Having absorbed a few wisps of Life Essence, Ye Chen immediately felt that this essence contained an overwhelming surge of malevolent energy, like a living, primordial beast roaring at him.

For any ordinary person, this would have been enough to cause their meridians to collapse and their consciousness to scatter. Fortunately, Ye Chen had accumulated vast amounts of slaughter in his life, so he did not panic. He frowned slightly, moved his will, shielded his five senses, and focused entirely on refining the energy.

However, even after suppressing the malevolent aura, when his Devouring Qi began to decompose this force, it was jarring and rigid, like steel gears grinding against an iron plate—the decomposition proved arduous.

Ye Chen was inwardly startled. He hadn't expected this primordial beast’s energy to be so terrifying, a force so potent that even his Devouring power struggled to break it down! It was important to remember that with his Seven-Attribute Talent, he possessed 21,000 types of energy synthesis, and the decomposition ability of his Devouring Qi was the strongest among them. If even this power failed, all other energies would be utterly useless.

Is this all there is? Ye Chen felt unwilling to yield. He clenched his fists, pouring all his vital energy forward, like the gaping maw of a skeletal giant, snatching at the emerald green Life Essence clinging to the skeleton.

Refine!

Refine!

Ye Chen swallowed the Life Essence from the skeleton into his body, subjecting it to frantic refinement and decomposition. Before long, a look of sudden joy crossed his face as he realized the intense energy was not un-decomposable after all; it merely demanded a significantly greater expenditure of time.

Seeing hope, Ye Chen worked with even greater fervor in his refinement.

Time slipped by quietly…

Dong—

In the city-base, the bell signaling dawn chimed. The morning sun rose, bathing the streets and alleys in prosperity. Day after day, people—their blades stained with blood, weapons tucked into their belts, draped in animal hides—braved the cool morning wind, heading toward the glaciers to begin their excavation work…

In the vast plaza of the Ancient Martial Civilization, formations of the regular army from the Brightness Base City, clad in matching, finely forged white-gold armor, began their morning drills. At the sharp cries of their instructors, their movements were perfectly synchronized, a single, crisp unit.

People came and went… suns rose and set…

Six days into Ye Chen’s second seclusion, a contingent of troops in pale gold armor, braving the wind and snow, marched from the north. They traversed the deep snow to the entrance of the ruins of the Brightness Base City. After exchanging a few quiet words with the gatekeepers, they gained entry. Soon after, a high-ranking general from the military command, adorned in exquisitely crafted armor styled after Atlantis, came out to greet them at the doorway.

This group numbered about twenty individuals, all excellently equipped and fully provisioned. Aside from their armor and cold weapons, they also carried their own firearms, such as small M-3 cannons, Type-9 energy pistols, high-focus goggles, and spatial-folding binoculars—technological items far removed from spiritual civilization.

Under the general’s guidance, the delegation was led to a reception room where they were entertained with music and dance. After a short wait, they were escorted by Xu Tianguo into the main council hall.

The spacious hall featured a long, round table laden with fresh fruit and red wine.

With Ye Chen absent, Xu Tianguo occupied the central platinum throne, projecting an air of stern authority tempered by refined bearing, every inch a commanding general. To his left sat the Vice Ministers of Commerce, Industry, Agriculture, and Science departments, while the right side was occupied by the senior generals of the military command.

In the Brightness Base City, this arrangement constituted a mid-level meeting, a sight seldom seen in routine times.

The leader of the visiting army, accompanied by two aides, sat below the long round table, facing Xu Tianguo directly. This man possessed thick, knife-like eyebrows, high cheekbones, and thin lips. His pale blue eyes held a mixture of melancholy and stern authority, making him strikingly handsome, radiating powerful masculine charm at the presumed age of twenty-seven or twenty-eight.

Behind him, the two aides stood rigidly, their expressions blank, though when their eyes swept over the assembly, a subtle trace of arrogance and disdain flickered within them.

“Chairman Xu!” the army leader began slowly, speaking in halting, broken Chinese. “My name is Togel. I come on behalf of my ‘Celestial Alliance’ to bring tidings to your esteemed city and invite you to join our ranks, to fulfill grand ambitions. There will be countless benefits to be gained!” As he spoke, he reached inside his robe, withdrew a letter, and placed it on the smooth round table, sliding it across.

A nearby guard took the letter with both hands and presented it to Xu Tianguo.

Xu Tianguo’s expression remained placid, revealing nothing of his inner thoughts. He sat steadily on the platinum throne, unfolded the letter, and scrutinized its contents for a long moment. The letter read:

To the Esteemed Brightness Base City:

My name is Sam Hitt. I hail from Mexico. Knowing that the Brightness Base City is the premier base in Asia, China, I sincerely invite you to join our ‘Celestial Alliance’ so that we may discuss dominion and safeguard the future of human civilization!

Should you agree to join, your existing rank and status shall remain unchanged. Furthermore, we will gift you a thousand high-grade monster corpses, ten thousand bottles of high-grade gene serum, and shared access to the technological research and development from the Cuban Civilization, the Sigel Civilization, the Ancient Egyptian Civilization… and more!

…

Xu Tianguo finished reading silently, then placed the letter down with an impassive face. He looked up at Togel and said calmly, “Mr. Togel, you have traveled a great distance to reach our Brightness Base City. I trust the journey was arduous. Please rest here for a few days; I will consult with my peers and naturally provide a response.”

Togel’s eyes flickered, as if he had anticipated this reply. A faint curve touched his lips, and he leaned back slightly, gazing at Xu Tianguo with profound implication. “Chairman Xu, you must give this careful consideration. There is a saying in China: ‘A wise man submits to circumstances.’ ” The unspoken threat was clear: Do not be unwise.

