Chapter 155 The Dust Settles, The Black Envelope

[At the moment of descent.]

[Its three eerie pupils stared fixedly at Grandmaster Zhao Zongtian.]

[It instantly perceived the current situation.]

[It was very decisive.]

[It did not go to save Tianxin.]

[Instead, it immediately sacrificed its left and right pupils.]

[The two pupils instantly exploded, transforming into pure Divine Power.]

[Infusing into the central main eye.]

[Immediately after, a black beam of light carrying a thick aura of death...]

[...shot straight down at Grandmaster Zhao Zongtian's head!]

["Hmph, I was waiting for you!"]

[Facing the Evil God's move...]

[Grandmaster Zhao Zongtian showed no fear.]

[He made a grasping motion toward the void.]

[From out of nowhere, he produced a spear of simple, standard design...]

[...its entire body emitting a dazzling golden light.]

["Break!"]

[The Great Grandmaster's blood-qi and Yuan Power fused into one.]

[The spear thrust out like a dragon.]

[He swung it powerfully against that grayish-black beam of light.]

["Screech—"]

[The two collided.]

[A sound like a sharp blade cutting through cloth rang out.]

[The black beam of death...]

[...was actually split in two with ease by the spear.]

[It dissipated into the Void Realm.]

[Not only that.]

[Grandmaster Zhao Zongtian grabbed the air with his left hand.]

[The egg that was floating in the center of the altar...]

[...the Two-Life Blood Soul Demon attempting to flee...]

[...was firmly caught in his hand.]

[Seeing that nothing more could be done, the main eye in the sky...]

[...used its Mental Energy...]

[...to engage in one last brief mental confrontation with Grandmaster Zhao Zongtian across the distance.]

[Only one second later.]

["Bang!"]

[The blood-colored pupil decisively chose to self-destruct.]

[As the Evil God's projection collapsed...]

[...Tianxin, who stood in the center of the altar as the ritual medium...]

[...and the Blood Ghost who had fallen in the corner earlier...]

[...simultaneously let out a shrill, miserable scream.]

[Their Souls were completely torn apart by the backlash of the Evil God's self-destruction.]

[Both bled from their seven orifices and died on the spot.]

["Dead?"]

[Grandmaster Zhao Zongtian frowned.]

[Originally, he was very satisfied with this operation.]

[He had wiped out the Heart-Eroding Cult's largest stronghold in Jiangnan Province without any effort.]

[He had even captured a Two-Life Blood Soul Demon egg.]

[But...]

[After the final mental confrontation with that descended avatar...]

[The composure on Grandmaster Zhao Zongtian's face vanished.]

[His expression became extremely ugly, and his brow furrowed deeply.]

[It seemed that before leaving, that Evil God...]

[...had revealed some bad news to him.]

[However, as a Great Grandmaster, he adjusted quickly.]

[The look of displeasure on his face flashed and disappeared.]

[Grandmaster Zhao Zongtian waved his hand casually.]

[Cleaning off the stains and bloodstains on his body.]

[Restoring his transcendent, sage-like appearance.]

[He did not linger in this underground demon den.]

[With a flicker of his body, he left the place.]

...

[Black Gold Chamber of Commerce building, private booth.]

[Cold Kite had her hand on her Tang sword.]

[She stood guard before the elevator entrance, ready for anything.]

["Ding."]

[The elevator doors opened, and seeing the Great Grandmaster walk out unharmed...]

[Cold Kite let out a long sigh of relief.]

["Elder Zhao, how is the situation below?"]

[However, Grandmaster Zhao Zongtian had discarded his usual kindly image.]

[His expression was as cold as ice.]

["The high-ranking members of the Heart-Eroding Cult have all been executed."]

["There are some residual Formations below."]

[He pulled a hand-order representing the supreme authority of the Jiangnan Province Governor from his robes.]

[He handed it to Cold Kite.]

["Immediately mobilize the outer armed forces to purge this place! Leave no one alive!"]

["I have extremely important emergency military intelligence. I must return to Suhang City immediately to report to the Governor and the Council."]

["I leave this place to you."]

[After saying this, Grandmaster Zhao Zongtian did not explain further.]

