Chapter 1714
Chapter 1714 - 1710: The Instructor
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Countless living beings raised their heads to gaze at the heavens. Perhaps they could not comprehend what was happening—after all, their hearing, touch, and sight were far too fragile to sense the tremors from higher dimensions.
But when faced with the threat to life, instinct trembles in fear.
Some of these fears are passed down through generations, etched deep within the genes—the helplessness of weakness, the unnameable terror from unknown origins. Such dread can reveal itself even before a descendant of the hunter, even if that offspring is so insignificant they could be crushed underfoot like an insect or a beast. This innate fear doesn’t always rely on reason, even when your sheer bulk outweighs theirs.
"It’s here."
Lu Ping’an didn’t bother looking upward anymore. He was unlike the others—he could very well meet the gaze of that monster. And judging by the fate of his previously forfeited flesh and blood, that was certainly not a good thing.
"It’s here."
The same words echoed from the Fishman Leaders of higher ranks and humans wielding advanced combat power. They sensed vaguely—a tentacle had once again penetrated this world, stirring something within.
The world felt as though it had been struck by a heavy hammer. The blinding white destruction earlier wasn’t truly "destruction"; it was merely the Watcher’s self-preservation mechanism, triggered by the overwhelming influx of information it couldn’t endure—like sunlight containing hues invisible to human eyes.
But this time, with these past moments gone by, the audience had mostly grown accustomed to this awe-inspiring phenomenon with their mortal bodies.
And now, they witnessed the entire process... that white light was but the final instant—the unavoidable conclusion.
At that moment, time and space seemed to shatter.
The tentacle thrust into the world exploded violently, forming a twisted, sinister spatial rift. Eyes, teeth, and mouths emerged in dark invitation.
Lu Ping’an saw it—the "presence" beyond the fissure. It was a perpetually ravenous chunk of flesh, endlessly greedy like an abyssal whirlpool of the deep sea.
"Tch, truly hideous..."
His words left the young people beside him startled. But Zhu Xinran, after a single glance at those deathly pale eyes, found herself unable to utter a word.
It was a distortion resembling a white black hole—a being that devoured light itself... In that moment, the woman perhaps realized that this young "man" before her, who appeared even younger than herself, might likewise be someone beyond mortal measure.
Time, frozen in place, was shattered by the Supreme God above. A mountain range and its accompanying life abruptly appeared within the rift. A massive, greedy maw was slowly closing, while the human Quasi-Gods caught inside roared in despair.
The final spark of life gleamed brilliantly, but viewed through the lens of the world’s vast volume, it wouldn’t even qualify as a flicker.
"Tch, thought it’d be me..."
Lu Ping’an exhaled in slight relief. Even though he’d steeled himself and prepared contingency measures, the fact that he wasn’t targeted in the end allowed him some comfort.
For all his strength, he wasn’t certain he could truly survive such an attack. Still, he faintly perceived that now—with his ability to grasp and see such phenomena—he might be able to evade it.
If it were just him alone...
"Keep moving."
Lu Ping’an gave the command, and the army marched onward as if the newly formed great chasm in the heart of Australia was nothing but a natural gift, utterly irrelevant.
In truth, it was a gamble.
The intelligence brought by Lu Ping’an had already been validated. Even the Supreme God, crude as its interference in this world might be, had to pay a price... One of its octopus-like limbs had clearly snapped and disintegrated, suggesting it could perform at most eight successive meddlesome acts.
At this moment, not only Lu Ping’an’s army but also the forces assembled by Australia’s Life Lords consisted largely of their most valuable treasures—creations cultivated painstakingly to perfection. In other words, delicacies unobtainable anywhere outside this realm.
When Lu Ping’an said everyone here was bait, he meant it literally—not just as decoys on the battlefield, but as offerings on a dinner table.
If this was indeed a complete Supreme God, its usage of power would be calculated and logical... But to a beast, filling its belly is its utmost priority. Save the skills for a burst of glory? A creature bound by such reason wouldn’t be purely wild.
"...So, who’s next?"
The research Lu Ping’an conducted had yielded one inescapable truth: the monstrous entity above had no such thing as a "full stomach."
