52: Chapter 52 The Abyss's "Wedding Procession" and the Central Plains' "Cross-Province" Arrest

Morning at the Heavenly River Sword Sect had never been so orderly.

Or rather, orderly to a hair-raising degree.

"Step frequency! Watch your step frequency!"

Sima Xing, the "Discipline Inspection Director" who had been in office for less than twelve hours, stood on the high platform of the square like an iron-cast statue with his hands behind his back.

The red armband on his left arm was even more eye-catching than the rising sun.

He had rolled the "Employee Handbook" into a tube, and it whistled through the air as he waved it.

"Article 5 of the 'Sect Morning Exercise Regulations': legs must be raised at ninety degrees! You call that a leg raise? That's eighty-five degrees at most! Do it again twenty times!"

The one being called out was the Grand Elder of the Heavenly River Sword Sect.

This Nascent Soul Cultivator, who usually possessed an immortal-like air, was now sweating at the temples and quickly kicked his leg above his head, his posture as standard as a textbook.

"Yes! Director! I'll correct it immediately!"

Nearby, several Shadow Sect assassins responsible for wiping the solar panels even lightened their breathing.

The rags in their hands moved so fast they were almost a blur, fearing that a single fingerprint on the glass would be caught by this Former Inspector of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion.

"That's more like it."

Former Inspector of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion nodded slightly, a sense of unprecedented satisfaction surging in his heart.

At first, he was indeed forced.

But after a whole night of studying the "Heavenly Dao Loophole Repair Guide," the door to a new world had swung wide open before him.

He discovered that maintaining rules here was ten thousand times more satisfying than using a Sky-Patrol Token to catch people in the Central Continent!

Because the rules here were visible and tangible, even... usable for bashing people!

However, this eerie tranquility did not last long.

Rumble—!!!

The sky split open.

This time, it split left and right, like a gateway leading to two extreme worlds.

On the left side of the Heavenly River Sword Sect's sky, pitch-black Abyssal Qi poured out like a dam-breaking waterfall, instantly staining half the sky a desperate dead gray.

On the right side, a dazzling golden light accompanied by grand immortal music forced its way through the clouds, as countless golden-armored divine generals in full armor lined up in the sky, radiating majestic Divine Might.

On one side was the Abyssal Hell.

On the other side was the Nine Heavens immortal realm.

And the Heavenly River Sword Sect, sandwiched in the middle, looked very much like a sandwich cookie about to be crushed.

"That's... an Abyss Passage!"

Gu Canghai's hand shook, and the "Basics of Electrical Engineering" he had just received almost fell to the ground.

"And... the World-Breaking Flying Boat of the Central Continent Immortal Alliance!"

"Quite efficient."

Former Inspector of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion narrowed his eyes, silently tightening his grip on the "Employee Handbook."

From the golden light on the right, he felt an incredibly familiar aura—it was his old employer, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion Enforcement Hall.

The black mist on the left was the first to move.

"Roar—!!!"

After a roar that shook the clouds, the expected scene of monsters swarming the city did not appear.

Instead, from the rolling black mist, a... bridal sedan chair constructed from countless pale bones and squirming flesh slowly emerged?

Surrounding that eerie bridal sedan were thousands of Abyssal Lords of various forms.

Even more bizarre was that these monsters, who usually only knew slaughter and destruction, were now each wearing extremely ill-fitting black tailcoats.

Some wore them backward, while others had their muscles bursting through the fabric.

They held various musical instruments—trumpets made of white bone, small drums made of human skin.

"Dong dong qiang! Dong dong qiang!"

A tune that sounded like a soul-summoning ritual from the underworld was forced into a somewhat "festive" vibe by them.

A three-headed Great Duke of the Abyss walked to the front of the sedan chair, cleared its throats (all three heads coughing together), and used a newly learned, poorly pronounced human language to shout with all its might toward the Scripture Pavilion:

"Wel...come... Father God... home!"

"The car... is ready! Please... get... on... the road!"

After shouting, it winked at the demon lackey next to it, as if asking, "How was my performance just now?"

The entire field was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The Disciples of the Heavenly River Sword Sect had their mouths open wide enough to fit an egg.

Father God?

Home?

Get on the road?

They all looked toward the figure leisurely sipping tea on the second floor.

"Don't look at me."

Li Mo calmly set down his teacup.

