The Post Sky Tipping Era

Late at night.

An armored vehicle and two buses left AnDing District, heading towards the hazardous zone that everyone dreaded.

On the vehicle.

Li Yi and Zhang Gao, under Xu Ming's care, were specifically assigned to one group, and the leading Cultivator from the Spirit Medium Realm was a man around thirty, with a cigarette in his mouth, exuding the dullness characteristic of middle-aged men.

"Both of you haven't awakened as Spirit Mediums, and your eyes can't see many things, so once we enter the hazardous zone later, follow all my instructions and don't run around, especially avoid some special areas. The route planned by Yang Yilong is very safe; they often enter and exit the hazardous zone without issues. People who regularly work for Yang Yilong know that it's a pity for those who give up this opportunity. By the way, my name is Li Tao, you can call me Brother Tao," said the Cultivator from the Spirit Medium Realm.

"We aren't completely clueless newcomers, Brother Tao, you can rest assured," Zhang Gao said with a smile.

Brother Tao nodded, "That's good, let me remind you one more thing, if we really encounter danger, don't worry about anything else, just run. No one will blame you for your faults, and Yang Yilong isn't that narrow-minded. He is very generous and broad-minded, and he won't care about such things."

"Thanks for looking out for us, Brother Tao. Before coming here for this task, I thought the same. We're just small fries here to earn a salary; if anything happens, we'll slip away," said Zhang Gao.

Li Yi remained silent on the side, just listening quietly.

Brother Tao, puffing on his cigarette, said, "My strength isn't much higher than yours, and I'd also need to run if we encounter danger. However, Yang Yilong didn't plan for us to exert much effort this time. The most I can do is act like a camera, observing the surroundings."

"All he needs are the eyes of Spirit Mediums."

After finishing, he pointed to his own eyes.

In the dimly lit carriage, his eyes gleamed just like those of the Crow and the mysterious woman Li Yi had encountered before.

"So my task is to monitor the movements in a specific area and report the situation, nothing more," he explained.

Brother Tao went on, "Unlike you, who'll earn eight hundred thousand for this trip, I'll earn one hundred twenty thousand. Just for staffing, Yang Yilong has spent several million. It's obvious that he's determined to gain something this time."

"If he really hunts down an Extraordinary Creature, this expense is nothing," he added.

Li Yi suddenly thought of something and asked curiously, "Why do Extraordinary Creatures only stay in the hazardous zone? Won't they enter the city areas?"

Brother Tao laughed and exhaled a puff of smoke before answering, "You're mistaken. It's not that Extraordinary Creatures stay in hazardous zones; rather, wherever these creatures are becomes a hazardous zone. Of course, they might enter city areas, but the chances are relatively low. These creatures have territorial consciousness and won't change their habitats at will. Plus, the environment of our world is quite complicated. Extraordinary Creatures won't rashly expand their territory before confirming their position in the food chain."

"But to prevent the unforeseen, once a Cultivator reaches a certain level, they are compelled to handle dangerous incidents and hunt Extraordinary Creatures. Last time, Yang Yilong had a rough time on a mission and almost didn't make it back from the hazardous zone. It was his friend who risked their life to rescue him."

"Is it that woman in the special bodysuit? Her eyes are very unique; I noticed they are green and slit-shaped," Zhang Gao immediately asked.

Brother Tao nodded, "Correct, that's her. Her name is Qin Qing, and she's also a powerful Cultivator. You noticed her eyes, right? With green, slit pupils—tch, quite frightening. Scientifically speaking, animal pupils in nature come in three types: horizontal, vertical, and round."

"Horizontal pupils mostly appear on herbivores because they have a wide field of vision, which helps them detect their surroundings and escape from threats. Therefore, animals with horizontal pupils are usually lower on the food chain."

"Vertical pupils are different. Although they don't have a wide range of vision, their precision is quite high, which improves the success rate of hunting. Usually, only top predators evolve such eyes, like crocodiles, snakes, and some rumored Extraordinary Creatures as well, like Jiao and Qiu."

Zhang Gao stiffened, "So, Qin Qing evolved vertical pupils, which means she's at the level of a predator amongst humans, and to her, we are all prey?"

