Seventy or eighty kilometers away, resting on the trunks of trees, sat Bai Yijun, Nan Tian, and You Yue. After a moment, You Yue snapped his eyes open, a shock flickering in their depths. "How is this possible? Not only did he survive, but he actually slew that Pseudo-Demigod level Lost Soul?"

Nan Tian opened his eyes, his expression turning grave, a fervent heat burning deep within. He murmured, "The cultivation technique that person used in the end—it’s extraordinary!"

"Indeed!" You Yue nodded deeply. "That colossal palace was conjured entirely from ghost energy, yet its structure is incredibly complex. Especially those three monsters; they appear to be constructs made from a special combination of his power. Each one consumed only a fraction of his energy, yet they could unleash their full combat potential!"

"If they self-destruct, the resulting damage is multiplied tenfold!"

"This cultivation manual actually amplifies damage by thirty times! A first-tier Ghost-God Realm expert with only 100 points of ghost energy could use it to challenge a seventh-tier powerhouse!"

A peculiar light shone in You Yue's eyes. "This individual, only possessing Ghost-God Realm cultivation, can bring out such combat power from this set of secret manuals. If we were to cultivate it, we might ascend to even greater heights! With my strength, if I could obtain this technique, I could contend with a peak Demigod!"

The Demigod Realm is categorized into Initial, Middle, Late, and Peak stages!

For You Yue, an Initial Demigod expert, reaching the peak through sheer personal effort would take at least two hundred years, perhaps even longer!

Yet, a single cultivation manual could negate such a vast expanse of training time. Just how heaven-defying must this technique be?

With his intellect, he could surmise with absolute certainty that the importance of this secret manual could not be compensated for even by a peak Demigod weapon; it was simply a priceless treasure!

A thirty-fold damage amplification!

You Yue felt his breathing quicken. He clenched his fists, his nails digging deeply into his palms. If not for the overwhelming apprehension he felt regarding his Sect, he would sooner hunt down Ye Chen and defect from the Scarlet Meteor Gate without a second thought.

However...

The Scarlet Meteor Gate, as one of the two major Sects in Azure Water City, possessed deep roots, having been established for millennia. Its influence was colossal. If he were to rebel, with You Yue's experience, he could perfectly envision the kind of siege he would face!

"Right!" You Yue thought inwardly. "I cannot force him. Otherwise, even if I obtained the manual, hiding in some corner to train diligently would be futile. Staying out here amidst the pervasive noxious gases without returning to the city's medical center for check-ups, viral cleansing, and vaccinations, I would swiftly become a Lost Soul!"

"In that case, I must resort to purchasing it."

"This kid was recruited by Elder Chi Yang from Thunder Roar Plaza. He must be newly arrived from Earth's civilization, perhaps having stumbled upon some prehistoric ruin there. He's truly lucky! I'll offer him 1,000 top-grade Ghost Stones directly? Hmm, 1,000 top-grade Ghost Stones equates to 100,000 low-tier Ghost Stones. For an ordinary Ghost-God Realm expert, this wealth is enough to purchase a multitude of items. A peak Ghost Treasure only costs a few thousand Ghost Stones. This quantity of top-grade Ghost Stones is enough to acquire dozens of peak Ghost Treasures!"

Thinking of this, a smile touched You Yue's lips. He clearly understood the seductive power of Ghost Stones. The entire fortune of an average Ghost-God Realm expert wouldn't exceed 1,000 Ghost Stones. If he offered Ye Chen 100,000 Ghost Stones, for someone in the Ghost-God Realm, this was an astronomical sum!

"With so many Ghost Stones, I only need him to copy a set for me. He shouldn't refuse," You Yue mused, growing ever more pleased, a smile spreading across his face. 100,000 Ghost Stones were not a major expense for him; a single Demigod Stone was equivalent to 1,000 Ghost Stones!

Exchanging just 100 Demigod Stones could secure a secret manual that multiplied killing power by thirty times!

Given the foundation of an inner disciple of the Scarlet Meteor Gate, producing 100 Demigod Stones was feasible, and he wouldn't feel the least bit pained parting with them, as techniques that generally amplified killing power threefold could fetch that price!

Manuals that increased combat power fivefold were considered top-tier, rare sights, commanding a sky-high price that even Pseudo-God Realm experts would covet if encountered!

It must be known.

Nine Absolutes Spear itself amplified combat power ninefold! And this current manual belonged to the Divine level, enough to drive Pseudo-God Realm experts into a frenzy.

Although any stage of a peak weapon could amplify power by a factor of 'a' times, the secret manual provided further amplification on top of this ninefold boost!

If a peak weapon was combined with a manual that amplified combat power fivefold, the total amplification reached forty-five times!

If Ye Chen's Nine Palaces secret technique were pushed to its extreme, summoning nine guardians whose combined self-destruction would result in a staggering ninety-fold amplification!

And if Nine Absolutes Spear was cultivated to its peak, yielding a ninefold combat power amplification, coupled with a peak weapon, it could achieve a staggering twenty-seven-fold combat power!

Both these secret methods were Divine-level cultivation techniques. If they were put up for sale, the Pseudo-God Realm experts throughout Azure Water City would erupt into a frenzy.

