The Truth Comes to Light

Li Banfeng sat by Chu Yaoqian's bedside, listening to her recount her past with He Jiaqing.

It was clear that Chu Yaoqian greatly admired He Jiaqing and cherished the bond she had formed with He Jiaqing. Of course, she valued her life even more, and she didn't miss a single thing to say.

Li Banfeng did not kill Chu Yaoqian. He told Chu Yaoqian to manage the territory well and nurture the relationship well, and to report on the progress every two days.

This is no casual remark. The two signed a contract with detailed provisions regarding the reporting requirements. If Chu Yaoqian fails to report on time, she will pay a heavy price.

The next morning, Li Banfeng left Chu Yaoqian's territory and called Lao Luo: "Contact Liao Zihui, cut off all of He Jiaqing's business, don't let him ship any goods that have arrived at the station, and impound any goods that are half-delivered!"

Lao Luo rushed to the Guanfang Hall, and more than an hour later, he called back.

Li Banfeng thought something had happened at the Guanfang Hall, but Luo ZhengNan replied, "Seventh Master, General Envoy Liao has agreed to the matter and has already ordered people to take action. The owner of Wonderful Sound Phonograph Store insists on meeting you; he says he has something important to tell you in person."

Important things?

Li Banfeng's first thought was of the situation in the Inner Amikan Country. Ling Miaosheng had said that as soon as he regained his memories, he would immediately tell Li Qi.

Li Banfeng was right. Ling Miaosheng remembered many things and was now restless in the record store, waiting for Li Banfeng to appear. Just after noon, Li Banfeng entered the record store, Ling Miaosheng quickly invited him into a room in the back.

This room has no record player, no musical instruments, and not even windows.

"Seventh Master, this is a room I specially arranged to prevent others from spying on me. I can't speak for other places, but I guarantee there are no hooks here."

Ling Miaosheng is a high-level cultivator with a cultivation level around the eighth level. After his trip to the Inner Amikan Country, his combat power is likely even higher. The room he designed can indeed guarantee privacy within a certain range.

With her memories jumbled, Ling Miaosheng sorted out her thoughts and told Li Banfeng the important things one by one, "Boss Li, I fought a war in the Inner Amikan Country against the Demons Army." Li Banfeng blinked but remained silent.

He didn't know why Ling Miaosheng was fighting in the Inner Amikan Country, nor did he know the origin of the Demons Army.

Ling Miaosheng explained, "After arriving in the Inner Amikan Country, I quickly regained my previous memories. I once lived in a place called Broken Snow City for a long time. I have some friends in Broken Snow City who have helped me, and I plan to repay their kindness."

When I arrived in Broken Snow City, I encountered an invasion by the Demons army. I joined the Broken Snow City's army and fought against them for over a month.

I was injured in the battle and almost lost my life. Through this battle, I saw the most shameless side of humanity in the Demons army.

I recorded this experience in the sheet music, hoping to awaken this tragic memory through music. For a time, I even felt that all of this was in vain.

Broken Snow City was about to fall to the Demons army, and I once thought I had no chance of leaving Inner Amican alive. In my despair, I suddenly received news that Outer Amican had made its move.

They first sent a large quantity of weapons, and then they deployed troops to participate in the battle. The situation in Inner Amican was similar to that in Pro State; gunpowder was difficult to ignite there, and the propagation of electromagnetic signals was also greatly restricted.

The army of the Outer Amikan Country was extremely ill-suited to this mode of combat and suffered heavy losses at the Broken Snow City. However, they did not give up the fight and won the war several months later.

I asked my friend from Broken Snow City why the Amikan Country was involved in this war.

They learned that the Demons army was infiltrating outwards; their people had already appeared in many places in Outer State, including the Huan Kingdom.

The Amikan Country has been heavily infiltrated by the Demons army. If the Inner Amikan Country falls to the Demons army, the outer Amikan Country will face a predicament of being attacked from both sides. "The Huan Kingdom also has Demons army?"

