Ch. 3601..3610
Chapter 3601 I Can Also Try
At that moment, Yartran was a complete mess.
Bodies of the dead were sprinkled across the ground, and all the buildings were in ruins.
Levi quickly examined his surroundings but failed to come across anyone alive.
The members of the Glorian Order and the citizens of Yartran were nowhere to be seen.
“Did they retreat from here, or are they in hiding?”
No one knew of his whereabouts as he had decided to begin an assault on Yartran’s base alone.
He did not even mention his plan to his closest family and friends.
Levi also took extra precautions before departing the underground base.
He had made sure no one was following him before secretly taking his leave, so he was confident the other party would not discover his trail.
In that case, Levi figured it was more likely that everyone from the Glorian Order had withdrawn from Yartran.
He continued to investigate around after coming up with that conclusion.
Relying on his heightened sensitivity toward spiritual energy, he swiftly located Yartran’s super-spiritual ley line.
“This ley line contains much more energy than the Cetus’ spiritual ley line! So much more!”
Levi sighed.
No wonder Yartran’s protective energy shield could sustain two successive hits from me! Still, it is quite unusual for them to leave this huge spiritual ley line unguarded. There’s no way that mysterious woman would disregard a fantastic cultivation resource like this.
“Don’t tell me she thinks she doesn’t need to devour spiritual ley lines further as she has already achieved invincibility?”
Levi frowned. The situation will become trickier if that’s the case.
After confronting her a few times, Levi could tell Gloria was a very vigilant person.
If she thought she was invincible, one could only imagine how terrifying her cultivation level was.
Of course, there was another possibility.
Perhaps Gloria was certain others were not skilled in the extreme devouring technique.
Under that assumption, regardless of how much energy the spiritual ley line stored, it was no different from a pile of garbage to others since it could not be moved or utilized.
Even if there were forces like Yartran’s citizens who were adept at using the energy from the spiritual ley line to construct a defensive base, the process could not be accomplished in a short time.
If someone attempted that, Gloria could lead her subordinates to destroy the establishment at any time and reoccupy the spiritual ley line.
No! I think it is more likely that there’s an upper limit to how much energy she can devour. Naturally, I cannot rule out the possibility that the mysterious woman did not leave anyone behind to guard this spiritual ley line because she anticipated me coming here to take revenge on her, so she’s not giving me any chance to get hold of her movements and real identity. After all, anyone who can stay here as a guard must be the mysterious woman’s trusted aide. Therefore, she’s wary I will force valuable information out of the guard using various methods.
“Good! Having an opponent like her will make this matter more interesting!”
Levi’s competitive spirit was ignited.
The stronger his adversaries were, the more excited Levi became.
It had been a very long time since he stumbled across a worthwhile rival.
“If this mysterious woman’s devouring ability has an upper limit, it proves that Evie was right.”
Levi narrowed his eyes. He grew more confident that the technique cultivated by Gloria was a technique developed by Forlevia.
As long as there was an upper limit to her technique, Levi reckoned he was capable of dealing with her.
He gazed at Yartran’s super-spiritual ley line again and soon noticed the uniqueness of it.
This must be a high-grade spiritual ley line, judging from its faint golden glow. This spiritual ley line is even comparable to the one under the South Pole’s glacier.
Levi remembered the spiritual ley line under the South Pole’s glacier was black and seemingly more powerful.
Of course, that was the state of the spiritual ley line before it was filtered by his body.
“Since that mysterious woman can use spiritual ley lines to attain higher cultivation levels, why can’t I do the same? Should I just try using this spiritual ley line to enhance my cultivation?”
At that thought, Levi felt as if he had gained lucidity instantaneously.
He had his high level of cultivation to bolster his confidence now.
There was nothing he could do in the past when the spiritual ley line exploded, and the consequences might even affect the entire world.
However, he had attained complete mastery now.
Moreover, this super-spiritual ley line was located in the separate tiny realm of Yartran, so there was no concern that his actions would influence the outside world.
“This idea is plausible!”
Chapter 3602 Pull Yourself Together
In truth, the continuous improvement of Gloria’s abilities had invoked an unprecedented sense of crisis in Levi.
He felt the desperate need to take his capabilities to the next level.
Therefore, Levi was overjoyed as he had found a feasible method now.
Besides, he could also utilize the super-spiritual ley line underneath the Ecclesiastic Order and Project Atlantis.
The super-spiritual ley line before him might not be useful to Gloria, but it was to him.
