stonecrandall Page 195
Page 195
Its ingenious structure is seven or eight parts similar to the golden runes on the "Star Ring", but it has made completely opposite and subversive changes at the most core nodes!
"Click——"
A soft, crisp sound, like glass shattering.
The "Star Ring" that the Taoist figure was so proud of, which was powerful enough to suppress a region, was completely dismantled and reversed at its core under the cutting of that Primordial Dao Qi!
That seemingly indestructible spatial barrier, like a building whose skeleton had been removed, collapsed with a roar!
"puff--!"
The magical artifact was severely damaged, and Xuan Juezi, whose mind was connected to it, was struck as if by lightning. He spat out a mouthful of blood, and his already blurry figure became even more illusory, as if it would disappear at any moment.
He dared not linger for a moment, nor did he care to be shocked at how the other party had broken through his magic weapon. With a flicker of his body, he took Ma Xianhong, Jin Yangzi, and the cultivation furnace core with him and completely merged into the void, disappearing without a trace.
Only a single sentence, filled with endless resentment and apprehension, as if squeezed out from between his teeth, echoed in the empty night sky.
"You...you wait! My Immortal Refining Sect...will never let you go!"
Zhang Yunyuan looked in the direction the other person disappeared but did not chase after them.
He knew that with the other party's unpredictable spatial teleportation skills, even if he caught up with him, he might not be able to catch him.
He sensed that the primal poison within Chen Duo's body had become active again due to the furnace's rampage and the oppressive aura of the people from the Immortal Realm, and it needed to be dealt with immediately.
Just then, Zhao Fangxu's voice, tinged with anxiety and uncertainty, came through the company's temporary command channel.
"Senior Yunyuan? How is the situation?"
Clearly, the brief exchange that had just occurred, which was beyond everyone's comprehension, was also transmitted back to the company headquarters in detail through the frontline cameras.
Zhang Yunyuan did not answer him. His gaze pierced through the layers of ruins and crowds, landing on the girl who was surrounded by several company employees, looking bewildered and helpless.
"Everyone, stop!"
Zhang Yunyuan's voice rang clearly in the ears of every company member through the encrypted channel.
He slowly stepped forward. The few agents who originally wanted to carry out the order and take Chen Duo away took a half step back when they met his calm yet unfathomable gaze, and could no longer muster the courage to resist.
Zhang Yunyuan walked up to Chen Duo and looked into her empty eyes, as if she had lost all hope in the world.
He slowly crouched down, bringing his gaze to her level, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable power:
"Chen Duo, Liao Zhong is dead, the company will no longer trust you. Biyou Village is finished too, and Ma Xianhong is in dire straits."
He stated the cold, hard facts, then abruptly changed the subject:
"Now, you have two paths before you."
"First, go back to the company's bunker with them, just like before, or even worse."
"Second, come back to Longhu Mountain with me. There's a forest on the back mountain where no one will bother you. You can decide what to do each day, and you can even raise some of your favorite poisonous creatures. I'll guarantee you peace and quiet."
Instead of asking "Are you willing?", he directly presented two extremely specific options with clear consequences. This was far easier for Chen Duo, with her simple way of thinking, to understand than the abstract "giving you freedom".
Chen Duo's empty eyes flickered slightly, her gaze focusing for the first time on Zhang Yunyuan's face. She seemed to be weighing the two options.
Finally, she very slightly pointed at Zhang Yunyuan with her finger.
Zhang Yunyuan nodded and stood up: "Okay."
He turned around, facing the agents and the ubiquitous surveillance cameras, and slowly began to speak.
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable decisiveness.
"You can't take this child away."
The operators exchanged glances, and one of them, steeling himself, spoke up:
“Senior, this is a company order. Chen Duo is a deserter temporary worker; we must take her away…”
A cold smile curled at the corners of Zhang Yunyuan's lips.
He stopped pretending, and the vast and boundless Dao Qi belonging to a master of innate cultivation suddenly spread out from his body, enveloping the entire area.
His originally ordinary face was also restored to its original handsome appearance under the cleansing of the Dao Qi.
The unique aura emanating from the young master of Longhu Mountain sent shivers down the spines of everyone present.
He spoke to the void, as if addressing someone watching him intently; his voice was calm, yet each word carried immense weight.
"Zhao Fangxu, I know you're watching."
"You can't handle this child's condition."
Her body had long been corrupted by the primordial poison and the evil energy of the cultivation furnace, leaving her terminally ill. The entanglement of cause and effect was too deep; in the world, besides me, I fear no one could unravel it.
"Today, I, Zhang Yunyuan, in the name of Longhu Mountain and with my cultivation as collateral, will take her away for treatment."
"If the company doesn't trust me, they can send someone to accompany me, or come to Longhushan to verify at any time."
"But, if anyone dares to stop me, don't blame me for... showing no mercy."
