The battle did not last very long.

To be precise, it was not a battle but a one-sided capturing operation.

In that scene, a group of old ladies and old men waved their arms and kicked their legs. Coupled with some earth-shattering and stormy Spiritual Energy effects, this allowed the floating piece of land to explode a dozen or so times.

If not for Master Liu's loud shouts to leave some alive for interrogation, the ruined temple below and its Ten Evils Hall members would have been turned into rubble along with that large 'rice cake'.

「Afterwards.」

Several hundred members of the Ten Evils Hall with weak cultivation were bound and imprisoned, then left on the sandy beach.

Hundreds of members of the Ten Evils Hall with cultivation above the Immortal Realm who survived this time had already been taken into a Treasure Bottle by Master Liu.

That Treasure Bottle could hold living creatures and also refine them into blood water; it was one of Liu Baiyi's most treasured possessions.

Wu Wang, Ji Mo, and Lin Qi, accompanied by two Lin Family house guards and Mao Aowu, who had finally found a sense of presence, were searching for useful information in the ruins.

When this piece of land was thrown into the sky, it was split into upper and lower sections by the Transcendent experts. They flipped the lower section to conceal the upper section, which was the fishing village.

The hundred households of the fishing village had already been rescued when the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion intervened. Immortals were now taking them to a distant location for resettlement, and an inspection immortal envoy from the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion was arranging for their subsequent living needs.

There truly was no shortage of items in these ruins.

Wu Wang's left hand, hidden in his sleeve, made a five-clawed grasping gesture, absorbing the Divine Power of the Evil God that was diffusing into the air and searching for the most precious item within the Ten Gods Hall: Evil God Blood.

Mao Aowu suddenly shouted, "Sect Master! There's a discovery here!"

Everyone immediately flew over. They looked at the undamaged, inverted gate and tilted their heads to identify the plaque at their feet.

Lin Qi read: "Treasure Vault. Restricted Area. No Unauthorized Entry?"

"This is it!" Wu Wang declared.

Wu Wang narrowed his eyes. Mao Aowu, understanding his intent, was about to kick the door in.

However, several streaks of light flashed by as the others had already circled around to the back of the door, looking at the collapsed rock formation.

Wu Wang instructed, "Please collect all the bottles and jars here. They will serve as resources for my later research into the secrets of the Ten Evils Hall."

The two Lin Family house guards roared their assent. They directly wrapped the rock formation before them with immortal power and slowly pushed it into the air.

Mao Aowu, holding several storage magic treasures, dashed in. Treasure light flashed continuously as he collected the items.

Wu Wang's sharp eyes spotted several large, well-preserved 'wine jars.' He detected fluctuations of Divine Power within them and immediately revealed a warm smile. The haul this time would definitely be substantial.

"Don't miss any nook or cranny," Wu Wang reminded them. "Treasures are usually hidden in such concealed spots."

Mao Aowu laughed heartily. "Sect Master, rest assured! When it comes to looting, I'm an expert!"

A few of the experts sitting idly in the sky revealed knowing smiles.

Suddenly, Master Liu's sonorous shout was heard from the side, "He escaped? You let such a big fish get away?!"

"Pavilion Master," the subordinate exclaimed, "I used the Cold Light Thirteen Swords. It's a swordsmanship I've pondered for twenty thousand years; it could even be called a divine skill! That fellow was cut into three pieces by me, and his Primordial Spirit was shattered, but he just vanished!"

"What's wrong?" Liu Baiyi stood with his hands behind his back, glaring at the middle-aged Daoist before him. The Daoist wore a tall crown and a crane-patterned robe. "Are you not satisfied with what I, this Pavilion Master, said to you? Did you lose him here? Was that big fish lost on your watch?!"

"Pavilion Master! No, Master, we need to be reasonable! Otherwise, this disciple will appeal to the Human Emperor!"

"Oh, so you dare to complain to His Majesty! Do you believe I, this Pavilion Master, won't teach you a lesson today!"

The Pavilion Master made to grab his shoe sole, but the elegant middle-aged Daoist turned and fled. The two chased each other on the beach, shouting all the while.

In the end, the middle-aged Daoist, despite his clearly superior movement techniques, was still caught by Liu Baiyi and pinned to the ground for a thorough, non-mana-infused thrashing.

"What's wrong with taking the blame for your master? What's wrong with taking the blame for your superior!" Liu Baiyi berated him.

"How can you be so foolish? How am I supposed to promote you? How can I entrust you with important tasks?"

"What damn good are your Cold Light Thirteen Swords? Are you trying to peel an Evil God with them? Go comprehend a single, perfect sword strike!"

Not long after, Liu Baiyi walked back towards Wu Wang, muttering curses under his breath. The middle-aged Daoist could only weep silently.

