readsfreenovel Chapter 35 Soul Search
Chapter 35 Soul Search
For more than ten days in a row, Zhao Chen waited for an opportunity.
News came in sporadically from the tavern—it was said that the northern border had been in turmoil lately, with frequent invasions by void creatures and several outposts already breached. Several batches of angels had been dispatched to suppress the unrest, but with little effect and many casualties.
The Heavenly Palace was still filled with singing and dancing, but the patrolling male angels spoke with a more somber tone in private.
Zhao Chen sat in a corner of the tavern, slowly sipping his wine.
Boundaries, void creatures.
That place is a good place.
Zhao Chen put down his wine glass and got up to leave.
-
The key now is to leave this planet.
Entry and exit from the city require a pass, a mark linked to one's identity. One must disguise oneself as a low-ranking angel, otherwise, there's no way to slip out.
"I need to change my identity."
Sitting in the dilapidated house, Zhao Chen began to search through the 72 Transformations of Earthly Fiends in his mind.
Soul Search.
This spell can forcibly read another person's memories and even briefly replicate their soul fluctuations. Combined with illusion, it can perfectly impersonate another person.
However, soul searching carries risks. The stronger the opponent's soul, the greater the potential for backlash. An angel at the early Nascent Soul stage could barely withstand it.
"This is it."
Zhao Chen began to comprehend it.
-
After his comprehension increased twentyfold, his speed in comprehending magic became astonishing.
What would normally take months to master, he grasped in just three days. By the fourth day, he was already proficient in its application. On the fifth day, he decided to put it into practice.
The target had already been chosen.
He was a male angel at the mid-stage of the first-generation divine body, living alone. He was usually responsible for patrolling a sentry post outside the city, and would return to the city every three days to rest for a day. He had just returned to the city today and was resting at his residence.
Zhao Chen infiltrated stealthily.
The male angel was lying on the bed, resting with his eyes closed. Zhao Chen approached silently and pointed—
Freezing spell.
The male angel froze instantly, unable to even move his eyes.
Stepping forward, Zhao Chen placed his hand on the top of his head and began searching his soul.
Mental energy transformed into countless tentacles, probing into the other's soul. Fragments of memory surged forth like a tide—childhood, training, the first murder, patrol routes, the superior's appearance, and that mission order…
He began quickly filtering through the useful information.
Fifteen minutes later, he opened his eyes.
The soul search was successful.
The information retrieved from memory leads to the following conclusions:
- Each male angel is equipped with: a personal dark dimension + a celestial computer + a dark communication module.
Personal Dark Dimension System
- Independent dark plane coordinates, storing divine bodies, gene engines, weapons, data, and dark energy reserves.
- Equivalent to a personal "Dark Dimension Host + Hard Drive + Armory".
- Access control levels: King/High-level users enjoy exclusive large space and high privileges; Ordinary users have basic space.
Microwormhole transport (core application)
- Dark dimension + micro wormhole combination: cross-space storage, teleportation, and instant weapon retrieval.
Dark communication (Tiangong Dark Web)
- The Dark Dimension Channel enables encrypted cross-stellar communication, legion command, and point-to-point contact.
- No public knowledge channels; purely military-use and centrally controlled.
Dark energy manipulation
- Drive Dark Energy: Flight, Shield, Attack, Repair, Wormhole Opening.
Dark Information and Insight
- Dark Eye/Insight: See dark planes, wormholes, dark energy, and dark information.
- Used for reconnaissance, anti-stealth, and target locking.
He also learned about the basic strength of the Heavenly Palace at this time, which was as follows:
- Heavenly Palace Warrior/Soldier: Ordinary male angel, first-generation divine body/first-generation genes, basic combat strength of the Heavenly Palace.
- Heavenly Palace Guard/Heavenly Palace General: Mid-level combat force, second-generation divine body/second-generation gene, commander of troops.
- Archangel of the Heavenly Palace: High-level combat force, third-generation divine body/third-generation genes, Hua Ye's confidant (such as Su Mali).
- Heavenly King/Lord of Heavenly Palace: Supreme Ruler, exclusive to Hua Ye, peak of third-generation divine body/Heavenly Palace God.
After reviewing the memories, he looked down at the stiff body, opened his mouth, and inhaled—the living person was swallowed, wrapped separately in a thin membrane, and sealed in a corner of his stomach. The person was still alive and breathing, but was immobilized by a spell and unable to move. His mental imprint remained online; in the dark dimension, he was still "alive" and hadn't gone offline.
