From Abyssal Invasion to Bursting Stars with a Single Sword

The so-called "positive" change is merely that superficially it does not cause severe mutations in the body, but may still grant creatures different abilities.

For instance, humans who absorb large amounts of Abyss Energy could possibly grow wings and fly through the sky.

Of course, this mutation does not exist in isolation; when wings grow, changes in bones and skin might bring other side effects.

Such as a mutation in the whole body's skin, leading to varying degrees of allergic reactions, or even reddening and ulceration just from contact with air and sunlight.

This kind of mutation is similar to human gene mutation, which also has "positive" aspects; however, the probability of such is very low.

The vast majority of humans end up mutating into various terrifying abnormal bodies after absorbing Abyss Energy.

Such mutations include bodies covered in tumors, or bone endings that grow infinitely, or entire skin turning mucous, degenerating into soft-bodied monsters.

In short, the chance of a creature polluted by Abyss Energy undergoing a "positive" mutation is extremely low, less than one in ten thousand.

Of course, for the Abyss, this probability of positively mutating polluted creatures at only one in ten thousand is already sufficient.

Take Blue Star, for example: with a population of seven billion, if all were polluted by Abyss Energy and collectively mutated, even if the survival rate is only one in ten thousand, it would leave seven hundred thousand mutated bodies alive.

In other words, should the day come when Blue Star is devoured by the Abyss, humans may not be entirely extinct; by one in ten thousand chance, seventy thousand "new humans" might survive.

As for those who perish, to the Abyss, they are considered "naturally eliminated" because they cannot adapt to the new environment.

As for the seventy thousand "new humans" who survive, can they still be considered humans?

And even if they are still considered humans, does civilization still exist?

To say nothing else, technology at least regresses to the Steam Era, and culture struggles to continue in the Abyss World.

And the surviving mutated bodies have become the Abyss's henchmen, submitting to the Abyss's will, transforming into a new kind of Abyss Race, much like the Bloodline Clan.

Perhaps by that time, this human group would have a new name, called "Demon Humans," or "Abyss Demons."

Therefore, whether civilized creatures in a world devoured by the Abyss are truly extinct may be disputable, but civilization itself certainly no longer exists.

Even if newly formed mutated entities develop a new civilization, it would no longer be the original human civilization.

Sometimes, viewed from the macroscopic perspective of the universe, the rise and fall of a civilization are just a speck of light in the long river of time.

Brilliant civilization, the speck will shine brightly; weaker civilizations' specks will dim a bit.

If there really is a consciousness observing these civilizations from a macroscopic perspective of the universe, it likely wouldn't be affected by the extinction of any specific civilization.

Humans are tiny within the universe.

Perhaps human civilization struggling within the Abyss won't even affect the macroscopic evolution of the universe.

All light specks have a day when they extinguish.

However, each civilization fights with all its might for continuity and development, even burning itself, just to make its light shine brighter, ever brighter...

...

Lu Heng saw the Abyssal Aura seeping out from the fragmented ice covering the ground, his mind flooded with thoughts, strengthening his resolve further.

During his contemplation, the four-person team reached the location of the Elf Team.

Terres led a team composed of 50 Elf Warriors, cutting through layers of ice batch by batch, opening a path to proceed deeper into the rift.

Upon witnessing this, Lu Heng frowned, feeling this method was akin to finding a needle in a haystack.

After all, the Ice Disaster Rift extended over a thousand kilometers, with more than sixty percent of the region covered in ice layers, among which thirty percent are relatively thin and easy to handle.

The remaining thirty percent lies in deep ice regions, even estimating just this part, it still spans three hundred kilometers.

Trying to find a skeleton through ice excavation in a rift of three hundred kilometers in length is scarcely easier than the task of finding a needle in the sea.

Lu Heng glanced at the Elf Warriors busy excavating ice, turned his head, and asked: "Elder Terres, is there no other way but to excavate ice to progress?"

Terres shrugged helplessly: "I've thought of other methods, none of them worked."

Lu Heng walked to the ice layer, reached out, and pressed onto the ice surface.

These black icicles are extremely hard, yet very brittle, and can be shattered with a random sword strike, without needing much power.

