Ch. 3571..3580
Chapter 3571 Levi Feels Pressured
Gloria stood with her chest puffed up and her hands clasped behind her back as though she was the almighty.
A fearsome aura crashed into Bone Grandmaster and Xylas like a tidal wave, keeping them down on their knees.
“Congratulation to Lord Gloria in conquering the world for generations to come,” they chorused.
The world is now ours.
“Rise!”
Gloria waved her hand haughtily, enjoying the feeling of being admired and worshiped.
“Xylas, you have devoured some energy from the deviant clan’s spiritual ley line. Has there been any progress in your cultivation?” Gloria asked.
Even though Gloria had drained the essence of the Cetus’ spiritual ley line, Xylas was the one who devoured the leftovers.
Xylas reported, “I’ve achieved breakthroughs in my cultivation, Master. I’m confident I can defeat Forlevia now.”
“Excellent!”
Gloria grinned with satisfaction. “Now that you have digested all the energy you devoured, you can continue to absorb more energy from the spiritual ley line moderately. When it’s time, I’ll need you to lead our men and destroy Levi’s underground base.”
“Understood, Master.” Xylas was elated at the order.
He couldn’t wait for that day to arrive.
He desired to watch as his enemies prostrated on the ground, begging him for mercy.
“One more thing, Master. I’ve received a report from the scouts of the Glorian Order that the Ecclesiastic Order and Levi’s subordinates are searching for the deviant clan’s spiritual ley line.”
“The Ecclesiastic Order has found the Orthus’ spiritual ley line,” Bone Grandmaster suddenly informed.
Gloria mocked, “By the time they found this place, I’ve already drained every single drop of energy from the spiritual ley line.”
“Also, the entire Ecclesiastic Order is in a state of panic out of fear for you.” Bone Grandmaster grinned cruelly.
The corners of Gloria’s lips quirked up into a condescending smile. “They’re right to fear me. Both the Ecclesiastic Order and Levi will bow down at me before long. That’s it for chit-chat. I’ll have to continue to devour the spiritual energy from the ley line. I’m almost done, so get back to your position to guard me.”
Gloria whirled around and reentered the area where the Cetus’ spiritual ley line was situated at.
At the same time, Levi and the Holy Guild were still desperately searching for any clues to the location of the Cetus’ spiritual ley line.
However, the Ecclesiastic Order could only provide a general direction. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Moreover, the Cetus had always been the Ecclesiastic Order’s nemesis.
Naturally, they wouldn’t let their most secretive spiritual ley line be discovered easily.
During their search, Levi’s subordinates and a small group of the Ecclesiastic Order had run into numerous obstacles.
For example, mysterious elites would sneak up and attack them.
The purpose of every attack was more harassment than anything else.
The attacks were a major factor in slowing down their search.
In comparison, the Orthus’ spiritual ley line was an easier find as they had been eliminated by the Ecclesiastic Order.
All the Orthus’ movements were under the Ecclesiastic Order’s scrutiny.
The Cetus were the exact opposite.
If it wasn’t for the numerous coincidences, the Ecclesiastic Order and even the Holy Guild might already be under the Cetus’ control.
It showed the Cetus’ excellent ability at hiding.
It would’ve been fine if Levi’s subordinates and the Ecclesiastic Order couldn’t find the Cetus.
The pain was an overwhelming sense of fear that deterred the people in the search.
On top of that, a small portion of men intended to back out of the search and hide out somewhere temporarily.
Xylas had bragged about his ability to retreat after dealing severe damage to Levi’s base.
As the news of his actions spread, dread eventually followed.
Putting others aside, even Levi felt a sense of pressure.
Recalling the drained Orthus’ spiritual ley line, there was so much more energy in that ley line than in a medium spiritual ley line.
One can imagine the level the mysterious woman has reached.
Before she devoured this spiritual ley line, an attack from her was already a threat. If anyone else in the base received the attack, that person might have died immediately.
Chapter 3572 The Whereabouts Of The Minister
Even if Forlevia utilized the power of the universe, she might still end up badly injured.
After all, the gap between their abilities was too huge.
“If she successfully devours the spiritual ley line of the Cetus, she will be quite impossible to control!”
Levi massaged his temples.
His head was starting to hurt.
Back in the Ecclesiastic Order.
Ever since that upheaval where the core elites either ended up dead or injured, the various factions had decided to work together no matter what.
However, it was every man for himself again right now.
“Xylas is already so strong. How terrifying can the mysterious woman behind him be?”
“Apparently, even Levi cannot hold them back any longer. No wonder he is always rushing us to find the spiritual ley line of the Cetus.”
“If Levi is also scared of them, then how about us?”
