Chapter 116: Collusion From Inside And Out
The two left the Shadow Space one after the other. Yuan Zhu, in his Human Stance, touched the Shadow Dream Hole with his palm to close it but did not retrieve it. Instead, he let the pitch-black disk float in mid-air for Zuo Fan to inspect.
Zuo Fan, standing beside him, saw this massive pitch-black Dream Hole, and all the veins (Shadow Eggplant) in his body began to tremble. A wave of intimacy came from the external bun brain (Brain Eggplant).
As expected, just relying on the three-piece set inside his body, he had formed a secret connection with this eerie Dream Hole. For a moment, he felt both excited and fearful inside.
Leaving aside the heart-pounding sensation brought by the Ghost Companion Set, he himself had long harbored a heartfelt desire for ‘Dream Holes’. Now suddenly seeing one, even if it was a mutated product with unknown side effects, he couldn’t help but reveal a lecherous gaze.
In the end, he suppressed that trace of fear in his heart and leaned forward. He touched and stroked it with his hand, and released Qi Threads to sense it inch by inch. He was just short of sticking out his tongue to lick it.
Yuan Zhu also cooperated, reaching out to touch the Shadow Dream Hole and releasing a wisp of Nightmare World aura from within. Zuo Fan immediately trembled with excitement. The long-desired ‘Heavenly Realm’ was right before his eyes; he had to secure this Otherworlder no matter what!
First achieve his own breakthrough, even if it meant selling out Cicada City.
…
After smoothly completing the inspection, Yuan Zhu controlled the Shadow Uniform and stuffed the Shadow Dream Hole into his own shadow.
He had never heard of such a ‘mobile Dream Hole’ method, which further solidified his idea of temporarily submitting to Yuan Zhu. Insect City’s Dream Holes, once opened, hung in the sky. Heavenly Rank Cultivators could manipulate and influence Dream Holes but could not move or close them.
Yet this Otherworlder’s ‘Dream Hole’ was vastly different!
Its appearance was pitch-black beyond compare, with an extremely dense Shadow aura, coming with its own attached small space. It could be moved, closed, and even actively filter and retain. Every ability was unheard of, making him suspect in his heart that this was the more mysterious, more advanced, more perfect Dream Hole!
Thus, his idea of submitting to Yuan Zhu became even more firm. And he decided to absorb and refine the Ghost Companion Set inside his body, rather than finding a chance to reject and expel it.
On the other side, Yuan Zhu, after witnessing Zuo Fan’s strength, also changed his mind. He no longer planned to completely control the other through the Three-Piece Set; that idea was too naive.
Mere ‘Ghost Companion wetware’ refined from a few Sewer Goblins—how could it possibly control the life and death of a peak Earth Rank Cultivator?
Using the Holy Light System to measure, the other’s strength was at the level of ‘two seals’ or even stronger. Each piece of his Ghost Companion Set was at ‘no seal’ level. Even combined into a ‘set effect’, it could barely control Shopkeeper Lu, a ‘early Earth Rank’. For stronger ones, it was more like giving away welfare and pollution materials.
In the end, it was these low-tier Goblins that were too trashy; they couldn’t even refine proper Ghost Companions and could only cobble together set effects with more defective ‘wetware’.
But the good news was that the new Bubble World had unlimited opportunities! Plenty of high-grade materials worth refining into Ghost Companions were waiting for him. At the same time, he had also reached an agreement with Zuo Fan: the other promised that after returning to Cicada City, he would pull a batch of heavy criminals from the dungeon to help Yuan Zhu with research in the form of Shadow Dream Hole rental fees.
These heavy criminals, some had internal pollution nearing the limit and were doomed to die. Thus Cicada City took them in early, either to raise bugs, grow plants, or sell in transactions. Some prisoners were war captives from other Insect Cities, or rogue Demonic Path martial artists roaming the Underground World.
In short, in the Underground World, Human Cultivators were treasures all over; the stronger the strength, the higher the value. Even Zuo Fan, a quasi-high-level figure, couldn’t provide too many.
However, the other guaranteed Yuan Zhu that as long as the cooperation continued, even if high-grade experimental subjects from Cicada City couldn’t be obtained, he would personally lead a team on security patrols to plunder Cultivators from other forces to supply Yuan Zhu.
Yuan Zhu wasn’t some life-disregarding great demon king or mad scientist; he was a Holy Cultivator practicing the Path of Holy Light, following the ‘mental cultivation route’ (Holy Light System). Therefore, he solemnly warned the other that to keep the Holy Light pure (no darkening of the color code), he would only punish those who deserved it (for experiments) and would absolutely not oppress civilians.
