697 Drawing the Snake out from Its Hole! (2/2)

The Federation fleet retreated slowly, making use of the vortexes conjured by the Solar System Array Formation to leap through space. The battlefield descended into a deathly silence with their departure. A long while passed. Then, the Dao Palace fleet and their cultivators finally dispersed soundlessly.

Having made a safe retreat, Li Xingwen immediately sent down orders for a defense array formation to be temporarily set up around Feng Qiuran as she continued her healing. He also made arrangements for a trustworthy cultivator to guard her. He personally brought Wang Baole to the secret chamber, where he made full use of the Solar System Array Formation and the Federation's vast resources to set up a conducive environment that would optimize Wang Baole's recovery.

Li Xingwen finally released a sigh of relief when he was assured that Wang Baole had only passed out and wasn't in critical condition. He extended his spiritual senses and stood guard over the two injured cultivators.

Time passed steadily. The Federation fleet traversed vast regions of space as it headed for Venus. Several hours into the journey, Wang Baole's eyes finally fluttered open.

A bone-deep exhaustion and multiple sharp pains all over his body made Wang Baole grind his teeth. He struggled to sit, then panted heavily as he surveyed his surroundings. He was in a secret chamber and could sense rich Spirit Qi flooding the room. His memories of the recent battle returned to him. His spiritual senses extended outwards as he scanned the area without anyone's discovery. He saw everything that was going on in the battleship, including Feng Qiuran, who was deep in healing, and Li Xingwen, who was outside watching over them.

Wang Baole was finally able to release a true sigh of relief.

It seems like I didn't die. I even managed to get back to the Federation safely. Wang Baole rubbed his tummy, which had lost all former softness. As his heart eased into a sense of relief, he pulled out a bag of snacks from his storage bracelet without thinking and began munching loudly. He began to inspect his injuries.

Seems quite serious. The damage to the Thearch Armor's quite significant too. Nothing to be worried about though. Ten bottles of spirit liquid… hmm, maybe twenty bottles. That should be enough for me to recover fully.

Wang Baole continued snacking. He didn't begin healing immediately. Instead, he did some calculations, then pulled out a bottle of Ice Spirit Water and finished the entire bottle. After that, he narrowed his eyes and lifted his hand to touch the image of the black eye inked on to his forehead. Memories of the earlier battle, which had nearly got him killed, flashed across his mind.

The power of the Demonic Eye Art seems more terrifying than I imagined it to be. The combined force of ten thousand demonic eyes is enough to destroy half a gigantic black hand and halve its power. Wang Baole didn't immediately extend his senses towards the imprint on his forehead. An imperceptible light flickered in his eyes. He placed his snacks to one side, then pulled out a bottle filled with spirit liquid from his storage bracelet. He placed it under his nose and took a deep sniff.

The bottle shuddered. The spirit liquid inside the bottle transformed into a thick spirit mist instantly, entering Wang Baole through his nose, mouth, eyes, and ears. The mist shook inside Wang Baole's body, then expanded and filled his entire body. It began healing his injuries.

The bottle was soon depleted. Wang Baole pulled out a second, then a third bottle. Thirty minutes later, more than thirty emptied bottles had accumulated next to Wang Baole. It was then that he opened his eyes. They still showed signs of exhaustion, but the injuries that had lined his body had recovered fully.

His Thearch Armor had also been restored to its full functionality after being nourished by the spirit liquid, its damaged parts repaired completely. The store of energy accumulated by the Flame Snatch had to be replenished by draining more blood and flesh though, as Wang Baole didn't waste his spirit liquid on the Flame Snatch.

Having accomplished the series of restorative actions, Wang Baole took a deep breath and prepared to rest his eyes and mind. His tired spirit required rest. Based on his calculations, when he next woke up, the battleship should be just about to land on Venus.

He hadn't seen Zhao Yameng or any other familiar faces on the battleship. However, when he had last scanned the battleship, he had caught snippets of information from casually chatting cultivators. That had given him a greater understanding of the current situation. He had also found out that Zhao Yameng and the others had returned to the Federation safely. They hadn't joined the current mission because they had been assigned other missions.

They're going to find out that I've suddenly become so powerful. That's going to inspire some strong feelings of adoration. I have to think about how I'm going to present my humble, modest self.

Brimming with anticipation, Wang Baole's eyes slowly fluttered shut. Tension seemed to ease from his body. However, an icy light continued to dwell somewhere deep inside him… As soon as his eyes shut, the imprint of the demonic eye inked on his forehead suddenly shifted. It seemed to have suddenly come alive. The black, shut eye seemed to possess its own mind. It… opened!

The consciousness dwelling within erupted instantly. Wang Baole's current state appeared to be its best chance to seize control!