197: The mystery of the lost territory, Qinghai
Even though they tried to slip in under the cover of darkness, their impressive procession still attracted quite a bit of attention. The area within the Wall of Radiance was relatively small, and they could encounter people at any moment. It was a challenge to find an unoccupied building, and they managed to locate one after some effort.
The group filed into the express hotel. Yao Qianjiang furrowed his brows as he looked at the lobby, which was covered in dust and in a state of disarray. "We're staying here?"
Shan Ming sneered, "Does Prince Jun want to stay in the wilderness?"
Xiao Zhou narrowed his eyes, "Watch your words."
Shen Changze turned his head and said coldly, "Watch what?"
"You..." Xiao Zhou was about to retort, but an older man grabbed his shoulder and shook his head at him.
Yao Qianjiang seemed unfazed. He wrinkled his nose and instructed, "Clean up the place properly and let me know when you're done."
Xiao Zhou said, "Prince Jun, please rest outside for now. We'll find you a clean room."
Everyone knew that Yao Qianjiang was used to a good life, and no one argued with him about it. They unloaded their luggage and each found tools to clean their rooms. Despite the dirt and mold here, it was much better than being outdoors where heavy snow was falling and temperatures were forty degrees below zero. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, they would likely have to stay here for a long time.
Tang Tingzhi said, "About seven or eight people can cook, while the others clean their rooms. Let's rest early today, and we can hire people from the city to clean the common areas tomorrow."
After surveying the surroundings, Zhuang Yao turned to Chen Shao and said, "Chen Shao, can you take Abu and the others hunting? They haven't eaten all day."
Chen Shao stubbed out his cigarette, muttered an "okay," and headed outside.
Wu Yu also stood up. "I'll go with you guys."
One of the Frost Society's members said, "President, hunting around here is quite easy. Lao Wei's place just outside the wall should be sufficient. You don't need to go personally."
Wu Yu shook his head. "Better safe than sorry." With that, he walked out.
The remaining people split into two groups: one group cooked, and the other cleaned the rooms. Given the extreme cold and their ample numbers, they tried to eat warm food to maintain body temperature.
Once the rooms were cleaned and dinner was ready, Wu Yu and Chen Shao returned with a large group of mutated animals that had eaten their fill. The group had a peaceful meal and then went to rest in their respective rooms.
The express hotel had plenty of rooms. Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia now had separate rooms. Cong Xia changed the bedding they brought with them and lay down, testing the comfort. "It's alright, though there's a bit of a smell. It should fade in a few days."
Cheng Tianbi also lay down. "Are you cold? You can use your energy to warm up when you're awake, but not when you're sleeping. Do you want me to light the stove?"
"I'm fine. Let's be a bit conservative with our energy supply. We don't know how long we'll be here. What if it gets even colder in a couple of months?" Cong Xia hugged him around the waist and grinned. "We won't be cold if we cuddle."
Cheng Tianbi held him tightly, pulling him into his embrace. He nuzzled Cong Xia's forehead with his chin. "Indeed, it's much warmer."
Cong Xia looked up and gave his chin a peck. "You need to shave."
"Yeah."
"Tomorrow morning, I'll help you with that."
"Alright."
"Tianbi, are you thinking about that Light Natural Force Evolver?"
"Yeah."
Cong Xia sighed softly. "I used to think that you were evolving the fastest among all of us, but there really are people beyond our imagination. This enrgy in Qinghai is truly unique."
"I'm not worried that he's evolving faster than me. I'm concerned about why someone who might break through to the Fourth Stage and achieve complete elementalization cannot leave Qinghai. Is it because he doesn't want to leave, or is there some reason he can't? Whether it's the former or the latter, I don't think it's good news for us."
"You're right. I think the possibility that he doesn't want to leave is slim. Such a powerful person wouldn't willingly stay trapped here, dividing a province with others. There's a broader world outside, and he has no reason not to explore it. However, if even someone who is fully elementalized can't leave Qinghai, then we..." Cong Xia chuckled bitterly. "Actually, when I entered here, I was already prepared to not be able to go back. So if we really can't go back, I can bear it. I'm more concerned about my second uncle."
"Everyone has that kind of preparedness, but we can't give up, we can't admit defeat." Cheng Tianbi stroked his back. "The life we want isn't like this."
Cong Xia gave a faint smile. "Of course, but as long as you're with me, I can adapt anywhere."
Cheng Tianbi lowered his head and kissed his hair. "Me too."
"Tianbi, your comrades, if they're not dead, they must have become formidable Evolvers. How many of them came in total? There should be one or two who managed to survive."
"Fifteen. The chance of mutation in humans is about three in a thousand. Maybe it's slightly higher in Qinghai, but it wouldn't increase to fifteen in a thousand. It's very likely they've all died. But regardless, I will go to Golmud to find their helicopter or any other remnants. They didn't die in vain."
Cong Xia patted his back. "They definitely didn't."
The two of them held each other for warmth, each lost in their own thoughts as they fell asleep. Every day in Qinghai made them unconsciously treasure the time they spent together even more, because no one knew when death would come.
