CHAPTER 235: CHAPTER 223: HEAVEN’S CALAMITY

Late night, outskirts of Rucheng.

Lianxiang Exploration Branch, deep underground.

On the underground office walls, Star Blood Tree blossoms, flesh squirming.

A woman dressed in skintight, slightly shiny black leather jacket and pants, a wide-brimmed black hat covering the small horns on her forehead, the hat’s black veil draping down, concealing her face.

A slender tail gently swaying behind her waist.

With her left hand elegantly on her hip, her right hand plays with a bone handle, gazing toward the map on the wall.

The map marked with key locations in the East China Region like Shuizhou Demon City, West Sea Demon City, Rucheng, and Jinling.

Mrs. Xiyang gently waves, a barbed whip shoots from the bone handle, the whip converges, forming a pointer that aims at Rucheng.

"After Huang Meng Sect settles some people in Jinling, they will infiltrate Rucheng."

"They always like acting without permission, never caring about the Demon Worship Sect’s overall plan."

"For the next operation, no longer unite with Huang Meng Sect."

"Your task, strike everywhere, persistently harass."

"These are means we learned from humans, seemingly ordinary but hugely impactful."

"Disrupting the stability of humanity is the top priority."

"Panic, chaos, vigilance, fright, death, bloodshed... I want these words to become flesh, spreading over Rucheng."

"Those small countries controlled by us are gearing up, let them rush at those big nations, use their lives to tear the human world apart."

"Those low-level vassals, those still watching from the sidelines, further deepen their demonization, it’s their turn to bloom the filth."

"Of course, the most important is the Blood Pearls."

"Only by refining enough Blood Pearls can we invoke the Celestial Calamity and help us reach the Ten Realms!"

"As for the changes in the Ten Realms Youth Battlefield, the Humanoid Alliance doesn’t know, let them be caught off guard by then, and then, commence a massive slaughter..."

"Remember, refining Blood Pearls, invoking a Celestial Calamity, is central to our Demon Worship Sect!"

"The Celestial Calamity Envoy will soon arrive, be prepared."

"Regarding inviting the Foreign God to descend, that’s business for the Great Demon and the Lords, unrelated to us."

"As you command."

The others gradually depart, Shen Jun stays behind, salutes Mrs. Xiyang, then whispers.

"... Magic Bag Flower ... Original Demon’s Blood ... hoping for another trade ... White Lake ..."

After Shen Jun finishes speaking, Mrs. Xiyang replies, "Regarding Original Demon’s Blood, let them forget it. I still can’t confirm whether that transaction was a trap."

Shen Jun quickly says, "Honored Weapon Envoy, my teacher and all high-levels of the Demon Worship Sect assure, they mean no harm, the Celestial Tier Battlefield was an accident. Without the Celestial Tier Battlefield, the trade would have proceeded smoothly. Their civility protection ending, they will be the main force in ovethrowing Blue Star."

"Hmm..."

Zhou Leng stayed home overnight, early the next morning, he sees Zhang Xinglie off.

Back in Ruda, called to the Hall Master’s office by Deng Zhijue.

Zhou Leng stands in front of the desk, across it sits Wang Boxiong reviewing documents.

Deng Zhijue, seated on the sofa beside the desk, says, "Hall Master, this guy Zhou Leng is really lucky, and his key strength is not bad. Right now, the training progress seems kind of unable to keep up with his growth."

"Whether it’s Dwarf Duke or Giant Duke, among the allies, the only ones missing are Demon Spirit World and Tree-man World."

"In case he becomes a Demon Spirit Envoy’s Demon Spirit Envoy, then becomes a Tree-man Elder, it’d be perfect, and humans only provide him this little martial arts resources, it’s quite embarrassing."

"No wait, he might soon become the Ice Snow Divine Sect’s High Priest, only missing a Tree-man Elder."

"Zhou Leng, try harder, go mix in the Dragon Race for a title."

