111: God-making project

(Due to **four deleted chapters, see V~B for details)

Suddenly, the expression on his face froze, and the light in his eyes instantly sharpened.

Like a bolt of lightning, he swiftly sidestepped and flew away from his original position.

At the same time, the White Lotus Cult Master stood steadily in mid-air.

With eyebrows furrowed in anger, he shouted into the empty air, "Who exactly is hiding here?" His raspy voice echoed around.

"Sneaky scoundrel, show yourself to this Cult Master at once!" the White Lotus Cult Master barked again, his gaze as sharp as a blade, as if trying to force the hidden person to reveal their true form.

A slightly surprised voice came from the air: "Oh? I didn't expect to be discovered by you so quickly."

Then, a deep and magnetic voice rang out: "Hahaha, mortal, your cultivation is quite impressive."

The speaker was none other than Hei Jing, his words revealing a hint of admiration for the White Lotus Cult Master's strength.

As he spoke, a mass of roiling black mist suddenly surged out of thin air where there had been nothing.

The black mist seemed alive, constantly squirming and churning. Within it, thousands of tall Yin Soldiers were faintly visible.

They were tightly encased in dark gold armor from head to toe, leaving only a pair of eyes flashing with a cold light, striking fear into anyone who saw them.

When the leader, Hei Jing, suddenly appeared before them, the members of the White Lotus Sect were all startled and stopped their ongoing sacrificial ritual.

For a moment, the scene fell into a dead silence, the atmosphere tense to the extreme.

"Cult Master, be careful! This is an Underworld Ghost Emissary!" Seeing this, Qin Canghai's face changed drastically, and he hurriedly stepped forward to shield the White Lotus Cult Master behind him.

He knew well the power of the Underworld Ghost Emissaries. If they had already learned of the White Lotus Sect's God Creation Project, they would surely do whatever it took to completely eradicate the sect today.

Facing Qin Canghai's well-meaning gesture, the White Lotus Cult Master waved him off and said slowly, "Step back. With your cultivation, you can't possibly stop them."

Although the White Lotus Cult Master's tone was calm, it carried an unquestionable authority.

Qin Canghai caught a glimpse of the Cult Master out of the corner of his eye and then retreated instantly as if he had been burned.

In fact, at that moment, he had only been thinking of showing off his capabilities in front of the Cult Master.

If he really had to face the terrifying Ghost Emissaries head-on and fight to the end, he would probably choose to play dead or wave a white flag in surrender without hesitation!

The White Lotus Cult Master said secretly via sound transmission, "Escape this place immediately and retreat toward the secret passage. Order all the followers to charge forward and buy us time!"

Qin Canghai quickly replied, "Understood!"

Hei Jing frowned slightly and snorted, "Hmph, don't think you can get away with these little tricks."

"In the presence of this Yin God, any schemes or plots are in vain!"

As Hei Jing finished speaking, a powerful aura, like a mountain-toppling wave, suddenly erupted from him and pressed down heavily on the White Lotus Sect followers like an immense mountain.

In an instant, everyone's expression turned extremely grim. They could clearly feel that the terrifying pressure emitted by this Yin God definitely belonged to a Rank 4 peak expert.

Under such horrifying pressure, the lower-cultivation followers of the White Lotus Sect were unable to bear it.

Their legs went weak one by one, and they fell to their knees with a thud, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

Qin Canghai suddenly raised his arms and shouted, "Devout believers, today is the crucial moment for us to heroically sacrifice ourselves for the White Lotus Sect!"

"For the great Cult Master! For the sacred White Lotus Sect! For the supreme Him..."

As Qin Canghai's impassioned shouting rang out, a flash of determination crossed the eyes of many cult disciples.

They all unleashed their various spells with full force and charged recklessly toward Hei Jing and the others.

For a time, multicolored lights intertwined and flashed in the air, like a brilliant yet perilous firework display.

The corners of Hei Jing's mouth curled up in a disdainful smile.

With a gentle flick of the iron chain in his hand, a black whirlwind whistled out, instantly sweeping away the White Lotus followers charging at the front.

"Where are the Yin Soldiers?"

Hei Jing held his general's token high with both hands, his voice echoing through the sky.

"Here!" The response was deafening, as if it could pierce the clouds.

"Form ranks immediately! Today, we must pull these cultist remnants out by the roots! Leave none alive!"

Hei Jing's words were filled with a murderous aura.

"At your command!"

The Yin Soldiers responded in unison, their voices perfectly synchronized, revealing an unstoppable momentum.

The White Lotus Cult Master's face turned pale and then green. The current situation was unfavorable, but how could he bear to see his meticulously planned God Creation Project fail like this?

Clenching his teeth, he barked, "All believers, heed my command! Take out the White Lotus Holy Water and drink your fill today!"

"Thank you, Cult Master!" many fanatics responded, their eyes flashing with fervor.

However, the White Lotus Cult Master was still uneasy. After all, the opponents were the Underworld's Yin Soldiers, while his side consisted of ordinary followers overdrawing their life force with the White Lotus Holy Water.

Despite this, he was still unwilling to give up easily.

Rank 3 Yin Soldiers and the fanatics with overdrawn life force should be roughly equal in strength.

It was still unknown who would emerge victorious in this battle.

[No, no. As the saying goes, a wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall. The situation is critical; it's better to lead the cult's higher-ups to take cover for now.]

Thoughts raced through the White Lotus Cult Master's mind as he considered how to respond.

[But... what if the Underworld gets angry and sends even more powerful forces to hunt us down after we flee?]

Thinking of this, the White Lotus Cult Master couldn't help but hesitate.

After all, he really had no idea of the Underworld's true strength.

[Forget it. Of the thirty-six stratagems, fleeing is the best. At worst, I'll go to Country R to live a carefree life like an immortal.]

Having decided, the White Lotus Cult Master pushed aside the iron door behind the altar and led a group of high-ranking members away while the fanatics and the Underworld Yin Soldiers were locked in a fierce battle.

Like a wily rabbit, he quickly slipped into the secret passage, preparing to flee to an airfield outside the valley where several planes were hidden.

Qin Canghai wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead and said flatteringly, "The Cult Master is truly wise and brilliant, always one step ahead. Those Underworld fellows would never imagine we'd flee to Country R by plane."

The White Lotus Cult Master's lips curled slightly into a half-smile. "Stop talking nonsense and move fast."

"Yes, yes, yes!"