With a crunching sound, Icaros crushed the creature's heart before tossing it aside.

Looking at the massive body, Icaros wondered, "How did it know my previous actions?" But just as he was about to dwell on his thoughts, a reaction from the corpse drew him back.

The body and tentacles, once full of life and vitality, rapidly dried up and turned into a desiccated husk. It was clear all life had left it.

Furrowing his brow, Icaros noticed something abnormal hidden within the husk-it looked like human skin.

Bracing himself, Icaros reached out while remaining vigilant. He brushed away the dried remnants, and there revealed...

A shriveled human face, staring soullessly into his eyes. But Icaros, having seen his fair share of horrors in his past life, felt no fear.

However, a dangerous thought struck him as he focused his enhanced sight. It was indeed the same light-skinned face the creature had revealed earlier.

Realizing this, Icaros hastily tore away more of the husk. Just as he suspected, it was a human being-now nothing more than a dried-up corpse.

The realization hit him instantly: "That wasn't a creature or a demonic beast. That was a human."

"I knew you wouldn't die so easily!"

A voice suddenly interrupted him. Icaros nearly attacked out of shock, but stopped instantly upon recognizing Li Han's voice.

"I guess I lost focus on my surroundings after that discovery. That's how he managed to sneak up on me," Icaros analyzed inwardly, turning to face Li Han. The crimson blood on his robes and arms glaringly obvious.

Li Han stood at the door with his usual carefree attitude. However, instead of his wine bottle, he held an unsheathed sword, stained with what Icaros assumed was blood.

"I want answers," Icaros demanded, not entertained by the endless mysteries. "What the hell is happening?"

Li Han, seemingly unwilling to ramble, replied shortly: "We are under attack. That is what is happening."

Hearing this, Icaros couldn't help but roll his eyes. Can't he just give me details? he thought.

As if reading his mind, Li Han explained slowly, "It was a coordinated attack."

"A warship ambushed us. Before we could even react, it struck us with an energy beam-that was what caused the massive tremor."

Icaros listened intently, then pointed at the husk. "What about this?"

Li Han's expression shifted slightly into a frown before returning to his casual demeanor. "When they breached our ship, they simultaneously launched these... cannon fodder, inside."

"Cannon fodder?" Icaros asked, surprised. How could such a terrifying creature be considered mere fodder? He conveniently ignored the fact that he had killed it easily.

Li Han seemed eager to answer, puffing out his chest slightly. "What can this thing really do against cultivators like us? It might be a threat to Body Refinement Realm cultivators, but to powerhouses like me? They are nothing."

Icaros chuckled at the boasting, his expression lightening briefly before turning serious again. "What exactly are they? And what is our current situation?"

Li Han sensed the shift in mood and grew serious as well. "They aren't actually creatures. They are mortals and Body Refinement cultivators who have hit a dead end in their cultivation-people with no future and hope."

"When they are at the end of their rope, the Nine Transformation Demonic Sect takes advantage. They offer them a deal: a chance at power and greatness. With no other choice, these people risk everything."

"And then what happens?" Icaros asked quietly.

"The Sect uses a secret technique to grant them transforming abilities," Li Han explained, walking closer to the corpse. "But it is a grotesque art with a hidden flaw-it constantly consumes their life force, keeping them always on the brink of death."

"To survive, they are forced to do the Sect's dirty work. By killing and absorbing the life force of their victims, they extend their pathetic existence. If they absorb enough quickly, they can temporarily grow stronger."

"Though they can never kill a Spirit Realm cultivator, they become deadly nightmares for Body Refinement cultivators, and absolute disasters for ordinary mortals."

Icaros took a deep breath, processing the information. His eyes fell on the dried-up body of the creature's victim nearby. It had been completely drained.

"I see..." Icaros muttered.

"Now that you understand," Li Han continued, "we were hit hard before we could react. These abominations killed many participants and guards, but Nelly and I managed to save some. I have to admit, their method is terrifyingly efficient-they absorb, grow stronger, and destroy faster."

"I guess you weren't fast enough then," Icaros said with a sad smile. "And why didn't I hear the main forces fighting?"

