Preparation for this mission was thorough.
The opening battle was completed in a single day, followed by a smooth entry into the Dark Beast Plane. After marching for five days to rendezvous with Moji, and thanks to Moji's blessing, they instantly filled the spatial warehouses they brought with supplies. It could be said that the remaining 24 days were dedicated entirely to exploring the secrets of this world.
It had now been 22 days since they parted with Moji. In those 22 days, they had filled six warehouses with Ancient God Crystals. Simultaneously, they had refined 24 of these crystals—a staggering rate of consumption that meant even on their own vehicle, these were not to be used lightly. Such precious resources, once used, were gone, and there was no telling when they could return. Naturally, the more they gathered, the better.
Unfortunately, these Ancient God Crystals were like "stones" formed within the Ancient Deity. Since they did not dare to touch the deity itself and could only scavenge scraps from the edges, the benefits were limited. Even with the collection process running like an assembly line, the daily yield remained modest.
Now, with less than a day left before their return, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Beyond the reluctance to leave, everyone was on high alert. Their faces were taut, their eyes sharp; they were about to attempt something incredible—and incredibly risky.
"The day is finally here."
"We know it's dangerous, but we have to do it."
"If we don't, it will haunt my path of cultivation. If we don't even dare to try, all our progress up to this point will feel stifled!"
The team members were scattered across Dot Mom's shell, some resting with eyes closed, others sharpening their weapons, all conversing in low tones. As time ticked away, the moment of departure drew near. Instead of relaxing, the tension among them tightened.
The inward-suction of the gale seemed to have weakened slightly. While it still looked terrifying, spending so much time in this environment allowed them to detect subtle changes.
"The wind is dying down."
"Damn, I wonder how long we've been flying in this guy's nostril. Over 20 days and we still haven't reached the end. How big is this thing?"
"Maybe it's not a nostril. I think it's a blood vessel and we're just in a cycle. Next time we come, we have to go deeper and see what this thing actually is."
"Brothers, the wind is almost stopped. Get ready."
Everyone stood up, facing the walls of the passage. Half a day ago, Dot Mom had already attached herself to the wall. Her protection shield pressed against the faintly twitching surface; up close, they could even see it "breathing." The slight rise and fall carried a dazzling, dim light, undulating like the peristalsis of an intestine.
Staring for too long caused dizziness and irritability, even for those who had absorbed plenty of crystal energy.
Then, the wind stopped completely. Everything went silent.
As if receiving a signal, everyone lunged forward simultaneously, leaping out of the protection shield. They swung their weapons with all their might, hacking into the wall.
"RAAAARGH!"
"HYAAAH!"
They poured every ounce of strength into the blow, fearing failure. Wei Huan stood at the edge of the shell, black flames coiling around him. He reached out, and the Ring of Mofidi materialized in his hand.
'Clang—!'
He swung the Ring forward. The chain at the end extended rapidly like a black viper, biting into the surface.
"Tempering... should be done like this!" Wei Huan's eyes were focused as he exerted his full power.
'Squelch!'
The scythe of the Ring of Mofidi sank deep into the wall, the entire blade disappearing into the depths. A pale gold liquid, thick as honey, began to flow slowly down the handle, winding its way onto the chain.
The others were the same, plunging their weapons into the wall. Even Mu Zhong's staff, though not sharp, could catch the honey-like liquid if positioned correctly. As the golden fluid erupted, a surge of power—similar to but denser than the crystals—spilled out. The air filled with a light fragrance that refreshed the spirit.
"Tempering could only ever be this," Mu Zhong said. "Saturating a weapon with the blood of an Ancient Deity, using life force to alter its attributes—only then can it be called tempering. Heart of Steel, speak!"
As Mu Zhong uttered the last word, the final sub-quest on everyone's interface changed.
[Sub-quest 3: Find a method to temper weapons (Completed)]
[Explore the "Twin Pillars of Heaven" (Completed)]
One of the four main objectives was finally finished. Whether they were hanging onto the wall or controlling weapons from a distance, everyone, including Wei Huan, smiled.
"Tempering weapons means attacking an Ancient Deity." When they first guessed this answer, many found it inconceivable. After all, who could imagine the consequences of attacking a being that had lived for perhaps a hundred million years? But after trying every other possible method, this was the only answer left.
Wei Huan had hesitated. He had consulted with Mu Zhong and the team. He wanted to be cautious—he could have waited until the next visit when he was stronger. But he couldn't get past his own mental barrier. The team was right: staying safe might be easy, but it would cost them their aggressive edge and damage their "Dao heart."
Humanity had carved a path through a dead end because of a refusal to lose. As the "lighthouse" of the human race, the vanguard at the very tip of the blade, they had to maintain this momentum. They had to hack through the mists of the road ahead to achieve completion!
By choosing to strike at the very last second, they proved one thing: They had swung their weapons at a God! Just the thought of it made them fearless of the future.
'WHOOSH—!'