"Worth a try." Zhou Leng joins Deng Zhijue in fanning the flames.

Wang Boxiong snorts coldly, "No organization, no discipline!"

Deng Zhijue chuckles dryly, falling silent.

Wang Boxiong asks, "The salaries of the two Dukes combined, approximately how many Long Guoyuan per month?"

"Estimating from Mountain and River Origin, aside from extra gifts, the actual value of Dwarf and Giant salaries combined is around three million monthly, but the market value can exceed five million. But market value is useless, the items are for personal use."

"Quite a lot." Wang Boxiong nods.

Deng Zhijue says, "Yunhua Jinjing’s first tier, uses official resources, roughly around this level right?"

Wang Boxiong replies, "Today accompany me for an assessment test, with the results, I’ll raise your Eagle Plan application to Flying Eagle Plan."

"The New Qing University fund is coming down soon."

"Additionally, I’ll apply for you to become a ’Blue Star Outstanding Young Talent,’ the approval process is slow, no rush. Once you become ’Lan Qing,’ you’ll have special permissions, able to comprehend all ordinary ’Martial Arts Traces,’ most importantly, you can enter some special cultivation lands, resource areas."

"When your Giant Body is secured, visit Captain Competition Camp, come back for an in-depth camp visit... But before that, don’t expose your Body of Wonders, I’ll find an opportunity to provoke Chen Fenghu and others, betting on a double competition camp reward, plus a ’Demon Slaying Camp’ spot."

Deng Zhijue’s eyes brighten, "Ingenious. Captain Competition Camp’s rewards already far surpass those of Lieutenant Camp, doubling it, full load return. The Demon Slaying Camp quota outside the military is rare, heard only about a dozen a year, major forces compete fiercely. Though extremely dangerous, rewards are lavish."

Wang Boxiong says nothing, he has bigger pits waiting for Chen Shouhu, no, it’s more cooperation.

"What’s the Demon Slaying Camp?" Zhou Leng asks.

Deng Zhijue explains, "Simple, select the best people, then execute some kind of Sea Siren slaying mission, whoever slays the most gets the most rewards. Put it this way, if you slay enough, you can directly request treasures worth upwards of a billion."

"What about the high-level Gravity Cultivation Armor?" Zhou Leng asked.

"No problem!"

"Then I’m in," Zhou Leng said.

Deng Zhijue glanced at Zhou Leng and said, "Indeed, you can rent an ordinary Gravity Cultivation Armor now, but it’s barely effective for the Giant Body. Hall Master, let’s apply for him to rent the Gravity Cultivation Armor first."

"I’ll contact the Adjacent School authorities, after all, Zhou Leng is one of their people."

Wang Boxiong looked at Zhou Leng’s body and said, "Your tempering is still insufficient. Once you adapt to the Giant Body, let Xiaodeng take you around to familiarize yourself with the Demon Worship Sect. It won’t be long before humans and the Demon Worship Sect face off completely."

"Yes!" Zhou Leng stood at attention.

"The ’Martial Guard’ section of your Martial Arts City has been activated; it’s my sub-authority. Don’t use it recklessly, but don’t be afraid to use it either," Wang Boxiong said calmly.

Zhou Leng stood at attention and said loudly, "Thank you, Hall Master."

"I’ve already applied to the Martial Guard Department for the ’Special Promotion Supplement Pills.’ The ’Great Returning Pill,’ ’Tongqiao Pill,’ ’Flesh and Blood Potion,’ and ’True Bone Pill’ you’ll need for ascending the Vitality Stage will be delivered to you within a week. Consolidate well and find time to advance."

"Yes."

Deng Zhijue thought to himself, that’s another five or six million worth of pills, probably again out of the Hall Master’s own pocket.

"You may go."

"Yes."

Zhou Leng turned and left.

Deng Zhijue watched Zhou Leng’s back and sighed inwardly.

With Hall Master Wang Boxiong’s sub-authority, even if Zhou Leng did cause trouble, who would dare investigate?

