If I, a death row inmate, am not to become a demon, am I to become a member of the Imperial Guard?

The light waves dissipated, leaving only fragments of light and dust in the ruins.

Zhou Yang stood in the center of the ruins, his gaze sweeping over each crystal.

The crystals emitted a pale blue light and were as warm as blood.

Qin Shuang stood behind him, her hands trembling slightly, yet she remained as steady as a rock.

"This place is full of energy," Zhou Yang said in a low voice.

"Yes, all of them." Qin Shuang nodded, her voice calm.

The two bent down at the same time, their fingers lightly touching the crystal.

The surface of the crystal is slightly concave, as if it is breathing.

A faint silver light appeared in Zhou Yang's palm, like a tiny electric current.

Qin Shuang picked up a larger crystal with her fingertips and gently shook it off.

"Collect them all," Zhou Yang said.

"Understood," Qin Shuang replied softly.

They split up and acted separately.

Zhou Yang quickly bent down, running his fingers over each crystal.

The crystal he touched immediately turned into tiny particles of light, which then merged into the red light patterns on his chest.

The light patterns flickered, as if they were alive.

Qin Shuang, unhurriedly, raised her hand and pulled up the large crystal.

The crystal struck the ground, making a crisp sound.

She put the crystal into the bag on her back, which made a slight humming sound.

A gust of wind swept through the ruins, carrying away a few lingering traces of blood.

Zhou Yang looked up and saw the silhouette of the tower in the distance.

A thin layer of mist covered the top of the tower, and it seemed as if eyes were watching from within the mist.

"The tower is responding," Zhou Yang said, his tone tinged with a hint of surprise.

Qin Shuang didn't say anything, but simply tightened the bag on her back.

After collecting everything, the two returned to the center of the ruins.

Zhou Yang gathered all the small crystals in front of his chest, and the light patterns instantly spiraled upwards.

The beam of light pierced the sky and broke through the fog.

The fog layer was torn apart, revealing the tower's metal outer shell.

A deep hum, like a heartbeat, came from inside the tower.

"Received instructions." A mechanical voice sounded in my ear.

Zhou Yang closed his eyes, and a jolt of electricity ran through his mind.

The electric current passes through the entire body and rushes directly into the lifespan system.

The system screen flickered, and the number jumped from "-28" to "-23".

Life expectancy increased by a full five years.

Qin Shuang stood to the side, a glint of light flashing in her eyes.

She opened the bag and took out the largest crystal.

"Put it in," she said.

Zhou Yang threw the crystal toward the center of the tower.

When the crystal touched the core of the tower, it shattered into thousands of light points in an instant.

The light scattered like raindrops all around, landing on the fragments of the dragon's spine.

The dragon spine fragment was already broken, leaving only a dull iron color.

Where the light touches, the iron color gradually brightens.

Fine lines appeared on the surface of the fragment, like blood vessels being revived.

The integrity of the fragments increased from 0.3% to 5%.

"The recovery is going well," Zhou Yang chuckled.

Qin Shuang nodded, her tone devoid of any exaggeration.

The tower's will resounded again, its voice clearer than before.

"Approved," the mechanical voice said.

Subsequently, a stream of data flowed to Zhou Yang's terminal.

The data states that control has been partially delegated, and the tower now has the authority to allocate its energy.

A glint flashed in Zhou Yang's eyes.

"From now on, the ruins will no longer be ruins," he murmured.

Qin Shuang placed her hand on his shoulder, the pressure light but enough to give him support.

They walked toward the entrance to the ruins.

The walls of the ruins have cracked, revealing the underlying rock layers.

The rock strata were covered with moss and smelled damp.

A faint blue light still lingered in the air, like the afterglow of the setting sun.

Zhou Yang looked up and saw the spire of the tower gleaming in the sunlight.

The tower's beam of light pierced the clouds, pointing directly at the distant mountains.

He silently thought to himself: This tower is the foundation of new life.

Qin Shuang glanced sideways, holding the silver dagger in her hand.

Bloodstains from before the battle still remained on the blade.

She didn't speak, but simply sheathed the knife.

The two walked along the rubble of the ruins.

Each step made a crisp sound as it landed on the gravel.

Footsteps echoed through the empty ruins, like the beat of a drum.

The road ahead was blocked by a pile of collapsed stone pillars.

Zhou Yang pushed it away forcefully, and the stone pillar collapsed with a crash.

Qin Shuang casually drew her short knife and cut the hanging iron chain.

They emerged from the depths of the ruins and came to an open plain.

At the edge of the plain, there is an ancient city shrouded in mist.

The ancient city walls are in ruins, but several stone pillars still stand tall.

A calculating glint flashed in Zhou Yang's eyes.

"This can serve as a new base," he said.

Qin Shuang nodded, a resolute light shining in her eyes.

They stopped at the remnants of the city wall and began to set up defenses.

Zhou Yang placed the collected energy crystals into the crystal block on his wrist.

The crystal instantly glowed, forming a faint shield.

Qin Shuang inserted the hilt of the short knife into the ground, the blade pointing straight to the sky.

A faint blue light appeared around the blade, like a magnetic field.

The two figures stretched long in the setting sun.

The ruins swayed gently in the wind.

The lingering warmth of the light waves remains in the air, like memories of the past.

Zhou Yang turned around and looked at the tower behind him.

The top of the tower was already reflecting the light of the stars.

He reached out and touched the lines on his chest, feeling the new lifespan he had gained.

The light patterns on his chest resembled burning flames, and the heat made him sweat slightly.

Qin Shuang stood beside him, glancing sideways slightly.

Her gaze was fixed on the distant mountains, where unknown forces still lurked.

"Let's stabilize things here first, and then face bigger challenges," Qin Shuang said.

Zhou Yang nodded, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

They turned and walked to the other side of the city wall.

Footsteps echoed through the ruins, like the declaration of a new Lord.

At this moment, the tower's thoughts gently resonated once more.

"I approve." The voice was low, yet firm.

A strange sense of satisfaction rose in Zhou Yang's heart.

He knew that the ruins were no longer ruins.

It is the foundation of new life, the place where he and Qin Shuang stand.

As night falls, starlight reflects off the tower's metal surface, shimmering with a cold light.

Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang stood on the ruins, gazing into the distance.

Their shadows were stretched longer by the starlight, like two dark lines.

The wind blew their clothes, carrying the scent of distant flames.

That was the prelude to another battle, and the goal they were constantly pursuing.

Zhou Yang murmured to himself:

"Survive, then live even better."

A smile flickered in Qin Shuang's eyes, as if to say:

"Come with me."

The two men walked resolutely beneath the newly erected flag amidst the ruins.

The lights in the ruins have been lit, illuminating their path.

Tower Quest

At the top of the white pagoda, a deep blue light flowed endlessly.

