"By the way, we've got all the materials. What should we do next?" Li Baiyu looked at Shen Jingqi and asked.
"Let's leave here first, find a safe place, and then plan our next move."
The two nodded and set off on their way back. Discover more novels at N0v3l.Fiɾe.net
After several hours of trekking, they finally arrived at an abandoned hut. Although the hut was dilapidated, it was enough to shield them from the wind and rain. They decided to rest here temporarily and wait for the next step in their plan.
"This mission was truly thrilling," Shen Jingqi sighed.
"Yeah, I almost got trapped in the deep-sea ruins and couldn't get out," Li Baiyu said with lingering fear.
"But we succeeded, didn't we?" Shen Jingqi said with a smile.
Li Baiyu nodded, looking at the jewel in his hand, filled with hope. This jewel would help them solve bigger problems.
"What should we do next?"
"Let's first study these materials and the jewel to see if there's anything special about them. Then we'll figure out how to fuse them together to bring out the greatest power."
"Found it! This article says that this jewel can stabilize space-time, but it needs a certain mysterious power to fully utilize its potential." Li Baiyu shouted excitedly.
"Mysterious power? Does it mean the fruit?" Shen Jingqi asked in confusion.
Li Baiyu nodded, "Very likely. That fruit can absorb Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, maybe it's the key to activating the jewel's power."
The two decided to try to fuse the fruit with the jewel. They found a clean container, placed the fruit inside, and then carefully placed the jewel above the fruit.
Just as they were about to proceed with the next step, they suddenly heard a series of hurried footsteps. Their hearts tightened, and they immediately became alert.
"Someone's coming!" Shen Jingqi whispered.
Li Baiyu quickly put the jewel and fruit into the backpack and hid in the dark corner of the hut with Shen Jingqi.
They pressed themselves against the wall, holding their breath as if this could help them avoid the impending danger.
Through the narrow crack in the door, they saw a group of black-clad people approaching the hut. Their steps were steady and strong, with sinister smiles on their faces, clutching sharp weapons that gleamed with a cold light in the sunlight.
"Who are these people? How did they know we were here?" Shen Jingqi whispered, trying to keep his voice low enough that the black-clad people outside couldn't hear them.
Li Baiyu clutched the backpack strap tightly, his fingers turning slightly pale from exertion.
Just as they were tense and nearly suffocating, they heard a slight sound of footsteps in the distance. These footsteps were completely different from the heavy steps of the black-clad people, seeming light and swift.
"Is it someone sent by Eric?" Shen Jingqi asked quietly, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Li Baiyu did not answer, only kept his eyes on the door crack, afraid to miss any detail. Sure enough, he saw the group of black-clad people suddenly stop, seemingly disturbed by the unexpected footsteps.
Soon, a man dressed in gray emerged from the darkness. He was tall and agile, with a calm expression on his face, as if everything before him was within his control.
"Is it you?" he asked in a low voice, with a barely detectable authority in his tone.
The leader of the black-clad people frowned and stepped forward, glaring at the gray-clad man. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" His voice was low and hoarse, filled with menace.
The gray-clad man smiled slightly and did not directly answer his question. "I'm just here to pick up my people," he said, glancing at the spot where Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu were hiding.
Shen Jingqi's heart tightened; he knew the gray-clad man had discovered their hideout. But he also understood that now was absolutely not the time to make any hasty moves.
The leader of the black-clad people seemed to sense something and suddenly turned to look at the crack in the hut's door, a fierce gleam flashing in his eyes. "You people hiding inside, get out here!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the night sky, full of intimidation.
Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu's hearts trembled; they knew there was no need to hide any longer. So, they slowly came out from the darkness, standing beside the gray-clad man.
The leader of the black-clad people looked at the three in front of him and sneered. "Hmph, so you're the ones causing trouble. None of you will leave here alive today!" he said, waving his hand to signal his men to charge forward.
The gray-clad man gently waved his hand, stopping his men from acting. "Hold on," he said, his gaze lingering on the leader of the black-clad people for a moment, "who sent you? Why are you after them?"
The leader of the black-clad people sneered, "That's none of your concern. Anyway, you all must die here today!" he said, again signaling his men to take action.
However, the gray-clad man showed no signs of retreat. He stood his ground, his eyes slightly narrowed, exuding a powerful aura. The black-clad men seemed also intimidated by his aura, halting their steps, not daring to move.
"I'll ask one more time, who sent you?" the gray-clad man said, his voice deep and powerful, as if containing endless might.
The leader of the black-clad people gritted his teeth, his face twisted in a sinister smile. "Hmph, so what if you know? You all still have to die today!" he said, suddenly drawing his weapon and charging at the gray-clad man.
The gray-clad man easily dodged the attack, swiftly countering with a fierce palm strike towards the leader. With a loud "bang," the leader was sent flying backward by the powerful force, crashing heavily to the ground.
His subordinates, seeing this, stepped back in fright, not daring to come closer. The gray-clad man stood his ground, surveying them with a piercing gaze, as if looking at a group of insignificant ants.
"Anyone else want to try?" the gray-clad man said coldly, his voice full of unquestionable authority.
The black-clad people exchanged glances, none of them daring to advance. They knew the man before them was not someone they could handle. So, they dropped their weapons and turned to flee.
Watching the black-clad people retreating, Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu both sighed in relief. They knew they escaped danger this time thanks to the gray-clad man's help.
"Thank you," Shen Jingqi said gratefully, his eyes full of admiration.
The gray-clad man smiled slightly, waving his hand. "No need to thank me. I'm the one Eric sent to pick you up. My name is Renault," he said, patting Shen Jingqi's shoulder.