The Net-Closing Moment, Caught in One Sweep!

The old man selling candied haws and the peddler selling wood carvings exchanged a glance, both seeing the same realization in each other's eyes.

The plan to abduct Princess Yunshu was no longer viable.

Now, only two paths lay before them.

Either they grit their teeth and strike, only to be torn to shreds by the guards, the Demon Suppression Guards, the Imperial Guards, and that Qilin at the early stage of the Martial Saint realm.

Or, they abandon the abduction plan, retreat immediately before they were exposed, and pin all their hopes on the Blood Sacrifice Array.

The former meant certain death; the latter at least offered a glimmer of survival!

Both men reached a decision almost simultaneously.

"Retreat."

The old man selling candied haws mouthed the word silently, hoisted his rack onto his shoulder, and began to edge toward the periphery of the crowd without drawing attention.

The wood carving peddler also packed up his stall, calling out, "Wood carvings are sold out, closing up shop," as he retreated in the opposite direction.

Their movements were natural, making them completely unremarkable as they blended into the bustling crowd.

Yet, their eyes betrayed their true inner thoughts.

Resentment.

Hatred.

And a deep, lingering sense of powerlessness.

Last night, their branch sect was wiped out; tonight, their abduction plan had fallen through.

An operation that was supposed to be a sure success had been thwarted again and again due to the sudden emergence of that Evergreen Saint Venerable.

Meanwhile, throughout the entire Capital City.

A silent net was quietly tightening.

The most elite Demon Hunter Guards of the Demon Suppressing Division had all been deployed; dressed in plain clothes and working in pairs, they combed through every street and alley, blending into the crowd.

Their gazes swept over every vendor and every passerby, especially those lone individuals whose movements seemed suspicious.

Capable personnel from the Imperial Guard and the Royal Forest Guard had also been scattered throughout the city; at city gates, street corners, and alleyways, plainclothes soldiers stood watch at every key node.

They had received only one order.

Keep an eye on suspicious targets, do not alert the enemy, and wait for the signal from superiors to close the net!

Without a secret decree from His Majesty or an order from Prince Wu'an, no one was to act on their own initiative.

Xiao Qianjun sat in the Imperial Garden, ostensibly there to view the lanterns.

In reality.

His spiritual sense had long since spread out, enveloping the entire Imperial Garden.

He had discovered several suspicious targets within the crowd, but he did not strike.

He merely left a subtle tracking mark on each of those targets.

Prince Wu'an had said to wait for the signal.

At this moment, in the backyard of Prince Wu'an Mansion.

The night was like water, and moonlight shimmered across the surface of the hot spring pool.

In the pavilion by the pool, Lin Changqing and the Sixth Ancestor Su Tianheng sat opposite each other.

On the stone table sat a pot of spirit tea, two teacups, and several plates of delicate snacks.

Lin Changqing picked up his teacup and took a sip, his expression as relaxed as if he were on vacation.

The Sixth Ancestor also held a teacup, but there was a hint of solemnity between his brows.

He had arrived at the mansion before the Flower Deity Lantern Festival began.

Su Gan had sent word that Prince Wu'an was certain there would be an incident during the Flower Deity Festival tonight.

He had come without a second thought, tearing through space to get there.

Lin Changqing's judgment from last night had been proven one hundred percent accurate, so he could not help but believe him.

However.

When he saw Lin Changqing's leisurely tea-drinking demeanor, more doubts arose in his heart.

Wasn't there supposed to be a major incident tonight? Why was Prince Wu'an not the least bit nervous?

Lin Changqing set down his teacup, reached out to pick up a piece of Osmanthus Cake, and took a bite.

"Hmm, the taste of this pastry is truly excellent."

The Sixth Ancestor's mouth twitched.

Was now really the time to be discussing pastries?

He did not rush, simply lifting his teacup to continue sipping.

Time slipped away bit by bit.

The cheers from the Flower Deity Lantern Festival drifted faintly from the distance, accompanied by the booming of fireworks.

The entire Capital City was immersed in the festive joy.

No one knew that a silent contest was unfolding in the shadows.

