Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

Ding Lingdang gnashed her teeth. “Does the wretched Blood Devil think that I’m a three-year-old whom it can fool easily in such a way? The real Li Yao is already dead. It is not Li Yao at all. I will not be tricked!”

“Exactly, Fellow Cultivator Ding. You did the right thing by giving the chip to us. The Blood Devil is cunning and unpredictable. Normal Cultivators may be bewildered by him easily. Not to mention that you are…”

Guo Chunfeng thought for a long time and failed up find a phrase to describe the relationship between Ding Lingdang and Li Yao.

Ding Lingdang sighed and sat on a seat at a loss. “I understand it, Supervisor Guo. I am just a pure battle-type Cultivator. Such complicated issues should be handled by professionals like you, but I must remind you that, since the Blood Devil inherited Li Yao’s memory and combat style, based on my understanding about Li Yao, this is very likely one of his ruses, too. I have handed the chip to you, but as for whether or not ‘it’ wants to talk to me or has other intentions, I can’t tell now. Make a judgement yourselves.”

“Of course!” Guo Chunfeng immediately agreed. He gave the chip to the crystal processor specialists.

Right now, the operation to capture Blood Devil Li Yao was no longer just the Demon Execution Division’s business.

Blood Devil Li Yao was related to the Blood Demon Sector, which was the work range of the Demon Execution Division.

However, since it was the Blood Devil, which was sort of a devil, the Devil Elimination Division, which was responsible for the extraterrestrial devils, had every reason to participate in the operation, too.

Additionally, since Li Yao had been a Cultivator before he was possessed by the Blood Devil, it was only natural that the third division, which was responsible for the crimes of the Cultivators, joined as well.

The three divisions had joined their hands to chase after the most dangerous Blood Devil Li Yao. It was one of the biggest operations since the establishment of the Secret Sword Bureau, but the general commander was still Guo Chunfeng.

The chip was inserted into a crystal processor. Almost a hundred crystal processor specialists, including a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator and more than ten Core Formation Stage Cultivators, stared at the light beam together with Guo Chunfeng.

Four pieces of information popped up on the light beam. They were all the simplest text. Judging from the time stamp, they had been sent earlier.

The first one said, “Trust me! I have evidence for you!”

The other three pieces of information were all a location with a time. It appeared that Blood Devil Li Yao was arranging a meeting with Ding Lingdang at a certain time in a certain location.

However, the first two appointments had long passed. The Blood Devil must have changed the time and location of their meeting three times when Ding Lingdang did not show up.

There were only five minutes to go before the third appointment.

“Damn it!” Guo Chunfeng slapped his thigh and breathed hard. “Had we found it earlier, we might’ve captured him already!

“Everyone near the thirteenth district, move to the Star River Community. It is very possible that Blood Devil Li Yao will show up there in five minutes!

“Crystal processor specialists, analyze the data immediately and trace the source!

“Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Let’s get moving!”

Encouraged by Guo Chunfeng, all the Secret Sword Agents were rushing toward the Star River Community on the minus thirteenth floor like wild bees. They blocked all the entrances and exits of the minus thirteenth floor.

The hundred crystal processor specialists were analyzing the information quickly with the help of the super crystal processor.

Three minutes later, the result was out.

Blood Devil Li Yao was very prudent. He sent the shortest text every time and made sure that the information sent out was minimal. Also, he would completely turn off the crystal processor after a message was sent.

Therefore, it was impossible to lock onto the position of the Blood Devil for now.

Five minutes later, the Star River Community was peaceful. There was no sign of the Blood Devil at all.

The terrible Blood Devil had natural instincts about danger. It had perhaps smelt something mysterious from the unusual mobilization of the Secret Sword Agents. He escaped into the crowd again.

Very soon, another message was sent.

“A lot of Secret Sword Agents are in the Star River Community. Not a good place for meeting. In twenty minutes, at the door of the Red Lightning Arena on the minus sixteenth floor. See you there!”

The message was sent to the crystal processor in the command center through the invisible Spiritual Nexus in less than 0.1 seconds. Blood Devil Li Yao turned off the crystal processor at exactly the same time, too.

But it would never occur to the Blood Devil that the hundred crystal processor specialists of the Secret Sword Bureau had controlled the network chip and deployed a very inconspicuous virus on it.

The function of the virus was that, as long as anybody transmitted information via the network chip, an unpredictable telepathic thought would immediately be fed back.

The telepathic thought would hack into the other crystal processor. Even if the crystal processor was completely turned off, it would still activate the network chip deep inside the crystal processor in its silent mode!

“Got ’em!”

Exclamations echoed in the command center.

Li Yao was a master of refining but not a specialist of the Spiritual Nexus. His understanding of crystal processor viruses was very shallow. How could he be match for a hundred best experts of the trade?