The next morning, after waking up, Tang Tingzhi sent some people to the city to gather information and buy daily necessities. According to Lao Wei, there wasn't an immediate shortage of supplies here. Even though they had lost contact with the outside world, the things left behind by millions of people were enough for the tens of thousands who remained. Only a small fraction of these people required these supplies. Thus, as long as they had enough to trade, they could always find interesting things to buy.
During the day, they not only hired people to clean the entire building, but also purchased many new bedding, stoves, and everyday items. They even found workers to install electrical circuits and water heating systems. They were surprised to discover that Qinghai also had a new type of energy. The extraction method was slightly different, but it also came from converting Cambrian Energy. While the output was small, the purity was unexpectedly 17% higher than what they had developed. Due to the small population within the Bright Wall (wall of radiance), the output could fully meet the consumption needs. Even people like Lao Wei, who watched the wall, could use electric lights.
As Tang Tingzhi and Zhuang Yao looked at the research data for this energy source, their expressions grew more serious.
Cong Xia walked over, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke up. "Can this thing prove that there are Evolvers with higher brain domain evolution levels than yours here?"
Zhuang Yao said firmly, "Yes."
Cong Xia said, "That's not surprising. Since there are Third and Fourth Stage Evolvers in terms of natural energy, there naturally will be Third and Fourth Stage Evolvers in terms of brain domain evolution." He shivered slightly. "But why do I feel so uneasy about this? Just thinking that there might be someone smarter than both you and Tang Tingzhi here makes me afraid. The terror of Evolvers with natural energy is directly manifested in their combat strength, but the terror of brain domain Evolvers infiltrates every aspect of your life, making you utterly defenseless."
Tang Tingzhi said seriously, "I really want to learn from him."
Zhuang Yao scoffed, "I dislike people smarter than me."
At that moment, Liu Fengyu and Deng Xiao, who had gone for supplies, entered with a chill in the air. As soon as Liu Fengyu entered the room, he burst out laughing. "Who would have thought we could find good stuff in Qinghai? Look at this huge bottle of shampoo that hasn't expired yet."
Deng Xiao walked mysteriously up to Zhuang Yao and smirked. "Hey, Little Zhuang Yao, guess what I bought for you?"
Zhuang Yao slipped his hand into his white coat pocket, tilted his head up to look at Deng Xiao, and asked, "What?"
Deng Xiao took out a small bag of White Rabbit milk candies from his bag and teased, "Hehe, they even have these candies, but they're outrageously expensive. So, do you want to eat them?"
Zhuang Yao extended his hand, his expression emotionless. "Give them to me."
Deng Xiao crouched down and pointed at his own cheek, teasing him with pride. "Little Zhuang Yao, give your big bro a kiss."
Zhuang Yao pushed his face away with a hand and took the candies.
Cong Xia was surprised. "Since when did Zhuang Yao like eating candy?"
Deng Xiao pouted uninterestedly. "He's always liked them. Didn't you guys know? What's so strange about kids liking candy?"
Cong Xia blushed slightly. He had always struggled to accept the fact that Zhuang Yao was a "kid."
After working tirelessly for two days, they finally managed to make the small hotel more decent. It had electricity, hot water, clean bedding, and towels. They had roughly restored their living standards from when they were in Beijing and Chongqing.
Before dinner, everyone who had been sent to gather information returned and reported to Tang Tingzhi and Zhuang Yao. After dinner, Tang Tingzhi gathered the important figures from various mutant organizations in the cafeteria for a meeting.
Tang Tingzhi said, "Today, our people who went to the city have gathered some information, and I'll summarize it for you all. First, about Lord Ming, the Evolver with natural energy. His level of evolution must be beyond the Third Stage, possibly even beyond the Fourth Stage. The basis for this judgment is that this person can fully elementalize. It's said that he came from near Golmud to Xining, a distance of eight hundred kilometers, and it took him only a few minutes. Do you all understand what this means? He's evolving at the speed of light. Although the gap is still vast, it's a pace that humanity cannot achieve. Perhaps when he evolves to the Seventh Stage, he could truly reach the speed of light. Such power is unimaginable."
Shan Ming muttered, "Damn, this is too outrageous."
"The second matter is about the Xuan Master. Whenever our people asked about the Xuan Master, almost everyone remained tight-lipped. It seems that people in the city are devoutly reverent toward the Lord Ming. Finally, after a lot of effort, we found someone willing to speak for the sake of gain. But even he didn't know much. His description was similar to what Old Wei's grandson said: that the Xuan Master wields the power of darkness. However, he mentioned a rumor." Tang Tingzhi looked at the expectant eyes around him, took a deep breath, and continued, "According to the rumor, the Xuan Master can instantly crush a large area of people and animals into minced meat, or suck them into a dark space, making them completely disappear."
Cheng Tianbi clenched his fist. "Could it be gravity?"