The elites of the Demon Suppressing Division, along with plainclothes soldiers from the Imperial Guard and the Royal Forest Guard, had spread throughout the city.

The guards surrounding the Imperial Garden were three times more numerous than in previous years.

Behind rockeries, beneath corridors, and amidst flower beds, fully armed soldiers lay in wait everywhere.

Lin Changqing's perception had long since marked every single rat lurking in the dark.

The location, cultivation level, and identity of every one of them were clearly imprinted in his mind.

Not a single one was missed.

Lin Changqing finished the last bite of Osmanthus Cake and took another sip from his teacup.

Then, he set the cup down, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"It is time to close the net."

The hand holding the Sixth Ancestor's teacup froze.

He looked up at Lin Changqing, a flash of sharp light crossing his eyes.

After waiting so long, the moment had finally arrived.

He downed the remaining spirit tea in one gulp and slammed the cup onto the stone table.

A look of grim satisfaction appeared on his face.

"These rats that cannot bear the light are finally crawling out of their holes."

He looked at Lin Changqing, his tone steady.

"Evergreen Saint Venerable, how do you intend to proceed? If you need anything from this old man, just say the word."

Lin Changqing stood up and stood with his hands behind his back.

His gaze seemed to pierce through the night, looking toward the most bustling areas of the Capital City.

"Their plan is to activate the Blood Sacrifice Array during the Flower Deity Festival, using the flesh and blood essence of the crowds to summon an avatar of the Demon Saint."

The Sixth Ancestor's pupils contracted sharply.

Blood Sacrifice Array, Demon Saint avatar?!

Each of these terms made his heart sink.

No wonder the enemy had chosen the Flower Deity Festival to strike.

Such an occasion drew the largest crowds; once the array was activated, the casualties would be astronomical!

Lin Changqing continued.

"There are six nodes for the Blood Sacrifice Array, scattered across the most crowded areas of the Capital City."

"The bottom of the Ancient Well at Caishikou, the Abandoned City God Temple in the North City, the Painted Boat Pier at Xuanwu Lake, the Grocery Street Entrance in the South City..."

With every location he named, the Sixth Ancestor's expression darkened, for these were all the areas with the highest foot traffic during the Flower Deity Festival!

"These beasts—as long as they are not wiped out, our Great Yu will never know peace!"

"Once the array is activated, every commoner in these places will become a sacrifice!"

Lin Changqing turned to look at the Sixth Ancestor.

"Sixth Ancestor, go and destroy these six array nodes. Each node has a Blood Sacrifice Artifact serving as the array eye; destroy the artifacts, and the array will break on its own."

"The martial artists captured as sacrifices are also being held near these nodes. If you move quickly, you should be able to save some of them."

"Leave the remaining rats to this King."

"I shall go at once!" The Sixth Ancestor nodded heavily, bowed in farewell, and tore through space with a wave of his hand.

His figure flashed and vanished into the spatial rift.

A silvery-white spatial ripple remained in the night sky before dissipating in the blink of an eye.

Lin Changqing finished the last of his spirit tea, stood up, and gazed through the night toward the Capital City.

A faint smile hung on his lips, but his eyes were as cold as ice.

"I have endured long enough; it is time to stretch my limbs."

He raised his right hand and slashed at the void before him, tearing space wide open.

He stepped into it.

At the same time.

In the busiest parts of the Capital City, incidents occurred at almost the exact same moment.

Beside the rockery behind the Imperial Garden.

A wealthy merchant who was admiring the flowers suddenly shuddered.

He felt a terrifying pressure descend from the sky, locking onto his body with pinpoint accuracy.

Before the Spiritual Power within him could even begin to circulate, the space before his eyes suddenly tore open.

An invisible hand reached out from the void and dragged him inside.

He didn't even have time to let out a scream.

Several commoners nearby who were admiring the flowers froze for a moment, looking left and right.

"Where did that gentleman who was standing here just now go?"

"Wasn't he just here... Huh? Where is he?"

"Maybe he went over there to look at the lanterns."

The commoners didn't think much of it and continued to admire the flowers.

At the South City Grocery Street Entrance.

A peddler who was shouting his wares with great effort suddenly had his expression change drastically.

