Infinite Puzzle City

Chapter 749 Repairing the Physical Body (Two chapters combined)

The tiger demon standing behind suddenly realized something, its ears perked up, and it immediately lay down on the ground, not daring to move.

An incomprehensible fluctuation was spreading from Xiao Ran.

Instantly, Wu Man's mind went blank. He could clearly feel a terrifying aura emanating from Xiao Ran, but what puzzled Wu Man was that this terrifying aura felt both familiar and strange to him.

It seems so, but it isn't. Dark, light, and various other energies are intertwined, more like a trend of bringing all things together, silencing them, or even... assimilating them.

The raindrops around Xiao Ran strangely slowed down as they approached within three feet of her, eventually hovering in mid-air, neither falling nor evaporating.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment, while the void around Xiao Ran was rapidly distorting, pulling everything around her into a state of chaos.

"Xiao Ran!!!"

Seeing Wu Man's expression, she disregarded her own injuries and quickly walked towards Xiao Ran.

As they drew closer, Wu Man's flesh was torn apart all over her body. Her already mutilated wounds were ripped open again, and blood gushed out, but it evaporated into the air the instant it left her body.

He strode over to Xiao Ran's side. Although they were close at hand, Xiao Ran's figure was so blurry that it seemed as if she were in another time and space.

Seeing this, Wu Man gritted her teeth and stretched out her palm to forcefully pierce through the void in front of her.

"Swish..."

The sound of sand rubbing against each other reached my ears, and in just a moment, the flesh on my palm was completely worn away, revealing the white bone beneath the skin.

Seeing this, Wu Man did not stop, until she patted Xiao Ran's shoulder.

With a gentle tap, he had already used all his strength.

As she spoke, Wu Man grabbed hard, and her skeletal fingers broke apart. Then, Wu Man pulled herself in, slammed her head against Xiao Ran's forehead like a headbutt, and looked at the sleeping figure in his arms.

He then turned his gaze to Xiao Ran, his voice almost a bloody spit from the depths of his throat: "You bastard, wake up! The life she fought for you isn't for you to squander like this."

"You fucking wake up! You have more than one life on your shoulders, wake up!"

Wu Man's roar echoed endlessly with the storm raging in the void.

Gradually, the frenzied energy in the void began to subside.

Xiao Ran looked up at Wu Man, who was standing in front of her, and at Yu Ting in her arms. She finally couldn't hold back her grief and burst into tears.

This time, Wu Man didn't say anything more. She just sat there, exhausted, offering no comfort, no extra words, only silent companionship.

The cries of grief echoed atop the city walls of Wancheng.

I cried so hard, I cried so miserably.

At that moment, Xiao Ran suddenly sensed something; a strange tremor pierced through his heavy sorrow from the space around him. The feeling was faint yet clear, like a piece of ice that had been dormant for thousands of years suddenly gleaming.

Xiao Ran stretched out her palm, and something flew out of the space on its own. It was a coffin, only the size of a palm, and its entire body looked like it was carved from a piece of raw jade.

This thing was given to me by that old fisherman who called himself the Northern Yin Emperor when I was in the City of the Wrongfully Dead.

This thing wasn't a cursed object, and Xiao Ran didn't know what it was used for. After trying to figure out its function several times without success, he put it away in his spatial storage.

At this moment, the coffin shone brightly, and the tightly closed coffin lid slowly opened.

"Wow!"

A wisp of blue light emerged from the coffin lid, then enveloped Gao Yuting's body, taking both her physical form and soul into the coffin.

A warm, pure, and even indescribably vibrant blue light flowed out from the opened coffin like a gurgling spring, silently enveloping Gao Yuting's body.

The light gently enveloped her, like the softest embrace.

Under the azure light, Yu Ting's body, which had turned a withered, grayish-white due to the collapse of her celestial status and the loss of her life force, seemed to undergo a silent purification, causing her physical body to suddenly transform into a shower of light that fell from the sky.