Zuo Fan repeatedly assured: “Please rest assured on this point. In the Underground World, there may not be much else, but those who deserve to die are countless! Just wait for my good news.”
…
The two followed a tunnel back to the lower level. Far ahead, under the dim fluorescent mushroom carpet, a figure was carrying a large backpack of food and pills.
Upon approaching, the anxious-faced Lu Yan suddenly saw Zuo Fan following behind Yuan Zhu, froze, then exclaimed in surprise: “Commander Zuo? Why are you here too!”
“Your guess is correct; Lord Yuan is precisely my liege.”
“Whoa—” Shopkeeper Lu, who had originally been worried about his own future, suddenly straightened his back, no longer feeling the weight of the backpack, and said in an excited tone: “This lowly one is Lu Yan, boss of ‘Simple House’ in District Two. I am a lackey under Lord Yuan! Greetings, Commander Zuo.”
Zuo Fan nodded reservedly: “Mm, I know your shop. From now on, we serve Lord Yuan together; don’t be negative or lax.”
“As it should be!”
Seeing the two seamlessly connect, Yuan Zhu also felt satisfied. Excellent talents always automatically identify, match, and team up, spontaneously creating tasks, bursting with work enthusiasm, clarifying goals, and possessing extremely high self-management ability.
These two before him were undoubtedly talents among talents, heaven-sent workers! But then again, in the barren Underground Insect City, who isn’t a talent to carve out a place?
This mission was really too easy! Just a bit of business expansion, easily handled.
For business network, he had Shopkeeper Lu; for local connections, he had Commander Zuo; for faction backing, he had Mao Mao King.
…
The rest of the way went smoothly; a few wild Magic Worms didn’t even require Yuan Zhu to act—Lu Yan preemptively struck them down with True Qi, and the various high-martial arts styles of martial techniques made him a bit envious.
In comparison, his Holy Light seemed a bit lackluster. It had nothing to do with intensity; purely a matter of style and effects. His ‘Holy Light’ was simple and crude, but ‘True Qi into threads’ could be shaped and condensed into various martial technique effects, with many variations.
Just like that, Yuan Zhu brought his two employees all the way to the brother and sister’s cave.
Commander Zuo, well-traveled and having survived worse forbidden zones, had no particular reaction; instead, Shopkeeper Lu, after seeing Yuan Zhu enter the tunnel, began to comment: “My lord, you reside in such a crude place? That’s truly undeserving. If you don’t mind, I am willing to contact the Technician Alliance to purchase the latest Worm Control Array for you and set up a Blessed Land for cultivation.”
Yuan Zhu didn’t refuse and instead nodded: “Sure. Buy it early; I’m very interested in high-purity Spiritual Energy. Raising bugs also requires Spiritual Energy.”
“Uh…” The shop owner, who had just wanted to flatter, nodded decisively: “Good. As soon as I complete your training, I’ll immediately return to Cicada City to contact the seller.”
Commander Zuo interrupted: “No need. I have a small Worm Control Spiritual Energy Array at my residence. Tonight I’ll dismantle it and deliver it overnight to Lord Yuan.”
Hearing the conversation of the three outside the door, the skinny and short Little Girl was the first to poke out of the cave hole. She first showed a vigilant gaze, then relaxed half a breath upon seeing Yuan Zhu clearly, but still nervously asked: “Noble one, this is…” Inviting wolves into the house? You can’t even afford one of our family’s food rations, and now you’ve brought two more?
Yuan Zhu: “They are my two newly recruited subordinates, both Cicada City Residents. One is a Central Urban Area shop owner, the other is Cicada City Commander.”
The Little Girl, who couldn’t even mix into the central area of the Lower Urban Area, now had a face full of confusion and disbelief.
She couldn’t imagine that this Alien (Yuan Zhu) had just gone out for a casual stroll and recruited two big shots she could never reach.
A shop owner was somewhat understandable; when she and her brother sold Insect Molts, they had visited shops in the Lower Urban Area, trying to haggle with the staff. As for Cicada City Commander, that was already a legendary figure. Status like a top-tier expert in a wuxia world—not something bottom-tier plebs like them could scam.
“I I…” After a brief daze, the Little Girl’s intelligence kicked in at lightspeed. “Honored guests, please come inside! Immortal Master, my younger brother’s Breathing Method has already shown initial results! Also, the Insect Eggs you entrusted to me have had their activity stimulated by me and will hatch soon.”
This Little Girl’s CPU was just strong; in a flash, she went from stunned to thinking of talent display, starting to highlight the brother and sister’s value.
One Holy Cough Breathing Technique showing initial results (one-sided claim), the other hatching Mao Mao King Insect Eggs (exaggeration). True or false, her confident tone gave Yuan Zhu the illusion that the brother and sister had real talent and value.
