Chapter 33 The Holy Blessing of the Gods

Li Ang continued reading the document regarding the [Heart-Eroding Cult]...

This was information he had pieced together by combining his memories from the simulator with clues found on the real-world Intelligence Network.

Li Ang looked at the text on the screen, his fingers lightly tapping the desk.

The sound was exceptionally clear in the silent room.

"Heart-Eroding Cult... full name 'Ten Thousand Gods Heavenly Heart Sacred Protection Cult'."

"Originated two hundred years ago during the 'Hundred Nations War' period."

"That was the cruelest and darkest era when the Human Race resisted invasions from foreign races (demons, beasts, alien races, and foreign gods)."

"Some high-level members of the Human Race were bewitched by the evil gods of the foreign races and became surrenderists."

"They advocated for 'Myriad Race Fusion,' but in reality, they treated humans as blood food and vessels for foreign gods to survive in troubled times."

"They claimed to believe in the gods of the myriad races, capable of protecting humanity's 'Heavenly Heart stability'."

"But they committed atrocities under the name of 'Holy Protection' just to cover up the truth of defecting to foreign gods and betraying the Human Race."

"The foreign god they worship is named—'Myriad Ages Pure Eye Burning Body God'."

An unspeakable chill crawled up his spine.

It felt as if he could sense that evil god's greed for human flesh and blood even through the screen.

A flashback of the final scene in the simulation instantly occurred in his mind:

In a dark and damp dead-end alley, that black-robed man wearing a ghost mask held his arms high on a thunderstorm night.

He repeatedly chanted the incantation for 'Blood Shadow Life Replacement' in that sharp and twisted voice.

That nauseating smell of blood, that shivering sensation of having one's Soul peered at by countless eyes.

Even across time and space, it still made him feel suffocated.

"Myriad Ages Pure Eye... Burning Body..."

Li Ang took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing those terrifying images back into his heart, and continued reading.

This cult was once extremely rampant in history, even infiltrating the Federal Parliament at one point.

Until 40 years ago.

The Federation's 'Sun-Moon Realm' Martial Saint—Li Qingshan, personally led a team to surround and annihilate them.

That battle shook the heavens and earth, and the Heart-Eroding Cult's main altar was razed to the ground.

Countless members were directly vaporized by the Martial Saint's Blazing Sun Fist Intent, leaving not even ashes behind.

"Sun-Moon Realm... Martial Saint..."

Li Ang subconsciously glanced at the [Martial Arts Realm Advancement Chart] attached to the document.

His gaze lingered on the terms at the top of the pyramid.

Qi and Blood → Origin Opening → Soaring → Mountain-Sea (Grandmaster) → Divine Ability (Great Grandmaster) → Sun-Moon (Martial Saint)...

The Masked Man in the simulation, who could suppress the entire scene at will and render those in the Origin Opening Realm immobile, was a powerhouse in the Soaring Realm.

He could fly through the air and view Mortals like ants.

But even such a terrifying Masked Man...

Before Martial Saint Li Qingshan, there were still two insurmountable major Realms—Mountain-Sea and Divine Ability!

"That is the gap between a divine Dragon and an ant."

"Even the Martial Saint couldn't completely wipe them out back then, and they've even resurfaced after forty years of silence..."

"The foundation of this cult is even more unfathomable than I imagined."

Li Ang took a deep breath, his gaze falling on the next line of the document.

"The hierarchy within the cult is strict: Ordinary Members (Gray Robe), God-Chosen Discipless (Black Robe)..."

"Adjudicators (Cloud-Patterned Black Robe), Cult Altar Guardians (Blood Robe), Cult Leader (Gold-Threaded Blood Robe)."

"And in the simulation, the identity Liu Xiyue mentioned—'Adjudicator'."

"Full name: Bending One's Body to Serve God and Adjudicate Heretics."

"In the Heart-Eroding Cult's doctrine, they are the shepherds chosen by god, specifically responsible for finding, hunting, and converting 'heretics'."

"The Heart-Eroding Cult wants to use Liu Xiyue to obtain something from the Liu Family; this is also key information."

"Subsequent investigations can follow this line of thought."

"The Masked Man is an Adjudicator, and Liu Qing... is likely a member of this System as well."

That female teacher, who usually seemed boisterous and hot-tempered, was actually a deeply buried undercover agent for the Heart-Eroding Cult.

"She might be an elite at the 'God-Chosen Disciples' level."

"When did she join the Heart-Eroding Cult? Recently, or long before she entered the school?"

"Does she have any other accomplices in the school?"

"Besides that Masked Man, how many more Heart-Eroding Cult strongholds are hidden in Longnan City?"

This information is crucial for the next simulation.

If he could expose Liu Qing's identity in the simulation beforehand and avoid that dead-end alley before setting out, then Wu Changhe wouldn't have to die, nor would he. He might even be able to counter-attack and change the entire course of the "Blood Shadow Life Replacement" plan!

Of course, if the opponent's forces were too powerful, he also prepared for the worst—directly escaping from Longnan during the simulation and seeking another way out.

"I can't act rashly in reality. Liu Qing is at the Eighth Stage of Qi and Blood. Although I can beat her now, once I make a move, it will alert the enemy."

"However, I can investigate."

Li Ang had already conducted an inquiry at the black internet cafe yesterday, logging into a paid inquiry System called "Background Check."