Zhou Yang sat cross-legged in the center of the tower, the fragment of the dragon's spine floating before him. The fragment had been completely repaired, its surface shimmering with a warm golden light, no longer the dull and cracked thing it once was. Qin Shuang stood three feet behind him, her hand on the hilt of her sword, her eyes constantly watching the surrounding movements.

"How many years did this restoration take?" Qin Shuang asked, her voice low.

She knew that Zhou Yang had almost lost his life just now. If it weren't for the rare and precious herbs he had seized from the previous battle, which replenished his lifespan by several years, it would be uncertain whether he would have woken up at this moment.

"Eighty-three years." Zhou Yang opened his eyes, a hint of heartache flashing in them. "Damn it, we only had one hundred and twenty years' worth of assets left, and this trip wiped out three-quarters of them."

"Eighty-three..." Qin Shuang repeated the number, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. "How much do you have left?"

"Thirty-seven years," Zhou Yang sighed. "Adding the blood lotus I just swallowed, it barely makes it forty years."

Forty years.

Qin Shuang remained silent.

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She remembered when they first met, Zhou Yang still had over two hundred years of lifespan remaining. Back then, while he wasn't exactly wealthy, he was considered comfortably well-off in the cultivation world. How long has it been since then, and he's already so strapped for cash?

"Do you regret it?" she asked.

Zhou Yang was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled: "Regret what? Regret killing someone? Regret robbing someone? Or regret following you around everywhere?"

"I regret burning through my lifespan," Qin Shuang interrupted him. "I regret taking this path."

Zhou Yang looked down at the fragment in his hand. The warmth emanating from the repaired fragment traveled through his palm, carrying a gentle, pleasant sensation, like the comfort of soaking in a hot spring. He was silent for a moment, then shook his head: "No regrets."

"That's right." The White Tower's voice suddenly rang out. "Lifespan is just a number to you. Since it can be exchanged for strength, why not use it?"

Zhou Yang rolled his eyes: "You make it sound so easy. That's my life, not yours."

"But you're still alive," the White Tower said with a hint of mockery. "Being alive is more important than anything else. Besides—"

It paused, then changed its tone: "Don't you want to know how to get out of here permanently?"

Zhou Yang's eyes lit up immediately: "You know the way out?"

"Naturally," the White Tower said proudly. "I am the spirit of the White Tower, carrying fragments of the laws governing this world. If you wish to leave, you must find the 'Heart of the World,' and use it as the core to reconstruct the passage, only then can you break through the void and return to your original world."

"The Heart of the World?" Zhou Yang frowned. "What's that?"

"The origin of this world," the White Tower explained. "When the laws collapsed in the past, the Heart of the World shattered into seven pieces, scattered among the fragments of various realms. The Dragon Spine fragment in your hand is one of them."

Zhou Yang's heart skipped a beat: "You mean there are other fragments?"

"Indeed," the White Tower replied. "The Dragon Spine fragments contain spatial laws and can traverse fragments of different realms. However, to completely repair and open the exit passage, all fragments must be collected, and the Heart of the World must be used as a guide to construct a complete interdimensional teleportation array."

Qin Shuang interjected, "Where is the heart of the world?"

The white pagoda did not answer immediately. Its body trembled slightly, and the eerie blue light suddenly brightened. The next instant, a map of light and shadow unfolded before Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang—

That was an aerial view of ruins.

Everywhere were ruins, giant stone pillars were tilted and broken, and the ground was crisscrossed with ravines, as if some cataclysmic disaster had occurred. In the center of the map, there was a giant palace that had collapsed halfway. Dozens of stone statues, each hundreds of feet tall, stood in front of the palace gates, their faces blurred and indistinct.

"This is the Temple of Oblivion," the White Tower's voice echoed. "The core battlefield of the ancient divine war. The last breath of the Heart of the World rests there."

Zhou Yang stared at the map for a moment: "How is the protective power?"

"Extremely terrifying." The White Tower's tone turned grave. "The temple is guarded by the 'Old Sentinels.' They are war puppets left over from the War of the Gods. Although their strength is not even a fraction of what it was at its peak, they are still not something you can easily deal with now."

"The old Sentinels..." Zhou Yang murmured, "Very strong?"

"Extremely powerful." The White Tower made no attempt to hide it. "According to the power rankings of this world, each Ancient Sentinel is equivalent to a peak Void Refinement Realm expert. And there are eighty-one of them in front of the temple."

"Eighty-one!" Qin Shuang's expression changed. "How is it possible to get past that?"

"That's why Zhou Yang needs to continue to grow stronger," Bai Ta said calmly. "Doesn't he still have forty years to live? That's enough time to deduce a few more divine techniques."

Zhou Yang's lips twitched: "You think lifespan comes from a gust of wind? Forty years is enough for me to live several lifetimes!"

"But with your current strength, you can only handle three old Sentinels at most," White Tower said bluntly. "To force your way into the temple, you'd need to break through to the peak of the Void Refinement Realm. And with your current level of cultivation, it would be impossible to break through without thirty to fifty years of arduous training."

"Thirty to fifty years..." Zhou Yang felt a headache coming on. He only had forty years left to live. If he were to spend another thirty to fifty years in arduous cultivation, what difference would that be from waiting to die?

"Are there any other options?" he asked.

"Yes," the White Tower said. "I can lend you a hand in crucial moments. But the price is that you will have to pay with a corresponding amount of your lifespan."

"How many?"

"Each time, it takes ten years."

Zhou Yang: "..."

He finally understood. This white pagoda was a heartless merchant, specifically targeting his lifespan. Qin Shuang, who had been listening for so long, also understood and couldn't help but ask, "Isn't there any shortcut?"

"Of course." The White Tower's tone became somewhat meaningful. "I can give you a 'Beacon of the Way.' This item can be activated in times of crisis, directly teleporting you back to the White Tower once, which is equivalent to having an extra life."

"That's so good?" Zhou Yang asked suspiciously. "What are the conditions?"

"Conditions?" White Tower chuckled. "I don't want your lifespan, I only need you to promise me one thing."

"explain."

"Once you find the Heart of the World, hand it over to me," the White Tower said. "Don't worry, I won't treat you unfairly. I will give you a portion of the Heart of the World's law fragments to help you break through your current bottleneck."

Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang exchanged a glance, both seeing wariness in each other's eyes.

What's going on in this white pagoda?

"What do you want the Heart of the World for?" Zhou Yang asked directly.

"Naturally, it is used to repair this world," the White Tower said frankly. "Although I exist in the world relying on the White Tower, I am ultimately just a fragment of the laws, and my consciousness is incomplete. Only by merging with the heart of the world can I truly awaken and become the manager of this world."

"What good will it do you?" Qin Shuang pressed.

"I have said that I will become the ruler of this world," the White Tower said. "At that time, I will set all the rules of this world. If you remain under my command, you will gain the right to immortality."

