Chapter 117: The Otherworldly Gateway [Ten-Thousand-Word Epic]
After returning to his room, Lu Sheng began contemplating his next moves. He harbored some concerns about the combat prowess of the Bloodthirsty Mosquito. Even if it reached the sixth tier, he doubted its strength. After all, mosquitoes naturally give an impression of weakness.
Therefore, Lu Sheng planned to take advantage of the remaining time to see if he could fulfill the evolution requirements for some of the blue-quality monsters in his possession. With his current fifth-tier strength, meeting the evolution conditions for third-tier creatures was relatively easy.
The Desert Giant required Desert Crystals; the White Flame Blue-scaled Bird needed a high-level flame terrain; the Sword-legged Spider demanded enhanced speed or something infused with toxin; and the Earth-controlling Beetle needed earth-element materials.
Currently, these were the only four blue-quality monsters yet to evolve. The Fire Flame Bear Wolf and Bristly Tusker Boar had already evolved. However, Lu Sheng felt that evolving the Bristly Tusker Boar to the sixth tier might not be particularly useful.
If he could advance all his blue-quality monsters to the sixth tier, he would have nothing to fear from the Wilderness Bandits.
Having made up his mind, Lu Sheng decided to make a trip to the city. Only the main city could fulfill his needs for the required materials.
However, he did not intend to go to Tenebrous Beetle City this time. That city had limited resources and was relatively weak among the main cities. Instead, he planned to visit a main city closer to the wilderness, as such places would have a richer variety of resources to meet all his demands.
Regarding his identity, he would send a scarecrow clone, outfitted with some disguise. Since he lacked the skill for disguises, he would rely on Li Kuang for assistance.
He still held some green-quality Redfire Fruits from the fifth-tier Spirit Fruit dungeon, which would be enough to cover his expenses. If necessary, he could also harvest the fourth-tier blue-quality Redfire Fruits from the Red Leaf Spirit Fruit Tree.
Upon asking Li Kuang whether anyone in the gathering place knew how to disguise themselves, the answer was one Lu Sheng had anticipated: Wang Xian.
As a woman, it was natural for Wang Xian to possess such skills. From the start, Lu Sheng had thought of her but had been reluctant to trouble her, as she was probably busy researching the tenfold breeding cards for blue-quality monsters.
However, Li Kuang insisted that no one else in the gathering place knew disguise techniques, as most were rough men.
With no alternative, Lu Sheng’s clone knocked on Wang Xian’s door once more.
“Knock! Knock! Knock!”
The door creaked open.
Li Nuannuan greeted him warmly, “I guessed it was you, big brother. No one else would come looking for Sister Wang Xian at this hour.”
Lu Sheng playfully tapped her head. “You’re too clever.”
“Hey!” Li Nuannuan clutched the spot, scolding, “Big brother, you’re so mean!”
Watching Li Nuannuan’s feigned anger was quite amusing to Lu Sheng.
When he met Wang Xian, he laid out his request in full under her surprised gaze. Though she didn’t know exactly what he intended, she didn’t hesitate—she would fulfill whatever he asked.
“Come here and sit. I’ll prepare.”
Wang Xian led Lu Sheng to a well-lit spot and then retreated into another small room, perhaps her sleeping quarters.
Curious, Lu Sheng kept a close eye, eager to catch a glimpse when she reemerged. Of course, it was mere curiosity about a woman’s room.
When Wang Xian returned, Lu Sheng quickly averted his gaze, seeing only a rack.
She brought a collection of items and, with Li Nuannuan assisting, began disguising Lu Sheng.
Lu Sheng was unfamiliar with the tools. Wang Xian tinkered here and there, and the transformation commenced.
Naturally, they had to face each other during the process, creating a somewhat intimate atmosphere.
Before him, Wang Xian appeared both mysterious and alluring. The mystery stemmed from her ever-present veil, sparking curiosity about the face beneath. Her exposed skin was as smooth and white as jade, and her slender hands tempted one to grasp them.
Though her red dress wasn’t tight, the act of disguising Lu Sheng caused it to stretch, accentuating her flawless figure.
Her waist was as slender as a water snake, exuding undeniable allure.
Honestly, Lu Sheng wanted to see her from behind—purely out of curiosity.
His growing strength made him keenly aware of the aura she emitted—a faint, enchanting fragrance, perhaps from her hair or elsewhere, stirring his emotions.
