Chapter One Hundred and Nineteen

Chapter One Hundred and Nineteen

As soon as the words 'bitten by a dog' were uttered, Gu Yunche felt the room's temperature plummet, shivering and clutching the mirror tightly.

This interruption from Gu Yunche somewhat eased the awkward atmosphere.

Aunt Gu covered her mouth with a laugh, her voice tinged with a strange beguiling tone: "Such nonsense, boy, don't you have a filter for your mouth?"

Unexpectedly reprimanded by his own mother, Gu Yunche, feeling wronged, exclaimed, "What else can I say? If these marks aren't from a dog bite, are they from a human bite..."

Before he could finish his complaint, a stern look from the eldest Gu stopped him, and he immediately shut his mouth.

Shen Wang discreetly glanced at Aunt Gu, his gaze landing on her wrist.

The women of the Gu family seemed to defy age. Gu's mother was breathtakingly beautiful, radiantly unmatched, making it hard to believe she had a son in his twenties.

And Aunt Gu, though called so, looked as if she was in her twenties. Standing beside Gu Yunche, they looked more like siblings than mother and son.

She was petite, dressed in clothes with distinct ethnic features, her wrist adorned with countless silver bracelets of varying thicknesses, heavily resting on her snow-white slender wrists.

Aunt Gu also looked down at her wrist, giggling, and shook her hand, making the silver bracelets jingle: "Do you like my little treasures?"

The next second, a pitch-black beetle crawled out of one of the bracelets, making its way to Aunt Gu's fingertip.

The beetle was about the size of a little finger, glossy black all over, with large and powerful pincers, clearly well-nurtured.

Shen Wang offered a polite smile: "Very interesting."

Aunt Gu, looking slightly disappointed, stroked the beetle, which nuzzled her fingertip before quickly crawling back into the bracelet.

Gu Yunche cried out in alarm: "Mom! Stop showing off your Gu bugs, they're really scary!"

Following closely, Elder Gu rebuked sternly, "Watch how you speak to your mother."

Tears welled up in Gu Yunche's eyes as he silently closed his mouth.

Shen Wang watched their interaction, a hint of amusement in his eyes. He had never experienced a normal family life, but imagined... this must be what it's like.

Amidst their laughter and chatter, the last bit of awkwardness also faded away.

Aunt Gu, smiling, watched her son being reprimanded and then turned her gaze back to Shen Wang: "How long have you and Xiaoting been together? What stage has your relationship reached?"

Shen Wang, who had just been smiling at the warmth of this family moment, was startled: "!!!"

Cold sweat broke out on his forehead instantly.

Seeing no response from him, Aunt Gu assumed, "So, you haven't reached the final step yet? Just started being together?"

Shen Wang replied hesitantly, "You're mistaken, although we... but, our relationship is purely platonic."

Aunt Gu nodded, "So, you're not together yet?"

Shen Wang was momentarily lost for words.

Finally, Elder Gu, unable to watch anymore, coughed and interjected, "Xiaoting wasn't in his right mind just now, his behavior was abnormal, don't make baseless assumptions."

Shen Wang, relieved, gave Elder Gu a grateful smile, who, in turn, looked surprised and then disdainfully averted his gaze.

As the head of the family, Elder Gu commanded respect. Once he spoke, even though Aunt Gu was full of gossip, she swallowed her questions.

She subtly rolled her eyes at Elder Gu and exchanged a knowing smile with Gu's mother, the two women sharing a moment of silent understanding.

The Gu family insisted Shen Wang stay for lunch, a meal he found as uncomfortable as sitting on pins and needles, a sense of unease he had never experienced before when visiting relatives.

After managing to finish the meal, Shen Wang didn’t stay long before getting up to leave. As he was departing, Gu's mother personally escorted him to the gate and gave him some fruits and snacks.

Gu's mother said with a smile, "The gifts are not expensive, just a token of appreciation. And thank you for looking after Xiaoting for us."

Unable to refuse, Shen Wang left carrying a large bag of imported fruits, looking more like a supplier than a visitor to the sick.

As she watched him walk away, Gu's mother's eyes held a trace of contemplation.

Beside her, Aunt Gu, leaning against Gu's mother, asked cheerfully, "What do you think? Are you satisfied?"

