"You wouldn't dare kill me! You wouldn't dare kill me! Hahaha!" Xiao Leiting clutched the wound on his right chest, curled up on the ground, laughing with utter arrogance.

"My master is the Ghost King of the Coiled Sword! My grandfather is Federation Admiral Xiao Liefeng! My father is Federation Senator Xiao Yusheng!"

Gazing fiercely at Gu Xichen, Xiao Leiting sneered wildly, "I am one of the five most famous Tigers of the Federation Military! I am a renowned hero of the Federation! The army I led annihilated fifteen heavy mechanized brigades of the Roman people! I personally killed over three hundred high-ranking Roman warriors! Every citizen in the Federation knows my name! You dare kill me?"

Federation Five Tigers? Gu Xichen looked at Xiao Leiting with surprise, then stomped a heavy foot onto his face.

"Madam Chalei, what in the world are the Federation Five Tigers?" Gu Xichen genuinely had never heard of this title.

A large contingent of Hadvar mercenaries had already secured the small building. Madam Chalei's subordinates and Xiao Leiting's deployed forces had all been taken down by the wolf-like, fierce mercenaries. Among Xiao Leiting's subordinates were several exceptionally powerful Innate Fighters, one of whom had even reached the late stage of the Mercury level. However, facing the Four Generals of Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Lightning, all resistance was effortlessly crushed. Xiao Leiting's men had their internal power sealed, and they were pinned to the ground, receiving a severe beating from the mercenaries.

Two sixty-millimeter high-energy cannons were pointed at Madam Chalei's head. The elegant Madam Chalei's palace dress was soaked with cold sweat. She stared tremblingly at a specific point on the display panel and said with a dry throat, "The Federation Five Tigers are the five young generals who have achieved the most distinguished military merits in the Federation Military over the past two years. They are Lieutenant General Jianglong, Major General Fuhu, Major General Siren, Lieutenant General Xiao Leiting, and Lieutenant General Zhaiekomus. All of the Federation's propaganda tools are vigorously promoting their military achievements."

Gu Xichen understood; just like his own past, these Five Tigers were merely the "Federation Heroes" promoted by the Federation.

He let out a few cold laughs, fiercely grinding the sole of his boot against Xiao Leiting's face, and Gu Xichen said dismissively, "What a pity for Bonra, Mohe, and Siren, that they are ranked alongside you!"

Xiao Leiting was momentarily stunned, and he hissed, "It’s Jianglong, Fuhu, and Siren!"

Gu Xichen shrugged, then brought his foot down hard on Xiao Leiting's face: "Sorry, it's Bonra, Mohe, and Siren. They are all mine. Jianglong, Fuhu? What normal person names their son a name like that?" After a slight pause, Gu Xichen muttered with a touch of annoyance, "Though, Bonra and Mohe—normal people wouldn't name their sons those names either!"

With a flicker of thought, a beam of black and white light shot out from the sword box behind him. Everyone saw a brief flash of light, and suddenly dozens of deep wounds appeared on Xiao Leiting's body. The wounds looked as if they had been cut by a high-temperature laser, all scorched, but not a single drop of blood emerged. Gu Xichen nodded with satisfaction: "Worthy of the Innate Two-Pole Sulfur Light; the injuries imitate the sacred power of the Church with 99.9% similarity! Heh. I dare not kill you? What if someone from the Church killed you?"

Xiao Leiting's face turned ashen, and he struggled frantically, screaming hoarsely, "You can't do this, I am a Federation Lieutenant General, I am a Federation Hero, my master is the Ghost King of the Evil Sword, my grandfather is Admiral Xiao Liefeng, my father is Xiao Yusheng, I am—"

Gu Xichen stomped Xiao Leiting into unconsciousness. He said coldly, "If not for your extremely powerful backing, I would have at least castrated you. Unfortunately, with such a hard backing, I'm letting you off today. How many more people will you harm tomorrow? Fuya, what do you think?"

Fuya Ming stood up with composed composure. She briefly tidied her slightly messy short hair and said coolly, "A person like this is unworthy of the glorious title of 'Warrior.' Those who could nurture such a disciple and family members must have masters and elders who are no better." She paused. "However, I believe I don't need to deal with him."

Gu Xichen nodded with a slight smile; Xiao Leiting was certainly doomed, and Fuya Ming indeed didn't need to worry about it.

Fuya Ming walked up to the ashen-faced Madam Chalei and hooked her finger under Madam Chalei's chin, closely examining her beautiful but now hideously distorted face. "Honorable Madam, you possess a noble title. But a noble like you, if you were in my nation, you and your family would already have been purged."

