Returning to the Mysterious Era-Chapter 647 - The Sixth Time-Travel

As Golem Sect expanded and its influence deepened, Cassius found it easier than before to obtain antiques with lingering attachment. He did not need to act himself; his vast forces were like thousands of tentacles that would automatically do things for Cassius. The pile of antiques with lingering attachment before his eyes was the harvest of the past few months.

In the middle of the lake, a breeze caressed the trees. As he stood before the mountain of antiques, Cassius glanced at the upper right of his vision.

[Lingering Attachment Energy: 36.1]

It was still the same as after the fifth time-travel. He had kept all the collected antiques with lingering attachment to be absorbed together. He paused slightly, then reached out and pressed his hand onto the mountain of antiques.

Soon, a cold and ominous sensation gathered like flowing water, converging into a small stream that rushed into Cassius's body. Icy, chilly, numbing and bitter—everything was quite familiar.

Compared to previous absorptions, the lingering attachment energy brought by this mountain of antiques was even colder. If it had been the former Cassius, he would likely have felt chilled to the bone. However, the current Cassius felt nothing at all as he merely drew in the obsessive energy in silence.

After several minutes, Cassius slowly raised his head. The great mountain of antiques with lingering attachment before him now seemed ordinary. All the lingering attachment energy had already been extracted by his ability. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

The number in the upper right of his vision was the clearest proof.

[Lingering Attachment: 13227.2]

A full five digits! Lingering attachment energy surpassing ten thousand!

This was brought by tens of thousands of antiques with lingering attachment. Even a behemoth like Golem Sect would need considerable time to collect them. Now, they had been swallowed by Cassius in an instant, turning into the energy for his time-travel ability.

He did not feel much joy. Even with so much lingering attachment energy, Cassius still worried it might not be enough for the sixth time-travel. During the fifth time-travel, the time-travel ability had changed, allowing him to carry the Qi of a top-tier combat artist into the time-travel.

Cassius paid 13.5 lingering attachment energy for that. Though the consumption had increased, the convenience it brought was absolutely worth it. After the fifth time-travel ended, he wondered whether, with sufficient lingering attachment energy, he could bring his full strength into the time-travel.

Not only his Holy Fist Qi, but also his physique of an Ultimate Dark Form. That way, he could do what he wished and resolve the original owner's lingering attachment with a wave of his hand.

From every perspective, it was worthwhile. Only, with his current realm, to carry everything fully into the time-travel would likely require a terrifying amount of lingering attachment energy. After all, a Holy Fist's Qi grew without limit. It was as deep as an abyss and vast as a sea.

Cassius had already walked nearly halfway within that realm. He was equivalent to a Holy Fist who had accumulated for tens of thousands of years through normal cultivation. On top of that, his Golem body...

It was hard to say if the lingering attachment energy was enough. However, the good thing was that many antiques with lingering attachment were not one-off, but would release lingering attachment energy multiple times.

In addition, a batch of antiques with lingering attachment collected from abroad had not yet arrived. Perhaps together they would suffice?

Cassius pondered briefly, then took out a legendary antique. It was a silver pistol, the standard issue of soldiers of the Hongli Federation. The pistol had not been carefully cleaned and still looked heavily corroded. The springs, sear, and other inside parts were already unusable. He had sent for antique specialists to investigate the origin of the gun so he already knew the details quite well.

Forty-five years ago, around year 111 of the Hongli Federation, the Hongli Federation, one of the world's three great powers, went to war with three western nations of the Northern Reef Continent over interests. The shadow of the United States of Yana lurked faintly behind the conflict, since they were suspected of supporting the three western nations.

Moreover, while Golem Sect searched for historical clues, it actually discovered traces of the Gate Organization and dark creatures. It seemed that the so-called national war was not simple.

On the surface, it was a territorial dispute that triggered the conflict but in fact, there was another secret. The Golem Sect's thorough investigation had discovered that what the three western nations and the Hongli Federation truly cared about was a certain mining area within the disputed territory. The area had abundant metals, including silver and gold. It seemed as if that was the real reason.

