Upon returning to the beach, Chen Chuan saw that Chaoming had already retrieved Yuexi's golden melon hammer from the sea and planted it into the sand. The bird was circling and swooping above it, letting out a sharp chirp when it saw him approach.
He smiled faintly, set down his baggage, and walked over. Reaching out, he lifted the hammer, noticing that as he raised it, the sand on its surface flowed away completely, not a single grain clinging to it.
The weapon possessed an archaic, rustic design and carried an aura steeped in time; it was likely an antique handed down from ancient times. Judging by the ornamental remnants on its back, it had very likely been enshrined originally in some state religion temple.
In theory, because a mutated weapon was infused with internal mutated tissue, it would only ever belong to one master from beginning to end. Historically, however, there were cases of weapons being passed down between masters and disciples or across bloodlines. This likely involved special treatment methods, and certain so-called "guardian weapons" within the state religion had indeed been passed down across multiple generations.
This weapon seemed to be something similar; at any rate, it held great collectible value.
He looked toward the sea again. The corpse of the bronze hammer's owner also needed to be brought back when the time came, as it was a crucial piece of evidence.
However, the belongings the three men had brought, together with their own remains, added up to quite a substantial load. Carrying it all back by himself might prove troublesome, but fortunately, he had already devised a plan.
He gathered up the fragmented pieces here, taking care during the process to retrieve remnants of the shell that Tuner and Noche had originally possessed.
From the start, he had felt that this thing resembled some sort of active conscious entity, somewhat like the active conscious entities of Lianwei Heavy Control Company he had encountered before.
Could this affair bear the shadows of that company's involvement?
Although it was too early to draw a definitive conclusion, given what he knew of the situation, it would hardly be surprising if that company were truly involved. If so, he had seized a piece of evidence this time. Previously, he had lacked the means to pursue the matter deeply, but things were different now.
Of course, the primary players behind this should still be Yuanren Company and the Municipal Council.
All of that could wait until his return. Now that external interference had been cleared away, he would focus on completing his own plan first.
In fact, he had gained another harvest this time. After mastering the Grand Radiant Light Forms, his spiritual power had noticeably elevated. Hongfu was now able to draw greater spiritual and material support from him; virtually all the energy fueling her activity was supplied by him.
Previously, when facing the yaogui and other enemies, he could only sustain Hongfu's presence, allowing her to observe and analyze situations, but he could not send her forth to fight alongside him. That had remained the case until this recent shift.
Perhaps once his strength climbed further, it might even be possible to sustain Hongfu's presence for extended periods.
He cast a glance at the surging sea in the distance. Accompanied by thunderous roaring, the waves crashed relentlessly onto the shore. Closing his eyes to sense his surroundings for a moment, he turned and walked toward the bay to resume his previous hunting.
Having mastered the Grand Radiant Light Forms, he had no need to halt at night. Through non-stop hunting and ample feeding, in just two days, he finally gathered the requisite energy and nutrition.
Once night fell that day, a burst of light unfurled over him, shutting out the mutated pollution. Step by step, he strode onto the beach and came to a halt, assuming the stance of the Grand Firmament Forms amidst the rising surf.
The night passed swiftly. He did not stop, continuing his self-cultivation. As the energy and nutrients stored within his body drained away at rapid speed, his comprehension of this final form deepened by degrees, and he strode resolutely toward the culmination.
His practice continued straight until dawn the next morning. Just as the nascent daylight illuminated the Melded Lands once more, he finally succeeded in mastering the Grand Firmament Forms.
At the very moment of mastery, the mutated tissue in his body underwent yet another transformation, greedily swallowing the accumulated energy and nutrition like a whale gorging on water. This process lasted quite a while. When it all settled, the patch of beach beneath his feet suddenly collapsed downward, forming a hollow crater.
Yet he remained suspended in his original position as if standing upon invisible solid ground. Tangible-seeming currents faintly enveloped him, rolling rapidly from time to time.
Now, he eased out of his stance, letting his whole body relax. Yet even as his toes drooped downward, his body remained floating in midair.
He took stock of himself. If the Grand Radiant Light Forms leaned more toward the spiritual plane, then the Grand Firmament Forms leaned toward the physical plane.
A force field distinct from a biological field yet possessing tangible substance had formed around him. Fine grains of sand seemed frozen within it, yet with a single thought, they swirled into rapid rotation.
If such a force field were employed in actual combat, any opponent who drew near would be affected by this power and forced to expend far more fire of spirituality at every moment to resist it, granting him an immense advantage.
And if combined with the Grand Radiant Light Forms...