Immortal.

These four words seemed to possess some kind of magic, stirring a ripple in Zhou Yang's heart.

His current situation is essentially a race against death. Every time he burns through his lifespan, he's overdrawing his own life force. If only he could gain the right to immortality…

But he quickly regained his senses.

How much can we believe what the White Pagoda says?

Regardless of whether this so-called "immortality" can be fulfilled, the secrets hidden in the White Tower alone are enough to make him wary—why is it so obsessed with the Heart of the World? Is it really just a simple fragment of the laws?

As thoughts raced through his mind, Zhou Yang remained outwardly composed: "I'll think about it."

"Alright." The White Tower didn't seem to be in a hurry. "I'll give you three days. If you still don't agree after three days, I'll take back the beacon and find someone else."

"Wait a minute." Zhou Yang suddenly realized something. "The 'other person' you're referring to, are you referring to Qin Shuang?"

The White Tower paused for a moment: "Of course not. She has no causal connection with me and cannot bear the Dao Beacon. Only you, because you fused with the Dragon Spine Fragment and established a contractual relationship with me, can use this item."

Zhou Yang frowned: "A contract? What contract?"

"Naturally, it's the contract you signed when you entered the White Tower," the White Tower said casually. "I helped you repair the fragments, and you helped me collect the other fragments. I've never broken my promise."

Zhou Yang recalled the situation back then. It seemed that such a thing had indeed happened—he had been tricked by the White Pagoda and signed some kind of contract while trying to repair the Dragon Spine fragment. But he couldn't remember the specific details now.

"Are you sure there aren't any traps in the contract?" he asked, somewhat uneasy.

"I never do business at a loss," White Tower said meaningfully, "but I won't deliberately harm you either. At least for now, your interests are aligned with mine."

Zhou Yang thought about it and felt that the White Tower made sense. If it wanted to leave this world, it had to rely on the Dragon Spine Fragment in its possession. Before finding the Heart of the World, he would still be of use to it, and it wouldn't be a case of being used and then discarded.

"Alright, I promise you." He nodded. "Give me the beacon, and we'll set off for the Temple of Oblivion in three days."

The white tower responded. Immediately, a crystal-like rhombus-shaped object appeared out of thin air in front of Zhou Yang, emitting a faint white light.

Zhou Yang reached out and took it, examining it carefully for a few moments. It was only the size of a thumb, warm to the touch, and he could vaguely sense the spatial fluctuations contained within it.

"The beacon has been delivered," the White Tower said. "Before you depart, I will send the coordinates to the Temple of Oblivion into your mind. At that time, you can simply activate it with your divine sense to proceed."

"Direct teleportation?" Zhou Yang asked in surprise.

"It's not a direct teleportation," the White Tower corrected. "The beacon can only store coordinates; you'll have to complete the actual teleportation process yourself. However, I can guarantee that when you arrive near the Forgotten Temple, the beacon will guide you to the correct entrance."

Zhou Yang nodded and put the road sign into his pocket.

"Is there anything else you need to explain?" he asked.

"Yes." The White Tower's tone turned serious. "The Forgotten Temple is unlike any other place. Fragments of laws from the era of the divine war remain there, making the space extremely unstable. Your journey is exceptionally dangerous; you may encounter spatial rifts or law storms at any moment. Remember, if you sense anything amiss, immediately activate the beacon and return. Do not linger in battle."

"Understood," Zhou Yang replied.

The white tower fell silent. The eerie blue light gradually faded, and tranquility returned to the tower.

Qin Shuang then spoke: "Are you really planning to go?"

"Nonsense." Zhou Yang stood up, stretched, and said, "We've come this far, we have to go. We can't stay stuck in this godforsaken place forever, can we?"

Qin Shuang paused for a moment, then said, "But those eighty-one old sentinels..."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Zhou Yang interrupted her. "If all else fails, we'll play it safe. We'll first scout out the situation, figure out the sentries' patterns of movement, and then figure out a way to infiltrate."

"Will it work?"

"Let's give it a try," Zhou Yang chuckled. "If it really doesn't work out, we can just run away. We have the beacon now, which is like having an extra life, so what's there to be afraid of?"

Qin Shuang stared at him for a moment, and finally nodded.

"Okay, I'll go with you."

"Then it's settled." Zhou Yang took her hand. "Three days from now, we'll go and meet those old sentinels."

Qin Shuang did not pull her hand away, but simply gave a soft "hmm".

The two stood side by side on the top floor of the white tower, gazing at the distant ruins.

Starlight spilled down, gilding the desolate land with a silvery sheen. In the distance, occasional flashes of blue light pierced the air, a harbinger of the impending opening of a spatial rift.

Zhou Yang suddenly spoke up: "Do you think we can find the Heart of the World?"

"I don't know," Qin Shuang answered honestly. "But if you can't find it, will you regret it?"

"No," Zhou Yang shook his head. "Regret is the most useless emotion. Instead of regretting, we should think of ways to solve the problem."

Qin Shuang turned her head to look at him: "You're quite open-minded."

"What can I do if I can't think straight?" Zhou Yang laughed self-deprecatingly. "Life goes on, fights go on, and life goes on. As long as you're alive, there's hope."

Qin Shuang didn't speak, but simply clenched her fists tighter.

Three days later.

At the edge of the ruins, Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang stood side by side.

Before them stood a portal emitting a faint golden light. On the other side of the portal, the outline of an ancient palace could be vaguely seen.

"Are you ready?" Zhou Yang asked.

Qin Shuang nodded: "Let's go."

The two stepped into the portal at the same time.

In a flash of light, their figures vanished.

Forgotten Temple, here I come.

Zhou Yang silently recited in his heart.

---

The top floor of the White Pagoda.

Shortly after Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang left, the light emanating from the white tower suddenly intensified. Immediately afterward, an aged voice echoed through the empty tower chamber:

"After waiting for so long, this day has finally come..."

"I just hope that this time, nothing goes wrong again."

The sound gradually faded, eventually fading into silence.

Only that pale blue light continued to burn quietly, as if waiting for someone to return.

Expedition Preparation

The lights of the White Pagoda still flickered slightly. Zhou Yang stood before the alchemy platform, holding a crystal-clear blue crystal in his hand. The blue crystal rippled under the light, like the surface of frozen water.

"There's more material this time than before," he muttered to himself, his gaze sweeping over the mist at the bottle's opening.

The bottle contained three types of blood collected from the lair of ferocious beasts. The blood was dark red and viscous as ink. On the stone anvil beside him lay two cracked dragon bones. The fragments of dragon bones shimmered faintly under the light, as if reminding him—this was a gamble.

Zhou Yang gently embedded the blue crystal into the groove of the stone anvil, then lit the fire. The flames flickered, and the temperature rose to seventy degrees Celsius. His blood immediately boiled, and a faint fishy smell rose up.