“Maybe, we should consider joining the superpower that has emerged recently?”
All of them started whispering among themselves.
The moment the seed of fear had been planted, it would begin to grow and spread rapidly.
Despite the high-rank officials of the Ecclesiastic Order telling them not to panic, there was hardly any effect.
In fact, a number of them had already secretly joined that particular superpower.
The Acting Minister of the Holy Guild was also well aware of the situation.
Nigel was infuriated, but there was nothing he could do too.
Most of the time, the fear that they were experiencing would get out of hand if he became stricter with them.
The outcome would not be good either if he chose to ignore their behavior.
He felt that he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
“At the rate things are going, the Ecclesiastic Order will fall apart even before Xylas comes here for his revenge.”
The Acting Minister of the Holy Guild was cracking his brain.
The sense of crisis in him was becoming stronger when he thought of that mysterious woman devouring the spiritual ley line of the Cetus. She would be unstoppable when that happened.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Just then, the seal that he had hidden in his clothes vibrated violently.
Nigel immediately took the seal out.
The green seal was surrounded by a type of special metal.
At that moment, the seal was sparkling brightly and vibrating violently at the same time.
“There’s news from the Minister!”
Nigel became spirited.
That seal was left behind by the Minister before he left so that they could trace his location.
Previously, there was no activity from the seal.
That was why everyone from the Holy Guild had no idea where the Minister was.
It appeared as if he had vanished into thin air.
Obviously, Nigel had never given up hope in finding the Minister.
However, without any clue, it was impossible.
Ever since the Minister had gone missing, the Holy Guild was under the care of Master Eusof.
Right now, they were unsure if Master Eusof was dead or alive. According to their speculation, things did not look too good for him.
In recent times, things at the Holy Guild had been unstable. Therefore, the Acting Minister instructed his subordinates to activate all of their transmission devices.
“My patience has finally paid off!”
The Minister is still alive! Thank God!
By the look of it, he must have found out about the situation at the Ecclesiastic Order.
Perhaps, he is coming back soon.
Nigel was so excited that he nearly cried out.
He stared at the seal and hoped that it would emit a more accurate position.
As time passed, the seal did live up to his expectation.
Very soon, it revealed the exact location.
“So, this is where the Minister is situated.”
“Has it stopped moving?”
“What’s going on?”
Maybe, something has happened to him?
Then again, given the capabilities of the Minister, there was no one who can trip him up.
The Acting Minister was baffled.
He kept his eyes on the seal and waited for a long time.
There was still no indication of any movement.
No matter what, it was a good sign that they had received a signal. It was certainly better than being kept in the dark.
“Men! Come with me! We shall go and search for the Minister!” ordered Nigel.
Chapter 3573 Gloria Is My Universe
After receiving his order, there was an uproar among the high-rank officials of the Holy Guild.
They were delighted to hear that.
“There’s actually news from the Minister?”
“The Acting Minister will not joke about such matters.”
“It looks like there’s hope for the Holy Guild now.”
Nigel agreed with them too.
The fact that the seal had lit up meant that the Minister was still alive.
Nigel had also sent out a summary report of the ongoing matters of the Ecclesiastic Order and the Holy Guild.
He believed that the Minister must have received his message.
Perhaps, he would return very quickly to salvage the Ecclesiastic Order.
When the Minister left the Holy Guild, his cultivation level had already attained perfection.
After so many years of cultivation, he must have reached a new high.
Once the Minister returned, he would restore the Holy Guild to its former glory.
When that happened, no one had to be afraid of that superpower anymore.
They did not have to fear the revenge of Xylas and that mysterious woman as well.
There would be no need to rely on Levi anymore.
As far as Nigel was concerned, being dependent on someone was worse than being frightened of that mysterious woman.
At the current moment, he was supposed to be in a powerful position even though he was only temporary in charge.
It was out of sheer desperation that he had to seek the help of Levi.
Finally, he would get the chance to free himself from that helpless situation.
“Everyone, get to this location right away.”
With that, Nigel went forth.
Meanwhile, at the training base in the underground facility, Floyd was still awaiting news of Gloria.
He was extremely depressed.
However, Floyd refused to give up.
He had to be certain that Gloria had nothing to do with the devouring technique.
In fact, Floyd went over in his mind countless times when he interacted with Gloria down to the minute details.
In particular, the part about Forlevia’s technique.
Back then, it was true that he was the one who offered to ask Forlevia about her cultivation technique and even got her to teach him.
On the contrary, Gloria had tried to stop him on several occasions.
In the end, she learned the technique as if she was being forced to do so.
However, something went wrong in the cultivation, and Gloria lost it.