However, when the Golem Sect, having found traces of the Gate Organization and dark creatures, went to ask the Black Ops Agency, it received an unexpected piece of news.

The abundant metals were only a secondary reason. The real reason was that the Hongli Federation had discovered the legendary Miracle Garden within the area. There was an ancient story widely circulated around the world, saying that there was a Miracle Garden that could move beneath the land of the Northern Reef Continent .

Every dynasty in the Hongli Federation had such tales and all kinds of fantastical stories. However, someone in the Ten Thousand Mountains had stumbled into the Miracle Garden by accident. When night passed and he came out, he appeared near a small, bone-chillingly cold mountain entrance in the far north of the Northern Reef Continent.

Some entered the Miracle Garden and later came out in a daze. They actually transformed into youthful forms, and stayed young until they died. In short, the Miracle Garden's appearance was a great shock to the Hongli Federation.

Furthermore, the ancient ruin could truly move swiftly. Sometimes it appeared on the left, sometimes on the right. However, its general range remained within the mining zone. It seemed to have accidentally been briefly trapped by the surrounding thick metal layers.

Some soldiers entered the Miracle Garden, but were soon spat out. According to a soldier, he only saw an area at the entrance of the Miracle Garden. There were striking sculptures there, seemingly protected by some power that left it unweathered despite the passage of time.

By his recollection, much of the sculptures were related to a certain ancient civilization. The only other thing he recollected was a star chart of ancient times. Based on fuzzy comparisons, it was guessed that the star charts might be related to the Southern Dipper.

Of course, that soldier's memory was not that good. He forgot almost as soon as he saw it, so it was only speculation. However, such speculation drew Cassius's attention. For this, he specifically used the Book of the Devil to verify.

Interestingly, Cassius discovered that the Book of the Devil also had no detailed information regarding the Miracle Garden. It could only simply confirm two points. The Miracle Garden was related to the Ao Yin Civilization and the Southern Dipper Fist.

Either of these two points was worthy of his attention. In truth, Cassius had always held two questions in his heart. One was about the origin of calamity, and the other was about the Ao Yin Civilization.

What exactly was the relationship between this ancient civilization and the many Holy Fists, and what was its relationship with the Southern Dipper lineage?

The three Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance he had obtained all came from ruins of the Ao Yin Civilization scattered around the world. However, according to some previous information, several Holy Fists of the Southern Dipper lineage did not seem to be of the same era as the Ao Yin Civilization.

Cassius felt it was necessary to use the sixth time-travel to explore and clarify the true face of the Ao Yin Civilization. He had a premonition that the information would be crucial in the future.

He was especially interested in information about the five keystone runes, each of which had incomparably powerful effects. Cassius already possessed the Rune of Spirit and the Rune of Life. Of these two runes, one had brought about the Golem Covert Martial Arts, and the other helped Cassius master the Thorn Sonic Death Armament. Both had extremely important roles. Thus, he looked forward even more to the other three keystone runes.

A bold idea flashed through Cassius's mind.

"I wonder whether the origin of Covert Martial Arts is related to the Ao Yin Civilization?"

However, he soon cast it to the back of his mind. When he personally entered the Miracle Garden, perhaps then he would learn some hidden information. Anyway, that day seemed not far off. He planned to spend a sea of lingering attachment energy to carry all his strength over into the time-travel.

After that, he could research however he wished. Additionally, there was another reason Cassius chose that particular legendary antique.

Year 111 of the Hongli Federation was precisely the period when the Totem Temple of the Ten Thousand Mountains and the Totem King Kassares whom they worshipped had lost contact. The battle in the World of Calamity by Blood Vulture Dominator Fist and the Totem King should not yet have begun, or was still underway.

Cassius decided almost without hesitation to wade into this life-and-death battle. He was not concerned even if he had to face the Totem King.

Of course, before joining the fight, Cassius would likely have to advance his own strength once more. Although he had fought three Ultimate Dark Forms alone a few days earlier, there was still a huge gulf between him, the Totem King, and Blood Vulture Dominator Fist.