The vanished wind returned, more violent than ever before. The passage walls surged wildly, pressing toward them like waves. To creatures as tiny as them, it was a scene of the apocalypse. No escape, no hiding.
However, the group looked at each other and laughed brightly. Captain Xue let out a holler: "Wind's up! Let's bolt!"
"Going now! See ya!"
"See you on the vehicle!"
As the words fell, the final second of the "Brave's Challenge" hit zero. Everyone vanished instantly. The closing walls slammed together with the force of a colliding planet, a terrifying display of power. But there was no one left in the passage—only a series of wounds weeping golden blood, a testament that humans, tiny as ants, had dared to attack here.
---
Inside the Dark Beast King's Tent
The Dark Beast King, seated high on his throne, snapped his eyes open. His originally pitch-black eyes had turned golden—the color of that divine blood. As he opened his eyes, invisible pulses spread out like a spiderweb, sending disordered signals further and further...
In an instant, the entire Dark Beast world seemed to pause. Aging Schumas, newborn Stealth Demons, feeding wolves, and flying crows all froze in place.
The pulse expanded until the golden eyes caught sight of a tiny Schuma with fuzzy deer antlers—Moji. The divine gaze lingered on Moji for 0.1 seconds before moving on. When the "network" reached its limit, covering the entire plane, the King's gaze turned upward toward the endless firmament.
He looked beyond this universe, into the next, and the one after that—crossing countless longitudes and latitudes, time and space. It was as if he saw the end of time and the center of space. At the edge of life, he vaguely saw a blurred existence.
"@!￥@..."
The murmurs of an Ancient God spilled from his lips, sounding like fear itself. No one knew what he was whispering. Anyone who heard it would fall into boundless terror and explode into blood. But the entity merely whispered that one line before withdrawing his gaze from the heavens.
As the profound eyes closed and opened, the golden light receded. The Dark Beast King's eyes returned to black, and the vibrating earth settled. The frozen world resumed; the wolves continued to feed, and the crows continued to fly.
Only Moji looked up in confusion, wondering if time had stopped for a second. And if so, why was it able to move?
---
Wei Huan successfully teleported back to the vehicle. Mu Zhong, appearing beside him, immediately went to count the personnel. Wei Huan stayed to check his harvest, specifically his personal progress.
In these 30 days, he had recruited over 30,000 Running Wolves. Since the "Gut-Bro" reached half-step Pseudo-God, he gained the ability to strengthen the legion's defense and use Wind-Riding Arts to deploy wolves rapidly. These two abilities instantly pulled the nearly obsolete wolf units back into the main combat force. Even if they were cannon fodder, they were now 'valuable' cannon fodder capable of pinning down enemies. Wei Huan decided to expand the wolf army further; it now reached 90,000, bringing his total summons to 230,000, while Dot Mom's capacity was at 310,000. Once this force was fully deployed, the battlefield would be an endless ocean of units.
Additionally, after walking in that passage for over 20 days, he had used the crystals to cultivate. On his personal panel, the biggest change wasn't his Nether Power—which had reached 54,000 (a total increase equal to the last year and a half of cultivation)—but his Darkness Control, which had risen to 71 points.
The surge in Nether Power was impressive, but Darkness Control was the key. Currently, it just made conquering the Great Tomb easier and ensured the undead wouldn't resist him. But Wei Huan knew its true use was "Law Mastery." He walked the path of the Nether and the Dead, commanding infinite undead—all of which fell under the "Law of Death." Darkness Control was a numerical representation of his mastery over Death.
A score of 71 wasn't a cap out of 100; it was just a small step. Until today, all his Law attributes had come from equipment, not himself. He hadn't known how to train them. Thus, this 8-point increase was vital—it meant he had found the path to cultivating Laws. He could use the crystals to comprehend the Law of Death. Law is the source of all things; in a war of gods, the one with higher mastery of the Law is the stronger one.
The "Great Dao" is a single-log bridge; if you take a piece, there's less for others. These 8 points were his greatest harvest from the trip.
He then looked at the Ring of Mofidi in his hand. At a glance, the change was obvious. The weapon, once so black it seemed to swallow light, now shimmered with a faint golden glow, possessing a divine texture and an alluring luster. Its attributes had changed:
[God-Slaying · Ring of Mofidi (Fragment)]
All Attributes +75%
Darkness Command +3
Law Comprehension +5%
Note 1: Curse from the Abyss; the holder will have no peace once marked.
Note 2: It has harmed an Ancient Deity. Tempered by divine blood, the weapon has undergone a qualitative change. It carries Law power when used and increases Law comprehension speed when carried.
Note 3: It is now easier to advance to a Divine Artifact.
These descriptions came from the Heart of Steel, explaining the "Divine Blood Tempering" in detail.
"Wei Huan," Mu Zhong's voice came from the virtual screen. "Everyone is back. All our weapons have become God-Slaying tier. They have the chance to become Divine Artifacts and can increase Law Mastery."
Wei Huan nodded. "I saw."
"Good. Then, as planned, are we heading back to Blue Planet first?"
