Bang!
A loud explosion echoed in the sky. Under the moonlight, the ghost's body erupted, intense holy light gushing forth and obliterating it completely.
Bai Yi felt a pang of regret. It wasn't as easy to secure a kill as he had hoped.
This was likely due to the full automation of the mecha. Throughout the battle, aside from the intercontinental missiles and the mecha itself, his only contributions had been positioning and utilizing his expertise in mental protection.
That skill was proving increasingly formidable, capable of withstanding the full force of a third-level legend without breaking. Reflecting on how his mental defenses had once been shattered by Sersis' sickle made him appreciate his growth.
Looking around, he saw no trace of the mysterious town. The landscape within a hundred kilometers had transformed into a fiery wasteland, filled with lava and red crystals.
After assessing his surroundings, Bai Yi re-entered the mecha.
"Enter energy-saving mode and return to Tobu City."
[Command acknowledged.]
The massive mecha ascended slowly, shedding lava as it moved. As it accelerated, the molten rock burst into fireworks, scattering into starlight that twinkled in the night sky.
Simultaneously, the panel lit up with new prompts.
[Quest: Ghost of the Netherworld (completed).]
[Favorability with Felix, ruler of the Soul Tower, decreased by 20, now at disgust.]
[Favorability with Soul Tower Guardian Si Mu Manhua increased by 10.]
Bai Yi paused. The ruler and the guardian weren't the same person?
Who, then, was the old man he had encountered when his spiritual power reached 800 points? The Soul Tower seemed increasingly complex, with some wishing for him to become a saint while others opposed the idea.
What was clear was that the master of the Soul Tower wanted him dead, and the guardian had not intervened. This realization made Bai Yi wary of the Soul Tower.
The ability of these saints to help ghosts rise in power across the world indicated their formidable strength. They wouldn't become enemies unless absolutely necessary. If they were capable, they would undoubtedly dismantle the tower!
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Bai Yi turned to the panel, hesitating briefly.
He decided to activate the specialty selection. Now at level 60, he could choose a specialty every ten levels. He couldn't afford to wait until a crisis struck to make a decision; he needed to strengthen himself proactively.
[You have unlocked 1 optional specialization.]
[Please select one of the following specialties:]
[Cursed Body: Your curse resistance significantly increases, making you immune to all curses of a lower rank than yours.]
Bai Yi dismissed the first option. While useful, he would only choose such resistance if no better options were available. With the presence of profiteers, past specialties might prove more advantageous.
[Invincible Soul: Your soul resistance is greatly enhanced, and your soul's recovery ability increases by 100%.]
This piqued Bai Yi's interest. Strengthening his soul had always been a priority, and this was undoubtedly a significant enhancement.
However, when he saw the third specialty, he fell silent for a moment.
[Demon Dimension (only): A spiritual dimension that belongs solely to you.]
The only specialty! It was unique!
Bai Yi contemplated the implications. While the description was brief, adding "only" elevated it to a top-tier expertise.
With access to profiteers and job tasks, if the job-related expertise fell short, he could utilize the profiteer and then opt for the Invincible Soul.
It was now late December, and with the task nearing completion in just over ten days, he decisively selected the Demon Dimension.
Buzz!
Inside the mecha, his vision blurred momentarily. When clarity returned, he found himself in a pure blue space.
There was nothing here—not even a hint of magic—only swirling shades of blue and black.
As Bai Yi contemplated, a flood of information filled his mind.
This space was...
As the information continued to unfold, he understood its significance.
It was a realm that belonged solely to him, seemingly boundless in size. He could allow any non-living things to enter, and even living beings could enter, but they would be immobile within this dimension.
This limitation seemed to be a rule governing the dimension. Any violation would damage it, leading to irreversible consequences.
When the final piece of information settled in, Bai Yi was truly astonished. In this dimension, he could control time!
As his level increased, the span of time he could manipulate would grow larger.
Currently, he could alter time by a factor of 800.
This meant he could slow down time here by eight hundred times or speed it up by the same amount.
