Netherworld Retrograde

9: Chapter 5 Mimicry_2 9: Chapter 5 Mimicry_2 “Separate paths include: Zero Path, Ravings, Divine Protection, Wanxiang, Netherworld, Spiritual Eyes, True Martial.

Every ‘Awakening’ increases Spiritual Energy for the Zero Path the most, while True Martial strengthens the physique the most.

As for the characteristics of each path, you will get the materials later.”

Li Yelai silently noted the names of those seven paths and paid special attention to Wanxiang.

His own ability was Wanxiang Wumian; did that mean he was a Spiritual Ability User of the Wanxiang Path?

“What is ‘Awakening’?” Li Yelai continued to ask.

“That’s still very far away from you.

Simply put, ‘Awakening’ is the ceremony where a Spiritual Ability User once again expands their Soul Well, getting closer to the advancement toward the Void Realm,” Cheese replied, “With each ‘Awakening,’ a Spiritual Ability User will strengthen their existing abilities and gain new abilities from their path.

But, the risk is that it makes them more prone to distortion.”

“Remember, at no time should you attempt ‘Awakening’ without being completely sure.

Melted Ore Giant City once had an official Spiritual Ability User who underwent distortion and lost control during his Fifth Awakening.

He tore down the high walls of the Giant City with his bare hands.”

Cheese’s words left Li Yelai somewhat shocked.

Tore down high walls?

Walls over fifty meters high and nearly ten meters thick, made of reinforced concrete?

What kind of human-shaped self-propelled artillery was this?

Spiritual Ability Users who had undergone multiple Awakenings were so terrifying?

At this moment, the vehicle slowly came to a stop.

They reached the edge of the Old City District in front of a clothing store that did very little business.

Not just the clothing store, but the whole street of shops had hardly any customers.

Yet, Yang Chen and Cheese seemed unsurprised, and after greeting the staff at the clothing store, they led Li Yelai straight to the fitting room inside the shop.

“Is it really okay for two men and a woman to enter the same fitting room?” Li Yelai tried to say.

“What, you think you’re at a disadvantage?” Cheese teased, rolling her eyes at Li Yelai.

“That would be a different price!” Li Yelai retorted and then saw Yang Chen open a second door inside the fitting room.

It was a brightly lit corridor, and at the end of the corridor stood two iron giants.

Clad in heavy-duty Power Armor, billowing steam surged behind them, their three-meter-tall figures seemingly possessed limitless strength.

Li Yelai gazed at the two iron giants, lost in a daze, and whispered with awe: “Border…

Iron Guard!”

These elite soldiers clad in heavy-duty Power Armor were the strongest military forces of Boundary City.

Border Iron Guard!

They were known to the residents of Boundary City, yet almost never seen.

According to the owner of an antique shop who claimed to be a veteran, in the chaotic times, if an Iron Guard appeared on the battlefield, one should take the opportunity for a salute.

Because that Iron Guard might be able to turn the tide of battle and save your life.

And when you see a formation of Border Iron Guards appear, then take the chance to say your prayer and put your dog tag in your mouth to save your comrades the trouble of collecting your body.

It meant that the upcoming battle would be exceptionally brutal.

Unexpectedly, he had now directly encountered two Iron Guards.

It seemed…

reasonable?

“They are reliable comrades-in-arms,” Yang Chen said as he walked through the corridor, greeting the two Iron Guards.

The tank-like Iron Guards nodded slightly, their gaze turning to Li Yelai.

“He’s a newbie; if all goes well, he should be part of my team,” Yang Chen introduced Li Yelai’s identity.

“Understood, welcome to the East City Branch,” one of the Iron Guards said in a metallic-sounding voice, and opened the hefty metal door.

…

The Eastern Processing Bureau Branch was hidden underground; the previous clothing store was one of its entrances.

The internal space was not small and fully equipped.

Lounge, training room, cafeteria…

Spiritual Ability Users of the branch would train, equip themselves, or ‘Awaken’ here.

Without any surprises, this place would be Li Yelai’s workplace from now on.

But Li Yelai had no time to look over the layout of the branch when Yang Chen brought him to a training room.

The size of the training room was similar to a basketball hall.

Edged zones had various cold weapons displayed.

In the center stood a huge metal cube covered in various scratches and cracks.

Clearly, it was a target for official Spiritual Ability Users to practice their abilities on.

“They just put a new one up yesterday, how did it end up like this?” Yang Chen clicked his tongue looking at the cube and said to Li Yelai: “You can practice here and familiarize yourself with your abilities.

I see you have long hands and a slender waist, suitable for learning the blade.

Go pick one up.”

And he pointed to the weapons rack on the edge.

Li Yelai scratched his head and asked, “Why use cold weapons, though?

To confront Spiritual Ability Users and Sufferers, are we also to use cold weapons?

Times have changed, sir.”

“Because every Spiritual Ability User is protected by a Spiritual Barrier, and only a handful of hot weapons can efficiently deplete the Spiritual Barrier,” Yang Chen explained as he pulled out a large-caliber revolver from his bosom, swapped out a set of bullets, and aimed at his own temple, firing a shot.

‘Bang’

The sudden act of self-harm nearly made Li Yelai jump.

Yet he found that the bullet was fixed about five centimeters away from Yang Chen’s temple in midair, spinning at high speed but unable to get an inch closer to Yang Chen.

Eventually, the bullet’s kinetic energy was exhausted, and it dropped to the ground, powerless.

This made Li Yelai recall his first assault on the Skin Stripper, which had also been blocked by a similar barrier.

So this was a Spiritual Barrier?

“If you undergo specialized training, you can also block some bullets.

This is the most basic use of a Spiritual Barrier.

Skilled Spiritual Ability Users can even jump mid-air by relying on the barrier,” Cheese also explained on the side.