Ling Miaosheng nodded. "This is just speculation. The Amikan Country won't release any information until there are concrete clues." Li Banfeng pondered for a moment and asked, "Who makes up the Demons army?"

Ling Miaosheng sighed, "It's unbelievable, but the Demons army is made up of Amican. My friends in Broken Snow City told me that these people were born on this land, but their souls come from hell."

At the beginning of the war, all the towns were completely unprepared for them. By the time they were prepared, they no longer had the strength to fight against this enemy. Li Banfeng said, "The Demons Army is composed of Amican people. In other words, the Demons Army is a native Amikan Country dark energy organization?"

Ling Miaosheng nodded slightly. "That's one way to understand it." Does Huan Kingdom still have a dark energy organization composed of Amican?

Li Banfeng searched his memory and found that there were some, but none of them amounted to anything significant.

If Amikan Country, will they also be born and raised in the Huan Kingdom?

Ling Miaosheng's memories were incomplete, so Li Banfeng couldn't verify with him the question, "In what era was the Demons Army born?"

Ling Miaosheng thought about it carefully, "It's been quite a few years. My friend told me it's been several decades." Then we can find someone to verify it.

Li Banfeng bid farewell to Ling Miaosheng and rushed to Flourishing and Decaying Mountain.

Late at night, Cui Tike, the Flourishing and Decaying God, was sitting on a hillside preaching to a group of Strange Monsters:

"Prosperity and decay represent rise and fall, survival and extinction, and the most magnificent journey of life. Exploring the mysteries between prosperity and decay is equivalent to loving life. This love should not only be expressed in words, but also reflected in the actions of each of us!"

As he spoke, Cui Tike tore open his shirt, revealing four large characters on his chest. "I love life!" A group of Strange Monsters sat in a circle, watching silently.

They knew that Flourishing and Decaying Mountain was different from before. On this mountain, it was no longer possible to see all four seasons in a single day; now, only a vast expanse of white snow remained. But now, foraging and hunting on the mountain would no longer incur the punishment of the Flourishing and Decaying God.

They knew that the Flourishing and Decaying God and Decline was different from before. Although Cui Tike had used a disguise technique, his speech and behavior were very different from Rong Sijiao's. But the current Flourishing and Decaying God and Decline was very easygoing, although some of his words were not so easy to understand.

A doe transformed into human form, bowed her head, and slowly walked up to Cui Tike, offering a reverent bow.

She didn't quite understand what the Flourishing and Decaying God was saying, but she agreed with one point: passion should be shown in action.

"Flourishing and Decaying God, I need your help to resolve my doubts, doubts stemming from life itself," the doe said, displaying her breast. "Please grant me these five words, for I wish to keep these five words—'I love Flourishing and Decaying God' —on my breast!"

Cui Tike carefully confirmed again. "Should I bestow it upon you, or pierce it for you?" The doe, with tears in her eyes, said, "I will obey you!"

Cui Tike, his expression solemn, slowly extended his hand. He was almost there.

A gust of cold wind swept in, splashing up a patch of snow. Li Banfeng emerged from the snow, startling the doe and a group of Strange Monsters who all huddled to the side. "Flourishing and Decaying God, I have something to ask you."

Cui Tike looked at the group of Strange Monsters, focusing on the doe's chest. He carefully examined the size and found that the five large characters "I love the Flourishing and Decaying God" were perfectly suited to the spot.

But now that Li Banfeng was here, Cui Tike had no choice but to send the group of Strange Monsters away. "Go down the mountain and experience for yourselves the life force of the cycle of flourishing and decay. Tell me your feelings when it's dawn tomorrow."

The Strange Monsters descended the mountain one after another. Cui Tike, his face grim, asked, "What brings you to me at this hour?" Li Banfeng replied seriously, "Flourishing and Decaying God, I need your help to unravel the mystery surrounding the Demons army!"

