New concept of the mysterious way to ascend to immortality

Chapter 123 [A Cockroach Village Far Away from the World]

Yuan Zhu took two of his generals on a tour around the eerie and desolate [Shadow Realm]. Looking at the territory with zero development progress, he kept making cards out of thin air, and narrated various realistic and vivid PPTs, giving the two of them lots of inspiration and promising them a bright future.

The seemingly incomprehensible, yet powerful, Earth-inspired brainwashing terms like "sinking, digging deep, empowering..." bombarded the limited-underground-world natives with a dimensionality-reducing attack, leaving the two men stunned.

They all decided to pursue their dreams, contribute their own strength, and make a difference in the construction of their territory.

Commander Zuo spoke first: "My Lord, I believe our territory urgently needs to build an [Incinerator] to burn the demon insects."

Yuan Zhu thought of the scene he had witnessed in Chancheng. A massive hemispherical building spewed out billowing black smoke, which drifted towards the Dream Hole suspended in mid-air.

So he wondered, "Why not just push the demon worms directly into the dream hole? Why bother with this?"

Commander Zuo replied, "Your Majesty, you may not know this, but the [Incinerator] can extract trace amounts of [Insect Gold] from the bodies of demonic insects. This substance is a [living metal] formed by the 'iron poison' of heaven and earth combined with the 'polluted spiritual essence' within the demonic insects. It only appears in demonic insects and demonized giant insects, and is an essential element for [armor casting]. It is precious and rare."

"[Insect Gold]? Active metal?"

He immediately thought of the [Undead Knights] wreaking havoc on the surface.

That was a transcendental army that had slain the Kunlun Earth Immortals and felled the Immortal Realm Tree, and had departed the bubble world after completing their conquest. His teammate, Miss Zhou Chu, wore the Red Knight Armor, the orthodox power of the Knight system, and now it had been subdued by the [Law] and taken into its own hands.

He learned from the exchange list in the Gods Space that the Knight System did not value individual strength, but rather a team-based approach, judging strength by 'group power'.

Multiple people with special abilities can collectively undergo transformations under the power of the Knight System, forming a team and unleashing the [Power of the Group, the Power of the Legion]. Alternatively, a single person can become a Knight, then utilize the power of the Knight System to appoint numerous [Squires], forming a private Knight Order and continuously expanding its size.

The two are essentially the same, except that the leader of the former adopts a co-governance model, while the leader of the latter is more inclined towards dictatorship.

Regardless of the type, as the Legion's numbers grow, its collective power grows stronger. Individual wills will gradually be swept away by the collective will... and drowned.

If one fails to become a spiritual leader with a will as strong as steel, excellent and perfect leadership and decision-making ability, and constantly commanding the legion to victory after victory, then the "leader" will be devoured and replaced. Because the "legion" has always been pursuing expansion and growth.

The Knights that once tore through the sky and descended upon the bubble world, slew the Earth Immortals and plundered the world's essence, leaving behind countless knights' remains.

Now, these remains have become a curse of pollution, the Knights of the Scourge that ravage the surface of the world. Following the most primitive "Legion killing instinct", they launched a meaningless war that lasted for a hundred years, killing, plundering and destroying all living things that moved on the surface.

It also gave rise to natural disasters such as [black storm, rotten iron rain, earth rumbling, and iron poison dust], which continued to destroy the surface ecology and contributed to the extension of the end of the world.

The 'metal pollution' released by the Undead Legion seeped into the atmosphere, rainwater, groundwater... everywhere, severely eroding the root network and breeding a large number of demonic insects.

Through continuous trial and error, the indigenous people plagiarized the [Knight Breathing Method] and developed the [Source Qi Breathing Method] to combat and suppress the erosion of the flesh and blood by the "iron poison".

The Technician Alliance also developed an [Incinerator], which concentrates the burning and refining of demonic insects, simultaneously obtaining [heat energy] and [insect gold]. The resulting "polluted exhaust gas" is then discharged into the Dream Hole, allowing them to profit from the Nightmare's hand.

Unfortunately, the production of [Insect Gold] is scarce and monopolized by the major Insect Cities. It is a derivative product of Knight-level contamination, the core element used by Celestial Realm warriors to forge armor and complete their metamorphosis.

...

The underground world's [Qi Refining System] had long since integrated the three types of pollution. The [Insect System], lacking any foundation, relied on root pollution (spiritual energy) and active insect gold (armor casting) to continuously evolve.

Commander Zuo's proposal to build an [Incinerator] was 3% motivated by improving the camp's basic functions, but the remaining 7% was selfish. He was about to break through to the Heavenly Stage and would have to face the [Armor Forging] process, so he urgently needed Insect Gold! He had no choice but to encourage the boss.

Yuan Zhu didn't care whether there were any ulterior motives or not, because he realized that this [Insect Gold] was definitely very valuable.

Besides being a must-have for armor for Heavenly Rank cultivators, it's also a high-end derivative of the Knight System. The Knight System is also very mainstream in the Overworld, especially on the East Coast and in the Western world of the Continent, where it's considered mainstream.

