When Liu Hui returned home, he encountered Shu Yan, who had come looking for him. The moment Shu Yan saw Liu Hui, she glared at him menacingly, ready to lunge forward and choke him.

The instant Shu Yan’s grip tightened, a large bruise bloomed on Liu Hui’s arm, startling her so much that her hatred instantly melted into affection. She began fussing over him anxiously, terrified that something was wrong with his body, completely forgetting that she had come to confront him for his long absence.

Liu Hui inwardly admired his quick thinking. He had just circulated the spiritual energy within his Qi Body, instantly manifesting the bruise where Shu Yan had grabbed him, thus scaring the impetuous woman.

Upon returning to the Starry Sky City, Liu Hui deployed all his trickery and deception, managing to placate the three women in a short time, preventing them from exploding over his sudden disappearance and the simultaneous arrival of Liang Jingyue and her son.

After a month of recuperation, Liang Jingyue finally cured the illnesses that had plagued her for years. She was now able to play with Xiaobao, much to the boy's delight. Liang Bo had also recovered; he was now aware of the situation within Liu Hui’s household, but seeing Liang Jingyue and Xiaobao so happy with Liu Hui, he could only accept things as they were and keep silent.

Liu Hui’s parents learned of Liang Jingyue’s return. They rushed to the hospital for a heartfelt reunion with Liang Jingyue’s family. Upon meeting, there were many sighs and exclamations; they couldn't believe how much had changed in just a few years.

However, knowing the difficulties Liu Hui currently faced, his parents dared not visit Liang Jingyue openly and had to go secretly. They were finally overjoyed to see Xiaobao, their exciting grandson, and the boy’s well-behaved nature quickly won their affection.

The family reunion was touching and warm, but what depressed Liu Hui was that Chen Shaokang had also appeared with his mother. Chen Shaokang was now beginning to appear rejuvenated, showcasing his dashing charm, which immediately worried Liu Hui’s father, who feared his wife might change her affections.

The dark clouds hovering over Liu Hui seemed to have drifted away; he had temporarily found a period of respite.

He began moving between his women, cautiously managing his relationships with them, striving to maintain the family's delicate balance.

,～,～,～,～,～～,～,～,、,～,～,～,～Late that night, in the waters near Hong Kong, a massive cargo ship lay anchored. The large freighter had extinguished its lights and sat motionless, as if waiting for someone.

Inside the ship’s hold sat several mysterious figures, the hatch doors left open. Among these individuals, the leader was Binar, a special consultant for the CIA, and seated beside him was Chasing Soul, who had recently recovered from his injuries.

“Miss Lu Nong, please remove your hat,” Binar said with a smile to a woman sitting opposite him.

The woman immediately took off her hat, revealing a stunning countenance beneath—it was Lu Nong Augustus of the European Augustus family.

Lu Nong inquired, “Binar, you summoned me here, yet there are only a few of you? Where are the others?”

Binar chuckled, “Miss Lu Nong, please don't rush. They will be here shortly. Let me introduce you first: seated next to me is Chasing Soul, whom you’ve met before. And the lady beside you is Yan Hongyu, from Huaxia.”

Lu Nong turned her head and saw Yan Hongyu. Yan Hongyu sat perfectly still, her face expressionless.

Noticing Yan Hongyu’s strange all-white attire, Lu Nong suddenly recalled an ancient legend and gasped, “Could it be that Miss Yan is from the Yan family of Huaxia?”

Yan Hongyu stated coldly, “The Yan family of Huaxia has just been eradicated by me, so there is no longer any Yan family in this world.”

Lu Nong started. A trace of cold air had emanated from Yan Hongyu as she spoke, a chill that filled Lu Nong with profound apprehension. Lu Nong stopped speaking and silently resumed her seat.

A moment later, a man entered from outside. As he stepped in, the entire hold was bathed in light; holy radiance flowed through the air, and even angels seemed to be singing praises in the void.

This man was extraordinarily handsome, wearing a gentle smile, looking upon everyone in the hold with an air of benevolence. He was Lucifer, from the Holy See.

Lu Nong had previously been driven away by Lucifer, so she felt a degree of dissatisfaction toward him. She watched the theatrics of this man pretending to be divine and scoffed repeatedly. Lucifer paid her no mind and found a chair to sit down.

Binar smiled, “Sir, welcome. Allow me to introduce you…”

Lucifer smiled faintly, “Mr. Binar, there is no need for introductions; I already know them. The gentleman standing behind you is Mr. Chasing Soul from the ‘Taming’ organization. This lady looking at me so angrily is Miss Lu Nong of the Augustus family. And the lady beside her, dressed entirely in white, is Miss Yan Hongyu from the Yan family of Huaxia.”

Everyone was shocked. They hadn’t expected this strange “Sir” who had suddenly appeared to know them, including their names and origins.

Yan Hongyu glanced at Lucifer and sneered, “You are from the Vatican Holy See, aren’t you? No wonder you put on such a pretense of false benevolence. Have you forgotten the old pact—that people from your Holy See are forbidden from setting foot in the East?”