Amidst the rain of light, a crystal, as bright as the moon, shimmered.

Xiao Ran could clearly sense Gao Yuting's presence.

“It’s a Soul Crystal!” Wu Man looked up at the crystal in the rain of light above him and blurted out. He had seen this before, but it was only the size of a grain of rice.

"I've heard that some people can use soul crystals to avoid the illusion of being born in the womb and be reborn directly."

"Reincarnation!"

Xiao Ran's eyes lit up: "Really?"

"I don't know, I've only heard about it, but no matter what, as long as her soul crystal is there, she won't be completely destroyed, and there's always hope for rebirth."

Wu Man couldn't guarantee anything, but what he said wasn't wrong. As long as the Soul Crystal was still there, there was hope.

At this moment, the soul crystal slowly merged into the small jade coffin, as if sinking into deep water.

The light faded. The coffin lid closed silently, perfectly shut, as if it had never been opened.

The coffin landed back in Xiao Ran's hands. Xiao Ran quickly focused her gaze and looked through the transparent coffin wall, which resembled jade but was not. She could clearly see the soul crystal inside that was shimmering with silver light, and she couldn't help but feel excited.

But amidst her excitement, Xiao Ran couldn't help but think of something else.

When that fisherman who called himself the Emperor of the Northern Underworld gave this thing to me, did he already foresee this day?

"what!"

At this moment, Wu Man noticed something. He reached out and gently grabbed at the sky full of light, and a teardrop, like a gemstone, fell into his palm.

Upon seeing this teardrop, Wu Man's face showed a strange expression.

【Tears of a Lover】: One of the raw materials for 【Inspiration Seasoning】, an advanced material for the B-level profession 【Inspiration Chef】.

"This thing..."

Seeing the gem formed from a teardrop in her hand, Wu Man couldn't help but sigh.

Carefully accept it. Now that I have both the materials [Tears of the Lover] and [Redemption of the Suffering], I am only missing the [Inspiration of the Heartless] requirement to become a B-level professional [Inspiration Chef].

But Wu Man was not happy either. Judging from the origins of the first two materials, the last material was not so easy to obtain either, not to mention that she had no clue about the last material at all.

"Let's go!"

At this moment, Xiao Ran had carefully put the coffin into his spatial storage. He turned around, sweeping away all his dejection. Just as Wu Man said, his life was not his own. It was Gao Yuting who risked her life to fight for him, and it was also an opportunity that Jin Chanzi, Dai Long, and even Wu Man had fought desperately for him.

I shouldn't continue to be depressed, no matter what.

He walked to Wu Man's side, glanced at her mutilated arm and her other hand, which had become skeletal, and frowned: "I'll help you repair your body first."

Wu Man nodded: "Take this one and make do for now. I'll change it for you when I find a better one later."

"Hey, don't worry, the one I replaced for you this time will definitely work."

Xiao Ran patted Wu Man on the shoulder to reassure him, then had Wu Man ride on the tiger demon while he walked ahead, leading Wu Man to Ruzhou.

The tiger demon barely moved along the way; it was lifted up by a force and floated lightly forward, arriving near Ruzhou City in the blink of an eye.

The speed was so fast that even Wu Man was astonished. She glanced sideways at Xiao Ran and said, "Why do I feel like you're more sinister than an evil spirit right now?"

"It's just a small trick. Once your individual attribute breaks through 300, these won't be difficult at all."

"300!!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Man almost bit her tongue off. As one of the best chefs, Wu Man felt that she was improving very quickly.

His strength stat is only 185 points, but even so, Wu Man is always very confident in his strength.

But when she heard that Xiao Ran's mental strength had actually exceeded 300, Wu Man couldn't help but swallow hard, thinking to herself that it was monstrous.

"Don't be envious. My method actually has many drawbacks, and its foundation is not as solid as yours."