Therefore, this [Insect Gold] is definitely a high-value rare material, a high-end resource that can be sold at a high price in [Gods' Space]. The raw material for refining it is nothing more than the "little devil insects" that can be found everywhere and are rampant.

This deal is a must!

He quickly pressed the issue, "In that case, building an [incinerator] is indeed necessary. Is it difficult to construct? Or, as long as the temperature is high enough and the flames are fierce enough, we can melt the demonic insects and refine [insect gold]?"

Zuo Fan: "It requires special technology, which is in the hands of the [Armor Casting Department], [Iron Warehouse], and [Alchemy Room] of the Technician Alliance."

The three names he mentioned were exactly the technician families the siblings most wanted to join: one mastered the weapon refining industry, one was constantly studying armor casting, and the last was deeply involved in alchemy.

Shopkeeper Lu muttered, "The easiest way to build an [incinerator] is to hire a family of technicians to come to our territory to build an [incinerator]. It would be best to install a large 'Tubeworm Purification Array' to continuously provide spiritual energy. If we can contact the Nisheng Immortal Sect, we can also establish a [Nisheng Garden] to grow food. This way, the camp will be completely complete and self-sufficient."

Yuan Zhu boasted, "You've been so thoughtful. If I had dared to do that, my inheritance would have been swallowed up by the other party long ago!"

He just didn't believe that the local [Immortal Sect] and [Technician Oligarchs] would not be tempted by the new version of [Shadow Domain + Shadow Dream Hole] and would continue the transaction normally?

If he were the other party, he would definitely kill him immediately, occupy the camp and claim it as his own.

Zuo Fan: "Master, we can try a different strategy. We can infiltrate [Cicada City] or other insect cities, secretly kidnap technicians with the skills to build [Incinerators], bring them back to camp, control them with [Shadow Domain], and have them pull onto our chariots to serve us. The same goes for insect arrays, weapon refining, and alchemy... In the underground world, there are also mobile trading black markets that are separated from the insect cities, controlled by the 'Nomadic Family', which provides slave trading services."

Yuan Zhu was delighted when he heard this: "I really want to participate in the transaction and buy talents, but I don't have the money."

Commander Zuo gritted his teeth and said, "Then rob them! Kidnap them!"

For the sake of his own future, he felt that he could go all out and try something big.

Yuan Zhu held the same attitude. He hadn't come to this mere bubble world to save the world, nor to engage in business and construction. This broken world was beyond saving; it would be better to destroy it and reshape order. "You're the local boss in this area. You should formulate the plan and submit it to me for review. You don't want to have the Dream Hole, open the bridge between heaven and earth, only to be stuck with a lack of resources for subsequent cultivation, do you?"

"Leave it to me, one night! In just one night, I can come up with a plan that will satisfy the Lord."

The shop owner on the other side broke out in a cold sweat. How could he make such a decisive decision to commit such a big crime after just a few words?
No wonder he wasn't being used, or perhaps he wasn't aware enough. He didn't have the guts to go out and commit suicide, but he did have the ability to exploit others internally. So he decided to go all out on 'internal affairs,' gaining recognition and humbly admonishing: "Lord, calm down, our forces are still a little weak."

Yuan Zhu agreed with his point of view: "It is precisely because of our indifference that we should be more proactive, identify talents and expand the team."

"But we don't even have enough manpower to recruit talent." Could we rely on the siblings? Were we to rob the black market run by the technician's family?

Yuan Zhu consoled him, "Don't worry about that. Zuo Tong will lead the plan, but there's no rush to complete it. We can continue to discuss and optimize it. As for me, I'll train five super soldiers (accomplices) in the shortest possible time. That way, we'll have the initial configuration for our startup team. And when committing crimes, you don't have to go all the way to the highest level. You can start small. Don't let the smallest evil go unpunished."

Commander Zuo took over, "Your Majesty is correct. We can start from within [Cicada City]. I'll provide the topographical map, patrol schedule, location markings, and cover. My Lord, with your Shadow Stealth, we can stealthily acquire vital camp construction resources and accumulate relevant experience. We can then replicate this in other [Insect Cities]."

"Great idea! It's safe and efficient. Make a detailed plan and give it to me tomorrow."

Why take on a difficult five-star mission right out of the gate? Collaborating with a traitor and poaching from within [Cicada City] is both easy and lucrative. You can also gain experience while doing it – this is the truest form of business warfare.

Then he said to the shop owner, "Old Lu, go to the outskirts of Upper City and buy some children for me. Don't bring too many, just 20 for the first batch, mostly orphans. Once you bring them back, you'll teach them the Shadow Breathing Technique. Then you'll hand them over to Xiao Chi to manage them, and together we'll raise insects and become rich."

……

After arranging the work for the two, Yuan Zhu returned to the interior of the [Shadow Dream Hole] and found that after it was combined with the [Shadow Domain], the internal space had expanded four times. The shadow barrier in contact with the [Nightmare Layer] was even stronger, upgraded from the original fluctuating film to the current solid 'black plexiglass'.

It can still choose the direction of penetration, and has a frosted glass effect, effectively isolating and blocking the "mental pollution and distortion" of the outside world. However, it is impossible to directly see the images of the "Nightmare Dimension" with the naked eye.

