Gurgle~

Someone could no longer hold back and started eating voraciously.

The meat was juicy, leaving a lingering fragrance on the lips.

"Uh?"

Someone's expression changed, "Why do I feel a surge of Source Power flowing in, as if my Qi Sea is starting to spin on its own?"

"Impossible, right? Digesting Mutant Beast meat at most feels like warm currents spreading through the body; long-term consumption only improves our physical constitution. Could it be... the reason is eating Transcendental Mutant Beast meat?"

The Transcendent Strongman leading the Ancient Spirit Royal Family shook his head:

"A very long time ago, I had the fortune to join the Clan Leader in hunting a Transcendent Mutant Beast. After roasting and eating it, those at the Awakening Tier could still benefit slightly, but for us, it had no effect. But now..."

He took large bites, and his Qi Sea, vast as a lake, slowly expanded.

Although the progress was incredibly slow, it was still noticeable improvement compared to the time it would usually take to cultivate on his own.

Not only did the Transcendental Mutant Beast meat contain Source Power, but so did the other dishes, including the Crystal Jade Rice, living spring water, Clear Spirit Wine... each had the effect of enhancing strength, which complemented cultivation even better.

It wasn't just the precious ingredients; the cooking techniques were extraordinary too! They maximized the retention of the Source Power, activity of the muscles, and medicinal properties of the ingredients.

This trip was so worth it!

Maybe when there's a chance, I should let the royal chefs of our clan learn a thing or two about cooking from Green Shadow?

Even the Transcendents of the Ancient Spirit Royal Family had some pride to keep up, but those young geniuses within the clan had no qualms about enjoying the feast without restraint.

Awakeners from various Sanctuaries, top-tier Mercenary Corps, leading commerce groups, and so on, were devouring the food like wolves and tigers.

Soon, their stomachs were swollen and full.

High-Tier Awakeners could eat dozens of times more than average people, yet the energy-dense Mutant Beast meat soon made them feel full.

Some immediately entered a state of cultivation.

Today's meal alone could replace half a month, or even a month's, progress in cultivation, and also serve as a solid foundation for future breakthroughs.

Some were conflicted, though.

In their eyes, this was not just a table of delicacies, but precious Cultivation Resources, an opportunity!

It felt wasteful to simply swallow it down.

They desperately wanted to ask... was it possible to pack it and take it away?

They still had many under their command back home craving this feast.

...

During the banquet, Tang Yu, as the host, naturally made an appearance and drank a few glasses. After a while, most of the Awakeners entered a state of cultivation.

Seeing this, he felt very satisfied.

Now that Green Shadow had outgrown the stage of keeping wealth hidden, showing off one's muscles, wealth, and resources appropriately was necessary to initiate PY with other forces.

Some who attended the banquet merely for the sake of face, after tasting the delicacies and gaining benefits, significantly narrowed their distance with Green Shadow.

"The cost of just this one banquet is indeed not small."

He thought to himself, but then realized the gifts he received were also of great value. The forces invited to his territory were all dominant powers in their own right, they weren't short on money.

Those with higher status brought rare resources, while those with slightly lower status brought Source Crystals.

Tang Yu didn't mind at all; in fact, he hoped everyone would be as mundane as possible... the Crystal Storage's Source Crystal balance had never risen above the alert threshold since he started settling those treasures.

"Considering everything, it wasn't necessarily a loss. It might even have been a profit, especially the Source Crystals. I should have them moved into the warehouse soon. After settling the last two treasures, the Territory's Fitting degree should also be about right."

The city foundation ceremony, military parade, and the banquet all went well.

With the platform of the Holy Domain space, Green Shadow's fame would truly spread globally, preparing to open multiple revenue streams for the future.

The Telekinesis value also shot up rapidly, obviously because Green Shadow's reputation was substantial. Additionally, the participation of the nine other Holy Lands in the city foundation ceremony elevated Green Shadow's status even higher in the hearts of the survivors.

Especially for those who had not been there long, whose sense of identification was not very strong, after experiencing the city foundation ceremony, their perception had completely changed. They felt a sense of belonging, as if they had returned home.

