Chapter 698 - 691: Departure

Chapter 698: Chapter 691: Departure

「Three months passed in a flash.」

In Zhou Yuanjue’s personal training room at the Secret Inspection Bureau Headquarters, Shangjing Prefecture.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP...

Countless violent, heart-like thumps emanated from within Zhou Yuanjue’s body as he sat cross-legged. An incredibly terrifying power was brewing inside him.

Vaguely, it seemed as if nine hearts were beating in unison within him.

The Sacred Lotus form had already condensed around him, its power concentrated to the absolute limit.

The Sacred Lotus body, reassembled by the power of the Qiluo Structure, had become so tangible it seemed real.

Within three months, Zhou Yuanjue had completely finished simulating the Furnace Structure of Saa, the Lord of Chaos. In the final moments before his departure, he began fusing the Furnace Structure with his own existing one.

The appearance of the Sacred Lotus form was not merely an automatic reaction to the structural fusion; Zhou Yuanjue had manifested it intentionally. He did this to prevent any internal energy from leaking out, for if he lost control, the entirety of Shangjing Prefecture would likely be razed to the ground.

This time, he had chosen not to complete the fusion in space. Based on his previous experience and the apparent compatibility between the Furnace Structure and the Sacred Lotus Structure, he was fully confident in his ability to perfectly control the process.

THUMP-THUMP! THUMP-THUMP!!

At that moment, accompanied by the dull thumping, nine circular life structures, resembling some kind of energy core, appeared above the Sacred Lotus Structure. They began to slowly descend toward it.

The fusion of the two life structures immediately triggered resistance from the dominant Sacred Lotus Structure. The Sacred Lotus form around Zhou Yuanjue began to tremble violently.

GURGLE GURGLE!!

His body also began to show signs of proliferation. The muscle tissue around him started to swell, as if it were about to transform into a lotus of flesh and blood once again.

’Be still.’

Just then, Zhou Yuanjue’s eyes snapped open. His powerful will instantly spread out, forcefully suppressing the trembling of the Sacred Lotus form. The writhing flesh around him began to gradually recede, growing calm.

His expression was grave. He exerted all his strength to control the Sacred Lotus Structure, forcing its petal-like components to open to their widest extent. This revealed the flat, throne-like platform at its core.

The flat platform was empty.

Zhou Yuanjue’s pupils constricted. Seizing the opportunity, he forcefully maneuvered the nine spherical Furnace Structures floating above the Sacred Lotus form, causing them to plunge down and collide with the Sacred Lotus Structure.

GURGLE GURGLE!!

Even with Zhou Yuanjue’s will suppressing it, the Sacred Lotus Structure began to tremble violently once more. Signs of him losing control reappeared on the surface of his body.

However, this phenomenon only lasted for a moment. Before it could fully erupt, it began to weaken.

The phenomenon subsided because, under Zhou Yuanjue’s control, the nine spherical Furnace Structures had fully imprinted themselves onto the platform at the center of the Sacred Lotus Structure. It was as if the structure had gained nine new receptacles, and within them, nine furnace cores spun ceaselessly like lotus seeds. Their energy structures and abilities began to fully merge with the Sacred Lotus Structure.

THUMP-THUMP!! THUMP-THUMP!!

The entire Sacred Lotus Structure began to pulse rhythmically, as if it now possessed a life-giving core. Simultaneously, the energy and light condensed upon it grew even more terrifying.

Within Zhou Yuanjue’s body, the nine energy cores rapidly took shape. A sense of immense power flowed ceaselessly from the furnace cores, compressed and channeled into his body.

The pure energy amplification brought by the Furnace Structure was several times stronger than that of the Qiluo Structure.

In fact, Zhou Yuanjue could already clearly sense a certain threshold.

If he wished, he could cross that threshold, complete his physical transformation, and become a true Type One Life Form.

But he did not do so.

’So I’ve reached the threshold? But this doesn’t feel like my limit. According to Nainte, the more perfect and powerful the modification to one’s life structure, the greater the level of energy one obtains after the transformation.’

’Both my own endurance and the current modification limits of the Sacred Lotus Structure are far from being reached. It’s not time for a breakthrough yet...’

Zhou Yuanjue took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to unleash the majestic power that had suddenly surged within him. He allowed his spirit and mind to gradually calm, then slowly rose to his feet.

’I wonder what level my power has reached now...’

’But there’s no time to test it. We’re about to depart...’

Zhou Yuanjue’s will spread out rapidly, contacting Zhou Ji, who was waiting outside the training room.

"Are you finished?" Zhou Ji asked as she walked in slowly.

"I’m ready," Zhou Yuanjue said. "As long as everyone has gathered, we can depart at any time."

"Everything is ready," Zhou Ji said. "Everyone from the various factions has arrived and checked into the Secret Inspection Bureau. They’re just waiting for the order to depart."

"Then send the notice. Everyone, assemble at the landing field and board the Aircraft Carrier. We’re departing."

Zhou Yuanjue nodded.

It was time to leave this planet.

······

······

「Half an hour later.」

「The Secret Inspection Bureau Landing Field.」

When Zhou Yuanjue and Zhou Ji arrived, a large crowd had already gathered.

Fewer than twenty King Level experts had been chosen from around the world, but for all of civilization, this was a moment of extraordinary significance.

High-level officials from every country had gathered here, waiting to witness this historic moment.

"Mr. Zhou is here!"

Someone shouted, and the crowd immediately turned to look, parting to form a path. Through it walked Zhou Yuanjue, followed by Zhou Ji, who wore a black combat uniform and carried a simple bag on her back.

"You’re finally here! We were getting impatient," Gleb laughed heartily.

Behind him stood the contingent from the Donghua Martial Arts Family, the leader of the Black Continent’s Hunting Mark Organization, Arhat Boku of Tai Lan Country, and Feimura Masayuki, leader of the Tianhe Country resistance.

It was a team of nearly twenty people, and every one of them was an absolute elite of humanity.

The Chief Commissioner asked Zhou Yuanjue, "Yuan Jue, would you like to say a few words?"

"There’s nothing left to say. Everyone, just wait for our news."

Zhou Yuanjue’s gaze swept over the crowd. He then turned and led the way toward the Aircraft Carrier. He expanded his magnetic field, signaling for Nainte—who was already waiting inside—to open the hatch. Before the eyes of the crowd, he took a single step forward and was swallowed by the writhing flesh of the entrance.

Afterward, the other Martial Artists also bid farewell to the crowd and entered the Aircraft Carrier one by one.

Everyone watched this scene, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.

No one knew what awaited humanity—light or darkness.

"We’re counting on you all," the Chief Commissioner said softly.

Then, under the silent gaze of everyone on the landing field, the massive Aircraft Carrier began to vibrate slowly. It levitated into the air and released a surge of energy.

HUM!!

Space distorted, and a passage to the True Realm manifested.

WHOOSH!!

The Aircraft Carrier slowly vanished into the True Realm passage. The passage then sealed shut, and everything returned to normal.