He didn't search for Longnan City; instead, based on his memories from the simulation, he directly locked the search range to "Jiangnan Province · Wuyue City."

He entered keywords: Liu Qing, 25 years old, graduated from Qingyun Martial Arts University.

After several rounds of filtering, a piece of information popped up.

[Liu Qing]

Gender: Female

Age: 25 years old

Native Place: Local of Wuyue City

Realm: Qi and Blood Seventh Stage

Occupation: Elementary coach at Wuyue City's "Green Vine Martial Arts Hall."

...

The data showed she was very ordinary, even somewhat mediocre.

"How could a student who graduated from a second-rate martial arts university, currently only at the Qi and Blood Seventh Stage, Cultivate to the Peak of the Eighth Stage of Qi and Blood in just one short year? And even be assigned across cities to a key high school like Longnan No. 1 High School as a combat teacher?"

Li Ang narrowed his eyes.

"The resume is too clean; it's actually abnormal."

There must be a driving force behind this.

"Wuyue City..."

Li Ang thought of his experience in the Misty Forest, which was not far from Wuyue City.

"It seems that in the Early Stage of the next simulation, I don't need to rush to Sunset Canyon."

"I need to go to Wuyue City first. While she hasn't yet gained momentum and hasn't entered the sight of Longnan No. 1 High School, I'll dig into this Teacher Liu's background."

However, just as Li Ang was about to close the document, his finger suddenly stopped in mid-air.

A deeper chill, like a venomous snake, wrapped around his heart.

He suddenly realized a very fatal problem he had overlooked.

"Liu Qing was just a coach."

"How was she transferred across cities?"

"Who signed off on her employment file?"

Longnan No. 1 High School is a key municipal school, and the selection of teachers is extremely strict.

For a coach from out of town with a mediocre resume to be parachuted in...

It must have gone through the Academic Affairs Office, the Vice Principal, or even... the Principal's nod.

The image of that elusive Principal Liao Xianyu—emerged in Li Ang's mind.

In the simulator's memory, on the night of the treasure hunt in Changlin Park.

Liao Xianyu and Wu Changhe stood on either side of Liu Xiyue like bodyguards, protecting her.

"At that time, Teacher Wu told me it was for the school's resources, a trade."

"But... is that the whole truth?"

Li Ang's gaze became uncertain.

"Teacher Wu is trustworthy."

"Because in the ending of 'Blood Shadow Life Replacement,' he was chosen as the 'backup insurance' and forcibly parasitized."

"This means the Heart-Eroding Cult does not consider him one of their own."

"But what about Liao Xianyu?"

"In that desperate ritual, from beginning to end, the Principal never appeared."

"Was he kept in the dark? Or was he lured away? Or... was he himself one of those 'turn a blind eye' permitters?"

The moment this thought surfaced, Li Ang felt a chill down his spine.

If even the Principal couldn't be trusted, then the entire Longnan No. 1 High School was no longer an ivory tower to him, but a giant cage filled with eyes.

"I can't be careless. Besides Wu Changhe, who has already been verified, everyone else in the school...

Whether it's Wang Heng or that seemingly enthusiastic Director of Academic Affairs, they must all be put on the 'potential suspect list'."

"This simulation is not just to investigate Liu Qing, but also to test how deep the school's waters really are."

Li Ang heavily wrote down a new plan in his notebook:

"[Fourth Simulation · Action Objectives (Draft)]"

"1. Attain a higher Martial Arts Realm:"

"The Ninth Stage of Qi and Blood is not the end. I must find an opportunity to break through the Qi and Blood barrier and charge into the Origin Opening Realm, or even Soaring..."

"Only by becoming stronger will I be qualified to have the capital to gamble in front of those true monsters."

"2. Obtain the 'heavenly river water lotus' once more to achieve a second Awakening:"

"Go to Sunset Canyon again to intercept it and complete the second Awakening of the Water-elemental Ability."

"At the same time, use this opportunity to uncover the truth of Inverted Mountain."

"In the last simulation, a total of six purple lights appeared on Inverted Mountain that day."

"And all the Martial Artists fighting for the central purple light pillar vanished from the face of the earth."

"What exactly happened there? It concerns the second Awakening, so it must be investigated thoroughly."

"3. Try to live longer:"

"Use the advantage of foresight to avoid certain-death endings."

"In these interlocking crises, the longer I survive..."

"The longer the cultivation time, and the more truths I can uncover."

"4. Investigate Liu Qing's background and find clues about the Heart-Eroding Cult:"

"Go to Wuyue City before Liu Qing enters Longnan No. 1 High School."

"Find out the secret behind her sudden surge in strength and her contact person."

"At the same time, distinguish friend from foe."

"Besides the confirmed ally Wu Changhe, test the positions of Principal Liao Xianyu and other high-level school officials."

"Check if there are any other hidden moles within the school."

"5. Attempt to break the 'Blood Shadow Life Replacement' plan."

"..."

After noting down the content above, he tore out the page and used his Qi and Blood strength to shake it into fine powder.

By the time he finished all this, the eastern sky was already turning pale.

Li Ang closed his notebook; he didn't feel tired, but instead felt full of energy.

"A new day has begun."

He changed into his school uniform and picked up his backpack.

Before going to school, he would pick up breakfast for Old Wu along the way.

After all, he was now Old Wu's most valued "gold medal teaching assistant."