Chapter 681 - I'm Slowly Rotting In This Ordinary Life

Late on December 18, at God's Tears Lake.

A burly figure in black sat cross-legged, meditating under the moonlight. When the moonlight glow was richest, the figure suddenly stood up, and a terrifying life vibration field spread out, like countless sharp-toothed mouths.

The field swept by, ruffling ripples across the water and instantly shrouding the entirety of the Golem Sect. Yet, the many Golem Sect disciples and elders sensed nothing at all. The gulf between them was too great, beyond the limits of the mind. However, while the humans faced with the Golem's life magnetic field made no move, the group of stone statues guarding every corner of Golem Sect quaked as they heard their lord's call.

Crack, crack... thump, thump...

Chips of stone flaked off as a line of footprints appeared. The midnight moonlight hung over the sect like beautiful white gauze. However, terrifying stone figures four or five meters tall strode forward. They were cloaked in light, casting huge shadows before them.

Splash...

The statues reached the shore of God's Tears Lake and strode straight in. Their towering bodies slowly submerged as they walked devoutly along the lakebed toward the isle like pilgrims.

Moments later, all was silent. From the sky, one would see ring upon ring of giant statues in the lake. Like layered petals, they formed a lotus pedestal around the isle.

A Golem stood tall at the center of the isle, armored in exquisite silver. Its grim contours were wreathed in eerie demonic flame. The life magnetic field of the final stage advanced to ninety percent swept out like a blazing furnace, enshrouding the surroundings. It burned the gathered statues and poured out otherworldly energy.

For a time, a sequence of illusions covered God's Tears Lake. The lake seemed to become a cauldron aflame with roaring black fire, within which millions of fiends twisted and struggled, crying for blood with unending howls. This vision lasted the whole night.

At dawn, the Golem Sect headquarters stirred. A host of elite disciples began morning training or handled affairs, but they soon found something amiss. The statues guarding Golem Sect had, overnight, grown insanely tall.

At a glance, they were twice their former size, and now fully ten meters tall! Standing beneath them felt like standing in front of a high-rise apartment. Whether it was due to the sun's angle or not, disciples could now see a metallic sheen, as if silver armor lay on their surfaces.

In short, they radiated greater pressure. These changes were in fact Cassius's work from the previous night. The stone statues on Eternal Island were variants born from the Golem's aura. After raising himself to perfected battle power, Cassius decisively used his stronger mutated Golem life magnetic field to reinfect and influence them.

The life-forms of these statues gravitated toward Cassius's Golem body. After their mutated evolution, they would act as the guardians and war machines of the Golem Sect headquarters. It was a pity their size made them ill-suited for long-distance travel.

Cassius chose to strengthen the statues as a precaution. He would soon enter the World of Calamity to seek Blood Vulture, while the Golem Sect had to grow on its own in the surface world. Its expansion was so fierce that who knew if the Gate Organization would scheme to hinder it. Xiadu surely wouldn't act, but necro-revived deputy leaders of the Gate Organization very likely would. It was something he had to guard against.

The weather was clear the next day. Having upgraded the Six Southern Dipper Volumes and the Golem Heart Codex, as well as evolving the statue legions, Cassius slipped away from Golem Sect without a sound.

A thousand kilometers from East Sea County, one could find Edelweiss Middle School in Baichuan City. The afternoon sunlight cast gilded reflections across the flagstone ground. A lawn lay beside the white and black building, and beyond it, the sports club buildings.

The Archery Club, Kendo Club, Combat Club and others were there. Edelweiss's Combat Club used a spacious indoor venue with plastic mats covering the floor so students could go barefoot. That day, the club members were joined by many new faces. Combat Clubs from other schools in Baichuan City arrived for exchange studies, which really meant sparring matches.

Members from different schools wore uniforms of different colors. They sat cross-legged, watching the bout in the hall's center.

Whoosh! Bang!

A black shadow flashed and an arm snapped like an elephant raising its trunk.

Thunk.

The yellow-uniformed figure grunted, dropped to his knees and slid backward more than ten meters with his knees scraping the floor. Finally, he bowled over many seated students. Those students, all in yellow uniforms from Twin Leaf Middle School, scrambled up in a fluster. It was chaos for a moment.

𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Thank you for letting me win."

In the center, the white-uniformed figure bowed his head slightly. He seemed polite even in victory, yet the impassive face and unruffled eyes gave off an inexplicable sense of mockery. Was he bored? Did he think his opponents were all too weak?

A senior brother from Twin Leaf Middle School stood up and stepped forward with blazing eyes. He was a sturdy crew-cut boy who hadn't yet fought.

"Phil, let me be the one to face you!" He shouted.

The white-uniformed boy turned, revealing Phil's face. Unlike half a year ago, he seemed to have gone through a growth spurt in the last six months. He was now 1.86 meters tall and broad-shouldered, with stern and cold features. His breath faintly exuded formidable strength.

As he turned, shoulder muscles stretched his uniform taut, creasing over his barrel chest. His strong hands at his sides showed wild muscles with pulsing veins.

"You?" Phil looked at the club's senior brother and slowly shook his head. "How many of your club haven't fought yet? Why not all come at once? I'm short on time, I still have to spar with my brother later..."

"You!" The senior brother's anger was on full display. Yellow-clad figures rose one by one behind him. Even the club's two head coaches frowned, stung by the youngster's arrogance.

