Looking at the group of disheveled aristocrats, Zhang Chen felt inexplicably pleased inside. Those high-ranking aristocrats of the past, who would have thought they’d come to this day?
Yet, Jiangnan’s swift downfall was beyond Zhang Chen’s expectations.
"What exactly is the court doing? Completely ignoring the affairs of Jiangnan?" Zhang Chen was somewhat puzzled.
Of course, the fact that the Demon Race actually produced twelve Demon Gods who advanced to the Eleventh Tier also left Zhang Chen utterly shocked.
Though he was shocked, he wasn’t surprised. After all, the Demon Race occupied the boundless Great Wilderness, its territory was much larger than that of humans, so producing twelve Eleventh-Tier entities was understandable.
Countless thoughts flowed through Zhang Chen’s mind as he quietly withdrew, looking at the group of aristocrats.
The aristocrats were discussing how to resist the Demon Race, and Zhang Chen had no interest in listening. If not for figuring out how to secretly take the Tree of Life Coffin from Jinling City and retrieve Chen Sanliang’s corpse, he would have already left the city.
He had no interest in serving this group of aristocrats with tea.
The mountains became lively again, the entire range gained some human presence, but also a hint of smoke.
Three days later, as Zhang Chen was meditating in the mountains, a sudden impulse made his Golden Finger Interface automatically pop up:
"What’s this?"
Looking at the Golden Finger Interface that had popped up, Zhang Chen’s eyes showed a trace of astonishment.
[Skill 3 (Ninth Tier): Body Transformation Blood River (200000000000000/200000000000000)]
[Note 1: Host can transform into a Blood River, absorbing all blood within a thousand-mile radius, gathering wandering souls within a hundred-mile range into the Blood River, accelerating the entry of worldly blood and souls into the Sea of Blood.]
[Note 2: The number of Blood God Children increases as the level rises, currently nine children.]
[Note 3: Master skills: Blood Control, Blood Sucking in the Air, Limb Regeneration, Ultrasonic Positioning, Body Transformation Blood Light, Blood Poison Filth, Blood Control, Blood Influence, Body Transformation Blood River, mastering the Law of Sound Waves.]
Zhang Chen’s gaze fell on the vast amount of experience points, at that moment, the progress bar for experience was fully charged.
The Golden Finger Interface refreshed, adding new information:
[Status: Upgradable]
[Would you like to upgrade?]
Looking at the Golden Finger Interface, Zhang Chen’s eyes revealed disbelief: "Two trillion experience points, saying it’s fully charged, and it’s fully charged? Just how many beings have died in Jiangnan?"
Zhang Chen’s eyes were filled with disbelief as he stared at the Golden Finger Interface for a long time, those numbers weren’t just numbers but bloody human lives.
The rain falling from the sky appeared pale red, carrying a pungent smell, making Zhang Chen somewhat dumbfounded.
The Golden Finger Interface continued flashing: [Status: Upgradable, would you like to upgrade?]
"Upgrade!" Zhang Chen’s dilated pupils gradually converged as he issued the command.
The next moment, the Golden Finger Interface refreshed again:
[Skill 3 (Tenth Tier): Body Transformation Blood River (0/2000000000000000)]
[Note 1: You gained a new ability, Blood Sea Asura]
[Note 2: You can nurture Blood Sea Asura within the Blood Sea World; its level cannot exceed your own Blood Dao Cultivation level]
Zhang Chen’s gaze swept over the Golden Finger Interface. Not only was the new skill Blood Sea Asura born, but all other abilities were also strengthened.
The number of Blood God Children increased to ten with Zhang Chen’s breakthrough. Blood Influence expanded to a kilometer, and the Law of Sound Waves now enveloped a thousand miles, Zhang Chen truly became the Thousand-Mile Ear.
"The Demon Race army is already on the way." Zhang Chen moved his gaze from the Golden Finger Interface, looking a thousand miles away, with his ears subtly vibrating, all sounds from a thousand miles were gathered into his Primordial Spirit.
He could hear the wails from a thousand miles away, the overwhelming noise of the Demon Race army on the move, along with their uproar.
"Upgrading the Blood Dao to the Tenth Tier came just in time, using the Sun True Flame as a trump card, misleading the enemy with Blood Dao, then delivering an unexpected strike, it’s simply perfect." Zhang Chen secretly thought to himself.
"With the Demon Race army arriving soon, what should I do? But my business in Jinling City is unfinished, Chen Sanliang is not yet rescued from the Array, and the Dragon Tiger Escort Agency’s Tree of Life Coffin is not yet in hand." Zhang Chen felt conflicted.
As Zhang Chen was deeply conflicted, Fox Fairy Nannan stepped out from the void, pale-faced: "Zhang Chen, it’s not good news, we’re trapped in Jinling."
"What happened?" Zhang Chen turned to Fox Fairy Nannan, his gaze filled with curiosity, wondering what could frighten her to this extent. Knowing well that the Fox Spirit always had daring tendencies, when did she become so timid?
"I originally wanted to explore the outside, but unexpectedly, outside Jinling City, there’s an invisible wall, that wall twists the void, actually blocking me." Fox Fairy Nannan’s little face was pale: "If I’m not mistaken, it must be a Demon Race Array. Now trapped here, fearing for your life."
