Returning to the Mysterious Era-Chapter 393 - Bountiful Gains

"This is a great opportunity!"

The Ghost-Man immediately thought of his mission target. Since the Lord of Ashes was fully focused on the powerful Hunter in front of him, his attention on the core area would naturally diminish, giving Ghost-Man a chance to exploit the chaos.

As such, he acted without delay. He quietly retreated, blending into the buildings around him.

Boom, boom, boom!

Debris exploded across the main road, sending clouds of dust billowing. A powerful gust swept away the rubble, revealing a massive vortex within the yellowish haze that started to rumble like a tank rolling over the ground.

Cassius raised a fist, sending the shadowy figure in the black mist flying once more. The colossal weapon he wielded, the Toxic Smoke Giant, was no longer intact. Even its durable body couldn't withstand the onslaught of hundreds of clashes and had shattered into several pieces.

Whoosh!

A figure streaked through the air, leaving a long black trail behind it. Black Qi burned around the Lord of Ashes like flames.

Bang!

Cassius delivered a swift roundhouse kick, sending it flying back like a cannonball.

A four-story, gray-white building collapsed in a roaring avalanche of rubble and bricks. Yet, thick black smoke lingered through the gaps in the debris. The ruins exploded outward, and the Lord of Ashes rose again, transformed into a burning, dark silhouette.

This was clearly a full-force, extreme combat state. A terrifying surge of force swept away the dust on the ground.

Cassius narrowed his eyes slightly, not out of tension against a formidable foe, but because he was simply baiting his prey. Anyone observant enough would notice that Cassius hadn't moved a single step since the beginning of the battle. He remained rooted, waiting for the Lord of Ashes to charge at him, only to knock it back each time.

He wasn't using overwhelming strength, nor did he unleash the Southern Dipper Fist Techniques, known for its lethal force against dark creatures. Killing one proxy of the Lord of Ashes at a Cataclysmic Spirit level wasn't worth the effort.

Each proxy of the Lord of Ashes shared a mutual awareness, and he was confident they would retreat once they realized Cassius's superiority. In that case, he'd only get to hunt one Cataclysmic Spirit. Instead, if he revealed just enough strength to keep a slight advantage over the Lord of Ashes’s proxies, the others would likely gather to try and overwhelm him.

This way, he could address the requirements of both the defensive arrays of the Tower of Refuge and the revival altar, specifically the Blood of the Spirit. Cassius wouldn't have to scavenge low-ranking monsters to make up the numbers.

Whoosh!

A dark streak plummeted through the air. It was another Lord of Ashes proxy, rushing over from another part of Ash City. Two Lords of Ashes locked onto Cassius, roaring with excitement. Thick black smoke gushed out, laced with a slow-burning poison, corroding and scorching everything in its vicinity.

Bang, bang, bang!

Ripples spread visibly through the air as shockwaves from the three figures' fight distorted the air.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two Lords of Ashes were sent flying, crashing into two nearby buildings.

Although they were still at a disadvantage, the situation seemed to shift slightly. At least, they weren't sent flying hundreds of meters like before, nor were they being kicked around like toys by Cassius.

Roar!

An ear-piercing howl tore through the sky, urging other proxies to hurry over.

One minute later.

Bang, bang, bang! Four figures flashed, scattering across the main road.

The three Lords of Ashes staggered back, leaving long scorch marks on the ground as the stone and dirt around them glowed red-hot from the burns.

Two minutes later.

Five figures clashed at high speed, collapsing a large section of the surrounding ruins.

Boom!

Four Lords of Ashes stumbled back in the black mist, leaving dozens of glowing footprints. Cassius, who had clashed with them, also took several steps back, leaving deep craters in the street.

Three minutes later.

Cassius was surrounded by five shadowy figures, and looked to be struggling to block their attacks. His defensive maneuvers began to falter under the merciless barrage, which poured down like mercury. The ground beneath him cracked inch by inch, and most of the street was now completely destroyed.

Five minutes later.

Cassius was now facing six attackers and showing clear signs of strain. His body bore several wounds, each seared with a dark, burn mark from the Ash Fiery Toxin.

Phantom-like black fist imprints blocked attacks from all sides.

"Almost..."

For the first time, a fierce glint flickered in his usually expressionless eyes. Blood-red mist erupted from him like a volcanic eruption, sweeping across the surroundings and filling a hundred-meter-wide sphere around him.