"The Demons Army?" Cui Tike shook his head. "I've never heard of it."

Seeing Cui Tike's expression, Li Banfeng felt a chill run down his spine. It seemed Cui Tike didn't know much about the Dark Energy User back in Inner Amikan Country. Just as Li Banfeng was about to get up to take his leave, Cui Tike suddenly asked, "You mean the Demon Lord Servants?"

The names are so different, are the two related?

Li Banfeng thought about it and realized there might actually be a connection. The language of Amikan Country was not Ling Miaosheng's native language, and the language of Pro State was not Cui Tike's native language. These were names translated by the two of them, so it was perfectly normal for there to be differences.

Li Banfeng began with an initial assessment. "Are all the Demon Lord Servants Amican?" Cui Tike thought carefully, "In the Amikan Country, they are all Amican." "And if they aren't in the Amikan Country?"

After a long silence, Cui Tike looked at Li Banfeng and said, "Can I not answer this question? Is there a difficulty?"

"There are difficulties, because I and the Demon Lord Servants share some common pursuits."

In my hometown, I once wanted to join the ranks of the Demon Lord Servants, and I even swore an oath that I would not betray the organization and its members.

Although I ultimately did not join the ranks of the Demon Lord Servants due to differences in ideology, a vow is a vow, and there are some things I cannot reveal to you too much, at least not proactively.

Cui Tike's meaning was clear: there were some things he couldn't say explicitly, but he could help Li Banfeng make the judgment. Li Banfeng asked first, "What are you referring to as the disagreement between you and the Demon Lord Servants?"

"We were all passionate about killing, but in my view, killing is to make life more valuable, and it is the highest respect for life."

The Demon Lord Servants view killing as a means of trampling on life; their actions are filled with contempt and blasphemy towards life, which I cannot tolerate.

There's something else that I find even more intolerable: their motives for killing are mixed with a lot of foolish loyalty—sometimes heartfelt, blind loyalty, sometimes just an excuse to trample on life. This despicable and hypocritical behavior is truly disgusting.

Li Banfeng asked, "To whom are they loyal? To the Inner State?"

Cui Tike said, "That depends on the location. In the Amikan Country, it is commonly referred to as Demon Realm, while in the Lafusha Country, it is commonly referred to as the territory of Chernobog. By the way, the Lafusha Country is the place of origin of the Demon Lord Servants, but in the Lafusha Country, this organization has a different name."

This one sentence clarifies many things.

The Demon Lord Servants originated in the Lafusha Country, but in the Amikan Country, their members were all native Amican people. Therefore, it can be inferred that in the Huan Kingdom, their members were native Huan Kingdom.

Cui Tike continued, "I admire their members. Although they are not affiliated with any Daoist sect, they have mastered the magic of many countries, many of which have long since disappeared from the world."

He has mastered many spells.

Li Banfeng asked, "Have you heard of an organization in the Huan Kingdom called the Hundred Demons Workshop?"

Cui Tike remained noncommittal. "Hundred Demons Workshop, with such a name, they must be very close to the devil, perhaps as close as a servant is to his master." Li Banfeng got up to leave, Cui Tike asked him to wait a moment.

He prepared a vial of medicine, capped it, and handed it to Li Banfeng: "I have a collaborator surnamed Du who may have recently become very close to the devil. This vial of medicine is a lifeline for him, but a fatal ailment for others."

With this vial of medicine in hand, I believe my collaborator will listen to you. Is he referring to Du Wenming?

When did Du Wenming collaborate with Cui Tike?

Li Banfeng took the medicine. "You don't plan to cooperate with him anymore?"

Cui Tike shook his head. "If he becomes the devil's servant, then my partnership with him should end."

Even if we were to successfully collaborate with him, the value of that collaboration would not be comparable to the friendship between us. Cui Tike picked up a watering can and watered the small flowers in the tin can.

