Chapter 162
Chapter 162
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: Xiao Hei's Tears and the Profound Earth Fissuring Rock Evasion
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*Hooo...*
Xiao Hei exhaled, his breath tinged with blood. As his physical body transformed, his internal organs were also sublimating.
Ink-black spiritual patterns surfaced on his shell, absorbing the dense spiritual energy from the vortex. A dark brown, viscous liquid seeped from the edges of his carapace, emitting a pungent, fishy stench.
Suddenly, the black patterns on his shell flared with brilliant light, the pale lines turning crimson like a branding iron.
*Crack, crack...*
The sound of shattering rang out, growing more and more frequent.
At that moment, Xiao Hei's shell began to fracture, yet a strange energy was reassembling it, causing his carapace to grow larger amidst the transformation.
Simultaneously, Xiao Hei's body was also expanding.
In just one hour, Xiao Hei's size had doubled. His shell was now eighteen feet across, and he measured twenty-four feet from head to tail.
He floated on the surface, occupying more than half of the pond.
*Gurgle, gurgle...*
As Xiao Hei's transformation completed, his body began to exude a faint golden blood. It dripped into the pond, causing the water to boil.
Ten breaths later.
The pond water turned into wisps of green smoke and dissipated.
*Clang!*
A metallic clang resounded as the surface of Xiao Hei's shell cracked open, forming a series of earthy-yellow patterns.
Faint runes were also visible upon them.
They were far more profound than the previous runes. With a flash of light, a torrential downpour began in the small courtyard, refilling the pond.
It washed away the impurities secreted from Xiao Hei's body.
Then, the pond water evaporated once more.
This process repeated three times until the pond was crystal clear, exuding a faint, pleasant fragrance.
Chen Jianghe, hiding in his room, couldn't help but purse his lips at the sight. At first, he had thought this was a normal phenomenon for Xiao Hei's breakthrough.
It wasn't until the water had been replaced three or four times that he realized.
This rascal had taken a bath in the middle of his breakthrough.
"You bastard. You made me so anxious, worrying about you. Sooner or later, I'll sell your shell for spirit stones."
Chen Jianghe cursed inwardly, but his gaze remained fixed on Xiao Hei.
He began to pray for him again in his heart.
*You have to successfully break through to a second-rank spirit beast.*
*Hiss!*
Suddenly, Xiao Hei stood upright on the water's surface, opened his cavernous mouth, and with a sharp inhale, swallowed the thirty-foot-tall spiritual energy vortex whole.
Then, he lay down in the courtyard.
His beady eyes shut tight, he retracted his four limbs. The patterns on his shell glowed with a blue light, seemingly helping him refine the immense spiritual energy.
A moment later.
Xiao Hei's head also retracted into his shell.
All that was left in the courtyard was a turtle shell, emitting a faint blue light as if it were refining spiritual energy.
Inside Xiao Hei's body, his first-rank spirit core shattered with a bang. A vast torrent of spiritual energy rushed in, gathering the fragments of the core and condensing them into a new, black spirit core.
The water-element spiritual energy within the core was purer and possessed a more formidable pressure.
At that moment, his magical power, once a vast ocean, condensed into a single drop...
Two drops... three drops... four drops!
The drops of magical power did not merge but remained distinct.
*Boom!*
The instant his magical power fully liquefied, the powerful pressure of a second-rank spirit beast erupted from his body.
It furiously battered against the sealing talismans.
Chen Jianghe was startled. A faint luster appeared on his body—the protective spiritual energy he had condensed at the peak of Body Tempering—to resist the pressure emanating from Xiao Hei.
"Is it still not over?"
Chen Jianghe frowned. Seeing that the barrier formed by the sealing talismans was about to shatter, he couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
Four hours had already passed.
Back then, it had only taken Yun Bufan a little over three hours to break through to Foundation Establishment. Logically, a spirit beast's breakthrough should be faster.
After all, when demonic beasts in the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range broke through to the second rank, they usually completed the process within an hour.
Any longer, and unforeseen dangers could arise.
They could very well be devoured by other demonic beasts.
*Boom!*
Xiao Hei suddenly threw his head back and opened his massive mouth, a pillar of turquoise spiritual energy shooting toward the sky.