He quickly added three herbs. The first was frost petals, gathered from the icy plains of the Northern Ridge; the second was flame root, growing in the crevices of the Crimson Flame Mountain; and the third was stardust powder, collected from the remnants of shooting stars in the night sky.

With each addition, the color of the fire changes slightly. Frost petals instantly give the flames a bluish-white hue, Blazing roots turn them crimson, and stardust powder projects tiny starlight into the flames.

"The principle of adding money is to not waste this step," Zhou Yang murmured, tapping his fingers lightly on the edge of the stove, as if timing the fire.

The furnace fire was kept at a perfect 75 degrees Celsius. At this moment, the liquid had changed from cloudy to clear, like a small mirror. Zhou Yang scooped up a small spoonful with a silver spoon and put it in his mouth.

"Sweet." He raised an eyebrow slightly, feeling a slight coolness on the tip of his tongue.

He then poured the remaining liquid into ten small ceramic bottles. Each bottle was the same size, and the mouth of the bottle was sealed with wax. The bottle body was engraved with faint patterns, which he had drawn on the spot for easy identification.

Ten Refined Pills were completed. Zhou Yang placed each pill into his medicine pouch, gently patted it to make sure it wasn't damaged.

**——**

Qin Shuang stood by the side window of the tower, gazing at the distant mountains. The mountains were tinged with pale gray by the dawn mist, and the distant river meandered in the dim light.

"The route." Her voice was soft yet powerful, as if she were speaking to the wind.

Zhou Yang unfolded the blueprint in his hand. Three possible paths were marked on the map.

The first path leads through a vast, desolate forest. The ancient trees are towering and dense, providing excellent cover but also making it easy to be ambushed.

The second route proceeds along the desert. The terrain is open, allowing for a fast march, but it lacks cover and makes the troops vulnerable to long-range attacks.

The third route takes you through the mountain passes of the Beiling Mountains. The passes are narrow, easy to defend and difficult to attack, but their high altitude makes resupply difficult.

Qin Shuang pointed to the mountain range on the far right.

"Safety first." There was no hesitation in her eyes, only calculation.

"But it will take longer," Zhou Yang added, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Qin Shuang nodded.

"We'll go through the mountain pass," she said, her voice sharp as a knife, cutting off all hesitation.

She then put away the map and walked to the worktable. Various tools were laid out on the table: ropes, a trekking axe, and a food bag.

"Tie the rope properly," she instructed.

Zhou Yang secured the rope between the rock walls, ensuring each knot was tight. Each time he tightened it, a soft hum could be heard from the rope.

Next, he cut several thin steel plates into arc shapes and welded them onto a large piece of cloth. The cloth was a lightweight armor material that Qin Shuang often used; it was flexible yet still provided protection.

"This arm armor," Zhou Yang said, "can withstand one spatial tear."

Qin Shuang raised an eyebrow slightly.

"A spatial tear?" she asked back.

"Last time we were almost torn apart," Zhou Yang recalled, his finger lightly tracing the afterimage of the blue light.

"Then we must have protection." Qin Shuang nodded, took the arm armor, and carefully inspected each weld.

The inner lining of the arm armor was made of dark-patterned silk, soft and elastic. The outer steel plates gleamed dimly under the light.

"It fits perfectly." Qin Shuang put the arm armor on her left arm, gently raised her hand, and felt the steel plate hitting her skin.

"Let's try it once," Zhou Yang said.

He tossed the pebble into the air, and it instantly cracked, transforming into tiny spatial fissures. The fissures spread out in front of his arm guard, resembling thin silver threads.

The crack touched the steel plate of the arm armor and was instantly absorbed, emitting a faint hum.

Qin Shuang raised her wrist, the crack disappeared, and the surrounding air returned to calm.

"Okay." Her voice carried a hint of a smile.

**——**

Night slowly descended upon the top of the tower. The starlight was sparse, yet sufficient for guidance. Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang stood on either side of the white tower, their eyes closed in meditation.

Zhou Yang's breathing gradually became steady, his breath rhythmic like the tides. His lifespan circulation system operated in the shadows, and blue light began to flicker on his heart meridian.

A faint blood-red light appeared in Qin Shuang's eyes, and her left arm armor became slightly warm, with tiny specks of light emanating from the junction of the metal and the silk.

The two were of one mind, as if they were on the same wavelength.

"Ready?" Zhou Yang said softly, his voice like a clear spring in the silence.

Qin Shuang nodded, and gently tapped the hilt of her sword against her armor, producing a crisp metallic sound.

**——**

The first rays of dawn pierced the valley. The lights of the white pagoda still flickered, but no longer stood in solitary vigil.

The two packed their bags and checked all their equipment.

Zhou Yang put ten essence pills into the innermost layer of his backpack to ensure they wouldn't be easily damaged in the event of a fall.

Qin Shuang secured the arm armor and slung it over her shoulder; the steel plates of the shoulder armor trembled gently in the light.

"Let's go to Beiling," Zhou Yang said, his voice filled with a long-lost excitement.

Qin Shuang looked up at the distant mountain range. The outline of the mountain range was faintly visible in the morning mist, like a silent barrier.

"Let's go." Her voice left no room for argument.

The two stepped out of the white pagoda and onto the damp bluestone. Their footsteps echoed in the empty base of the pagoda, like the beat of a drum.

The route has been determined, and the equipment is ready.

Their shadows gradually lengthened in the morning light, disappearing at the end of the mountain road leading to Beiling.

-

The prelude to the expedition has already begun.

Floating City

Below the floating debris, the mountains became veins, and the clouds surged beneath their feet.

Zhou Yang stepped onto a semi-transparent platform, a crisp echo resounding beneath his feet. He turned his gaze to the floating jade map slip.

Within the jade slip, a pale orange hue appeared beyond the Northern Ridge, like light being suppressed.

Those are fragments of a city. The name is engraved on them: Floating City, Number 023.

Zhou Yang chuckled to himself: another "opportunity to add money".

Qin Shuang stood beside him, her sleeves rolled up. Her gaze remained fixed on the edge of the high sky.

In the distance, the broken walls hang in mid-air, some horizontal and some vertical, like the teeth of a giant beast.

In her ears, she heard Teng Yun's low murmurs and panting. Qin Shuang listened quietly, as if searching for a moment of respite.

Zhou Yang reached out and took her shoulder, pointing to the energy points on the map.

"The signal is weak. Slightly off."

"A small flame doesn't mean it's worthless," Qin Shuang replied. She bent down and took out a small probe from her waist.

The probe spun in mid-air, like a wary insect. The point of light moved and stopped beneath a collapsed tower.

"There are aftershocks," she said. "Someone has moved around."

The two landed lightly on the stone surface. The edges of the fragments were not secure, and each step they took was accompanied by the creaking of the wooden fence.

