At the northern foot of Mount Li, the night was as dark as spilled ink.
The biting mountain wind carried an bone-chilling cold, sweeping across the rugged, grotesque rocks.
East of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum, deep within a massive fissure, torn open by an earthquake, resembling a scar on the earth.
Here, the entrance to the relic, later known as the “Dragon Abyss,” was like the open throat of a giant beast, exhaling a soul-shivering chill from deep within the earth.
The so-called “relics” were actually places left behind by powerful ancient espers; after cultivating their abilities to a certain degree, they could choose to seal their souls and one of their abilities into an artifact, thereby achieving a form of immortality, anciently known as “Soldier Dissolution.” (Supplemental worldview, readers who are not strict about the worldview can skip this section)
Yes, this was not the first spiritual energy resurgence; according to historical records, there have been five spiritual energy resurgences so far: the first was in ancient times during the era of Nuwa and the Yellow Emperor, which was also when Western gods were born; the second was during the Shang Dynasty’s deification period; the third was during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods; the fourth was from the Five Barbarians Uprising to the Tang Dynasty; and the last, the fifth, was a brief spiritual energy resurgence during the Liao, Song, Xia, Jin, and Yuan dynasties.
Within these relics, there were spirit artifacts of various grades, generally classified from first to ninth grade. Initially, there were no specific designations; the people of Hanxia called them A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H… while Europeans called them A, B, C, D, E, F, G….
Later, they were simply unified as first, second, and third grades. After all, spirit artifacts don't cultivate, so convenience was the priority.
Currently, these relics are still dormant, which is when they are most stable and easiest to excavate. Once they awaken, the difficulty coefficient will skyrocket.
In the previous life, ten months after the apocalypse, the world's first large-scale relic appeared—the City of Gilgamesh.
No one knew its location before it awakened, but those who entered and came out alive vaguely revealed a message—Gilgamesh… seemed to have been resurrected.
Ling Chen pulled his thoughts back and continued to concentrate, barely maintaining contact with Zhuang Han. Over such a long distance, he could only stretch his mental power into a thin, needle-like line as much as possible.
Zhuang Han hadn't gone in yet. If he had, it's likely contact would have been lost entirely.
Zhuang Han’s massive beast-transformed body lay dormant in a steep rock crevice above the entrance. His grayish-black steel-like fur remained motionless in the cold wind, and the grotesque bone spikes protruding from his shoulders and elbows glinted with a cold, eerie light.
The Bloodline Slave Mark was like an invisible chain, firmly binding the surging bestiality and murderous intent within him, leaving only the purest, absolute obedience to his master’s commands.
Time… was almost up.
His crimson beast eyes were fixed on the deep fissure entrance below. With a slight thought, several dark purple bats (newly bred bat swarm), like ghosts, silently glided into the depths of the fissure. Their crimson compound eyes pierced through the darkness, relaying the scene inside the tunnel in real-time.
Inside the tunnel.
Traces of artificial excavation had long been distorted and buried by time and geological changes.
Giant bronze vessels lay overturned and shattered, their rusted fragments mixed with decaying silk remnants, soil, and rubble, covering the bottom of the pit. On the pit walls, ancient seal script, already blurred and resembling ghostly scrawls, and grotesque Xuanbird totems were carved.
The air was extremely foul, and dense mercury vapor, like living venomous snakes, slowly flowed and condensed within the tunnel, emitting a deadly sweet and pungent odor.
Deeper inside, one could vaguely see mountains of already skeletal remains of sacrificial victims, and… several human corpses, dressed in tattered black combat uniforms, clearly not long dead! Beside the corpses were scattered some strangely shaped weapon fragments, shimmering with a faint energy glow.
Oracle! They had indeed gotten here first!
Oracle is an extremist religious organization that believes the apocalypse is coming, a punishment from God for human sins, and that destruction can save everything. Their leader possesses a powerful mental manipulation ability that can forcibly brainwash people and convert them into fanatical cultists.
Just then!
“In the name of our Lord! Purify this blasphemous place!”
A low, hoarse chant, yet filled with extreme fanaticism and piety, came from deep within the tunnel like a curse! Immediately after, several figures, like phantoms, flashed out from behind a pile of enormous bronze tripods!
