A few weeks passed with Shen Yue focusing on recovery and figuring out what was going on with him. His Officers exploring the Deathlands. Duan Jian took the others back to the Dark Moon Compound to refresh some supplies before coming back during that time.
Intel suggesting the others were on the Desert Expeditions needed to return. The Teleportation Arrays were good to go. A lot of them were excited about the idea of the Blank Divine Spark Theory.
With those from the Nether World heading to those locations. The numbers were small but they made it mostly intact. Glory City had enough defensive troops from the Dark Moon Family and the restructuring of the City forces altogether to fend them off easily.
Ye Mo did a good jump restructuring with the laws from the Dark Moon Family. With Shen Xiu assisting him, it went over well. They became oddly close according to a quick summary report.
Some hoped the advancement would match the rest of the setup. But Shen Yue knew better. As did Ye Mo who could sense the will of the people well. The Dark Moon extended compound is still shrouded and shielded from others as per usual.
Only revealed briefly to let those who saw to understand one thing, a society could always be better. Never stop advancing.
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The Netherworld Testing Site-
.
A tornado of energy swirled around. Shen Yue and his people entered inside covered up and seperated from each other. The could communicate using Astral Sense so it was not a problem. Going through the giant beam of transportation Shen Yue stretched his hands out snatching up corpses that were spread out all over.
He stored them in his Spatial ring to prevent any lookie-loos from asking to many questions.
Several creatures without faces, besides eyebrows with semi-shapedeyes, started to speak. Carrying on bit by bit on matters before coming to the end of it.
"The Test Begins!" The organizer said. From its hand, several rays of light shot out. It is configured into balls of water.
The balls were known as spheres of reverse images. It was used to test one's Soul Energy and Law Energy control.
"Inject your Soul Force into this Sphere and follow the fine threads inside." The organizer said. "If you stray from the threads, the water spheres will explode." Watching them stare, the creature continued. "If you can extend the diameter by one foot, you pass. Those who are unable to accomplish this will be rejected!"
A few cocky folks circulated their various energies causing it to pop. They were immediately eliminated. The glyphs on the ground circulated before vanishing.
"Oh, man!" Lu Piao looked at the weird ball in front of him complaining. "How am I supposed to play with this thing?"
"It is not that hard, just close your eyes and use your Law energy to sense the threads." Nie Li said. His people started doing so.
"Hmm." Shen Yue infused simple law energy inside it. He stretched it out to about 10 feet. Yu Yan around the same. The moving string was starting to annoy him a bit. A look at the organizer and he had to ask. "SO.. do I just have to keep freaking going?"
His voice came out deep and throbbing in most chests. It carried the Law of Sound in it. The same one in which he used on the thread.
The Demon Lord, a young man with some gold hoop earrings looked annoyed. He made it to 7 feet before it burst. Coming up short to several he thought he was better than. The covered-up Officers all burst at 9 feet.
Duan Jian, Sikong Hongyue, Hongyu Lanruo, Xiao Huang got around to 6 feet before bursting. They were quite tired from training this morning.
Du Ze, Ye Hong, Ye Ziyun, Xiao Ninger got around 5 feet.
Lu Piao, Xiao Xue, Nie Li, got about 3 feet.
"There are some supreme talents among these people." The organizer said suprised. "I'm afraid even our master will look at them with a different eye." Looking out trying to find the people that Xia Yu mentioned. 'Where could they be?'
The numbers were reduced a few thousand or so. With the first test over, they moved to the next one. The announcement came to move them all to the next test. The eight-layer of the death lands.
They were transported to a landscape that looked very much like most of the Nether Realm. Except for the prehistoric-looking demon beasts in the area.
A golden armored organizer came out. His wings protruded out of his back and the armor.
It was odd they never developed techniques to retract them.
Duan Jian and Sikong Hongyu gave each other a small grin. They had theirs retracted long ago.
"In the Eight Layer, you will conduct your second test. " The organizer tried to sound intimidating. "Although there will be no deaths in this round, you may end up a cripple if you are not careful."
His arm raised up pointing off in the distance.
"The Black Infernal Tower is your destination. It was left behind by a powerful expert." The organizer turned back to them. "Inside the tower are supreme Black Flames and all kinds of Demonic Beasts. Although the Demonic Beasts have been chained, they can still discharge powerful energy to cause injuries. You are to cultivate yourselves inside there for ten days."
"Question?" Shen Yue raised his hand. Several turning to him. "No outside "source" will interfere in what we do in there will they?"
"Meaning?"
"Well.. say I grabbed someone and fed them to a few Demon Beasts to help my cultivation, I won't get penalized or have someone get in the way, right?" His smile was broad under the hood he wore.
"That is not part of the test."
"That is not an answer." Shen Yue kept a firm gaze on the organizer. He wanted to kill him to try and find out what it was underneath and information on what the Nether Master happened to be. "I don't recommend trying something chicken wing. I bet you taste good extra crispy."
