Chapter 59: Return to the Firmament 1

Cultivating atop the Flame Stone made meditation easier, yet the stone was far too large for Le Kai to carry away with his current strength. With King Kong guarding this place, it was undoubtedly the safest location. Over this period, under Le Kai’s direction, King Kong had conquered the surrounding lands, subduing several mutant beasts within a thousand-mile radius. These creatures, intimidated by King Kong’s formidable prowess, had replaced the original wild boars, now forming a radiating perimeter around the volcano, silently defending it.

None of these mutant beasts were weaker than the wild boars; gathered together, they formed a formidable force. Even a master of the Hall level would not dare claim victory here. Approaching the volcano’s mouth as Le Kai had once done was now impossible, so Le Kai left with peace of mind.

King Kong seemed reluctant to part; after all, he had spent these days fighting and playing with Le Kai, receiving potions to boost his strength. His power had surged and was nearing nine thousand Anks—just a step away from entering the first-star warrior realm. With such strength, he could be considered a master across the entire Blue Star.

Le Kai patted King Kong’s head, jumped down from his shoulder, and waved, “Go back now. Guard our home well. If any intruders appear, destroy them!”

King Kong nodded in a human-like manner, whimpering, clearly unwilling to part.

Hundreds of kilometers were traversed in less than an hour as King Kong sprinted across the land. His speed and endurance were astonishing, nearly rivaling Le Kai’s Shark car. However, that vehicle could only reach five hundred kilometers per hour on flat roads, while the wild ravines offered no such ease. King Kong, unimpeded, leapt and bounded through the wilderness.

Le Kai turned and strode away toward his residence.

King Kong watched from afar until Le Kai’s silhouette vanished from sight. Then, he raised his head and roared, beating his chest so fiercely that the earth echoed for miles. The low-level mutant beasts within the area cowered, not daring even to breathe loudly. Only after King Kong had left for some time did they timidly resume their activities.

“To think a mere beast could possess such genuine emotion—how rare!” Le Kai, sensing King Kong’s sincerity, couldn’t help but chuckle softly, warmth flooding his heart. He had always had few friends; to have a mutant beast as a companion was indeed a rare blessing.

Le Kai’s belongings were few. This cave was more a place of memory—of his father, of the professor, and their shared times. Now, the cave held no practical use for Le Kai. The training equipment the professor had left behind was obsolete, meant for ordinary people below the warrior level. For those above, possessing true energy, there was no need for devices to forcibly open meridians or generate inner force.

The cold storage room, too, had dulled since Le Kai consumed the Three Yang Fruit. Though still icy, it lacked the bone-deep chill it once had. Le Kai understood that he had absorbed all the cold energy below to neutralize the fruit’s powerful yang force.

The true value of this stone house had been exhausted.

From now on, Le Kai’s life would be spent between the school and the extinct volcano.

He gazed deeply at the deserted, silent cave, closed the iron door, turned, and departed. Leaping from the cliff, his body twisted lightly in midair, landing like a swallow, not stirring even a speck of dust.

In front of the battered Shark car, the three brothers of the Wildmen eagerly greeted him, faces full of joy and admiration.

“Boss Le Kai, you’re back! For these three months, we’ve lived here, guarding your beloved car. Not a scratch on it!”

The eldest, with a sincere and honest appearance but a shrewd mind, hurried forward to speak as Le Kai arrived.

Le Kai glanced at the trio, and they straightened like soldiers receiving a general’s commendation, striving to appear loyal and valiant.

Le Kai’s keen observation quickly discerned the truth. Although the eldest’s words were not entirely honest, the chaotic footprints and occasional bloodstains around confirmed a fight had indeed occurred. Presumably, other Wildmen had coveted the car, resulting in a battle with the three brothers.

The brothers tried to act nonchalant, wanting to boast but afraid Le Kai would look down on them, their expressions awkward and uneasy.

Le Kai pondered, then tossed over a small vial: “Use it sparingly—it can save your life.”

It was a pill bottle taken from the cave, once used for storing medicine. Creating a batch of medicinal liquid had been just the first step. Next, according to the formula and perfect proportions, he had tried refining true pills. Though not yet fully confident, Le Kai was not one to stick rigidly to tradition and had experimented himself, producing this bottle of pitch-black, oddly burnt-smelling pills.

These were nothing like the Master’s so-called “Rapid Trauma Pills.”

But their effects might not be inferior, since Le Kai had used rare medicinal ingredients, far exceeding the formula’s prescribed quality.

The second brother, quick of hand, caught the vial, examined it, then wore a strange, stiff expression, hesitantly asking, “Le Kai, can this medicine really save lives? It looks like charcoal!”

Le Kai shot him a glare and snorted coldly, “If you don’t want it, give it back.”

Second brother clutched it tightly, as if fearing Le Kai might snatch it away, grinning sheepishly, “Boss, I was just saying! Anything you make can’t be ordinary. This must be good stuff!”

Le Kai smiled, “Smart of you. Remember, keep it hidden, don’t let anyone steal it.”

The eldest hesitated, then asked, “Boss Le Kai, you really don’t want to unify Zone B? With your strength, you’d be undefeated in the wild! If you take action, those fools wouldn’t dare show off!”

He had always hoped Le Kai would follow his father’s footsteps and unify Zone B, so the three brothers, as former followers, would gain status and prestige. They knew Le Kai’s strength well—surviving three months in Zone C spoke to a warrior’s legendary power, far beyond those still struggling at the refining stage.

Yet Le Kai seemed utterly uninterested, leaving the brothers disheartened.

Le Kai laughed, shaking his head, “No. Leading a band of wildmen and being responsible for them? Only a fool would bother.” In truth, he didn’t care to mention that Zone B was meaningless—he had already unified Zone C.

Seeing the brothers’ disappointed faces, then their ragged clothes and malnourished yellow complexions, Le Kai’s heart softened. The law of survival in the wild was brutally cruel. The triumph of the strong created kings, but also the sorrow of the weak.

Le Kai settled easily into the car and started the engine, while the brothers felt a sudden pang of bitterness, as if hope for life had vanished.