Ch. 3561..3570
Chapter 3561 Full Of Schemes
Right then, one of Gloria’s spies came and reported, “Lord Gloria, Floyd, Azure Dragon, and the other core members in Levi’s base had disappeared after Mr. Xylas left. I’ve already deployed the men in the vicinity to look for them, but it hasn’t been fruitful. What would you like us to do next, Lord Gloria?”
After pondering for a while, Gloria instructed, “Keep looking. While you guys are at it, be loud. If you guys still can’t find them in three days’ time, demobilize.”
“Yes, Lord Gloria!” After that, the spy cut off his contact with Gloria.
“What are you up to now, Master?” Xylas was puzzled.
He was wondering why would Gloria want to make a huge ruckus about finding them when she already knew where Levi’s underground defensive base was located. Wouldn’t that expose our spies? What if Levi finds them and kills all of them out of anger? Wouldn’t we waste all the elite spies we’ve trained? That would be such a waste of resources.
Gloria chuckled coldly and answered, “The underground defensive base is Levi’s last support. Hence, he would think that he could hide all his friends and family there, and they would be safe.
However, I know exactly where they are. Once I’m done devouring the deviant clans’ spiritual ley lines, I’ll attack the underground defensive base first. By doing so, I’ll unsettle his troops once again. I want him to think that no one knows where they’re hiding.”
Instantly, Xylas understood Gloria’s plan. If we expose the spies, Levi would think that we don’t know where his underground defensive base is located.
Meanwhile, Master doesn’t need to put herself at risk because I can wipe out all of them on my own. Darn that Evie! Once I’m done devouring a few more spiritual ley lines, I’m going to kill her with ease.
You’re full of schemes, Master! I’m so impressed.” Xylas was getting better at fawning over Gloria.
In the underground defensive base, Azure Dragon and the others finally overcame their traumas, albeit not entirely. It was because of Zoey’s comforting words and their own efforts.
Although the morale was still unfavorable, they were already helping the others in setting up the defense system in the underground defensive base.
When they were on a break, Floyd, Azure Dragon, and the rest had gathered up.
Phoenix said, “Boss said that it’s now safe to assume Xylas had indeed learned his technique from the mysterious woman.”
Everyone’s expression turned grim when they heard that. Within a month, Xylas’ ability had increased so rapidly that only Boss could stand against him. That’s scary.
Black Tortoise then mumbled, “Based on how fast Xylas’ ability had increased, will we see the day when even Boss is no match for him?”
Everyone kept mum, and their expressions turned even grimmer.
As much as they didn’t want to admit it, there was a big chance of that happening.
“Perhaps I’m just overthinking,” Black Tortoise uttered awkwardly because he realized he had misspoken.
Indeed, it was one thing to think about such a thing, but saying it out loud was entirely different.
“You’re not overthinking. There’s a possibility that could happen,” Kirin uttered hoarsely.
Again, everyone went silent. Our enemy is getting stronger by the second, and they have even come to our base to taunt us. Yet, there’s nothing we can do about it. Our hands are tied.
Their morale was taking another hit when they thought about that.
Azure Dragon clenched his fists so hard that his nails dug into the flesh of his palms. He didn’t even realize it when blood was already flowing out of his clenched fists.
At the same time, Floyd let out a sigh and thought about how useless he was. I can’t even protect myself. How am I supposed to protect Gloria?
“Floyd, you’re spacing out. What are you thinking about?” Phoenix suddenly asked.
Chapter 3562 Forlevia Wants A Confirmation
Floyd jolted as if he had just been struck by lightning. “N-Nothing. I wasn’t thinking about anything!”
In order to conceal his panic, he quickly added, “I was just thinking about how useless I am because I can’t even help Master.”
Azure Dragon and the rest were stumped, but they didn’t get suspicious about his answer.
In fact, he had just described how they all felt. As comrades who have fought through tough battles, we’re now so powerless. We’re burdens for Boss.
At that moment, they found the situation rather unbearable.
Upon seeing that no one was doubting him, Floyd heaved a sigh of relief inwardly. Will everyone get furious if they know I was thinking about Gloria? After all, she was once their suspect. However, how could Gloria possibly be that impressive? Besides, there’s no way she would try to kill me, right? I know she loves me. Otherwise, why would she try to strengthen me by scolding me? The others don’t understand the love Gloria has for me. That’s why they’ve misunderstood her. In the future, I have to find an opportunity to explain that to everyone.
Suddenly, Floyd remembered what happened that amorous night, and he couldn’t help but smile when he thought of that.
“We shouldn’t just sit here! Although we can’t fight against Xylas, we can still help by setting up the defense.” Floyd felt encouraged when he remembered how much that woman loved him.