Just then, his beady eyes snapped open. As if remembering something, he instantly suppressed the pillar's power, preventing it from breaking through the sealing talismans.
Even so, the pillar of spiritual energy formed a dome several tens of feet in diameter over the pond. The spiritual energy was so dense that it was even stronger than that of a second-rank, high-grade spirit vein.
This was the leftover spiritual energy from the five hundred spirit stones and five late-stage, first-rank spirit cores that Xiao Hei hadn't used.
Seeing this, Chen Jianghe knew that Xiao Hei had successfully transformed into a powerful second-rank spirit beast.
From this day forward, Xiao Hei would be a sky above all first-rank demonic beasts.
In Xiao Hei's eyes, first-rank demonic beasts had gone from being his peers to mere ants.
And he finally had a second-rank spirit pet.
The next moment, Chen Jianghe looked at the dome of spiritual energy and felt a pang of heartache. That was all spirit stones!
If you can't use that many spirit stones, couldn't you have eaten them in smaller portions?
Was it necessary to be so extravagant?
Immediately, Chen Jianghe released Maoqiu from the spirit beast space, intending to let him absorb this spiritual energy to raise his cultivation.
But the next moment.
The earthy-yellow runes on Xiao Hei's shell flashed, and he instantly sucked the spiritual energy dome into his carapace.
Xiao Hei's twenty-foot-tall, upright body stood with its back to Chen Jianghe and Maoqiu. Coupled with the terrifying pressure of a second-rank spirit beast, he was extremely intimidating.
Maoqiu felt the pressure radiating from Xiao Hei, and his face turned pale with fright. He hurriedly retreated behind Chen Jianghe.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, he stepped forward again.
"Squeak squeak!" (Congratulations, Lord Turtle, on attaining the Dao!)
At this, Xiao Hei slowly turned his head, his arrogant gaze sweeping over Chen Jianghe and Maoqiu before finally settling on Chen Jianghe.
"Two-legged beast, are you not going to kneel and offer your congratulations to Lord Turtle?"
"..."
Chen Jianghe gave the smug Xiao Hei a speechless look.
"I know you've broken through. You can drop the act now."
"Waaah!"
The moment Chen Jianghe's voice fell, Xiao Hei leaped into the air, his dark face turning pale with fright.
A look of terror filled his eyes, all his earlier arrogance gone.
Then, he froze on the spot, as if he had suffered some unbearable shock and gone foolish.
"This is bad!"
Seeing Xiao Hei's state, how could Chen Jianghe not know what had happened?
It must be that after breaking through, Xiao Hei's lifespan hadn't changed at all.
For the life-cherishing Xiao Hei, this was a bolt from the blue.
Chen Jianghe didn't go to comfort Xiao Hei. Instead, he turned his spiritual sense inward and looked at his own spiritual platform.
【Lifespan: Seven Hundred and Twenty Years】
"Xiao Hei has rendered a great service!"
Chen Jianghe sighed. Looking at his maximum lifespan, the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up slightly.
Seven hundred and twenty years—what did that even mean?
A Foundation Establishment cultivator had a lifespan of merely two hundred and twenty years. Even after taking a Youth-Retaining Pill and a Life Extension Pill to max it out, it was only two hundred and forty-eight years.
He was currently only at the peak of the ninth layer of Qi Refining, yet his lifespan was three times that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Even a Core Formation Grandmaster would be outlived by him.
The *Qinghe Gazette* had records of the lifespans of Core Formation Grandmasters. Under normal circumstances, one could live for five hundred years.
If they took pills like the Life Extension Pill, they could extend their life to five hundred and thirty years.
If they chanced upon some heaven-and-earth treasures that extended life, they might live for a few more decades, but it was still a far cry from Chen Jianghe's lifespan.
"Squeak squeak!" (Master, Lord Turtle is so strong, even stronger than you!)
Chen Jianghe glanced at Maoqiu and nodded in deep agreement. "Yes, Xiao Hei is indeed very powerful."
It was better to praise him at a time like this.
Hopefully, it would soothe Xiao Hei's shattered heart.
"Two-legged beast, I'm finished."
"I was born flawed. I... I... I'm hopeless, boohoohoo..."