“This has absolutely nothing to do with Gloria,” Floyd kept mumbling that statement to himself.
What depressed him the most was the fact that his messages to Gloria failed to go through despite the number of times he had attempted to contact her.
There was no response from the other communication devices as well.
It was as if Gloria had vanished into thin air.
Floyd let out a sigh again.
Before he could verify the impending issue, he was not in the mood to do anything else.
“Let me try to contact her again!”
Once again, Floyd sent out another message using a few communication devices.
Unfortunately, there was still no response after a long wait.
Floyd felt abandoned.
“Perhaps, Gloria doesn’t love me anymore?”
When Floyd recalled what the apprentices at the West Pavilion said, his heart sank.
Must I really attain the ability that Master has in order for Gloria to reply to me?
But, it isn’t as easy as it seems.
Azure Dragon and the others have not come and see me in quite a while now. I suppose they must be disappointed in me!
Since the last time Forlevia questioned me, she has not come and looked for me again.
After Zoey consoled me a few times, there is no subsequent interrogation after that.
As for Master, he has been out and about trying to find out more about the spiritual ley line. But, he hasn’t been keeping me informed of his progress.
Floyd looked around his surrounding with a hollow look in his eyes.
People were coming and going and keeping busy with their own affairs.
Yet, no one bothered to look at or talk to him.
Floyd felt as if the world had forsaken him.
“It’s fine. I won’t die even if I leave all of you. The moment Gloria responds to my messages and confirms that she has nothing to do with this issue, nothing else matters. Having Gloria is like owning the universe. She’s more than enough.”
Floyd’s eyes glowed as he muttered to himself.
He kept his eyes on the ten different kinds of communication devices that Gloria had given him.
Floyd could not bear to dump any one of them because they possessed Gloria’s touch.
Chapter 3574 Gloria Has Completed The Devouring Technique
Hiss! Floyd inhaled sharply and prayed that the devices would light up in the near future again.
In the center of Mount Cetus, Gloria’s devouring of the spiritual ley line had intensified.
Gloria continued to wield the devouring technique. It was as if she was equipped with a large engine in her body that kept extracting the energy from the spiritual ley line of the Cetus.
Vroom! Vroom! Vroom!
As the energy of her devouring increased, a black light flashed around Gloria’s body.
That dark and violent energy seemed to be able to devour everything.
“It’s about time. Another four hours, and the devouring process will be completed.”
With that, Gloria shut her eyes and increased the process of the technique.
The black flash became even more violent.
The spiritual ley line turned into fine powder upon contact with the flash.
Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!
As the core, Gloria’s body had turned into a gigantic energy vortex as the speed of the extraction of the spiritual ley line became faster.
The energy within the spiritual ley line was swept away in an instant and rushed into Gloria’s body rapidly.
Xylas, who was guarding Mount Cetus, was shocked beyond words.
He was able to sense that terrifying and destructive force coming from the center of the mountain.
Boom!
Dark clouds gathered, and the sound of thunder reverberated.
That flash looked like it was about to tear the sky apart.
Crack!
Just then, a streak of lightning cut across the sky.
Several blood-red lightning bolts struck the peak of the mountain.
As a result, thousand of pounds of boulders turned into fine dust in an instant.
“What’s happening?”
Xylas’ lips twitched as he looked on.
This time around, the destructive power of the Heavenly Thunder was ten times worse than the last one.
“Has Master’s devouring power incurred the wrath of the heaven?”
Xylas could not believe what was going on right before his eyes.
However, the violent Heavenly Thunder that fell only confirmed his suspicion.
That Heavenly Thunder was as massive as a water tank.
When it struck the peak of the mountain, the entire mountain shook.
Stones were flying in all directions as the lightning flashed everywhere.
It felt as if the world could no longer withstand the horrifying energy that was coming forth from the center of the mountain.
“Is Master all right?”
There was no way Xylas dared to enter the mountain to check on Gloria. He was worried that he might be struck by the Heavenly Thunder and died.
The Bone Grandmaster was equally dumbstruck.
He was there the last time Gloria devoured the Corpse Pit.
The effect back then was nothing like what it was at the current moment.
Perhaps, Gloria is trying her best to hold back. If not, the entire world may have been destroyed.
“Lord Gloria, you are so powerful. There’s no way anything will happen to you,” said the Bone Grandmaster before he gulped.
Just as the two of them were at a loss, the whole Mount Cetus started shaking violently again.
However, the latest tremor had nothing to do with the Heavenly Thunder.
On the contrary, it came from within.
“Master is done with her training,” said Xylas with delight.
The Bone Grandmaster was equally thrilled, but it was short-lived. Very soon, he could be heard talking in a shaky voice, “Look over there! Oh no!”
