Time passed. About four hours later, Wang Yi had finished exploring the entire B78 ruin, but unfortunately, he hadn’t discovered anything else that caught his eye.

By now, the twenty armored off-road vehicles were fully loaded with supplies.

Although there were likely still plenty of mushrooms to gather in the fields outside, Wang Yi felt they had enough. He wasn’t greedy for every last bit of food. He found Xiang Tianchen and said, "I’m getting ready to leave."

"It’s a shame that Giant Dragon got away," Xiang Tianchen said. "In this world, the ability to fly is a huge advantage. Most Earth Deities lack ways to deal with aerial threats. My time is almost up. You should take your subordinates and leave quickly."

But Wang Yi asked, "What if I want to see you again?"

"Based on my experience with manifesting, I seem to be bound to these city ruins. I always appear somewhere within them, but the location is random. After this manifestation ends, I don’t know how long it will be until I can appear again, nor do I know which Earth Deity or Wood Knot Monster’s body I’ll inhabit. It probably won’t be easy for us to meet again."

"I see." Wang Yi paused in thought. "What if I start a war and cause a large number of Wood Knot Monsters to spawn in these ruins? Would that create more opportunities for you to manifest?"

"Start a war? What are you planning? Do you want to challenge the ecosystem of these city ruins? I’d advise against it. You won’t gain anything from it—it would be a complete waste of effort."

"Don’t misunderstand. I’m just considering a potential partnership. I think we will meet again in the future."

"Perhaps."

Xiang Tianchen’s tone was flat. "I’ll give you one last piece of intelligence," he added. "I’ve received information from the ecological link. That Giant Dragon flew off in the direction of Kun City. There are no more ruins worth exploring here, but there is an unexplored A-level ruin within Kun City. With your power, you should be more than capable of exploring it."

"Thanks!"

With that, Wang Yi waved to Xiang Tianchen. "I’ll be taking my leave, then. Thanks for your hospitality. Until we meet again, Xiang Tianchen!"

Wang Yi cupped his hands in farewell and left.

After Wang Yi was gone, a bitter look crossed Xiang Tianchen’s face. He muttered to himself, ’Xiang Tianchen? I am not Xiang Tianchen anymore. I’m no longer human. I am a Sufferer, and Sufferers have no future... unless... unless I become a King and a permanent part of the ecosystem! Go, my friend. Go kill that sick King, or be killed by Him...’

A moment later, twenty armored off-road vehicles drove out of the B78 ruin. Fish-Transformed Dragon and several Brocade Guards rode on Jade Jiaolongs, clearing the path ahead. More Brocade Guards protected the convoy’s flanks and rear, while twenty unridden Jade Jiaolongs followed behind.

They now constituted a mobile unit. The addition of twenty armored off-road vehicles made the convoy much more cumbersome, and navigating the city ruins was difficult. However, ordinary Wood Knot Monsters posed no threat, and any skirmishes that broke out were over in moments.

By the time Wang Yi reached the small train’s encampment and regrouped with the others, a full moon was already hanging high in the sky.

The small train was arranged in a circle, and after Wang Yi constructed a few "luxurious" lean-tos, a large temporary camp had taken shape.

’Li Bolili’s sneak attack barely scratched us, but it was a lesson nonetheless. From now on, we need a more solid plan for exploration. Any Player could be an enemy, so I can’t let my guard down for a second. Taking decisive action, avoiding unnecessary negotiations, and simply bulldozing through with force might be a good strategy...’

Wang Yi reflected deeply on the matter, feeling that he still wasn’t strong enough.

He had no desire to become a Sufferer, waiting each day in hopes of turning into a monster. The only way to avoid that fate was to get stronger.

So, for Wang Yi, plundering for supplies was now a secondary objective. Enhancing his own strength was the top priority.

’Mountain and River Body Refining increases defense, and Fantasy Avatar lets me be a one-man army. Both skills require a massive amount of Chaos Energy to sustain. From now on, when I open blind boxes, I’ll bet everything on getting Chaos Crystal Stones...’

Wang Yi quietly made his decision. In the dead of night, he found he couldn’t sleep. He climbed onto the roof of the small train to gaze at the sky. With a mere thought, he consumed 100 points of Chaos Energy. His form flickered, and he suddenly split in two.