As Xiao Hei spoke, his enormous body moved in front of Chen Jianghe, wanting to throw himself into his arms to pour out his grievances.
But it seemed Chen Jianghe's chest wasn't big enough.
So, Xiao Hei embraced Chen Jianghe instead and began to sob.
Chen Jianghe felt droplets of water fall on his head. He looked up to see that Xiao Hei was shedding tears.
He was truly heartbroken.
"What's wrong?" Chen Jianghe asked.
"My lifespan... it didn't increase, boohoohoo..."
Xiao Hei communicated his grievance to Chen Jianghe through telepathy.
The patterns on his shell had changed, but there were still only twelve sections.
"It didn't increase!"
Chen Jianghe feigned shock, looking up into Xiao Hei's beady eyes. Their gazes met, full of horror.
"How is that possible? You've already broken through to a second-rank spirit beast. Your lifespan should have skyrocketed, just like my... ahem, don't worry, I'll help you figure something out."
Chen Jianghe pretended to think for a moment, then said, "Could it be that because I haven't broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage yet, your lifespan didn't increase?"
"We share a spiritual platform imprint. Is it possible that our lifespans will only increase together when we both reach the same realm?"
"For example, if I reach Foundation Establishment first, but you haven't broken through to a second-rank spirit beast, then my lifespan won't increase either."
"You know, the more I think about it, the more I feel it's a real possibility."
Chen Jianghe looked at Xiao Hei with a solemn gaze, wiped away one of Xiao Hei's tears that had landed on his face, and said earnestly, "What do you think, Xiao Hei?"
"...That makes a little sense, but not much."
Xiao Hei's tears stopped, and he looked at Chen Jianghe with disappointment. "What if you break through and my lifespan still doesn't increase?"
"Look, what's this?"
Chen Jianghe took out an Abstinence Pill, worth eight grains of spirit sand.
"Isn't that the Abstinence Pill you always eat?"
"Wrong. This is a Life Extension Pill."
Chen Jianghe said with a straight face, handing the 'Life Extension Pill' to Xiao Hei. "Take it and see the effect."
Hearing this, Xiao Hei obediently swallowed the 'Life Extension Pill'.
At the same time, Chen Jianghe secretly took a real Life Extension Pill.
Half an hour later.
A faint, dark glow emerged from Xiao Hei's shell, which then transformed into thirteen sections.
A brilliant light erupted from Xiao Hei's eyes. He looked at Chen Jianghe in astonishment. "It's working, it's working! Give me a hundred more, quickly!"
"There are no more."
Chen Jianghe threw up his hands. "Even if there were another one, it would be useless. A Life Extension Pill is only effective the first time you take it. A second one has no effect at all."
"But don't you worry. I know of other life-extending spirit pills. If your lifespan doesn't increase after I break through, I will search to the ends of the earth to find life-prolonging pills and treasures for you."
"Master~"
Xiao Hei's body trembled, his large mouth twitched, and his beady eyes filled with mist, ready to shed pearls that would fall onto Chen Jianghe's face at any moment.
Chen Jianghe took the opportunity to step back, freeing himself from Xiao Hei's heavy plastron, and then asked, "How much did your lifespan increase after taking the Life Extension Pill?"
"Ten years. My lifespan is now one hundred and thirty years," Xiao Hei said, a hint of excitement in his dejected tone.
Hearing this, Chen Jianghe nodded in satisfaction.
It was exactly as he had thought.
It was definitely a lifespan exchange.
When he took the Life Extension Pill, it wasn't his own lifespan that increased, but Xiao Hei's.
He still had a Youth-Retaining Pill, which could also increase Xiao Hei's lifespan by ten years. He could also ask Alchemist Zhuang to help him refine another batch of Life Extension Pills.
That would add another eight years.
But it was completely unnecessary. It wasn't as if he couldn't break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.
At the earliest, five years; at the latest, seven. He would definitely succeed in his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment. By then, Xiao Hei's lifespan would increase to over two hundred years.
That was more than enough.
There was no need to waste resources.
"Maoqiu, go cultivate for now."
Chen Jianghe retrieved the late-stage, first-rank spirit cores from the courtyard. There were eighteen left. He gave four to Maoqiu, which was enough for his cultivation needs for the year.
