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"So, the Qi Body Source Flow, and that secret of immortality... um, or in your terms, the Eighteen Forms of Awei?" He paused, as if recalling something, then changed his words.
"Forget it, it's not important."
He looked at the Xu brothers, who were completely frozen in place, and finally posed the question that made their very souls tremble.
"Do you sell them in bulk? The price is negotiable."
Chapter 374 Technical Exchange
Do you sell them as a package deal?
These five words were like five heavy punches, leaving Xu San and Xu Si dizzy and almost unable to stand.
They'd heard of robbery, theft, and fraud, but they'd never heard anyone use such a casual, supermarket-buying tone to "seek" the Eight Extraordinary Skills and Feng Baobao's secrets.
This is no longer arrogance; it's a kind of contempt stemming from absolute self-confidence, a disregard for the rules of the entire world of supernatural beings.
Xu Si's Adam's apple bobbed as he forced himself to break free from the terror that had almost frozen his mind. He took a deep breath and forced a smile that was more like a grimace than a genuine, street-smart grin.
"My friend, you're really joking." As he spoke, he subtly took a half step forward, shielding Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao even more tightly behind him. "What Qi Source Flow, what immortality? We're just deliverymen, how would we know anything about these profound things? Have you come to the wrong person?"
He started to cheat, which was his most common delaying tactic when facing an opponent he couldn't defeat.
Zhou Ye smiled at his expression. He didn't expose the other man's lie, nor did he press him further. He knew that for someone with such a vastly different level of understanding, no amount of verbal threats would be as effective as a direct "technology demonstration."
He turned his head and looked at the zombie that Liu Yanyan had brought.
He raised his hand and waved it at the zombie in the distance.
There was no light, no sound. But all the extraordinary beings present sensed that some fundamental "rule" in the air had been altered.
The next second, the invisible, dense corpse aura clinging to the zombie melted and purified rapidly, like snow exposed to sunlight. The horrifying lividity on its body faded at a visible speed, and its previously bluish-black, stiff skin regained some color and elasticity. Finally, its body went limp, falling straight backward to the ground. Aside from being a little pale, it looked like an ordinary person asleep.
"A low-level soul manipulation technique, coupled with crude energy attachment, results in less than five percent utilization of the corpse's bio-energy." Zhou Ye withdrew his hand and spoke in a tone as if a teacher were commenting on a student's homework.
“The wrong point of connection between the soul and the body was chosen, resulting in a long and wasteful energy transmission path. The driving method was also too crude, which was just a simple energy infusion without forming an effective energy cycle.”
His gaze shifted to the distance, to Liu Yanyan, who was too frightened to move.
“If a miniature energy guiding circuit is constructed on the corpse in advance using a rune matrix, and then precise control is achieved by simulating bioelectric signals with mental power as the core, the energy utilization efficiency can be increased by at least fifty times. The smoothness of the movements can be comparable to that in life, and can even unleash power beyond that in life. This is the art of control, not the puppet-like juggling we see now.”
His words not only left Liu Yanyan completely bewildered and terrified, but also plunged Xu San and Xu Si into an icy abyss.
What kind of monster is this?
Not only can he see through the principles of the Liu family's corpse-driving technique at a glance, but he can also decipher it instantly, and even... he can propose an unprecedented "optimization plan" that sounds incredibly advanced in theory?
This is no longer a matter of superior strength; it's a crushing defeat in terms of cognitive dimension! While they were still researching how to increase the horsepower of diesel engines, the other side had already started discussing the theoretical model of a warp drive.
"Don't be nervous." Zhou Ye turned back and looked at the Xu brothers, who were completely speechless. A hint of helplessness appeared on his smile. "I told you, I'm just a tourist. I have absolutely no interest in ruling your world or establishing any new order. I just want to hold a... well, a technology exchange meeting."
"Technical exchange meeting?" Xu San repeated the word with difficulty, feeling as if his brain was about to crash.
