Chapter 188: Amusement

With the upgrade of the Third Tree · Abyss, Alex's power officially stepped into the multiverse level!

At the same time, after absorbing the new information that emerged in his mind, Alex understood the changes in the Third Tree · Abyss. There were no flashy transformations—just pure numerical enhancements.

Previously, the Third Tree · Abyss lv3 increased his power by 50 times. Now, at lv4, it amplified his power by 200 times!

This was a comprehensive enhancement—energy, soul, strength, and willpower all increased by 200 times. When these amplifications interacted, they created a geometric escalation in his overall power.

Alex decided to test this by unsealing himself completely and entering the Third Tree · Abyss state.

However, he immediately stopped after a brief attempt.

He could feel how fragile this world was.

The world was utterly incapable of bearing his full power. If he fully unleashed it, it would be akin to pouring an extremely dense mass of water into a small balloon. While the balloon might stretch to accommodate it initially, the sheer density of the water would inevitably cause it to burst.

If Alex were to release his full power here, the entire Outcast reality would be torn apart by the overwhelming force.

Though the destruction of this world wouldn't harm Alex, its inhabitants would all perish.

Alex wasn't a heartless monster. While he found amusement in many things, he didn't view all life as insignificant ants.

Thus, he re-sealed himself again to prevent his immense power from breaking the fragile balance of this world.

When Alex briefly unleashed his power, everyone in the world felt an inexplicable sense of oppression.

This oppression didn't target their bodies or souls but struck at a deeper, empathetic level.

It was as if the world itself was weeping—a primal cry from the mother that birthed and nurtured them. This evoked a profound terror and despair within everyone.

However, as Alex sealed himself again, this oppressive feeling quickly faded. If not for the fact that everyone had experienced it simultaneously, many might have dismissed it as a mere illusion or a sign of illness.

---

In a hidden corner, Zhang Chulan was digging a pit with Feng Baobao, intending to bury tomorrow's opponent so they couldn't participate in the competition.

This way, he could win tomorrow's match effortlessly.

At that moment, both Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao froze, clutching their chests and looking up at the sky.

The sky remained clear, showing nothing unusual, yet both felt an inexplicable disturbance.

When the unease in their hearts finally subsided, Zhang Chulan immediately asked Feng Baobao, "Sister Bao'er, did you just feel... something strange?"

Feng Baobao nodded, her expression still as blank as ever. But upon closer observation, one could detect subtle changes in her demeanor—she was more serious than usual.

Feng Baobao said, "Just now, my heart started pounding, like a close family member was crying out to me. She was terrified, utterly hopeless.

I know this family member is incredibly important to me—more important than my own life. But I don't know who she is or how to help her..."

Zhang Chulan replied, "I felt the same thing. It seems like something's happened. Let's go find the old Master and ask him about it..."

On his way to find the old Master, Zhang Chulan noticed many people heading in the same direction, including some familiar faces like Zhang Lingyu, Zhuge Qing, Feng Shayan, and even contestants who had been participating in the tournament.

It wasn't until Feng Xingtong explained that Zhang Chulan realized everyone had experienced the same unsettling heart palpitation.

Because of this shared phenomenon, the tournament was temporarily halted. Only after uncovering the source of the unease would the competition resume.

When they all gathered before the old Master, Zhang Lingyu, as his disciple, was the first to speak:

"Master, what just happened? Why did we all feel that strange, simultaneous unease?"

The old Taoist Master stroked his now-black, radiant beard and replied in a booming voice: "That... even I am unsure. Wait here while I consult the Ancestor."

Zhang Lingyu and the others bowed respectfully in unison:

"Thank you, Master."

"Thank you, Taoist Master."

The old Taoist Master then radiated a brilliant golden light, his entire being transforming into a streak of light and shooting into the sky.

Those left behind watched in awe, exclaiming:

"Whoa, the old Master is looking more and more like an immortal!"

"Exactly! With his current abilities, he'd definitely be worshipped as a celestial in ancient times!"

