Chapter 196: Transcendent Awakening at the Bizarre Temple

His eyes flashed like lightning, opening and closing in rapid pulses.

Li Che’s gaze shimmered with an ancient luster, calm as a still well.

[Dao Fruit: Unsullied Heart (LV4 0%)]

At last… it’s done!

Being the third Dao Fruit Li Che had acquired, the progress was admittedly a bit slow.

The Chess Sage Dao Fruit reached LV4 before the Unsullied Heart, mainly because elevating Unsullied Heart wasn’t an easy task.

Yet this time, rapid advancement came from three days of frenzied absorption of Sixth-stage Divine Crystals to make up the gap.

Plus, he assimilated the divine essence of a Divine Practitioner who had undergone Primordial Transformation and the divine energy from six Black Armor Blood Guards…

Finally, Unsullied Heart reached perfection.

Li Che’s jet-black hair whipped wildly as his eyes flickered open and closed. In the depths of his pupils, a wisp of white mist began swirling, gradually filling them.

In the next instant…

A tremendous surge of power burst forth. Even though Li Che had just reached the Grandmaster realm, boasting unparalleled physical prowess and raw strength,

he was still helplessly dragged into the boundless, expansive cosmos!

Vast, ancient, and imposing!

This was exactly how Li Che had always felt about this world.

A Dao Tree that had erupted from the earth spread its vast, net-like canopy. Every leaf’s vein became distinctly visible under Li Che’s penetrating gaze.

The Dao Tree’s leaves shone like jade and swayed gently in the breeze, their rustling akin to the soft murmur of the universe turning.

Each Dao Fruit dangled from its branches, radiating a myriad of glows!

Among them, a white Dao Fruit suddenly burst forth with pure radiance, resembling a low-wattage lamp illuminating its surroundings.

The Unsullied Heart Dao Fruit!

It broke free from the Dao Tree and raced directly toward Li Che.

Ferocious winds howled and turbulent currents tore through the air.

Li Che only felt his unruly black hair and flowing dark robe whipping wildly.

He raised his hand and let the floating Dao Fruit brush against his fingers. In that brief contact, an invisible electric current surged through his entire body!

In an instant, Li Che felt as if his soul had been purified and cleansed, stripped of all impurities.

It was like soaking in a warm pool so comforting that sleep beckoned.

Li Che did not resist the sleepiness; soon his eyelids fluttered and he slowly closed his eyes.

Everything in the world fell silent. Even with his eyes shut, a soft, warm glow remained in his vision.

Time became meaningless.

When Li Che finally opened his eyes again,

he felt an unprecedented sense of clarity and refreshment, as if he had been purified through countless trials.

Tick-tock—

Raindrops gathered along the eaves, coalescing into streams before continuously cascading down.

Li Che sensed everything vividly. His primordial spirit had become clear and pure; though not stronger, it was remarkably refined.

Moreover, his soul felt completely cleansed, with no barrier between it and his body.

His eyes now brimmed with a tranquil emptiness—neither joy nor sorrow.

Before him, a gentle radiance flowed like a long, meandering river of time.

[Dao Fruit LV4 Second Transformation – Embryonic Divine Art (Unsullied Heart · Spiritual Confinement) upgraded to Divine Art (Unsullied Heart · Divine Guidance)]

Unsullied Heart Dao Fruit…

Second Transformation!

Divine Art… Divine Guidance?!

Li Che’s eyes rippled; Spiritual Confinement was now upgraded to Divine Guidance…

But what exactly is Divine Guidance?

Li Che was clueless, yet he was certain that Divine Art would surpass its embryonic form, at least offering greater potential for growth.

It felt like a deep, soul-soothing slumber, stretching every tendon and bone until his entire being relaxed in an unprecedented state of serenity.

Each breath was long and even.

Then Li Che’s gaze suddenly hardened.

Before him, an indication began to change once again.

[Divine Guidance (Divine Art): In the silence of the gods, darkness like a tidal surge, unsullied as light—I beckon myth.]

[First Stage: Summon the Divine]

[Shattered Divinities, Return, Manifest to Me—I see them all]

[Second Stage: ???]

……

Li Che furrowed his brows as he watched the shifting gleam before him, his heart trembling slightly.

The sheer volume of information… it was almost overwhelming.

“Silence of the gods, darkness like a tidal surge?”

It hinted at some grand secret, yet said nothing definite.

