Chapter 588 - 370: Fangs of Burning Steel, Method to Enter the Ruins (Part 2)

Chapter 588: Chapter 370: Fangs of Burning Steel, Method to Enter the Ruins (Part 2)

Then there was Egg Pancake. Blessed with its Ancient Dragon Bloodline, grasping Soul Force seemed a little easier for it than for Yin Yi. Still, it was like someone lost at a maze’s exit, perpetually unable to find the way through.

Han Ning really had no solutions for this kind of cultivation, which relied purely on enlightenment. Even his system panel offered few clues.

But times had changed. Although the Tri-Race Alliance had just found a relatively stable new home where they could seemingly rest and recover, Han Ning keenly sensed an undercurrent of danger.

From afar, there was the constant threat of the Alatake Clan’s Emperor discovering their whereabouts at any moment.

Closer to home, if the Flame Boar People discovered their firearms trade with the Steel Elephant Race, they would undoubtedly risk being dragged into the war.

This particular threat wasn’t too alarming, however, as Bobo Man’s Vast Sea Profound Turtle Fleet stood guard.

Then there was the worm crisis involving the Witch Spirit Race, which always left him feeling unsettled.

’A storm is brewing...’

’I thought I could use the remains of the Burning Steel Mammoth to help Fei Lin comprehend Soul Force ahead of schedule. Instead... the two tribes have been plunged into the mire of war.’

’Finding an Emperor Level patron to travel to the Sea of Death Stars... a round trip could take years. If some disaster befell the Steel Elephants in the meantime, affecting Bobo Man and the Tri-Race Alliance, I’d be far away in an Exotic Realm, unable to help in time.’

After weighing his options, Yu Yang ultimately decided to settle down and focus on guiding his Soul Beasts’ Cultivation.

Aside from a few specific locations, the Heaven-Reaching Tower was the best place for rapid Cultivation progress. The various environments simulated on the 35th Heaven could help his Soul Beasts accelerate their comprehension of Soul Force.

He decided to wait until the situation with the Steel Elephants took a clear turn for the better before planning his next move.

...

「Time passed.」

A year and a half went by in a flash.

Thanks to their relentless, round-the-clock training, all four of Han Ning’s Soul Beasts had reached Monarch IV in their Spiritual Energy reserves.

Huaimiao, who had joined later, also successfully broke through to the Monarch Level and was beginning to comprehend how to use a Domain.

"Lord Han Ning, the Chieftain has instructed me to inform you that the vast majority of Flame Boar Beastmasters on the front lines have been driven out of the ruins. Our Steel Elephant Race now has the upper hand. The Chieftain invites you and Lord Bobo Man to the ruins to explore the interior together."

One morning, while staying at the Grey Stone Tribe’s estate and playing with his Soul Beasts, Han Ning received a message from a Steel Elephant Beastmaster.

’Has the tide of war finally turned...?’

Upon hearing this, Han Ning stopped what he was doing and gazed into the distance.

A lot had happened over the past year and a half.

First, the Three Steel Elephant Tribes had officially signed a series of Spiritual Contracts with the Tri-Race Alliance. These agreements covered numerous areas, including trade in firearms and various materials, Soul Beast breeding exchanges, Beast Master exchange programs, and more.

From that point on, supplied with resources by the Steel Elephant Race, the Tri-Race Alliance went into full production. They opened hundreds of new firearm production lines and recruited local Steel Elephant People to help manufacture the weapons.

A constant stream of weapons was delivered to the Steel Elephant Warriors on the front lines. The overwhelming suppressive fire made the Flame Pig Clan suffer immensely.

Six months ago, three strategic nuclear missiles descended upon a Flame Boar tribe, decisively tipping the scales of victory in the Steel Elephants’ favor.

The sudden appearance of these strange weapons, coupled with the immense losses of their tribespeople and Soul Beasts, drew the full attention of the Flame Boar high command.

In just over a year, the various Steel Elephant tribes suffered a string of infiltration attempts by elite Flame Boar Beastmasters.

However, thanks to Bobo Man’s Vast Sea Profound Turtle Fleet providing covert protection and Grey’s stealth abilities, not a single member of the Tri-Race Alliance was ever harmed.

Meanwhile, thanks to the orders from the Steel Elephant Race and frequent dealings with the Bobo Family, the strength of all the Beast Masters in the Tri-Race Alliance grew by leaps and bounds.

