Chapter 36: Old Fortune Teller, Is Ultraman Your Ally?
"What's the connection between this golden finger and Earth? Can't it be used outside of Earth? Many of these new ideas are all in vain!" Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Zhang Kai scratched his head, feeling somewhat helpless.
There was nothing he could do about it. The golden finger was still a work in progress. He had been focusing on refining his cultivation and hadn't considered its use in outer space. Now, it seemed that any plans he had for using it in space would have to be rethought.
In this case, he would have to conduct his experiments and activities on Earth and then find a way to send the results into space, which would be troublesome and risk exposing his abilities.
Reluctantly, Zhang Kai put away his tablet and decided to return to Earth. Regardless, this journey had yielded significant discoveries, the most important of which was his ability to leave Earth.
However, there was still one issue that bothered him. He had sensed that the Divine List was still present, but he couldn't summon it. Did this mean that the Divine List could only be used while on Earth? Was it working for Earth or for him? These questions left him puzzled.
As he made his way back to Earth, he contemplated the relationship between the Divine List and Earth. As the controller of the Divine List, Zhang Kai was unwilling to let it become a tool for others to exploit. If it was indeed related to Earth's restrictions, he would need to understand why Earth had changed in the first place, and that would require the revival of spiritual energy.
Once again on Earth, Zhang Kai realized that the atmosphere within Earth's boundaries was protected by some unimaginable force. It primarily favored low-level beings, and anything exceeding those power levels couldn't manifest on Earth. This was evident by the fact that he couldn't use the Divine List outside of Earth.
Zhang Kai concluded that the revival of spiritual energy was related to Earth's current state. To understand why Earth had changed, he needed to control the revival of spiritual energy himself. All the deities, demons, and monsters waiting to reappear on Earth would have to wait for him to release the spiritual energy to become active again.
However, Zhang Kai had some reservations about reviving the deities and monsters too quickly. He knew that with their revival, his quest for godhood would become even more challenging. To ensure that he could handle these powerful beings, he needed to be well-prepared and release spiritual energy cautiously.
Regarding the golden finger, Zhang Kai decided to leave it for the future. There might be an opportunity to learn more about its origin and purpose later. For now, he had to take things one step at a time.
Deep in thought, Zhang Kai once again transformed into light and flew back to Earth. This time, he was more cautious, avoiding satellites and entering the atmosphere directly. He landed in a forest outside the Changling Snow Mountain.
Setting down the Mountain Lord Goat, which was the true form of the Mountain Lord, Zhang Kai summoned the Divine List. This time, the Divine List appeared as he wished.
Zhang Kai gazed at the Divine List for a moment before waving his hand, causing it to descend toward the Mountain Lord Goat. The Divine List emitted a golden light that permeated the goat's body, absorbing its essence.
Suddenly, the image of the bearded Mountain Lord reappeared and stared at Zhang Kai in shock. "The Divine List! So, it's you! You're the new Divine Enforcer!" The bearded Mountain Lord trembled and knelt down in fear. "Great deity, spare my life. Please don't take my divine position. Without it, I will disintegrate. I am willing to serve you as a humble servant, to obey your every command."
Zhang Kai responded coldly, "In the current world, there is no need for the old deities. You shall return to dust, just as it should be."
The bearded Mountain Lord pleaded desperately, "No, this is mine! The divine position is mine! I endured countless hardships and cultivated for millennia to obtain it. You cannot take it away! You cannot!"
Before he could get any closer to Zhang Kai, the golden light on his true form faded, and the image of the bearded Mountain Lord disintegrated into countless specks of light, dissipating into nothingness.
Zhang Kai remained unfazed by the sight. It wasn't a matter of good or evil; it was a matter of adapting to the changing world. In the past, people needed deities, so deities held great power. But in the new era, things had changed.
After losing his divine position, the Mountain Lord Goat, which Zhang Kai had initially considered keeping, also disintegrated into fine powder. Zhang Kai felt a slight regret but didn't dwell on it.
He retrieved the Divine List, which now displayed a new divine position: Changling Mountain Lord. This was the deity of the entire Changling Mountain range, a much more significant divine position than the previous one. Zhang Kai knew that he couldn't take this lightly.
The restoration of spiritual energy was inevitable, and the revived deities and monsters would regain some of their power. This would make his quest for godhood even more challenging. Therefore, Zhang Kai decided to revive them slowly and cautiously, ensuring that he was well-prepared to face them.
With a wave of his hand, Zhang Kai retracted the Divine List and looked in the direction of the Changling Snow Mountain. He wondered if the old fortune teller and his group were still inside, collecting the treasures left behind by the Changling Mountain Lord.
Thinking about it, Zhang Kai flew toward the mountain and quickly entered the Changling Snow Mountain. As he moved deeper into the mountain, he soon heard voices.
"Damn it, these treasures are guarded! This is the Mange Poisonous Toad. Old Niu, be careful! If you get hit by their venom, there's no saving you." It was the voice of the Bone Sect youth.
"I know, damn it, those idiots from the Demon Sect! Are they robbing us or not?" This was the voice of the old fortune teller.
"Humph, even if they destroy this Blue Serene Lotus, I won't let the Wudang Sect take it!" The voice of the girl with twin ponytails echoed.
"You idiot! I'm giving this to you. I won't play with you anymore." The old fortune teller was getting frustrated.
Listening to their conversation, Zhang Kai realized that they were facing some trouble. Dozens of small, black toads, each about the size of a fist, had emerged from a pool of water. They were jumping around, occasionally spitting out a corrosive liquid.
These were Mange Poisonous Toads. They might not be the same as the ones in the classic novel, but they were still venomous creatures. Facing them without adequate power was dangerous.
Zhang Kai observed silently for a moment and then decided to intervene. He quietly retreated to the entrance of the bronze gate and waited for them to come out.
Soon, the old fortune teller and the Bone Sect youth rushed out of the cave, panting heavily.
"Laoshi, you came out." Zhang Kai greeted them with a forced smile, appearing relieved. "I encountered some traps inside and almost got shot like a hedgehog with arrows. I didn't dare to go any further."
The old fortune
teller looked puzzled. "Why are you here?"
Zhang Kai acted surprised. "You also saw Ultraman? Is this for real? I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. But what's going on here? Isn't this the forbidden area of the Mountain Lord? How can Ultraman suddenly appear here? Isn't this world too bizarre? Ultraman definitely has to be someone in an Ultraman costume, right? Laoshi, considering that this was the forbidden area you discovered for the Wudang Sect, Ultraman couldn't have been your ace in the hole, could it?"
He looked at the old fortune teller with suspicion, and even the exhausted Bone Sect youth couldn't help but glance at him.
The old fortune teller's face turned dark. "What does it have to do with me? I explored this forbidden area and found nothing. Do you think I would leave a hidden Ultraman costume here?"
Zhang Kai replied with a fake smile, "I'm just curious. After all, this place was discovered by the Wudang Sect. If there's an Ultraman here, it's definitely something you wouldn't want to admit, right?"
As he spoke, Zhang Kai cast a skeptical look at the old fortune teller, and even the Bone Sect youth joined in the suspicious glances.
The old fortune teller was now at a loss for words. This had nothing to do with him!