Chapter 391

Just as Jie Ming expected, during the process of continuing to sneak downward, they encountered several waves of "sentries" with different forms.

Some evolved multi-faceted light-sensing structures like compound eyes, capable of monitoring weak light disturbances from multiple directions simultaneously; some flattened their bodies, sticking to the rock wall like glowing moss, blending into the background energy radiation; and some even abandoned their body forms, turning into extremely faint light mist permeating the air of the crack, and any solid object passing through would cause anomalies in the flow of the light mist.

Anya, while harvesting the life force of these sentries silently like the Grim Reaper, could not hide her surprise in the mental link:

"The same type of elemental creature can actually differentiate into so many specialized variants targeting concealment and reconnaissance in a short period of time? This evolution speed and directionality are too amazing."

Jie Ming was thoughtful, roughly understanding the reason for this situation.

Wizard Star Fall's so-called "Ignition of Intelligence" is essentially using spiritual energy for animation.

In the wizard's worldview, these undoubtedly belong to the broad category of "light elemental life forms," but if the cognitive framework of the Cultivation Realm is applied...

"They should actually be counted as 'Monster Race'." Jie Ming sorted out in his heart, "The biggest characteristic of the Monster Race is, first, the individuals animated are often different from their original population, becoming unique 'alien species'; second, their racial division is extremely fine, especially for existences like mountain spirits, water monsters, and nature spirits, many times each animated individual, due to its origin, encounter, and the different intentions of the animator, may become a small independent race."

"Therefore, from the wizard's perspective, this is a group of 'light elemental life forms'. But from the cultivator's perspective, this is simply a collection of 'light spirits' with similar origins but different races that have just opened their intelligence! Precisely because each individual contained an independent 'racial trait' at the moment of animation, they would mutate so rapidly toward completely different specialized directions under pressure later."

Cleaning all the way, although Anya's means were clean and neat, the sentries disappearing silently one after another would eventually leave traces.

Both of them knew clearly that the light elemental group underground must have been alerted by now, knowing that a powerful "enemy" had invaded their secret base.

However, as long as they didn't expose their specific identity and form, letting them stay in the vague cognition of "an unknown threat has infiltrated," it might instead prompt them to push forward that "big plan" more urgently, which is an excellent window to observe their social behavior and crisis response.

After going down several kilometers, the crack gradually became wider, barely enough for one person to pass upright.

The environment also became more complex, and various energy turbulence and hidden alert spells began to appear.

"From here on, acting together is too big a target." Jie Ming said to Anya in the mental link, "Let's separate. I will sneak directly into the core area for close-range observation and data collection. You stay here, manipulate the shadows and these sentries to continue to circle, and contain their attention."

Anya thought for a moment and nodded in agreement: "Understood. I will create the illusion that 'the enemy is still infiltrating and has not yet reached the core'."

After setting the plan, the two acted separately.

After Jie Ming left the shadow, his figure blurred for a while, as if erased from the main space by an invisible eraser, and he entered the temporary parallel phase space silently.

After entering the phase space, the action became more secret and convenient, and the surrounding reconnaissance and monitoring means no longer worked.

Jie Ming descended rapidly along the increasingly wide underground crack, and descended several more kilometers, and the front suddenly opened up!

Through the space membrane of the phase space, Jie Ming saw a huge underground cave.

The size of the cave far exceeded expectations, enough to accommodate a small city.

And at this moment, the cave was densely packed with countless light-cluster elemental creatures.

The light they emitted was not a single tone, but presented magnificent composite colors of red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple, and even more, illuminating the underground space that should have been pitch black like a dreamlike ocean of light.

Light waves surged, energy hummed, forming a solemn and fanatical atmosphere.

The most eye-catching was the huge light cluster in the center of the cave, whose volume far exceeded its peers, with a diameter of more than a hundred meters!

It was like a restless little sun, with energy surging violently inside, releasing terrifying fluctuations that were extremely unstable, and the light flickering crazily between scorching white, golden red, and deep purple.

Small energy lightning constantly burst from the edge of the light cluster, striking the surrounding rocks and leaving scorched marks.

Judging from the continuously released energy fluctuations and the degree of violent activity, this thing was like a super-giant energy bomb that was forcibly restrained and could explode at any time.

Around it, dozens of circles of light clusters were arranged in an orderly manner.

The light clusters in the inner circle were continuously transporting pure light elemental energy to the central giant light cluster, and their own light dimmed rapidly with the energy output.

Once a light cluster's energy was exhausted and became withered and transparent, a light cluster waiting on the periphery would immediately fill the position and continue to transport.

The whole process was like performing some kind of solemn collective sacrificial ritual.