This feat seemed even more remarkable than manipulating light and darkness.
Bai Yi's mental power fluctuated slightly, and a ring appeared in this world—his space ring.
Buzz!
With a resonant sound, magnetic mechanical bodies emerged, filling his vision.
The gold-eating beetles buzzed in this silent realm, drifting like clouds of dust toward the ground.
Certain rules manifested before him, and the gold-eating bugs and mechanical bodies instantly moved aside, revealing a dark blue lake.
As the space ring flashed, an immense amount of blood began to fill the lake.
These were blood essences. Less than 3,000 liters remained, but with time accelerated by eight hundred times, it would only take a few days for the blood essence to transform.
Bai Yi, feeling the absence of magical power, contemplated possibilities.
Perhaps he could create machines to generate magic, brew extraordinary wines, cultivate unique plants, or even nurture embryos that required immense time to mature in this space.
He began to speed up time for the lake, but he noticed that accelerating time here seemed to affect other locations synchronously.
Bai Yi frowned; it would be ideal to establish a designated time control area.
As the thought crossed his mind, a barrier materialized, dividing the world. On one side, time flowed at over eight hundred times the normal speed, while the other side operated at a standard pace.
Bai Yi's eyes widened as he grasped the implications of his unique specialty: the spiritual dimension!
In other words, aside from a few basic rules, the logic within this space could be altered at will.
Bai Yi looked around, and his mental power surged forth: light.
Buzz!
A third color burst into existence within the black and blue world, an intensely warm sunlight spreading across the terrain.
Excitement filled Bai Yi as he realized he could control everything in this realm. He was, in essence, a god!
The world evolved rapidly, with time divided into four zones: extreme acceleration, extreme deceleration, normal flow, and adjustable time.
Machines like the Magnetomachine and the gold-eating bugs operated under normal time flow.
Soul crystal cores, the hearts of evil gods, various potions, and similar items experienced slowed time.
Potions don't necessarily become more potent with age. Even those tens of millions of years old remain undrinkable. Therefore, aside from certain special potions and plants, freshness is key.
As for the White Plague and the Heart of Divine Evil, he had yet to determine their fate. Preserving their freshness was crucial. If it were possible to halt time, he would have done so for these materials.
However, the mitigation zone had another function: it allowed living beings to enter.
If a dying person were stored in a time-slowing zone, they would not perish in one hour; it would stretch to eight hundred hours.
Suddenly, time was abundant. Even if Eric had only one or two years left, persuading him to enter could extend his life by over 800 years.
This time would be sufficient for him to grow, and when the opportunity arose to alter his lifespan, he could be freed for treatment.
Then, separation would no longer plague him, allowing him to retain those he cared about.
In the time acceleration zone, Bai Yi planned to acquire recipes for extraordinary wines and unique plants, filling this enclosed space with magical minerals to create a nurturing environment.
He would no longer lack such precious resources.
Having arranged these plans, Bai Yi regained his awareness, and Dongwu City came into view.
Now, over thirty kilometers of the eastern city wall had vanished, exposing much of the outer city.
In the massive gap, tens of thousands of Wucheng soldiers stood ready, weapons drawn to repel any sudden attacks.
The city's inhabitants were in a state of panic. Even at a considerable distance, the unease was palpable.
However, as the enormous mecha approached, the tension among the Wucheng troops visibly eased.
Bai Yi guided the mecha to land, its immense weight causing the ground to sink beneath it.
Stepping out of the mecha, he entered the command center.
The mecha transformed rapidly, morphing into a long iron net, then embedding itself into the fragmented city wall, reconstructing the more than thirty kilometers of missing fortifications.
The mechanical city wall merely needed to be filled with earth treasures and allowed to settle for three days to restore the eastern defenses perfectly.
"My friend, everything is returning to normal in the city. I'm relieved," Sabo's figure appeared atop the city wall.
Bai Yi was taken aback, turning to see Sabo, who seemed stronger, emanating a peculiar energy that gave Bai Yi a slight sense of foreboding.