“Yes.” Zhou Ye nodded. “I am very interested in your Qi and the various technologies derived from Qi, such as those eight creative gadgets.”
He held up one finger and said slowly, “In exchange, I can offer some… higher-dimensional technologies. For example, blueprints for a controlled nuclear fusion reactor operating at room temperature and pressure? Or, a global personal space teleportation network? Which one do you want? I can give you a discount.”
Xu San and Xu Si looked at each other, both seeing utter absurdity and unfathomable terror in each other's eyes.
Controlled nuclear fusion? Space teleportation?
They could understand every single word the man spoke, but put together, it sounded like the delusions of a madman in a science fiction novel. This had completely transcended the realm of "extraordinary people" and entered a domain beyond their comprehension.
A mysterious person who can easily decipher secret techniques, knows the Eight Extraordinary Skills like the back of their hand, and can even "trade" sci-fi technology... How should they report to the company? What level should be used to define this existence?
SSS-level? Or do we need to create a new level called "Myth"?
Seeing their horrified expressions, Zhou Ye gradually lost patience. Communicating with beings whose understanding is on a completely different level is indeed a very tiring thing.
"Forget it, I can't explain it to you anyway." He waved his hand dejectedly. "I'll go find it myself."
He abruptly changed the subject, asking directly, "Where has the Quanxing sect been active lately? I remember they've collected quite a few good things. Talking to them should be more productive than talking to you civil servants."
Communication would be much more efficient.
Just as Xu Sigang was about to say, "We don't know," Zhou Ye's gaze suddenly sharpened, fixed on the distant southwest. His eyes seemed to pierce through the night, mountains, and endless space, locking onto some faraway place.
"Oh, I found it."
The amused look of discovering a new toy reappeared on his face.
"A very interesting gathering place. A group of people are playing with mud, and another group is doing mechanical punk... Hmm, that idea of using one's own body to forge magical artifacts is quite creative, although the materials and techniques are a bit rough."
"There's another old guy who seems to be trying to understand the Way of Heaven... but he's going in the wrong direction. What he's doing isn't following the Way of Heaven; at most, he's just turning himself into a more advanced weather station."
He commented on those figures in the distance who could be considered "top-tier" in the world of supernatural beings, his tone as relaxed as if he were watching a childish children's play.
Xu San and Xu Si's hearts pounded. They didn't know who the other person was talking about, but the casual comment undoubtedly showed that those who seemed unattainable to them were, in the other person's eyes, only "somewhat interesting".
Zhou Ye ignored them and said to himself, "Alright, I'm not wasting any more time with you guys. I'm going to check out that theme park first."
Having said that, he prepared to leave. This world was even more interesting than he had imagined.
Chapter 375 Heading to Biyou Village
Xu Si's Adam's apple bobbed as he forced himself to break free from the near-freezing terror. He was a seasoned veteran of the underworld, and in situations like this, he couldn't afford to show weakness. He took a deep breath, forcing a smile that was more like a grimace than a grimace—a smile brimming with mercenary cunning and obsequiousness, the mask he was most adept at wearing when facing an opponent he couldn't possibly defeat.
"My friend, you're quite the joker." As he spoke, he subtly took half a step forward, using his body to shield Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao even more tightly behind him, the movement appearing as natural as an unintentional adjustment.
"What Qi Source Flow, what immortality? We're just deliverymen, how would we know about those profound things? Look at our company name, 'All-Accessible,' which means we deliver to every corner of the country, available anytime, guaranteed to satisfy you. Have you come to the wrong person?"
He started to play dirty tricks, his smooth tone carrying a mix of probing and awe—his most common delaying tactic when facing opponents he couldn't defeat. Victory lay in stalling until a top expert from the company came to his aid, or until the opponent lost patience and left on their own.
However, Zhou Ye simply watched him quietly, her eyes unmoved by his江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) rhetoric. Her smile remained as pure as ever, yet it made Xu Si feel like a clown performing a three-wheeled drift on an aircraft carrier deck, all his skills appearing utterly ridiculous.
