Chapter 142

Southern Yunnan Dead End, Mount Mount Ailao.

Here, clouds are deep for three thousand miles, and no human smoke has ever been seen.

Vast fog barriers lock a thousand mountains; even ghosts and gods worry about Mount Mount Ailao.

At noon, the sun was at its most poisonous. The humid air was filled with pungent odors; everywhere were insects, snakes, and poisonous miasma, and everywhere were ancient trees and vast forests.

Boom—

Just at this moment, deep in the mountains, a strange cloud layer shrouded a hill. Thunder roared, shaking all directions. Dark purple profound light covered the area, and terrifying electric light constantly fell, striking that hill.

Under this heavenly might, the forests in the mountains were burned down, thick smoke rolled, frightening thousands of birds to fly in chaos and disturbing the beasts to flee.

"He is worthy of being the Thunder Prison Three Tian Shi of the Bai He Guan; compared to ten years ago, he is even more unfathomable."

"Nonsense, ever since the 【Long Hu Red Moon】 ten years ago, the Thunder Prison Three Tian Shi has not taken a single step out of the Bai He Guan. If it weren't for this man this time, why would he travel a thousand miles to come to Mount Ailao!?"

"Great Lingzong Wang... I never thought this man was still alive. Faking his death for ten years, his plotting is truly great."

"What great plotting? He is just still in the calamity, a stray dog."

The outskirts of the thunder-shrouded hill had long been surrounded by Daoist experts. Besides the experts of the Bai He Guan, experts from the Mount Qingcheng Mountain, Zhongnan Mountain, and Mount Laojun Mountain—among the top ten famous Daoist mountains in the world—had all come.

Such a net, such a battle formation, thunder everywhere, the firmament angry—it is no exaggeration to say that looking at the world, one could not find a few people who had the face to mobilize such a crowd.

At this moment, even a bird could not fly out of this dense encirclement.

But this is no wonder. More than twenty years ago, the Great Lingzong Wang was rampant for a time, his fierce name shaking the world.

Ten years ago, after the Long Hu Red Moon, the Divine Demon Holy Fetus became a swan song.

Who could have thought that this man was still alive, merely faking death to avoid disaster.

When this news spread, many people could not sit still, unable to eat or sleep, like a sword hanging over their necks. The fear once sealed by time flowed back like a tide.

If that man really didn't die, if he really came back... would that be okay? The good fortune in misfortune is that he has not yet escaped the calamity.

This is the greatest weakness of practicing the 【Divine Demon Holy Fetus】. Once one enters the "Night Without Light," cultivation regresses, and one is like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

This is the best chance to kill him.

"This time, I will definitely make sure he leaves no bones behind."

At this moment, everyone held the same belief in their hearts.

"Thunder Prison Three Tian Shi, he has nowhere left to run."

Just at this moment, on the outskirts of the thunder-shrouded hill, an old man in a Daoist robe walked over and bowed respectfully to a middle-aged man. The latter had a solemn expression, wearing a purple robe with a white crane embroidered on the corner, and a faint mark on his forehead, imposing without anger.

"The thunder has fallen, the mountain has burned; he has reached a dead end." Beside him, someone whispered.

Observing with the soul, one could see that in a hidden cave within the hill, figures were swaying. Amidst the thunder and fire, no one could continue to hide.

"I never thought the dignified Great Lingzong Wang would have such a wretched side; truly, the wheel of fortune turns."

"Back then he was rampant for a time, how domineering he was; did he ever think he would have today!?"

"Dying here is his fate."

Everyone sneered, like hunters hunting, staring at the prey's nest, their words revealing confidence and cruelty.

"Give him some dignity."

Just at this moment, the Thunder Prison Three Tian Shi looked indifferently at the cave scorched by thunder and fire, his cold eyes without a ripple.

He pointed a finger, drawing a beautiful arc in the air.

Boom—

Suddenly, the motionless cloud layer in the sky shook violently, and a dark purple thunder fell, like a big snake winding, actually striking directly toward the cave in the mountain.

"It's over!"

Seeing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, watching the burial of the Great Lingzong Wang, as if a funeral song were playing in their ears.

Whoosh...

Just at this moment, a strange sound rang out in the secluded mountains, by everyone's ears, as if someone were breathing deeply.

Immediately after, that thunder, which looked like a big snake, disappeared the moment it surged into the cave in the mountain.

"Hmm!?" The Thunder Prison Three Tian Shi's brows rose, revealing an unusual look.

Hum...

Almost at the same time, in the cave in the mountain, a vast white light rose, incredibly dazzling, like a great sun reflecting in the long sky before dawn.

In an instant, that vast white light disappeared.

Inside the cave, darkness returned. At this time, the thunder shrouding the hill slowly dissipated.

"Surround it and see if he's dead."

At the order, one figure after another filed out, surging toward the grim, dark cave entrance.

Thump... thump... thump...

Just at this moment, slow footsteps came from inside the cave, accompanied by the sound of a lighter being lit, and a weak fire light rose in the dark cave, followed by smoke rings being exhaled, drifting out of the cave entrance.

"That is..."

Seeing this, everyone revealed unusual looks.

