98: My Lord...exploded?

South Province, Tianhong Group headquarters.

Inside the top-floor conference room, the atmosphere was oppressive.

Dozens of company executives in suits sat stiffly, even their breathing was cautious.

At the head of the table, Zhang Tianwang’s face was ashen as he listened to the financial director’s quarterly report, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the expensive mahogany tabletop.

"...In summary, the net profit for the third quarter decreased by three percentage points quarter-on-quarter, mainly due to the overseas market's..."

Just then, an abrupt phone ringtone broke the silence of the conference room.

Everyone’s movements froze, and they all looked in unison at the source of the sound—the chairman’s personal phone.

A vice president who had followed Zhang Tianwang for many years subconsciously frowned, about to remind him that this was the highest-level board meeting and should not be disturbed.

But before he could utter a single word, he saw Zhang Tianwang’s actions.

Zhang Tianwang picked up his phone, and with just one glance at the caller ID on the screen, his entire aura instantly changed.

It was a complex mix of reverence, excitement, and even a hint of fawning.

He almost sprang to his feet, respectfully pressed the answer button on his phone, and even bowed slightly, as if the person on the other end could see him.

"Hello? Great Master Li!"

This address stunned all the executives in the room.

Great Master Li? Which Great Master Li could make a chairman worth hundreds of billions so flustered?

On the other end of the phone, Li Heng’s calm voice came through.

"Boss Zhang, it's me."

"There's something I need your help with."

Zhang Tianwang’s face was flushed with excitement.

"You name it! You name it! As long as I, Zhang Tianwang, can do it, I'll go through hell and high water without a second thought!"

"I need to build a pagoda in the Academy."

"A pagoda?" Zhang Tianwang was momentarily stunned.

"Yes, a Demon-Locking Pagoda. As the name suggests, it's used to imprison demons, so the Materials must be sufficient, the structure stable, the area large, and the Formation... I'll engrave the Formation, you're responsible for building the pagoda for me."

"No problem!" Zhang Tianwang agreed without hesitation, "Let alone one, ten or eight won't be a problem! What kind do you want? How tall? I'll immediately have the best designers in the world draw up blueprints!"

"I'll draw the blueprints, you're just responsible for the construction. Money is not an issue, go by market price."

"Oh! Look at you!" Zhang Tianwang bowed even lower, "To be able to work for you is a blessing I, Zhang Tianwang, have cultivated over three lifetimes! Talking about money hurts feelings! Rest assured, I will personally oversee this matter and guarantee it will be handled perfectly for you!"

The two spoke a few more simple sentences, then Li Heng hung up the phone.

Zhang Tianwang put down his phone, satisfied, and before the smile on his face had faded, he saw all the executives in the conference room looking at him with a strange expression.

Financial director Old Liu coughed, and bravely spoke up.

"Chairman, last time... last time we invested ten billion in building that Academy on Kunlun Mountain, and after final accounting, we barely broke even."

He paused, then carefully added.

"This time we're building a pagoda again, and in such a remote mountain area, transportation costs and labor costs will be exorbitant. I'm afraid... I'm afraid we'll incur a loss."

Another vice president echoed.

"Yes, Chairman, we are a public company and must be responsible to all shareholders. The board will likely find it very difficult to approve such a guaranteed loss-making venture."

The smile on Zhang Tianwang's face slowly receded.

He sat back in his chair, picked up his teacup, gently blew on the hot Qi, then slowly and deliberately took a sip.

The temperature in the conference room suddenly dropped.

"Loss?"

Zhang Tianwang placed the teacup heavily on the table with a dull thud.

He scanned his subordinates, who were as silent as cicadas in winter, and said, word by word.

"Is there anything else in your minds besides money?"

"Do you know who just called me?"

"That was an Immortal!"

"A living Immortal!"

"You're talking about losses to me when doing something for an Immortal? Talking about being responsible to shareholders?"