Gu's mother, reflecting, couldn't quite decide between satisfaction and dissatisfaction: "His character and nature are decent, and he's kind-hearted, but…"

Given Gu Dongting's constitution and his aloof personality, Gu's mother always worried he might end up alone for life, so she wasn’t particularly demanding about his partner.

Now with Shen Wang's sudden appearance, she was unsure whether to be satisfied or not.

"That's normal," Aunt Gu said, understandingly. A mother's worry for her child is natural.

Behind the two women, Elder Gu and Gu's father watched their wives leaning on each other, chatting in a way they couldn’t grasp, looking utterly baffled.

Gu's father said, "Isn’t it good that Xiaoting has found a close friend? What are they worrying about?"

Elder Gu wasn’t sure either, but as the head of the family, he couldn’t admit ignorance: "Maybe they're worried that Xiaoting, with his pure nature, might befriend the wrong people."

Gu's father: "…"

Gu Er thought that in some ways, Gu Dongting, even as a businessman seasoned in the market, had more principles and resolve. He wondered why his wife was needlessly fretting.

Shen Wang, who had arrived empty-handed, was now laden with bags and packages. Just as he reached the hotel entrance, his path was blocked by a crowd.

Ahead, two distinct factions had formed, exchanging harsh words in a noisy, lively dispute.

One side declared, “The Metaphysics Association is the most powerful force in the metaphysical world.”

One retorted, “They’re just a bunch of petty people blinded by money.”

Another sneered, “The special department is nothing but a watchdog, lacking the detachment from worldly affairs that cultivators should have.”

Someone responded, “We worry about our country and its people, contributing to the nation. You claim detachment, then why don’t you stop accepting money?”

Listening in for a bit, Shen Wang quickly grasped the crux of the matter.

The special department and the Metaphysics Association had long been at odds, and now, sharing the same space without the constraints of competition rules, friction was inevitable.

Shen Wang had no interest in joining in. Just as he was about to bypass the crowd and return to his room, someone spotted him.

“Brother Shen!”

“Shen Wang!”

Instantly, everyone turned their heads to look at Shen Wang, especially the people from the special department, who rushed over as if they had seen their pillar of strength.

A crowd surrounded Shen Wang, chattering and complaining.

“Brother Shen, these people are looking down on us, provoking a challenge. Come on, you should take them on!”

“Let them see why the flowers are so red.”

“Give them a good lesson on behalf of our special department…”

Shen Wang found himself trapped in the midst of the crowd, unable to escape, his hands relieved of the bags he was carrying by eager volunteers.

Several chubby members also squeezed next to Shen Wang, egging him on, “The Metaphysics Association people said we're just leftovers they didn't want, that only those rejected by them join the special department, calling us a bunch of losers.”

“Who do they think they are? We have Brother Gu and Brother Shen in our special department. No matter how strong they are, can they be more powerful than Brother Gu and you?”

“Brother Shen, show us what you've got…”

The special department’s morale surged, but the Metaphysics Association objected: “That's shameless, bringing in external help. Is he even an official member of your special department?”

“Brother Gu isn't part of your special department either, yet he helps us with missions. Don't muddy the waters and snatch Brother Gu from us.”

Anyone with clear eyes knew Shen Wang's strength. If he stepped in, did anyone else stand a chance of winning?

Before Shen Wang could even speak, the two sides were ready to clash again.

Out of options, Shen Wang shouted, “Enough!”

Everyone was startled, stopping their actions in unison.

Seizing this moment of quiet, Shen Wang waved his hand decisively: “Go ahead with your fight, I’ll stay aside and be the judge.”

“Fight, fight, the more intense, the better. I'll just watch and relieve some stress.”

Having said this, Shen Wang indeed found a spot with the best view, sat down comfortably, and prepared to enjoy the show.

The special department members: “…”

They were taken aback by this turn of events, standing there stunned.

The Metaphysics Association members, however, were thrilled and immediately leapt up: “Brother Shen's right, with his strength, he's the perfect judge!”

“Brother Shen will surely be fair and impartial! I support Brother Shen!”