"I'll deal with you after we leave Merlo."
With his eyes closed, Zhao Chen began to recall the angel's memories.
This angel is named Elvis, and belongs to the Third Patrol Team. He was originally responsible for the daily duty of the Seventh Outpost in the Northern Territory. But now there is a new order in the mission – the void creatures on the northern border have rioted, and Elvis has been assigned to the third reinforcement team, departing for the northern battlefield in three days.
On the way out of the city, there will be checkpoints where the aura imprint needs to be verified. But he has Elvis's memories and can perfectly imitate his aura and demeanor.
"That's enough."
Standing up, Zhao Chen activated his Disguise Technique, and his figure slowly changed—his face, body shape, aura, and even every feather on his wings became exactly the same as Elvis's.
Donning Elvis's armor, donning his sword, and taking his mission token, Zhao Chen pushed open the door and stepped out.
The mission order was stamped with the logistics department's seal, which allowed Zhao Chen to collect equipment and supplies. He could then use this order to board the transport ship bound for the northern border.
-
There was a long queue at the logistics department.
Zhao Chen, head down, walked to the window with the gait of Elvis and handed over the mission order. The angel behind the window glanced at him, then looked at his face, and casually tossed him a package.
"The supplies are all inside, just sign here."
Zhao Chen took the pen and signed Elvis's name. The handwriting was exactly the same as he remembered.
Then turned and left.
Upon arriving at the checkpoint, Zhao Chen handed over the mission order. The guard on duty used a mirror to reflect Zhao Chen's face. The mirror glowed green—indicating that the aura verification had been successful.
Since he was certain he could leave at any time, Zhao Chen wasn't in a hurry. To avoid attracting attention, he walked a little further before turning back and heading towards the warehouse.
The warehouse, located behind the logistics department, occupies a vast area and is a three-story stone building. Four first-generation divine body guards stand at the entrance, swords at their waists, their eyes wary.
Zhao Chen did not approach.
He circled around to the side of the warehouse, found a secluded corner, and activated his invisibility and disguise abilities simultaneously, transforming into a tiny flying insect that flew silently close to the wall.
Several ventilation windows, no bigger than a fist, were opened in the walls of the warehouse. Zhao Chen went through the ventilation windows and entered the warehouse.
The warehouse was piled high with ore, dark red and silvery-white, neatly stacked, roughly amounting to at least forty or fifty thousand pieces. A dozen or so porters were sorting it, while several angels who appeared to be in charge were counting it.
Zhao Chen landed on a crossbeam and observed quietly.
The porters worked until evening before gradually leaving, and most of the supervising angels also left. In the end, only two angels remained on duty, one at the door and the other patrolling inside.
Zhao Chen did not move.
He is waiting.
As night deepened, and the two guards on duty began to doze off, the night grew longer.
At midnight, the warehouse finally quieted down. The patrolling angel leaned against a pile of ore, eyes closed, breathing evenly. The angel by the door also leaned against the door, half-asleep.
Zhao Chen made a move.
He flew down from the beam, landed behind the patrolling angel, and silently returned to human form. He raised a hand and pointed—
Freezing spell.
The angel froze instantly, even stopping breathing, remaining seated and motionless.
He walked towards the one by the door.
The same finger.
The two angels, both at the Golden Core stage, remained frozen in place, each in their own posture. From a distance, they looked as if they were dozing off.
Zhao Chen stood in the center of the warehouse, looking at the mountain of ore, and took a deep breath.
Then start collecting.
One yuan, ten yuan, one hundred yuan, one thousand yuan...
He continuously swallowed dark red ore into his storage ring. Once the ring was full, he swallowed it into his stomach and wrapped it with a thin membrane. When his stomach was full, he stored it in the temporarily opened space within his inner chamber.
Zhao Chen was like a tireless machine, constantly consuming.
Half an hour later, one-third of the dark red ore in the warehouse had disappeared.
An hour later, half was gone.
Two hours later, only a few piles of dark red ore remained.
Zhao Chen began to devour the silvery-white ore.
Another hour has passed.
When he swallowed the last piece of silvery-white ore, the warehouse was completely empty, not a single piece of ore remained.