Li Banfeng took the test tubes and left Flourishing and Decaying Mountain.

On the way, Li Banfeng called Luo ZhengNan and told him to immediately inform Liao Zihui that Hundred Demons Workshop was an organization sent by Inner State and had just started a war in Amikan Country. He Shen Jingye to be extremely careful in dealing with them.

Luo ZhengNan went to the Guanfang Hall and told Liao Zihui the news. Liao Zihui immediately sent someone to relay the message to Shen Jingye.

Shen Jingye replied on the spot, "Please tell Director Li that I will convey the relevant information to the higher authorities. I have already made arrangements for the next steps. Please rest assured, Director Li..." At this moment, Li Banfeng was running wildly towards Iron Gate Fort.

Shen Jingye's plan was indeed appropriate, but Li Banfeng was still worried.

While the Hundred Demons Workshop may differ across regions, an organization capable of causing losses to the Amikan Country certainly cannot be dealt with solely by the Dark Star Bureau. Moreover, there is also Du Wenming.

This guy is way too familiar with the Dark Star Bureau. (B3883)

Du Wenming danced his Dance Steps into Drum Garden Farm.

Li Banfeng's worries were justified. Du Wenming was too familiar with the Dark Star Bureau. He knew their patrol habits, their shift change times, and even the blind spots in the drone patrol process.

Upon arriving near the cell, Du Wenming walked around the boundary line and quickly sensed a crack near the line.

This rift is the natural entrance to the wormhole. The electromagnetic cannon made by Yu Yaoming can automatically lock onto the entrance and exit of the wormhole, and can tear the entrance and exit to a size that allows humans to pass through.

Du Wenming could sense the location of the entrance; he could even use his Dance Steps to slip into the narrow opening. But the crucial question was whether he could get out. The exit was much harder to find than the entrance. Every time Du Wenming entered a wormhole, he had to mentally prepare himself for the possibility that he might be trapped inside for the rest of his life.

Now that things had come to this, he had to take the gamble. Du Wenming gritted his teeth and entered the wormhole. He ran in a fixed direction to the other side and, after less than twenty minutes of searching, he found the exit. A weight was lifted from his heart. Du Wenming crawled out of the wormhole and came to the cell next to it.

The rest was easy.

One of the suspects, Lei Yuze, was sitting in his cell, lost in thought.

He was terrified. He didn't know what crime he had committed. He had gone through so much trouble to become a full member of the Hundred Demons Workshop, and he hadn't even had a chance to learn a real spell before he was imprisoned in this place.

In his frustration, he suddenly noticed another person in the cell, staring at him expressionlessly. Lei Yuze looked towards the door, and at that moment, he had the urge to call for help.

Du Wenming gestured for Lei Yuze to remain calm. He entered the cell and whispered, "I was sent by the ward to rescue you. Sect Leader Pei asked me to ask if you've completed the task assigned to you by the ward?"

"It's done!" Lei Yuze answered without hesitation.

In truth, he couldn't understand Du Wenming's words, and Hundred Demons Workshop hadn't assigned Lei Yuze any special missions, since Lei Yuze had only recently become a full member. However, if he didn't answer the questions according to this person's line of thinking, the other party might not rescue him.

Du Wenming then asked, "What kind of person was assigned to you by the neighborhood?"

Lei Yuze pondered for a moment and replied, "The sect leader has ordered that we not reveal the details of the mission to anyone." Du Wenming's face darkened and he said, "If you can't tell me the details of the mission, I won't take you out."

Lei Yuze remained unmoved. "I cannot disobey the sect leader's orders!"

Du Wenming frowned slightly. "Then you'll have to suffer a bit."

Lei Yuze knew something was wrong. He tried to call for help, but no sound came out.

Du Wenming twisted his right ankle clockwise, causing Lei Yuze's ankle to twist as well, his toes twisting behind him. The intense pain brought tears to Lei Yuze's eyes. Du Wenming was taken aback; a core member of the Hundred Demons Workshop shouldn't be this fragile.