More accurately, even if it swallowed this entire planet in one bite, it would derive no real benefit—nor could it ever be satiated.
Like the hungry ghosts of Buddhist lore, perpetually devouring yet growing hungrier with every morsel consumed... This being’s first bite would only hasten the arrival of the second.
In a grim sense, the current Life system factions and their painstaking creations were nothing more than meals served on platters.
Lu Ping’an had simply avoided being the first choice this time—a stroke of luck... He felt the entity’s "gaze" had started prioritizing his direction.
"Could it be this girl’s Qi Yun?"
If that were the case, keeping this girl nearby might guarantee enduring safety.
"No. Why would you think this world could interfere with entities beyond its realm?" The Big Cat’s voice was calm.
Lu Ping’an sighed, looking up at the heavens. The Russian roulette they were playing exerted immense pressure—it had nothing to do with skill or ability; survival came down to sheer luck.
He cared little about his own fate...
"If this girl dies here, the years of investment destined for her would indeed be wasted..."
Unlike the other promising youngsters he’d crossed paths with, Zhu Xinran’s talents and abilities were ill-suited to combat. Yet, ironically, those deemed "unsuited for battle" often became the most terrifying figures in the Extraordinary world—for example, a seasoned Lu Ping’an himself.
He wasn’t surprised to find himself paired with Zhu Xinran; among top-tier Extraordinaries, he was undoubtedly the most suitable mentor for someone like her.
"...’Ability Exchange’—what kind of absurd Talent Ability is that?"
This was evidently a Rule System power, strikingly similar to Lu Ping’an’s own abilities in its manifestation—but Lu Ping’an knew that it belonged to an entirely different path.
"Its potential is vast... She likely experienced some serendipitous encounter akin to yours."
"Picked up the corpse of a Quasi-God or Deity? Heh, truly protagonist-tier treatment."
"...And what about you? Don’t you enjoy protagonist-tier treatment? Then what does that make me—a stepping stone that lost its body in the end...?"
The Big Cat’s bitterness deepened. Though she’d found leisure in watching dramas during her downtime over the years, her grievances had only grown.
"Ahem... Has the verification been done properly? She’s also a Life system talent, right?"
While Talent Abilities were nominally beyond categorization, their operating mechanisms could still reflect certain inclinations.
"Yes, Life system—a mix of the Healer and Beast Tamer paths... Give her to me, and she’ll reach the eighth tier within three years."
The Big Cat found herself tempted. This Heaven-Favored Lady might not truly be Lu Ping’an’s "disciple," but rather a pawn predestined to be placed in his lap.
Gifted with an ability akin to Lu Ping’an’s, she walked a distinct path capable of inheriting his teachings flawlessly.
"You seem quite optimistic about her..."
Lu Ping’an didn’t voice a reply, but inwardly, he adjusted the girl’s survival ranking higher... Whether she was among his allies or strangers, her treatment would differ significantly.
But for now, there was no room to dwell on such trivial matters.
Lu Ping’an’s "family" had finally reached the lord’s castle, where their adversaries had been waiting a long time.
The first strike came from the Fishman defense forces. Lu Ping’an spotted the Nine-Headed Dragon devouring heads atop the castle walls.
Its twisted snake heads deliberately crushed skulls with satisfying crunches, eliciting a laugh from Lu Ping’an.
"Little girl..."
"Uh? What is it?" Zhu Xinran was puzzled, unsure why she was being addressed in such a moment.
"...If you’re going to learn from me, then you must understand my principles. Rule number one: In the absence of strategic deception, never provoke or humiliate your opponents. It’s tasteless, and more often than not, it gets you killed quickly."
Zhu Xinran remained bewildered, but the grim "case study" nearby wouldn’t wait much longer.
Countless armies emerged from hidden corners, as if Lu Ping’an’s group had been ambushed instead.
Suddenly, a bolt of white lightning descended, twisting into a gleaming curved blade that pierced directly into the Nine-Headed Dragon general’s corpse... This seventh-tier near-Undying being fell to its own arrogance in the blink of an eye.
— End of Chapter 1714 —