Age of Evolution

Chapter 213 - 213: 213: Ancient God Relics – Five Connected Pools (Fourth Watch)

When the Leo meteor shower descended, the Five Connected Pools became a disaster area, bombarded by countless meteors that left the landscape riddled with holes and created many unique climate features.

In this volcanic region, two volcanoes erupted year-round, and the climate was extremely harsh, with violent storms. The area was also shrouded in thick smoke and volcanic ash, so no one approached it. Over time, the many mutated creatures that lived there formed a unique group.

The original creatures here were poisonous insects that had adapted to the conditions and remained within their territory, not venturing into the outside world. Likewise, creatures from the outside were unwilling to enter. The ancient ruins were thus formed in a state of isolation.

Very few people came to the Five Connected Pools, due to not only the challenging climate but the most crucial reason being the absence of Star Artifacts.

Star Artifacts were brought to Earth by meteors. Lin Zhen knew that a planet had shattered, bringing many extraterrestrial objects to Earth. However, none had reached the Five Connected Pools, so no War Gods came here to seek trouble.

Once, an unbelieving team of War Gods entered the Five Connected Pools through its entrance and crossed four volcanoes. In the end, only one of the ten War Gods survived and returned empty-handed. That was when the ominous reputation of the Five Connected Pools began to spread, known as the most useless ancient ruins.

However, Lin Zhen knew for a fact that not long before the fall of Ice City’s Base City in his previous life, the secret of the Five Connected Pools was discovered. The Technology Department found that the creatures here had a unique trait: combining the crystals in their brains with another drug, a powerful dark energy could be produced, serving as a replacement for the Dark Energy Stone that War Gods used.

For a War God to advance, they must absorb Dark Energy Stones in addition to continuous cultivation. People had discovered the great use of Dark Energy Stones, and Lin Zhen had bought a dozen before through the convenience of purchasing meteorites. These were now stored in his Space Ring. However, it was not easy to acquire more Dark Energy Stones, as they were in high demand and priced exorbitantly in the market.

So, the Five Connected Pools’ ancient ruins instantly became a sought-after treasure, with countless War Gods swarming to it. Although they could not acquire Star Artifacts here, obtaining crystals that could catalyze dark energy and replace Dark Energy Stones for cultivation was equivalent to finding a leveling-up Holy Land.

People had also found one special meteorite at the bottom of each pool in the Five Connected Pools.

These five meteorites were the real treasure within the Five Connected Pools!

The ten-odd Dark Energy Stones Lin Zhen possessed were enough for him to advance to a four-level War God. However, that was far from enough, so he had to come here.

Before setting off, Lin Zhen bought plenty of potions and mixed them in large barrels according to his past-life memories. He then bade farewell to his parents and headed for the Five Connected Pools.

The Black Ghost descended from the clouds. Without needing any special effort to locate the area, Lin Zhen could see the dense volcanic ash covering the sky and ground like a massive black mountain, stretching for miles.

The volcanic ash strangely gathered here, not scattering elsewhere, forming a thick black curtain that deterred any living beings from approaching.

“We’ve arrived at the Five Connected Pools. These volcanic ashes serve as a natural barrier between the ancient ruins and the outside world. Anyone who wants to enter must do so through the entrance of the first volcano, as the suffocating ash can be deadly. However, the ash inside is significantly less dense, ensuring at least breathable air – that’s the wonder of the Five Connected Pools,”

Lin Zhen’s Black Ghost circled around and arrived at the entrance of the Five Connected Pools.

Reaching the entrance area, he noticed a supervision station set up by the Martial Artists Union. No one could enter any ancient ruins without recommendation and payment.

For places like the Changbai Mountain ruins, hundreds of personnel from the Martial Artists Union were stationed there to manage access.

At the Five Connected Pools, however, only one person was on guard, with a shift change happening once a month. No one wanted to stay in this desolate place where birds didn’t linger long enough to even drop their droppings, let alone the rarity of visitors throughout the year.

So when Lin Zhen arrived, the Martial Artist on duty was actually sleeping in a

small house, completely unaware of Lin Zhen’s presence.

Only when Lin Zhen knocked on the window did the guard wake up, still drowsy.

“What is it?”

“I want to enter the Five Connected Pools. Is there a fee?”

“Oh… Ah! You want to go in?”

“Alright, show me your Martial Artist certification. This is an ancient ruins site, and only members of Martial Arts schools, the military, or the church may enter.”

Lin Zhen showed him the Blue Sky Martial Arts Hall certificate, establishing that he was now a Blue Sky War God. Although he only ranked tenth in Ice City, he was still eligible to enter.

“Alright, you’re qualified. The entry fee is one million.”

Lin Zhen paid the one-million entrance fee, and under the baffling gaze of the guard, he entered the Five Connected Pools.