When Tang Yu opened the Territory map, he could see that many of the previous yellow dots had slowly changed to light green.

Suddenly,

An ear-piercing alarm sounded in his mind. His expression shifted subtly as he saw thirty-something massive red dots appear at the border of Green Shadow's Territory. They moved forward only a little before stopping about ten kilometers from Green Shadow City.

"You're not moving anymore?"

Tang Yu left the dining room without changing his expression and summoned Eileen and the others through the contract.

He quickly walked to the bedroom, intending to observe the situation of those thirty-something red dots representing Transcendents at close range through the Crystal Ball—an observation method that was safe and reliable. He had tried it, and neither Eileen nor Nancy could detect it, so Tang Yu was not afraid of being noticed by Transcendent Aliens.

However,

The presence of more than thirty Transcendents still brought him an indescribable pressure; one misstep could spell disaster for the Territory.

All of a sudden,

The alarm sounded once again, this time, three red dots appeared directly within Green Shadow Territory.

"That place is… the second Return City Point? They've seized an adventurer's Return City Scroll."

The Crystal Ball floated in front of him, and the blurry scene on it quickly became clear. Inside the second Return City Point, there were three figures.

One female and two males, all of whom had rather ordinary appearances.

Near the Return City Point, the Rune Array set up to detect auras hadn't triggered an alarm... it looked like they had completely disguised themselves as human Awakeners.

Tang Yu gently tapped the Crystal Ball.

There were a lot of defensive structures arranged near the Return City Point, including the Super Demon Crystal Tower with tremendous single-target lethality, and the Energy Suppressing Obelisks with control effects... Launching a surprise attack while the enemy was unprepared, even if it was against a seasoned Transcendent, there was a high chance of success.

But he restrained himself.

There were still over thirty Transcendents lurking outside.

Facing them head-on could likely lead to losses.

Since the Aliens chose to sneak in, they must be after something... Perhaps...

Tang Yu quickly formulated a countermeasure.

...

At this moment,

At the second Return City Point.

The Mute Elder who had successfully infiltrated Green Shadow suddenly felt a chill in her heart, as if danger had brushed past her.

She pushed the two elders hanging off her body away and furrowed her brow, "It might be due to the space teleportation. After all, three people sharing one Return City Scroll should carry certain dangers."

She then looked up at the towering structures around her, quickly dismissing the source of danger.

The Arrow Towers and Cannons of Green Shadow, they had some understanding of them; they couldn't pose a threat to a Transcendent.

"Mute Elder, what should we do now?"

"Following the normal thought process of an adventurer, we should go to the guild to submit the mission. Let's make a trip first, or it will be easy to reveal flaws."

...

A moment later, at the adventurer guild.

"Have you heard? The Soul Ancient Tree has encountered problems again."

"Eh? Isn't that normal? The Demon Tide hits the Soul Ancient Tree from time to time!"

"That's true, but today's different. Most of the Guardian Corps have been pulled away, resulting in a serious shortage of guards there. Even the guild here has seen more adventurers leaving, hardly anyone's taking the assignments... That place can't afford any mishaps."

The two girls at the adventurer guild's front desk chatted sporadically.

Their voices weren't loud.

But what realm were the Mute Elder and the others in? Even though they had sealed some of their strength to infiltrate, voices from tens of meters away still reached their ears distinctly.

She changed her expression slightly.

Attracting Demonized Beasts? The Soul Ancient Tree? It looked like it was one of those Special Items.

The Evil Eye Clan had gained dominance over an Ancient Tree, giving rise to so many Transcendents... and the leaves of the Ancient Tree were also the main material for arranging many Arrays.

She exchanged glances with the other two and communicated telepathically.

"We can't ignore the Ancient Tree; it's very likely also a core area of Green Shadow. Here's the plan: I'll take a mission to get close to the Ancient Tree. You two find a way to infiltrate the castle, and we'll move separately.

If we can find the core that controls the Array, that would be ideal. If not..."

She paused, "We're currently inside the city, and Thunder Punishment wouldn't possibly cover Green Shadow City. Once the Array is activated, we should prioritize assassinating the person controlling the Array."