Ultragene Warlord

Chapter 1347: As Long As They're Alive

Zhang Hanxiang relaxed. "As long as they're alive, as long as they're alive..."

Zhang Lie didn't intend to tell Zhang Hanxiang about her body, nor the fact that their parents' disappearance had to do with her body as well.

"I'd like you to remain in the dojo for the short term."

The issue of Zhang Hanxiang's body was related to her growth, but Zhang Lie wasn't certain if it had anything to do with her strength or age. Regardless, it would be safer for her to remain in the Milky Way for now.

Zhang Hanxiang didn't understand why. "Isn't Zhang Hong in charge of the dojo at the moment?"

To be frank, Zhang Hanxiang wasn't very interested in managing the dojo.

Zhang Lie replied, "Actually, something might be happening to the dojo in the short term."

Zhang Hanxiang asked, "Has something happened?"

Zhang Lie shook his head. "I'm not sure myself, so I'd like you to check on it." Of course, this was only an excuse that he had come up with on the spot.

Zhang Hanxiang suddenly seemed to understand something. "So this is your intention, Brother! I understand now."

Zhang Hanxiang was very pleased with herself for figuring out what was going on. "Brother, you're trying to test my skills! Success in the fourth realm will depend not only on strength, but also on wits, too!"

Zhang Lie had no such intention, but this certainly suited his plans. "You can understand it that way."

Zhang Hanxiang patted her chest. "Don't worry. I'm very smart, you'll see! This trial won't stymie me—just you wait and see!"

"Well, if that's the case, I'll make it harder. Before you uncover the problem, you can't enter the dimensional world or seek assistance from anyone else."

Zhang Hanxiang nodded sagely. "You're afraid of me uncovering the answer immediately, aren't you, Brother?"

"Show me what you've got."

"Very well. I accept your challenge!"

Zhang Lie enjoyed a delicious meal with the members of Team Zenith. When they were finished and returned to their respective hometowns, Zhang Lie and the others came back refreshed and full of energy.

Zhang Lie said, "Once you all ascend to the fourth realm, I'll bring you somewhere good."

Sun Mengmeng nibbled on the skewer of meat in her hand. "How will we inform you when we've ascended, Captain?"

Zhang Lie replied, "I've already thought about this. I intend to remain in the Zenith Dojo for a day. Ascend quickly—don't disappoint me."

The members of Team Zenith replied, "Understood!"

After they returned to the Zenith Dojo, the hunters returned to the third realm via the teleportation apparatus, leaving the Zhang siblings behind. Zhang Hanxiang was off to investigate clues to a non-existent problem, whereas Zhang Lie was back to check up on the dojo.

It had been a long while since he last checked on the dojo, and he had been in the dimensional world all this time. Even when he returned to the Milky Way, he had only communicated briefly with Hong Tianqi before returning to the dimensional realm once more. Zhang Hong had been the one in charge all this time.

It had been too long since Zhang Lie had taken a good look at the dojo.

Although Zhang Lie hadn't been gone from the dojo for too long and there hadn't been many changes since, the disciples of the dojo had changed considerably. There were far more now than at the beginning, and they had all grown considerably stronger.

There were even a few newbies in the dojo. The more experienced disciples were largely in the dimensional world, only rarely appearing in the dojo, and Zhang Lie was unable to get a good sense of the entire dojo as a whole.

The Zenith Dojo's fame had spread worldwide, even galaxywide, and it had the best equipment and technology.

After surveying the entire dojo and taking a short break, Zhang Lie returned to the hunter's guild.

After returning from the fourth realm, hunters would reappear within the guild, unlike in the first through third realms.

Zhang Lie awaited the members of Team Zenith there.

As the teleportation apparatus lit up, Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, Fang Yi, Yang Ze, Li Feng, and Zhou Ying stepped out. From the changes to their aura, it was apparent that they were now fourth-realm hunters.

"How do you feel?" Zhang Lie asked.

"Much stronger than before," Sun Mengmeng replied.

Sun Xiaowu grumbled, "What are you talking about, Sis? We are much stronger than before—we're monarch-grade lifeforms now!"

The members of Team Zenith had been disaster-grade lifeforms when they ascended to the third realm. After maxing out their monarch gene fragments in the third realm, they had transformed into monarch-grade lifeforms.

Zhang Lie asked, "How do you feel about the fourth realm and your current circumstances?"

Sun Mengmeng replied, "We're not doing too well, but not too poorly, either. Perhaps because you've already given us some details, Captain, we were mentally prepared."

Zhang Lie asked, "Where are you located?"

Sun Mengmeng retrieved a map from her extra-dimensional storage. "We got this map from the gathering point, but we don't know where we are ourselves."

Zhang Lie had spent half a day in the Milky Way, but that corresponded to twenty days for the members of Team Zenith. Not only had they ascended to the fourth realm, they had also gathered plenty of information there.

Zhang Lie glanced at the map. "I roughly know where you are."

Zhang Lie held a relatively complete map of the fourth realm. It had been assembled through puzzle pieces, but it provided an expansive view of the entire realm. Glancing at Sun Mengmeng's map was sufficient for Zhang Lie to identify their location.

"And the rest of you?" he continued.

Sun Xiaowu replied, "Before we ascended, we had Zhu communicate with the will of the unified world to ensure that we would all be sent to the same location."

Yang Ze replied, "That's why we're all together."

"Good, that'll save me time. I'll head over to find all of you."

Sun Mengmeng suggested, "Should we find somewhere more convenient to meet?"

"First, you're not strong enough to be wandering through the fourth realm on your own. Second, I'm much more familiar than you all are with the terrain of the fourth realm. I'd be able to find a meetup location far sooner than the rest of you, who might lose your way. It'd take me longer to find you at that rate. We don't have much time."

Sun Xiaowu asked, "Is there something urgent, Captain?"

Zhang Lie replied, "We need to arrive somewhere within the fourth realm in half a year. Assuming it takes us two months between now and returning to the fourth realm, we only have four months left."

Sun Xiaowu didn't seem concerned. "Four months is plenty of time, isn't it?"

Zhang Lie replied, "Four months could pass in the blink of an eye. To prevent any accidents from happening, it's better to have some extra time available."

"Is this important?" Sun Mengmeng asked.

"Very much so."

Anything that could affect Zhang Hanxiang, his sister, was of utmost importance.

"Come on, I'll help all of you register."

After the registration was complete, Zhang Lie brought Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, Fang Yi, Yang Ze, Li Feng, and Zhou Ying all around the guild to familiarize themselves with it. Zhang Lie was just about to return to the fourth realm and meet up with the hunters when his transceiver suddenly rang.