Li Che couldn’t help but recall the ever-emerging Bizarre Temples, where a Temple Spirit statue seemed to be the dying echo of the divine.

A ripple passed through his eyes.

The higher his cultivation, the more he learned—and the deeper his sense of awe for this world grew.

A Grandmaster was formidable, but only by ascending could he truly glimpse the heights of power and terror.

“God…”

“They’re all dead.”

Li Che murmured the words Li Qingshan had once told him.

A sudden, inexplicable heaviness gripped his heart.

It was as if merely mentioning or pondering the subject summoned an oppressive force.

Shaking his head, Li Che dismissed these thoughts.

He refocused on studying the newfound Divine Art.

“Summon the Divine… does it really bring back the fallen gods?”

“Gods see me, and I see them?”

His brows knitted in contemplation.

That was his interpretation, at least.

Closing his eyes briefly, streams of light flowed through his mind as if teaching him the art of Summoning the Divine—what the first stage of Divine Guidance truly meant.

After some time, Li Che slowly opened his eyes.

“The power to summon the divine… borrowing a god’s strength?”

“But once borrowed, it might never be returned.”

A slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

In short, the Summon the Divine technique was somewhat reminiscent of combining the Chess Sage Dao Fruit with the Star Plucking Gaze—it could absorb the Temple Spirit’s divine energy and condense it into a chess piece.

Thus, it allowed him to harness the power of departed gods.

Yet compared to the Temple Spirit Divine Chess Piece, it was far more domineering… drawing more power from its surroundings.

Li Che stood up, feeling as if his soul had become crystal clear. His primordial spirit, now purified, even seemed to emit a faint glow free of impurities.

The second transformation of the Unsullied Heart Dao Fruit had not produced as explosive a reaction as the Dragon Elephant Vajra or the Chess Sage Dao Fruit.

The Dragon Elephant Vajra had forced Li Che’s body to transform into a molten state, and the Chess Sage Dao Fruit had even triggered premature development of his primordial spirit—both painfully intense.

This Unsullied Heart second transformation, however, felt more like a gentle massage—a silent, soothing rebirth.

“Borrowing the divine power…”

Li Che’s eyes flickered.

In the next moment, his body, leaning forward from under the eaves,

smashed into the stormy rain.

And then, in an instant, he vanished.

He reappeared just as quickly.

Li Che found himself inside the Fire-Eyed Astonished Spirit Ape Bizarre Temple.

Inside the temple, the atmosphere remained as serene as ever. White candle flames danced, emitting a subtle crackle of light.

In fact, having absorbed so much divine energy from Li Che, the temple now exuded an almost saintly tranquility.

This left the Temple Guardian Division’s junior priests outside extremely uneasy.

After all, the Bizarre Temple had been unusually quiet of late.

The moment Li Che appeared, the Spirit Ape Temple Spirit statue on the altar trembled slightly.

His dark robe billowed as a benign, almost harmless smile graced his face.

His gaze swept over the statue of the Spirit Ape Temple Spirit…

“Ah—!”

“Don’t come any closer!”

“Damn it!”

Li Che: “…”

His expression stiffened.

Did he hear something?

Was it an auditory hallucination?

In the next moment, his eyes locked onto the Spirit Ape statue, and an eerie look began to surface.

It seemed like…

he really heard the Temple Spirit speaking?

But was the Temple Spirit cursing at him?

Li Che was gentle, courteous, and honest—how could the Temple Spirit curse anyone?

Li Che strode over to the altar, his long legs carrying him as he fixed his gaze on the fiery-eyed Spirit Ape.

The muttering around his ears gradually subsided, as if those cursing voices were bashful under his stern look.

Smiling, Li Che tiptoed and alighted gracefully atop the altar.

“Here we go again… damn it!”

“Forget it, let it be.”

The Spirit Ape’s voice carried a tone of resigned indifference, almost apathetic.

Li Che fought to suppress his laughter.

In the next moment, he pressed his palm against the top of the Spirit Ape’s head.

On that head, worn smooth by his touch, resounded the power of Divine Art:

Divine Guidance! Summon the Divine!

Spirits, return!

Buzz—buzz—buzz—

In an instant, Li Che felt as if the entire Bizarre Temple was trembling; cracks began to spread all over the statue of the Fire-Eyed Astonished Spirit Ape Temple Spirit.

Crackling sounds filled the air!

Ominous dead energy and inky black aura poured forth from the fissures in the statue, surging out like torrents!