Azure Dragon and the others were shocked and impressed at the same time when they heard that. As expected of a disciple valued highly by Boss. Within a short period, he can regain his composure. We, too, can’t keep beating ourselves up. We need to pick ourselves up.
Azure Dragon and the others nodded in agreement before getting up and performing their tasks.
Meanwhile, Forlevia was sitting cross-legged as she tried to cultivate. However, she couldn’t get in the zone because her mind was a mess.
She couldn’t stop thinking about all the details she noticed when she fought against Xylas. Although Daddy has already told us the conclusion he had gotten from the Holy Guild, there’s something fishy going on, and I can feel it. Indeed, it’s highly possible that the Cetus possesses an evil devouring technique. However, the technique Xylas used seems more like the technique I’ve created. It’s just that it has been purposefully altered by an elite. I must get a confirmation. Otherwise, I won’t be at peace.
With that in mind, Forlevia got up and walked toward Azure Dragon and the others.
Forlevia’s thoughts were simple. I’ve only taught those few people my technique. As long as they haven’t taught it to anyone else, I’ll be able to confirm that the technique Xylas used had originated from the Cetus.
Forlevia smiled and asked, “Azure Dragon, would you come with me?”
Even though Azure Dragon was puzzled, he unhesitatingly followed her to a secluded spot.
“Evie, what’s the matter?” he asked.
In response, Forlevia asked directly, “Azure Dragon, I want to verify something. I would like to know if you’ve taught anyone the cultivation technique I’ve taught you.”
Before he could answer, Forlevia quickly added, “Don’t rush it. Take your time and think it through because this is a very important matter.”
After deeply mulling over it, Azure Dragon answered, “Apart from Phoenix and the others, I haven’t told anyone about it! Besides, ever since we started cultivating this technique, we’ve been with each other almost every day. I doubt they could teach anyone else, even if they wanted to. Evie, do you still think that the technique Xylas used was actually yours?”
“No. I just wanted to verify it. You may go back to your tasks now, Azure Dragon!” Forlevia pretended to speak in a relaxed manner.
“Oh, I see. You’re Boss’ daughter, all right. You’re so meticulous! Haha!” Azure Dragon praised sincerely.
After Azure Dragon left, Forlevia asked for Phoenix and the others, and she had gotten similar answers from them.
There’s only Floyd left now. I hope he hasn’t told anyone as well. Forlevia turned her attention toward Floyd.
Chapter 3563 One Of Us
Floyd was devising the formation outside the underground defensive base when someone suddenly sent word that Forlevia was looking for him.
He could not help thinking it was odd. After all, Forlevia had hardly ever taken the initiative to meet them.
When Floyd saw Azure Dragon approaching him, he smiled and asked, “The others are saying that Evie is looking for me. Do you have any idea what it’s about?”
“I’m not sure either. Maybe it’s a message from Boss. You’ll know if you go and ask,” Azure Dragon answered nonchalantly.
That was part of Forlevia’s plan as well. After questioning Azure Dragon, she had deliberately instructed him not to tell anyone about it as she wanted to get everyone’s raw and unfiltered reactions when she interrogated them.
If someone knew beforehand about getting questioned and came fully prepared, it would impair her judgment.
Hence, Floyd did not give it much thought. It’s not the first time Evie has passed a message on Master’s behalf, and as his best disciple, I’ve seen it often enough.
Upon arriving at the place where Forlevia practiced cultivation, Floyd enquired with a smile, “Evie, is something the matter? You seemed in a hurry to see me.”
“Here’s the thing, Floyd. I wanted to ask whether you’ve told anyone else about the devouring technique I taught you.”
Forlevia wasted no time beating around the bush, and after speaking, she gazed at him intently.
The question struck Floyd like a bolt from the blue. He froze, standing rooted to the spot.
The very thing I fear has indeed happened! Until now, Evie still suspects me! If I answer truthfully, Gloria will get taken as the undercover. No, there’s no way I can expose her.
He was utterly unnerved for a moment, and his expression tensed subconsciously.
“I… This… I didn’t tell anyone! I haven’t even been able to cultivate such a secret technique myself, so how could I possibly… tell anyone else about it?”
Floyd was so rattled that he stammered a little and could barely speak coherently.
Forlevia fixed him with a piercing gaze. It’s obvious there’s something off about his behavior!
“Floyd, this is a matter of great importance. Whatever it is, you have to tell me the truth,” she said, a hint of a warning tone in her voice.
Floyd was utterly dumbfounded.
He knew very well that after his reaction earlier, anything he said subsequently would be full of holes.
