154 Mystery of the End Times
Under the dim light, Cong Xia eagerly looked at Zhuang Yao, his heart filled with anticipation and nervousness. He hoped to have a weapon that could instantly enhance his combat power, but at the same time, he feared getting something as bizarre and unattractive as the shower head water gun.
Zhuang Yao said, “I haven’t designed one for you.”
“What?” Cong Xia was surprised.
“I have many ideas for your weapon, but the possibilities are too vast, and I haven’t been able to narrow down the direction. Besides, your combat ability is not a top priority for me, and my time is limited. I prioritized designing weapons for the fighters. Yours will have to wait a bit longer.”
Cong Xia’s face immediately fell with disappointment. But upon careful thought, he realized that he didn’t really have much use for a weapon. His marksmanship was poor, and he didn’t know how to use knives. He couldn’t even imagine what kind of weapon would suit him best, and he didn’t really need one for combat.
Liu Fengyu rolled his eyes and said, “If you need a weapon, I can lend you mine and you can fill it with sulfuric acid. It’ll have the same effect.”
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Usdt Dky nbwnjzle yde alrzkle, “R vbkdj R’zz rypp.”
Hbwydt Zys vbld ralpldvle y 3P kxytl sq y czynj, qsax-qkvvkdt nsxcyv pwkv, nalyvle qasx xsekqkle xwvydv nsvvsd okvb yd yeele qkal-alpkpvydv yde kdpwzyvkdt nsyvkdt. Rv olktble sdzu 0.8 jkzstayxp yde bye lmnlzzldv lzypvknkvu, nyryczl sq okvbpvydekdt nzspl-aydtl yvvynjp qasx 3xx nyzkcla cwzzlvp. Ohld kq eyxytle, kv oswzed’v wdayhlz yde kdnalypl vbl eyxytle yaly. Rv oyp vbl xspv yehydnle rasvlnvkhl qycakn vblu nswze rasewnl yde oyp nwpvsxkgle ynnsaekdt vs lynb rlapsd’p yckzkvklp. Hbwydt Zys ypjle kq vblu bye ydu prlnkyz aliwlpvp.
Nkw Wldtuw ypjle, “Uyd ol nbydtl vbl nszsa?”
Hbwydt Zys tzyale yv bkx yde pyke, “Uszsa kp kaalzlhydv. Pldkle.”
Pldt Dkys pyke, “Nlyhl y prynl qsa vbl vykz qsa xl. Gcpszwvlzu dsv elpktdle zkjl srld-nasvnb rydvp, sa R osd’v olya kv.”
Hbwydt Zys alrzkle, “Gdu rasrspyzp sa aliwlpvp altyaekdt yrrlyaydnlp, oblvbla tsse sa cye zssjkdt, yal dsv ynnlrvle.”
Ubldt Mkydck yeele, “Ualyvl plryayvl alrzynlxldv psnjp; vbkp xyvlakyz kp lmnlzzldv qsa xskpvwal alpkpvydnl. Mbknjld yv zlypv vos zyulap kd nakvknyz yalyp pwnb yp vbl nblpv yde oykpv. El nyd rashkel qllecynj sd vbl alpv yqvla vaukdt sd vbl rasvlnvkhl pwkvp.”
“Xjyu.” Hbwydt Zys vwadle sqq vbl rasflnvsa. “Gnnlppsaklp zkjl pbslp, tzshlp, yde nblpv rasvlnvsap yal yzps clkdt xyel yde pbswze cl yhykzyczl qsa vakyz okvbkd y ollj. Mbl olyrsdp okzz byhl vs oykv y zkvvzl zsdtla. Slpv wr vseyu yde ralryal qsa kdvldpkqkle vaykdkdt vsxsaaso.”
Deng Xiao excitedly exclaimed, “Seeing my weapon got me all pumped up!”
Liu Fengyu’s face looked displeased. “I’m going back to sleep.”
Deng Xiao laughed and patted Liu Fengyu’s shoulder. “Liu Ge, I’ll let you play with my machine gun when it’s done. Hahaha, if you can handle it, that is!”
Liu Fengyu kicked him and walked away, looking upset.