Liu Baiyi said, "Wu Wangzi, come with me. I have something to ask you."

Wu Wang agreed. He had taken only a few steps when he turned his head to look at Ling Xiaolan, who was standing quietly in the air. "Fairy Ling," he called out, "please come over too. You might be of great help."

"Mm," Ling Xiaolan responded, somewhat listlessly, but she did not refuse. Her skirt billowed as she gracefully landed beside Liu Baiyi.

A hint of anticipation flickered in Wu Wang's eyes.

With a wave of his hand, Liu Baiyi's vast immortal power enveloped Wu Wang and Ling Xiaolan. They flew towards the sea and soon found a small island to use as a landing spot.

Wu Wang asked, "Pavilion Master, how are the realms above Transcendent divided?"

"Heh heh, that's a vast topic. Don't be too ambitious too soon," Liu Baiyi chuckled. "It's a rule set by His Majesty, Emperor Fu Xi: the realms above Transcendent must not be disclosed to non-Transcendent individuals, mainly to avoid undermining cultivators' confidence. To make a name for yourself in the Great Wilderness, Heavenly Immortal is merely the threshold. Only those who are Transcendent can truly catch the attention of the gods."

As they spoke, the three of them arrived on the desolate small island, landing directly within a small, dense thicket.

Wu Wang immediately said, "Thank you for your help, Senior. I'll have someone send over a few hundred jars of good wine from the Northern Wilderness later!"

"I, this seat, helped you today because you performed great merits. Do you think I'm after your wine?" Liu Baiyi then erected a Barrier and huffed. "Still, remember to pack two portions, and don't let anyone steal a drink of mine."

"No problem!" Wu Wang replied cheerfully.

Liu Baiyi glanced around furtively, like a thief, then took out a Treasure Bottle radiating Immortal Light. He shook it carefully a few times and tossed out a half-dead, shadowy figure.

Ling Xiaolan frowned deeply and hid behind Wu Wang.

Wu Wang glanced at the figure. It was covered head to toe in fine scales, resembling a gecko that had gained sentience or a Green Snake whose features had been disfigured.

After sensing carefully, Wu Wang said, "This is the one who tried to infiltrate the Xuan Nu Sect."

Ling Xiaolan immediately rushed out from behind Wu Wang. Her face was pale, but she clutched her Treasure Sword tightly, her gaze fixed on the fiendish man.

"What do you want this fellow for?" Liu Baiyi asked, somewhat puzzled.

Golden scales coated Wu Wang's left hand as he whispered, "The Bloodline Power of these Evil Gods from the Ten Evils Hall can nourish my transformation."

Liu Baiyi was speechless. "..."

"Kid, you're even more nefarious than the Ten Evils Hall!"

"There's nothing shameful about wanting to become stronger," Wu Wang said with a smile. His body became covered in golden scales, and he placed his left hand on the Second Elder's head, taking a light breath.

Ling Xiaolan and Liu Baiyi watched quietly, both somewhat nervous, unsure what strange phenomena might unfold.

Wu Wang closed his eyes and focused, inhaling deeply and then exhaling. He held his breath, silently sensing.

「A moment later.」

Wu Wang calmly withdrew his left hand. Looking down at the fiendish man, he wondered aloud, "Why is there no reaction?"

Beside him, Liu Baiyi almost slipped, while Fairy Ling stood steady and composed.

Wu Wang muttered, "Previously, when I battled the fiends from the Ten Evils Hall, I just had to press down like this, and I could directly absorb their Divine Power. Why isn't it working this time?"

"His Bloodline Power is of a higher tier," Liu Baiyi snapped. "This is likely a Divine Child cultivated from the Essence Blood of an Evil God. You can't compare him to those riffraff who only used ordinary Evil God blood! Sect Master Wuwang, don't you understand this? If you don't know, just ask me, this seat!"

Fairy Ling turned her head to the side, her delicate shoulders shaking slightly.

Wu Wang was speechless. "..."

For some reason, he wasn't keen on being lectured by this man.

Still, he decided to swallow his pride and ask.

"Pavilion Master, how do I absorb it then?"

The Pavilion Master of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion tilted his head back and said nonchalantly, "How would I know about that? I'm a cultivator of the righteous path."

Wu Wang nearly lunged at him, wanting to give him the same rough treatment he'd given His Majesty Shennong!

My father-in-law, and now his subordinate... each one is more infuriating than the last!

Fairy Ling said, "Why not just ask this person?"

Wu Wang suggested, "I propose we first extract his Primordial Spirit, separating it from his physical body."

"A trivial matter." A slight smile touched Liu Baiyi's somewhat portly face. With a flick of his finger in the air, a wisp of faint black mist emerged from the man's forehead.

Wu Wang took out a Crystal Ball and drew the black mist into it. Within the Crystal Ball, the mist coalesced into a small figure resembling the Second Elder.

