Buzz--!
In Lu Chen's mind, a deep, majestic roar filled with an ancient and violent aura exploded!
The remnant soul of the High Antiquity Demon Emperor, which had been dormant deep within his Dantian and almost forgotten by him, now stirred violently, like an ice cube thrown into boiling oil!
A yearning, a resonance, accompanied by a tearing pain, emanated from the remnant soul, its target the Hidden Dragon Token in his arms!
This resonance comes quickly, and goes quickly too.
Almost instantly, the Hidden Dragon Token returned to its normal temperature, and the remnant soul of the Demon Emperor went back into hiding, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.
But Lu Chen broke out in a cold sweat.
His expression remained unchanged, but his mind was in turmoil.
This Hidden Dragon Token... is far more than just a token for mobilizing manpower!
Why could it attract the remnant soul of the Demon Emperor?
What is the dark red crystal on the back of the dragon pattern?
Was Xiao Jingyan completely unaware of this, or... did he do it intentionally?
Xiao Jingyan seemed oblivious to Lu Chen's sudden change in demeanor. He glanced at the hourglass in the corner of the secret room and said in a deep voice, "It's almost dawn. We shouldn't stay here any longer. Brother Lu, your injuries are quite severe, so please be careful. The Ye Family is undoubtedly searching for you like mad dogs right now. Unless absolutely necessary, try not to contact me. I will have Clerk Chen keep an eye on your movements."
He paused, then added, "Furthermore, the strength and... audacity you displayed this time have likely attracted the attention of some truly old monsters within the Demon Suppression Division. Especially the Elder Faction who control the Myriad Spirit Pavilion, they are already dissatisfied with the power held by the Ye Family and other Aristocratic Clan factions. They might extend an olive branch to a newcomer like you, with a relatively clean background, outstanding abilities, and a willingness to fight."
"This is both an opportunity and a test."
The resources and protection that the Elder Faction could provide Non-Self could offer.
But they are equally dangerous; they are like tigers trying to get their skins; if they are not careful, they will be devoured without a trace.
How to deal with this is something Brother Lu needs to weigh for himself."
Suppressing his surprise and doubt, Lu Chen stood up and clasped his hands in a fist salute. "Your Highness's reminder is etched in my memory. Take care."
Xiao Jingyan nodded, said no more, and, led by Clerk Chen, quietly left through another hidden door.
Lu Chen was left alone in the secret room. The flickering lamplight cast his long shadow on the cold stone wall.
He slowly sat back in his chair, took out the Hidden Dragon Token from his pocket, and stroked the strange dragon pattern and dark red crystal on the back with his fingertips.
Beneath its cool, smooth touch, a turbulent undercurrent seems to lurk.
Back in the small courtyard he had temporarily rented in the back alley of the Archives Bureau, Lu Chen immediately went into seclusion to heal his injuries.
[System, repair injuries, replenish resources.]
[Instructions received. Repair bone and muscle damage, internal organ tremors, and expel residual foreign True Qi. Estimated cost: 45 years of the Demon Devil Lifespan.]
A powerful warm current swept over my entire body, like the most skillful hand, soothing wounds and nourishing parched meridians.
The purplish discoloration on his shoulder faded quickly, the crack in his ribs healed with the infusion of life, and the shock to his internal organs was soothed.
In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Lu Chen had recovered most of his strength. However, the mental fatigue from the forced breakthrough and fierce battle still required time to recuperate.
He took stock of his gains.
Having slain the Blood-Eyed Demon Wolf, I gained 230 years of Demon Devil Lifespan. After deducting the time spent healing and previous battles, my current remaining Demon Devil Lifespan is 515 years.
Besides the Hidden Dragon Token, he also carried the Blood Demon Cult Notes and the Extinction Iron Fragment.
For three days, he stayed secluded, spending most of his time meditating and adjusting his breathing to familiarize himself with the surging power, while also digesting the terrifying information revealed in the notebook.
The Blood Demon Cult Cult's reach extends much further than he had imagined.
On the morning of the fourth day, he arrived at the Archives Bureau on time as usual.
The atmosphere within the company seemed no different from usual, but some of his colleagues looked at him with a hint of inexplicable inquiry and distance.
He had barely sat down in his seat when an unfamiliar servant in blue robes quietly approached his desk, bowing respectfully and saying, " Banner Sergeant Lu, Elder Mo requests your presence at the Myriad Spirit Pavilion."
