Chapter 7: The Closed Continent (Part 2)

Seeing Eagle Demon and Luo Zhan eager to try, the handsome old man hurriedly said, “Don’t rush, wait a moment.”
Guo Shieru pondered carefully when suddenly, a massive wave of heat erupted from his abdomen. Surprised, he said, “Hey, don’t eat it yet…” He then summoned an altar, sat cross-legged, and said, “There’s a change in this fruit…” The heat spread rapidly throughout his body, impacting his flesh and blood in waves.
After about half an hour, Guo Shieru exhaled in delight. “Great stuff! It can strengthen the body and bones. But ordinary people can’t eat it—it will kill them. For us, however, it’s extremely beneficial.” He then threw down a large piece of flesh from a mutated talisman beast, as big as a calf, at the foot of the tree.
Numerous thin threads descended from the tree and quickly wrapped around the flesh, sucking it dry in moments. The entire tree trembled slightly. Guo Shieru said, “There are no mutated talisman beasts here. It can already be remarkable by feeding on the flesh of ordinary wild beasts. If it feeds on mutated or abnormal talisman beasts, the tree’s changes will be even greater.”
Indeed, in just a short while, red veins appeared on the originally bright yellow fruit, giving it a strange appearance. Guo Shieru smiled and said, “Let’s all taste it.” He picked another fruit and ate it, and this time the effect was even better. Eagle Demon and Luo Zhan also ate one each, looking very pleased.
The handsome old man said, “Shieru, put this tree in the altar’s secret realm. It’s valuable stuff.”
Guo Shieru nodded. “No problem. I won’t give up on this kind of tree.” He first picked the fruits from the tree and placed them in a jade box he had crafted. The handsome old man then sealed the jade box with a virtual talisman. The three had eaten half of the fruits, leaving over a dozen, all of which Guo Shieru stored away.
Eagle Demon and Luo Zhan were used to this habit of collecting. As long as it was a particularly special plant, Guo Shieru would collect it.
The three continued flying and encountered many special plants along the way, as well as some oddly shaped grasses, all of which became targets for Guo Shieru’s collection. Since there was a secret realm in the altar, these plants didn’t take up space, so he collected as many as he could.
Sometimes, Eagle Demon couldn’t help but mock Guo Shieru, saying he was like a junk collector, putting anything into the altar.

Crossing vast stretches of primeval forest, the three arrived at an endless grassland covered in lush green grass. Several small rivers meandered across the grassland, with herds of wild bulls and flocks of antelopes running swiftly. Lions, leopards, packs of wolves, and wild dogs were also present, along with several dinosaur-like beasts wandering in the distance. At first glance, it was a scene brimming with vitality.

The grass here was thick, about half a meter tall, and among the grass grew pheasants and rabbits. In the sky, vultures that fed on carrion, eagles, and various birds flew in flocks across the grassland.

Eagle Demon said cheerfully, “This grassland is very fertile.” He had lived on the great plains for a long time, and seeing this grassland gave him a sense of familiarity, as if he were returning home.

Guo Shier flew high into the sky, casting a vision-enhancing spell on himself before looking into the distance. Eagle Demon and Luo Zhan also flew up. Eagle Demon asked, “What have you found?”

Luo Zhan laughed, “What could there be to discover in this isolated continent?”

Guo Shier said, “There are people! Look over there.”

Eagle Demon also cast a vision-enhancing spell and looked in that direction, exclaiming in surprise, “Huh, there really are people. It seems like a tribe… Shall we go take a look?”

Luo Zhan said, “Mutants! They must be mutants.”

Guo Shier shook his head. “They’re not mutants; they’re Aberrants! To be able to see people clearly from such a distance, those people must be at least eight or nine meters tall. Only Aberrants could reach such a size.”

From here, those moving figures appeared as small as ants. Compared to the even smaller wild bulls nearby, those people were terrifyingly huge. That’s why Guo Shier immediately determined they were Aberrants—he had fought against them before. Of course, he no longer feared them at all. With the strength of the three of them, Aberrants were nothing to worry about.

It was a small tribe. From a distance, only a few Aberrants could be seen; the rest were mutants, who were much smaller. This was discovered by Eagle Demon. It was a place where mutants and Aberrants lived together. Guo Shier knew that among mutants, Aberrants were like nobles, holding leadership positions.

Guo Shier didn’t have any good feelings toward Aberrants and mutants. They were a bloodthirsty race that loved killing and eating humans. Professionals had no other choice when encountering Aberrants and mutants but to kill as many as possible.

