Cave Refuge-Chapter 334 - 301 Martial Path: The Four Realms_2
Truth be told, because of their habit of seeking tasks in their free time, the utilization rate of the giant scorpion bodies in the camp had risen yet another notch.
Previously discarded giant scorpion leg shells, which were cast aside after the meat was harvested, were now being repurposed by the survivors into arm guards and shin guards due to their sturdy yet lightweight nature.
The exoskeletons from the tails of giant scorpions were dismantled and fitted onto tires. After modification, these exoskeleton tires could now handle most of the rugged terrains, as proved by repeated tests.
After numerous trials, survivors in the camp discovered various uses for the bodies of the giant scorpions. Some applications were highly practical, while others weren’t as cost-effective.
In addition to these developments, the initial plan for using exoskeletons as flooring in the camp had been upgraded. Efforts were now underway to use these exoskeletons to construct safety houses, and the exoskeletons that were previously joined by metal were now directly processed and used as connectors and fixatives, thanks to a joining technique provided by a certain survivor in the camp.
The houses made using this processing technique were impeccably tough. Ordinary martial artists, whether they wielded sharp or blunt weapons, found it difficult to cause any damage to the houses.
Furthermore, since there was a plan in place beforehand, the completed exoskeleton houses could be directly joined together, which would enhance their stability during earthquakes. After all, these newly constructed exoskeleton houses resembled the modular houses commonly seen at construction sites. Although they could provide shelter against wind and rain for their inhabitants, they would inevitably suffer catastrophic damage during natural disasters because they lacked proper foundations.
As Robinson William relayed the camp’s status, Zachary breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. The camp was unfolding just as Zachary had envisioned: life was somewhat monotonous but, more importantly, it was safe and stable. If it weren’t for Robinson William taking half of the Inner Breath Realm Martial Artists away to assist the military camp last time, the defense here wouldn’t have become so tough.
This was the life that Zachary had yearned for before his rebirth.
After discussing the events that had occurred in the camp, Robinson William inquired about the situation of Ye Liuyun from Zachary. Upon confirming Ye Liuyun’s safety, Robinson William didn’t say much more, instead hurrying back to report the information provided by Zachary to the camp’s decision-making group and to arrange for two elite Inner Breath Realm Martial Artists to head to Moon Bay Camp to verify the authenticity of the intelligence.
The following days passed uneventfully. The unexpected emergence of the giant tree signified the end of the current round of seismic natural disasters. Based on past experience, the weather would become favorable for a while, offering a stable rest period for the survivors who had made it through.
Moon Bay was located between Pengcheng urban area and Saxon County. Not only did the elders instruct Robinson William to send special forces members to verify the situation there, but they also arranged for someone to inquire at the Pengcheng Government about the events at Moon Bay.
After all, most of the survivors residing in the Moon Bay Survivor Camp were considered to have some status and position within Pengcheng, so any incidents there would certainly prompt the Pengcheng Government to investigate and understand the specifics of what had occurred.
However, when the person dispatched to inquire at the Pengcheng Government relayed the happenings of the Moon Bay Survivor Camp, the Pengcheng Government was unaware of the events there. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖
Since Pengcheng Officials had recently been busy discussing the establishment of a fixed flight waterway with Kyoto, they had been quite occupied, and communication was also challenging. (In a near-second-tier city like Pengcheng, Kyoto issued only three mobile phones to each city, so typical survivor camps did not possess mobile phones.)
Normally, it was only when the various survivor camps came to collect food supplies each month that the Officials would assign a person to understand the situations within the survivor camps.
Although patrols were organized, the area around Moon Bay was too remote, and with only one survivor camp located there, patrols rarely visited that region.
This led to the complete disappearance of the survivors from the camp at Moon Bay going unnoticed by both the Pengcheng Government and other nearby survivor camps.
The fact that no message had been received from the vicinity of Moon Bay was alarming. If a survivor had really escaped from the Moon Bay Camp, they would have surely sought refuge in a nearby camp immediately. However, the surrounding camps had not received any such message, which indicated that after the incident, no survivors from Moon Bay had managed to leave successfully. The state of Moon Bay Camp was one of total annihilation.
Upon confirming this, the Pengcheng Government urgently arranged an investigative team to examine the situation. In these times, the occasional disappearance of one or two individuals was not alarming, but the total disappearance of all survivors from an entire camp was undeniably a sign of a severe incident.
When the messenger sent to Pengcheng returned and fully conveyed his findings to the elders’ group, the once noisy members fell into silence all at once.
Until the situation at Moon Bay could be clarified, the plans to relocate could only be indefinitely postponed.
Several days after Dong Tianyu’s return, Ye Liuyun also returned to the camp. Unlike the previous time he left with a grand motorcade, this time Ye Liuyun rode back on a motorcycle, accompanied by two bodyguards.
Ye Liuyun’s scalp tingled when he heard from Robinson William about the events that had occurred at Moon Bay Camp, especially since he, like Dong Tianyu, had passed by there on his way back.
Actually, he had wanted to take a look around just like Dong Tianyu, but a giant tree had destroyed the small bridge over the water channel.
Ye Liuyun was different from Dong Tianyu; curiosity could kill the cat. So, even though Ye Liuyun felt an eerie quietness about the place, he had no intention of investigating. Anxious to get on the road, he simply glanced at the situation and then left immediately.
After returning to the camp and hearing the recount of the events at Moon Bay Camp from Robinson William, Ye Liuyun realized that something truly bizarre had taken place there.
However, the occurrences at Moon Bay paled in comparison to the news he was about to share.
"I’ve heard from a friend that Kyoto has reclassified the levels of Martial Artists. Now, martial artists are categorized into Body Tempering, Inner Breath, Energy Cultivation, and Path Entry stages.
Body Tempering Realm: It goes without saying that martial artists at this stage focus mainly on improving their physical fitness.
Inner Breath Realm: As the body’s physical condition improves, a breath of energy naturally arises within the body. This energy not only nourishes the body and slowly enhances physical fitness, but can also temporarily improve certain bodily functions.
Energy Refining Realm: Upon reaching this Realm, one is akin to the first-rate martial artists in traditional novels, capable of externalizing the internal energy.
Path Entry Realm: This is currently speculative, as no one has reached this stage yet. In theory, reaching this Realm would amount to a unity of heaven and man.
If we classify them in a way we all are familiar with.
Body Tempering Realm: In theory, one would be able to reach the peak of human physical condition before the cataclysm.
Inner Breath Realm: Similar to the low-level martial art novels of the past, physical condition already far surpasses that of ordinary people, but the combat style with cold weapons remains close combat.
Energy Refining Realm: At this point, combat capability has reached the Middle Martial stage in novels, where one’s strength is no longer tied to physical condition but mainly depends on proficiency in energy manipulation.
Path Entry Realm: At this stage, martial artists no longer rely solely on the energy cultivated within themselves. Instead, they use their own energy to manipulate the natural energy of heaven and earth in combat, resembling those martial artists in high-level martial arts novels who can split mountains, overturn rivers, and move seas with ease during battle.
To put it in terms of the highest combat power familiar from TV dramas and movies.
Body Tempering Realm: One’s own martial world,
Inner Breath Realm: The Deer and the Cauldron,
Energy Refining Realm: Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils,
Path Entry Realm: The Storm Riders.