They transformed in a flash into endless, inky serpents!

Li Che’s eyes narrowed. In one swift motion, he darted backwards, landing on the temple floor.

Boom! Explosive sounds echoed as if the air itself had been corroded away in a split second.

Li Che’s footwork was blindingly fast.

Back when he had reached the Grandmaster realm, he had honed his body into the form of a Furnace Grandmaster—an existence where the physical form was perfected and its potential maximized like a forge.

It was an extreme state indeed.

Although Li Che had only just stepped into the Grandmaster realm, his Furnace Grandmaster foundation allowed him to break through,

ensuring that his body was on par with seasoned, established Divine Gut Grandmasters.

“This dead energy… it reminds me of the Corpse God Sect’s aura…”

Li Che’s eyes darkened. Clenching his fist, he struck out forcefully.

A draconic roar and a bellowing cry of a Dragon Elephant rang out!

A coil of dead-energy serpents exploded under his blow, erupting into a dense burst of black, deathly pyrotechnics.

Li Che’s entire body shuddered as his fist echoed; bones and sinews vibrated violently.

These dead-energy serpents were formidable—even a half-step Grandmaster might be gravely injured, their flesh corroded by the necrotic energy.

Myriad Transformations of Dragon Elephant!

Li Che thrust his fist forward, unleashing the true essence of martial Tao with his thunderous heart pounding like a forge and his indomitable Divine Gut blasted out.

He even merged his Vital Radiance with Divine Gut.

The power of Divine Gut thus became even more terrifying!

Crack—crack—crack!

After dispelling and suppressing all the dead energy spewed from the Spirit Ape Temple Spirit statue,

Li Che felt the entire Cosmic Chessboard tremble.

In the next moment, countless Unsullied Heart Divine Chess Pieces began to shudder, exploding into dense divine mists, lashing out like whips as they pierced into the cracks of the shattering Temple Spirit statue.

Gurgle, gurgle…

The tendrils of the Unsullied Heart writhed, as if siphoning something deep within.

Li Che stood silently in the Bizarre Temple, arms hanging loosely.

Blood, as weighty as molten metal, oozed slowly, roaring like a raging river.

His expression turned strangely somber.

Is this what they call Summoning the Divine?

Yet, as he absorbed the gradually emerging divine energy of the Temple Spirit on the Cosmic Chessboard, Li Che no longer worried about it.

Time passed in the Cosmic Chessboard.

A Spirit Ape, completely formed from the Temple Spirit’s divine energy, appeared.

It was as if the Temple Spirit statue had been plucked right from the Bizarre Temple and transplanted onto the Cosmic Chessboard.

Boom—

Accompanied by a deafening roar,

Li Che’s mind returned to focus as he observed the altar’s Temple Spirit statue, now completely desiccated and scattered in pieces.

Li Che’s heart skipped a beat as he sensed the Bizarre Temple trembling violently!

Rumble, rumble—!!!

Suddenly, an overwhelming, horrifying aura of impending death enveloped him.

Li Che stepped out at the temple’s doorway and gazed toward the swirling mists of the Bizarre Temple.

He saw the Bizarre Temple shaking incessantly. In the next moment, it was as if an unrivaled swordsman cleaved it in two,

splintering the mists and splitting the sanctuary in half!

A single, cyan finger suddenly jutted forth from the sanctuary.

A dense shroud of dead energy clung to that cyan finger!

Its oppressive rank exuded terror, freezing the very air.

Even though Li Che had forged his Seven-Whorl Divine Foundation,

in the face of such divine positional pressure, he felt utterly powerless—unable to lift even a finger!

Terrifying!

Overwhelming terror!

It was as if he were about to be hurled into the eighteenth level of hell, never to rise again!

Utterly dreadful!

It was like an expanse of death, with torrents of dead energy surging forth as if to drown and devour him.

Previously, the dead-energy serpents that had erupted from the Temple Spirit statue were nothing but small fry compared to that cyan dead energy finger!

Li Che’s eyes darkened further.

A thought stirred within him.

[Chess Sage] Dao Fruit pulsed in his grasp.

In the blink of an eye, a thought flared and then vanished.

Li Che himself disappeared within the Bizarre Temple.

After his disappearance, that cyan, dead-energy-entwined finger fell onto the Bizarre Temple with irresistible force.

Rumble, rumble!

