Purple-Gold Lightning Release, Blood Fiend Mine

The mercenaries and caravan managers who had been watching peered out and were immediately enraged.

"So he was the protector behind the Crimson Fiend Hall!"

"We pay so much city entry tax every year, and the City Lord's Estate's commander actually colluded with bandits to harm us!"

Every word and phrase became a fatal weakness.

Wang Mang's face turned from green to white as he looked at the irrefutable evidence, completely losing his temper.

If these letters were to be presented to the city lord, even if he were the chief commander, he would be skinned alive!

Faced with overwhelming power and the threat of utter disgrace, Wang Mang completely yielded.

With trembling hands, he raised his hand and, in front of the entire city, tore the disciplinary order to shreds.

"Misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding!"

Ignoring the excruciating pain in his knees, Wang Mang repeatedly apologized to Ren, his voice trembling.

"It was I who was misled by a treacherous person and offended you, Master!"

"This humble official hereby swears that the City Lord's Estate will never again interfere with any of Exchange Tower's normal operations. I humbly request that the Lord of the City show leniency!"

Ren picked up his teacup, took a sip, and waved his hand.

"Get lost."

As gravity dissipated, Wang Mang felt as if he had been granted a pardon, and fled in disarray with his black-armored cavalry, covered in dust and grime.

A deafening roar of cheers erupted outside the door, and Exchange Tower's prestige reached its peak at that moment.

In the quiet room of the backyard.

Sasuke Uchiha sat cross-legged with his eyes closed.

He was attempting to meticulously fuse the Lightning Release Chakra within his body with the rich Spiritual Energy of the Profound Desolate World.

Sizzle!

The blue and white lightning arcs dancing at the fingertips were continuously compressed and condensed, and a layer of noble purple-gold luster gradually appeared on the surface.

A streak of electricity accidentally spilled out, instantly slicing a smooth, mirror-like crack in the bluestone table beside him.

The combined Purple-Gold Lightning Release technique is several times more powerful and refined than before.

In the front hall's corridor, Lu Ping, carrying a letter, ran quickly towards them.

He knocked on the door of the inner room and anxiously presented Ren with an urgent secret report from a border caravan.

"OP, we just received a confirmed message via the Void Network!"

Lu Ping was breathing heavily, his voice tense.

"In the southwest direction, unusual activity has recently occurred at the Blood Fiend Mine, which borders the Nine Swords Kingdom and the Barbarian Saint Kingdom!"

"Based on the characteristics relayed by the undercover agents, the serious criminal being held deep within the mine is very likely related to a core elder of the Exchange Tower who has been missing for many years!"

In the following days, Exchange Tower firmly established himself in Chaotic Star City.

With its improved high-level healing potions refined by the elites of the Uchiha Shrine, and enchanted ninja tools inscribed with array patterns, Exchange Tower sparked a buying frenzy in the south of the city.

Tenten before dawn, the gate is crowded with wealthy merchants from the Three Kingdoms.

The booming business, with profits surging daily, completely squeezed the struggling North City Merchant Alliance to the brink of collapse.

The name of Exchange Tower Trading Company became renowned throughout the border regions of three kingdoms within just a few days.

The inner chamber was dimly lit.

Lu Ping carefully unfolded an old, yellowed register.

As he compared the signal coordinates locked by Kaguya with the secret border report, his withered fingers trembled violently.

"No mistake, absolutely no mistake!"

Lu Ping suddenly looked up at Ren, his eyes red-rimmed.

"Master, the one trapped in the Blood Fiend Mine is none other than Zhao Chen, the former head manager of Exchange Tower!"

"Back then, Steward Zhao was in charge of the most crucial Profound Wilderness mineral vein map of Exchange Tower, as well as the ancient alchemy techniques you left behind!"

"No wonder those forces haven't destroyed the Blood Fiend Mine; they're trying to force Manager Zhao to reveal the secret map he possesses!"

Meanwhile, on the border of the Nine Swords Kingdom.

Several remaining Merchant Guilds of the North City Merchant Alliance were kneeling before a magnificent, golden pavilion.

Under the crushing commercial pressure from Exchange Tower, they had long been driven to desperation and bankrupt.

