47: Proton (IX)

Back at the base, everyone was still shaken by the experience.

Everyone reported their mission completion, but they kept silent about the mysterious group that had appeared, tacitly agreeing not to dwell on it.

However, Chi Yun knew in his heart that this matter was far from simple.

Those people used ruthless Moves and had clear targets, only taking the hearts and ignoring the monster cores; there was bound to be a massive plot behind it.

He buried this doubt and vigilance deep within his heart.

Time flew by, and a year passed in the blink of an eye.

During that year, Chi Yun followed the Xuanjin Guard squad through life and death, executing over a dozen missions of various sizes.

Publicly, his cultivation had steadily risen to the Seventh Level of Spirit Transformation Realm. In a remote Empire, this speed marked him as a peerless Genius, enough to make his teammates look at him in a new light.

Tiger had long since lost his initial hostility. On several critical occasions, Chi Yun had helped him resolve crises, and the two were now brothers who could trust each other with their lives.

Of course, no one knew that Chi Yun's true cultivation had quietly entered the Spirit King Realm.

Throughout the year, he had also been secretly investigating information about the power behind those silver masks.

Gathering scattered clues, he learned that this organization was called "Silver Gate."

Silver Gate had no fixed base; members addressed each other by code names and remained ignorant of each other's true identities. They acted with great secrecy and had only started becoming active in the Tianyan Continent area in recent years.

Various signs indicated that the shadows of Silver Gate were behind many of the upheavals occurring in the Imperial Dynasties of Tianyan Continent.

The most representative example was the "Rebellion of Ten Kings" that led to the decline of the Diyuan Dynasty.

On this day, the most urgent assembly whistle sounded once again at the Xuanjin Guard base.

Inside the council chamber, the atmosphere was even more solemn than during the previous encirclement of the Red-Eyed Wind Wolves.

“The situation is urgent.”

Tiger's face was grim as he pointed to a vast mountain range on the map.

“A large-scale monster riot has broken out in the Hundred-Sunder Mountain Range, affecting a very wide area.

According to intelligence sent back by the Empire's experts, there are likely over a dozen Spirit King Realm Great Yaos leading this riot.”

“Our mission is to cooperate with the Empire's experts, enter the periphery, and do our best to slay stray Spirit King Yao Beasts to alleviate the pressure on the main battlefield.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the breathing of Wu Gang and the others became heavy.

A monster riot organized by over a dozen Spirit King Realm Great Yaos—what a terrifying scale that was.

“Captain, what's the difference between this and sending us to our deaths?” one squad member couldn't help but ask.

“This is an order,” Tiger's voice left no room for doubt.

The group fell silent, silently checking their weapons and Medicinal Pills as the oppressive atmosphere reached its Peak.

On the chaotic battlefield, the sounds of shouting and the roars of Yao Beasts were deafening.

Chi Yun's squad was scattered by the beast tide.

He was alone, facing a massive Earth-Splitting Bear with a cultivation at the Third Level of Spirit King Realm and a violent aura.

The squad members saw this from a distance and broke into a cold sweat for him.

“Chi Yun!” Wu Gang roared, trying to rush over, but he was pinned down by two Peak Spirit Transformation Realm Yao Wolves.

Chi Yun's eyes were calm as he prepared to use his true strength to end the fight quickly.

Just then, several dark figures in silver masks once again cut into the battlefield like ghosts.

Their goal remained clear: they specifically hunted those Spirit King Realm Great Yaos and took their hearts, which were shrouded in black Qi.

The leader had a graceful figure, and judging by the voice, it was a woman.

“Move! Finish this quickly!”

However, an unexpected change occurred.

“Roar!”

A terrifying roar, enough to tear apart one's Divine Soul, echoed from deep within the mountain range.

A terrifying pressure far exceeding the Spirit King Realm instantly enveloped the entire battlefield.

An Earth Spirit Realm Great Yao!