The entrance was located at the foot of the first mountain. A natural tunnel went through the mountain – one side led to the outside world, and the other side to the forbidden area.

Lin Zhen entered the tunnel, and gusts of wind blew in from it, carrying thick smoke and sparks that choked him. He activated his Spiritual Shield and continued forward with determination, eyes on the billowing smoke and sparks.

About twenty minutes later, Lin Zhen finally emerged from the tunnel into the light.

“What kind of place is this!”

Lin looked up, only to see the sky seemingly covered by a black lid, with the thick smoke that reached ten kilometers enclosing the Five Connected Pools like an independent world.

There was a group of volcanoes ahead, the one on the far left was called Fire Burning Mountain, constantly erupting with fierce flames and dense smoke, and one could feel the heat waves from afar.

There was also a Black Dragon Mountain far to the right, with the amount of black smoke erupting not any smaller than the Fire Burning Mountain.

There was a choking sulfur smell in the air. Staying here for a while made it difficult to breathe.

The area where he had just crossed through the tunnel was a chaotic stone area, with bare brown rocks on the ground forming varied shapes like pillars, houses, and even human figures. Walking on them, one could feel the slight heat. This place was called Dragon Gate Stone Village.

Lin Zhen looked ahead, with the first volcano of Five Connected Pools about twenty kilometers away.

“Most of the environment in this area is very harsh, only the five volcanic lakes of the Five Connected Pools are slightly better, and there are especially many mutated poisonous insects here.”

“But the levels of mutated beasts here are extremely high, the lowest being B-level. The highest level of mutated beast I’ve killed before is B-level, I can’t compete with A-level, so I have to be more careful now. There are even S-level mutated beasts here.”

Lin put on his Cloudwalking shoes, now unaffected by the hot temperature on the ground, and began to move forward.

After walking about five kilometers, he left the chaotic stone area and stepped onto the soft soil.

Just a few steps in, Lin suddenly felt the ground loosen.

“Mutated poisonous insects!”

As soon as Lin had this realization, the ground suddenly cracked open, and a huge fiery red centipede bared its fangs and claws, biting at Lin Zhen!

Just the part of the centipede exposed above the ground was five meters long, thicker than a gasoline barrel, and its huge fangs and claws shone brightly. Its mouth was big enough to swallow Lin whole!

“A-level Mutant Beast!”

Thanks to the Cloudwalking shoes, Lin didn’t need a shield to fly. His body rose into the air, narrowly evading the centipede’s ferocious attack. The Tyrant Spear appeared in his hand, and he fiercely stabbed it down towards the centipede’s head!

“Clang! ”

The spear’s tip pierced the centipede’s back, sparking a trail of fire and marking a shallow scratch on its surface.

“Such a hard shell! Although I didn’t use my full strength with this spear, it’s a Star Artifact after all. I can’t believe it can’t penetrate it in one strike!”

The centipede finally revealed its full body, about twelve or thirteen meters in length, with hundreds of feet stirring the flying sand and stones. It flicked its tail, and a large piece of sandy rocks headed towards Lin!

Lin quickly activated his Spiritual Shield, as the sand and stones bombarded it like bullets, making a loud noise and causing Lin’s Spiritual Power to tremor.

Then a second wave of sand and stones came crashing, and Lin stepped onto the Cloudwalking shoes to rise another thirty meters into the air.

“Beast, let’s see if you can still hit me when I’m this high up.”

Unexpectedly, the centipede’s body suddenly arched and sprang up, directly soaring dozens of meters high and lunging at Lin again.

“Quite tenacious, but now that I know your pattern, you’re no threat to me!”

Just as the centipede was about to pounce on Lin, he suddenly disappeared on the spot and reappeared under the centipede’s belly, stabbing the Tyrant Spear out fiercely!

“Puff!”

The centipede’s stomach, without thick armor, was pierced by Lin’s spear!

Green blood gushed out, and Lin teleported again, reaching its neck where it couldn’t attack. The golden energy enveloped the spear’s tip, instantly increasing the Tyrant Spear’s strength to that of a Middle Grade Star Artifact, and he thrust it down once more!

The centipede let out a beast-like roar, and as its body hit the ground, its foreclaws quickly dug into the sand and stones, attempting to burrow underground and escape.

“If I let you get away, I might as well not continue this journey. Stay down!”

Lin teleported to its belly once again, targeting the wound and stabbed fiercely, lifting it up with both hands!

The centipede’s belly was split open by Lin’s spear, creating a wound more than five meters long, and a colorful mess of innards poured out.

At this moment, Lin truly understood the saying ‘a centipede dies but doesn’t quit’, as the dying A-level poisonous insect continued to wriggle in the sand. Lin sighed helplessly, grabbed the centipede’s hind legs, and exhausted a great deal of strength to pull the dying creature out of the sand..