The ancient castle.
The captain felt cold all over, her heart racing, and chills running down her spine.
Identical.
She confirmed repeatedly that the gentle-looking young man's face was indeed exactly the same as that of the bronze statue!!
Could it be—could it be that an evil god had descended?!
Or was it just that this young man was preparing some forbidden ritual, substituting the evil god's visage with his own?
The captain couldn't tell, but either way, it was terrifying.
Either he was an evil god, or he was a terrifying being capable of withstanding the backlash from an evil god—at least, a celestial envoy!
A high-risk mission? No, this was a disaster-level task!
She was drenched in sweat.
At this moment, Chen Xiang walked into the tower with the timid Wei Tuantuan. Ah Gui, dull and respectful, nodded slightly and then spoke with some grievance:
"Master, they treated me like a scarecrow, continuously hitting my head. I explained, but they didn't believe me and kept hitting."
Chen Xiang chuckled, accustomed to Ah Gui's foolishness. It seemed that after being dead for so long, her mind was no longer clear, especially with the immense divine soul crammed into her frail body, making her already poor faculties even worse.
He shook his head and glanced at the three members of the Extraordinary Law Enforcement Agency who had barged in, casually asking,
"Why are you three here uninvited?"
The long-haired youth struggled to get up, blood still trickling from his orifices. His gaze at Ah Gui was filled with fear, but he still put on a brave front:
"We are from the Tianchuan Law Enforcement Agency. Seven days ago, a large-scale extraordinary tide erupted here, and we came to investigate!"
He gasped for breath, leaning against the wall, and warned,
"The Law Enforcement Agency has been keeping an eye on this place. If we don't return, it will be classified as a Level 1 incident, and powerful beings will come!"
Chen Xiang smiled,
"What you said is interesting. Whether you return or not, how can that be up to me? Your legs are under your own control."
The long-haired youth paused, visibly relaxing but still incredibly wary.
He didn't know the identity of the young man before him, but that terrifying maid had called him "Master."
The maid was at least a sage from the old paths!
Beside them, the captain struggled to raise herself, her torn eyes pulsing with pain. She lowered her head in fear,
"We will leave immediately. We sincerely apologize for the disturbance."
Chen Xiang smiled and nodded,
"Little Wu, see them out."
As soon as he spoke, the renowned master of the entire Tianchuan City walked in, respectfully lowering his head:
"Yes, Master."
Wu Shangpin appraised the three individuals for a moment and gestured,
"Please, go ahead."
The three finally came to their senses, and a flicker of understanding crossed the captain's eyes, her heart forming a rough guess.
It was likely that this Master Wu had conducted some terrifying ritual seven days ago, summoning this suspected evil god!
They had to return to the bureau immediately to report; this was a true disaster-level event.
The freckled boy supported the captain, cautiously moving toward the door with the long-haired youth. Just as they reached the entrance,
"Wait a moment."
The young man called out calmly, sending a jolt through their nerves.
"This is yours, right? You forgot to take it."
Chen Xiang picked up the magnifying glass from the ground, narrowing his eyes slightly.
[True Sight Mirror: A masterpiece from the Secret Society, distributed worldwide to spy on and collect endless information, with the intent of creating an artificial god.]
Interesting.
Chen Xiang didn't think much of it. The Secret Society was based in the distant White Star Nation across the ocean, far from Donghong Nation.
In his plan, the White Star Nation was the next step; for now, his focus was on Donghong Nation, so he didn't need to worry too much.
He casually handed the True Sight Mirror to the freckled boy, who timidly took it. After hesitating, he murmured,
"Thank you."
"Alright, let's go."
As the three turned to leave, Chen Xiang smiled and said,
"I forgive your intrusion, but…"
The three members of the Law Enforcement Agency froze in place, sweat dripping down.
"But, I hope that in your report back, you state that there were no anomalies in the castle and that everything was fine. Is that acceptable?"
Chen Xiang didn't want to draw the official's attention too quickly; the Donghong Nation's officials were closely tied to the Abyss Church, and any misstep might expose him.
At least before the primal terror brought higher ritual materials and before he could leave the castle at will, it was better to keep a low profile.
The captain didn't hesitate, nodding respectfully,
"We understand. The castle is safe, and the master is here. There are no abnormalities; the extraordinary tide was merely an accidental experiment by the master, and the aftermath has subsided."
Chen Xiang nodded slightly,
"Very good. Remember what you said."
His voice grew low, and in the eyes of the three, his figure suddenly loomed large, filling and occupying their entire field of vision. His words felt like divine decree, resonating deeply within their minds, as if carved by knife and axe!!
The three fled in panic, sprinting until they reached the wheat fields before slowing down.
"Captain, what… what do we do now?" The freckled boy asked, his face pale.
The captain wiped the fresh blood trickling from the corner of her eye, exhausted,
"We must return to the bureau and report all of this."
But the words hung in her throat, impossible to utter, as she froze in terror.
After a moment,
The captain quietly changed her mind,
"The castle… everything is normal."
The long-haired youth and the freckled boy exchanged glances.
As the capital of Tianchuan Province, Tianchuan City's governing building was also the highest administrative body in the province.
Originally, there were plans to establish a new municipal governing building separate from the provincial office, but various reasons led to the postponement.
Inside the building.