[He transformed directly into a golden rainbow that spanned the night sky.]

[He streaked through the air toward Suhang City at maximum speed.]

[Cold Kite watched the Great Grandmaster's hurried departure.]

[She was somewhat surprised.]

[But she had no time to think.]

[Military orders were as absolute as mountains.]

[She immediately used her communicator...]

[...to instruct the Longnan City police and armed police units waiting in ambush outside the building.]

[To quickly break down the doors.]

["Secure the scene! Take everyone in the banquet hall..."]

["...including the Chamber of Commerce executives and relevant personnel from Longnan No. 1 High School..."]

["...and detain them all for individual screening!"]

[After arranging everything in an orderly fashion...]

[Cold Kite turned around...]

[...and walked into that shadow space.]

[She took a deep breath and removed her disguise.]

[Restoring her original appearance.]

[Then she shouted loudly, putting on a show:]

["Li Ang! I'm here to save you! Are you okay?"]

[You had stuck your blade into the ground beside you.]

[Sitting cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation.]

[Hearing the commotion, you slowly opened your eyes.]

["Director Cold?" You feigned a look of pleasant surprise.]

["What are you doing here?"]

[Cold Kite stepped forward and gave your body a symbolic check.]

[Then she began an extremely perfunctory explanation.]

[In fact, she didn't say much of substance; the gist was...]

[You were just set up by cultists.]

[The Investigation Bureau had actually been watching this place for a long time.]

[She had just been busy clearing out other dangerous elements outside.]

[After resolving the issues...]

[...she immediately rushed in to save you, and so on.]

["This place is not safe to stay."]

["I'll arrange for someone to take you to a safe place immediately."]

[Cold Kite said.]

["I'll follow your arrangements, Director."]

[Naturally, you went along with it.]

[Sent to the police car by the armed police along with you was Old Wu.]

[At this moment, Wu Changhe was completely bewildered.]

[Ten minutes ago, he was holding a wine glass...]

[...chatting and laughing in the banquet hall with Principal Liao Xianyu and several Chamber executives.]

[Suddenly, the door was kicked open.]

[Then a group of fully armed police swarmed in.]

[Without a word, they pinned everyone to the ground and arrested them!]

[It wasn't until he saw you unharmed in the police car...]

[...that his heart finally settled back into his chest.]

["Li Ang! Are you okay? Those people didn't hurt you, did they?"]

[Old Wu grabbed your shoulders and asked urgently.]

["I'm fine, Teacher."]

[You comforted him.]

[Of course, after Old Wu was taken back to the station...]

[...and his identity was verified by the Investigation Bureau...]

[...he was quickly released without charge.]

[However, the principal who came with him, Principal Liao Xianyu...]

[...was placed in heavy shackles and directly escorted away in secret.]

[To Wu Changhe, this was no less than a bolt from the blue.]

["Colluding with a cult... Old Liao... how could he do something so foolish?"]

[Standing at the entrance of the police station, his expression was despondent.]

[But when he turned to look at you...]

[...he felt a wave of relief.]

["At least... you're okay."]

["For the two of us, master and disciple, to escape unscathed from an incident involving a cult..."]

["...is truly a blessing from our ancestors."]

[Wu Changhe sighed.]

...

[This operation that shook Jiangnan Province...]

[...was later officially named Operation 'Thunderous Purge.']

[In the news reports, the authorities had won a total victory.]

[Uprooting the cancer that was the Black Gold Chamber of Commerce and removing a great evil for the Federation.]

[Late at night, you finally returned to the Teachers Apartment.]

[As you opened the door...]

[...you silently reviewed everything in your mind.]

[This cult incident in the simulation...]

[...could be considered temporarily settled.]

[Although the process differed slightly from your initial expectations...]

[Everything you wanted to gain from this event...]

[...you had obtained.]

[This left you very satisfied.]

[You stretched and walked into the bedroom...]

[...preparing to continue today's Cultivation.]

[However.]

[The moment your gaze swept across the desk...]

[Your pupils shrank slightly.]

[In the center of the originally tidy, empty desk...]

[...at some unknown time, a pure black envelope had been placed.]