Section 67: One Hundred Times Amplification? Special Approval Reward! The Seventh Floor of the Treasury!

"What I mean is, there's no need to use the beast cages. What's so good about beast cages? Separated by iron bars, the ferocity and brutality of the crystal beasts are suppressed, completely robbing us of the tension and realism of a life-and-death struggle."

"It's best to fight right inside the arena. Whatever requirements you have, just say the word, and the administrator will fulfill them all."

Lin Feng smiled faintly.

To enhance the strength of a super genius, what did expending a tiny fraction of resources even matter?

Just casually throwing crystal beasts into the mix was more than enough!

This beast arena was built right next to the Super Gate, so even if every single crystal beast was completely exhausted today, they could all be replenished within three days.

Besides, these weren't岳-realm (Yue-realm) resentful beasts, phantoms, or crystal beasts... those ultra-tier monsters were the truly precious commodities.

A little imp with 500,000 vitality points... they were just everywhere-consumables.

Even the malevolent beasts of the岳-realm were merely consumables that were slightly harder to catch!

Listening to Uncle Lin Feng's words, Xu Ran nodded seriously. Uncle Lin Feng made a lot of sense; the data obtained from experiments through iron bars was indeed different from the data obtained from a bloody battle in the arena. The former were locked in cages and probably couldn't even be bothered to look at the humans outside, let alone feel anger. The latter, once released into the arena, would see a human the moment they raised their heads, intensifying their ferocity and murderous intent to the maximum.

"Since that's the case, give me 10 more crystal beasts with 500,000 vitality points..."

"I want to fight ten at once!"

Huh?

Everyone was slightly stunned.

Jumping from a single crystal beast with 200,000 vitality points straight to 10 crystal beasts with 500,000 vitality points? This leap was a bit too exaggerated, wasn't it?

Even with Xu Ran's numerous methods and hidden cards, he wouldn't be a match for a single crystal beast with 500,000 vitality points, let alone a full ten of them!

The royal sister-style Xiao Xue looked worried: "The gap between 500,000 vitality and 200,000 vitality is like a chasm, and you want to fight 10 of them all at once? That's way too risky! Someone quickly talk him out of it!"

Judging from Xu Ran's paper doll puppets and his actions on the battlefield, the upper limit of his lethality should be around 200,000 vitality points.

And yet, he was now jumping straight into challenging 10 crystal beasts with 500,000 vitality points?

This stride was so wide he was bound to tear something.

Faced with Xiao Xue's concern, Xu Ran bounced around inside the arena to warm up his joints: "It's not dangerous. My life-saving measures are more than enough."

Lin Feng shouted: "Do you want a shield-type powerhouse to stand behind you and cast buffs? We can't possibly feel at ease with you doing this."

Xu Ran waved his hand: "No need. If a岳-realm shield-type powerhouse is standing behind me, the crystal beasts probably won't have any ferocity or murderous intent left. That way, we won't be able to test the limit of the Conviction Seed!"

Lin Feng fell silent for a moment: "Then the difficulty of protecting you increases by dozens of times. How are we supposed to judge whether you're in danger?"

Without a doubt.

The little guy had just handed them a tough problem...

Xu Ran looked back.

At the same time, beside Lin Feng, a substitute paper doll floated in mid-air: "Don't worry, even if my body is shattered, there's no need to jump down to save me. I'll instantly trigger the substitute and return to the stands."

"I definitely can't beat 10 crystal beasts with 500,000 vitality points, but they aren't qualified to seriously hurt me either."

The fourteen members of the Slaying Gods Squad fell into a long silence. They unanimously turned their gaze to Ye Ping.

It seemed that right from the start.

This kid Ye Ping had maintained a completely calm expression while letting the rest of them stress out.

"Did you know about Xu Ran's life-saving methods all along?"

Ye Ping nodded, as if recalling something: "Yeah, I knew."

Liu Yan: "Damn it, why didn't you say so earlier?"

Ye Ping spread his hands: "He didn't proactively mention it, so how could I possibly expose his abilities? Besides, he has so many hidden cards; if I went around explaining them to everyone I met, do you take me for a menu announcer? I'm not a crosstalk artist."

Liu Yan was left speechless: "Fine!! You win."

Xiao Xue: "Well... since he has a substitute-like life-saving ability, we can rest easy."

The hanging hearts of the people on this side finally dropped.

On the other side, the arena administrator trotted over: "Officers, are you really going to provide 10 crystal beasts with 500,000 vitality points? I feel like that little genius's limit is around 200,000 vitality points, right? In case of an accident..."