He reentered his Tiger Demon form, released his four minions, and placed them in four [Insect Pillars. Stone Guards] to level up. Three of the healthy ones were imbued with the complete [Shadow Qi Refining Technique] by Latiao. Without [Tao Seeds, Meridians, and True Qi], he forcibly circulated the 'Power of Shadow' through [Breathing Techniques], attempting to cultivate.

The remaining Eggplant-Headed Ghost, whose head had been severed and was on the verge of death, was brought back to life under the nourishment of the Insect Pillar. It was estimated that it would take one to two days for a complete resurrection.

At this moment, a healthy ghost forced its lungs to explode by using the [Breathing Method], spewing out a ball of sticky black asphalt. Its health value dropped a lot, but it was quickly injected with shadow pollution by the [Insect Pillar] and came back to life.

After confirming that the minions could not die, he stopped paying attention to them and let them give him some new surprises.

...

After settling the Eggplant-Headed Ghost, the Tiger Demon dragged an 'Earth-Rank Death Row Prisoner' into the [Shadow Dream Hole] and acted as the [Ghost Accomplice. Refining Program]. The [Dharma Domain] spontaneously absorbed miasma and demon insects from the outside world to provide fuel, driving the upgraded [Shadow Space] to refine the sacrifice.

The process is similar to refining a [Human Pillar], but this time the target is a [Demon]. The Tiger Demon continues to control the pollution, first forcibly empowering it through sacrifice, and then injecting nightmares to activate the [Shadow Dream Hole].

When everything was back on track, Tiger Demon checked the feedback time from the Shadow Dream Hole and saw that this refining task was expected to take three hours. So, Tiger Demon peacefully closed his eyes and began practicing in his dreams.

In a trance, its spirit experienced a familiar feeling, and suddenly became lighter, separated from the body, and appeared in a foggy and desolate place.

"Where is this?" The Tiger Demon lowered his head and looked at his hands. "Huh? Human form, that's wrong! Is this a dream?!"

Yuan Zhu, who looked like a human, was suddenly shocked. Recalling this feeling, it was clearly the experience of entering the [Huangliang Township] in his dream after drinking the [Huangliang Echo].

Now, he didn't drink, just fell asleep and entered the dream again. And this is... a 'dream' that belongs to him!
He quickly looked around and found that the area of this foggy place was very small. He had only taken a few steps before he was back to where he was. There was gray-white fog all around him, and there was a small piece of mud under his feet.

He drew an X on the ground with his toes, then picked a random direction and walked forward. Within a dozen steps, he felt a sense of a continuous cycle and saw the X in front of him again.

No matter which direction you go, after a few steps you'll end up back in front of X. So this 'dream' is a finite 'circle'; once you go beyond its boundaries, you'll emerge from the other end.

Furthermore, he gradually became aware of his control over his dreams, sensing the connection between them and reality, or more precisely, the Shadow Realm. He sensed several vague life signals, but since he was still asleep, he couldn't pull them into his dreams.

Suddenly, a beautiful silver-haired girl appeared beside him, jumping up and down, punching the sky twice, and exclaimed, "Boss, I have a body again! What is this place? Sniff... What a new feeling. It feels like a dream."

"You are indeed dreaming. This is a dream realm derived from the Shadow Realm. I suspect it's related to the nightmare power fed back by the Shadow Dream Hole. This foggy space is a dream realm created by the Tiger Demon and the Shadow Realm. It seems that it can expand and grow further by absorbing more 'dreams'."

"Dream? Is it something similar to [Huangliang Township]?" Xiao Latiao suddenly realized, "Is this part of the [Nightmare Layer]? Are we entering the [Nightmare Layer] now?!"

While sensing the situation in this 'dream', Yuan Zhu replied, "We are still inside the bubble world, protected by it. But we are also in the same dimension as the [Nightmare Layer]. Think of the Nightmare Dimension as the ocean. We are now on a 'deserted island', and we can take a step into the sea through the [Shadow Dream Hole]."

"If you refuse to go into the sea, you can also develop and expand this 'dreamland' within the bubble world. Relying on the [Shadow Realm] to absorb more dreams, you can create a small 'dream network' within the world, just like [Huangliang Township] projects the spiritual world."

Xiao La Tiao said excitedly, "Building our own [Huangliang Township]? Does that mean this private [Shadow Dreamland] can be connected to Du Ling's [Huangliang Township] through the Nightmare School's 'Path'? This way, we can bypass the [Happy Home] and directly communicate with the [Underworld] via the Nightmare Path? It would open up a smuggling route."

Yuan Zhu: "I think there is such a possibility, but I still need to consult professionals: [Huangliang Township] and [Nightmare School]!"

"Boss, give this place a name!"

Yuan Zhu: "Let me think..."

He suddenly saw that as the area of the 'dream' slowly expanded, stone statues of [Insect Pillars] appeared in different directions, replicating a small 'dream version of the Shadow Domain'.

The closest thing to him was a [Cockroach Suppression Stone], so he slipped his tongue and said, "...why not call it [The Cockroach Village... Far Away from the World]?"

(End of this chapter)