Academician Zhou Mingkai even became the first human besides Han Ning to break through to Tier Four.

Following closely behind them, a group of the academy’s old guard—Dean Wu, Teacher Fang, Teacher Liang, Lin Tianhe, Liang Jingjing, and others—also broke through to Tier Four one after another.

Liu Mengting, who had joined later, along with a few other exceptionally talented humans, also gradually reached the Tier Four level.

The group of humans Han Ning had saved in the last two years had also gradually matured and grown stronger.

The number of Monarch Level Soul Beasts belonging to humans steadily increased. All that was missing was a powerful being who could break through to the Emperor Level.

The humans even had newborns among them. The oldest of the first batch of infants born in the Purple Crystal World was already a year old.

It wasn’t just the humans; the factions of Qing Fan’s Dragon Blood and Ah Yu’s Hexagon also grew increasingly powerful.

Over the years, after witnessing the many miraculous abilities of Han Ning and the other humans, the members of the other two races had changed. While they may have initially harbored some reservations, they now, at least outwardly, fully acknowledged the humans as their leaders.

The humans’ Heaven-Reaching Tower, their university for advanced learning, and their various research institutions all provided immense support for the development of their people.

Never mind the Dragon Blood and Hexagon; even the Steel Elephants, allied for only a year and a half, already had at least a hundred of their Beast Masters attending the university founded by Dean Wu and Academician Zhou.

Han Ning had always wanted Dean Wu to name the university, but the dean refused. He wanted to wait until humanity was truly secure and the university’s buildings were solidly constructed on safe ground before he would bestow a name upon it.

"Egg Pancake."

"KREE!"

A crimson shadow shot out the window, rapidly expanding until it became a majestic Giant Dragon over ten meters tall, hovering outside the building.

After so many years together, Egg Pancake already knew his intentions without a word.

"Hey, hey! Wait for me! I’m not late, am I?!"

Just as Han Ning and his Soul Beasts stepped onto Egg Pancake’s back, a playful voice called out from the distance.

Bobo Ka’s shell spun as it carried Bobo Man, sliding to a stop in front of Egg Pancake.

To the long-lived Bobo Man, a year and a half was merely the blink of an eye. The fellow was still the same old cheerful prankster.

"Since everyone’s here, let’s go."

With that, Egg Pancake gave a low roar and shot into the sky like a crimson meteor.

...

The Soul-devouring Wilderness, located on the edge of Steel Elephant territory, was a vast, uninhabited plain littered with sun-bleached bones.

It was a paradise for wild Soul Beasts, home to countless beasts that provided the Steel Elephant Tribe with a rich supply of high-quality Soul Beast cubs, food, and various mineral veins.

Though barren on the surface, it was in truth a land of hidden bounty.

A crimson meteor streaked across the sky.

Wherever it passed, Steel Elephant Beastmasters below moved to intercept, but when their Spiritual Perception detected the unique aura of a Temple Priest, they halted their actions and watched the meteor fly on.

Over 3,700 kilometers from the Grey Stone Tribe, a circular area shimmering with a sacred silver light came into Han Ning’s view.

He directed Egg Pancake to slow down and approach the edge of the silver-lit area.

WHOOSH~

A fierce wind howled the moment Han Ning’s feet touched the dark brown soil.

In the silver-lit area nearby, a massive vortex materialized, generating a powerful suction that pulled them all inside.

When Han Ning opened his eyes again, he found himself before a group of towering Steel Elephant People clad in silver silk robes.

There were over a dozen of them, the shortest standing at least three meters tall, with the tallest approaching four meters.

Standing before him, they looked like iron towers, exuding a heavy, oppressive pressure.

To say nothing of the intangible Spiritual Suppression they emanated, which was even more terrifying.

Han Ning’s Spiritual Perception screamed warnings at him; each of these brawny Steel Elephants possessed at least Profound Moon Level Spiritual Quality. As for their Spiritual Level, it was indiscernible!

’So, these are the highest echelons of the Steel Elephant Race. A group of masters powerful enough to destroy a world.’

The thought flashed through Han Ning’s mind as he raised his head, meeting their gazes without a hint of servility or arrogance, and offered a polite smile.

"Good afternoon, esteemed Chieftains, Your Holiness the Burning Steel Pope, and Your Excellency the Bishop."

"Good afternoon."

With Gang Long’s gentle smile, the tense atmosphere in the area instantly dissipated.