He gave the remaining fourteen to Xiao Hei.
"Xiao Hei, what kind of innate ability did you awaken after breaking through to the second rank?"
Chen Jianghe asked curiously.
According to the *Qinghe Gazette*, whether it was a demonic beast or a spirit beast, as long as its bloodline was second-grade or higher, it would awaken an innate ability every time it broke through a major realm.
Xiao Hei's bloodline used to be first-grade, low-tier, but with the *Three Revolutions Demon Ascension Art*, it was now third-grade, high-tier.
At the first rank, he had awakened the 'Petrification' ability.
It could enhance his own defense, making it even tougher than a defensive magical artifact of the same level.
This ability was very strong and extremely practical.
Therefore, Chen Jianghe was very much looking forward to what Xiao Hei's second awakened ability would be.
"It seems to be an evasion art. Let me study it first."
Xiao Hei closed his eyes in contemplation, beginning to comprehend the innate ability awakened after his breakthrough.
Seeing this, Chen Jianghe didn't disturb him and instead sat on the lounge chair in the courtyard to wait.
However, upon hearing that Xiao Hei's ability was an evasion art, he was overjoyed.
This kind of ability was excellent!
It allowed for a safe escape when encountering danger, making it more profound and cost-effective than any other ability.
He just didn't know what kind of evasion art it was.
However, since Xiao Hei's attribute was water, it should be a water-element evasion art. But a water-element evasion art would be somewhat less cost-effective.
He cultivated the *Myriad Waters True Scripture*, which increased the power of his magical arts by twenty percent. When he used the Water Evasion Art in water, ordinary cultivators couldn't catch him at all.
Two hours passed.
Xiao Hei slowly opened his beady eyes, looked at Chen Jianghe, and transmitted his thoughts: "An earth-element evasion art, the Profound Earth Fissuring Rock Evasion."
"Hmm? An earth-element evasion art!"
Chen Jianghe's face lit up with joy. This kind of earth-attribute evasion art was the most practical and cost-effective.
"Wait, why would a water-element turtle like you awaken earth-element abilities?"
Xiao Hei's first awakened ability was 'Petrification', an earth-element defensive ability. Now, his second awakened ability was 'Profound Earth Fissuring Rock Evasion', which was also an earth-element ability.
This made Chen Jianghe feel a bit strange.
Shouldn't a water-element spirit beast awaken water-element abilities?
Could it be that, like that Thunder-Patterned Crimson Flame Leopard, Xiao Hei's bloodline contained a trace of earth-element energy, which was why he awakened earth-element abilities?
But that didn't seem right either.
The Thunder-Patterned Crimson Flame Leopard might awaken a thunder-element ability, but it wasn't guaranteed. Yet Xiao Hei had awakened earth-element abilities twice in a row.
The probability of that was a bit too high.
"How would I know?"
Xiao Hei mimicked him by throwing up his hands, wearing an expression that said he knew nothing.
"Then how far can you travel with the Profound Earth Fissuring Rock Evasion?" Chen Jianghe asked curiously.
"A hundred li, but the distance will increase as my cultivation level rises."
"How long does it take to travel a hundred li?"
"About fifty breaths." Xiao Hei seemed to have forgotten his sorrow over his lifespan, and a look of showing off reappeared on his face.
Chen Jianghe immediately beamed.
Traveling a hundred li in fifty breaths was much faster than a Foundation Establishment cultivator on a flying sword, and the distance would increase as Xiao Hei's cultivation improved.
"Right, what about your cultivation art?"
Chen Jianghe suddenly remembered something and asked, "Didn't you say before that you would get a new cultivation art when you broke through to the second rank?"
"I only said it was possible, not that I would definitely get a new cultivation art."
Xiao Hei replied speechlessly.
"However... I have a feeling again. As long as I cultivate to the peak of the second rank, the spiritual platform imprint might bestow a new cultivation art."
"Forget it. Your 'possibles' usually mean 'impossible'."
"Aiyaya!"
Xiao Hei's expression suddenly changed.
"What's with you now?"
"What do you mean, what's with me? You're the one who needs to hurry up and cultivate! It's all because of you! If it weren't for you, Lord Turtle would have a lifespan of two hundred and forty years right now!"
