Chapter 33: Another Continent
--- Chapter 33 ---
"Boss, you might want to see this."
Huo Yuhao heard Xiao Chen's voice from the captain's room and gasped on the floor with an exhausted look. Scathach stood one meter away from him with a wooden spear in her hand, having an amused smirk plastered on her face.
Scathach might lose her strength when she transmigrated to this world, but her rich fighting experience and second-to-none instinct are hard to defeat. Even with a bunch of skills Huo Yuhao could only catch her off guard a few times.
"You're improving faster and faster each day, Yuhao." The former God Slayer commented while waving her wooden spear around. "Those eyes of yours are terrifying because you can read and replicate my techniques with a simple gaze. However, reading movements like that cause imbalance in your mastery."
"With a faint from a skilled warrior like me, you can easily be swayed and confused in the middle of the battle. And I'll give you a bonus point for realizing that earlier."
Huo Yuhao smiled inside because Scathach was such a good teacher because her insight was precise and factual. He was accustomed to observing his enemy in the fight, even before he got reincarnated into this world, and having someone point out his mistake is so helpful.
"Are you listening?" Scathach looked down on her disciple.
Huo Yuhao nodded and replied, "I am, so let's end the training session here, Shishou." Xiao Chen is calling me to the captain's room."
Scathach pondered for a second because they usually spar for another hour but remembered Qianye Ying'er would hold a holy meeting soon. "Umu, you can go. I have something else to do after this too." She said while patting Huo Yuhao's head.
[Name: Scathach]
[Race: Human/Immortal(+)]
[Cultivation: Level 10]
[Martial Soul: Gae Bolg Alternative(+), Soul Breaking Spear(+)]
[Description: A woman with a particular obsession with a certain boy]
Huo Yuhao clicked on Scathach's race and martial soul while wiping his sweat. He also couldn't help but smile when reading her description because his current appearance "obviously." affected her.
[Human/Immortal]
[Scathach's rare case. Her "extremely." powerful immortal soul that settles on the child's body causes a positive imbalance in her future growth. Even though she was a mere human with a weak regenerative ability now, after reaching a "balance." she would regain her Immortality]
[Gae Bolg Alternative]
[A trusted weapon of Scathach, accompanying her journey when killing so many Divine Spirits. It was her noble phantasm and made of Curuid's remains, making it one of the deadliest weapons]
[Soul Breaking Spear(Mutated)]
[Soul Breaking Spear is the hereditary Martial Soul of Breaking Clan. A pure attack-type spirit known for its unstoppable force and mutated by Scathach's Immortal Soul, giving it "Soul Piercing." attribute]
Huo Yuhao shook his head because Shishou's status panel was abnormal, like Qianye Ying'er and Huo Yun'er. And She even had twin martial souls because of the transmigration process a few weeks ago. Evo did say the Hero summoned by the Hero Summoning Card would need a suitable vessel to enter this world.
"Breaking Clan, huh? One of Clear Sky Clan's subsidiary clans that focused on Alchemy." Huo Yuhao remarked while thinking about that clan's location in this era. The Clear Sky Clan was secret from the public, and only a few peoples know about them now. "Shishou's vessel might be more problematic than I thought, but she said there are no memories about the girl beside her name. Yang Xin?"
"Hmm, Yang Xin and the Alchemy-based clan. Must be a coincidence."
Huo Yuhao whistled and entered the captain's room with a towel around his neck. "So what happened here? You sounded panicked before." He asked while leaning on the control table.
"Took you a while, brat." Yu Han said while drinking his wine in the corner of the room. "We found something you've been searching for in the last two weeks. I didn't believe it at first, but according to your detecting devices, there was a land with a huge quantity of Spirit Energy in the East."
Xiao Chen walked to the control table and pressed the Spirit Radar Huo Yuhao created when getting Netherite Ingot. It's a function he added to the Yacht, using Netherite's high durability and energy reflection to sense living beings' spirit energy.
Huo Yuhao frowned and mumbled, "What a massive amount of Spirit Energy scattered to several places, which means there is land up there. It's a continent?"
"Yes!" Xiao Chen nodded excitedly. "We discovered another continent besides the Douluo Continent. It's a new mind-blowing discovery after the Sun and Moon Continent merged with Douluo Continent."
"How long does it take to get there?" Huo Yuhao questioned naturally, thinking about building Dragon Nest's base there.
Yun Han stared at the ceiling and did the calculation in his mind with this Yacht's maximum speed. He sipped his wine and glanced at the radar again.
"Around a week? Maybe six days by over-exhausting G-Reactors while charging them continuously. That means your flame needs to be constantly burning for the rest of the journey. Unless you have a shortcut there."