With a stir of his mind, brilliant flashing light radiated outward, merging seamlessly with the swirling force field. Flaring and dancing intermittently, it looked virtually like solar prominences—tongues of fire leaping from the sun's surface—and Chen Chuan, standing within it, was rendered almost invisible, his silhouette obscured.
Seeing this spectacle from above, Chaoming let out clear, resonant cries.
After sensing it for a moment, Chen Chuan thought to himself that fusing the two forms was indeed the most powerful state. Any enemy entering his field would suffer the continuous effects of both grand forms. If reinforced by the Heaven and Earth Furnace breathing technique, his combat potency could climb even further.
Notably, just like the Grand Radiant Light Forms, upon mastery, the Grand Firmament Forms also gave rise to a stable, spontaneous power that allowed him to remain slightly levitating at will. If he wished, or did not care about the impact and disruption to his surroundings, he could maintain it indefinitely.
Under normal circumstances, however, this was unnecessary. While it appeared on the surface as effortless as breathing, it was still sustained by his body; it was not truly cost-free.
Reflecting on it, if he were to face the yaogui in his current state, it would likely require almost no effort, as both grand forms possessed an obvious restraining effect against such polluted mutated entities.
However, going up against Guardian You at his peak prior to mutation would be another story. Combat intellect and experience were crucial factors, and that man originally possessed two additional heads—it was hard to say what abilities they held, but the enhancement was certainly far from negligible.
As he pondered, he noticed that maintaining both grand forms simultaneously incurred an enormous drain. The energy stored within his body was dropping steadily. If not for the support of his second self, this full-power state might only last ten or so breaths.
After all, theoretically speaking, only a martial artist who had reached the realm of Longevity View could unleash such power at full capacity.
The realm of Longevity View...
A bright glint appeared in his eyes. That was his next objective.
Only upon attaining that realm could one maintain the body's enduring prime without decline.
It was likely another intersection between spirit and flesh. As for how specifically to achieve it, he would have to review more records after returning.
With a shift of his thoughts, the light and force field surrounding him retracted, and he touched down steadily onto the ground. The objectives of this training journey were fulfilled; it was time to depart.
Before heading back, he prepared another fine meal on the beach and shared it with Chaoming. Afterward, he went nearby to capture a few creatures suitable for carrying cargo. Their temperament did not matter, nor did he fear their nighttime mutation; under the suppression of his spiritual power, they had no choice but to obey meekly.
For the return trek, he intentionally hastened his pace, barely lingering except to occasionally forage for valuable items. Whenever a pack beast could no longer keep up, he released it and caught another to take its place.
Even when night fell, he continued traveling without pause. Thus, in roughly six days, he returned to the fort where he had first set out.
The interior of the fortress was still entirely empty; there was no telling how many more groups of people had vanished here during his absence. After waiting there for two days, an airship arrived. Once aboard, instead of returning to Shengu City, he headed toward the Melded Lands garrison base.
Given the incident of martial artists unlawfully entering the territory, the Municipal Council would definitely be taken to task upon his return. Believing the Government Affairs Hall was also awaiting his word, he needed to coordinate beforehand with Yao Zhiyi and the Government Affairs Hall.
Three days later, the airship touched down atop a garrison fort situated at a frontline pass. Having received advance telegraph notice, Yao Zhiyi was already waiting there. As soon as Chen Chuan disembarked, Yao Zhiyi promptly invited him into the fortress reception room.
Yao Zhiyi personally poured him a cup of honey nectar before returning to his seat. "Section Chief Chen, we have verified intelligence that two martial artists crossed through the Melded Lands passage under the Municipal Council's oversight. I presume you have dealt with them by now."
Chen Chuan nodded. "I dealt with them. However, I actually encountered three martial artists."
"Three?"
Yao Zhiyi froze, a solemn look surfacing on his face. Three martial artists was an entirely different matter from two. Looking at Chen Chuan, he asked in a heavy voice, "Section Chief Chen, how did it go? You aren't injured, are you?"
Chen Chuan said, "Not at all."
Yao Zhiyi said gravely, "Good to hear you're unhurt. Where are they now?" He furrowed his brows and said seriously, "It seems I'll need to keep a close watch on the Melded Lands passages over the coming days."
In his view, even if Chen Chuan could handle three martial artists, it would be extremely difficult to make sure none escaped. Someone might have gotten away, meaning they would have to find a way to intercept them.
"There's no need for that." Chen Chuan patted one of the suitcases he had brought along and said with complete composure, "They're all right here."
Chapter 906