The problem is, when the ice layers stretch for three hundred kilometers, opening them all up becomes a colossal task.

If on Blue Star, sending an engineering team over, operating with large-scale excavation machinery, it wouldn't be impossible to accomplish.

But even if feasible, it would take four to five months.

Even if only opening up the ice layers, without removing the ice fragments, halving the time, it would still take two months.

However, the Abyss Battlefield duration this time is only 30 days.

This means that even if an engineering team were to be deployed, this task cannot be completed.

Of course, were this indeed on Blue Star, disregarding consequences, another option would be a missile clean sweep, directly sweeping clean 300 kilometers, achieving the goal.

However, this is the Elf World, lacking such cutting-edge Technology Weapons.

In fact, even if the Elf Clan mastered technology equivalent to humans, it couldn't produce that much Technology Weapons.

Because the Elf Clan population on this continent is only thirty thousand.

...

Besides being hard, the ice layers of the Ice Disaster Rift have a more severe problem, that is the Abyssal Aura spilling out after being shattered.

Even for the Elf Clan, absorbing too much Abyssal Aura can lead to mutations, falling into becoming Fallen Demons.

No wonder Terres previously sent word back, informing Queen Orelana the task was challenging.

Lu Heng pondered briefly, asking: "Is blind searching all we can do? Opening up the hundreds of kilometers of ice layers in the rift to inspect?"

Terres shook his head: "Not necessarily, I roughly know the location of the lair this dragon was alive. And when Dragons die, they generally slumber in their Treasure Cave."

Dragons have a particular fondness for shiny objects.

Gold, gemstones, jewelry, and other treasures are among the Dragons' collections.

Dragons store these collections in their Treasure Caves, which are typically near their lair.

Dragons, upon dying, are buried together with their treasures.

It is for this reason that adventurers often seek the Treasure Caves of deceased Dragons, and once located, can obtain a substantial wealth.

Dragons possess high intelligence, unwilling to have their treasures excavated posthumously, shrouding and hiding their Treasure Caves.

The stronger the Dragon, the more perilous the location of its Treasure Cave.

The Frost Bone Dragon seen by Lu Heng in a past life was undoubtedly formidable while alive, implying its Treasure Cave would be hidden in highly dangerous places.

Now, Terres seeks the Treasure Cave of the Frost Bone Dragon during its lifetime.

Should they find the Treasure Cave, they will most likely discover the Frost Bone Dragon's skeleton.

Of course, there is a caveat; that is if the Frost Bone Dragon chose its resting place within the Treasure Cave. If not, things will be more complicated.

Terres pointed ahead: "This dragon's lair is right there, and its Treasure Cave should be within a ten-kilometer radius of the lair.

"That means we don't need to search through the entire Ice Disaster Rift, just within a 20-kilometer radius."

Though only needing to search within a 20-kilometer radius, it remains a massive undertaking.

"If it's just 20 kilometers, that can be handled. No need to excavate ice; I have an idea." Lu Heng already knew what to do.

This time, Lin Zeyu also took a step forward, laughing: "I have an idea too."

Lu Heng pointed at Lin, said: "The idea I have is your idea."

Lin Zeyu shrugged: "Alright then, come forth, my Summoning!"

He struck an ostentatious pose, prepared to summon the Void Soul Stealing he tamed.

However, even after reciting the summoning spell, there wasn't a reaction in front of him.

After three seconds of awkward silence, Lin Zeyu, having failed to impress, became furious, casting out a Void Hook to bind and drag the Void Soul Stealing from the void, cursing: "Refuse my wine, eh?"

Squeak-squeak...

The Void Soul Stealing screeched clawing.

Lin Zeyu, needing its service, postponed disciplining it, taking out a Shadow Crystal Core tossing it forward, ordering: "Find a Treasure Cave within the 20-kilometer radius, and your number of Crystal Cores will soar tenfold."

Upon hearing this, the Void Soul Stealing glugged and burrowed into the void, scouring ahead.

Lin Zeyu laughed heartily, beginning to boast: "Seeking Treasure Caves, leave it to my treasure-hunting imp."

Void Soul Stealing and Dragons share a similar affinity, both fond of shiny objects.

The only difference is that Dragons typically rob, whereas Void Soul Stealing steals.