"Heh, a shortcut." A grin appeared on Huo Yuhao's face.
"Chen, I want you to tell everyone to prepare themselves. I'll create a wormhole there."
...
...
Huo Yuhao stood on the Yacht's deck and summoned Chains of Heaven, preparing himself to create "wide." enough wormholes to fit the whole fleet. He breathed in and activated some skills.
"Overclock."
"Eyes of the Lord."
"Kenbunshoku Haki."
"And Spatial Manipulation." His blue eyes shone with a menacing crimson hue. Huo Yuhao's mind ran a thousand times faster than usual, making him able to calculate movement and atoms in the air. It is a forbidden combination he could only handle for five minutes.
Everything becomes clear to Huo Yuhao's eyes as lines upon lines of possibility rush into his mind. It's strange, but He felt like a god at this moment, feeling his control over the world was boundless.
"I should consider naming this combination." He couldn't help but chuckle because there was one anime or manga he enjoyed in the past with this "exact." ability. "Yeah, that name is cool enough for me."
"I'll call it Laplace from now on."
Huo Yuhao waved his hand and created a big enough wormhole for his fleet, forming another one thousand miles away. He calculated everything perfectly and smiled in satisfaction.
"We are here." He stared at the vast land before his eyes, having rich flora and fauna all over the place. There are mountain ranges spanning over the lush land and a beautiful blue sea around it.
[Ding! You have discovered a new continent]
[Do you wish to build your base here?]
[Yes/No]
"Of course." Huo Yuhao confidently answered while deactivating Laplace and closing wormholes when the last ship arrived.
[You cannot build a base until Sub-Quest "thoroughly." was finished]
[Ding! Sub-Quest]
[Name: Absolute Ruler]
[Objectives: Defeat all the Beast Lords in the Area(0/7)]
[Reward: 7 Gold Upgrading Tickets and 1x Random Barrier(S)]
[Do you want to accept the Quest?]
[Yes/No]
Huo Yuhao's Haoshoku Haki suddenly flared because something was trying to reject them from this place. "Heh, challenge accepted. Your intimidation will be a stepping stone for my Dragon Nest!" He shouted at the vast land. "This place will be mine!"
...
[Opening Random Spirit Ring(Red)]
[...]
[You have acquired Heavenly Taotie Bull Spirit Ring]
[Name: Heavenly Taotie Bull]
[Type: Spirit Ring/Spirit Beast]
[Age: 170.000 years old]
[Description: Heavenly Taotie Bull is Sacred Earth Spirit Beast with thick Earth Dragon King/Taotie's bloodline known for its insatiable hunger and mighty Earth Bending]
[Spirit Ring: Devouring, Earth Manipulation, Pure Earth's Body]
"Hmm, 170.000 years old. That's a little bit lower than my other spirit rings." Huo Yuhao said while meditating in his room. He pondered for a moment and decided to upgrade the new spirit ring with a Gold Upgrading Ticket. It is worth it because he would get more tickets after finishing the sub-quest.
"Do it, Evo."
[Upgrading Tickets: Iron(39), Silver(7), Silver(23), Gold(1)]
[Using 1 Gold Upgrading Ticket on Heavenly Taotie Bull's Spirit Ring]
[Upgrading...]
[...]
[You have acquired Gluttonous Taotie Bull-Dragon Spirit Ring]
[Name: Gluttonous Taotie Bull-Dragon]
[Type: Spirit Ring/Spirit Beast]
[Age: 350.000 Years Old]
[Description: Gluttonous Taotie Bull-Dragon is said to be the incarnation of Earth Dragon King/Taotie and is known as Gluttonous Beast. It can Devour Heaven and Earth, having supreme authority over Earth Element]
[Spirit Skills: Gluttony, Extreme Earth Manipulation, Taotie's Strength]
Huo Yuhao suddenly sensed Scathach's presence outside and said, "Shishou, I know you're outside. Can you guard the entrance because I'm doing something important here?"
"Sure," Scathach responded while hovering her hand above the door's handle. She was about to enter Huo Yuhao's room to get her daily intake of Yuhaonium. "I wouldn't let anyone enter the room."
Huo Yuhao smiled and summoned the Chains of Heaven as the Eyes of the Lord aren't suitable with this Gluttonous Taotie Bull-Dragon spirit ring. He stretched his neck briefly and inhaled air into his lungs nervously because the 300.000 years old spirit ring "Roughly." was his physical limit, and absorbing this would take some toll on him.
"Evo, Transfer the ring." He commanded firmly.