Zhang Tianwang grew more agitated as he spoke, slammed his hand on the table, stood up abruptly, and pointed at the noses of the executives.

"I'm telling you! This is not business! This is a heaven-sent Opportunity! It's Karma! Do you understand? Karma!"

"What does 'being responsible to shareholders' mean? Allowing Tianhong Group to follow behind an Immortal and get a sip of soup, that is my greatest responsibility to the shareholders!"

He took a breath, adjusted his tie, and said in a tone of exasperation.

"Vision! Perspective! Expand them for me! Don't stare at those paltry gains all day long!"

"Immediately! Right now! Organize the best engineering team for me! Contact the best Materials suppliers! Tomorrow morning, I will personally lead the team to Kunlun Mountain!"

"Anyone who dares to mention the word 'money' to me again can pack their bags and get out!"

The entire conference room was silent... At the same time, Kunlun Cultivation Academy.

On the Martial Arts Training Ground, Li Heng was playing with the constantly struggling and twisting black Qi in his palm, which was Tian Yu Zhong Main God's Clone.

"Alright, no one's disturbing us now."

Li Heng spoke, his tone as calm as if he were asking for directions.

"Let's talk, tell me everything you know."

"For example, where are the Ancient Great Demons you mentioned hiding? When will they come out? What is your plan?"

The black Qi surged violently, emitting a sharp mental roar.

"Foolish Mortals! Do you think you've won just because you've captured a wisp of my Divine Thought?"

"Just wait! The day the gods return will be the doomsday for you blood sacrifices! Everything you are doing now is meaningless!"

"This land, along with all the people on it, will be completely devoured by us!"

Li Heng picked his ear.

"It's always the same few lines, no novelty."

He lost patience.

"It seems, if I don't give you a lesson, you won't be honest."

With that, he brought his fingers together like a sword, a wisp of golden spiritual Qi swirling around his fingertip, and gently pointed at the black Qi.

"Ah—!"

A shrill scream came from the black Qi, and its entire phantom became somewhat fainter.

"I'll ask again, will you speak, or not?" Li Heng asked.

"You wish!"

Although the black Qi was weak, it remained stubborn. "This is just a Clone! Even if you completely obliterate me, it won't harm my true body in the slightest! When my true body descends, I will surely tear you to shreds!"

"Is that so?"

Li Heng said no more.

He formed hand seals, and countless golden runes appeared out of thin air, transforming into chains that wrapped around the black Qi layer by layer, finally compressing it into a bead as black as ink.

"Since you like being a tough guy so much, then I'll satisfy you."

Li Heng held the bead in his palm.

"Starting tomorrow, you will be the Academy's chief sparring partner, so enjoy the students' enthusiasm."

With that, he ignored the roars from within the bead and turned to leave... A thousand miles away, Japan.

Inside an ancient shrine hidden deep in the mountains.

The Onmyoji Tengchuan Chong sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, his face as pale as paper, the ingested placenta slowly restoring his depleted energy.

Just then, the three-meter-tall statue of Tian Yu Zhong Main God in front of him began to tremble violently without warning.

"Hm?"

Tengchuan Chong suddenly opened his eyes.

He saw fine cracks appearing on the surface of the statue, rapidly spreading at a visible speed.

An ominous premonition enveloped his heart.

"My Lord... what's happening?"

His words had not yet finished.

"Boom—!"

A deafening sound.

The statue he had worshipped for decades exploded into a shower of shattered stone in an instant!

The powerful shockwave sent him flying, slamming him heavily against the wall behind him.

Inside the shrine, smoke and dust filled the air.

Tengchuan Chong ignored the blood gushing from his mouth. He struggled to get up, staring in disbelief at the wreckage before him.

The statue was gone.

That vast and powerful Divine Power, connected to his mind, had also vanished without a trace.

As if it had never existed.

He staggered to the ruins, picked up a broken fragment of the statue, and stood there, completely stunned.

He mumbled to himself, his voice distorted by extreme fear and shock.

"My Lord..."

"Exploded?"