After all, he was only seventeen or eighteen, full of youthful vigor. In such a scene, maintaining composure was difficult.
“Staring so intently isn’t very polite,” Wang Xian remarked, sensing Lu Sheng’s fiery gaze. She was unsurprised and felt no unusual emotion.
To her, such feelings were normal—Lu Sheng was at the prime age of passion. It would be odd if they felt nothing.
Desire was natural, as long as one could control it.
Caught off guard, Lu Sheng blushed deeply—still a novice, no matter how mature he appeared.
Wang Xian smiled beneath her veil, amused by his bashfulness. A child remained a child, regardless of strength.
Li Nuannuan, curious, asked, “Big brother, why is your face so red? Did you do something naughty?”
In her childlike mind, there were no strange notions yet.
Lu Sheng fibbed, “It’s because my strength is too great; my blood pressure is rising.”
He couldn’t help but think how incredible this scarecrow clone was—blushing too.
After about an hour, Lu Sheng emerged from Wang Xian’s home transformed beyond recognition.
Even Li Kuang wouldn’t recognize him now.
His once somewhat pointed face had softened into a rounded visage, complete with a subtle black mole on his chin that drew attention away naturally.
His makeup was flawless, without a single flaw.
With this new appearance, Lu Sheng mounted the White Flame Blue-scaled Bird, heading toward White Sheep City.
This main city neighbored Tenebrous Beetle City but required crossing a stretch of wilderness.
Flying high on the bird, he sped toward White Sheep City.
Two hours later, nearing noon, he approached the city and switched mounts to the White Cloud Horse in a concealed spot.
The White Flame Blue-scaled Bird was too recognizable; everyone in the wilderness knew he had one.
In contrast, the White Cloud Horse was common, a mount everyone owned.
He let the horse slow its pace as he travelled another half hour into the city.
Though second-tier White Cloud Horses were common, a fifth-tier one was unique to him.
Being recognized on the way would be problematic.
Upon entering White Sheep City, he immediately sensed it was more prosperous than Tenebrous Beetle City.
Street vendors lined the roads, setting up stalls with tables and stools anywhere.
He browsed casually, but his primary goal was procuring items for his monsters’ evolution.
He sought quality goods, and even if small vendors had them, searching would waste time.
It was better to locate major guilds within the city—efficient, convenient, though not cheap.
Lu Sheng didn’t mind the extra cost; speed mattered most.
After ten minutes, he surveyed the five largest guilds, noting their competitive relations.
Unlike Tenebrous Beetle City, here fierce competition bred quality.
He chose one guild somewhat at random and headed inside.
The Arcane Codex Guild.
Without hesitation, Lu Sheng entered, finding the manager—a lean man with a constant smile.
Lu Sheng got straight to the point: “Do you have these items? If so, I want them all.”
The manager considered, “I have Desert Crystals, third-tier blue-quality poisons, and third-tier blue-quality earth materials. But can you afford the price?”
Lu Sheng frowned—did the man doubt his wealth?
“Just name your price. As long as it’s within my expectations, I’ll pay.”
He wasn’t about to be taken for a fool. If too expensive, he’d make multiple trips.
The manager sensed his resolve and refrained from gouging. Business was about long-term trust, not one-time deals.
“Your requested items are valuable. What will you trade? If it’s source pearls, you’ll need many.”
“Fourth-tier green-quality spirit fruits,” Lu Sheng replied calmly.
The manager was surprised; few traded cultivation resources for fruits. Usually, source pearls bought such resources.
“To exchange fourth-tier green spirit fruits for third-tier blue materials, I’ll charge five fourth-tier green spirit fruits.”
Lu Sheng placed five fourth-tier Redfire Fruits on the counter.
Recognizing the fruits, the manager remarked, “These must be from the fifth-tier spirit fruit dungeon that appeared in the wilderness a few days ago. You’re lucky to have so many.”
News of the dungeon had spread widely.
“Indeed, good eye, boss,” Lu Sheng replied with praise, knowing that a little flattery sometimes yielded better results.
“Recently, the Wilderness Bandits have been hunting a man named Lu Sheng, offering five fifth-tier spirit fruits. Do you have any leads?”
“I have none on that, but I have seen Lu Sheng’s appearance. He’s handsome, easy to spot in a crowd. If I meet him, I’d recognize him instantly...”
