Announcement

Jinshan City, outskirts. A roaring noise like an airplane propeller streaked across the sky at high speed before plunging into a low hill on the outskirts. With a sharp crack, two figures smashed through a pine tree and tumbled into the forest. "Cough, cough... Cough..." Kou Beiyue rolled among the fallen leaves, curling into a ball. His face was contorted in pain as he coughed violently. Xiao Yuan scrambled unsteadily to her feet and rushed over to Kou Beiyue to check on him. Her heart sank instantly. Kou Beiyue's pulse was faint, his heartbeat sluggish, and his internal organs were withering at a terrifying rate. Earlier, he had relied on the blood reserves stored within the Bewitching Demon exclusive weapon to activate his rampage ability, temporarily suppressing the disease. Now, the essence of that blood had been completely drained by the pathogens, and the sickness was devouring his body once more. Xiao Yuan hastily opened her inventory, retrieved a black earthen jar, and reached in to pull out two plump, pale cicada pupae. She shoved them into Kou Beiyue's mouth and urged frantically, "Swallow them!" His consciousness already slipping, Kou Beiyue heard Xiao Yuan's voice and reflexively swallowed. Once the two pupae went down, his breathing steadied, and his heartbeat began to return to normal. Before long, however, his breath grew ragged once more, and his pulse fell into erratic flutterings. The cicada pupae worked much like Life Source Fluid—providing immense vitality specifically meant to repair injuries. Pathogens, however, were not wounds. Infusing immense vitality could temporarily pull someone back from the brink of death, but it also nourished the pathogens, treating only the symptoms and not the root cause. To cure a sickness, what was needed was medicine! Among all the major classes, the only ones capable of refining medicinal pills were Wood Monsters and Scholars. Xiao Yuan's heart plummeted. In Kou Beiyue's current state, he would not last an hour. Should she make a run for Songhai? No, Yuanshi's fate was currently uncertain. With the official faction's ability to plan ahead, they might have already stationed people in Songhai just waiting for her to walk into their trap. Return to the hotel? Master Wuhen had not answered her plea for help, which meant he was isolated from reality. The hotel's location had long been exposed; going back would likewise be walking straight into a trap. Amid her racing thoughts, Xiao Yuan—still in her bee-woman form—fished out a phone from Kou Beiyue's pocket. Her own phone had been left behind in the bedroom. With a practiced motion, she unlocked the screen with his fingerprint, opened the chat app, pursed her lips, and sent a message to the team group: [Kou Beiyue: This is Xiao Yuan. We were ambushed by the officials. Good Minister and Tongtong have fallen.] Typing that second sentence sent a wrenching spasm of agony through her chest. [Kou Beiyue: Beiyue was infected with a Rain Master's plague and is on the verge of death. I need medicine that cures illness. Everyone, I need your help.] After sending the message, she waited with deep guilt for the deluge of replies that should follow. Aunt Fang had always treated Tongtong like her own granddaughter. If she learned that Tongtong had returned to the Spirit Realm, she would be devastated. Uncle Yang, having spent half his life educating others, would never be able to handle such a blow. She only hoped he could bear it. Lin Chong would surely explode in fury right on the spot. He had an intense stress reaction when confronted with tragedies, often leading him to extreme, irrational acts. Xiao Yuan waited as her thoughts drifted, but no response ever came. A mounting sense of unease and bewilderment welled up in her chest. The ambush by official Dominators, the failed plea to Master Wuhen, the completely silent small group, the members whose statuses were already gone... The more Xiao Yuan thought, the more wrong everything felt, and the more terrifying it became. Her entire body began to tremble slightly. Just then, a soft sigh carried through the air: "The woods have shed their spring reds, all too soon. What can stay the cold morning rain and evening winds? Rouge tears, lingering in drunken sorrow, when shall we meet again? Such is human life, an eternal sorrow flowing ever eastward like the river." Xiao Yuan stiffened in alarm and looked around, but saw no one. It was only when the final line—"Such is human life, an eternal sorrow flowing ever eastward like the river"—was recited that she finally caught sight of the uninvited guest. It was a man dressed in a light-blue suit with slim-cut tapered trousers and a broad-brimmed