Zhou Yang took out a roll of cloth from his pocket. It was a "residual heat incandescent stone" that he had exchanged at the White Pagoda, a temporary heat source.

He attached the calcite to the protective suit around his waist, and when he pinched it, the calcite glowed slightly.

"Don't just stand there like an idiot." Qin Shuang tapped the ground with the back of her knife, signaling to continue forward.

A dull, mechanical sound echoed through the city, like the beating of a giant heart.

They walked around the broken bridge. There was graffiti on the wall, rough lines, that read "Exiles Return" with a string of symbols next to it.

Zhou Yang squatted down, his fingertips gliding over the dust beneath the graffiti.

Footprints are visible beneath the dust. The footprints leave depth in the floating dust layer. Someone has just passed by.

"Leave it to the people who come after us," Qin Shuang said softly.

"The real show has just begun," Zhou Yang responded.

The probe continued scanning. The energy veins flickered like tiny cracks. Qin Shuang traced their paths in the air with her fingertips.

"There is a stable point." She pointed to a giant piece of glass in front of her. It was a floating barrier, crescent-shaped, with green electric light flickering inside.

Zhou Yang brought his hand closer, the energy beams moving between his fingers. He subtly circled around, observing his surroundings.

The city hadn't completely collapsed; the suspended buildings were still trembling slowly.

"The energy is contracting. Someone is controlling it," he whispered.

Just as the line of sight extended outwards, a short horn blast sounded.

The horn wasn't made of traditional metal, but rather resembled a diaphragm of compressed air.

In the distance, the outlines of three figures emerged from behind the high platform.

They wore metal shoulder pads with black symbols affixed to their shoulder armor.

The leader wore a half-helmet with blue flames along the edge.

"Patrol," Zhou Yang deduced.

"Hostiles," Qin Shuang added.

The leader held aloft a black banner. The banner bore two words: Black Steel.

His gaze fell directly on Zhou Yang, as if he could see through Zhou Yang's inner thoughts.

"Which fragment did you come from?" he asked in a low voice, with the sound of blades scraping together.

"The White Pagoda," Qin Shuang replied. Her hand did not leave the hilt of her sword.

"The White Tower?" Black Steel chuckled, a hint of coldness in his voice.

"The White Pagoda's stuff," he said, turning to the people behind him. "Surround it."

The crowd slowly approached. Each person held a long-handled chain blade in their left hand and a small magnetic dagger in their right.

Zhou Yang remained silent about the horn. He knew that if outsiders discovered his "lifespan system," the trouble would be even greater.

He lowered his voice, "Don't move, wait for me to speak."

Black Steel stepped forward, approaching the two. He glanced around at the ground, his gaze sweeping over Qin Shuang's slender scabbard before settling on the small, fiery stone at Zhou Yang's waist.

"Are you trying to take over this territory?" he asked.

"We're here to find the energy points," Qin Shuang said without hesitation. She tilted the hilt of her knife slightly upwards.

"Don't try to circumvent me with tactics." Black Steel's eyes gleamed. "Hand over the supplies. You entered illegally; give us all the valuables."

Qin Shuang's lips twitched slightly. "We didn't bring any valuables."

"You didn't forget to bring it." He took a step closer, his voice trembling.

"Look, this isn't valuable." Zhou Yang raised his hand, showing his empty palm.

"We don't care about the palm of your hand, but about the spirit stone bag on your back."

Black steel fingertips tensed.

"We protect the floating city. We don't welcome outsiders who tamper with our resources." He pointed.

Zhou Yang turned his head to look at the ruins of the tower.

"Is this city still usable?" he asked.

"We have enough energy. Enough to trade for a whole regiment," Blacksteel said. "We'll guard this place; outsiders shouldn't disturb us."

Qin Shuang withdrew her gaze. "We didn't intend to seize resources. We were just scouting ahead. If you're willing to exchange intelligence, I can give you an energy network map."

"I don't need the diagram you gave me." Kurogane shook his head.

"Then give me the supplies."

As soon as he finished speaking, the patrol team behind him slightly raised their hands.

Zhou Yang watched their actions, and the corners of his lips twitched.

"You've been in this industry for a long time," he asked casually.

"Don't ask any more questions," Kurogane replied.

Zhou Yang paused, his feet sinking in mid-air.

"I don't want war either." He slowly shifted his gaze to Qin Shuang. "But we need to get into this tower."

"Then we'll wait." Kurogane squinted.

The air was filled with the smell of electricity.

The wind in this floating city is no longer light.

A new game is unfolding amidst these suspended rubble.

立威

The air freezes.

The wind in the floating city felt as if it were being choked by an invisible hand.

Black Steel's eyes were like two poisoned knives, fixed on Zhou Yang.

"Say it again?" His voice was low, as if squeezed from his chest. "You can't get into this tower."

The dozen or so patrolmen behind him spread out in unison. The blades of the unfinished weapons gleamed coldly in the thin clouds. They formed a semicircle, trapping Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang in the corner.

These people exuded a calm and collected aura, their killing intent subtly concealed. Clearly, they were not a rabble.

Zhou Yang didn't say anything more.

He simply shifted his gaze from the gleaming blades back to the black steel face.

His gaze was calm. There was no anger, no provocation. It was as if he were looking at an inanimate object.

This calm is more unsettling than any harsh words.

The black steel knuckles turned slightly white from the force applied.

"It seems you're planning to force your way in."

Before he finished speaking, he had already moved.

There was no warning.

One second he was standing three steps away. The next second, his fist was already in front of Zhou Yang.

Those were a pair of large, calloused fists. A layer of azure true energy swirled endlessly across the surface of the fists, as if they were encased in a thin layer of azure jade armor.

The air was torn apart, emitting a sharp screech.

Early stage of True Essence Realm.

This is a genuine early stage True Essence Realm cultivation. For a martial artist still stuck in the Hundred Battles Realm, the power of this level is like heaven and earth.

A patrolman nearby couldn't help but let out a cold smirk.

In their view, this punch would have shattered the young man's bones and left him bedridden for months, even if he wasn't directly turned into mincemeat.

Qin Shuang's brows furrowed slightly.

Her hand was already on the embroidered spring knife at her waist.

The hilt was cold to the touch, its feel distinct. She could draw her sword at any moment. But she also knew that against a powerful expert at the early stage of the True Essence Realm, her sword might not be able to withstand a second blow.

However, Zhou Yang's reaction exceeded everyone's expectations.

He didn't hide.

He did not use any martial arts techniques.

Even the true energy within the body was not significantly mobilized.

He just stood there, like a wooden stake stuck in the ground.

Just as Black Steel's fist, imbued with the power of thunder, was about to strike his nose, Zhou Yang moved.

He raised his right hand.

That was also a punch.