Lucifer laughed, “Miss Yan, that agreement was made so many years ago, and the people who forged it are long dead. Who cares about it now?”

Yan Hongyu sneered, “An agreement is an agreement, which is why I still care. The last time your Holy See sent people here—those fearless 1z Day Cardinals—I killed them all.”

Lucifer was momentarily stunned. He had always believed the Cardinals of the Holy See were killed by Black Hero, but he never imagined they were slain by this inheritor of the Yan family right before him.

Lucifer asked, “Miss Yan, if your people killed the Cardinals who violated our agreement by stepping onto your territory, we have no complaint. However, Miss Yan, could you return the equipment they were carrying to the Holy See? You must know those items are our Holy See’s ancestral treasures and are very important to us.”

Yan Hongyu stated coldly, “Are you referring to the Holy Light Cross? They attempted to draw energy from it during the fight, and they were destroyed along with the Holy Light Cross.”

Lucifer pressed, “What about the other equipment they carried?”

Yan Hongyu replied, “I didn’t see any other equipment. The only thing the Cardinals I killed possessed was the Holy Light Cross.”

Lucifer inquired, “Miss Yan, did you not kill Augustus?” As he said this, he deliberately glanced at Lu Nong, and upon hearing Lucifer’s words, Lu Nong immediately looked at Yan Hongyu, fury beginning to smolder in her eyes.

Yan Hongyu remained unfazed. “I don’t know any Augustus, and I certainly didn't kill him.”

Seeing the tension escalate, Binar prepared to stand up and change the subject. These masters were gathered for a critical mission; they couldn't afford internal conflict before even starting. But before he could speak, Lu Nong interjected, “Yan Hongyu, tell me, did you kill Augustus of our family or not?”

Yan Hongyu coolly responded, “I told you, I didn’t. With your current strength, I wouldn’t need to lie to you.”

Lucifer then chimed in, “Oh dear! Since Miss Lu Nong is here, I won't involve myself in the Augustus family’s affairs; I’ll leave it to Miss Lu Nong to handle. Though I hear Augustus met a most miserable end—not even a body was found. How tragic…”

Provoked by Lucifer, Lu Nong exploded with rage. She had always held herself in high regard. While she was somewhat wary of Yan Hongyu, she was not afraid. She spoke sharply, “You must give me an explanation today, or don't blame me for being impolite—”

Before Yan Hongyu could reply, a booming voice echoed from outside: “Witch, just what kind of impoliteness are you threatening? I’d very much like to see it.” Following the voice, a Daoist priest carrying a massive coffin walked in, glaring furiously at Lu Nong. This priest was the sect master of Maoshan, who had previously engaged in fierce combat with Lu Nong.

Upon seeing the Maoshan Sect Master, Lu Nong instantly recalled that her electrical magic was ineffective against this powerful Golden Zombie, and moreover, the Maoshan Sect Master and Yan Hongyu were both from Huaxia; if they joined forces, she would be overpowered.

Just then, Binar stood up and began mediating. “Everyone, please listen to me. The primary goal for gathering here today is to deal with Liu Hui of the Starry Sky City. Can we temporarily set aside minor misunderstandings concerning this ultimate objective? How about we discuss solutions after we complete our goal?”

Lu Nong and Yan Hongyu glanced at Binar, both snorted coldly, and ceased speaking. The Maoshan Sect Master gently set down his coffin, took another chair, and closed his eyes to rest.

Half an hour later, a massive sound came from outside, followed by the appearance of a colossal humanoid mecha blocking the doorway—perhaps the entrance was too small, as the machine could not fully enter.

The mecha stopped at the threshold. A red laser beam shot from its eyes, circled the doorway once, and vanished. Then, the mecha delivered a heavy punch to the door. The door, which had been sliced by the laser, was knocked loose and flew into the hold, embedding itself deeply into the wall with a resounding crash that shook the entire cabin.

The humanoid mecha instantly enlarged the doorway opening and then strode in proudly. Everyone inside was stunned. That door was incredibly thick, cast entirely of steel, yet it had been sliced open by a single laser beam. If they had faced that beam directly, they might not have been injured, but it would certainly have been troublesome.

None of them knew where this mecha came from to possess such formidable power. By demonstrating its strength, the humanoid mecha immediately earned the respect and recognition of these God-level masters.

Binar smiled, “Everyone, allow me to introduce Miss Atsuko Maeda from Japan. Her strength is comparable to that of a God-level master.”

Atsuko Maeda, controlling the mecha, merely offered a brief greeting to everyone before finding a spot to stand silently.

They continued to wait, but after another hour, no one else arrived. Chasing Soul grew impatient. “Binar, why isn't that person here yet? Does he really have that much pull?”

Binar looked embarrassed. “Well, perhaps he’s stuck in traffic!”

The Maoshan Sect Master sneered, “Mr. Binar, we are in the middle of the ocean. Traffic jams are impossible.”

Chasing Soul said, “If he doesn’t show up soon, let’s cut him out. I believe the seven of us God-level powerhouses are more than enough to handle Liu Hui, even if he has Black Hero protecting him.”