Li Han returned the sad smile. "Our hands are tied. Su Yan activated the protective formation to keep the main enemy force out for now. But she has to stay there constantly supplying energy to keep it running."

"These creatures, while weak against us, have a unique ability to spread their tentacles underground. The more victims they take, the larger their area of influence becomes. They even possess a form of sensory perception within the range of their tentacles, knowing exactly what is happening."

Icaros breathed a mental sigh of relief. No wonder it knew what I was doing, he thought. Feeling slightly more grounded, he asked, "So what now?"

Li Han's eyes flashed with heroism,as he said boldly and valiantly, imitating a peerless hero. "We are facing an alliance between the Nine Transformation Demonic Sect and the Battle Force Sect. Follow me! We charge ahead to battle!"

Icaros couldn't help but laugh loudly at his act, his spirit rising. "Yes, Senior!"

Following Li Han's lead, Icaros and Li Han exited the interior of the ship and appeared on the deck.

Icaros was instantly amazed yet vigilant at the sight before him.

On the deck stood something that hadn't been there when they boarded. It looked as if it had grown out of the ship, formed from glowing blue crystal. It was shaped like a pole, but split into four distinct sections.

Currently, Su Yan-the female senior who had issued their first test-and her accomplice Nelly were holding onto two parts of the blue crystal structure, their eyes closed as if in meditation. In their hands was something Icaros had only read about in the library: a spirit stone, an item that stores naturally formed spirit qi.

Focusing his enhanced eyesight, Icaros saw traces of what he believed to be spirit qi flowing from their bodies into the crystal, while more energy flowed from the stones back into them. He guessed that the stones were replenishing their spirit qi.

He also noticed that less than a hundred participants out of the several hundred originally present were packed into one corner of the ship, wearing various expressions.

Some looked terrified from the horrors they had just experienced, while others appeared grim and focused. But they all shared one thing in common: an overwhelming atmosphere of gloom.

However, Icaros soon discovered the reason why. What he had seen previously was nothing compared to this.

Surrounding their ship was a large blue light screen, similar to the one at the Li Sect. It enveloped the vessel as it streaked across the sky. And just behind them was another massive ship, armed with giant cannons that continuously blasted against the barrier-yet it didn't even tremble.

But what alarmed Icaros most were the people aboard the pursuing vessel.

Three men and two women stood there, their eyes fixed on the ship like hawks staring at prey.

The one Icaros assumed was their leader stood in the center with two axes strapped to his back, while the other four stood one step behind him.

He looked quite young, clearly still a youth, but the scar adorning his chin, his battle-hardened gaze, and the armor over his robes spoke volumes about the hardships he had endured.

The other four were clearly no pushovers either.

One man wore gauntlets that stretched up to his forearms. Their dull gold color gave them a grim appearance. He was bare-chested, wearing only his lower robes and shoes, along with a belt crafted from beast materials-something Icaros noted mentally.

Another woman, slender and lithe, was armed with two daggers, her venomous eyes glaring at the ship.

The last man was dressed like a typical warrior, clad in full armor, wielding a round metal shield and a greatsword.

But what really caught Icaros' attention was the final female. She sat as if in meditation, eyes closed, whispering words he couldn't hear while making hand signals he did not recognize.

Seeing that Icaros had taken in the situation, Li Han said, "Yep, this is where we stand. Let's meet up with the others so we can decide what to do next."

Icaros hesitated, clearly having questions, before nodding and following Li Han toward Su Yan and Nelly, who were maintaining the ship's defense.

Seeing Li Han, Nelly complained, "Took you long enough."

When her eyes landed on Icaros, she added with a hint of disdain, "Is this really the one who's going to make a difference?"

Contrary to Li Han's expectations, Icaros didn't get angry. Instead, he looked at her with an expression that screamed, What the fuck?!

"Don't tell me you're counting on me," he said.

Li Han took a deep breath, furrowing his brow, and addressed Icaros with a forced smile. "Look mate, we don't have a choice. I've got to bite the bullet here."

He then turned to Nelly with a reprimanding tone. "Don't underestimate him again. He's going to be critical to our plan."

Nelly looked unconvinced but said nothing, silently agreeing.