Wall bricks shattered into dust, the roof was crushed in a moment, and the white candle flames burned ghostlike before being swallowed by the sands—completely extinguished.

The entire Bizarre Temple was erased, leaving behind only an atmosphere of death.

Then the Bizarre Temple began convulsing violently, rumbling incessantly!

The earth trembled, and the whole mountain seemed on the verge of collapse!

Halfway up the mountain,

Qi Yanghao, the Temple Guardian Division’s supervising officer of the Bizarre Temple, was struck with terror, as all the junior priests suddenly jolted awake.

They arrived armed with blades, gathering outside the Bizarre Temple.

Watching the restless, trembling sanctuary, every inch of their bodies quivered.

The Bizarre Temple rose higher and higher as rolling mists soared into the clouds.

It was oppressive, suffocating, and terrifying… the divine positional pressure felt as though it were about to obliterate them!

It felt as if an extremely fearsome god were roaring within the sanctuary.

Even Qi Yanghao eventually sank to the ground,

every bit of his flesh trembling intermittently.

Splash, splash…

Rain fell from the heavens.

The world returned to tranquility as the rain hit the ground, splashing muddy droplets.

Qi Yanghao and the other junior priests sat on the ground, staring blankly ahead.

Ahead…

there lay nothing but a huge, bottomless pit…

The Bizarre Temple vanished, the mists dissipated, and even the oppressive, divinely charged Bizarre Temple was gone.

That Eight-Directional Fire-Eyed Astonished Bizarre Temple,

as if it had been erased from the world…

…

…

Luohua Alley.

Private Workshop.

Boom—!

A wild gust shattered the air, and countless raindrops burst like powdered water in an instant.

Li Che landed, and with a single step, the courtyard floor sank and crumbled, spiderweb-like cracks radiating out instantly.

Moments later, the wild gust subsided and the rain resumed its gentle dance.

Li Che stood amidst the rain, his dark robe soaked,

but he straightened his back, eyebrows tightly knit.

“What exactly lies within the Bizarre Temple…?”

Li Che exhaled slowly, recalling that cyan, dead-energy-laden finger that had ripped through the sanctuary.

A grave look clouded his eyes.

“What on earth is that?”

A heavy sorrow settled in his heart.

Even the joy of his Unsullied Heart Dao Fruit’s second transformation vanished in an instant.

This Fire-Eyed Astonished Spirit Ape Bizarre Temple was merely one of many Eight-Directional Bizarre Temples, and the terrifying positional pressure that came with that rift was simply overwhelming.

“Could that positional force be… Divine Practitioner Breath Retention Transformation? Or perhaps… Divine Womb?!”

Taking a deep breath, the boiling blood within him gradually calmed.

He sensed that the Feilei Chess Piece he had summoned within the temple had already vanished.

This meant that the Fire-Eyed Astonished Spirit Ape Bizarre Temple… had been erased.

Was it because he had summoned away the Temple Spirit?

His mind churned with thoughts.

Li Che returned to the courtyard.

As the rain evaporated instantly, he sat on a bamboo chair.

He began to study the Spirit Ape Temple Spirit that he had summoned onto the Cosmic Chessboard.

Cosmic Chessboard.

Li Che opened his eyes.

There, floating silently beside the Qi Tian Face, was the Spirit Ape Temple Spirit.

Its oppressive positional force was strong, as the divine energy of the temple spirit twisted the lines of the Cosmic Chessboard, creating a sunken depression.

It was reminiscent of extracting the Heavenly King Divine Chess Piece from within the Golden Divine Temple.

However, the temple spirit’s divine energy was vast—far beyond what one single chess piece could compare to.

“This should belong to Divine Vision’s realm. The positional pressure is tremendous. No wonder the temple spirit is said to be invincible among its peers.”

“Yet, for a divine cultivator such as myself, among temple spirits even within the same tier, there is still a hierarchy.”

Li Che gazed at the temple spirit, wholly formed from its own divine energy.

He attempted to stir his primordial spirit to communicate with it.

Yet it seemed that only upon first entering the Bizarre Temple could he hear the temple spirit’s voice.

Now, even after summoning it onto the Cosmic Chessboard, its voice remained silent.

After several failed attempts at communication, Li Che felt a twinge of regret.

Had the temple spirit spoken, he might have unraveled the connection between the Bizarre Temple and the Bizarre Temple, perhaps even deciphering the secret hidden behind the temple.

But then again, perhaps it was better not to know.