Xylas glanced in the direction where the Bone Grandmaster was pointing.
He saw an even scarier Heavenly Thunder fall.
It was as if the days of training had equipped Gloria with the power to destroy the world.
The current Heavenly Thunder was larger than before.
It possessed such immense power and looked as though it wanted to split Mount Cetus into bits and pieces.
“Master, be careful!” shouted Xylas.
“What can a Heavenly Thunder do to me?”
Just then, a thunderous voice rang out.
Thereafter, the Cetus shattered before a figure appeared in front of them.
It was Gloria.
She did not appear to be running away from anything.
Instead, she charged toward the Heavenly Thunder and faced it head-on.
“This…”
“It isn’t so impressive after all!”
Gloria wielded the devouring technique with ease and positioned it right in the center of the Heavenly Thunder.
“What’s the big deal about Heavenly Thunder? I’m going to devour you!”
The arrogant voice of Gloria resonated across the sky.
Chapter 3575 The Ruler Of The World
Before she could finish her sentence, Gloria was shrouded by the Heavenly Thunder.
It was a blinding sight.
Xylas and Bone Grandmaster did not dare to directly look at it.
The destructive oppression made them feel the urge to get onto all fours to prostrate before it.
Crack!
When the Heavenly Thunder boomed, a wave of electricity surged through the surroundings.
However, that lasted just for a brief moment before peace returned.
When Xylas snapped his head upward, he saw Gloria floating midair.
Above her head were merely the remnants of the electricity.
The thick bolt of Heavenly Thunder was gone!
“Where did the Heavenly Thunder go?”
It was then Xylas studied his surroundings and found out that the sky was clear again.
The dark clouds, lightning, and thunder were all nowhere to be found.
Whoosh!
It was as if Gloria was in a movie with special effects.
In the blink of an eye, she was already a distance away.
“I’ve devoured Heavenly Thunder. What is there for you to fear now?” Gloria uttered nonchalantly.
“Is this the state after devouring the Cetus’ spiritual ley line?”
Both Xylas and the Bone Grandmaster were instinctively prostrating before Gloria, who was hovering in the air like a god.
At that moment, Gloria had reached the point where she could fight against Heaven and Earth.
A sense of confidence emerged in her heart as she pondered taking over the world by force.
The truth was not far off.
She had devoured every part of the terrifying Heavenly Thunder.
That was something only a god could achieve.
“As expected of the Cetus’ spiritual ley line. It’s letting me achieve this level! Hahaha!”
Gloria could not help but laugh as she felt the energy surge in her.
It was as if she would never run out of energy anymore.
“Is this is how it feels to be a fighter?”
At that moment, it felt as if the world was no longer a cage that could contain Gloria.
The power of devouring was the ultimate power.
She had already excelled in the way of taking everything by force.
“Congratulations on your achievement, Master!”
“Congratulations on becoming invincible, Lord Gloria!”
Both Xylas and the Bone Grandmaster began buttering her up.
“Rise.”
Gloria raised her hand, and the two men could feel invisible energy pushing their knees.
Then, without exerting any energy, they stood up.
The terrifying energy that thinned the air earlier was gone too.
Gloria smiled and said, “That’s all of the elemental power?”
Gloria could feel her battle power rising to a different class.
Killing Levi would be a piece of cake.
No one in the world would be able to stand in the way of Gloria Gaston anymore.
“What has the Ecclesiastic Order and Levi been up to recently?” Gloria asked, still smiling.
The Bone Grandmaster was in charge of interacting with the other parties, so he quickly replied, “They’re still searching for the Cetus’ spiritual ley line. However, I’ve recently received news about how the Holy Guild’s Acting Minister has gone to look for the Minister’s whereabouts. I haven’t received any other news about the details of that.”
In a contemptuous tone, Gloria said, “So what if they find the Minister? A flick of my finger, and the Minister will be nothing but ashes.”
Before devouring the Cetus’ spiritual ley line, Gloria would not have had any confidence to go up against the Minister.
However, in the present, confidence filled her entire being.
It was especially so after devouring Heavenly Thunder. Gloria was certain that she would be able to do as she pleased.
People like Levi and the Minister were nobodies to her now.
“Lord Gloria, your powers are beyond the world, and you do not fear even the Heavenly Thunder. The people of this world will be nothing but weaklings to you.”
“Master, you’re an invincible elite fighter, and no one would dare to not heed your words. Even if there are fools who do not know the ways of the world, we’ll just rid them.”
Xylas and the Bone Grandmaster were both showering Gloria with praises.
As a matter of fact, Gloria was starting to get ahead of herself as she listened to their compliments.