Xiao Ran waved his hand and explained to Wu Man.

The reason his spiritual power surged to such a terrifying level was entirely due to the Soul Cultivation Technique and the immense essence of those demon gods, which forcibly pushed him to the fourth level of the Soul Cultivation Technique. The price was naturally heavy. Although Yuting forcibly awakened herself using the power of the Celestials, her weak physical body also caused a significant deviation in her control over her spiritual power.

Or rather, sometimes he simply couldn't control his manic mental state.

There are usually no major problems, but if one's emotions fluctuate wildly, it becomes very dangerous. Just like before, a manic mental state can indiscriminately turn everything around into dust.

In more serious cases, even one's physical body could be destroyed.

Xiao Ran doesn't have a better solution to this problem for the time being; he can only strengthen his physical body step by step to achieve a balance between his mental and physical strength.

The two arrived in Ruzhou City and found it teeming with people, including both modern people and natives of Ruzhou City.

However, Xiao Ran also noticed that in addition to ordinary people, there were also many company employees present. This was not surprising, as the company had been guarding outside the city. Now that the city had been landed, they rushed in immediately and quickly made contact with Ruzhou City. This contact work had started a long time ago.

Lu Cheng also highly approves of the company's management plan, so he asked Yu Deng, the prefect of Ruzhou, to cooperate with the company in joint management. In the future, he will gradually transfer the management rights of Ruzhou to the company, while Lu Cheng plans to take his subordinates back to Wancheng.

From now on, Wancheng will become Lucheng's autonomous region. This is the greatest sincerity the company has shown Lucheng, granting him a high degree of autonomy and officially making him one of the company's decision-makers.

Although this may seem a bit exaggerated, it is by no means superfluous when compared to Lu Cheng's achievements.

Even from a purely self-interested perspective, no one would be willing to give up such a large piece of the pie.

Xiao Ran didn't go to find Yu Deng or Lu Cheng, but instead led the tiger demon and Wu Man directly to the Amazing Pavilion.

Now that the Maze City has been established, those entering it are not only ordinary people and companies, but also a large number of beginners, as well as forces such as Changchun Society, Donglongfang, and Penglai Tower.

What Xiao Ran needs to do now is to quickly improve the Amazing Pavilion before they can gain a firm foothold, while also preparing to deal with the Changchun Society.

After Xiao Ran returned to the Amazing Pavilion, the managers all received the news and put down their work to come over.

This also included the former second-in-command, One-Eyed Dragon.

Upon seeing Xiao Ran, the one-eyed man's voice choked with barely suppressed sobs. He stopped two steps away from Xiao Ran, bowed deeply, his single eye blurred with tears. He trembled slightly with emotion, "You've finally returned safely! After all these years, I've been waiting for you to come back."

The one-eyed man at this moment was no longer the crude and vulgar man he was when he became a bandit.

Although he was still dressed in a practical outfit that allowed for easy movement, the fabric and workmanship were exquisite, clearly the carefully tailored attire of a shopkeeper. Years of experience at the Amazing Pavilion had given him a calm and capable air about him, but at this moment, facing Xiao Ran, the deep-seated respect and excitement completely overwhelmed his usual composure.

Xiao Ran quietly looked at his old subordinate, whose eyes were brimming with tears. His mental perception was as sharp as a mirror, clearly reflecting the one-eyed man's surging emotions at this moment—unreserved loyalty and genuine joy.

A barely perceptible warmth flickered deep within his cold eyes. He reached out and supported the one-eyed man's shoulder with a gentle yet irresistible force.

"Hmm, it's been many years. You're doing well." Xiao Ran's voice was low and steady, as if the grief he felt on the city wall just now was just a dream. "It seems you've taken on the responsibility of managing the shop very well."

His gaze swept over the one-eyed man, lingering for a moment on his neat clothes and his hands, which had shed their bandit-like air and now appeared shrewd and capable. Clearly, the one-eyed man had not disappointed him and had undergone a complete transformation.

