Chapter 48: The Higher Realm

The door was suddenly slammed open, and everyone raised their guns. When I saw who it was, I quickly stopped their actions. It was Xiao Xiang Ke’er, covered in blood, her face marked by several shocking wounds.

“Ke’er, what happened?” I hurried forward to support her and asked.

“Murong… Sister Murong, she… she…”

“Don’t panic, speak slowly.” Only then did I notice that her chest seemed to have been wounded by a sharp weapon, a large patch of blood staining her pink robe.

“Sister Murong is in danger, hurry… hurry to save her…” Xiao Xiang Ke’er managed to utter these words before fainting. I quickly caught her and carried her inside to lie down, closing the door as I stepped out.

“Squad One, stay here and guard. Everyone else, follow me.” With that, I waved my hand and led the others into the Misty Forest. The Azure Dragon Gang had ten squads, each with two hundred members. Before crossing into this world, half were outside collecting protection fees, so they hadn’t come through together. Considering the casualties in the grove, Squad One now had only a few dozen people. Though they were just ordinary folks, they had guns and could buy us some time if danger arose. Before leaving, I handed out some bullets from my spatial ring.

Ke’er hadn’t specified the location. The Misty Forest was vast, and the fog lingered all year, making the search difficult. Fortunately, Wang Gui spotted traces of blood on the ground. We followed the trail for about five thousand meters, and soon faint sounds of fighting reached our ears. I quickened my pace. From a distance, I saw a creature three meters tall; Murong Xue was battling it, and Xu Qinghuan lay collapsed nearby.

I rushed over, scooped up Xu Qinghuan, and retreated to the group. Murong Xue clearly noticed our arrival. Once at a disadvantage, she suddenly seemed to explode with energy, her sash at her waist surging with power as she struck out. The creature leapt aside, avoiding the fierce blow. What a powerful beast. I studied it closely. Three meters tall, limbs like a human, two horns growing from its head. A two-meter-long tail dragged on the ground, bristling with barbs. Three bone spines protruded from its back: behind the neck, on the back, and at the waist, each slightly bent downward.

But the most terrifying weren’t its tail or bone spines, but the tentacle-like appendages jutting from its shoulders. On either side, these tentacles were covered in barbs. Despite their apparent rigidity, they moved with startling agility. Murong Xue dodged the left tentacle but couldn’t evade the right, blocking with her arm. Now I understood how Ke’er had been wounded—surely by the monster’s tentacles.

The tentacles were extremely flexible, wrapping tightly around Murong Xue’s arm, making escape impossible. As the left tentacle coiled again, I raised the Ice Sword and rushed in, the tentacle winding around the blade. I channeled true energy into the sword and tried to flick it free, expecting to sever the tentacle, but its toughness exceeded my imagination. My attempt failed, and I found myself trapped as well, unable to draw the sword. Murong Xue’s arm remained bound, and Qin Tian had his gun raised.

The tentacled creature opened its dreadful maw. Previously closed, its mouth proved enormous, wide as a bowl and filled with dense teeth. It lunged at Murong Xue’s shoulder to bite, but at the critical moment, a gunshot rang out, and blood burst from one of the creature’s eyes. I glanced back; Qin Tian’s gun was still smoking. His marksmanship was impressive, hitting the moving creature’s eye without fail.

Bang, bang—two more shots. Bullets struck the creature’s chest, and unexpectedly, they penetrated deeply, lodging inside its body. The creature, pained, released its grip and turned to flee into the distance. “Fire!” Qin Tian commanded. A hail of bullets struck its back, and it collapsed after only a few steps.

“Are you alright?” I helped Murong Xue aside and asked. She looked very weak; though I saw no visible wounds, they must have fought for a long time.

What kind of creature could leave Murong Xue so battered? She was once a celestial being; though much diminished, she had few opponents in the mortal world. Yet this unknown monster left her struggling. What was it, and why did a few bullets finish it off? Its defenses were weak—perhaps it was a speed-type beast. It’s true what they say: no matter how skilled, one fears a kitchen knife. Before modern weapons, even such a formidable creature was no match. This strengthened my resolve: I must establish my own power and manufacture firearms. Murong Xue gave me a grateful look and said, “Let’s talk when we get back.”

I carried Xu Qinghuan and followed Murong Xue back. The Azure Dragon Gang, led by Qin Tian, escorted us, everyone watching the woods warily. In just a day, so much had happened; nearly everyone had skirted the edge of death, and some with weaker nerves even broke down, clamoring to return to the twenty-first century.

Qin Tian patiently soothed them, finally helping them accept reality. As he said, we would likely never go back. The ancient dragon tattoo could be used only once; those with dual cultivation of magic and martial arts could use it twice. I had used my two chances. The first time, when I attempted suicide, my wrist was cut by a knife I’d bought online for eight thousand yuan—a defective blade, but sharp nonetheless. It was a moment of impulse; I didn’t truly intend to die. The knife grazed my wrist, breaking the skin. By chance, my blood touched the dragon tattoo, bringing me to this world. The second time, after my battle with the Dire Wolf, my wrist was injured by Shi Feng’s stomp, and the tattoo absorbed my blood again.

By rights, after returning to the twenty-first century the second time, I shouldn’t have been able to come back. But then I met Qin Tian, who, like me, possessed the dragon tattoo and dual cultivation. Qin Tian’s first journey to the other world didn’t trigger the tattoo; it was a temporal disturbance that brought him here. He later met a man in silver armor, and after being wounded, the tattoo activated, sending him back. Qin Tian triggered the tattoo a second time just a day ago, on the rooftop of the Azure Dragon Gang’s headquarters, bringing us all here at the same moment. Perhaps this was fate, written long ago.

Soon, we reached Murong Xue’s grand courtyard. The gang members waited inside. I followed Murong Xue into the house. Murong Xue first checked the wounds of Yu Jing and Xiao Xiang Ke’er, applied medicine and bandages, then examined Xu Qinghuan, who was merely unconscious from minor internal injuries—nothing serious. Finally, she inspected Shi Feng. According to Murong Xue, Shi Feng was indeed infected with corpse poison, not the ordinary kind; expelling it entirely was nearly impossible. Only a portion could be removed, meaning Shi Feng might go berserk at any moment.

Since the stars changed, so much had happened in just one day. Unseen creatures had appeared, unlike anything we’d encountered before. As I looked at those lying on the beds, I felt an ache in my heart.

“Miss Murong, what is going on?”

Murong Xue put down her herbs and said, “Young Master Li, once their wounds heal, you should leave here quickly and find a safe place to settle. With your current strength, you cannot handle the dangers lurking in the Misty Forest.”

“Miss Murong, please explain more clearly.”

Murong Xue had many virtues, but she always spoke in riddles. She stood and faced the wall. “You saw the change in the stars, didn’t you?”

Of course we did. Such a bright light—anyone not blind would have noticed.

“This world is descending into chaos. Creatures from the upper realm have begun to appear. The Misty Forest happens to sit at the core of the upper realm, so there are more creatures here than elsewhere.”

“Upper realm? What is that?” I looked at Murong Xue in confusion, waiting for her answer.

“In any case, you must leave the Misty Forest as soon as possible. I’ve told you all you need to know. Take care of yourself.” Murong Xue sighed softly, as if burdened by countless regrets.