Translator: CinderTL
"The Red Capital Institute of Technology."
In the military camp's main road, to Chen Feng's surprise, Fang Mocuan answered.
"This is currently the Red Nation's highest-level research institute, without equal. Many blueprints and resources discovered in Secret Realm Ruins are deciphered and their technical challenges overcome here before being transformed into real-world modification technologies. Due to confidentiality restrictions, I can't reveal the specific research projects Chen Yun is involved in. I hope Grandmaster Chen will understand."
Fang Mocuan briefly shared some information, adding that Chen Yun's inclusion in the research team had brought her to the attention of the Red Capital Institute of Technology's top leadership. This would greatly benefit her.
Nodding, Chen Feng memorized the institute's name.
Then, his gaze shifted. He was intrigued by the mention of blueprints and technology.
"Are all the most advanced technologies today derived from Secret Realm Ruins?" he asked. "Has nothing been independently developed through our own imagination and research?"
As Fang Mocuan finished speaking, he fell into a brief silence. General Zhang and the others beside him wore expressions of resignation.
"It's truly regrettable, Grandmaster Chen, though you might find it hard to believe."
"Most of Earth's advanced modification technologies, especially high-level research, are derived from the remnants of the Ancient Taiduo Civilization."
With a sigh, Fang Mocuan looked up at the sky, his gaze a mixture of worry and longing. "Sometimes it's hard to believe," he murmured. "Such a powerful technological civilization could become a mere relic of history."
The technological gap between the Ancient Taiduo Civilization and Earth was widely acknowledged to be vast—like the difference between heaven and earth. It was precisely because of this that Earth had experienced such rapid technological advancement in just 120 years.
However, this very fact also caused concern among many high-ranking officials. If the Ancient Taiduo Civilization had truly been destroyed, how terrifying must the Black Tide that destroyed it have been? What level of power did the so-called Evil God possess?
Hearing this, Chen Feng fell silent as well.
It could be said that Earth had inherited the legacy of the Ancient Taiduo Civilization and, through that inheritance, had reached its current state of development.
But it was also clear that this legacy hadn't been fully digested. Earth today couldn't compare to Ancient Taiduo at its peak.
For a moment, Chen Feng couldn't help but recall the scene he had witnessed in the Inverted Pyramid within the Cloud Dream Forest Secret Realm.
Ancient Taiduo, so powerful that it had withstood the Black Tide's invasion, why had it still met its demise?
A moment of silence fell over the group. Everyone instinctively stopped walking and gazed at the azure sky.
The events in Suojia City marked the first true Black Tide recorded in history. They all instinctively thought of a potentially grim future, fearing it might be a harbinger of something worse.
Fang Mocuan, his face etched with worry, suspected that the government's emphasis on martial arts might be related to this concern. Perhaps they hoped to find a path forward through martial arts, distinct from technology, to avoid the tragic fate of the Ancient Taiduo Civilization.
"Perhaps it's not so dire," Chen Feng said suddenly, his voice low. "The fact that Ancient Taiduo left behind so many ruins might actually prove that even the Black Tide couldn't completely destroy it."
He thought of the Fire Seed Project he had witnessed in his dream.
TL/N: Previously translated as Seed of Civilization in Chapter 208.
Ancient Taiduo wasn't entirely defenseless against the Black Tide. Moreover, these Secret Realm Ruins seemed to carry the echoes of a lost civilization's legacy.
"And since we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us," Chen Feng continued, his voice low and steady, "there's no reason for us to be weaker."
His calm words resonated deeply, leaving Fang Mocuan and the others momentarily stunned.
Chen Feng lowered his gaze from the sky, his thoughts drifting to Qinggang City in his Dream Realm.
If he could combine Transcendent Martial Dao with Ancient Taiduo's technological enhancements, merging individual might with the collective strength of civilization—creating both individuals capable of confronting Abyssal Evil Gods and group attacks that could shatter the encirclement of countless non-human creatures—then...
"The Black Tide is not invincible."
As his words fell, he stepped forward once more, heading toward the military camp gates.
Fang Mocuan and the others behind him were lost in thought, their spirits buoyed by his unwavering confidence. The gloom and worry that had plagued them began to dissipate. They saw him off, watching the black car slowly drive away.
"Grandmaster Chen's courage... is truly one in a million," General Zhang remarked with a sigh.
Having personally experienced the Black Tide's descent and invasion of reality, and having felt the despair and helplessness it brought, Grandmaster Chen remained so confident.
This was a will far stronger than most people's.
"If he lived in ancient times, Grandmaster Chen would undoubtedly have been a peerless powerhouse."
Fang Mocuan nodded in agreement, his gaze flickering slightly. The unspoken half of his thought hung in the air:
It's a pity he lives in this era.
An era where technology reigns supreme, and where even more powerful Cyborgs exist.
The Pinnacle Realm, which should have been invincible, was no longer the strongest. It was a somewhat tragic reality.
"I hope... the future of martial arts..."
"Will truly forge a different path."
Shaking off his worries, Fang Mocuan finally spoke sincerely.
The others nodded, then watched the black car disappear completely from sight.
"The Black Tide... martial arts..."
Seated in the back seat, Chen Feng leaned back against the leather seat, closing his eyes to rest.
His thoughts drifted, and he pondered many things.
Regardless of whether the Black Tide returned, he would simply push his martial arts to even greater heights.