They wore uniform black hooded robes, like medieval ascetics. On the chest and back of their robes, a twisted, bizarre pattern resembling countless screaming faces was embroidered with dark red thread.
On each person’s face was a nearly insane serenity, their eyes hollow and fervent, as if burning with the flames of sacrificed souls!
The leader, a tall figure, had a scarred face like a demon exposed beneath his hood. In his hand, he held a grotesque bone staff entwined with eerie green runes. He was Morris, “Death Crow,” one of the twelve “Apostles” of the Oracle organization!
“Holy Flame! Burn away the filth!” Morris raised his bone staff! The dark purple crystal core, embedded at the top of the staff like an eyeball, suddenly flared with dazzling eerie light!
Boom—!!!
A viscous, dark purple flame, reeking of sulfur and blasphemy, spewed forth from his staff tip like a living entity!
The flames did not shoot in a straight line but writhed and coiled in the air like countless twisted venomous snakes, accompanied by piercing shrieks, fiercely pouncing towards a corner deep within the tunnel, obscured by a massive bronze coffin!
“Roar—!!!”
A roar filled with pain and rage exploded from the corner!
Immediately after, a figure covered in thick bone armor, like a small truck, violently crashed through the bronze coffin and rushed out!
It was a startled mutated pangolin! The scales covering its body emitted a “hissing” corrosive sound under the scorching of the dark purple Holy Flame! The intense pain made it completely berserk! Its thick tail swept horizontally like a steel whip, shattering several sacrificial skeletons! Its crimson eyes locked onto Morris!
“Blasphemer! Face judgment!” Morris’s eyes burned with even greater fanaticism!
The bone staff was wielded again! More dark purple “Holy Flame” spewed forth!
At the same time, several black-robed believers behind him simultaneously chanted obscure incantations!
A faint dark red light glowed on their bodies, and an invisible mental fluctuation spread out like ripples, carrying a strong will of chaos and fear, fiercely impacting the mutated pangolin’s soul!
The pangolin’s movements instantly froze! A flicker of confusion and pain crossed its crimson eyes! The Holy Flame seized the opportunity to coil around it, burning madly!
“Now! Take the sacred artifact! Offer it to our Lord!” Morris shrieked fiercely!
A slender black-robed believer darted out from behind him like a ghost! His speed was like lightning! He lunged directly behind the mutated pangolin, towards the skeleton dressed in a black robe with Xuanbird patterns!
On the skeleton’s chest, a palm-sized jade pendant, shaped like a dark ink-black dragon scale with a dark golden halo flowing along its edges, emitted a cold and mysterious aura in the dim light!
The reverse scale pendant!
“Roar—!!!” The mutated pangolin, thinking the believer was going to ambush it, let out an even more enraged roar! It forcibly broke free from the mental interference! Its massive sharp claws, accompanied by a shriek that tore through the air, fiercely swiped at the slender believer!
“For our Lord!” The slender believer’s eyes showed no fear, only the fervent light of a martyr!
The dark red light on his body surged! His speed once again soared! He narrowly dodged the claws! His right hand shot out like a venomous snake, grabbing towards the reverse scale pendant!
Just as his fingertips were about to touch the reverse scale pendant!
Boom—!!!
A dark purple bolt of lightning, like a spear of judgment tearing through the void, suddenly struck down from above the tunnel entrance without warning! It precisely struck between the slender believer and the mutated pangolin!
The dazzling lightning instantly exploded! The terrifying shockwave, mixed with violent lightning energy, slammed into the slender believer and the pangolin like an invisible heavy hammer!
Pfft—!!!
The dark red light on the slender believer’s body shattered like paper! He screamed as he flew backward! His body was torn apart by the violent lightning energy in mid-air! Turning into a rain of blood and charred fragments!
The mutated pangolin was also violently flung away by the shockwave! It slammed heavily against the pit wall! Its bone armor shattered! It let out a painful shriek!
The lightning dispersed. At the entrance of the tunnel. Zhuang Han cautiously put away the dozen or so Purple Lightning Bats, his massive body slowly descending like a demon god incarnate!
