Netherglow

Five Peaks Mountain City.

"What? Chen Ping'an took men to Five Peaks Mountain and even killed a Banner Head?"

Upon hearing the news, Guan Yuping sprang to his feet from his chair, shock and fury mingling on his face.

"Reporting to you, sir, according to the intelligence, it seems he took men there to carry out some sort of mission?" Wan Yuanze lowered his head and spoke respectfully. He had only just received word from the garrison and had immediately come to report it to Guan Yuping.

He, too, had found it unbelievable upon receiving the news! Chen Ping'an's nerve was far greater than he had imagined.

In broad daylight, he had killed a Banner Head!

He really dared to do it!

And without seeking any authorization, he had dared to mobilize the garrison's men to carry out a mission! No matter what mission it was, this was a grave taboo within the Town Pacification Office!

"A mission? What mission could there be that I know nothing about?" Guan Yuping's face was full of rage, a chill gleaming in his eyes. "And without my warrant, Chen Ping'an dared to mobilize the garrison's men? Killing a colleague in public and acting with such reckless lawlessness—he simply doesn't know the difference between life and death!"

"Sir, if Chen Ping'an had continued as before, keeping his head down and lying low without openly clashing with you, then even if we wished to target him, it would have been difficult to achieve anything for the time being. We could only wait until the three-month deadline expired before settling accounts. But now, I don't know whether to call him foolish or merely rash and heedless of the consequences—he has actually handed you such an enormous handle! If you pursue the matter and hold him accountable, there will be no need to wait three months. Within days, you can make him get out of the garrison!" Wan Yuanze said in a low voice.

His conduct was reckless, he had defied his superior's will, and he had killed a colleague. With all this combined, even if Chen Ping'an was a prodigy on the New Talent Rankings, he likely would not come away unscathed.

To them, Chen Ping'an had made a fool of himself and delivered the weapon right into their hands. They could use this opportunity to strike.

"Hmph!" Guan Yuping snorted angrily. "Yuanze, hurry to Five Peaks Mountain at once and bring Chen Ping'an back to me! I want to ask him in person exactly what he is up to!"

Wan Yuanze lowered his head to accept the order and was just about to respond respectfully when Guan Yuping added another sentence.

"No, forget it. I'll go with you myself!"

"Yes, sir," Wan Yuanze answered respectfully.

Five Peaks Mountain, White Cloud Temple.

"There is actually such an expert within this stronghold!"

Zhao Zhitin looked toward the passage entrance, his expression grave as Profound Light flickered at his brow.

To fire off so many sword rays in a single breath, with every one carrying such tremendous power—the cultivation of the owner of those sword rays was likely no weaker than his own!

Zhao Zhitin stood at the entrance and sensed the area for a moment, but found no trace of anyone. Clearly, the person who had unleashed the sword rays had already left.

"The villains of the Heavenly Luo Sect have discovered us. Everyone, be careful! If anything goes wrong, preserving your lives takes priority!"

After saying this, Zhao Zhitin drew a deep breath and leaped straight into the passage.

Seeing this, Chu Long and Sheng Tingshan followed close behind, jumping into the passage as well.

As Profound Light Realm cultivators, they had immense confidence in themselves. Even if something went wrong, they could still preserve their own lives.

The remaining two Universe Control Guards naturally refused to fall behind and went in one after the other.

Anyone who could join the Universe Control Division and climb step by step to their current position was no coward. Even with colleagues having died before them, they could still charge into battle without hesitation.

Compared to the Town Pacification Office, the people of the Universe Control Division were undoubtedly far stronger, whether in cultivation or in temperament and courage!

Of course, temperament and courage did not represent everything. Some people possessed immense courage and feared not death, but that did nothing to stop them from being scum.

Chen Ping'an glanced at the ground. The Old Taoist who had previously been knocked unconscious was now dead beyond any doubt!

The sword rays had shot over in that critical moment, and no one had had the time to care whether the Old Taoist lived or died. Even if someone had noticed, they would not have had the spare strength to protect his life.

Chen Ping'an could have done so, but there was no need!

He looked outside. By now, the Taoist Temple had already descended into chaos.

The second wave of forces from the Universe Control Division and Town Pacification Office had arrived outside White Cloud Temple!

Now, the plan Chen Ping'an had plotted for so long had become reality, but he was still one final step away from the outcome he wanted. During the encirclement, he needed to render extraordinary merit!

"Extraordinary merit?" A glimmer flashed through Chen Ping'an's eyes. "Killing a Profound Light Realm cultivator from the Heavenly Luo Sect should count, shouldn't it?"

With a flash of his figure, Chen Ping'an entered the underground passage.

Having gone through it before, Chen Ping'an moved through the passage with exceptional ease. By the time he reached its middle and latter sections, shouts of battle were already coming from the other side.

"Heavenly Luo remnants, you are surrounded! Lay down your weapons and surrender where you stand, and you may yet receive lenient treatment!"

"Stubborn and Ignorant, those who resist to the bitter end will be killed without mercy!"

"..."

"Ah! Pfft!"

"Bang!"

Whether during an encirclement or a battle, such cries could often be heard. Though everyone knew that few would truly surrender on the spot, there were always those who shouted them tirelessly.

In such a setting, those words were not merely meant to make the enemy surrender. They could also crush the enemy's momentum and bolster one's own morale.

Buzz—buzz—buzz—

Profound Light flickered within the Underground Great Hall. Clearly, several Profound Light Realm cultivators had already made their move.

Just as Chen Ping'an stepped into the great hall, a black shadow whistled past his side, brandishing a blade at him with a savage grin.

"Court lackey, die!"

Slash!

Chen Ping'an did not even spare him a glance as he raised his hand and struck with his saber.

Clang!

The savage grin on the black shadow's face instantly froze. The great saber in his hand snapped in two, and a line of blood appeared from his brow downward.

Splurt!

Blood gushed out, and he collapsed to the ground.

"A mere Qi Blood Sixth Level, and you dare make a move!"

Chen Ping'an withdrew his saber stance and looked into the distance.

At this moment, the auras within the Underground Great Hall were chaotic and mixed, and the place had already descended into utter turmoil.

Though only a few of them had come down, every one of them was an expert, bringing immense pressure upon the Heavenly Luo Sect members.

There were no few members of the Heavenly Luo Sect within the Underground Great Hall. Yet most of them were merely in the Qi Blood Realm.

Forget Chen Ping'an—even the two Universe Control Guards at the Inner Energy Third Stage could slaughter them with ease!

Of course, the Heavenly Luo stronghold had experts of its own as well.

"Die! Die!"

Mystic light flickered between Sheng Tingshan's brows, True Qi surged through his body, and the Blood Droplet radiated a bloody glow as it reaped lives back and forth across the great hall.

Splurt! Splurt!

In merely a few breaths, seven or eight skilled Heavenly Luo Sect fighters had died at his hands.

A weapon like his was best suited for battles where the strong faced the weak. Especially in a scene like this, it could achieve tremendous Battle Results.

Sheng Tingshan was exhilarated as he continuously controlled the Blood Droplet with True Qi. In his eyes, these were all merits.

"Tingshan, be careful!"

Having just slain an Inner Qi Realm deacon of the Heavenly Luo Sect, Zhao Zhitin's expression changed as he shouted the warning.

A sword gleam flickering with netherglow tore through the air, hurtling straight toward Sheng Tingshan.