312: It completely shattered everyone's carefully constructed persona.

For a moment, the entire venue was in shock, falling into a deathly silence.

Everyone, whether human or Demonic Evil.

All were stunned on the spot, as if an invisible giant hand had gripped their throats, making even breathing incredibly difficult.

In the air, the lingering resonance of the thunderous roar remained.

Along with the scorched smell and the stench of dissipating Evil Energy after the Demonic Evils were annihilated.

On the ground, at the edge of the charred crater tens of meters in diameter, purple electric arcs were still "crackling."

Illuminating that figure dressed in casual clothes, pristine and untainted by dust.

He stood there with a calm expression.

As if the terrifying heavenly lightning that had just torn through the sky and instantly killed dozens of high-level Demonic Evils...

...was merely swatting a swarm of mosquitoes.

Just then, a Spiritual Energy Bureau Agent was the first to react, pointing at Chen Nian and crying out in pleasant surprise:

“My god, it's Special Commissioner Chen! Special Commissioner Chen is here!”

These words immediately broke the deathly silence.

The entire place instantly exploded!

“What? Special Commissioner Chen?! The legendary Special Commissioner Chen?!” Another Spiritual Energy Bureau Agent's eyes widened, his face filled with unbelievable shock.

“Holy crap! It really is Special Commissioner Chen! I was wondering why that blood-red light and overbearing methods felt so familiar! Besides Special Commissioner Chen, who else could possess such Divine Might?!”

“So this is the strength of Special Commissioner Chen?! A single bolt of heavenly lightning wiped out the entire field; he's too strong! Truly too strong!”

The people from the Spiritual Energy Bureau were the first to boil over, with exclamations, praises, and voices incoherent with excitement rising one after another.

Among them, not everyone had seen Chen Nian take action with their own eyes.

Most only knew of the “god of war of donghai's” achievements through internal reports and internet rumors.

But now, witnessing this strike like a god descending to the world...

Everyone was completely won over by his strength!

This was simply not a power that a human could possess!

This was a God of Destruction walking among mortals!

It was the brilliant heavenly majesty protecting the Dragon Country!

Hearing this, the experts from various Schools and Families who had come to support were also startled.

Their faces were filled with disbelief.

They were not direct personnel of the Spiritual Energy Bureau, but mostly external forces called in to help.

Usually, they were responsible for handling supernatural events in specific areas or assisting in defense.

They weren't entirely familiar with the specific figures within the Spiritual Energy Bureau.

But regarding the name “Chen Nian” and the various legends associated with it, they were as well-known as a thunderclap!

One person killing ancient demons, one person wiping out the Evil God Cult, one person flattening an Abyssal Stronghold... even, in the rumors, the Abyssal Evil Gods “Abyssal Devourer” and “Incinerator” had fallen by his hand!

Each of these events, one by one.

Which one wasn't earth-shaking and worthy of being recorded in the history books?

It could be said that Chen Nian was, during this period...

...the most dazzling, mysterious, and powerful existence in the entire spiritual energy world!

He was the idol in the hearts of countless young Cultivators and the legendary figure marveled at by the older generation of powerhouses.

However, before this, they had only heard those exaggerated stories that sounded like fiction.

Many even privately suspected...

...if this was a figure specifically publicized and packaged by the Spiritual Energy Bureau to deter Demonic Evils and boost morale?

After all, those battle achievements were truly too inconceivable, exceeding their understanding of what a “strong person” could be.

Until now, seeing Chen Nian clear out more than half of the ferocious high-level Demonic Evil elites—whom they had struggled against—with a casual bolt of heavenly lightning... they finally realized that it wasn't a story or publicity at all!

It was the truth!

In fact, the Chen Nian in the rumors might not have even shown one-ten-thousandth of his true strength!

“Hiss—!”

Fairy Ling Shuang of the Kunlun Ruins took a sharp breath.

For the first time, intense emotional fluctuations appeared on her cold, snow-like face.

Her beautiful eyes stared intently at Chen Nian, filled with shock, curiosity, and a hint of undetectable fanaticism.

