85: Chapter 85 Gathering of a Thousand Realms

On the third day after clearing the Ash Residue Zone, Shen Ye returned to the Sea of Thousand Realms Mist outpost.

When the military airship landed at the spaceport, Second Lieutenant Meng Yan was squatting at the entrance of the cafeteria, peeling potatoes.

He looked up at Shen Ye walking down the ramp, then glanced at Qin Youyou following behind him carrying the ancient war spear, his peeler not stopping.

"You're back."

"I'm back."

Second Lieutenant Meng Yan tossed the peeled potato into the iron basin nearby, wiped his hands on his apron, and stood up.

He did not ask about the battle situation in the Ash Residue Zone; instead, he turned and walked into the cafeteria, retrieved that meteorite iron box from under the counter, and placed it in front of Shen Ye.

Inside the box was the broken half of the bone blade, with Gu Yan's left-handed handwriting still carved on the back of the blade— "Sea of Thousand Realms Mist".

Second Lieutenant Meng Yan then pulled an encrypted chip that had just finished its final calibration from his pocket and placed it next to the box.

The chip contained the internal fluctuation data of the Ash King Law scorch mark residue zone that he had updated using the outpost's probe during this period, as well as the energy fluctuations of several ancient guardians that had newly appeared on the outskirts of the shelter after being activated by the twilight light pillar.

"There are ancient guardians on the outskirts of the shelter; they are a type of automatic defense construct formed by ancient laws. They are usually in a dormant state, but after the Ash Law scorch marks were dispelled, they sensed the energy fluctuations of the twilight light pillar and are awakening from their slumber. At least six guardians on the edge of the core area are currently activating, and the law fluctuation intensity of each one is an order of magnitude higher than the bone blade fragment of the Ash King."

He paused, "That young man from the Bai family has already arrived. He is waiting for you at the spaceport."

Shen Ye tucked the meteorite iron box and the encrypted chip into the interlayer of his backpack.

Bai Ye had come on his own initiative.

Before setting off, Shen Ye had sent invitations to everyone who might be willing to come to the Sea of Thousand Realms Mist; Bai Ye had only replied with two words: "Wait for me."

Bai Ye never spoke much, but he had never gone back on his word.

Shen Ye walked out of the cafeteria.

Bai Ye stood at the edge of the spaceport, his hands in his pockets as always; he had swapped his Shenyu University deep gold uniform for casual clothes, with only the dark gold token of the Bai family at his collar emitting a very faint light in the twilight.

Seeing Shen Ye, he didn't exchange pleasantries and got straight to the point: "Ancient guardians are awakening from slumber on the edge of the core area, and the law fluctuation intensity of each guardian exceeds any opponent you have encountered before. However, my Time Stop can trap them, but it requires cooperation from Yan Shan—the guardians' law counterattack can cover the entire core area, and only Yan Shan's Rock Pattern can withstand it."

Shen Ye nodded.

"Yan Shan is in the Body Refining Cave. His right arm's Rock Pattern has just finished its final round of tempering; I will have him come."

He sank his consciousness deep into the Body Refining Cave, where Yan Shan was sitting cross-legged on a stone slab, the Rock Pattern on his right arm extending from his elbow to his shoulder blade, then spreading along his spine to his left arm.

The surface of the newly formed Rock Pattern glowed with a very faint twilight sheen—the result of soaking in the twilight medicinal liquid and absorbing the remnants of the Heart of Twilight flame law.

Hou Tu was squatting beside him, his hands pressed to the ground, sensing every texture of his father's new Rock Pattern through the flow of underground spiritual energy.

"There is a battle to be fought."

Yan Shan opened his eyes and stood up.

Without a word, he simply clenched his right fist, and the Rock Pattern emitted a very faint friction sound between his knuckles.

Hou Tu also stood up, withdrew his palms from the stone slab, and followed behind his father.

Although he did not have a combat-type Rock Pattern, his mineral vein perception could help Yan Shan find the safest nodes for striking in the complex ancient law environment.

The father and son walked out of the Body Refining Cave together.

Qin Youyou was leaning against the cafeteria doorframe, the ancient war spear resting in the crook of her arm, with fragments of the bone blade from the cave in the Ash Residue Zone still remaining on the spear tip.

"I will stay behind to mop up the remnants; General Lin Yuan needs someone to help him hold the edge of the light net. When you need me, I will arrive."

"Good."

That evening, General Lin Yuan prepared a dinner in the camp cafeteria for everyone about to depart.

It was not a sumptuous feast, just the common fare of a frontline camp: spirit beast steak, stewed spirit vegetables, spirit grain porridge, plus a few steamer baskets of freshly steamed spirit vegetable buns.

The cafeteria was packed with people—the patrol team had just finished their shift, wounded soldiers were leaning against the walls with their meal trays, and a few young sentries were gathered together discussing the route for patrolling the edge of the light net tomorrow.

Little One sat in the corner, holding a spiritual power logbook in her hands, head down and quickly recording something—it was the consumption curve of frontline purification pills sent by Tie Chui, and the trial feedback of the Spirit Plant Guidance Pill newly cultivated by Qing Ye on the wounded soldiers.

Yan Shan sat opposite her, with Hou Tu squatting beside him; both father and son had a bowl of spirit grain porridge in front of them.

Qin Shu did not say much, simply taking an unopened bottle of spirit fruit wine from under the counter and pouring a small cup for everyone.

Second Lieutenant Meng Yan took Gu Yan's broken sword out of the meteorite iron box and placed it in the center of the dining table.

"Gu Yan entrusted Qin Shu with this sword, and Qin Shu passed it to you. Now you have brought back the bone blade fragment of the Nomadic Royal Court, dispelled the scorch marks of the Ash Residue Zone, and cleared out the routed soldiers in the outpost cave. There is one last step remaining."

He did not finish, but everyone knew what the last step was.

The shelter was right ahead, and Gu Yan had not yet returned.

Shen Ye raised his wine cup and clinked it against the rim of Second Lieutenant Meng Yan's cup.

Then he stood up and walked out of the cafeteria.

Bai Ye stood at the edge of the spaceport, looking up at the twilight light pillar that shot into the sky from deep within the core area.

Shen Ye walked to his side.

"The guardians' law counterattack can cover the entire core area. My Time Stop can trap them, but the awakening rhythm of each guardian is different. I need to determine the order of the Time Stop before they fully awaken, and Yan Shan will help me withstand the first wave of impact."

Bai Ye said.

"Yan Shan can withstand it."

Shen Ye said.

The two stopped speaking.

The twilight light pillar slowly rotated above the core area of the Sea of Thousand Realms Mist, enveloping the entire residue zone in a flowing dark golden halo.

The airship's engines were already warming up, and General Lin Yuan had personally boarded the cockpit.

Yan Shan and his son, Bai Ye, Shen Ye, plus Qin Shu—everyone was in position.