Within an instant, a whirlwind seemed to whip through the room.

Amidst a thunderous Space Break, the Cross Spear materialized in Huai Shi's hand. As he stepped forward, the spear once again sliced through the air, emitting a piercing shriek.

A flash of scorching light, like molten steel, flickered and died.

This was followed by faint, splintering sounds.

At the end of the basement, the special alloy-covered iron post had been pierced by the spear's blade, a deep crevice bored through it, while the branches of the Long Spear were wedged into the steel.

Amidst the crisp sound of the crack spreading, the outer alloy layer flaked off.

On the wall behind the iron post, a fissure appeared silently.

Where the spear pointed, dust trickled from the fissure, piling on the floor into a small mound of white.

In that moment, Huai Shi, exerting all his strength, replicated the speed and Power of a Vampire, though the cost was near exhaustion and numb arms.

But if he were to use Liberator, he could repeat such an attack several more times.

He could even use Alchemy Fire to control the burst, dividing Liberator from the inside out into sixteen layers, igniting them like a fuse to create an even more devastatingly lethal force in an instant.

"Very good."

Raven finally seemed confident. "With skills like these, I can confidently let you participate in the demon-hunting competition."

"What competition?" Huai Shi was taken aback.

"The demon-hunting competition."

Raven said calmly, "Just from the name, you should know what it's about, right?"

"There's such a competition?" Huai Shi was amazed; truly, the world was full of wonders.

"A group of rather irksome Owners of the Great Mob founded it. The competition is held in a small-scale Mobile Border and is considered one of the more renowned events within the Border. This time, it's just the selection for the southern region of Dongxia. If you participate, you stand a good chance of winning.

Most importantly, among the prizes offered are a number of items from Hell, likely including materials you'll need for your next advancement."

Hearing about materials for his advancement, Huai Shi instantly became extremely cautious.

However, he quickly caught on to her terminology.

"Owner of the Great Mob?" he asked, startled. "Some penguin group admin?"

"...If that's how you want to understand it, it's not too far off."

Raven glanced at him, speechless. "The term 'Owner of the Great Mob' is used by people in the Current Circumstances to refer to some rulers of Depth Hell. These are often powerful beings who have survived in Hell for hundreds of years—monsters among monsters. They are leaders and Rulers of their own kind, and each one can almost represent an entire hellish force. Do you understand now?"

"Sounds powerful!"

"There are strong and weak," Raven explained seriously. "The strong can clash head-on with their Natural Enemy, while the weak might be thrashed by you."

Raven spoke gravely, "This competition has received the tacit approval of the Astronomical Society and can even distribute invitations in the Current Circumstances. This shows their influence is significant. You need to be careful not to offend the organizers. Being blacklisted is the least of your worries; it would be terrible if they set you up.

Although they wouldn't kill their own contestants, leaving a Curse that makes you miserable for decades is within their capabilities. And their Curses are particularly troublesome. The last person who messed around in the competition was Cursed; ever since, everything he drinks tastes like cold water. He hasn't had a hot drink in decades—even his shit isn't warm."

Huai Shi shuddered, then quickly realized, "Wait, these guys are generally demons, right? Does it make sense for them to spend money hosting a demon-hunting competition?"

"You'll know when you get there."

Raven gave him a complex look. "This competition is of great significance for you, even though it might be a bit beyond your limit... but I hope you can win."

"Don't worry. As long as there are no Fourth Stage, I can put up a fight."

Huai Shi thought for a long moment, psyching himself up.

"If just being able to fight was enough, it would be easy," Raven sighed with worry. "Since you're so confident, I won't crush your spirits. I'll get everything ready later, and I hope you can use these tools effectively."

"When does this competition start?" Huai Shi asked.

"Coincidentally, it starts tonight." Raven revealed a smile that made Huai Shi uneasy. "How's that for timing, eh?"

As she spoke, she picked up the invitation—black with gold embossing and written in some hellish language—and placed it in front of Huai Shi.

"I wish you a smooth journey..."

「At midnight, twelve o'clock.」

On the lawn behind the Stone Marrow Pavilion, Huai Shi carried a huge metal case on his back, looking like a food delivery person. His face was covered with a cheap plastic Peppa mask as he stared at the invitation in his hand, completely baffled.

Something about this demon-hunting competition didn't seem quite right. But he couldn't put his finger on it.

Carrying the box of secret weapons Raven had prepared for him, which he hadn't had time to open, he was hastily sent on his way by Raven. But just before he left, Uncle Fang stopped him.

"Young Master, that..."

He looked at the two-dollar-for-eighteen plastic mask on Huai Shi's face, hesitated for a long time, and then pulled out a cloth bundle from his chest. "Wearing that seems a bit undignified. If you don't mind, I have something here..."

Huai Shi took it curiously, opened the cloth bundle, and his expression twitched behind the mask.

"Alright then..."

