"That was some years ago. Information in the world after the Great Cataclysm was already difficult to disseminate. Those who knew about it, if they weren't powerful enough, would have mostly passed away by now..."
"Coupled with the intentional blockade of information by the Brad Base, not many people knew about it!"
"Those who did know were mostly old folks like me... and they were reluctant to bring it up... even afraid to mention it!"
Under the gaze of Ye Feng and Shen Yun Yao, Shen Bo Tian slowly began to speak.
"Afraid to mention it?"
Ye Feng frowned.
"Yes!"
Shen Bo Tian nodded, "At that time, the Brad Base was rumored to have used some kind of secret method to modify people, enabling them to possess mecha bodies and greatly enhancing their combat power... The aim was to achieve ascension to the heavens and become legendary immortals..."
"This is 'Flesh is weak, Ascend through machinery'!"
"Speaking of which, 'Flesh is weak, Ascend through machinery' had quite a few supporters in Mecha City back then, but it was rejected by your father and me!"
Mentioning this, Shen Bo Tian looked at Shen Yun Yao, "Because of this, many who followed your father and me in the early days, and even those who followed me from Starfall City, defected to the Brad Base or other factions..."
"Perhaps this is why Joseph knew about Starfall City from me..."
He paused, then Shen Bo Tian spoke again, "The Brad Base's ability to transform human bodies into mechas made them incredibly powerful for a time. The Brad Base then had a formidable mecha fusion person named 'Kong,' who was said to be able to soar through the heavens and hunt ghosts in the underworld..."
"However, during a battle between that mecha fusion person and a gray-robed elder, his pride and joy, the mecha... was shattered by a single palm strike from the elder."
"I don't know the specifics very well... all I know is that after that, the Brad Base underwent significant changes... went into a period of silence for quite a while... and then became the Brad Base famous for vampires, as you know it..."
Shen Bo Tian let out a sigh and explained quickly.
"This..."
After hearing Shen Bo Tian's words, Ye Feng and Shen Yun Yao fell into silence, their faces filled with surprise.
Especially Ye Feng, his mind couldn't help but recall Sphinx. When that guy turned all the surrounding ruins into his own body, he seemed to have shouted "Flesh is weak, Ascend through machinery."
"Although I don't know which faction Joseph belongs to, his objective should be the flight logs of the interstellar battleship in Starfall City, and... why Yao Yao's father and I, along with others, were able to survive the upheaval in Starfall City..."
At this point, Shen Bo Tian spoke again. Meeting the inquiring gazes of Ye Feng and Shen Yun Yao, he smiled faintly, "There's quite a lot involved, and it's too dangerous. I'll tell you when the time is right in the future!"
"Uh, alright!"
Ye Feng scratched his head and didn't press further.
"By the way, Ye Feng, in the path of cultivation, never be too eager for quick success!"
"The power you used to deal with Joseph was indeed formidable, but what doesn't truly belong to you won't be yours forever."
"Using it repeatedly will inevitably lead to fatal side effects. It's best to proceed steadily!"
Shen Bo Tian looked at Ye Feng with a serious expression and advised.
"Thank you, Senior Shen. I will be mindful of that!"
Ye Feng thanked him sincerely, seeing that Shen Bo Tian genuinely cared for him.
...
In the following days, Ye Feng often sparred with Shen Yun Yao. After all, their strength levels were fundamentally both at the intermediate Silver rank.
During this time, Ye Feng gained a lot. Not only did he deepen his understanding of arcane energy, but he also learned how to craft arcane talismans.
Shen Yun Yao's previous use of talismans against monsters was incredibly cool and immensely powerful, so Ye Feng asked her about the crafting methods of arcane talismans.
Shen Yun Yao held nothing back, explaining in detail and even personally teaching Ye Feng how to make several talismans.
According to Shen Yun Yao, crafting arcane talismans was both simple and extremely difficult.
It was simple in that the materials for crafting arcane talismans were merely grass paper with arcane ore powder, or one could even just sprinkle some arcane ore powder on bark to create one.
It was extremely difficult because the most crucial element of an arcane talisman was the arcane runes, the carving of arcane runes, the corresponding magic arrays, and the arcane energy cultivation level of the crafter...
...
One evening,
"Bang!"
After a dull impact sound, Ye Feng and Shen Yun Yao both retreated several steps. A stone on the ground was affected by the shockwave of their battle and instantly shattered.
"Hoo!"
"Ye Feng, your arcane energy is still in its initial form, a formless arcane energy that hasn't undergone elemental transformation, yet it possesses such power!" Read in advance.
"And your arcane energy is incredibly pure, even excessively pure!"
Shen Yun Yao, her body slick with sweat, looked at Ye Feng with great surprise, "With your current state, if your arcane energy were to undergo elemental transformation, its destructive power would surely be immense!"
"Is that so~!"
Looking at the arcane energy glowing on his hand, Ye Feng murmured.
In fact, he was also quite surprised by Shen Yun Yao.
Over the past few days, Shen Yun Yao, curious about his true energy, had suggested that Ye Feng spar with her using his true energy. Ye Feng, also curious about true energy, had agreed.
After several rounds of sparring, Ye Feng discovered that true energy indeed possessed a special power. What surprised him was that after a few days, Shen Yun Yao's arcane energy seemed to... carry a trace of true energy?
"Oh right, Yun Yao, this is for you!"
Ye Feng stared at Shen Yun Yao for a moment, then suddenly remembered something. A flash of light appeared in his hand, and a crystal pendant materialized. It was the very pendant Shen Yun Yao had given him earlier.
"You fixed it?!"
Seeing the crystal pendant emitting a faint white glow, Shen Yun Yao's eyes sparkled.
"Yeah!"
Ye Feng nodded, "I also added another magic array to the crystal pendant. I saw it in Ice City, and it might be helpful for your arcane energy cultivation!"
When Ye Feng was in Ice City, he had seen a large pillar carved with strange patterns. The arcane energy that powered the regularly operating aerial trams originated from that pillar.
Back then, Ye Feng didn't understand arcane energy, arcane runes, or arcane arrays as he did now. Recalling it, the strange patterns on that pillar were a form of arcane array, capable of absorbing and gathering arcane energy to power those aerial trams...
This explained the strange aerial trams that periodically appeared above the supply stations in Ice City...
"The magic array on it is something interesting that I mentioned a few days ago. That array can gather the arcane energy of the space we are in, and it should be helpful for your arcane energy cultivation!"
Seeing Shen Yun Yao staring curiously at the crystal pendant emitting a faint white glow in her hand, Ye Feng spoke again.
...