I Contracted All Ancient Divine Artifacts

Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Sea Burial and Tier Three Breakthrough

The events that followed became simpler.

Reorganize, purge, and completely resolve the aftermath in Deep Blue City.

After Kang Chuan’s death, the Erosion Insects in two other locations simultaneously died violently. One of them was Kang Chuan’s secretary.

The other was someone Han Zhan and the others hadn’t expected.

”Alright, I understand.” Li Shutong hung up the communicator and told Han Zhan an unexpected answer.

The seventh Erosion Insect parasite he had been racking his brain trying to find turned out to be Wang Luma!

He had already been chosen to become a Combat Spirit Contract Master sent to the war zone. If he hadn’t been screened out this time, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

”Although each war zone has strict verification mechanisms and will surely catch this Erosion Insect, if it actually came to that, this Erosion Insect should have already caused considerable damage and trouble. Just now, Jingxuan called and specifically asked me to pass along his thanks to you.”

Han Zhan shook his head.

Gratitude and such are too formal.

The other participants who plotted this event, the mysterious Dawn organization, immediately dove into the shadows after failing,

like a black ghost claw, stealing the fire of light, dissolving into darkness after failure, disappearing completely.

Those private soldiers targeting Han Zhan were all cultivated by Kang Chuan himself.

Only that Tier Six Spirit Contract Master was related to Dawn, but in the first instance of being secretly interrogated, he inexplicably died suddenly.

Even Li Shutong couldn’t uncover more clues to find that mastermind.

”Bai Shuang’s body was found. She should have been parasitized in the Breeze Dance Hall. Also, City Guardian Spirit Contract Masters and ordinary citizens of Deep Blue City who had been continuously missing these past few months were found preserved frozen on the negative two and three floors of the City Guardian Mansion.”

”They should have all been parasitized, and after the Erosion Insect ’moulted,’ they were stored there for reuse at any time.”

On another front, Xia Youwei also brought new information.

She sighed when she got to this part.

Although she already had the answer in her heart, Xia Youwei still felt empty inside when she heard this news.

Having been together for almost a month,

being a member of Squad 0527 as well, Bai Shuang’s death was a significant blow.

But this is the end of the world bug disaster.

”How is Yi Fan?” Han Zhan asked.

”Still the same as ever, the officials awarded him a sum of money, which he spent entirely on buying alcohol. Now the squad’s points are sufficient, and because of the relentless tasks this month, the entire Deep Blue City Guardian Squad has no tasks to undertake.”

Is this the ”aftermath” of being a mission bully... Han Zhan looked up and saw Yi Fan approaching from a distance.

The smell of strong alcohol was over him, and he staggered as he walked.

Many around, aware of his circumstances, looked at Yi Fan with a hint of sympathy in their eyes.

”Han Zhan, I want you to help me make a request to the authorities.”

”I hope that Bai Shuang can have a funeral at sea.”

”She once told me she wanted to go out to sea from the Bund in Deep Blue City. At that time, I was drowning in sorrow and never paid attention to her wish, and now it’s too late to make up for it.”

”She’s gone. This is the second time I’ve experienced loss, proving that I’m not someone worthy of being loved.”

Not cherishing love when one has it, and only regretting it when it’s lost.

After Yi Fan finished speaking, he chuckled bitterly, his eyes filled with anguish.

His request wasn’t unreasonable.

Deep Blue City is a coastal city. A sea burial is much simpler than a traditional burial.

After Han Zhan communicated this request to the City Guardian Organization, they immediately gave a positive response.

Not just for Bai Shuang.

In this ”Erosion Insect” incident, a total of 1,001 people died, already classified as a Level Four Insect Calamity.

To soothe the residents of Deep Blue City and stabilize emotions, and to commemorate those who perished in the Insect Calamity, the authorities needed to do something.

A sea burial was a great suggestion.