black hat. His back was turned to her, his head tilted downward at a forty-five-degree angle to the right. His right hand pinched the brim of his hat, his right heel was lifted onto its toes, and his knees were slightly bent. He was striking the iconic pose of a certain famous Western superstar. From this angle, Xiao Yuan could see half of his face, which was concealed beneath a silver mask. "I do not care for your expression—guarded and laced with hostility. A trendsetter such as myself deserves cheers and applause." The masked man's voice sounded like a poetic recitation, resonant and profound. Xiao Yuan was taut with tension as she guarded Kou Beiyue, her obsidian-like compound eyes fixed dead on the man as if confronting a formidable foe. "No need for such hostility. I am here to help you." The man reached into the void, produced a small porcelain bottle, and tossed it from afar. "Take this as a token of my sincerity." The bottle landed neatly right beside Xiao Yuan's feet. Xiao Yuan ignored it, continuing to stare at him coldly. The man said, "His condition is worse than expected. Though he has been removed from the source of infection, the pathogens absorbed the power of his Bloodthirsty Rampage and grew even stronger. That bottle contains pills that cure a hundred ailments. One pill a day, and he will be fully recovered in three days." Only then did Xiao Yuan glance down at the bottle. Coldly, she asked, "Who are you, and what is your purpose?" "I am a chess player, and you are my newest piece. Naturally, a chess player must look after his pieces," the masked man replied candidly. Xiao Yuan hesitated for a few seconds before picking up the bottle. She poured out a dark-brown pill that exuded a medicinal fragrance and shoved it into Kou Beiyue's mouth. His condition had deteriorated terribly. She had no other options, and things could not possibly get any worse than they already were. Upon swallowing the pill, the foolish boy, whose breath had been down to a thread, immediately began breathing evenly and slipped into a peaceful slumber. Xiao Yuan let out a breath of relief and looked toward the mysterious man. "A chess piece? What do I need to do?" The man produced a jade pendant carved with bizarre incantations from his robes. "When the right time comes, set up an altar and pray to Past Without Trace." "Master Wuhen..." Xiao Yuan stared at the man's back, asking urgently, "What on earth happened? Can you... please tell me?" She had already realized that tonight's ordeal was far from simple. "Past Without Trace made an attempt to reach demigod status, encroaching on far too many people's interests and touching a taboo of a certain faction within the Spirit Realm. He is finished." The masked man let out a sigh. "Aside from you and this boy, every other member of your team has returned to the Spirit Realm." Xiao Yuan's mind roared as if struck by lightning, and all color drained from her face in an instant. The news came so abruptly, like a sharp blade stabbing deep into her chest, tearing her apart with agonizing pain. She did not want to believe it, but Master Wuhen's silence and the unanswered group chat all told her that it was the truth. Her companions, her family, her mentor—all of them had vanished like bubbles bursting into nothingness. Xiao Yuan collapsed to the ground, as though her spine had been ripped out. Her gaze was blank, her face pale as lifeless paper, while tears surged uncontrollably from her eyes. After a long time, she tried her best to speak in a calm tone, though her voice still trembled uncontrollably. "Senior..." The man seemed to know what she wanted to say and waved a hand. "I cannot save Past Without Trace. No one can. Of course, we could be considered half-allies, which is why I showed myself to you." He tossed the jade pendant over. "On this matter, his stance diverged from mine, and I could only respect his choice. If you do not want his painstaking efforts to go to waste, do as I instructed. There is no need to ask about anything else; with your rank, it is best not to pry. Keep the pendant safe. When the time is right, I will notify you." With that, the man murmured a soft sigh. "Such is human life, an eternal sorrow flowing ever eastward like the river." Amid that sigh, he vanished into thin air before Xiao Yuan's eyes, as though he had never existed at all. *** Inside the command room, Secretary Zhou held his phone to his ear. "Secretary Zhou, we have captured Yuanshi Tianzun and placed him in restraints, leaving him no opportunity to flee or enter a faction dungeon," Xishan Huanglong, one of the three Rain Masters, reported in a low voice. "However, the elders from Songhai refuse to leave