The next few days not many talked to Shen Yue. Which was perfectly fine in his book. Apparently, rumors were going around camp about him. All kinds of ones that were technically true when he thought about it, so he said nothing.
How he disrespected an elder and was kicked out because of it. How paid no respect to elders or the noble families. Even how he sexually harasses his own "aunt" sometimes.
Those of the Alchemy Association still came to talk to him as well as Ye Hong. Which was well enough ok by him considering. Finally arriving at the ruins, most gave a sigh of relief. Some looked on warily at the remains.
"Finally we reached our destination." Chen Linjian looked around not impressed. "The journey could still be considered smooth considering." Pulling out a map he started to unravel it.
Shen Yue walked into the city. The Alchemy Association following along with him. A few looked up puzzled. Did they have a map as well?
"Where are all of you going?" Chen Linjian questioned.
"Into the city. The expedition agreement was for me to come along until the ruins. I am here. And the way you all have acted recently it is best I go my own way now right?" Shen Yue's voice almost came out mocking as he moved. "Besides I don't have a map so I doubt I find much."
Somehow they seriously doubted that.
"Considering he would kill his own brother in broad daylight, who knows what he would do to any of us if we got in his way!" Long Yu voiced. The blond-haired dimwit was pretty quiet on the trip but decided to make his presence known. "More treasure for us anyway!"
"Let them go." Chu Yuan said. "You have the map so we have the advantage." The others nodded despite themselves.
The Black Star Tiger cubs all ran around freely. The Alchemy Association use to this by now.
Shen Yue passed improved storage rings over to them. The ones they gave were already massive now they were so, even more, thanks to the inscriptions he placed on them.
"And you are sure the only payment you need is intact buildings?" Gu Yan asked to clarify. He receives a nod of approval. "Very well, we will get started and be mindful of those Demon Beasts you mentioned."
"I think you should have back up with you but the home may have some other things overlooked by those who didn't understand them before," Yang Xin was also worried that a promising dabbling alchemist like himself might die by himself. But they had to search all the same on their own. "do take care until we meet later."
"Of course." Shen Yue instructed the Black Star Tiger that followed him all this time to go with. After all, he was a lot stronger than his siblings and had a higher intelligence thanks to cultivating with Shen Yue. "Take care of them all."
"Raawwr!" The Tiger yelled and ran with its siblings. As Shen Yue went into the ruins, the others had problems of their own.
Members of the Dark Guild as well as Demon Beasts were arriving on their tail. They will kick themselves later having caused Shen Yue to separate from them. After all, the number of Demon Beasts were plentiful. And came in like a flood.
.
I want it all-
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As Shen Yue ran through the underground entrance he found with Astral Sense, he was not modest. The recently upgraded Internal Space was slowly filling up with buildings he snatched. Thanks to Star Martial Arts, it was very easy to wrap things up while moving.
An entire upper section of the ruins was already gone before he went below.
"Hmm, this is familiar." Humming to himself, he was glad for a robust body that was trained. Each step he took covered over 60 feet. Not a single thought to those fighting demon beasts or Dark Guild members up top. After all, they survived a day or so before even coming into the ruins. So he had time to spare to go back and collect the bodies. "Free resources are just nice."
Entering a chamber room after zooming past a bunch of traps, Shen Yue stopped to observe all the bodies in the place. Several people huddled up in various poses as they had died. Wishing for someone to save them or for the Demon Beasts to take off.
*Pat!* Shen Yue did the same as he always did when it came to finding skeletons of those who died. He offered solace and poured a saucer of wine and drank it.
"A terrible but an end nonetheless." After paying his respects, the entire room was emptied of the people. The clothes and any memorabilia were placed in his Internal Space, the bodies into the Flame Vortex Core. "t least this way I can find out more about this city and what happened. As well as expand my medical knowledge of those that lived back then."
As Astral Sense grabbed the remains from coffins, Shen Yue continued to move around checking things over. A few Bronze Rank Armor, Demon Crystals, and Silver Rank Weapons were thrown in.
The Elixers he found went directly into the Flame Vortex Core. No sense in trying to drink it really. Find the Soul Stone, he placed it in his Spatial Ring.
The Soul Stone had the ability to help those who wore it cultivate. The irony that it did not help the person who wore it was not lost on Shen Yue. The body was tossed in the same as the others.
"Alright.. now the big thing here." Shen Yue moved over to the large coffin. Pausing momentarily as he took in the fact that a page of the Temporal Book was inside. "Defense array.. how nice."
*Brrpp!* The defense array activate the moment he touched the coffin. Shen Yue circulate his Spiritual Energy to dismantle the Array while the Flame Vortex Core started spinning.
