Chapter 450: Chapter 390: Infiltration and Deviation
Just as Jeming predicted, during their continued descent, they encountered several waves of differently shaped "sentinels."
Some evolved multiple photoreceptive structures like compound eyes, capable of simultaneously monitoring weak light disturbances from multiple directions; some flattened their bodies, sticking to the rock wall like luminous moss and merging with the background energy radiation; some even abandoned their physical form, transforming into a faint light mist lingering in the crevice air, with any physical entity passing through causing abnormal movements in the light mist.
Meanwhile, Anya silently reaped the Life Energy of these sentinels like a death god, her surprise evident in the Spiritual Link:
"The same type of Elemental Creatures can differentiate into so many specialized variants targeting stealth and reconnaissance in such a short time? The speed and direction of this evolution are astonishing."
Jeming pondered, roughly understanding the reasons for this phenomenon.
What the Starfall Wizard refers to as "the ignition of Spiritual Wisdom" is essentially the utilization of Spiritual Qi for enlightenment.
In the world view of a wizard, these undoubtedly belong to the large category of "Light Elemental Life Form," but if applying the Cultivation Immortality Realm’s cognitive framework...
"They should actually be considered ’Demon Race,’" Jeming sorted in his mind, "The most significant characteristic of the Demon Race is that individuals enlightened tend to be different from their original species, becoming unique ’variants’; and their racial classification is extraordinarily detailed, especially for beings like Spirit Monster and Natural Elf, where many times each enlightened individual, due to differences in Origin, fortune, and the enlighter’s intent, might form a tiny independent race."
"So, from the wizard’s perspective, this is a group of ’Light Elemental Life.’ But from a cultivator’s standpoint, this is fundamentally a group of Origin-similar, yet racially diverse, newly awakened ’Light Spirit Monster’ collection! Precisely because each individual contains independent ’racial characteristics’ at the moment of enlightenment, they quickly mutate in radically different specialized directions under pressure."
While clearing the path, even though Anya’s methods were clean and swift, the sentinels disappearing one after another in silence would eventually leave traces.
Both were aware, the subterranean Light Elemental group must already be alerted, knowing that powerful "enemies" had infiltrated their encrypted base.
However, as long as their specific identity and form are not exposed, keeping it at the level of "an unknown threat has infiltrated," it might further urge them to expedite that "big plan," which constitutes an excellent window to observe their societal behavior and crisis response.
After descending several kilometers, the crevice gradually widened, barely allowing a person to stand upright.
The environment also became more complex, various chaotic energy flows and concealed warning Techniques began to appear.
"Here, acting together makes the target too large." Jeming said to Anya in the Spiritual Link, "We’ll split up. I’ll stealthily infiltrate the core area to conduct close observation and data collection. You stay here, manipulate shadows, and continue to engage with these sentinels, distracting their attention."
Anya hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement: "Understood. I will create the illusion of ’the enemy is still penetrating, yet to reach the core.’"
After setting the plan, the two split up to act.
Once Jeming emerged from the shadows, his figure blurred as if erased by an invisible rubber from the main space, silently entering a temporary parallel phase space.
In the phase space, movements became more covert and convenient, and the surrounding reconnaissance and surveillance methods ceased to be effective.
Jeming quickly descended along the increasingly spacious underground crevice, another few kilometers downward, and the view opened up suddenly!
Through the spatial membrane of the phase space, Jeming saw a massive underground cavern.
The size of the cavern far exceeded expectations, enough to house a small city.
At the moment, the cave was densely packed with countless light group Elemental Creatures.
The light they emitted was not a single tone but displayed rich and complex hues of red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple, and more, illuminating the originally pitch-dark underground into a dreamlike ocean of light.
Light waves surged, energy hummed, forming a solemn yet frenetic atmosphere.
Most striking was the enormous light orb at the center of the cavern, far larger than its kind, with a diameter exceeding a hundred meters!
It resembled a restless little sun, violently turbulent inside, releasing extremely unstable and terrifying fluctuations, with the light frantically flashing between bright white, golden red, and deep purple.
Tiny energy bolts continually erupted from the edges of the light orb, striking the surrounding rocks and leaving scorch marks.
From the continuously released energy fluctuations and the intensity of activity, this thing looked like an ultra-giant energy bomb forcefully restrained, ready to explode at any moment.
Around it, dozens of circles of light orbs were orderly arranged.
The inner circle orbs were persistently transmitting pure Light Elemental Energy to the central giant light orb, their own light rapidly dimming with the energy output.