Lin Feng: "It's none of your concern. We'll take the blame if anything happens; you just need to release 10 crystal beasts with 500,000 vitality points into the arena."

The arena administrator opened his mouth to speak, but ultimately nodded.

"Ten human-faced azure-blue bears with 500,000 vitality points!"

Instructions received.

A few minutes later.

The iron gates clanked open, and ten sneaky human-faced azure-blue bears rushed out like madmen.

Standing four meters tall and covered in armor, their upper bodies were indigo, indicating that their vitality had reached the 500,000 mark.

Their sheer physique and the churning vitality within their bodies were enough to make ordinary practitioners' hearts leap with fright and cause them to lose their combat capability.

Even more terrifyingly, they bore two bizarre human faces. These human faces looked as if skin had been peeled off human beings to make masks, glued to the left and right sides of the bears' snouts. Consequently, the two human faces were wrinkled, possessed eight eyes, protruding bear mouths, and saw-like fangs, creating an indescribably eerie and horrifying spectacle.

Xu Ran furrowed his brows.

To be honest, monsters like these were somewhat psychologically unsettling.

However, what was even more terrifying was their mental state. It seemed they had been locked up for too long; they were extremely repressed, and their eight scarlet eyes were filled with twisted murderous intent. The sight of a human child multiplied their brutality severalfold.

"Roar—"

"Roar—"

The ten human-faced azure-blue beasts emitted roars that shook the mountains and made all beasts tremble, charging toward Xu Ran at the speed of a dump truck. Sharp claws extended from their flesh pads, reflecting cold light.

They knew that once captured, they were dead meat.

So seeing a living human right now, they had only one thought: tear this damned human to pieces and drag him down with them!

This violent desire for slaughter had been reinforced tenfold, becoming even more crazed. Xu Ran could even feel the murderous intent in their eyes—condensed into something substantial.

"Good, this is the exact state I want. So authentic!"

A strong sense of crisis made Xu Ran's blood boil.

Needless to thought, he couldn't beat crystal beasts with 500,000 vitality points; his limit was the 200,000-vitality galloping wolf beast.

However, he had no intention of dodging, merely narrowing his eyes slightly.

After all, he was in the middle of testing...

"Come on, be more confident, show more ferocity."

Xu Ran's facial features were bright and clear.

The Conviction Seed condensed at an astonishing speed.

Almost in the blink of an eye, a brilliant golden speck of light materialized at Xu Ran's fingertips. With a flick of his finger, the golden light flew unerringly, striking the glabella of the human-faced azure-blue bear right in the center, invading its mind.

The bear in the middle possessed the densest murderous intent and was the most ferocious. Yet, after being invaded by the Conviction Seed, its gaze changed abruptly. A spine-chilling sensation made it mistakenly believe it had encountered an unimaginably terrifying natural domain.

Appalled, it slammed on the brakes mid-stride, skidding hard across the ground.

The other human-faced azure-blue bears were taken aback.

They paused for a split second, but soon enough, the central bear shook off the terror in its mind and lunged at Xu Ran with even greater ferocity.

Sharp claws tore Xu Ran to shreds right there in the arena.

"Puff—"

Paper scraps littered the ground.

Xu Ran reappeared in the stands, completely unharmed, save for a one-fifth reduction of vitality in his meridians.

"Alright, experiment over. Drag them back!"

The administrator nodded, jumped into the arena, knocked the human-faced azure-blue bears down one by one with single punches, and dragged them back into their iron cages.

Lin Feng looked Xu Ran up and down, his expression astonished.

This kid's substitute paper doll was even more complete than any similar bestowed divine ability he had ever witnessed... What a freak!!

"Is 500,000 vitality the limit of the test results?"

Xu Ran smiled warmly: "Yes. Beyond 500,000 vitality, crystal beasts are only struck with fear for a single second before they suppress that terror. Once the suppression succeeds, they become even more violent and angry..."

Ye Ping praised incessantly: "Even if it's only a 1-second fear effect against crystal beasts with 500,000 vitality, it's still terrifying. To actually induce fear in an enemy whose vitality is a hundred times higher than yours... No wonder [Despair-Free Calamity] could instantly plunge us into hallucinations on the battlefield... It's simply a divine skill!"

Liu Yan patted Xu Ran's shoulder, his expression and tone extremely complex: "What's even more terrifying is this little guy. He only crossed paths with [Despair-Free Calamity] once, and he managed to steal a portion of the opponent's ultimate technique. Unquestionably the strongest human freak of all time."

