The distance they now stood from the suburban location Ye Wen had mentioned was unknown, measured in untold hundreds of meters. Zhang Hengguang could only wipe the sweat from his brow, utterly impressed by the profound power displayed by the elder before him.

“Elder…” he ventured, “perhaps we should rest for a moment?”

In Zhang Hengguang’s estimation, although this elder’s depth was hard to gauge, his power was formidable. To utilize such a spell entirely on his own energy, spreading his divine sense over such a vast area without damaging the talisman’s core, must have incurred a huge cost. He was counting on this elder to deal with the dark mage later, so asking him to rest and recover his strength seemed the most sensible course of action.

Unexpectedly, Ye Wen dismissed the notion entirely, waving a hand casually. “I’m fine; this little drain will recover in a moment of sitting.”

“……”

Zhang Hengguang was left speechless. He realized that trying to deduce the elder’s condition based on his own common sense was the most idiotic thing he could do. He simply turned to the others and said, “Since that’s the case, let’s get our gear ready!”

With that, he walked straight to the back and soon returned, bringing two people to help carry a rectangular crate, about two meters long.

Ye Wen watched Zhang Hengguang leave and return shortly, remaining silent himself as he was still contemplating the operation of that talisman.

In truth, when Ye Wen first received the talisman, he had no idea how to use it and was waiting for Zhang Hengguang’s explanation. He had only cautiously tested it with his zhenqi (true energy), unsure if his internal energy could even activate the artifact. If it couldn't, wouldn't he just look like a colossal fool after all that posturing?

What he never anticipated was that the moment his zhenqi touched the talisman, it suddenly activated. Afterward, Ye Wen felt his senses expand limitlessly—it was somewhat similar to how he used his own energy field to perceive his surroundings, but this time, both the range and the precision of his perception were far superior to his own field.

Soon, he discovered that the entirety of New York was under the scrutiny of his will. He immediately began searching for the areas where the dark aura was most concentrated.

He found several nearby at first, but the darkness there was not intense; some were even quite faint. After searching for a while, he located one that was the most potent—the sheer density of the dark energy surprised even Ye Wen. Moreover, as his consciousness probed closer, that dark aura seemed to become aware of him and abruptly contracted significantly. If he hadn't been highly sensitive to all forms of energy signatures, he might have dismissed his initial feeling as a mere illusion.

“Hiding something by trying too hard not to be seen—that’s the one!”

Such extreme caution surely meant there was something vital to conceal. Ye Wen immediately pinpointed this location as the dwelling of the dark mage named Mudrak.

Afterward, Ye Wen observed the surrounding terrain and retracted his consciousness. The experience was like waking suddenly from a dream, yet the contents of the dream remained perfectly clear in his memory.

“An interesting spell!”

In truth, while operating the spell in secret, Ye Wen was also observing how the zhenqi within the talisman was circulating and being utilized. This was why he hadn't used the talisman’s inherent spiritual energy but catalyzed it entirely with his own zhenqi—only this way could he discern the method of the spell from the circulation pattern of the energy.

Frankly, Ye Wen had memorized the entire operational sequence, but casting this spell out of thin air presented many hurdles, with no guarantee of success: Who knew if the yellow paper of the talisman and the cinnabar ink writing weren't essential components for activation?

As for the drain on his zhenqi, for Ye Wen, it was negligible. His sitting there was more about ensuring he remembered the spell perfectly clearly, rather than recovering his spiritual energy as Zhang Hengguang assumed.

Ye Wen rose from his position and walked toward the group, who were now all gathered around the large crate. Zhang Hengguang was pointing at the contents, making introductions to everyone.

“Various standard-issue weapons. The automatic weapons in this crate are primarily American models. I can say that you can find every piece of single-soldier equipment used by the US military right here!”

Saying this, he pulled out an automatic rifle from the crate and introduced it with a smug air: “This one in my hand is the latest weapon currently being tested by the US military, the newest iteration of the M16 U-series—meaning this is a brand-new product the US military hasn't even officially deployed yet!”

Zhang Hengguang’s smile was quite irritating, but he soon noticed that apart from Claire, who looked genuinely stunned, everyone else was watching him with detached indifference, as if observing a lunatic clown.

“I knew talking about these things with you would be like playing a lute to a cow!” Zhang Hengguang set the weapon down and pulled out a few flashbangs. “Let’s talk about something practical! Look at these things. To an ordinary person, these flashbangs might be less effective than standard ones because the flash they emit isn't enough to cause discomfort to anyone! However…”

“Is the flash released by this flashbang actually the Sacred Seed?”

Ye Wen, who had just walked up behind Zhang Hengguang, asked, startling him slightly. “Elder, you truly are amazing, to have guessed…”

Ye Wen pointed at the Chinese characters on the flashbang: “Because it says Sheng Gui…”

“…’s…” Zhang Hengguang awkwardly scratched his cheek but quickly dismissed the issue. “Everyone take a few. This time, we are dealing with a dark mage, and dark mages mostly know dark magic for enslaving dark creatures. Having these on hand will be useful whether we encounter his subordinates or him!”

