Chapter 85: Fourth To The Throne (1/2)
“Boss, someone is trying to take me away!” Xu San cried over a call.
“I’ve informed the Empire about your situation,” Lu Yin explained, “You can go through formcast remodeling like Zhang Dingtian and the others; you’ll have to depend on yourself in the future.”
Outside the Zishan Palace, Xu San carefully swallowed his saliva as he recalled the scene of Zhang Dingtian’s suffering, “Formcast remodeling? Boss, I wouldn’t dare.”
“Haha. Who asked you to absorb energy crystals before you met me? But then, you wouldn’t have unlocked your innate gift. Alright, work hard and you might compare to Dingtian and the rest in the future,” he laughed and hung up. Now, everyone from Earth had found their own home here, where they could forge their futures from. As for himself, he had to get stronger quickly; Astral-10 would arrive anytime. With his current power, it would be difficult for him to enter.
There was an entire training facility in the Zishan Residence, but it was a shame that Lu Yin was alone. He entered the gravity training room and turned it up to 40x by habit, directly crushing a cube of star crystals and starting practice on the Daynight Punch and Skybeast Claw. Most people weren’t so extravagant as to use star energy for training like this, but to him it was a trifle.
……
Lu Yin didn’t step out of his residence for seven consecutive days, and many guessed that he had been berated by the Emperor. At the end of that week, Zhang Dingtian arrived at the second ring around the Zenyu Star where the Thirteen Imperial Squadrons were stationed. He looked up at a giant 5 as his identity was verified, quickly being led into the Fifth Squadron’s camp. There were innumerable auras surging around him that could all crush him with ease, but he maintained a steady gaze.
The Thirteen Imperial Squadrons were the most powerful faction within the Great Yu Empire, and every official member was a Melder at a minimum. Each squadron had multiple Explorers, and the Cruisers in charge represented the peak of the Empire’s prowess. The Fifth Captain was Huo Qingshan, a man who had once ventured into the Innerverse alongside The Undying Yushan. He was also the Huo Family’s patriarch, Xiaoling’s father.
Zhang Digtian was brought below an enormous volcano that was constantly rumbling, lava shooting into the sky like fireworks before crashing down and melting into the earth. He remained motionless as a molten rock shot towards him, guaranteed to crush and melt him to ashes if they touched. Just before the heat could burn him, however, it was suddenly absorbed by a terrifying voice, “You come from Earth?”
Zhang Dingtian was forced back and his skin had already been singed, but he showed no fear, “Yes.”
“Why did you step out?”
“To become stronger.”
“You will die.”
“You will join the Fifth Squadron from today, and you will be under me. I’m Huo Qingshan.” These words pushed the Bladesage over the edge. He spat out a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground.
Within the volcano, a middle-aged man opened his eyes to look at his new subordinate. His hair was even redder than the lava around, and while he’d seemed milder in court, it was here that he revealed his scorching heat.
……
Elsewhere in the second ring, Bai Xue was brought into the Sixth Squadron that was entirely different from the Fifth. A majority of the people here were girls, and the environment was graceful and pretty, filled with all sorts of fragrant pink plants. Bai Xue hadn’t expected to enter such a place at all, and assessed her surroundings curiously.
Peach walked out with a tall woman several meters behind her, floating up when she was ten meters away herself and looking at Bai Xue curiously, “You must be Bai Xue, the Zishan King’s friend?”
“Yes!” Bai Xue hurriedly saluted.
The girl nodded in satisfaction, “You really are beautiful. Alright, you’ll be a part of my squadron from today. Remember to use my name if anyone bullies you, the great Captain Peach!”
Bai Xue was stunned. This was the Sixth Captain? A cute little girl? It couldn’t be! She suddenly felt like she’d embarked on a hopeless adventure.
“Why, you aren’t willing?” Peach’s displeased voice rang out behind her, and her gaze narrowed even as her head shot around in an instant. She then bobbed between Peach’s current location and the old one, where a phantom image still existed. Why hadn’t it vanished yet?
Peach smiled craftily, “Now you see, even space itself can’t react to my speed. It’s only going now.”
Bai Xue stared dazedly at the phantom that started to dissipate. She couldn’t understand how this happened, but she knew that it was terrifying. “Yes, Captain!”