Chapter 120
Chapter 120
The setting sun dyed half the sky red.
Juyan City rose from the plains in Towering Majesty. Gods and demons watched it from the shadows, and not even birds or beasts dared approach. With its streets completely deserted, the city felt especially lifeless.
Pinnacle Showdown had ended, and Zhouyou Shijie had won the championship!
They had witnessed all of it. Apart from their killing intent growing even stronger, however, none of their plans would change.
None of that could affect Zhou Ming, who stood inside Juyan City with his heart soaring.
What a turnaround!
He had almost thought he was destined to succeed in his career but fail in love. He had even regretted acting too impulsively instead of raising Qianying’s affinity a little higher before confessing his feelings.
Fortunately, he had held steady!
Of course he had!
Steady as an old hound!
Delight surged through Zhou Ming, and he nearly lost his composure again.
“Then it’s settled.”
Zhou Ming nodded firmly and agreed at once. “Many items on the Destiny Continent possess extraordinary effects. There might be one that can establish teleportation points in your homeland and on the Destiny Continent, directly connecting the two.”
“I believe such an item exists as well. But I’ve searched for a very long time without finding any trace of something capable of cross-realm teleportation. I’m afraid an item would need to be at least SSS Rank to possess such an effect…”
Qianying nodded, then reminded him, “There’s no need to rush. Someone in my homeland is calling me back, but our immediate priority is finding a way through the danger before us.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t get carried away and forget my current situation.”
Zhou Ming struggled to restrain his surging emotions. Once he calmed down, his expression turned slightly strange.
Had he just planted a massive death flag before a battle to the death?
That did not seem particularly auspicious.
Casting aside the stray thought, Zhou Ming took several deep breaths, then removed an item from his inventory.
[Heavenly Secrets Compass] (Rare SS Rank)
Description: Every glimpse into heaven’s secrets demands a sufficient price.
Item Effect: Sacrifice an item of equivalent value to locate any person or object.
…
The Heavenly Secrets Compass possessed an extraordinary effect. Used properly, it could produce incredible returns.
Regrettably, whether locating a person or an object, the user had to enter its exact name rather than a desired effect. Otherwise, he could have simply searched for an item capable of cross-realm teleportation.
“Qianying, I won’t be able to leave Juyan City for the next few days. I need you to help me find some things.” Zhou Ming found paper and a pen, using the simplest method available to prevent anyone from eavesdropping.
From the items he wanted her to locate, Qianying vaguely guessed Zhouyou Shijie’s plan. “Isn’t this far too dangerous?”
“Without madness, there can be no survival!” Zhou Ming said gravely. “It isn’t that I want to take this path. It’s the only path left to me…”
“…”
Qianying remained silent for a long time, then took the Heavenly Secrets Compass and left to search for the items. “I told you before that the God-Demon Orb is the God-Demon Orb, and I am myself. I am not its artifact spirit. Even if you fail the trial, the only thing that will abandon you is the God-Demon Orb.”
In the past, she had remained beside Zhouyou Shijie solely to repay her debt.
But after everything they had experienced together, her feelings had subtly changed.
She truly wanted to see with her own eyes whether this man would stand at the pinnacle of the Destiny Continent and become a legend.
Zhou Ming watched Qianying depart, then equipped the items she had enhanced.
[Azurecloud Necklace] (Celestial Spirit Tier)
HP: 50,000
Trait: HP +150%, chance of receiving a Critical Hit -15%
Effect: All Elemental Resistances +3%
Effect: Azurecloud, Movement Speed +30%
Required Fame: 5,000
Required Level: 75
Description: A necklace capable of aiding its wearer. It must undergo painstaking refinement before developing extraordinary qualities, so its rarity is hardly surprising.
[Skyflight Ring] (Celestial Spirit Tier)
Attack: 3,200-3,500
Trait: Attack +50%, Crit Rate +20%
Effect: Block, reduces damage taken by 10%
Special Skill: [Skyflight]
Required Fame: 5,000
Required Level: 75
Description: Flight is something countless people yearn to master. The Skyflight Ring grants its wearer the temporary ability to fly. Despite its severe limitations, it remains priceless.
—
[Skyflight] (S Rank): Allows the wearer to hover in midair for 1 minute. Cooldown: 5 minutes.