"The replication of [Mirror Supreme] requires us to completely open up our bestowed divine abilities; even the slightest bit of resistance makes replication impossible. That's why [Mirror Supreme] cannot replicate the bestowed divine abilities of resentful gods, ghostly entities, or crystal beasts. But you can learn them!"

"Simply terrifying."

Xiao Xue looked at Xu Ran with curiosity: "So, can you create a mental impact on an enemy, making them think their head has exploded into a bloody mist? I mean, can you learn the bestowed divine ability of [Despair-Free Calamity]?"

Xu Ran flatly denied it: "I really can't do that one."

"The bestowed divine ability of [Despair-Free Calamity] is extremely complex and requires the foundation of bone structure. I only learned a minor trick."

A-Hao laughed heartily: "Little guy, you're being far too modest. If I were your age and could learn a mechanism monster's moves after fighting it just once—even if it's just a single move or stance—I'd be arrogant enough to reach the heavens."

Everyone looked on with deep respect. Although Xu Ran was young, the potential he displayed made him hands-down the strongest human being without a doubt!

The Slaying Gods Squad he would lead in the future was bound to be the number one Slaying Gods Squad in human history.

Terrifying!

Was this what comprehension and bone structure were all about?

Lin Feng patted Xu Ran's head: "The only thing you need to worry about is... because you're far too powerful, resentful gods, god-level ghosts, and god-level crystal beasts might join forces to hunt you down. So starting from now, you must be even more cautious, keep your guard up, and hide your hidden cards well."

"Your previous approach was completely correct; even when you encounter us, don't expose too much of your strength."

Starting right now.

Lin Feng was starting to panic.

This kid was strong enough to provoke a direct assassination attempt by resentful gods!

Xu Ran smiled brilliantly: "I understand. I won't take risks."

Lin Feng nodded: "I know you won't take unnecessary risks, I'm mainly worried about those god-level malevolent beasts sniping you."

"So, to add an extra layer of self-preservation, do you really not want to study our bestowed divine abilities? What if you manage to learn them?"

Liu Yan strongly chimed in: "Yeah, studying them won't make you lose a piece of flesh."

"I think you might be an upgraded version of [Mirror Supreme]. She can mirror-replicate, and you can rapidly learn."

Xiao Xue likewise offered a strong suggestion: "You managed to create invisibility and super burst slash all by yourself, and you even secretly learned the ultimate move of [Despair-Free Calamity]. With your comprehension talent, you should be able to learn our bestowed divine abilities. If you can learn a hundred bestowed divine abilities, who knows, you might achieve the unity of ten thousand techniques and create an even stronger art."

Xiao Xue's imagination was running wild.

Xu Ran couldn't hold back anymore: "I'm not quite that powerful yet... No need to go to all that trouble."

It wasn't that he didn't want to try...

It was that he had already tried.

In the Demigod Kindergarten, he tutored Zhu Yuheng, Bian Yue, Bie Jingqiu, Zhuge Huangjin and the others every single day... Did they really think he was teaching them for nothing?

He had also been secretly studying their bestowed divine abilities.

However, his [Higher Comprehension] still wasn't able to learn other people's bestowed divine abilities.

After all, even a clever housewife could not cook a meal without rice.

Without a golden bone structure, how could he possibly learn them?

Even the [Conviction Seed] was something he had managed to record frame by frame only because he was in an optimal state, utilizing spiritual-type energy to replace the pollution; it couldn't be regarded as a universal scenario.

Going out of his way to study other people's bestowed divine abilities would only waste time; it was far simpler and more brutal to try triggering new miraculous skills instead!

Miraculous skills were the bestowed divine abilities best suited for his physique!

If he truly wanted to study other people's miraculous skills, he would have to wait until the third sequence, [Apt at Epiphany].

That would be the time when his comprehension talent truly became initially invincible!

As for now, he was still just a tiny bit short.

Lin Feng: "Really not going to give it a try?"

Xu Ran shook his head lightly: "Really no need... Actually, I already tried it back in kindergarten. What suits me, I can learn; what doesn't suit me, there's no need to study. Grasping too much makes it hard to digest; learning too much becomes a burden instead."

Xu Ran's perspective was extremely open-minded.

Just like [Super Burst Slash] + [Conviction Seed], that was learning through stealth at its absolute finest!

(1/3)

(2/3)

Lin Feng had a sudden realization: "I see... I thought having a comprehension bone structure meant you could learn anything. It seems there are preferences after all."

Liu Yan smiled: "Actually, that makes sense. If you could really learn everything, it wouldn't feel realistic!"

Xiao Xue: "He's already invincible enough. Learning too many bestowed divine abilities might actually turn out to be a burden."

