in front of her grabbed her handbag and ran away. The crowd around actually gave way to the robber. No one offered assistance.
Chen Rui and the man were face-to-face. When they were close, Chen Rui punched with lightning speed. Yet, at the moment of contact, they passed through each other. The man continued to run forward unaffected while the woman behind was out of breath as she saw the robber ran further and further away.
Chen Rui was taken aback. He tried to touch a pillar next to him and certainly, he pass through it again. Is this world an illusion or… am I the illusion?
Not far away, an old man accidentally fell to the ground. He was stuck there for a long time and the passers-by couldn’t bother. A child wanted to come forward to help, but was pulled by his mother. She loudly scolded with words like “we can’t afford it”. Chen Rui ran over to help, and he still passed through the old man.
The surrounding people and events were constantly changing. The children of officials who were beating others and hitting others with their luxurious cars, countless people watching a drowning teenagers left unrescued, officials swallowed the relief of poor students in the name of training, principal help officials to make a female teacher drunk to be defiled, various poisonous foods and medicines made to make money… These were just the beginning. Subsequently, darker and darker scenes appeared before him, and these made Chen Rui very angry. Yet, he could only act as a bystander as he watched these injustices and sins happen without being able to help.
“Although this world isn’t the Demon Realm, it’s more interesting than the Demon Realm.” Shura noticed Chen Rui’s fluctuating emotions, and he smiled even creepier, “Darkness, coldness, selfishness, and mercilessness… In the end, only naked desire is left.”
It was indeed not an illusion but the real world in his memory, so Chen Rui was speechless for a moment.
Shura deliberately said it again, “Maybe there are still some stupid people who burn themselves to warm and shine others. However, what’s the use of that? After the fuel is exhausted, they’ll become a pile of cold ashes and those who are cold will crush them with their feet.”
Chen Rui kept silent. At that time, the surrounding environment, including the sun in the sky, had lost its color like a black and white film. Besides, everything started to become darker.
Shura stood up, approached him step by step and reached out his hand, “Surrender to the desires in your heart and accept my fusion. It’s not occupant but fusion. You’ll gain incomparable strength regardless in this world or another world. You’ll be superior over everyone else like the superior gods who can willfully possess, distort, play or destroy everything.”
Will Chen Rui submit to the fusion?