Having established an alliance with Flores, Claire holstered her weapon. Only Ye Wen still held the white lotus blossom, turning it over and over in his hand. No one objected; the white lotus served a useful purpose as a small source of light. They were there to look for clues at the scene, and a little light was certainly better than complete darkness.

In reality, there was little left to search for. The strange men in black that Claire mentioned had already taken everything of value, leaving nothing useful behind.

Initially, Claire had hoped to find clues through Ye Wen, perhaps even track down the men in black via him. But that idea was now clearly a dead end.

Now, Ye Wen wanted to learn the identity of the black-clad men from Flores, perhaps even make contact with them. However, Flores’s expression turned incredibly odd: “The European Holy See… we have some contact with that organization in America, and we cooperate from time to time. But honestly, the relationship between our two sides is not good! Especially…”

Ye Wen looked up, an answer already forming in his mind.

Indeed, the Italian continued, “This mission was kept secret from the Americans. I came to the States under the guise of tourism; everything has to be handled in the shadows! If we had notified the American authorities, we likely wouldn’t have the autonomy to make our own decisions!”

“Then why are you willing to tell us?” Claire was confused. If it was a secret mission, why would Flores confide in her?

Ye Wen pondered for a moment and grasped the key point, finally revealing a strange smile: “You need help?”

“Exactly!” Flores admitted readily. “The Dark Sorcerer Mudrak has become far stronger and more terrifying than before. The dark aura I sense here feels like it comes from two completely different beings compared to what I sensed in Europe!”

“Dark aura?” Ye Wen had been trying to detect any dark aura since arriving, but to no avail. Yet, this Paladin had sensed something. Could it be… “I have already purified those residual dark auras with Holy Light. They are still dangerous here! They can cause immeasurable harm to people with certain special constitutions, which is why we Paladins actively purify them whenever we find such traces. That’s also why you can sense the Holy Light within my body.” Flores attributed Ye Wen’s discovery of his Paladin identity to the purification spell he had just cast, which emitted a powerful Holy Light aura. Otherwise, he couldn't fathom how this Easterner had identified him.

Ye Wen chuckled, offering no explanation. He didn't tell Flores that even though the Paladin seemed to be concealing his energy well now, to Ye Wen, Flores was still like a massive lightbulb with its plug in and switch on, the Holy Light aura within him manifesting almost entirely unhidden in Ye Wen’s sight.

Unaware of this, Flores continued his self-important monologue: “Originally, I intended to seek help from a friend in Chinatown. I struck up a friendship with him when I handled an assignment in Europe. He could have been helpful this time!” As he spoke, Flores suddenly turned to look at Ye Wen: “He’s also an Easterner; I think he’s a… a… a Daoist? That’s what he called himself?”

“A Daoist?” Although he knew cultivators existed in this world, Ye Wen never expected to find a fellow Daoist residing so close by in America.

“Perhaps this person knows more things? And we could learn about the Cultivation World from him!”

With that thought, Ye Wen became intensely interested in Flores’s Eastern friend, eager for Flores to lead them there immediately. However, the ‘noodle man’ glanced up at the sky and declared, “It’s too late today. Let’s rest for the night and find him tomorrow! That fellow hates being disturbed, especially at night!”

“…”

Claire registered no objection. Though she wanted to resolve the matter quickly to find her brother, some things couldn't be rushed. Furthermore, this situation was beyond anything she had previously imagined, bearing no comparison to any case she’d handled before. In such circumstances, she could only defer to the opinion of a ‘professional.’

The Paladin from the European Holy See was undoubtedly the professional in Claire’s eyes. Besides the fact that he was also a white man, the similarity in faith and ideology made it easier for Claire to place her trust in him. As for Ye Wen? This mysterious Easterner gave her too little sense of security, often evoking an inexplicable feeling of danger.

Exiting the alley, Flores announced he was returning to the hotel, while Ye Wen needed to go home to his wife. Claire had to drop Flores off first, then take Ye Wen back to his apartment, dropping a drowsy Tommy off on the way.

The only surprise for Ye Wen was that Claire wanted to spend the night at his place. By the time they returned to the apartment, it was already the small hours of the morning; if she went home then, it would be daylight before she could rest.

“That’s the sofa, and this is a blanket and pillow. Alright, sleep well!” Shoving the items into Claire’s hands, Ye Wen immediately turned and slammed the bedroom door shut with a loud bang.

“An ungentlemanly Easterner!” Claire punched the solid door angrily before walking over to the sofa, spreading out the bedding, and tossing her exhausted body onto it.

Back in the bedroom, Ye Wen didn't rest immediately. He sat down for a brief meditation and tried to send his Primordial Violet Qi to the ring. The resulting message left him slightly frustrated.