His heavy footsteps trampled on the decaying skeletons and bronze fragments at the bottom of the pit, producing a grinding “crunching” sound that set teeth on edge! His crimson beast eyes, like burning blood flames, locked onto Morris and the remaining black-robed believers! The ink-black blood patterns at the corners of his eyes emitted a suffocatingly terrifying pressure!
“Heretic!!” Morris looked at the charred believer, his eyes erupting with towering rage and… a trace of unbelievable horror! Bone Eater Realm?!
And… a half-human, half-beast monster?! The intelligence didn’t mention this!
“Those who obstruct the Oracle! Die!” Morris’s bone staff pointed sharply at Zhuang Han! The eyeball crystal core at the top of the staff glowed brightly! “Mental Scream!”
Buzz—!!!
An invisible, intangible, yet soul-piercing terrifying mental shockwave, like billions of steel needles, instantly stabbed towards Zhuang Han’s brain!
This was Morris’s most powerful mental attack ability! Enough to instantly destroy the consciousness of ordinary people, and even cause low-level espers to suffer mental collapse!
However!
Zhuang Han’s massive body only swayed slightly! A very brief flicker of confusion crossed his crimson beast eyes, which was immediately replaced by even more violent rage!
Before losing communication, Ling Chen had poured a portion of the Soul Jade Physique’s mental energy into his mind. Now, that mental energy was protecting his spiritual core! Morris’s Mental Scream shattered instantly, like waves crashing against an iceberg!
“Roar—!!!” Zhuang Han let out a deafening roar! The violent sound waves, mixed with the terrifying pressure of the Bone Eater Realm, slammed into Morris like a tangible shockwave!
Pfft!
Morris was struck hard! His body trembled violently! His throat tasted sweet, and a mouthful of fresh blood spewed out! His eyes were filled with horror! How was this possible?! His Mental Scream… was ineffective?!
What on earth is this monster?!
“Holy Flame! Purify it!” Morris endured his injuries, swinging his bone staff again! The dark purple blasphemous Holy Flame lunged at Zhuang Han like a venomous dragon!
At the same time, several black-robed believers behind him simultaneously let out fanatical shrieks! They no longer chanted but lunged at Zhuang Han like madmen! The dark red light on their bodies instantly burned to the extreme! That was… a sacrifice burning their life and soul!
“For our Lord!!!”
Their bodies inflated like balloons! Their skin cracked, revealing dark red, lava-like energy flowing underneath! Their speed and strength instantly increased several times!
With a desperate resolve to die together, they lunged at Zhuang Han like suicide bombers!
A cold light burst from Zhuang Han's eyes! The ink-black blood patterns on his left face instantly glowed to their extreme! A cold, hard, steel-like energy instantly covered his entire body! This was the Bone Eater Realm's bone mutation ability—the nascent Bone Armor!
Puff! Puff! Puff!
Several dark purple holy flame fire snakes fiercely slammed into Zhuang Han's bone-armored body, emitting a harsh corrosive sound! The surface of the Bone Armor was instantly scorched black, but… it wasn't penetrated!
At the same time, the black-robed cultists who were burning their lives also rushed forward! They spread their arms, their bodies like furnaces about to explode!
"Die, heretic!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The violent explosion instantly engulfed Zhuang Han's figure! Dark red energy mixed with flesh and bone fragments swept through the entire tunnel like a storm! The shockwave tore the surrounding bronze vessels and skeletons to pieces! Thick smoke and flames shot into the sky!
Morris stared intently at the center of the explosion! Did it succeed?! Even if it couldn't kill him, it would be enough to heavily wound him…
The thick smoke slowly dispersed.
Zhuang Han's massive figure… still stood!
His bone-armored body was covered in scorched marks and fine cracks, and a bowl-sized bloody hole had even been blasted open on his right shoulder, with black blood gushing out! But… he still stood! That injury… was not fatal to the Bone Eater Realm's formidable physique!
"Roar—!!!"
Zhuang Han let out an even more violent roar! His massive bone tail swept out like a battering ram, whistling through the air as it fiercely struck the dumbfounded Morris!
Bang!!!
Morris hastily raised his bone staff to block!
