305: Chapter 306 Holy City

Jialiya finished off the enemies without sparing the scene a second glance. With a slight thought, the massive undead legion receded like a tide, transforming into streaks of gray-black light that quickly vanished into her petite body. Even the lingering deathly Aura and energy fluctuations on the battlefield rapidly dissipated and were purified under the influence of some invisible force, as if smoothed over by an unseen hand.

A moment later, the woodland returned to silence. Only the slightly blackened ground and the slumped figure of Kandas proved that the brief and terrifying slaughter just now was not an illusion.

Jialiya drifted lightly down from the sky, her blue hair and blue dress as pure as ever. She glanced at the dejected Kandas collapsed on the ground with an expressionless face, merely giving a slight nod as a greeting. Then, her figure rippled like water and vanished from the spot, penetrating space to return to the secret realm.

Left behind after his narrow escape, Kandas gasped violently, every breath carrying a tremor. He looked at the spot where Jialiya had disappeared and then at the scorched earth. Beyond fear, a deeper, almost faith-like reverence gradually welled up in his eyes.

Just what kind of monsters are under that Lord Lin Muyang's command!

At that moment, deep within his soul, the thread of the contract signed with Lin Muyang sent a clear vibration. It was a thought actively sent by Lin Muyang.

"My goal is simple," Lin Muyang's voice rang directly in his consciousness, flat yet carrying unquestionable power. "Coming to your Atlantis World is merely to find some resources to accelerate my own growth. Resources include, but are not limited to, high-level secret realms, rare materials, and knowledge."

"If no one disturbs me or hinders my acquisition of resources, I won't do anything to the people of your world. We can coexist in peace."

"However," Lin Muyang's tone turned cold, and even though it was just a transmission of thought, it caused Kandas's soul to feel a sharp sting, "if someone is blind enough to insist on blocking me... then I'm sorry. No matter who comes, what their identity is, or how strong they are—even if the strongest person from your so-called Holy City comes personally, I will suppress them all the same."

Kandas shuddered, and cold sweat broke out again. Lin Muyang could actually sense his thoughts? Right, the soul contract... before this Lord, he likely had no secrets to speak of. The absolute confidence and indifference revealed in Lin Muyang's words terrified him even more. That wasn't bluster; it was a natural attitude born from truly possessing the foundation and strength.

"So... so that's how it is... Lord, you are only here to obtain resources for development..." Kandas hurriedly responded in his mind, his tone incredibly respectful. "In that case... Lord, this lowly one has an immature idea. I wonder if I should speak it?"

"Speak."

"Yes!" Kandas organized his thoughts and said quickly, "Just before Virgil died, he revealed that this matter has already been reported to the Holy City Envoy. The Holy City is the leader and spiritual pillar recognized by all floating cities in our Atlantis World; it has the strongest power and the greatest authority. Rather than waiting for the Holy City Envoy to come investigate—which might lead to misunderstandings and conflict—why don't we take the initiative?"

He paused, and seeing that Lin Muyang didn't interrupt, he continued, "Lord, your strength reaches the heavens, and you have many powerful subordinates. Why not take this opportunity to contact or even negotiate with the Holy City Envoy? With your strength, it wouldn't be difficult to secure a high position in the Holy City or even become the City Lord of a Floating City! At that time, you could rightfully utilize the resources of this world. Whether it's the right to explore secret realms or the allocation of materials, it would be much more convenient than it is now."

It had to be said that Kandas, an old hand who had spent years in officialdom, was quick-witted. From despair to shock, and now trying to plot a way out for Lin Muyang and himself, his logic was quite clear. Instead of being a resource thief hunted by the whole world, it was better to transform into a high-ranking member of this world and enjoy resources openly.

Lin Muyang fell silent for a moment. Kandas's suggestion was indeed interesting. He hadn't thought about integrating into this world's power system before, only wanting to make a fortune quietly. But if he could have a legal and high-status identity, things would indeed be much more convenient, and he could avoid a lot of unnecessary trouble and conflict.

"The Holy City Envoy... Just what kind of existence is the Holy City?" Lin Muyang asked. He needed more information.

Seeing that Lin Muyang seemed interested, Kandas perked up and hurriedly explained in detail: "To answer the Lord, in our Atlantis World, as early as several hundred years ago when the disaster of demonic creatures broke out and humanity was forced to retreat to the sky, the concept of nations gradually died out. Now, each Floating City acts as an autonomous unit. However, above all floating cities, there does indeed exist a recognized leader—that is the Holy City."

"The Holy City doesn't refer to a single city, but is a title bestowed upon the Floating City with the strongest overall strength in the current era, which shoulders the mission of leading all of humanity. The current Holy City is the Sky Court, located above the Spine of the World. It is the largest, most strongly defended Floating City with the most powerhouses. In the Holy City, the number of powerhouses over level 500 is more than all other floating cities combined! They are humanity's last shield and the hope for reclaiming the ground."

