While something had happened outside, in the place where Manstein was currently strolling around, there were only peace and everyday activity. But this time he could not enjoy such things because he trailed someone else, someone that he had to investigate.

‘When did I do this kind of things again?’ Manstein did not bother to remember again. What he cared to do was to know the enemies better and if convenient, reveal their card before they used it on him and his relatives.

‘Oh, and don’t forget to give the honey to her.’ Manstein remembered that he also gathered the honey from Yellow Bee as a medicine material. That honey could reduce the symptoms of the Black Plague and even cured it if added some other herbs.

‘I'm sure that he has something in mind. From the looks of it, as well as the thing we gained from Nightstalker King, something like the green light on the surface of the buildings and the Tracking Dust.’

But Manstein could not put that into his head. Whether it was his lack of information provided or he was truly incapable of realizing it, he did not know.

‘Just when the time I need you the most, you have to go into a deep sleep.’

Even Manstein felt helpless when he felt the presence of Alice from the medallion inside his soul. He wanted to know more things from her because the direct explanation was effective.

Of course, that was just his hope because the situation did not permit it to, happen. As Manstein kept following that person, he found something interesting.

First, from the place where that person was going Manstein somehow felt a certain reaction which could only come from the fluctuation of energy.

‘There are already eight positions where I felt that energy fluctuation. I have a bad feeling about this but then how should I act?’ Manstein mumbled to himself.

“Hmm, this should be the last position. Although I can't use any large formation, especially the destructive formation but with those points already set I will be able to properly reckon the an entire city with ease.” At the same time when he completed it, he nodded in satisfaction.

Gong Teng also understood there was something here which caused the entire situation a bit out of its plan.

“I can only detect several defensive formations in the entire city even after walking around for some time. Where is the formation that those people said!? The formation that can launch an attack from far away is not common.”

As far as he could do to prevent the situation turned from worse to worst, he used his reliable but hard to detect Greenlight Stone. The size of this stone was small enough even comparable to the stones at the size of sands. This was what made him rely on this method.

‘By using these stones as the main sources of my formation, it will be hard to truly destroy it. Especially that the size of each stone is as small as a grain of sands, only few can truly destroy it. And I placed each of the stones right on the weak point of the city's main formation.’

This was what Gong Teng planned for some time but had to do it faster than he anticipated.

As for the one who followed him, Manstein could only watch and deduct the act by his own understanding. Based on his own intuition, he believen that those lights probably had something to do with the act.

Especially since the only people who knew about the strange light were some people that he had known. Manstein even used his device which could help him provide more information that probably hidden from his detection.

[Fluctuation of energy detected. Observed target is releasing a low but constant energy which resonated with Greenlight Stone]

Compared to his own previous observation, the intelligent device could detect more than what his own senses could. Actually, it was not like Manstein not using his device but he had to rely on hithe s own senses.

Even though the device could go as far as detecting things Manstein could not sense but in the end, the device was just a tool, only following the rules that Manstein had programmed into its central processing unit.

‘He is done already?’ Manstein saw the person just left the place in a disappointing manner. He could see the old’s man hatred and helplessness from his eyes alone.

Indeed, now that he could not detect the hidden danger which was the unknown formation and he could not exert more of his strength made Gong Teng looked at the direction where a certain residence was located.

‘Just you wait! If not for the feelings I got since entering this city, I would just dig them all out!’

What he felt actually came from the danger Coiling Dragon Formation possessed and his instinct was strong enough to perceive that. But he also felt that there were some new traces of an unknown but powerful person.

“I only knew that some people visited this city but from the looks of it, maybe there is one or two personage whose strength was equal or even above me.”

That was why despite his effort to detect and scanned the entire city to check the individual power, he could not act rampantly just because the people in the city were weak.

‘Should I act now?’ a message came to the mind. Manstein realized that the play had completed and what the message meant.

‘So how is the condition on that side, Senior Hou Fei?’

‘Although at first ,that guy called Nightstalker King did not even spit it out, in the end, it was his own mouth that let out such important intel.’ From the sound of it, Manstein knew that Hou Fei informed him about the interrogation process.