"I've just read a few more forbidden books from the Abyss, so it's inevitable that I've picked up a bit of 'scholarly air'."

"These uncultured fellows probably took me for the original Author of those books."

Before everyone could digest this explanation filled with too many points to criticize, the golden light on the right also completely exploded.

"Bold Prodigy! How dare you snatch people here in broad daylight!"

A thousand-foot-long golden warship broke through the sea of clouds, and standing proudly at the bow was a majestic old man with white hair and beard, holding a golden whip.

The Chief of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion Enforcement Hall—Lei Wanjun.

He first cast a disgusted glance at the "wedding procession" on the left, then his gaze, like lightning, locked onto Former Inspector of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion below and Li Mo on the second floor of the Scripture Pavilion.

"Sima Xing! As a Heavenly Dao Inspector, you dare to betray the Immortal Alliance and associate with Demonic Path villains!"

"And that so-called 'Administrator'! Today, I shall arrest both of you and take you back to the Central Continent for execution!"

Lei Wanjun's voice was like rolling thunder. With a wave of his golden whip, thousands of lightning bolts instantly wove into a net, turning into a massive lightning cage that descended upon them.

The three-headed Great Duke of the Abyss on the left wasn't having it.

Its three heads turned toward Lei Wanjun simultaneously, six eyes shooting out literal flames of fury.

"Snatch... Father God?"

"Un...for...giv...able!"

"Boys! Rip off these damn clothes! Grab your gear! Kill those glowing flies!"

"Roar!!!"

The Abyssal monsters, who were just playing music, instantly shredded their tailcoats, revealing hideous claws, fangs, and terrifying true forms.

The bone bridal sedan chair even transformed on the spot into a massive skeletal fortress, with countless pitch-black tentacles shooting out toward the golden warship!

"Boom!"

"Bang!"

The two top-tier powers started fighting right over the roof of the Heavenly River Sword Sect without even saying hello!

Abyssal Devilish Qi and Central Continent immortal energy clashed violently. The shockwaves from the explosions shook the newly repaired "Phantom Brand Streetlights" on the square, making the lights flicker.

The Disciples of the Heavenly River Sword Sect were completely reduced to spectators.

They were all huddled inside the Scripture Pavilion's defensive barrier, each holding a handful of melon seeds (just distributed by Li Mo), watching with great interest.

"These special effects are even better than the trailer for 'Xianxia World OL'!"

"Go, three-headed bro on the left! Charge up and bite that old man's butt!"

"The right side isn't doing so well; the formation is too scattered. It's clear they haven't studied 'Geometric Killing Arrays.' I suggest they go back and retake the course."

Second-floor balcony.

Li Mo looked at the chaotic battlefield overhead and shook his head with dissatisfaction.

"What is this?"

"I'm opening a shop in the middle, and you guys are having a gang fight at my front door?"

"It really affects business, you know."

He turned his gaze to Former Inspector of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion beside him.

"Director Sima, as this Sect's discipline inspector, aren't you going to do something about this 'gathering for a brawl and damaging public property'?"

Former Inspector of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion puffed out his chest and straightened the red armband that was more important than his life.

He looked up at his former superior in the sky, then at the monsters who wanted to take him back as a sacrifice.

Since he was already on this pirate ship...

No, since he had already honorably joined the Tianhe Group, there was no turning back.

"I understand."

The next moment, Former Inspector of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion took a step forward, his body like a sword, charging directly out of the Scripture Pavilion's protection and standing proudly in the center of the two battlefields.

"Everyone, stop!!!"

This roar actually carried a hint of inexplicable "rule" power, forcefully drowning out the thunder and the roars of the monsters.

The movements of Lei Wanjun and the Great Duke of the Abyss froze simultaneously.

"Sima Xing! You dare to show your face!" Lei Wanjun was furious. "Surrender now!"

"Chief Lei, please watch your wording."

Former Inspector of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion had a cold expression as he unhurriedly pulled out a brand-new, gold-embossed book titled "Public Security Administration Punishment Law (Tianhe Special Edition)."

At the same time, a fountain pen named "The Enforcer," personally bestowed by Li Mo, appeared in his hand.

"This is the legal jurisdiction of the Heavenly River Sword Sect, not your Central Continent, let alone the Abyss."

"According to Article 1 of the 'Southern Wilderness Airspace Management Regulations': any large-scale armed force is strictly prohibited from entering without permission."

