Chapter 306: Chapter 186: Qing Cang’s Intention, Inauguration of All Things

’Does Su Chen still have a chance...’ he couldn’t help but think, though on the surface he just nodded. "No problem. We’ve hidden that thing quite deep, so you may need to wait a little while."

Qing Cang stared intently at them. After a long while, he finally said, "Alright."

After receiving the response, Chong Jingtian and Zhou Yanwu prepared to take their leave, leaving only Shi Yunzhou to accompany the visitors.

To their surprise, Qing Cang said, "Just drop us off here. Notify us when you’re ready. We’re easy to find."

"I’d like to experience the local culture."

This statement took Chong Jingtian by surprise. Naturally, he didn’t refuse. After making the arrangements, he hurried back to the Judicial Court’s conference room.

"How did it go?" Wu Chenpei asked immediately.

Chong Jingtian’s expression was grim. He quickly recounted the gist of their conversation.

"The Nether Fog is that dangerous?" Chong Jingtian had only gotten halfway through his explanation when everyone’s expression changed.

"The Royal Court says they have a solution. We’ll discuss that later..." Chong Jingtian quickly skipped over the topic and recounted what happened next.

"So they really are after the Great Venerable." Wu Chenpei sighed. "It seems this Bronze Ancient King is the ’important person’ Hongxuan mentioned."

"How much does your Yuan Capital really know?" Chong Jingtian’s expression suddenly turned cold and severe. "There were four investigators who came initially, not three. The people who cleaned up the scene were from Yuan Capital. Didn’t you find a body?"

"How exactly did you get in contact with the Hong Family?"

Wu Chenpei’s heart skipped a beat. He shook his head and said, "Now isn’t the time to be investigating this. They want to take the Spiritual, but they’re unwilling to help us expel the Deceitful God. What are we to make of that?"

"Qing Cang could take us away from here..." Zhou Yanwu said suddenly.

"Shut up!" Chong Jingtian snapped, glaring at Zhou Yanwu. "We have been supported by Ying Feng and its subordinate cities to this day. We share their glory and their shame, their life and their death. Do not mention this matter again!"

Zhou Yanwu snorted coldly. The expressions on the others’ faces were hard to read.

Chong Jingtian looked at Wu Chenpei again. "Your Yuan Capital—can you contact anyone else from the Royal Court?"

"Contact who? The Hong Family?" Wu Chenpei gave a bitter smile. "To tell them Hongxuan was killed?

"According to the original plan, the chosen one needed to appear, and then the object the Spiritual is attached to had to be destroyed for us to succeed. But now, people from the Royal Court have already arrived... Sigh..."

"But Su Chen... isn’t there a high chance he could become the chosen one?" Shi Yunzhou interjected.

"If it were you, and you brought your own people to seize the initiative, but then someone you could kill with a flick of your wrist got there first—tell me, would you take them seriously? Or would you just kill them?" Zhou Yanwu asked nonchalantly.

Everyone fell silent. Chong Jingtian felt a profound sense of helplessness. He could only say, "Let’s stall for now. We have to go to the ruins eventually to merge the two parts of the Spiritual. We know too little about them. We need to find a way to learn more."

"Also, do not mention Su Chen’s situation, or the phenomenon of the three dragons."

"If things become impossible, sending Su Chen out as the recognized person would at least preserve a sliver of hope."

Zhou Yanwu’s eyes narrowed slightly. Chong Jingtian then turned his gaze toward the end of the table. "Old Xia, they want to see Su Chen. Go and inform him."

"Additionally, Lu Kai and Saint Envoy Wu, for the time being, I hope you won’t leave our sight."

"This is a time for us to work together. We won’t stab you in the back," Wu Chenpei said with veiled sarcasm. The others paid him no mind, their hearts merely feeling heavy.

...

Su Chen had already returned to his residence. In the basement, he sat cross-legged on the floor, his upper body bare. A faint Energy fluctuation emanated from the surface of his powerful, well-built body, like invisible ripples spreading outward.

Su Chen seemed to have entered a strange state. The Energy fluctuations bursting from his body grew more and more intense until, at a certain moment, the ripples abruptly froze and then dissipated.

Su Chen’s eyes flew open, and he exhaled a breath of turbid air.

’This should be the right feeling, but I still couldn’t succeed...’ he pondered to himself.

During this period, every time he finished training and his body was in a weakened state, he would attempt a Professional Fusion.