Zhuang Yao spoke seriously, "Yes, it's gravity. Derived from the Earth Element, there's an elemental evolutionist—Gravity Evolver. They can fully elementalize into black holes. Their evolution level is the same as Lord Ming, above the Third Stage, and possibly even surpassing the Fourth Stage. The last two natural energy Evolvers have emerged."
Everyone inhaled sharply.
Light and darkness, the abilities of these two opposing natural energy Evolvers, sounded incredibly shocking. To elementalize into light and black holes, what kind of devastating destructive power did that hold?
"Now that you've heard this, everyone understands, right? Whether it's Lord Ming or the Xuan Master, we need to avoid direct conflict. Moreover, we don't yet understand their points of contention, but it's likely related to the Puppet Jade. We've come here for the sake of the Puppet Jade, and we don't have absolute peace with them. So, let's be prepared for that."
Shen Changze said, "Since we're here, we're fully prepared."
"Our people were secretly followed today. I believe that within two days, Lord Ming will definitely meet with us. At that time, we'll gauge his attitude. If cooperation isn't possible, we'll find a way to head west. Since they are opposites, there's bound to be one side that we can cooperate with."
"Do we have information about other mutants? Like brain domain Evolvers or those like 'Spider-Man'? I feel these people would be quite powerful."
Tang Tingzhi nodded. "A brain domain Evolver. He is quite famous. He used to be a respected old teacher in Qinghai before the apocalypse. Both Lord Ming and the Xuan Master hold him in high esteem. He's also the only person who can communicate with both the Lord Ming and the Xuan Master. After the apocalypse, many things were researched by him, including the most beneficial new energy source for the people. He's a figure of key protection in Qinghai, and he's currently in the west. As for other well-known mutants in Qinghai, according to their descriptions, none of them are below Second Stage level. Among these powerful mutants, several don't take sides. They don't belong to the east or the west, often roaming around the Golmud region. We must meet the brain domain Evolver. He might become our breakthrough."
Cong Xia said, "We will definitely meet him sooner or later."
Tang Tingzhi nodded, but his expression didn't seem very optimistic. "There's also news about Qinghai Lake that doesn't sound easy either. The lake has been occupied by large aquatic creatures, and many people know that there's a Puppet Jade in the lake. But even Lord Ming or the Xuan Master haven't gone down to retrieve it. According to citizens, it's said that 'even the Lord Ming doesn't want to provoke them.'"
Yao Qianjiang chuckled, "Are we supposed to experience the terror of marine creatures in advance? Qinghai just happens to be a saltwater lake."
Wu You added, "Indeed, consider it a practice run. What do these aquatic creatures look like? Has anyone seen them?"
Tang Tingzhi explained, "There are many aquatic creatures, and quite a few people have seen them. Even the smallest ones are several times bigger than Abu. The reason everyone is afraid of Qinghai Lake is that there's a super aquatic creature at the lake bottom."
"Bottom of the lake? Super aquatic creature? Have they seen it?"
Tang Tingzhi shook his head, "It's all rumors. They say the Puppet Jade is guarded by that super aquatic creature. There are also stories saying that the Puppet Jade is within the eye of the super aquatic creature. It's easy to create such legends about the lake, aquatic creatures, and the precious jade. Although many exaggerated rumors can't be trusted, they seem to have some basis for the existence of the super aquatic creature. People claim that if you fly high enough over Qinghai Lake, you can see a massive shadow lurking on the lake bottom. They say that's the sleeping aquatic creature. The deepest part of Qinghai Lake is only 75 meters, and if the aquatic creature is large enough, it's possible to see its shadow. However, no one has truly seen it."
Liu Fengyu rolled his eyes, "Maybe they're scaring themselves. What if it's just a stone at the lake bottom?"
"It's not impossible, but this shadow didn't exist before the apocalypse, and stones don't evolve. It's indeed easy to associate it with super life forms like Devil Pine. Even if there's no super aquatic creature, other large aquatic creatures would still be challenging to deal with. Moreover, Qinghai Lake covers an area of over 4,000 square kilometers. Trying to find a small jade fragment like that would be impossible for humans alone."
Cong Xia plopped down on the table, "Oh my, each one of them is so difficult to handle. Comparing them like this, Devil Pine really seem adorable."
"Getting Devil Pine was a stroke of luck for us. Miracles won't happen every time."
Zhuang Yao said, "Look at the bright side. We've located at least three Puppet Jades, one in Qinghai Lake, and the Lord Ming and the Xuan Master should each have one. However, based on tests in Beijing, Qinghai likely has four, or even five, Puppet Jades."
"This... I believe Lord Ming is well aware of this."
Zhuang Yao continued, "We want the Puppet Jades, and Lord Ming is probably well aware of that too."
Cong Xia sighed, "We can only reason with him and appeal to his sense of morality. Maybe he'd be willing to contribute the Puppet Jade for the future of humanity."
Deng Xiao lamented, "Why does that sound like we don't have much time left to live? Can I have a meal of goose meat before I go? Those geese do look quite delicious."
