118: treat

This life, the situation was completely different.

He clearly remembered that after this three-day major version update, the Clan Luck Expedition would soon officially launch its first large-scale world event—the "Secret Realm Scramble"—as players' overall strength increased and the game progressed!

At that time, an unequal number of unclaimed Secret Realm entrances of various grades would randomly appear on the game map.

Players could register as a family or guild, obtain a "Key to the Secret Realm" by completing a series of extremely difficult prerequisite quests, and then enter a specific Secret Realm space to battle other competitors and even the Secret Realm's own guardians for ultimate ownership.

Among these, the most eye-catching and coveted by all top forces in the entire server was the "Heavenly Abode of Lang".

There were even rumors that there would be a Primordial Secret Realm, which not only had a vast area far exceeding ordinary high-grade Secret Realms, but also was suspected to contain a wisp of primordial chaotic energy from the beginning of creation.

The time flow in its core area differed greatly from the outside world, and the quality of its spiritual energy was incredibly pure, making it a sanctuary among sanctuaries for cultivation.

In his previous life, Su Chen couldn't even meet the threshold to contend for "ordinary Secret Realms", only able to watch from afar, listening to the true and false battle reports on the forums and the news of a certain overseas super guild's tragic victory and subsequent lockdown of a Secret Realm.

But in this life... Su Chen slowly inhaled the air imbued with pure spiritual energy, feeling the slight stirrings of the Purple Firmament Divine Lightning spiritual power within him.

With the terrifying initial advantage brought by billions in Krypton Gold (money spent in game), the countless lessons learned from his previous life, and the two infinitely potential forces of the Tantai Family and Dugu Xue... this time, he would absolutely not miss out on those top-tier Secret Realms.

Major Li led Su Chen to a detached villa, saying, "The Pangu Project's launch meeting is tomorrow. Mr. Su is free to move around the base without restrictions." After speaking, he left.

Su Chen entered the villa. The interior facilities were complete, and the decoration was exquisite without being ostentatious.

He briefly checked around, confirmed there were no surveillance or detection devices, then sat on the living room sofa, his consciousness sinking into his Sea of Consciousness to click on the Clan Luck Expedition login icon.

The game interface unfolded, and he first checked on the Tantai Family's situation.

Tantai Qinghuang was currently riding the Grand Void Dragon Emperor Boat, speeding towards the True Yang Secret Realm, with everything proceeding smoothly.

On the other side, Dugu Xue was on her way to the Demonic Sect. With her attire and bracelet, everyone she encountered on the road was polite or kept their distance, making her journey smooth.

After confirming that there were no immediate issues for either side, Su Chen exited the game.

He stood up, deciding to explore this so-called Shan Hai World to familiarize himself with the environment.

As soon as he pushed open the villa door, a familiar figure came into view.

Nan Yafu was standing near a spiritual plant whose leaves glowed with a faint luminescence.

Her fingertips unconsciously twirled a leaf, her gaze seemingly unfocused, but her slightly angled stance towards the villa revealed that she was indeed waiting for someone.

When she saw Su Chen, her eyes did brighten for a moment, as if relieved, then immediately covered by a deliberately maintained expression of a young lady's usual reserve and haughtiness.

Today, she wasn't wearing her usual exquisite dresses but had changed into a well-tailored dark blue combat uniform. The functional fabric outlined her tall and powerful figure, and her long hair was neatly tied into a high ponytail, making her appear spirited and completely different from the somewhat delicate director's daughter she was in Jiangcheng.

"Oh, isn't this our great hero from Jiangcheng?" She walked over, her tone trying to sound light and teasing, but a barely perceptible trace of nervousness in her voice revealed her true emotions.

"How is it, are you satisfied with this place?" She waved her hand, pointing to the incredible Secret Realm space around them.

Su Chen's gaze lingered on her for a moment, noticing a very subtle discord in her aura, but he didn't immediately point it out, merely replying as usual, "It's alright. Why are you here?"

Nan Yafu pouted, sounding a bit complaining and a bit helpless, "I came for treatment. My father worked hard to get me a spot."

"Speaking of which, I have to thank you. If it weren't for you... turning the tide in Jiangcheng earlier, I probably wouldn't have the chance to be standing here now."

"Oh right, since we ran into each other, let me show you around here. Some places are quite..." Her words stopped abruptly halfway through.

Su Chen suddenly raised his hand without warning, so fast that she couldn't react. His palm gently patted her shoulder.

"You?!" Nan Yafu was startled and subconsciously tried to step back, but found her body felt as if a gentle yet irresistible electric current had swept through her, instantly numbing her entire body, making her freeze in place for a moment, unable even to speak.

The sensation wasn't painful; instead, it felt like a deep-level unclogging, making all her pores involuntarily open, and an indescribably comfortable feeling washed over her limbs and bones.

From Su Chen's perspective, the situation was completely different.

Under his spiritual perception, within Nan Yafu's body, especially deep in her Dantian and heart meridians, lurked an extremely subtle, dark gray energy, almost intertwined with her primordial life force.

This energy was of extremely high quality, cold and stubborn, like the most cunning parasite, constantly drawing on her vitality, yet cleverly maintaining itself at a level that wasn't immediately fatal.

This was clearly a vicious and difficult-to-detect chronic curse.

If not for his Purple Firmament Myriad Tribulation Thunder Sutra having reached a certain level of cultivation, giving him an extraordinary sensitivity to all evil energies in the world, he would probably not have been able to detect it immediately.

This level of curse, with the current medical standards of the real world and the general understanding of the cultivation world, was indeed extremely difficult to cure, and might even be impossible to diagnose accurately.

No wonder Nan Mingde tried every means to send her here.

Since he encountered it, Su Chen didn't mind lending a hand.

For him, it was not difficult.

After all, Purple Firmament Divine Lightning specifically countered all evil, plus he had previous experience using the Nine Yang Meridian Unblocking Art to treat Tantai Qinghuang.

With a slight thought, a wisp of extremely pure, yet exquisitely controlled Purple Firmament Divine Lightning spiritual power slowly flowed through his palm into Nan Yafu's body.

This ultimate Yang and rigid thunder power, which specifically countered all evil, acted like the most precise surgical knife, carefully bypassing Nan Yafu's own meridians and vitality, precisely intertwining with that wisp of dark gray curse energy.

"Hiss..."

A very faint, almost illusory burning sound was heard.

"Ah—!" Nan Yafu let out a short, low groan, her body trembling violently.

The next second, a wisp of black smoke, as thin as a strand of hair, was suddenly forced out from the center of her forehead, then let out a piercing shriek in the air, attempting to escape.

However, as soon as it left Nan Yafu's body, it began to melt instantly, like ice and snow exposed to the scorching sun.

A fragment of resentful and astonished thought, mixed with a silent shriek, tried to rush towards Su Chen: "How dare you break my curse! You seek death..."

Su Chen didn't even change his expression, only letting out a very faint cold snort from his nose.

The wisp of black smoke was clutched by an invisible giant hand, and without even making that last struggle, it was completely annihilated with a "puff", turning into the purest spiritual energy of heaven and earth, dissipating without a trace, leaving no mark behind.

The entire process happened in a flash.

Su Chen's hand moved away, and the numbing sensation that enveloped Nan Yafu also instantly receded.

Nan Yafu didn't even seem to notice what had happened.

She jumped back a step like a startled rabbit, her cheeks slightly flushed from the contact and the strange sensation, looking at Su Chen with surprise and doubt, her tone carrying a hint of reproach: "What are you doing! Suddenly getting touchy!"

But the next second, she froze.