At first, he had no clue what to do. Later, he sought out Qin Qingfeng a few times and vaguely began to get the hang of it, which greatly shocked Old Qin because of how incredibly fast his progress was.

Su Chen wasn’t the first person to ask him about Professional Fusion, but no matter how the others listened to his explanations, they struggled to get on the right path.

But Su Chen himself understood that if he hadn’t already become a Reverser, he probably wouldn’t have found the way so quickly.

’This should be about the limit. Without any external assistance, this is probably the most I can achieve.’

Su Chen rested for a moment, then opened his panel, preparing to use the guidance granted by the Crimson Essence.

Once prepared, he triggered it tentatively with a thought. He immediately sensed a difference as a strange power from an unknown source erupted deep within his body.

His previously somewhat dormant Spiritual Power quickly became active, and his body’s cells seemed to be stimulated, causing black arcs of lightning to dance across the surface of his skin.

CRACKLE! POP! Su Chen felt the two powers within his body churning restlessly.

’This is the feeling...’ Su Chen’s eyes suddenly focused. He hurriedly held his breath and concentrated. It was a good thing he’d had over ten days of practice, or he really would have been at a loss.

This guiding force was quite miraculous. He felt that the barrier between his spirit and his body had been weakened significantly. If, for a normal Professional, fusion was like mixing water and stone...

...then for Su Chen, after the weakening effect of the Reverser, it was like mixing water and clay. Even without guidance, he could try to fuse on his own; it would just likely take a very, very long time.

But now, the guiding force was like a great mallet, forcibly smashing the two together until they mixed as perfectly as milk and water.

A wondrous change occurred in his body. The Gang Court Undying Armor activated on its own, gradually encasing his entire form. Spiritual Power mixed into it, causing wisps of crimson lightning to flicker out.

’This is Professional Fusion?’ Su Chen couldn’t help but look down at his hands. Even in his weakened state, an endless stream of power from an unknown source was still bursting forth from his body.

At the same time, it was rapidly draining the last of his Physical Strength and Spiritual Power. The consumption was just as high, so it was no wonder Hongxuan had considered it a trump card.

Furthermore, it was a dual drain on both Physical Strength and Spiritual Power. Even with the sustenance from Gourmet, it would be difficult to maintain for long.

A notification even popped up on his panel—

[Under the host’s guidance, Word Spirit Law Master and Calamity Patrol Envoy have entered a fused state. All Professional Abilities are greatly enhanced. Gained Fusion Ability—Word Spirit Calamity: The consumption for using Word Spirit against enemies is drastically reduced. Note: Can only be used in a fused state.]

’It fused into a new ability? Just like Hongxuan did?’

But soon, he felt the fusion becoming unstable. Clearly, the guiding force alone couldn’t maintain this fused state for long.

’Now’s the time! Strike while the iron is hot!’

Su Chen reacted quickly. He reached into his Storage Space, took out the branch of the World Tree, and without hesitation, plunged it into his chest with a SQUELCH.

Strangely, no blood flowed from the wound. The jade-like branch of the World Tree gradually melted and merged into his body.

And the fused state, which had been on the verge of collapsing, became incredibly solid, as if it had been nailed in place.

All Things, advance!

All requirements had been met. Su Chen immediately chose to advance!

In an instant, a white light burst from his body. This class-up didn’t bring any pain; instead, it was more like an invisible bridge being forged within him.

[All Things class-up successful. Gained Professional Ability—Fusion: Fuses spiritual and physical Professions.]

[Received bonus reward: Self-consumption in the fused state is drastically reduced.]

The class-up process ended quickly, and Su Chen’s body gradually calmed down. He looked at the description on his panel. With the All Things Professional Ability, fusion was no longer a temporary state.

He rested briefly, drawing on the nutrients accumulated by Gourmet to recover a little, then tried again. With a thought, he instantly entered the fused state.

CRACKLE! POP! Arcs of lightning shot out. The solid-looking Undying Armor covered his entire body as Spiritual Power flowed through him, combining with his cells to produce a wondrous change.

’This is the fused state...’

He was carefully experiencing it, just about to study the Fusion Ability and the reduced consumption rate, when his gaze suddenly sharpened. It then relaxed, and with a wave of his hand, the door to the Gravity Chamber swung open.

WHOOSH—Almost at the same time, a gaunt figure appeared.

"Teacher," he called out.

Xia Hanshi stood before the open door to the Gravity Chamber, his eyes narrowing slightly. ’This kid...’