Cong Xia said, "No, those geese are guarding the house for Old Wei."
Tang Tingzhi spoke, "That's roughly the current situation. More in-depth information can only be obtained from Lord Ming."
Zhuang Yao said, "Let's adjourn. The environment here is perfect for training, and it's faster than outside. Don't waste time, everyone."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Everyone present understood the importance of advancing their abilities, and no one would neglect that.
And so, they spent another peaceful day. On the afternoon of the fourth day in Xining, an unexpected visitor arrived at their encampment. It was an unremarkable-looking man with an oddly dressed attire. He wore a pale yellow robe with a gold-embossed sun pattern on his chest. His steps were deliberate, his demeanor neither subservient nor arrogant. He introduced himself as the steward of Lord Ming's residence and extended an invitation on behalf of Lord Ming to join him for dinner.
The expressions on everyone's faces seemed to say, "Just as expected."
Cong Xia asked, "How should we address you, sir?"
"Call me Meng Qing."
"Meng Qing, please lead the way." Cong Xia called Abu and asked, "Should we take this one?"
Meng Qing shook his head, "The cities within the Bright Wall are small. It's only a ten-minute walk to Lord Ming's residence."
"Alright, we'll walk."
Tang Tingzhi selected only six people to go with him: Cheng Tianbi, Zhuang Yao, Cong Xia, Shen Changze, Yao Qianjiang, and Wu Yu. They followed Meng Qing towards the northern part of the city.
Along the way, the residents of the Bright Wall looked at them with curiosity and reverence, or more accurately, with reverence towards Meng Qing and his attire, which they obviously recognized.
Cong Xia realized that Meng Qing was intentionally walking them through the city, probably to show them to the spies of Xuan Ming City.
Before long, they arrived at the residence of Lord Ming. It was an ordinary villa, except it was remarkably clean compared to the surrounding houses.
Meng Qing gestured for them to enter. "Please, everyone, come in."
Feeling somewhat nervous, the group entered. Meng Qing led them through the courtyard, and the villa's door opened from the inside. A person dressed similarly to Meng Qing stood guard at the entrance. Meng Qing nodded at him, then ushered the group inside.
Once inside, they saw a tall man standing with his back to them. He wore a golden robe, and his waist-length silver hair shone brilliantly, cascading down his shoulders like a flawless strand of jade. He exuded an air of sanctity.
The man slowly turned his head. His fair and translucent skin framed his exquisitely handsome features. Paired with his silver hair, he truly appeared noble and radiant, almost like a divine being. However, the sharp glint in his eyes sent shivers down one's spine.
Meng Qing bowed deeply, "Lord Ming, the guests have arrived."
"No trouble at all, you may leave." Lord Ming's voice was gentle and captivating. He turned fully to face the six individuals, "Greetings to you all, visitors from afar."
For a moment, no one spoke. Even though they couldn't sense any energy fluctuations from the Lord, there was still an intangible pressure weighing on their hearts in his presence. It made them feel an indescribable sense of unease. Is this the power of a Fourth Stage Evolver?
Finally, it was Cong Xia who spoke, "Greetings, Lord Ming."
The Lord responded, "Please, take a seat." He gracefully settled onto the couch, motioning for them to do the same. "The food isn't ready yet, so let's chat for now."
The six of them also took their seats on the couch.
Lord Ming continued, "I heard that you came from Lanzhou?"
"Yes."
"Not many who enter the Spider Forest come out alive. In Bright City, apart from me, there's only Song Qi. Of course, now there's all of you." A faint smile tugged at the corners of Lord Ming’s lips as he swept his assessing gaze over them.
"Is Song Qi the spider-type Evolver?"
"It seems you've heard about him. You must have gathered quite a bit of information during your time in the city."
Zhuang Yao spoke, "I assume Lord Ming has also inquired about us. It's only natural to get to know each other when newcomers arrive."
Lord Ming looked at Zhuang Yao and chuckled, "A young Brain Domain Evolver, how interesting." He then glanced at the others, "How many Natural Evolvers are among you?"
Zhuang Yao replied, "Might you want to guess, Lord Ming?"
"I can't guess. I've encountered many outsiders. Though they can't leave anymore, they've brought some news from the outside. I've heard that there are quite a few Brain Domain and Natural Evolvers in Beijing. I've been wanting to meet them. Today is fortunate, it seems the time has come." Lord Ming set down his tea on the coffee table. "Very well, young ones, now tell me, how many Natural Evolvers are here?" His tone remained calm, yet there was a tinge of seriousness. His innate authority seemed to make one tremble inwardly – a truly powerful individual whose presence commanded respect.
Zhuang Yao had no intention of hiding the truth, "Four."
"Please elaborate."
"The Wood Element Wind Natural Evolver, the Water Element Water Natural Evolver and Ice Natural Evolver, and also, a Fire Natural Evolver like you," Zhuang Yao explained.
Lord Ming's expression shifted, "Which one?"
Shen Changze spoke solemnly, "It's me."
Lord Ming gazed deeply at Shen Changze.