Lin Feng nodded: "True. In that case, let's go get some food first."

Liu Yan: "After eating... should we go to the capital's Demigod Kindergarten to issue a challenge? Since we're already in the capital."

He suddenly thought of a great show—just how big was the gap between [Mirror Supreme], [Sin-Cleansing Thousand Thunders], and Xu Ran anyway?

How long could those two last in front of Xu Ran?

Yes.

Liu Yan didn't even think [Mirror Supreme] and [Sin-Cleansing Thousand Thunders] could win.

He just wanted to see the extent of the gap between those two super geniuses and Xu Ran.

Once this thought popped into his head, Liu Yan didn't find it strange at all.

In his heart, Xu Ran had already defaulted to becoming an existence leading by a generational gap—no other way around it, he was simply ridiculously overpowered.

Even without using the [Conviction Seed] and [Super Burst Slash], his [Paper Doll Legion] alone placed him miles ahead.

Not to mention that Xu Ran also possessed [Invisibility], [Substitute Paper Doll]... and potentially other hidden cards he hadn't yet displayed...

This kid... was able to rapidly analyze the mechanism of [Despair-Free Calamity] on the battlefield and break its bestowed divine ability.

His battle flair was so high it shocked a Slaying Gods Squad like theirs...

Battling geniuses of the same age group was definitely a dimensionality reduction strike...

Liu Yan was eager to watch a good show.

Yet, facing LiuYan's proposal.

Xu Ran was thoroughly disinterested: "Don't want to go. Give them a bit more time to progress. Once the Slaying Gods Squad selection tournament is held in Jing Province, I'll make my move."

Liu Yan: "..."

Good grief, he was acting so arrogant.

He completely disregarded [Mirror Supreme] and [Sin-Cleansing Thousand Thunders], even looking down on those two super geniuses from a transcendent stance.

Yet what could they do? He actually had the strength to back it up.

Liu Yan was rendered speechless.

Lin Feng smiled: "Giving them time to progress, huh?"

"I'd wager your own progress will be even more terrifying, right?"

"A year from now, the gap between them and you will only grow more horrifying."

Xu Ran laughed heartily: "Not necessarily. [Mirror Supreme] has replicated over twenty kinds of bestowed divine abilities, and she's two years older than me. Her cultivation and growth speed will only get faster and faster."

"Besides, every bestowed divine ability has its own wondrous uses... I only have miraculous effects in terms of brute-force output. When it comes to sheer bizarreness, I'm still not as good as [Microscopic All-Phenomena]..."

Everyone pondered: "That's true. Some people's bestowed divine abilities are exceptionally bizarre; you can easily capsize in the gutter if you're not careful. Still, we're betting on you to take the crown."

Lin Feng: "Let's go, time to eat. After dinner, we'll accompany Xu Ran to look for that blue-glowing little girl in the safety zone... To be honest, I've never heard anything about a blue-glowing little girl in the safety zone."

Ye Ping: "I haven't heard of it either."

Other members: "None of us knew."

Liu Yan: "Later I'll ask the other Slaying Gods Squads. If none of them have seen her either, then that's really strange."

Xu Ran's gaze was firm: "I definitely didn't see wrong. There is a little girl radiating blue light in the safety zone, and she can phase through the buildings of the safety zone at will. She is completely different from a ghost..."

Lin Feng grew solemn: "If such a miraculous little girl truly exists, she must be tied to the secrets of the safety zone. Perhaps related to the origin of the safety zone?"

Xiao Xue's delicate brows furrowed: "Could she even be connected to the future of the safety zone? Didn't the higher-ups say the safety zone can only hold out for another 3 to 5 years? Could it be..."

Liu Yan: "Officer Chen might know the inside story, but he has been dormant for twenty years... Does anyone in the Zenith Pavilion know? Should we go ask?"

Lin Feng shook his head: "They don't know either. Let's investigate and solve the mystery ourselves! I have a special love for solving mysteries."

"With Xu Ran possessing a comprehension bone structure, he must love solving mysteries even more, right?"

Xu Ran smiled: "Solving mysteries? Not particularly fond of it, but I am extremely curious about the identity of the blue-glowing little girl..."

"The fact that I am the only one who can see her only deepens my curiosity..."

Xu Ran was even wondering whether that mysterious little girl had some connection to god-level items like the safety zone, and whether she knew how to dispel the fog inside the crimson-gold treasure?

That was why he was so curious about the identity of the blue-glowing little girl.

Xiao Xue looked at Xu Ran, then at the rest of them: "You guys are making even a lazy aunt like me who hates using her brain burn with curiosity. Let's hurry up and grab some dinner, then head back to the safety zone to search!"

