I became a god by treasure hunting after arriving 500 years early

This red stain doesn't seem to have much effect on the Ghost's actions, as if it was just recently applied.

Materials capable of staining the Undying Body are exceedingly rare.

The six rust-brained strangers racked their brains, trying to sift through fragmented memories for any clue.

If something happened to the Ghost, it would be a huge disaster!

"Careful, it's coming!" Lu Yuan's eyes widened as he saw the Ghost·Spirit Shrine's Eye swooping toward the small cave.

The Greedy Demon God was prepared for battle at any moment.

"Whoosh!" Eventually, the Ghost lingered outside the Mirage Space, just like it had yesterday, endlessly pacing back and forth.

Lu Yuan's taut nerves finally eased: "It seems the Little Mirage Dragon can handle this job long term."

"Though it'll need to conserve energy during the day, and there'll need to be a regular budget for nutrition."

People calculated the expenses. Supporting a dragon to continuously utilize the Mirage Space within such a massive cave could balance revenue and expenditure… but the current population was mostly in hibernation, and production had nearly halted. This meant Spirit Essence would have to be consumed constantly.

At this moment, the Old Snake Man, who had been quietly observing the Ghost's movements, suddenly remembered something and jumped backward in shock!

It came back to him!

Apart from Mythical-level artifacts, only one kind of substance could pollute the Undying Body—Steel ability user's blood!!

Realizing his own blunder, he quickly restrained his expression.

His tail rattled a few times, just like a rattlesnake.

"What did you discover?" Another stranger quickly asked.

"This is definitely Steel ability user's blood smeared on the Ghost!" the Old Snake Man declared with conviction.

The six strangers stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

Steel ability users? Where did they come from?

How could this be?

Even Lu Yuan, hearing their conversation, was a bit speechless: "These old fools are way too perceptive. The depths painstakingly hidden have now been exposed, just like that?"

One of the Crystal Men, aware that openly discussing this was inappropriate, established a telepathic network where they could whisper among themselves.

"What's going on here? A Steel and a Ghost actually fought? You sure you didn't mess that up?" a hot-tempered stranger blurted out hastily.

"What else could it be but blood? Just look for yourself." The Old Snake Man snorted coldly.

"Damn it, what do we do now? Could someone be trying to seal the Ghost? This Ghost absolutely cannot be sealed! Wait a second—could it be a Third-level Civilization behind this? Old Snake, didn't you say you only saw a hydrogen bomb explosion yesterday?!"

The Old Snake Man quickly defended himself: "I saw the hydrogen bomb explosion, yes, but how could I know what happened afterward?"

"Brothers, I was out of my mind at the time. How could I summon the focus to observe something happening thousands of kilometers away?"

Everyone fell silent.

Why had this Third-level Civilization suddenly gone so rogue? To be able to engage in hand-to-hand combat with the Ghost—what kind of level is that supposed to be?

That had to be the level of a top-class Demon!

Thinking this through left them all stunned.

The strongest Crystal Man squinted his eyes slightly: "No need to panic. Check if there are any damaged parts on the Ghost."

"No, it's only stained with a bit of blood…"

This fact allowed the strangers to let out a sigh of relief.

As long as nothing serious had happened, it was fine.

But shortly after, they were utterly perplexed. Could humans really possess Steel?

"But if it's Steel on a human level, at best it'd just be that—one punch and they'd be killed."

"When I was coming here on the spaceship, I saw the Netherworld Strike hitting the plain, creating countless deep pits… I didn't pay much attention at the time, but now that I think about it, it seems there was some intense combat."

Netherworld Strike is the Old Snake Man's Ghost·Spirit Shrine's Eye's ultimate weapon.

In the idealist world, abilities are not named thoughtlessly.

Netherworld Strike, a dual-technique attack combining physical and soul elements, is considered extremely formidable—even among Ghost-level attacks.

Gradually, a single keyword emerged in their minds.

Myth!

"Impossible. A Third-level Civilization? How could they possess a Myth?!"

To the strangers, ordinary Steel ability users were of little significance.

Take Lu Yuan in his human form, for example—even if he possessed Steel, so what?

The Ghost could physically crush him into a pulp.

Only those with exceedingly high Life Force could hold their ground for a short while.

"Why couldn't it be? I heard the Rat Artisan Master saying human civilization is profoundly blessed with Qi Fortune. They pick up scraps like kings of scavenging."

"Moreover, much of their Fortune is concentrated in the hands of a single individual."

"That Lu Yuan, the Great Commander, is also a craftsman. Perhaps he really did forge a Myth?"

"He even married the Princess of a previous Epoch's relic tribe… Look at all that Fortune! So profound!"

Everyone was left scratching their heads. What does marrying a wife have to do with Fortune? Have you lost your mind? Or have you eaten too much and started fantasizing?