[Transferring Gluttonous Taotie Bull-Dragon's Spirit Ring to the Chains of Heaven...]
[...]
[20%]
Huo Yuhao felt an earth-like sensation grasping every inch of his body. He closed his eyes and let the Spirit Ring's energy flow naturally inside, soaking the Chains of Heaven with Earth Element.
Chains of Heaven gradually connected to the Gluttonous Taotie Bull-Dragon's Spirit Ring and gained another mark all over its parts with a brownish hue.
[40%]
[50%]
A loud snap echoed in Huo Yuhao's body. He frowned because some of his bones and organs somehow were reconstructed to fit Gluttonous Taotie Bull-Dragon's Spirit skills. He ignored the sensation and adjusted his breath again.
[60%]
[69%]
One after another, Huo Yuhao felt his body become closer to the Earth. A glowing golden mark appeared shoulders and stretched to his stomach. And after a few hours, everything was over.
[100%]
Scathach tried to peek into Huo Yuhao's room and saw him with a surprised look. "Eh? Is that Yuhao?" She rubbed her eyes for a moment.
On the bed, Huo Yuhao has a slightly "bigger." physique with long blue hair hanging on his back. Since he was shirtless because of the sudden transformation, Scathach could see Golden Tattoos all over his chest area.
"He looks no different than 12 years old... Also, he's cuter than before~." The God Slayer's breathing abruptly becomes huskier than usual. She unknowingly licked her lips and returned to normal after realizing it. "What are you thinking, Scathach? You're an adult, so keep yourself together. B-But Yuhao is more adorable now. Uugh, I can't let myself fall into the dark side."
"N-No..."
"Y-Yes~!"
As Scathach was confused with her inner desire, Huo Yuhao focused more on his newly gained skills. He called his status panel and clicked on the Chains of Heaven's 3rd Spirit Ring.
[Chains of Heaven]
[1st Spirit Ring(+)]
[2nd Spirit Ring(+)]
[3rd Spirit Ring]
[Devouring]
[A powerful devouring skill that converts anything one's eaten to raw energy using Taotie-like digestive abilities, which are known to be the strongest in this world]
[Extreme Earth Manipulation]
[Manipulate the Earth around you according to your will, using a small amount of Spirit Energy as medium]
[Taotie's Strength(Passive)]
[The more you eat, the more your strength increases]
"Heh, they are pretty nice." Huo Yuhao couldn't help but grin while feeling his body shrinking back to normal. The mark has also gone from his skin.
[You have leveled up]
[You have leveled up]
[You have leveled up]
[You have...]
[...]
[Cultivation: Level 36(Spirit Elder)]
[You have condensed the 2nd Blood Ring]
"Oh?" A purple-gold ring appeared out of thin air.
[Naga's 2nd Blood Ring]
[Type: Blood Ring/Spirit Ring]
[Age: 1.000.000 Years Old(Estimated)]
[Description: A condensation of Purple-Flamed Divine Dragon's bloodline and life essence/Ki, having some unique abilities]
[Spirit Skills: Karmic Scales, Violet Genesis, Purgatory Prison]
Huo Yuhao laughed and said, "Let's see what you have for me, Naga."
[Karmic Scales]
[Increase one's defense by five-folds and wrap the whole body with durable Dragon Scales, storing any damage received into Karmic Thunderfire for Counterattack]
[Violet Genesis]
[Create a violet sun of Thunderfire and illuminate everything before you in destruction dawn, burning everything into nothingness]
[Purgatory Prison]
[Create a prison made of Thunderfire, trapping the target in eternal burning space]
"Well, Naga is generous. A set of active skills instead of passive or buff." Huo Yuhao tilted his head since Naga is an eccentric Dragon. He was sure that Violet Genesis and Purgatory Prison are "areas of effect." skills. Yes, there are no mistakes.
"Shishou?"
Scathach entered the room with a smile on her face and quickly grabbed Huo Yuhao's body, hugging him tightly. She patted his head while breathing like she was running a marathon and didn't utter a single word.
"Phew~, That was a great session." She said while wiping her forehead, having somewhat glistening skin full of energy.
Huo Yuhao felt weird because he was getting molested by Scathach. She didn't do anything sexual but unquestionably touched/patted his body like no tomorrow.
"Whatever, a small price for a bigger reward. Shishou, can you gather anyone you deem strong enough to explore the new continent? We have to explore this place and probably find Spirit Ring for you and Ying'er." Huo Yuhao sighed helplessly.
Scathach nodded and replied, "On the deck like usual?"
"Yeah."
"Then, I'll gather everyone there in five minutes."