Ground, stones, bricks, walls, and ruins all seemed to disintegrate rapidly, with gray, black, and white fragments dissolving like wisps of smoke.

Only then did the Lords of Ashes sense something amiss. Cassius, who had been on the defensive moments before, now radiated an aura that had surged several times over.

A bloodthirsty Will as dense as a mountain pressed down on them.

Cracks appeared on the chests of the six Lords of Ashes, leaking black smoke as if they were attempting to merge and flee.

"Now you think of escaping? Too late!"

Screech!!!

Cassius unleashed the ultimate technique of the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist—the Blood Vulture's Beak. A terrifying raptor beak charged out from a whirlpool of blood!

It hurtled toward the Lords of Ashes like a speeding train, obliterating everything in its path.

Bang, bang, bang!

In desperation, the six Lords of Ashes combined and released their full strength. They transformed into a five-meter-tall smoky giant, with a grotesquely large right arm covered in flame patterns.

The massive arm struck with full force, colliding with the oncoming Blood Vulture's Beak.

Boom! Crack, crack, crack...

The blow only managed to delay the attack for less than 0.1 seconds before the massive arm shattered entirely. The Blood Vulture's Beak roared forward, swallowing most of the Lord of Ashes' body. Cassius followed closely, arching his back and extending his arms, his legs coiled like a bird of prey diving down.

With a sharp whoosh, he sliced past the Lord of Ashes' side like a fierce gale. A head as big as a watermelon exploded, scattering black smoke.

"Three and a half units of the Blood of the Spirit—perfectly sufficient..."

Cassius steadied himself, calming the surging Qi within him, and checked his progress in the Rune of Wisdom. He felt a profound sense of satisfaction. This time, he had cleverly used the Lord of Ashes proxies' mutual awareness to lure in and wipe out six Cataclysmic Spirit-level dark creatures with his ultimate move.

Not only had he resolved the urgent needs of the Tower of Refuge, but he had also harvested six Cataclysmic Spirit-level life vibrations. Six! Even if repeated absorption of the same essence reduced its effectiveness, it was still equivalent to absorbing the life force of three to four normal Cataclysmic Spirits. Combined with the Toxic Smoke Giant from earlier, he now had four or five Cataclysmic Spirits.

This was more than enough to advance his Golem Covert Martial Arts to a new level.

In this sense, the World of Calamity was a land of opportunity for Cassius.

There were dark creatures everywhere, with plenty of Cataclysmic Spirits among them. Although dangerous, risk and opportunity went hand in hand. With enough strength, a clear mind, and decisive judgment, he could thrive and grow to a whole new tier. Cassius's Golem Covert Martial Arts was now at 64.1%. The remaining 35.9% would be even more difficult to increase than the first 64.1%.

In the real world, he would need to chase down clues and hunt dark creatures one by one. It would take ages. To Cassius, killing dark creatures was no challenge; with his formidable strength and the support of his Golem Covert Martial Arts, he had everything he needed.

The real challenge lay in finding those dark creatures hidden within the city, isolated rural areas, or deep mountains. This was a significant issue.

But now, Cassius didn't need to search. The World of Calamity was an entire realm of dark creatures, with life vibrations energy everywhere, ready for him to seize. As long as he didn't die on the hunt, Cassius was confident he could push himself to the limit and reach 100% in the Golem Covert Martial Arts.

He wasn’t aiming for the realm of the Holy Fist in this time-travel attempt, but at the very least, he wanted to reach the pinnacle of top-tier combat artists and push his limits to the extreme.

Besides, he also had two Southern Dipper fist techniques. Life-or-death battles against Covert Martial Arts experts would allow him to break through in the Southern Dipper acupoints with exceptional speed.

The World of Calamity also housed a unique entity known as Dead Spirits. Combat artist experts who either died in battle or reached enlightenment over the centuries would have a condensed Qi that couldn't dissipate like a normal human's. These essences would slip from the surface reality into the deeper realm of the World of Calamity, becoming spirit entities who were rich in combat techniques but devoid of consciousness. They were ideal opponents.

"A good place; I should come more often..."

Cassius immediately clarified his goal for this time-travel: the critical task was enhancing his own strength, while fulfilling the original owner's lingering attachment was only secondary.

Returning to his senses and preparing to leave, he noticed four figures moving rapidly across the densely clustered buildings in the distance. One was fleeing, while three were in pursuit. However, they were all heading his way.

