54: Chapter 54 Settling accounts? I'll start the feast right away!

The night was as deep as water.

Outside Nanyan Prefecture City.

A ruined temple.

It was exceptionally eerie.

On the dilapidated altar, ghostly green fire burned, stretching the shadows of the surrounding ruins like a wild dance of demons.

City Lord Ling Xiaotian stood alone before the altar with a solemn expression. His powerful aura, belonging to the Fifth Level of the Danyuan Realm, seemed somewhat insignificant in this gloomy environment.

"Lord Messenger, Ling has urgent matters to discuss!"

As his voice fell, the ground in the center of the altar suddenly cracked open. A figure draped in a blood-colored cloak and shrouded in shadows rose up silently like a phantom.

The aura radiating from him was cold and obscure, as if he were not a living person but a walking corpse.

"City Lord Ling, what is the purpose of your late-night visit? Have you forgotten our agreement?"

The Blood-Robed Envoy's voice was as raspy as two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together, filled with displeasure.

"Agreement?"

Ling Xiaotian snorted coldly, his face full of fury. "Your Moon-Worshipping Cult has quite the methods! Something went wrong with the 'Sacred Object' inside my daughter's body. The Restriction you planted cannot suppress that backlash force at all! She is now in critical danger!"

"Oh? Is that so?"

Upon hearing this, the Blood-Robed Envoy was not at all surprised; instead, he let out a spine-chilling low chuckle.

"Jie jie jie... You can't blame us for this. It was your daughter herself who insisted on provoking that Jinx from the Demon Suppression Division. That kid's Saber Intent is overbearing and matchless; even Old Demon Black Wind's half-step Danyuan demonic body was slain with a single strike. How could a bit of Evil Qi Poison that invaded your daughter's body be resolved by ordinary means?"

"You!"

Ling Xiaotian trembled with rage but was left speechless.

"City Lord Ling, at this point, there's no need for us to keep hiding things from each other."

The Blood-Robed Envoy said unhurriedly, "There is only one way to save your daughter's situation. That is to let her and the 'Sacred Object' undergo complete Fusion!"

"Impossible!"

Ling Xiaotian refused flatly. "Once the Fusion is complete, she will no longer be my daughter, but an emotionless monster created by your Moon-Worshipping Cult!"

"So what?"

The Blood-Robed Envoy's voice suddenly turned cold. "Ling Xiaotian, don't forget that it was you who took the initiative to find us and seek cooperation! It was you who, in order to consolidate your position and eliminate dissenters, personally planted the seed of that 'Sacred Object' into your daughter's body!"

"It was you who, step by step, nurtured her into the most perfect and lethal pawn in this chess game!"

"Now that the game has reached the final step, do you want to back out?"

These words were like a thunderclap, revealing a shocking secret hidden in the deepest depths of Nanyan Prefecture!

It turned out that the mastermind behind all this was not Miss Ling Yueer, but her father, this seemingly righteous City Lord of Nanyan Prefecture, Ling Xiaotian!

For the sake of power, he did not hesitate to treat his own biological daughter as a bargaining chip in a deal with a demonic cult, nurturing her into a monster!

A flash of pain and struggle crossed Ling Xiaotian's face, but it was quickly replaced by endless ambition and ruthlessness.

"I need time!"

"There is no time!"

The Blood-Robed Envoy coldly interrupted him. "Lin Feng's growth rate far exceeds our expectations! He has now become the biggest variable! We must strangle him before he fully grows! And your daughter is our strongest trump card against him!"

"At the hour of the Rat tonight, when the lunar essence is at its peak, it will also be the best time for the Sacred Object to undergo complete Awakening! We will send two Protectors to personally guard your daughter and assist her in completing the final Fusion. What you need to do is mobilize all the forces of your City Lord's Manor to firmly pin those small fry from the Demon Suppression Division within the city!"

"As long as the Fusion is successful, your daughter will possess terrifying strength comparable to the Late Stage of the Danyuan Realm! At that time, let alone one Lin Feng, even if the Supervisor of the Demon Suppression Division arrives in person, there will only be a path to death!"

"Once we control the entire Nanyan Prefecture, you will be the sole king of this land! And your daughter will become the most noble Saintess of our Moon-Worshipping Cult!"

