Chapter 423: Vulture Unchained!
Translator: flycrane01 Editor: Millman97
This Rogue Meteorite was not particularly special. The only thing unusual about it was that its crystal barrels and activation arrays had been strengthened with the Thousand Tempering Hundred Refining technique, because it was probably the sole crystal cannon in the entire universe that took Flowing Brightness Crystals as its spiritual energy source.
Flowing Brightness Crystal, the invaluable super marrow crystal that other Cultivators would be crazy about, became one-time ammunition.
Firing a cannon with Flowing Brightness Crystals was like slapping someone with cash. It was simple, vulgar, and completely irrational!
"If the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators in the Heaven's Origin Sector learn that I'm firing a cannon with Flowing Brightness Crystals, they might pass out in shock. It's too extravagant!
"But this is the only enjoyable way!"
As his telepathic thoughts slowly traversed the six crystal barrels of the Rogue Meteorite, Li Yao was greatly satisfied. The pores all over his body were constricting beyond his control.
Then, there were still the drill of mystic rays and the power system.
Other than that, he would need to repair the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit and connect the Ares Extension to it.
After a day of high-intensity modification work, Li Yao's fire of life had been burning so brightly that his soul power reached its limit, and he was somewhat tired.
But he had his 'secret weapon'.
Li Yao raised his hand. A dose of strengthening drug appeared in his palm, in which the powder of half a Flowing Brightness Crystal in the coagulation state was stored. It looked like a transparent jelly unleashing the enjoyable aroma of grass. One would feel that their mind was soothed just by smelling it.
In the Heaven's Origin Sector, even the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators would find it extremely difficult to get a Flowing Brightness Crystal; when they did get one, they would certainly make thorough plans in order to refine it in the most scientific way, so that they would be able to absorb a hundred percent of the spiritual energy contained inside.
In comparison, Li Yao was like the wasteful son of a rich family. He simply crumbled it into powder, melded it into the strengthening drug, and chugged all the liquid!
The absorption efficiency was definitely not as high. But the good point was that it was straightforward and would take effect immediately.
"Hu…"
Hardly had Li Yao licked the last drop of the Flowing Brightness Crystal liquid on his lips when his eyes suddenly bulged with indescribable brilliance beaming out.
Flowing Brightness Crystal was much more miraculous than any Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures and strengthening drugs that he had ever taken before. Immense spiritual energy was contained inside, yet it did not bring any feeling of uneasiness or repulsion.
He felt that a fountain that was spurting spiritual liquid unstoppably had appeared in his stomach. Coolness was spreading from there to all his internal organs and limbs.
It was like his every cell was being soaked in a refreshing stream; he couldn't be more comfortable.
Li Yao moaned in great contentment.
When the coolness crowded into his brain, the brain cells that had somewhat shrunk before quickly expanded like dry tea leaves which were put into hot water.
The brilliance in Li Yao's eyes grew more and more intense. Streams of brightness flowed out of his nostrils, ears, and mouth and were then absorbed by the pores on his body, forming an immaculate circulation.
"Flowing Brightness Crystal is indeed a super marrow crystal. My every cell has been refilled like pomegranate seeds that are full of juice!
"I feel that I've touched the boundary of the middle level of the Building Foundation Stage. Maybe after a couple days of training with a few more Flowing Brightness Crystals, I will be able to advance into the high level of the Building Foundation Stage!"
CRACK! CRACK!
A series of clattering noises burst out from Li Yao's bones and ankles as he stretched out. After each noise, warm brightness would blink on his skin like the reflection of the jade. After thousands of cracks, although he was as tall as he used to be, the spiritual waves surrounding him were ten times stronger than before, casting a halo around him.
The air was twisted by the surging spiritual energy. The figure that was enveloped in the halo became unpredictable and mysterious.
It was the best example of what the ancient Cultivators described a great Daoist to be like.
Shua! Shua! Shua! Shua!
The mainframe crystal processor projected thousands of complicated structure designs and spiritual energy flowcharts in front of Li Yao momentarily, many of which were even overlapping.
Nourished by the Flowing Brightness Crystal, Li Yao's brain had an exponentially increasing computational ability. He split hundreds of spiritual threads from his spiritual root and operated on the structure designs as fast as lightning, while he contemplated different maintenance plans…
Li Yao dwelled in the world of magical equipment maintenance, and without him knowing anything, two days had passed.
…
Two days later, inside the cockpit, Ding Lingdang, Ba Weiqi and the other two teammates were staring at Li Yao anxiously.
In the middle of the cockpit was a round cover two meters in diameter. Thousands of stripes were carved on it, making it like the most complex maze.
Shua!
The round cover split open like a blossoming flower. From the opening, a seat on which countless calligraphic rune arrays had been engraved was raised up.
It was the captain's seat, as well as the core of the entire starship.
Li Yao took a deep breath. Unfaltering belief gleamed out of his eyes. He strode forward and sat down without any hesitation.
"Senior Gao Xingce, you've passed on the position to me, and I will certainly not disappoint you!
"Someday, the name of Sparkle will reverberate in the entire sea of stars!
"Now get back to work, Sparkle!"
In a moment, all the rune arrays on the captain sea were illuminated. Colorful electric arcs danced among the rune arrays and flooded into Li Yao body, before they sprang to his brain along his veins and nerves and tangled with his very soul!
Almost a hundred overlapping light beams appeared in front of them. Spinning and blinking, they displayed every detail of Sparkle.