“It’s unfortunate for us to get it this late. But that person, are we just let him go away like this?” Manstein had no power and control so he could only ask for opinion. Besides, he took a look at the space where the interrogation took place.

“No way we are letting such person go easily. It's obvious that he carried ill intent towards this place. Furthermore, that person is the most notorious for his deed.”said Hou Fei while showing the place where the interrogation took place.

“So who is he? Looks like he is the type to cause a problem.” Manstein surprised to find out that the person he had tailed along for a moment before had fame.

“Judging from his obvious method of detection, I'm sure he is Gong Teng. Though I have never heard anything related to this person since a few years back but he is proficient in formation as well as alchemy, and even sealmaster.”

While the two of them talking more details about it, they arrived at the place. The place was full of mist even Manstein could not see or feel anything beyond a meter.

“This kind of interrogation and you wanted me to open my mouth? You can never do it, not with this kind of method.”

A voice came and from it, even Manstein knew who the one that just talked a moment ago. Soon, the mist slowly dispersed as if a curtain that opened the content behind it.

In the front, the miserable figure of Nightstalker King made Manstein stunned and even his heartbeat stopped for a moment there.

Each part of the body, from the skin, muscles and even bones were perfectly separated as if a figurine of a species’ anatomy. Strangely, there was no trace of blood flowing from the wound which made Manstein look at the wound longer.

“This is troublesome. If we waste time only on this subordinate then we will truly lose more chance.” Despite knowing that only by opening the mouth of Nightstalker King that they could act to counterattack but Hou Fei also knew that was not the only option.

Manstein also saw the expression the already old but energetic man had on his face. Currently, he had wrinkles on his forehead which spanned across his entire forehead like a valley.

“Still not talking?” from behind the position where Nightstalker King was beaskheld, a faint figure appeared.

“Using that coat when visiting a hostage, are you still in the experimental stage while interrogating him?” seeing with his own eyes that there was truly someone who did all of the things like the figure had said, Manstein could not open his mouth properly.

“So this time you visit this place. How's your body, is it comfortable after the first month?” the current condition of Manstein himself was being observed from time to time by Wang Yu so he could not help but ask.

“I don't know. Although it is clear that I can move around in the open now but...”

But if you asked others, they should have enjoyed it when they moved around freely but that was not the case for Manstein.

‘Something that I have never felt, something that others felt.’ When Manstein murmured this, he felt bitter inside his heart.

‘Something that I have, something that others mostly don't have.’ And when he continued, his eyes changed focus and aimed the direction towards the only hostage at the place.

“Do you truly not afraid of anything?” suddenly Manstein walked slowly, bit by bit he got closer to Nightstalker King while scanning the entire body of his.

Manstein was actually scanning with his device, something that he had to do in order to gain something out. Soon light flashed through his eyes while the rest around him started to feel the atmosphere there was heavier than normal.

Then Manstein took a long breath which made Nightstalker King hesitated.

‘I am suffocated! I am the one that is pressured against him!’ Nightstalker King moved his body and he even did that truly hard. The ground shook as each move could cause a small tremor but Manstein still looked at him with his apathy eyes.

Manstein raised his hands and he raised the corner of his mouth. He moved his hand towards the body of Nightstalker King which made the person in question shuddered.

It was because the hand moved to the place where his heart was located.

‘What is this man doing!? Don't tell me he knows about my weakness!’ Nightstalker King slammed both his hands and legs to the ground due to his emotion mixed with fear and fury.

“What do you want me to do, eh? Tear my body apart or perhaps to let me feel the pain?” but of course he hid it and put up a hard front. He expected that the opposite party would increase the amount of torture.

“Perhaps?” Manstein raised the corner of his mouth while his brows also followed after that. His hands then surprisingly entered the body of Nightstalker King, slowly entering that body without care and then his hands grabbed something.

“Found it. Looks like your great resilience is because of this thing~”

Manstein retracted his hand, with some blood on his hands while clenching his fist tight. Slowly, even the eyes of Nightstalker King widened. His eyes had the same size as fish's eyes due to the shock.