"We keep talking without taking action, it's annoying!"

Everyone laughed heartily: "Alright."

Heading to a top-tier restaurant in the capital for a lavish feast, the group descended into the 6th Safety Zone.

A familiar location, Xu Ran pointed out the crime scene: "Right here, that's where I saw the mysterious blue-glowing little girl emerge from a wall, slip into another wall, and vanish."

Xiao Xue wondered: "So are we going to wait for a hare by the tree here? Or search the entire safety zone? The 6th Safety Zone is quite large, and since we can't see the blue-glowing little girl, only little Xu Ran can look for her... The difficulty is extremely high."

Liu Yan: "Yeah... seems impossible to find."

Xu Ran smiled with confidence: "Actually, it's not that hard. If she still appears in the 6th Zone, I will be able to see her..."

As he spoke.

A folded-paper bat materialized in his palm. Bat One flapped its wings and soared toward the high sky...

Simultaneously.

The field of vision in Xu Ran's left eye instantly shifted to Bat One.

Having restrained a soul, Bat One could fly up to 1,000 meters at its limit, making it a breeze to overlook the entire safety zone. However, the reality was that flying 1,000 meters high wasn't even necessary; around 325 meters was more than enough to encompass the safety zone within his field of view.

With high-definition vision, as long as the blue-glowing little girl appeared, Xu Ran would be able to spot her.

Everyone was curious: "What is he doing?"

Lin Feng suddenly looked surprised: "Could it be that you can share vision with your puppets?"

Xu Ran smiled faintly: "Guess you hit the nail on the head."

"As long as Bat One hovers high in the sky, I can share its field of vision and look down on everything in the safety zone."

"Provided the commanders of the garrison corps don't attack it."

Liu Yan: "That's not a problem. I'll communicate with them."

Saying this, Liu Yan took out the Slaying Gods Squad captain badge: "A-Liang, a folded-paper bat is flying above the safety zone, it's our stuff, don't attack it."

A-Liang wiped his sweat: "So it's your stuff. I was just about to capture it."

Liu Yan cut the communication, blinking at Xu Ran: "Alright. Sorted."

Xu Ran nodded slightly: "In that case, let's find a place to drink tea. I just don't know if the blue-glowing little girl will show up, and if she does, whether we can communicate with her."

What if the other party was non-communicative? That would be awkward.

Everyone pondered: "Hard to say. Since you're the only one who can see her, perhaps you two can communicate."

Xu Ran sighed softly: "Let's hope so..."

Everyone was full of patience: "No need to panic. It doesn't matter if we can't communicate. As long as she poses no threat to our Huaxia country, we can just leave her be."

"But if the shortening of the safety zone's lifespan is related to her, then we'll have to find a way to catch her."

Their attitudes were surprisingly consistent.

Yet, waiting bitterly until 10:00 PM.

Xu Ran's Bat One was practically flying itself to exhaustion.

There wasn't even a shadow of the blue-glowing little girl.

Liu Yan was growing drowsy: "It's 10:00 PM and she's still not showing up? Could she have left the 6th Zone?"

A bad premonition arose in Xu Ran's heart: "Oh no! She might really not be in the 6th Zone anymore."

Lin Feng's brows locked tight: "If she's not in the 6th Zone... then I'm afraid we won't be able to find her. What if we go to the 1st Safety Zone, and she runs off to the 9th Safety Zone? What if we go to the 9th, and she's in the 3rd? Like two eternal stars separated by the river of stars, never to meet..."

Xiao Xue: "Or maybe she noticed Xu Ran looking for her and purposely went into hiding."

Liu Yan: "Doesn't that mean the secrets she carries will remain unknown forever?"

Xu Ran spread his hands and smiled open-mindedly: "Forget it. If we truly can't find her, it means our affinity isn't deep enough, no need to force it. I feel like she doesn't have any malicious intent. The shortening of the safety zone's lifespan most likely has nothing to do with her."

Though full of curiosity about the blue-glowing little girl, it wasn't like he absolutely had to dig up the little girl's bottom line...

The members of the two Slaying Gods Squads looked at each other in dismay.

Who knew whether she was related or not? They had thought they could hunt her down and question her, but since her whereabouts were erratic, there was nothing they could do.

Lin Feng: "Alright, time to rest! See you tomorrow."

Settling into the luxury suite.

Xu Ran took a shower, lay down on the bed, and quickly drifted off to sleep.

From his perspective, nothing happened during this particular night.

However.

On the internet, [One Man Army Big Boss] had become a legend.