While flattering Shen Wang, the Metaphysics Association members quickly cleared the area, transforming the spacious hotel lobby into an impromptu combat stage.

Quick-witted individuals even snatched the bag of fruits from the special department members, washed them, and placed them beside Shen Wang.

In the blink of an eye, Shen Wang was sitting comfortably on a sofa, fresh fruits at hand, and a live action performance about to unfold before him.

The members of the special department were dumbstruck, not having fully processed what had just happened.

Left with no choice, as the atmosphere of arch-enemies was already set, the members of the special department looked at each other and reluctantly prepared to enter the scene.

In this dispute, none of the participants were core members of either the Mystical Studies Association or the Special Department, and their strengths were not significantly different. After sizing each other up, they quickly decided on who would take the stage.

The first to enter were a man who used talismans and a young woman wielding a knife.

They began by respectfully bowing to the referee Shen Wang, then to each other, before taking their stances and preparing to attack.

Shen Wang lounged on the sofa like a lord, snacking on the fruits lovingly prepared by Gu's mother. Seeing their formalities, he grimaced as if his teeth were set on edge.

The chubby boy, lacking in strength, didn’t qualify to participate. As Shen Wang's most devoted follower, he stood dutifully behind Shen Wang, massaging his shoulders and back.

Hearing Shen Wang’s reaction, the chubby boy immediately asked, "What's wrong, Brother Shen? Is the orange too sour? I knew those people from the Mystical Studies Association were up to no good, giving you such sour oranges. Should I get you another?"

Shen Wang waved his hand, stopping the chubby boy's actions, "It's not the orange that's sour; it's your posturing that's making me cringe."

The chubby boy and the others around were puzzled.

Shen Wang casually tossed the orange peel aside, which someone quickly came to clean up. He said, "Don't you have any sense of a real duel? Bowing to the referee, bowing to the opponent..."

Everyone looked confused, including the two who were about to 'spar.' They stopped their movements and looked bewilderedly at Shen Wang.

Shen Wang, frustrated, said, "In a duel, you need to catch your opponent off guard, understand?"

"Right from the start, attack their weak points while they're distracted. One should target the opponent's lower body, catching them by surprise."

"Whoever acts faster gains an advantage of three points."

Those who were listening intently had a moment of realization, their eyes lighting up, but some still felt uneasy, hesitantly saying, "Isn't that a bit underhanded... It seems somewhat unscrupulous..."

Shen Wang looked at the person who spoke, "Do you want to be a gentleman, or do you want to win?"

The other party was left speechless.

Shen Wang’s words seemed to open Pandora's box. The two contestants in the arena exchanged glances. The man hesitated slightly, but the woman, seizing the moment of his distraction, slashed at him with her knife.

The man was caught off guard, retreating in panic. He barely managed to defend himself, but he never regained the upper hand throughout the match.

The bout ended with the woman holding her knife to the man's neck, her face flushed with suppressed excitement as she coolly said, “I concede.”

As soon as she returned to her friend, she couldn’t help but scream in excitement, "I won! Sisters, I won!"

Amidst the joy of one side and the silence of the other, Shen Wang casually popped a cherry into his mouth, "Whose side is she on?"

The chubby boy immediately responded, "The Special Department won!"

After speaking, he puffed up his chest, looking around with an air of triumph.

Shen Wang nodded, "Special Department and Mystical Studies Association, 1:0."

"Petty victory," muttered someone from the Mystical Studies Association, holding back their frustration and glaring fiercely at the members of the Special Department.

The next contestants to take the stage were a teenager and a young man.

This time, neither bowed but instead watched each other warily. After a few seconds of caution, the young man made the first move, harshly targeting the teenager’s legs.

Shen Wang clicked his tongue and added, "What’s the use of attacking the legs? You’re both men; you should know where men fear getting hit the most."

The young man hesitated, trying to change his move, but it was too late. The teenager’s eyes lit up, and he threw a burning talisman at the young man’s groin.

"Hiss..." Someone instinctively covered their groin, hesitating, "It's not a deep hatred, going so harshly on the attack seems a bit excessive..."

After all, they grew up in a peaceful era. Although they could be ruthless towards evil spirits, it was difficult for them to be harsh on their own kind.