"If the old Master is like this, I can't even imagine the abilities of the Master's Ancestor, the Great Love Immortal, Alex. How I wish I could meet him!"

As they gazed at the horizon where the old Master had disappeared, their eyes were filled with admiration.

---

Alex wasn't far from the crowd, so the old Master quickly arrived at his side. Landing gracefully, the old Master bowed deeply and said:

"Ancestor, just moments ago, everyone on Mountain—both cultivators and ordinary people—felt a profound unease. Could you explain the source of this disturbance?"

Alex, having resealed his overwhelming power, immediately understood the cause of the heart palpitations. It had been his attempt to unleash his full strength in this world, nearly causing it to collapse.

He replied calmly: "No need to worry. Earlier, I simply tried to release my power fully in this world. However, this world isn't strong enough to contain it. If I were to completely unseal my strength, the entire world would be destroyed.

The world's consciousness, sensing the threat of annihilation, transmitted its fear and despair to all living beings it nurtures, including you.

Rest assured, I have resealed my power, and this world is no longer in danger."

Hearing Alex's explanation, even the old Master, with all his wisdom and experience, was momentarily stunned.

Could it truly be possible for a single person's power to burst an entire world?

But the old Master knew his perception couldn't be mistaken at his level. The global unease, the despair—it had all stemmed from Alex's attempt to unseal his power.

After a moment of silence, the old Master bowed deeply again and said:

"I understand now. I'll explain this to everyone."

As the old Master was about to leave, Alex sealed the surrounding space, freezing him in place.

"No, you're not to tell them the truth. Keep this knowledge to yourself." Alex's voice carried a playful undertone.

"Don't forget," he added with a sly grin, "I'm still fishing for fun."

The old Master immediately understood Alex's intention—he was looking forward to the trouble involving the Wang family. Comprehending the situation, he respectfully said:

"I understand, Master. I'll inform them that the earlier anomaly was a residual effect caused by the recent increase in the energy of heaven and earth."

Alex nodded approvingly and said, "Excellent!"

---

The old Taoist Master once again transformed into a streak of light and returned to the crowd.

As soon as he appeared, everyone eagerly asked, "Old Master, did the Immortal Lord explain the cause of the anomaly?"

The old Master raised a hand to quiet the crowd. They immediately fell silent, waiting for his explanation.

He took a moment to choose his words and then said in a serious tone:

"The earlier anomaly was caused by an increase in the total energy of heaven and earth. It was simply a residual effect and will not happen again. So, everyone can focus on your matches without concern."

In the world of cultivators, the old Master held immense authority. Since this explanation came from the Immortal Lord himself, no one doubted it, including the Wang family.

They collectively responded:

"So that's it. Thank you, Taoist Master!"

After hearing the explanation, most of the crowd dispersed, but a small group made their way toward the old Master.

Leading this group was a sly-looking old man, Wang Ai, followed by a rebellious-looking young man. Despite standing before the old Master, the young man showed no sign of respect. Instead, he openly scrutinized the Taoist Master's youthful appearance.

Noticing the old Taoist Master's slight frown, Wang Ai feigned a scolding tone: "Bing'er, don't be disrespectful to the old Master!"

Following Wang Ai's rebuke, Wang Bing behaved slightly better, but his attitude remained flippant, showing no respect for his elder.

Wang Ai's excessive indulgence toward his grandson was apparent. He only pretended to scold him to save face but quickly dismissed the offense.

The old Master maintained a neutral expression, but internally, he was displeased.

Although he wasn't rigid like some of the older generation, seeing a junior act so brazenly—even openly scrutinizing him—was unpleasant. Even a stranger wouldn't act this way, let alone a junior.

At that moment, the old Master couldn't help but wonder if Alex had anticipated this behavior from the Wang family and intended to use them as entertainment.