Evie may not be as shrewd as Master, but she’s incredibly smart. She can see through many things with just one glance. Nonetheless, I can’t expose Gloria.
With that thought in mind, Floyd took a deep breath and said calmly, “Evie, I swear I didn’t leak anything about the technique to an outsider.”
To him, he felt he was telling the truth. Hence, he spoke with absolute confidence.
Gloria and I have already broken through that stage of our relationship, so naturally, she can’t be considered an outsider. Apart from a secular wedding ceremony, we’ve already slept together. Therefore, Gloria is my wife. She’s one of us. As such, it’s not counted as leaking information! Besides, she’d lose her mind if she cultivated that technique. So, needless to say, she wouldn’t do that.
“Floyd, this is a time of unique circumstances. The foreign enemies are powerful, so there’s no margin for error. You’d better think again very carefully,” Forlevia continued.
In truth, she was somewhat puzzled. Floyd appeared panicked at first, but why does it seem like he suddenly changed into a completely different person and is now speaking with such confidence? But it certainly doesn’t look like he’s lying.
Suddenly, Floyd responded to her question with one of his own. “Let me ask you this, Evie. Do you consider Azure Dragon and the others as outsiders?”
Forlevia shook her head. They’re Dad’s sworn brothers. They’ve gone through countless life and death situations together, so how could they be viewed as outsiders?
“In that case, I haven’t leaked anything to an outsider,” Floyd answered with even more certainty.
Noticing that Forlevia’s stern expression wavered, Floyd decided to strike while the iron was hot.
“Evie, I know my previous entanglement with that woman from the Ecclesiastic Order inevitably aroused your suspicions. But that was then. Now, our relationship has completely changed. Don’t tell me you want to continue being suspicious of me,” Floyd said, showing a pained expression toward the end.
Chapter 3564 Was It Really Gloria
It had to be said that Floyd’s attempt to turn the tables proved efficacious.
The part where he said “our relationship has completely changed,” in particular, shifted Forlevia’s understanding of the situation.
That was because she had previously questioned his relationship with the woman from the Ecclesiastic Order. At the time, Floyd clearly told her he had cut off contact with the woman.
Therefore, her first interpretation of the phrase “our relationship has completely changed” was that the pair had moved from being almost lovers to strangers.
However, what Floyd actually meant was that what he once thought was unattainable had turned into reality. They were now a married couple who shared the same bed.
Of course, that was just what Floyd thought. It was nothing more than an illusion.
After a brief pause, Floyd continued, “Moreover, Master sent word that some people from the Holy Guild said Xylas could be cultivating evil arts from the deviant clans. Evie, I don’t know what else to say at this point. Once the seed of doubt gets planted, it’s difficult to uproot it.”
Forlevia could not bear to see Floyd looking miserable.
“I didn’t mean to doubt you, Floyd. It’s just that it’s such a strange situation, and I need to eliminate all suspicions. I spoke too presumptuously earlier. Please forgive me.”
After all, Floyd is Daddy’s beloved disciple and only second to me in terms of the base’s core combat prowess. Hence, I’ve no wish to create a rift between us. He seems sure he didn’t disclose anything to others. Indeed, he sounded very confident in the latter part of his explanation and didn’t appear to be lying. His initial nerves were likely because he remembered how everyone once suspected him. What with the anger within him and the feeling of being wronged, he probably couldn’t help speaking a little incoherently.
“I don’t blame you, Evie. It’s a unique situation, so you weren’t wrong to be cautious.”
Floyd was acting all kind and understanding again, which only made Forlevia feel even more stricken with guilt.
I tried intimidating him while questioning him earlier, yet he doesn’t utter a single word of blame or complaint.
“Thank you for understanding, Floyd. Everything’s fine now. You can get back to your work,” Forlevia said with a smile.
Floyd nodded, then turned to leave.
It was not until he was out of Forlevia’s sight that he heaved a sigh of relief.
He had felt immense stress while answering those questions under Forlevia’s intensely pressuring aura.
But come to think of it, did the technique Xylas use originate from the one Evie created herself? Although we received news from Master mentioning it was most likely a technique from the deviant clans, it’s not entirely impossible. And if that’s the case, the only person who could’ve leaked the information is Gloria. It couldn’t have been any of the others cultivating Evie’s technique. However, I genuinely hope that’s not what happened. Otherwise, Gloria and I would become mortal enemies, and everything good we have now will vanish.
“No! I can’t let that happen!” he declared emphatically while loudly denying the possibility in his heart.
“Perhaps I should ask her about it,” he mused.
However, he dismissed the thought as quickly as it surfaced.
