232: Gathering in Magic City

As soon as Han Li finished speaking, Xie Wangsheng's calm voice picked up.

"Don't take this operation lightly."

He looked at the magnificent building, brightly lit, representing the financial lifeline of the Demon Capital and even the Dragon Country, and continued.

"According to my calculations, there might be experts in this headquarters whose strength is not inferior to ours."

"What?!"

Liu Lian was the first to exclaim, dramatically digging at his ears, his face full of disbelief.

"I say, Xie Shen, you didn't miscalculate, did you? Not inferior to us? What kind of international joke is that!"

He pointed to himself, then to Fang Yuan.

"In this world, besides the Kunlun Academy's own people, who else can contend with us? Could it be that they also opened an Immortal Cultivation training class, and it's a buy-one-get-one-free kind?"

Liu Lian's tone was full of the pride, or rather arrogance, of a Kunlun Student.

In his opinion, they were the unique extraordinary beings of this era, existing at the pinnacle of the pyramid.

Any mundane organization should be vulnerable before them.

Fang Yuan didn't speak, just looked at Xie Wangsheng, waiting for him to continue.

Xie Wangsheng pushed at his non-existent glasses on the bridge of his nose, a habitual gesture that made him appear even calmer.

"Have you forgotten Sun Fang?"

He only mentioned one name.

Liu Lian's bluster instantly choked.

"That pill-popping idiot?"

"One evil elixir can force an ordinary Cultivator at Qi Refining Fifth Stage to Breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Stage in a few minutes, and possess considerable destructive power."

Xie Wangsheng's words were devoid of any emotion, as if stating an established fact.

"And that was just a defective product for peripheral cannon fodder."

"Think about it, an organization that can research and mass-produce such Medicinal Pills, what kind of strength would their core members, their 'headquarters,' possess?"

The cold facts struck Liu Lian's heart.

He opened his mouth, but found he couldn't refute a single word.

Yes, even cannon fodder could become a mini-BOSS by popping pills, so how strong would the real big BOSS be? Golden Core Stage??

The thought of possibly facing an enemy as abnormal as Lin Xiao or Lu Miaomiao, or even a group of such enemies, made Liu Lian's scalp tingle.

"Then... what do we do now? Just charge in like this?"

Liu Lian's arrogance clearly subsided.

"The safest plan is to wait."

Xie Wangsheng gave his conclusion.

"I have already sent out a summons to all students outside, requesting them to gather in the Demon Capital."

"Once personnel are assembled and a net is cast, we will launch a general attack on the 'Company' headquarters. This is currently the plan with the highest winning rate and minimal casualties in our calculations."

"I agree."

Fang Yuan immediately nodded.

"We cannot cause unnecessary sacrifices due to underestimating the enemy."

"Alright, alright..."

Although Liu Lian was unwilling, he understood this was the most rational choice.

"Then we wait! Once all our brothers arrive, we'll collectively overturn the nest of this damn 'Company'!"

...At the same time.

Dragon Country, Yanbei, Cangzhou.

Inside the Chen Family Martial Arts Hall, the lights were bright.

"Senior Brother! One more! Tell us again about that 'Two Horses Parting Ways' breaking the Flying Sword!"

A Junior Brother, still with a childish face, looked at Chen Pingan, who was sitting in the center, with eyes full of admiration.

Chen Pingan laughed honestly, scratching his head.

"I've told it eight hundred times, what's so good about it?"

Ever since the finals ended and he returned to the Martial Arts Hall, it had become a sea of joy.

Although his father, Chen Sheng, still seemed to dislike him verbally, he would sit in front of the TV on time every day, watching replays of the matches, for an entire afternoon.

Just then, Chen Pingan's phone vibrated in his pocket.

He took it out, and the smile on his face slowly faded, becoming serious.

"Senior Brother, what's wrong?"

The Junior Brother next to him keenly noticed his change.

Chen Pingan stood up and brushed the dust off himself.

"Something came up, I need to go to the Demon Capital."

He didn't explain further, just walked over to his father, who was wiping a red-tasseled spear in the corner.

"Dad, I have to go."

Chen Sheng's movements paused, but he didn't raise his head.

"Where to?"

"Demon Quelling."

Chen Pingan only said two words.

Chen Sheng's wiping motion completely stopped. He slowly raised his head, looked steadily at his son for a few seconds, and finally just grunted "Hmm" through his nose.