197: The mystery of the lost territory, Qinghai
Even though they tried to slip in under the cover of darkness, their impressive procession still attracted quite a bit of attention. The area within the Wall of Radiance was relatively small, and they could encounter people at any moment. It was a challenge to find an unoccupied building, and they managed to locate one after some effort.
The group filed into the express hotel. Yao Qianjiang furrowed his brows as he looked at the lobby, which was covered in dust and in a state of disarray. "We're staying here?"
Shan Ming sneered, "Does Prince Jun want to stay in the wilderness?"
Xiao Zhou narrowed his eyes, "Watch your words."
Shen Changze turned his head and said coldly, "Watch what?"
"You..." Xiao Zhou was about to retort, but an older man grabbed his shoulder and shook his head at him.
Yao Qianjiang seemed unfazed. He wrinkled his nose and instructed, "Clean up the place properly and let me know when you're done."
Xiao Zhou said, "Prince Jun, please rest outside for now. We'll find you a clean room."
Everyone knew that Yao Qianjiang was used to a good life, and no one argued with him about it. They unloaded their luggage and each found tools to clean their rooms. Despite the dirt and mold here, it was much better than being outdoors where heavy snow was falling and temperatures were forty degrees below zero. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, they would likely have to stay here for a long time.
Tang Tingzhi said, "About seven or eight people can cook, while the others clean their rooms. Let's rest early today, and we can hire people from the city to clean the common areas tomorrow."
After surveying the surroundings, Zhuang Yao turned to Chen Shao and said, "Chen Shao, can you take Abu and the others hunting? They haven't eaten all day."
Chen Shao stubbed out his cigarette, muttered an "okay," and headed outside.
Wu Yu also stood up. "I'll go with you guys."
One of the Frost Society's members said, "President, hunting around here is quite easy. Lao Wei's place just outside the wall should be sufficient. You don't need to go personally."
Wu Yu shook his head. "Better safe than sorry." With that, he walked out.
The remaining people split into two groups: one group cooked, and the other cleaned the rooms. Given the extreme cold and their ample numbers, they tried to eat warm food to maintain body temperature.
Once the rooms were cleaned and dinner was ready, Wu Yu and Chen Shao returned with a large group of mutated animals that had eaten their fill. The group had a peaceful meal and then went to rest in their respective rooms.
The express hotel had plenty of rooms. Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia now had separate rooms. Cong Xia changed the bedding they brought with them and lay down, testing the comfort. "It's alright, though there's a bit of a smell. It should fade in a few days."
Cheng Tianbi also lay down. "Are you cold? You can use your energy to warm up when you're awake, but not when you're sleeping. Do you want me to light the stove?"
"I'm fine. Let's be a bit conservative with our energy supply. We don't know how long we'll be here. What if it gets even colder in a couple of months?" Cong Xia hugged him around the waist and grinned. "We won't be cold if we cuddle."
Cheng Tianbi held him tightly, pulling him into his embrace. He nuzzled Cong Xia's forehead with his chin. "Indeed, it's much warmer."
Cong Xia looked up and gave his chin a peck. "You need to shave."
"Yeah."
"Tomorrow morning, I'll help you with that."
"Alright."
"Tianbi, are you thinking about that Light Natural Force Evolver?"
"Yeah."
Cong Xia sighed softly. "I used to think that you were evolving the fastest among all of us, but there really are people beyond our imagination. This enrgy in Qinghai is truly unique."
"I'm not worried that he's evolving faster than me. I'm concerned about why someone who might break through to the Fourth Stage and achieve complete elementalization cannot leave Qinghai. Is it because he doesn't want to leave, or is there some reason he can't? Whether it's the former or the latter, I don't think it's good news for us."
"You're right. I think the possibility that he doesn't want to leave is slim. Such a powerful person wouldn't willingly stay trapped here, dividing a province with others. There's a broader world outside, and he has no reason not to explore it. However, if even someone who is fully elementalized can't leave Qinghai, then we..." Cong Xia chuckled bitterly. "Actually, when I entered here, I was already prepared to not be able to go back. So if we really can't go back, I can bear it. I'm more concerned about my second uncle."
"Everyone has that kind of preparedness, but we can't give up, we can't admit defeat." Cheng Tianbi stroked his back. "The life we want isn't like this."
Cong Xia gave a faint smile. "Of course, but as long as you're with me, I can adapt anywhere."
Cheng Tianbi lowered his head and kissed his hair. "Me too."
"Tianbi, your comrades, if they're not dead, they must have become formidable Evolvers. How many of them came in total? There should be one or two who managed to survive."
"Fifteen. The chance of mutation in humans is about three in a thousand. Maybe it's slightly higher in Qinghai, but it wouldn't increase to fifteen in a thousand. It's very likely they've all died. But regardless, I will go to Golmud to find their helicopter or any other remnants. They didn't die in vain."
Cong Xia patted his back. "They definitely didn't."
The two of them held each other for warmth, each lost in their own thoughts as they fell asleep. Every day in Qinghai made them unconsciously treasure the time they spent together even more, because no one knew when death would come.
