Chapter 113: Plum Shadow Pavilion (4)

“Kuuuh....”

“Ungh!”

It was a miserable scene in the basement.

Acrid gray smoke.

Shattered defensive Dharma Tools.

A blackened floor.

Melted walls.

A crater in the center.

And Fang Lunyi, in a miserable state, was coughing up blood.

This is insane! Was he trying to assassinate the direct descendant of the Grand Elder? No. It didn’t seem that way.

Cold sweat formed on Soho’s back.

After all, didn’t he clearly say it had power equivalent to the Heavenly Thunder Jade?

“Whew, the effect is certainly impressive.”

His relaxed voice came from behind her.

If it had been at the level of the Heavenly Thunder Jade as he said, it wouldn’t have turned out like this.

After all...

“This surpasses the power of the Heavenly Thunder Jade.... What on earth happened?!”

“Ah, this recent modification turned out better than expected.”

“...”

Modification? Is he saying he made it himself?

Confusion settled in her eyes.

Honestly, if talking about just power, it was slightly inferior to the Heavenly Thunder Jade.

But that wasn’t the problem.

The defensive Dharma Tools were completely shattered. The Dharma Tool in Fang Lunyi’s bosom that he had activated instantly had long since turned to ash.

Even the technique she had quickly deployed was almost broken through. If she hadn’t done even that, Fang Lunyi would have lost his life.

How...

An explosion phenomenon where almost no Spiritual Power could be felt.

In contrast, the technique she had deployed for protection didn’t work properly.

Almost as if it was an explosion with resistance to Spiritual Power.

The effectiveness of defensive techniques was halved.

Impossible....

“iyaaa. You managed to survive.”

Managed?

If she hadn’t hurriedly deployed a defensive technique, he could have died. The direct descendant of the Flame Metal Sect’s Grand Elder, that is.

Does he truly not know what he almost did?

“Hahaha.”

That annoying smile.

A vein popped on her forehead.

At that moment, the half-corpse that had almost been reduced to ashes by the explosion opened his mouth.

“...You, you fuc...ker...”

A desperate anger as if facing a mortal enemy could be felt, despite having almost died just now.

Fang Lunyi was completely burned black.

Although she had tried to help, it was a severe injury that would take a long time to recover. The critical wounds might even leave scars.

However, going any further would not be good for Fang Lunyi, for the Plum Shadow Pavilion, nor for the unidentified customer.

She sent a medicinal pill flying into the mouth of Fang Lunyi, who was trying to lunge at them with a dying body while grinding his teeth.

“Mmph!!”

“I will put him to sleep for recovery.”

“Mmph! Mmph! Kuk.”

Thud-

Fang Lunyi went limp.

Soho shook her head and opened her mouth.

“We absolutely do not take responsibility for matters outside the Plum Shadow Pavilion.”

“Of course.”

The culprit answered with a grin from behind.

Just what kind of confidence is this?

It seemed meaningless to scold him any further.

There was no need to do so either.

She just needed to make a profitable deal for herself.

A deal with a big shot who could ‘modify’ something comparable to, no, even more special than the Heavenly Thunder Jade, and casually throw it away for experimentation.

Setting aside the annoying face that she wanted to punch...

“Let us talk upstairs. I would like to see other Dharma Tools if you have them.”

She couldn’t help but smell an enormous amount of money from the annoying young man before her.

And the Plum Shadow Pavilion was a place that operated for thorough profit.

***Fang Lunyi was carried away, grinding his teeth and spewing out anger.

“Haha. How is it? Do you feel better now?”

“...A-Are you talking to me?”

“Yeah. You got hit last time, right?”

“...”

[Th-That crazy bastard.]

Zhang Yihong had a complex expression, both moved and perplexed, while the Puppet Demonic Warlord sighed.

“...Will it be alright? Surely the aftermath won’t be easy to deal with...”

“I rather like it, though? Haha.”

[It seems like he’s looking for a place to die.]

After all, they couldn’t kill him here.

As the Branch Manager said, there were quite a few eyes watching.

She shuddered at Karlstein’s words, which he muttered alone.

“...Hoo.”

