Chapter 291 – The Activated Nine Realms Token

Nanli City, a street in District 17.

The street now lay in ruins, with shops on both sides severely damaged, clearly bearing the scars of a recent battle.

At the very center of the street stood a mutated creature the size of a small hill.

In appearance, it resembled a giant salamander that had been forcibly enlarged.

Large head, thick body, and short limbs.

But when this salamander’s size was amplified to a staggering ten-plus meters,

Even this typically harmless creature now unleashed terrifying destructive power.

Fortunately, this mutated salamander had already been eliminated, becoming a cold corpse.

All that remained was the cleanup work.

“Chai Xi, this decomposition mission awards contribution points based on the quality of dissection! Look at the mess you’ve made—those mutated flesh parts are nearly ruined by your hacking. Can’t you be more careful?”

In a cordoned-off pedestrian street, Chai Xi—clad in protective gear while processing the massive ‘mutated beast’ corpse—immediately set down his tools and retorted discontentedly, “I’m not careful? My deboning saber is practically smoking from overuse, and you still say I’m not careful!”

“Zheng Liu, how about we switch places? You handle this mutated beast, and I’ll support from the rear with Talismans and buffs. How does that sound?”

Just as Zheng Liu was about to fire back a retort,

Xu Jianliang, who had been using spells to cleanse the mutated beast’s contaminated blood and reduce its pollution to the surrounding streets, couldn’t help but set down his special Magical Artifact and scold, “Enough! Can’t you two settle down? If you don’t want to finish early, I still want to wrap this up and return to the academy to rest.”

“At the rate you’re going, will we even make it back to the academy in time for the subway?”

Upon hearing Xu Jianliang’s reprimand, the previously tense Chai Xi and Zheng Liu immediately quieted down.

They refocused on the cleanup work before them.

This marked their second logistics mission since arriving at the Fire Toad Academy in Nanli City.

As for why these three freshmen from the Fire Toad Academy were handling mutated beast corpse disposal in District 17 of Nanli City,

It related to the current Immortal Alliance’s training methods for Dao Academy students.

Dao Academies differed from ordinary institutions—they aimed to cultivate individuals not merely with hollow cultivation levels but without corresponding practical strength.

Thus, whether among the Four Top Academies or other ordinary ones,

All Dao Academies implemented two assessment types.

One was standard cultivation performance, similar to academic exam results in regular schools.

The other was practical experience performance.

Both were equally crucial.

Failing either would result in consequences ranging from repeating a year to expulsion.

This principle applied uniformly across all academies.

Therefore, many Dao Academy students balanced coursework with seeking practical missions.

‘Handling mutated beast corpses’ was, for Xu Jianliang and the others, a relatively high-credit task with minimal danger.

Of course, they also knew the ideal practical mission would be becoming Agents for the Immortal Alliance’s Shanhai Bureau and completing their assignments.

But with their average talent, merely getting into the Fire Toad Academy was already a stroke of luck.Were it not for the Fire Toad Academy’s partial leniency toward academic scores for students from other provinces,

the three of them might not have been admitted based on their college entrance exam results in Qingzhou back then.

Although Xu Jianliang and the others possessed average cultivation levels—barely reaching the Perfection stage of Qi Condensation—

they excelled in seamless coordination and complementary strengths.

Chai Xi, as a Body Cultivator, was capable of dissecting the corpses of mutated beasts.

Xu Jianliang, a Dao cultivator, paired with specific Magical Artifacts provided by the Shanhai Bureau, could effectively cleanse environmental pollution left behind after the death of aberrant creatures.

Zheng Liu, a Talisman master specializing in support-type Talismans, significantly eased the workload of the other two.

As the saying goes, “Three cobblers with their wits combined surpass Zhuge Liang.”

Their exceptional synergy and well-matched complementary attributes made them exceptionally adept at logistical duties.

Despite having participated in only a handful of support missions,

the trio had already gained a notable reputation and caught the attention of many seasoned Shanhai Bureau logistics personnel.

However, even in regulated residential zones like District 17 under the Immortal Alliance’s jurisdiction, dangerous creatures like mutated beasts could appear.

Handling their corpses likewise carried inherent risks…

“Jianliang, Chai Xi, don’t you think this mutated beast’s corpse looks odd?