“That’s...that's....” Nightstalker King finally realized that the important body part had been removed from his body. He looked at the hand that held something in it with all of his eyes and his mouth.

“Well, well if it is not the famous golden core. Truly just like the records both its form, color and the advantages of it.” This time Manstein curiously looked at the thing on his hands, sometimes lowering his hands or his head.

And the device also showed him the information regarding the core itself.

[Golden Core

The core had been formed using the finest refinement method. There are several seals on the core which inscribed by Sealmaster.

Benefits:

-For the owner of the core is in the higher cultivation realm than the host, the core can increase the chance to breakthrough Culture Core stage.

-Slightly increasing the amount of energy for the host. But keep in mind that the energy inside is more than enough for entering the initial stage of cultivation ]

Manstein smirked when he saw the second benefit. Looking at that benefits, Manstein realized the device calculated things according to his benefits as host. He found it strange because the device should only process every information without judging from the perspective of its host.

‘Is it because the device is set to fully assist the host?’

But Manstein already lost in thought even though he still held the core in his hand. As for the one whose core was taken, Manstein did not even bat an eye anymore

“This is....” Hou Fei could not believe that the young man he had usually seen as a kind and calm person suddenly acted like that. But when he thought over again, Hou Fei understood where Manstein’s calmness came from.

“The Golden Core is located in your heart. Sadly, you don't want to open your little mouth so let's retrieve the core with a different method.” Manstein moved his hand which contained that thing around Nightstalker King's eyes, as if that was a toy.

Then Manstein moved his finger and there was a location where he wanted to go. It was actually the rooftop of the house and then Manstein got out from the space.

“Remember to tell me if there's anything wrong. And you should deliver the honey to that doctor, don't forget that!” because of the scene just a moment ago, Wang Yu nearly forgot to tell him some important matter.

“I finally understand why that man took the core. But then Senior Wang what about the person you told me to confront, that Gong Teng?” Hou Fei would not want to do it if not for the unexpected act that person had done.

“I already planted the trigger for entering the maze to his body. When he finds out, it will be too late for him to escape. And the maze I mentioned earlier is the underground maze in this place.”

-

“Ah, finally wake up.” It was when she could hear someone saying a sentence that she realized her own condition.

She slowly opened her eyes albeit with difficulties and found out that she laid on a large stone bed but somehow her injuries were all gone. Not only her injuries had gone but she could also feel her own arm.

But when she tilted her neck a little, she found a familiar face in the middle of numerous strange face. And there were dozens of strange creatures that she had never seen before.

“Northern Ice Palace leader Shan Rao how is your condition now? Is there anything uncomfortable with your body?” then with a calm step Wu Qing greeted her.

“So it is you, the alchemist of that time Wu Qing I presume?” Shan Rao faintly smiled back at Wu Qing. She would never expect to meet someone that once came to her place.

And then Shan Rao started to notice there were two kids behind Wu Qing which currently were holding a pill in their hand.

“Right, it's a fortune that someone like me is remembered by such a great figure as you.” Wu Qing became happy when the opposite party remembered her and even got closer to her.

“Of course I still remember about you. But where am I now? I should have entered the spatial crack along with another two.” Asked Shan Rao.

“Yes, we're inside spatial crack now. It is just the place is different because this is actually a giant nest inside the spatial crack and we all have to consume one Spatial Stabilizer Pill.” Replied Wu Qing.

“Because that person is alright then we should continue our discussion. Like I said earlier, the temperature which the cauldron is heated will affect both the quality of the product and the thing it contains but when someone wanted to use a certain ingredient that previously stored not inside storage space, the ingredient is already not fresh.” A boy talked indifferently even after knowing that Shan Rao had woken up.

“It’s the problem for someone who doesn't reach Nascent Soul stage usually meet. I think we should preserve the ingredient that you previously brought up, Yingyuan.” Said the girl with her attention focuses on the problem.

“Preservation, that is the method from a long time ago but the problem is how one should properly keep plants in their best condition as long as possible?” the boy asked again. Of course he put his thought into it too as he put his finger on his forehead.

But somehow their discussion attracted the attention from Shan Rao and when she focused her attention more to both of the kids, she found something strange.