The area was quiet for a moment. The Organizer received word that he was free to act as needed.
"If it is tied to your cultivation, then yes. You may proceed."
"Excellent." Shen Yue jumped up in place. He gave them all a look over in the vicinity. "You all look absolutely scrumptious, so I will make sure to enjoy myself. Quite thoroughly...." A few felt intense discomfort as he used Astral Sense to brush against them strongly.
"Ugh!" A few weaker ones collapsed. Excusing themselves from the trial to not be turned into food.
"I don't want to get eaten by a psycho." A few more shouted.
"Begin!" The Organizer said. Rushing as a few were starting to get scared. 'Is this human a cannibal?'
"Aww, there goes lunch." Shen Yue reeled himself in, not wanting to make it to easy for his people to move on in the trial. 'Well here goes nothing.' He started heading forward at an even pace. The others doing the same in different locations.
*Fwish!* The flames swirled around several of his people. They couldn't help themselves and took the chance to improve Fire Body even further. A few of them having Lightning and Earth swirling around.
"I just can't pass up the chance!" Shen Yue shot off using only his body. He was running towards what looked to be a T-Rex! "Mine! Mine! Mine!" He yelled with glee. He was going to name it Chomper!
Exuding such excitement, Shen Yue energy actually scared the Demon Beasts. Even though he kept his cultivation around that of the Demigod Realm, it was still vibrant. Plus beast instincts made them run in fear at the obvious predator that he was.
"Awww.." Disappointed, he was not about to go way out that way to far. Turning, he shifted to run all fours. Channeling the Black Star Tiger spirit and feeling his body increase in power. ".. good ole fashion wild run to warm the body up!"
As a force of wind appeared around his body, the tearing of Sound caused the Metal Seed to spim faster. Feeling it getting ready to breakthrough, he ran around all over the place. Running to a few in danger and snatching them up with the use of Astral Sense.
They floated in sound bowls behind him. He only did it for those not part of the families in teh Nether World and the allies he had made so far.
Despite none of them knowing who he was. As they approach the tower, Black Flames erupted all over. Which only made things better for himself.
"Haaa!" Shen Yue inhaled sucking the flames inside. The explosions that erupted on the surface were also swallowed up. "So yummy!" The energy released was so raw and earthy, he started heading to them to swallow them up.
In the bowls that trailed along behind him, the cultivators were hugging themselves in fear. Thinking at any moment they would be eaten like the flames. A few yelled they wanted to quit and were transferred out.
Which was part of what he was trying to do anyway. Fewer people to get involved with the Demon Lord later.
Making it to the tower, several ran out. They were on fire and not in the good way. Symbols lit up underneath as they were removed from the trial.
"Oohh?" Stopping, Shen Yue put the remaining ones in the bowls down. He stretched like a cat popping a few bones and shifting them about. Arms raised up, he pulled the flames on top of the tower towards himself and started to play with it. "This is pretty neat stuff. Pure but less so than what's underground."
"Everyone be careful." Nie Li looked at those from Glory City. "Take care to protect your Soul Realm from the intensity from the Heat of the Black Flame." He watched a little sadly as Ye Ziyun continued up. Chitchatting with Yu Yan who was completely unaffected by the environment. 'She still grows stronger by the second. What techniques did she pick up like this?'
Ye Ziyun emitted small snowflakes that kept her completely protected from the surroundings.
"You ok Nie Li?" Lu Piao came up along his side. He saw where he was looking and understood the problem. "Bro, you two may not be together anymore right now, but you still have Xiao Ninger. And she defintely loves you a lot." He shook Nie Li by the shoulder to keep moving.
"We are not broken up. Just going through something." Nie Li retorted. Xiao Ninger and Xiao Xue were right behind the two. The two females chuckling at the pouting Nie Li.
A few stopped on the second floor. But Shen Yue and the Officers kept going. Keeping a good distance from one another. Yu Yan was already at teh staircase moving up with Ye Ziyun.
Nie Li, Lu Piao, Du Ze, Xiao Xue, and Xiao Ninger remained on the second floor to cultivate. The energy helping them break into the Legend Realm. Xiao Ninger just polishing her Soul Realm really as she was already at the Demigoddess state.
Huyan Lanruo, Sikong Hongyue, were not to far from that as well. On the third floor, they cultivated diligently with Ye Ziyun and some of the weaker Officers. Xiao Kuang needed this the most with his cultivation having a little difficulty.
"Well now..." Shen Yue looked at the Demon Beasts on the Upper Floors with the use of his Astral Sense. "..need to get me some benefits."
He thought about having the soul puppet participate but .. he hadn't the chance to test it out fully. The body and power were fine enough. Nowhere near in terms of his spiritual energy reserves but the body was created at the level the same as his own.
He might use it as a spare or.. use it go and make trouble.