He picked up the mask from the cloth bundle. It was made of iron, clanging solidly when struck. If he wasn't mistaken, Uncle Fang had probably fashioned it himself by splitting a hairdryer from the backyard storage room in half and welding it. To cater to his young master's eccentric aesthetic, Uncle Fang had somehow acquired a can of spray paint and, after painting it pink, welded two bolts on as eyeballs. Steel Peppa.

"This is still Peppa!"

Huai Shi wanted to cry but had no tears. Seeing Uncle Fang's expectant gaze, he could only force a smile and don the mask.

Uncle Fang examined it closely, then picked up a paint pen and added two blush spots. He stepped back and smiled contentedly, as if looking at the most dazzling kid within a few hundred miles.

"Then I'll make breakfast and wait for your return."

After bowing, he turned and left.

"Look, even Uncle Fang is cheering you on!" Raven remarked from Huai Shi's shoulder. "You have to try harder!"

"What if I feel even more powerless?"

"Then think of something good. Like your savings?" Raven suggested. "The more than ten million I spent is down to just over eight hundred now. You need to work harder to provide for the family!"

"Please, just stop talking, will you?"

Huai Shi felt even more drained, his whole being seeming to turn a ghastly pale.

Not wanting to deal with this pest, he picked up the invitation and walked onto the lawn.

According to Raven's translation on the invitation, participating in the competition was very simple. He just needed to hold the invitation, wander a few circles at a three-way intersection at the appointed time, and the organizers would receive his signal and pull him into the Border.

It sounded unbelievably convenient.

But the problem was... where to find a three-way intersection! Finding a crossroads was easy, but suddenly being asked to find a three-way intersection was a headache. With no other choice, he had to do as Raven instructed; after all, any road would do, even one at his own home. He had Uncle Fang create a small path on the lawn with a weed whacker during the day.

This doesn't seem reliable at all, does it?

Under the tranquil moonlight, Huai Shi stared at the crude three-way path on the lawn before him. Holding the invitation, he took a step forward, then froze.

Fog began to rise.

The more he moved forward, the thicker the fog became. He followed the ritual on the invitation: standing firm at the intersection, walking ten steps in each of the three directions, and then returning. By then, the fog was so dense he couldn't see his own fingers.

In a brief moment of trance, Huai Shi thought he heard the faint sound of bells.

The fog dissipated suddenly.

He was back at the three-way intersection.

But this time, it was not on his home lawn, but rather a bustling intersection wide enough for several carriages to gallop back and forth.

In fact, various old-fashioned carriages were coming and going. Aided by the lanterns hanging on them, Huai Shi could glimpse beings inside that were human-like but not quite human. Even the coachmen had scales or gills on their faces.

They were pulling not just horses, but also all sorts of strange creatures.

An early, basic car even chugged past him, leaving behind a choking plume of smoke. Atop it, an arrogant green-skinned Goblin was shouting, "Move away, move away, move away, don't block the road!"

Huai Shi obligingly moved to the side. When he looked at the street sign, he found the text completely unfamiliar.

As his gaze lingered, the text on the sign writhed like a living thing, then transformed into Dongxia script: To the left, White City; to the right, Green Island Food Festival; to the back, Gray Shore.

"Head to Green Island, and remember not to take the wrong direction," Raven reminded him. "This is an intermediary Border; getting lost here would be very troublesome."

"Food Festival?" Huai Shi was astonished. "Are you sure?"

"Just go! Why ask so many questions!"

"Fine, fine, fine..."

As Huai Shi moved forward, he felt the number of fellow travelers along the road increase, as if they were emerging abruptly from foggy side paths.

Most appeared human, many of them Sublimators emanating a faint glow. Each was armed with various weapons and looked quite formidable. A few, in particular, filled Huai Shi with a sense of threat.

Those individuals looked down at people with eyes that seemed to see them as food!

Before he realized it, the ground beneath his feet had turned into a concrete road. In the distance, lights like those of an amusement park flickered, and the air buzzed with the murmur of a crowd.

But when Huai Shi raised his head, a chill struck him, and he stood rooted to the spot.

Raven looked at his stunned expression and couldn't help but sigh. "What is it? So jumpy... Don't let people think you're from the countryside, okay?"

"But, but... the, the sky!"

Huai Shi looked up blankly at the Sky Dome, or rather, what should have been the Sky Dome...

Above the Sky Dome, the brilliant starry sky had vanished. In its place, a surging ocean rolled!

Numerous undercurrents churned, waves cresting again and again, sending spray flying, yet they never fell towards the ground. The vast and boundless Dark Ocean enveloped everything.

He could vaguely make out white sails leaping and voyaging on the storm-tossed waves. Despite the tens of thousands of meters of distance, Huai Shi could even hear the faint roar of countless colliding water currents.

The sea churned incessantly, its violence and turmoil constant, as if at any moment it would pour down from the entire sky, drowning everything.

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