A middle-aged man sat quietly on a sofa, his eyes seeming to close and open at the same time, exuding an air of authority from long-standing leadership, commanding respect without anger.
He spoke lightly,
"Finally, we have returned to this land, to our homeland. Our banner will rise again, and our ancestors will awaken."
An elder beside him nodded gently,
"Your appointment as vice-governor of Tianchuan Province indeed surprised the clan, but this is a good thing, a sign from heaven telling us that our rise is imminent."
After a pause, he took a sip of tea,
"Have you investigated the ancestral land?"
"Still in progress."
The middle-aged man, who was the second-in-command of the entire Tianchuan Province, slowly opened his eyes: "The ancestral land is currently occupied by a sage-level master. That master also bears the surname Wu and comes from the Great City, but it has been confirmed that they are unrelated to our clan."
After a pause, he continued:
"Seven days ago, an extraordinary tide erupted in the ancestral land, which could very well be a sign that our ancestors are about to awaken and return."
The elder smiled:
"How shall we deal with the one occupying the ancestral land?"
The middle-aged man spoke calmly:
"Leave it to the official channels; let the Law Enforcement Agency handle it. This won't cause any ripples, and then I will seal off the area to conduct a true grand ritual to awaken the sleeping ancestors."
The elder nodded, a hint of excitement in his demeanor:
"The two great ancestors, one at the pinnacle of power and the other who once approached the realm of true gods with a forbidden body. Once they awaken, with their protection, our clan can return to the White Star Nation, raise our banner again, and settle all past humiliations!"
The middle-aged man's smile widened, and he nodded slightly:
"I will reclaim the ancestral land as soon as possible. That day is not far off. If it weren't for the Sixth Prince about to take control of Tianchuan, we would act more openly to avoid drawing attention. Otherwise…"
A mocking expression crossed his face:
"A sage-level master can easily crush him."
The elder nodded straightforwardly:
"No need to rush; take it slow. The clan leader will soon bring the other clan members from the Great City. The grand ritual is approaching, and the revival of the Wu clan is in sight!"
The two prominent figures from Tianchuan City, even from the province, exchanged smiles.
At this moment, the phone on the desk rang. The middle-aged man picked it up casually:
"This is Wu Liangyu."
A reporting voice came from the other end, and the middle-aged man's brow gradually furrowed.
After a long while, he hung up the phone and said solemnly:
"No anomalies were found in the ancestral land, which was to be expected; it's merely a precursor to the awakening of our ancestors. What surprises me is that the master seems very rule-abiding, with no violations of extraordinary management regulations."
The elder pondered for a moment:
"Then why not just buy back the ancestral land?"
"Mobilizing a large amount of funds might attract attention." The middle-aged man shook his head: "With the Sixth Prince about to arrive, it's better to keep a low profile."
The elder shrugged helplessly:
"I'll make a trip myself in the next few days."
Wu Liangyu frowned:
"The sudden death of a renowned master would spark a large-scale investigation. I'm concerned…"
"Don't worry," the elder replied with a smile. "I have a good relationship with the Dream Clan elder and have access to many matters of the Great City's Secret Adjustments Department. I know how to clean up afterwards."
The middle-aged man sighed with relief, teasing:
"Everyone knows your little affairs. You've pursued the Dream Clan elder for decades, but she hasn't given in. Can that be called a good relationship?"
The elder lifted his chin and snorted:
"That was in the past. The Dream Clan elder was busy, but now the whole clan is moving from the Great City's Third Ring, and she's stepped down from her position as deputy director of the Secret Adjustments Department. She'll have more free time now, so my chances are great!"
"Alright, alright."
The middle-aged man chuckled:
"Then I'll trouble you to make this trip."
"Go ahead, little girl."
Chen Xiang smiled and said:
"Why have you come to see me this time?"
He and the timid Wei Tuantuan sat beside a small tea table, while Wu Shangpin respectfully poured tea.
Wei Tuantuan nervously swallowed and avoided looking into the eyes of this terrifying figure, quietly saying:
"Are you… really a friend of Sister Xiaoqi?"
"I am. What about it?" Chen Xiang asked with interest.
Wei Tuantuan hesitated, then bit her lip:
"I… I overheard my parents talking last night. They said Sister Xiaoqi is in trouble."
Chen Xiang's smile faded.
Wei Tuantuan continued:
"I don't know the details; I didn't hear much. I just vaguely know that Sister Xiaoqi seems to be in serious trouble. You said you were her friend, so…"
Chen Xiang frowned slightly:
"Should I have your father come to see me?"
Wei Tuantuan jumped and shook her head vigorously:
"No!!"
She couldn't figure out whether the person before her was good or evil, and returning once had already taken great courage; she would never drag her dad into this.
Chen Xiang didn't press the issue, contemplating for a moment before saying again:
"You can't clarify Sister Wei's trouble. How about this: you go back and bring your father to the highest rooftop in Tianchuan City tonight to look at the moon—the red moon. Can you do that?"
After a pause, he emphasized:
"If you can't do this, I won't be able to understand what serious trouble Sister Xiaoqi is in, nor can I help."
Look at the moon?
Wei Tuantuan hesitated and quietly asked:
"Just looking at the red moon?"
"Yes."
Chen Xiang replied:
"When you gaze at the red moon, I will be gazing at you from the red moon."
"I will know everything."