Someone once brought down an ox not because they were physically stronger than the beast, but because they employed the technique of using four ounces to turn back a thousand pounds. This is precisely why Ye Chen prioritized combat skill when recruiting.

If an individual could exert 10 points of fighting power through their own strength alone, they would be permitted to enter the Blood God Hall. Even if their physique level was only 1, the guild would still provide gene boosters for development, whereas combat skills could not be cultivated overnight.

Aside from fighting technique, there was also equipment.

No matter how potent the martial art, a single shot could bring one down. The importance of gear should never be underestimated.

With Ye Chen currently at the second stage of Qi Li Shi (Strength Force Practitioner) and a physique level of 150, coupled with his Blood Red Warblade, dispatching these second-stage fire monsters was effortless. His figure flashed, and he shot out of the Rune Space, subsequently sealing it. He glanced at the bubbling lava pool, swung the Blood Red Warblade, and tossed a nearby stone into the pool.

Thud

The stone splashed into the lava, instantly incinerated. After waiting for a long moment with no fire monsters emerging, Ye Chen frowned slightly. He looked up towards the colossal structure—a massive pillar that seemed to have stood there for untold ages, yet showed no sign of decay despite the searing erosion of the magma.

He skirted the lava pool and approached the giant structure. A wave of searing heat washed over him. Magma flowed down from above, draining into the pool below. Ye Chen scrutinized the surface for a moment, then noticed, right in the center of the colossus, a talisman paper affixed to it.

This talisman was nearly a hundred meters long, insignificant against the backdrop of the massive structure stretching into the heavens. It was inscribed with numerous profound runes. Ye Chen focused his gaze, and a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes; these runes bore a striking resemblance to the runes of the Rune Civilization, likely carved by some powerful figure during that era.

Ye Chen made a casual gesture, opening the Rune Space, and asked the green-robed elder floating within, "What does this inscription say?"

The green-robed elder drifted out of the spacecraft. He muttered to himself, but upon hearing Ye Chen's question, he looked up. As he did, his eyes nearly bulged out. His mouth fell open, leaving him utterly speechless. "This, this..."

Ye Chen frowned. "What is it?"

The green-robed elder slowly recovered, the shock in his eyes still palpable. He whispered in disbelief, "This is the supreme seal of the Rune People clan! Legend says it has never been used. What manner of person is sealed here that it required the deployment of the strongest rune?"

Ye Chen was momentarily stunned, not having time to press for details, when the colossal structure, which had stood for millennia, suddenly hummed. All sound in the world seemed to vanish.

This space was instantly frozen.

The green-robed elder’s mouth remained slightly ajar, stuck in the posture of speaking. Ye Chen's body was rigid; he couldn't even move his eyes. His entire form was enveloped by a mysterious power.

Ye Chen felt a jolt of alarm, preparing to activate his superhuman state to test if he could break free, when the giant structure flickered faintly. A beam of red light streamed out of a crevice, swift as lightning, and shot directly toward Ye Chen's head—so fast he had no time to react.

Upon striking Ye Chen's forehead, the red light adhered to the spot, gradually transforming into an exquisite, fiery red imprint. It slowly permeated his skin until it vanished.

With a deafening Boom, Ye Chen's mind went completely blank. He couldn't tell how long passed, but in a daze, he seemed to hear an ancient voice echoing from millions of miles away: "Go, child..."

As the voice faded, Ye Chen's vision gradually cleared. His body had somehow regained mobility. Before he could examine his surroundings, the view before him blurred violently. The scene abruptly shifted, revealing a wilderness area—he was standing on the sand where he had fallen into that underground world.

"What happened?" Ye Chen stood there, slightly bewildered. "Was all that just a dream?" He stamped his foot on the ground; he didn't fall through, causing him to frown deeply. He opened the Rune Space and commanded, "Come out, old man of the green robes."

The green-robed elder floated out of the ship, grumbling, "What do you want me for?"

Ye Chen glanced at him. "What was that about the strongest rune you mentioned?"

The green-robed elder paused. "What strongest rune?"

Ye Chen was puzzled. "What were you doing just now?"

The green-robed elder shrugged. "I've been inside the ship repairing things. What strongest rune are you talking about?"

Ye Chen frowned. "Nothing." He closed the Rune Space, raised his hand, and directed a surge of Qi outward. It struck the ground, blasting a large pit.

"The Qi is second-stage!" Ye Chen’s eyes flashed. "What happened wasn't an illusion; it was real. The memory of the green-robed elder was wiped. What exactly was inside that structure?"

He fell silent for a moment, then his ears twitched. He hadn't heard any sound nearby. He turned around, and upon seeing the scene, he froze. Where was the large pit? It was just flat sand, covered in old, scorched sand with no trace of a depression.

A light breeze blew.

