Chapter 308: Steel Body, Bai Fu Must Have Opened
“It seems the Rebirth Empire’s experiment succeeded.”
The Tigerhead Man looked extremely grim, and the Painter beside him wasn’t looking any better.
The Painter had deliberately approached the Rebirth Empire, partly to infiltrate and take revenge on them, and partly to monitor their Ethereal Realm development project.
Of course, the main goal had been the former.
It was during her undercover mission that she accidentally discovered the Rebirth Empire’s Ethereal Realm development plan.
When she reported this information to the organization that the Tigerhead Man belonged to, they immediately instructed her to closely monitor the project’s progress.
At first, she didn’t understand why the organization cared so much.
But recently, after passing the organization’s evaluation and officially joining them, she finally understood the reason—along with how they had managed to develop moles within the core circles of the Three Universal Civilizations.
“What should we do now?” The Painter looked at the Tigerhead Man, eyes filled with deep wariness.
Now that the Rebirth Empire had taken this step, they were in direct ideological conflict with the organization.
The Tigerhead Man said, “At this point, we have no choice but to act ahead of schedule. The combination of the Ethereal Realm development project and Bai Fu as two unpredictable variables has made the Rebirth Empire an even greater threat than the Holy City of Apostles. We must first ally with the Holy City to eliminate the Rebirth Empire. As for the Apostles, with actual Apostles among them, no matter how much they stir things up, they’re unlikely to cross a critical line. While it’s true that their overall power will swell without the restrictions of the Three Universal Civilizations, as long as we’re given enough time, we’ll definitely be able to handle them.”
The Painter nodded.
It seemed like she agreed with the Tigerhead Man, but doubts lingered in her heart.
With their current strength, she believed it was possible to eliminate the Rebirth Empire by allying with the Holy City of Apostles.
But after taking down the Rebirth Empire, could they really handle the Holy City as smoothly?
She felt the organization might be a bit too overconfident.
Even for Transcendent-level beings, especially those with foresight and predictive abilities, it was impossible to say whether tomorrow or an accident would arrive first.
You could predict the future, but not the entire future—there would always be unexpected events happening in corners you couldn't foresee.
What? You say you can foresee the entire future? Then you're basically a god—nothing more to discuss.
The Painter asked, “Do you need me to make a move?”
The Tigerhead Man shook his head. “No need. I’ll handle the operation targeting the Ethereal Realm. You don’t need to do anything right now. It’s not time to expose your connection to the Revolutionary Army. When the Rebirth Empire clashes with the Holy City of Apostles again, that’s when you’ll act.”
With that, he bid farewell to the Painter, boarded his spaceship at great speed, and left the unremarkable planet.
……
“Sigh.”
After closing the game notification interface, Bai Fu suddenly looked up and sighed toward AA and the others.
This strange action left AA and the rest confused.
“Wha… what’s wrong?” AA asked cautiously.
Bai Fu said, “You all said a lot, and I recalled a lot too, but… I really tried hard to remember, yet what flashed through my mind were still some fragmented and blurry scenes. I saw black shards, something called True Spirit Molt… I also saw the Apostle’s Descent, during some A… Alculas Sect’s summoning ritual. Aside from that, I saw many vague things I can’t name…”
“I’m really sorry. I don’t think I’m the Number Three Apostle you spoke of, because I haven’t remembered anything relevant. But you’ve all helped me a lot. If I get the chance, I’ll definitely try to help you bring the Number Three Apostle back.”
Bai Fu’s expression grew more serious.
She didn’t directly lie and claim to be the Number Three Apostle or First Apostle. Ultimately, she knew nothing about these Apostles. If she tried to fake it, she’d probably be exposed after saying a few more lines. In that case, it was better to continue pretending to have amnesia and say some vague things to let AA and the others fill in the blanks themselves.
It had to be said—this strategy worked wonders.
True Spirit Molt, Apostle’s Descent?
How could an average person know these things? She clearly knew something real!
Those True Spirit Summon Lives who already believed Bai Fu was the Number Three Apostle now believed it even more.