I just saw its body twitch—or was it my imagination?”

Hearing Zheng Liu’s words, Xu Jianliang and Chai Xi paused, then scrutinized the nearly dismembered corpse before them.

But looking closely only sent chills down their spines—

the beast’s abdomen was visibly swelling!

“Something’s wrong! Run!”

As a Body Cultivator, Chai Xi was the first to react, dropping his dissecting Saber and bolting.

Zheng Liu and Xu Jianliang responded just as swiftly.

Years of cultivation and training might not have honed their combat prowess,

but they had mastered the art of escape—a vital instinct forged through repeated crises.

Yet, despite their speed, the anomaly unfolded faster.

Whoosh!

A crimson tongue shot out from the corpse’s swollen belly, lashing toward the nearest Chai Xi.

In that split second, Xu Jianliang drew a peachwood Sword and slammed it into the ground.

The earth churned instantly, sprouting thick vines that intercepted the scarlet tongue.

Crack…

The resilient enchanted vines shattered upon contact with the tongue, buying Chai Xi a critical moment.

A Spear materialized in his hands, and he swung it hard at the crimson appendage.

Boom!

The overwhelming force contorted Chai Xi’s face, straining every muscle as he roared,

“Break!”

Using a deflection technique, he barely altered the tongue’s trajectory,

evading being ensnared but catapulting backward into the rubble of a nearby shop.

“Chai Xi!”Seeing their companion injured, Xu Jianliang and Zheng Liu immediately rushed over in a frantic panic.

When they saw Chai Xi amidst the ruins, their expressions turned extremely grim.

Chai Xi’s right arm was already drenched in blood.

A horrifying wound stretched from his shoulder all the way down to his abdomen.

It was only because he had used his spear to deflect the aberrant creature’s attack earlier.

Otherwise, that single strike would have been enough to claim his life.

Even so, Chai Xi, who had narrowly escaped death, fell unconscious on the spot.

Just as the two were about to lift Chai Xi and flee this dangerous area,

a bizarre laughter echoed from behind them.

A roughly three-meter-tall, half-human, half-fish aberrant creature emerged from the corpse of the giant salamander aberrant.

Though it lacked the terrifying size of the salamander aberrant,

the aura it emitted made Xu Jianliang and Zheng Liu feel utterly incapable of resistance.

It was an absolute suppression born of cultivation.

This aberrant creature… was unmistakably at the Foundation Establishment Perfection stage.

Far beyond what two mere support personnel like them could handle.

“What do we do, Jianliang…”

“What do we do?”

Xu Jianliang pulled out a Magical Artifact from his Storage Bag and said without hesitation, “What else can we do? I’ll hold it off. You carry Chai Xi and go first.”

Hearing this, Zheng Liu immediately cast a lightweight talisman on Chai Xi and hoisted him onto her back.

The mermaid-like aberrant creature in the distance showed no intention of stopping them.

It looked at the three with a mocking expression, seemingly reveling in the feeling of toying with its prey.

Faced with such a Foundation Establishment Perfection aberrant creature,

Xu Jianliang and Zheng Liu’s hearts sank to the depths.

They dared not take a single step.

Because they had a feeling that if they moved even an inch at this moment,

the aberrant creature nearby would undoubtedly attack them immediately.

Although the commotion here must have already drawn outside attention,

by the time help arrived, the three of them might already have become food in the aberrant creature’s mouth.

Thinking of this, they couldn’t help but wonder.

Since when had their luck turned so bad?

First, their high school was attacked by the Black Lotus Sect.

Then, while out to an internet cafe, they were accidentally caught in a Secret Realm descent.

Now, just trying to earn some academic credits, they encountered an aberrant creature resurrecting—a phenomenon that might not occur even in hundreds or thousands of attempts.

Why did all these bizarre incidents happen to them?

Could it be that one of the three was a walking jinx?!

Just as Zheng Liu and Xu Jianliang were caught in a dilemma, a sharp whistling sound suddenly cut through the air.

Then, numerous pale Qi Swords sliced across the sky.

Like white meteors descending from the heavens, they directly trapped the mermaid aberrant beast.

The sudden turn of events left Zheng Liu and the others frozen in place.

