Chapter 507: A Changed Man

Chapter 507: A Changed Man

Zhu Xinglong Domain, Silver Sparrow Province.

A young True Dragon man with an ordinary appearance walked through the capital of Silver Sparrow Province. His eyes occasionally flashed with an electric glint, and though his steps were not fast, each one covered several tens of meters as he strode through the streets toward the public array.

This person was none other than Ji Xinghuo.

After leaving Titanium Ring City, he had assumed a new identity and used the leap arrays twice to arrive at Silver Sparrow Province.

The leap array in the City of Eternal Day was connected to three public arrays in the True Dragon Empire: one in Xuantian Dragon Domain and two in Zhu Xinglong Domain, located in Canghuo Province and Silver Sparrow Province respectively.

The last time he had come, Ji Xinghuo used the public array in Canghuo Province, where some mishaps had occurred.

Even though he could now travel through Canghuo Province without any issues, Ji Xinghuo chose the more distant Silver Sparrow Province to avoid any potential complications.

His appearance and identity were completely new.

The identity of Yu Huoliaoyuan was sealed away, never to be used again. Now, he was "Titanium Cobalt Yang," a distant branch member of the Yuanci Clan's Titanium Cobalt family. A sixth-rank cultivator who had given up on the path of the Dragon Lord, his profession was "Magnet Tempest Warrior Saint."

The information about Titanium Cobalt Yang was all genuine, obtained through the same channels that Titanium Cobalt Lan had used to create a new identity for herself.

Soon, Ji Xinghuo approached the public array.

He summoned Qinghong, who appeared as a five-meter-long qilin mount. Its body was covered in scales of azure, gold, and silver, its mane flowing and its bearing majestic. It immediately drew the attention of many onlookers.

Around Qinghong's neck was a collar with a hanging silver bell, a "Phantom Ring," a Super Level 3 artifact that served to conceal its aura.

It had taken a great deal of effort for Ji Xinghuo to convince Qinghong to wear the collar, as Qinghong's powerful aura would otherwise cause panic wherever it went. Its strong presence was like a lighthouse in the night, impossible to hide.

But now, the concealment was proving effective.

Onlookers merely glanced at Qinghong a few times, unable to discern anything unusual. Instead, they realized that the True Dragon man riding it was not to be trifled with, and quickly averted their gazes.

Ji Xinghuo squeezed his legs, and Qinghong stepped into the public array.

He presented his identity token.

The pseudo-dragon in charge of the leap array checked the information and, seeing the surname "Titanium Cobalt," became even more respectful.

"May I ask where you wish to leap to, sir?" the pseudo-dragon asked.

Ji Xinghuo replied in a calm voice, "The City of Eternal Day."

The pseudo-dragon hesitated for a moment. After checking the crystal panel and confirming that there was indeed such a leap destination—located outside the Empire's territory, in the bloody plateau to the southwest, a great distance away—he said carefully, "Please pay 300 dragon crystals, sir." There was an extra charge for leaping outside the Empire.

Ji Xinghuo, of course, was well aware of this and handed over the etheric crystal.

The pseudo-dragon immediately contacted the corresponding leap array, and after a few minutes, he received a response and invited Ji Xinghuo to enter the array.

As the leap array activated, a burst of light enveloped both Ji Xinghuo and Qinghong, and they disappeared in an instant.

The world before Ji Xinghuo's eyes distorted.

Countless flickering lights flashed by, a sight he was all too familiar with. Five seconds later, the light before him brightened, and the leap was complete.

He found himself in a grand crystal palace, with Qinghong standing by his side in the middle of the array.

Several familiar Jingying Clan members surrounded the palace.

Among them was a snake-shaped Jingying Clan member standing by the array. Its upper body was humanoid with six arms, while its lower body was a thick, coiled tail covered in metallic armor from the waist down.

In a loud voice, it said, "Lord Titanium Cobalt, welcome to the City of Eternal Day..."

"Lord Huyu," Ji Xinghuo acknowledged.

"It's been a while," he continued.

Lord Huyu's face, composed of crystalline stones, paused for a moment. His gem-like eyes shone as they swept over Ji Xinghuo and landed on Qinghong, finally recognizing him. "You're that Earthling, Ji Xinghuo?" he exclaimed in surprise.

"It's me," Ji Xinghuo confirmed.

Ji Xinghuo's appearance returned to its original form, bearing the features of both an Earthling and a True Dragon man. His black hair and eyes were complemented by a ring of dark gold around his pupils, bright as electricity. His aura was extremely restrained, but anyone who looked at him would feel a sense of unease and be left with a deep impression.

Lord Huyu was astonished and couldn't help but stare at Ji Xinghuo. The few sixth-rank Jingying Clan members in the crystal palace also directed incredulous gazes at him.

They all remembered that Earthling who had ventured into the True Dragon Empire.

It had been a season ago.

For the long-lived Jingying Clan, it felt like just yesterday. In their eyes, Ji Xinghuo had just entered the leap array, and in the blink of an eye, he was back.