He turned abruptly, intending to run, but he hadn't even taken a step.

The space in front of him split open, and an invisible giant hand condensed from Purple Gold holy might dragged him straight inside.

His stall remained where it was, covered in small wooden carvings.

The auntie at the stall next door was stunned for a moment and scratched her head.

"He was just here, how did he vanish in the blink of an eye?"

At the North City Abandoned City God Temple.

A middle-aged woman who was setting up a formation in the corner shuddered.

A trace of terror flashed in her eyes, and she opened her mouth to shout.

But before a sound could emerge, a pitch-black rift tore open in the space before her.

Her entire body was sucked in, leaving her no room to struggle.

The surrounding air went quiet for a moment.

Several blood-colored artifacts, only half-arranged, remained scattered on the ground.

At the bottom of the Vegetable Market Ancient Well, the Xuanwu Lake Pleasure Boat Pier, under the archway of Vermilion Bird Street...

The same scene played out in every corner simultaneously.

Those Holy Demon God Sect members hidden among the crowds, regardless of their cultivation level, from Subordinate Sixth Rank martial artists to peak Grandmasters.

One after another, they were dragged into the void by invisible hands, with no room for resistance or possibility of escape!

On the wilderness outside the Capital City.

The moon in the night sky was half-hidden by dark clouds, casting a dim silver light that made the entire wilderness look as if it were covered in a layer of gray-white frost.

Suddenly.

Dozens of rifts were torn into space, like dozens of cracks appearing on a sheet of black paper all at once.

Dozens of figures tumbled out from the rifts.

Some slammed directly into the ground, while others rolled several times in mid-air before crashing down.

Their faces were filled with terror, unable to process what had just happened.

The old man selling candied haws, the woman selling vegetables, the waiter from the teahouse, the peddler walking the streets.

And several others disguised as wealthy merchants, scholars, and even beggars... horror was written on every one of their faces.

"What is going on?!"

A backbone member at the Eighth Rank Grandmaster realm struggled to crawl up from the ground, his voice trembling.

"Spatial displacement! Someone forcibly displaced us from the Capital City!"

Another old man, also at the Grandmaster realm, said in a deep voice, his face looking as ugly as if he had swallowed a fly.

"Dozens of people, scattered in every corner of the Capital City, were forcibly taken away by spatial displacement at the same time."

"This kind of method, this kind of precision—even among Ninth Rank Martial Saints, few could achieve this!"

A disciple at the Seventh Rank Master realm had already begun to tremble in his legs.

"Is it, is it Prince Wu'an, or the Boundless Saint Emperor who guards the Capital City?!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone fell silent.

There was only the sound of the wind blowing across the wilderness and the increasingly loud thumping of each other's heartbeats.

Just then.

A spatial rift tore open silently before them, and a young man in black robes stepped out from the crack.

The moonlight spilled onto him, revealing a clear and indifferent face.

He stood with his hands behind his back.

He looked down at the terrified cultists from above.

A faint smile hung at the corners of his mouth.

But to everyone present, that smile was more bone-chilling than the winter wind.

Dozens of people froze simultaneously.

All eyes were fixed on the young man in black robes, and everyone instinctively took a step or even several steps back!

Cold sweat dripped in large beads from their foreheads.

Among them were several eighth-rank grandmasters, and the rest were seventh-rank masters or sixth-rank martial artists.

In any faction, they would definitely be considered the elite of the elite.

They were the core backbone that the Holy Demon God Sect had spent countless resources and time to cultivate.

In order to activate the Blood Sacrifice Array during the Flower Deity Festival, the Holy Sect had transferred all the experts lurking around the Capital City.

But now... these elite members didn't even dare to breathe loudly in front of Lin Changqing.

Lin Changqing looked at them.

Even for a massive organization like the Holy Demon God Sect, losing so many top-tier elites at once would be a painful blow for a long time!

Lin Changqing's mouth slowly curled upward, revealing a smile that made everyone below feel a chill run down their spines.

"You have all been busy for so long during the Flower Deity Festival; it is time to clock out."

"This Prince will send you on your way now, so you won't have to worry about work when you return."