Zhou Ye had no interest in exposing his lies, nor did he press him further. He knew that for someone with such a vast difference in understanding, no amount of verbal threats would be as effective as a direct "technology demonstration."
He didn't even glance at Xu Si again. His attention was completely elsewhere, no longer on the people in front of him. He slightly raised his gaze, casting it towards the distant southwest, where, deep within his pupils, a stream of data, imperceptible to ordinary people, surged at an alarming speed.
For a moment, Xu Si and Xu San both had a strange feeling. The man before them no longer seemed like a "person," but an invisible radar covering the entire land of China. His gaze pierced through the night, through mountains and cities, through endless space, as if browsing a huge, real-time, dynamic three-dimensional map, and they, along with this cemetery, were just insignificant pixels on that map, not even worthy of being marked.
"Playing in the mud? Mechapter punk?"
Zhang Chulan, who was being protected behind, was completely confused about the situation. He listened to Zhou Ye's cryptic mutterings and whispered to Feng Baobao beside him.
"Sister Bao'er, what is this guy talking about? What mud, what punk? He sounds like those guys in internet cafes. Is he a gamer too?"
Feng Baobao didn't answer. She just tilted her head, her empty eyes staring unblinkingly at Zhou Ye, the light of "curiosity" in them growing stronger and stronger.
Zhang Chulan's mutterings were soft, but they clearly reached Xu San's ears. Xu San's body jolted violently, and the color drained from his face at a visible speed, turning him even paler than the zombie from before.
Playing in the mud... Mechapter...
These two seemingly unrelated words, like two precise keys, instantly unlocked the most sensitive and vigilant lock in his mind. Within the company, there was a highly dangerous target codenamed "New Rural Area," under close surveillance. The founder of that place was none other than Ma Xianhong, the inheritor of one of the Eight Extraordinary Skills, "Divine Machine Refinement."
Ma Xianhong's ability is simply to "enlighten" inanimate objects, giving them life-like functions, right? To ordinary people, isn't that just "playing with mud"? And he has gathered a group of so-called "superior talents" who use his technology to perform all sorts of unbelievable modifications on themselves. Some have even made themselves look neither human nor ghost, exuding a bizarre, technologically advanced aura. Isn't that... "mechanical punk"?
The moment the thought crossed Xu San's mind, a chill ran from his tailbone straight to the top of his head. That place was top secret within the company, extremely well-hidden, and surveillance was limited to the perimeter. This man, simply standing here, had "seen" that place? And he used such understated words to describe it?
"It seems you know where I'm talking about."
Zhou Ye's voice drifted over, and he withdrew his gaze, watching Xu San's drastically changed expression with interest, silently affirming Xu San's sharp reaction. He stretched and loosened his limbs, his posture so relaxed that it seemed he had simply decided on the next tourist destination.
“Perfect timing. I’m somewhat interested in that technology called Divine Refinement. It uses material reconstruction to give inorganic matter vitality. Although the idea is primitive, the concept is quite good.” He paused, as if recalling the scene he had just “seen,” and added, “By the way, there seemed to be a… well, a very pitiful poison girl there. Her entire life system was hijacked by a kind of symbiotic Gu worm. It’s quite tragic.”
These words struck Xu San and Xu Si like a series of thunderbolts.
"Poisonous Girl"... Chen Duo!
That's an even more crucial secret than Biyou Village itself! It's the "Gu Body Saint Child" created by the Medicine Immortal Society, a hot potato known only to a very few high-ranking executives within the company!
Who exactly is this man? How much does he know?
Xu San's heart sank to the bottom. This was no longer a matter of intelligence capabilities; this was omniscience! The abilities displayed by the other party had completely exceeded their understanding of the concept of "superhumans."
"You...you..." Xu Si's smooth,江湖-like demeanor completely crumbled. He pointed at Zhou Ye, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a single word. Fear, pure fear stemming from the unknown and the absolute disparity in power, gripped his heart.