Crack!
The bone staff snapped! The immense force slammed into his chest without reservation!
Poof—!!!
Morris's chest instantly caved in! His ribs were shattered! His internal organs were pulverized into a bloody mess! He flew backward like a broken sack, slamming heavily into the tunnel wall! Blood mixed with organ fragments spewed from his mouth! His eyes were filled with unbelievable horror and… a trace of fanatical faith in “Our Lord” before death!
"Our Lord… will… purify… everything…" he murmured, then his head tilted, and he breathed his last.
The remaining two black-robed cultists looked at Morris, who had died instantly, and the fanaticism in their eyes was instantly replaced by immense fear! They shrieked and turned to flee!
Zhuang Han's massive body appeared behind them like a ghost! His massive hooked claw, covered in bone spikes, swung down like the scythe of death, whistling through the air!
Puff! Puff!
Two heads flew into the air! The headless bodies sprayed hot blood as they slowly fell to the ground.
In just a few breaths, the Oracle team… was completely annihilated!
Zhuang Han didn't even look at the corpses on the ground; his scarlet beast eyes were fixed on the skeleton wearing the Xuanwu-patterned black robe! The reverse scale pendant! It was right there!
He took heavy steps towards the skeleton. With each step, the ground trembled slightly.
Suddenly, an extremely subtle yet lethally threatening cold aura, like a venomous snake, emerged from the shadows behind the skeleton!
Zhuang Han's massive body suddenly stiffened! His beast eyes suddenly contracted! A huge sense of crisis, stemming from his life's instincts, instantly gripped his heart!
In the shadows behind the skeleton, a ghostly figure slowly emerged.
He wore a black, tight-fitting combat suit with no insignia, and his face was covered by a pure white, expressionless mask. The eyeholes of the mask held two pieces of pitch-black lenses, like abysses.
He held no weapon in his hand, but simply stood there, emanating a colder and purer… killing intent than Morris!
"The Oracle's trash… is indeed unreliable," the masked man spoke, his voice like metal rubbing, cold and emotionless.
His gaze, through the pitch-black lenses, fell on Zhuang Han, as if looking at a dead object. "However… it's fine. It saves me the trouble of cleaning up the trash myself."
He slowly raised his right hand. His five fingers were long, pale, like a pianist's hand.
But at his fingertips, several extremely fine, hair-like, yet heart-stoppingly destructive…Blue arc flickered!
"A Bone Eater Realm mutated beast… is indeed… a good experimental subject," the masked man's voice carried a hint of… a morbid interest, like someone discovering a new toy.
Zhuang Han's massive body instantly tensed! Like a fierce beast locked onto by its natural enemy! He could feel it! This masked man… was extremely dangerous! Ten times! A hundred times more dangerous than Morris!
"Roar—!!!" Zhuang Han let out a roar full of warning and fury!
His massive bone tail whipped up like a steel whip, ready to unleash a fatal blow at any moment!
The masked man, however, seemed not to have heard. The dark blue electric arcs at his fingertips instantly surged, condensing into an extremely refined, blue crystal-like… lightning arrow!
"Die," two cold words were uttered.
Whoosh—!!!
The dark blue lightning arrow vanished as if teleported! When it reappeared, it was less than three feet from Zhuang Han's brow! Its speed was beyond the limits of visual capture! The aura of destruction instantly completely locked onto Zhuang Han! There was no escaping!
In the nick of time!
The ink-black blood patterns on Zhuang Han's left face suddenly erupted with an unprecedented ghostly glow! A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes as he forcefully controlled his front leg, twisting and dislocating the joint, causing his massive body to suddenly shift sideways at an almost distorted, bizarre angle completely incongruous with his size!
Hiss—!!!
The dark blue lightning arrow grazed Zhuang Han's bone-armored head, kicking up a dazzling shower of sparks and bone fragments! It fiercely shot into the tunnel wall behind!
Boom—!!!
The hard rock wall was blasted open like tofu, leaving a bottomless large hole! The edges were smooth as a mirror! The terrifying destructive power caused the entire tunnel to shake violently!
