Chapter 1294: Intelligence in Love
Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform
Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless Blade (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonblade (pinnacle), Blade of the Heavens (pinnacle)
Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 100; Monarch, 100; Emperor, 5
Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld Clam (disaster)
The air began to vibrate as a ball of energy encapsulated Zhang Lie. The will of the world's voice rang out in his head.
[Your status exceeds that permissible within the second realm. Please advance to the fourth realm immediately!]
Wrapped in multicolored light, Zhang Lie waved at the gathered crowd.
The members of Team Zenith, Sun Mengmeng, Yang Ze, Li Feng, Fang Yi, Sun Xiaowu, Zhou Ying, as well as Hong Xi, Zhang Hanxiang, Ye Xianchen, Jun Jiuxiao, Li Zongming, the draconian sage, the Lie king, his brother, Dong Mingxing, Yun Bing, Chu Feng, and the Yeluo chieftain all saw him off, their eyes filled with reluctance at his departure. The Lie king and Zhu's eyes filled with tears.
As for the members of Team Zenith, Sun Mengmeng, Yang Ze, Li Feng, Fang Yi, Sun Xiaowu, Zhou Ying, as well as Hong Xi, Zhang Hanxiang, Ye Xianchen, and Jun Jiuxiao—to them, this was only a momentary farewell. They knew that they would meet Zhang Lie again, in another time, at another place.
To the Lie king, however, it might be farewell for good.
Despite the fact that the Lie king had become an existence beyond an ordinary superior king, that he now held one of the four major seats of the high council of the third realm, he was simply too young. When he saw Zhang Lie, who had guided him through his most vulnerable period, leave, he couldn't master his emotions.
Zhu and Zhang Lie were even more intimately connected. To Zhu, Zhang Lie was a father figure, a brother, and someone she respected and admired. Parting ways with him made her feel terrible—who knew how long it would be before they met again?
As everyone glanced at Zhang Lie and the rainbow light that shrouded him from view, no one noticed a figure running over and jumping toward Zhang Lie.
In a flash of light, Zhang Lie and that figure were teleported into the refinement chamber. Zhang Lie looked at the figure in his lap in shock before shouting, "Are you crazy?"
Li Qianlin had jumped into Zhang Lie's lap right as he was teleported away.
Instead of responding, she kissed him on the lips. "I'm crazy. I was crazy for you ever since that botched wedding. I don't care whether you love me, or what happens in the future—I love you!"
Zhang Lie sighed. "Do you know how dangerous it's going to be? I can't protect you in the fourth realm. I can't."
Li Qianlin hugged Zhang Lie tightly.
"I won't let you go, no matter what. Regardless of how dangerous the fourth realm is, I want to be with you forever and ever, even if I might die!"
"You—"
Li Qianlin reached out and clasped her hand over his mouth. "Tell me now: are you willing to bring me with you, or not?"
Zhang Lie didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. Right now, Li Qianlin was behaving like a fool, just like he had been when he first saw her in this life. There was a saying that those in love would lose their rationality. Zhang Lie scoffed at that saying back then—but now, he was certain his IQ was in the negatives.
Li Qianlin had done what he should have from the very beginning—express his emotions clearly!
Suddenly, in his head blared the will of the realm's voice. [Warning! An intruder has been detected within the refinement chamber. Expulsion protocols activated.]
Zhang Lie knew that there wasn't much time left. He hurriedly said, "Qianlin, listen up. The route ahead will be perilous. If you want to stay with me, you'll need to learn how to bear with solitude. Before I grow strong and have a safehouse, you'll have to stay in a certain location all alone."
Despite the circumstances, Li Qianlin seemed overjoyed. "Anywhere, as long as I'm with you!"
The space around her distorted, and Zhang Lie felt a sense of repulsion. Rather than explain further, he hurriedly stowed Li Qianlin in his disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard.
The will of the realm's voice rang out again. [Intruder removed. The refinement ceremony will continue in ten seconds. 10, 9, 8, ...]
A burst of energy filled the chamber, surrounding Zhang Lie and forming a huge cocoon around him.
Tremendous energy drifted into the chamber, making Zhang Lie feel as though he were immersed in a heated pool, unbelievably comfortable. Perhaps intentionally or because the will of the third realm was far stronger than those of the first and second realms, the refinement energy seemed thousands of times more concentrated compared to when he had ascended to the third realm.
The refinement energy circulated throughout his body, as though burying seeds deep within the earth and watching them sprout with life.
Zhang Lie sat deep in meditation, his body forging itself anew with every breath.
An incredible metamorphosis was occurring within his body, as though the disaster and monarch gene transformations were occurring once more.
An indeterminate amount of time passed, but Zhang Lie remained perfectly in harmony with his environment the entire time. Without anyone to disturb him, without any sudden fluctuations to his emotions, he gradually began to smile, a reflection of his heart and inner being. Light began to shine from his body. He was surrounded by a glowing ball of light, and the skin beneath that was revealed was a pearlescent white, supple and smooth.
A spiritual glow suffused him. His bones cracked as they became even stronger and sturdier, taking on a metallic luster. A membrane of crystalline light formed over their surface, strengthening them, improving their ductility and hardness. His body was being reforged from the inside out and the outside in, as though becoming that of a deity.
Muscle, flesh, skin, and bone merged together in a flash of blinding light, which coalesced into a skin-like membrane that gave Zhang Lie a holy, immaculate appearance. He looked like a man from the heavens above, one untouched and unsullied by mortal contact.
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