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Chapter 190 Yuanqi, Stronghold! (2 words, Update 25)

Two days passed quietly in the blessed land of Longyuan Pavilion.

These two days.

Fang Qingyu's life trajectory is so clear that it is almost monotonous.

Training ground, courtyard, training ground.

Apart from necessary meals and short rests, Fang Qingyu's figure almost never left that area filled with sweat and bursts of energy.

Like a tireless, precise machine.

They constantly alternate between honing their physical skills and refining their movements.

On the training ground.

Fang Qingyu sometimes stood still like a pine tree, guiding the qi, blood, muscles and bones in his body to vibrate, stretch and strengthen according to the trajectory of the Bamboo Shadow Tempering Body Manual. Every subtle movement seemed to bear a heavy pressure, and a tough jade-like luster shone through his skin.

At times, it transforms into a blurry, elusive afterimage, weaving through the rapidly moving alloy barbed walls.

The movements were devoid of any frills, consisting only of extreme bursts of energy and ghostly twists.

Occasionally, Fang Qingyu would also be in the huge stone lock formation.

Silently, he raised the black boulder, which was comparable to a small mountain. His muscles were bulging like a dragon, and dark red fire patterns were faintly visible under his skin. Before the sweat could drip, it was steamed into white smoke by the high temperature.

This almost self-torturing, high-intensity, devilish training rhythm made Chu Kuanglan and Lu Jiuyuan, who usually trained together on the training ground, twitch their eyelids.

"Holy crap. Doesn't Fang Shen need to rest?"

Chu Kuanglan, carrying the boulder, looked at the tireless figure in the distance and clicked his tongue in a muffled voice. He considered himself a workaholic when training, but compared to Fang Qingyu, he was nothing.

Lu Jiuyuan's sword flashed for a moment, his gaze fixed on the afterimage left by Fang Qingyu as he practiced the "Swift Shadow Step": "What's even more terrifying is his progress. A Great Sun-level movement technique! And it's only been two days! Look at those steps, the smoothness between the transitions in the movement technique, he's clearly already entered the basics, and his hard skills... the fluctuations in his blood and qi and the resilience of his aura, they change every day... Is this reasonable?"

They'd seen geniuses before, but a monster like Fang Qingyu, whose talent was so high it was almost despair-inducing, yet whose hard work was terrifying, was a once-in-a-lifetime find.

Wei Banmeng stood to the side, her cool eyes also reflecting Fang Qingyu's figure.

She watched in silence, her shock no less than that of her two senior brothers.

She finally understood why this young man from Qingjian City could rise from a martial arts apprentice to the point where he could kill a chosen one in such a short time.

Exceptional talent, coupled with exceptional effort.

Furthermore, it is supplemented by some unknown powerful foundation.
When these three factors are combined in one person, the resulting growth rate is enough to crush any so-called "common sense" and "impossible".

This realization made even the proud Wei Banmeng feel a heavy pressure, as well as a trace of indescribable excitement.

Being able to stand shoulder to shoulder with, or even compete with, such a person is itself a challenge and an opportunity.

In a corner of the training field, Fang Qingyu had just finished a set of extreme evasion training and was walking towards Wei Banmeng and the others who were resting on the sidelines, slightly out of breath.

Jiang Wei was sitting on a blue stone next to her, sucking on a lollipop and scrolling through her phone.

"Master Fang, your training method is making my liver hurt just watching it."

Chu Kuanglan handed over a bottle of water, sighing sincerely.

Lu Jiuyuan nodded in agreement: "Yes, the explosiveness and turning of the 'Swift Shadow Step' puts a tremendous strain on your muscles and bones. It's amazing that you've been able to practice it continuously for so long."

Fang Qingyu took the water, gulped down a few mouthfuls, wiped the water from the corner of his mouth, and said calmly, "I'm used to it. By the way, Banmeng, in this Hidden Dragon Plan, besides us and Daoist Zhao from Tomorrow Mountain, who else do we need to pay special attention to? Anyone with considerable strength?"

