69novels Chapter 82: Both Claws Gathered
Chapter 82: Both Claws Gathered
Wu Changkong ignored Tang Wulin for the time being. His eyes suddenly sharpened like knives. He took a step forward, and the invisible chill seemed to drop the temperature in the monitoring room by several degrees.
"My student was only injured inside the Ascension Platform. Normally, the mental shock would be mitigated by the Ascension Platform's protective mechanisms and the subsequent basic treatment chamber. How could he suddenly suffer life-threatening 'severe mental damage'?"
His questions hit the nail on the head, causing the staff member who came to report to break out in a light sweat.
"This... Teacher Wu, the situation might be a little special."
The staff member's Adam's apple bobbed, and his eyes flickered slightly.
"That student Xie Xie encountered... the area guardian of the Elementary Spirit Ascension Platform, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear!"
The mental intimidation and aggression of those top-tier soul beasts may have exceeded the buffering capacity of conventional protective mechanisms, causing deeper trauma…
This explanation sounds reasonable, yet it carries a hint of unspeakable far-fetchedness.
While the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear is indeed terrifying, the Spirit Tower's Ascension Platform has been operating for many years, and its protection mechanisms should have contingency plans to deal with all kinds of situations. It is truly rare for a critical situation requiring "emergency room rescue" to suddenly occur.
Before Wu Changkong and Tang Wulin could press for more details, the staff member's face showed even greater anxiety:
"The emergency room doctors know the specifics better! Time is of the essence; I must take the dance teacher there immediately to sign the authorization! Delaying treatment will cause serious problems!"
After he finished speaking, he almost jogged and turned to leave, as if something was chasing him, or perhaps he was afraid of being questioned further.
"teacher!"
Tang Wulin was extremely anxious. Xie Xie was an important partner to him, and he couldn't stand idly by. He had to follow him immediately.
"Tang Wulin, come with me."
Wu Changkong's voice was cold, but he quickly made arrangements.
He turned to Gu Yue, who had been standing quietly to the side, her face also showing worry but remaining calm, and spoke quickly, explaining:
"Gu Yue, you stay here and wait for Yu Chen to leave the Ascension Platform. Tell him what happened, and then the two of you don't leave this observation area. Just wait here for me to come back."
If any other staff member asks you to go elsewhere for any reason, refuse immediately and say, "Wait until I return to handle this." Understand?
"Understood, Teacher Wu."
Gu Yue nodded immediately; she had also sensed that something was wrong.
"Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi, you two come with me too."
Wu Changkong then called out the names of two more students from Class Zero.
Since the other party may have other purposes, leaving Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi here could be a hindrance if their target is indeed Yu Chen or Gu Yue. The two students, who are not yet fully recovered, will not only be unable to help, but may also become a hindrance.
It's safer to keep him by my side, at least under his watchful eye.
Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi exchanged a glance, realizing the unusual atmosphere, and silently nodded and followed.
Wu Changkong said no more and led Tang Wulin and the other two to quickly catch up with the staff member and leave the monitoring room.
Only the slightly disordered sound of footsteps echoed in the corridor.
Standing alone by the observation window, Gu Yue turned her gaze back to the figure on the screen who was recuperating in the scorched earth, her eyes filled with a mixture of vigilance and contemplation.
……
Inside the Ascension Platform, Yu Chen was completely unaware of the sudden turmoil outside.
However, even if he knew, given his temperament, he would probably just give a cold laugh; rats in the gutter can never be brought to the table.
At this moment, Yu Chen had recovered from his previous exhaustion, and his attention was now completely focused on the spoils of war in his hands—
A bone, shimmering with a dark golden luster, with a ferocious shape and an aura of sharpness and power, was the right palm bone of the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.
He placed it in his palm, felt its weight, and then frowned slightly.
"The energy levels... are too far apart."
He muttered to himself and clenched his left hand, where a soul bone contained a power as vast as the starry sea.
That was a gift from the core of the Star Dou Great Forest: a 100,000-year-old Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear left palm bone. Its preciousness and power are probably unmatched by any other piece in the world today.
