Night of Despair

Chapter 306 - 306 304 people 2

?Chapter 306: 304 people 2 Chapter 306: 304 people 2 Yu Hong exhaled.

‘Exactly, this is what I want!’

A satisfied expression appeared on his face as he continued to read on.

This Cultivation Technique revolves around cultivating a special energy called Spirit Light after practicing.

This energy can attach and merge with anyone who practices the Guanwu Jade Spirit Skill Daoist Skills.

Thus, it accelerates their cultivation speed and provides certain protection and physical enhancement to the cultivator themselves.

Then, each cultivator will develop a strand of Spirit Light, which strengthens this energy.

Every once in a while, the Spirit Light of all cultivators will return to the first cultivator, merge, purify, and then enhance the intensity of everyone’s Spirit Light.

Theoretically, this new modified Cultivation Technique grows more powerful the more people practice it.

Regarding other aspects, it resembles the Guanwu Skill, which involves summoning the Fear Shadow, overcoming it, defeating it, and then controlling it.

There are still nine levels; after completing each level, the cultivator’s mental strength doubles.

Overall, it’s an enhanced version of the ordinary Guanwu Skill.

Having obtained the secrets of the technique, Yu Hong didn’t hesitate and immediately went into the basement to start practicing the technique anew.

*

*

*

Hope City.

High-power lamps simulating sunlight woke this disaster-ridden city from its early morning slumber.

The sound of radio gymnastics began to play, serving as the sole accompaniment of the morning.

“Previously, everyone here used to sleep later and later, until it was discovered that lack of sleep severely affected people’s memory and comprehension. Hence, my father collaborated with other committee members to establish the current regimen for the public’s rest, mandating specific times for sleep, morning exercises, and noon naps.”

Now the first commissioner, Chen Yaofeng, accompanied Yu Hong to the highest point in Hope City, closest to the simulated sun, overlooking everything.

“It’s a good policy, but the actual effect depends on people’s willingness. You can’t force someone to sleep or rest,” Yu Hong said from a slightly behind position, arms crossed, gazing into the distance.

The two had no guards around them; for everyone, being beside Yu Hong was currently the safest place.

“Come on, Yu Hong, you don’t visit for no reason; you wouldn’t be here just to hang out,” Chen Yaofeng said with a smile.

“You know me well,” Yu Hong returned with a wry smile, stretching out his hand to pull out a self-copied book of Guanwu Jade Spirit Technique.

This book was naturally abridged.

The new Guanwu Jade Spirit Skill was simpler than he imagined; it was just like the original but with an extra little Secret Technique added at the last breakthrough. Hence, he had mastered the Spirit Light immediately.

“I’ve been diligently researching and pondering how to entirely solve the issue of the continual resurrection of the Black Disaster, which you know well. Although the Cold Disaster has now become the biggest trouble, the Black Disaster still exists, with fewer low-level shadows, yet the high-risk Black Disaster remains fearless of the Cold Disaster and even harnesses its power to become even more terrifying,” Yu Hong said gravely.

“You’re right…” Chen Yaofeng’s expression turned serious and he nodded. “So, you have thought of a method?” he asked with a hint of anticipation, looking at the booklet in Yu Hong’s hand.

“Indeed…” Yu Hong nodded. “This Guanwu Jade Spirit Technique is a special spell I’ve restored from some Ancient Books and combined with my own situation, which enhances a person’s spiritual power. Through spiritual power, it combats the Black Disaster, thereby preventing it from regenerating.”

“…” Chen Yaofeng stared at him, suddenly bursting into laughter. “What holiday is it today that you’ve come all this way to joke around?”

“Do you think I’m someone who likes to joke?” Yu Hong retorted.

Seeing his expression, the smile on Chen Yaofeng’s face slowly faded, turning solemn, and then serious, mixed with a bit of hope and apprehension.

“Have you… tested it?”

“Of course, I’ve already tried it with normal shadows, and indeed, they didn’t resurrect,” Yu Hong responded solemnly.

“…” Chen Yaofeng looked at the booklet in Yu Hong’s hand, his gaze suddenly changing.

“I need to test it further; if it really works…” He did not finish his sentence.

But Yu Hong understood the implication.

The spread of the Guanwu Jade Spirit Technique was the hope he found for the remaining humans in Hope City.

It was also something that could strengthen his own trump card.

“If it succeeds, start having everyone test the cultivation as soon as possible. Time waits for no one,” Yu Hong said somberly.

“I understand. Yu Hong… if this succeeds, perhaps everyone will remember you forever,” Chen Yaofeng said gravely.

A little over ten minutes later.

Yu Hong left Hope City, heading back towards the camp.

He moved extremely fast; as he sprinted, a dim array-like circle of silver patterns naturally lit up beneath him.

Within the pattern flowed chain-like runes, which, like living creatures, kept intertwining, overlaying, and emitting faint sounds only Yu Hong could hear.

‘Is this the amplification of Spirit Light?’ Yu Hong carefully observed its enhancement on himself.

‘The speed is unaffected, the physical enhancement is slight, very weak, just like wearing an extra layer of denim. A bit thicker skin. No other changes. It must be because I’m the only one practicing. Perhaps it will gradually strengthen as more people join.’

Yu Hong speculated.

The amplification wasn’t important to him; he only cared about ensuring it didn’t backfire on himself, nothing more.

*

*

*

Black Wind Camp.

Zhang Kajing stood quietly beside the Ultimate Gate, where the bewitching Cosmic Divine Light that could completely melt all living beings had no effect on her.

