Chapter 160 – Beyond the Eastern Boundary

Chapter 160: Chapter 160 – Beyond the Eastern Boundary

The expedition reached the eastern forest before noon.

This time, Orion brought a larger group than the previous expedition. Along with Azrael and Seraphina, there were six academy instructors, eight advanced students, and several researchers responsible for recording the newly discovered network.

The journey through the forest was uneventful until they reached the underground chamber discovered several days earlier. The massive crystal formation remained stable, and the seventh pathway was still active.

Orion examined the formation before turning toward the twins.

"This is where the previous expedition ended. From this point onward, none of our maps are reliable."

Azrael looked at the dark seventh channel.

"Then we’ll make a new map."

They entered the chamber.

Seraphina approached the crystal and placed her hand against its surface. The formation responded immediately, releasing a faint golden glow.

"The pathway is active."

Azrael activated Resonance Sight.

A thin line of energy extended from the crystal and disappeared through the eastern wall.

"There."

The group followed it.

Azrael used Astraeus to cut through the stone whenever the passage became blocked. Unlike the previous expedition, they didn’t spend time investigating every structure they encountered. Their objective was the eastern boundary and the resources needed for their evolution.

After several hours underground, the tunnel finally opened.

Bright sunlight flooded the passage.

The expedition stepped outside.

Everyone stopped.

Beyond the eastern boundary was an enormous valley surrounded by mountains.

Unlike the territory around the academy, this region was untouched by civilization. Massive trees covered the lower slopes, rivers crossed the valley, and enormous creatures could be seen moving through the distant wilderness.

One of the students stared at the landscape.

"How is this place not on any map?"

Orion looked equally surprised.

"It shouldn’t exist."

Azrael looked toward the mountains.

"This place has a much denser Origin energy concentration than the academy region."

Seraphina nodded.

"I can feel life everywhere."

The System suddenly appeared before Azrael.

New Region Discovered

Eastern Origin Wilds

Recommended Level: 30–40

Danger Level: High

Azrael dismissed the notification.

"Levels thirty to forty."

Seraphina smiled.

"That should be interesting."

They had both reached Peak Mortal Origin, and their current strength was already considerably beyond ordinary cultivators at the same level.

Still, the recommendation immediately made the instructors more cautious.

Orion raised his hand.

"Stay together. We don’t know what lives here."

They began moving through the valley.

It didn’t take long to find out.

A roar suddenly shook the forest.

Several birds flew from the trees.

The ground trembled.

Something enormous was approaching.

The instructors immediately prepared their weapons.

Azrael stepped forward.

A gigantic beast emerged from the forest.

It had the body of a lion, six legs, black scales covering its back, and two enormous horns extending from its head.

The System identified it.

Abyssal Horn Lion

Level: 34

Rank: Elite

The beast charged.

Azrael disappeared.

He appeared directly in front of it and swung Astraeus.

The lion raised one of its horns.

BOOM!

The collision sent a shockwave through the valley.

Azrael slid backward.

The beast immediately attacked again.

Azrael blocked the first claw, avoided the second, and jumped over the third.

Its six legs made the creature much faster than its enormous body suggested.

Azrael’s eyes sharpened.

He released a small amount of Oblivion.

The black energy covered Astraeus.

"Oblivion Judgment."

His sword struck the beast’s shoulder.

The attack didn’t simply cut the flesh.

It erased the corrupted energy protecting the creature’s body.

The lion roared in pain.

Seraphina raised her staff.

"Genesis Bloom."

Golden vines erupted from the ground and wrapped around the beast’s legs.

The creature tore through them.

Seraphina immediately created a second wave.

This time, the vines weren’t meant to restrain it.

They formed a dense barrier around the students.

The instructors joined the battle.

Lightning, fire, and sword attacks struck the beast from different directions.

The lion became increasingly enraged.

Azrael waited for an opening.

When the beast lunged toward Seraphina, Azrael moved.

His body blurred.

Astraeus passed through the creature’s neck.

The Abyssal Horn Lion collapsed.

The System appeared.

Elite Monster Defeated

Experience Acquired.

Azrael’s energy surged.

His Evolution Progress increased.

76% → 78%

He looked at the notification.

"Two percent."

Seraphina checked her own status.

Her Evolution Progress remained at 78%, but her Genesis energy had also increased slightly from the battle.

Orion approached the corpse.

"Don’t destroy it."

Azrael stopped.

Orion pointed toward the creature’s chest.

"There."

A small dark crystal could be seen inside the body.

Azrael used Oblivion to carefully separate the crystal from the surrounding flesh.

The crystal floated into his hand.

The moment he touched it, his System reacted.

Rare Material Detected

Abyssal Origin Core

Compatibility with Aetherion Bloodline: 91%

Potential Evolution Resource.

Azrael stared at the crystal.

"This might be useful."

Orion nodded.

"It may be one of the materials you need."

Seraphina looked toward the deeper valley.

"And my Genesis Crystal?"

"We continue searching."

The expedition moved deeper into the Eastern Origin Wilds.

The further they traveled, the stronger the creatures became.

They encountered a group of Level 32 Razor Wolves, a Level 35 Thornback Beast, and several flying monsters between Levels 30 and 34.

Azrael and Seraphina fought alongside the instructors, but the twins quickly became the main combat force.

Seraphina’s Genesis abilities had also become much stronger after her recent breakthrough in Genesis Bloom.

She could now create dozens of combat vines simultaneously and maintain several different Genesis constructs without losing control.

During one battle, she surrounded a group of Razor Wolves with golden vines before creating a massive flower beneath them.

The flower opened.

A concentrated beam of Genesis energy blasted upward.

Three wolves were defeated instantly.

The remaining creatures attempted to escape, but Azrael appeared in their path.

His sword flashed.

The battle ended within seconds.

The System appeared again.

Multiple Elite Monsters Defeated

Experience Bonus Granted.

Azrael felt his energy rise.

His evolution progress reached 79%.

Seraphina’s reached 80%.

She looked at the notification and smiled.

"I’m ahead."

Azrael glanced at her.

"For now."

Their competition immediately became obvious to the instructors.

Orion simply shook his head.

"Don’t turn your evolution into a race."

Seraphina laughed.

"Too late."

They continued until sunset.

Eventually, the expedition reached the center of the valley.

There they found something completely different.

A massive crystal forest covered the ground.

Thousands of translucent crystals grew from the earth, each one filled with different types of energy.

The researchers immediately began scanning them.

Seraphina stepped forward.

Her Genesis energy reacted.

One crystal began glowing gold.

Her eyes widened.

"That one."

She approached it.

The crystal was nearly three meters tall and contained a dense concentration of pure life energy.

The System appeared.

Genesis Crystal Detected

Quality: High

Compatibility with Genesis Bloom: 99%

Primary Function:

Bloodline Evolution

Seraphina smiled.

"We found it."

Azrael looked at the crystal, then toward the surrounding forest.

"Then we should prepare."

Orion nodded.

"Not here."

He pointed toward the distant mountains.

"There is a cave nearby. We’ll establish camp there and begin preparing the resources."

Seraphina looked at the enormous crystal.

She could already feel her bloodline reacting to it.

Azrael tightened his grip around the Abyssal Origin Core.

Their evolution resources had finally appeared.

But neither of them had reached the next realm yet.

They still needed to refine the materials, strengthen their foundations, and survive whatever the Eastern Origin Wilds had in store for them.

For the first time since reaching Peak Mortal Origin, the next breakthrough no longer felt distant.

It was within reach.