“Need to wait another six months before the next use…”

“What the hell, even the cooldown time got upgraded?” Six months meant Ye Wen couldn't get anything from the ring for a considerable time. The ring, which used to yield twelve secret manuals a year, was now low-yield, producing only two. The only good news was that the quality of the manuals was much higher, and Ye Wen wouldn't have to worry about not obtaining a complete set of techniques.

Based on his experience with Bai Yunyan, as long as he utilized the vital energy from the Huantian Baojian, the ring would provide the corresponding follow-up methods. This way, he could completely master the Huantian Baojian set, rather than relying on vague luck to summon all ten crystals.

“But I still don’t know what my Primordial Violet Qi can summon? The Primordial Qiankun Art? Or something else?”

Based on technique characteristics, the Primordial Qiankun Art seemed the most likely candidate—both were Daoist techniques! But Ye Wen worried that his Primordial Violet Qi wasn't supplementary material for any specific skill. What if the ring decided on a random draw for its next whim? If it was suitable, fine, but if not, he’d be terribly depressed, especially since the ring wasn't summoning once a month anymore!

Opening his eyes, he saw Ning Ruxue sitting on the bed, hugging her knees, watching him. She felt a bit unsettled in this strange place. Furthermore, Ye Wen’s outing today was clearly different from the previous few days of wandering and shopping; he had faced unknown dangers, which worried her slightly.

Although Ye Wen’s martial arts were powerful, this world was not the one she was familiar with. There were strange monsters here, blood-sucking demons, and even the people were different from those she’d known—some were black as coal, others had blonde hair and blue eyes. While there were black-haired, black-eyed people, their features showed significant differences.

Sitting down next to Ning Ruxue, Ye Wen gently pulled her into his arms, patting his junior sister’s shoulder: “I know you’re a little worried, but it’s fine. All this chaotic stuff is just minor vermin. Once my flying sword comes out, they’ll all turn to ash!”

“Mm,” Ning Ruxue didn't reply, just leaned closer.

“How is your cultivation progressing?” Hearing Ye Wen ask this, Ning Ruxue finally spoke: “I feel like the sword qi inside me is about to solidify. It seems to be moving slower through my meridians! But the energy consumed when I strike has become very small. I estimate I can use the Ten Thousand Sword Art now too!”

The essence of that crimson fruit was incredibly potent. Aided by the fruit, Ning Ruxue’s cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds. If she returned to her original world with her current skill level, she could eliminate anyone who displeased her with the Ten Thousand Sword Art without suffering any ill effects—she would be an unstoppable powerhouse. Ning Ruxue’s only significant weakness was her lack of experience; despite her high cultivation, she rarely engaged in actual combat.

Ye Wen considered that while these werewolves and vampires were much stronger than ordinary people, they stood little chance against them. Letting his junior sister deal with some of these creatures might actually reduce her fear of the unknown.

“How about you come out with me tomorrow?”

“Is that… alright?” Ning Ruxue shifted slightly. “And those clothes… do I have to wear those clothes outside?”

Ye Wen gently kissed her forehead: “Are you planning to stay cooped up in this room forever? Besides, you look beautiful in those clothes!”

Of course, Ye Wen wouldn't let his woman wear the truly revealing outfits. He picked out a pair of very ordinary jeans, a long-sleeved ladies' shirt, and a pair of athletic shoes from the pile of clothes. No one would see anything they shouldn't.

The next morning, Ning Ruxue appeared before everyone wearing this set of attire.

Hua Yi glanced at it and then went to change into a similar outfit. However, she was slightly bolder than Ning Ruxue, opting for a short-sleeved T-shirt, though the large HELLO-KDTTY printed on the front made Ye Wen struggle to suppress a laugh.

Claire was somewhat displeased that Ye Wen was taking two women out with him, but Ye Wen shut her down with a single sentence: “Either one of them is more useful than you when facing a threat!” Although very unhappy with Ye Wen's assessment, the young police officer had no choice but to keep quiet, because when she questioned the strength of the two women, Ning Ruxue simply raised a finger and cleaved down a small tree ten meters away, using her signature Azure Lotus Sword Qi.

In the car, Ye Wen called the Italian ‘noodle man’ and arranged to meet outside Chinatown. The female officer drove the car in sullen silence until they reached the location, finally saying, “We’re here!”

Flores was standing nearby. After parking the car, the group entered Chinatown on foot. The reason for walking wasn't that cars were banned; it was because Flores led them through a maze of obscure side paths. After walking for half an hour, they stopped in front of a very hidden shop.

Ye Wen looked up at the sign: Zhang’s Gun Shop! He was speechless for a moment, asking Flores with suspicion, “Are you sure your Daoist friend lives here?”

Flores, who had been doubting the note in his hand, actually laughed when he saw the sign: “If I was doubting whether I had the right place before, now I’m certain! I didn’t choose wrong—it’s here!”

