Chapter 704: Permanent Body's New Ability - Doppelganger

“Old Hei really is a lifesaver,” Su Chen couldn’t help but sigh. He had just been stressing over his lack of Divine Blood and the Power of Faith, and here they were, delivered right to his doorstep.

“I wonder if this will be enough to refine Qin Yun into a Morning Star Residue,” he pondered inwardly. Although he hadn’t found the right opportunity yet, he had to prep the materials first. If a chance suddenly arose and he came up empty-handed, wouldn’t he be caught off guard?

The Divine Blood wasn’t too much of an issue; at the very least, he still had the excuse of the Melting Holy Profession to requisition it. The Faith Essences, however, were genuinely troublesome. He didn’t even have a valid reason to request them.

“Whether it’s enough or not, it’s still an unexpected windfall.”

Divine Blood had plenty of uses. He needed it for his Melting Holy Profession, but right now, he was severely lacking in various Deceitful God Essences.

The essences he had obtained from the Red Thunder Star some time ago had all been swallowed by the Permanent Body. Right now, he only had two or three portions left of the main ones he used. And to forge an eight-in-one Holy Profession, he would need at least eight portions of each type of essence. It was no small amount.

After some thought, Su Chen shifted his attention back to Black Tuo’s avatar.

“He Peiting… He Peiting…” he murmured. He opened his Wristband, found Jiang Mufeng, and sent him a message.

Soon, a data packet was sent over.

Su Chen pinched his fingers together and tossed the projection forward. The data packet expanded into a series of images revolving around him, all displaying names.

“He Peiting…” He swiped through them. This was the Holy Hall roster, which included quite a few familiar names.

He didn’t directly order an investigation into the name He Peiting. He didn’t know when Old Hei’s avatar would be exposed by him. When that time came, a direct investigation might draw unwanted attention. Of course, given his current status, he could probably brush it off with a few excuses.

But this was just a matter of spending a little extra time. It was better to be cautious.

Before long, Su Chen spotted the name He Peiting at the very bottom of the roster.

After he tapped on it, the other files retracted, making way for a new set of expanded data—all pertaining to He Peiting. The most prominent piece was the basic profile in the center, which included a photo of a rather bright and clean-cut teenager.

“Seventeen years old, Single Profound Purple Talent, a Tier Four Professional, promoted through the assessment and selection process,” Su Chen murmured.

The Bronze Sect maintained a comprehensive and rigorous talent screening system within its command. It wasn’t an event held only once every year or two; rather, it was in constant operation. All age-appropriate individuals under their command could participate in the assessment. As long as they met the qualifications, they could enter the Holy Hall, ascending to the heavens in a single bound.

This He Peiting was one of the recent recruits promoted through the assessment. He came from a dilapidated, minor family on a remote planet. His talent originally wasn’t considered high, but it had suddenly skyrocketed to a Single Profound Purple, allowing him to pass the screening.

Soon, Su Chen had investigated this person’s background inside and out.

“Should I expose his identity?”

Su Chen stared at the photo before him, rubbing his chin. He guessed that Old Hei had several motives for coming here. The reason he took Zhou Yunyang as his master was likely because his previous move against Qin Tianlin had caused him heavy losses, and he wanted to confirm whether that guy had actually deceived him.

However, Zhou Yunyang actually knew nothing at all, which ironically dispelled some of Old Hei’s suspicions. Furthermore, he also needed an excuse to freely enter and exit the Copper Heart.

“Zhou Yunyang shouldn’t run into any trouble in the short term. His next target would be me. The power his avatar can exert isn’t very strong, so the Divine Blood and the Power of Faith are probably meant to compensate for this flaw.

“Then there’s Falling Fire. With the Ancient King absent, this is indeed a rare opportunity. The third objective is likely to assist Falling Fire.”

Su Chen calculated in his mind. “His need for these things also indirectly shows that without the aid of external items, his avatar is actually powerless to do anything.

“If I expose him, who knows where he’ll strike from next? Keeping him where I can see him is actually much more reassuring. Plus, I can take the opportunity to fleece him…”

“The Iron Rhino Star…” He murmured the name and waved his hand dismissively. The virtual screens surrounding him vanished instantly. He then opened his contact list, found Bu Siqi, and told him to come over as soon as possible.

Inside a certain building at the core of the Royal Court.

Han Xingliu was lying inside a medical pod in the top-floor room, his breathing steady. The equipment screens on either side flickered continuously with various streams of data.

Suddenly, hurried, bustling noises echoed from outside the door.

“Your Highness! Your Highness, you cannot go in!”

“His Highness Xingliu needs quiet… rest!”

The voice suddenly spiked in pitch. The heavy doors were shoved open, slamming against the walls on either side with a loud BANG.

A heroic figure strode in, followed by a massive, imposing entourage. The guards who had tried to block their path were flushed red in the face.

Han Xingliu, bare-chested, suddenly opened his eyes. He looked at the newcomer, a trace of gloom flashing through his gaze before he forced out a smile. “Third Brother, what brings you here?”

The newcomer was the third son of the Hanhai Emperor—another Star Seed, and a strong contender for the position of the next Royal Court Emperor, Han Xiao.

“To see you, of course.”

Han Xiao stepped forward, his heroic features bearing a seventy-percent resemblance to the Hanhai Emperor. He looked Han Xingliu up and down, his eyes filled with shared indignation as he spoke in a harsh tone.

“To think someone wounded you to this extent, and you still haven’t recovered! Just who has such colossal nerve? Damn them!”

Han Xingliu took a deep breath. “It’s nothing more than some reckless fools trying to stir up trouble while Father is missing. Don’t worry, Third Brother. Your little brother is still very much alive.”

“Mhm.” Han Xiao smiled, offering words of comfort. “Then you should rest well. Failing to claim the position of Star Leader wasn’t a flaw in your combat skills, so there’s no need to take it to heart. Who could have known that Su Chen would be so powerful?”