Claire reached into the crate and took a few, but after holding them, she realized awkwardly that she had no place to store these life-saving tools.

Flores simply shrugged. “These won’t do me any good!” He then looked up at Zhang Hengguang. “Old buddy, you know what I need!”

Zhang Hengguang shot him an irritated glance. “We’ll talk about your needs later. Let’s continue looking at this…” A Colt Python, a large-caliber handgun, six-round capacity. Though the bullet count is low, its power is immense, and it retains the traditional advantage of a revolver: it never jams!”

Fiddling with the black revolver for a few moments, Zhang Hengguang chuckled wickedly. “This is also my favorite!”

“We know, because of that ridiculously great figure who always calls himself the ‘Stud of Shinjuku’ that you became fond of this one…” He quickly stopped himself. Flores was indeed an old acquaintance of Zhang Hengguang’s and knew the man who loved tinkering with modern weapons quite well.

“That’s old information. After being severely burned by your schemes last time, I did a lot of serious reflection, so I made some modifications to this beloved gun!”

He pointed at the wooden grip. “This grip, made of fine ancient wood, has a very complex set of talismans carved inside. The gun’s interior is also inscribed with many special talismans. This gun is no longer a standard handgun in the true sense; it’s a magic tool capable of dispelling evil!”

“Oh?”

This time, Flores was genuinely interested. He had assumed Zhang Hengguang would still be doing what he did before—just carving talismans onto the bullets. He hadn't expected this guy to start carving them onto the gun itself. The West had made similar attempts, but the results were merely average, and the intricate production process made mass manufacturing impractical; the investment versus return was unsatisfactory. It was rare to produce a modern weapon capable of breaking magic, but there was no guarantee it wouldn’t be damaged—it was simpler and more practical to just manufacture magic-breaking bullets.

Not knowing what modifications this guy had made, the light shining in Flores’s eyes at that moment could have made everyone back away three steps.

Finally feeling acknowledged, Zhang Hengguang chuckled and shook the weapon in his hand. “Besides being able to use specially crafted talisman bullets, this Colt Python can also draw spiritual power from the user to create pure spiritual energy bullets. This means that as long as the user has enough lingqi (spiritual energy), you possess infinite ammunition to expend!”

“The talismans are specifically designed to counter all dark and evil creatures; their effect against dark creatures is almost equal to the Holy Light of your Church. Furthermore, the power of these talismans can stack with the power contained in the bullets!”

After finishing, he sighed. “I originally wanted to carve an acceleration talisman inside the barrel to increase the bullet’s muzzle velocity, but the barrel is something one cannot tamper with carelessly, or this weapon would be ruined!”

When Flores heard this, he smiled, though Ye Wen wondered if it was an illusion—did the man sound slightly disappointed?

It turned out that the modifications Zhang Hengguang had made were things the Church had already tried. Currently, the Church possessed anti-evil firearms superior and more perfect than this Colt. Flores had hoped to hear better design concepts from Zhang Hengguang; now it seemed his expectations had been too high.

Zhang Hengguang paid no mind to this, simply pointing to a large pile of bullets. “These are all inscribed with talismans. Even a standard handgun using these bullets can inflict damage on those dark creatures!” He then gestured to the group. “It’s a free giveaway today; take whatever you like!”

Claire was the quickest. She knew she was just an ordinary person, and against those legendary monsters, she had absolutely no chance of survival without relying on external aids—she couldn't even protect herself.

So, she was the first to take out the Glock she carried, eject all the existing bullets, and replace them with the talisman bullets.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Hengguang’s service was meticulous. As soon as he saw Claire’s handgun, he immediately instructed the two assistants, and soon ten magazines, pre-loaded with talisman bullets, appeared before Claire.

“Thank you!” Claire was delighted, especially since Zhang Hengguang had also prepared other matching gear so she could carry her handgun, magazines, and Holy Light bullets all together.

“Do the two elders want to pick a toy?” Since Ye Wen was an elder and these two women accompanying him could probably pass for his grandmothers, Zhang Hengguang was extremely polite.

Ning Ruxue, seeing Zhang Hengguang politely inquire of her, shook her head with a smile. She understood nothing about these things; having one in her hand would be less useful than a brick.

Seeing that both Ning Ruxue and Huayi shook their heads, Zhang Hengguang stopped bothering them and began loading his own weapons, preparing that M16A4 and even attaching a grenade launcher under the barrel.

“Zhang! I feel like you look more like you’re heading to the Middle East like this…”

“I think where we’re going is far more dangerous than the Middle East!” Zhang Hengguang didn't look up as he strapped piece after piece of equipment onto himself. At that moment, he saw Elder Ye Wen also wandering around the crate with interest, finally picking up a silver Beretta, expertly loading a round, and racking the slide.

“How about gifting this to me?”

