Chapter 159: Yang Dongqing's Advancement

Pang Yang's roar stunned the crowd into silence. Faced with the bloody truth, they could do nothing but accept their powerlessness.

Yang Dongqing clenched his jaw, veins bulging on his face. Once again, he hated his own helplessness. The last time he had felt this powerless was in Tingting's nightmare; he never expected to experience it again so soon.

Nightmares! Nightmares! These damned nightmares!!

He hated this place—not just because of his own precarious existence, but because he had to witness despair time and time again, constantly struggling and sinking deeper into it.

Suddenly, a massive net large enough to encompass heaven and earth appeared in Yang Dongqing's vision. Billions of resplendent stars twinkled across it, and a line extended from one of them—a star that looked to be forged from steel—connecting directly to his body.

He suddenly realized this was the Bronze Law! And the steel star connected to him was Heart of Steel.

The next moment, another star within the Bronze Law, this one shimmering with a warm white light, cast down its radiance and gently settled over him.

Hum!

An inexplicable tremor washed over his body. It felt as if countless fragments of mystical knowledge were flooding his mind. A look of realization flashed through his eyes. Feeling the changes in his body, he knew what this transformation was called—Ceaseless Recovery!

Yes, he had advanced to Bronze Tier 2 and obtained the Bronze Law's Sequence 8, Ceaseless Recovery!

Advancing to Bronze Tier 2 should have been a joyous occasion, yet at this moment, Yang Dongqing couldn't feel happy at all, even though he had been looking forward to it for a long time.

Back in the Real World, he had already shown signs of advancing. After all, he had completely mastered the Bronze Law's Sequence 9, Heart of Steel. As a Chosen One, he only needed the right catalyst to advance, and now, that catalyst had arrived.

The moment Ceaseless Recovery appeared, a soft white light flashed across Yang Dongqing's body. A warm current surged through him, as soothing as a hot spring. All his minor, hidden injuries, along with the cumulative damage from bad habits like staying up late and overindulging, were completely wiped away.

His body felt as if it had been reborn, radiating health. His physical constitution also received a degree of enhancement; though it couldn't compare to Heart of Steel, it was not to be underestimated.

The difference between Bronze 1 and Bronze Tier 2 was absolutely not as simple as one plus one equaling two. The two transcendent abilities complemented and elevated each other.

Even if a Transcendent with Heart of Steel and a Transcendent with Ceaseless Recovery attacked him together, they would stand absolutely no chance against a Bronze Tier 2 Yang Dongqing.

The phenomenon accompanying Yang Dongqing's advancement caught everyone's attention. Many revealed envious expressions. The fact that he could advance independently without relying on a Transcendent Potion spoke volumes.

Even when Su Mu first became a Transcendent, he had relied on external forces to awaken his Immaculate Heart.

"Congratulations on your advancement, Mr. Yang," Hu Jie said, clapping from the sidelines with a look of genuine congratulation.

Yang Dongqing forced a smile, though it looked incredibly strained.

"As a Chosen One, you have a boundless future ahead of you, Mr. Yang. Since that is the case, why must you risk your life in the deep sea?"

Yang Dongqing shook his head and said firmly, "I have to go back. There is someone very important to me waiting in the Real World."

"Mr. Yang, you misunderstand. I don't mean you shouldn't go at all, but rather that you should wait a while before going."

"Wait?" Yang Dongqing froze.

Hu Jie continued, "Think about it. You are a Chosen One. You can advance entirely on your own without relying on Transcendent Potions. Advancing independently is incredibly difficult in the Real World because the Law is not manifest there, but it is very easy in the Nightmare World. For you, the Sea Kingdom is simply a promised land!

"As long as you live peacefully here and constantly hone your abilities, in a few years, you could become a Silver powerhouse. Wouldn't your chances of success be much higher if you set off for the deep sea then?"

A hint of hesitation flashed across Yang Dongqing's face. He suddenly felt that the King made a lot of sense.

"But..."

Hu Jie patted Yang Dongqing's shoulder meaningfully. "Mr. Yang, I know what you're worried about. You're just afraid that being away for so long will cause your loved ones in the Real World to worry. But everything has its pros and cons. Think about it—rather than facing nine deaths and one life right now, wouldn't it be better to wait a few years?

"Which is worse: making your family wait a few years, or having them never see you again?"

"I..." Yang Dongqing clenched his fists tighter and tighter, but in the end, he couldn't say a word. He was hesitating.

Seeing his hesitation, Hu Jie smiled faintly. A person's willpower was easily worn down. After finally working up the courage to act, being suddenly hindered by various concerns would cause that courage to fade. After a few years of enjoying the place of gentle comfort in the Sea Kingdom, his willpower would be ground away completely.

Just as Hu Jie thought he had succeeded, a calm voice rang out: "Let's go, Yang Dongqing."

Leaning on his Snakewood Cane, Su Mu slowly walked toward the West Coast, his figure drawing further and further away from the hesitant crowd.

Yang Dongqing froze. Looking at Su Mu's retreating back, he threw all the concerns in his mind to the wind and chased after him almost without a second thought. "Wait for me!"

Hu Jie watched the two men walk away, his face darkening.

Just then, another figure passed by him.

It was Mu Qing. No one knew why she was so determined to go back, even if it meant risking her life. Perhaps everyone had their own choices and their own attachments.

And Mu Qing's choice was to run toward her attachments.

Hu Jie's expression grew even gloomier. But when he turned his head, his expression had returned to normal, and he said with apparent admiration, "The courage of Mr. Su and his two companions is indeed commendable. But that doesn't mean our choice is wrong. We just want to survive—what's wrong with that?

"Everyone..."

A tall, burly figure stepped out from the crowd. It was the man with the crew cut who had been actively calling to leave earlier.

Seeing the crew-cut man take action, Hu Jie narrowed his eyes. He remembered this man was named Lu Dongliang. He was quite strong, but little more than a brute. Ever since arriving in the Sea Kingdom, he had complained about everything, clamoring every day to leave this godforsaken place.

He hadn't expected this brute to actually dare to step forward, even knowing full well how dangerous the deep sea was.

Others wanted to go back because there were people they couldn't let go of in the Real World, but what did Lu Dongliang have?

Over the past few days, Hu Jie hadn't heard a single word from Lu Dongliang about missing home or yearning for anyone. All he heard were complaints about the Sea Kingdom. It was as if he wanted to go back simply because the Sea Kingdom was too impoverished and lacked the luxuries of the Real World.

"Mr. Lu, are you going too?" Hu Jie asked.