Several days later, Tang Yanqiu and Liu Fengyu both reached the critical point of advancing from the first stage to the second stage almost simultaneously. They felt much better than Shen Changze, and their conditions were more stable. They informed Shen Changze and decided to have Cheng Tianbi accompany them throughout the process, ensuring a safe breakthrough to the second stage.
This was a significant event, and the key members of the Dragonblood Clan were all present, with serious expressions. After all, the images of those animals exploding after excessive evolution were too shocking. Breaking through to the second stage meant facing a terrifying unknown, which worried everyone.
A highly secure and enclosed laboratory was prepared for them at the epicenter. The laboratory featured double-controllable glass that could be adjusted to various modes. Currently, the glass was set to allow outsiders to see inside, but those inside couldn’t see the outside, making it convenient for others to monitor the situation. Extra guards were stationed from Area Three, surrounding the laboratory.
Before entering the lab, Zhuang Yao told Tang Yanqiu and Liu Fengyu, “Both of you must stay calm and not act recklessly when facing bottlenecks. Communicate well with Cheng Tianbi.”
Tang Yanqiu nodded. “Rest assured.”
Liu Fengyu looked relaxed and said, “I started cultivating around the same time as Cheng Tianbi. If he’s fine, I should be fine too.”
Cong Xia patted their shoulders. “You can do it.”
On the other side, Shen Ming patted Shen Changze’s shoulder. “Alright, let’s go in. We’ll be waiting for you to come out and have a drink.”
Shen Changze’s eyes were tender. “Dad, don’t worry.”
The four of them entered the laboratory one after another. As the door closed, Cong Xia’s heart skipped a beat, feeling somewhat uneasy. If anything happened to any of these three, it would have unpredictable consequences for all their future plans. Moreover, it would prove that the cultivation method in ancient jade couldn’t save those who relied on puppet jade for evolution. At that time, those high-level evolved individuals who were capable of manipulating the wind and rain would become high-risk individuals with a countdown on their lives. The entire capital would undoubtedly fall into chaos, and the main fighters would lose their fighting spirit in an instant, leaving humanity with little hope.
Therefore, although on the surface, breaking through to the second stage was the business of these three people, all the higher-level evolved individuals were focused on this moment, concerned about their success or failure. Because their outcome would determine the fate that other people would face in the near future.
These three individuals would need at least half a day to break through to the second stage. During this period, everyone else could move freely, except for Cong Xia, who couldn’t step away. In case of any problems, Cong Xia was the only one with the ability to save them.
The long day began. Everyone solemnly watched through the glass as the three individuals sat cross-legged with closed eyes in the lab. Beads of sweat gradually formed on their foreheads, their lips trembled slightly, and their faces turned pale.
After six hours, they began to sweat more profusely, their lips trembled even more, and their faces turned even paler.
Cong Xia furrowed his brows, feeling nervous. He noticed that Cheng Tianbi also stood up and spoke in a soft voice, “If you feel breathless, try to slow down the flow of energy inside your body. Imagine that your energy core is controllable, just like you control your limbs. The energy core is a part of your body and can be controlled.”
The three of them remained silent with closed eyes, but the speed of their chest movements noticeably slowed down.
And so, four hours passed. Both Cheng Tianbi and the people outside were getting tired. Not to mention the three who had been focusing on breaking through the second stage for ten hours. Cheng Tianbi mentioned that during the breakthrough to the second stage, physical stamina was a significant issue. Once the duration was too long, maintaining focus became challenging.
Tang Yanqiu and Shen Changze, having undergone long-term training, were still able to maintain control over themselves. However, Liu Fengyu seemed somewhat restless, evident from the continuous frown on his face, indicating his inner anxiety.
Cheng Tianbi walked to Liu Fengyu and briefly said, “Hang in there.”
Cong Xia wasn’t too worried about Liu Fengyu. After all, he was the third person to start cultivating, and most of the energy in his body was obtained through the cultivation method in the ancient jade, making it quite safe. As Liu Fengyu himself said, if Cheng Tianbi could successfully break through to the second stage, he should be able to as well.
Six more hours passed, and the people inside gradually entered a state of self-oblivion. If you didn’t pay close attention, you could hardly see them breathing. All fatigue and anxiety disappeared; their faces turned rosy, and their energy became increasingly abundant. It was as if they had transformed into entirely new people. This was probably the process of rebirth.