To be safe, Liu Baiyi cast a restriction on the Crystal Ball to prevent the Primordial Spirit from escaping.

"Fairy Ling, it's your turn," Wu Wang said.

"Mm," Ling Xiaolan replied, her pretty face cold. She took the Crystal Ball, and her fingers began to trace intricate Rune Imprints.

Not long after, agonizing screams echoed across the small island, scaring the fish and shrimp in the sea into a frantic retreat.

Wu Wang repeatedly covered his eyes at the sight, while Liu Baiyi, the Pavilion Master of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, could only exclaim at her expertise.

"Fairy Ling, perhaps give him a chance to speak. If he can't, we could use some medicinal power from an elixir to nourish his Primordial Spirit," Wu Wang suggested.

"Alright," Ling Xiaolan replied calmly, but her fingers tracing the Talismans moved even faster.

...

Wu Wang remained on the desolate island for over two hours. Only when the surging vital energy within him receded and the golden scales on his body faded did he, along with Ling Xiaolan, get escorted back to the 'primary crime scene' by Master Liu.

The Second Elder's corpse had already been burned to ashes. It was of no further use; Wu Wang had thoroughly plundered its Divine Power, and Master Liu had directly extinguished its Primordial Spirit, leaving not even dregs behind.

On the way back, Fairy Ling's mood had brightened considerably. A smile played at the corners of her mouth as she idly twirled a lock of her hair.

She asked softly, "Are the original nine Divine Children of the Ten Evils Hall all this difficult to deal with?"

Wu Wang couldn't help but rub his brow. The 'difficulty' she mentioned surely didn't refer to the interrogation!

"The gains this time are immense," Wu Wang said. "It's an unprecedented breakthrough."

Master Liu sighed. "Thanks to Xiaolan's efforts, we've indeed learned a great deal. But this Ten Evils Hall is truly cunning. Their four main headquarters operate independently, never contacting each other. They gather for discussions at temporarily selected locations, using only special communication methods. It's said that a sly rabbit has three burrows; this Ten Evils Hall has far more than three lairs."

Wu Wang added, "The Second Elder's recent statements, along with what he previously recounted about Daoist Wancai's past, largely match up. The nine Divine Children, working in pairs, fanned out from the Northern Region of the Human Domain. Using methods to control people's minds and the Evil God Blood they each carried, they established four underground organizations. These organizations operate independently but are collectively known as the Ten Gods Hall or the Ten Gods Sect. Destroying this headquarters should keep the other three quiet for some time."

"That scoundrel just mentioned that their Third Headquarter should be in the Southeastern Region," Fairy Ling remarked.

Master Liu sighed. "That place is unlike the Human Domain; it's generally very chaotic. I dread to think how powerful the Ten Evils Hall has become there."

Wu Wang smiled. "Once the Beast Tide in the north ends, we can deal with the Third Headquarter."

「We've arrived.」

Master Liu whispered, "This Second Elder was pursued by us and ultimately incinerated by my true fire, leaving only a remnant of his soul. Remember, this is the official version for outsiders."

With these words, the Pavilion Master waved his sleeve, and the three of them descended from high above.

A large number of reinforcing Immortal Soldiers from the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion had arrived on the beach below.

Even before they landed, someone shouted, "Pavilion Master! We've found another big one! Daoist Wancai!"

Wu Wang and Master Liu's spirits soared, and they hurriedly descended from the sky.

A dilapidated pool, resembling a stone coffin, lay on the sand. Inside rested a middle-aged Daoist. His pallor and bone-deep weakness indicated a severe loss of blood and vital energy.

Wu Wang briefly sensed him and detected fluctuations of Evil God Bloodline Power equivalent in rank to the Second Elder's.

At that moment, his body felt no particular craving for it; he had just had a full meal, and too much Divine Power could be overwhelming.

As if sensing something, the Daoist turned his head towards Wu Wang with some difficulty, a contemplative look in his eyes.

The true Daoist Wancai said in a low voice, "So, it's you? The rising new talent in the Human Domain who enraged Green Snake's father?"

"She also annoyed me quite a bit," Wu Wang replied calmly.

Daoist Wancai chuckled but didn't elaborate on the matter. He sighed. "Ah, just give me a swift end. There's no need to ask me anything. The Second Elder wouldn't betray others, and even though I was tortured by him into this state, I won't betray them either."

Master Liu, holding his ample belly, chuckled. "That fellow confessed. He spilled everything, things he should and shouldn't have said. I even extracted some of his memories, and they all matched up."