A giant Tiger, its entire body burning with ghostly blue flames, stepped through the air. Wherever it passed, whether it was human experts or low-level Yao Beasts, they were all reduced to ashes.

The scene instantly spiraled out of control.

Everyone was paralyzed with fear.

“Retreat! Retreat quickly!”

“The monster riot can't be quelled! Run!”

Whether they were Empire experts or Xuanjin Guards, everyone's first reaction was to flee for their lives.

The leading woman from Silver Gate also sensed something was wrong. Watching the scene of the Yao Beasts losing control and going berserk, she seemed to realize something.

“The situation has changed! Withdraw!” she ordered decisively.

In the chaos, a member of Silver Gate had their chest crushed by the claw of a furious high-level Spirit King Realm Yao Beast, and the corpse landed not far from Chi Yun.

Chi Yun's mind raced.

His body moved like a ghost, weaving through the chaotic attacks and the crowd. Dodging several fatal Yao Beast strikes, he instantly reached the corpse.

He snatched the silver mask from the person's face and the Storage Pouch from their waist, stuffed them into his robes, and then fled toward the periphery without looking back.

After fleeing for an unknown amount of time, Chi Yun found a hidden cave. Just as he caught his breath, the Storage Pouch in his robes suddenly gave a slight vibration.

He cautiously opened the Storage Pouch and saw a palm-sized silver stone glowing faintly.

A cold woman's voice, tinged with a hint of urgency, came from the stone.

“Yun, Yan, Xu, Zhao, assemble at Black Stone Slope immediately.”

It was the voice of the leading woman from Silver Gate.

“Yun?”

Chi Yun looked at the silver mask in his hand, which had the character 'Yun' engraved on it, and hesitated for a moment.

He wiped the blood and grime from his face, and then slowly placed the cold silver mask onto his face.

The moment the mask fit, a strange power enveloped his body. His own aura and cultivation fluctuations seemed to be completely isolated by an invisible membrane.

Chi Yun's heart stirred; this mask was extraordinary. He suspected that anyone below the Heavenly Spirit Realm would be unable to see through his true state.

Following the silver stone's instructions, he then stealthily moved toward Black Stone Slope.

Black Stone Slope.

Four dark figures wearing silver masks were already waiting there.

Seeing Chi Yun arrive, the leading woman's tone carried obvious dissatisfaction.

“Yun, why did it take you so long to arrive?”

Chi Yun lowered his voice, imitating the raspy tone he had heard in a few sentences before.

“I was entangled by a few Spirit King Yao Beasts and it took some effort.”

This reason was logical and reasonable; the woman did not doubt him, only giving a cold snort.

She took a heart from her robes that was still slightly pulsating and wrapped in dense black Qi.

“Although an accident occurred during this mission, it also proved that the power of the test subjects exceeded expectations. The Alchemist's 'Frenzy' operation can officially begin its first trial.”

She paused, her voice becoming even colder.

“The location: Great Qian Empire.”

Chi Yun's heart jolted. The Great Qian Empire was a subsidiary Empire of the Xuan Yuan Dynasty, not far from the Great Qin, Skyfire, and Divine Martial kingdoms of his past life.

“Everyone get ready. In one month, we act according to plan.”

After the woman finished speaking, she distributed some preparation Materials to everyone; Chi Yun also received a portion.

He accepted it calmly, silently observing the other members, trying to deduce the specific details of the 'Frenzy' operation from the tools and Materials they were preparing.

He noticed that whenever anyone mentioned the title "Alchemist," their tone carried a deep, heartfelt awe.

A month passed by.

Through analysis, Chi Yun had roughly understood the contents of the 'Frenzy' operation.

They were going to release this black substance known as 'frenzy source' into the Yao Beast lands of the Great Qian Empire.

This substance could stimulate the ferocity and reproductive desire of Yao Beasts, creating an uncontrollable and massive monster riot in a very short amount of time.

Chi Yun's task was to work with another member codenamed 'Yan' to release the 'frenzy source' on the eastern side of the operation's core area.