"If the two coaches want in, you can come together. I don't mind..." Phil turned, eyes sweeping the hall. "And the other Combat Clubs... if you want in, come together... I'm kinda in a hurry."

Swish...

Students in uniforms of many colors sprang up and rushed the white-clad figure.

"What a lively bunch..." Phil's lips curved slightly.

Five minutes later...

Bang, bang, bang, bang!

Lightning-quick, crisp impacts echoed through the hall. A black figure weaved and vaulted, stomping strongly on the ground like an elephant. His arms were so fast that they left afterimages in the club members' eyes, as if eight limbs were striking in succession.

Around him, the coaches from many schools and hired fighters all stumbled backward, unable to counter. They were no match in neither power, speed, nor skill.

Edelweiss's Combat Club... Could it truly have such a strong student?

Roar!

Suddenly, an elephant's roar ripped through the air.

Wind Elephant Covert Martial Arts, Elephant's Roar!

Whoosh!

His powerful arms swept through the air like a trunk, blasting the surrounding attackers flying. A palm cut through, piercing the air. A faint layer of coiled airflow appeared between the five thick fingers .

Secret Technique, Azure Wind Flow!

Bam!

The blurred black palm grazed the senior brother's face and slammed into the wall. His eyes bulged in fear as he held his breath. When the hand moved away, he found a tiny cut and a dab of blood on his faintly stinging earlobe.

His heart pounding, he turned to look at the wall behind, where a deep palm print yawned. The wind of the strike that skimmed his face had already stung. If the hit had landed squarely, he'd probably have...

The senior brother swallowed. He looked at Phil, who was still expressionless. His gaze was so flat it almost looked bored.

"You're... strong!" His voice trembled, tinged with admiration.

"No. I'm not strong enough. Far from it..." Phil shook his head, his expression changing for the first time. His eyes went hollow, as if recalling something.

After a long moment, he came back to himself and asked the senior brother, "Can you smell it? The stench on me... The stench of rot...?"

The senior brother shook his head repeatedly. "No, not even sweat."

Not even sweat. It meant Phil hadn't even gone all out.

"I can feel it. I'm slowly rotting... from spirit to body, in this overly ordinary high school life. Teacher, where did you go... You were supposed to take me away..." Phil murmured, lowering his head to stare at his rough palms. His five fingers gradually clenched into fists.

"Is this a test? My teacher's test for me? Extreme boredom... A test like this is more agonizing than life and death peril!"

Suddenly, the hall doors opened.

Snap!

A lithe woman stepped in. She had strong, long legs and powerful shoulders like a seagull in flight. Her neat ear-length hair carried a certain sharpness, and her deep features brimmed with heroism.

After opening the door, her gaze slowly swept across the scene. All the clubs' students lay beaten on the ground, many head coaches included. The senior brother from Twin Leaf Middle School, who'd escaped a blow, was also on the floor. Only Phil's burly figure stood alone.

Tifa was unsurprised. She lifted her head and met Phil's puzzled gaze, then took a deep breath.

"Phil, your teacher has returned!"

Phil's hands trembled. His eyes were thick with shock. "What?!"

His teacher had vanished months ago. He'd asked his father and brother, who seemed to know something, but they both only shook their heads. Helpless, Phil could only keep training with Tifa and Milo, honing himself while he waited for his teacher's return.

That day had finally come.

Connan Company was originally a liquor distribution group that had pivoted into an antiques collection agency, teaming up with Ace of Spades and working with the treasure-hunter community led by Yun to gather all kinds of rare wonders worldwide. Antiques with lingering attachment, legendary relics, and even ancient ruins were all within its remit. They were Golem Sect's subordinate executive arm. Of course, since they were backed by Golem Sect, their growth was ferocious.

That afternoon, Cassius met some old acquaintances at Connan Company headquarters. Phil's father, Jason, and his brother, Matthew, had both cooperated with Cassius before. They were currently running an antiques collection agency across the Hongli Federation, reaching into auction houses and art exhibitions.

They had been incredibly busy in recent months, to the point of losing plenty of hair. However, the frenzy of intoxicating growth was fulfilling. Besides, Ace of Spades served as Connan Company's enforcers and security, with operations rapidly spanning the federation. Old friends like Violet and the Red and Black Jokers were also busy and thriving in their own posts.

As for Yun, the self-proclaimed explorer, he had left the Hongli Federation with his treasure-hunter friends for an expedition to the Blue Star Empire. This time, they were no longer fighting alone, since they were backed by a behemoth like the Golem Sect.

At six in the evening, orange sunlight bathed the earth. Three figures hurried along to Connan Company's rear courtyard without chatter or horseplay. They did their best to still their trembling hands and rapidly beating hearts.

Phil had guessed that the great changes at home of late had been brought by his teacher, but no matter how he asked his father and brother, they wouldn't reveal anything. They would only pat his shoulder and tell him to keep training hard. That did nothing but deepen Phil's curiosity and doubt.

Teacher, what on earth have you been doing all this time?

Before the door to the open-air yard, Phil drew a deep breath and thought,

This time, wherever Teacher goes, whatever he's doing, I'll follow him!

He reached out and shoved the door open.

Creak.

Yellow light blossomed through the widening gap as if the door to a new world had been opened.