Su Yan, who had quietly watched the exchange, turned to Li Han. "We need to plan quickly. A battle seems inevitable, and I don't want my spirit qi to run dry."

Li Han nodded and unconsciously took on the role of leader as he explained to the group.

"Icaros, I know you have questions. The attackers are from the Battle Force Sect and the Nine Transformation Demonic Sect."

"Battle Force Sect?" Icaros asked, confusion evident in his voice. "Why are they attacking us? It's not like we're actively at war. And since when are they allies with the Demonic Sect?"

Li Han was about to answer when Su Yan cut in. "I think it mostly has to do with our main mission."

"Main mission?" Icaros muttered.

"Yes," Su Yan said, a mischievous expression appearing on her face-a rare sight for Icaros. "Young Master Deimos told me about you and your little secret."

Icaros wasn't actually caught off guard, as Li Han had hinted at it earlier, but he feigned surprise.

Seeing this, Su Yan continued, "Young Master Deimos wants Nelly to look after the participants, while you, Li Han, and I go handle the real, more important mission."

"So what does this mission have to do with them?" Icaros asked, realizing he was getting himself into deep trouble.

This time, Li Han explained, "This mission involves something of great importance to the Four Supreme Sects. Although it's just a hunt for a map, so no high-level experts were sent... it is still quite significant."

Determined to find out more, Icaros smirked at Li Han, Su Yan, and even Nelly. "I want to know everything about this mission, so I can help to the best of my abilities."

Su Yan hesitated, but Li Han sighed. "I guess I have to spill the beans."

Seeing he was getting his way, Icaros' smirk widened. "All of it."

"There are records of a man-actually, a legend. During the time when the four friends, who later established the Four Supreme Sects, were still trapped in that danger zone..."

"It is said that he came from another world," Li Han explained, but was suddenly interrupted by Icaros.

"I think I've read that story in the library. Isn't it just a myth, made-up stuff?"

Li Han scoffed. "That's just the version available in the lower-level libraries you visited. The real truth is reserved for high-level cultivators. Even Su Yan and Nelly might not actually know the full story."

All three of them suddenly felt slightly embarrassed.

"Now I'm suddenly interested in being a high-level cultivator," Icaros thought.

Meanwhile, Su Yan and Nelly face-palmed, thinking to themselves, "Must he really point that out?"

Suddenly, it struck Icaros. He asked, "But Su... erm, Senior Su Yan and Senior Nelly are Spirit Realm cultivators, and you are too. So how did you gain access to information superior to theirs?"

Nelly couldn't help but curse Icaros in her heart. "Must that brat expose that?" Su Yan struggled to maintain her ice-cold expression.

Li Han suddenly struck a boasting pose. "Do you really think Young Master Deimos values ordinary Spirit Realm cultivators when he is already at the Extinction Realm? Let alone me being his right-hand man. Don't compare me to the others."

Icaros nodded, while the other two nodded with faces that said they had heard this speech many times before.

"So the next realm after the Spirit Realm is the Extinction Realm," Icaros noted mentally. "Li Han wouldn't tell me directly, but it slipped out of his mouth." However, looking at Li Han's smirk, he thought, "Or maybe not... maybe he did that on purpose."

Seeing that Li Han might take all day, Su Yan reminded him, "Talk fast. Remember that Nelly and I are still maintaining the shield and absorbing spirit qi from the crystal to stay at peak condition in case of battle. We are listening, but our energy is being consumed."

Li Han heard the complaints and said, "Okay, ladies," before getting serious.

"He is remarkable not just because he claimed to come from another world-no one knows his true origins-but because his power completely surpassed the highest cultivation level known at the time. He defeated all challengers, but eventually, he enraged people he shouldn't have. They sent a massive force, hoping to win by sheer numbers."

"However, it was discovered that this man was already seriously injured by enemies from his own world. The process of entering our world-the Jade Continent-had weakened him further."

"This gave the attackers hope of victory. But instead of fighting alone, the man released his creations: humanoid figures, some resembling animals, but all alive. He could synthetically create warriors who fought for him, each possessing different abilities powerful enough to contend with and defeat cultivators."