If I ask Gloria directly, it’d mean I suspect her. It wasn’t easy to change her attitude after what happened with the spiritual ley line. If something similar happens again, I’m afraid it’ll ruin our relationship for good. Of course, Gloria is such a kind and understanding person that things may not end up that way.
Nonetheless, Floyd dared not risk it, nor did he think it necessary.
“I’ll just have to confirm my suspicious using another method,” he muttered, the wheels in his head whirring.
After pondering for a long time, he finally struck on an idea.
Since I can’t ask directly, I can make a judgment in person! I’ll be able to tell whether she has continued to cultivate Evie’s technique as long as I meet her.
I may not have been able to discern it before, but my abilities have improved since I’ve also been cultivating that technique. As long as Gloria is still doing it, I’ll be able to tell with just one glance.
“That’s what I’ll do!”
Having made up his mind, Floyd immediately used the urgent communication method to contact Gloria.
Chapter 3565 Levi Is No Longer A Threat
Floyd contacted Gloria immediately through the urgent communication method.
He stared at the device anxiously, anticipating her response.
However, time ticked by, and no one answered.
I bet Gloria is busy cultivating, and that’s why she didn’t see the message. Otherwise, she would have replied sooner.
Floyd comforted himself.
Let me send her a few more messages. This might increase the chance of her sensing them faster.
Upon deciding, Floyd typed a new message on the communication device.
It read: Urgent. Reply as soon as you see this, or else the consequences would be dire.
As time passed, his message elicited nothing but silence.
There was no response heard, whatsoever.
Floyd began to panic.
He paced up and down as though he had ants in his pants.
Something isn’t right! Something is very wrong! Logically speaking, Gloria would definitely reply when she sees an urgent message, just like what happened the last time.
Back then, Gloria expressed her gratitude even when they were giving each other the silent treatment.
The more Floyd thought about it, the stronger the sense of foreboding nagged at him.
Some of the comments and remarks made by the apprentices from West Pavilion crept up in his head.
You should stop having feelings for Gloria, or you’ll be the one to get hurt.
There are many guys around Gloria, and you’re not her only option. Come on, give up already!
Why would she lay her eyes on you when you showed no proficiency in any particular field? She will only be loyal to you if you’re as capable as your master.
Sooner or later, you’ll find out that you’ve been used.
Those harsh words kept playing at the back of his mind, making Floyd feel very uneasy.
Has Gloria been using me? Is she ignoring me now because I’m of no use to her anymore? That’s impossible! This is all utter nonsense!
Floyd was going through emotional turmoil as he reminisced about his past with Gloria.
When he was at a crossroad, unsure of which path to take, it was Gloria who gave him a direction to move forward.
When he was feeling dejected, she was the one who stood by him, consoled, and guided him.
He could not forget that one time when everyone doubted him, it was Gloria who willingly cast a vote of confidence and had complete faith in him.
There were a lot more fond memories between them.
Gloria loves me so much, to the point that she has given me all that she ever had. Is it right of me to be suspecting her character? I’m such a jack*ss! Why am I so inhumane? I’m a total jerk.
Upon cursing himself and venting out his frustration, Floyd felt much better and less anxious.
I think Gloria is locking herself up for secluded cultivation. Hence, she cut off all communications. Otherwise, she might lose her senses and be in danger if she’s disturbed during the process. Yes, that must be it.
Floyd calmed down at that thought.
Subsequently, he put all the blame on himself for sending her those messages in fear of interrupting Gloria’s cultivation.
Oh no, if anything untoward happens to her, I’ll never forgive myself.
With that, he stopped contacting her. All he could now was to wait patiently for her reply.
Meanwhile, Gloria channeled all her focus on devouring the spiritual ley line of the Cetus.
She had no time to entertain Floyd.
Actually, she received his message the moment he initiated the urgent communication method.
However, that was not her priority. No matter how important the issue was to Floyd, it did not bother her anymore.
To her, the worst-case scenario was having Levi suspect her due to solid evidence.
She did not care if her real identity was exposed.
Therefore, nothing from Floyd would have affected her.
She was looking forward to becoming invincible as soon as she got to devour the spiritual ley line of the Cetus.
In the past, Levi was her only threat. Everything that was urgent was usually related to him.
Now, he was a threat no more.
In fact, Gloria could easily take him on and defeat him in the near future if she wished to do so.
Chapter 3566 Did Something Happen To Gloria
Floyd, oh Floyd, how pathetic are you to use such a trick to get my attention? Childish and totally disgusting!
Gloria was so irritated by Floyd who had been contacting her incessantly, especially when she was in the critical moment of devouring the spiritual ley line of the Cetus.