Three days later, all those who perished in the Insect Calamity were placed into coffins, and Deep Blue City broadcasted this large memorial ceremony live.

A thousand coffins went into the sea.

They drifted into the distance with the ocean currents.

Every resident of Deep Blue City silently watched this scene, silently mourning.

At sea, the coffins floated up and down.

In the coffin holding Bai Shuang’s body, her eyes were closed, face serene.

Suddenly, under her coffin, someone had carved very faint lines, and these lines gradually lit up, turning into a crimson glow.

A crimson insect was transmitted from the depths of the deep sea’s dark abyss.

...

In a hot pot restaurant with a nine-square grid, red chili oil was bubbling merrily.

Still eating hot pot, but with a different crowd.

Li Shutong, Han Zhan, Xia Youwei, Li Lingzhen, and Shang Siteng, five people sat around.

Yi Fan didn’t come. He preferred to drink more bottles of wine than eat hot pot.

The deceased are gone, but life goes on.

October ushered in the fall, and the weather gradually cooled, so hot pot was essential.

”Have you all broken through to Tier Three?”

Upon hearing the news, Li Shutong was stunned. As experienced as he was, he couldn’t help but click his tongue.

How many days since they broke through to Tier Two?

The speed of leveling up was like a rocket, and it’s unprecedented in the history of Great Xia, even if it’s not unrepeatable in the future.

However, this speed is only temporary.

Rapid Realm advancements mean massive material consumption, and Han Zhan had already exhausted all the materials collected from the City Guardian Alliance in the Shennong Cauldron.

After breaking through to Tier Three, Han Zhan, as a Spirit Contract Master, underwent significant enhancement in all aspects.

But the greater improvements were with his two contracted spirits, [Fu Xi Zither] and [Shennong Cauldron].

Now, the character information for Xia Youwei and Li Lingzhen had changed once again.

[Xia Youwei, SSS Level Contracted Spirit.]

[Level: Tier Three]

[Illusion Form, Ancient Divine Weapon - Fu Xi Zither.]

[Divinity: Sword Heart and Zither Gall, Celestial Intent Four Symbols, Soul Capturing and Spirit Driving.]

[Zither Tunes: Tier One: Array-Breaking Melody, Clear Heart Powder, Dragon Soaring Technique; Tier Two: Joyful Wind, Spring Field Fire, Six Ding Thunder; Tier Three: Ancient Resentful Sunset]

Xia Youwei broke through to Tier Three, and the Fu Xi Zither awakened a new divinity [Soul Capturing and Spirit Driving], all enemies killed by it have their spiritual souls detained, transformed into war spirits.

The Tier Three melody Ancient Resentful Sunset summons all slain war spirits to fight for it again within the Ancient Resentful Sunset Array.

Though there’s only one Tier Three zither tune, its power is undeniable, with high potential for the future.

Li Lingzhen underwent even greater changes.

[Li Lingzhen, SSS Level Contracted Spirit.]

[Level: Tier Three]

[Illusion Form, Ancient Divine Weapon - Shennong Cauldron]

[Divinity: Refining Essence and Returning to Truth, Trapped in All Things, Creation of Living Beings.]

All three divine powers of the Ancient Divine Weapon Shennong Cauldron were unlocked, corresponding to ”Refine,” ”Suppress,” ”Nourish.”

Refining is alchemy, refining Spiritual Power.

Suppressing is defending, suppressing all things.

Nourishing is nourishing the body, Creation and Restoration.

The three-in-one concept fully maximizes Shennong Cauldron’s utility, even surpassing Fu Xi Zither in support functions.

Trapped in All Things can directly absorb and suppress creatures that are not higher tier than itself within the cauldron, and the suppression and refining rates increase with power.

Creation of Living Beings can constantly purify the Spirit Contract Master’s body, and can accumulate Spiritual Power to release them all at once in critical conditions, restoring the Spirit Contract Master from severe injuries to peak state!

Both are divine skills!