However, those outside were nervous and didn’t dare to breathe. Cheng Tianbi’s face grew more serious as he stood motionless beside the three. His unblinking eyes were fixed on them. Everyone knew that this was the most critical moment, and the results were about to be determined.
Cong Xia could clearly feel the chaotic flow of various energies inside the laboratory, struggling for stability, as if constantly trying to break through something but being firmly suppressed. He knew that the others probably couldn’t sense the energy with such precision, so he was particularly anxious.
Suddenly, Liu Fengyu opened his eyes. His fire energy surged, as if it wanted to break through the sky in an instant. A continuous stream of energy erupted from his body. Nobody had ever felt such powerful energy from him before!
Liu Fengyu’s eyes were shining, and he was in a highly excited state. He opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something. Cheng Tianbi swiftly moved up to him, covering his mouth, and dragged him aside. Only then did Liu Fengyu seem to snap out of it. He widened his eyes, looking around, and finally fixed his gaze on his hands, as if holding immense power. The energy within his body gradually converged, returning to its normal state. However, Cong Xia could still feel that the energy inside Liu Fengyu was several times stronger than before.
Not just Liu Fengyu, everyone outside who was observing the situation showed a trace of joy on their faces. Finally, one of them succeeded.
To avoid disturbing the other two, Liu Fengyu didn’t come out. Instead, he sat in the corner, quietly sensing the energy within his body, savoring the enormous transformation brought about by successfully breaking through the second stage, and at the same time, he kept his eyes fixed on Tang Yanqiu’s back.
Another hour passed, and Tang Yanqiu’s body began to shake violently. His wood energy rapidly expanded, as if releasing all the energy in an instant, then violently recoiling back into his body. The immense energy flowed into his energy core, and Cong Xia nervously kept his eyes wide open, afraid that Tang Yanqiu couldn’t bear it and…
Cheng Tianbi and Liu Fengyu also clenched their fists, sharing the same anxious expression as those outside.
Fortunately, after the energy inside his body violently churned for about two minutes, it was finally slowly absorbed into the energy core. Tang Yanqiu also opened his eyes, showing much calmer than Liu Fengyu. Still, his eyes revealed intense surprise, and he looked at his body with some disbelief.
At this moment, Zhuang Yao finally breathed a sigh of relief. Both Tang Yanqiu and Liu Fengyu succeeded, and their team’s greatest concern had been resolved.
Now, everyone’s attention was on Shen Changze, who remained motionless. By now, almost 18 hours had passed, and the longer it dragged on, the less favorable it was for Shen Changze. After all, it was challenging for anyone to concentrate on controlling internal energy for such a long time.
After Shen Changze had been trying to break through the second stage for over 20 hours, Dan Ming finally spoke up and asked Cong Xia, “It has been 20 hours. Is this normal?”
Cong Xia furrowed his brows and shook his head. “I’m not sure, but at least for now, it seems to be normal.”
Before he could finish speaking, Shen Changze suddenly trembled all over. The veins on his forehead bulged, and sweat poured down his body. At the same time, an enormous fire energy erupted explosively. The energy was so powerful that not only did the three people inside the lab take a step back simultaneously, but even the people outside instinctively stepped back.
Cong Xia had experienced such intense energy before when Cheng Tianbi broke through the second stage. At that time, he felt as if the energy had a tangible form, as though it could lift the entire house.
The critical moment had finally arrived. Everyone was shocked because Shen Changze didn’t look good. His expression was somewhat fierce, as if he was desperately restraining something. But that energy was too vast, and it seemed like it would burst out of his body in the next second!
Cheng Tianbi shouted, “Control it!”
Shen Ming fiercely pounded the glass of the lab and yelled, “Shen Changze, hold on!”
Shen Changze suddenly burst into flames, and his clothes were instantly burned off. He sat still amidst the bright flames, his golden scales continuously appearing and then fading away, repeatedly, looking extremely unstable.
Cheng Tianbi said sternly, “Step back!”
All three of them retreated to the farthest corner away from Shen Changze, nervously watching the fiery figure.