The shadows leaped across rooftops at a shocking speed.

Cassius’s eyes narrowed. To his surprise, he recognized the battered figure fleeing ahead; it was the Ghost-Man he had met just hours ago in a cautious standoff. And those in pursuit were even more familiar.

Three Lord of Ashes, surrounded by black smoke that burned like flames.

They seemed enraged; their bodies were covered in dense crimson cracks which were glowing like molten lava. Their fists, swinging at high speeds, trailed black smoke as they were blocked by the Ghost-Man's metal scythe or tore through tall buildings. The Ghost-Man looked to be in grave danger.

He blocked the attacks as if balancing on a steel tightrope. One misstep would mean plunging into a bottomless abyss.

Clang!

The Ghost-Man's scythe collided with a massive blackened hand, but he failed to guard his flank and was struck hard in the back. He vomited blood and flew nearly a hundred meters.

He tumbled across the stone-powder-covered ground, disheveled and dusty. Although the Ghost-Man had seized the perfect opportunity, he had still underestimated the strength of the Lord of Ashes and their determination to reclaim their objective.

It was a crystal, sapphire-like in appearance, that allowed the Lord of Ashes to split into nine proxies. When these proxies were destroyed, they could reassemble, linked to this mutant crystal. It was a core ability of the Lord of Ashes.

The Ghost-Man had snatched the crystal, and the Lord of Ashes naturally pursued him furiously.

***

Under the dim sky, on the main road Cassius had flattened during his previous battle.

"Damn it, I was just a bit off. The Lord of Ashes reacted faster than I expected! I can only use forbidden techniques now; even if my strength takes a significant hit afterward, it's better than dying here! Just a slight miscalculation... if I completed this mission, I'd gain top-level access to Black Rain Manor and make huge progress..." Face buried in the dirt and blood trickling from his mouth, the Ghost-Man rose, gritting his teeth in defiance.

His eyes went crimson as he let out a deafening roar, swiftly activating his forbidden techniques.

"Come on! You think you can kill me with just this?"

Huh?!

The panting Ghost-Man’s mask was half broken. His face was twisted and bulging with veins, exuding a furious, savage look. But at this moment, he felt a twinge of confusion.

The anticipated onslaught from the Lord of Ashes didn't come.

He saw three shadowy figures a few hundred meters away on a rooftop. They seemed hesitant to approach, seemingly wary yet unwilling to let him escape with the crystal.

They snarled threateningly but remained at a distance, as they continued to circle him.

The Ghost-Man gulped, sensing the rage and hatred in those distant, scarlet eyes, yet they wouldn't come closer.

"Cough, cough..."

Suddenly, a low cough sounded behind him. The growls from the Lord of Ashes noticeably softened to a whimper.

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Slow, steady footsteps approached.

The Lord of Ashes began to retreat in unison, a look of intense caution crossing their indistinct faces. Finally, they shot a glare at the Ghost-Man, then bounded away, abandoning their mad chase.

"They... retreated..." The Ghost-Man stood frozen, feeling a wave of relief wash over him.

He was about to turn around when a hand landed on his shoulder. A surge of terrifying power flowed in, instantly suppressing the explosive aura from his forbidden techniques and forcibly restoring his body to its pre-activation state.

This required overwhelming power and precise control!

The Ghost-Man felt the intense vitality and pain in his body subside. Since he had only just activated the forbidden technique, he would now only bear a minor part of the aftereffects. He would only need a mere half month of recovery.

"Thank you for the rescue!"

He turned, unsurprised to see Cassius's handsome face. Though he looked different from the real world, his Qi aura was unmistakable.

Cassius shook his head, withdrawing his energy, and pointed at the crystal in the Ghost-Man's hand. "What's this? You don't mind letting me take a look, do you?"

A minute later, Cassius tossed the crystal back. Though intriguing, it was of little use to him. The Ghost-Man caught the crystal, visibly relieved, and expressed his gratitude.

"I owe you my life. May I know your name, friend?"

"Call me Wind Elephant..." Cassius glanced calmly at the Ghost-Man, memories from his third time-travel experience flooding back.

This young man was a top-ranking mark bearer of Black Rain Manor. Perhaps he could obtain a few Black Rain Manor qualification marks. Furthermore, Black Rain Manor's mysterious Soul Power was valuable as well...

Cassius had yet to witness Black Rain Manor in its prime.

Now, it seemed, the opportunity had arrived.