"I am your guest, and your actions—allowing your own guest to violate your guest—must be punished!"

Fuya Ming’s voice was calm without a hint of heat, but this very calmness terrified Madam Chalei, causing her whole body to tremble. She looked at Fuya Ming in terror, her knees involuntarily weakening, and she sank to the ground before Fuya Ming. "Honorable Miss, my God, what have I done? Forgive my sins... forgive my offense!"

Madam Chalei's pleas lasted only a few seconds before abruptly ceasing. Fuya Ming's strong hands gripped her neck and cleanly snapped her slender, pale neck.

"A woman like this deserved to be punished," Fuya Ming asked Gu Xichen in a tone seeking approval.

"She certainly deserved punishment!" Gu Xichen shrugged. "Brothers, time to loot! Not a single valuable item in this building must be left behind!"

He spread his palm, and several silver keys floated in his hand. Gu Xichen spat out a stream of Taiyin Xuan Yan, which rapidly condensed the silver locks into crystalline silver liquid. Under the control of his divine sense, the pure silver liquid quickly solidified into more than a dozen silver crosses of various sizes. The exquisite crosses were adorned with intricate patterns, and several lines of tiny text were carved on the back: Under the Glory of God, God's kingdom shall return to the earth, and ultimately, God's will shall rule all.

It was a passage perfectly fitting the thought process of those religious fanatics from the Church.

Gu Xichen tossed these crosses to his subordinates, instructing them to slip them into inconspicuous corners during the looting—corners that would inevitably be discovered later. This frame-up would be pinned on the Church. Even if they denied it, the final results from the Federal Investigation Department would tell all Federation citizens that this case of murder and robbery was the work of the Church! If you don't believe the police investigation, then would you like to see the secret investigation results from the Federal Secret Service?

Next, Gu Xichen refined a three-meter-tall pure silver cross, upon which Madam Chalei was impaled. The mercenaries unceremoniously dismantled the exquisite court-style tables and chairs from the house into pieces, stacking the firewood beneath Madam Chalei's feet.

Xiao Leiting and all his subordinates were stuffed into the armored vehicles. A thin wisp of smoke curled out of the window of the Golden Cocca Jewelry Store. A socially responsible Hadvar mercenary ran to a public communication base station by the roadside and dialed the emergency number for the Paris Fire Department. Before long, the characteristic sharp wail of fire engines could be heard in the distance as at least fifty maglev fire trucks rushed towards them from all corners of Paris.

"A fire on the Champs-Élysées. These guys certainly arrive quickly!"

The speeding convoy of armored vehicles brushed past the fire engines. Gu Xichen let out a cold, mocking sneer.

Reaching out to hold Fuya Mo's slightly cold hand, Gu Xichen smiled and asked, "Do you need to rest?"

Fuya Mo shook her head, saying coldly, "I want to see how this bastard dies."

Jin, who had just composed herself, furiously waved her little fists: "I want him to die miserably, he must die miserably!"

Gu Xichen fell silent for a moment, then gave Jin a wry smile: "Sorry, I'm afraid he won't die miserably. Fuya, you must understand, he is one of the Xiao family!"

Fuya Mo thought of Ducat and nodded knowingly: "Then, execute him in your own way!"

The convoy of armored vehicles disappeared into the complex street network of Paris. On the advertising light screens along the road, images of Fuya Mo and the Federation Military Chairman 'Poison Wolf' signing an alliance treaty for friendly relations were already appearing. This scene struck everyone like a heavy hammer blow to the head, leaving some dizzy and speechless for a long time!

This was the first extraterrestrial civilization to make contact with the Earth Federation, apart from the Roman people. Unlike the Romans, the contact between the Yafike Kingdom and the Earth Federation appeared much more benevolent. The high-tech trinkets occasionally displayed by Fuya Mo's entourage made it clear to any discerning eye that the technological level of the Yafike Kingdom far surpassed the Earth Federation!

At the treaty signing venue, a segment of video was also played—an excerpt showing the allied fleet of over a thousand civilizations attacking the Doko Federation. The sheer scale of that massive fleet was terrifying. Fuya Mo did not explain the origin of this grand fleet, and Poison Wolf deliberately feigned ignorance, claiming this massive fleet belonged to the Yafike Kingdom. Such overwhelming military might made many people’s vision swim, unable to comprehend why such a powerful alien civilization as Yafike would seek an alliance with the Earth Federation.

