Misunderstandings Arise

"Halt! You demonic fiend, this old Taoist will fight you to the death!" Old Taoist Chen Kong was enveloped by the blood cloud, his vital energy and True Essence continuously draining away. He couldn't control it even with all his might. His protective flying sword had long been devoured by the blood cloud, leaving not even dregs behind.

Seeing the girl he was protecting being swallowed by the blood cloud, leaving only a white skeleton, which then scattered on the ground, turning into a pile of white powder, Old Taoist Chen Kong desperately circulated his energy to resist the blood cloud's consumption. However, it was like trying to bail out a sinking boat with a single cup. In an instant, a third of his energy was absorbed, and his skin shriveled significantly.

Old Taoist Chen Kong felt an unprecedented rage. Knowing he couldn't escape today, he let out a roar and detonated all his True Essence, intending to blast open the blood cloud and perish with Zhou Qing.

How powerful was the True Essence of a Transformation Stage expert? Detonating it would turn anything within a ten-mile radius into dust. Unfortunately, the blood cloud formed by the Blood-Devouring Divine Saber was viscous and tough, tightly enveloping Old Taoist Chen Kong's self-detonating True Essence.

BOOM! A massive roar erupted from within the blood cloud. The blood cloud expanded to a size of thirty feet, then abruptly shrank back. The blood-red light filling the sky vanished completely, transforming into a faint streak of blood-red light that flew into Zhou Qing's hand.

The sun shone down again, but the forest was unrecognizable. The trees were gone, and an area of over ten zhang looked as if it had been hit by a nuclear bomb. Nothing grew, the land was scorched black, and not a trace of life remained. Old Taoist Chen Kong, who had been so imposing just moments ago, and the girl were completely gone, not even a hair left in this world.

Liao Xiaojin and the other two were stunned into idiocy by this series of events, unsure if it was real or not. It wasn't until Zhou Qing let out a "Pfft!" and spat out a mouthful of blood that Liao Xiaojin snapped back to reality. Just as he was about to say something, Zhou Qing waved his hand, "I was injured internally by that guy's self-detonation. The commotion just now was too great. Let's leave here immediately!" With that, he transformed into a faint streak of blood-red light and disappeared on his own. Liao Xiaojin scoffed, and the three of them concealed their presence, following Zhou Qing.

BANG! A palm slammed onto the table, shattering several teacups and splashing scalding tea all over the floor.

"Ling Fei! Tell me, how did you become the leader of the Dragon Group? Four members are missing, and we still don't know where they are. Now their families are demanding them from us, and Mao Shan is also demanding them from us. What do you expect me to do?" a middle-aged man in a Zhongshan suit, with an enraged expression, sat by the table and berated him. Ling Fei stood not far away, looking embarrassed and unable to speak.

"Immeasurable Heavenly Venerable! Director Zhang, you can't blame Ling Fei for this. This humble Taoist received a divine thought from my junior brother Chen Kong before he died. At the scene of the incident, I met nephew Ling Fei and discovered that my junior brother Chen Kong had contact with four Dragon Group members before his death. I used my innate numerology to deduce... alas! I fear the four members are already in grave danger." The speaker was an old Taoist in a yellow robe sitting in a corner. This old Taoist was none other than the sect leader of the Mount Ailao lineage, Old Taoist Chen Yi.

No one in the cultivation world knew the depth of Old Taoist Chen Yi's power, as he had never fought anyone. He hadn't even participated in the great battle between Taoism and Demonic Dao thirty years ago. At that time, he was already the sect leader, but he only sent his junior brother, Old Taoist Chen Kong, to assist. However, Old Taoist Chen Yi's seniority was rarely seen in this era. Even the Four Grandmasters of the Taoist sect were likely inferior to him. Although Chen Kong was referred to as Chen Yi's junior brother, he was actually accepted as a disciple by Chen Yi in place of his master, and all his Taoist arts were taught by Chen Yi.

Director Zhang, whom Chen Yi mentioned, was the Director of the National Security Bureau, holding considerable power. The National Security Bureau included not only the Dragon Group but also the Special Abilities Group, as well as various supervisory agencies in the secular world.

Director Zhang knew Old Taoist Chen Yi's seniority in the cultivation world. Seeing that Old Taoist Chen Yi had spoken, he stopped his anger and respectfully asked, "What do you think, Daoist?"

A hint of worry flashed across Old Taoist Chen Yi's face. He said solemnly, "Alas! I examined the location where my junior brother met his demise and found traces of a struggle. Especially the area within a ten-zhang radius, which is still barren, clearly indicating that all life force has been drained. I fear... I fear this is the work of those from the Demonic Dao."

"The Demonic Dao! How is that possible? I also know that Senior Chen Kong's cultivation is profound. My master said he entered the Transformation Stage thirty years ago. Now his Taoist arts must be at an unimaginable level. How could anyone from the Demonic Dao be his opponent?" Ling Fei asked in surprise upon hearing Old Taoist Chen Yi's words.

"Daoist! Although I am not from the cultivation world, I am still a superior of the Dragon Group. I know something about the Demonic Dao. Since that battle thirty years ago, the Demonic Dao has declined, and there don't seem to be any masters left. Although they are active now, they haven't caused any major incidents. I have several files here regarding the current activities of the Demonic Dao. There isn't a single Demonic Dao expert at the Transformation Stage. They are likely no match for Daoist Chen Kong, are they?" Director Zhang knew more.

"That's what they say, but that is indeed a demonic art, and it's unfathomable. It seems the opponent didn't even use their full strength. These are troubled times! Ling Fei, you might have to go to Kunlun to ask your master to come down the mountain. Otherwise, it's best not to act rashly for now," Old Taoist Chen Yi sighed.

"Ask my master to come down the mountain? Then... is that Demonic Dao expert that powerful?" Ling Fei was greatly shocked. As everyone knew, Gan Jizi of Kunlun was the foremost of the Five Grandmasters, recognized as the number one expert in the world, a late-stage Transformation expert, just one step away from reaching the Earth Immortal realm of Spirit Refining and Returning to Emptiness. Now, Old Taoist Chen Yi was asking him to act, which clearly indicated that the Demonic Dao expert was likely incredibly powerful. The existence of such an unknown figure was already terrifying, and now they had killed four Dragon Group members. What did this signify?

Director Zhang and Ling Fei both knew Old Taoist Chen Yi's identity and would not exaggerate or lie. Their faces changed in unison. Little did they know that Old Taoist Chen Yi would deliver another heavy blow.

"Thirty years ago, Daoyi Tianshi of Longhu Mountain came to see me and said he suspected that person might not be dead."

"What? Not dead? Then the world will be in chaos!" Director Zhang slammed the table, greatly astonishing Ling Fei. Ling Fei was fine, as he didn't know what was going on at all. Director Zhang, however, knew exactly who the person Old Taoist Chen Yi was referring to. It was someone who had once fought the Four Grandmasters of the Taoist sect alone.

"Who is it?" Ling Fei asked with surprise. The great battle between Taoism and Demonic Dao thirty years ago was little known because the participating experts deliberately kept it secret. Ling Fei hadn't even been born then, so how could he know about it?

"Don't worry about who it is for now. Go and tell your master, and he will know. You! Set off now, go to Kunlun. Hand over the Dragon Group's work to Deputy Leader Xiang Hui. You caused such a major incident this time, and you have to give an account to the families of those four members. Put the Dragon Group's work aside for now." With a single sentence, Director Zhang revoked Ling Fei's position.