Chapter 346: Better Safe Than Sorry

Lin Moyu spoke with Jiang Yi a while longer.

After his death, Jiang Yi had transformed his divine power into a secret realm, preserving his soul for eternity—a feat only someone of his stature could accomplish. The secret realm, crafted by him, was a perfect replica of his childhood hometown, with mountains, rivers, and serene landscapes. Here, Jiang Yi lived quietly, steeped in nostalgia.

In over 600 years, Lin Moyu was the first to enter the secret realm. Jiang Yi, curious about the state of humanity, inquired about the world outside. Through their conversation, Lin Moyu could feel Jiang Yi’s enduring concern for humankind, even in his current state.

When the discussion turned to the Abyssal Demons, Jiang Yi’s tone hardened with resentment. More than 600 years ago, humanity had fought a brutal war against Abyssal Demons. Despite their weakness, humanity was remarkably resilient, surviving only through the sacrifices of countless heroes.

Today, the conflict had softened, and humanity had grown strong enough to match the Abyssal Demons in power. However, according to Jiang Yi, eliminating the Abyssal Demons entirely was impossible—not even if a Transcendent God-level powerhouse emerged. He emphasized this point as they ended their conversation.

...

In the White God Courtyard, Bai Yiyuan and Yan Kuangsheng wore solemn expressions. They had no news of Lin Moyu’s situation and were deeply concerned. Even the fine tea in their cups had lost its flavor.

“Moyu should be all right” Bai Yiyuan murmured.

“Of course he is.” Yan Kuangsheng replied, though a trace of doubt lingered in his voice.

Lin Moyu had ventured into a secret realm left behind by Jiang Yi over 600 years ago—no one knew what dangers or mysteries lay inside.

Bai Yiyuan frowned. “Old Meng, why do you think Jiang Yi created this secret realm?”

Meng Anwen held a projection of the Shenxia Tower in his hand, which spun slowly, casting a soft glow. He closed his eyes, appearing lost in thought. After a moment, the tower stopped spinning, and he opened his eyes.

“Jiang Yi isn’t dead.” He stated.

“What?!” Bai Yiyuan and Yan Kuangsheng leapt to their feet in shock. How could Jiang Yi not be dead?

Meng Anwen raised a hand to calm them, “Hear me out. Jiang Yi isn’t entirely gone. His body may have perished, but his soul remains—anchored within that secret realm. For all these years, he’s hidden within the Dungeon Hall, drawing on its power to keep the realm stable.”

Yan Kuangsheng’s expression grew uneasy, “If Jiang Yi isn’t dead, then what could he be after?”

A dangerous glint flashed in Bai Yiyuan’s eyes, “Could he be planning to possess someone? I’ve heard of techniques that allow one to take over another’s body.”

Meng Anwen scoffed, “You’re overthinking this. Jiang Yi isn’t that kind of person. Based on his past achievements, he’s likely already at a half-step Transcendent God-level. By taking over a body, you might live on, but you’ll never be able to return to your peak state. With his pride, he’d rather accept death than resort to such a method. Put yourself in his place—would you?”

God-level powerhouses held their pride close. Bai Yiyuan and Yan Kuangsheng shook their heads. They wouldn’t do such a thing either.

“Then what could he want…?”

“Who knows? Let’s just wait until Moyu returns and ask him directly.”

Moments later, ripples appeared in the air, followed by a familiar aura. The three old men visibly relaxed—Lin Moyu had returned.

As Lin Moyu walked in, Bai Yiyuan cleared his throat, “Did you meet Jiang Yi?”

Lin Moyu nodded. “Yes, I did.”

Bai Yiyuan pressed on, “What did he want from you?”

“Teachers, Elder Meng, take a look at these.” Lin Moyu said, presenting the two boxes Jiang Yi had given him.

Just as he prepared to open them, Meng Anwen held up a hand, “Wait.”

He tapped the air, and the Shenxia Tower materialized above them, radiating a protective glow that enveloped the White God Courtyard. In a flash, the teleportation node was sealed, and the courtyard became an isolated space, cut off from the outside world.

Meng Anwen remarked, “These boxes aren’t ordinary. I can’t even determine the material they’re made of. Whatever’s inside must be exceptional. We should be cautious.”

Bai Yiyuan and Yan Kuangsheng exchanged glances, startled. Meng Anwen was rarely stumped—few objects existed that could evade his knowledge.

Bai Yiyuan commented, “Old Meng, ever the cautious one.”