The Blood Devil was rushing quickly from the minus thirteenth floor to the minus sixteenth floor. He even took a turn in a warehouse of abandoned magical equipment on the minus fifteenth floor to get rid of the potential followers. Then, after dashing to the minus twenty-first floor through a drainage tube, he went back to the minus sixteenth floor. The Blood Devil could not have been more prudent.

But it never occurred to the Blood Devil that the portable crystal processor, which he was wearing on the wrist but had completely turned off, had already betrayed him.

“Group One, Group Two, and Group Three, prepare ambushes near the Red Lightning Arena. The coordinates of the target have been sent to your crystal processor. Focus on driving him away and try to avoid a fierce fight. Also, ask the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators at the entrance and exits on the ground to be ready!”

Guo Chunfeng wiped away his greasy sweat, clenched his fists, and stared at the shining red spot on the 3D map.

The red spot was Blood Devil Li Yao!

The red spot would enter the Secret Sword Bureau’s siege in another several seconds.

Right then—

The red spot retreated at an astonishing speed and crawled into the interconnecting drainage channels again!

The storm earlier made every drainage channel in the underground district a surging river. In the flooding rainwater, the red spot accelerated to the maximum speed and travelled deeper than the minus thirtieth floor in the blink of an eye!

“We’ve been discovered!” Guo Chunfeng jumped to his feet in fury. “All members, surround him and try to force him to the surface!

“Analyze the information of the terrain nearby and the tube network, and calculate the most likely coordinates where he will appear on the ground. Ask the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators around to move over. Be wary and prepare for battle!”

A moment later, a line of angry words popped up on the light beam. “Why? Why? Why can’t you just trust me?”

Then, the red spot was gone.

“The Blood Devil has discovered the anomaly of the crystal processor. It has likely been crushed right now,” one of the crystal processor specialists said helplessly. “After all, the activated chip will still spread out feeble spiritual waves even if it is in the silence mode.”

“This is already enough!” Guo Chunfeng narrowed his eyes and said coldly, “This time, the Blood Devil has been exposed for too long. We are too close to it for it to get away again. Block the Blood Devil from three sides and leave one side empty. It can only be pushed to the ground according to our pace!”

…

In sky above the capital city, a medical airship was floating quietly.

On the surface, it was a plain-looking medical airship, but below the ragged shell were actually dozens of powerful attack rune arrays.

‘Death Ray’ Ye Changkong, the best expert of guns in the federation and a Cultivator in the Nascent Soul Stage, as well as his elite hunting group, was now hiding inside the ‘medical airship’.

‘Death Ray’ Ye Changkong was more than a hundred and sixty years old, but his hair was black, and his teeth were still strong—he looked like an energetic middle-aged man. He was short and as light as a falling leaf, covered in an imitative disguise suit that could change appearance according to the environment, and holding the sniper rifle named Herald. Leaning against the seat, he was resting with his eyes closed.

The tough members of the team, on the other hand, were talking, laughing, and even horsing around. Their expressions and muscles were all very relaxed.

Only the best veterans who had survived more than a hundred battles could be so calm before a great battle.

Ye Changkong was an expert of shooting. He knew his advantages and disadvantages best. Never in the world would he sneak into such a chaotic place as the underground district in order to hunt such a dreadful opponent as Li Yao!

It was the most idiotic approach, which would turn him from the predator into the prey instantly.

Standing on the well-disguised, highly-powerful hunting airship, he could see every corner of the capital city. Wherever the target popped up, he would be able to rush close within a breath, set up traps, and shoot the target unhurriedly!

Zi! Zi! Zi!

Ye Changkong’s crystal processor suddenly buzzed. The latest information in the command center was sent over, including the updates of the siege, Li Yao’s most likely escape route, and the progress of the Secret Sword Agents. Even Guo Chunfeng’s every word had been recorded.

The hunting group led by Ye Changkong was under the direct command of Lu Zui. It was of a higher level than the hunting group commanded by Guo Chunfeng.

Lu Zui had opened all clearances to him so that he could receive all the information on Guo Chunfeng’s side in real time.

On the other hand, Ye Changkong’s progress was blocked from the outside world. It was highly classified and reported to Lu Zui alone.

Shua! Shua! Shua! Shua!

Endless information flashed in front of Ye Changkong, only to be devoured by his eyes that looked like black holes.

He blinked and pressed his ears softly. Lu Zui’s voice immediately came over. “Li Yao will likely escape to the ground. Some Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators not under our control are coming at him. Do not let him be captured alive, or we might be in trouble.

“To avoid trouble and to make sure that our plan goes smoothly, kill him as soon as possible!”

Ye Changkong moved his fingers away and cut off the communication. Brilliance beamed out of his eyes. The information that he had just devoured popped up on his retina again as he analyzed and calculated at a speed close to that of a mainframe crystal processor.

His nickname was ‘Death Ray’.

It meant that, wherever he went and however many targets there were, if he was determined to go on a killing a spree, all the targets would be wiped out at the speed of light!