Even AA gradually lowered his guard.
Judging by the earlier conversation, this newly emerged new-generation human seemed to be an honest person!
An honest person was great.
If she truly was the reincarnation of the Number Three Apostle, even better.
If she wasn’t, and still said she’d help find the Number Three Apostle, that was also great.
AA, whose mind wasn’t too sharp and who just had a strong sense of caution, began to feel delighted.
Seeing their joy, Bai Fu also smiled.
This gave her a stable intel point. She marked it on the map.
After tagging the location, Bai Fu began thinking about how to extract dark energy-related information from AA and the others.
She wasn’t interested in Apostles anymore—she just wanted to grow stronger quickly.
To gain strength, aside from leveling up, she had to learn as much about Dark Energy as possible. Since AA and the others were creations of Apostles and lived in the Ethereal Realm, they likely weren’t unfamiliar with Dark Energy, right?
Just as Bai Fu was about to speak—
Suddenly, the ground beneath her feet trembled violently.
An earthquake?
No.
The shockwave wasn’t coming from deep within the planet—it came from the starry sky!
A True Spirit Summon Life said with a bitter face, “The Apostles left in the Ethereal Realm are fighting again.”
Bai Fu asked in surprise, “They’re nearby?”
“No, the place they’re fighting is far from here. But as Apostles, every move they make affects the balance of Psionic and Dark Energy across the entire Ethereal Realm. So no matter how far away they are, we’ll still feel it here.”
Bai Fu: “……”
Apostle fights could cause quakes throughout the Ethereal Realm? Considering how often Apostles brawled, this place was truly a hellscape.
“This isn’t a battle between Apostles!”
At that moment, AA shouted again.
Bai Fu looked over and saw AA anxiously explaining, “The fluctuations from Apostle fights aren’t this intense. Someone’s nearby!”
Nearby?
Could it be that the Curse Lord and others were fighting with Ethereal Realm beings?
“I’ll go check. You all hide—don’t run around.”
Bai Fu quickly flew off the planet.
In just a few minutes, she found Shepherd Heinz being ganged up on dozens of astronomical units away from where AA and the others were hiding.
“Bai Fu, help me!” Heinz cried out in desperation.
Though the fight hadn’t lasted long, his HP was already below 70%. If this kept up, he’d be done for.
Bai Fu frowned.
She could tell all those attacking Heinz were either Dominators or Transcendents. The strongest among them was level 226. Their faction was unknown, but based on their race, none of them were native Ethereal Realm beings.
“Why are they attacking you?”
Heinz flew to her side, seizing the chance. “I don’t know! They saw me and immediately attacked without saying a word—didn’t even give me a chance to speak!”
Really?
Bai Fu stared hard at the group across from them.
“Bai Fu?”
One of them lit up upon seeing her.
Bai Fu asked, “You know me?”
That person said, “We came today to send all you intruders into the Ethereal Realm on your way!”
Hmph.
“Just you few?” Bai Fu scoffed.
Heinz alone couldn’t beat them, but with her—already level 215—things were different.
“Of course it’s not just us.”
The attacker muttered something incomprehensible to a floating plaque in front of him.
Within seconds, the surrounding space began to twist and flow.
One figure after another emerged from the rippling space.
Bai Fu’s face grew darker and darker.
Transcendent Puppet Master, Transcendent Martial Artist, Transcendent Mentalist, Transcendent Mechanic.
Damn it—just what kind of group was this?
They couldn’t be from the Holy City of Apostles, because the Dominators and Transcendents there were mostly Psionic Prayer-users. They couldn’t be from the Supernova Legion or Titan Industries either, since she had already seen the Dominators and Transcendents from those civilizations.
When did such a powerful force with so many Transcendents emerge in the Star Sea?
As she continued observing, Bai Fu suddenly noticed something off.
Several of the Transcendents had the same buff on them.
【Pathseeker】
Though Bai Fu hadn’t directly interacted with Pathseekers, she had heard of them—after all, she still hadn’t completed a title called 【The First Pathseeker】.