She had been exceptionally talented and proud since childhood; no one among her peers had ever caught her Dharma Eye.

But now, looking at that figure standing proudly amidst the lightning embers...

...feeling that unfathomable aura like a vast sea of stars emanating from him...

...her sword-heart, frozen for many years, actually began to throb violently!

“Is this... Special Commissioner Chen?” Ling Shuang murmured softly, her voice trembling, “So... such a person truly exists in this world... This is a true powerhouse!”

She subconsciously tidied her hair, which wasn't even messy, and straightened her slender waist.

Her cheeks were slightly flushed.

Where was there any hint of her usual icy appearance?

She was the spitting image of a little fangirl who had just met her superstar idol!

Beside her, the chief Disciple of the Shushan Sword Sect, Sword Without Trace, was even more frozen in place.

He had always been proud of his talent in the Dao of the sword, hailed as a rare genius of Shushan in a hundred years, with a cold and aloof personality.

But now, his aloofness had long since vanished.

Replaced by extreme shock and almost fanatical worship!

“One bolt... just one bolt of lightning...”

Sword Without Trace's voice was dry, and his knuckles turned white from gripping the sword hilt so hard.

“I have Cultivated hard for twenty years and considered my Sword Intent to have reached the Transcendent stage.”

“But to unleash a strike of such power, I would need to gather momentum for a long time, and it would be impossible to do it so nonchalantly.”

“Special Commissioner Chen... this is the true Great Dao!”

That burly Body Cultivator from Kunlun was also staring with eyes as wide as copper bells.

His mouth was open wide enough to fit a fist.

He touched his iron-hard chest, then looked at the charred crater on the ground, and after a long while, managed to squeeze out:

“Mother of mine... is this something a human can fucking do?”

“I've been practicing the 'Tyrant Body Art' for fifty years and considered my Physical Body unrivaled.”

“But if I took that bolt of lightning just now, I'd probably be left with nothing but ashes...”

“Special Commissioner Chen is awesome! Too damn awesome!”

Even the old Daoist with white hair and beard, looking like an immortal, had completely lost his usual restraint and composure.

He waved his fly-whisk excitedly, his beard twitching, as he shouted to another old friend beside him:

“Old Daoist Zhang! Did you see that! Did you see that!”

“Heavenly lightning, such powerful heavenly lightning, so condensed, so strong, arriving with just a thought!”

“Dao Ancestor above, I have lived for nearly two hundred years, and only today do I know what 'the Dao follows nature' means, what 'Heavenly Might of Thunder' means!”

“Little Friend Chen... no, Senior Chen! Senior Chen is truly a Divine Being!”

For a time, the top powerhouses of various Schools.

Regardless of age, gender, or background.

All had faces full of fanaticism and worship, with only that figure remaining in their eyes.

They discussed animatedly, marveling incessantly.

Their previous majesty and restraint were completely gone, as if they had instantly turned into teenage boys and girls chasing a star.

They were so excited they couldn't contain themselves.

An icy Fairy turning into a fanatical fangirl, a cold Senior Brother turning into a fanatical fanboy, even a restrained old man becoming like a child... this scene made the Spiritual Energy Bureau people nearby a bit dazed instead.

“Wait... isn't Fairy Ling Shuang usually famous for being cold as frost and unapproachable? Why are her eyes practically dripping with adoration now...” a Spiritual Energy Bureau Agent whispered.

“Senior Brother Sword Without Trace actually said he wants to go into seclusion to comprehend the sword for Special Commissioner Chen? Didn't he claim before that 'only the sword is in my heart, all things can be cut'?” another agent had a strange expression.

“Old Celestial Master... take it easy, don't pull your beard off...” a Spiritual Energy Bureau member responsible for looking after the old Daoist couldn't help but remind him.

The commander of the Spiritual Energy Bureau, watching this scene, couldn't help but have his mouth twitch, thinking to himself:

“Master Chen Nian, the power of your appearance is just too great; you didn't just insta-kill the Demonic Evils.”

“You even shattered the 'personas' of these School experts along with them...”