The next morning, after waking up, Tang Tingzhi sent some people to the city to gather information and buy daily necessities. According to Lao Wei, there wasn't an immediate shortage of supplies here. Even though they had lost contact with the outside world, the things left behind by millions of people were enough for the tens of thousands who remained. Only a small fraction of these people required these supplies. Thus, as long as they had enough to trade, they could always find interesting things to buy.
During the day, they not only hired people to clean the entire building, but also purchased many new bedding, stoves, and everyday items. They even found workers to install electrical circuits and water heating systems. They were surprised to discover that Qinghai also had a new type of energy. The extraction method was slightly different, but it also came from converting Cambrian Energy. While the output was small, the purity was unexpectedly 17% higher than what they had developed. Due to the small population within the Bright Wall (wall of radiance), the output could fully meet the consumption needs. Even people like Lao Wei, who watched the wall, could use electric lights.
As Tang Tingzhi and Zhuang Yao looked at the research data for this energy source, their expressions grew more serious.
Cong Xia walked over, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke up. "Can this thing prove that there are Evolvers with higher brain domain evolution levels than yours here?"
Zhuang Yao said firmly, "Yes."
Cong Xia said, "That's not surprising. Since there are Third and Fourth Stage Evolvers in terms of natural energy, there naturally will be Third and Fourth Stage Evolvers in terms of brain domain evolution." He shivered slightly. "But why do I feel so uneasy about this? Just thinking that there might be someone smarter than both you and Tang Tingzhi here makes me afraid. The terror of Evolvers with natural energy is directly manifested in their combat strength, but the terror of brain domain Evolvers infiltrates every aspect of your life, making you utterly defenseless."
Tang Tingzhi said seriously, "I really want to learn from him."
Zhuang Yao scoffed, "I dislike people smarter than me."
At that moment, Liu Fengyu and Deng Xiao, who had gone for supplies, entered with a chill in the air. As soon as Liu Fengyu entered the room, he burst out laughing. "Who would have thought we could find good stuff in Qinghai? Look at this huge bottle of shampoo that hasn't expired yet."
Deng Xiao walked mysteriously up to Zhuang Yao and smirked. "Hey, Little Zhuang Yao, guess what I bought for you?"
Zhuang Yao slipped his hand into his white coat pocket, tilted his head up to look at Deng Xiao, and asked, "What?"
Deng Xiao took out a small bag of White Rabbit milk candies from his bag and teased, "Hehe, they even have these candies, but they're outrageously expensive. So, do you want to eat them?"
Zhuang Yao extended his hand, his expression emotionless. "Give them to me."
Deng Xiao crouched down and pointed at his own cheek, teasing him with pride. "Little Zhuang Yao, give your big bro a kiss."
Zhuang Yao pushed his face away with a hand and took the candies.
Cong Xia was surprised. "Since when did Zhuang Yao like eating candy?"
Deng Xiao pouted uninterestedly. "He's always liked them. Didn't you guys know? What's so strange about kids liking candy?"
Cong Xia blushed slightly. He had always struggled to accept the fact that Zhuang Yao was a "kid."
After working tirelessly for two days, they finally managed to make the small hotel more decent. It had electricity, hot water, clean bedding, and towels. They had roughly restored their living standards from when they were in Beijing and Chongqing.
Before dinner, everyone who had been sent to gather information returned and reported to Tang Tingzhi and Zhuang Yao. After dinner, Tang Tingzhi gathered the important figures from various mutant organizations in the cafeteria for a meeting.
Tang Tingzhi said, "Today, our people who went to the city have gathered some information, and I'll summarize it for you all. First, about Lord Ming, the Evolver with natural energy. His level of evolution must be beyond the Third Stage, possibly even beyond the Fourth Stage. The basis for this judgment is that this person can fully elementalize. It's said that he came from near Golmud to Xining, a distance of eight hundred kilometers, and it took him only a few minutes. Do you all understand what this means? He's evolving at the speed of light. Although the gap is still vast, it's a pace that humanity cannot achieve. Perhaps when he evolves to the Seventh Stage, he could truly reach the speed of light. Such power is unimaginable."
Shan Ming muttered, "Damn, this is too outrageous."
"The second matter is about the Xuan Master. Whenever our people asked about the Xuan Master, almost everyone remained tight-lipped. It seems that people in the city are devoutly reverent toward the Lord Ming. Finally, after a lot of effort, we found someone willing to speak for the sake of gain. But even he didn't know much. His description was similar to what Old Wei's grandson said: that the Xuan Master wields the power of darkness. However, he mentioned a rumor." Tang Tingzhi looked at the expectant eyes around him, took a deep breath, and continued, "According to the rumor, the Xuan Master can instantly crush a large area of people and animals into minced meat, or suck them into a dark space, making them completely disappear."
Cheng Tianbi clenched his fist. "Could it be gravity?"