Standing still, Zhao Chen felt the massive amount of minerals within his body, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips.
More than 40,000 pieces of ore were all acquired.
enough.
Transforming back into a flying insect, Zhao Chen flew out of the ventilation window and disappeared into the night.
-
The spaceport, located on the edge of the inner city, covers a vast area. Dozens of transport ships are docked in the port, with angels constantly boarding and disembarking, mostly teams heading to the North to provide reinforcements.
Holding the mission order, Zhao Chen followed the flow of people toward the boarding gate.
At the boarding gate, two angels of divine form stood guard, and a huge mirror floated above the entrance, emitting a faint glow. Each angel boarding the ship had to pause before the mirror for a moment to verify their login location and aura information for the Dark Dimension System.
When it was Zhao Chen's turn, he stepped forward and looked up at the mirror.
The mirror glowed with a green light.
"Go on up." The angel on duty waved his hand.
Zhao Chen climbed the gangway onto the transport ship and found a seat in a corner.
Half an hour later, the spaceship took off.
Through the porthole, Zhao Chen saw the Heavenly Palace City getting smaller and smaller, the huge planet gradually shrinking in his field of vision, and the spaceship passing through the pale golden planetary defense ring and entering the vast starry sky.
Zhao Chen took a deep breath.
become free.
-
An hour after the spaceship departed, at the Heavenly Palace City, in the ore warehouse.
As the first rays of sunlight streamed into the warehouse, the shift workers pushed open the door, ready to begin a new day's work.
He was stunned.
The warehouse was completely empty.
No, it wasn't empty—the guard at the door leaned against the wall, motionless; the one inside was also motionless. Their eyes were open, their breathing even, yet they stood frozen there like statues.
"What... what's going on?"
I reached out and pushed the person at the door, but they didn't budge, not even blinking.
"Help! Help!"
The alarm shattered the morning's tranquility.
A quarter of an hour later, martial law was declared throughout the Heavenly Palace City. The city gates were closed, the port was sealed off, and all airships were grounded. Squads of angels began a city-wide search, digging every inch of the ground, house to house.
But the killer was already gone.
An hour ago, a transport ship bound for the North took off.
The commander in charge of the investigation stood in the center of the empty warehouse, his brow furrowed and his face ashen. Looking at his two subordinates, frozen in place, it seemed the killer's gene engine, with its immense computing power, had instantly hacked into their dark dimension terminal—forcibly locking down the gene engine's computations, command issuance, and energy supply—making them immobile. But it didn't quite seem like it…
The male angel raised his head and looked towards the starry sky.
"Give me communication! Tell the troop transport ship that departed the next day to return!"
Also, come with me to chase after them!
But in the starry sky, that transport ship had long since disappeared into the vast sea of stars.
Zhao Chen leaned against the porthole, his eyes closed, a slight smile playing on his lips.
Inside his stomach, the guy named Elvis was still alive, frozen in place by a spell, sealed in a corner of his stomach. His heartbeat was steady, his breathing normal—in the dark dimension, everything was normal for him, and his system was online.
We can deal with him once we reach the North.
Inside the storage ring, more than 40,000 pieces of ore lay quietly.
Zhao Chen was planning how to escape once they reached the Northern Territory when suddenly, the communication device inside the spaceship rang.
"Attention all personnel! Emergency order from the Heavenly Palace City: all transport ships must return to port immediately! Please prepare to disembark. Repeat, all transport ships must return to port immediately!~~"
Zhao Chen suddenly opened his eyes.
A commotion erupted in the cabin. The angels exchanged bewildered glances, unsure what was happening. But an order was an order, and the pilot had already begun to change course.
Damn it.
Zhao Chen's heart sank.
The warehouse was discovered so quickly. Those frozen angels must have been found. The Heavenly Palace City is directly ordering all troop transport ships to return via clandestine communication—it's suspected the killer is on board.
The spaceship turned around and began to travel in the direction it had come from.
Although he was confident he could disguise himself well and take over everything from the guy he was impersonating, he hadn't joined the angels' dark web after all, and he'd probably be exposed if he encountered an angel with high authority.
Zhao Chen stood up and looked around.
There were thirty-two angels in the cabin, most of them at the early or middle stages of the First-Generation Divine Body, with two at the peak of the First-Generation Divine Body. The pilot was at the middle stage of the First-Generation Divine Body, and the co-pilot was at the early stage. Including himself—Elvis was also at the middle stage of the First-Generation Divine Body.