Shen Changze suddenly opened his eyes, bloodshot and red. He collapsed heavily to the ground, looking extremely agonized. His claws dug deep holes into the floor!
Tang Yanqiu made a quick decision, “Open the door!”
The sealed laboratory door immediately opened, and Shen Ming was about to rush in, but Tang Yanqiu grabbed him, “It’s no use! Cong Xia!”
Cong Xia hurriedly ran in, but Shen Changze was engulfed in flames, and he couldn’t get close. He could only kneel down nearby and inject cambrian energy into Shen Changze’s body. He felt the fiery energy inside Shen Changze’s body raging chaotically, as if desperately trying to break free from its restraints. Cong Xia finally understood why those animals would explode when breaking through the second stage. It was because during the second-stage breakthrough, the energy core would undergo a huge transformation, producing an enormous amount of energy. This energy exceeded the capacity of the first-stage energy core and could only be borne by the second-stage fusion core. As long as this energy was correctly guided and absorbed into the fusion core, the second-stage breakthrough would be safe.
Otherwise, if the energy exceeded the body’s capacity, it would wander chaotically inside the body, causing an explosion. He believed that Shen Changze’s method of guiding energy was correct; after all, the three of them had experimented countless times to ensure a safe second-stage breakthrough. It was unlikely that they would make a mistake at this critical moment. The main difference with the other two was that 85% of Shen Changze’s energy came from the puppet jade’s initiation.
The energy initiated by the puppet jade was destructive, as the responsibility given to it by the Cambrian consciousness was to destroy. The ancient jade’s training method was like “purifying” this destructive power, making the cambrian energy safe to absorb. However, when this safe cambrian energy was much lower than the destructive puppet jade energy in the body and couldn’t counter it, Shen Changze’s situation would occur.
After realizing this, Cong Xia understood that the only solution was to use his safe Cambrian to counter Shen Changze’s destructive Cambrian. However, the biggest problem was that his level of evolution was lower than Shen Changze’s. The safe Cambrian was not the endless energy he absorbed from the puppet jade; it was the energy he had cultivated for over a year and had already integrated into his body. This part of the energy was well-preserved in his energy core and could be easily distinguished from the energy absorbed from the puppet jade. If this part of the energy couldn’t suppress Shen Changze’s destructive Cambrian, there would be no hope for Shen Changze.
He mobilized the energy from his energy core and poured it into Shen Changze’s body, desperately suppressing the chaotic fire energy, trying to push them all into the energy core. Shen Changze was also struggling. Although neither of them moved, their faces were grim and fierce. At this life-and-death juncture, no one dared to take a breath. Even the highly evolved individuals who weren’t as informed as Cong Xia had guessed most of what was happening. They all knew that Shen Changze’s fate depended on Cong Xia’s level of evolution.
The immense energy ran wild inside his body, impacting his internal organs, flesh, bones, and skin as if it would explode in the next second. The terrifying and painful feeling was beyond imagination. Shen Changze’s large claws scratched the ground in pain, and his long tail fiercely slammed against the floor, shattering the tiles into pieces, with fragments flying everywhere. The deafening sound of the impact struck a chord in everyone’s hearts.
After about four or five minutes, Cong Xia’s face almost lost all its color. His energy was nearly depleted, and finally, at the critical moment, he felt that the immense energy was being pushed into the energy core, with the joint effort of him and Shen Changze. The flames on Shen Changze’s body weakened, and the fire energy gradually converged.
In the end, both of them collapsed to the ground. Cong Xia was too exhausted to even move his fingers, while Shen Changze reverted to his human form and fainted.
Cheng Tianbi rushed forward and lifted Cong Xia from the ground. He left the laboratory with him, followed by the other four and those from Zhenzhong.
Cong Xia was carried into the rest area, his clothes soaked with sweat. Cheng Tianbi placed him on the bed and touched his forehead, asking softly, “How are you feeling?”
Cong Xia shook his head and hoarsely replied, “Okay.” His energy core was almost depleted, and absorbing a piece of energy from the storage jade talisman had made him feel a little better, not as weak as before. But to recover the safe Cambrian energy, he would need to rest for at least two to three days.
However, it was all worth it. Shen Changze was one of humanity’s powerful combat forces. If he died, their plan to collect puppet jade would become even more difficult. That was something everyone wanted to avoid.