Wei Banmeng composed herself, her clear, cold voice ringing out: "Indeed, there are several. Lei Pojun of the Tiangang Martial Arts Academy possesses the unparalleled power of the Tiangang Overlord Thunder Fist. It is said that he has mastered two hard martial arts techniques to perfection, making his physical strength extremely terrifying. He also has a fiery temper, making him a favorite to compete for a spot in the special team. Liu Qingyan of the Shenxiao Academy has ethereal, fairy-like movements, sharp swordsmanship, and unpredictable methods. In addition, Yin Wujiu of the Jiuyou Pavilion has a cold aura, is skilled in assassination and poison, and is a dangerous individual due to his elusive nature."

She was explaining in detail when suddenly...
"Beep—!! Beep beep beep—!!!"

A sharp, rapid, and extremely penetrating whistling sound suddenly erupted from the black communicators carried by the group of people!

The voice carried a sense of urgency, instantly piercing the noise of the training ground!

coming!

The five men suddenly stood up, their eyes instantly turning as sharp as knives.

"go!"

With a low shout, Wei Banmeng's figure shot towards the training ground exit like an arrow!
Fang Qingyu scooped up Jiang Wei and followed closely behind.

Chu Kuanglan and Lu Jiuyuan also unleashed their fastest speed.

The dedicated elevator descended at breakneck speed, and the numbers on it jumped wildly.

Objective: The entrance deep underground!
As soon as the elevator doors opened on the basement level, a wave of heat mixed with tension, excitement, and the smell of blood rushed out!

From deep within the passage, a deafening roar, like a tsunami, resounded:
"Go! Go! Go!!"

"Stop fucking dawdling! Hurry up!!"

"Next! Speed ​​up!!!"

Ahead, a large group of people were gathered, all participants who had come from various blessed lands and grottoes after receiving instructions.

At the entrance, several burly instructors dressed in special combat uniforms stood like iron gates, roughly pulling the rushing figures through the eerie blue portal that emitted unstable spatial fluctuations and distorted light!
There was no time to speak, or even to see who was in front of them.

"Follow!"

With a sharp cry, Wei Banmeng transformed into a streak of light and plunged into the halo without pausing.

Fang Qingyu, holding Jiang Wei, crashed into her without hesitation.

Om-!
A strong sense of weightlessness and spatial pulling came over me, as if I had been thrown into a high-speed spinning drum.

The bizarre and fantastical scene before my eyes flickered wildly, shattered, and then reformed.

Just a moment!
A hard sensation came from under my feet.

At the same time, a violent storm instantly enveloped my entire body!

The gale was like a million ferocious beasts roaring and howling in my ears!
The sand and gravel swirled up, stinging people's cheeks!

The rain was torrential; large raindrops pelted down like hailstones, icy cold, and vision instantly blurred!
The air was heavy, as if filled with lead, mixed with a strong earthy smell, a rusty smell, and some indescribable stench of decay.

Fang Qingyu steadied himself, immediately put Jiang Wei down, and activated Night Visit instantly, peering through the rain to survey his surroundings.

This is a vast, gray wilderness that stretches as far as the eye can see.

The ground was cracked, hard rock with a dark red sheen, and sparsely growing some twisted, grotesque, and dark-colored strange plants.

The sky was completely covered by thick, leaden clouds, which hung extremely low, seemingly within reach.

Thick, pale lightning bolts occasionally tore through the clouds, bringing brief but intense flashes of light that illuminated the outline of the distant, undulating black mountain range, resembling the spine of a giant beast.

Above the wilderness.

There were over a hundred figures who had just been teleported in, just like them, scattered in various places.

Everyone looked like a drowned rat, disheveled and miserable, but their eyes were full of vigilance and wariness.

No one speaks.

Only howling winds, torrential rain, and rolling thunder could be heard.

In this unfamiliar and hostile world, under the rules of the "lawless land" of the Hidden Dragon Project, no one dares to easily trust the strangers around them.

Gazes crossed silently in the rain, scrutinizing each other before quickly shifting away.

Everyone instinctively distanced themselves from the others, like a lone wolf pack in the wilderness.

After a brief period of chaos, the crowd began to disperse spontaneously and silently, quickly leaving in the directions they had chosen, their figures soon swallowed up by the gray rain.

"map."

Wei Banmeng wiped the rain off her face, her voice still clear in the strong wind.

She quickly took out a specially made leather map from her waist bag and unfolded it.