"Us Hong Fu bats excel at reading fortunes. Marry the right wife, and wealth will follow; find a strong spouse, and it's worth half the year's grain." The Batman began spouting nonsense. "You bunch of single fools know nothing of these principles! I say he forged a Myth."

"Then why, as a former noble with a harem, haven't I forged a Myth?" A stranger in epic-level armor grumbled, though he was also a craftsman.

"Because… uh… I reproduce asexually." The Crystal Man failed to comprehend the logic.

A group of lunatics began spiraling into mild hysteria.

They found themselves unable to decipher this Third-level Civilization!

Their pride and self-esteem had suffered considerable blows.

These Old Dengs owned nothing, and their sole source of pride was their discerning insight and dignity.

"Alright, alright. Let me test the waters. You all stop talking nonsense," the Old Snake Man said telepathically.

…

"Commander Lu, I have a question for you."

"Go ahead."

"That stain of blood on the Ghost—was it your doing?"

Lu Yuan's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't shy away from the topic: "Yes, when I saw such a powerful anomaly, I couldn't resist challenging it."

"But since I couldn't win, I had to escape. Right before I left, I spat a mouthful of blood on it."

The strangers collectively displayed constipated expressions.

It was you!

Fought with the Ghost and still alive to tell the tale.

"This guy is showing off in front of us!" The Batman cursed telepathically.

Another craftsman·armored stranger fumed: "We've lived this long and seen all sorts of things. A Myth capable of contending with the Ghost? Quickly, crush his arrogant spirit!"

The largest Crystal Man, on the other hand, was contemplative: "A Third-level Civilization capable of fighting the Ghost… I've never seen one before…"

"The most crucial thing is that they seem to have a chance to successfully escape this place."

"Never have I encountered a Third-level Civilization like this. One with a Myth, one with Steel… No wonder the Demon·Controlling Ruins got killed."

"It makes sense now. I think if they continue to grow, they may have a shot at becoming a Peak Civilization!"

His words left the other five strangers stunned.

A Peak Civilization is a truly awe-inspiring existence, even worthy of admiration from a Level 5 Civilization!

But this is merely a Third-level Civilization—what gives it the right to ascend to Peak Civilization?

The sting of jealousy caused the Old Dengs' minds to fragment in fury.

The Old Snake Man's eyes darted around: "Pull him into the telepathic network so I can use words to thoroughly undermine him!"

Lu Yuan was vigilantly monitoring the Ghost when he suddenly felt a mental disorientation—a sensation that wasn't unfamiliar. Someone had pulled him into the telepathic network.

"What's going on?"

[Little brother, since you've utilized Steel, you've likely already become a Pangu Wanted Criminal!]

[There's a high probability that unknown Ghost entities are lying in wait outside, ready to capture you the moment you venture out.]

[Don't blame us for not warning you beforehand!]

[If your city attempts to leap away, it might be annihilated in the next moment.] The Old Snake Man's verbal disparagement brought ecstatic joy to the strangers, each reveling in schadenfreude.

Lu Yuan's expression darkened; this was something the Rat Artisan Master had already warned him about—that overt usage of the Steel ability carried severe risks.

Fortunately, he had inadvertently dodged greater peril by hiding within the Ghost's Multiple Alternative Spaces.

"In any case… I do need to lay low for now."

"Let the Underground Alliance's Ancient Insects dispatch the Insect Race to scout whether any Ghost is actually lying in wait for me."

"If a Ghost truly guards the resurrection point, do we really have to hide indefinitely inside this Ghost's domain? Damn it, this is just…"

[Elder, is there definitely a Ghost lying in wait for me?] He feigned a naive expression.

The Old Snake Man's desire to boast was fully ignited: [Actually… not necessarily. The toxicity of Steel abilities isn't all that high. It depends on their degree of revival.]

[But you definitely can't gamble, can you? What if you lose the wager?]

Indeed, these Ghost entities are truly not to be trifled with.

Each Ghost's ability is unique, and half of Lu Yuan's current skillset relies on Steel ability, while the other half is based on Space Ability.

If the Ghost he encountered happened to counter Space Abilities, it would spell major trouble.

In that scenario, he wouldn't even be able to escape, only consumed alive over time.

Thinking of this, Lu Yuan shamelessly wailed: [Elder, please—help me!]

[Our household is small, our business modest, and we're practically broke. You must think of a solution that doesn't cost money!]

The Old Snake Man was stunned by his sheer audacity—publicly proclaiming oneself "broke" like this, what kind of behavior is this?

It's no wonder… no wonder this guy managed to rise to prominence.

Truly, they say shamelessness is invincible!

The composed Crystal Man spoke: [It's not necessary for us to save you; we don't have that ability anyway.]

[All you need to do is wait here for a while longer.]

[This vast grassland moves about, as if it were a small planet. Every so often, it relocates to another place.]

[The mechanism behind this process is immensely complex; it might even shift from one end of Pangu Continent to the other.]

[When the storm blows over, you can leave this place.]