"Thank you for your hard work, but you need to focus on developing Tobu City," Bai Yi praised him. Then a thought struck him. "Are you interested in the Colossus?"
Sabo looked surprised. "My dear Lord City Lord, I think it's better to develop step by step. As for the current Dawn Federation, if all resources were given to you, you couldn't even assemble an arm of the Colossus."
Bai Yi shrugged. "No, Sin City is aware that part of the Colossus lies beneath it, but it has a formidable guardian. Perhaps we can find a way to retrieve it?"
Sabo's eyes widened, a glimmer of shrewdness appearing. "Let me think about it, my friend. If we do acquire the Colossus, how will we divide it?"
Bai Yi pondered briefly. "It depends on your efforts. If you contribute significantly, a portion of the Colossus' remains can be converted into resources, which we can then use as a loan for your share of Dongwu City's revenue."
Sabo's interest grew. "Alright, but I need to see it first. If it's too difficult, I'll hold off. I'm quite poor at the moment and need to find a way to make money."
Bai Yi was genuinely shocked. "Where's your money? That's 10% of Dongwu City's income, including network revenues. Dongwu City currently boasts the highest earnings among all cities except the capital."
"Hey, you don't need to worry about that. Let's discuss the Colossus later. Your wife is here, so I have to handle some under-the-table business," Sabo replied, gradually fading away.
Before disappearing, he added with a smile, "Oh, by the way, Lord City Lord, the distant Scarlet Kingdom seems to be planning an alliance with several Ancient God Kingdoms in our vicinity."
He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "It might not just be the Ancient God Kingdom. They're reportedly trying to contact the Abyss Lord to collectively attack Dongwu City. You should prepare yourself."
Bai Yi nodded. "I understand."
As Sabo vanished, Diane flew down, inspecting Bai Yi closely. Upon confirming he was unharmed, she sighed in relief. "I'm glad you're okay."
"Are you really that worried about me?" Bai Yi smiled, data streams flashing in his eyes as he began issuing orders to the deputy financial officer of the Finance Department.
He needed materials to repair the city defense mecha. This mecha was incredibly powerful—worthy of its position as the protector of the Federation. As its energy ran low, Bai Yi began to feel anxious.
He hoped the third crisis wouldn't strike before the energy was fully restored.
"Of course, we'll be together for the next thousand or even ten thousand years," Diane said, unabashedly expressing her feelings for Bai Yi.
"But isn't the lifespan of an alchemist limited?" Bai Yi replied with a smile, taking Diane's hand as they flew toward the City Lord's Mansion.
"Then let's turn ourselves into liches and achieve eternal life," Diane suggested without hesitation.
Upon reaching the City Lord's Mansion, Bai Yi noticed Mithras was absent. He must have been with the two golden upper ranks in Dongwu City. Since his arrival, the sense of being watched had dissipated.
"Boss! Boss lady!" Luo Ning's voice rang out, surprise evident in her tone as she rushed over, sparkling eyes fixed on Diane, recalling the Soul Lotus Tea she had given her.
Diane beamed with joy, recognizing the girl. She glanced at Bai Yi, gently touching Luo Ning's face. "Why do you call me boss and boss lady? I prefer you to call me sister."
"Because the boss asked me to call him boss, and you're the boss's partner, so you're also the boss's wife," Luo Ning replied with bright eyes.
"From now on, call me sister. It'll bring us closer. I saw you making a snowman earlier—how about we build one together?" Diane offered.
"Okay, but I have something to discuss with my boss brother first."
Bai Yi paused, curious about the strange address. "Is it about the Scarlet Kingdom?"
Luo Ning shook her head. "No, it's about a black flower I saw a long time ago."
"Night Rose?" Bai Yi frowned. This organization was nearly extinct; how could it still pose a threat?
"Yes, that's the name," Luo Ning confirmed. "This flower is searching for something very dangerous! It's coming soon."
Bai Yi sighed inwardly. I really can't catch a break.
(End of this chapter)