Yuanshi Tianzun's side, and the elders of the Pangxie City Branch have already reported the matter to their respective backers. We had no chance to kill Yuanshi Tianzun and could not secure the Heaven-Worship Set." A smile tugged at the corner of Secretary Zhou's mouth, his tone upbeat. "The fatal blow has already been dealt. All we have to do now is wait to reap the fruits of victory. Do not make any unnecessary moves. Bring him back to headquarters to face trial." Obstructing law enforcement, colluding with evil classes, and murdering an elder—these were felonies from which not even an Alliance Leader could save him. No, more accurately, these were felonies that not even an Alliance Leader could tolerate. Even an Alliance Leader's own child would be put to death for committing such acts, let alone Yuanshi Tianzun. Among the five Alliance Leaders, Gang Leader Jiang and the Grand Marshal favored Yuanshi Tianzun. However, the White Tiger Guards placed absolute emphasis on discipline and hierarchy; striking at a superior and slaying an official elder was something not even the Grand Marshal could shield him from. And while Gang Leader Jiang had a fiery temper, he was scrupulous in rewards and punishments, making it even less likely he would protect him. As for the other three Alliance Leaders: Yuanshi Tianzun had killed an elder of the Water God Palace, so the Palace Mistress would be the first to show no mercy; the Master of Central Court was asleep; and the President of Baihui lived in secluded retirement. Moreover, the Alliance Leaders never meddled in everyday faction affairs. Secretary Zhou hung up the phone and dialed Elder Cai. Once the line connected, he said with deep grief, "Leader, Relentless Raging Waves has died in the line of duty, killed by the hands of Yuanshi Tianzun." He immediately recounted the sequence of events to Elder Cai. After listening, Elder Cai expressed his approval: "Well done." Secretary Zhou smiled. He knew Elder Cai was referring to his snap decision to alter the plan and summon elders from both the Pangxie City and Songhai branches to the scene. Xie Su's interference had disrupted the plan to kill Yuanshi Tianzun directly. So he had adapted, summoning the elders of Songhai and Pangxie City—the closest locations to Jinshan City. On one hand, it served to bear witness to Yuanshi Tianzun's treasonous actions; on the other, it cut off any possibility of his defection. Of course, all of this rested on the premise that Yuanshi Tianzun would genuinely kill Relentless Raging Waves. Secretary Zhou had never doubted that for a second. The young man might appear smooth and adaptable on the surface, but deep down, he was fiercely unyielding and intractable. If he were the type to bow his head, he would never have reached such a tense standoff with headquarters in the first place. "Leader, do you have any further instructions?" Elder Cai said indifferently, "Is he not fond of manipulating public opinion?" The corner of Secretary Zhou's mouth curved upward. "Understood. I will have someone draft an announcement immediately." Elder Cai gave an affirmative grunt and hung up. *** Pangxie City, the Xie family estate. A clansman rushed hurriedly into the courtyard, shouting, "Madam, Madam!" Mother Xie, who had only just fallen asleep, threw on a robe and pushed open the latticed window on the second floor, her brows furrowed. "In the dead of night, what is it?" The clansman stood in the courtyard below, looked up, and said anxiously, "Something terrible has happened! Word just came from the Pangxie City Branch—the Clan Head obstructed law enforcement and was arrested!" "Obstructing law enforcement?" Mother Xie snapped crossly. "What is the big deal about that? Just notify the Council of Elders." Xie Su was a Dominator and the head of a Spirit Realm prominent family. Forget merely obstructing law enforcement—even secretly taking out an official Saint would not be considered a catastrophic matter. At most, the elders would step in to bail him out and pay a fine. The clansman's expression grew even more frantic. "Yuanshi Tianzun colluded with evil classes and killed an official elder! The Clan Head was his accomplice and has already been taken to headquarters to be locked up! Madam, this is massive!" Mother Xie swayed, her face draining of color. She turned around and dashed out of the room, crying out shrilly: "Lingxi, your Brother Yuanshi is in trouble! Your father is in trouble too!" *** Just as dawn was breaking. The official Five Elements Alliance headquarters account posted an announcement on the forum: #Yuanshi Tianzun Colluded with Evil Classes, Obstructed Law Enforcement, and Murdered an Elder# A bolt from the blue!