Cassius was going to help, not to cause trouble!

A normal Ultimate Dark Form could not break his Golem body but that did not mean Totem King Kassares could not. After all, his Golem was only at Major Culmination, not perfected.

If he wished to decide the outcome amid the frenzied slaughter between a top-ten Ultimate Dark Form and a peak Southern Dipper Holy Fist, Cassius had to have sufficient strength to trade blows, even if only with a weakened and grievously injured Totem King.

At any time, strength was indispensable. As he sorted his thoughts bit by bit, the threads in his mind flowed ever more smoothly. What to do and how to do it in the sixth time-travel became perfectly clear.

As for the original owner's obsession that Cassius had taken quite seriously in earlier time-travels, he was rather casual about it. It wasn't indifference, but a confidence that everything was under control.

***

Cassius's thoughts turned.

"The concentration of calamity in the World of Calamity is accelerating, very similar to the time of the Hongli Empire's fall. It may even be a bit faster. The barrier has been breached and the flood is coming."

He recalled the evidence in the real world collected by the Golem Sect. They had already found rifts between the two worlds, and even passages. Although there were not as many passages as on the eve of the Hongli Empire's downfall, the calamity tide this time was accumulating faster and fiercer. Perhaps the tide would suddenly erupt and descend at any moment.

The Gate Organization's retreat into hiding in the past two months seemed to confirm that as well. They had chosen to wait for the opportunity. They most likely wished to strike in one swoop when the calamity tide erupted.

"We must proceed with the sixth time-travel as soon as possible..."

Cassius suddenly vanished from the lake.

On December 16, some recyclable antiques with lingering attachment were absorbed again. The five-digit lingering attachment energy once again rose by a small notch.

[Lingering Attachment Energy: 13227.2 → 15977.4]

On December 17, the antiques with lingering attachment collected from overseas arrived. Though fewer than the first batch, they still pushed the lingering attachment energy progress higher.

[Lingering Attachment Energy: 15977.4 → 19522.9]

His lingering attachment energy neared twenty thousand. Unfortunately, it was five hundred short of twenty thousand. However, nineteen thousand was enough. Cassius could feel that the time-travel ability had changed again, seemingly offering him a further option to bring all his strength into the sixth time-travel!

On December 18, amid an ever increasing calamity backdrop, Cassius sat cross-legged in his place of secluded cultivation, the center of God's Tears Lake. He was fully prepared and in excellent condition.

A breeze blew, but was blocked by an invisible force.

Cassius took out that legendary antique and activated his time-travel ability. In an instant, everything around him seemed to stop in time. Even the lake's surface rippling in the wind took on a layered, icy texture.

Buzz... boom!

Heaven and earth reversed and shattered to pieces. Space and time misaligned, as everything pasted together like a crumpled landscape painting until the scene unfolded anew.

The first things Cassius saw was a black and red sky, thick smoke, explosions, and unceasing gunfire. Fighter jets roared as they glided past, and bullets plunged one after another into the soil and into the bodies of Hongli Federation soldiers wearing yellow and black uniforms. Black soil spattered and merged with red blood.

The world was a battleground that forced one to the brink of death. Ranks of soldiers formed lines to a bottomless abyss of death. Months of fighting had dyed the black soil red with blood.

Across the sky, a bomber flew high overhead.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

Bombs were dropped one by one and charging soldiers were blown into a mist of blood on the spot. Crawling soldiers were also struck in vital spots by shrapnel.

Whoosh!

Another shell fell straight down, and struck the trench dead on by chance. Just as the metal shell was about to meet the ground, a large hand suddenly reached out from the trench and easily seized it. Five fingers clenched abruptly, crushing the metal shell like tofu.

The gunpowder inside expanded and exploded, and the scorching fire and energy had just gushed out when an invisible force forcibly compressed them back into an iron ball.

"All my strength has been brought over. I've never had such a fantastic opening..."

A face slowly emerged from the trench's shadow.

"The sixth time-travel has begun..."