Year 4 of the New Calendar, June.
Zhang Rongfang and Lali held a secret meeting at the Eternal Palace for a long time, then returned to the Great Spirit Interactive Area to begin preparations for establishing interconnections within the Interactive Zone.
Simultaneously, the Great Spirit Empire also began to consolidate its national strength, making ample preparations for the production of various food and mineral resources.
To unite everyone to face the despairing world, seeking the last hope.
The first step is to make everyone believe in everything they say.
Different Interactive Zones, different groups of people, different divine parasite entities, each has its own ideas.
Not everyone is willing to join this unimaginably large plan.
Therefore, Zhang Rongfang needs to preside over the integration of thoughts.
In the agreement between him and Lali, he is responsible for integrating all dissenting opinions, while Lali is responsible for the technical aspect of how to practically connect all Interactive Zones, she is tasked with its realization.
Great Spirit, Human Immortal Cave.
Zhang Rongfang, dressed in his Daoist robe, with his eyes half open and half closed, surrounded by red smoky clouds at his back, exuding a celestial aura, he embodies the style of a grandmaster of the Daoist sect.
To complete this grand plan, connecting all Interactive Zones, uniting all human resources.
He alone is naturally stretched too thin.
If others can’t win in a fight, surely they can still hide?
Hence, he needs enough subordinates to supervise the completion of this plan.
Numerous Grandmasters and Grandmasters of the Great Spirit have entered his sights.
Now, the entire Human Immortal Temple of the Great Spirit is centered around the entrance of the fissure outside the sky screen, continuously exploring and expanding.
The evil aura of the Evil Spirit only contaminates the Spiritual Line parasites, having no effect on the Bloodline.
The resilient self-healing ability of the Bloodline, combined with the specially crafted black armor by Zhang Rongfang, protects the whole body, greatly reducing the threats and burdens on the explorers.
During the detailed talks between him and Lali, centering on the Great Spirit’s fissure, the terrain within a hundred miles radius around it has been mapped out.
All Evil Spirits have been encircled and exterminated by the Bloodline Grandmasters of the Great Spirit.
Apart from the initial discomfort, the various tricks of the Evil Spirit Body were quickly understood, seen through, and easily evaded by the battle-hardened Grandmasters.
The Evil Spirit Body itself lacks intelligence, it only attacks instinctively, its true power lies in contamination.
For the Spiritual Line parasites of divine entities and Buddhas, not only fighting them but even approaching them could result in contamination.
The Bloodline Grandmasters, being of the same type as the Evil Spirit Body, not only possess intelligence but also have an extremely strong self-healing ability.
After suffering minor casualties and uncovering the dangerous methods of the Evil Spirit Body, they quickly relied on encirclement to crush the most basic Evil Spirit Vehicle.
Hongye, the centipede-human, is currently holding a document, respectfully reporting to Zhang Rongfang the situation of surface exploration.
"Based on the consolidated view of the surrounding landscape environment, the appearance of the heavenly light column is unpredictable, requiring personnel to constantly predict and calculate."
"Additionally, the people who went out exploring yesterday are back and brought back a clue to a gathering place of divine entities and Buddhas."
"The other side has shown goodwill towards us, should we attempt contact?" Hongye inquired.
"Gathering place of divine entities and Buddhas?" Zhang Rongfang’s eyes opened slightly. "Just Spiritual Line parasites, later we don’t need to call them divine entities and Buddhas, just uniformly call them Spirit People."
"Understood." Hongye diligently noted this term.
This is Lali’s professional designation for all Spiritual Line parasites, Zhang Rongfang decided to directly adopt it.
"Should we attempt contact?" Hongye hesitantly asked.
"Notify them that from now on, they will accept all the control and registration by my Great Spirit." Zhang Rongfang casually replied.
"But... there’s no way they will accept, right?" Hongye could guess the result without thinking.
The Great Spirit strictly controls the divine entities and Buddhas, does not allow them to consume human brains, as divine entities and Buddhas they must wholeheartedly serve everyone and perform their duties sincerely.
They must also be registered and accept supervision and regulation from Great Spirit officials.
This treatment is completely that of a conquered being, starting contact this way, how could the other party possibly accept?
"The goal is for them not to accept." Zhang Rongfang’s expression remained unchanged. "You first send the notice, wait for them to refuse, then I’ll lead a team to personally handle it."
In this world, there’s always a need for a ’chicken’ to use as an example to others.
Moreover, he holds no fondness for these divine entities and Buddhas, or Spirit People. He will offer a warning, if ignored, then he will kill them all. This is among his rare acts of mercy.
Hongye detected the murderous intent in Zhang Rongfang’s words, his heart shivered immediately, lowered his head to receive the order, and withdrew.
Leaving Zhang Rongfang alone in sitting meditation in the vast cave, slowly closing his eyes.
From leaving the sky screen until now, barely a month has passed.
But this little over a month has brought him, the entire Great Spirit, and everyone an unparalleled new shock.
"As for the so-called divine entities and Buddhas, only leave enough for use, the rest, if obedient, will be transformed into Bloodline, if not, there’s no point in retaining them."
Zhang Rongfang softly sighed.
"White Scale, since you returned, why not speak?" He sensed the presence of White Scale among the Three Flowers behind him.
