At the break of the next day, as the sun emerged on the horizon, its golden light bathed the landscape, painting it in shades of gold.
Shadows lazily stretched across the ground as Feng Wei and Wang Mei's journey toward the Crimson Chaos City began.
It was a dawn filled with anticipation and uncertainty, sensations that hung in the air as they walked side by side.
As they continued, Wang Mei broke the silence with a casual question, as if merely suggesting something, "You know, Feng Wei, we'll be spending a lot of time together on this journey. I think it would be good for us to get to know each other better and perhaps... become friends?"
Wang Mei's suggestion surprised Feng Wei, and he murmured to himself, "What is he planning? Doesn't he hate me to the core?" Feng Wei pretended to wear an expression as if the idea of friendship seemed strange and new to him, something he had never considered before. "Friends?" He echoed, letting the word hang as he thought. "I've never had a friend..."
Wang Mei raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Really? You've never had a friend?"
Feng Wei nodded slowly, reflecting on his solitary life and relentless pursuit of power. "My life has been lonely, focused on a goal. There hasn't been room to build friendships."
Their conversation continued as they walked, flowing like a river. Over time, the silence that used to envelop them began to dissipate.
Two days of non-stop walking passed, and they finally decided to take a break. During the pause, Feng Wei took the opportunity to consult the Ring Spirit about the points he had accumulated.
He asked, "You mentioned that I now have enough points to purchase other relics and legacies?"
The Ring Spirit confirmed, "Yes, I have selected some relics and legacies that can be acquired with the points you have. I'll show them to you. Additionally, the tower has awarded extra points due to the recent encounter."
A holographic screen appeared, revealing various options, but one of them caught Feng Wei's attention due to the information it displayed:
**"Emperor-level 'Immortal Celestial Eye' Technique**
**Description:** This technique is a masterpiece, with a shimmering scroll that captures light in a mesmerizing way. Its beauty conceals a powerful secret, with 4 levels. The first level grants the user the unique ability to see beyond spiritual tricks, matrices, formations, and even identify weaknesses in techniques.
**At the second level,** it allows entry into the dreams and memories of others. The bearer has full access to the dreamer's memories, thoughts, and can interact subtly with elements of the dream or memory.
**At the third level,** the bearer becomes the master of lower lineage beasts, able to command them.
**At the fourth level,** the bearer becomes immune to mental attacks, illusions, and seduction techniques, such as those of succubi.
Impressed by the description of the "Immortal Celestial Eye" technique, Feng Wei didn't hesitate and quickly used his hatred points to acquire it. The Ring Spirit confirmed the transaction, and immediately, the technique became a part of him.
However, mastering even the first level proved to be a challenging task, and he murmured to himself, "I only managed to practice up to the first level. This body is truly weak. What a pity... If I had enough points to purchase the 'God Yang Physique,' I could start dual cultivation earlier, elevate my cultivation level, and feed the sin of Lust, even evolve my lineage. But it's not as bad as I thought; the first level can help me resolve my doubts about that."
While Feng Wei contemplated his new acquisition, he cast a pensive glance toward Wang Mei, who had remained in meditation in the lotus position all this time.
Feng Wei's left eye began to glow intensely, as if a mysterious white aura was circling around.
Instead of the face of young Wang, the figure of a woman was seen.
Her dark purple hair cascaded in silky curls, almost as if they were made of ripe plums. Her deep purple eyes were like rare gems hidden in her delicate face. Her skin seemed illuminated by the morning sun's rays, emitting an ethereal glow. Even dressed in masculine attire, her elegance harmonized perfectly with her noble aura.
Every feature of her face was a work of art, from her arched eyebrows to her delicately sculpted lips, contributing to an extraordinary vision of beauty. With his enhanced eye, Feng Wei could clearly perceive each of these details as he admired the stunning woman.
However, he soon felt a sharp pain and dispelled the "Immortal Celestial Eye" technique. His eyes bled, and he grimaced in discomfort.
"It seems that this is my limit," he muttered to himself, now looking at the young Wang. After undoing the technique, he could no longer see Wang Mei's disguise. Feng Wei was aware of Wang Mei's original intentions and thought, "There's no doubt that this is the same young woman that wretched Feng Wei bullied. It's no wonder I thought the name Wang Mei sounded feminine. She probably approached me for revenge."
However, faced with this revelation, Feng Wei considered his options. He knew that killing Wang Mei would only lead to more problems, turning the Empire into an enemy. The other option, subduing and gaining her trust, was more sensible, though challenging. He thought, "If it were before I had the memories of that Earth man, I wouldn't hesitate to kill her. But now, with those memories, it's not impossible to turn resentment into affection with a few misunderstandings."
He admitted to himself, "Because, despite Earth being a world without cultivation, when it comes to intelligence, manipulation, acting, strategy, and knowledge of how to handle various situations, they are years ahead of us. And of course I'm not going to go through all this just to accompany this young man... no, this young woman, on her sea adventure to meet the beautiful mermaids. That's definitely not it."
Thus, as the journey continued, Feng Wei grappled with an internal dilemma. Five days of relentless travel had finally brought them to the entrance of the Crimson Chaos City, a journey that surprised Wang Mei due to Feng Wei's speed. It was expected to take at least 15 days to reach here, but Feng Wei's swiftness was impressive.
As they approached the city's grand gates, they encountered a grim scene: skeletons impaled on stakes and black crows feasting on flesh. It was a frightening sight for anyone visiting the city for the first time.
Wang Mei glanced at Feng Wei briefly, curious to see his reaction. However, she was surprised by his calmness, a stark contrast to her own reaction when she first accompanied her master, which had left her chilled to the bone.
Ahead, an arrogant guard accompanied by four horsemen, all at the **Foundation Establishment Level**, blocked their path. The guard shouted, "Halt, identify yourselves!"
With no response, he shouted again, this time pointing his spear at them.
"Halt, identify yourselves!"
Wang Mei simply tossed a bag of coins toward the guard and said indifferently, "We're just passing through."
The guard quickly collected the coins and said with a wicked smile, "It seems it's not your first time here. You can go in." He allowed their entry. However, when Feng Wei and Wang Mei took a few steps forward, the other guards blocked Feng Wei's path with their spears.
The same guard who had initially shouted with contempt, "He can go, but I don't recall allowing his entry. You're not qualified to enter the city before coming of age. Go back to your mommy, brat."
Feng Wei took a step with his right foot, his gaze turning icy, emanating a freezing cold from his eyes. The tall and sturdy guard was thrown into the air with a single punch, his chest caved in, and the sound of breaking bones echoed, making even the onlookers wince in pain.
Feng Wei frowned. According to his initial estimates, that strike should have been enough to take the guard's life, but he had survived. Feng Wei simply spoke calmly as he advanced, "Am I qualified now?"
The guard stuttered, trying to maintain an appearance of strength, but the coldness in Feng Wei's eyes was undeniable.
"Block me again, and I won't care even if I have to kill every single one of you," Feng Wei declared with determined coldness.