An alliance ceremony shrouded in mist instantly silenced the previously turbulent Earth Federation. Except for the millions of residents in the underground city clusters who were still rioting under the instigation of certain interested parties, the armies of the Papal State, the Federation of Gods, and even the Roman Kingdom all halted their operations.

The Yafike Kingdom, represented by Fuya Mo, was like a hidden tyrannosaurus rex in the thick fog, deterring everyone.

Before they could fully ascertain the true identity of Fuya Mo, the Yafike Kingdom, and the Yan Alliance, many prepared actions had to be postponed.

A day later, certain interested parties learned through secret channels of the Federation Military that this mysterious Yafike Queen had come to Earth following Gu Xichen. Combined with what high-ranking officials from the Papal State and the Federation of Gods, such as Blackjack and Gu Yuru, had witnessed and heard, it could be deduced that Queen Fuya Mo of Yafike was utterly captivated by Gu Xichen. Her alliance with the Earth Federation stemmed not from political, economic, or military interests, but entirely from the impulse of a woman deeply in love.

Understanding this crucial point, Mr. Blackjack, the special envoy of the Federation of Gods stationed in the Earth Federation, began to subtly suggest that if they could eliminate Gu Xichen and pin the blame on the Papal State or the Earth Federation, might it compel Fuya Mo, this woman deeply immersed in love, to take some even more impulsive action? For example, would she be willing to align the Yafike Kingdom with the Federation of Gods to oppose the Earth Federation and the Papal State?

Blackjack even proposed an idea that was quite tempting: Gu Xichen was merely ordinarily handsome and suave, ordinarily young and rich, and ordinarily possessing a tiny bit of insignificant strength. If the Federation of Gods, after calculating Gu Xichen’s removal, could seize the opportunity to send several handsome, young, rich, and powerfully strong high-ranking officials to approach Fuya Mo, would her entire focus shift to one of these individuals?

If so, wouldn't the Federation of Gods gain a powerful ally for nothing?

Following Blackjack's suggestion, Ganggelu, the prince of the Silver Wolf Clan and one of the current supreme leaders of the Federation of Gods, seemed very likely to achieve this magnificent feat. Getting rid of Gu Xichen, blaming someone else, and simultaneously winning over a beautiful queen—where else could one find such a good deal?

Ganggelu was instantly moved!

On the Church's side, Gu Yuru incited several eager bishops to propose an almost identical idea to Blackjack's. Those busy flattering bishops suggested that the magnificent Archbishop Cithar, the Six-Winged Angel, should personally take the lead in seducing—no, in spreading the Lord's glory upon Fuya Mo, causing Fuya Mo to lead the billions of subjects of the Yafike Kingdom under the glorious wings of the Lord, becoming devout believers. With Cithar's handsomeness, wealth, and formidable strength, winning the mere heart of Fuya Mo should be as easy as reaching out a hand!

While the Federation of Gods and the Papal State were seriously studying this proposal, news arrived that made them unable to sit still!

Deep within the Earth's crust, disciples of the Dao Alliance discovered a primordial Immortal's cave dwelling, filled with countless treasures and spiritual herbs. Dao Alliance disciples had already entered the first level of the cave and found a spiritual medicine capable of healing severe injuries. It was rumored that the heavily injured Kunlun Sect Master and Zhongnan Sect Master had taken this spiritual medicine, and their near-death states had been stabilized. It was said that the Dao Alliance disciples were now publicly investigating the cave dwelling, preparing to find a spiritual medicine capable of completely healing the two sect masters instantly.

Along with this news came a faint, blurry video recording: several Dao Alliance disciples with topknots were hastily fleeing from a cavern. A monstrous creature with wings sprouting from its back, a head shaped exactly like a goshawk, and eyes emitting golden light was continuously attacking these Dao Alliance disciples with lightning bolts generated by the hammer and chisel it held.

One Dao Alliance disciple hastily escaped on a streak of sword light, while several others selflessly charged back to engage the pursuing monster.

They struggled with the monster for about half an hour before their bodies were shattered by the lightning projected from the iron cone in the monster's hand, leading to their tragic deaths on the spot.

This news was confined only to the high echelons of the Papal State and the Federation of Gods. The channels that leaked this information had been completely sealed off, and all those who knew had been silenced. The high leadership of both factions mobilized their entire forces, rushing to Earth's home planet at maximum speed.