Regardless of whether he really has the ability, this reaction speed alone makes him a talent.
The Shop Owner looked at the malnourished scruffy little girl in front of him and asked doubtfully: “Master, this is…” Where did this ant come from?
The Little Girl hurriedly answered: “Immortal Master is our sister and brother’s lifesaver and teaching mentor. Not only did he save us from the Immortal Zombie Tendrils and Iron Poison in our bodies, he also taught us sister and brother a new Breathing Method! We are willing to die for the Immortal Master!”
At this time, Younger Brother who crawled out following her obediently stayed to the side, he stared blankly at his sister, then nodded under his sister’s intense gaze: “Right!”
Damn, in Cicada City, aside from Younger Brother, everyone is a talent, each one eloquent. No less than my Little Spicy Stick.
“Everyone, get to know each other. These two little ones are also employees I recruited.”
Although she didn’t quite understand the specific meaning of ’employee’, the Little Girl already understood that Yuan Zhu treated her as one of his own, and quickly responded obediently: “Greetings, Teacher!”
She pulled her brother to quickly establish their relationship, not missing any opportunity to Hugging the Thigh.
Yuan Zhu waved his hand, leading everyone through the hole into the sister and brother’s home: “Come in, let’s discuss the next steps. Zuo Fan, you go back to Cicada City to report safety. But how will you handle the questioning? After all, being imprisoned by me for a while, might it raise suspicions?”
Commander Zuo nodded: “It can be pushed onto the Nightmare Demonic Creature. Within the Dream Hole, demonic creatures often counterattack and invade, plundering food and resources from Insect City. It’s just that this world is too barren, filled with deadly poison miasma, a decaying and dying world, even demonic creatures don’t want to stay long-term.”
“At the same time, Cicada City has more than ten Heavenly Realm powerhouses stationed, combined with the Magic Array, it can handle general invasions. I just need to claim a moment of carelessness, trapped by a demonic creature with special abilities. Now successfully escaped, return to Cicada City to report. If possible, I still need a ‘trophy’ to verify the story.”
“This…” Yuan Zhu thought for a moment, stretched out five fingers, and said, “I can give you a piece of ‘evidence’, but you need to exchange it with ‘Earth Rank death row prisoners’. I want five, alive!”
Although nominally superior and subordinate, in reality they were partners. Therefore, Yuan Zhu did not issue orders arbitrarily, but chose a transaction mode. It was unknown if the Tiger Demon could refine Earth Rank cultivators? This level of strength had already broken through ‘One Seal (Holy Light)’.
“Good!”
Seeing the other party agree, Yuan Zhu quietly activated the Boss Template, while forcibly suppressing the changes in his physical body, keeping the Mutated Spiritual Root in a half-activated state, and sealing all this power into the ‘shadow’ under his feet.
Now, after repeatedly driving the Tiger Demon Stance, his proficiency was getting higher and higher, no longer confined to the Boss Template provided by the Immortal Scripture; instead, he reverse-engineered many usage tips for the Mutated Spiritual Root, gradually trying to break away from the template and use the Tiger Demon as a bloodline.
Only to see the ‘shadow’ under his feet begin to twist and boil violently, but it did not engulf the main body, instead slowly transforming into the silhouette of a Tiger Demon, exuding a terrifying and eerie power outwardly.
It was as if a great demon was reviving within his shadow.
Yuan Zhu’s main body was also under immense pressure at this time. It was equivalent to forcibly interrupting the ‘Tiger Demon transformation’, stuck in the ‘invincible frame’ of a magical girl transformation scene. But he had no invincibility at all, instead unprecedented weakness, struggling to maintain his physical body from turning into a Tiger Demon, with Holy Light fully suppressed in a double-loss state.
Fortunately, everyone present were partners and little kids, all intimidated by the Tiger Demon aura, allowing him to calmly show off (half-step plant person state, all show no substance).
At this time, an Eggplant Head Ghost that could shoot bone arrows through ‘coughing’, crawled out of the shadow at its master’s call, making a strange cry of “Eggplant eggplant eggplant!” at the familiar yet strange Yuan Zhu.
Having been beaten several times before, it gradually realized that this strangely shaped human seemed to be its own King’s ‘human skin suit’? So giving him some face was no harm!
Seeing the Eggplant Head Ghost with a black tomato-like big head covered in bloodshot eyes above the neck, wooden puppet arms inserted all over its back and ribs, making an intellectually dim sound ‘Eggplant eggplant eggplant——’ from its mouth… both the Little Girl and Shopkeeper Lu were startled.