Wu Wang continued, "You were organized in pairs and established four main headquarters. One headquarters is outside the Human Domain. The primary route for transporting Evil God Blood involves smuggling it via merchant caravans. Each headquarters operates independently, unaware of the others' locations. Meetings are arranged at the last minute, and there are sixteen underground palaces where the Ten Evils Hall's upper echelons convene... Do you have anything to add? However, that person didn't mention anything about you. Or perhaps he holds a grudge and wants us to torture you a bit?"

Daoist Wancai's eyes widened in shock. "He... he actually betrayed the Fathers?"

"Don't overestimate your comrade's willpower," Wu Wang said, sitting cross-armed by the Blood Pool, his tone earnest. "That Second Elder was already plotting against the second batch of Divine Children; his loyalty was no longer with the Evil Gods. It's laughable that the Evil Gods still believe they can truly control people's hearts. Fellow Daoist, you haven't killed anyone, nor committed any grave sins, yet you've suffered at the hands of the Ten Evils Hall. How about I help you remove the Evil God's bloodline? It could save your life. You would be confined to a quiet place for the rest of your days."

Daoist Wancai slowly closed his eyes, murmuring, "The Evil Gods... the Human Domain... I must choose one. Please grant me death. My knowledge is not as extensive as the Second Elder's."

"If you must choose a side, why can't it be the Human Domain?" Master Liu interjected, then added in a low voice, "If you were to personally expose the evils of the Ten Evils Hall, their future would become incredibly difficult. We've already obtained the method to remove your Evil God bloodline from that Second Elder. As long as our young friend Wu Wangzi takes action, everything will be fine."

Daoist Wancai remained unmoved, his eyes closed, sighing with an air of fatalistic resolve.

Wu Wang gestured for Master Liu to step aside. The high-ranking official of the Human Domain and the Sect Master of the Demonic Sect whispered together for a while.

Master Liu pondered for a moment, then said decisively, "Alright! It's a deal! If we can turn this Divine Child, it'll be a perfect opportunity to showcase the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion's accomplishments! I'll grant your Annihilation Sect a large, auspicious plot of land for a new mountain gate, and I'll ensure it's no more than a hundred miles from our Immortal Soldiers' encampment!"

"Pavilion Master, your word is your bond!" Wu Wang exclaimed.

"Faster than the four Evil Gods can chase!" Liu Baiyi affirmed.

Wu Wang immediately brightened, his eyes gleaming. He raised his hand and called, "Fan."

Ji Mo tossed a folding fan from the side, which landed neatly in Wu Wang's hand.

The Young Master turned, the fan snapping open with a crisp sound. He moved with an elegant, scholarly gait, his eyes sparkling like stars as he began to recite softly, his voice filled with emotion:

"Do you not see the Yellow River's waters flowing from the sky,

Rushing to the sea, never to return?

Do you not see bright mirrors in high halls lamenting white hair,

Though morning found it like black silk, evening has turned it to snow..."

The majestic verses flowed from Wu Wang's lips, drifting into Daoist Wancai's ears, swirling and echoing, causing his closed eyelids to twitch slightly.

Wu Wang recited three poems in succession. Tears streamed from the corners of Daoist Wancai's eyes, yet he remained still, his emotions in turmoil.

This tactic was known as 'applying the right medicine for the illness.' Since Daoist Wancai was deeply passionate about poetry and songs, this was the natural angle of approach.

Fortunately, in Wu Wang's previous life on Blue Star, he had completed nine years of compulsory education. Sometimes, science and math alone weren't enough; a touch of the arts was also necessary.

The only drawback was that several scholar-attired experts from the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, a few high-ranking members of the Xuan Nu Sect, as well as Lin Qi and Ling Xiaolan, were all watching Wu Wang with eyes shining with admiration.

Then, Wu Wang began to recite again:

"Red beans grow in southern lands,

In spring, how many new branches sprout?

Gather them then, I pray, in abundance,

For these beans best represent—"

Wu Wang's voice stopped abruptly. The surrounding Immortals frowned in confusion, feeling that peculiar discomfort of having words stuck on the tip of their tongue, unable to be voiced.

Suddenly, a hand slammed down on the edge of the broken Blood Pool!

He was up!

Daoist Wancai had shattered his restraints and sat up!

"What are the last two words?" he demanded.

"Lovesickness," Wu Wang replied.

"Lovesickness... Wonderful! Those two words are simply brilliant! Sir, did you compose this poem?"

"No, I merely heard it somewhere," Wu Wang said with a smile. "Would you like to hear more? I have many such poems."

Daoist Wancai leaped out of the Blood Pool, only to collapse weakly to his knees on the ground. He looked at Wu Wang, a hint of anger still in his eyes, but said, "I can help you publicize the matters of the Ten Evils Hall and the Evil Gods, but I must die! Before I die, I only ask to hear more of your poetry, sir!"

Wu Wang looked towards Master Liu, who nodded slightly.

This true Daoist Wancai... he was indeed a man of character.

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