Sometimes, knowing too much brings only peril.

Staring at the Spirit Ape temple spirit, as he did for a long while…

Li Che suddenly felt a stirring in his heart.

“To break through to Divine Vision, one must observe the temple spirit and carve its image…”

“So…”

“Could I possibly merge this temple spirit directly into my divine foundation? If I merge and carve it into my foundation, wouldn’t that be equivalent to stepping into the realm of Divine Vision?”

“Moreover, the divine energy obtained would be that of the temple spirit—a force said to be invincible among its peers.”

At the thought, Li Che’s eyes lit up.

That idea would not be erased from his mind now.

He began to let his thoughts wander, attempting to merge the temple spirit from the Cosmic Chessboard into his divine foundation.

The Fire-Eyed Astonished Spirit Ape Bizarre Temple belonged to the ‘Astonished’ aspect of the Seven-Emotions Divine Energy.

While channeling his Painted Immortal clone, he activated the Astonished Divine Technique.

During this process, he gradually guided the temple spirit’s energy from the Cosmic Chessboard into his foundation through the Summon the Divine technique.

Whoosh—!

Behind him, a grinding, millstone-sized Astonished Divine Foundation appeared.

At first, the temple spirit’s energy resisted a bit…

but slowly, under the calming veneer of the Summon the Divine technique, it relented and gradually merged.

“It’s done!”

Li Che opened his eyes, his gaze now sparkling brilliantly.

His mood instantly lifted!

While other divine foundations were chiseled through observing the temple spirit, Li Che had directly carved out the temple spirit itself!

Imagine—in battle, Li Che could unveil seven temple spirits behind him!

That awe-inspiring positional pressure would likely terrify any foe into submission.

“However, having started down this path, the rest of my foundation might also need to summon temple spirits to remain stable.”

Li Che mused thoughtfully.

Fortunately, in this world, there was no shortage of Bizarre Temples.

The Summon the Divine technique continued to usher the Spirit Ape temple spirit’s energy into his foundation, a process Li Che estimated would take three to four days.

He didn’t worry too much about the timing.

During the interval of merging his foundation with the temple spirit’s energy,

Li Che began to inventory his recent spoils from battle.

The Qian Kun Jade of the Divine Guardian had nearly exploded under his assault, its surface riddled with cracks. Only after carefully extracting it and confirming the inner chamber was intact could he relax.

Fluctuations in his primordial spirit tore open barriers as he began his inventory.

Three and a half Sixfold Divine Crystals were counted; one had been half-absorbed, leaving three as pristine specimens.

There were twenty Sevenfold Divine Crystals—and even more Eight-Directional and Nine-Star Divine Crystals.

The wealth of the Divine Guardian far exceeded that of the crude Xue Dufu, the broad-minded martial artist.

As for elixirs, he was a bit short, but Li Che didn’t care much.

“Sixfold Divine Secret Technique—Fusion Shadow Divine Art.”

Li Che glanced at it. Despite his lackluster interest in divine arts—his natural aptitude in the divine realm lagged behind his martial prowess—

this Fusion Shadow Divine Art was indeed promising. He decided to practice it.

Besides that, there were no other surprises.

The Divine Guardian’s martial arts were only average; although a Grandmaster, he had broken through by sheer luck and possessed no deep secret techniques.

Only a common Grandmaster secret art was his claim, revealing his lack of ambition in martial cultivation.

Yet, the collection amassed by the six Black Armor Blood Guards did bring Li Che some delight.

“Sixfold Divine Warrior Heavenly Soldiers Furnace Combined Technique!”

This was a coordinated battlefield technique!

It required a minimum of six participants, though up to a thousand could join!

A combined attack with tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands involved would far exceed the realm of Sixfold alone.

“Training in this combined technique could link the blood and divine energy of the arrayed warriors, elevating their state collectively.”

“If even a late-stage Grandmaster unleashed it, every practitioner might gain the life-or-death strength of a Furnace Grandmaster’s blood power!”

Li Che was utterly astonished.

The difference between a Furnace Grandmaster and an ordinary one lay chiefly in the intensity of their blood power—a formidable force forged through countless trials.

“Even if it only temporarily ignites life—it’s impressive enough.”

“This combined technique…”

Li Che inhaled deeply, his eyes gleaming brightly.

At this point, with his Grandmaster-level blood power and his Painted Immortal clone in the Grandmaster state, he could maintain around fifty copies…

And as his blood power and divine energy grew, that number would soar.