Shen Wang leisurely said, "Of course, you can choose not to use it, as long as you can protect yourself when someone else uses that move on you."

The crowd fell silent, with nothing more to say.

In the end, the teenager won, a member of the Mystical Studies Association, bringing the score to a tie.

In the subsequent matches, Shen Wang watched the competition while snacking on fruits, occasionally giving tips.

"If they're guarding their lower body so much, then attack the upper. How about gouging out the eyes?"

"Ambush them from behind, there’s such a big opening there."

"If you can't beat them, run. Ever heard of kite flying? Whoever runs out of stamina first, loses..."

In just one afternoon, a group of naive boys, simple as schoolchildren planning a fight, underwent a transformation. They turned into little ruffians, up to no good, making it hard to believe they were the same group.

Shen Wang ate the last banana, looking quite pleased: "That's more like it, almost a tenth of my style."

The Special Department and the Metaphysics Society, originally in a serious fight, were enlightened by Shen Wang's unreserved tips. They felt a significant breakthrough in their strength, forgetting their rivalry and beaming with joy.

"Bro Shen, how did I do with that move just now?"

"Bro Shen, are you hungry? I'll treat you to dinner..."

"Don't compete with us for Shen, he's our Special Department's guy! If anyone's treating, it should be us from the Special Department."

Amidst the noisy crowd, Shen Wang, having finished all the fruit sent by Gu's mother in one afternoon, burped contentedly and was whisked away by the group.

No one remembered the score anymore. Without further inquiry, no one knew that after a fierce afternoon, the final score remained 1:1.

No winner, no loser.

Behind them, several older onlookers watched with satisfaction: "They're just young, loving the excitement."

"We thought they were fighting again and came down to control the situation... But they're all quite measured."

"In previous metaphysics competitions, fights were common. It's nothing unusual or worrisome."

Called out in a hurry, they thought something serious had happened. But upon arrival, they found it was just a friendly contest, far from needing intervention, and could even be described as orderly.

The onlookers didn't approach to check, not wanting to pressure the charming youngsters. They simply watched from a distance, careful to remain unseen.

From where they stood, they couldn't hear what was being said, only catching bursts of laughter and noise, lively and bustling.

The observers, stroking their beards with satisfaction, remarked, "It seems this batch of youngsters is exceptionally talented. Our metaphysical community has a bright future indeed."

As they looked on contentedly, a figure walked past them towards the upper floor. At the corner, he turned back to look at Shen Wang, surrounded by a crowd, his eyes filled with jealousy and resentment.

Tang Jiu stared intensely at Shen Wang, the center of everyone's attention, and gritted his teeth: "Shen Wang!"

Shen Wang, carried along by the crowd into a free feast, appeared relaxed and carefree, shining brightly in the sunlight, his handsome features radiant.

He only wanted to enjoy the spectacle, but unexpectedly gained a group of admirers from both the Metaphysics Association and the Special Department. Shen Wang could only sigh.

"Indeed, worthy of being me."

After a lively dinner with everyone, it was late at night. The group dispersed to their rooms. Shen Wang's steps slowed as he passed the room once occupied by Gu Dongting.

Back in his room, a cleansing talisman cleared the smokiness from him. Shen Wang lay on the bed, his thoughts drifting back to Gu Dongting.

He remembered Gu Dongting's injury, worry creeping into his heart.

Despite his best efforts to avoid it, he couldn't stop thinking about the two embarrassing, earth-shattering 'bites' from that morning.

At that time, Shen Wang was tense, anticipating the arrival of Gu's parents and others, hardly paying attention to Gu Dongting, only feeling two bites.

Now, in the quiet of the night, he couldn't stop replaying that moment in his mind.

This time, his mind's eye saw only Gu Dongting's face, with no trace of Gu's family.

Gu Dongting's flawless, porcelain-like face suddenly drew close, so near that Shen Wang could see each distinct eyelash and his own tiny reflection in those deep, clear black pupils.

It was as if he was making eye contact with Gu Dongting, and at the same time, with his own reflection in Gu's eyes.

When Gu Dongting 'bit' him the second time, Shen Wang was too caught up in observing the reaction of Gu's parents to meet Gu's gaze.