Like her, the Branch Manager’s face looked like she had aged several years.

-Well... Whether he soared into the sky or sank into the ground, we can’t see him at all.

-Huhhh....

Moreover, it wasn’t just the Law Enforcement Department looking for him.

-Where! Where on earth did he disappear to! What have you done?!

-Calm down, Elder Ma.

-Sect Leader!

-You should stop too. Unless you wish to sour the Grand Elder’s mood.

-Th-The talent who could learn the Supreme Void Metal Thunder Treasure Scripture has disappeared!!

Everyone was looking for Karlstein, but he couldn’t be found anywhere.

When Karlstein occasionally visited Plum Shadow Pavilion, he came and went, hiding his appearance with techniques learned from the Puppet Demonic Warlord.

And so, 10 years passed.

***“I’m back, Aria.”

[Did you have any results?]

“Of course. The Core Formation Stage is right around the corner.”

[Is that so?]

The Core Formation Stage, the next realm after Qi Refining and Foundation Building.

They say that once you reach the Core Formation Stage, you can walk around with your shoulders held high in the main sect.

The Foundation Building Stage was also a high realm, but it still smelled strongly of an administrator in charge of practical affairs in a cultivation sect.

However, the Core Formation Stage was different.

You would become one of the pillars of the sect’s fighting force.

“For now, the Plum Shadow Pavilion said they would try to procure the materials needed for Core Formation, but it doesn’t seem easy.”

No matter how great Plum Shadow Pavilion was, it wasn’t enough to just produce Core Formation Stage cultivators.

“Anyway.”

There was a bit of time before the Plum Shadow Pavilion procured the remaining materials and he reached the Core Formation Stage.

“Ungh.”

In fact, Karlstein hadn’t been solely focused on Xianxia.

He would return intermittently to check on the Galactic Empire’s affairs and the Integrated Dimensional Community’s matters.

Karlstein had been quite busy moving around for the past few months.

“How’s the Puppet Technique?”

[The effect is certainly amazing. It also has good compatibility with Avatars.]

The cultivation methods Karlstein had brought were researched in various aspects.

Among them, the Puppet Technique seemed particularly useful.

[Once the research is complete, it shouldn’t be difficult to integrate the entire Community.]

“Huhuhu.”

The plan was steadily progressing.

“Let

Karlstein closed his eyes and focused on the Ether he felt within his body.

Twitch-

The Ether in his body, like an ocean or infinite sea, surged for a moment.

Swoosh-

But that was it.

There was definitely a reaction, but it didn’t move as he thought.

“Hmm.... It’s still not easy to utilize with my main body.”

The problem was the vast amount of Ether.

There was no problem using it in the Avatar.

It seemed like a higher level cultivation method was needed.

“Well, still.”

The various cultivation methods learned in Xianxia were not useless.

The cultivation methods he had brought were currently being distributed to everyone in ‘World’.

Of course, they needed to be modified and adjusted to fit individuals with Aria’s help.

“How is it?”

[It is definitely....]

The Murim White Troops and the Community’s Transcendents.

They were completely immersed in the Ether Cultivation Technique that applied Xianxia’s cultivation techniques.

Of course, it was obvious that their combat power had increased unbelievably.

After that, even the Sephiroth side couldn’t recklessly attack.

“More importantly, what about Prohiden?”

The unfortunate fact was that they still hadn’t found Prohiden.

[I wonder if it has already escaped from ‘World’.]

“Hmm.... Can we track it?”

[It is in progress, but that seems to need time too. There are still too many unsecured areas.]

The Sephiroth and Kaiju factions in World also faced major changes.

They were constantly expanding with the momentum to have a proper showdown.

“Until now... expansion was more advantageous than confrontation.”

But that too would end soon.

“Is it time to properly take over World now?”

[It seems Master’s activity will be needed.]

Shake shake.

I’m pretty sure I was dreaming of retirement...

But somehow, he had become the one working harder than anyone else.

[By the way, Master.]

“Yes?”

Is there something else?

[It seems Versya has woken up.]

“Really? Shall we go take a look?”

Fortunately, it wasn’t bad news.