They've arrived.
Lu Chen understood; the Elder Faction ' reaction was even faster than he had anticipated.
He rose calmly and followed the servant through the many courtyards of the Archives Bureau, heading towards the iconic nine-story wooden tower deep within the Demon Suppression Division — the Myriad Spirit Pavilion.
Upon entering the pavilion, a fragrance mingled with ancient scrolls, the scent of spirit medicine, and a faint hint of sandalwood wafted over, instantly isolating one from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.
The servant led him straight to the top floor.
The top floor space is spacious, yet its furnishings are extremely simple.
The walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, crammed with scrolls and Jade Slip slips of various materials, gleaming with the luster of different eras.
In the center, an old man dressed in a gray robe, with white hair and beard, and wrinkles on his face like dried tree bark, stood with his back to him in front of a carved wooden window, looking out the window.
"Disciple Lu Chen has come as ordered." Lu Chen stopped and bowed respectfully.
The old man slowly turned around.
His body was withered, as if a gust of wind could blow him over, but his eyes were as clear as a mountain stream, and as deep as if they contained the birth and death of stars.
As his gaze swept over him, Lu Chen had the strange feeling that he had been seen through from the inside out.
"Sit." Elder Mo pointed to the two futons under the window, his voice hoarse, yet carrying a peculiar calming power.
Lu Chen sat down on one of the prayer cushions as instructed, his posture neither humble nor arrogant.
"I am Mo Huaiyuan, temporarily in charge of the Myriad Spirit Pavilion." Elder Mo sat down opposite him, his cloudy gaze falling on Lu Chen. "The West City Goods Store, well done. Clean and efficient, though a bit reckless."
Lu Chen's heart skipped a beat; the other party did indeed know, and their tone was flat, revealing no hint of praise or criticism. "Elder, you flatter me. This disciple was merely fortunate."
"Luck?" Elder Mo's lips twitched slightly, a smile that seemed indistinct. "That old codger Ye Hong has been immersed in the semi- Xiantian realm for many years, and his Profound Yin Finger is quite vicious. The fact that you survived the attack from him and that mutated demon wolf, and even managed to kill them, cannot be explained by mere luck."
He paused, then changed the subject, saying, "I called you here because there's a troublesome matter that needs investigating. Recently, several batches of demon research materials recorded in the department mysteriously disappeared before being officially stored. The three groups of people sent to investigate either found nothing or... vanished without a trace."
Lu Chen immediately thought of the "demon offerings" that Xiao Jingyan had mentioned.
"The elders suspect it was done by an inside man?"
"It's not doubt, it's certainty." Elder Mo's tone remained calm, yet carried an undeniable certainty. "Moreover, this person is hiding in the Archives Bureau. Taking advantage of his position checking documents and managing files, he altered transportation records, erased handover traces, and secretly transferred those shady items out of the country."
Lu Chen was silent for a moment, then asked, "What do you need the disciple to do?"
"Find this rat, obtain irrefutable evidence of his collusion and smuggling of contraband." Elder Mo looked at him, his gaze as calm as a still well. "This is the Elder Faction' test for you. If you succeed, the doors of the Myriad Spirit Pavilion will be opened for you, and you will be qualified to access some of the department's true secrets and resources. If you fail... the Ye Family and the forces behind them will be happy to see you disappear without a trace."
There was no threat; it was simply a statement of facts.
But this fact carries more weight than any threat.
"Disciple understands." Lu Chen nodded.
Go.
"I'll give you five days." Elder Mo waved his hand, turned back to look out the window, and stopped looking at him.
After leaving Myriad Spirit Pavilion, Lu Chen went directly back to the Archives Bureau's file storage.
Instead of launching a large-scale investigation immediately, he dealt with his routine official duties as usual, and then applied to access all records and files related to the transportation and handover of offerings and materials over the past year, citing the need to "verify the past years' Demon Materials storage process and improve the filing details".
For the next two days, he practically lived in the dossier archive.
In front of me were thick stacks of ledgers, shipping documents, and handover papers.
He read extremely quickly, his Divine Sense like the most precise sieve, swiftly sweeping over every line of text and every seal, comparing the time, quantity, and information of the person in charge between different files.
This is an extremely tedious and mentally taxing job.
The Archives Bureau handles a vast amount of documents every day; trying to find carefully concealed flaws is like looking for a needle in a haystack.