"Go cultivate, now! You have to break through to Foundation Establishment immediately!"
Xiao Hei pushed Chen Jianghe into the room and slammed the door shut with a 'bang'.
"My lifespan, my precious lifespan is all being held back by this two-legged beast."
Xiao Hei leaped into the pond, instantly causing the water to overflow and flood the entire courtyard. He wanted to dig the pond deeper, but realized the courtyard was only so big.
The pond already took up two-thirds of the courtyard.
If he dug any more, there would be no place to process demonic beasts in the future.
Helpless, Xiao Hei could only cultivate by the edge of the pond. He popped two spirit cores into his mouth and bit down gently.
*Crunch.*
A large amount of spiritual energy surged out. The runes on Xiao Hei's shell appeared, and he began to absorb and refine the spiritual energy.
He needed to stabilize his cultivation at the early stage of the second rank.
Watching the diligently cultivating Xiao Hei, Chen Jianghe also felt a sense of pressure. He had to speed up.
Otherwise, he would really become a burden to Xiao Hei.
As for the matter of their lifespans, Chen Jianghe didn't tell Xiao Hei the reason directly, choosing a more gradual approach instead.
He would let Xiao Hei slowly accept the reality of their lifespan exchange, step by step.
First, he would let Xiao Hei believe their lifespans were linked. As for the exchange? He would naturally figure it out in the future.
By the time he did, it wouldn't matter anymore.
After all, he hadn't known about it beforehand either.
"Spirit stones are being consumed so quickly. I had over three thousand before the new year, and now I'm down to seven hundred and thirteen spirit stones and sixty grains of spirit sand."
To allow Xiao Hei to break through discreetly, he had spent one hundred spirit stones on five sealing talismans.
He had then used another five hundred spirit stones for the spiritual energy Xiao Hei needed for his breakthrough.
The thought of it made him ache.
He felt that three hundred spirit stones would have been enough, which would have saved him two hundred.
He was now in a predicament of lacking spirit stones again, not for his own cultivation, but to purchase a special magical artifact: a second-rank Spirit Beast Pouch.
Xiao Hei was now a second-rank spirit beast, and the advanced Spirit Beast Ring could no longer contain him. He had to buy a Spirit Beast Pouch capable of holding a second-rank spirit beast.
A second-rank Spirit Beast Pouch was worth one thousand two hundred spirit stones and could form a contract with three spirit beasts.
It would allow for a clearer mental connection between the master and the spirit pets.
Once he bought the second-rank Spirit Beast Pouch, he could re-contract with Maoqiu, using the pouch as a medium, and they would then be able to communicate without barriers.
As for the advanced Spirit Beast Ring, he could sell it to the Pavilion of Hundred Treasures.
He had originally bought it for three hundred spirit stones.
He could probably sell it for one hundred and fifty to two hundred spirit stones.
A Spirit Beast Ring was a magical artifact. Once used, it naturally wouldn't be bought back at ninety or eighty-five percent of its original price.
Fortunately, a second-rank Spirit Beast Pouch wasn't like a top-tier magical artifact. It was sold in the Beast Taming Pavilion in Qinghe Market City, and its price was fixed.
There would be no price gouging.
However, if he wanted to buy a second-rank Spirit Beast Pouch, he would have to wait until the end of the year. He didn't have enough spirit stones.
He could only wait until he had drawn and sold a year's worth of spiritual talismans before buying it.
Putting the thought aside, he cleared his mind of distractions.
He first cultivated the *Soul-Suppressing and Spirit-Forging Art* for three hours, then drew spiritual talismans for seven hours, and finally, he cultivated the *Tidal Body Tempering Art*.
Three months later.
As Chen Jianghe was cultivating the *Tidal Body Tempering Art* in the courtyard, the Relay Box flashed twice.
Two letters had arrived at the same time.
After he finished cultivating, he took out the two letters. He glanced at the names: one was a message from Yun Xiaoniu, and the other was a letter from Ruan Tieniu, sent from the Beast Taming Market City.
He first looked at Yun Xiaoniu's letter.
It turned out that Yun Xiaoniu had spent the last five months refining his top-tier flying sword and top-tier defensive magical artifact.
He was preparing to leave Qinghe Market City.