In the deepest layer of the underground city of Paris, this area had been occupied by rioting Church believers. Thousands of black-robed priests moved through the streets and alleys, constantly inciting the nearly one million inhabitants of this underground city to charge toward the passage leading to the upper city level. A federal police force of over two thousand men was desperately defending the entrance to the passage, doing their utmost to hold back the charge of the million rioters. Fortunately, robust defensive fortifications had been built here. Although the rioters were extremely aggressive, lacking heavy weaponry, they were helpless against the reinforced concrete fortifications and could only gather outside the police defense line, shouting curses and imprecations at all the federal officials, from Military Chairman Poison Wolf downwards.

Several black-robed priests pressed tightly against a defensive fortification, eloquently preaching the doctrines of the Lord to the police stationed inside.

"Sinners, abandon your weapons and surrender to the Lord's glory! Let the Lord lead you toward the light!"

"Sinners, must you harm your compatriots? All are children of the Lord. A bright future awaits you; why do you confine your brethren in darkness?"

"Sinners, think of the scenic Heaven Star, think of the naturally beautiful Thirteen Connected Stars! These pious ones yearn for those wonderful places; why do you obstruct them?"

The priests chattered incessantly, wasting their breath, but the police inside the fortifications remained unmoved. They looked at the priests with the grim eyes reserved for the dead.

Unnoticed, some newer police officers from the upper levels of the underground city took over the posts of these officers. The newcomers had stern expressions, sharper gazes, and a heavier killing intent about them. When a long-winded priest attempted to rush into a defensive fortification to engage in close communication with the police, a new officer swung a golden, glittering brick and smashed it fiercely onto the priest's face, driving his nose bone into the back of his skull.

The brutally killed priest was tossed out of the fortification by the police. An officer in a riot helmet, his face obscured, stood at the outermost edge of the defense line, coldly sneering at the stunned priests and rioters: "Stay back, or be shot on the spot."

"Under the wartime martial law order from the Federation Military Department, any attempt to breach the underground city passage is considered an 'anti-human crime.' We are authorized to shoot all suspects!"

More fully armed police officers surged out, raising guns and cannons like a dense forest of stakes.

A priest foolishly raised his right hand: "The great Lord will protect us!"

A crisp gunshot rang out; a large-caliber sniper round blew the priest's head apart.

All the black-robed priests instinctively shrank back into the crowd and vanished in the blink of an eye. The previously agitated rioters were dumbfounded. They looked at the two bloody, mangled corpses of the priests on the ground. The rioters’ formation began to waver.

Dozens of tear gas canisters were fired in rapid succession. The specially formulated tear gas had an extremely strong stunning effect. Large groups of rioters coughed violently, screamed in fear and agitation, and scrambled backward, hastily fleeing this deadly passage entrance. Nearly ten thousand armed police officers pursued them, swiftly securing the entire underground city and herding all the rioters into sealed, pigeon-cage-like apartments. The police sealed the doors of these apartments and began distributing large quantities of strange and unusual items throughout the underground city.

On the top floor of a tall building in the very center of the underground city—the core control building—Gu Xichen and Fuya Mo stood quietly on an observation deck, watching tens of thousands of Hadvar mercenaries, led by the Four Generals of Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Lightning, and the Thousand-Mile Eyes and Downwind Ears, installing numerous formation banners and platforms in various corners of the underground city.

All placement points had been calculated and simulated with extreme precision, ensuring the maximum power of the formation would be exerted without affecting the ordinary citizens of the underground city.

All the formation banners and platforms originated from the Heavenly Craft Hall. Grandmaster Dazhuo, as a master artifact refiner, also possessed earth-shattering attainments in formations. This complete set of formation banners and platforms was named the "God-Imprisoning Formation." The name was arrogant, and the formation's power was indeed arrogant. Once successfully set up, it truly possessed the power to confine immortals and gods. However, the formation's energy consumption was equally immense; the energy required for the formation to run at full power for just fifteen minutes was enough to bankrupt a wealthy man like Gu Xichen—fifteen minutes would nearly deplete all the Zakkra crystals on his person!

Fuya Mo watched the busy Hadvar mercenaries and asked, puzzled, "What is all this for?"

Gu Xichen let out a few cold, fierce laughs. He wrapped his arm around Fuya Mo's waist and said in a low voice, "Xiao Leiting said I wouldn't dare kill him, so I’ll kill him to show him. However, his backing is too strong; killing just him would cause trouble. So, I’ll take him down along with the high command of the Papal State and the Federation of Gods!"