The sunlight lacked warmth, feeling somewhat chilling on his skin.

Even with Ye Chen's composure, a prickle of dread crawled up his spine.

Had he encountered a ghost?

He shook his head, refusing to believe it, assuming too much time must have passed, filling the pit.

Wait—

Ye Chen's eyes widened. Too much time? In his previous life, he had heard tales of certain mysterious spaces where the passage of time differed drastically from the outside world—one second inside equated to ten years outside... Later, many scientists confirmed the existence of such four-dimensional spaces...

Whoosh

Ye Chen moved instantly, running frantically, a thread of terror in his eyes. He didn't want to stumble into one of those four-dimensional spaces, only to emerge and find the outside world utterly changed.

Run, run, run.

Ye Chen sprinted desperately toward the Base City.

After running for a short while...

"Roar!" A viper erupted from the sand, its eyes blood-red, lunging at Ye Chen with savage intent.

"Get lost!"

Ye Chen’s gaze turned violent. He didn't dodge but charged head-on, smashing a fist into the viper's gaping maw, driving it straight down its throat. His internal Qi surged, shattering the creature's entire head.

Ye Chen shook his hand off, without pausing, and continued his desperate dash toward the Base City. A strangely shaped monster, resembling a praying mantis, sprang out nearby. Before it could even attack, Ye Chen had already sped past.

The mantis monster froze, looking momentarily stunned, then became enraged, hopping and chasing after him.

Ye Chen charged straight ahead. When monsters occasionally lunged from the sides to ambush him, as long as they weren't directly blocking his path, he ignored them, focusing only on accelerating. A few hours later, Ye Chen reached the Tougou District and could faintly see the silhouette of the Base City in the distance. He increased his speed.

"Huh? What's charging over there?" A member of a small hunting team turned his head in surprise and saw a figure hurtling toward them from afar, moving incredibly fast.

"It’s just a person," another replied dismissively.

"Wait!" Suddenly, the first person's eyes widened in shock as he looked past Ye Chen. "He... he has a horde of monsters behind him!"

The others were startled. One of them raised binoculars and immediately saw the dust churning up behind Ye Chen—a multitude of monsters rushing forward, all zombie-like creatures. He gasped, quickly shouting, "Get ready! These are all speed-type monsters! Prepare to engage!"

The others quickly drew their firearms and aimed at the monsters behind Ye Chen. One man waved toward Ye Chen. "Brother, hurry over here! We'll take them down together!" In his view, anyone who could survive being chased by so many monsters must possess some skill.

Ye Chen did indeed run toward this small team.

The man’s face broke into a smile, about to speak, when Ye Chen whooshed past him. The man froze instantly, then heard his teammate shout, "Engaging formation! Fire!"

The man snapped out of his stupor, hastily gripping his firearm and aiming at the charging monsters.

"Dududududu..."

Beside him, another man operated a heavy machine gun, sending bursts of bullets spewing from the muzzle, making the entire weapon shake as if caught in a whirlwind.

"Roar!"

Angry roars erupted from the monster pack. Among them were pythons in the tens of levels, insects, dog-monsters, and more, all roaring at Ye Chen, seemingly infuriated by his complete "disregard" for them during his approach.

"Noisy," Ye Chen’s eyes turned icy cold as he turned. With a flick of his finger, the Blood Red Warblade materialized, so fast that the members of the small team, wholly focused on shooting the monsters, didn't even see it form.

Boom

Ye Chen took one stride, positioning himself directly in front of the small team.

Everyone stopped firing, staring at his back in astonishment. One man saw the three-meter-long Blood Red Warblade in his hand and nearly popped his eyes out. Seriously? It's just a fight, do you need a knife that big...?

"Brother, quickly fall back..." The man who had spoken earlier urged hastily.

"Die," a chilling word squeezed out from Ye Chen's lips. He stepped forward, the ground cracking beneath him, the muscles in his arm bulging as he swung the warblade down fiercely.

Slasher

A blade-light shot forth from the sword, resembling a crescent moon slice. With a thwack, the upper bodies of the rushing monsters were cleaved in two. These monsters were only at a few dozen levels; against second-stage Qi, they were destined for slaughter.

The man who had spoken hadn't finished his warning when he witnessed this scene, nearly biting off his own tongue.

...

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Data: Regarding four-dimensional space, a couple in Germany or some other country was driving when the air ahead became misty. When the mist cleared, they found themselves in a country on another continent—for them, it was just the blink of an eye. Example 2: During a hot air balloon event, several people ascended. Suddenly, they felt a numbness, and when they reappeared, it was thirty-plus years later. Their families had aged, but they remained the same. They had entered a mysterious four-dimensional space where an instant inside equated to decades outside. These are reportedly true events, though the old man’s memory is fuzzy. Everyone should go out for a stroll; you might time-travel, hehe. A