"Thirty times damage amplification..." Nan Tian's eyes were alight with fervor. "The true power of this manual is certainly more than this. This person, merely in the Ghost-God Realm, achieved this level of effect. What would happen if I used it, or a Pseudo-God Realm expert used it?"

Thinking of this, his heart burned hot.

Just then, a cool voice cut through the air. "Both of you had best harbor no improper thoughts, or suffer the consequences."

Their bodies froze. Turning, they saw Bai Yijun had already closed her eyes. Nevertheless, those words clearly weighed heavily upon their minds, like a great stone.

After a moment, You Yue suddenly chuckled, "Little Tian, you lost. One ordinary Demigod weapon, you promised!"

Nan Tian rolled his eyes, retorting irritably, "I won't short you. It's only worth a little over a hundred Demigod Stones; I wouldn't go back on my word over that!"

You Yue laughed. "I naturally trust your character, hehe..."

"Hmm?" Suddenly, Nan Tian frowned, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "We have a good show coming up."

"Oh?" You Yue paused, then frowned and shook his head helplessly. "That fellow is unlucky. Just after finishing off that Lost Soul, having completely depleted his ghost energy, he runs into a group of robbers. These people are just outer disciples; they don't understand the terror of the Scarlet Meteor Gate. To openly attack other assessment takers..."

He stood up, magnificent in bearing. "Let's go teach those brutes a lesson!"

Nan Tian smiled slightly. "No rush. Let's see what other trump cards this fellow has."

You Yue paused, then his eyes lit up, and he sat back down.

Behind the two, Bai Yijun maintained a cold expression, meditating with her eyes closed. Suddenly, her delicate brow furrowed slightly, and a blue light flashed between her brows as a wisp of aura drifted outward...

In the jungle.

Soul Crystal! Ye Chen looked at the cobblestone-sized crystal core in his hand, his eyes blazing. Merely holding it, he could feel the intense energy within the Soul Crystal.

Ye Chen didn't linger. He tucked the Soul Crystal into his robes, preparing to leave this place of trouble and find a secluded spot to refine it!

Suddenly—

"Heh heh heh..."

"What great luck!"

"Kid, stop right there!"

A series of arrogant, unrestrained voices shot toward him from a distance. Three figures slowly descended from the sky, landing before Ye Chen: a Bruun, an individual from the Psionic Civilization, and a Serpent Person from the Hermaphrodite Civilization!

Seeing the trio, Ye Chen's heart sank.

"Kid, don't hide it," the hideous-looking Bruun cackled menacingly. "We saw the whole scene of you slaying that Angel Civilization Lost Soul. Heh heh, hand over that Pseudo-Demigod Soul Crystal!"

Ye Chen remained expressionless, replying flatly, "How did you know?"

"Hmph!" The tall, slender, stern-faced man from the Psionic Civilization boasted arrogantly. "When I was six, I participated in my clan's test and awakened the 'Spatial Domain' psychic ability! With my current power, I can observe anything within a kilometer radius around myself. If I focus this range into a straight line, like a scanner, I can see things up to five kilometers away!"

The Serpent Person swayed its tail, its entire body of pale gold scales faintly glowing. Its eyes were mesmerizing, darting its tongue. Its voice was gratingly unpleasant. "We were four kilometers away. He was using his psychic ability to scan for nearby dangers and unexpectedly witnessed what happened here. Heh heh, judging by the aura on you, you must have little ghost energy left. I advise you to quickly hand over the Soul Crystal, and we might spare your life!"

Ye Chen's expression was normal, but beneath his palm, he was secretly channeling his Devouring Power, concealing the Soul Crystal in his clothes while slowly drawing out wisps of brilliant Light Element energy.

This Lost Soul was originally a being with Light Element talent. The energy within this Soul Crystal was extremely pure; amidst the massive influx of Light Element energy, there was a trace of pale gold energy with a distinct signature. This flowed into his body through his palm, where the Devouring Power forcibly tore and ground it apart.

"En?" As this energy surged into his body, Ye Chen felt all his muscle cells, including the injuries sustained from the rat monster's earlier attack, become invigorated. His blood circulation accelerated, his recovery progressed smoothly, and his already robust muscles were tempered to be even tougher and stronger.

"My physique increased by 100 levels!" Ye Chen’s eyes flashed, a hint of surprise crossing their depths. A Lost Soul at the tenth layer of the Ghost-God Realm, even if one consumed the entire Soul Crystal, would only increase physique by 1,000 levels!

Yet, by devouring just a mere wisp—about one percent—of this crystal core, his physique increased by 100 levels. How much would it increase if he absorbed it all?

Just then, the Bruun scrutinized Ye Chen for a moment before coldly demanding, "If you are unwilling to hand over the Soul Crystal, that's fine. But you must tell us what secret manual you used to deal with that Lost Soul. Say the word, and I will spare your life!"

Ye Chen gave him a cold look, silently calculating in his mind. At this juncture, his only option was to activate the Lightning Superman Mode and flee. Without hesitation, he suddenly raised a finger and pointed behind the Serpent Person, exclaiming in surprise, "You're not dead?"