There was no brilliance, no splendor.

This punch was simple and unadorned, just like the most ordinary punch thrown by a strong man in the village when they fight.

The speed is not fast, and the angle is not tricky.

It was handed out slowly.

A hint of mockery even flashed in the eyes of the two patrolmen.

What is this? Like throwing an egg against a rock?

Ding!

A crisp sound.

It wasn't a dull thud. Instead, it sounded like two pieces of metal colliding at high speed.

The sound was crisp and loud.

Time seemed to stretch out at that moment.

Everyone saw it clearly.

Zhou Yang's ordinary fist collided solidly with Hei Gang's fist, which was shimmering with blue light.

Then, a bizarre scene unfolded.

The confident expression on Hei Gang's face froze instantly.

His pupils shrank to the size of pinpoints in an instant.

He felt as if he had hit not one person's fist.

It was a red-hot branding iron.

wrong.

It is harder and heavier than a soldering iron.

That was a mountain.

An irresistible, utterly tyrannical force surged into his fist.

The azure aura of true essence on his arm, like a candle flame being blown by a gale, shook violently for a moment before going out completely with a "poof".

The protective true energy collapsed instantly.

"Snap!"

The crisp sound of bones breaking was particularly jarring.

Black Steel let out a muffled groan that he couldn't suppress.

His proud fist, like a city gate struck by a battering ram, was bent backward at an odd angle.

But he didn't even have time to feel the pain.

That force remains undiminished.

His body felt as if he had been struck by a mad rhinoceros, and his feet instantly left the ground.

He was sent flying backward.

"Bang!"

He crashed heavily into the two patrolmen behind him. The two men were as if they had been run over by a speeding carriage; they didn't even have time to scream before they coughed up blood and collapsed to the ground.

The black steel rolled and tumbled, leaving long tracks on the ground, before finally coming to a stop after crashing into a floating piece of metal.

He struggled to get up, but suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood. The blood and foam were mixed with fragments of internal organs.

His arm, which was supporting him on the ground, was trembling violently and he couldn't muster any strength at all.

He looked up, his face full of disbelief.

He stared intently at the man who was still in the punching stance.

How is that possible?

This guy... he's only at the Hundred Battles Realm!

How could someone possess such terrifying physical strength?

That punch was pure power. It was technique, but even more so, it was a fighting instinct honed through countless trials. This power had completely surpassed the realm of the Hundred Battles Realm.

The patrol officers who were watching were all dumbfounded.

The mockery and contempt on their faces were frozen at the corners of their mouths, making them look incredibly ridiculous.

Their hands, gripping their weapons, trembled uncontrollably.

Cold sweat trickled down my forehead and into my eyes, making them sting and painful.

The man's expression remained unchanged from beginning to end. It was as if he had casually swatted a mosquito.

Qin Shuang slowly released her hand from the hilt of the knife.

A glimmer of light, which only she could understand, flashed in her eyes.

She knew it.

This guy always manages to surprise her.

Or rather, frightened.

Zhou Yang slowly withdrew his fist and let it hang at his side.

He looked at the black steel struggling on the ground, his voice still calm.

"I said I don't want war."

Black Steel's chest heaved violently as he gasped for breath, his eyes filled with a mixture of humiliation, horror, and a hint of insane killing intent.

"Sorcery...this must be sorcery!"

He roared and pulled a small bamboo tube from his pocket.

"What are you all standing there for! Kill him! Kill him!"

He roared at his dazed subordinates.

The patrolmen seemed to snap out of a daze, a hint of fear flashing across their faces, but they gritted their teeth, raised their weapons, and charged forward.

They knew that if they didn't kill this man, they would face Blacksteel's endless rage.

Zhou Yang looked at the approaching crowd and sighed softly.

"trouble."

He raised his eyelids and looked at Black Steel.

"It seems I need to make something clear to you."

"Some gaps cannot be bridged by simply increasing numbers of people."

He extended his right hand and gently rubbed his thumb against the knuckle of his index finger.

A tiny movement that is almost imperceptible to anyone.

The moment the action was completed, a faint burning sensation silently spread from the depths of his heart.

The feeling was like drinking the strongest liquor.

A surge of heat flowed rapidly through his limbs and bones, following his meridians.

A very faint blush appeared on his skin, fleeting and ephemeral.

He stood still, his figure seemingly unchanged.

But at that moment, everyone who rushed over had a strong sense of illusion.

It was as if what they saw was no longer a person.

It is a silent volcano that has stood here since the ancient primordial era.

That invisible pressure made their movements sluggish.

Zhou Yang lifted his foot.

step.

He took a step forward.

No sound was made.

But the entire floating metal platform seemed to tremble slightly.

His figure left a faint afterimage in the spot.

In the next instant, he appeared in front of the patrolman who was at the forefront.

The team member only felt a blur before his eyes, and a thick aura of death completely enveloped him.

His pupils dilated rapidly, and even his sword-wielding motion froze in mid-air.

Zhou Yang held up one finger.

index finger.

He gently tapped the team member's chest.

"puff."

The sound was as soft as a needle piercing a balloon.

The look of terror on that team member's face will forever remain frozen in time.

His shirt was intact.

But his body was like a punctured sandbag; all his vitality was completely drained by that one finger.

He fell straight backward, the last glimmer of light in his eyes extinguished completely.

died.

He died without a sound.

The people behind them stopped abruptly.

They stared in horror at their fallen companion, then at the man who had pointed a finger, a chill running from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads.

What kind of move is this?

He died without even using his true energy?

Zhou Yang withdrew his finger without even glancing at the corpse on the ground.

His gaze swept past the remaining few trembling patrol members and locked onto Black Steel in the distance.

The black steel body trembled like a leaf in the wind.

The bamboo tube in his hand fell to the ground with a "thud".

He forgot what other hidden weapons he wanted to unleash.

They also forgot how to roar and give orders.

Only one thought remained in his mind.

devil.

This person... is a devil!

Zhou Yang took another step.

One step, two steps.

His steps were slow and steady.

But each step was like a heavy hammer blow, striking the hearts of everyone else.

Those patrol members could no longer withstand the immense psychological pressure.

With a shout of "Wow!", one of them dropped his weapon and ran away.

He ran very fast, scrambling and crawling, wanting nothing more than to get away from this devil.

However, he couldn't even run three steps.

A shadow appeared silently behind him.

A hand gently rested on his shoulder.

"Don't go."

Zhou Yang's voice was very soft and gentle.

But to that team member, it sounded more terrifying than the most vicious curse.

He froze, collapsed to the ground, and wet his pants.

The remaining people looked ashen-faced.

They no longer ran away, nor did they resist.

He simply dropped his weapon, knelt on the ground, and his body trembled violently.

Zhou Yang stopped in front of them and did not make any further moves.

His gaze returned to Black Steel.

