Chapter 440: Countdown to Civilization's End
Chapter 440: Countdown to Civilization's End
Liang's and Duan's exaggerated reactions made it clear to Li Qian that this "Phantom Beast" was no ordinary creature.
But this was understandable, as this might very well be the true reason behind the Rong people's tribe's demise.
Without hesitation, Li Qian shared the information he knew, "Teacher Liang, there's a Rong people's ruin within the dimensional rift underground, and it's also a Rong people's relic."
"Inside the relic, in the highest stone chamber, on all four walls, this monster is depicted."
"Right, Teacher Liang, you said this monster is called a 'Phantom Beast'. But what exactly is a 'Phantom Beast'?"
Seeing Liang's silence after hearing Li Qian's words, seemingly torn, whether to reveal this matter or not.
Duan Kong sighed, looking at Teacher Liang, and said, "Tell them, this matter, sooner or later, will be made public."
"Most importantly, I think, with Li Qian and these two little girls' talents, knowing earlier, may not be a bad thing."
"I believe they also understand the weight of this, and they definitely won't leak this matter casually."
"Alright, since Director Duan has said so, I'll tell you about this."
"But you must promise, never to reveal this to anyone."
Teacher Liang rubbed her head, thought for a moment, and finally agreed.
"At this stage, not many people know, the federal government, the Octo-School Alliance, and the military are all trying to suppress this news."
"If ordinary people find out, it will definitely cause quite a stir."
Pausing, Liang organized her thoughts and continued, "Li Qian, since you've seen the Rong people's ruins inside the dimensional rift, I guess you've also figured out some information..."
Liang's eyes shone as she looked at Li Qian, "What do you think is the reason for the Rong people's tribe's destruction?"
Although Teacher Liang hadn't seen the ruins, ever since Li Qian mentioned it, and saw the murals depicting the "Phantom Beast" inside, she roughly guessed the content of the murals.
And because she guessed part of the mural's content, she asked this question.
Li Qian listened to Teacher Liang's question, recalling the scenes he had witnessed, and slowly, an answer began to form in his mind.
He spoke tentatively, "Could the Rong people's tribe's destruction be related to this 'Phantom Beast'?"
"Ah~!"
Teacher Liang sighed deeply, and then spoke solemnly, "It's not just related to the 'Phantom Beast', but... this is the culprit!"
Without pause, she continued, "To be more precise, it's not just the Rong people's ruins within the underground dimensional rift, but the entire Rong civilization's destruction is all thanks to it!"
Li Qian's pupils widened upon hearing these words, his heart stirred, and a wave of shock washed over him.
Now, he finally understood why Teacher Liang and Director Duan's reactions were so intense upon hearing "Phantom Beast".
His gaze unwavering, he continued to stare at Teacher Liang, awaiting her further explanation.
Why was the "Phantom Beast" the culprit of the Rong civilization's destruction?
Where did the "Phantom Beast" come from, or how was it born?
At this moment, Li Qian's mind was filled with various doubts, waiting for someone to provide him with answers.
His face remained serious, as he asked, "So, what exactly is this 'mature time' you're referring to?"
Teacher Liang smiled in relief, seeing Li Qian's sensitivity.
But soon, she suppressed her smile, her face turning serious again, "What you said is very critical, and it's also the reason why Director Duan and I were so surprised."
"Rumors and speculations are based on the findings from exploring the previous ancient ruins. Every civilization, as it nears its end and approaches its doomsday, will encounter Phantom Beasts!"
"This..." As Ms. Liang spoke, Li Qian's expression shifted from solemnity to astonishment.
"There's a saying that Phantom Beasts are symbols of destruction and the executioners of civilizations. The closer a civilization is to its end, the more frequently these beasts appear, and the stronger they become."
Ms. Liang scanned Li Qian, Bai Bingbing, and Irina before continuing, "Additionally, Phantom Beasts have another unique characteristic."
"They possess incredible vitality, making them extremely difficult to kill. Unless you dismember them or use arrays to directly seal them, they won't die, and they retain formidable combat abilities even without their heads."
After Ms. Liang explained the traits of Phantom Beasts, Segong spoke up, specifically addressing Li Qian, "Li Qian, and you two girls, when training in the dimensional plane, always be cautious. If you encounter a Phantom Beast, avoid it if possible, retreat if you can. Unless absolutely necessary, never risk your lives fighting them."
"Mhm!" The two girls nodded earnestly in response.
Li Qian thought about Segong's implied meaning. His voice trembled as he asked, "Segong, do you mean that Phantom Beasts have already appeared in our civilization?"
"Oh..." The two girls, reminded by Li Qian, realized the implication, and their faces paled.
"Yes, they've already appeared, and it's been over a decade!" Segong replied with a complex tone.
"Over ten years ago, the strongest beastmasters among us ventured deep into the dimensional plane and discovered the existence of Phantom Beasts on the sixth layer."
"Fortunately, even on the sixth layer, Phantom Beasts are extremely rare."
As Segong spoke, Irina, who had been silent, interjected, "But doesn't the appearance of Phantom Beasts mean..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear.
Segong smiled, lightening the atmosphere, "Indeed, it signifies that the countdown to the destruction of our world's civilization has begun."
"However, there's no need to worry. It's just the initial signs; the true destruction is still far away."