A gust of black wind blew from behind the pair. Xiao Leiting, whose eyes were covered with black runes on the whites, rushed out of the building like a fierce gale, roaring lowly. His hands were shaped like claws as he lunged toward Gu Xichen's neck. Gu Xichen sneered disdainfully, muttered a strange incantation, and Xiao Leiting's body suddenly stiffened, hovering unnaturally several feet above the ground. Xiao Leiting roared in terror but couldn't even utter a complete sentence.

Gu Xichen turned around and cast an icy glare at Xiao Leiting.

"Struck by the Puppet Curse of my Great Wilderness Scripture, you will obediently become a walking corpse. Resistance is useless!"

He laughed mockingly, lightly patting Xiao Leiting’s cheek: "You should be proud. To kill you, I even have to expend this much effort to set up such a scheme. Otherwise, if the dignified member of the Federation Five Tigers, Xiao Leiting, suddenly died, and neither the Roman people, the Papal State, nor the Federation of Gods admitted to it, I would be in a huge mess!"

"With a sigh, Gu Xichen soothed Xiao Leiting, 'Rest assured, a man's death can be lighter than a feather or heavier than Mount Tai. To me, your death is worth less than a feather. But to your Xiao family, your death is a thousand times heavier than Mount Tai! Because of your heroic sacrifice, your father might just become the Chairman of the Federal Council!'

Giving a thumbs-up, Gu Xichen grinned with the most venomous mockery, 'Your death brings glory to your ancestors and illuminates generations! I will bribe the Federal Ministry of Education to compose odes and erect monuments in your memory; for at least the next hundred years, the primary school students of the Federation will remember you as a 'hero' who sacrificed himself for the Federation's freedom!'

Xiao Leiting stared at Gu Xichen in horror, struggling as he fought against the invisible shackles binding his soul and body.

But the Puppet Curse of the Great Desolate Sutra was the progenitor of all puppetry spells in the cosmos, and the Puppet Curse Gu Xichen wielded using the Primordial Yin Profound Radiance was unspeakably sinister. How could the mere Golden Core realm cultivation of Xiao Leiting possibly break free from a Puppet Curse cast by Gu Xichen, a master of the Void Realm?

Dozens more gusts of eerie wind blew out, and dozens of Xiao Leiting's subordinates rushed forth. However, these men had completely lost their sanity. Though their movements were as agile as the living, their eyes were vacant and devoid of spirit—they were walking corpses, perfectly described as such.

A piercing alarm suddenly blared on Gu Xichen's personal terminal. The Earth Federation Air Defense Command sent an alert to all high-ranking military and political officials across the Federation: dozens of Wolf King-class battleships, along with an equal number of Six-Winged Angel-class battleships, had suddenly emerged from the vicinity of the Earth-Moon orbit. They had already breached the first line of defense around Earth's main sphere and were plunging down from high altitude toward the Paris Sector.

'They are fast!' Gu Xichen nodded in admiration. 'It seems they put considerable effort into this; the progress in their propulsion engine technology is quite significant. Fast enough!'

After a moment of reflection, Gu Xichen pulled out Xiao Leiting’s personal terminal and accessed the military's secret communication network via its integrated military liaison system. Gu Xichen casually sent a few messages, indicating that 'Xiao Leiting is vacationing in Paris with a group of his subordinates. He stated he is willing to cooperate with the Paris defensive forces to repel the invading armies of the Papal States and the Federation of Gods.'

In a tone laced with a hint of boasting, Xiao Leiting declared over the information network to the Paris City Defense Command that he was a Golden Core stage cultivator, possessing power far exceeding that of a Mercury-level fighter. Regardless of how many enemies arrived or how strong they were, he was confident he could annihilate every single invading foe.

Overjoyed, the Paris City Defense Command responded with combat orders to assist in repelling the enemy. Intelligence indicated that an elite force of nearly a thousand 'Lou Tu' warriors from the Federation of Gods had already disembarked from their respective fleets and infiltrated key areas within Paris. Not long after, new intelligence arrived: two ground forces from the Papal States and the Federation of Gods had converged with that elite unit and were advancing toward a passage leading to the underground city complex in the northwest corner of Paris, where they clashed with the defending Federation troops stationed nearby.

In just fifteen minutes, the intelligence reports from the Defense Command began carrying a note of unease. The heavily armored mechanized reinforcement regiment near the passage mouth had been completely annihilated. The enemy, fielding forces equivalent to two full divisions, now held the passage mouth, while their combined elite force of about a thousand men had already broken into the underground city, wiping out every armed unit in their path. The enemy’s advance was terrifyingly swift.