The map is made of durable material with simple lines and several important location symbols marked on it.

“Our current location is roughly here.” Wei Banmeng pointed to a marker on the edge of the map. “The nearest Federation outpost is ‘Anvil Fortress,’ about forty kilometers away in this direction.” She pointed to a point on the map marked with a hammer. “Let’s go to the outpost first, gather information, replenish supplies, and then plan our next move.”

Wei Banmeng looked at Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei, seeking their opinions.

Fang Qingyu nodded: "I'm fine with it."

Jiang Wei hummed in agreement, her small hands gripping Fang Qingyu's clothes tightly, her face pale from the wind.

"go!"

Wei Banmeng put away the map, checked the direction, and rushed into the rain first.

The five people braved the wind and rain, hurrying across the rugged gray wilderness.

The rocks beneath our feet were hard and slippery, riddled with cracks and sharp protrusions.

In the distance, the scene was ever-changing. To the left, a tornado stretched across the sky and moved slowly, stirring up dust and sand. To the right, a strange snowfall was falling, a stark contrast to the surrounding downpour.

further away.

On the horizon, an area could even be seen flashing with eerie purple lightning, and a faint smell of burning could be heard in the air.

Along the way, they encountered several groups of wandering ghosts.

There are "Shadowclaw Beasts" that are extremely fast and resemble hunting dogs, as well as "Swamp Rot Sacs" that lurk in muddy puddles and suddenly burst out, spewing corrosive acid.

However, these low-level ghosts posed no threat whatsoever to Fang Qingyu and his group of five.

Fang Qingyu didn't even draw his sword; with only the power of the Five Elements Rotation Force, he blasted the charging ghost into pieces in mid-air.

About an hour passed.

After crossing a ridge covered with sharp, black rocks, the outline of a massive fortress built against the mountain came into view in the gray rain.

Anvil Castle.

The name is very fitting.

The entire stronghold seemed to be crudely piled up and welded together from countless huge, unpolished dark metal blocks and rocks, with sharp edges and corners, exuding a rugged, solid, and wasteland atmosphere.

The fortress's surface was covered with various welding scars and traces of huge claw marks. Rainwater washed away the rust and oil, flowing into black streams.

There were no windows, only a few narrow observation holes that let out a dim, yellowish light.

Several thick metal chimneys, billowing black smoke, stood atop the fortress, adding a touch of morbid vitality to the deathly gray landscape.

The fortress's only entrance was a gate several meters high, cast from a heavy alloy, which was currently half-open. Two guards in black combat uniforms stained with oil stood at the entrance, their eyes scanning the approaching person warily.

The light coming through the door was dim.

A mixture of engine oil, cheap tobacco, sweat, and a faint smell of blood hit me.

The five people walked in quickly.

The gate closed heavily behind me, shutting out the raging storm from the outside, but the clamor inside instantly rushed into my ears.

This is a huge and oppressive underground space.

It was less a stronghold and more a chaotic, dimly lit combination of underground workshops and slums.

The air was thick and foul, filled with the acrid smoke of burning cheap tobacco and the strange smell of rotting food and excrement. The light came mainly from the dim, hissing gas lamps hanging from thick metal beams and a few neon signs that flickered with unstable current.

The entire space is divided into several levels by huge metal supports and rough concrete pillars.

The bottom level is the most chaotic.

The passageway was muddy and filthy, mixed with oil and unidentified liquid, and crowded with makeshift stalls on both sides.

Most of the stall owners had rugged or sinister faces, selling all sorts of things: crudely made weapons and armor using materials from the dead, murky liquid in dirty bottles, charred chunks of meat that were unrecognizable, and rusty tool parts.
The sounds of hawking, arguing, blacksmithing, and drunken ramblings mingled together.

The upper floors are relatively quieter, but the environment is just as harsh.

The narrow passageway is lined with densely packed, simple rooms, mostly separated by sheet metal, wooden planks, or even canvas, with rusty locks on the doors.

This is a residential area, so the air is even more polluted.

Wei Banmeng was clearly familiar with the environment here. He remained calm and led the group through the chaotic crowd and mud at the bottom, avoiding several drunken burly men who bumped into them. They went straight to a relatively clean tin shack in the corner with a management office sign.