"And Article 2: it is forbidden to dump energy waste anywhere in the airspace above another's Sect."

He pointed at the falling Spell residues.

Lei Wanjun was so angry at these words he almost fainted. "Have you gone mad? You're using a crappy book to talk sense to me?"

"Crappy book?"

A cold curve appeared at the corner of Former Inspector of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's mouth.

He suddenly flipped open the code of law, and the "Enforcer" pen in his hand quickly drew a rune in the air.

"Permission Request—[Forbidden Air Domain]!"

Hum—

On the second floor of the Scripture Pavilion, Li Mo cooperatively snapped his fingers.

An invisible wave of rules instantly enveloped the entire sky.

The next second.

Whether it was the glittering golden warship or the high-flying Abyssal monsters, they all suddenly felt their wings, engines, anti-gravity runes... collectively fail.

An ancient force called "universal gravitation" reclaimed its dominance over them.

"Ah—!!!"

Accompanied by countless terrified screams, a rain of "dumplings" made of immortals and demons fell from the sky.

Thousands of golden-armored heavenly soldiers and Abyssal monsters crashed down one after another.

Coincidentally, most of them accurately smashed into the glittering "Solar Power Generation Area" of the Nether Valley.

"Ouch! My back!" Lei Wanjun fell face-first, his golden whip flying far away.

"Roar... it hurts..." The three heads of the Great Duke of the Abyss bumped into each other, seeing stars.

They hadn't even struggled to get up yet.

Suddenly, with a "whoosh," hundreds of burly men with bare chests, holding mops and high-pressure water guns, swarmed them.

It was the group of "reform-through-labor convicts" from the Shadow Sect.

"Work's here! Brothers, work's here!"

Canying excitedly waved his rag, his eyes shining.

"Don't move! Anyone who breaks a reflective panel won't be able to pay for it even if we sell you!"

"Surround them! Surround them all! These are all criminals caught in the act of damaging Sect property!"

Lei Wanjun wanted to use his immortal power to resist, but he found that the intense light reflected by the mirrors actually caused the spiritual power in his body to become chaotic, leaving him unable to muster any strength.

"This... what kind of ghostly place is this?!"

Lei Wanjun completely broke down.

He had brought the most elite Disciples of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's Enforcement Hall! How could they be surrounded by a group of assassins with cleaning tools as soon as they landed?

At this moment, a leisurely voice echoed through the square via an amplification array.

"Ahem, friends from afar, good afternoon. Welcome to the Heavenly River Sword Sect."

Li Mo's voice carried a kind of friendliness and cordiality unique to unscrupulous merchants.

"In view of your illegal intrusion and destructive behavior just now, this Sect has decided to implement a 'temporary detention' on all of you according to the law."

"Of course, our Tianhe Sect has always convinced people with virtue and reason."

"Now, there are two paths before you."

"First, since you've all fallen, why not join our 'Glorious Labor Family'? It just so happens that the second phase of the Photovoltaic Power Project is short of people to move bricks. You've come at just the right time."

"Second..."

Li Mo's voice trailed off.

"Let's play a fair, just, and open little game."

"The name of the game is 'Live Auction'."

"There are two items in this auction: one is myself (the Father God the Abyss dreams of), and the other is Former Inspector of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion (the traitor the Central Continent is determined to capture)."

"Sold to the highest bidder."

"However..."

Li Mo's gaze swept over the completely bewildered immortals and monsters below, the smile on his lips growing thicker.

"Looking at you all, you probably didn't bring any money (the Spirit Stones were all shattered during the fall)."

"It doesn't matter. You can use the 'Rule Fragments,' 'Cultivation Secret Manuals,' and even 'body parts' on you to pay off the debt."

"So now, I announce..."

"The bidding begins."

"Which friend would like to make an offer first?"

The entire field was dead silent.

Lei Wanjun looked at the young man sitting on the second floor like a demon god controlling everything, then at Former Inspector of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion beside him holding the code of law and watching like a hawk, and finally at the circle of Shadow Sect assassins with rags and green-tinted eyes.

An incredibly absurd and terrifying thought rose in his mind.

Today, everyone they brought...

Might not be able to go back.

Where was this some remote Sect?

This was clearly a black-hearted shop opened in the Cultivation World that ate people without spitting out the bones!