Gu Xichen replied to the Defense Command using Xiao Leiting's terminal with one final message: 'My unit is rushing to the battlefield and will make contact shortly!'

Smiling, Gu Xichen gently returned the personal terminal to Xiao Leiting’s wrist, carefully wiping off any fingerprints with his handkerchief. He then grabbed Xiao Leiting’s finger and pressed it a few times onto the device.

'There, the righteous and courageous Federal Hero. It is time for you to perform! Heh heh, they know cultivators are present here, which is why they made such a grand entrance. If no cultivator disciple showed up, they would surely suspect a trap!'

Gu Xichen clapped his hands and mused, 'I think this is a perfect trap. What do you—'

Xiao Leiting’s body trembled uncontrollably. He looked at Gu Xichen with pleading eyes, begging for his life.

Gu Xichen shook his head firmly. He placed an arm around Fu Yaming’s waist and said lightly, 'Sorry, you shouldn't have messed with my woman!'

With a smile of slight intoxication on Fu Yaming’s face, Gu Xichen flicked his finger lightly. Xiao Leiting immediately let out a clear, sharp cry toward the sky. Leading his subordinates, he leaped off the skyscraper, hundreds of meters high, plunging toward the entrance of the underground city like a pack of mad dogs.

The entrance was deserted. All the Hardwood mercenaries had evacuated a quarter of an hour earlier, leaving behind discarded firearms and other equipment.

The vast underground city was eerily empty. A faint breeze stirred by the artificial wind system whistled through the vacant, narrow streets, sounding like the wail of a vengeful ghost.

Fu Yaming shivered slightly. Gazing upon this small city designed to house a million souls, she suddenly felt a wave of apprehension wash over her heart.

Gu Xichen drew her close, and an indescribable warmth transferred from his palm into Fu Yaming’s body, causing her slightly stiff limbs to gradually relax. Looking closely at Gu Xichen, whose expression remained unchanged, Fu Yaming cautiously leaned her head against his shoulder, diligently adjusting her posture to find greater comfort.

'People die for wealth, birds die for food! The ancients did not deceive us!' Gu Xichen suddenly laughed. His divine sense had already detected the arrival of some interesting individuals.

A large contingent of elites, led by the Seraphim Tz't of the Church and including the current Pope, swarmed in.

From the Federation of Gods, led by Gang Gulu, hundreds of formidable dark creatures, accompanied by Po Bibi and other high-ranking members of the Pantheon, charged forward.

As soon as these figures poured into the small underground city, they were abruptly confronted by Xiao Leiting and his group.

Glancing fearfully at Tz't and Gang Gulu, Xiao Leiting cried out in shock, 'Why is it you people? What are you doing here?'

Tz't laughed merrily, 'Why shouldn't it be us? Strange, where are the people from your Daoist Alliance?'

Gang Gulu strode toward Xiao Leiting, roaring in fury, 'Why waste time on nonsense? Kill them first!'

Xiao Leiting howled in response. The longsword in his hand transformed into a beam of brilliant, chilling white light that shot directly toward Gang Gulu's heart. The lightning-like sword light fiercely struck Gang Gulu's body but produced only a light metallic clang, failing to penetrate even a fraction of an inch. Gang Gulu grabbed the light beam with both hands and brutally twisted it into dust.

Before Xiao Leiting could react—and Gu Xichen would not allow him to react—Gang Gulu had already charged into the ranks of Xiao Leiting and his subordinates. His hands moved like a whirlwind, instantly slaughtering all of Xiao Leiting's followers, and in the process, he ripped Xiao Leiting's head apart with one claw.

Po Bibi chuckled dryly a few times. He muttered a profound incantation and seized the soul that had just escaped Xiao Leiting’s body.

The Dark Temple’s unique soul-capturing secret art was deployed. Po Bibi recited the information he had extracted from Xiao Leiting’s soul in a dry, hoarse voice.

'This fellow is actually one of the Earth Federation's Five Tiger Generals. Such a minor figure—hmph. Just another hero inflated by the Federal Military, I suppose?'

'Interesting. He stumbled upon that fissure while raping a civilian woman in the underground city. Only then did he secretly bring a few cultivators, who were not registered with his sect, into the fissure and discover that ancient cave dwelling.'