Achieving a thousand in unison would be no issue.

A thousand-man combined strike…

Li Che’s heart stirred as he attentively observed this Heavenly Soldiers combined technique.

After etching the details into memory, he stood up and, melding his blood with divine energy to create Divine Ink, painted six copies of his Painted Immortal clone.

He had them practice the Heavenly Soldiers combined technique in the courtyard.

The Dao Fruit of Painted Immortal required constant pressure to trigger its transformation.

Only by applying persistent force could the Painted Immortal Dao Fruit transform.

After glancing at his diligent clones, Li Che leisurely left the courtyard.

The temple spirit’s energy continued to merge into his Astonished Divine Foundation,

and once the merging was complete, Li Che would finally step into the realm of Divine Vision.

Everything was proceeding methodically.

Li Che’s mood was high.

With an oil-paper umbrella in hand, he strolled down the rain-soaked alley. The bluestone pavement shone immaculate under the cleansing rain.

He arrived at a small restaurant, where savory aromas of cooking wafted invitingly.

Not even the torrential rain could mask the rich scent of the dishes being prepared inside.

A big black dog lounged lazily at the doorway, as per usual.

Li Che crouched in front of the dog with his umbrella, noticing that the dog seemed to have put on a few extra pounds.

“Time to hit the diet, old boy,” he remarked while rubbing the dog’s head, before stepping into the restaurant.

“Boss, same as always—package it to go.”

“And two taels of fine wine, I’m in a good mood today,” Li Che added with a smile.

The restaurant owner emerged slowly, shooting Li Che a wary glance.

“Old Li, have you come into contact with something unclean?”

The owner said coolly.

He didn’t elaborate further, simply adding, “Wait here,” before pulling back the curtain to the kitchen.

Li Che watched the owner’s retreating back.

“Something unclean…”

He wondered silently.

After collecting his order, Li Che bid farewell to the owner and the big black dog, and left the restaurant.

The owner, dressed in a crisp white shirt and holding a Gold Leaf, stood quietly at the door,

a light breeze causing his sleeves to flutter.

The big black dog let out a massive yawn, adjusted into a comfortable position, and resumed its slumber.

……

……

News of Little Prince Ji Haihui’s funeral procession being decimated had finally reached Jingguang City.

It created quite a stir!

Yet all the involved factions remained utterly silent, not daring to utter an extra word.

After all, the procession had included a Divine Practitioner whose death was unimaginably gruesome—it was as if he had been smashed to pieces by a single punch.

When Nan Lihuo received the news, he was having tea with Li Qingshan, discussing how to conspire with Ogre and Ma Mian.

As word reached Zheng Lei Peak and countless apprentices debated heatedly, the two, by virtue of their cultivation, heard it clearly.

“This…”

Nan Lihuo wasn’t sure whether to be happy or not.

“Forget it, Ji Haihui is dead. That event is grand enough in itself. Scattering the remains only adds fuel to the fire.”

Nan Lihuo waved his hand nonchalantly, though his heart was far from indifferent.

“Qingshan, get in touch with Ogre and Ma Mian. Our previous cooperation should now be set in motion,”

Nan Lihuo said after taking a sip of tea, finally suppressing the smile tugging at his lips and speaking in a low tone.

Li Qingshan, clad in a light blue robe, understood immediately what was meant.

Assassinating City Lord Su Huai Li—

This was the plan long agreed upon. At last, Li Qingshan would have a mission to prove his existence!

“After all, Su Huai Li is an official of the Imperial Court. Assassinating him… the Temple Guardian Division and Imperial Watch surely won’t just let it slide…”

Nan Lihuo remarked.

Though the Underworld’s strength was not insignificant at present,

the Temple Guardian Division now had Grandmaster Zhu Chaoyang stationed, and the Imperial Watch had Lu Yao…

Even if just symbolically, the presence of both a Grandmaster and a Divine Practitioner posed considerable trouble.

“Zhu Chaoyang and Lu Yao are mostly just for show. They likely won’t exert their full strength.”

“But we must remain cautious.”

Nan Lihuo said gravely.

At that moment, Li Qingshan pulled out an Underworld Divine Communication Mirror,

and it promptly displayed a unified response from Ogre, Ma Mian, and Divine Monkey:

Cat Face: “Agreed.”

Li Qingshan’s face lit up with excitement.

At last…

he felt part of the action!

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