But strangely, this fellow usually talks the most, yet now remains silent.
A white fog quickly surged into the Human Immortal Cave, spreading swiftly by the blood pool in front of Zhang Rongfang, revealing White Scale wearing a white dress with a slender silhouette.
She seemed somewhat silent, hesitating as if wanting to speak but holding back.
"What’s wrong? You went out for a trip and came back even changing your temperament?" Zhang Rongfang asked in surprise.
"Just encountered a few things..." White Scale softly shook her head, her gaze somewhat complex.
She accepted Lin Dong’s invitation to enter the survivor gathering area named Fu Yue.
In fact, the so-called survivors’ enclave is a gathering of gods and deities.
She has lived there for half a month or so, and Lin Dong’s family has been very hospitable to her.
She and Lin Dong share similar temperaments and quickly became closer.
This time coming back, she thought about how Lin Dong’s enclave needed a large range of materials, including minerals, oils, textiles, and more.
Even as gods and deities, many basic facilities require resources to operate, and the Spiritual Line cannot replace everything.
The illusions within the mysterious veils are just illusions, purely transformations in the spiritual consciousness.
Back in reality, even as gods and deities, life is still necessary.
So, this time she returned intending to discuss the situation in the enclave with Zhang Rongfang. She hoped to establish bilateral, friendly trade relations.
"Well, your return is just in time." But before she could speak, Zhang Rongfang closed his eyes and casually instructed.
"Hongye needs people to conduct a cleansing mission on a deity enclave. You join them. Your strength has significantly increased with my augmentation; it shouldn’t be a problem."
"Uh...cleansing? Why do they need cleansing? Did they do something?" Bai Lin was somewhat surprised.
"They did nothing. We simply need it," Zhang Rongfang answered flatly. "Besides, deities feeding on human brains are inherently evil creatures. Wiping them all out wouldn’t be a bad thing."
He opened his eyes to glance at Bai Lin.
"Even for you, sooner or later, I will transform you back to your Bloodline human form."
"....." Bai Lin opened her mouth, at a loss for how to respond.
Could it be that the Human Immortal Temple can now even transform deities into Bloodline?
Apparently sensing her confusion,
Zhang Rongfang added a comment.
"It can’t be done just yet, but after discussing with a like-minded individual for a long time, I’ve cleared the obstacles. I suppose it won’t be long before we complete this step. You can start preparing to celebrate."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"..." Bai Lin’s eyes widened, momentarily unsure of what to say.
Originally, she intended to share her insights about the enclave with Zhang Rongfang, but now...she suddenly hesitated.
If Zhang Rongfang learned about the enclave... would he casually decide the fate of everyone in there with just one word?
She dared not gamble on this.
In recent days, guided by Lin Dong, she toured every corner of the enclave where everyone worked hard, struggling for survival each day.
So many people, so many kindred spirits, including Lin Dong and her family, are all striving to live.
If she were to bring disaster upon the enclave because of her actions, Bai Lin knew she could never forgive herself.
"What are you thinking about? Don’t tell me someone tricked you silly?" Zhang Rongfang seemed to notice something.
After all, this fellow once got duped and left to be forgotten in the ruins, the statue concealed by others. If he hadn’t dug her out, she might have been completely forgotten, sinking into the Sea of Oblivion.
However, despite being a bit foolish, she was loyal, and her strength increased as his own did, which was something he appreciated.
"Nothing, just a bit tired from the journey." Bai Lin’s heart skipped a beat as she tried to display a sweet smile.
"Alright, I’m done talking to you. I’m going to play with the Celestial Maiden."
Quickly turning around, she hurriedly ran out of the cave.
’This old man, behaving like a little girl despite his age.’
Zhang Rongfang was left speechless and decided to ignore her.
He closed his eyes and opened the attribute panel.
Over a month had passed with previous accumulations, reaching the time for a new trait ability to appear.
He had a strong desire in his heart now.
Desire for an ability that can break through the current deadlock. In such a state, it might lead to a new breakthrough.
Based on his research, the emergence of trait abilities is greatly influenced by his desires.
At that moment, in the attribute panel, the life section had reached 3300 points.
Available attributes were at one hundred points.
Just barely full, Zhang Rongfang couldn’t wait to see what the new ability would be.
Up to this point, Lali relied on technology to enhance the essence of blood and flesh life, thus creating the Heart-Burning Furnace to aid human evolution.
Practicing the Martial Arts Atlas and refining the Heart-Burning Furnace to its limit could allow a person to transcend from a lower to a higher level of life.
Such martial arts are no longer within the range of pure martial arts but should be considered divine skills.
As for him, he relied on the combination of trait abilities to transcend the essence of life.
Practicing various martial arts of the Great Spirit only helps to exploit potential to the utmost, enhancing strength. It doesn’t affect the essence of life at all.
Steadfast in his thoughts, Zhang Rongfang withdrew his gaze and continued looking at the attribute panel.
’Hope for a method to break through....’
With this thought, he willed it, adding all available attributes to his life points.
Life instantly increased from 3300 to 3400.
And in the trait ability section, the lowest column slowly revealed new words.
What is this!?
Seeing the newly emerged ability, Zhang Rongfang’s eyes froze, and he was stunned.