Wang Ai, oblivious to the Master's thoughts or his impending doom, carefully considered his words before speaking:

"Old Master, may I ask where the Immortal Lord is currently? As juniors, we have yet to pay our respects to him, which seems improper. If the Immortal Lord is not occupied, the Wang family would like to visit him after the tournament concludes."

The old Master's expression remained impassive as he looked at Wang Ai. At his current level, he could perceive people's innermost thoughts, akin to the ability of telepathy.

Though Wang Ai wore a smile, his heart was brimming with thick desires and murderous intent.

It was clear—Wang Ai wanted to learn Alex's location, not to pay respects but to ambush him.

Even so, the old Master did not conceal the information. He directly informed Wang Ai of Alex's location, even thoughtfully describing Alex's path during the tournament.

After witnessing just a fraction of Alex's power, the old Master had no doubt that no so-called high-tech weapon could harm him in the slightest.

Hearing Alex's whereabouts, Wang Ai's smile grew even wider. He discovered that Alex's route would pass through a desolate wilderness—an ideal place for an ambush.

This was perfect. In the wilderness, Wang Ai could deploy even more weapons to attack Alex.

After learning Alex's route, Wang Ai immediately bid farewell to the old Master: "Now that I know the Immortal Lord's path, I'll take my leave for now. After all, Bing'er has a match coming up."

As Wang Ai and his entourage departed, the old Master shook his head. He already knew the fate awaiting the Wang family.

To dare plot against the Immortal Lord—such audacity!

The Wang family, one of the Four Great Families of outcasts, would soon become nothing more than a fleeting memory, like clouds dispersing into the wind.

---

At the back of Longhu Mountain, the tournament continued to unfold intensely.

The current match was one of the most important in the Tournament: Wang Ye of Wudang against Zhuge Qing, a descendant of the Zhuge family.

This was also a battle between the strongest sorcerers of the younger generation.

At the beginning of the match, Zhuge Qing used the Wuhou Qimen technique to dominate the fight, completely suppressing Wang Ye.

Yet, even as he found himself at a disadvantage, Wang Ye remained calm.

After being struck by Zhuge Qing's "Kun Character: Earthen Wheel" move, a wound appeared on Wang Ye's face, with blood trickling down.

He touched the wound and smiled:

"Thank you, Zhuge Qing. If you hadn't held back just now, that move would have crippled me."

Zhuge Qing, his eyes half-closed as usual, replied coolly: "No need for thanks. We're not fighting to the death; of course, I'd hold back.

"But, Wang Daozhang, do you really look down on me so much? You're a sorcerer too, aren't you? Yet you refuse to use sorcery to fight me, relying instead on martial arts. Honestly, you haven't even used half of your true strength!"

Wang Ye sighed in mock resignation:

"Ugh, I knew it. Being friends with someone as smart as you means having all your secrets exposed."

Taking a few steps forward, he continued: "Well then, since we're both sorcerers, let's settle this the sorcerer's way."

Wang Ye's demeanor shifted. Zhuge Qing noticed this and attempted to attack, but Wang Ye countered with even stronger techniques, quickly reversing the situation. Zhuge Qing soon found himself at a severe disadvantage.

As the battle progressed, it wasn't just Zhuge Qing but also the audience who noticed something unusual about Wang Ye.

His techniques defied the basic logic of sorcery—they didn't adhere to the fundamental principles of mutual generation and restraint.

Eventually, Zhuge Qing was defeated, and Wang Ye's abilities were revealed to all: he had mastered the Fenghou Qimen, one of the Eight Great Arts

Thus, aside from Zhang Chulan, another inheritor of one of the Eight Techniques had emerged.

---

Another day passed. Although several matches took place, none were as spectacular as the one between Wang Ye and Zhuge Qing.

Feng Xingtong waited in the contestants' rest area for his match to begin. His opponent was Wang Bing of the Wang family.

Feng Xingtong was supremely confident about this battle. Not long ago, he had used his technique to bind an old outcast spirit. With that power at his disposal, victory was all but assured!

°°°

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