The so-called Pathseekers were, in simpler terms, the earliest people to reach Transcendent level during the early era of Esper Exploration.
“A bunch of old farts from the ancient era—why are they targeting us?”
Bai Fu was utterly puzzled.
She knew now wasn’t the time to dwell on it—the priority was to break out of the siege of these seven Transcendents.
“Thinking about how to escape? I advise you to stop wasting your energy. The Curse Lord and the others have already been intercepted by our allies—no one’s coming to save you any time soon. With just the two of you, escaping is impossible.”
Tch.
Bai Fu didn’t buy a word of it.
Even putting aside the fact that she had left the Paradise Ark outside, she could still resurrect even if she died here.
Besides, was she really no match for these seven Transcendents?
“Don’t believe me?” The Transcendent-level Puppet Master chuckled. “I know you can summon two or three Transcendent-level doppelgangers, so we came with seven Transcendents this time. Heinz is already injured—he won’t be much help. That means you’ll have to face at least three Transcendents at once. Among them is a Puppet Master who commands Transcendent-level puppets, a Martial Ironwall who’s forged himself into steel and immune to all techniques, and a Mentalist who toys with souls. Bai Fu, if you honestly tell us the secret behind how you guide others through evolution, I can vouch for you—we’ll let you live and welcome you into our ranks.”
The moment he finished that sentence, Bai Fu finally triggered a quest.
【You’ve triggered the Main Quest [Crossroads of Destiny]】
【Quest Description: ……】
【Quest Objectives:
1. Accept the invitation;
2. Refuse the invitation.】
【Reward: 50,000,000 XP】
【Note 1: This quest will determine your destiny. Choose wisely.】
【Note 2: Choosing to accept the invitation will result in automatic failure of the quests [To the Ethereal Realm (II)] and [Battle of Tub].】
Bai Fu was stunned. She hadn’t expected this to be a main storyline quest.
Wait a minute—wasn’t the 2.3 version’s main story supposed to revolve around conflict with the Holy City of Apostles?
Could it be that their entry into the Ethereal Realm had triggered a future storyline ahead of schedule?
Bai Fu quietly shook her head. “If I tell you my secret, will you really let me go?”
The Puppet Master’s grin widened. “Of course, as long as you tell us.”
Ah, really?
Hearing the conversation between Bai Fu and the Puppet Master, Heinz was on the verge of mental collapse.
If Bai Fu defected, how was he supposed to react?
No, the problem wasn’t that—it was that someone like Bai Fu could never defect!
“You—”
Just as Heinz spoke, Bai Fu beat him to it. “But I refuse!”
“?!”
The Puppet Master’s smile instantly froze.
Nani?
In contrast, Heinz was elated. That’s more like it!
Bai Fu wagged her right index finger. “I’m not the kind of person who gives in easily. And I’ve got bad news for you—you never should’ve brought him here.”
Him?
The Puppet Master and the others followed the direction Bai Fu was pointing and saw she was pointing at the Transcendent-level Martial Artist.
What the hell?
While they were still confused, Bai Fu pulled out the long-preserved Supreme Copycat Card.
She had saved this card specifically for after triggering the Divine Transformation quest to see what she lacked and then use it.
And right now, her target was one of the Martial Artist’s skills.
【Wall of the Pathseeker】: On the road to pursuing the ultimate evolution of life, Jonas relentlessly forged his body, finally achieving a divine-level physique.
This was a passive skill—and the core of Martial Artist Jonas’s build.
Skill Effect——
【Physique: HP Conversion Rate +80%, HP Regen Speed +1000%, Physical Damage Reduction +10%, Immune to Critical Hits, Immune to True Damage, All Abnormal Resistances Increased, +2 Physique per level, enhanced by Cellular Remolding (All MP-consuming healing skills doubled in efficiency)】
This passive skill was utterly terrifying.
Any one of its effects would massively boost a tank’s survivability—combined, there was only one word to describe the person who had this passive:
【Wall!】
“Hand it over, you!”
Bai Fu wasn’t interested in any other skill. She was stealing this one, end of story.
