"Grandpa Shen, are all the Blood Clan members at the Brad base like that Sphinx, eating people's brains raw?"
Walking down the road, Xiao Xiao voiced her worried question to Shen Potian.
After all, Shen Potian had previously said that if she and Ye Feng continued forward, they would encounter people from the Brad base, and she seemed to have a special attraction to monsters like the Blood Clan...
"No, they're not!"
Before Shen Potian could answer, Shen Yun Yao chimed in, "The Blood Clan primarily drinks blood, especially human blood. It's rare for them to eat human brains raw like zombies, as the Sphinx does!"
"The Sphinx's act of eating human brains raw is more likely a side effect of the enhancement serum,"
"After all, almost all enhancement serums have side effects, and the stronger the power gained through an enhancement serum, the greater the side effect!"
"The Sphinx's ability to merge with mechs and even the surrounding environment... doesn't look like a common enhancement serum at all..."
Shen Yun Yao quickly explained to Xiao Xiao, giving her a reassuring look as she spoke.
"Oh, okay!~"
Hearing Shen Yun Yao's words, Xiao Xiao's expression eased considerably.
"There was intelligence before that the Sphinx needed to regularly absorb human cerebrospinal fluid to maintain sanity, otherwise, it would go berserk, causing destruction and attacking everywhere!"
"We couldn't confirm it before, but now that I think about it, it must be like that!"
At this moment, Shen Potian also chimed in.
...
Due to the presence of many mechs to clear the ruins, the large area of rubble where the City Lord's mansion was located had been largely cleared of large debris and stones overnight.
Shen Potian walked forward, gave a few instructions to the people, and then the mechs left first, standing guard in the distance to prevent anyone from approaching.
"Yao Yao!"
After Shen Potian surveyed the surroundings, he nodded at Shen Yun Yao.
Shen Yun Yao immediately understood. A light flashed in her hand, and she began forming a hand seal that Ye Feng was somewhat familiar with – the same one used to summon the Hidden Edge Fire Seed before.
Ye Feng could understand this, as the Hidden Edge Fire Seed, which had turned into a teleportation gate, was attacked during the battle between Wang Ba Tian, the Sphinx, and Shen Potian in the City Lord's mansion. It had reverted to a spherical lump and disappeared somewhere...
After forming the hand seal, Shen Yun Yao frowned, as the Hidden Edge Fire Seed did not appear before her as she had expected...
"Grandpa, it seems something has happened to the Hidden Edge Fire Seed. I can't summon it... I can only sense its location..."
As she spoke, Shen Yun Yao looked towards a certain direction.
"This..."
Shen Potian frowned slightly, then quickly walked towards the spot Shen Yun Yao was looking at. Shen Yun Yao, Ye Feng, and Xiao Xiao followed closely.
After a short period of digging by the group, a dusty, round lump appeared in their sight – it was the Hidden Edge Fire Seed.
"Grandpa, the Hidden Edge Fire Seed has cracks!"
Shen Yun Yao took the Hidden Edge Fire Seed out of the pit, and after a thorough inspection, became worried.
Shen Potian did not answer immediately. He crouched down, examined it closely, and then said slowly, "Let's first try to see if we can create a teleportation array like before!"
As he spoke, Shen Yun Yao and the others all turned their gazes to Ye Feng.
"Yun Yao, let me teach you~"
Ye Feng paused slightly and decided to tell Shen Yun Yao the method.
After all, Shen Yun Yao and Shen Potian treated him with genuine kindness, especially Shen Potian, who had even given him the Fire Seed crucial to Mech City.
But he definitely wouldn't stay here forever, and Shen Yun Yao would likely need to use the Hidden Edge Fire Seed in the future...
"Oh, okay!~"
Ye Feng's words surprised Shen Yun Yao, and her face showed clear joy.
"Yun Yao, you'll control the arcane energy later..."
Immediately, Ye Feng quickly explained to Shen Yun Yao.
After listening, Shen Yun Yao looked serious. Arcane energy surged in her hands, and she carefully channeled it into the Hidden Edge Fire Seed as Ye Feng had taught her.
"There's really a formation inside!~"
Soon, Shen Yun Yao exclaimed.
She had investigated it herself before, but all she saw were messy cracks. Now, following Ye Feng's method, she discovered that those cracks were actually part of a formation, overlapping each other in a specific pattern...
"Crack~ Crack crack~"
"Chā~ kēng~ crack~"
As Shen Yun Yao's arcane energy poured in, and sweat beaded on her forehead, the Hidden Edge Fire Seed made a series of noises. White light continuously emanated from within, finally transforming into a door.
"Phew!~"
Having accomplished this, Shen Yun Yao let out a light sigh. Her beautiful face flushed with excitement, and her eyes were full of joy.
"The Hidden Edge Fire Seed was hit before, and it might have triggered some kind of protection mechanism, causing it to revert from a teleportation array..."
"Although the frame of the teleportation array has cracks, there are no signs of energy instability..."
"Let's go in and take a look!"
After Shen Potian's inspection, he said to the group.
"Okay~~"
...
With a flash of light, the scene before Ye Feng and the others instantly changed. They found themselves in the formation's secret passage, at the same place they had been before.
"Grandpa, over there!"
Seeing the banana peels in the passage again, Shen Yun Yao frowned, her expression filled with worry.
"It's fine, let's go~"
Shen Potian waved his hand dismissively and strode ahead in one direction.
Although Shen Yun Yao was still quite worried, she didn't say anything.
...
Soon, led by Shen Potian, Ye Feng, Xiao Xiao, and Shen Yun Yao walked rapidly through the formation's secret passage, eventually arriving at a rather spacious area.
"This is indeed the secret room from back then!"
Although the surroundings were empty, Shen Potian was very happy, his eyes filled with deep memories.
"Secret room?"
Shen Yun Yao looked at Shen Potian with some confusion.
Ye Feng and Xiao Xiao also cast curious glances, as they had been here before, wandered around, found it empty, and then left.
"Mmm!"
Shen Potian nodded. He surveyed the surroundings and then took a deep breath and blew forward.
"Whoosh!~"
"Cough cough~ cough cough~"
"Grandpa, what are you doing?"
Shen Potian's forceful blow stirred up countless dust particles, filling the somewhat enclosed space with a murky haze. Ye Feng, Shen Yun Yao, and Xiao Xiao began to cough.
"Huh?"
Amidst the swirling dust, Ye Feng, squinting his eyes, suddenly showed surprise.
As the dust was blown about erratically, tables, cabinets, and other items appeared in the seemingly empty room.
"Whoosh~! Whoosh~"
Unable to bear the dust in her eyes, Shen Yun Yao directly controlled water-attribute arcane energy to sweep away the dust and place it in a corner.
"Grandpa, this..."
After the dust settled, Shen Yun Yao looked at the scene around her and was greatly surprised.
The previously empty space was now filled with things like tables, chairs, and cabinets. If she had taken a couple more steps, she would have bumped into a table leg...
"Grandpa, was that some kind of illusion formation?"
Inevitably, Shen Yun Yao voiced her doubts.
...