On-site witnesses were recounting the glorious deeds of [One Man Army Big Boss] online, their promotional stories filled with heartfelt adoration, every single word oozing an attitude of worship.

Coupled with the previous day.

The carnage unleashed by [One Man Army Big Boss] in the 6th Zone, discussions surrounding [One Man Army Big Boss] were suddenly as boisterous as firecrackers and gongs...

In an era like this, formidable strength and transcendent talent grabbed eyeballs far more effectively than a net worth of tens or hundreds of billions.

The higher one's talent, the more likely they were to be elevated to a divine altar, reaping boundless attention and adoration.

"It's him again? He has seen through the mechanisms of god-level monsters twice in a row. A boss like this definitely couldn't have been unknown in the past, right? Why haven't I ever heard of him?"

"Heh, the big boss's mask is welded to his face, how could you possibly know who he is?"

"Even if he had a glorious record in the past, change his mask and you won't recognize him."

"Niu Warrior will never take off his mask!"

Black Mass: "The theorist is here. I've listed out all the hand photos of [One Man Army Big Boss], and using my profound medical knowledge and deductive reasoning, I've proven—this hand belongs to an eight-year-old."

"What kind of BS reasoning is that? What if he's wearing gloves? Deliberately trying to fool you?"

"The illusory is real, the real is illusory, who can make heads or tails of it?"

"I... anyway, I am certain that [One Man Army Big Boss] is a teenage genius! He definitely can't be old."

"Right! Did you guys notice a terrifying fact? Mechanism monsters have been popping up more and more frequently lately! Several Slaying Gods Squads have fallen at the hands of mechanism monsters. Even among ultra-tier monsters, a few mechanism monsters have appeared. The battlefield is getting scarier!"

"Yeah, the Heart-Shattering Brain Demon is truly terrifying! My comrade died in battle even while on guard... Alas!"

"Can [One Man Army Big Boss] come to the 5th Safety Zone and smash the Heart-Shattering Brain Demon to pieces?"

"The [Drowner] in our 8th Safety Zone is also a mechanism monster. Whenever it rains, nobody dares to fight them, and even inside the safety zone, casualties are severe. Fortunately, a few fire-type Slaying Gods Squads and a group of powerhouses with fire-type bone structures arrived recently to stem the decline."

Netizens were arguing back and forth.

Some were marveling at Xu Ran's glorious record, while others were wishing upon a star online...

Xu Ran never expected that he'd be wished upon in kindergarten, and people would still be making wishes to him on the internet...

Of course, some were also spreading negative energy and extreme pessimism online.

However.

Things on the virtual network didn't have much to do with Xu Ran.

He slept soundly.

The next day.

At 7:00 AM, dawn broke—although the safety zone lacked a sun, white light was emitted to chase away the night.

Full of vigor, Xu Ran opened his eyes.

Ever since he acquired [Pristine Spiritual Body], his mental state could always bounce back to its peak after a good night's sleep.

"Hmm..."

He leaped out of bed, looking at the floor, looking at the wall.

(2/3)

(3/3)

"And here I thought, relying on my heavenly appearance, the blue-glowing little girl would proactively come find me last night... Who would've thought absolutely nothing happened all night."

"Perhaps the timing isn't right yet?"

Xu Ran shook his head, turning to go wash up. Once done,

Uncle Ye Ping knocked on the door outside: "You awake yet?"

Xu Ran exited the room: "Awake, good morning, Uncle Ye."

Ye Ping: "Are we still looking for the blue-glowing little girl today?"

Xu Ran waved his hand, raising his chin somewhat proudly: "Not looking anymore. I don't even know which safety zone she's in, what's the point of looking. Hmph! Today you ignore me, tomorrow you won't be able to afford me!"

Ye Ping laughed heartily.

Behind him.

The members of the two Slaying Gods Squads, all looking full of vigor, walked over.

Lin Feng: "The General Commander told me his application has been submitted. Because of the incident with [Despair-Free Calamity] drawing special attention, your reward has also been specially approved."

"You can go to the safety zone's treasury right now to pick out the items you want."

Hearing this.

Xu Ran's spirits perked up: "Really? Then can I pick bones dropped from god-level beasts, or weapons?"

Lin Feng: "Of course you can. Your merit is exceptionally high. You can freely choose two items, no matter how you pick them."

Smiles bloomed across Xu Ran's facial features, and he was already growing impatient.

"I want to go right now!"

Liu Yan pressed down on Xu Ran's shoulder: "No need to rush quite so much, let's grab some food first. You have several days to make your selection."

Xu Ran: "...Fine, let's have breakfast then."