At this moment, the other shopkeepers also arrived at the front hall, and they were equally moved by the scene before them.

Although they didn't outwardly express their emotions like the one-eyed man, upon seeing Xiao Ran, their faces invariably showed a mixture of excitement, awe, and relief. They respectfully lined up, as if facing their returning leader, and bowed in unison:

"Sect Master!!"

The voice wasn't loud, but every word was exceptionally clear and powerful.

The last time many of them saw Xiao Ran was a long time ago when they came to the Amazing Pavilion to receive training from Xiao Ran in paper-making techniques.

Over the years, Xiao Ran seemed to have disappeared, but we could still hear news about him from time to time. In particular, not long ago, the Amazing Pavilion received a batch of goods from the Underworld, which made everyone extremely excited.

Xiao Ran looked around at the group of shopkeepers and noticed that many faces were missing, but there were also several new faces.

As time flows by, a sense of vicissitude and change quietly spreads.

Old manager Li Botong, a loyal veteran who had been with Xiao Ran since the very beginning in establishing the Amazing Pavilion, noticed the question in Xiao Ran's gaze. He stepped forward, his voice carrying a barely perceptible heaviness:

“Master, over the years, two managers have unfortunately passed away, and another one has fallen seriously ill and is no longer able to work. He has retired to his hometown to recuperate.” He pointed to two young faces standing behind him. “These two are good talents cultivated by our own store. We know them well, they are both talented, diligent and willing to learn. After years of experience, they are already capable of handling things on their own, so we let them take over.”

Xiao Ran looked in the direction Li Botong pointed, and saw two young faces filled with respect and curiosity, their eyes clear yet already showing a hint of composure. He nodded slightly to them, feeling both sorrow for the passing of the old manager and a sense of relief at seeing that there were successors.

However, after his gaze swept over several senior managers, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and he asked in a deep voice, "Where is Manager Liu Bingxia? Could it be... that he has also passed away?"

When Xiao Ran went to Chang'an to participate in the sword evaluation, Manager Liu had left a deep impression on her. Now that she didn't see him, she couldn't help but ask him a question.

Upon hearing the name "Liu Bingxia," Li Botong hesitated for a moment, but still said, "Master! Manager Liu... Manager Liu... he... he didn't pass away, he suddenly disappeared a few years ago! He was never seen alive, nor was his body ever found!"

Li Botong sighed. In the years that Xiao Ran was away, the outside world was turbulent and the world was in chaos. Manager Liu went out for a trip and then suddenly disappeared.

The Amazing Pavilion tried every possible method to search, even summoning the spirits and ghosts in the surrounding area, but ultimately found no clues.

"disappeared?"

Xiao Ran frowned, but did not press the matter further. It was not the time for him to go to great lengths to find a missing shopkeeper. However, he remembered that he would investigate the matter thoroughly once he had finished his current tasks.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Xiao Ran inquired about the batch of [Warrior Masks] that she had asked the Five Ghosts to transport last time. Upon learning that everything was in the warehouse and that not a single item was missing, Xiao Ran nodded.

“There might be some chaos outside during this period, so everyone should stay home for now. Manager Li, go to the governor’s mansion and have him inform the company’s manager to see what price they are willing to pay for the goods in the warehouse. If the price is right, pack them all up and send them to the company.”

There were quite a few of these Hercules masks, but he was confident that the company could handle the entire shipment, and would certainly have no shortage of resources to absorb them. Now that the Lost City had been fully established, what the company needed most was an upgrade to its grassroots military strength, and they would take as many of these masks as they could get.

"Yes."

After Li Botong received the order, Xiao Ran instructed the other shopkeepers that he would test their understanding of paper-making techniques the next day, and then teach them a new set of techniques.

Once they have thoroughly understood this new set of spells, it will be the perfect time for the Amazing Pavilion to reopen.