“A useless man like you dreams about finding favor in my eyes? You are delusional. Take a good look at yourself in the mirror. Are you worth it? Even Levi won’t be my match in just a little while more, let alone you, sucker!” Gloria mocked loudly before letting out a guffaw.
Then, she tossed away the communication device used to stay in contact with Floyd.
Holding her breath, she continued to channel all her energy into exercising the technique to devour the Cetus’ spiritual ley line.
An insane amount of blue and black energy was seen converging into one pathway and flowing into Gloria’s body.
Crack!
Three days later, the immense energy swept the communication device off the ground and broke it into pieces.
Meanwhile, poor Floyd was still staring intently at the device as though it was his lifeline, waiting for Gloria’s response.
Initially, he kept uttering words of comfort to calm himself down.
As time went by, he could not help but to feel anxious again.
Please return my message, Gloria. Please, I beg you… After this episode is over, I’ll see to it that I introduce you to everyone formally, and we’ll officially be an item.
He prayed so hard till he was on the brink of tears from worry.
At that point, he made up his mind to come clean with Levi as long as Gloria was proven not to possess Forlevia’s technique.
He wanted to announce to the world that Gloria belonged to him.
Another three days had passed, and Floyd had reached a devastating point.
Finally, he caved in to the urge and sent a simple message to contact Gloria.
Dear Gloria, I beg you to reply as soon as you see this message.
Buzz!
The moment he clicked sent, the communication device started vibrating.
Floyd got so excited and exclaimed loudly, “Gloria has replied. She loves me, after all. I know that she was busy with the secluded cultivation, hence she couldn’t keep in contact with me earlier.” There was a sparkle in his eyes.
Swiftly, he stared at the device, only to be disappointed by the notification shown on it.
The text read: Message delivery failed. He was utterly dumbfounded.
How could this be? This is absurd. Is my device out of order?
He quickly checked the device and confirmed that it was functioning well.
Is everything fine on your end, Gloria? Are you okay?
He made another attempt, but the outcome was the same.
To his disbelief, an identical notification popped up again.
Shaking his head, Floyd refused to believe what was happening.
“No, I refuse to believe that the message could not be sent,” he muttered.
Like a mad man, he kept trying to contact Gloria.
Unfortunately, each repeated attempt led to the exact same dreadful notification.
He slumped onto the ground, completely shattered inside. He felt like all of his energy was drained of him.
Like a living dead, his eyes turned dull as he stared blankly into space.
After what seemed like forever, Floyd’s expression changed drastically as a thought suddenly dawned on him.
Oh no, Gloria is in danger! If not, why can’t I get her on the line?
He was so sure that she had been besieged by enemies and was busy fending them off.
Floyd’s imagination did not stop there. He then assumed that Gloria must have been injured from the attack, and her communication device was destroyed.
It’s apparent that the battle was extremely intense. No way, no one can hurt my woman. I must go and save Gloria!
Feeling determined, he hastily set off at top speed to several places where he thought could potentially be the spot for Gloria’s secluded cultivation.
Stay safe, Gloria. I’m on my way to rescue you.
Chapter 3567 Slightly Too Late
Meanwhile, Levi was searching high and low for the spiritual ley lines of the two deviant clans.
He had no clue where they were. Therefore, the process felt like he was looking for a needle in a haystack.
Though a refined man, Levi was panic-stricken.
Needless to say, the others were dead worried too.
As time passed, a bad premonition washed over him.
He had a gut feeling that the mysterious woman would soon achieve success in her devouring, and he had to intervene before it was all too late.
Levi was so anxious that his right eye kept twitching, indicating a bad omen.
Luckily, the Ecclesiastic Order and the deviant clan were archenemies who knew each other well.
Although there were not any records about the deviant clan’s spiritual ley line in the ancient scriptures, the Holy Guild was able to track it down based on a general idea about it.
They quickly informed Levi of the good news.
“Mr. Garrison, we’ve managed to locate the Orthus’ spiritual ley line.”
Levi was delighted to hear that.
Immediately, he made his way to the location provided by the Holy Guild.
Upon arrival, he saw that the Orthus was surrounded by people from the Ecclesiastic Order.
In their midst, was the temporarily appointed Acting Minister, Nigel.
When he saw Levi, he hurriedly walked over to greet him politely. “Mr. Garrison, the spiritual ley line is found in the valley right in front of us. I’ve had our men guarding each and every nearby exit. It’s impossible for that woman to escape if she’s inside.”
Levi furrowed his brows.
According to that mysterious woman’s caliber, she must have noticed the huge ruckus raised by the Ecclesiastic Order. With her remaining passive, it could only come down to two possibilities.