The figure on the left wore a Phoenix Wing Purple Gold Crown, was clad in Locked Golden Armor, had on Lotus Silk Cloud-Stepping Shoes, and carried a Golden Cudgel on his shoulder. With a cry of, "Old Sun is here!" he shot into the sky, flying off on a trail of clouds.

’It really is the Fantasy Avatar, exactly as I imagined it. It can ride the clouds and fly through the sky. A pity it only has King-level Combat Power for now!’

The one on the ground was Wang Yi’s true self. He looked up, his heart filled with envy.

His appearance had also transformed into that of the Monkey King, a synchronized change that made him identical to the one flying in the sky. The only difference was that he couldn’t fly; he would have to use Ultimate Seventh Gear to gain that ability as well.

「In a large military camp」

King Dongsheng, Xue Shentian, was dipping a piece of hardtack into meat sauce.

This was considered a good meal; he even had meat sauce to eat with it. The ordinary Soldiers outside couldn’t even get their hands on plain hardtack.

Suddenly, a golden light flashed in front of Xue Shentian, and an Intelligence Scroll materialized.

’Intel? At a time like this?’

Xue Shentian stuffed the half-eaten piece of hardtack into his robes and carefully hid the meat sauce before unrolling the Intelligence Scroll to read it.

====

Intel 1: Three hundred li to the west, a Player surnamed Wang possesses a Monkey King avatar. When the avatar is summoned, the user’s body transforms in sync. Note: the one that cannot fly is the true body.

Intel 2: A Player from the Western Continent of Typhon World is riding a Giant Dragon and heading directly this way at an average speed of 80 kilometers per hour. ETA over your camp: thirty minutes!

Intel 3: Five li to the south lie the ruins of the Green Land Alliance’s Kun City. The King Earth Deity Liu Nan lurks within. Note: The ecological territory of a King Earth Deity covers a radius of one hundred li.

Intel 4: Ten li to the north, a Player Alliance is leading a million-strong army on a forced march. Their target is Kun City. They are expected to pass by your camp within the hour!

====

"Four pieces of intel, and two of them are urgent warnings!"

Xue Shentian immediately bellowed, "Men! Pass the word! A Giant Dragon is about to pass overhead! Full alert!"

His command was passed down swiftly. Throughout the entire camp, the one hundred thousand troops, though weary from travel, immediately tensed up at the news of an approaching Giant Dragon.

A moment later, Li Mingli rushed into Xue Shentian’s tent. "You received more intelligence? What kind of Giant Dragon is it? One of those big lizards from the west?"

Xue Shentian replied, "It’s not clear. The Intelligence Scroll just said ’Giant Dragon.’ It’ll be here any minute! I have no idea if it will attack us!"

Li Mingli said, "We have a hundred-thousand-strong army, after all. We’re well-armed and fully stocked with bows and Crossbow Carriages. Add your pet to the mix... we may not be able to fight an Earth Deity, but we should be able to defend against a single Giant Dragon, right?"

"Who knows? It’s hard to say! And the other pieces of intelligence can’t be ignored either. See for yourself!"

As he spoke, Xue Shentian tossed the Intelligence Scroll to Li Mingli. Li Mingli’s expression changed the moment he looked at it.

"We’re from the east, and now there’s a million-strong army to the north, a Monkey King to the west, a King Earth Deity to the south, and a Giant Dragon about to arrive from the sky! Did we set up camp in some kind of auspicious, blessed land?!"

Li Mingli frowned deeply. "I feel like we prepared for this Secret Realm for so long, yet we don’t seem to have any advantage! Look at them—they’ve even got a Monkey King. Huh? This Player’s surname is Wang, too. Wasn’t the one who killed the Earth Deity also named Wang? It couldn’t be the same person, could it?"

"Who knows?" Xue Shentian sighed. "Who could have guessed this place would be like this? All I can say is, cruel fate has us outmaneuvered."

Just then, a Guard entered the tent to report, "Prince, the Giant Dragon... the Giant Dragon is here!"

At that very moment, high in the sky beneath the Yin Yue, the Red Giant Dragon stretched its wings and glided through the air.

The moonlight spilled across its scales, reflecting a crimson glow that made it look as if it were wreathed in fire.

Even at night, the Giant Dragon was an incredibly conspicuous sight in the sky.

Atop the Giant Dragon’s back, Li Bolili frowned slightly. She had already spotted the camp below.