Chapter 605 - 331: Abyssal Life, Royal Court Visitors

The Creation Copper Heart was a serene, undisturbed space. After settling into a routine, Su Chen lived there methodically, constantly fine-tuning his condition.

The rapid flow of time in this environment distorted Su Chen’s perception. Without the Copper Spirit’s reminders, he would have no idea how long had actually passed.

On this day, Su Chen lay on his back on the obsidian-like ground, his eyes shut tight, conserving every last bit of Physical Strength.

CRACKLE—

Molten-gold electric arcs hissed and burst across his body. A fine, web-like pattern of golden lines surfaced on his skin, while crimson veins pulsed rhythmically beneath.

The ground beneath him had transformed into a crimson ocean. The flames were no ordinary color; up close, they appeared liquid, viscous, and heavy, swirling around his body like the tassels of a ceremonial crown.

The two forces tore at and fused with each other inside his body. With every crackle of an electric arc, the crimson flames blazed a fraction brighter.

At a certain point, Su Chen’s body trembled violently. His aura flared intensely for a moment before quickly returning to calm.

[Thunder Ash World Master development progress has reached 50%. Ability Gained—Venerable Lord: When in deep resonance with the Great Venerable Red Flame Thunder Resonator, reflecting its image onto yourself allows you to gain a 10% strength boost every ten seconds, for a maximum of a 100% boost.]

Su Chen let out a long sigh. The exhaled breath, wreathed in electric arcs and fiery light, stretched far into the distance.

’Not bad...’ Glancing at the system panel, Su Chen was quite satisfied. Although his power now stemmed primarily from his Holy Profession, his Main Profession served as the foundation for raising his base strength.

’Still, the ability I just awakened is excellent. My current build is focused on burst damage, so I can’t take full advantage of the maximum boost, but that might change after I melt a Permanent Body.’

’It’s been almost a month and a half, and I’ve only completed half the requirements for the Cauldron Maker. The time I’m spending in this endless abyss is far longer than I’d anticipated.’

The effort of pushing his progress left Su Chen feeling somewhat fatigued, so he decided to end his profession development session early.

He turned his head slightly and saw a large swath of flora growing at an accelerated rate. Some plants bore fruit, others bloomed with flowers, and then, just as quickly, they all withered and died.

’The Healing Sage profession requires observing a thousand different phenomena. Plants are the most efficient choice for this, as the evolutionary timelines for other living beings or minerals are too long to observe their various states.’

’The Dust Star Sea is impossibly vast; evolving a thousand different plant species is a simple task for the Copper Spirit.’

Several hours later, a sound like an alarm clock suddenly echoed through the void.

Su Chen’s eyes flickered, and he swallowed hard. ’Finally, time to eat.’

Life in this endless abyss had reawakened within him a primal craving for food and the satisfaction it brought.

It was the only thing worth sitting up for. He pushed himself up, and a table materialized before him. On it sat a large cut of roasted meat, from which browned fat oozed along the grain with a soft SIZZLE.

With practiced ease, Su Chen picked up a large piece and stuffed it into his mouth. The pungent heat of the secret spices exploded across his tongue, and the savory juices, carrying a robust, meaty aroma, shot through his senses.

"Ah..." He closed his eyes, groaning in satisfaction.

This was one of the few comforts in his monotonous existence. Nutritional Potions were time-savers, but they were still just artificial sustenance.

Chew. Swallow. By the time he felt a slight sense of fullness in his stomach, the food before him was nearly gone.

Still wanting more, Su Chen licked the last of the grease from his lips.

Then, he lay back down. He had been holding this posture for a long time, having discovered it was the best way to conserve Physical Strength.

...

No matter how big the news or how great the commotion, time eventually makes everything commonplace.

Nearly half a year had passed since the start of the preliminary selection, and the fact that Su Chen, a Tier Six, had taken first place no longer seemed so shocking.

The high-security zone within the Bronze Sect’s Star Port was isolated from the public. Few ships ever docked here; access was restricted to the upper echelons of the Bronze Sect and a few other accredited factions.

"Why isn’t he here yet?" Chu Ran paced back and forth in the docking area, glancing repeatedly at the Star Gate.

Before long, a ship the color of black jade approached, its surface traced with subtle, dark-blue patterns of light.

A docking arm extended from the port wall, precisely locking onto a concealed port on the ship’s underbelly.

The ship’s hull shuddered slightly before an invisible force guided it into the berth. The airlock sealed shut with a HISS of depressurizing air.

"He’s finally here!" Chu Ran’s face lit up, and he hurried forward.

WHOOSH— The cabin door slid open, and a tall, imposing figure emerged.

"Old Wei, you’re finally back!" Chu Ran strode forward excitedly and thumped Wei Zhenghong on his broad chest.

His joy was genuine. Chu Ran had only been about ten years old when Wei Zhenghong became Chu Lingyuan’s student; in a way, he had grown up in Wei Zhenghong’s shadow.

"Where’s Chairman Li?" Chu Ran craned his neck, peering into the cabin.

"He’s already gone back," Wei Zhenghong said, shaking his head. "He’s incredibly busy. This trip took over half a year, so he has a lot of catching up to do."

"Oh, right." It finally dawned on Chu Ran, and he asked, puzzled, "Why did you take so long? When other people undergo the Melting Holy Profession, it takes a month or two at most. How come you were gone for over half a year?"

"There were some complications," Wei Zhenghong said, a trace of fear still in his eyes. "It was a bit too soon for me to attempt the Melting Holy Profession. I almost died in the process. Luckily, the Chairman was there to watch over me, and I had some good fortune on my side. I barely made it back alive."

"The Melting Holy Profession is that dangerous?" Chu Ran asked, stunned.

Hearing this, Wei Zhenghong’s brow furrowed. "What kind of question is that? Of course the Melting Holy Profession is fraught with risk. Don’t get complacent just because the only people you’ve met are the ones who succeeded."