…
The equipment tiers after War Soul were King, Celestial Spirit, Sovereign, Demigod, and God!
Celestial Spirit was only three tiers below God.
Equipping three Celestial Spirit items in succession, including an exceptionally powerful National Artifact, caused all of Zhou Ming’s Attributes to surge to unprecedented heights.
Afterward, he combed through his inventory with painstaking care to ensure he had overlooked nothing.
[Burn the Heavens] (SS Rank)
Description: No one can withstand the Heaven’s Wrath of flames that burn the heavens. They will consume the enemy and the user alike.
Item Effect: Centered on the user, unleashes [Forbidden · Heaven-Burning Crimson Flame] against every unit within a 10,000 x 10,000 area, including the user, dealing 10,000,000 fixed damage.
[Champion’s Trophy] (Pinnacle Showdown)
Description: May only be possessed by the champion of the first Pinnacle Showdown.
Effect: All Attributes +100
Bound To: Flame Venerable · Zhouyou Shijie. Cannot be dropped, traded, or discarded.
(Note: Does not need to be equipped. Its effect remains active while stored in the inventory.)
…
Burn the Heavens had been the system reward he received for creating his own skill. It carried many drawbacks for other players, but for him, it was unquestionably a trump card. Meanwhile, the Champion’s Trophy effectively gave Zhou Ming one hundred free points in every Attribute without taking up an equipment slot.
Ding-dong!
At that moment, Zhou Ming heard his phone chime beside his ear. He casually picked it up and looked.
Text message: Come out for barbecue. The usual place. You’re paying.
“Must be nice to have this much free time.”
Zhou Ming smiled helplessly. After confirming there was nothing urgent he needed to handle, he opened the game interface.
Log out!
…
In the real world.
Zhou Ming removed his gaming helmet, changed into casual clothes, and headed out.
Along the way, he saw advertisements endorsed by Rule by Inaction and Submit and Perish at city bus stops and even on the giant screens outside shopping malls. Stranger still, Tingfeng Xiyu was actually endorsing a kitchen knife.
“In the blink of an eye, they’ve all become celebrities.”
Zhou Ming was filled with emotion.
It was no exaggeration!
Sometimes, a mere month or two truly was enough to transform a person’s fate.
Destiny had appeared out of nowhere and conquered countless players with its unprecedented full-dive simulation, bringing equally countless business opportunities with it.
If Zhou Ming revealed his identity, hordes of advertisers would undoubtedly come knocking, hoping he would endorse their products.
For now, however, he had no such plans.
Entangling himself in complicated business interests would only slow him down.
He already had more than enough money. What he lacked was time.
A little over ten minutes later, Zhou Ming arrived at the barbecue stall. A bronze-skinned young man dressed in gray immediately stood and waved him over. “Here!”
Zhou Ming walked over. “Did you order?”
“I did!”
The young man nodded with a smile. Exactly ten seconds later, the owner happened to arrive carrying their dishes. The timing was so perfect it felt as if Ning Wushen had arranged everything.
“The power of time truly is fascinating,” Zhou Ming said in wonder.
“So is immunity to the fire element.” Ning Wushen picked up a skewer of chives and ate with obvious enjoyment. Between bites, he said, “You simply haven’t encountered certain special flames capable of burning everything in existence yet, so that ability hasn’t had a chance to reveal its true worth. Why else do you think the system gave you the title Flame Venerable?”
Special flames?
Zhou Ming committed the important information to memory.
Ning Wushen’s status was too lofty. A single hint from him could benefit Zhou Ming enormously.
“You can’t encounter anything like that yet, and it wouldn’t change your present predicament anyway,” Ning Wushen reminded him.
Zhou Ming picked up a lamb skewer and ate it while it was hot. “So did you really come all this way just to have a perfectly ordinary barbecue with me?”
“You’re the one treating me,” Ning Wushen corrected.
“So I’m treating you. How are you planning to thank me?”
“You brat…”
Ning Wushen laughed despite himself. “No one is greedier than you!”
“I’m joking. The wine you gave me is worth enough to buy you barbecue for a year.” Zhou Ming finished the lamb, then picked up a chicken gizzard.
“At least you have some conscience!”
Ning Wushen gave him a long look. “All right. I won’t beat around the bush.”
His expression turned solemn. “I came this time because I want to…”
…