Lu Sheng chatted amicably with the boss during the wait, shamelessly complimenting himself.
The boss didn’t realize he was speaking to Lu Sheng himself but didn’t say anything bad—just small talk.
Otherwise, Lu Sheng’s little notebook would have to note down some names.
The Desert Crystals, Toxic Mushrooms, and Earth Yellow—three third-tier blue-quality materials—were soon brought to him.
After payment, Lu Sheng bid farewell and left.
He had already asked the manager about the advanced flame terrain, but the man knew nothing.
Thus, Lu Sheng left content with three of the four items.
The advanced flame terrain wasn’t a commodity; he would have to find someone specializing in intelligence.
He inquired about intelligence agencies selling information in White Sheep City.
Soon, he learned of a group called the Doren News Agency.
At their office, after paying five fourth-tier source pearls, Lu Sheng secured the information.
According to them, a hidden cave in the center of the Strange Stone Mountain contained a special flame terrain, burning year-round at temperatures much higher than normal flames.
The deeper inside, the hotter it got.
No one knew what lay at the very bottom.
Because of the potential treasures and the fact no one had entered the depths, the Doren News Agency charged a high price for the intelligence.
Lu Sheng wasn’t interested in treasures—he only needed this special terrain to evolve the White Flame Blue-scaled Bird.
Following the given location, he headed swiftly toward Strange Stone Mountain.
Finding a concealed spot, he switched to the White Flame Blue-scaled Bird and flew toward the mountain.
---
Meanwhile, on the Rocky Plain—the main battlefield between the Extermination Alliance and the Wild God Cult—both armies faced off.
After days of fierce fighting and witnessing the cult’s strength, the Extermination Alliance dared not act rashly.
The Wild God Cult, showing no signs of counterattack, stayed put, having stationed spies around to detect any approach.
Within the alliance, seven sixth-tier strongmen, the leaders of their faction, convened.
“When do we attack the Wild God Cult? Since everyone is here, no need to hesitate.”
“Yes, set a time. With seven sixth-tier warriors, we just need brute force. The cult isn’t that formidable.”
Two burly men voiced their confidence, dismissing the cult.
A lady dressed in blue spoke, “Since Chief Bear and Leader Cao are eager, how about we attack in half an hour?”
Everyone agreed.
Half an hour later, the alliance’s three thousand elite soldiers, all at least fourth-tier, moved out, with the seven sixth-tier leaders at the front.
Chief Bear snorted, “Look at that overwhelming demonic aura and dark clouds. The Wild God Cult is definitely up to no good.”
From their vantage, the cult’s stronghold was shrouded in black mist, blocking all light.
Cao Minghua nodded, “Those captured by the cult won’t survive.”
“Let’s act quickly and rid this plague. With such a menace, the wilderness will never find peace,” Tian Shuixin said, disgusted by the black aura.
The cult detected the alliance’s advance early.
“Ready to fight again? Didn’t we beat you last time?” Cao Minghua taunted.
“That was because you were outnumbered. Now we have the numbers,” Cao replied.
Last battle saw the cult with three sixth-tier fighters versus two from the alliance, resulting in their retreat.
Yan Bufan smiled slyly, “Are you sure it’s just a numbers game?”
“Don’t play games. Last time, you and two vice leaders were all the cult’s sixth-tier power. Today is your end!” Cao shouted.
“Who said there are only two vice leaders?” Yan Bufan teased.
“Are there six or seven?” Cao scoffed.
“Indeed, there are six,” Yan Bufan clapped. “Come forth.”
One by one, six men in red-black attire appeared behind him, each radiating sixth-tier might.
“Good guess,” Yan Bufan mocked Cao.
The alliance’s morale shattered; the cult had seven sixth-tier warriors openly—and who knew how many more in secret?
Yan Bufan spoke first, “Enough fighting. Let’s end this here.”
The alliance fell silent, realizing they couldn’t win.
Tian Shuixin’s eyes widened as she looked skyward. “No! We can’t let them! They’re opening an interdimensional portal!”
Everyone stared at the expanding rift in the sky.
Opening such a portal meant inviting disaster—monsters from other worlds would pour in unchecked, spelling doom for the entire wilderness.
Yan Bufan sighed, “Why must you see what you shouldn’t?” He prepared to fight, “Let’s see if I can kill you all.”
“Attack!”
The cult surged like a black tide from every rock, charging the alliance.