At this moment, he had already walked up to Black Steel.

Looking down at the arrogant city lord who had just been so domineering.

Black Steel tilted his head back, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.

Fear had completely consumed his reason.

He could see his own death reflected in those calm eyes.

"Now, can we talk?"

Zhou Yang spoke up.

His voice wasn't loud, but it was eerily clear on the deathly silent platform.

Black Steel shuddered, as if he had been electrocuted.

He looked at Zhou Yang, the madness and murderous intent in his eyes long gone, leaving only the purest fear and pleading.

He wanted to beg for mercy.

He wanted to kowtow.

He wanted to give up everything he owned just to survive.

But his throat felt like it was being tightly gripped by a hand, and he couldn't make a sound.

Zhou Yang squatted down to be at eye level with Hei Gang.

He reached out and gently patted Black Steel's cheek.

The movements were very gentle, as if comforting a frightened child.

"take it easy."

"I have no interest in you, or in your territory."

Zhou Yang said, word by word:

"I just want to... pass through."

"Go inside that tower and take a look."

"We'll leave after we've finished watching."

His words seemed to possess a peculiar magic.

Black Steel's almost collapsing spirit seemed to have found a sliver of solace.

Borrowing a passage?

Just passing through?

He trembled, and with all his might, he managed to squeeze out a single word from his throat.

"……good."

His voice was hoarse and dry, like a broken bellows being pulled.

"very good."

Zhou Yang stood up and stopped looking at him.

He turned to Qin Shuang and said, "Let's go."

Qin Shuang nodded, her gaze sweeping over the people kneeling on the ground before finally settling on Zhou Yang's back.

This man always solves problems in the simplest and most direct way.

But it does work.

Zhou Yang walked towards the tall tower.

The kneeling patrol members, as if avoiding a plague, desperately moved their bodies to both sides to make way for him.

Their heads were buried deep in the ground; they didn't dare to look up at him.

Black Steel struggled, using his elbows to push himself up, trying to get up.

He wanted to lead the way himself. He wanted to show his utmost sincerity.

He had just propped himself up when a voice came from the side.

"Lie down."

It's Zhou Yang.

He didn't turn around.

"You have a long way to go."

Kurogane's body stiffened, and he stopped moving.

He didn't know what that sentence meant.

But he dared not disobey.

He could only remain in that half-lying position, watching helplessly as Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang walked step by step toward that mysterious tower.

The wind blew by, stirring up metal shards from the ground and making a rattling sound.

The floating city has returned to tranquility.

Beneath this tranquility lies a suffocating sense of awe.

A new legend is quietly born in this suspended city.

Black Steel surrenders

The footsteps stopped.

It wasn't a hesitant stop, but a resolute termination.

Qin Shuang turned her head to look at Zhou Yang. His back was steady, like a stake driven into a metal deck. The wind blew a corner of his clothes, making a rustling sound.

"Aren't you going in?" she asked.

Zhou Yang didn't say anything.

He slowly turned around, his gaze passing over Qin Shuang and landing on the stiff figure in the distance.

Black Steel remained in a half-reclining position, like a statue forcibly frozen in time. His muscles trembled slightly, and beads of sweat mixed with dust etched deep lines into his face.

Zhou Yang took a step and walked back.

His steps were light, but each step felt like a hammer blow to Black Steel's heart.

Black Steel wanted to stand up, to rebel, to roar. But he couldn't. Zhou Yang's words were like an invisible thorn, piercing his bones.

"Lie down."

"You have a long way to go."

road?

What other path did he have? In this wasteland, power was the only path. And his own power was a joke in front of that man.

Zhou Yang walked up to him and looked down at him.

"Get up," Zhou Yang said.

Two words, very bland.

Black Steel's body jolted violently. He gritted his teeth, bracing himself against the ground with his arms, slowly pushing himself up. His joints made a cracking sound, like rusty parts.

He straightened up, but his head was bowed low. All he could see were Zhou Yang's dusty boots.

"What's your name?" Zhou Yang asked.

"...Black Steel".

How many people here are like you?

"Three hundred... less than three hundred." Kurogane's voice was dry. "A little over a hundred are capable of fighting."

"What do you want to eat?"

"Hunting 'Aberrants'," Blacksteel replied. "Eating their flesh. And... scrap crystals."

Zhou Yang raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Scrap crystals?"

"It's residue leaked from the 'Heart of the World.'" Black Steel seemed to know some inside information. "It's everywhere in this city. It's useless to most people. Eating it will give you an upset stomach, and using it as decoration will only make it slowly lose its luster."

He paused, then added, "But for us, it's hard currency. We can use it to trade with the 'guards' in the tower for some clean water and compressed nutrient paste."

Qin Shuang hadn't spoken until now, but she finally spoke.

"guard?"

"There are some...things" in Black Steel's voice tinged with fear. "They're not living people. They keep this floating city running. We call them 'Guardians.' They don't speak; they only recognize the discarded crystals."

Zhou Yang understood.

This is a closed ecosystem. Exiles hunt monsters, collect the waste crystals that accompany the monsters, and then use these waste crystals to exchange for survival resources with higher beings.

And that tower is the core of this ecosystem.

"This waste crystal, let me take a look," Zhou Yang said.

Black Steel paused for a moment, then reached into his pocket, rummaged around for a while, and pulled out a crystal the size of a fist.

The crystal was entirely grayish-black, its surface covered with fine cracks, resembling an ugly stone. The faint glow within it was dim, as if it might be extinguished at any moment.

Qin Shuang leaned over for a look, her brows furrowing.

"The energy is mixed and contains many impurities," she offered her professional assessment.

Zhou Yang didn't pay any attention. He reached out and gently touched the surface of the crystal with his fingertips.

hum-

A faint rumble echoed in his mind.

[A special energy source has been detected... a fragment of the "Heart of the World".]

[Contains a faint trace of "primordial power".]

[Can be purified and converted into lifespan value.]

[After purifying 1,000 standard units of waste crystals, the estimated conversion lifespan is 1-10 years.]

Zhou Yang's heart skipped a beat.

life.

What he lacks most.

In this godforsaken place, there's something that can replenish lifespan. And it's just readily available "trash."

The way he looked at Kurogane had changed.

It's no longer about watching a defeated opponent, but about watching a bunch of... walking life reserves.

Kurogane felt a chill run down his spine from his gaze and couldn't help but take a half step back.

"Is there a lot of this stuff?" Zhou Yang asked, his voice carrying a tension he himself didn't even realize.

"A lot," Blacksteel quickly replied. "They have a high probability of dropping when the mutant dies. They can also be found in some metal mines in the city. We...we have a warehouse with about a few thousand stored there."

Several thousand dollars.

Zhou Yang quickly calculated in his mind.

If it were all in standard units, that would be a lifespan of tens of thousands of years. Even with low purification efficiency, it would be enough for him to squander several times over.