Guo Shier said, “Let’s go over there.”

Eagle Demon hesitated for a moment before saying, “If we attack from a distance, we can kill most of them without needing to get close.”
Guo Shier smiled and said, “We’re no longer ordinary professionals. We don’t need to worry about them. Whether we attack from close or far, it makes no difference to us.”
Eagle Demon was still stuck in his old ways of thinking. Guo Shier’s words woke him up. With a wry smile, he said, “We’ve advanced too quickly. I still have old-fashioned ideas. Alright, let’s go.”
Aberrants could sometimes fight against high-level Grand Masters based on instinct, and even confront professionals at the Void Altar. After long-term battles, their combat strength could rival that of low-level Altar professionals. But against high-level Altar professionals, they simply couldn’t resist unless they gathered a large army of aberrants.
Guo Shier and the other two rode their altars and quickly flew toward the aberrants’ camp.
As soon as they approached the camp, they heard a loud noise. Even the aberrants were tall and beast-like, not to mention the aberrants. A large group of them rushed out of the camp, each holding thick sticks, with fierce expressions on their faces.
Guo Shier laughed and said, “As expected, it’s all fighting as soon as we meet. Look at those sticks… they’re almost as thick as a person’s thigh. If I get hit by one, I might not die, but I’m sure I’ll be flung over a hundred meters!”
Eagle Demon asked, “Should we give it a try?”
Luo Zhan burst into laughter. Guo Shier muttered, “That’s quite cold.”
Even though they were still a kilometer away, the group of aberrants was already charging at full speed. Eagle Demon asked Luo Zhan, “Should you do it… or should I?” His face was filled with excitement. Luo Zhan couldn’t help but laugh and said, “I knew you were itching to fight. Go ahead. You haven’t had a proper fight in so many years. I guess you’re dying to fight.”
Eagle Demon smiled happily and nodded repeatedly. “Yeah, you know that. I love fighting. Ever since I followed Shier, I’ve been very obedient… very well-behaved…”
Now even Guo Shier couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Eagle Demon being well-behaved? That was the funniest joke of all. This guy was full of violence deep in his bones. He just couldn’t express it around Guo Shier, as everyone he met was stronger than him. It was already good enough that he wasn’t beaten—how could he even dare to hit others?
Guo Shier laughed and said, “Uncle, if you want to fight, go ahead. Stop being so cheesy, will you?”

The Eagle Demon smiled shamelessly and said, “I mean it… really well-behaved, haha. I’m going!” He charged at the mutated crowd with bare hands, carrying no weapons or summoning a altar. In his mind, using an altar to obtain sacred treasures would be too unfair. Although the opponents were not real humans but mutants, he still didn’t want to use powerful weapons; instead, he planned to vent his excitement through fists and feet.

Luo Zhan sighed. He understood that he really liked his current life, but the Eagle Demon was different. Though he liked it too, he felt somewhat constrained, mainly because he couldn’t fight as he pleased. This was a habit he had developed since childhood, and even now, his love for combat and killing remained deeply rooted in his soul, never settling down.

The Eagle Demon rushed into the crowd of mutants with great enthusiasm. In the blink of an eye, Guo Shier saw the mutants overwhelm him. Yet he wasn’t worried at all and walked over slowly with Luo Zhan.

At that moment, the Eagle Demon’s entire body was glowing with talismanic light. He wasn’t stupid—hand-to-hand combat was fine, but his defense couldn’t be weak. The opponents were mutants, each with abnormally great strength. Even Saints and Grand Saints would be at a disadvantage. Just because he didn’t summon an altar didn’t mean he couldn’t use its power.

Bang!

A thick stick struck the top of the Eagle Demon’s head. A tremendous force rebounded, sending the stick flying back even faster. In an instant, it hit the mutant’s face. With a crack, the mutant’s head split open, and his body collapsed to the ground. The Eagle Demon muttered, “Damn it, I haven’t fought in ages. I’ve lost my sensitivity… Fuck!”

He threw a punch, sending a mutant flying backward. He continued to knock down two more mutants behind him before stopping. That mutant’s chest was sunken, spewing blood. He was breathing heavily and inhaling little air, clearly on the verge of death.

The Eagle Demon roared, “So satisfying…”

Every punch and kick carried countless virtual talismans. These weren’t deliberately emitted by the Eagle Demon but were the power given to him by the altar. This power was astonishing—mutants died almost instantly upon being hit or were severely injured with just a brush. There were only the sounds of pounding and cries of pain.

