Chapter 427: Some Secrets
“Yes, the Corpse Emperor Sacred Crystal is involved.” Xuan Huang did not conceal any information from his comrades. Moreover, this was not classified information.
“The Supreme Corpse Emperor outside the city is currently at a crucial moment of evolution. When a star beast advances to a higher stage of life beyond the Saint level, a rare solid crystal will emerge from within his body. This crystal is the Corpse Emperor Sacred Crystal. It contains the secret of transforming the undead into life.”
“The Mechanical Eternity faction seeks this mystery of transformation between death and life. As long as they obtain this crystal, they can decipher the life code contained within, and acquire the final data needed to completely transform humans into mechanical life forms, ultimately creating true mechanical beings and achieving immortality. At the same time, the Corpse Emperor Sacred Crystal benefits the cultivation of the ancient martial arts lineage, since it contains an opportunity for sainthood.”
“Furthermore, the National Academy of Sciences has a theory that the Corpse Emperor Sacred Crystal is the only material capable of completely killing the Supreme Corpse Emperor. This is why the Corpse Emperor’s followers are so desperately seeking to reclaim it.”
“Hence, Mechanical Eternity, the Dragon Group, and the star beasts all desire to obtain it,” Xuan Huang explained in detail.
After listening, Li Xiaofei had another question. “What realm does this Supreme Corpse Emperor belong to?”
Xuan Huang replied, “He is only a step away from becoming a transcendental life form.”
“Are transcendental life forms very powerful?” Li Xiaofei asked again, as this was his first time hearing about such a concept.
"Very powerful," Xuan Huang replied. "Becoming a transcendental life form, from the perspective of ancient martial arts, is akin to shattering the void. In terms of modern technology, it means being able to leave Earth and enter the vacuum of space. They would become a cosmic-level life form, comparable to celestial bodies like satellites, planets, or stars."
"How does that compare to a Saint Slayer?" Li Xiaofei asked.
"They are two different concepts," Xuan Huang explained patiently. "A Saint Slayer is simply a title of accomplishment. Anyone who has slain a Saint can be called a Saint Slayer. For instance, if Saint A killed Saint B, they would be known as a Saint Slayer. Even life forms below the Saint level, if they manage to slay a Saint through some weapon or other fortunate circumstances, would still be called a Saint Slayer. While the term Saint Slayer carries weight, it doesn’t necessarily indicate a realm above that of a Saint. However, a transcendental life form is certainly above the Saint level."
This explanation made things much clearer.
Li Xiaofei then asked his second question, “If transcendental life forms are so terrifying, why not eliminate the Corpse Emperor before he ascends and cut off any future threats? Otherwise, once he advances, wouldn’t the entire city of Xiajing be in grave danger?”
“There’s an odd phenomenon you may have heard about,” Xuan Huang replied.
Li Xiaofei looked puzzled. “Hmm?”
Xuan Huang continued, “BOSS-level star beasts can never be entirely eradicated. Every time humans slay a BOSS-level star beast, nature itself will spawn a new one in the shortest time possible.”
Li Xiaofei recalled that he had read something like this in his Red Flag High School textbooks. Typically, the newly born BOSS-level star beast would then launch an assault on human base cities to initiate its reign with a display of dominance. During this process, the losses suffered by human base cities would be unprecedentedly tragic. How could one describe this phenomenon? It was utterly absurd.
It was like a poorly designed game where, just when you thought you had reached the final level and were about to clear it, a new wave of challenges would appear. But this time, the difficulty had been cranked up to nightmare mode.
Xuan Huang added, “Furthermore, the nation does have countermeasures against transcendental life forms. So, even if the Supreme Corpse Emperor evolves successfully, while the danger will significantly increase, it doesn’t mean that Xiajing City will fall.”
“Alright,” Li Xiaofei replied, refraining from pressing further on the matter. Who could really say for certain about things above one’s rank?
Instead, he raised another question, “How powerful is the Mechanical Eternity cult, exactly? They dare to oppose the Dragon Group and even intercept Dragon Group members?”