Zhuang Yao spoke seriously, "Yes, it's gravity. Derived from the Earth Element, there's an elemental evolutionist—Gravity Evolver. They can fully elementalize into black holes. Their evolution level is the same as Lord Ming, above the Third Stage, and possibly even surpassing the Fourth Stage. The last two natural energy Evolvers have emerged."
Everyone inhaled sharply.
Light and darkness, the abilities of these two opposing natural energy Evolvers, sounded incredibly shocking. To elementalize into light and black holes, what kind of devastating destructive power did that hold?
"Now that you've heard this, everyone understands, right? Whether it's Lord Ming or the Xuan Master, we need to avoid direct conflict. Moreover, we don't yet understand their points of contention, but it's likely related to the Puppet Jade. We've come here for the sake of the Puppet Jade, and we don't have absolute peace with them. So, let's be prepared for that."
Shen Changze said, "Since we're here, we're fully prepared."
"Our people were secretly followed today. I believe that within two days, Lord Ming will definitely meet with us. At that time, we'll gauge his attitude. If cooperation isn't possible, we'll find a way to head west. Since they are opposites, there's bound to be one side that we can cooperate with."
"Do we have information about other mutants? Like brain domain Evolvers or those like 'Spider-Man'? I feel these people would be quite powerful."
Tang Tingzhi nodded. "A brain domain Evolver. He is quite famous. He used to be a respected old teacher in Qinghai before the apocalypse. Both Lord Ming and the Xuan Master hold him in high esteem. He's also the only person who can communicate with both the Lord Ming and the Xuan Master. After the apocalypse, many things were researched by him, including the most beneficial new energy source for the people. He's a figure of key protection in Qinghai, and he's currently in the west. As for other well-known mutants in Qinghai, according to their descriptions, none of them are below Second Stage level. Among these powerful mutants, several don't take sides. They don't belong to the east or the west, often roaming around the Golmud region. We must meet the brain domain Evolver. He might become our breakthrough."
Cong Xia said, "We will definitely meet him sooner or later."
Tang Tingzhi nodded, but his expression didn't seem very optimistic. "There's also news about Qinghai Lake that doesn't sound easy either. The lake has been occupied by large aquatic creatures, and many people know that there's a Puppet Jade in the lake. But even Lord Ming or the Xuan Master haven't gone down to retrieve it. According to citizens, it's said that 'even the Lord Ming doesn't want to provoke them.'"
Yao Qianjiang chuckled, "Are we supposed to experience the terror of marine creatures in advance? Qinghai just happens to be a saltwater lake."
Wu You added, "Indeed, consider it a practice run. What do these aquatic creatures look like? Has anyone seen them?"
Tang Tingzhi explained, "There are many aquatic creatures, and quite a few people have seen them. Even the smallest ones are several times bigger than Abu. The reason everyone is afraid of Qinghai Lake is that there's a super aquatic creature at the lake bottom."
"Bottom of the lake? Super aquatic creature? Have they seen it?"
Tang Tingzhi shook his head, "It's all rumors. They say the Puppet Jade is guarded by that super aquatic creature. There are also stories saying that the Puppet Jade is within the eye of the super aquatic creature. It's easy to create such legends about the lake, aquatic creatures, and the precious jade. Although many exaggerated rumors can't be trusted, they seem to have some basis for the existence of the super aquatic creature. People claim that if you fly high enough over Qinghai Lake, you can see a massive shadow lurking on the lake bottom. They say that's the sleeping aquatic creature. The deepest part of Qinghai Lake is only 75 meters, and if the aquatic creature is large enough, it's possible to see its shadow. However, no one has truly seen it."
Liu Fengyu rolled his eyes, "Maybe they're scaring themselves. What if it's just a stone at the lake bottom?"
"It's not impossible, but this shadow didn't exist before the apocalypse, and stones don't evolve. It's indeed easy to associate it with super life forms like Devil Pine. Even if there's no super aquatic creature, other large aquatic creatures would still be challenging to deal with. Moreover, Qinghai Lake covers an area of over 4,000 square kilometers. Trying to find a small jade fragment like that would be impossible for humans alone."
Cong Xia plopped down on the table, "Oh my, each one of them is so difficult to handle. Comparing them like this, Devil Pine really seem adorable."
"Getting Devil Pine was a stroke of luck for us. Miracles won't happen every time."
Zhuang Yao said, "Look at the bright side. We've located at least three Puppet Jades, one in Qinghai Lake, and the Lord Ming and the Xuan Master should each have one. However, based on tests in Beijing, Qinghai likely has four, or even five, Puppet Jades."
"This... I believe Lord Ming is well aware of this."
Zhuang Yao continued, "We want the Puppet Jades, and Lord Ming is probably well aware of that too."
Cong Xia sighed, "We can only reason with him and appeal to his sense of morality. Maybe he'd be willing to contribute the Puppet Jade for the future of humanity."
Deng Xiao lamented, "Why does that sound like we don't have much time left to live? Can I have a meal of goose meat before I go? Those geese do look quite delicious."