"An array? What array? If I’m trapped inside an array, how could I not sense it?" Zhang Chen asked in confusion.
Fox Fairy Nannan shook her head, "It seems to be the Heaven and Earth Net of the Demon Race. I once heard the ancestor mention it; it is the magical artifact of the demon ancestor who emerged from the ancient tomb. Once activated, it conceals the void, severs the universe, and overturns the Celestial Secret, leaving people completely unaware."
"Heaven and Earth Net?" Zhang Chen was taken aback upon hearing the name, a trace of astonishment flickering in his eyes: ’Is it the same Heaven and Earth Net I’ve heard of?’
Years ago, Zhang Chen dreamt of returning to the Five Villages Temple, where, during a great battle with the Demon Race, a Supreme Array called the Heaven and Earth Net was deployed.
This array activates silently. Whether inside or outside the grand array, no one senses any difference. However, once someone attempts to leave the array, they discover they are trapped within it.
"The Demon Race actually has such means. What kind of figure is that ancestor wrapped in Five-Colored Divine Light?" Zhang Chen felt a mixture of suspicion and uncertainty: "Could it really be that old guy, the Peacock Ancestor?"
"If it truly is the Heaven and Earth Net, I’m afraid I can’t break it either." Zhang Chen immediately used an escape technique to head out of Jinling City. As expected, he encountered an invisible barrier blocking his path once outside the city.
"It is indeed the Heaven and Earth Net Array." Zhang Chen stood before the grand array, his heart sinking as he gazed at the invisible barrier.
"I’m in big trouble, trapped here. This Heaven and Earth Net possesses power strong enough to suppress Fruit Levels, and ordinary means cannot break through it. Even though I command the Law of Life with the ability to break the Heaven and Earth Net Array, given my lifespan of three thousand years, I lack the time to support breaking the entire array to escape." Zhang Chen felt his heart gradually sink as he sensed the ominous situation.
Now, the critical question is, what should be done?
What should Zhang Chen do?
"It shouldn’t be like this. Just for a mere Jinling City, even with Zhou Qiucheng guarding it, is it worth the Demon Race deploying the Heaven and Earth Net Array?" Zhang Chen felt puzzled.
Does Zhou Qiucheng deserve such specifications and treatment?
No, Zhou Qiucheng doesn’t deserve it!
"Why did the Demon Race set up the Heaven and Earth Net Array within Jinling City?" Zhang Chen asked Fox Fairy Nannan and instructed her, "Go and investigate."
"I can only leave your side for two hundred miles now. Wanting to infiltrate the Demon Race to gather information for you is beyond my capabilities." Fox Fairy Nannan shrugged, displaying a resigned expression.
Hearing this, Zhang Chen glanced at his Golden Finger interface, realizing that to expand Fox Fairy Nannan’s area of free movement, he needed to upgrade the level of Dragon Qi.
Fortunately, Zhang Chen had been continuously digesting the tomb bricks from the Corpse Ancestor’s tomb recently, amassing a considerable amount of experience points.
[Skill 2 (Fifth Tier): Dragon Qi (0/200,000,000)]
[Points: 1,000,000,000]
"Skill 2, Dragon Qi, requires two hundred million points to upgrade, but fortunately, I’m not short of points now." Ever since Zhang Chen excavated the Corpse Ancestor’s grave, he had no shortage of points.
"Merely two hundred million points, let’s upgrade!" Zhang Chen didn’t hesitate, directly clicking on the Golden Finger interface, causing it to flicker:
[Skill 2 (Sixth Tier): Dragon Qi (0/400,000,000)]
...
[Skill 2 (Seventh Tier): Dragon Qi (0/800,000,000)]
[Remark 2: Capable of controlling Seventh Tier Demon Beasts.]
[Remark 2: 8,000 meters]
Previously limited to a range of twenty miles around Zhang Chen, as Zhang Chen upgraded his skills, Fox Fairy Nannan’s activity range expanded to two hundred miles.
After this upgrade, Fox Fairy Nannan can now move freely within eight hundred miles of Zhang Chen.
Eight hundred miles isn’t a small distance, providing ample freedom for Fox Fairy Nannan.
"Go and investigate why the Demon Race is making such a big move within the Jinling City area," Zhang Chen instructed Fox Fairy Nannan.
Fox Fairy Nannan, also aware of her changes, had her Lifebound Skill, Matter Shuttling, unlocked, showing a hint of joy on her face: "Leave it to me."
Having said that, Fox Fairy Nannan transformed into a stream of light and departed, leaving Zhang Chen standing before the invisible barrier, a serious expression in his eyes.
He recalled how Yellow Heaven Dao, to slaughter the Shen Family, had set up an array to suppress all experts in Jinling City, prohibiting the entry and exit of ordinary experts.
"What in Jinling City is worth such an effort from the Demon Race?" Zhang Chen pondered for a long time but couldn’t come up with any clues, ultimately having to walk away in resignation.
"I must be extra cautious within Jinling City since everyone there has become fish in a barrel. If ambushed, I may not be able to escape." Zhang Chen silently warned himself to stay vigilant, preparing to flee at the first sign of trouble and avoid being caught by the Demon Race within Jinling City.
"There’s a storm coming to Jinling City!" Zhang Chen sighed quietly.