First, the woman is fearless, so much so that she doesn’t think of everyone present as a threat, and that includes me.
Second, she has long devoured the energy of the spiritual ley line, leaving an empty shell inside.
Levi assumed the latter.
Though he had not had any face-to-face interaction with Gloria, he could tell that she was a sensitive and meticulous person.
It did not matter that she was confident about her combat prowess and capabilities, she would still choose to test the water before taking any action.
“Let’s enter the valley.”
Levi led the way, whereas the others followed suit behind him.
The Ecclesiastic Order did not barge in earlier because they were fearful of what the mysterious woman could do to them.
Now that Levi was watching over them, they marched forward with absolute confidence.
“There are some remains of energy in this place. It’s probably set up by the deviant clan in order to mislead the others about the exact location of the spiritual ley line,” Levi said in a low voice.
The members of the Ecclesiastic Order agreed in unison and instantly had their guard up to get ready for any ambush.
Levi might seem very calm and composed. However, behind each quickened step, was great trepidation.
After walking for half an hour, Levi stopped in his tracks and declared solemnly, “We’re too late.”
The surrounding had hardly any light. Yet, it did not affect their vision.
The meandering mountain extended all the way into the deep valleys. Within it, was where the spiritual ley line existed.
One could only imagine the horrifying power and immense energy that was once found inside it.
Now, it was merely an empty shell with only pathetic remains of energy.
“We’re still one step behind…”
Nigel heaved a long sigh.
Despair was written all over their faces.
That mysterious woman had successfully devoured the Orthus’ spiritual ley line. I wonder how powerful she might be now. Perhaps Xylas was no longer her match?
The crowd shifted their gaze to Levi, knowing very clearly that Levi was their last strand of hope to keep the Ecclesiastic Order protected.
“We must locate that mysterious woman before she completes the devouring process. Otherwise, the consequences are not what you and I could bear,” Levi said in a deep voice.
Instantly, everyone’s heart sank because they were well aware that Levi was not exaggerating.
The incident where Xylas showed off his strengths at the base spoke volumes.
Chapter 3568 Staying In Contact
If Xylas, a lackey of the mysterious woman, managed to elevate himself to an impressive level within a short period of time, only god knows how powerful she has become!
Levi caught a waft of crisis coming his way.
I could easily take on Xylas and that mysterious woman, but what about the rest? I’m afraid even Evie could not fight back.
“Mr. Garrison, we still can’t locate the exact whereabouts of the Cetus’ spiritual ley line. What we have found is only a relative location,” the Acting Minister of the Holy Guild reminded him.
“Let’s do what we can,” Levi replied.
“By the way, Mr. Garrison, a super big faction seems to have appeared in the region lately.”
“That’s right. They have men in both the Ecclesiastic Order and the Holy Guild.”
“We aren’t the only ones. Rumor has it they have men hidden in every single faction you can think of.”
The crowd chattered away.
The super-powerful faction had caused fear among the people.
The safety of the Ecclesiastic Order was at stake. Not only did it suffer from life force damage within its internal core energy, Xylas and the mysterious woman were also plotting to gain control of the group.
None of those situations were favorable to them.
With the existence of the new influential super faction, the Ecclesiastic Order found themselves to be in a real predicament.
“Is that so?”
Levi was somewhat taken aback, but he did not dwell on it for long.
After all, the current priority for him was to locate the spiritual ley line of the Cetus.
Time was not on their side. If they failed to find it before the mysterious woman completed her devouring process, they would absolutely lose the chance to gain an upper hand.
“Don’t be too bothered by the super faction. Channel all of your efforts and focus on the quest for Cetus’ spiritual ley line. This is the only thing that is of utmost importance right now,” Levi stated solemnly.
Thus, the people of the Ecclesiastic Order obeyed his command and said no more.
Not a single soul dared to rebel or challenge Levi’s order because they needed to be in his good books. They had a shared understanding that he was the only one who could keep them safe.
Meanwhile, Floyd was still waiting for Gloria’s reply.
He had searched all the possible places where Gloria could be hiding.
Yet, she was still nowhere to be found nor heard.
Floyd even went to visit the West Pavilion of the Ecclesiastic Order, and he was humiliated by several elites and apprentices.
Needless to say, he returned empty-handed.
He was not in the mood to argue with them. Hence, he left hastily.
His initial suspicion had developed into a series of anxiety attacks. Gradually, the negative feelings he felt led to frustrations, depression, and hopelessness.
Floyd felt so empty inside that he was no different from a zombie.
Azure Dragon and the others had started compiling evidence about Gloria.