Of course, their words were a sentiment that Gloria shared.
She was going to end the lives of those who went against her.
From then onward, Gloria was going to be the ruler of the world.
Her words were going to be the law.
Chapter 3576 Beyond His Control
Anyone who dared to question her would face the grim reaper.
Levi, The Ecclesiastic Order, and Yartran. Just you wait. I’m going to be your worse nightmare.
Following the seal, Nigel had brought dozens of elites and came to a plot of barren land in the north of Erudia.
“Sir, we can’t find a single soul in the area. Could it be that the seal has made an error? The Minister couldn’t have encountered trouble, right?”
The people who were all filled with delight earlier were all dispirited.
The Minister was their pillar of emotional support and their last hope.
Yet, it seemed like their lead had led them nowhere—their Minister was still nowhere to be found.
The people were disappointed.
Nigel then uttered, “The Minister was looking for the legendary world. Perhaps this place is related to that.”
The people did not reply to that, for the world was only talked about in the legends.
They were more concerned about the Minister’s whereabouts.
“All right, let’s not get disappointed. Maybe the Minister has something more important to do. Soon, he’ll return to us.”
The Holy Guild’s Acting Minister could only temporarily reassure his people in that way.
He was worried that the members of the Holy Guild would soon go their separate ways.
Buzz!
Right then, the other communication devices rang.
“Sir, we’ve found the Cetus’ spiritual ley line!” reported one of Nigel’s subordinates in a delighted tone.
“Quick! Quickly inform Levi about this. Send him the location,” Nigel uttered.
They had yet to find the Minister, so they still had to continue to curry favor with Levi.
By the time the Holy Guild Minister arrived at Mount Cetus, Levi was already there for a long time.
Levi had rushed to the spot the moment he heard the news.
As a matter of fact, he did not even bring anyone with him, for he feared that the people he brought with him would slow him down.
When the people saw the shattered spiritual ley line, their hearts sank.
“We’re late again!” Nigel hoarsely said.
Levi had an equally solemn look on his face.
He had already done a full investigation on the matter, and he knew that the Cetus’ spiritual ley line was far more terrifying than the Orthus’ spiritual ley line.
Only god knew how powerful that mysterious woman had become.
In other words, that mysterious woman had already become a frightening Demon King.
“At the end of the day, I’m still one step too slow; I’m still stuck in that mysterious woman’s plan.”
Levi sighed. He could sense the remnants of the energy around him.
That meant that the mysterious woman had just devoured the spiritual ley lines not long ago.
He guessed that it was less than two days ago.
I was so close to catching her.
The truth was, even Levi was unsure if he could win against the mysterious woman.
The members of the Ecclesiastic Order were devastated.
The mysterious woman had successfully devoured the power, and she had turned into an unstoppable Demon King.
Even Xylas, who they used to dismiss, might become a nightmare in their lives.
Furthermore, the Ecclesiastic Order was the main culprit in decimating the Cetus and the Orthus.
Hence, the members of the Ecclesiastic Order were beginning to fear for their lives.
They were afraid that the Ecclesiastic Order would be annihilated before the Minister could return.
“We have to find the Minister as soon as possible!”
“The Ecclesiastic Order is in danger if the Minister isn’t around!”
“Why don’t we flee before Xylas comes to take his revenge on us?”
Everyone had varying thoughts running through their minds, but there was something identical in all their minds, and that was fear and worry.
Like them, Levi was feeling uneasy.
The mysterious woman was beyond his control.
Levi would not have been that fearful if he could confront her head-on.
He dared not imagine the danger his friends and family would be in.
Furthermore, Levi was the only one left who could go up against Xylas.
His enemies were lurking in the shadow while the people on Levi’s side were not. Levi did not know when his enemies were going to ambush them.
Fortunately, they had an underground facility where Levi’s friends and family could hide in.
“Head back and increase your security. Inform each other whenever you get any news,” Levi uttered gravely.
Chapter 3577 Even I Am Uncertain
The people of the Ecclesiastic Order and the Holy Guild had no choice but to heed Levi’s order despite their disgruntled feelings.
Even though they had discovered news about the Minister, the Minister never appeared.
Levi was still their mightiest support.
The pressure the mysterious woman and Xylas had on them was far too great.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Garrison. We definitely will do that,” said Nigel without a trace of hesitation.
Levi was currently the only being who could go against the mysterious woman.
That was why the Holy Guild was tempted to have Levi deal with any troubles they encountered.
That way, it would be unlikely that they would be targeted and crushed.
After making all the arrangements, Levi dashed back to the base.
He then informed the others about how the mysterious woman had devoured the Cetus’ spiritual ley line.