"The Holy City Envoys are powerhouses dispatched by the Holy City to various cities to convey its will, coordinate affairs, and supervise defenses. Those who can serve as envoys are at least level 500 figures with extremely high strength and status. To some extent, they represent the will of the Holy City."

Kandas paused, his tone carrying a hint of complexity: "Simply put, the Holy City is the guardian deity and spiritual totem in all our hearts. But at the same time, they shoulder the greatest responsibility, constantly researching how to let our human civilization retake the earth. Reclaiming the ground and returning to our ancestral home is the deepest desire of all Atlanteans."

Return to the ground? Lin Muyang's heart stirred. This goal was quite grand. However, comparing the strength currently shown by the Atlantis World to the ecology of the demonic creatures on the ground, this goal was almost impossible to achieve in the foreseeable future. Unless a variable like him intervened.

"In other words," Lin Muyang's voice rang in Kandas's mind with a hint of playfulness, "this world has actually been waiting for a savior?"

Kandas was stunned for a moment, then gave a bitter smile: "The Lord is joking. A savior... that's easier said than done. After hundreds of years of breeding and slaughter, the ground creatures have long formed a stable and terrifying ecological chain with countless powerhouses. It's hard enough for humans to hold the sky; as for counterattacking... sigh."

"Alright, I understand." Lin Muyang ended the topic. "Since the Holy City Envoy is coming, let's wait for him. Let's see what kind of person this envoy is and if we can talk."

"Yes! The Lord is wise!" Kandas quickly flattered him, but he felt a sigh of relief in his heart. Lin Muyang was willing to contact and negotiate rather than choosing direct confrontation or continuing to hide, which was the best situation for him. As long as Lin Muyang could obtain an official identity and status in the Atlantis World, he, as a follower from the beginning, would be safe and might even rise in status.

"Continue to stay hidden and keep an eye on the Holy City Envoy's movements. Notify me as soon as there is news," Lin Muyang instructed and then disconnected the soul link.

Lin Muyang didn't take the impending arrival of the Holy City Envoy too much to heart. After ordering Jialiya to cleanly finish off Virgil's group and letting her return to the secret realm to continue enjoying the experience feast, his attention returned to the leveling carnival before him.

To him, the importance of dealing with a strange power was temporarily not as important as the steady improvement of his own strength. According to the current efficiency of nearly infinite mob farming, reaching level 130 was just around the corner. He calculated in his heart that once he returned to Blue Star, he could perform three consecutive summons. He was looking forward to whether he could summon some new companions with more specificity or mutual connections this time.

"Brother Muyang~ this leveling speed is almost as fast as a dream!" The Elf Maiden Lilia, like a cheerful little bird, floated lightly to Lin Muyang's side. Standing on her tiptoes, she reached out her slender fingers to carefully tidy his slightly messy hair. She tilted up her peerlessly beautiful face, her light green eyes curving into crescents, her smile sweet and pure, overflowing with heartfelt joy.

She could clearly feel the power within her body like an unceasing stream, growing every second. If not counting the God-Tier Aura boost that could be called a cheat, her current raw strength was likely not inferior to those highly respected elders in her tribe who had cultivated for hundreds of years. And if the terrifying amplification of the Aura was included... Lilia secretly stuck out her tongue, feeling that taking on a group of elders alone might not be impossible?

"Since the Master is taking you to level up so quickly, shouldn't you show some proper gratitude?" The Succubus Maiden Elabess also leaned over at some point. She leaned gracefully against a smooth black labyrinth wall nearby, her arms crossed, accentuating her already stunning curves. She cast a playful and ambiguous glance at Lilia with a lazy smile on her lips.

"Hmph~!" A blush instantly rushed to Lilia's fair cheeks. She gave Elabess a somewhat annoyed glare, but the hand clutching Lin Muyang's arm didn't let go; instead, it tightened a bit. She muttered softly, "Last night... didn't I already show it last night... was it not enough?"

Her voice grew smaller and smaller until it was almost inaudible, and even her pointed elf ears were dyed with a faint pink, looking exceptionally cute.

Hearing this, Lin Muyang couldn't help but chuckle and reached out to rub Lilia's smooth blonde hair. This girl had indeed changed quite a bit since following him. At first, she had some of the tsundere traits of an elf, occasionally throwing little tantrums, but now she was becoming more and more well-behaved and clingy. The shy looks she occasionally revealed were even more moving. Lin Muyang was naturally happy to see this change and even felt that the more, the better.

The atmosphere of the tea party in the secret realm was relaxed, as if the conflicts of the outside world and the impending Holy City Envoy had nothing to do with them. the young ladies sat or stood, chatting and laughing in low voices, enjoying this rare, leisurely time accompanied by their soaring levels. Shen Muyao quietly sipped her tea, her gaze occasionally sweeping over the monster swarms being repeatedly harvested in the distance with a thoughtful look; Su Qingyue exchanged observations about this otherworldly secret realm environment in low tones with Tashalin and Chiba Ruri; Gu Shuanglin and Gu Xiaoyu, the sisters, curiously looked at the eerie labyrinth walls around them, both nervous and excited.