“Send the message out. We hold them here!” Cao Minghua ordered.
They intended to delay and wait for reinforcements.
The cult had made enemies of everyone in the wilderness; no one would stand by.
As long as they held, help would come.
They transmitted the situation via communication stones.
Yan Bufan remained composed—being discovered was expected, and while there was time, he still had a chance.
The battle erupted—sixth-tier against sixth-tier, soldiers clashing.
Chief Bear fought Yan Bufan fiercely but was cut down by a single strike.
Rising, Chief Bear gasped, “Sixth-tier perfected! You hid your true strength?”
Yan Bufan laughed, “You guessed right. But you’ll still die!”
Chief Bear roared, “Die? Not a chance!”
“Bear King Transform!”
In an instant, Chief Bear’s body doubled in size, his clothes bursting apart except for his loose pants.
His greatsword shrank in comparison.
“Looks good. Let me test your strength,” Yan Bufan said, closing in with his long blade.
He struck with a blade imbued with sharp willpower, golden energy swirling around the weapon.
Chief Bear blocked, the blades clashed, producing a resonant shockwave.
Both stepped back three paces; neither gained advantage.
Chief Bear frowned at the notch on his fifth-tier weapon, realizing Yan Bufan’s mastery of law power was the cause.
Though it seemed a stalemate, he was at a disadvantage.
If the fight continued, when his weapon broke, he would die.
He needed another plan—escape was impossible with so many around.
Fortunately, Yan Bufan, though powerful, was still within sixth-tier bounds, so Chief Bear could still resist.
The battle dragged on until reinforcements arrived.
A six-tier arrow, laced with law-condensed poison, flew from afar targeting Yan Bufan.
He dodged; the arrow struck a fifth-tier ally behind him, who instantly lost consciousness and died.
Yan Bufan shouted, “Retreat!”
Ordering his men back, he taunted Chief Bear, “Reinforcements came fast, but do you dare enter?”
Yan Bufan laughed and withdrew.
Some wanted to pursue but were stopped by Chief Bear, “Don’t! There may be ambushes!”
The fight paused, and they tended to the wounded.
Cao Minghua frowned at Chief Bear’s injuries, “Are you alright?”
Chief Bear was bloodied but had no fatal wounds.
He grinned, “I’m fine. Reinforcements saved me; otherwise, I’d be dead.”
Cao Minghua sniffed, “Don’t kid yourself. Shui Xin, treat the wounds.”
Tian Shuixin approached, her eyes glimmering but face calm.
She slapped Chief Bear, who yelped in pain.
“Hey! Careful!”
She smiled, “Treatment hurts. Endure it.”
“Damn, does your leech therapy always hurt this much?”
“No, I usually use paralysis elements to numb the pain but won’t for you.”
Chief Bear was speechless.
She leaned close, “Not personal, but numbing reduces effectiveness and causes side effects.”
“If you want me to use it, I can now,” she teased with a sly look.
He inhaled sharply but refused, “No, a little pain’s nothing.”
Reinforcements arrived—three sixth-tier warriors, including Guo Jie from Xuanwu City, who had shot the arrow.
Guo Jie dismounted, asking about progress.
Cao Minghua shook his head, “Regroup. The cult’s power is unpredictable. We wait for full strength.”
Guo Jie agreed reluctantly.
---
Meanwhile, in Strange Stone Mountain, Lu Sheng rode the White Cloud Horse through the terrain.
After some searching, he found the special cave, situated beneath a deep circular pit in the mountainside—a massive natural sinkhole.
Only flying monsters could traverse down; other methods were scarce.
Many hunters rested here due to the spectacular scenery.
Revealing the White Flame Blue-scaled Bird would expose him.
He decided to wait until nightfall to sneak in, not wanting to reveal his identity prematurely.
Finding a hidden spot, he evolved the other three blue-quality monsters first.
Sword-legged Spider
Quality: Blue
Tier: Mid-fifth
Skills: Eight-hit Combo, Poison (Passive), Spider Phantom (Passive)
Evolution Skill: Hyper-speed Slash
Effect: Doubles attack speed for 60 seconds upon activation.
Earth-controlling Beetle
Quality: Blue
Tier: Early fifth
Skills: Triple Earth Spike, Soil Control, Earth Wall
Evolution Skill: Earth Transformation
Effect: Converts other objects into earth; energy consumption dictates range.