“We’re in a time of unique circumstances. We have to be extra vigilant and increase our defenses. If anything goes south, we’ll all have to transfer to the underground facility. I’m uncertain if I will be able to win against the mysterious woman,” Levi told them somberly.
His words got everyone revved up when they heard him.
“Xylas has already reached an appalling level of cultivation back then. He must be much stronger now! Most importantly, he has a mysterious woman backing him up. I’m afraid that only Boss is on par with him.”
Even though they were elites, they could still remember in clear detail how scary Xylas was the other time.
Fear crashed into them like a tidal wave and coursed through their veins.
Alarm bells rang in Azure Dragon, Zoey, and the others’ minds.
However, unlike the Holy Guild, Levi was guarding the base, so they were temporarily safe.
At the very least, no one thought of fleeing yet.
Afterward, Levi personally went to help and set up the defensive formations.
That pacified the fears in the people’s hearts even more.
Although most of the buildings at the base had already collapsed, the people had set up temporary places to live after working overnight.
Moreover, for the people, no matter how comfortable their living quarters were, nothing could put them at ease as much as a good defensive formation.
Their home was where Levi was.
Levi was their emotional pillar of support.
He was the invincible God of War to them.
Meanwhile, at the underground facility, Forlevia was researching her technique.
The mysterious woman and Xylas had used the devouring technique to achieve such horrifying heights in a short time span.
Therefore, Forlevia was wondering if she would be able to do the same with her technique.
After a series of tests, Forlevia came to a conclusion.
“I can only achieve that if I walk down the extreme path of devouring.”
Moreover, she became more and more certain that the technique Xylas used was most likely the extreme way of devouring.
But I’ve only taught a handful of people my technique.
Who taught the others?
Forlevia had once looked into the matter of how her technique had been passed down to outsiders, but she could not find anyone suspicious.
Thus, she was perplexed. There were very few ways to get hold of her technique.
If no one has deliberately revealed it to another, could it be that someone else had found a way to secretly learn it?
Forlevia then ruminated about the people she had taught the technique to again to make sure that she had not missed anyone out.
Instinctively, her eyes flitted toward Azure Dragon, Floyd, and the others.
There’s no way my mother would be the one. She hasn’t left the underground facility other than during battles after the incident. Azure Dragon and the others travel frequently, but they’re archenemies with Xylas. Every time they see Xylas, they’ll try to end his life. There’s no way they’ll reveal the technique to him. Floyd…
Forlevia’s gaze darkened.
Floyd was the one she was most doubtful about.
Moreover, she was suspicious about the involvement of Gloria, who used to be close to Floyd, in the matter.
Floyd would not bear any idea of hurting them, but it was not the same case for Gloria.
Chapter 3578 Levi Misses His Mentor
Forlevia reckoned it was high time to try and sound Floyd out again.
Meanwhile, Floyd was strolling aimlessly around the cultivation base in the underground base.
He was overcome with the dismal thought that everyone had abandoned him.
Azure Dragon and the others had been avoiding him these past few days.
Similarly, it had been a few days since Zoey and Forlevia looked for him.
Ever since Levi returned to the base, he had been busy constructing the defensive formation and did not look for Floyd either.
The others at the base were also swamped with other things and did not trouble Floyd.
Floyd was somehow coming to terms with the cold treatment.
After all, before he could confirm if the leak of the technique book had anything to do with Gloria, he did not have the heart to do anything else.
Floyd could live with the others treating him as if he did not exist. However, he could not come to terms with the fact that Gloria had disappeared without a trail.
Not only was he not able to contact her via text messages, but even those from West Pavillion did not know where she went.
Floyd had tried to find out where she went from multiple sources. Then, he managed to find out about the multiple men who allegedly had intimate relationships with Gloria.
Those men tried to contact her through multiple channels but to no avail.
Floyd grew increasingly anxious as a premonition loomed in his heart.
He came to realize that the time the mysterious woman devoured the spiritual ley line coincided with the time that Gloria went off the grid.
The images of Gloria and the mysterious woman started to overlap each other in his mind.
Floyd was startled by his thoughts.
That is impossible. Gloria will never lie to me. She always puts my feelings first in everything. She will never disregard how I feel. But, what if the mysterious woman is really Gloria?
Floyd was on the brink of a breakdown.
His last beacon of hope was slowly disintegrating.
Then, he thought about the memories that he shared with Gloria, her genteel manners, and her kind and understanding nature…
Every single sweet memory he had of her was eating him inside out.
He dared not go further down the rabbit hole.
If it is proven that Gloria had indeed leaked the technique book, how will I face my masters, Azure Dragon, and others? Gloria, please reply to me and prove that you have nothing to do with this. Once your name is cleared of these accusations, we can be the couple that everyone is envious of.