Yet, Ji Xinghuo seemed like a completely different person! When he had leaped over before, he was a young human with exceptional talent, daring to venture into the Empire. But now, he had fulfilled his potential and grown to a point where they couldn't see through him anymore.

"It's just a name," Ji Xinghuo laughed, not offering any further explanation. Instead, he asked, "How has the City of Eternal Day been lately?"

Huyi shook his head. "Same as always."

His response seemed calm, but a hint of worry flashed in the depths of his eyes, which Ji Xinghuo noticed but chose to ignore.

"Let's go outside," Huyi suggested.

Huyi raised his six arms, and the tips of his fingers glowed with starlight, enveloping both of them. In the blink of an eye, they found themselves outside, in the grand hall at the foot of Guangzhao Peak, the very place where Ji Xinghuo had first met Huyi years ago.

Ji Xinghuo's heart raced as he realized the magnitude of the starry realm leap—it was a Level 3 leap!

Previously, when Huyi had brought him through a starry realm leap, Ji Xinghuo hadn't been able to discern anything. But now, he could clearly sense what was happening.

His electromagnetic senses swept through the entire City of Eternal Day, and those areas that had once been impenetrable to his scans were now laid bare. This was a highly advanced ether-tech city, boasting spatial arrays, blockade and protective force fields, and ether-tech that was on par with, if not more advanced than, that of the True Dragon Empire.

However, there was one notable absence in the City of Eternal Day—there was no Star Shepherd Saint.

The strongest Jingying Clan member was only at the peak of the sixth rank, but there was an unusually large number of them, totaling over a hundred!

This was abnormal.

Moreover, Ji Xinghuo discovered something peculiar. These Jingying Clan members, scattered throughout the city, seemed to share a unique connection. On the surface, they appeared as distinct individuals with different appearances, but their electromagnetic fields were highly uniform, with most of them being identical, ranging from just a few to over a hundred similar fields.

If categorized and counted, the total number of distinct Jingying Clan members would be less than two hundred.

"Are they clones or some sort of ether-tech or ability?" Ji Xinghuo wondered silently.

He noticed that Huyi, standing before him, had an electromagnetic field that was similar to nearly three hundred other Jingying Clan members scattered throughout the City of Eternal Day, each engaged in different roles and tasks.

Ji Xinghuo recalled their first meeting, when Huyi had introduced himself as "42." That didn't sound like a name but rather a number or a code.

Suddenly, Ji Xinghuo had a suspicion.

"What level are you now?" Huyi asked abruptly, unaware that Ji Xinghuo had already uncovered his secret.

"First stage of the sixth rank," Ji Xinghuo replied, holding back the truth.

But even this partial truth was enough to astonish Huyi, who pointed to his gem-like eyes and said, "These eyes of mine are a product of ether-tech, combined with visual abilities. They are incredibly perceptive and can discern information that most people cannot."

Huyi lightly tapped Ji Xinghuo's forehead with his finger. "You're not being truthful."

"Oh?" Ji Xinghuo feigned interest, studying Huyi's eyes as the Myriad Manifestations Star Pupils projected an interface with information.

[Treasure: True-Sight Crystal Eyes]



[Grade: Three-Star Epiphany]



[Functions: True Sight, Microscopic Vision, Insight, Eagle Eye, Panoramic Vision, Infrared and Ultraviolet Vision, Perception of Etheric Energy Fluctuations, Scanning and Reading Star Power Values, Danger Assessment, Level 7 Eyeblight Rays]



[Note: Jingying Clan Ether-Tech Creation, Transplantable]



Ji Xinghuo quickly scanned the information and was secretly amazed by the wide array of functions.

The True-Sight Crystal Eyes integrated the most practical visual abilities, including scanning and identifying targets' strengths, and while the eyeblight rays were only a super-limit ability, they were at Level 7, making them a formidable and unpredictable weapon.

It was indeed a Three-Star Epiphany treasure.

Most importantly, it could be transplanted, making it accessible to anyone.

"That's impressive," Ji Xinghuo praised, though he knew that compared to the Myriad Manifestations Star Pupils, it was insignificant.

The Myriad Manifestations Star Pupils could directly read the information obtained by the True-Sight Crystal Eyes, but the reverse was not true, clearly demonstrating their superiority.

Ji Xinghuo pretended to be none the wiser and asked, "What did your eyes see, Lord Huyi?"

"You're strong!" Huyi exclaimed, his expression grave. "Extremely strong!"

Huyi emphasized his point with two "extremely"s, his gaze fixed on Ji Xinghuo with a hint of awe in his gem-like eyes. "I've never met a sixth-rank alien as formidable as you. The True-Sight Crystal Eyes assessed you as the highest danger level, equivalent to that of a Star Shepherd Saint."

"Hahaha, could it be mistaken?" Ji Xinghuo raised an eyebrow, impressed by the capabilities of the True-Sight Crystal Eyes.

Huyi's crystalline face twitched.

The True-Sight Crystal Eyes never made mistakes.

Noticing that Ji Xinghuo wasn't inclined to elaborate, Huyi smiled meaningfully and changed the subject. "Are you planning to return to Earth, Mr. Ji?"