Whether strong or not they didn’t know, but this grotesque appearance was not something the Underground World could produce. It was too damn bizarre, even the Reverse Life Immortal Sect couldn’t raise such a miraculously crafted monster.
Demonic Creature! Absolute demonic creature!
Yuan: “Can this thing serve as your proof?”
Zuo Fan carefully sensed the shadow aura on the Eggplant Ghost, which was satisfactory: “No problem at all! It carries the aura you emitted at the time, consistent with the energy at the scene. I just need to claim I was momentarily careless, temporarily trapped, then the demonic creature left on its own, I killed the monster it left behind, broke the seal, and returned to Cicada City.”
Yuan Zhu looked at the ‘Eggplant Ghost’ he had painstakingly raised, still reluctantly let Zuo Fan tear off its eggplant head, leaving the extremely weakened body with some remaining activity, and said: “Taking this head back is enough.”
As for the remaining body? Of course, it had to be recovered!
Ghost Companions are not living creatures, more like undead ghostly things. As long as the ‘dataized soul pollution’ is not completely exhausted and can receive follow-up supplements, it can fake death and revive. It just needs to be raised from scratch.
Thus, Yuan Zhu re-sank the ‘headless ghost corpse’ into the shadow, hurriedly lifted the half-transformation he could no longer maintain, returning to the Holy Light human stance.
Currently, the compatibility between the human body and the Boss Template was still not strong enough. He thought he could imitate the animal-type fruits, first develop the ‘Orc form’, then further compress it into the ‘human skin suit’ form.
Can’t demonic monsters transform? Why couldn’t the Tiger Demon?
After wrapping the gradually losing activity ‘eggplant head’ with countless Qi Threads, Zuo Fan sat back to the side, waiting for Yuan Zhu’s instructions.
Yuan: “After you return to Cicada City to report, we’ll select a treasure land, place the Dream Hole, and build a territory. I have some methods I want to try; if successful, perhaps I can achieve the effect of your Magic Array. Even if not, it can greatly enhance the power of the Dream Hole, helping you quickly cultivate and transform,Impact Heavenly Realm.”
Hearing Yuan Zhu wanted to place the ‘Dream Hole’, Commander Zuo’s mindset immediately became eager: “I know of a small-scale Underground Cavity that was once a tribe’s settlement, but it was maliciously ambushed by demonic path cultivators, who led several Demonic Giant Insects to attack the camp, ultimately destroying it.”
“Afterward, that cavity was occupied by demonic path cultivators and was wiped out by my team several years ago. Now, there are still many buildings remaining, but lacking top powerhouses for protection and no Magic Array defense, the few ordinary people can’t withstand the underground disasters. Sir can gain a foothold there, first rebuild the tribal camp to gather population, then step by step develop toward Insect City.”
Yuan Zhu also thought it was good: “Alright, let’s hurry. I want to go survey the site. By the way, these are the Insect Eggs I brought, 100 each for you. You can hatch them yourselves or find professionals to hatch them. I need you to hatch the Insect Eggs, raise the bugs little by little—this is very important. As for other matters, we’ll discuss after the Camp is established.”
Saying that, Yuan Zhu opened the metal bottle given by the Captain, broke the metal clasp, and gave small amounts of Insect Eggs to the two.
Now Zuo Fan had received the mission, the Shop Owner was a bit nervous: “Sir, what about me…”
“You stay, I want to guide you in cultivating a brand new Shadow True Qi Breathing Method. Rest assured, I won’t cheat you. The three-piece set in your body, I will gradually relinquish control, handing them over to you bit by bit for you to control yourself. If you perfectly integrate them into the Qi Refining System, your future cultivation foundation will only be stronger!”
Now with the two siblings practicing the Holy Cough Breathing Technique, but the Immortal Scripture lacks soul data monitoring methods. In contrast, the Ghost Companion Plugin matches the Ghost Companion supernatural ability well. If the more experienced Shop Owner practices the Shadow Breathing Technique…
The Immortal Scripture can perfectly collect data, create a ‘Qi Refining model’, replicate it, and uncover the secrets of the Dao Seed.
With this cultivation data, it can be internally converted and applied reversely to Holy Light, cracking the Holy Cough Breathing Technique. Just like mountain-zhai-ing the Sanctuary data with the Tiger Demon.
……
Soon, everyone took action. The Shop Owner stayed as the White Mouse for the fusion experiment of Qi Refining Technique and shadow pollution. Commander Zuo returned to Cicada City for arrangements.
The two siblings received guidance from the Shop Owner and were studied by Yuan Zhu. If the Holy Cough Breathing Technique works, his territory would have a specialty, making it easier to attract the bottom layer and improve survival rates.