These words, full of temptation, caused the last trace of hesitation in Ling Xiaotian's eyes to completely vanish.

He took a deep breath and said in a heavy voice, "Fine! We will do as you say!"

However, at the very moment his voice fell.

"Do as he says? I think none of you should expect to do anything today."

A calm voice with a hint of playfulness rang out behind the two of them like a phantom.

"Who?!"

Ling Xiaotian and the Blood-Robed Envoy were both startled and whipped their heads around.

They saw a slender figure standing quietly on a broken wall not far away, though they hadn't noticed when he arrived.

He was dressed in black, holding a ferocious crimson-black warblade. The moonlight spilled over him, stretching his shadow very, very long.

It was Lin Feng!

"You... How could you be here?!"

Ling Xiaotian saw clearly who it was and felt his soul leave his body. He never dreamed that the enemy he feared most would appear before him in such a manner!

"Me?"

Lin Feng smiled. He slowly stepped down from the broken wall, his deep eyes filled with the playfulness of a cat catching a mouse.

"I'm naturally here to... watch the show."

He pointed at Ling Xiaotian, then at the Blood-Robed Envoy.

"A fine show of 'a benevolent father and a filial daughter' and collusion between officials and bandits. To be honest, it's a bit more melodramatic than I imagined."

"Not good! It's a trap!"

The Blood-Robed Envoy reacted extremely quickly. He knew his whereabouts had been exposed and this place was not safe to stay!

Without a second thought, his body flickered, turning into a streak of bloody light as he fled toward the distance!

However, he had barely flown ten feet.

*Buzz—*

Beams of brilliant golden light shot into the sky from all directions without warning, instantly weaving into an enormous golden cage that firmly enveloped the entire Moon-Worshipping Cult ruins!

"Four Symbols Heaven-Locking Formation!"

The Blood-Robed Envoy slammed headfirst into the light barrier. He was burned by the extremely masculine and solar power, making a sizzling sound as he let out a shrill scream.

Immediately afterward, four figures with powerful auras slowly appeared from the east, west, south, and north.

They were the four Bronze Medal Envoys who had been waiting here for a long time: Chu Mengxi, Meng Kuo, Wu Yong, and Liu Qing!

Behind them were dozens of elite Demon Slayers of the True Qi Realm, each holding a Formation Flag and standing ready, surrounding the area so tightly that not even a drop of water could leak through!

"City Lord Ling, it's been a long time. I hope you've been well."

Wu Yong waved his feather fan, looking at Ling Xiaotian, whose face had already turned deathly pale, with a smile.

"You... You actually..."

Looking at this inescapable net of a formation, Ling Xiaotian's heart instantly sank to the bottom.

"Are you surprised?"

Lin Feng walked up to him and looked down at him, his eyes full of mockery.

"You thought you were treating everyone as pawns, unaware that from beginning to end, you were the stupidest prey being watched by the hunter."

"Lin Feng! I'll kill you!"

Ling Xiaotian knew there was no hope for him today and went completely mad. With a roar, his Fifth Level Danyuan Realm power erupted without reservation as he struck a palm toward the crown of Lin Feng's head!

However, as fast as he was, someone was faster!

"Your opponent is me!"

A gentle yet majestic voice rang out. The Silver-Rank Supervisor appeared in front of Ling Xiaotian at some point, nonchalantly extending a single finger to tap the center of Ling Xiaotian's palm.

*Bang!*

Ling Xiaotian's palm strike, which was powerful enough to shatter mountains, was like a clay ox entering the sea, instantly vanishing into nothingness.

He was struck as if by lightning, stumbling back several steps with a look of horror on his face.

"Do it!"

With the Supervisor's command, Meng Kuo and the others, who could no longer restrain themselves, pounced like tigers descending a mountain toward those Moon-Worshipping Cult evil-doers trapped in the array!

An ambush with an already decided outcome erupted instantly!

Meanwhile, Lin Feng locked his gaze onto the two Blood-Robed Protectors with the strongest auras who had just risen from underground in the center of the altar.

A bloodthirsty smile curled onto the corners of his mouth.

"Let the feast begin."