Yet Shen Wang could feel the softness of Gu Dongting's lips, contrasting starkly with his appearance, cool and as delicate as a crystal-clear, delectable jelly.

Their breaths intertwined. This time, Shen Wang distinctly sensed Gu's scent, no longer a fleeting aftertaste but a persistent fragrance that almost drowned him in its sweetness.

It was a scent so rich and intoxicating, it made him yearn to bite fiercely into the neck of its bearer, leaving a mark so deep and indelible, it could never be washed away.

Shen Wang's breathing grew heavier. Uncomfortably, he shifted his position in bed, silently chastising himself: "Shen Wang, have you lost all humanity? How can you think this way about your good friend?"

"He's one of your only two close friends, someone you can trust with your life!"

Speaking of only two, Shen Wang then remembered Xiao Hei, who never showed his true face. With that thought, his physical reaction subsided.

Lying on the bed, Shen Wang berated himself again: "Shen Wang, what a lecherous person you are, swayed so easily by appearances."

Gu Dongting was exceptionally handsome, a rarity in this world, hence his reaction.

Whereas Xiao Hei, despite being a friend of equal emotional significance, left him undisturbed due to the mystery of his true appearance...

Shen Wang thought he was impartial, but now he realized he too was influenced by appearances.

Sighing in melancholy, Shen Wang sat up abruptly, intending to meditate to purify his mind and desires, when he heard a barely audible sound outside.

His expression turned icy, and a cold smile appeared: "So impatient already?"

Arranged by Gu Dongting, Shen Wang was staying on the top floor of the hotel, with no building of equal height nearby. In the deep, silent night, not even a bird was in sight.

Outside the window, the world was silent and desolate, with only the peaceful yet splendid neon lights visible, casting a mundane glow.

It seemed as if the noise Shen Wang had heard earlier was just an illusion.

Unperturbed, Shen Wang lay back on the bed, took out his phone, and started messaging someone.

The person on the other side quickly replied, and after a brief exchange, their conversation ended.

Shen Wang, with his phone in hand and nothing to do, agonized for a while before finally opening Gu Dongting's chat. He carefully considered his words before typing.

He typed in the chat box: [Dongting, are you feeling better?]

Then quickly deleted it, thinking that it might remind Gu Dongting of the day's events, which wasn't good.

Shen Wang continued typing: [Dongting, don't feel guilty, I know it was just an accident, brother, there's no need to...]

He stopped midway and deleted everything again.

[Dongting, have you found any clues for your mission?]

Just then, a dagger with a cold gleam pierced through the glass, hurtling towards Shen Wang!

Accompanying the dagger through the shattered window was a figure in tight black clothes and a mask, staring intently at Shen Wang, radiating murderous intent.

Shen Wang's hand trembled, and he accidentally sent the message.

He stared at the chat box in shock, fury rising within him: "You idiot! What if Dongting thinks I'm only interested in work, that my tone is cold, and assumes I'm angry?"

The masked figure widened her eyes in surprise, clearly not expecting Shen Wang to remain so composed even at such a critical moment.

The next second, as the figure prepared to strike, Shen Wang stopped the dagger's momentum with his thumb and forefinger pinched together, then disdainfully tossed it aside.

"Covered in poison too, how dirty," Shen Wang remarked with distaste.

The woman in black felt her heart sink, realizing this assassination wouldn't be as straightforward. Steeling herself, she conjured ten small daggers, each shimmering with a sinister green sheen.

The ten knives flew towards Shen Wang, sealing off all his escape routes in a tight formation.

Even so, the assassin didn’t let her guard down. With two curved crescent blades in hand, she crossed them and lunged towards Shen Wang, intent on slicing him down.

As a hitwoman with a 100% success rate, this was her most lethal technique, one no one had ever escaped, not even Foundation Building experts!

Especially since Shen Wang had just entered the Foundation Building stage two days ago and hadn't yet stabilized his cultivation.

A glint of anticipation flashed in the killer’s eyes, a faint smile curling under her black mask.

The next second, the daggers hit something as solid as a wall of bronze and iron, clattering to the ground, scattering everywhere.

It was a defensive talisman.

The assassin's smirk froze. Unable to retract her momentum, she had no choice but to continue her attack with all her might.