What man didn't like guns? Although Ye Wen didn't rely on such things, it didn't mean he disliked them. The Beretta he had acquired a few days prior had accidentally broken, so this new one was a perfect replacement.

“If the Elder likes it, please take it. It’s my honor that such a trivial thing catches the Elder’s eye!”

“Did you make all these things?” Ye Wen looked at the pile of talisman bullets. Each bullet carried a faint energy, and as they were gathered together, he vaguely felt a refreshing aura washing over him.

“I just like tinkering with strange and unique things, especially guns and cannons. Even the talismans I learned from my sect, I’ve applied to these items!” Zhang Hengguang recalled the first time he carved a talisman onto a toy gun, enabling it to fire bean-sized spiritual energy bullets; the expression on the face of the superior who taught him had contorted so violently that he still felt the urge to laugh every time he remembered it.

“Actually, carving talismans onto these things doesn't necessarily yield better results than using yellow paper and cinnabar ink, but… I just personally prefer doing it this way. I was often scolded by my elders for it back then!”

Ye Wen patted Zhang Hengguang’s shoulder, sensing the frustration in the man’s heart—the feeling of his unique ideas not being accepted. He offered comfort: “Once you’ve decided on your path, walk it steadfastly. No one can guarantee you won’t forge a new road! Keep it up; I have high hopes for you!”

Ning Ruxue and Huayi exchanged a look, both struggling hard to suppress their laughter. In truth, the moment Zhang Hengguang had treated Ye Wen like an elder, the two of them had felt the urge to laugh, but knowing it was inappropriate, they had forcefully held it back. Now, seeing Ye Wen speaking in an old-fashioned manner, patting the shoulder of a man whose appearance suggested he was much older, saying, “I have high hopes for you, kid!” the two women could no longer contain themselves.

Fortunately, Zhang Hengguang was thoroughly moved at that moment and didn’t notice anything amiss. Claire didn't understand the Chinese spoken between the two, and Flores, though understanding the words, couldn't grasp why the two women’s expressions had suddenly become so strange.

After the group finished preparing their gear, led by the deeply emotional American soldier, Zhang Hengguang, they turned and proceeded to the basement.

Flicking on the lights, everyone was stunned by the sight of the basement. It was a chaotic mess: Western knight tower shields hung haphazardly next to Eastern halberds, and a nearly upright suit of full plate armor stood beside two large hammers. Countless similar juxtapositions were everywhere. Ye Wen was embarrassed to find that he couldn't even navigate a proper path through this pile of junk.

It must be said that at this moment, the owner of this junk pile revealed himself. The fully armed Zhang Hengguang darted through the clutter like a nimble rabbit, finally stopping in front of the full armor set standing amongst the hammers. He tapped it lightly twice; the resulting sound was crisp. “This armor is still usable. I won’t neglect an old friend! I’ll lend this to you…”

Flores’s face was overlaid with dark lines, forcing out an elegant smile as he politely declined Zhang Hengguang’s offer.

Don’t be ridiculous. Although he was a Paladin of the Church, possessing proper, certified credentials, that didn’t mean he needed to run around dressed in full armor like a medieval knight all day. If he actually did that, he’d likely become an object of public curiosity for countless New Yorkers before he even reached his destination, quickly ending up on the news.

Looking around in the clutter, Flores finally found what he wanted. Among a pile of junk, he discovered the hilt of a knight’s sword, from which emanated a faint, familiar fluctuation—perhaps this was the remnant of a Holy Light weapon…

Looking at the sword hilt, which lacked a blade, Flores nearly cried. At this moment, Zhang Hengguang couldn't resist mocking his old comrade: “Hey, buddy! Are you sure you really want that? I think you should pick something else. If you really like that one, I can give it to you! Hahaha!”

Flores’s smile was a bit awkward, but he kept sensing a strange fluctuation from the hilt in his hand. Combined with Zhang Hengguang’s words, it was difficult for him to back down. The proud Paladin straightened his neck and declared, “I’ll use this one! Zhang, I hope you truly keep your word and gift it to me!”

In his heart, however, he thought: It’s not easy to get anything from stingy Zhang, even if it’s just a rusty old sword hilt…

No one noticed that upon entering, Ye Wen had closed his eyes to sense everything in the basement. He realized that relying solely on sight to find anything here was far too difficult; perhaps his super-sensitive perception could help him locate something useful.

“This one…” Seems useless, and the sensation is too weak! “This one…” No good either… “Then…”

Suddenly, Ye Wen sensed a faint, obscure fluctuation emanating from the corner of one pile of junk. Ye Wen’s eyes snapped open, directing his gaze toward that corner. A very inconspicuous little object lay there quietly.

Ye Wen smiled, knowing this was what he wanted. With a mere thought, he didn’t even need to call Zhang Hengguang for help to retrieve it. The ring, as if summoned by its master, zipped over to Ye Wen in a flash, then abruptly stopped, allowing Ye Wen to see its full form clearly.

“A… ring?” (To be continued)