He hoped that Chen Jianghe would leave Qinghe Market City with him and head to Qiyun Mountain.
Qiyun Mountain was an immortal mountain with a second-rank, mid-grade spirit vein. Cultivating there was no worse than in Qinghe Market City.
It was just a bit more troublesome to purchase resources.
However, Chen Jianghe had no plans to leave Qinghe Market City. No matter what, he would wait until he had successfully reached Foundation Establishment.
Xiao Hei becoming a second-rank spirit beast gave him a trump card against Foundation Establishment seniors.
But once a trump card was revealed, it was no longer a trump card.
Furthermore, while Xiao Hei could hold off one Foundation Establishment senior, he couldn't hold off two.
Take Ji Wujin, for example. He not only had a second-rank spirit beast but also a second-rank puppet.
If he left Qinghe Market City and was targeted by Ji Wujin, his chances of survival would still be slim.
Chen Jianghe turned Yun Xiaoniu's message letter to dust.
He had no plans to see Yun Xiaoniu off.
Xiao Hei couldn't enter the Spirit Beast Ring, and he wasn't comfortable leaving him at home alone.
So, during this period, it was best not to go out.
He would write to Yun Xiaoniu once he had returned to Qiyun Mountain.
Next, Chen Jianghe opened Ruan Tieniu's letter and began to read it carefully.
A moment later, Chen Jianghe's brow furrowed, a grave expression on his face, and a hint of hesitation in his eyes.
Ruan Tieniu's letter explained the current situation in the Beast Taming Market City.
In the first month, the cultivators in the market city had prepared for a collective breakout, but they were driven back into the city.
In that attempt, over a thousand cultivators had died, including thirteen Foundation Establishment cultivators.
A third-rank spirit beast of the Beast Taming Zhou Clan was severely injured.
Of course, the Frosty Triangle Python was also besieged by four Core Formation Grandmasters, suffering heavy injuries before retreating back into the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range.
But in the second month, another third-rank demonic beast emerged from the depths of the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range and arrived at the Beast Taming Market City.
The situation had returned to four third-rank demonic beasts besieging the city.
As for Chen Jianghe's question about the type of the fourth third-rank demonic beast that had appeared, it was indeed a Thunder-Patterned Crimson Flame Leopard.
In other words.
Chen Jianghe and Yun Xiaoniu's guess was correct.
The Zhou Clan was indeed diverting the disaster, hoping to make Qinghe Market City share the pressure of this beast tide.
"Should I leave Qinghe Market City?"
"With Xiao Hei and Xiaoniu, my safety shouldn't be an issue. Xiaoniu has also refined a top-tier flying sword and a top-tier defensive magical artifact."
"Even if we encounter danger, they can fend it off."
Just as Chen Jianghe was hesitating about whether to go to Qiyun Mountain with Yun Xiaoniu, the Relay Box in the courtyard flashed.
Another letter had arrived.
With a thought, Chen Jianghe's magical power turned into a silken thread, retrieving the letter. He glanced at the name.
"Ji Wujin?"
An ill premonition instantly welled up in Chen Jianghe's heart.
He opened Ji Wujin's message letter and read it. His face turned as dark as water, and he couldn't help but curse.
"That bastard, he's still trying to bait me!"
"I don't have any secrets!"
"Why is he so fixated on me?"
Chen Jianghe was bewildered. The only secret he had was Xiao Hei.
Xiao Hei was intrinsically linked to his spiritual platform and was the key to his long life, but there was no way Ji Wujin could have discovered that.
His gaze fell upon the message letter once more.
Ji Wujin informed him of the situation at the Beast Taming Market City, the expanding scale of the beast tide, and how the Zhou Clan was scheming against Qinghe Market City with a Thunder-Patterned Crimson Flame Leopard, suggesting that Qinghe Market City might face imminent destruction.
As a good friend.
Ji Wujin was sharing this news and inviting Chen Jianghe to leave Qinghe Market City with him to seek refuge north of the Heaven-Connecting River.
He also told Chen Jianghe not to worry about encountering danger along the way.
He had already found three Foundation Establishment seniors to travel with, guaranteeing a safe arrival north of the Heaven-Connecting River.
After reading the message again, he directly turned the letter to dust.
"Three Foundation Establishment seniors..."