Xuan Huang’s tone turned serious. “They’re very powerful and beyond your imagination. The cult's followers have infiltrated every facet of this nation. You should know that the New Martial Arts movement is already on the rise, and Mechanical Eternity ranks in the top three among the various factions within in terms of strength.”
“Star beasts are threatening the city with extinction-level crises, but we humans are still embroiled in internal strife and killing each other. One powerful fighter after another falls at the hands of their own kind... I don’t even know what to say,” Li Xiaofei sighed.
Xuan Huang responded, “Such things have always existed throughout history.”
Li Xiaofei nodded, “Yes, just like Hegel[1] said, the only lesson humans learn from history is that humans never learn anything from history.”
Xuan Huang chuckled softly, “We have no reason to criticize others. We’re all players in this game, and most people believe that their own philosophy is right and the ultimate path to salvation for humanity.”
Li Xiaofei countered, “So, do you think the attacks by Mechanical Eternity are justified?”
Xuan Huang immediately shook her head. “Of course not. Their methods have crossed the boundaries of ideological competition. They must pay the price.”
Li Xiaofei then asked, “Why is the state’s ability to restrain and intimidate the various factions so weak? They dared to attack members of the Dragon Group outside Xiajing, the heart of the nation?”
There was a growing sense of disappointment in his heart. The earlier controversies, the academic disputes and the struggles with educational advancement, had already caused some resentment to brew within him. That disappointment was slowly accumulating.
After a brief moment, Xuan Huang looked at him and said, “Perhaps you underestimate our enemies.”
“Hmm?” Li Xiaofei glanced at her, puzzled.
Xuan Huang explained, “Star beasts are not mere symbols of savage brutality. It’s quite the opposite in fact, some high-grade star beasts are extremely cunning and terrifying. They can transform into human form, evading all forms of detection equipment. Do you realize what this implies?”
Li Xiaofei began to grasp her meaning.
Her voice lowered. “It means that star beasts can infiltrate human society as well. Our enemies are not only outside the walls—they are within them, too.”
Li Xiaofei’s heart jolted with sudden realization. He understood exactly what Xuan Huang was implying. There were traitors who held positions of considerable influence. This was the only way to explain the inexplicable occurrences within the city.
“This time, the Mechanical Eternity cult used the pretense of a mission to hunt down infiltrated corpse beasts to block off an area spanning dozens of miles around the academy. They had authorization from the higher-ups. It’s flawless in terms of protocol and appearance.”
Xuan Huang continued, “Only a few people know they’re really after the Corpse Emperor Sacred Crystal. I regret that a single careless remark from me has made White Deer Academy the center of this storm.”
“Was it those extra words you said when confronting Mei Fusu?” Li Xiaofei asked.
Xuan Huang nodded.
“The entire abandoned town was covered with suppression formations and blocking fields. I hadn’t expected that, Mei Fusu would manage to transmit some information just before his death. I was too careless,” she said, deeply regretful.
Li Xiaofei didn’t dwell on this matter.
At that time, Xuan Huang had intentionally prolonged the conversation with Mei Fusu to distract him and give their hidden allies more time. However, Mei Fusu had lived up to his reputation as Mythical Heavy Industry’s top expert and had reacted quickly after deducing the truth. He could only be described as a terrifying enemy.
“Can you tell me if the Corpse Emperor Sacred Crystal is still at White Deer Academy?” Li Xiaofei asked.
“Yes,” Xuan Huang replied candidly.
Li Xiaofei didn’t press further on its exact location.
Instead, he asked, “The Supreme Corpse Emperor is in a state of evolution, and his defenses should be incredibly tight. How did the Dragon Group manage to steal the Corpse Emperor Sacred Crystal from his lair?”
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“The Tan family provided assistance,” Xuan Huang replied.
Li Xiaofei was taken aback, and then suddenly understood everything.
1. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel was a German philosopher and one of the most influential figures of German idealism and 19th-century philosophy. ☜