Chapter 3 The Mutation of Alienation

Crack, crack...

As the transcendent stone door opened,

Mulland Elkerly, with white hair and wearing a dark gold scholar's robe, was waiting at the doorway, his eyes slightly lowered as if lost in thought.

"Professor Mulland, is something the matter?" Gune asked.

"Gune, I apologize for disturbing your cultivation this time, but this matter is indeed serious." Mulland Elkerly looked up at Gune.

"Oh?" Gune raised an eyebrow slightly.

"What exactly is it?"

After a brief pause, Mulland Elkerly spoke in a rather grave tone.

"Some changes have occurred in the Void Source Channels at the world's borders. Two important stronghold outposts have been breached in succession."

"A large number of mutated creatures have surged into the Void Source Channels closer to the world's surface."

"If these mutated creatures are not cleared in time, they will completely occupy these massive Void Source Channels. Once they penetrate deeper and break through subsequent channels, they could directly enter the interior regions of the Aoya Continent."

"If they reach the inland areas, you know the situation—it could easily cause widespread panic and lead to deaths."

"Mm." Gune nodded. He had seen three-dimensional images of the Void Source Channels at the world's borders.

Although transcendent beings from the Star Observation Towers were stationed at key nodes,

the presence of only twenty or thirty such defenders was indeed insufficient against the swarms of low- and mid-tier mutated creatures, as well as the growing number of high-tier ones.

Moreover, even if a large number of mutated creatures were killed, if not dealt with promptly,

they would still be devoured by other mutated creatures, giving rise to even stronger ones.

Thus, most of these outposts focused primarily on defense.

Now that even defense was failing, it was clear the situation was grim.

If those mutated creatures broke through in large numbers, it would likely be just as Mulland Elkerly had said.

"Two months ago, I reported this to the Transcendent Association, but the front lines are under heavy pressure, and they couldn't send any peak sixth-tier transcendent masters. The evil gods' side is also launching frenzied attacks. They seem to be searching for traces of Nigel and you. I hear many important locations have been infiltrated and ambushed."

Gune narrowed his eyes slightly.

The three great empires in the north, with the Transcendent Association as the coordinating center, were waging war against the southern church, killing its clergy and destroying its churches,

all to reduce the power of faith and delay the speed of the southern church's deification through faith.

And those evil gods were certainly not going to sit idly by.

While the Transcendent Association sought to slow their deification, they naturally retaliated, aiming to delay the deification of Gune and Nigel.

Incidentally, they also sought to weaken the Transcendent Association's strength.

Fortunately, both Gune and Nigel were hidden deeply enough that they hadn't been found.

Even for Gune, a certain number of people knew he was in the Star Observation Lands,

but no one knew his exact location.

Only Mulland Elkerly alone knew.

Even if enemies infiltrated, they couldn't pinpoint Gune's precise position.

"The front lines are so strained that even a few defensive forces can't be spared?" Gune looked at Mulland Elkerly.

"Yes, the fighting on the front lines is extremely brutal. The fanatical devotion of those gods' followers is beyond imagination. They fight fearlessly, even in death, they'll try to strike you before they fall."

"And, as you know, those divine envoy powerhouses can bestow some of their power to transcendent beings with absolute faith. At critical moments, they erupt with divine power, burning their own lives, causing us great harm."

"Although some on our side have also received divine power from divine envoys, most use it to save their lives, not to sacrifice themselves."

"Those whose faith has twisted their souls are truly difficult to deal with." Mulland Elkerly shook his head slightly.

"Indeed." Gune nodded slightly.

He had personally experienced the power of a divine power eruption.

"The Transcendent Association can hardly spare any top-tier high-level transcendent masters, so this time I had to come to you." Mulland Elkerly looked at Gune apologetically.

"After all, those areas are inaccessible to transcendent masters; only top-tier high-level transcendent beings can clear them."

"The guards, though capable among sixth-tier beings, are far from sufficient for large-scale clearance."

"Mm, no problem."

After a moment's thought, Gune looked at Mulland Elkerly and said,

"Professor Mulland, I have ample time this time. I plan to conduct a large-scale clearance of the many mutated creatures in the channels all at once."

Mulland Elkerly's face lit up with joy upon hearing this.

The previous two times, Gune had only cleared out those mountain-like formidable creatures and returned without large-scale clearance. This time, Gune's intention to conduct a large-scale operation was entirely different.

"After all, repeatedly coming back for simple cleanups is not a sustainable solution. Once this large-scale clearance is done, I'll have a longer, stable period for secluded cultivation, and I can also take the opportunity to break through and become a transcendent master." Gune said.

Mulland Elkerly gave an awkward smile upon hearing this.

Repeatedly asking Gune to help clear the mutated creatures in the Void Source Channels at the world's borders was indeed embarrassing for them.

For Gune, this large-scale clearance served two purposes.

On one hand, Gune himself needed the mutated flesh of these creatures; digesting it provided plenty of blood, and the flesh material could serve as energy and material foundation for expanding his blood sea.

On the other hand, as he had just said, this large-scale clearance would give him enough time to break through and become a transcendent master.

After all, coming back repeatedly like this was not ideal.

Moreover, once Gune became a transcendent master, he would no longer be able to enter for clearance.

"Then I am indebted to you, Sir Gune." Mulland Elkerly said.

"Also..."

Mulland Elkerly hesitated before speaking.

"Recently, through observation, I noticed that the mutated creatures seem to have opened some peculiar passage in a remote area near the outer side of the Void Source Channels at the world's borders."

"Then a massive horde of mutated creatures surged over."

"Even now, a huge number of mutated creatures are still pouring in. Such a high density could very likely give rise to mutated creatures approaching the level of transcendent masters."

"However, for you, Sir Gune, such creatures should pose little threat, right?"

"There is some threat, but it's not hard to deal with." Gune replied.

"Since you are not afraid of such powerful creatures, I am much more relieved."

After a moment's thought, Mulland Elkerly spoke steadily.

"The situation there is very strange. I suspect there might be some special object in that area; otherwise, so many mutated creatures wouldn't be rushing there madly."

"In the Void Source Channels at the world's borders, it's highly likely that something from beyond the stars has crashed into the void space at the world's edge."

"I just don't know what it is."

"If possible, after clearing out the large number of mutated creatures there, you could examine the area thoroughly. Of course, if there's anything valuable, it naturally belongs to you." Mulland Elkerly said.

Although Mulland Elkerly said this, Gune didn't take it too seriously, as he guessed it was probably a meteorite from beyond the stars.

Previously, Gune had seen the wreckage of an extraterrestrial meteorite crashing into a Void Source Channel in the void space.

"Then I'll prepare a bit and head to the node to enter the Void Source Channels at the world's borders shortly." Gune said.