Although Zhuang Han avoided the fatal blow, a large chunk of his left facial bone armor was scraped off, revealing the dark red flesh underneath! Intense pain surged! But there was no hint of retreat in his eyes, only even more violent killing intent!
"Oh?" The masked man let out a soft exclamation, seemingly a little surprised that Zhuang Han could avoid that strike. But then, dark blue electric arcs lit up at his fingertips again! This time… there were three lightning arrows!
"A bit interesting… Then… let's play a little longer," the cold voice carried a hint of… cruel amusement.
Just at this moment of life and death!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
From the direction of the tunnel entrance, sudden violent explosions and dense gunfire erupted! Immediately after, chaotic footsteps and shouts could be heard!
"Quick! The entrance is here!"
"Careful! Energy readings!"
"Prepare for battle!"
The military exploration team! They arrived early?! Qin Weiguo had temporarily changed the departure time!
The masked man's movements paused slightly. His pitch-black lenses turned towards the entrance, seemingly flashing with a hint of… impatience?
"Trouble," he muttered softly. The dark blue electric arcs at his fingertips instantly dissipated.
He took a deep look at Zhuang Han, then glanced at the reverse scale pendant on the skeleton's chest, and his figure retreated like a ghost, instantly merging into the shadows behind the skeleton, disappearing as if he had never appeared!
The crisis… was temporarily averted!
But Zhuang Han did not relax in the slightest! The military was here! Time was short!
He suddenly turned, his massive body lunging like a cannonball towards the skeleton! His massive hooked claw, carrying a destructive fury, fiercely grabbed at the reverse scale pendant on the skeleton's chest!
Just then!
"Fire!" A sharp shout came from the entrance!
Tat-tat-tat-tat—!!!
Dense bullets poured down like a Metal Storm! Their target was Zhuang Han! At the same time, several scorching energy beams and ice cones also whistled in!
The military exploration team! Seeing Zhuang Han's massive beast-transformed body and the ground full of Oracle cultist corpses, they instantly identified him as the greatest threat!
Zhuang Han roared! His bone tail swept horizontally, deflecting most of the incoming bullets and energy attacks! But several bullets and an ice cone still fiercely struck him! His Bone Armor shattered! Blood splattered!
The intense pain further ignited his ferocity! His hooked claw had already grasped the reverse scale pendant!
Hum—!!!
The moment his fingertips touched the reverse scale pendant, an indescribable, soul-freezing cold will, like a bursting flood, instantly surged from the jade pendant into his body!
The Soul Jade Physique's cold will vibrated violently as if encountering a natural enemy! The ink-black blood patterns on his left face flickered wildly, trying to resist!
But… that will was too domineering! Too ancient! As if from a primordial giant dragon, carrying an inviolable majesty!
"Junior, submit to Us!"
"Roar—!!!" Zhuang Han let out a painful and furious roar! His massive body trembled violently! The scarlet blood patterns on his right face instantly glowed to their extreme! His beastly instinct was completely ignited! He suddenly exerted force!
Crack!
The skeleton's sternum was forcibly crushed! The reverse scale pendant was forcefully torn off by him!
It was icy cold to the touch, and heavy, as if holding a piece of ten-thousand-year-old ice! That cold will was still furiously assaulting his soul, trying to completely freeze and enslave him!
"Put down the jade pendant! Monster!" The soldiers of the military exploration team had already rushed in! Seeing the reverse scale pendant in Zhuang Han's hand, greed and killing intent erupted in their eyes! Various attacks once again rained down!
Bloodlight burst from Zhuang Han's eyes! The Soul Jade Physique's will forcibly suppressed the backlash from the jade pendant and the berserk state of his beast nature! He no longer lingered in battle!
His massive bone tail fiercely swept away several soldiers who rushed forward! His massive body violently crashed through the side of the tunnel wall (which had been loosened by the previous explosion), forcibly creating a large hole! He rushed into an even deeper tunnel filled with mercury vapor, instantly disappearing into the darkness!
"Chase! Don't let it escape! Get the jade pendant back!" The exploration team captain roared hoarsely! The soldiers, as if injected with adrenaline, frantically pursued him into the tunnel!
A three-way chase in the dark, deadly, trap-filled depths of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum officially began!