She reached out her hand, gently touching the outer wall of the Ultimate Gate.

Frozen ice slowly formed traces under her fingertips.

“Is this it?” she murmured softly in a strange language that had never appeared in this world, as if talking to herself or conversing with something.

“Change, origin, comes from him, I can discover, the secret he hides… needs time… slowly…”

Zhang Kajing spoke in a low voice, gradually closing her mouth as her voice faded into silence.

After a while, she drew back her hand, the tips of her fingers already covered and spreading with a blue layer of ice, completely frozen solid.

Tsk.

A crisp sound.

Her fingers shattered completely, turning into blue light particles that scattered on the ground, merging with the Cosmic Divine Light.

Visibly, a new segment of finger silently and suddenly grew from where the old one broke off, restoring it to its original form.

“What a strange world…” She moved her fingers and turned towards the entrance of the cave she lived in.

But halfway there, she suddenly paused, turning her head to look far outside the camp.

There, on a patch of blue snow, stood a pale little boy whose body was dark, with only his eyes bloodshot.

“Land of vitality…” The boy, not even as tall as a suitcase, stood eerily straight in the snow, wearing simple white clothing with a squirrel pattern. His exposed skin on his face and hands was covered in dark red blood vessels reminiscent of centipedes.

“This… is the land of vitality…” the boy said softly in the same language.

“…” Zhang Kajing gently raised her hand, pointing towards the distance.

Understanding her gesture, the boy’s face showed a hint of fear as he quickly turned and left towards the distance.

Tsk.

In an instant, after just a few steps, his body disappeared as if through Instantaneous Movement.

Watching him completely leave, Zhang Kajing then hurried towards the camp.

Similarly, she hadn’t taken many steps before she disappeared in a blink of an eye.

The next moment, she appeared directly inside the cave of the camp, as if she had never left.

Just then, the stone at the cave entrance was slowly pushed open, and Yu Hong’s face appeared from outside.

“Sorry for leaving you alone here for so long. Have you decided? Do you want to go live with more people by the Hope City River? Staying here doesn’t really serve any purpose,” he asked seriously.

Zhang Kajing shook her head, her expression resolutely declining.

“Alright, if you change your mind, just tell me when I’m here,” Yu Hong instructed.

“Okay…” Zhang Kajing nodded.

“I need to go out for a bit, do whatever you want, I’ll leave you some books to read, and you can tidy up the breeding boxes,” Yu Hong quickly moved some books and several breeding boxes for her to handle.

Then he went off on his own back to the basement.

Not long after, the entire cave, now a safe house, trembled faintly.

Yu Hong had already disappeared from the spot.

After another ten minutes or so.

Zhang Kajing slowly walked out of her own cave entrance, looking towards the safe house cave.

It still looked the same as before, with no visible changes.

But…

Zhang Kajing walked up to the door, stretched out her hand, and gently touched it.

“Something has… left…” she murmured softly.

*

*

*

World of Huangsong Island.

Qingchen Temple and Jiufang Temple, together, host a Daoist Skills exchange meeting.

Taoist Yu Mo, accompanying Yu Hong, and Master Yu Hen, along with Zheng Ming, participated in this meeting.

Officially, it claimed to be an exchange of experiences in removing resentful marks which have appeared frequently lately.

But in reality, it was a covert power struggle.

Qingchen Temple dominates Taizhou, while Jiufang Temple controls the nearby Hui State, with the two areas closely neighboring each other, often conflicting.

If not for upper-tier Taoist Sect interventions, there might have been visible signs of conflict.

Now with Yu Hong, a top disciple who had obtained a Profound Level Inheritance Dao Artifact, and capable of self-defense,

Yu Mo and Yu Hen could no longer hold back, deciding to slowly start building up Yu Hong’s reputation step by step.

After all, reputation isn’t built in a day, but requires initial groundwork, then yearly, step-by-step activities to gradually gain recognized status, eventually winning the Taoist Sect’s endorsement to boost the Qingchen Temple’s regional influence and authority.

“Weren’t you supposed to focus on cultivating Daoist Skills? Why actively bring you here to the meeting?” Zheng Xia queried with some confusion.

At that moment, she and Yu Hong were sitting in the meeting hall, watching the other members of the Dao Seed Class talk with a few disciples from the opposite side.

“It makes sense,” Yu Hong replied, holding a glass of apple juice and taking a slow sip.

“While focusing on cultivation, it’s still necessary to participate in some important promotional activities. This meeting is officially an exchange event, but in reality, it arose because one of our disciples committed an action at the border of Jiufang Temple’s territory, swindling a substantial amount of money from a local major household.”

Yu Hong had already inquired about the reasons.

“Isn’t that unreasonable on our part?” Zheng Xia asked.

“Yes, so that disciple was beaten to a pulp by people from Jiufang Temple and sent back to us. According to our Temple Master, although we were at fault, it shouldn’t have been up to them to decide the punishment unilaterally. They overstepped their bounds, breaking the rules,” Yu Hong explained.

“So this meeting is basically to properly contest and compare skills, deciding the winner?” Zheng Xia understood.

“Right,” Yu Hong nodded, looking toward the corner sofa where another Taoist sat.

His demeanor was stern, eyebrows sharply angled, physically robust, likely around his mid-twenties.

He was the top contemporary disciple of Jiufang Temple—Taoist Yuan Hua.

“What will the contest be? Fighting? Techniques?” Zheng Xia asked quietly, noticing the other’s gaze.

“Dealing with resentful marks, naturally it will be a contest of Techniques,” Yu Mo approached from the side, chuckling and stroking his beard.