He smiled.

It wasn't a wild laugh, just a slight upturn of the corners of his mouth, yet it sent a chill down Black Steel's spine.

"You, and your men," Zhou Yang said, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching the ears of everyone around him, "from today onwards, they belong to me."

Black Steel suddenly raised his head.

"you……"

"I will protect you," Zhou Yang interrupted him. "I will give you better cultivation techniques so that you no longer have to live like wild dogs, relying on hunting monsters to survive."

He pointed to the tower in the distance.

"I will go into that tower. I will take care of the 'guards' inside. From now on, you will no longer need to exchange waste crystals for any nutritional paste."

The exiles who had been watching began to stir.

They were ragged, their faces blank and filled with despair. But at that moment, a glimmer of light appeared in their eyes.

hope.

A word that seems unattainable, yet so alluring.

Kurogane's lips moved, as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn't utter a word.

He knew he had no choice.

Refusing means death. Agreeing might offer a way out.

"What...do you need us to do?" he finally asked. The moment the question left his lips, he knew he had already lost.

Zhou Yang was very satisfied with his pragmatism.

"It's very simple."

"First, obey my orders."

"Second, hand over all your waste crystals."

"Third, continue hunting down aberrant mutants and collecting waste crystals. Then, continue handing them over."

"In exchange, you will receive the cultivation techniques and everything I promised. You will live better than you do now, and you will live like human beings."

Zhou Yang's voice possessed a peculiar magic.

That's not brainwashing; it's a naked transaction. He lays everything out on the table and lets you choose for yourself.

Black Steel remained silent for a long time.

He glanced back at his brothers. The expressions on their faces shifted from doubt to longing, and finally to an almost fanatical anticipation.

He knew that the situation was hopeless.

The hearts of the people no longer belong to him.

He knelt on one knee and lowered his head.

"Black Steel, I am willing to follow you, sir."

This action is like a signal.

wow-

The exiles around them gradually knelt down. The metal deck rattled and creaked. They knelt unevenly and in various postures, but their expressions were remarkably similar.

It was a kind of piety, like finding a new master after being rescued from a desperate situation.

Zhou Yang looked at the group of people kneeling before him, his face expressionless.

He is not a savior.

He's just a businessman. Now, he's acquired this near-bankrupt company and is preparing to restructure and take it public.

But he still needs a catalyst. A pledge of allegiance that will win everyone's unwavering loyalty.

His gaze swept across the crowd and landed on a wounded man leaning against a corner of the wall.

The man's arm was twisted unnaturally, the wound already blackened, clearly a claw wound from a deformed creature. He was groaning in pain, his face as white as paper.

Black Steel also noticed Zhou Yang's gaze, and his expression changed slightly.

That was one of his captains, wounded yesterday while hunting an "Ironback Beast." In this place, such a serious injury is tantamount to waiting for death.

Zhou Yang walked over.

The exiles instinctively made way for him.

He squatted down next to the wounded man, extended two fingers, and placed them on the edge of his blackened wound.

A faint but pure internal force slowly flowed through.

This wasn't a path derived from burning one's lifespan; it was simply a casual application of his own cultivation. For him, it was even simpler than breathing.

The wounded man shuddered at first, then his pained expression gradually eased.

Zhou Yang withdrew his hand.

"Get up and move around," he said.

The wounded soldier stared blankly at his arm; the twisted part could actually move. The blackening at the edges of the wound was fading at a visible rate.

He tentatively stood up and cautiously waved his arm.

A tingling sensation came from the fracture site, but the excruciating pain had disappeared.

"It's done..." he muttered to himself, his eyes filled with disbelief.

The surroundings were deathly silent.

Everyone saw this.

Broken bones regenerate, and rotten flesh grows anew.

This isn't healing, it's a miracle!

Black Steel's body trembled violently. He stared at Zhou Yang's back, a back that, in his eyes, was no different from that of a god.

He knelt down again, this time prostrating himself completely.

"Black Steel... Thank you, sir, for saving my life!"

The exiles around them also realized what was happening and began to kowtow.

"Thank you, sir!"

"Greetings, Master!"

The cries converged and echoed over this floating, ruined city.

Qin Shuang stood not far away, quietly watching everything. Her gaze fell on Zhou Yang, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

This man always manages to win people's hearts in the simplest, most direct, and most effective way.

He wasn't giving alms; he was demonstrating value.

"I can heal all your injuries and illnesses," Zhou Yang's voice boomed, drowning out all the noise. "I can make you stronger."

"On the condition that you bring me enough value."

He stood up and looked around at the crowd kneeling at his feet.

"Now, go and move all your waste crystals to the base of that tower."

His words are commands.

Black Steel was the first to scramble to his feet, yelling, "Did you all hear that?! Hurry up! Move everything from the warehouse over here! And be quick!"

The exiles responded with a roar and rushed off in a certain direction.

Soon, a group of people returned, panting, carrying tattered boxes. The boxes were filled with grayish-black waste crystals, which gleamed dimly in the sunlight.

A small mountain made of waste crystals quickly formed in front of the tower.

Zhou Yang looked at the small hill and took a deep breath.

The air was filled with the smell of rust and dust.

But today, the flavor seems to have an added touch of sweetness.

He turned to Qin Shuang and said, "This is our first pot of gold."

Qin Shuang nodded, a very faint smile curving her lips.

"Congratulations, Lord Zhou," she said softly. "You have acquired your first territory here."

Zhou Yang didn't say anything.

His gaze had already been fixed on that towering, mysterious tower.

Black Steel walked over and stood behind him like a loyal guard.

"My lord, this tower... none of us have ever been able to get in. The 'guardians' will attack anyone who gets close."

Zhou Yang smiled.

Just because they did it before doesn't mean they will do it now.

He started walking towards the tower.

Blacksteel and the other exiles watched him nervously, fearing he would be torn to pieces by the monsters that rushed out of the tower at any moment.

But Zhou Yang's steps were very composed.

He walked to the tower gate, reached out his hand, and gently pushed it.

The huge, ancient door, which seemed to be cast from a single piece of metal, remained completely still.

Zhou Yang wasn't annoyed.

He withdrew his hand, and a barely perceptible wisp of blue flame flickered and disappeared from his fingertips.

[Burning life: 1 day.]

[Deduction: "Ancient Restriction - Opened"]

The next moment, he extended his index finger and gently tapped the heavy door panel.

There was no earth-shattering noise.

There was only a slight "click" sound.

It was as if a lock that had been sealed for thousands of years had been opened.

The heavy tower door silently opened a crack inward.

A stale, cold draft blew out from the crevice.

Zhou Yang withdrew his hand, turned around, and looked at the stunned, numb faces behind him.

He said to Black Steel:

"From now on, this will be our home."

"Clean this place up."