Chapter 573 - 241: Profound Spiritual Artifact, Ark Fire

「Ninghai Navy Department, Underground Command Center.」

When Noah’s gentle yet supremely authoritative words spread through the hall via Qin Feng’s communicator, a chill shot up everyone’s spine.

"A crude imitation of our race’s technology."

’Space-folding technology... it actually originated with the Intelligent Mechanism Race?!’

This realization stunned everyone.

The cutting-edge technology they took such pride in, which represented Great Xia’s greatest achievement in spatial engineering, had just been dismissed as a "crude imitation" by its true creators!

Lin Ye wasn’t particularly surprised by this answer.

Nor did he feel any shame.

In the world he came from, humanity also had a discipline called bionics.

The designs for many weapons and aircraft were inspired by life forms found in nature.

The same logic applied here in the Gao Wu Realm.

Learning from a superior enemy was nothing to be ashamed of.

"We... can’t get away." Qin Feng’s voice was laced with a grim resolve born from despair.

He whipped his head around, his gaze falling on the figure who remained perfectly calm, even while surrounded by the massive mechanical army.

"Lin Ye! Don’t mind us! We’ll do everything we can to clear out these grunts for you!"

The moment he finished speaking, Qin Feng let out a furious roar. A long saber materialized in his hand, and he became the first to charge into the surging tide of the Intelligent Mechanism army!

The other four squad members exchanged a glance, instantly grasping their captain’s resolve. They drew their weapons, formed a battle formation, and charged forward fearlessly to meet the enemy.

Lin Ye didn’t look back.

’He wasn’t going to let them die.’

His gaze had already pierced through the vast platform below, zeroing in on the control console protected by a bluish-purple energy shield.

In his sight, the scene was perfectly clear.

At the very center of the control console floated a cube, roughly half a meter on each side.

The object’s form was in constant flux, as if composed of billions of minuscule points of light and data streams. One moment it would coalesce into a perfect geometric shape, the next it would dissolve into a swirling cloud of vapor.

A torrent of pure energy and information coursed within it. With every pulse, Lin Ye felt a corresponding thrum in his own chest.

’The Ark Fire Seed Source!’

’The mission objective for Stage P4 is different from any of the previous ones.’

’Before, the missions always required me to eliminate some Lord-level entity.’

’But this time, the objective is to take control of the Sigma Ruins.’

’If I’m not mistaken, the core of the Stage P4 mission probably isn’t defeating Noah, but taking control of this Fire Seed Source!’

’But before that, I have to get this roadblock out of the way.’

Once he understood the key,

Lin Ye’s figure vanished. He shot forward with pure speed, making a beeline for Noah, who hovered above the massive army!

Noah neither dodged nor evaded. His fair, handsome face showed not even a flicker of emotion.

HUMMM—!

A terrifying Gravity Field erupted with Lin Ye at its center!

In an instant, the dozen or so Intelligent Mechanisms guarding Noah—all of them emitting A-rank energy fluctuations—were slammed downward as if struck by a giant, invisible hand, and they plummeted in unison.

However, Noah, at the very center of the Gravity Domain, remained utterly still—not even the hem of his clothes stirred.

Lin Ye’s pupils constricted slightly.

The next instant, he was before Noah. His pitch-black spear, Dark Night, shot forward with terrifying power, aimed straight for Noah’s heart!

CLANG—!!!

A piercing shriek of metal on metal exploded through the air!

The tip of Dark Night was pressed hard against Noah’s chest, yet it failed to pierce even an inch of his seemingly fragile skin!

Noah, on the other hand, slowly raised a fair hand. At a deliberate, unhurried pace, he reached for Lin Ye’s neck.

Lin Ye pulled his spear back to parry.

BOOM!

An unimaginable force traveled up the spear’s shaft. Lin Ye felt his arm go numb, and he was sent flying back dozens of meters, completely out of control!

’In a direct clash of strength, I’m actually at a disadvantage!’

"Feeble."

The single word escaped Noah’s lips, his voice flat, as if stating an irrefutable fact.

"...And ignorant."

A cascade of data streamed through Noah’s azure eyes.

"Inferior race. Even when you stumble upon a sliver of authority over the supreme laws of the universe, your application of it remains as crude as a child’s."

Before Noah finished speaking, Lin Ye suddenly felt a gravitational force lock him in place from all sides. It shared the same origin as his own power, but it was far more condensed, far more tyrannical.

He realized that Noah’s body was now also covered in an invisible force field!

’It was a Gravity Field, perfectly simulated through some unknown ability!’

’Its intensity even surpassed my own current Resonance Stage!’

Noah spread his fingers, aiming his palm at Lin Ye, and gently made a fist.

VZZT! VZZT! VZZT!

Dozens of gravitational singularities, invisible to the naked eye, instantly appeared in the space around Lin Ye!

Space itself was rapidly compressed, forged into invisible blades that sliced at him from every direction!

Lin Ye’s expression changed. He pushed his own Gravity Domain to its limits, forming a distorted force field around himself to block the assault.

However, Noah’s control was simply too masterful!

Those Gravity Blades seemed to possess wills of their own, constantly shifting their angles and frequencies. Each strike landed with pinpoint accuracy on the weakest nodes of Lin Ye’s defensive field.

Lin Ye could only dodge and weave awkwardly through the air, yet he was still completely flustered and on the defensive.

Noah hadn’t moved an inch. He simply hovered in place like an elegant conductor, casually plucking the strings of gravity itself, toying with Lin Ye as if he were a puppet.