"There are really a lot of people."

Suddenly, an indifferent voice came from the cave entrance.

"Run!"

Almost at the same time, the Thunder Prison Three Tian Shi's expression changed suddenly, and he roared in shock.

Boom—

In an instant, a chaotic black flame soared into the sky, shrouding all directions. The terrifying power caused the mountain rocks to shake and the clouds to crack.

Wails and screams came from the mountain. In an instant, those once-living lives turned into grim white bones, finally turning to dust, leaving nothing behind.

"How... how could this be..."

In the distance, one look of disbelief after another looked at the scene in the mountain, their trembling faces no longer having the composure from just a moment ago.

A strong sense of sorrow and unease rose in the hunters' hearts.

"Run for your lives!" The Thunder Prison Three Tian Shi clenched his fists and said through gritted teeth.

"Ce... Three Tian Shi... what is going on?"

"That man... has escaped the calamity!"

The Thunder Prison Three Tian Shi's expression was solemn, his trembling gaze fixed on the man walking out of the chaotic black flames.

Evening, Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance Headquarters.

Inside the old building, the light in the president's office was still on.

Lou Lou Hechuan sat at the desk, his expression ugly to the extreme. Since he had sat in this position, he had never been as angry as he was today.

The 【Stealing Dragon Qi】 that had been investigated for a long time had its roots cut off, and most importantly, the losses were heavy.

The explosion during the day had caused too much of a stir; the media had reported it, and many people had taken videos and uploaded them to the internet. The impact was too bad.

"President, please don't be angry. Fortunately, the old residential area had already been evacuated at the time, and there were no civilian casualties... Now it is being treated as an accident, an explosion caused by a natural gas pipeline leak, and the relevant departments have been ordered..."

Just at this moment, Zhao Yao, who had been silent on the side, hurriedly tried to persuade him.

"Enough, I don't want to hear these details," Lou Lou Hechuan said in a deep voice, raising a hand.

The videos on the internet would be taken down under the supervision of relevant departments, and public opinion would soon be controlled; these were not the most urgent matters.

"How is Ma Ma Buting?" "His life is saved. The Fire Dragon Dan Sword is too domineering. Fortunately, what he practices is the 【Three Yin Slaughtering Demon Blade】; Three Yin Refine Qi, only then could he neutralize some of the True Fire's intensity," Zhao Yao said with a solemn expression.

He had checked Ma Ma Buting's injuries. If it weren't for his unique 【Three Sovereigns Summoning Spirits】 body protection and the resistance of the 【Three Yin Slaughtering Demon Blade】, anyone else would have died without even ashes left.

"That Zhang Fan... is very dangerous," Zhao Yao thought for a moment and gave such an evaluation.

"Of course he is very dangerous. At such a young age, he obtained the true intent of the Pure Yang Ancestor..." Lou Lou Hechuan's gaze was heavy.

To be able to master a great method like the 【Fire Dragon Dan Sword】 at such an age was truly extraordinary.

Daoist spells, True Fire and Heavenly Thunder are the hardest to practice and the hardest to control.

Back then, Xia Xia Weisheng mastered the 【Five Thunder True Method】 only when she achieved the 【Gao Gong】 rank.

As for her promotion to 【Spirit Official】, she had only refined an ordinary great method.

"Zhang Fan... it's him again." Lou Lou Hechuan's brows rose, and a terrifying brilliance flashed in his murky eyes.

A few days ago, several disturbances caused by the Thirteen Zodiacs in Bai Yujing City involved the 【Night Without Light】, and not long ago, Zhang Fan was also present at the Suzhou Miaoguan incident...

Now, it's him again!? "What did he say?" Lou Lou Hechuan asked in a deep voice.

"That Zhang Fan said... he discovered that the stone statue must be of the evil god and outer path variety. As a member of the Daoist sect, he naturally had to sacrifice himself to subdue demons..."

"Among those present, he was duty-bound. However, Ma Ma Buting's reaction was somewhat strange, domineering like a demon, not letting others touch it, which is very suspicious."

"Therefore, he had no choice but to strike to suppress him. Who knew Ma Ma Buting would actually risk his life with him, which is even more suspicious."

"In addition, he had just suppressed Ma Ma Buting when the Dog appeared; it was too coincidental."

Zhao Yao repeated Zhang Fan's statement word for word.

As soon as he finished speaking, Lou Lou Hechuan fell silent, pondering carefully; it actually seemed to make some sense.

"President, according to what this kid said, not only is he clean, but he also has great merit. On the contrary, Ma Ma Buting is suspected of being a demon," Zhao Yao said with a strange expression.

"This kid is full of nonsense."

"He is not entirely lying," Lou Lou Hechuan said in a deep voice.

"That old residential area had long been under the control of the Daoist Alliance. Although Feng Ping'an disrupted the formation, if there were no inside help, could the Dog have entered so silently and openly?"

The infiltration of the Wu Wei Sect is too powerful, and most importantly, they specialize in the soul, capable of possessing souls without scruples, making them impossible to guard against.

Therefore, it is not surprising if they have their people in the Daoist Alliance.

"What about the two little fellows from the Xu family?" Lou Lou Hechuan changed the subject and asked suddenly.

