Echoes of the Evil Cult

Outside the hotel, night blanketed the earth.

Under the ravages of the flood, many families had moved out of their homes, worrying beneath the lights set up outside.

After a full day of rescue efforts and flood control, the waters had finally been contained, though the crisis had caused considerable economic losses.

Many people's lives had been affected, and it might take a long time for them to recover.

Mei Ye felt a slight burn in his throat. After drinking a bottle of water, he no longer had the appetite for hotpot. He walked straight out of the hotel and into the clear, breezy night.

[Current Merit Points: 2900]

Current Martial Arts:

Demon-Suppressing Demon-Subduing Art: Early Qi Gathering Stage

Wind-Treading Step: Beginner

Righteous Qi Saber Art: Mastery

Vast Blade Art: Great Accomplishment]

He still had 2,900 Merit Points left. They came from the reward for Deng Bai's life, along with the points he had accumulated from exterminating rats.

The Merit Points from killing that slipper-wearing old man had long been spent on the Vast Blade Art. Otherwise, he would not have been able to deal with Deng Bai.

And now,

the Vast Blade Art was just a step away from Mastery.

As for the Demon-Suppressing Demon-Subduing Art, he could not be too hasty.

The essence of martial arts was tempering the body. For a martial artist to break through, they first had to master several martial arts, strengthening both mind and body. Then, after preparing the necessary medicinal ingredients for the breakthrough, they could break through in one stroke and reach the next realm.

After some thought,

Mei Ye ultimately decided to add the Merit Points to the Vast Blade Art.

[-800 Merit Points]

[Vast Blade Art: Mastery!]

In an instant, Mei Ye's understanding of the Vast Blade Art deepened, and his experience and techniques reached heights others could not touch.

He drew his saber and gave it a light swing. A fierce blade aura slashed a crack into the ground.

"It's stronger than before."

Mei Ye nodded.

[Current Merit Points: 2100]

He still had 2,100 Merit Points left. He could save them for later.

The Vast Blade Art reaching Mastery also improved his physical condition somewhat.

He closed his eyes, and his senses became refined and acute. The sound of the wind passing by and the murmur of grass swaying all entered his ears clearly.

"Hehe, the flood has been successfully created. Next, we just wait for those damned Demon-Suppressing Guards to leave."

Suddenly,

Mei Ye's gaze sharpened. After his cultivation improved, his hearing and eyesight had become exceptionally keen, and he seemed to have caught some strange voices.

He immediately held his breath, tilted his head, and searched for the source. It was on his right.

Mei Ye crouched down and crept quietly toward the right.

The voices by his ears became clearer.

"Very good!"

A relatively rough voice carried over, filled with excitement.

"As long as those Demon-Suppressing Guards leave, we can begin the excavation! The flood has receded, and we have already confirmed the exact location of the ruins!"

"My lord, since the first step has been completed, then my matter..."

The man rubbed his hands, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"Haha, I never make empty promises. Once this matter is settled, I'll immediately recommend you to Protector Huo You!"

"Thank you, my lord!"

With a thud, the man's knees slammed into the ground as he groveled before the person in front of him.

Elsewhere,

Mei Ye lowered his eyes, his thoughts racing.

Judging from the conversation between the two, this flood had been deliberately created by them.

And the purpose seemed to be finding those so-called ruins?

Without realizing it, Mei Ye slowly gripped his saber.

He glanced at the hotel not far away, and a plan formed in his mind.

"This is close to the Demon Suppression Bureau. It's my territory. I can keep them here. At worst, the commotion will grow large enough to draw others here to help."

Mei Ye narrowed his eyes. True qi circulated within him as his five fingers suddenly tightened, and he yanked hard!

"Who's there?!"

The two ahead seemed to sense something, and their expressions changed drastically.

The one with higher cultivation leaped several feet straight into the air.

The other cried out in alarm before reacting, only to be struck as expected.

Mei Ye emerged from the darkness and took a step forward, arriving beside the man he had hit. He raised his saber high, its blade reflecting the face of a man with high cheekbones and deep eye bags.

"You rat, how dare you ambush us!"

Seeing Mei Ye's movement, the man who had dodged shouted furiously. True qi surged as he blasted out a palm strike.