Desert Giant
Quality: Blue
Tier: Early fifth
Skills: Sand Domain, Sandstorm
Awakening Skill: Sand Armament
Effect: Covers body with armor and wields a spear.
All three evolved successfully, leaving only the White Flame Blue-scaled Bird.
He waited for night, about five hours away.
Time seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.
As dusk fell, hunters left the area.
Despite the risk of discovery, Lu Sheng prepared to enter.
If caught, he could escape via the sub-dimensional space and spatial positioning.
He released the White Flame Blue-scaled Bird, plunging into the mist below.
Passing through the white fog, a vast cave appeared, its interior shrouded in darkness but radiating intense heat.
The Doren News Agency had not lied.
He summoned the Flame Werewolf Leader to guard him and proceeded inside.
The passage was dark, but the True Eye Moth illuminated the path.
Turning a corner, he saw the glow of flames illuminating a massive cavern ablaze with fire.
The deeper he went, the fiercer the flames, yet nothing burned out.
He sensed treasures awaited in the depths, inaccessible by ordinary means.
He summoned the White Flame Blue-scaled Bird to begin its evolution.
The bird cried out brightly, rushing into the flame terrain.
But after less than a hundred meters, it cried out in pain and stopped.
Lu Sheng smacked his forehead, embarrassed by the bird’s reaction—underestimating its limits.
The bird began absorbing the flames, channeling them into its body.
The fiery display lasted only thirty seconds before the bird could no longer endure it.
Flames ceased flowing inward.
After a pause, white flames erupted from its body, covering its surface.
Perhaps evolution was complete.
The bird resumed moving, charging deeper, seemingly eager to conquer the terrain.
Yet two hundred meters in, it stopped again, returning to Lu Sheng with a plaintive cry.
Lu Sheng smiled; the bird was determined.
The more the terrain resisted, the more the bird wanted to claim it.
“This place isn’t for you yet. We’ll come again.”
The bird gained a new evolution skill:
White Flame Domain: Creates a 100-meter radius field, boosting all attributes by 20%.
A useful buff.
He stored the bird away and returned to the gathering place via sub-dimensional space, rejoining his clone.
No incidents occurred.
Deep within the flame cave, a colossal creature opened its eyes, noting the spatial energy.
It muttered, “I never expected anyone on this little planet to awaken such advanced power.”
Then it closed its eyes, and flames burst forth from its body, as if the power was too great to contain.
No one knew what lay in the depths.
---
That night, Lu Sheng rested, awaiting the maturation of the Bloodthirsty Mosquito at noon.
Meanwhile, the Rocky Plain was anything but peaceful.
A deafening roar split the sky as the Wild God Cult’s stronghold erupted in a rift—a dark abyssal crack appeared.
The Extermination Alliance had awakened, staring at the rift in dread.
“It’s over... this time we’re truly doomed.”
“Retreat! Staying here means death.”
“Alert Wind and Thunder Pavilion. This is beyond us; it’s a crisis for the entire state. They must intervene,” Tian Shuixin said nervously.
No one knew what monsters would emerge, but high-tier creatures were certain.
“Those cultists are madmen! Opening an interdimensional portal may grant Law Stones but endangers our entire world!” Chief Bear fumed, blood spurting from his wounds but focused.
Tian Shuixin turned to Cao Minghua, “Leader Cao, tell your people to evacuate the wilderness immediately.”
He nodded, “Understood.”
Unnoticed, Cao Minghua’s eyes gleamed with a strange light as he gazed at the rift.
“When do we retreat?” he asked curiously.
Tian Shuixin looked to the others, “What do you think?”
Guo Jie spoke first, “Tomorrow. The rift won’t immediately release monsters, and traveling at night is inconvenient, especially with many wounded.”
Others agreed.
“Alright, we’ll leave tomorrow. Wind and Thunder Pavilion will handle this.”
As the group settled, Cao Minghua withdrew to a high rock away from others.
He took out a communication stone.
“Not retreating tonight. Strike at midnight.”
“How many sixth-tier arrived?”
“Three.”
“Good. Await the signal.”
If Chief Bear had been there, he would recognize Yan Bufan’s voice.
The transmission ended.
Cao Minghua smirked wickedly. This operation included him as an executor.
Even if the wilderness was destroyed, as long as his strength grew, it was worth it.
He would thank those who died here, especially Guo Jie—the truly good man.