“A Daoist who runs a gun shop?”

The group entered. A crisp bell rang, and the middle-aged man dozing behind the counter instantly sprang up, flashing a smile as if he’d just seen his father: “Welcome! Are you looking to buy an RPG, an AK? Or perhaps an M4 or M16? If you can think of it, we have it…”

The middle-aged man’s eyes were narrowed into slits from his grin; he hadn’t actually noticed the group and was just rattling off his usual introduction out of habit.

While Officer Claire was stunned speechless and intimidated by the string of illegal weaponry, Flores appeared much calmer. He walked up to the counter with a smile and said to the middle-aged man, “Your most trusted comrade, Alessandro, has come to see you!”

“Who? Alessandro?” The middle-aged man jumped, startled. When he clearly saw the smiling face before him, his expression shifted entirely, like someone happily eating cake only to bite into dog feces: “Why are you here?”

“You wound me. Is that how you greet an old comrade?”

“Damned comrade! If it weren’t for you, those five million US dollars would already be in my pocket! Why have you shown up this time? To cause me more trouble again?” The middle-aged man roared loudly, and judging by his movements… was he preparing to load a rocket into an RPG?

Ning Ruxue whispered to Ye Wen, “Didn’t you say we were looking for a friend? This doesn’t look like it.”

“I don't think so either, but it doesn't concern us. Let’s just watch the show!” Ye Wen watched the shop owner hoist the RPG onto his shoulder and begin aiming, decisively pulling the two women away: “Let’s stand back a bit; it’s safer to watch!” Flores, however, acted as if nothing unusual was happening, simply smiling and saying, “Saying things like that will ruin your shop!”

“My shop gets torn down every other day; this one time won’t make a difference!” The middle-aged man opened the safety catch and locked onto his target. He only needed to press the button, and the rocket would launch, impacting Flores’s annoyingly cheerful face the moment it left the launcher.

“You know that thing won’t work on me!”

“Hahahaha! Do you think I’m using an ordinary rocket? This one is engraved with a rune specifically designed to neutralize Holy Light! Against this specially made rocket, you, a Paladin of the Holy See, are no different from an ordinary person!” The middle-aged man laughed triumphantly, but then he noticed the other people standing not far away—and they looked like his own countrymen.

Stopping the firing sequence, the middle-aged man addressed Ye Wen’s group: “Little brother, you better stand further back. I’ll deal with you guys after I finish this noodle man!”

At this point, the already terrified Officer Claire finally snapped back to her senses and quickly spoke up: “We’ve come to ask for your help because of a… Dark Sorcerer?” “A Dark Sorcerer? There’s a Dark Sorcerer in New York?” The middle-aged man’s eyelids twitched. He then terminated the launch sequence and set the rocket launcher aside: “You… you seem like just an ordinary person?”

Claire looked around uncertainly. She had meant to say she was a police officer, but she realized in this company, she truly was just an ordinary person. Finally, she nodded depressingly.

“My advice to you is to stay far away from this matter. Ordinary people who get involved with those freaks never come to a good end!”

“But my brother is missing, and it might be related to the Dark Sorcerer!”

“Then go back and pray for your brother! You can’t do anything else!” The middle-aged man lit a cigarette and stood amidst a pile of rockets and bullets, smoking. This action involuntarily made Claire step back a bit.

Flores glanced at the counter, stopping the middle-aged man’s words: “I need your help; this matter is very troublesome!”

“Payment!” The smoking middle-aged man didn't even spare Flores a direct look, going straight to the most practical issue: “It must compensate for my last loss, or we don't talk!”

Flores tapped the glass counter rhythmically with his fingers, then finally said, “Dark Sorcerers are all wealthy individuals. If we handle this one successfully, you can take 30% of the assets!”

“Fifty percent! Otherwise, forget it!”

Flores considered, about to agree, when Ye Wen suddenly interjected: “What? Do you two think I’m just cheap labor to be handled casually?”

Ye Wen also walked up to the counter. Needing funds urgently to start his Shushan Martial Arts School, he desperately required a large influx of income. Since there seemed to be no one like Junior Brother Xu rushing to invest this time, he had to find a way himself.

“You?” The middle-aged man exhaled smoke, which drifted directly toward Ye Wen. However, the smoke seemed to be contained, gathering into a puffball in front of Ye Wen before slowly drifting aside, revealing Ye Wen’s face once more.

“Don’t you know it’s impolite to blow smoke at people?” Ye Wen flicked his finger; the cigarette held between the middle-aged man’s lips instantly broke, leaving only the butt in his mouth while the rest fell onto the glass counter between them.

“This… this is… Sword Qi?” The middle-aged man’s mouth fell open. The remaining cigarette butt also dropped, but he didn't notice, staring instead at Ye Wen in shock.