Once he truly achieved Transcendence and possessed sufficient strength, he could share portions of the Qinggang City Dreamscape's Martial Arts True Skills, primarily those of the Flame Tiger Sect, with the outside world.
This way, the Flame Tiger Sect could expand its influence and perhaps leave behind more traces of its legacy, making it easier to connect with the World Imprint in the future.
A plan began to take shape in Chen Feng's mind.
During the car ride back to the sect, he also received the shared vision of the three Small Stone Statues.
The Holy City in the Serpent Spirit Secret Realm had indeed repelled the Serpent-Folk Tribe's massive assault, just as he had predicted. However, discussions regarding their cooperation to break the barrier were still ongoing, with no final decision reached.
As for the search for the Evil God Cult in the two suburban areas, no new leads had emerged.
"I can only enter the Qinggang City Dreamscape once or twice more before entering a period of recovery, making it difficult to enter again."
"I need to find a way to obtain new Evil God Power, allowing me to enter the dreamscape a second time, alleviate my fatigue, and repair my spirit."
Chen Feng pondered for a moment, even taking out his phone to check the news and consult Peng Gang. If the Evil God Cult was truly hiding near the suburbs, there would undoubtedly be mysterious disappearances in the local cities, with people becoming sacrifices. This was a key focus of the City Council's investigation.
Unfortunately, Nanjiang was no longer the ordinary small city it once was. With the influx of investment and the construction of a New City, the population had doubled due to the influx of outsiders.
The number of disappearances had increased proportionally, requiring considerable effort to investigate.
Buzz!
A gentle breeze swept in from outside the window, and dark clouds had gathered overhead, casting a gloomy pall over the sky.
Chen Feng put down his phone and gazed at the newly constructed steel-frame factories in the suburbs, severing the shared vision of the three Small Stone Statues.
Had he been overthinking things?
The Dead Crow Cult had only one branch here.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, a peculiar ripple of energy surged through his Perception. He peered through the windshield at the wide, empty concrete road ahead.
Though it appeared completely deserted, something felt amiss.
"Stop the car."
Chen Feng narrowed his eyes, and the driver, startled, hesitated for a moment.
Without further inquiry, the driver quickly hit the brakes, slowing the vehicle to a halt.
On either side of the empty concrete road stretched rows of green trees.
Nearly a kilometer away, the gray steel-frame factories of the industrial park stood silhouetted against the horizon, with faint wisps of smoke drifting into the air.
There was no sign of anything unusual or any human presence. The driver cautiously scanned the surroundings, his eyes darting back and forth, left and right.
He trusted that Senior Brother wouldn't have ordered the car to stop for no reason.
Drip!
Drip!!
Suddenly, a few raindrops splattered against the windshield.
The raindrops burst into bean-sized droplets, followed by a steady patter that quickly intensified into a torrential downpour. The relentless rain was accompanied by gusts of wind that whipped through the trees, causing them to sway violently.
The driver suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, shivered, and immediately switched on the windshield wipers.
In the next instant, a black figure materialized out of thin air, dropping to one knee and then rising to stand in the middle of the road.
The driver's pupils contracted, while Chen Feng in the back seat frowned slightly.
Using his Perception, he could clearly see the figure's features: an unremarkable man in his thirties.
He wore a black raincoat and had a stout build, stubble, a ruddy complexion, and greasy, unkempt hair—the image of a stranger, an unemployed alcoholic.
Yet his eyes were unnaturally black.
Through the glass, Chen Feng saw the man's eerie smile.
"You received your invitation, didn't you?"
The unfamiliar voice made the driver's face pale.
But then, with a click, the car door suddenly opened.
Looking in the rearview mirror, Chen Feng saw the black-clad figure stepping out of the car. An invisible force seemed to gather around him, creating a vacuum.
No rain could touch him. Flickers of crimson flame danced across his body, and a massive Flame Tiger, nearly seven meters tall, materialized out of nowhere, coiling around him.
"Are you here to die again?" Chen Feng asked calmly, the predatory glint in his eyes intensifying.
He hadn't expected the Divine Martial Alliance Leader to reappear so soon.
Back then, Demon Moon could control others with Illusionary Art, so it wasn't surprising that the Divine Martial Alliance Leader possessed similar abilities.
But he should know better.
Unless he came in person, any such methods would be futile.
"You're still as arrogant as ever."
"I thought the matter of Liu Duanyun would have brought you to your senses, causing you to set aside our grievances and agree to join the Star Palace."
The Divine Martial Alliance Leader spoke in a calm, persuasive tone.
Chen Feng met his gaze, unmoved.
"Every Star Palace Master is one of Earth's most powerful Martial Artists, each with their own understanding and attempts to surpass their limits."
"If you were to join us, you might very well become the next Liu Duanyun."
The voice echoed again, the Divine Martial Alliance Leader seemingly setting aside all grievances and extending a genuine invitation.
But alas, many things couldn't be hidden from Chen Feng's perception, especially considering the significant animosity between them.
"It seems you couldn't defeat Liu Duanyun."
"Otherwise, you wouldn't have vanished from the Northern Martial World."
Chen Feng suddenly remarked, causing the Divine Martial Alliance Leader's expression to stiffen.
Then, as their eyes met, a crimson flame flashed in Chen Feng's eyes, and a cold smile appeared on his face.
"And I've noticed something else."
"Your clone is getting weaker and weaker, isn't it?"
(End of the Chapter)
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