Not only because they knew help had arrived, bringing the joy of survival,

but also because those Qi Swords felt strangely familiar.

“Miss Zheng, Mr. Xu, why is it that every time I run into you, you’re always caught up in so many bizarre incidents?”

Zheng Liu and Xu Jianliang looked up to see Lu Chen standing in the air, smiling down at them.

At the sight of Lu Chen, the tension in Zheng Liu and Xu Jianliang’s hearts finally eased completely.

With their Qingzhou Sword Immortal stepping in, a mere aberrant creature?

You’re done for!At the same time, the mutated creature restrained by Lu Chen’s Qi-to-Sword technique also sensed the threat of death.

It stared at the white Qi swords encircling it and let out a furious roar. Disgusting swellings emerged across its body, erupting with copious amounts of purple poisonous gas.

It actually sought to break free from Lu Chen’s restraint through such means.

Seeing this, Lu Chen’s expression remained utterly unchanged.

Because no matter what this mutated beast did, the outcome was already predetermined.

Lu Chen raised his finger, and the white Qi swords that had merely confined the creature immediately shot toward it.

In the next moment, countless Qi swords pierced through the poisonous mist surrounding the mutated being, penetrating its body.

Thump!

Pierced by ten thousand swords, the mutated creature collapsed on the spot, its eyes filled with despair.

It seemed unable to believe it would die so easily at Lu Chen’s hands.

After completing this, Lu Chen immediately descended from the air and approached Xu Jianliang and Zheng Liu.

He still had some recollection of these three old classmates.

However, he couldn’t catch up with them now, as he needed to attend to Chai Xi’s wounds first.

“Lay Chai Xi down gently and let me take a look.”

Hearing this, Zheng Liu promptly laid Chai Xi down carefully.

It was only then that the two noticed the strange black crystals forming on Chai Xi’s shoulder.

Having studied in Nanli City for over half a month, they naturally recognized what these black crystals were.

Thinking of this, Zheng Liu couldn’t help but ask, “Lu Chen, it seems Chai Xi has contracted ‘Blackstone Disease.’ Do you have a way to treat it?”

Blackstone Disease—a name that struck fear into the hearts of countless people in Nanli City.

It was also the primary reason most were unwilling to work in District 17.

Although Cultivators had a low chance of contracting Blackstone Disease, it was not impossible.

Moreover, Chai Xi had shown no symptoms of Blackstone Disease before this.

The appearance of the distinctive black crystals at the wound site indicated he had likely just been infected by the mutated creature.

Lu Chen did not answer immediately. After carefully examining Chai Xi’s shoulder, he said, “I can try.”

As he spoke, Lu Chen reached out without hesitation.

His white palm, enveloped in Primordial Qi, touched Chai Xi’s shoulder, causing the newly formed Blackstone to rapidly dissolve.

As Lu Chen lifted his hand, a wisp of black smoke was effortlessly extracted.

He then took out a small vial and sealed the black gas inside.

“Done. That should take care of it.”

Witnessing Lu Chen’s effortless actions, Zheng Liu couldn’t help but exclaim, “Was it really that simple?”

Lu Chen smiled and nodded. “Yes, it was that simple.”

“But I heard Blackstone Disease not only harms a Cultivator’s body but also infects their Divine Soul. Are you sure he’s cured?”

Hearing this, Lu Chen replied confidently, “If it were severe Blackstone Disease, I might need more effort. But Chai was only just infected, so it wasn’t difficult for me.”

“Even so, it’s best if you take him to the hospital for a check-up later.”

“Alright, hurry and take him to the hospital. I’ll handle things here.”

“O-okay.”

Without wasting any time, Zheng Liu and the others immediately carried the still-unconscious Chai Xi and hurried out of District 17.

After the two left, Lu Chen promptly took out the Nine Realms Token.He then opened the bottle containing the black Qi and channeled it into the Nine Realms Token.

The previously calm Nine Realms Token visibly brightened at this moment.

“So it really is…”

Lu Chen narrowed his eyes slightly as he gazed at the partially activated Nine Realms Token.

Everything… indeed aligned with his speculation.

The key to activating the Nine Realms Token lay in the Ancient Fiend Power.

(End of Chapter)