Chapter 473 - 307: Stealing the Blood Pool: Longevity Sword Seed Devours 8 Orifices

The seafloor was pitch-black, with only the dark gold patterns on the spine of [Broken Star] flickering faintly.

Han Feng was having a blast.

The thrill of feeling the weapon’s Spiritual nature grow with just a wave of his hand, without any painstaking Cultivation on his part, was simply addictive.

In his eyes, the dense mass of spiritual tentacles ahead was no longer a terrifying line of defense, but a patch of leeks just waiting to be harvested.

"Another one."

With a slight twitch of his fingers, Han Feng sent the Short Sword streaking out again to slice off another tentacle.

But just then, something unexpected happened.

The swarm of tentacles, which had been drifting with the undercurrent like seaweed and letting him slaughter them at will...

...suddenly seemed to have been startled—or perhaps they had received some kind of command.

WHOOSH—

Countless tentacles violently retracted into the depths of the cavern all at once.

In the blink of an eye, the previously sealed cave entrance was wide open. All that remained were a few severed stumps slowly dissipating in the water.

"Hmm?"

Han Feng raised an eyebrow, maneuvering [Broken Star] to hover before him.

’They ran?’

Han Feng didn’t charge in immediately.

He knew very well that it would be stranger if a ruin like this *didn’t* have a few deadly traps.

But that wasn’t going to stop him from taking a look.

After all, he’d come all this way.

With a thought from Han Feng, the faint, ghostly blue glow of his [Escapee Type II·Shadow] instantly shifted to a deep, murky hue that matched the seawater.

[Phantom Stealth] mode fully engaged, masking his entire presence—aura, heat, and even his heartbeat.

He was now no different from a rock drifting with the current.

Han Feng pushed off, but not in a straight line.

Instead, his body carved a bizarre spiral arc through the water, hugging the jagged rock face at the edge of the cavern as he slipped inside.

The current parted deftly around him.

Just as he spun to avoid a protruding rock, a crisp notification sounded in his mind.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host. Body Technique·Spiral Charge Skill Proficiency has reached (800/800). Realm Breakthrough: Small Success.]

[Triggering Skill Implantation...]

A vast yet distinct stream of information instantly flooded Han Feng’s Sea of Consciousness.

It contained information on fluid dynamics, muscle control, and countless techniques for leveraging the environment to generate force at extreme speeds.

Previously, when Han Feng used this move, he had relied mostly on his suit’s engine thrust or his own explosive power to brute-force his way through.

But now, even without the thrusters, even here in the immense drag of the deep sea...

...he could feel that the surrounding water was no longer a hindrance, but a foothold he could leverage.

Han Feng’s body swayed slightly.

With no wasted movements, he changed direction three times mid-water, each time pushing off a precise node in the undercurrent. His speed didn’t decrease—it increased, and he instantly shot into the depths of the cavern.

The sense of control was sublime.

After passing through a long tunnel, the view suddenly opened up before him.

This was a massive underground cavity, forcibly carved out by some immense power.

The surrounding walls bore no marks of artificial excavation. Instead, they looked as if they had been instantly melted by extreme heat and then cooled, forming a smooth, hard, vitrified substance that emitted a faint, eerie glow.

Han Feng hovered near the ceiling, his gaze sweeping downward.

The entire underground space was structured like an inverted pyramid, with clearly distinct layers.

The topmost layer, where he was currently located, had dozens of enormous, translucent crystals floating in it.

A golden mist swirled within the crystals, and the Spiritual tentacles extending from the outside all connected to them.

’So these are the servers for that spiritual network?’

Han Feng activated [All Things Identification], his gaze locking onto one of the crystals.

[Item: Divine Grace Resonating Crystal (Imitation)]

[Grade: Tier Three Top Grade (Special)]

[Status: Charging]

[Function: Filters and purifies Spiritual Energy, converting chaotic Wish Power into relatively pure Soul Power.]

[Description: A crude but effective energy conversion device, apparently derived from the leftover technology of some ancient civilization.]

’A filtering device...’

Han Feng mused.

He left the crystals alone and let his gaze drift further down.

The middle layer consisted of a massive, ring-shaped platform.

On the platform, dozens of figures in tattered gray robes were bustling about.

Their movements were stiff and their expressions numb, like marionettes, as they poured bucket after bucket of a dark red liquid—hoisted up from below—into grooves at the platform’s center.

As the liquid filled the grooves, Runes upon them lit up, channeling some form of Energy to the crystals above.

’That’s...’

Han Feng’s gaze sharpened as he focused on the gray-robed figures.

They had no breath and no heartbeat, yet a bizarrely vigorous Energy cycle coursed through their bodies.

[Creature: Corpse Puppet (Under Control)]

[Strength: Tier Two Late Stage]

[Description: Husks left behind after their consciousness was erased by a High-dimensional Spiritual Power. They retain the muscle memory and some instincts from their previous life, making them perfect free labor.]

Han Feng curled his lip.

Seeing the words "High-dimensional Power," he guessed this place was most likely the handiwork of those lunatics from the Child of the Mist.

The Child of the Mist really had the capitalist playbook down pat—not even letting the dead rest, truly implementing a 24/7 work schedule.

And beside these Corpse Puppets, the spot where a commander or overseer should have been was now empty.

Only a stone chair retained a faint, lingering warmth.

"They sure ran off fast."

Han Feng sneered.

The real mastermind must have noticed the instant he started slicing up tentacles outside.