Chapter 7

Lu Yin glanced at Zhou Shan. What he said was true; so-called Huaxia's seven holy heaven-level experts were mere ants in the vast universe, and any student could possess heaven-level strength.

Heaven-level, in the universe, is known as the Exploration Realm, which is merely the second step of cultivation. The first step is the Observation Realm, symbolizing a fledgling bird that can only observe. Zhou Shan was at the Observation Realm. After that comes the Exploration Realm, where one learns to explore the power of the human body. The third step is the Fusion Realm, where one begins to become powerful and touches the limits of the human body. The fourth step is the Ultimate Realm, where one breaks through the limits of the human body and can traverse the void. Beyond that are the Explorers, who can wander the void. Such figures are too distant; if they appeared on Earth, they could make mountains and rivers reverse and continents crack with a wave of their hand.

And even the Explorers have not yet reached the level where they can create Body Shaping Techniques. The path of cultivation is vast and long, and it is almost impossible for a wandering soldier like Zhou Shan, who cultivates using energy crystals, to reach the level of an Explorer. The more powerful one becomes, the more one feels their own insignificance.

"Haha, why am I telling you this? Let's go out and take a look. At this time, Zhao Yu should be facing off against one of my myriarch commanders," Zhou Shan smiled and led Lu Yin out of the meeting room.

Lu Yin followed silently and soon arrived above the square they had been to before. Through the glass, they could see a myriarch commander being defeated by Zhao Yu, falling to the ground in a sorry state.

Zhao Yu, dressed in a tight outfit, moved with sharp and decisive strikes, something Lu Yin had already witnessed. At that moment, she was pressing Feng Hong hard.

Zhou Shan watched from above and shook his head. "There are strong and weak Earth-level experts, and the gap is significant. Zhao Yu can easily defeat my myriarch commander without using combat techniques."

Lu Yin looked down and said in a deep voice, "Her combat technique is derived from a plant."

Zhou Shan laughed. "Of course. Whether it's Snow Maiden or Luo Sheng, they must use external objects to perform the freezing Ice Palm; the human body itself cannot produce such effects."

Lu Yin narrowed his eyes. Can't produce? Wrong. Powerful cultivation techniques and innate abilities can change the natural phenomena, but Earth has not yet reached that level. His Heavenly Star Technique even mimics the movement of the stars. No one would believe him if he said this.

Below, Feng Hong was quickly defeated, followed by two more myriarch commanders. No one was willing to step up.

Zhao Yu raised her head and scanned the surroundings. "I've heard that the myriarch commanders of the Punishment Camp are iron-blooded warriors. What, no one wants to spar with me?"

Feng Hong and the others looked embarrassed.

Above, Zhou Shan chuckled. "The three Snow Maidens under Luo Sheng are called invincible at the Earth level. She indeed has some skills."

At this moment, Zhao Yu's gaze turned upward, directly at Lu Yin. She raised her hand and beckoned him, looking quite spirited.

Feng Hong and the others looked up in surprise.

Lu Yin raised an eyebrow. This was a challenge.

Zhou Shan laughed. "It seems she's not convinced by your victory yesterday."

"Yesterday's battle was inconclusive," Lu Yin said.

Zhou Shan said, "Then go and fight her. We can't let the Punishment Camp lose face."

Lu Yin nodded and turned to leave.

In the square, hundreds of evolved beings chattered, many looking at Zhao Yu with admiration. A woman who could make the myriarch commanders of the Punishment Camp hesitate was an absolute idol.

Seeing Lu Yin come down, Zhao Yu took a deep breath, her gaze stern. She was indeed not convinced by yesterday's battle. She had been in the lead but was mysteriously defeated. She wanted to see that combat technique again.

In the distance, Feng Hong and the others watched as Lu Yin approached. "Brother Lu, be careful. This woman can use the Ice Palm combat technique, which is very powerful."

Lu Yin nodded and walked step by step toward Zhao Yu. "Please."

Zhao Yu's eyes burned with battle spirit. She leaped up, drew a dagger from somewhere, and attacked just like at the pit, the dagger tearing through the air, reflecting a cold light.

Lu Yin dodged easily. Yesterday's him was different from today's him. Yesterday, he was just a physically strong ordinary person, but today, he was a cultivator, a cultivator at the Observation Realm.

Lu Yin dodged with ease, but Feng Hong and the others were on edge. Zhao Yu's attack speed increased, and even the dagger carried a cold aura, making the air turn white and the temperature drop sharply.

The ground of the square cracked as Zhao Yu swung her dagger, creating a whirlwind that blocked Lu Yin from all sides. Strands of energy pierced the walls, making many evolved beings struggle to breathe.