He twisted his left ankle again, and Lei Yuze twisted his left foot again, almost fainting from the pain.

After being tortured, Lei Yuze told the truth, "The sect leader didn't give me any tasks. I only became a formal member last month."

"Last month..." Du Wenming was stunned for a long time. He turned his neck slightly, and Lei Yuze's neck turned a full circle, his spine broke, and Lei Yuze died on the spot. This person was not a core member.

What about the others?

Du Wenming entered several rooms in succession, and soon he came to a conclusion: none of these people were core members. Where, then, were the core members?

Du Wenming's forehead twitched; he realized he'd been tricked. He found the wormhole entrance and immediately crawled inside.

This time he wasn't so lucky; after an hour, he still couldn't find the exit.

In the interrogation room of the Dark Star Bureau, Shen Jingye is interrogating core member Geng Shunxi.

Yesterday, Chen Changrui discovered potential hazards on the farm, Shen Jingye immediately increased the level of protection.

Shen Jingye knew very well that it would be difficult to solve the problem by simply guarding against them. So he escorted the core members of Hundred Demons Workshop back to the Dark Star Bureau overnight and sent some ordinary members of little value to Drum Garden Farm.

News came from Drum Garden Farm that the suspect's body had been found in the cell.

The fact that Hundred Demons Workshop was so eager to silence them led Shen Jingye to conclude that these key members possessed some important secrets.

According to the information Li Qi found out, this organization was able to launch a war in Amikan Country, which meant that they could threaten the security of the entire Huan Kingdom.

Shen Jingye amplified the intensity of his Judges: "This is your last chance. Tell me what your plans are for the near future?" Geng Shunxi, huddled in her chair, tears streaming down her face, said, "Our plan is to sell off all the organization's assets and disband all its members."

"We never intended to fight against you. We are just ordinary magic enthusiasts. Why are you treating us like this?" With just these two lines of tears, Hundred Demons Workshop gained public support from all sides.

Tonight, Shen Jingye ignored those two lines of tears.

Even if it costs me my job, I will get to the bottom of this!

Du Wenming emerged from the wormhole and glanced back at the boundary line with lingering fear.

It took him a full three hours to find the exit of the wormhole, and even then, the result had a large element of luck. Dark Star Bureau agents had discovered the body in the cell, and the entire farm was placed under high alert.

Shen Jingye issued an order that the murderer must not be allowed to leave the farm. But he never expected that the murderer would be Du Wenming.

Du Wenming was familiar with all of the Dark Star Bureau's operational plans. He left the farm in less than twenty minutes, and after getting into his car, he immediately contacted Pei Yurong.

"Master, we've been tricked. The Dark Star Bureau has moved our core members elsewhere." "In other words, you've failed." Although her tone was relatively calm, Pei Yurong was extremely annoyed.

Du Wenming said, "It's too early to talk about failure now. I know where the core members are, but I need your cooperation now. Send some people to create some cases in the city and make as much noise as possible."

Pei Yurong thought for a moment and said, "You want to lure the tiger away from the mountain, but the key question is, who is the tiger?"

"The agents of the Dark Star Bureau are all tigers. If we can get one out, my chances of winning will increase. We must make a big fuss..." Before he could finish speaking, Du Wenming suddenly slammed on the brakes, and a figure flashed past him.

Upon closer inspection, he saw someone reaching out to hitch a ride. In the Huan Kingdom, it was quite rare to see someone hitch a ride on the roadside.

Du Wenming didn't want to pay attention to this person and was just about to drive around him when he suddenly saw the person outside the car raise his head and smile at him.

The man was wearing a hat that covered most of his face, but his thin cheeks and mustache still sent a chill down Du Wenming's spine. Boss Lu!

How did he end up here?