Zhou Ye ignored them, feeling he had laid enough groundwork. He turned and waved to Feng Baobao, who had remained silent, his manner as casual as greeting a little sister next door.
“Young lady, your question is very interesting. A formatted soul, yet equipped with a near-perfect engine for eternal life. After I finish what I’m doing, I might be interested in taking a look at what exactly happened with your factory settings.”
After saying that, he didn't even give Xu San and Xu Si any time to react.
Without any warning, the space in front of him rippled silently, like a stone thrown into a still lake. It wasn't a fluctuation of Qi, nor a distortion of energy, but a more fundamental fold in the spatial structure itself.
Zhou Ye took a step forward, his entire body merging into the ripples, as if stepping through an invisible door. The ripples quickly subsided, and his figure vanished without a trace.
The night wind blew by, and only the echo of his last words remained in the cemetery, along with a group of petrified people.
Xu Si rushed to the spot where Zhou Ye had just stood, frantically groping around. There was nothing there; not even a trace of wind, let alone any fluctuation of Qi. He turned back to look at Zhang Chulan, who was equally stunned, his mouth agape in an "O" shape, and Feng Baobao, who was still tilting her head, seemingly savoring Zhou Ye's last words. A dry, hoarse sound escaped his throat.
"Third Brother...this matter...is it beyond S-level?"
Xu San didn't answer him. With trembling hands, he pulled a black, specially encrypted satellite phone from his pocket. He pressed the buttons several times before finally getting to the power button.
The moment the call connected, he strained with all his might and roared into the receiver, "Connect to headquarters! Emergency! Top priority! Target at coordinates XXX XXX in the western suburbs of Beijing cemetery has been detected with an undefined level! Repeat, undefined level! Temporary codename... Visitor!"
He paused, his voice trembling with tears.
"He...he might have already arrived at Biyou Village!"
Chapter 376 Zhou Ye: I'll Bring You a New Experience
Biyou Village is nestled deep in the mountains, isolated from the world. At the village entrance stands a simple stone tablet, inscribed with the two characters "Biyou," the strokes childlike yet revealing a free and unconventional spirit. Inside the village, neat rows of fields, babbling brooks, and wisps of smoke rising from chimneys create a peaceful scene reminiscent of a secluded paradise.
However, beneath this idyllic pastoral facade lie strange elements that clash with the environment. In the fields, besides ordinary villagers, there are various mechanical contraptions; a girl washing clothes by the stream has arms that reflect a metallic sheen at a certain angle; an old man basking in the sun at the village entrance has half of his body made of gears and pistons with a brass luster.
This is the ideal world of Ma Xianhong, the successor of "Divine Craftsmanship Refinement," and also a sanctuary for a group of "superior talents" who are rejected by the mainstream world of supernatural beings.
In the central square of the village, the atmosphere was warm and devout. Ma Xianhong, a somewhat thin, bespectacled, and refined young man, stood on a high platform, explaining to dozens of villagers below the great concept of his life's work—the "Cultivation Furnace."
"...What we do is not to reform, but to complete! It is to give each of us who is not perfect the opportunity to reach a state of perfection through self-cultivation! We do not seek fame among the 490 lords, but only to achieve true equality and self-worth on this land! So that everyone can become the person they want to be!"
His voice was infectious, and the villagers below the stage, regardless of age or gender, had eyes that shone with fervent hope. They were seen as outcasts and defective by the world, but here, they found a home and dignity.
In this peaceful, even somewhat sacred atmosphere, a man dressed in simple casual clothes appeared without warning in the center of the square, not far from Ma Xianhong's podium.
He stood casually with his hands in his pockets, as if he had always been there and had only just been noticed by everyone.
The noise in the square suddenly stopped.
All eyes instantly shifted from Ma Xianhong to this abrupt intruder. The faces that had been brimming with hope and fervor just a moment ago were now filled with astonishment and wariness. The village's perimeter was heavily fortified with security devices and mechanical puppets; how had this person gotten in? Silently, without even triggering any alarms.
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