Floyd’s lips curled into a smile at the thought.
Meanwhile, the defensive formation at the base was ready.
As a precaution, Levi had added multiple lines of defenses.
In the meantime, people were trying to sound Levi out as they queried about his confidence in defeating the mysterious woman.
Levi said nothing.
To him, empty speculations were a waste of time.
A display of confidence would only cause his subordinates to slack and become complacent.
If he did not appear to have any confidence in the matter, however, his people would falter.
Fear would spread like a disease in his army, leading to serious consequences.
Actually, Levi was curious about the mysterious woman’s true prowess too.
However, there was no way he could find out aside from waiting for the mysterious woman to arrive and battling it out with her.
Levi grew more and more eager in anticipation of the battle.
So what if the woman had devoured the spiritual ley lines of the two major deviant clans?
Levi’s obsidian gaze darkened.
He suddenly remembered the mysterious man whom he called his mentor.
Levi had the man to thank for his cultivation skills.
He could not help but wonder what kind of person his mentor was.
After all, Levi had no idea just how strong his mentor’s combat prowess was.
I bet he has unimaginable combat prowess.
Levi had sent troops of people to investigate his mentor’s whereabouts but to no avail.
Maybe he’s hiding out there and enjoying his best life.
At that thought, Levi was relieved.
Then, he inspected the defensive formation at the base yet again.
After ensuring that there was nothing amiss, Levi finally felt at ease.
Then, he informed everyone to hide in the underground base.
If he was no longer around, the underground base would be everyone’s trump card and only hope of survival.
Chapter 3579 To Extremes
A sense of impending doom filled everyone’s hearts.
Not only were they of no help to Levi when the enemy was about to strike, but they had also become his burden.
Knowing that they were not strong enough to back Levi up, the others wallowed in guilt.
“If I had been more diligent in my cultivation practice, I might be able to help out now.”
“If I had listened to Boss, I would not have lost my spiritual bone and let Xylas get his way.”
“If we had been more accomplished in cultivation, we would not have become Boss’ liabilities.”
Azure Dragon and the others were anguished that they were of no help to Levi.
Even Floyd, who was feeling down, shared their sentiments.
“If I were stronger, not only will I be able to help Master defeat his enemy, but I will also truly gain Gloria’s favor. I’m a useless man. Why am I still alive for?” Floyd said as he punched the ground repeatedly.
His fist was already bloody from the punches, but he did not seem to realize it.
It was as if he had lost all senses of pain.
Forlevia was also racking her brain in figuring out a quick way to get Levi out of the sticky situation.
She was contemplating to practice the more extreme techniques outlined in her own technique book.
Even though she had advanced rapidly in her cultivation practice, it was still not enough to fend off Levi’s enemy.
Forlevia reckoned that she would only be able to defeat Xylas, albeit straining herself in doing so.
If Xylas had devoured a lot of energy, however, Forlevia was not certain that she could even rival him.
After all, Xylas was going to extremes by choosing to be a devourer to advance his cultivation prowess.
“What are you thinking about, Evie?” Levi’s voice rang behind her.
“Dad, I want to show you something,” Forlevia said with a smile.
“Sure.” Levi seemed quite eager to find out.
Forlevia then activated a technique and turned the space within two to three-meter vicinity into an independent space, absorbing all the sky and earth’s spiritual energy and the powers of the five elements.
In just the blink of an eye, all lives within the independent space turned barren and lifeless.
If one were to explain her display of technique using a human as an analogy, the space was a lively child before she absorbed the spiritual energy and five elements. However, after she absorbed everything within the two to three-meter vicinity, the metaphorical lively child turned into an old, dying man.
Then, Forlevia used the same technique and created another independent space aside.
This time, she used her own technique derived from her technique book. The absorption speed was visibly slower than the previous technique.
However, Levi soon realized that the second independent space was filled with Forlevia’s shadows.
It was as if Forlevia had blended in with the independent space that she had created.
With a snap of her finger, Forlevia could utilize the power of the universe.
“Dad, I believe you must have spotted the difference, right?” Forlevia asked in a low voice.
Levi was a shrewd man. He knew right away what Forlevia was trying to tell him.
The first type of technique was forcibly harnessing the power of the universe, and it could advance one’s cultivation in a short amount of time.
However, as shown by the barren space that Forlevia had demonstrated, it would ruin the harmony of the space.
The second technique was to harmonize with the heavens and earth.
Even though the advance in one’s cultivation would not be as fast, one would be able to harness the power of the universe in the long term.
This was the core difference between Forlevia and Xylas’ techniques.
