It was not until the third day after the Mount Luo fissure was discovered that it was completely sealed.
This time, the Executive Government spared no effort and worked with great efficiency. Because fissures capable of self-sustained existence had endured prolonged contamination from the forces on the other side, they were already capable of contending with Center City's field creatures.
In the past, during a Period of Fluctuation, such rifts would often serve as gateways through which entities from the other world crossed into this one, receding only when a Period of Cold Silence arrived.
Nowadays, the Period of Cold Silence no longer existed. If not for the Ring of the World, such horrors would likely be running rampant everywhere across the realm.
In truth, the Primordial Sect had arranged numerous rituals around it to keep it constrained. Pride, however, had unleashed them, only to find himself without a chance to patch things back up later. Consequently, when the Federation discovered it, the situation was far worse than anticipated, which deeply rattled many within the Federation Government.
After all, they had to look out for their own safety. Even if they could exploit things from the other side, they would never allow them to endanger their own lives.
Even those who collaborated with the other side merely intended to hold the upper hand, never wishing to see things from across the threshold come looking for them.
The fissure was situated far too close to the Federation Capital. Aside from the capital itself, there were several other Center Cities surrounding the Great Trekland Inland Lake. This was the Federation's absolute prime core, involving immense interests and extreme sensitivity.
Hence, after the incident broke out, it not only stirred a colossal uproar within the Federation, but also produced an atrocious international backlash, drawing the rapt attention of all parties.
In Chen Chuan's report, he had explicitly named the Primordial Sect. Now that the fissure was verified to be real, it was virtually impossible for the Primordial Sect to disentangle itself. Thus, alongside dealing with the fissure, an investigation and purge against the Primordial Sect naturally commenced.
At the northern edge of Center City, inside the Great Stone Hall of the Great Ladder Temple.
Seven figures draped in golden-threaded cowled robes gathered here as before. Aside from them, dozens of people stood scattered nearby—evidently all senior members of the Primordial Sect.
Yet today, the atmosphere in the hall was rather stifling.
Their losses this time were severe. Not only had they lost a fissure, but they had also lost the martial artist Pride. Yet even that was not the primary issue.
While they indeed wielded profound influence within the government, they did not hold an absolute monopoly, nor had they reached the point of dictating the entire Federation Executive Government.
This time, the West Coast Faction immediately seized this pretext to attack the East Coast Faction, and even certain elites within the East Coast Faction grew disgruntled as a result.
Riding this wave, the Executive Government used the newly established audit group to push through rectifications across several administrative departments.
Meanwhile, the relatively independent Strategic Affairs Department had long since set its sights on them. Under this pressure, the Primordial Sect's various industries and affairs began contracting sharply, with the vast majority of their previous cooperation and ties with the Federation Government severed.
And this was merely the beginning. Future crackdowns were bound to be even more ferocious.
Fortunately, the Primordial Sect was not entirely parasitic upon the Federation Government; it possessed its own core strength. As long as that remained intact, abandoning many things now did not mean they could never reclaim them in the future.
A stout, portly man among the seated figures spoke in a sneering tone: "Stop looking so crestfallen! Who are you putting that on for? I came here today to resolve problems, not to listen to your whining. Get to the point."
The others exchanged glances before one spoke up: "We all believe that actions against that person should be suspended."
The rest remained silent, but clearly concurred with this opinion.
Chen Chuan's counterstrike against them had indeed achieved its intended effect. Thinking of their losses brought an ache to their hearts. Until they had true certainty, many present had no wish to provoke him again.
The stout man let out a contemptuous sneer, turned his head, and asked one of the figures standing below, "Didn't that test succeed in the end? Even though the people were captured, didn't the information get transmitted back? Are the results out yet?"
The person below answered, "Following the extracted ritual data, we ran several more assessments. The results do not approach the standards of the 'Golden Trait' in any aspect."
"So he isn't a Son of Gold?" Disappointment colored the stout man's tone.
"Not necessarily. Given the circumstances that day, he was prepared in advance. Although our people at the scene were apprehended, he likely knew that ritual transmissions cannot always be severed on the spot."
"So what was assessed that day might not reflect his body's true condition?"
"We believe so."
The person continued, "Furthermore, we believe that given his performance at Mount Luo, he must be a Son of Gold. Otherwise, he could never have been a match for Mr. Pride."
The stout figure scoffed. "What good does that do?" He waved a hand outward. "We already know what the outcome was."
The person below promptly lowered his head. Yet the stout man above followed up immediately: "A Son of Gold... It is indeed hard for us to give up on him. Very well, do any of you have suggestions? I'd like to hear them."
Though wrapped in a robe concealing his head and face, the man seemed rather invigorated upon hearing this. Looking up, he said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we believe we might be able to resume that previous plan."