"Be careful."

"Got it."

Chen Pingan turned and cupped his fists to all his Junior Brothers.

"Junior Brothers, take care!"

With that, he strode out of the Martial Arts Hall, his figure quickly disappearing into the night.

Inside the Martial Arts Hall, a young Junior Brother couldn't help but ask Chen Sheng.

"Master, Senior Brother he..."

"He has his own Dao to walk."

Chen Sheng picked up a cloth and continued wiping the long spear, which was already gleaming.

"A Dao... that none of us understand, but one that is extraordinary."

At the same time, across the Dragon Country.

Li Qingyuan, who was shopping with her parents, saw her phone screen light up.

Wu Gang, who was chasing a rabbit deep in the old mountains, heard a notification sound from his wristband.

And many other Kunlun Students, either undergoing training or reuniting with their families, all received a message from Xie Wangsheng at this moment.

# Demon Quelling Operation, coordinates Demon Capital, requesting support #

There was no excessive hesitation, no trace of doubt.

Figures set off from all over the country, with only one destination—the Demon Capital.

A large-scale encirclement net targeting the evil Cultivator organization was quietly being cast... Xiang City.

In a dark and damp basement, a strong smell of blood and despair permeated the air.

A middle-aged man knelt on the ground, trembling like a sieve, kowtowing to the girl in front of him, tears and snot streaming down his face.

"Qiqi! Young Miss Zhang! I was wrong! I was truly wrong!"

"Please, for the sake of our past acquaintance, spare my dog's life! I'll never dare again!"

Zhang Qiqi looked at him expressionlessly.

She wore a clean white dress, which seemed out of place in this filthy environment.

The man couldn't understand.

Just a few months ago, this was just an ordinary rich Young Miss, kept in her deep boudoir, not even daring to speak loudly.

How did she now become an Cultivator who controlled his life and death?

The water droplet suspended at her fingertip, constantly changing form, emitted a terrifying aura that made his Soul tremble.

"Spare you?"

Zhang Qiqi finally spoke, her voice clear, yet devoid of any emotion.

"I remember, when you laid hands on my uncle, he seemed to have begged you too, right?"

The man's body stiffened, the color draining from his face instantly.

"You... how do you know..."

"How do I know?"

Zhang Qiqi smiled lightly, a smile both innocent and cruel.

"Did you think you did it cleanly?"

"A mere Qi Refining Fifth Stage trash, daring to cast a curse on someone from my Zhang family, who gave you the guts?"

Upon her return this time, it only took her one day, using her father's influence and her current methods, to thoroughly investigate the curse case from back then.

The result made her feel both ridiculous and terrified.

The mastermind was this very swindler, whom some local small bosses revered as a "Great Master."

Simply because her father's business in Xiang City had encroached on his territory, he used a vicious curse, almost shattering the entire Zhang family.

Supernatural power, to ordinary Mortals, was a dimensionality reduction strike.

Completely irresistible.

At this moment, Zhang Qiqi suddenly understood the caution of Dean Li Heng.

If Immortal Cultivation were spread without restraint, what kind of dog-eat-dog purgatory would this world become?

Who would make the rules?

Who would protect Mortals?

The man was still desperately kowtowing for mercy, his head thudding against the concrete floor.

Zhang Qiqi withdrew her thoughts.

Thinking about these things was still too far off.

For now, it was time for revenge.

She raised her hand.

"In your next life, be a good person."

As her words fell, a slender stream of water shot out from her fingertip, silently slicing through the air, instantly coiling around the man's neck.

The man's pleas for mercy ceased abruptly. He widened his eyes in terror, his hands desperately clutching his own throat, yet grasping nothing.

A few seconds later, he fell straight down, lifeless.

Zhang Qiqi withdrew her hand, not even glancing at the corpse on the ground.

Just then, her phone rang.

It was a message from Xie Wangsheng.

Looking at the four characters "Demon Quelling Operation" on the screen, Zhang Qiqi's eyes sharpened again.

She temporarily suppressed those thoughts about the future.

Protect Mortals?

Then let's start by cleaning up the trash hidden in these dark corners.

She turned and walked out of the basement, dialing her father's number.

"Dad, the matter is resolved."

"I need to go to the Demon Capital now."

"Yes, to quell demons."