Yan Kuangsheng nodded. “Better safe than sorry.”

With the barrier in place, Lin Moyu carefully opened the first box, revealing the God’s finger.

The moment the box opened, an intense aura burst forth, flooding every corner of the White God Courtyard. The expressions of the three men changed sharply, and they exchanged wary glances. Without Meng Anwen’s barrier, this aura would have surged beyond their control, attracting unwanted attention.

Even now, they could feel the aura straining against the barrier, as though it might break through at any moment.

Meng Anwen’s expression turned grave, “Get into the tower!”

As he spoke, the Shenxia Tower released three beams of light, instantly pulling everyone inside, along with the entire White God Courtyard. In the blink of an eye, the courtyard vanished, leaving only an empty wasteland where it once stood.

Inside the tower, Meng Anwen’s eyes gleamed with sharp focus. His hands moved in a blur as he cast hundreds of complex seals, sending them flying in all directions to stabilize the space around them. After casting over a thousand seals, he finally exhaled, “I’ve reinforced the space and isolated it within the Shenxia Tower. We should be safe now.”

Yan Kuangsheng’s face was filled with astonishment, “Unbelievable… that really is the finger of a God!”

Bai Yiyuan’s tone grew serious, “I always thought Gods were mere myths. How could beings like Gods actually exist?”

Meng Anwen chuckled, “That’s why I keep telling you two to read more. I’ve mentioned the existence of Gods before, but you didn’t believe me. Do you now?”

Lin Moyu looked at them curiously, “Teachers, Elder Meng, what exactly are Gods? Are they stronger than God-level powerhouses?”

Bai Yiyuan glanced at Meng Anwen, signaling him to explain. Yan Kuangsheng clearly was out of his depth as well.

Meng Anwen sighed, “These two only know how to fight. There are many kinds of Gods, each embodying different elemental forces—like the Wind God or the Fire God. But are they truly strong? It’s hard to say, as no one’s ever encountered one directly. Judging by this finger, however, I’d say that Gods are quite formidable.”

Bai Yiyuan examined the finger thoughtfully, “It doesn’t feel stronger than I am, but there’s something undeniably mysterious about its power.”

Yan Kuangsheng murmured, “It feels so pure—beyond anything we possess.”

Lin Moyu shared their impression. The aura from the finger wasn’t overwhelmingly powerful compared to a God-level powerhouse, but its purity was striking—and oddly familiar.

After a moment’s thought, Lin Moyu spoke up, “Teacher Yan, this aura feels somewhat like your murderous aura—but also intensely pure.”

Yan Kuangsheng’s eyes lit up, and he burst into laughter, startling the others.

“Madman Yan, what’s gotten into you?” Bai Yiyuan demanded, surprised.

Meng Anwen looked equally puzzled.

Laughing wildly, Yan Kuangsheng clapped Lin Moyu on the shoulder, “Moyu, you’ve given me a revelation! I’ve always thought that the greater the murderous aura, the better. But now I see—it’s purity, not quantity, that matters.”

His words gave both Meng Anwen and Bai Yiyuan pause, each of them deep in thought, taking new insight from his realization.

Lin Moyu, though not yet at their level, sensed the significance of what he’d observed and quietly committed it to memory. It seemed the God’s finger was quite useful.

After a moment of contemplation, Meng Anwen spoke solemnly, “No wonder Jiang Yi mentioned that this finger would drive God-level powerhouses to fight over it. It makes sense now. Moyu, I’d like to discuss something with you.”

Lin Moyu responded promptly. “This finger isn’t safe with me. Could you keep it for me, Senior Meng, Teachers?”

Meng Anwen chuckled, clearly pleased with Lin Moyu’s sense and foresight. At his current level, Lin Moyu couldn’t yet make use of the finger; it would only become relevant when he reached level 88 and needed to prepare for entering the God-level. Carrying it around now would indeed be risky.

Lin Moyu then opened the other box, “Teachers, Senior Meng, could you also take a look at this item?”

The three old men examined the small bead inside. Bai Yiyuan and Yan Kuangsheng soon gave up, unable to make sense of it. Meng Anwen studied it intently for a long time before finally shaking his head.

“The world is vast, full of wonders.” He muttered, “I don’t recognize this item either, but it’s clearly of a high tier.”

Lin Moyu stated, “Jiang Yi asked me to deliver it to that individual in the core area.”

“What!” Yan Kuangsheng let out a strange cry.