The previous plan?
The man said, "Attacking Kawatua. If we can draw him into the fray, perhaps we can capture him."
Growing increasingly excited as he spoke, he went on: "That plan was on too grand a scale. Back then, the New Light Cult spent two full years just preparing for it. Now that their plan has failed, we have obtained a great deal of intelligence they no longer value. After gathering it, we had Eros refine it. If we execute according to this refined plan, it is entirely feasible."
The stout man stroked his fleshy chin. The first thought that crossed his mind was:
Regardless of whether they could draw that person into the fray, conquering Kawatua would at least recoup some of their losses.
Initially, they had not cared much about attacking Kawatua. But now, down one fissure and facing severe losses across diverse businesses, they felt the sting and wanted to make up for it elsewhere.
Even though this matter would inevitably require cooperating with the New Light Cult and some profits would certainly be carved out for them, what remained was still well worth making a move.
He looked around and said, "Everyone, why don't we discuss the feasibility of this matter?"
***
Meanwhile, at the Progenitor Company branch in Lunovila City.
Xiang Boqing entered a private room. Looking at the ringing telephone, he reached out, lifted the receiver, and said, "Mr. Gao? This is Xiang Boqing. What are your instructions?"
A low voice came through the receiver: "Did they meet?"
Xiang Boqing said, "I believe so."
There was silence on the other end before the voice asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"
Xiang Boqing said, "I couldn't be entirely certain. Mr. Gao, as you know, the Boss's whereabouts and affairs are generally not something I can pry into. That is what the Boss taboos most."
The deep voice in the receiver said, "I've heard about what happened with him. With his current strength, could you handle him, Mr. Xiang?"
Xiang Boqing knew that after learning what Chen Chuan had been up to lately, this man had begun to worry about his own situation.
He said, "Analyzing his performance over these past few encounters, partial power from a Dongxuan View martial artist indeed has no absolute certainty of taking him down. Such a situation is exceedingly rare. Perhaps there is something different about him compared to ordinary people."
After he said this, he heard the voice on the other end mutter, "I knew it... I knew it—"
Xiang Boqing waited for the other party to continue, but after a moment, the call clicked off. Expressionless, he set down the receiver.
On the other end of the line, after Gao Xinwen ended the call, his profound anxiety was plain to see. He muttered something to himself and slammed a heavy fist onto the desk.
Finally, he looked toward two telephones on the desk, placed side by side and marked with distinct symbols.
He first reached toward one of them, but hesitated, then shifted his hand to the other and dialed a number.
After waiting a moment, a gentle, benevolent voice came through: "Believer Gao."
Mr. Gao said, "Zen Master, I have certain doubts and wish to seek guidance from the Venerable One in person."
"From a single thought in the believer's mind arises the cause, and karmic fruit manifests in its wake. All phenomena of the world are cyclic returns. If the believer wishes to seek, our temple naturally shall deliver and resolve."
Mr. Gao set the receiver down, walked out, tapped his boundary credential, and ordered, "Prepare an airship. I need to make a trip to Xiaojue Temple."
***
Inside Red Rock Mountain Manor, Chen Chuan sat in the main hall. The field screen before him was broadcasting a news report covering the investigation and arrest of Primordial Sect cultists.
Yet he also knew that this matter would at most implicate some lower- and mid-tier members of the Primordial Sect. Those high-ranking members with formidable destructive power were impossible to hold accountable.
If conflict were to erupt with such people, the resulting casualties, destruction, and damage to the Federation Government's image would be immense.
Whether out of political considerations or practical reality, pursuing the investigation any further was simply impossible.
However, he had never expected to bring down the Primordial Sect with this alone.
To put it bluntly, unless one purged the entire Federation from top to bottom, it was impossible to wipe out these people completely. Being able to force the exposure of one of their fissures and destroy part of a Throne martial artist's spirit external body was already a grievous blow against them.
Particularly fissures—they often served as the foundation of various factions, not only yielding an endless stream of resources, but even allowing certain elites to communicate with entities from the world on the other side, a phenomenon seen time and again across various nations of the world.
Reflecting on the "ascending ladder" mentioned by Ryan, the administrator of Vea Continent, he was certain that an identical faction existed within the East Coast Faction.
These matters were not something he could concern himself with right now. Or rather, his strength had not yet reached the level where he could intervene.
On the other hand, after this incident, unless the Primordial Sect wanted to suffer even greater losses, they would likely behave themselves for a while. Free of these distractions, he could focus on his own affairs.
Just as he was thinking this, an incoming communication came through his boundary credential. Once connected, the voice on the other end said, "Director, the analysis of that piece of jade is in."
Chapter 1200