Guo Shier said calmly, “The mutants here have strong constitutions and decent combat skills, but they lack more tactics. Um, it’s like low- to mid-level professionals on the continent—without more advanced skills.”

Luo Zhan said, “It might be because of the isolated continent.”

Guo Shier smiled and said, “It’s just like our Beifu Sect. Even before it became an isolated continent, it was already at the absolute lowest level. If it remained an isolated continent, I guess there wouldn’t even be any master-level professionals.”
Luo Zhan said, “Shier, wait. I’ll go take care of those guys.” As they spoke, a dozen or so mutants rushed over, wielding large clubs.
Guo Shier grinned and said, “Good. Don’t hold back. Kill them quickly.”
Luo Zhan didn’t like close combat. He immediately placed his sacrificial treasure on his head and took out his life-bound sacrificial treasure. Turning into a gust of wind, he rushed into the crowd of mutants. The sacrificial treasure in his hand suddenly transformed into countless blades that swirled around him at high speed. All he had to do was plunge into the crowd, and the blades would swiftly claim lives.
This was far more brutal than the Eagle Demon’s attacks. In just one round, he dealt with a dozen mutants, leaving behind only piles of severed limbs—the largest piece of flesh not even the size of an egg. Guo Shier walked over and sighed, “Uncle Luo, you’re even more cruel than Uncle Eagle Demon.”
Luo Zhan shook his head. “I can’t compare to an eagle. I kill in an instant; they don’t feel pain. It’s the eagle’s battles that make those people understand… what true cruelty is.”
Indeed, the Eagle Demon moved through the crowd, using pure martial arts techniques in his attacks. For professionals, such tactics were considered low-level, commonly used by novices, with hardly any advanced professionals resorting to them. His roars echoed as he fought fiercely.
One after another, the mutants were killed—some with broken bones and torn tendons, others with shattered heads, dying instantly. The mutants weren’t afraid of death; they didn’t care at all and continued to charge frantically, fighting to the death. Unfortunately, they were facing a professional from the sixth-tier altar. No matter how thick or strong their clubs were, they couldn’t shake the Eagle Demon’s defenses, leaving them helpless as his punches and kicks landed on them.
Bang! Bang!
Two punches shattered two heads, leaving the Eagle Demon’s eyes blood-red with excitement. His frenzied killing spree allowed him to quickly vent the frustration built up in his heart. In just a few minutes, he killed hundreds of mutants. The mutants let out eerie screams.
Guo Shier frowned slightly and asked, “Uncle Luo, can you understand them?”
Luo Zhan replied, “No. Unless we capture a mutant and extract his soul, we won’t be able to understand. This must be their native language.”
Hundreds more mutants rushed out of the tribe. Guo Shier shouted, “Uncle Eagle Demon… do you need help?”

The Eagle Demon screamed, “No, don’t interfere! They’re all mine!” This cry also caught the attention of the mutants, and dozens of them rushed over immediately. Guo Shier said, “Uncle Luo, it’s up to you. I’m too lazy to get my hands dirty.” He noticed that Luo Zhan still wanted more and was eager to fight again, so he was happy to let Luo Zhan vent his anger. Luo Zhan smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll take it!” He killed them quickly again. Luo Zhan didn’t have the same passion as the Eagle Demon; he was also venting his anger, but in a completely different way. He killed dozens of people in just a few minutes, effortlessly and without any pressure. Guo Shier felt itching to fight as well. He had reached the ninth-level altar but hadn’t fought yet, unsure of how strong he had become. He wanted to give it a try, but the opponents were too weak to test his true strength. More and more mutants emerged—there were thousands of them in this tribe. Guo Shier realized that standing on the ground made him a target, attracting mutants to attack him. He called out, then leaped into the air. Before he reached the combat zone, he heard a whistle, and instantly, countless clubs and stones were thrown at him. Guo Shier smiled slightly. He didn’t block them but rose higher quickly. The clubs and stones reached their peak and then fell, causing the mutants on the ground to scream in pain. The clubs and stones continued to rain down, maiming the mutants. Guo Shier laughed heartily. Luo Zhan also flew up, saying, “These guys are average in strength, just really strong, hehe.” The two of them rose higher quickly. The mutants on the ground could only roar in fury but couldn’t pose a threat to them. Guo Shier said, “That’s really bullying.” Suddenly, a furious roar came from the tribe camp. Luo Zhan said, “The Aberrants are here.”