If Gloria was around, she would realize that Forlevia’s cultivation would reach a formidable peak if the latter chose to go to extremes.
“Evie, it is best to be patient in the practice of cultivation. I would suggest you stick to your own path. Just leave the other matters to me. Do you understand?” Levi said with a stern look on his face.
He understood Forlevia’s intention in showcasing the differences between the two techniques.
She wanted to advance her cultivation in a short amount of time so that she could lend a helping hand to Levi when he was facing his enemy.
Levi was touched by Forlevia’s filial piety.
He thought it unwise if Forlevia gave up on her original path just for this small, albeit accelerated gain.
Besides, Forlevia’s own technique was more promising in the long term, and it would be more potent as well.
Levi wanted the best for his daughter after all.
Hence, he rejected Forlevia’s kind offer.
“Dad, I understand,” Forlevia said with a heartfelt smile.
She would not have contemplated the accelerated practice of cultivation if not for the dire circumstances that they were in.
Chapter 3580 Are You Willing To Die
Meanwhile, the network of intel that Azure Dragon and the others had set up reported a few key information.
They had discovered a dozen spies that had been mistaken as the Esoteric Guild by the Holy Guild.
They were all intricately related to Gloria, so much so that they were willing to die for her.
As a matter of fact, they were not spies, and they had never done anything to harm the Ecclesiastic Order.
Whatever they did, they did it to protect Gloria.
Hence, they had been under the radar of the Ecclesiastic Order.
The network of intel had their hands on the evidence that the “spies” were working for Gloria, but they still lacked concrete evidence that Gloria was the alleged mysterious woman.
Kirin, who always spoke his mind, looked for Floyd.
“Floyd, are you willing to die for Gloria? I want you to answer me honestly,” Kirin demanded.
“Yes,” Floyd replied without hesitation.
He added, “Why are you asking me this out of the blue?”
Noticing the surprised look on Kirin’s face, Floyd grew anxious and asked again, “Do you have news on Gloria? Hurry up and let me know.”
“No. I’m just asking. Floyd, you’d better watch out for yourself.”
Kirin had given up on Floyd.
He turned around to leave and told Phoenix and the others about Floyd’s determined answer.
The others were taken aback as well, as they did not expect Floyd to be so smitten with the woman.
They reckoned that he was beyond salvation.
It had further cemented their surmise that the death of the group of people was dubious.
Phoenix and the others did not think that the death of the group was as simple as it looked.
However, it was futile to find out who the mastermind behind the massacre was, for the mysterious woman had already devoured the spiritual ley lines of the two major deviant clans.
Even if they managed to find more clues about the massacre, it would not change the fact that a vicious war was forthcoming.
“Do we continue to investigate?” Black Tortoise asked.
“Yes, we must. We have to find out who the enemy is,” Azure Dragon said in a determined manner.
All of them agreed on continuing the investigation.
Soon, Azure Dragon and the others had a new finding—a visualized map of Gloria’s connections within the Ecclesiastic Order.
All those who were related to Gloria were men, and they all shared a common trait.
They were infatuated with Gloria, and they were willing to do anything and everything for her, ranging from providing intel, technique books, secrets of different clans, and even their own lives.
They were willing to hand out everything they possessed to Gloria.
“Have you guys realized that this model is very similar to the powerful third unknown force?” Phoenix quipped.
Her single remark had realization dawning upon everyone.
Azure Dragon and the others grew solemn.
There was always the presence of a third unknown force lurking behind the scenes during the discord of the Ecclesiastic Order and Levi, the disarray between the Ecclesiastic Order and the Esoteric Guild, the time when the Top Ten disappeared even when Levi did not kill them, and the time when the cornerstone divine tools disappeared without a trace.
If the third unknown forces were in service of Gloria, however, then everything would be plausible.
The third unknown force had gotten everything they wanted, and it could be said that they had the Ecclesiastic Order under their full control.
Adding the fact that Floyd, who was in the base, was deeply infatuated with Gloria, it would be a piece of cake for her to get insider information about the base.
If it was true that Gloria was indeed behind the scenes, the leak of Forlevia’s technique book would be explainable.
Even if Floyd did not have the intention to harm his own people, he would not have been able to fend off Gloria’s devious schemes.
After all, those who were in love were easily blinded.
It was possible that he had leaked the technique books unintentionally.
There was also the time when Levi hid inside the spiritual ley line and was about to seize the mysterious woman, but she somehow changed her route last minute and taunted Levi. It was obvious that someone had leaked Levi’s whereabouts.
It was entirely plausible that it was Floyd who had leaked the information.
Azure Dragon and the others were horrified the more they thought about it.