"This is Iron Anvil Fortress, one of dozens of small outposts in the Abyss," Wei Banmeng explained quickly as they walked, her voice low. "The ground floor is the trading area, workshops, and entertainment venues. The upper floor is the residential area; the environment is poor, but cheap, rented by the day. Deeper into the outpost are the Federation-established merit exchange office and intelligence station, where you can exchange Life Ghost materials and merit points for supplies, intelligence, and even apply for the right to use a small shelter. The lowest floor also has an emergency medical station and meditation rooms, but the fees are very high."

She pushed open the rusty iron gate of the management office.

Inside, a one-eyed old man with a pipe in his mouth and a scar on his face lazily raised his head.

"Five people, need three adjacent rooms, for five days."

Wei Banmeng succinctly stated his identity and name, and his merit points were immediately deducted.

The one-eyed old man glanced at it, exhaled a smoke ring, and slowly counted out three rusty keys, tossing them over: "Upper floor, section C, numbers 76 to 78. You know the rules, right? You'll have to pay ten times the damage. If you cause trouble, get out."

Get the key.

The five of them struggled through the crowded, dirty, and smelly passageway and found three adjacent cubicles in a corner on the upper floor.

The so-called room was less than ten square meters.

Inside, there was nothing but a rusty iron bed and a similarly dilapidated table.

The walls were so thin you could hear the neighbor coughing.

The air was so polluted it was suffocating.

Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei shared a room, Wei Banmeng shared a room, and Chu Kuanglan and Lu Jiuyuan shared a room.

After putting down their simple luggage, the five of them immediately gathered in Fang Qingyu's slightly larger room.

Close the door.

It blocked out some of the noise.

"Okay, let's talk about the plan."

Wei Banmeng unfolded the waterproof map and spread it on the small table.

“We are here now, Iron Anvil Fortress.” Wei Banmeng pointed to the hammer mark representing the stronghold. “The areas where the Source Tide occurs are unpredictable, but based on past experience and the information given by my master, there are several relatively high-incidence ‘Source-rich areas’ worth exploring.”

"First, there is the Eternal Silent Pool. Deep within this area, there is a high probability of encountering source tides containing the essence of 'darkness,' which is crucial to my Xuan Chi. However, the environment there is extreme, with perpetual darkness, extremely low temperatures, and a large number of powerful life ghosts that hate light and love cold, making it very dangerous."

She then pointed to another area covered by purple lightning bolt symbols.

Thunderstorm and sea of ​​clouds.

"This is your target area, Qingyu. It is a place where violent lightning rages and is an ideal location for high-purity lightning source material to appear. However, the environment itself and the possible existence of lightning-attribute life ghosts are also huge threats."

"My suggestion is that we go to the thunderstorm cloud sea first."

Wei Banmeng's voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable determination.

Chu Kuanglan and Lu Jiuyuan were both somewhat surprised, as they had thought their junior sister would be inclined to go to her target area, the Eternal Silent Pool, first.

Without pausing, Wei Banmeng clearly and logically explained her reasons:
"The environment there is less competitive and less selective."

She pointed to the lightning symbol in the storm clouds, "The environment there, with its raging thunder, is a natural barrier and filter. Those who can venture deep into it and stay for a long time are either like Qingyu, who needs thunder essence, or madmen with strength enough to withstand the thunder head-on. Either way, their numbers will be extremely limited. This means that during our initial exploration, the probability of encountering malicious competition or even ambushes from other teams will be far lower than in the relatively mild environment of the Eternal Silent Pool, where it is easier to hide and ambush."

"Moreover, Qingyu has a unique ability to cope with the Thunder environment. It is his natural home ground there, where he can exert his maximum combat power. He is more reliable as the team's vanguard and core support."

After speaking, Wei Banmeng looked calmly at Fang Qingyu: "Qingyu, what do you think?"

Fang Qingyu met her gaze and slowly nodded: "I have no objection."

Chu Kuanglan and Lu Jiuyuan had no objections after listening to Wei Banmeng's well-organized analysis.

"Alright." Wei Banmeng put away the map and decisively ordered, "Hurry up and recover. Tomorrow morning, go to the merit exchange office to purchase supplies."

"Then, the target: thunderstorm clouds!"

(End of this chapter)