One of the generals to the right could not restrain himself. He shot to his feet, his fist clenched so tightly that the veins on the back of his hand bulged. His voice carried a sharp note of anger. “Who the hell do you think you are, threatening us?”

Togel cast a cold sidelong glance at him, offering a cold smile without a word. The two aides behind him had their hands resting on their sword hilts, staring back at the general without fear.

Xu Tianguo frowned and commanded, “Guan Chong, stand down! Togel is an honored guest; how can you be so rude?”

Everyone present, being sharp-witted and seasoned veterans of political maneuvering, immediately understood the subtle meaning of Xu Tianguo’s rebuke. It implied, “One adopts the appropriate attitude for the person one is dealing with.” By chastising Guan Chong for rudeness, Xu Tianguo was subtly mocking Togel by suggesting Togel himself had been impolite first.

The Vice Ministers on the left, aware of Xu Tianguo’s high status, were secretly amused by this momentary display of temper, yet they also found it noteworthy.

Guan Chong, who had been a mere butcher in peacetime, encountered Xu Tianguo by chance and subsequently rendered great service, rising quickly through the ranks. He held Xu Tianguo in deep respect. Although he didn't grasp the finer subtleties of the exchange, his anger still burned. He merely clasped his hands in salute and sat down.

Togel, however, missed the hidden implication. A hint of smugness crossed his eyes as he glanced dismissively at Guan Chong. When he looked toward Xu Tianguo, a sliver of contempt surfaced. He rose gracefully, preparing to turn and leave. Suddenly, his gaze caught the fresh fruit on the table. His eyes gleamed. He reached out, picked up an apple, and studied it as if admiring a flower. “The soil here is truly remarkable to produce such delicate fruit,” he commented. “But lovely appearance does not guarantee good taste.”

With that, he delicately set the fruit down and turned to depart.

Only after Togel had left did Xu Tianguo’s expression slowly darken. With a snap of his fingers, a burst of wind-attributed energy shot out, shredding the letter into fine powder.

“Hmph, a pack of foreign mongrels!” Guan Chong couldn't help but curse once Togel was gone.

Several of his general friends standing nearby tried to soothe him, laughing. “Why bother with such a person? If a mad dog bites you, do you go and bite the mad dog back?”

Another nodded in agreement. “Exactly. That man learned a few phrases of Chinese and called himself ‘this humble one’ (bǐrén). Does he know that term is traditionally used by uncultured folk from the wilderness, meaning coarse and simple? I think he spoke the truth about himself—he really is a bǐrén!”

Guan Chong burst into loud laughter upon hearing this.

The Vice Ministers on the left, possessing deeper political sophistication, remained outwardly composed, subtly observing Xu Tianguo’s demeanor. If he agreed to the alliance, their own positions might be shaken—for better or worse, they couldn't be sure.

In times of political upheaval, they ultimately could only drift with the tide…

A military officer suddenly asked, “Now that the blue-eyed dog has left, why did he suddenly praise the fruit? It felt like he was mocking us.”

“Indeed,” murmured the Vice Minister of Commerce on the left. “The underlying meaning was that we are flashy but useless, and that agreeing to ally with us is actually doing us a favor. The implication was that he hoped Chairman Xu wouldn't delay; he has no leisure time to wait around in a useless place, much like how no one in the apocalypse has time for the idle pleasure of admiring flowers.”

The assembled generals understood at once and became furious.

In reality, while the Vice Minister of Commerce’s interpretation wasn’t entirely accurate, it was close enough.

Xu Tianguo knew everyone awaited his decision. He sighed faintly, waved his hand, and stated, “I must report this matter to the Chairman. Only with his explicit approval can this decision move forward. There is no need for alarm, everyone.”

The Vice Minister of Agriculture quickly asked, “May I ask where the Chairman is at this moment?” Seeing Xu Tianguo’s troubled look and recalling Ye Chen’s elusive nature, he posed the question.

Xu Tianguo managed a wry smile. “The Chairman is within the city-base, but he is currently in deep seclusion. Unless it is a matter of grave importance, it would be improper to disturb him.”

The others exchanged glances, sharing wry smiles.

Xu Tianguo dismissed them with a wave. “Let these visitors wait a few more days. This trifling matter is hardly worth disturbing the Chairman for.”

The others considered this and agreed—the Chairman held a status of immense importance; making these uncouth visitors wait a bit longer was only proper.

Xu Tianguo then issued an instruction. “Over the next few days, notify the City Management Department to monitor the movements of that delegation.”

“Yes!”

“Meeting adjourned!”

Everyone paired off with friends, chatting as they filed out of the hall.

…

Following the incident with Togel, Xu Tianguo immediately notified the Intelligence Bureau to investigate everything known about the Celestial Alliance. They were tasked with delivering a full report to him by noon the following day.

The efficiency of the Brightness Base City was exceptional, and with the current Ice Age making overland travel easy and the wilderness free of monsters, a dossier on the Celestial Alliance was compiled swiftly.

Xu Tianguo scrutinized the data for a while, his expression shifting to one of unease and considerable displeasure.

…

Meanwhile, on the other side, Ye Chen sat cross-legged in the grand hall, cultivating quietly.

Above his head, black mist billowed upwards, coalescing into a terrifying, ferocious black skull. The skull was actively devouring the skeleton of the primordial beast. Filaments of emerald green Life Essence drifted up from the bones, swallowed by the skull, and condensed into pure vital energy that flowed into Ye Chen’s body.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

The sound of Ye Chen’s heartbeat gradually intensified, eventually becoming a deafening roar like rolling thunder. His entire body suddenly swelled, forcing him to open his eyes, a flash of excitement crossing his gaze.

Boundless strength was retracting within his body…