Du Wenming floored the accelerator, but the car wouldn't move. A row of tiny characters clung tightly to the wheels on the ground.

Du Wenming quickly contacted Pei Yurong using his communication device. "Master, I've encountered an enemy, Boss Lu of the Lu Family Bookstore. Do you recognize him? I need your help!" The white sedan was covered with dense text, Du Wenming was already surrounded.

Pei Yurong said, "Don't panic, I have a way to save you."

She summoned Liu Cuishan and whispered, "Burn the thread at the Lu Family Bookstore."

Liu Cuishan said, "Master, the thread from the Lu Family Bookstore can only be used at a crucial moment..." Pei Yurong rebuked, "Now is the crucial moment!"

Liu Cuishan quickly summoned several of her subordinates, who swiftly set up the magic array.

On the highway, densely packed text was tearing at Du Wenming's car, twisting and deforming the interior. Du Wenming was trapped inside, unable to move or get out.

The space inside the car was too cramped, making it difficult for Du Wenming to perform his Dance Cultivator moves. He could only rely on his arms to make two movements, trying his best to use dance to dispel some of the text.

Du Wenming's methods were very limited, while Boss Lu's writings were endless. Today, he brought the complete "Embroidered Frost Collection" with only one purpose: to take Du Wenming's life without any physical contact.

In Boss Lu's view, physical contact was an insult to civility. More importantly, Du Wenming had a medical condition, which made Boss Lu determined never to touch him. Du Wenming's dancing movements gradually became unable to withstand the onslaught of words. Once the words seeped into the car, Du Wenming had no way to escape.

Boss Lu smiled slightly, then suddenly felt a jolt in his heart. Something had happened at the bookstore.

He opened a volume of Embroidered Frost Collection, and on one of the illustrated pages, he saw the state of the bookstore. The bookstore had long since closed, and the hall was pitch black.

The Magic Box inside the counter opened its lid by itself.

Boss Lu wasn't too surprised; he knew this Magic Box was no ordinary object.

The counter's material and lock were very special; whatever emerged from the box couldn't possibly escape the counter. But what happened next made Boss Lu's heart leap into his throat.

A man crawled out of a box that was only a foot wide.

Without even looking at his face, just by his thin frame, Boss Lu already recognized him. Smiling Thousand Hands!

The Thief Cultivator Ancestor emerged from the Magic Box.

This is the Magic Box that Hundred Demons Workshop sold to Boss Lu! Why would Smiling Thousand Hands have dealings with Hundred Demons Workshop?

There was no time to think about that now, because the lock on the counter couldn't stop Smiling Thousand Hands at all! Smiling Thousand Hands easily opened the counter and walked into the hall.

He was about to walk towards the bookshelf.

Smiling Thousand Hands once stole something from the Lu Family Bookstore, and he knew that the bookshelves were protected by a special array.

If there were a gap in the boundary of the Three Heads Junction right now, Smiling Thousand Hands could simply walk around a specific bookshelf twice at a certain speed and slip into Pro State. If he got into the Pro State bookstore, Smiling Thousand Hands knows how many things he would steal, and he might even take Yu Yaoming with him!

What to do?

Going back now would be tantamount to letting Du Wenming go.

If we don't go back now, we might lose everything we have. A gust of cold wind blew by, and the words around the car vanished in the wind.

Du Wenming leaned out of the car window and looked around, but he didn't see Boss Lu.

Lu Family Bookstore, Smiling Thousand Hands had just walked towards the second row of bookshelves when he suddenly saw Boss Lu emerge from behind them. "Esteemed customer, our shop is closed. If you want to buy books, please come back in your next life."

Smiling Thousand Hands looked up and said, "Zhou Badou, you want to kill me? Do you think it's that easy?"

Boss Lu casually pulled two books off the shelf. "Smiling Old Pliers, you came here seeking death yourself, so naturally I should grant your wish." PS: Old Pliers is an old-fashioned term for a pickpocket.

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