Lu Yin focused on Zhao Yu, suddenly raised his hand, and their figures crossed. The air was calm, and in his hand was a dagger emitting a cold aura.

Everyone held their breath, watching the scene. Zhao Yu was stunned; her hand was empty, and the dagger had been taken.

Feng Hong and the others were surprised, then excited. "Well done, Brother Lu."

"Brother Lu is amazing."

...

Lu Yin turned to face Zhao Yu, the dagger in his hand flipping. He casually threw it back to her. "Do you want to continue?"

Zhao Yu stared at Lu Yin. "How did you do that?"

Lu Yin shrugged. "Eyesight and hand speed, both are essential."

Nonsense, everyone thought.

Zhao Yu said with a complex expression, "You win. To take my dagger without a scratch, you should be unmatched at the Earth level. You are very strong."

Lu Yin chuckled. These people's horizons were too low. Even the fledgling birds at the Observation Realm, who didn't have proper combat techniques, would be at the bottom in any major academy in the universe. However, Zhao Yu was right; Lu Yin was confident that no one at the Observation Realm could match him.

Zhao Yu put away her dagger, somewhat disappointed. Only then did she notice that Lu Yin was different from yesterday. "You, were you out of energy yesterday?"

Lu Yin didn't explain and turned to leave. He wanted to go out and explore. The barren mountain didn't have what he was looking for, perhaps it was hidden elsewhere.

Zhao Yu watched as Lu Yin left. She wanted to ask about yesterday's combat technique, but it was a personal secret, and she couldn't bring herself to ask.

Feng Hong and the others were quite surprised. They didn't expect the newly joined myriarch commander to be so powerful. It was rumored that he had killed an alien, which was likely true, as that alien was a heaven-level expert, albeit a severely injured one.

Lu Yin became a myriarch commander, though without real power, the Punishment Camp still assigned him a squad of a hundred soldiers to command.

Leaving Zhongshan, Lu Yin waved, and a young evolved soldier stepped forward. "Commander, please give your orders."

Lu Yin said calmly, "Do you know where the former thermal weapon depot of Jinling is?"

The soldier replied, "Northwest direction."

Lu Yin took out a map. "Show me."

The soldier took out a pen and drew a circle on the map.

Lu Yin looked at it. "You can go back. I'll walk around on my own."

The soldier hesitated. "Commander, the weapon depot was destroyed at the beginning of the apocalypse. The remaining thermal weapons have been moved. If you need them, you can apply to Punishment Saint."

Lu Yin nodded. "Alright, I know. You can go back." With that, Lu Yin walked toward the northwest.

These soldiers were assigned to him by the Punishment Camp, partly to assist him and partly to monitor him. Lu Yin didn't plan to hide his tracks. What he was looking for was hidden very well, and blindly searching would be futile and might alert others. Now, he could search openly, and with his Earth-level strength, he wouldn't cause too much suspicion, and he might find what he was looking for.

Lu Yin's guess was correct. As soon as he left, someone reported to Zhou Shan.

Zhou Shan's eyes narrowed. "Weapon depot? What is he looking for there?"

The woman in glasses walked over, pushing her glasses up. "The weapon depot is already destroyed. He's probably not looking for thermal weapons, but I don't know what he's specifically looking for."

"Let him be. We have no secrets here," Zhou Shan smiled, not caring.

Jinling, centered around Zhongshan, radiated outward. The closer to Zhongshan, the better and safer the location.

The city had long lost its peaceful era's planning. The streets, flower beds, and even the river were inhabited by people living in blind fear, day by day.

In contrast, some people lived very happily, their moral底线 collapsed, doing whatever they wanted. On his way, Lu Yin saw many evolved beings bullying survivors, and even the Punishment Camp soldiers couldn't intervene in time.

This was the state of the world. For Earth, everything now was uncertain, but Lu Yin knew this was evolution, the evolution of a civilization to another, and the cost would be enormous.

The sky turned gloomy, and soon a heavy rain began, washing the ground. Red blood mixed with rainwater and various garbage spread everywhere.

Lu Yin found a relatively clean restaurant and sat down. The entrance was filled with survivors, and whenever the restaurant threw out food scraps, they would be fiercely fought over.

"Scram, scram, stay away. Remember to wash the bucket clean and return it, or next time, we'll have someone else do it," the restaurant server shouted, clearly an evolved being.

Lu Yin found a relatively clean restaurant and sat down. The entrance was filled with survivors, and whenever the restaurant threw out food scraps, they would be fiercely fought over.

"Scram, scram, stay away. Remember to wash the bucket clean and return it, or next time, we'll have someone else do it," the restaurant server shouted, clearly an evolved being.