They were prompted by Phoenix’s wariness and sharp observations.
It did not take them long before Kirin and the team discovered the root problem when they were in the midst of investigating Floyd and Gloria.
They found out that Gloria hardly contacted Floyd recently.
Subsequently, Azure Dragon and the gang approached Floyd.
Phoenix interrogated him, “Floyd, is it true that Gloria didn’t stay in touch with you lately?”
“Ya.” Floyd gave a laconic response.
He knew that Phoenix had been suspecting Gloria all along.
Anyhow, it did not matter to him anymore. Floyd had only one thing in mind, which was to know if Gloria was safe and sound.
“Floyd, can you get a grip of yourself?” Kirin was so upset and disappointed with his attitude.
After investigating Gloria for quite some time, they finally had an idea of her true colors.
Apart from all sorts of bad comments others said about her, she was a scheming woman with an awful personality.
There were at least a hundred men who had been deceived by her, and all of them had solid evidence to prove it.
No one could understand why Floyd was obsessed with such a nasty woman.
It was as though he had gone mad, for he only had eyes for Gloria.
Phoenix waved her hand and continued to pursue the matter. “Also, did she take the initiative to contact you at least once within the last three months?
Or perhaps you tried to call her, but she did not answer? One important question, tell me if it’s true that she no longer replies to you when you try to get her now?”
Chapter 3569 Pretend
“How did you guys know all these?”
Stunned, Floyd was filled with disbelief.
Phoenix did not answer him. Instead, she stated, “Floyd, Gloria might have abandoned you.”
“This is absurd! How is that possible?” Floyd mumbled to himself.
“If Gloria was truthful to you, why would she let you grow more and more despondent? If she had feelings for you, do you think that she would cease communicating with you and ignore all of your messages? If she had the slightest intention to be in a relationship with you, how could she disappear quietly for such a long time?” Knitting her brows, Phoenix tried to knock some sense into him.
Floyd was rendered speechless as he slumped onto the ground with despair.
Kirin cut to the chase, “Wake up, Floyd. It’s not worth it to be so dispirited because of this woman.”
“Precisely. Listen to us, Floyd, we’re on your side.”
“If Gloria was a good person, we would have given you both our blessings. Unfortunately, she isn’t. Digest what we said properly and make the right choice.”
Azure Dragon and the rest quickly chimed in to counsel Floyd because they did not wish to see the most valued disciple of Levi become so devastated.
Floyd hugged his head as he squatted down, heartbroken.
Seeing how miserable he was, Azure Dragon and the others dropped the topic, sighed, and left.
We’ve delivered our point across in a crystal-clear manner. Should he still refuse to listen, nothing could save him anymore. He’s a gone case and completely bewitched by that woman.
Thump!
Floyd just collapsed to the ground.
In the past, whenever he heard Azure Dragon and the others make the same passing remarks about Gloria, he would definitely fly into a fit of rage or quarrel with them.
Faced with the current situation, Floyd had no choice but to suspect Gloria too.
He mulled over what Phoenix said earlier.
If Gloria truly loves me, would she be so indifferent toward me? She has been neglecting me, especially these few months. The only one time she replied was also a half-hearted two-liner. In fact, it seemed like she was just brushing me off. Is this supposed to be the right attitude of a girlfriend? Wouldn’t couples who had given themselves to each other find it hard to be separated from their partners?
Then, what about the care and concern that she has shown me in the past? Her thoughtful company too. If she doesn’t have a soft spot for me, why would she do that? Was she just using me? This doesn’t make sense.
As Floyd recalled his past interactions with Gloria, he realized that she had not taken the initiative to request him to do anything for her.
On the contrary, he was the one who volunteered to be at her service all the time.
Take the incident when I taught her about Forlevia’s technique for example; Gloria rejected the idea at first. It was I who insisted on doing so. In fact, I forced it on her.
Hold on a second…
Suddenly, a realization struck him hard.
Her attitude toward me started to change right after I taught her the devourer technique. Did she really spew out blood when she was practicing Forlevia’s technique? Could she have faked it?
Floyd was shocked to the core by his own speculations.
He knew that if he were to deduce in that direction based on his assumptions, many questions that he had would seemingly be resolved.
The more he chewed on it, the more similarities he discovered between the mysterious woman and Gloria.
“No way! That’s impossible!” Floyd shouted loudly.
After a long while, he calmed down and realized that he’d broken out in a cold sweat.
“No matter what, I must verify this myself. Otherwise, I won’t believe any of it.”
His glistening eyes bulged with fury.
“All we have to do is to locate Gloria, and the truth will be revealed,” he said through his gritted teeth.