In retaliation, they secretly dispatched assassins, carrying their last savings and generous gifts, to seek refuge with the Golden Cauldron Pavilion that controlled half of the Nine Swords Kingdom's trade.

Inside the main hall, a suicide soldier held a gift box, weeping and pleading.

"Gentlemen of the Golden Cauldron Pavilion, Exchange Tower of Chaotic Star City not only possesses lost alchemical potions, but has also found clues about Zhao Chen, the former head steward of Exchange Tower!"

"Once we destroy Exchange Tower, all their secret formulas and Trade Road will be in the hands of the Golden Cauldron Pavilion!"

They attempted to use this powerful and influential family to completely crush the newly emerging Exchange Tower.

Chaotic Star City, the backyard of Exchange Tower.

Ren looked at the map on the table, knowing full well that Zhao Chen's identity was sensitive and that things could get complicated if he waited too long.

"Itachi, Shisui."

Ren decisively gave the order.

"You two form a shadow reconnaissance team and set off immediately to secretly infiltrate the Blood Fiend Mine to rescue Zhao Chen."

The door opened, Sasuke, who had just finished his training, strode in and clasped his hands in a gesture of invitation.

"Clan Leader, my Lightning Release has just made a breakthrough. Please let me go with my brothers!"

Ren glanced at Sasuke and nodded slightly.

"Granted. Proceed with caution."

Half an hour later, the three changed into inconspicuous border merchant clothes and concealed their aura.

Three figures transformed into streaks of light, silently darting out of Chaotic Star City and heading straight for the Blood Fiend Mine, a thousand miles away.

Two days later, in the desolate Gobi Desert at the border of the three countries.

A fierce wind whipped up a cloud of yellow sand, severely obstructing visibility.

Suddenly, a series of shrill cries and maniacal laughter came from beneath the sand dunes ahead.

A vicious band of Gobi bandits was indiscriminately hacking and slashing at a dozen or so ragged, fleeing miners.

Several miners were already lying in pools of blood, their deaths gruesome.

The bandit leader, mounted on a tall horse, grinned as he raised his large, demon-headed dagger, his face contorted with menacing fat.

Before his horse, a woman covered in dust was desperately shielding her infant beneath her body.

"Run! Not a single lowly slave who escaped from the Blood Fiend Mine will live!"

The bandit leader let out a wild laugh, and his heavy, gleaming sword slashed down at the woman holding the baby.

On the sand dunes not far away, Sasuke's eyes suddenly turned cold.

Clang!

He drew the Kusanagi Sword from his back and shot off like an arrow.

"Chidori Stream!"

A dazzling purple-gold lightning bolt instantly adhered to the Kusanagi Sword, emitting a deafening thunderous roar.

Sasuke's figure transformed into a dazzling bolt of lightning that tore through the sandstorm.

Clang!

The Kusanagi Sword precisely parried the falling Oni-head sword, and violent lightning instantly spread throughout the bandit leader's body along the blade.

The bandit leader, his body charred black, screamed as he was thrown backward from his horse.

Sasuke continued walking, charging into the bandit group.

Inside his eye sockets, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun wildly, scrutinizing the every movement of the bandits around him.

With a swift stroke, the blade fell, and purple-gold lightning wove together in the sandstorm, creating a web of death.

Pfft! Pfft!

Blood mingled with lightning and splattered.

The seven elite bandits who charged forward didn't even have time to unleash their Soul Skill before being cleaved in two by the Kusanagi Sword, armor and all.

In just a few breaths, Sasuke, with only his sword and his own strength, slaughtered the entire ferocious band of dozens of bandits.

The woman, who had survived the ordeal, held her baby and stared blankly at the corpses scattered on the ground, forgetting even to kowtow and express her gratitude.

Uchiha Shisui Body Flicker Technique beside the heavily wounded and dying bandit leader.

He bent down and pulled out a bloodstained, urgent letter from the storage bag in the bandit leader's arms.

The sealed letter was prominently stamped with the double sealing wax marks of the Golden Cauldron Pavilion and the Blood Fiend Mine.

Shisui tore open the envelope, glanced at the contents, and his face instantly darkened.

The letter contained only one line of menacing command:

Effective immediately, all former members of the Exchange Tower within the Blood Fiend Mine will be executed without exception!