Unfortunately, she overestimated herself and underestimated Shen Wang.

Shen Wang effortlessly twisted her wrist and flung her to the ground. As she tried to resist, he stepped on her, swiftly and efficiently dislocating her arms.

For precaution, he also bound her limp arms behind her back.

The assassin: "..."

She was internally crumbling. Did he really have to be so skilled?

Seeing the despair in her eyes, Shen Wang spoke nonchalantly, "Can't help it, I'm afraid of dying."

This was still Earth, where he was slightly less vigilant. In the world of cultivation, not just breaking arms, he could even scatter a Nascent Soul if needed.

Without further conversation, Shen Wang yanked off her mask, revealing cascading hair. He whistled in appreciation.

The assassin was stunningly beautiful, with eyes like autumn waters and delicate, fragile features. Her trembling cherry lips made her look like a pitiful little rabbit, defiantly staring at Shen Wang with a cold voice, "Just kill me."

Saying this, she turned her head away as if humiliated, revealing her slender, delicate neck.

Shen Wang clicked his tongue in amazement: "Impressive, really impressive."

The assassin looked puzzled for a moment, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, wary and uneasy as she faced Shen Wang, more like a frightened rabbit: "Kill or slash as you please, but don't humiliate me!"

Shen Wang twirled the assassin's long hair between his fingers, musing, “The beauty trap isn't bad, but didn’t anyone tell you that in ancient times, when people wore headscarves, they secured their hair tightly?”

“Not to mention pulling off the scarf, even a hairpin wouldn’t fall out.” Because they also used hair ropes to keep it in place.

So…

Shen Wang let go of the hair in his hand, casually wiping his hand on the assassin's shoulder: “You see, you’re not cut out to be an assassin, not professional enough.”

“As for playing the seductress in a honey trap, you're too murderous, also not up to the mark.”

He genuinely wondered: “So, your organization sent someone as unqualified as you to deal with me? That’s not very wise…”

Upon hearing this, the assassin's eyes widened in anger, her face flushed with fury, losing her previously pitiful demeanor.

Sitting on the ground, intrigued, Shen Wang asked, “I suppose if I asked who sent you, you wouldn’t tell me, so I won’t ask. But tell me, how do you wish to die?”

The assassin was dumbfounded: “???"

Completely baffled, she thought: How is this man not following any usual script?

Her lips trembling, she mustered her courage and said, “Even if you threaten me, I won’t talk!”

Shen Wang pretended not to hear her: “Actually, in our country, you can’t just kill people willy-nilly. You’d end up in jail, or even executed.”

Just as the assassin breathed a sigh of relief, Shen Wang continued, “Luckily, I’m a cultivator.”

“After you’re dead, should I use a Thunderbolt Talisman to incinerate you into ashes, or a Fire Talisman to burn you to cinders? But I think both ideas lack originality…”

“How about I use the Five Ghosts Transport Spell to send you deep into the sea? Guaranteed that no one will see you alive, and your body will never be found. How does that sound?”

Shen Wang’s face was full of excitement, while the assassin's expression changed repeatedly. Being a killer herself, she could sense that Shen Wang was not joking; he was dead serious!

This man, just like an assassin, or even more merciless, held life in contempt.

The assassin's heart panicked, her forehead breaking out in cold sweat, uncertain if it was from pain or fear: "You can't do this!"

Shen Wang raised an eyebrow, smiling: "So it's okay for you to try and kill me, but not for me to kill you? Tsk, double standards aren't a good habit."

After speaking, he casually picked up a dagger from the ground, lightly cutting the assassin's neck, leaving a faint trace of blood: “Do you have an antidote for the poison on this dagger?”

If not, then things would get interesting. The assassin could read these unspoken words in Shen Wang's eyes.

The lethal touch of the cold dagger across her neck was shallow, causing minor pain, but the feeling of her life being toyed with by a devil made the assassin unable to hold back her tears.

“No! Don’t kill me! I am the holy maiden of Samui! If you kill me, you’ll face the wrath of the entire Samui!”

Shen Wang sneered: “Too late!”

As he spoke, the dagger plunged straight toward the assassin's heart, mirroring her earlier actions.