On the other end of the video call, at the company headquarters, Zhao Fangxu looked at the young man on the screen, dressed in white, with an ethereal air, yet speaking the most domineering words, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
In the background noise, one could also faintly hear the indistinct arguments of other directors:
"...This is against the rules!" "...It must be brought under control!" "...Mr. Zhao, you are responsible!"
Zhao Fangxu remained silent for a moment, then abruptly cut off the communication line for the internal debate. He took a deep breath, picked up the external communicator, and issued instructions in a tone filled with helplessness and compromise.
"...All personnel, cease all actions against Chen Duo."
Prioritize treating the wounded and stabilizing the scene. Fully cooperate with our seniors.
He added, emphasizing:
"I will explain all the consequences to the board of directors."
A tense conflict was abruptly brought to a close thanks to Zhang Yunyuan's absolute strength and prestige, as well as Zhao Fangxu's decisive acceptance of responsibility.
Communications were cut off, and the command center fell into a deathly silence.
The static on the screen seemed to carry an eerie chill.
Zhao Fangxu slowly sat back in his chair, clutching his glasses tightly in his hand, the veins on the back of his hand slightly visible.
He was no longer the compromising director, but had returned to being the tycoon in charge of a massive, violent machine.
After a full minute of silence, he addressed his trembling subordinates in the car, speaking slowly in an icy voice, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth:
"Notify 'Dark Fortress' to activate the highest level of secrecy in the 'Jiashen' emergency plan."
"Everything that happened here today, all the data and energy fluctuation records about that Taoist man, are classified as top secret and encrypted with the highest level of security."
All team members involved in the operation are to be silenced, and their psychological assessment levels have been raised to the highest level.
"Also... get me the Celestial Master's Mansion and the Ten Elders Association from Longhu Mountain."
His gaze returned to Zhang Yunyuan's figure on the screen, his expression incredibly complex.
A tense conflict was abruptly ended in the face of Zhang Yunyuan's absolute strength and prestige.
Zhang Yunyuan looked at the company employees around him who seemed to have been granted a pardon, and said nothing more.
He turned around and looked again at the girl who still looked bewildered, seemingly still reeling from the series of unexpected events.
Looking into her empty eyes, which seemed to say "I don't care," the pity he felt as an elder ultimately prevailed.
He slowly squatted down to be at her eye level, and for the first time, his eyes, which were always as calm as an ancient well, revealed an undisguised tenderness.
The voice was no longer domineering and cold; instead, it carried a warmth that could soothe all pain.
"Chen Duo, is that right?"
"follow me."
I cannot guarantee you a life of luxury, nor can I guarantee you a carefree life.
He looked into her eyes and, word by word, made a promise that would change her life forever.
"But I can guarantee that from now on, you can choose the life you want to live and decide your own destiny."
"I'm giving you... the right to choose."
Chapter 233 The Warlock's Departure, A New Agreement
With the company's intervention, the clearing work at Biyou Village is proceeding in an orderly manner.
The ruins were leveled, the traces of the battle were covered up, and the captured Shanggenqi and villagers vanished without a trace in the official records, as if they had evaporated into thin air.
A storm powerful enough to shake the entire world of supernatural beings was forcibly suppressed, as if it had never happened.
However, for those who personally experienced all of this, the shock that is etched deep in their souls has yet to subside.
On a secluded hillside far from the hustle and bustle, Wang Ye and Zhuge Qing stood side by side, gazing at the distant outline of a village that had returned to tranquility yet exuded a deathly stillness, remaining silent for a long time.
The exhaustion of surviving the ordeal washed over me like a tidal wave.
Wang Ye plopped down on the grass, looking completely disheveled. He wiped the dust off his face and muttered weakly:
"I'm exhausted. I need to sleep for three more days and nights when I get back."
Upon hearing this, Zhuge Qing showed no sign of relief; instead, a bitter smile appeared on his face.
He turned his head and looked at Wang Ye. In those fox-like eyes that always carried a hint of calculation, there was now an unprecedented solemnity and... a trace of barely perceptible fervor.
He took a deep breath, as if he had made a momentous decision, his voice low and filled with fighting spirit.
"Let's have a fight."
Wang Ye paused in his act of lying down, looking at Zhuge Qing with some surprise: "Huh? What did you say? We just escaped the wolf's den, and you're already starting to fight amongst yourselves?"
"It's not about competing and fighting."
Zhuge Qing shook his head. He slowly stood up, and the ethereal aura of a sorcerer around him became incredibly refined at this moment, like a sharp sword about to be drawn from its sheath.
"I just want to know, after experiencing so much, comprehending the Samadhi True Fire, and especially after witnessing that senior's unpredictable methods, where exactly have I come from?"
"I need a thrilling battle to prove my path and to solidify my heart."
Wang Ye looked into his eyes, which were burning with fierce fighting spirit, and fell silent.
He understood what Zhuge Qing meant.
For a sorcerer, working in isolation will never allow them to grasp the true "Great Way".