Thirty-two first-generation divine bodies.
Zhao Chen's lips curled slightly. He needed to deal with the problem in his stomach first. Pure Yang Fire surged forth, instantly engulfing the sealed angel Elvis. Flesh and blood were refined, and pure energy flowed into his limbs and bones. Deep within his soul, another wisp of golden divine aura appeared—exactly nine hundred wisps in total.
Then, the Immortal-Slaying Flying Knife shot out from the void, piercing the head of the nearest angel. The Chaos Bell flew out of the dantian, resounding silently; its sonic waves swept across, instantly disorienting half the angels. The God-Slaying Spear appeared in the palm, transforming into a red streak of light, weaving through the crowd, each piercing taking a life.
Harvest all three magical treasures at the same time.
Those angels with divine bodies didn't even have time to react before they fell like mowing grass. Some opened their mouths to cry out, but a flying knife had already pierced their throats; some drew their swords halfway, but a spear's edge pierced their hearts; some awoke in alarm and tried to escape, but a bell tolled, and they collapsed to the ground.
Thirty breaths later, all thirty-two first-generation divine angels were annihilated.
Zhao Chen retrieved his magical artifact, turned, and walked into the cockpit. The driver and co-pilot were slumped in their seats, lifeless.
The spaceship began to tilt.
I glanced out the window—the spaceship in the distance had already begun to turn around and return.
Zhao Chen stepped out of the cabin, activated the Golden Crow Escape Light, and disappeared into the sea of stars as a golden light.
Behind them, the out-of-control spaceship began to streak its tail flames as it crashed into a barren asteroid.
-
An hour and a half later, the three warships arrived.
The spaceship wreckage was still burning. The search team entered and began counting the bodies.
One, two, ten, twenty, thirty... thirty-one.
"Commander, there are thirty-one in total."
The commander frowned deeply: "How many people are on the list?"
"Thirty-two people, one is missing."
The commander's face darkened: "Check identities and see who's missing."
A moment later, an angel replied: "The results are in. The missing one is named Elvis, a Celestial Warrior belonging to the Third Patrol. Based on the intelligence gathered along the way, he's on the suspect list."
"Elvis..." the commander chewed on the name, "either he's dead and his body hasn't been found, or he's the murderer."
Another angel then said: "In the dark dimension, Elvis's system has gone offline. If he was killed, his offline time should have been around the same as the others. But now there's one less body, the most likely explanation is—Elvis is the traitor."
"Pass down the order: issue a warrant for Elvis's arrest. We need to see him alive or dead."
"yes!"
The message spread throughout the North via clandestine communication. An angel named Elvis became a traitor and a wanted criminal.
-
Three days later, a grayish-white planet appeared in Zhao Chen's field of vision—the first outpost in the Northern Territory.
Gazing at the planet from afar, Zhao Chen did not approach it.
Patrols were coming and going, and the security was much tighter than usual. Warships were taking off and landing from time to time, seemingly searching for something.
Turning his gaze away, Zhao Chen's lips curled into a slight smile.
That identity of Elvis is probably already on the wanted list as a "traitorous angel." As long as he doesn't show up with that face, no one will bother him.
Turning around, Zhao Chen flew deeper into the distance.
Tens of millions of feet away from the outpost, Zhao Chen landed on a desolate asteroid. Sitting cross-legged, he closed his eyes and began to absorb the essence of the sun, moon, and stars around him.
The starry sky here is a hundred times denser than that of Teda Star, and purer than the outer reaches of Tiancheng Star. The sun's essence is blazing, the moon's light is cool, and the power of the stars is endless. He greedily devoured this energy, letting it surge into his dantian.
The nascent soul slowly rose and fell, and the patterns on its surface began to brighten.
Immersed in this state, Zhao Chen forgot the passage of time.
Three months later, Zhao Chen opened his eyes, a flash of golden light appearing and disappearing in them. Looking inward at himself, he found his true essence abundant, and his nascent soul much more solid than before.
He stood up and looked in the direction of the outpost. The search was still ongoing, but it was no longer relevant to him.
Withdrawing his gaze, Zhao Chen sat cross-legged on the meteorite again.
In the days to come, he will stay here in seclusion to cultivate until the storm passes.
Time flows silently in the starry sky.