Chapter 273: Is There Still Time?

He immediately gathered his subordinates: "Notify all personnel in Huaxia at once; keep your eyes on that pillar of light for me. Remember, obtain the Dust of Earth at any cost!"

A battle for the Dust of Earth was about to unfold in those mysterious deep mountains. And this might just be the beginning of a much larger conspiracy.

In the deep mountains, those awakened Runes flickered with a faint light, as if waiting for something. An existence that had slumbered for a thousand years might be about to wake in this turmoil. The energy between heaven and earth began to stir, as if signaling that some great event was about to occur.

Returning to the Quiet Room, Lin Xuan endured the pain brought on by his Heart Fire and began to carefully deduce the dangers he might encounter on this trip. As one of the supreme treasures between heaven and earth, the Dust of Earth would certainly not be easily obtained. What's more, since it had now become common knowledge, other factions would surely intervene.

"I hope I'm in time." He cast his gaze toward the still-dazzling pillar of light. "Otherwise, once this Heart Fire loses control, the consequences will be unimaginable."

In the streets and alleys of K City, hurried figures were everywhere. Among these seemingly ordinary pedestrians, there was no shortage of Outsiders. Whether openly or covertly, they were all searching for potential clues. A strange tension permeated the air, as if a single spark could ignite the entire powder keg.

Wang Zhenqiu walked through the dim alley, each step taken with extreme caution. As a "Dragon Suppressing General," his sensory abilities far exceeded those of ordinary people. At this moment, he clearly sensed the unusual fluctuations in the air.

"This aura..." Wang Zhenqiu frowned in thought. "Why does it feel a bit like the remnants of an ancient Array? Could it be that beneath K City..."

Just then, his gaze was drawn to a flicker of abnormal light in the corner. The light appeared and disappeared, carrying an ancient aura that did not belong to this era. However, just as he prepared to step forward to investigate, three other figures suddenly emerged from the Yinying.

"Oh my, isn't this the 'Dragon Suppressing General'?" The person leading the way was a middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache, speaking with a distinct, sarcastic tone. "I never expected that someone of your stature would be interested in such a small trinket."

Wang Zhenqiu recognized the speaker—Liu San, an obscure southern Outsider who usually hid in the deep mountains and forests to cultivate. It was unclear why he had appeared here today.

"Liu San." His eyes had already turned cold. "Didn't you always hide in the southern mountains to meditate? What's wrong? With no hope for your cultivation, have you changed professions to become a treasure hunter?"

This remark clearly struck a sore spot for Liu San. His expression instantly turned ugly: "You! Nothing good ever comes out of your mouth! Since you put it that way, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Before the words had even faded, a chilling aura rushed toward him. It was Liu San's unique "Ice Palm," which was said to be able to freeze an opponent instantly if mastered to the extreme. Yet, in Wang Zhenqiu's eyes, this was nothing more than a petty trick.

"With only this much skill, you dare to come out and embarrass yourself?" The Dragon Suppressing Art was activated instantly. A powerful force erupted from within his body, shattering that chilling aura directly.

Liu San clearly had not expected his prized technique to be neutralized so easily. Before he could react, Wang Zhenqiu had already appeared before him like a ghost.

"Bang!" With a muffled thud, Liu San was sent flying by the palm strike, crashing heavily into the wall. Blood spilled from his mouth; he had clearly suffered significant internal injuries.

Seeing this, the other two Outsiders didn't care about saving face and attacked together. One used "Wind Chasing Leg," and the other used "Iron Sand Palm." Their moves looked flashy, but their techniques were mediocre.

Wang Zhenqiu didn't even bother using the Dragon Suppressing Art; relying solely on his years of combat experience, he took them down in a few quick moves. The entire process was fluid and natural, as if he were merely doing a simple warm-up exercise.

"A bunch of weaklings." Wang Zhenqiu curled his lip in disdain before walking over to the corner to check the glowing object. Looking closely, it turned out to be just an ordinary luminous stone, without even a trace of Outsider energy fluctuation on it.

"Tch, a wasted effort." He tossed the stone aside and was just about to continue his search when he suddenly sensed a familiar and powerful aura. #Chapter 269: The Gathering of Heroes

Zhao Fangxu stood before the floor-to-ceiling window on the top floor of the Company, holding an investigation report with a gold-stamped cover. The sunset's afterglow gilded his silhouette and made the map of K City look particularly striking. His fingers unconsciously rubbed the edge of the report, his eyes flashing with complex light.

"Twenty years," Zhao Fangxu whispered to himself, his tone carrying a trace of imperceptible trembling. "Has that place finally shown signs of anomaly again?"

His thoughts could not help but return to twenty years ago. A similar anomaly had occurred in K City back then, followed by a world-shaking incident. That incident not only changed the landscape of the entire Outsider world but also cost him the most important person in his life.

"This time..." Zhao Fangxu's eyes became sharp. "We must not repeat the same mistakes!"

He pressed the intercom on his desk, his voice returning to its usual composure: "Have Xu Si come see me."

A moment later, light footsteps approached from afar. Xu Si pushed the door open, still wearing that devil-may-care expression. Yet, only those who knew him best understood what kind of strength was hidden beneath that facade.

"Boss, not resting this late?" Xu Si asked with a grin, though his eyes had already landed on the gold-stamped report.

Zhao Fangxu didn't waste words and handed the report directly to him: "Go to K City and take a look. This matter is likely not as simple as it seems."

Xu Si scanned the report quickly, the smile on his face gradually fading. Especially when he saw certain specific data, his brows could not help but furrow: "These energy fluctuations... why do they look so familiar?"

"That's right." Zhao Fangxu's voice became heavier. "They are almost exactly the same as twenty years ago."

Xu Si looked up, a flash of shock in his eyes: "Does the boss mean..."

"Go call Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao." Zhao Fangxu did not answer directly. "Especially Feng Baobao; her near-instinctive sensory abilities might come in very handy at a time like this."

Xu Si nodded and pulled out his phone to start dialing. After the call connected, Zhang Chulan's exhausted voice came through, sounding as if he had just finished some grueling training.

"Hey, Lao Zhang." Xu Si's tone carried a hint of playfulness. "Listening to your voice, were you beaten to a pulp by someone?"