"It's not a legend; with our lifespans, we won't witness that day in this lifetime."
Ms. Liang added, "According to some archaeologists and civilization researchers' estimates, we have at least three thousand years left."
Hearing this timeframe, Li Qian's sense of crisis slightly diminished.
However, a Damocles sword still hung over his head.
But soon, he pushed aside his anxious thoughts.
For now, the best course of action was to focus on improving his strength.
That's what Li Qian was thinking, and Segong echoed his thoughts, "You shouldn't worry too much either. Ms. Liang initially didn't plan to reveal this because, at this stage, even if you know, it won't make much difference."
"These matters of civilization destruction and world upheaval are so significant that only those at the Legendary Rank and above can participate. Even the Legendary Rank is just the threshold for involvement."
"Legendary Rank?" Li Qian muttered to himself, his eyes gradually firming with determination.
Suddenly, he thought of something and asked, "Segong, you mentioned that the merging of the mortal world and the dimensional plane is a sign of impending destruction, isn't it?"
"Yes, when the mortal world and the dimensional plane completely merge, that's when the true countdown begins!"
"But our civilization has its unique advantage. Through exploring the previous ancient ruins, we've learned this news, giving us more time to prepare and face this crisis."
"Rest assured, although the crisis is terrifying, the foundation of human civilization built over the years is also extremely solid. Destroying our civilization is no simple task."
In the end, Segong gave Li Qian an encouraging look, "So, for now, the most important thing for you is to focus on improving your strength."
"Especially you, Li Qian, the discovery of the Three-Legged Golden Crow's evolution is of utmost importance to humanity."
"To become a legendary Beastmaster, one must have a legendary Companion Beast."
After that, Master Duan Kong and Teacher Liang continued to share more about Phantom Beasts.
Finally, as night fell and darkness enveloped them like a sudden power outage, the group returned to their campsite.
Lying in the tent, Li Qian tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep no matter how hard he tried.
Though he tried to convince himself not to overthink, deep down he knew that no amount of rationalization would help.
However, with the situation at hand, achieving true clarity and avoiding overthinking was nearly impossible.
Master Duan Kong and Teacher Liang's words had almost shattered his worldview.
Previously, he had reminded himself not to rush, believing that as his strength increased, the truth of this world would gradually reveal itself.
But when the true nature of this world was suddenly unveiled before him, he found himself struggling to accept it.
His mind felt a bit dizzy from the impact.
...
"Li Qian, have you decided on your plan to return home through the dimensional plane corresponding to Jiangnan Beastmaster University?" The next day, Li Qian shared his thoughts with Teacher Liang, who asked for confirmation.
Li Qian nodded, "Since enrolling, I haven't been home. During the Freshman Challenge, I was planning to visit, but then the incident with the cult organization causing chaos in Mo Yuan City happened. Dean Fei and the others were concerned about possible retaliation, so they brought me back to school."
"This time, when we entered the Dimensional Rift, we unexpectedly discovered this space overlapping with Jiangnan Beastmaster University's dimensional plane. It's the perfect opportunity to make a quick trip home."
He smiled and continued, "With such a sudden plan, the cult organization won't be able to anticipate our move."
At that moment, Master Duan Kong spoke up, "Rest assured, I'll take responsibility for Li Qian's safety. There won't be any problems."
Teacher Liang, upon hearing this, wanted to mentally retort.
You're the one I'm most worried about.
It wasn't easy for Sha Zhou Beast Taming University to recruit such a talented student.
I'm afraid you'll be lured away by them!
"I'll go with you!" Li Qian expressed his intention to Master Duan Kong and Teacher Yang. Before he could put his plan into action, Irina abruptly interrupted.
Li Qian smiled helplessly at her words, "I'm going home this time, Irina, what's the reason for you coming along?"
"I'm coming with you to ensure your safety," Irina said solemnly.
Li Qian waved his hand dismissively, "My ace is enough to guarantee my safety, and besides, Master Duan is here too!"
"Don't worry, my safety is assured!" Li Qian patted his chest confidently.
"I..." Bai Bingbing started to speak but stopped, ultimately choosing silence.
Irina wanted to leave with Li Qian and even found an excuse to protect his safety, but she truly had no valid reason.
Teacher Liang, seeing this, shook her head helplessly.
Master Duan Kong gave Li Qian a meaningful glance.
In the end, despite Li Qian's insistence, Irina did not accompany him.
After a quick pack, he followed Master Duan Kong into the underground palace.
Through the Dimensional Rift in the stone chamber, they arrived at the ruins of the Rong People's tribe.
Via the Dimensional Rift on the highest stone roof layer, they returned to the place where they had fought the Bat-Winged Wyvern.
By this time, the small lake had completely vanished without a trace.
The water inside had been sucked dry by the Golden Armored Great Elephant.
Seeing it again, it looked more like a small pit created by a meteorite impact.
"Old Elephant, return the water!" After exiting the Dimensional Rift, Master Duan Kong summoned the Golden Armored Great Elephant and gave it a command.
Li Qian nodded slightly.
He understood Master Duan Kong's intention.
After all, this was the fourth layer of the dimensional plane, where dangers lurked everywhere.
A Dimensional Rift floating visibly like this was bound to attract attention.
If discovered by Extraordinary Beings or members of the cult organization, it would be a devastating blow.
(End of Chapter)
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