"It was arranged long ago. Originally, the renovation of that old city belonged to the Xu Group's business, and the Xu family disciples also have many cooperation and exchanges with the Daoist Alliance..." Zhao Yao whispered solemnly.

The Xu family is descended from the 【Xu Zu】 lineage, which can be said to have a long history and be born and bred correctly.

Historically, the Xu family has put in great effort in several 【Breaking Mountains and Cutting Temples】 to kill Wu Wei demons. Even when the country was founded and the Daoist Alliance was formed, the Xu family was one of the veterans.

Now, the Xu family has a pivotal position in the Daoist world, and they naturally cannot have any connection with the Wu Wei Sect.

"What about Feng Ping'an? Did you find him?" Lou Lou Hechuan asked in a deep voice.

"President, you suspect Feng... you suspect him?" Zhao Yao hesitated.

Counting it up, Feng Ping'an was only five years older than him. When he first started working and entered the Daoist Alliance, he was a newcomer, and it was Feng Ping'an who led him; they had a relationship like teacher and brother.

Now, Zhao Yao has also achieved the 【Gao Gong】 rank, but his feelings for Feng Ping'an are still there.

After all, Scorched Earth Flame Lord Feng Ping'an can be considered his guide on the path of cultivation.

Lou Lou Hechuan raised his eyelids slightly and looked with deep meaning: "I know your relationship with him is unusual, but he has left the Daoist Alliance for more than ten years..."

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhao Yao remained silent.

"A person of his strength, hiding in Bai Yujing City for so many years—if he had no plot, even ghosts wouldn't believe it."

"He escaped in the chaos," Zhao Yao hesitated for a moment and gritted his teeth.

During the day, the strange scene attracted everyone's attention, so naturally, no one would care about the disappearance of the Scorched Earth Flame Lord.

"With his strength, I'm afraid he has long left Bai Yujing City. Even if he hasn't left, finding him is not an easy task," Zhao Yao said in a deep voice.

"I should have crippled him back then; I didn't expect to raise a disaster." A sharp ruthlessness flashed in Lou Lou Hechuan's eyes.

At this moment, he was regretful.

"Dog... forget it, I'm afraid you don't have any leads either," Lou Lou Hechuan shook his head.

The Thirteen Zodiacs—the divine dragon sees its head but not its tail. If they were so easy to track, they wouldn't be qualified to be among the Thirteen Zodiacs.

"What about that old residence? The previous tenants should be traceable," Lou Lou Hechuan calmed down.

"That is an old residential area; household registration management back then was not perfect..."

Zhao Yao retrieved the files immediately.

Now, permanent residents are investigated, and one has to go to the local area to handle temporary residence permits, etc. Even renting a house requires signing a contract and checking ID cards.

But back then, people came and went, and the flow of people was mixed, especially in such old residential areas. Maybe several households lived in one courtyard, and no one knew anyone. Some people lived for two days and left; it was just for cheapness and convenience, they didn't even look at ID cards, and no one checked.

"Don't tell me you didn't find anything," Lou Lou Hechuan said in a deep voice.

"I found the property rights of this house."

As he spoke, Zhao Yao placed a document on the desk in front of Lou Lou Hechuan.

"The property rights of this old house belong to a funeral company called 【Xiao Xiaole】..."

"This company has been in Bai Yujing City for more than thirty years."

"【Xiao Xiaole】 Funeral Company?" Lou Lou Hechuan's brows rose. He looked at the information in his hand, flipped through it casually, and asked casually: "Does this company have any background?"

"Yes, I also found it..."

It must be said that the efficiency of the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance is indeed high. The incident happened during the day, and by night, information and data from all aspects were gathered in their hands.

"This company is..."

"An industry under the name of Zhenwu Mountain!"

"What? Zhenwu Mountain!?" Lou Lou Hechuan's gray brows trembled, and his expression changed suddenly.

"Zhenwu Mountain... Zhenwu Mountain..."

Lou Lou Hechuan whispered, looking at the information in his hand: "How could it involve Zhenwu Mountain? Could it be a coincidence?"

"If it is Zhenwu Mountain, then that Zhang Fan is very suspicious."

Lou Lou Hechuan's thoughts turned rapidly. For a time, there were a thousand threads, and the doubts and guesses in his heart were like a tangled mess.

Ring-a-ding... ring-a-ding...

Just at this moment, a hurried phone ring interrupted his train of thought.

Lou Lou Hechuan rubbed his eyebrows and picked up the phone.

"Hello, I am..."

"What!?"

Suddenly, Lou Lou Hechuan stood up violently, his eyes widened, and his trembling gaze revealed deep shock and disbelief, as if he had heard some incredible news.

"Okay, I know. I will set off for Shangjing immediately."

As he spoke, Lou Lou Hechuan hung up the phone, his expression ugly to the extreme.

"President, what happened?" Zhao Yao saw this and couldn't help but ask.

"The experts who went to Mount Mount Ailao..." Lou Lou Hechuan gritted his teeth, pondered for a moment, and then said.

"They were completely wiped out; not a single one escaped!!!"

(End of chapter)