Spending half an hour on breakfast.

And another ten minutes arriving at the Logistics Department.

The 6th Zone General Commander had been waiting for a long time: "Ah, little Xu Ran is here. Your reward has already received special approval, follow me, I'll take you to the safety zone's treasury."

Xu Ran: "Good."

Lin Feng looked at the General Commander: "Lead the way, please."

Thus.

Under the guidance of the 6th Zone General Commander, the group arrived at the entrance of the safety zone's treasury, which was a curtain of golden light.

The General Commander took out a peculiar golden key and gently slashed it across the golden light curtain.

The light curtain dissipated, revealing a door designed in a very modern style, somewhat resembling a museum.

"This is a treasury built over decades by multiple spatial-type powerhouses, connecting every safety zone. All pollutants, treasures, and top-tier weapons from the extraterrestrial battlefield are placed inside. It can be said to be a miracle of human architecture."

"Undergo scanning right in front of the door, and you'll be able to move freely within the safety zone."

Hearing this.

Xu Ran and the others stepped up to undergo the scanning of the mirror hovering overhead.

"If you want to enter, you must notify the Zenith Pavilion in advance to obtain permission and have your information registered, otherwise the treasury is full of mirrors just like this one. If they discover you've entered without permission, an alarm will sound."

Xu Ran nodded slightly.

After a brief introduction.

The General Commander shifted the topic: "I remember your request was to acquire strange treasures dropped from extraterrestrial battlefields, such as the bones of god-level crystal beasts, meat chunks of resentful beasts, or eerie items dropped by monsters..."

Xu Ran: "Yes!"

The General Commander: "Although I don't know why you fancy those things, shall I take you to have a look first?"

Xu Ran: "Alright, please lead the way, Commander."

The General Commander smiled slightly: "Follow me, those things are stored at the very bottom."

Consequently.

The General Commander led the group downstairs, floor by floor. With each descending floor, the space expanded severalfold, resembling a pyramid.

They went down seven floors in total. The space on the seventh floor, by visual estimation, was a hundred times larger than the top floor, with a base length of roughly 1,200 meters—five times the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza. This area was immense; a standard kindergarten basketball court measured 28 meters long and 15 meters wide. In other words, the safety zone's treasury equivalent to 3,500 standard basketball courts.

The General Commander wore a serious expression: "We've reached the seventh floor. Please cast your Vitality Lamp-Lighting Art in advance. You must leave the seventh floor before your vitality runs dry."

Xu Ran: "Understood."

While speaking.

The Vitality Lamp-Lighting Art had already been activated.

Seven lamps rotated around Xu Ran's body.

Ye Ping: "......???"

Lin Feng: "......???"

Liu Yan: "......???"

Everyone stared at Xu Ran's Vitality Lamp-Lighting Art, wearing expressions of sheer bewilderment.

"How come your lamp-lighting art is different from ours? You actually have seven lamps?"

"The lamp-lighting art popularized throughout Huaxia only comes in one variant, right? There doesn't seem to be a modified version... nor is there any need to modify it..."

Ye Ping: "A single-lamp vitality lamp-lighting art is already plenty, it's the most vitality-efficient and self-protective. What on earth are you doing? You even self-created this?"

Xu Ran: "......This one suits me better, it's even more efficient than the standard version."

Ye Ping looked skeptical: "Really? Teach me later, I want to experience whether it's actually efficient or not..."

He remained half-doubtful.

Xu Ran: "No problem, anyway, to me, this Seven-Star Lamp-Lighting Art is simply the most vitality-saving lamp-lighting art in existence."

The Slaying Gods Squad looked at each other in dismay: "..."

Just how many hidden cards did this kid have up his sleeve?

Having long since grown immune to bizarre gazes, Xu Ran crossed the threshold and turned into the formal "exhibition hall."

Gazing at the space of the seventh floor, he couldn't help exclaiming: "Wow, just how many treasures are hidden on the seventh floor?"

The General Commander: "Only spoils above the ultra-tier or mysterious anomalies of unknown origin are placed here—a total of 6,547 items."

"Over 6,500 items? Great! I'm going to go concubine-hunting!"

Xu Ran's heart surged with excitement...

Could it be, perhaps, possibly, genuinely time to find god-level consumables to dispel the fog inside the crimson-gold treasure?

Xu Ran's heart fluttered slightly.

Though he didn't know whether his premonition was true or false, excitement inexplicably began to well up.

A crimson-gold achievement like [Twilight of the Gods] was already ridiculously overpowered...

His very first crimson-gold treasure couldn't possibly be too shabby, right?

After all, this was a crimson-gold treasure!