"This is it." Jie Ming confirmed in the phase space.

Regardless of whether this giant light cluster was a "bomb" or something else, it was the core target of this mission.

But staying in the phase space could not perform sufficiently fine data scanning, especially to analyze the structure and energy flow pattern inside the giant light cluster.

Jie Ming thought for a moment, and had an idea in his heart.

He manipulated his body, which had been tempered by the "Body Forging Method," and began to actively "collapse" in the phase space.

Muscles, bones, and internal organs underwent microscopic reorganization and compression under powerful control, supplemented by auxiliary witchcraft to reduce body size, and his figure shrank rapidly.

Finally, it turned into a slightly irregular energy sphere with a diameter of less than half a meter.

Immediately following, he simulated the energy characteristics of light elements, covered his body surface with a layer of soft and changeable light, and released light elemental fluctuations that were imitated vividly.

Looking from afar, his current form was almost indistinguishable from those ordinary light-cluster elemental creatures in the cave.

To be realistic, Jie Ming also specifically adjusted the brightness against the light intensity emitted by those elemental lives.

He locked onto an area near the cave wall, specifically for placing those "withered light clusters" whose energy was exhausted.

Taking advantage of the short-term light and shadow changes and energy disturbances caused by the violent flickering of the central giant light cluster, Jie Ming seized the opportunity, switched back to the main plane from the phase space, and like an inconspicuous small light ball, "rolled" behind a protruding rock in that area.

Under the cover of the dazzling light intertwined by countless light clusters around and the energy radiance constantly erupting from the central "sun", he, who looked like a "slightly weak little guy", successfully mixed into the light cluster group without attracting any extra attention.

"Eye of All-Use."

After reaching a sufficient distance, Jie Ming directly activated the Eye of All-Use.

Massive amounts of data poured into his mind, his field of vision instantly penetrated the light of appearance, went deep into the level of energy flow, structural stability, and law interference, and began a comprehensive scan of the central giant light cluster.

At the same time, he contacted the terminal in his internal space through spiritual power, and continuously transmitted massive real-time data—energy spectrum, pressure reading, structural stress, spiritual fluctuation curve—back to Sister Wei Ao in the ground laboratory.

The data stream was transmitted steadily for about a quarter of an hour.

Suddenly, Jie Ming's wrist shook slightly, and the terminal received an analysis briefing urgently sent back by Sister Wei Ao:

"Jie Ming, the situation has changed. Data analysis shows that the structural vulnerability of the central energy aggregate has far exceeded the critical point, and the energy pressure has also broken through the theoretical binding limit. According to the existing model, it should have undergone an uncontrollable chain energy annihilation disintegration 7 minutes and 32 seconds ago. But the reality is that it still exists."

"The only reasonable explanation is: there is some kind of 'internal restraint mechanism' or 'core structure' forcibly maintaining its form, offsetting most of the internal pressure that leads to disintegration. Preliminary speculation is that the core may have extremely high energy affinity and stability, and may even possess activity."

"Be vigilant, the nature of the target may not be a simple 'energy bomb'."

Jie Ming's heart suddenly tightened, just as he wanted to carefully ponder the meaning of Sister Wei Ao's warning, the scene in front of him changed drastically!

Boom!!!

It was not an explosion in the physical sense, but an overwhelming energy tide accompanied by a strong mental roar, erupting from the central giant light cluster as the core!

The entire underground cave was trembling violently, and broken stones fell from the rock wall.

What made Jie Ming even more astonished was that accompanying the diffusion of this energy tide, there was also a clear, vast, and rapidly climbing life aura!

That was not a simple superposition of countless light cluster life auras, but a unified, higher-level life will that was awakening, expanding, and transforming!

"Not good!" Jie Ming instantly understood the meaning of Sister Wei Ao's warning, and also understood the deviation in their previous judgment, "This thing is not a 'big firework' at all! This is... they are concentrating the strength and spirituality of the entire clan, using some kind of extreme method to forcibly catalyze the birth of a 'King' or 'Ultimate Weapon' capable of carrying the hope of their clan! This is forcibly breaking through the life rank!"

In his perception, the energy level inside the central light cluster was soaring like a rocket.

The newborn will inside was rapidly condensing and strengthening, its energy level fluctuations effortlessly breaking through the boundaries of Tier 4 and Tier 5, and the momentum did not decrease, heading toward the higher-level Tier 6!

That towering life pressure like a mountain and sea, pure and scorching, like a substantial storm of light, instantly swept through the entire underground space!

All light-cluster elemental creatures, whether they were transporting energy or not, simultaneously emitted radiation hums full of awe and ecstasy, and the light flickered rhythmically, as if worshiping a newborn god.

(End of chapter)