After giving these instructions, Xiao Ran led Wu Man to the secret room left behind by Li Jingqi.

Xiao Ran had Wu Man lie down on a makeshift wooden bed in the back hall of the Amazing Pavilion.

The tiger demon's massive body was curled up in the corner, but its tiger eyes were watching the door warily, acting as a loyal guard.

Xiao Ran composed himself, his expression focused and solemn. He first extended two fingers and gently placed them on the wrist of Wu Man's only remaining hand. As his cool fingers touched her skin, Wu Man could clearly feel an extremely pure and condensed spiritual energy probing into her, like the finest tentacles, instantly spreading to every part of her body.

Xiao Ran closed her eyes, but her brows furrowed even more deeply. Her mental probe provided a crystal-clear picture of Wu Man's internal condition.

The broken ribs were unnaturally displaced, and the edges of the spleen were a deathly gray, clearly indicating that a severe tear had not been properly healed. The fractures in the right leg bones were far greater than they appeared, especially at the knee joint, which was a jumble of shattered bone fragments. Not to mention the missing left arm and part of the right forearm, the flesh beneath them was still burning with inflammation.

"Hoo..." Xiao Ran slowly withdrew her fingers, opened her eyes, and her deep eyes reflected the candlelight, but carried a trace of sorrow and self-blame. Her voice lowered: "I didn't expect you to be so badly injured! Your internal organs are failing, with multiple necrosis, and the comminuted fractures have not been treated at all. Your internal organs have also been compressed and displaced for a long time... You've been holding on all this time?"

Wu Man forced a smile. "Cough cough... I'm alright, I can manage!" He waved his hand dismissively. "This little injury... won't kill me, the cook. It just means I'm missing a few 'firewood' so I can't cook a big pot of rice anymore."

As one of the best chefs, his physical vitality was indeed far stronger than that of ordinary people. His vigorous "life force" was like the smoldering fire in the stove, supporting his battered body and preventing it from collapsing completely.

For ordinary people or beginners with slightly weaker abilities, enduring any one of these events would already be fatal.

Even for Wu Man, this level of injury, if not addressed at its root, would result in permanent and severe disability. The missing limbs could not regenerate, the necrotic organs would continue to drag down other organs, the internal organs compressed by the bone fragments would lead to chronic failure, and the abnormally healed bone fragments would completely render him a cripple.

Wu Man's battle in Ghost City was extremely brutal. He lost more than just his physical injuries. He fought against the demon god head-on, taking on three opponents at once. Even the cursed artifact in his hand, the "Ten Thousand Food Cauldron," was smashed to pieces.

"Hold on my ass! We're tearing all of this down!"

Xiao Ran grumbled and cursed, but her eyes showed deep heartache.

"Take it all apart?? Do you have that many parts?" Wu Man turned to look at Xiao Ran. "Don't waste those ordinary parts. It's not that I'm picky, it's just that they're really... not durable."

Wu Man was telling the truth. Ordinary parts simply couldn't reach the strength he needed. It would take a lot of time to gradually increase the strength. This not only consumed a lot of energy and time, but more importantly, if he wasn't careful and used too much force, it could lead to a fracture, which would be very troublesome.

"Don't worry, what I've prepared for you this time is definitely good stuff."

Xiao Ran patted the Yin Soldier Gourd at his waist, and a corpse flew out of the gourd and lay down beside him.

Although it was a corpse, the corpse itself exuded a strong sense of oppression. Wu Man, who was lying there, suddenly sat up straight and stared intently at the corpse on the ground.

He looked up at Xiao Ran after a moment: "You're planning to use the parts from his body?"

"Of course, since he has already left the body to me, isn't that perfect? ​​I can use it to help you recover."

Xiao Ran squinted at Huang Chao's corpse lying on the ground and took out a guillotine from her spatial storage.

(End of this chapter)