Compared to the one absorbed in his left hand, this century-old soul bone in his hand seemed thin and immature in every aspect, just like a defective product.
"call……"
Yu Chen let out a soft breath, shaking off the inappropriate comparison, "Never mind, it's still an external soul bone after all. Its growth potential is there, at least it won't be a burden."
If those Soul Masters outside, who would fight tooth and nail for a mere ordinary Soul Bone, heard his somewhat "disdainful" mutterings, they would probably be green with envy.
External soul bones are extremely rare and hard to come by. Even a hundred-year-old one is far more valuable than an ordinary soul bone, let alone one from a top-tier soul beast like the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear!
Yu Chen never procrastinates. Once he decides to absorb something, he acts immediately.
He sat down cross-legged, holding the dark golden palm bone in his right hand, and his soul power circulated along a specific route, slowly flowing into the soul bone.
Then, the soul power released a black light and merged into the soul bone. The next moment, the right palm bone of the Dark Gold Terror Claw was quickly fused by Yu Chen as if it had been thrown into the sea.
Then it was refined in an instant.
"As expected, the improvement was minimal."
Yu Chen shook his head, finding his own unrealistic expectations a little amusing. "It was something I expected, so what was there to expect?"
With a slight thought, he tried to activate the newly acquired soul bone.
A faint, almost invisible, dark golden glint flashed briefly at the fingertips of his right hand, followed by a barely audible sound in the air, like the snapping of a thin thread.
"Hmm... It can unleash an attack similar to 'Judgment,' but its power... is barely worth mentioning."
Yu Chen assessed, "At this stage, it can only severely injure the opponent at most. It's still far from being able to directly annihilate the enemy."
However, there was no disappointment in his eyes; instead, a spark of curiosity ignited within them.
"After all, it's an external soul bone, and it will grow as my strength increases. Perhaps one day, when my power is strong enough, it can unleash a true 'judgment'-like power..."
Clenching his fist, suppressing the nascent, still somewhat immature sharpness, Yu Chen stood up.
Having obtained the soul bone of the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, and with the immense spiritual power gathered within its body sufficient to push its first soul ring to the thousand-year level, the purpose of this trip has already been exceeded, and there is no need to linger any longer.
He took one last look at the ravaged battlefield, then decisively pressed the distress signal button on his wrist. A burst of light enveloped him, and his figure vanished from the Ascension Platform.
……
Yu Chen's consciousness returned to reality. He adjusted to the light for a moment and quickly scanned his surroundings, only to see Gu Yue standing not far away, staring at him.
Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi, Tang Wulin, and even Teacher Wu Changkong were nowhere to be found.
"Yue, where are the others?" Yu Chen sat up, his brows furrowed slightly.
Logically, they should at least be waiting nearby.
Gu Yue stepped forward, his expression calm, and explained in a normal tone:
"Xie Xie was affected by the attack of the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear at the Spirit Ascension Platform. He fell into a coma after coming out, and his mind seemed to have been abnormally shaken. His situation seems to be quite troublesome, and everyone is very worried. Teacher Wu took Tang Wulin and the others to the emergency room to visit him."
However, while explaining, Gu Yue subtly tugged at Yu Chen's sleeve with her fingers, her eyes blinking rapidly as she gave him a look that said, "Something's wrong."
"Something's wrong!" Yu Chen's mind immediately went on alert.
Gu Yue's veiled warning suggests that there may be eavesdropping or surveillance in the vicinity, and that the situation may not be as simple as it appears.
His expression remained unchanged, but his golden eyes subtly lit up.
Almost simultaneously, a clear, calm, and concerned female voice resounded deep within his consciousness—this was the spiritual connection established by the mysterious soul contract between him and Gu Yue:
"Chen, there should be surveillance around. Before you came out, someone used the excuse that Xie Xie's injuries were critical and he needed Teacher Wu's urgent signature to send them all away. The excuse was far-fetched, and the person's expression was very strange. I suspect that the target is you, or something you brought out from inside."