'Praise the great Dark Gods! This despicable fellow had all the cultivators he brought with him killed, and he didn't report the cave dwelling to his sect. He merely sent back a fabricated excuse regarding the spiritual herbs! Praise the great Dark Gods, this fellow’s selfishness has saved us so much effort; we won't have to clash with the Daoist Alliance.'

'So that’s it. Because of the civil unrest incited by the Church, he had to infiltrate that cave dwelling secretly without alerting anyone. That’s why he mobilized his subordinates to seal off this underground city.'

Po Bibi mockingly read out the memories of Xiao Leiting that Gu Xichen had fabricated. As a puppet controlled by the Puppet Curse, Xiao Leiting's soul had been casually reshaped and molded by Gu Xichen. Everything Po Bibi knew was precisely what Gu Xichen intended him to know. Xiao Leiting's 'memories' perfectly explained his presence here, the absence of any Daoist Alliance masters, and why the underground city was so deserted.

'Could there be a conspiracy?' Tz't demanded sharply.

'If you're afraid, then don't come!' Gang Gulu retorted bluntly. 'The ones who obtained that video were our intelligence agents monitoring you. They paid with their lives to get that footage. And you guys even snatched a copy! Hmph. If you want to gain an advantage, don't be afraid of death! If you fear death, you can leave right now!'

Tz't was infuriated and took a step forward, shouting darkly, 'You vile dark creature, are you admonishing me?'

Gang Gulu strode closer, equally speaking in a low voice, 'Cowardly angel, yes, I am admonishing you! Ah ha! Who was it that contacted us, asking to cooperate against the mighty Daoist Alliance? And who was it that sneak-attacked me while we were fighting a common enemy? Aren't those all your fine deeds? Your people even plundered the intelligence that my men acquired at the cost of their lives!'

Tz't’s face remained unblinking as he sneered coldly, 'You would have had the chance to strike me down too! This universe has always been about the strong dominating the weak; the survival of the fittest!'

Po Bibi suddenly shouted loudly, 'The entrance to that cave dwelling is right at—'

Tz't lunged toward Po Bibi, yelling fiercely, 'Where is the entrance?' Jin and two other minotaurs sharply blocked Po Bibi. Gang Gulu stepped in: 'Tz't, if you dare cause trouble, we will settle this right here! If you aren't afraid of attracting members of the Daoist Alliance to claim a share, then feel free to fight us here and now!'

The two sides confronted each other for a moment, then suddenly retracted their poised power, charging toward a corner of the underground city like flies sensing blood.

It was rare for a fool like Xiao Leiting to hide the discovery of the ancient cave dwelling from the Daoist Alliance for personal gain. If they started fighting here and attracted Daoist Alliance members, wouldn't they be creating trouble for themselves?

Although the two sides had previously allied to severely wound the Daoist Alliance, they had only managed to injure twelve Grandmasters. The Daoist Alliance still had over twenty fully combat-ready Grandmasters—a force capable of contending with the current Church and the Alliance of Gods. They possessed enough strength to demand a significant share in this operation.

Even more worryingly, the ancient cave dwelling shared the same lineage as the Daoist Alliance's cultivation methods. If the three factions entered the cave dwelling simultaneously, it was uncertain who would ultimately benefit. Therefore, even though Gang Gulu and Tz't both harbored the intent to eliminate the other, they restrained the anger in their hearts. They decided it was better to enter the cave dwelling first!

Both sides held the same thought: If they could gain advantage within the cave dwelling, they must secure enough of it. If neither side could profit from the cave dwelling, then they would destroy all of Paris before letting anyone else obtain it—they would sink the entire structure deep into the earth! Since the foundations of the Papal States and the Federation of Gods had already relocated to the Thirteen Star Cluster, they could afford to wreak havoc on Earth wantonly!

Like a hurricane, the powerhouses of the Church and the Alliance of Gods rushed into the deserted urban area. Tz't’s and Gang Gulu’s powerful mental fluctuations rapidly swept across the surrounding city.

Tz't's mental fluctuations were fanatical and scorching, like a furnace of molten iron being suddenly poured down. The air temperature seemed to rise wherever they passed.

Gang Gulu's mental fluctuations were dark, obscure, and carried a strong scent of blood. Over ninety-nine percent of the residents in this underground city were fervent believers of the Church. As Gang Gulu's mental waves swept over these faithful chanting the Lord's name, he suddenly exerted force, causing tens of thousands of the most devout believers to vomit blood from all seven orifices and collapse dead.

Tz't’s brows shot up in anger. He condensed all his mental power into a shockwave and blasted it toward Gang Gulu.