He did not want to listen to the rumors. To him, seeing was believing.
He would only take what others said with a pinch of salt.
I, Floyd Irving, am not a fool. How could I be toyed around by a woman?
Staring at the communication device in his hand, he wanted to discard it so badly.
He raised his arms several times, ready to throw it away. However, he withdrew his action each time.
This is what Gloria has gifted me. I should wait till the dust is settled before I dispose of it. Let’s find her first.
Upon making up his mind, Floyd picked himself up and carried on with his search for Gloria.
Chapter 3570 Kill Levi In One Strike
A magnificent vein of black ore stretched across a few miles within Mount Cetus right into the depths of the mountain range.
That was where the Cetus’ spiritual ley line lay.
Over half of the pitch black spiritual ley line overflowing with violent energy had turned transparent.
There were web-looking cracks spreading across its surface.
An apparent display of the spiritual energy within the ley line had been drained.
Gloria continued to wield the devouring technique.
Her entire body was shrouded in layers of thick dark purplish energy.
The energy seemed to materialize as it possessed the form of a sticky liquid within the void.
The dark purplish liquid was the purified energy after multiple rounds of extraction from the devouring technique.
Gulp!
The liquified energy flowed into Gloria’s body continuously.
“Ah!”
With a shout from Gloria, the liquified energy began to flow faster.
The Cetus’ pitch black spiritual ley line was dimming at a quick rate.
After a short while, it became transparent like a crystal.
Crack!
As Gloria winded down, the last bundle of energy supporting the depleted ley line disappeared, cracking into millions of pieces on the ground.
Gloria didn’t care about that as her body slowly rose into the air.
Above the spiritual ley line lay the purest spiritual energy.
The spiritual ley line had attracted the spiritual energy.
The spiritual energy continued to amass and refine the power within the ley line, turning it into the purest form of energy as time passed.
Naturally, Gloria wouldn’t let such high-quality spiritual energy pass her by.
Thunderclap!
As Gloria absorbed the spiritual energy, a sea of dark cumulonimbus clouds with flashes of lightning shrouded the entire Mount Cetus.
Beneath the dark clouds were layers of ominous-looking blood-red puffs of clouds.
Gloria forcibly depleting the spiritual ley line had triggered the wrath of heaven and earth.
Thunderclap!
A lightning bolt struck the highest peak of Mount Cetus.
Boom!
A thousand pounds of boulder got blasted into sands and tiny rocks.
However, the lightning didn’t stop there. It became even more tempestuous.
Shortly after, several lightning bolts struck the mountain peak again, causing heavy boulders to roll and fall from the top. In a matter of minutes, the Heavenly Thunder had leveled the once-sharp peak of Mount Cetus.
In charge of guarding Gloria at a distance away, Bone Grandmaster and Xylas were staring wide-eyed at the phenomena.
“Did Master caused this?”
Xylas swallowed a lump in his throat.
The corner of Bone Grandmaster’s lips twitched at the terrifying sight. He opened his mouth to speak, but the deafening sound echoed from Mount Cetus had stopped him.
For the next few minutes, it felt as though the entire mountain was shaking violently.
The frequency of lightning that struck the peak had increased.
However, just as Xylas thought the entire mountain would be leveled into a flatland by the Heavenly Thunder, the flashes and thunder came to an end.
The dark sea of clouds soon rolled away, revealing the hidden sun, and leaving only the layers of blood-red clouds.
Crack!
Suddenly, crushed stone and sands flew everywhere, and a figure launched into the sky.
“Master is done with her training!”
Xylas was beyond ecstatic.
A while later, a beautiful slim figure slowly descended from the sky.
It was Gloria, indeed.
However, dark purplish spiritual energy shrouded her, and she was exuding a formidable pressure.
It felt like God had descended.
The overwhelming power forced Xylas and Bone Grandmaster to drop to their knees on the ground.
“Congratulations, Master!”
“Congratulations, Lord Gloria!”
Their voices had a slight tremble as they congratulated her.
The powerful force Gloria exuded was giving them a hard time breathing.
“Rise,” Gloria said nonchalantly.
The crushing weight lightened significantly after.
“Master, have you successfully devoured the Cetus’ spiritual ley line?” Xylas asked cautiously.
Gloria chuckled. “I’m almost done. I don’t have any worthy opponent anymore whether I continue to devour it or not.”
Sensing the turbulent energy surging within her, Gloria let out a laugh.
If the energy within her was akin to a river before, then she now had the vast ocean after she devoured the Cetus’ spiritual ley line.
“I have the confidence to defeat Levi with one strike,” Gloria said arrogantly.