Once a light orb’s energy was exhausted and became weak and transparent, an outer waiting orb immediately filled the position, continuing the transmission.
The entire process resembled a solemn collective sacrificial ritual.
"Here it is." Jeming confirmed in phase space.
Whether this giant light mass is a "bomb" or something else, it is the core target of this mission.
But staying in phase space couldn’t allow for a sufficiently detailed data scan, especially analyzing the internal structure and energy flow pattern of that giant light mass.
Jeming thought for a moment and had an idea.
He manipulated his body, tempered by the "Body Refining Technique," to begin actively "collapsing" in phase space.
Muscles, bones, and internal organs reorganized and compressed on a microscopic level under immense control power, aided by a witchcraft reducing body size, his figure shrank rapidly.
Eventually, he transformed into an irregular energy ball with a diameter of less than half a meter.
Immediately, he mimicked the energy characteristics of light elements, covering his surface with a soft and variable glow, releasing lifelike elemental fluctuations.
From afar, his current form looked almost identical to the ordinary light mass elemental creatures in the cave.
For realism, Jeming specifically adjusted the brightness imitating the light intensity of those elemental lives.
He targeted an area near the cave wall, specifically arranged for those "wilting light masses" with depleted energy.
Taking advantage of the brief light shadows change and energy disturbance created when the central giant light mass flashed fiercely, Jeming seized the moment, switching from phase space back to the main plane, like an inconspicuous little light ball, "rolling" behind a protruding rock in that area.
Under the protection of the dazzling light interwoven by countless light masses and the constant explosive glow of the central "sun," this seemingly "somewhat weak little guy" successfully blended into the light mass group without attracting any extra attention.
"All-Purpose Eye."
After reaching a sufficient distance, Jeming directly activated the All-Purpose Eye.
A huge amount of data flooded into his mind, his vision instantly penetrating the light surface, deeply analyzing energy flow, structural stability, and law interference, starting a comprehensive scan on the central giant light mass.
Simultaneously, he transmitted the massive real-time data—energy spectrum, pressure readings, structural stress, spiritual fluctuation curves—continuously back to Viola in the ground laboratory through the spiritual link with the terminal in his body space.
The data stream steadily transmitted for about a quarter-hour.
Suddenly, Jeming’s wrist subtly shook, and the terminal received a urgent briefing from Viola:
"Jeming, the situation has changed. Data analysis shows that the structural vulnerability of the central energy aggregation has far exceeded the critical point, and the energy pressure has also broken through the theoretical constraint limits. According to the current model, it should have resulted in an uncontrollable chain energy annihilation collapse 7 minutes and 32 seconds ago. But in reality, it persists."
"The only reasonable explanation is: some ’internal constraint mechanism’ or ’core structure’ forcefully maintaining its form, offsetting most of the internal pressure causing the collapse. The preliminary assumption is that this core might have extremely high energy affinity and stability, possibly even active."
"Stay alert, the target nature might not be simply an ’energy bomb’."
Jeming suddenly felt a chill in his heart, just as he was about to ponder Viola’s warning, the scene before him abruptly changed!
Boom!!!
Not a physical explosion sound, but a surging, irresistible energy tide accompanied by a strong spiritual rumble erupted violently from the core of the central giant light mass!
The entire underground cavity trembled intensely, rock fragments falling from the walls.
What shocked Jeming even more was that along with this energy tide spreading, there was a clear, vast life aura rapidly escalating at a frightening speed!
That was not a simple accumulation of life aura from countless light masses, but a unified, higher-level life will awakening, expanding, and evolving!
"Not good!" Jeming instantly understood the implications of Viola’s warning, as well as their previous misjudgment. "This thing is not some ’big firework!’ This is... they’re concentrating the power and spirituality of their entire race, adopting some extreme method to forcibly catalyze the birth of a... ’king’ or ’ultimate weapon’ capable of bearing their clan’s hope! This is forcibly breaking through the life hierarchy!"
In his perception, the energy level within the central light mass surged like a rocket.
The newly born will inside rapidly condensed and grew, its energy fluctuation effortlessly breaking through the Fourth and Fifth Level boundaries, and continued its momentum toward a higher Sixth Level!
The lofty and mighty Sixth Level life pressure, pure and scorching, swept through the entire underground space instantly like a tangible storm of light!
All light mass elemental creatures, whether transmitting energy or not, simultaneously emitted radiation hums filled with awe and ecstasy, their glows rhythmically dimming and brightening as if worshiping the newborn god.