Cong Xia said, "No, those geese are guarding the house for Old Wei."
Tang Tingzhi spoke, "That's roughly the current situation. More in-depth information can only be obtained from Lord Ming."
Zhuang Yao said, "Let's adjourn. The environment here is perfect for training, and it's faster than outside. Don't waste time, everyone."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Everyone present understood the importance of advancing their abilities, and no one would neglect that.
And so, they spent another peaceful day. On the afternoon of the fourth day in Xining, an unexpected visitor arrived at their encampment. It was an unremarkable-looking man with an oddly dressed attire. He wore a pale yellow robe with a gold-embossed sun pattern on his chest. His steps were deliberate, his demeanor neither subservient nor arrogant. He introduced himself as the steward of Lord Ming's residence and extended an invitation on behalf of Lord Ming to join him for dinner.
The expressions on everyone's faces seemed to say, "Just as expected."
Cong Xia asked, "How should we address you, sir?"
"Call me Meng Qing."
"Meng Qing, please lead the way." Cong Xia called Abu and asked, "Should we take this one?"
Meng Qing shook his head, "The cities within the Bright Wall are small. It's only a ten-minute walk to Lord Ming's residence."
"Alright, we'll walk."
Tang Tingzhi selected only six people to go with him: Cheng Tianbi, Zhuang Yao, Cong Xia, Shen Changze, Yao Qianjiang, and Wu Yu. They followed Meng Qing towards the northern part of the city.
Along the way, the residents of the Bright Wall looked at them with curiosity and reverence, or more accurately, with reverence towards Meng Qing and his attire, which they obviously recognized.
Cong Xia realized that Meng Qing was intentionally walking them through the city, probably to show them to the spies of Xuan Ming City.
Before long, they arrived at the residence of Lord Ming. It was an ordinary villa, except it was remarkably clean compared to the surrounding houses.
Meng Qing gestured for them to enter. "Please, everyone, come in."
Feeling somewhat nervous, the group entered. Meng Qing led them through the courtyard, and the villa's door opened from the inside. A person dressed similarly to Meng Qing stood guard at the entrance. Meng Qing nodded at him, then ushered the group inside.
Once inside, they saw a tall man standing with his back to them. He wore a golden robe, and his waist-length silver hair shone brilliantly, cascading down his shoulders like a flawless strand of jade. He exuded an air of sanctity.
The man slowly turned his head. His fair and translucent skin framed his exquisitely handsome features. Paired with his silver hair, he truly appeared noble and radiant, almost like a divine being. However, the sharp glint in his eyes sent shivers down one's spine.
Meng Qing bowed deeply, "Lord Ming, the guests have arrived."
"No trouble at all, you may leave." Lord Ming's voice was gentle and captivating. He turned fully to face the six individuals, "Greetings to you all, visitors from afar."
For a moment, no one spoke. Even though they couldn't sense any energy fluctuations from the Lord, there was still an intangible pressure weighing on their hearts in his presence. It made them feel an indescribable sense of unease. Is this the power of a Fourth Stage Evolver?
Finally, it was Cong Xia who spoke, "Greetings, Lord Ming."
The Lord responded, "Please, take a seat." He gracefully settled onto the couch, motioning for them to do the same. "The food isn't ready yet, so let's chat for now."
The six of them also took their seats on the couch.
Lord Ming continued, "I heard that you came from Lanzhou?"
"Yes."
"Not many who enter the Spider Forest come out alive. In Bright City, apart from me, there's only Song Qi. Of course, now there's all of you." A faint smile tugged at the corners of Lord Ming’s lips as he swept his assessing gaze over them.
"Is Song Qi the spider-type Evolver?"
"It seems you've heard about him. You must have gathered quite a bit of information during your time in the city."
Zhuang Yao spoke, "I assume Lord Ming has also inquired about us. It's only natural to get to know each other when newcomers arrive."
Lord Ming looked at Zhuang Yao and chuckled, "A young Brain Domain Evolver, how interesting." He then glanced at the others, "How many Natural Evolvers are among you?"
Zhuang Yao replied, "Might you want to guess, Lord Ming?"
"I can't guess. I've encountered many outsiders. Though they can't leave anymore, they've brought some news from the outside. I've heard that there are quite a few Brain Domain and Natural Evolvers in Beijing. I've been wanting to meet them. Today is fortunate, it seems the time has come." Lord Ming set down his tea on the coffee table. "Very well, young ones, now tell me, how many Natural Evolvers are here?" His tone remained calm, yet there was a tinge of seriousness. His innate authority seemed to make one tremble inwardly – a truly powerful individual whose presence commanded respect.
Zhuang Yao had no intention of hiding the truth, "Four."
"Please elaborate."
"The Wood Element Wind Natural Evolver, the Water Element Water Natural Evolver and Ice Natural Evolver, and also, a Fire Natural Evolver like you," Zhuang Yao explained.
Lord Ming's expression shifted, "Which one?"
Shen Changze spoke solemnly, "It's me."
Lord Ming gazed deeply at Shen Changze.