Just then, a strange voice echoed in, “Without me, do you think you can succeed?”

Chasing Soul roared, “Who is it? Who’s talking? Get out here!”

The light at the doorway flickered, and a dark shadow flashed in like lightning, throwing a punch toward Chasing Soul’s face.

Chasing Soul was enraged and swiped to block, but the shadow’s momentum shifted downward, striking Chasing Soul’s shoulder. Caught off guard, Chasing Soul was hit squarely on the shoulder, and the immense force sent him staggering backward repeatedly.

Everyone in the room was shocked; Chasing Soul, a God-level master, had been defeated in a single move. The dark figure, having repelled Chasing Soul, stood motionless in the center of the room.

Only then could the others get a clear look: the figure was tall, with long limbs, wearing a black cowl that concealed everything except for glowing green eyes.

Chasing Soul, ashamed by his momentary lapse that led to his retreat, was about to lash out when Binar spoke, “It’s alright, Mr. Chasing Soul. ‘The Professor’ is just joking with you; he didn't exert any force.”

Chasing Soul was taken aback. He realized that although he had been repelled by the dark figure, ‘The Professor,’ he had sustained no actual injury. He was instantly astonished by the level of control the Professor had over his strength and felt a new wariness toward him.

The Maoshan Sect Master suddenly asked, “‘Professor,’ who taught you that set of Shaolin boxing?”

‘The Professor’ turned his head, fixing his gaze intently on the Maoshan Sect Master. A formidable pressure emanated from him, bearing down on the sect master. This pressure forced the Maoshan Sect Master, who was not yet fused with the Golden Zombie, to retreat step by painful step.

Yan Hongyu snorted, and an ice wall instantly materialized before the Maoshan Sect Master, blocking ‘The Professor’s’ oppressive force. Simultaneously, the temperature inside the room plummeted to minus twenty degrees Celsius.

‘The Professor’ shuddered, feeling the piercing cold, and immediately withdrew the pressure he was exerting on the Maoshan Sect Master. Yan Hongyu moved swiftly, restoring the room’s temperature, and the ice wall vanished.

Everyone watched in silent amazement, not only at ‘The Professor’s’ immense power but also at Yan Hongyu’s incredible control over temperature.

‘The Professor’ stated in his strange voice, “I learned my Shaolin boxing from a Shaolin monk who taught martial arts in Europe. Are you satisfied now, Daoist priest?”

Having suffered a hidden setback, the Maoshan Sect Master immediately knew ‘The Professor’ was not someone to trifle with. He cut his losses, snorted once more, and returned to meditating.

By his entrance, ‘The Professor’ had displayed overwhelming power, instilling deep awe and fear among the assembled group. Once this was done, ‘The Professor’ found a place to sit.

Seeing that all personnel were present, Binar stood up and announced, “Everyone, we are gathered here today to accomplish a difficult mission. That mission is to infiltrate the Starry Sky City and eliminate Liu Hui.”

No one present spoke. More or less, each of them held a grievance against Liu Hui or the Starry Sky City. Thus, after Binar approached and instigated them, they all agreed to this joint operation, preparing to sneak into the Starry Sky City to kill Liu Hui and remove their major hidden threat.

Binar continued, “We all understand clearly that if the Starry Sky City is allowed to continue developing, those of us who have previously offended him will have no place to stand. Therefore, we must strike first and carry out a ‘decapitation strike’ to eliminate Liu Hui, this wicked culprit. As for the distribution of benefits after Liu Hui is gone, we have already discussed that in previous meetings, so I won't elaborate further here. I hope that in order to complete this mission, everyone must unite wholeheartedly and strike down Liu Hui, who hinders Earth’s peace.”

Lu Nong asked, “Binar, I want to kill Liu Hui even more than you do. All I want to know now is, when do we strike?”

Binar replied, “Because the Starry Sky City has extremely strict inspections for incoming personnel, all the people we previously sent to infiltrate have failed, discovered by the Starry Sky City without exception. Relying solely on our embassy personnel within the Starry Sky City to gather intelligence has yielded us nothing useful.”

Yan Hongyu stated coldly, “If we haven't gathered useful intelligence, does that mean we don’t even know where Liu Hui lives, and how can we possibly assassinate him?”

Binar chuckled, “Although the Starry Sky City maintains tight security against arrivals, they overlooked one thing: the Starry Sky citizens who go out traveling. Starry Sky citizens can move freely within the Starry Sky City; they can even enter Liu Hui’s residential compound at will, so they know a great deal of information. We captured some of these individuals overseas, used drugs to extract useful information from their mouths, and by combining this data, we learned all the intelligence regarding Liu Hui.”

Binar went on, “We are currently probing for weaknesses in the Starry Sky City’s defenses. Once we find those flaws, we will immediately ascend to the Starry Sky City to locate Liu Hui’s residence and kill him permanently. Our team of eight God-level experts will be the most powerful assassin legion in Earth's history; assassinating anyone will be child’s play. Killing Liu Hui will therefore be more than sufficient, even with Black Hero protecting him.”