"Crystal reaction is being activated at Lv. 2 efficiency.
"Power rune arrays are being activated. One, two, five successes!
"Drill of mystic rays, launch!"
Li Yao's telepathic thoughts were spread in countless directions. But the thickest of all crowded into the Sky Dragon which was in the front of the warship.
The immense spiritual energy transformed from the Flowing Brightness Crystals was transmitted into the cannon like a raging ocean. Spurred by his telepathic thought, the cannon uttered a soul-stirring roar, releasing an overwhelming electromagnetic blast!
Because of the full modification that the Sky Dragon had received, the electromagnetic blast was not pushed out of the barrel; it was restrained by rune arrays at the front end of the barrel and spread out into nine boa-like streams of brightness.
The streams of brightness revolved rapidly in midair and intertwined with each other. The front half of Sparkle was wreathed in their brilliance. Then, they suddenly expanded and condensed into an extremely splendid drill of mystic rays.
The high-intensity drill of mystic rays was almost a real existence and as transparent as jade. Emitting endless warmth and light, it stared revolving.
The ultra-solid rock stratums were shattered immediately.
Li Yao gritted his teeth. His eyes were bulging so wide that his eyeballs seemed to be squeezed out. The corners of his eyes were torn apart. Two lines of blood were dripping down like tears.
He was merely at the middle level of the Building Foundation Stage after all. Steering Sparkle and the drill of mystic rays was still too much a burden for him.
But according to the reminder on the light beam, the specifications of Sparkle right now was only 9% of its limits!
However, Li Yao was already at his limits!
"Hiss!"
Li Yao raised his head and chugged another dose of strengthening drug that had been mixed with Flowing Brightness Crystal. Real flames seemed to be surging out of Li Yao's body. The temperature of the cockpit increased by more than five degrees.
Ding Lingdang and the rest of the teammates seemed able to hear the cells inside Li Yao's body exploding one after another.
"Move forward, Sparkle!"
Li Yao smashed his fists down. Countless telepathic thoughts were let loose from the depths of his brain. The data and information on the light beams in front of him were altering at an unbelievable speed, while figures and runes were dancing crazily!
After a hum, the cockpit shivered. The four of them could feel that the floor had turned into a slope.
Sparkle was perforating the rocks and moving forward and upward!
"We made it!"
"The drill of mystic rays is working well. Two power rune arrays are too hot. Activate the cooling units right now!
"We detected a 'Black Gold Rock' area that is extremely solid ahead of us. Resetting the route and bypassing it!
"Maintain the current speed. Pay attention to the spiritual energy supply of the drill! We must keep it stable!
"Forward! Forward! Forward!"
Finally—
After half an hour of thrilling drilling, everyone suddenly felt that their body was light, because the obstruction blocking them was gone.
The seabed that had just been stabilized for a while sprayed out a lot of mud at first. Then countless scattered stones jetted up like a volcanic eruption, forming countless furious swirls of stones.
BOOM!
Like a hidden dragon in an abyss which broke free from the manacles, seals, and barriers that had been constraining it for a lifetime, Sparkle jumped out from the bottom of the ocean and soared into the sky!
…
Dozens of kilometers away, above the undersea town of Skeleton Dragon, savaging spiritual energy formed countless swirls and turbulences.
A group of Cultivators and a group of demons were confronting each other.
There were only eight Cultivators, in crystal suits that were ragged, riddled with holes, and ready to be shattered. They were like the anxious animals that had fallen into a trap.
They were surrounded by forty demons, most of whom were reining biochemical beasts.
Some of the biochemical beasts were more than ten meters long with bizarre, hideous appearances, further reinforcing the desperation and helplessness of the Cultivators.
Although some of the demons were obviously injured, the few elite demons at the edge of the circle were totally fine. They were clearly on the winning side.
The situation was extremely unfavorable for the Cultivators.
Large areas of blood were floating in the seawater nearby. The dead bodies of two Cultivators and more than ten demons and their broken limbs were the best interpreters of the gory battle.
Yan Jun, captain of Team Thunder Soul, the best Star Team in Occult Orbs Fellowship, was breathing heavily. His skin was sweltering as if it were being scorched, but his eyes were as indifferent as ice.
However, there was a hint of fury and vulnerability in the depths of the frozen eyes, leaking the nervousness in his heart.
"Captain, this is a trap!
"We only launched an attack because we thought that the demons had opened Skeleton Dragon's residence recklessly and suffered tremendous losses because they triggered the barriers inside.
"But as it turned out, they didn't open the residence at all. The dead bodies we saw were all faked just in order to fool us!
"Wang Ji, prince of the Kingdom of Lion Butchers; Yu Liekong, young master of Castle Grey Falcon; Chi Mingzhu, young leader of Jade Cicada Island… As well-known elite demons on the Deadly Demons List, they are all beyond the high level of demon general and are very close to the level of demon king!
"More than half of the two teams have detonated our spiritual seeds. But the defense ability of the weird biochemical beasts is inconceivable. Only less than twenty of the demons have been killed!
"We are too outnumbered. They can simply swarm and crush us!"
The members of Team Thunder Soul were exclaiming in the communication channel.
Yan Jun was speechless. The scar on his left eye was bouncing and almost torn apart by his fury.
But faced with the siege of dozens of demons, there was nothing he could do except gnash his teeth.
The proud Child of Occult Orbs, the strongest Cultivator in the Occult Orbs Fellowship that never admitted failure, was finally grabbed by desperation!