Ding!
The moment the Copycat Card was crushed, Bai Fu received a game notification.
【You’ve acquired the new skill [Wall of the Pathseeker]】
Along with the notification came a dramatic surge in her stats and HP. Her HP jumped from 2.3 million to nearly 3.4 million. Including the 30% bonus from Fictional Life and Void’s Blessing, her total HP now exceeded 4.4 million!
Bai Fu beamed with joy.
Even if she trained day and night under Jonas’s method until she was bald, she’d never achieve Wall of the Pathseeker.
Because she was a Psionic Prayer-user, her stats and knowledge base barred her from ever even starting that path.
But she had cheats.
Heh heh.
With the Supreme Copycat Card in hand, who cared about limitations? One touch and it’s yours!
All of this happened in the blink of an eye. The moment Bai Fu acquired Wall of the Pathseeker, Jonas felt a sudden unease.
What’s going on? Why does something feel off...
Forget it. Since Bai Fu refused, it’s time to kill her!
Jonas and the others charged at Bai Fu and Heinz.
“They’re coming, be careful!”
Heinz shouted a warning to Bai Fu.
In his eyes, Bai Fu, who had defeated Gagliani from Titan Industries, was probably on par with him—still in serious danger.
But he had completely underestimated Bai Fu!
She waved her hand. “Don’t worry. Just protect yourself. Leave the rest to me!”
Come out, Hei Fu!
Come out, Kabaya!
Come out, Prayer Angel!
Come out, rest of the Psionic Legion!
Now rise—my proudest 【One Versus Many】, my favorite 【Blessing of the God of the Ethereal Realm】, my most reliable 【Sacrificial Staff】!
As the Sacrificial Staff appeared in Bai Fu’s hand, an overwhelming power descended from the heavens and poured into her.
Zzzzt—
Dark purple psionic energy crackled like electric serpents around Bai Fu, distorting space, dimming stars, and shaking the entire Ethereal Realm!
11249!
13498!
20273!
Bai Fu’s Inspiration stat shattered the 20k threshold.
At that moment, even Psionic Prayer-users who had undergone Divine Transformation twice would have to yield to her.
Raaaaaaah!
As a Psionic Prayer-user, Bai Fu charged straight into the crowd.
The move stunned both her ally Heinz and her enemies Jonas and company.
What the hell? Did Bai Fu go berserk?
Sure, if you’re a Calamity-level or Dominator, charging into a crowd might make sense—but now?
Soon, they realized Bai Fu wasn’t suicidal—she was just unbelievably tough.
“What the—?!”
The Puppet Master and Mentalist were dumbfounded.
They were pummeling Bai Fu relentlessly, but no matter how hard they hit, she showed no signs of injury.
At first, they thought she was just toughing it out, but the longer they fought, the more they realized—Bai Fu really was just that sturdy. She didn’t show a hint of fatigue; in fact, she seemed to get stronger the more they fought.
Stronger?
Yes, dammit—why the hell weren’t Mental Techniques affecting her?
You’re stunned, aren’t you? I’m bound to the cosmic treasure Paradise Ark! Your basic mental attacks trying to hurt me?
Get real!
A Mentalist and a tanky Martial Artist combo, fighting me? You might as well be a bunch of ADs and APs without true damage or percent damage going up against a six-item Maokai in League of Legends’ ARAM mode.
If you manage to kill me, I’ll eat myself!
Bai Fu charged through the mob unafraid.
Puppet Masters, Mentalists—she didn’t care about any of them. Her eyes were fixed only on Jonas.
This was like two tanks brawling from one fountain to the other—stars dimmed, space collapsed—but at the end of it, both still had full HP.
The Puppet Master and Mentalist were going numb.
Goddammit, how was Bai Fu this tanky? Was she cheating?!
This couldn’t go on. At this rate, Bai Fu and Jonas would walk away fine, but they’d be torn to shreds just by the shockwaves.
They had to change tactics.
“Use that.”
The two exchanged a glance.
No way—if even their trump card couldn’t kill Bai Fu, they were doomed!