"You could say that," Brother Tao nodded.

Zhang Gao continued, "Then what about Yang Yilong? Why doesn't he have vertical pupils? His strength must be strong too, right? In terms of evolution, he should be higher than Qin Qing."

Brother Tao glanced at him, "How do you know Yang Yilong doesn't have vertical pupils? Would you believe that when Yang Yilong enters a 'hunting' state, his pupils constrict and instantly become vertical? Each Cultivator undergoes individual evolution, so everyone evolves in different directions. It's not that there's no evolution if it's not manifested, right? Nature also has a diversity of species, doesn't it?"

"Brother Tao, what about round pupils? Can you tell us more?"

Li Yi, curious, asked as he felt that Brother Tao knew a lot about cultivation and seemed far from simple, so he humbly sought knowledge.

Brother Tao said, "Our human eyes are round pupils, and creatures with this type of eyes are mostly doomed to mediocrity, because these eyes can neither see widely nor can they discern accurately. Hence, creatures with round pupils also lack survival capabilities and hunting abilities. However, nothing is absolute in this world. When the strength of an individual no longer relies on eyesight to gain an advantage, such creatures are destined to be terrifyingly strong."

"Lions and tigers have round pupils. Their individual strength is so formidable that they have no rivals in nature, which is why their eyes have stopped evolving. They hunt not with their eyes, but with pure power."

"I see, thank you for the explanation, Brother Tao."

Li Yi suddenly realized and felt that he had learned a lot. Indeed, older cultivators were different.

While they were talking, the vehicle had already left the city area.

Around them, the roads lacked even streetlights; it was pitch black.

After driving another two or three kilometers on this dark abandoned highway, the vehicle came to a stop.

The road ahead had been deliberately blocked. Cement blocks were arranged on the road to prevent vehicles from entering, and various warning signs were set up on both sides of the road with dangerous slogans written on them.

"Everyone get out."

Someone spoke in a hushed tone, and then the vehicle stopped, and the doors opened.

"Li Yi, Zhang Gao, both of you follow me. Don't get lost. If you do, turn around and go back. Give up on this task. You're young, don't foolishly die in a dangerous area."

Brother Tao appeared taciturn, but in fact, he was quite good, looking after the newcomers Li Yi and Zhang Gao.

"Understood," Li Yi nodded.

After everyone got out of the car, there was no excessive loitering. Each spirit medium quickly led two cultivators away from the highway without a word.

Brother Tao did the same, swiftly moving in a certain direction.

Li Yi watched as everyone quickly dispersed and understood that the mission had already begun. It was just that they, the participants, knew nothing of the specific details. Only those who had initiated cultivation as spirit mediums knew, and the likelihood was they had signed non-disclosure agreements and thus said nothing in advance.

"Pick up your speed. We need to reach the designated spot within fifteen minutes."

Brother Tao, like a cheetah in the night, ran with great speed, and hurdles along the way were easily leapt over with agile movements, seemingly uncharacteristic for a man in his early thirties.

Li Yi also had high physical fitness.

He moved swiftly through the abandoned road, his steps light, causing hardly any noise, even at high speeds—his breathing remained even, and his eyes shone brightly, seeing everything clearly in the night.

Zhang Gao was slightly less adept, but his physical condition was equally not lacking, running with powerful strides and excellent endurance.

"Avoid the front."

Brother Tao suddenly cautioned them, and instead of taking a spacious abandoned road straight ahead, he chose to detour, avoiding the easier path.

"Is there danger ahead?"

Zhang Gao asked softly, his vision showing everything to be normal ahead.

"Don't talk. That place we just passed is haunted."

Brother Tao's face was very serious. In his sight, that abandoned urban area was extraordinarily eerie, with red lanterns hanging on the streets and red ribbons fluttering in the middle of buildings, as if some lively festival was taking place. Moreover, he could vaguely see some ghostly figures shuttling back and forth on the abandoned streets.

Clearly, it was a ghost realm where an evil object lurked.

"I can't see anything." Li Yi took a glance. Although his eyes were night-vision capable, he was unable to perceive certain truths without having initiated as a spirit medium.