Unconsciously, he had switched to a more respectful form of address.

Ji Xinghuo gave him a sidelong glance.

This member of the Jingying Clan sure knew a lot.

As they spoke, Huyi continuously sent out electromagnetic wave signals to communicate with other members of his clan in the City of Eternal Day, sharing a large amount of information. However, these signals were encrypted, and Ji Xinghuo couldn't decipher them.

Huyi said, "Mr. Ji is free to use the leap array in the City of Eternal Day for future travels to and from the True Dragon Empire, and there will be no charges for it."

Each leap cost 120 etheric crystals, which was not a small sum.

Previously, one would also need to pay 1,000 points' worth of Eternal Merit.

"Thank you," Ji Xinghuo acknowledged, accepting the offer.

"After Mr. Ji resolves the issues on Earth, if you have time in the next few years, please come to the City of Eternal Day for a visit, or we can discuss a potential collaboration," Huyi invited.

Ji Xinghuo asked, "What kind of collaboration?"

"I can't disclose that for now, but you'll know when the time comes," Huyi said, not wanting to elaborate further. He then flipped his hand, and ten dazzling gems appeared on his palm.

Each gem was like a meticulously cut diamond, translucent and radiating a bright light. One could see the pure energy contained within.

These were Paradise Diamonds!

Huyi smiled and said, "Our clan produces Paradise Diamonds, which Mr. Ji should be familiar with. These ten Paradise Diamonds are a gift for your homecoming, a small token of our respect. Please accept them."

How generous!

Ji Xinghuo was taken aback. In the past, he had ventured into the Abyssal Star and hunted monsters for a long time just to obtain a single Paradise Diamond.

Later, when the Jingying Clan became aware of his strength, they specifically restricted his participation in auctions, but he could exchange them with 3,000 points of Eternal Merit, with a limit of six diamonds per stellar year. Now, Huyi was directly giving him ten.

Paradise Diamonds were one of the top-tier expansion curios. When used by fourth- to sixth-rank aliens, they provided an additional two fusion opportunities at once.

Each person could only use one Paradise Diamond.

The True Dragon Empire also had a curio with the same effect as the Paradise Diamond, called the "Imperial Yellow Crystal."

He had a batch of Imperial Yellow Crystals with him in the resources he brought back this time.

The two types of expansion curios were incompatible, and using one would render the other ineffective.

Even so, Paradise Diamonds were extremely precious.

An Imperial Yellow Crystal could be sold for 2,000 dragon crystals in the True Dragon Empire, while the average transaction price for Paradise Diamonds in the Exotic Treasure Auction House in the City of Eternal Day was 200 etheric crystals plus 400 points of Eternal Merit, which was considered a very good deal.

This was the main incentive the Jingying Clan used to entice aliens to enter the Abyssal Star and clear out their enemies.

Ten Paradise Diamonds were worth a total of 20,000 etheric crystals.

The Jingying Clan was indeed very generous.

However, Ji Xinghuo became more vigilant instead. The more valuable the gift the Jingying Clan offered, the more difficult the request would likely be in the future.

"Please take them back. If I need them, I will buy them from you," Ji Xinghuo refused.

Seeing his insistence, Huyi said, "Mr. Ji can name your price."

After some consideration, Ji Xinghuo nodded.

"Then, at the price of Imperial Yellow Crystals in the True Dragon Empire, I'll buy these ten Paradise Diamonds for 20,000 etheric crystals."

Huyi readily agreed.

Ji Xinghuo took out 20,000 etheric crystals and completed the transaction before bidding farewell.

He mounted Qinghong, and with a light leap, they exited the City of Eternal Day. Huyi's expression turned solemn as he watched this, his gaze penetrating the void to track Qinghong's direction, but he lost sight of them in an instant.

The tall snake-shaped Jingying Clan member fell silent.

However, his heart was stirred up like a tempest, and he began an intense exchange with his clan members, even engaging in some disputes.

Over a thousand kilometers away from the City of Eternal Day, Qinghong emerged from the void.

Ji Xinghuo then activated the Starry Realm Leap, bringing Qinghong directly to Peach Blossom Gorge. It was the "intermonth" of the cold season, and the climate was pleasant. The peach blossoms in the canyon had already withered, but the branches were lush and laden with ripe, fragrant peaches.

Looking at the familiar gorge and the distant snow-capped mountains, a place he had yearned for and gazed upon almost daily with his Macrocosmic Eye, Ji Xinghuo felt a surge of emotions.

Qinghong landed before the secret realm.

Ji Xinghuo's eyes saw through the void barrier and spotted the wooden house within the fragment of the secret realm, where Ye Zhen was resting in the bedroom on the second floor.

Qinghong carried him through the ripples of the void and slowly stepped into the secret realm.

Ye Zhen immediately sensed his arrival, opening her eyes and getting up. From the window on the second floor, she spotted a familiar figure.

Her eyes lit up with joy, but she soon calmed down and quietly watched as Ji Xinghuo flew towards her, saying, "Sister Ren, I'm back."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end