*Shine!* The enter room lit up as he tried to take in the energy but no dice. His Flame Vortex Core broke the array in less than an hour but he could not absorb the Spirit Energy inside.
"Hah!" Forcing it open, the lid was tossed to the side. A pool of light the almost looked like milk was inside. "Let's try this again!" Reaching inside nothing happens. It refused to enter his body or allow him to touch it. "What a fucking gype!"
Smashed his fist into the side of the coffin. Knowing the temporal Demon Page was inside he continued to reach around. He touched the page as well as what he rembered to be the Abstruse Gemstone. Which allowed one to increase their cultivation by 3x at least.
*Boom!* The page sent him flying away as an image appeared vaguely. From its expression, it looked angry.
"Remnant piece of shit spirit!" Shen Yue was used to dealing with remnant souls. The best thing to do was to crush them and refined them. Which he planned on doing now. But something else had different plans. "What the hell!?"
Three images appeared in front of him. The first he knew all to well. The man-god Shango. The Second was Destiny itself. Always dressed in the golden robes that changed with it as it moved between male and female. As its face was hidden mostly from sight.
The third figure was new. But looked like some type of Asian Deity. The cloud she? was on top of looking really weird. Red lighting danced around a multitude of other colored lighting. But the red was the most dominant.
"Hello, Leroy." Destiny said sickeningly. The power of the voice causing Leroy's ears to throb a bit. "Such a long time since we last saw one another." Any other time Destiny would toy with the champion just a bit but not this time. Which was fortunate.
"You must not take that spirit. It is crucial to this Dimension Stability. As well as the Temporal Page." Shango said. He did not order as this was just a warning to Leroy. "Destiny is here to explain just in case you want to ask for.."
"Nope. Not even a little bit. If that thing is involved, I will pass." Leroy waved his hand quickly to stop the talking. "Last time I listen to something it said, I lost my wife, as well as a kid! So excuse me for not wanting to here a single tiny bit."
Destiny smiled under the golden robes. Only a little bit of its mouth showing. Which was enough to cause Leroy to want to gouge out his own eyes. He clawed his face as a means to help get rid of the bout of madness that passed.
His Willpower was not strong enough to resist that at all.
"Aaahhh! Damn you!" The visions that assaulted him smash his head into a wall. Anything to help forget. "Get out of my head!" After three smacks cracking the wall a good bit, he became delirious to no longer see the images. "I.. hate.. you so.. much!"
"I know." Destiny smiled. With a wave of it's hands, the coffin lid closed up. "See you in a few years, or maybe sooner." With a turn, it was gone. Satisfied Leroy would not kill the spirit in the coffin. Or get the temporal page.
"I thank you for your consideration." The Asian woman on the cloud said. "This is a token of my thanks." A ball of divine light flew out of her palm into Leroy. "You will need this to help defeat the Sage Emperor."
The same as Destiny she vanished well. Just into a dissipation of smoke.
"Before you get upset, I had nothing to do with this." Shango said to a recovering Leroy. "I was minding my own business when she burst into my chambers raising hell about a Champion getting ready to destabilize one of her Dimensions."
"I bet." Leroy circulated his energy as fast as possible. the remains inside the Flame Vortex Core were grinding away quickly. But he could not find what the light he was given did. In fact, it didn't look like it did anything at all. "What did she give me?"
"Well, you know how you are a Champion moving in Dimensions you are not supposed to?" Shango said wrly. Leroy never wanted to punch the man-god more than he did now. The reminder still tick him off that him and his friends ended up in this by accident. "Well, she basically stamped your soul. So it is easy to move about in her Dimensions."
"So useless for the time being." Leroy's claw marks disappeared on his face as well as his cracked skull from the wall. "What is that crack about defeating the Sage Emperor?"
"That I have know idea. Considering Nie Li is stronger than he is supposed to be currently thanks to your energy he stole, I haven't a single clue." Shango was at a loss on the matter himself. "Maybe it has something to do with those you have changed getting involved with him."
As the two conversed those topsides battled the demon beasts.
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Desperate Attempts-
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Nie Li impressed several with his archery skills. Even himself considering he was extremely healthy thanks to the pure soul force inside him. He only frowned at the fact it was because of Shen Yue that this was easy right now for him.
'Did I make a mistake having every put their guards up against him?' Another bolt hit dead center of the closes Demon beast. He shook his head no at that. 'No, the Sacred Family caused the fall of Glory City! Until I see more, I must treat him as an enemy!'
Ye Ziyun watched from the side impressed at Nie Li's fighting skills. Each bullseye caused her heart to flutter and she had no reason why.
Ye Hong held the line in his location. The only problem was Shen Fei nearby. Hopefully, he would not do something to foolish.