"He won the battle, but later succumbed to his injuries and died."

"Many years later, rumors spread that his residence had been found, and that he might have left behind an inheritance. Even if he didn't, someone that powerful must have left something valuable enough to turn trash into a dragon. But the fervor died down because no one could enter his resting place. It is located inside one of the most powerful Danger Zones in the world."

"Of course, many powerful cultivators tried, but they all failed and lost their lives. Even the four founders of the Supreme Sects, after obtaining their Divine Treasures, tried. They only managed to escape with their lives; they couldn't reach or enter the place."

"As time passed, it was forgotten. Rumors mixed with facts until it became just a myth."

"However, recently, a lone cultivator stumbled into a weaker Danger Zone and discovered clues to a map-one that can safely lead someone to the inheritance."

"He didn't acquire it, and later died, but the news leaked out."

"The Four Supreme Sects have their eyes on it, but not enough to send their strongest forces. That is why we were sent to acquire it. Our conclusion is that the forces sent by the Battle Force Sect formed a temporary alliance with the Nine Transformation Demonic Sect to eliminate us, reducing the competition."

"Normally, these sects aren't allies-in fact, all four Supreme Sects compete against each other. So this alliance is only temporary, limited to the group they sent. If it were a true alliance between the sects, we would already be dead," Li Han finished explaining. He looked at the three of them. "So, is everyone clear? No questions?" His eyes rested specifically on Icaros, who nodded rapidly, while the others affirmed.

Nelly looked at the attackers outside. "We need a course of action, a plan. We stick to it and get through this."

"And quick," Su Yan added. "Nelly and I can't keep this up much longer. Besides, that female on their ship is probably preparing something to break through this shield, and it won't take long."

Icaros nodded in agreement but didn't suggest any plan. Meanwhile, a terrifying thought struck him regarding what Li Han had explained.

Maybe that legend has some link to my creation... or could I possibly be...

He forcefully suppressed the thought, feeling he wasn't ready to confront it yet.

Li Han sighed. "I guess I will take the lead."

"We have three options. First: We ram this ship into theirs, take the fight to them, defeat them, and ensure the remaining participants are safe. But this requires enough strength to pull it off, and we are outclassed in both numbers and power."

The brows of the three furrowed in thought.

"Second: When the shield goes down and they come to us, we defeat them while ensuring the ship doesn't crash and protecting the participants. This still requires significant power."

"Third: They come to us, we fight for our lives. Win or lose, we just fight to survive. The participants won't be protected. If worse comes to worst, we abandon the ship and regroup later."

Li Han finished. "What do you guys say?"

But Icaros asked with a surprised tone, "And we leave those people to die?" He pointed to the participants huddled in the corner.

Nelly's face was expressionless. "Hard times require tough choices."

Su Yan nodded as she stared at the enemies watching them like hawks.

Icaros looked at Li Han, waiting for his verdict.

However, Li Han didn't take the burden alone. "We'll decide by majority vote. Which option do you choose? Bear in mind the risks."

Su Yan took a deep breath. "Option One is too dangerous. They outnumber us. There are only two Spirit Realm cultivators among us-well, technically Icaros isn't one, though he has the power to match them. So we have a chance, but we must consider that these enemies are not ordinary. They are elites sent by two Supreme Sects."

"I am not arrogant enough to ignore the danger. The chance of failure is high, but I believe we can pull off Option Two. So I vote for that. But if we fail, we must resort to Option Three. It isn't cruelty; it's necessity," she said, looking directly at Icaros.

Li Han nodded. "Anyone else?"

Nelly's face remained blank. "I feel we should go with the last option. We are outnumbered, and we aren't even sure how much help he will be." She glanced at Icaros, who ignored her. "But... we can give Option Two a shot."

Li Han nodded, with a hint of warning in his eyes, then turned to Icaros. "What about you? What should we do?"

Icaros took a deep breath, his thoughts swirling. "What about you, Li Han?"

Li Han laughed. "I'm going with the second one. We will teach these bastards not to mess with us. It's not my first time slaying Spirit Realm cultivators. What do you think?"

Icaros nodded and looked at the enemy ship still firing at their shield.

"We..."