Volume One, Chapter 28: The Perilous Waterway

The process was fraught with extreme peril. The slightest lapse in concentration could result in shattered meridians or, worse, having one’s consciousness usurped by the lingering soul of the Fish King.

Li Hexuan, however, remained impassive. Drawing upon the desperate life-or-death experience from his two lifetimes, he struggled to maintain control amidst the onslaught of violent energy.

Time slipped away quietly.

Inside the basement, a ghostly blue radiance completely engulfed Li Hexuan. Turbulent waves of energy erupted repeatedly, only to be forcefully suppressed by him time and again.

Who knows how much time had passed.

As the final wisp of energy from the King-tier Source Crystal was absorbed and refined, an unprecedented, formidable aura exploded from within Li Hexuan’s body!

"Hum—!"

The deep blue electromagnetic glow circulating over his skin intensified several times over. His mastery over lightning and magnetism had broken through the barrier, stepping into a brand-new realm—the High Tier.

Power! Unprecedented power flooded every fiber of his being.

Li Hexuan slowly opened his eyes. A terrifying flash of electricity sparked deep within his pupils before quickly receding. He clenched his fist, feeling the surging, tumultuous strength within him, and a cold arc formed on his lips.

Chen Hao, your days are numbered.

"Thunder-Magnetic Storm!"

With a flicker of thought, Li Hexuan splayed his right hand. In his palm, an energy field composed of countless fine bolts of lightning and violently chaotic magnetic force instantly took shape. It emitted a dense, crackling sound, causing the surrounding air to become scorched and distorted.

This was a wide-area attack technique he had intuitively grasped upon ascending to the High Tier. While its range was not yet vast, its sustained cutting and paralyzing effects were enough to make any enemy’s scalp crawl.

He then turned his attention to the thick concrete wall of the secret chamber, lifting his right index finger and aiming it forward.

The High-Tier electromagnetic energy within his body compressed and condensed at an incredible speed.

"Electromagnetic Cannon!"

*Chi—!*

There was no earth-shattering roar, only an almost imperceptible hum.

A beam of azure light, condensed to the extreme and as thin as a finger, shot silently from his fingertip.

The next moment, the half-meter-thick specialized concrete wall was cleanly pierced by the beam, leaving behind a small, bottomless hole with edges as smooth as a mirror. Its piercing power and terrifying destructive force were chilling.

Simultaneously, a massive, warm current flooded his entire body. Tempered by this pure energy, his physical constitution underwent a transformative rebirth, leaping directly from his previous E-rank Awakened status to the peak of D-rank! He was now just a hair’s breadth away from C-rank.

"This power..." Li Hexuan clenched his fist again, feeling the surging force within that seemed capable of tearing through anything with ease. His cold lips curled upward uncontrollably. This King-tier Source Crystal had certainly not disappointed him.

Pushing open the heavy iron door of the secret chamber, the blinding sunlight spilled in. Far from causing discomfort, it brought him a sense of long-lost relief.

Zhang Nan and Su Mengyi had been waiting anxiously outside. When they sensed the distinct, powerful aura radiating from Li Hexuan—an aura that even brought them a faint sense of oppression—their faces lit up with irrepressible joy.

"Brother Xuan, you... you succeeded?!" Zhang Nan asked, his voice thick with unrefined excitement and his eyes wide as saucers.

Su Mengyi also let out a long sigh of relief and smiled faintly. "Mr. Li, the impression you give me now is... incredibly powerful."

Having absorbed those high-quality green and blue Source Crystals, the coverage and healing effects of her "Life Eulogy" ability had significantly improved. Her ability to accelerate and control plant growth had become more adept, and she could now sense the subtle differences in the energy attributes contained within different Source Crystals more clearly.

Zhang Nan grinned broadly and slapped his chest. "Me too! I feel like my strength has grown quite a bit. Using 'Titan’s Might' feels much smoother than before!"

Li Hexuan nodded with satisfaction. "Excellent. As we all grow stronger, the Thunder God Base will truly be able to stand its ground."

Without delay, he immediately summoned his core members, including Zhou Yong, Old Wang, and Liu Zhong.

"Old Zhou, the base’s defense system must be replanned immediately," Li Hexuan said, pointing to a makeshift topographical map of Falling Leaf Mountain. His tone allowed for no debate. "The fish-monster assault exposed too many of our weaknesses. The skeleton of that Lantern Fish King is exceptionally hard; find a way to extract it and use it to reinforce our key defensive fortifications. Furthermore, the electrical traps we rely on must be hidden more cleverly, and their power must be further increased."

Old Wang nodded repeatedly, his face betraying lingering fear. "Leader Li is right! If it weren't for you turning the tide, our Thunder God Base would have been finished! We must reinforce these defenses at all costs!"

"Additionally," Li Hexuan scanned the group, his expression turning grave. "Starting today, the Thunder God Base will officially implement a contribution point system. All members, new or old, will be treated equally, with food and supplies distributed based on labor. Anyone who participates in combat, base construction, or resource gathering will earn corresponding contribution points. Those who achieve merit will be heavily rewarded; those who err will be strictly punished! Those who perform exceptionally and make significant contributions to the base will be given priority in the distribution of Source Crystals to enhance their strength!"

As soon as these words were spoken, all the core members present, including Zhou Yong, turned solemn.

This was not just a system; it was an incentive—a clear path in the apocalypse to see hope and the means to grasp that hope through one's own efforts.

"We shall strictly follow the Leader's command!" Zhou Yong and the others replied in unison, their voices resonant and firm.

Su Mengyi then added softly, "Mr. Li, my ability to control plants has increased quite a bit recently. I was thinking, perhaps we could attempt to artificially cultivate some aggressive or deceptive mutated plants around the perimeter of the base to form an initial biological defense line and share some of the pressure."

Li Hexuan’s eyes flashed with approval. "That’s a good idea! I entrust this matter entirely to you. Whatever resources you need, report them to Old Zhou, and the base will provide full support."

With each instruction issued methodically, the entire Thunder God Base began to run with unprecedented efficiency. Although the scars of the great battle remained, every person’s face carried a newfound drive and a longing for the future.

To guard against the possibility of the snake-like Chen Hao launching another sneak attack, and to gain a more comprehensive grasp of the surrounding area's dynamics, Li Hexuan immediately dispatched several elite reconnaissance teams led by trusted core members like Liu Zhong to secretly slip out and scout in different directions around Falling Leaf Mountain.

After handling these pressing matters, Li Hexuan’s gaze inadvertently swept over the crowd cleaning up the ruins, eventually resting on a particularly disheveled figure—Jia Shuwen.