It wouldn’t be long before Wang Boxiong would be the head of the Martial Guard Bureau in Rucheng.

After Zhou Leng left, Deng Zhijue said, "Hall Master, as long as he advances to the early period of the Vitality Stage, his strength will surely reach the peak of the Vitality Stage. If he misses this year’s Ten Realms Youth Battle, next year, judging by his rate of advancement, he might ascend directly to Innate and never have the chance to participate in the Ten Realms Youth Battle."

Wang Boxiong sighed, "We tried, Chen Fenghu also sought people out. The Ten Realms Youth Battle is the most significant trial and treasure below Innate; there is no equal. You and I cannot offer enough to exchange."

Deng Zhijue said, "What a pity... The battlefield of the Ten Realms Youth Battle is a treasure land where even Stellar Inheritances have surfaced..."

Wang Boxiong said, "The greatest pity is not anything else but the ’Dragon Scale Vermilion Fruit’ produced in the Ten Realms Youth Battle. It is known as the strongest innate Promotion Medicine Fruit. The Martial Guard Department’s investigation has proven that everyone who consumed the Dragon Scale Vermilion Fruit at the Innate stage, except those who died prematurely, advanced to Grandmasters, even those originally without Grandmaster potential."

Deng Zhijue said, "Could the legend about the Dragon Scale Vermilion Fruit be true? It’s said that every Martial Saint consumed the Dragon Scale Vermilion Fruit."

"But it is true that more than half of the Martial Saints have consumed the Dragon Scale Vermilion Fruit. We suspect the Dragon Scale Vermilion Fruit is a high-level medicine fruit that only high-level civilizations possess."

"I wonder if his realm can suppress it..." Deng Zhijue sighed.

Zhou Leng walked to a deserted pavilion, took out his Demonized Watch, logged into the Martial Arts City APP, and activated the "Martial Guard" section.

Downloaded a mass of content.

Once loaded, Zhou Leng recalled Wang Boxiong’s words.

"Don’t use it recklessly, but don’t be afraid to use it."

Zhou Leng felt assured and began searching for information on the Five Tigers of Shuizhou, starting with Tian Wenhua.

Internal Martial Guard files detailed the life of Tian Wenhua.

He was born into an ordinary family in Shuizhou City, with average talent, but through sheer determination, he entered an ordinary Martial Arts Academy.

In university, he pursued the daughter of an Innate Master from a neighboring school, quickly becoming a couple.

His girlfriend had a terrible temper, often insulting him, even slapping him occasionally, which he tolerated repeatedly.

He endured for three years until he saw his girlfriend hand in hand with another man coming out of a hotel, and he silently left.

The next day, he attacked the man with a mask, was discovered, and detained.

He pleaded with his girlfriend to have her father say a word considering their three-year relationship.

A simple word from an Innate Master could resolve it.

She refused.

The man went to the school and used some methods that led to his expulsion.

With a criminal record, every path to joining the military, entering the Martial Mansion, or the Martial Guard was cut off.

He initially carried his family’s hopes but ended up in such a state that he couldn’t face going home.

Years passed without seeing his parents.

Later, he and his wayward cousin Tian Wenbao joined the Shuangjiao Exploration Company.

Not long after, Shuizhou City was completely devoured by the Demon City, with the Demon army invading, causing the entire city to flee.

The Pioneer Company temporarily formed a Pioneer Army, while retreating fought sporadically, fearing death, and harming allies due to disobedience.

After fighting for a while, he eventually gave up, going along with the flow and forming a sworn brotherhood with four others, creating the precursor of the Five Tigers of Shuizhou.

On the run, he encountered a neighbor from his hometown and learned that his parents were killed by demons.

They were on the frontline of the escape path just before them.

He went three days and nights without eating or speaking.

In the following days, he started helping fleeing people and became a registered disciple of an Innate Master due to a family’s relatives’ association.

As he was about to escape from Shuizhou Demon City, he met his ex-girlfriend.