Chapter 472: The Tragedy of a Temple
Confronting the Demon
As the single word "Demon" fell, a furious gale erupted in the stone chamber.
The candlelight flickered wildly, and the two men's shadows stretched and contorted, vaguely showing countless grotesque faces. The ancestral spirit tablets rattled loudly, their inscribed names transforming into beams of golden light that struck the red metal from various directions.
The light was dazzling, turning the entire secret room a brilliant golden yellow.
Zhang Ruochen's face changed drastically, and he instinctively stepped back.
"Open!"
Zhang Rusu roared. A near-solid golden phantom emerged from his aged body. The shadow continuously grew, becoming as huge as a building. He raised a colossal palm. Golden light flashed in his palm, transforming into thunderbolts that heavily struck forward.
Golden light, giant palm, thunderbolts—each attack contained immeasurable destructive, destructive power that could instantly annihilate even a thousand-year-old fierce ghost. Yet, a terrifying scene unfolded.
A ball of green flame suddenly materialized, instantly transforming into a towering sea of fire. The fire carried a terrifying, all-consuming power. The thunderbolts were swallowed, the golden light was reduced to dust, and the giant palm vanished without a trace.
The figure of a young man appeared within the sea of fire. His ghostly green eyes opened, giving Zhang Rusu an indifferent glance before disappearing immediately.
The fierce gale stopped, the sea of fire dissipated, and only the flickering candlelight remained in the chamber.
Zhang Rusu spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his face deathly pale, like golden paper.
"Sect Leader Brother! Sect Leader Brother!"
Zhang Ruochen looked utterly horrified and rushed up quickly.
"Are you alright?"
Zhang Rusu lifted a constantly trembling finger, pointing at the red meteorite in front of him, muttering:
"Seal! Seal!"
Before he could finish the word, his body went limp, collapsing onto the ground.
Thus, Zhang Rusu, the eighty-seven-year-old Sect Leader of White Cloud Temple, an eminent Daoist master, passed away.
The Apostles' New Pursuit
At the same time, Number Eleven, who was giving a speech at a university in Shanghai, suddenly looked up toward the south. Green light flashed in his eyes, morphing into a burning fire.
The green flame vanished in an instant, and his expression changed. The composure and confidence were gone, replaced by an air of chilling sternness.
"Eve, cut the power."
As soon as he spoke, the lights in the auditorium began to flicker. The wires crackled, electricity leaked out, accompanied by a faint smell of scorching. The auditorium plunged into complete darkness.
The bodyguards on both sides immediately rushed forward, shielding Number Eleven behind them. "Luke" said nothing, following the bodyguards out of the auditorium.
The students in the audience were confused. By the time the lights returned to normal, the person on the stage had disappeared.
Back in the car, Number Eleven closed his eyes.
"Was that the Original Body?"
"I felt it too. A momentary fluctuation, right to the south."
"What about the rest of you?"
All eleven apostles nodded. Number Six asked,
"How far away was it?"
"Between one thousand and fifteen hundred kilometers."
"It seems we weren't wrong. The Original Body is indeed in China."
Number Three shook his head. "That range is too wide. If only the Original Body would appear again."
Number Seven hesitated. "Did any of you feel like the Original Body's condition was wrong?"
"It did feel a bit off."
"His consciousness was very blurry. He seemed not to have fully awakened yet."
"He hasn't awakened, yet he released such intense soul fluctuations? Why would that happen?"
The apostles were stunned. Number Three said coldly, "I can't think of any reason other than him being under attack."
"We must speed up our actions."
"We can't be delayed here."
"We must find the Original Body as quickly as possible. We absolutely cannot let anything happen to him."
After making their decision, Number Eleven returned to the hotel. After explaining the situation to Linda, the group didn't hesitate; they boarded a plane heading south that very day.
They left without any warning, so much so that many event organizers didn't even get the news, and a storm brewed online.
The unexpected power outage during the speech, followed by an immediate departure.
With those two incidents combined, suspicion was difficult to avoid. Some said Luke Shaw was shot during the power outage. Others rumored that someone was jealous and trying to secretly sabotage him.
The rumors were chaotic, covering everything imaginable.
Let alone the regular onlookers, even those directly involved—including high-level executives from major corporations and official representatives—were completely baffled.
After several days of interaction, both parties had been talking very happily. "Luke" had even indicated his intention to invest in Shanghai and build a Tesla branch factory. The contract drafts were all prepared, but then the sudden change occurred.
Qu Youran's Assessment
Inside an office building in East Shanghai.
Qu Youran, looking nervous, pushed the door open.
"H-Hello."
"Please sit, Miss Qu. Don't be nervous. Your maternal grandfather and I are old acquaintances. Just treat me like an elder."
The speaker was an elderly man named Li Qun. Although his name was not widely known, those who knew him feared him like a tiger. His hair was a mix of gray and white. He looked at least sixty-five years old and wore frameless glasses, giving him a gentle, approachable air.
Qu Youran dared not sit in front of him, standing awkwardly to the side.
"Did you need me for something?"
"Nothing serious. I just wanted to chat with you. I'm sorry you've been through so much these years. Your grandfather entrusted you to me, asking me to mentor you well, but I failed to do so. That is my negligence, and I must apologize to him someday."
Qu Youran repeatedly waved her hands.
"Please don't say that. It's all my fault. My abilities were insufficient, and I didn't handle things well."
As she spoke, the girl's eyes turned red, perhaps remembering something.
Seeing her distressed, Li Qun shook his head inwardly, but his face remained smiling.
"See? I haven't even said anything, and you're already crying. This won't do."
Qu Youran quickly wiped her tears. "Please tell me what you need. I'm ready."
"I told you, don't be nervous."
Li Qun picked up his pipe, then put it back down and smiled. "I called you here because I actually wanted to inquire about a person."
"Is it Luke Shaw?"
"Precisely. That young man is quite extraordinary. He's giving this old man a real headache."
Qu Youran immediately responded, "Please ask whatever you wish. I will tell you everything I know."
Li Qun chuckled twice, called his secretary to brew hot tea, and then began.
"First, tell me about him as a person. What kind of person do you think he is?"
"A genius devil with an extremely high IQ and a dark, calculating mind."
"Oh!"
Li Qun was momentarily stunned. "Genius! Devil! That's an interesting assessment."
"I agree with the genius part, but what do you mean by 'devil'?"
"His temperament changes too quickly, and he's very skilled at pretense. In front of outsiders, he's always composed, confident, and polite, but once he returns to his room, he becomes a completely different person: vicious, flattering, silent, ruthless, and wooden. You can never guess what he'll turn into next."
"I suspect he has severe schizophrenia."
The smile vanished from Li Qun's face, and his brows furrowed slightly.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm absolutely certain. I witnessed all of this myself. And Linda Danvers—she knows too and is already used to it."
Li Qun fell silent, tapping his finger on the edge of the table. After a long pause, he finally spoke.
"What happened yesterday? Why did he leave so suddenly?"
"I'm not sure. He hasn't answered my calls."
Qu Youran looked completely bewildered when she mentioned this. "Actually, his original plan was to stay here for five days, confirm the cooperation intention, then head to the capital, and finally go south. The itinerary was all written out."
"Could the rumors be true—that he was attacked?"
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