Purple light streaked through the air with a shriek, rushing toward Mei Ye.

Mei Ye caught it from the corner of his eye. Activating the Wind-Treading Step, he shifted half a foot aside, and the palm wind grazed his clothes.

Then he seized the opportunity and turned toward the other man,

raising his saber fiercely!

A cold flash swept out like a comet striking the moon.

Squelch!

Blood sprayed.

The gaunt man screamed as his body fell from the air and crashed into a mud pit, splashing black sludge over himself and soaking him in murky water.

A fierce glint flashed in Mei Ye's eyes. Like a ghost, he arrived in an instant, silver-white killing intent about to descend.

The remaining man's eyelids twitched wildly as he cursed his companion for being useless.

To keep his companion from being captured, he could only dart down to the ground. His large, powerful hand seized his companion by the neck as he retreated backward.

"Kid, what did you hear? Tell me truthfully, and I'll leave you an intact corpse!"

After widening the distance, the man wiped the sweat from his forehead and barked sternly.

He suspected this kid had heard their entire conversation. If so, it would be extremely detrimental to his organization's plans!

"..."

Mei Ye wordlessly held his saber across his body and charged at them again.

Seeing Mei Ye attack, the two joined forces against him.

One wore a black combat uniform, fat-headed and big-eared, with strange purple true qi swirling around him. His features carried the terrifying air of a hardened killer.

The other was short and shifty, dressed in sportswear. Because of his injuries, his aura was weaker than the other man's, but his gaze toward Mei Ye was filled with hatred.

"Brat, just watch me train you into a femboy!"

The two exchanged a glance, then split left and right, trapping Mei Ye between them and cutting off his retreat.

Faced with their joint assault, Mei Ye moved with ease, calm and unhurried.

With the Vast Blade Art at Mastery and the strength of the middle Qi Gathering Realm, even if he was at a disadvantage, he could hold on for quite some time.

Their fierce battle also attracted the attention of the Demon-Suppressing Guards inside the hotel.

"Who dares cause trouble here?!"

"The Demon-Suppressing Guards are here! What petty scoundrels dare act so brazenly?!"

The sound of shattering windows rang out in the night. Demon-Suppressing Guards burst through the windows, several shadows sweeping across the moonlit ground.

The two men fighting Mei Ye felt a chill run down their spines. They had no desire to keep fighting, immediately abandoning Mei Ye and fleeing into the distance.

But Mei Ye shifted his feet,

flashing behind one of them and chopping down hard. The blade slashed diagonally into the man's rear shoulder, and he instantly screamed as blood poured out.

Mei Ye then locked onto the other man, sprinted several meters, and violently hurled his saber at him!

The other man looked back just in time to see the saber tip stabbing toward him. Terrified, he paused, and the blade wind made the tip of his nose sting as several strands of hair were severed.

By then, the Demon-Suppressing Guards had arrived.

Seeing the two men fleeing, they immediately realized something was wrong. Without asking questions, they swarmed them, surrounding the pair and beating them with fists and kicks.

The two men hastily defended themselves, but two fists could not beat four hands. Soon, they were battered and bruised, utterly losing their ability to fight.

"Mei Ye, who are these two? Why were you fighting?"

Captain Jiang stepped on one captive's head and looked at Mei Ye with scrutiny and displeasure.

Why had this kid been in the news every day lately?

First, he had taken down an evil cult. Then he had killed a local thug. Now he was fighting strangers.

"I don't know them."

Mei Ye crossed his arms. "The two of them were acting suspiciously. They seem to be connected to this flood. Why not take them in for interrogation, Captain? There might be a big surprise."

"Connected to the flood?"

Captain Jiang's spirits lifted. He had already sensed from their auras that these two were no good.

But if they were connected to the flood... this might be a major case!

"You two!" Captain Jiang put on a vicious expression, his pressure spilling forth. "Who exactly are you?!"

"Lackeys of the court! Pah!"

The two trapped men looked at Captain Jiang with utter contempt.

"Still stubborn?" Captain Jiang sneered. Judging by their reaction, they had not caught the wrong people.

"Do you think the Demon Suppression Bureau is a place that cares about human rights? I've got plenty of ways to make you talk."