The General Commander smiled faintly: "Feel free to pick. If you aren't satisfied, you can head up to the upper floors to choose ultra-tier treasures crafted by humans."

Xu Ran: "Okay."

Without wasting words with idle chatter, he commenced his "concubine selection."

Inside rows of special transparent display cases, bizarre treasures were suppressed—

Bones oozing black pollution, twitching chunks of flesh, leather pouches covered in scarlet eyes, skulls carved with eerie runes, transparent crystals encasing golden roulette wheels, organs with ghostly faces protruding from them, twisted clocks, corpses of colorful venomous insects, leather masks, candles exuding a weird aura, broken swords...

Every single one of them was enough to make one's hair stand on end.

Xu Ran awakened the crimson-gold treasure using his divine origin.

Then, he drove the crimson-gold pigeon egg into the skin of his palm, mentally sensing the changes within the crimson-gold treasure.

"Too bad you don't eat divine origin, otherwise how could I not afford to feed you? Open your eyes and feel it carefully, figure out which thing can dispel the fog!"

Xu Ran tapped the crimson-gold treasure with his mind.

Then, while carefully examining the collection, he sensed the fluctuations of the crimson-gold treasure.

After walking a full circle.

The crimson-gold treasure gave zero reaction, seemingly entirely incapable of raising its interest.

Bad news: The crimson-gold treasure ignored ultra-tier extraterrestrial drops.

Good news: The crimson-gold treasure probably surpassed the god-level.

"Are these all drops from ultra-tier monsters? Are there any drops from god-level monsters?"

Ye Ping asked in surprise: "Not satisfied? Looks like you have very high standards."

The others also looked at Xu Ran suspiciously, unaware of what he was scheming.

The General Commander raised an eyebrow in surprise: "You finished screening that fast? Are you sure you're done selecting?"

Xu Ran: "Screening complete, I need drops from god-level extraterrestrial monsters."

The General Commander: "Drops from god-level monsters do exist, of course—267 items in total. Please follow me through that other door. However, entering the exhibition hall for god-level monsters carries some danger. Prepare yourself mentally; if you can't hold on, you must tell us immediately."

Xu Ran nodded repeatedly: "No problem!"

Thus.

Following behind the General Commander, the group walked through another door and entered the climax exhibition hall of the safety zone's treasury.

Standing at the entrance.

Xu Ran heard eerie wailing sounds.

Though faint, the wailing made Xu Ran's blood boil and caused him to feel dizzy.

The General Commander confirmed once more: "You're too young, and your cultivation is extremely low, are you really sure you'll be fine? If there's any issue, tell us immediately."

Xu Ran's eyes shone brightly: "I should be able to give it a try."

Two Conviction Seeds drove themselves into his glabella. The next second, the bizarre wailing vanished, and Xu Ran's gaze remained completely devoid of ripples.

Lin Feng looked astonished, casting a look of admiration: "Uh... so the [Conviction Seed] has this kind of marvelous application as well... [Despair-Free Calamity] took a massive loss."

Xu Ran smiled faintly.

With steady paces.

He walked into the god-level "exhibition hall"...

Right in the center of the exhibition hall.

A five-meter-long giant spear sat quietly, completely devoid of any protective measures.

The General Commander: "This is a heavy spear once wielded by a certain god-level crystal beast. The mineral is unique; we've never discovered similar minerals in the polluted zones, leading us to deduce that such minerals only exist on the crystal beast extraterrestrial realm. Unfortunately... unfortunately..."

"It can even suppress the resentful beast pollution to a certain extent. That's why we placed it right in the center."

"Yet humans spent decades without finding a way to refine or recast it..."

Xu Ran's eyes flickered with a peculiar light: "There are actually weapons as wondrous as this. It's a shame I don't use spears... otherwise I'd haul it away."

The General Commander laughed heartily: "You can't just casually haul this away; the god-level treasury contains three treasures capable of suppressing pollution. They are the Nameless Heavy Spear, the Bright Tortoise Shell, and the Jade Pure Willow Wood. They cannot be casually taken."

Xu Ran narrowed his gaze.

He carefully sized up the crimson-gold treasure.

"Damn it, this thing still has no reaction? Could it be that even drops from god-level monsters can't spark its interest?"

Xu Ran furrowed his brows.

He didn't know whether this should be considered good news or bad news.

Bad news: The crimson-gold treasure could not be unlocked for the time being.

Good news: The crimson-gold treasure might have surpassed god-level.

PS: A ten-thousand-word update served with both hands up~~~~ The little author really doesn't pad word count, wuwuwu~~~~