Huo Yuhao watched her disappear from the room and shook his head because that young girl's body made her movement speed faster. He also prepared himself and grabbed some storage rings he created through Spirit Engineering and Spatial Manipulation.
...
...
"You guys are faster than me." Huo Yuhao chuckled while arriving at the deck. Six people are waiting for him.
Huo Yun'er giggled while covering her lower face with a fan and responded, "Well, I'm here first because how could I not follow my beloved Hao'er?"
"Um, Yuhao. Are we going to get my first spirit ring there?" Qianye Ying'er asked, to which Huo Yuhao responded with a nod.
"Even though our first objective was to explore the continent and discover a suitable camp, we might find some spirit beast on the way. That's why Shishou, mom, and you are here because you three need spirit rings." Huo Yuhao returned while staring at the other three members. They are Village Leaders who he recruited in the past.
"Nice to meet you, lord." A black-haired woman in a modest white robe lowered her head to him. She's Murong Qianxue, the former chief of Snow Village, and has the Spirit King cultivation.
As for the other Village Heads, they are burly-looking men with matching outfits. You might think they are twins at first glance, but they aren't. Lin Ming and Zhou Xuan are the head of a decent-sized village that is well-known for being a rival to each other one hundred years ago.
"Your majesty!" Ling Ming kneeled on the deck.
Not wanting to lose, Zhou Xuan kneeled and lowered his head to the floor. "It's a pleasure to meet you, young lord!" He shouted passionately, causing Ling Ming's mouth to twitch in annoyance.
Huo Yuhao smiled at them and replied, "Raise your head. I'll create a wormhole on that land."
"Everyone, ready?"
"Yes!!!"
He created a wormhole and stepped into it, getting followed by his companions slowly from behind. They arrived on the beach and saw tall trees all over the edge.
[Mystic Tree]
[Type: Plant]
[Grade: B-A+]
[Description: A plant that absorbs spirit energy and creates a white mist]
"At least the mist isn't fatal." Huo Yuhao used his Kenbunshoku Haki and scanned the beach skillfully, finding a natural path into the continent. He told his subordinate to follow him, and they walked into the forest filled with Mystic Trees.
They walked for two hours and encountered some rare spirit beast on the way, but Scathach suddenly felt something was watching over them after walking into a "deeper." part of the forest.
Scathach summoned Gae Bolg Alternative instinctively and commented, "Something is watching us."
[Name: Mystic Deer]
[Type: Spirit Beast]
[Age: 6.969 Years Old]
[Description: Mystic Deer is a native Spirit Beast to Mystic Tree Forest and have a powerful Light attribute after absorbing sunlight continuously for years, It could produce a light-based spear that catches its prey off guard in the thick mist]
"Sorry, but you're too perfect for Ying'er Battle Flag to be left alive." Huo Yuhao waved the Chains of Heaven and pulled the Mystic Deer through wormholes before it could even catch them off guard in this thick mist. The suppression was in effect and made the poor spirit beast faint immediately.
"Is this for me?" Qianye Ying'er stared at Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao handed her Baruka's Dagger and answered, "Yeah, kill it quickly. End that deer's life without making it suffer."
Qianye Ying'er nodded with resolution and grasped Baruka's Dagger handle. She breathed in because she had never killed any living being before, but this was Huo Yuhao's holy mandate. She has to do it.
"May your soul go to a better place, deer..." She whispered while pressing the dagger on Mystic Deer's head. And Purple Spirit Ring floated from the spirit beast's corpse.
Huo Yuhao pressed Qianye Ying'er shoulder and put her in the meditating position. He flowed his Spirit Energy into her and whispered, "Sit on the ground. I'll help you to absorb this spirit ring."
"Shishou, what about you?"
"Do you need help?"
"No, I'm fine. I want to see the effect of the Spirit Ring on my trusted weapon." Scathach grinned while lifting her Gae Bolg Alternative. "So I would hunt a suitable spirit beast by myself."
"That won't do. At least bring my mom, Murong Qianxue, and a copy of Chains of Heaven with you." He gave her a solemn look because this place was unknown to them. Who knows what kind of danger lies inside this place?
"Eh, I want to stay with you, Hao'er~!" Huo Yun'er complained while hugging him from behind.
"Fine." Scathath pulled Huo Yun'er and Murong Qianxue with her to another part of the forest. Huo Yuhao sent the Chains of Heaven's copies to her, wrapping her waist with it.
After watching them go, Huo Yuhao returned his focus to Qianye Ying'er. "Yeah, like that. Do it slowly by letting the spirit energy flow into your martial soul." He said calmly.
Huo Yuhao looked at the mystical forest's scenery and continued, "And now, we wait."