'Damned dark creature, how dare you harm the Lord's most devout believers?'

Gang Gulu evaded Tz't's mental impact. In the distance, an apartment block that housed at least ten thousand people silently vanished in a flash of intense white light.

Gang Gulu laughed wildly, 'You killed those believers—what does it have to do with me?'

With a piercing sonic boom, Gang Gulu led the people of the Alliance of Gods to the rock strata in the southwestern corner of the underground city. There, they indeed discovered an extremely hidden fissure.

Seeing that the Alliance of Gods had found the location, Tz't dared not waste any more time. He gave up on thoroughly searching the underground city and hurriedly led his people forward.

With a light command, Gang Gulu casually snatched a Dark Mage from the Dark Temple and threw him into the fissure. The unfortunate dark mage shattered countless bones as he tumbled down the fissure. Finally, just before his neck snapped, he passed through the hundred-meter-long gap and arrived in a massive underground cavern.

A spectacle of strange lights and radiant treasures, their glowing majesty soaring to the heavens—a cave dwelling spanning tens of miles suddenly appeared before the dark mage.

The dark mage was stunned. He stared blankly at the gigantic cave dwelling before him, then suddenly shrieked toward the sky, 'Heavens! This is the dwelling place of a Celestial God!'

Gang Gulu heard the dark mage’s cry and nodded with satisfaction. He led a contingent of the Alliance of Gods through the fissure.

Tz't, however, was marginally more cautious than Gang Gulu. He circled the fissure entrance a few times before frowning and asking, 'How did this fissure appear?'

Gu Xichen’s old acquaintance, Bishop Edward, quickly stepped forward and respectfully reported, 'According to our intelligence, a few days ago when the Federal police suppressed our believers, someone used a high-yield seismic bomb, which loosened this rock face and exposed this fissure.'

Tz't frowned in dissatisfaction and murmured, 'Damn it. If that’s the case, our believers should have been the first ones inside. Why did the Daoist Alliance gain an advantage from it?'

However, Tz't had no time for further contemplation, as Gang Gulu’s delighted laughter already echoed from within the fissure: 'What a marvelous weapon! It suits my taste perfectly!'

Tz't, who knew the mystical abilities of cultivators well, grew anxious. He disregarded propriety and hurriedly commanded, 'Philetus, lead your children to remain here!'

A handsome, blond middle-aged man accepted the order respectfully, leading one hundred equally handsome youths to guard the fissure entrance. Once Tz't and the others had descended into the fissure, Philetus suddenly gave a low command. Two massive, pale-gold bat wings erupted from his back, along with another pair of wings unfolding. A bizarre aura, a mixture of holiness and bloodshed, spread from Philetus's body, instantly enveloping the entire underground city.

The hundred youths roared in unison. A pair of pale-silver bat wings and a pair of almost negligible, fan-sized wings simultaneously sprang from their backs. Fist-sized, blood-red talismans flickered on the bat wings of these youths, and an increasingly dense scent of blood permeated the air.

Gu Xichen, holding Fu Yaming's small hand, stood atop the core control building, watching the activity below.

'Heh heh,' Gu Xichen chuckled, nodding in satisfaction. 'The Sacred Blood Knights. Very good! I am extremely interested in the power within them!'

Fu Yaming was slightly puzzled by Gu Xichen's intense interest in the Sacred Blood Knights. She was unaware of the boundless secrets within the Great Desolate Sutra, which contained numerous arcane arts, including the 'Tendons-and-Meridians-Stripping' technique, capable of transferring all the vital essence and power of a family member into another person. To Gu Xichen, Philetus and his hundred direct descendants were simply another group of powerful subordinates he had acquired. He wouldn't be pleased otherwise.

Philetus's bloodline could be transferred to Peng Hua—after all, Eastern and Western vampires were all one family! His direct descendants alone would provide Peng Hua with a hundred strong and fiercely loyal subordinates in rapid succession.

'We must be careful when striking later; we absolutely cannot injure these treasures!' Gu Xichen looked at Philetus, who was vigilantly patrolling the surroundings from a distance, his eyes filled with an unusual tenderness.

It had not been easy for this ancient vampire; he had acquired his current bizarre power only after merging with the Church's Ten Commandments Stone Tablet. His strength was no less than a powerful tonic for Peng Hua; he absolutely could not suffer the slightest harm.

However, as for those who had already entered the fissure...

Gu Xichen pursed his lips and smiled.

'It really was difficult to kill even one Xiao Leiting!' "