"Yes, but keep the stay short."
"Understood. I'll send people ahead."
They didn't end the call, just moved the screen to the side to continue their work, chatting occasionally. Over the past few years, this had become their norm.
Aside from the crystals, all other resources were handed to Mu Zhong. To Wei Huan, these "precious" materials were like a truckload of cabbage—useful, but not worth fussing over. He protected Blue Planet, but his attachment wasn't deep. He had no loved ones there; his only living relative, Wei Jinhong, only inspired disgust. There was no need to kill the man, but no need to see him either.
While Mu Zhong handled resources on Blue Planet, Wei Huan returned to the Challenge World. For the next half-month, he explored high-level ruins in the Rank 6 world. He wanted to find Mofidi again. His weapon was incomplete—it seemed to be missing one part.
However, Mofidi never appeared, even in Diamond-level ruins. Was it because this world was suppressed by a divine corpse, preventing him from entering? Wei Huan suspected so. Mofidi was a Demon God, likely possessing a Godhead, as his tentacles could pierce through countless worlds. If he didn't appear here, it would only be more difficult to find the last piece in the Rank 7 world where restrictions were fewer.
After two unsuccessful ruin runs, Wei Huan returned to the World Tree and went into the void. When the time came, the crew returned from their holiday on Blue Planet, and Mu Zhong returned as well. They talked for a while, with Mu Zhong detailing everything that had happened.
Hearing about Mofidi, Mu Zhong asked, "Are we going to the Rank 7 world? Divine Artifacts are different from Pseudo-God tier. I tried forging on Blue Planet, thinking that with materials from the Dark Beast plane, the Beast World, and the crystals, I could surely make one. But it's not that easy. Look—it's far from a Divine Artifact. According to the Heart of Steel, it's not even Pseudo-God level."
Mu Zhong took out a small dagger he had refined. Wei Huan took it; it was heavy, with a faint divine luster.
[Ancient God Agility Dagger]
Attack: 12,000–15,000
Agility: +533
Critical: +22%
Law Attack: 1%
Law Comprehension: 1%
Creator: Mu Zhong (Human)
"Above Diamond, below Pseudo-God," Wei Huan remarked.
"Exactly," Mu Zhong nodded. "If we're willing to spend the materials and have a strong enough user, we could probably refine a Pseudo-God weapon. I calculated that we could make 25–30 Pseudo-God weapons if we're frugal. But," he paused, "if we just make this 'Ancient God' series, we can make over 400 weapons or 200 full sets of gear."
"That big of a difference?" Wei Huan was surprised.
"Yes. The gap between Pseudo-God and Ancient God tier is massive. And that's after looting two worlds' worth of materials. I think even with enough skill and materials, one plane producing a single Divine Artifact is the limit."
Wei Huan accepted this. "It is a Divine Artifact, after all. If it didn't require the power of a world and ten thousand years of accumulation, it wouldn't deserve the name."
Mu Zhong sighed. "I thought the harvest was huge, but it's still limited."
Wei Huan smiled. "We just thought it would be too easy."
Mu Zhong asked, "What are your arrangements for these high-end materials?"
Wei Huan closed his eyes, tapping the armrest of his chair. After a long silence, he said: "Forge ten Pseudo-God weapons—one of each: saber, spear, sword, halberd, staff, shield. Give them to the government to distribute. For the rest, customize one Pseudo-God weapon each for Xu Qingqiang, Captain Xue, Brother Hammer, and yourself. Everything else becomes Ancient God gear. Our vehicle's main force must be equipped with Ancient God gear. Anything left over can be distributed externally."
Mu Zhong nodded. "I understand the ten Pseudo-God weapons—they can serve as national treasures. Too many would be improper. But what about Klitov and Yake? Only Ancient God gear? Should we customize a Pseudo-God weapon for Captain Fang? Actually, I don't need one, I—"
Wei Huan interrupted him. "Whether you use a Pseudo-God staff is one thing. Whether you 'have' one is another. You must have one."
Mu Zhong was stunned, then smiled. "Alright, understood. And Klitov and Yake?"
"If they aren't on the front lines, they shouldn't compete for weapons with those risking their lives. Their Pseudo-God weapons will be issued directly as a benefit."
"Fair enough. Merit-based distribution is best."
Wei Huan knew some might still be dissatisfied, but he didn't care. He believed that rather than being consumed by jealousy and forced off the vehicle, the people on board wouldn't be stupid enough to ignore what was best for them.
With the arrangements done, Mu's cousin knocked on the door. "Are we ready to go?"
Wei Huan nodded.
Mu Zhong said, "Let's go. Back to the Beast World. The newcomers should be finished with their trials. I wonder if there are any good prospects this time?"
Mu's cousin laughed. "The vehicle is Rank 8 now and can hold ten thousand people. It's time to promote some middle-management."
"I have a few candidates in mind," Mu Zhong said.
"Who?"
"I'll tell you when we get back." Mu Zhong looked at Wei Huan. "Let's go. Back to the Beast World!"