Chapter 327: Heading to White Bone City
Within the spacious sixth floor of the stone tower, Zhou Ming currently sat cross-legged upon the ground while quietly meditating.
When he once again entered the familiar meditative state, joy instantly surged within his heart. At last, he no longer had to endure Spider Queen Iliss’s interference.
Whether due to the joy of regaining what had been lost, or because the mysterious liquid provided by the Little Pink Mushroom possessed extraordinary effects, Zhou Ming could clearly feel his Spiritual Power significantly improving.
Furthermore, after using the mysterious liquid, his mental state became exceptionally ethereal, allowing him to gain even deeper insight into his self-created Heart-Observing Moon-Gazing Diagram.
Within the Spiritual Sea, the gigantic serpent composed of one thousand and eight starlights had already raised its upper body above the lake surface, devouring the endless moonlight.
Under the cleansing of the bright moonlight, Zhou Ming’s Spiritual Power became increasingly pure.
People often said that surviving a great disaster would inevitably bring future blessings. Perhaps every calamity was itself a formless trial.
Just as Zhou Ming gained insight, the runes upon the giant serpent’s scales unexpectedly began resonating with one another. Amid flashing starlight, rune after rune fused together.
Under this strange transformation, the strength of the Molting Snake swarm also began slowly increasing. This was the feedback generated from the changes in Zhou Ming’s Spiritual Power.
After all, the starlights forming the giant serpent were, in essence, manifestations of Spiritual Seeds, representing the Molting Snakes controlled by Zhou Ming.
Discovering the transformations in both his Spiritual Power and snake swarm, the joy within Zhou Ming’s heart was difficult to describe.
Time slowly flowed onward, and in the blink of an eye, three days had already passed.
Zhou Ming, immersed within meditation, finally slowly opened his eyes.
At this moment, his clear black-and-white eyes had become even more spirited, no longer carrying the trace of despair from several days ago.
“This time, the gains were tremendous. Not only did I solve the curse imprint Iliss left within my consciousness, but I also created a place suitable for the Little Pink Mushroom’s survival.”
“However…”
The joy upon Zhou Ming’s face gradually faded as he rose and opened the window of the sixth floor of the stone tower, looking toward the camp he had established.
“This time, I’ve completely offended Iliss, this Demigod.”
“She definitely won’t let me off easily.”
“The only good news is that Blue Star is currently in the process of being devoured by Tamu World. Combined with the power of World Isolation, she temporarily cannot personally act against me.”
Thinking this, Zhou Ming instantly felt a strong sense of urgency. After all, the time remaining for him was already running short.
If he wished to preserve his life, then before Blue Star was completely devoured, only by successfully advancing to Legend would he have a chance to seize a sliver of survival.
However, wanting to advance to Legend within merely several dozen years sounded nothing short of a fool’s dream — practically an impossible feat.
Just as Zhou Ming fell into silence while pondering how to deal with the coming crises, Su Mei arrived at the stone tower seeking an audience.
Within the first-floor hall of the stone tower, sofas and tea tables had been arranged for receiving guests. Surrounding them were antiques from before the Doomsday Era alongside various rare works of art serving as decorations.
At this moment, Su Mei quietly stood beside the sofa while waiting for her lord to arrive.
Moments later, when Zhou Ming appeared wearing casual clothing, Su Mei immediately bowed in greeting.
“My lord.”
“The auction has ended?”
Zhou Ming guessed Su Mei’s purpose and directly asked.
“Yes, my lord.”
“The auction concluded successfully. A total income of one hundred seventy-three thousand eight hundred Source Crystal Coins has been earned, which I have specially come to deliver to my lord.”
Hearing this, a trace of surprise appeared upon Zhou Ming’s face.
He naturally knew the value of the resources he had handed over to Su Mei.
“There was additional income included?”
With a slight movement in his thoughts, Zhou Ming immediately guessed something.
“Reporting to my lord, because this auction was held, various factions also provided numerous treasures. Therefore, the handling fees brought considerable income as well.”
Zhou Ming did not pay much attention to the matter. As long as Su Mei completed the task he assigned, it was enough.
“Turn in one hundred seventy thousand this time. Use the remainder for camp operations.”
After hearing her lord’s command, Su Mei left behind the Source Crystal Coins Zhou Ming required before taking her leave from the stone tower.
Shortly after Su Mei departed, Catgirl Aina cautiously emerged from a corner.
“My lord, are you alright now?”
Seeing that her lord no longer carried the gloomy appearance from several days ago, Aina immediately expressed concern for Zhou Ming’s condition.
At this moment, Catgirl Aina resembled a young girl experiencing the budding of affection, behaving somewhat shyly before Zhou Ming.
Seeing this, Zhou Ming helplessly shook his head, recalling what he had done to Aina earlier.
“Aina, I was momentarily emotional before. Don’t take it to heart.”
Leaving behind words akin to those of a scumbag, Zhou Ming turned and headed toward the third floor of the stone tower.
Hearing her lord’s words, Aina instantly felt as though something inside her heart had shattered.
Watching Zhou Ming’s figure gradually disappear, Aina finally reacted.
“Scumbag.”
Clenching her fists tightly, Aina used a word she had learned from movies. At this moment, she seemed to finally understand the meaning behind the two words “scumbag.”
Zhou Ming, who had already walked far away, heard the words “scumbag” near his ears but showed no reaction whatsoever.
If it were according to his former personality, after noticing Aina’s affection toward him, he would not have minded using it to completely control her.
However, after Zhou Ming realized that acting without moral boundaries would only devour the humanity within his heart and ultimately turn him into a slave to power, he had gradually begun changing his style of conduct.
Of course, this only applied when sufficient benefits were absent.
If the benefits were tempting enough, Zhou Ming would not hesitate to transform into a cold and merciless giant serpent, revealing the bloodthirsty fangs he had already hidden away.
Thus, Zhou Ming did not pay much attention to Aina’s dissatisfaction.
Because rejecting her was what truly benefited himself, preventing excessive emotional ties from restraining him.
The reason he accepted Lei Yuan, aside from the benefits and sincerity she brought him, was more because she could serve as an anchor for his humanity.
If anyone could perceive the calculations Zhou Ming made between emotions, benefits, and gains and losses, they would absolutely feel an icy chill envelop their entire body.
He was merely a giant serpent that had concealed its fangs.
The occasional flashes of humanity were only to preserve his nature from being completely bewitched by power.
After returning to the third floor of the stone tower, Zhou Ming sat within his study and carefully recorded his recent research regarding dreamscape construction, meditation insights, and consciousness studies.
Several days later, Zhou Ming once again departed from the camp and headed toward White Bone City to attend the auction hosted by that exalted existence.
After offending Spider Queen Iliss, Zhou Ming’s pursuit of power had become even more urgent.
Upon entering the Dark Domain, Zhou Ming also secretly investigated the movements of the Cave Spider Men along the way.
After capturing a Cave Spider Men squad that had ventured outside, the worries within his heart immediately lessened somewhat.
Compared to the importance of the World’s Heart, the other party had not mobilized large forces merely because of him. Therefore, he temporarily did not need to worry about his safety.
After understanding the situation, Zhou Ming chose to take a detour forward, unwilling to invite further trouble upon himself.
Several days later, Zhou Ming’s figure quietly appeared within a cavern spanning over a thousand kilometers in area.