Zhuang Yao said, “You did well. If Shen Changze died, the other three natural power evolvers would definitely revolt. They would do anything to save themselves and keep as far away from puppet jade as possible. They wouldn’t waste any more time looking for puppet jade. Other higher-level evolvers would also lose their will to fight. All of humanity’s efforts would be in vain. That would be the true doomsday.”
Cong Xia understood the seriousness of the situation. He was drenched in cold sweat, and if Shen Changze really died, he didn’t dare to imagine how many dramatic changes would occur. One thing was certain: the other three natural power evolvers and their vast organization of mutants would instantly lose control. Relying solely on them, they wouldn’t be able to confront Devil Pine, enter Qinghai, or withstand the unfathomable ocean creatures. Humanity would lose all hope.
Cheng Tianbi affectionately touched Cong Xia’s hair, “Xiao Xia, you didn’t just save Shen Changze, you saved humanity’s hope.”
Cong Xia heaved a sigh of relief and sincerely said, “That’s great.”
Deng Xiao eagerly asked, “Tang-ge, Liu-ge, did you experience any changes?”
The two men looked at each other, seemingly unsure how to express it.
Liu Fengyu looked at a flowerpot on the windowsill, and with a gentle lift of his hand, a beautiful flower petal suddenly bloomed in the pot.
Everyone looked in astonishment at the flowerpot. Zhuang Yao asked, “The petals of the King Flower can detach from your body now?”
Liu Fengyu looked at his hand and said with joy, “I had that feeling just now, and it turns out I can really do it. The petals can grow away from my body if there is soil present. As for other abilities, I still need to explore further.”
Tang Yanqiu said, “I need to explore too. Right now, I only feel that my energy has strengthened significantly.”
Zhuang Yao nodded, “You two should rest in your rooms now. Cong Xia, take a rest as well. Tomorrow, we will discuss the second-stage abilities. I’ll go see how the Dragonblood Clan is doing.” After saying that, he left with Cheng Tianbi, and the others followed suit, leaving only Cong Xia and Cheng Tianbi in the rest area.
Cheng Tianbi said in a deep voice, “I’m glad you’re alright. You put yourself in danger by depleting your energy. If it was ten seconds later, I would have stopped you.”
Cong Xia grabbed Cheng Tianbi’s hand and smiled, saying, “You need to have a little more faith in me.” In fact, he had no confidence in himself just now. Shen Changze had been strengthened by the puppet jade for so long, and his level of evolution was much higher than Cong Xia’s. His energy was barely enough, and it could be said that they were on the brink of disaster. He was prepared to withdraw his energy; otherwise, if they continued, he would have been in trouble as well. Fortunately, both his and Shen Changze’s desperate efforts were not in vain.
Cheng Tianbi hugged him and spoke in a low voice, “I really don’t want you to have these abilities.”
Cong Xia was taken aback and remained silent. The greater the power, the greater the responsibility and the closer they were to death. Everyone understood this. He reached out and touched Cheng Tianbi’s hair, saying, “I need these abilities. If I can’t help you with anything, then I have no right to stand by your side and be a burden to you, Tianbi. I want to be the one who fights alongside you.”
“You’ve always been that person.”
Cong Xia smiled faintly.
Cheng Tianbi pressed Cong Xia down on the bed and kissed those soft lips passionately. The fiery kiss continuously drew in Cong Xia’s familiar breath. Cheng Tianbi’s somewhat rough movements revealed his anxiety and unease.
Cong Xia held onto Cheng Tianbi’s neck and responded warmly to the prolonged kiss. Every time they survived a crisis, he cherished everything he had even more. All of it was earned through countless dangers and stubbornly living up to the present moment. Every second spent with Cheng Tianbi and his companions was incredibly precious.
Cheng Tianbi climbed onto the bed and held Cong Xia in his arms. His strong hands caressed Cong Xia’s head as he softly said, “Sleep now and rest well.”
Cong Xia closed his eyes contentedly. He wanted to laugh out loud for today’s success, but he was just too tired. He quickly fell asleep.
However, Cheng Tianbi kept his eyes open and couldn’t fall asleep, even though he hadn’t rested for over 24 hours.
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