Just then, several people burst in, urgently stopping Shen Wang: “Bro Shen! Calm down, don’t do something irreversible!”

Shi Yan, while restraining Shen Wang, signaled to the others.

The others quickly and orderly took the assassin away.

The assassin, having narrowly escaped death, was completely drained of strength. As she was being led past Shen Wang, his eyes filled with icy killing intent made her shiver in fright.

In the corridor, her crying voice could still be heard: "That person inside is a demon, he has definitely killed people, his hands are stained with more than one life... You Chinese value your laws so much, why haven't you taken him away for investigation..."

Once out of sight, Shen Wang stopped his act, disgustedly rushing to the restroom to wash his hands vigorously: “You guys want me to be bait to attract enemies and also act in this charade... What about you? Just sitting back and reaping the benefits?”

Shi Yan offered a sheepish smile: “Bro Shen, we had no other choice... The enemy is hidden, and we are exposed. If we don’t lure out the big fish, even if we cleanse the ancient battlefield, they will continue their schemes.”

“Better to trap all the creatures lurking in the shadows at once, and restore peace and clarity to our land.”

After explaining, Shi Yan gave a thumbs up to Shen Wang: “Bro Shen, I didn’t expect that besides your skills in talisman drawing and formations, your acting is also impressive.”

“The way you played that heartless psychopath was so convincing, you even made the assassin cry. Not joining the entertainment industry is such a waste.”

Shen Wang, having washed his hands, smiled upon hearing this, his voice betraying no emotion: “You think I was acting?”

“I never learned acting, how could I be good at it... I was merely imitating the demeanor of a demonic cultivator I once saw, who casually destroyed a city of a million people with just a smile.”

Looking at Shen Wang's expression, Shi Yan felt an inexplicable chill, stammering with a nervous laugh: “How, how could that be... Such a major incident, I've... I've never heard of it.”

Shen Wang stared at Shi Yan for a few seconds, then suddenly burst into laughter: “How was it, did my acting scare you?”

Shi Yan had to admit he was indeed terrified, touching the cold sweat on his forehead: “That’s hundreds of thousands of lives...”

How could he not be frightened.

After calming down, Shi Yan couldn't help but ask curiously: “What happened to that story in the end?”

Shen Wang replied nonchalantly: “Of course, I showed my true power. Despite the huge gap in our realms, I bound him to the ruins of that city and personally beheaded him, as a sacrifice to the million lost souls.”

"In the moment of his death, a million wailing souls rose up, darkening the skies, leading righteous cultivators to believe a great demon had emerged."

Shi Yan: "...That's actually good."

Although it sounded a bit far-fetched, at least it was poetic justice.

Shen Wang chuckled: "You see, these people don’t value others’ lives, but when their own lives are threatened, they behave just like ordinary people, desperately clinging to life."

After speaking, seeing Shi Yan about to say something, Shen Wang glanced at the glass shards on the floor: “I'm helping your Special Department, so you guys should handle this mess, right?”

Distracted by this, Shi Yan immediately forgot what he was about to say, nodding eagerly: “Don’t worry, give me two hours and I'll have someone fix this.”

Standing in the windy room, downstairs, Tang Jiu's window remained intact, yet he suddenly felt a chill all over.

He had this inexplicable intuition that something of his had been stolen... and that something was very important.

Tang Jiu suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, spraying evenly over the "Tang Family Talisman Record" on his lap. The thin booklet flickered with a barely visible light, and the originally black text suddenly shimmered with a layer of gold.

Overjoyed, Tang Jiu, disregarding the mysterious and profound sense of emptiness, picked up the booklet, ecstatically exclaiming: “It’s unlocked! Finally unlocked!”

“So it required the blood of the Tang family to break the seal. No wonder, no wonder…”

Tang Jiu took a deep breath and carefully opened the booklet, his face beaming with joy: “Shen Wang, isn’t it just because you can draw talismans that you’re so renowned? Now, I can also…”

Tang Jiu could almost imagine, after mastering the talismans in this booklet, he too could, like Shen Wang, effortlessly draw talismans, creating dozens or hundreds at a time.

By then, with a father skilled in formations and a sect backing him, he wanted to see how Shen Wang, all alone, could compete with him!