He could even use three spiritual ley lines to strengthen his body.
Once his cultivation level increased, Levi would be more confident in facing Gloria.
Levi chuckled, proud of himself for coming up with such a great idea at that critical moment.
Levi practiced a basic technique mainly to boost his power and speed. As a result, his cultivation progress was slow.
On the other hand, if he chose to risk his life, the outcome would be entirely different as he could accomplish great leaps in his cultivation even by using only a short amount of time.
However, that form of high-intensity training would require one to risk their life.
At the same time, Levi would need to fight against three super-spiritual ley lines, placing him at a high likelihood of losing his life.
His death would be imminent if he failed to hold himself against the assault from the super-spiritual ley line.
Conversely, success would result in an immediate and significant boost in his capabilities.
Levi hurried back to the base after making that decision.
After all, augmenting his physique was not a short and straightforward process.
He had to make the necessary arrangements and address all remaining issues at home before starting his cultivation. That way, he could focus on his training without any distractions.
Needless to say, Levi was also worried Gloria would seize the time of his absence to attack the base again.
He hastened back to the base without stopping to rest.
Just you wait, mysterious woman. I’ll give you a huge surprise then. Levi sneered inwardly.
Upon returning to the base, Floyd happily wandered around, looking for resources to devour.
He grew obsessed with the thrill after getting a taste of the power.
The extreme devouring technique caused Floyd’s cultivation to advance rapidly.
Still, the main reason behind his elation was because he had rid his mind of all the suspicions he harbored toward Gloria previously.
All the doubts and conflicted feelings troubling him had vanished without a trace.
Floyd had never felt more relaxed and at ease than at that moment.
He was even constantly wearing a smile.
Meanwhile, Phoenix and the others obtained a piece of crucial information through their investigation.
That mysterious force was the Glorian Order.
Azure Dragon and the others linked the name of the Order to Gloria at once.
“We need to confront Floyd now. He must be hiding some things from us,” Kirin uttered solemnly.
Phoenix and the rest nodded in agreement.
Although Floyd had sworn before all of them previously, taking into consideration his willingness to sacrifice his life for Gloria, swearing an oath as an attempt to cover her seemed like a reasonable thing he would do without hesitation.
Azure Dragon and the others went to look for Floyd directly after deciding on that matter.
“Floyd, do you know that mysterious force is called the Glorian Order? I suppose you don’t need us to elaborate further to understand the significance behind this, right?” Phoenix said straightforwardly.
“I have no idea what you all are talking about.”
Despite being slightly taken aback, Floyd feigned nonchalance on the outside.
Naturally, Floyd had his reason for acting so.
Not long ago, he had met with Gloria, and she had provided him with a clear explanation regarding all his suspicions.
Even though the Glorian Order was a name that would prompt others to relate the organization to Gloria, Floyd firmly believed that was merely a coincidence.
Besides, he had personally tested Gloria’s abilities, and her power was nothing compared to the mysterious woman.
How could a fragile lady who could not even win against him be the mysterious female leader who consumed two deviant clans’ spiritual ley lines?
“Floyd, you need to snap out of it, all right?”
“That’s right, Floyd. It is very likely the leader of the Glorian Order is Gloria.”
“Also, you better tell us the truth. Did you divulge the exact location of this underground facility to Gloria?”
Azure Dragon and the others bombarded Floyd with questions, causing the latter to feel annoyed.
“I hope you all have more solid evidence than this. Otherwise, do not blame me for not showing you all mercy,” Floyd uttered coldly.
Chapter 3603 Inform Boss
Floyd was indeed mad. How can they accuse Gloria just because the organization’s name overlaps hers? There are countless people with similar names on this earth. Not to mention, the Glorian Order means the mysterious woman wishes her organization to attain eternal glory and rule forever. Why are they relating this matter to Gloria? This is outrageous!
“Floyd, we have your best interest at heart. Gloria is really not a good woman. You may bring harm to Boss if you don’t pull yourself together and continue with this obsession. You may even put Boss’ life in danger,” Phoenix said sincerely.
“I will repeat what I said. Unfounded assumptions are not constructive references. If you all are so capable, produce some solid evidence to prove me wrong. Otherwise, all of you should just shut up.” Floyd’s tone turned frosty.
In his opinion, no one was allowed to tarnish Gloria’s reputation.
Floyd would not permit even Levi to slander Gloria without basis, much less Phoenix.
“You’re hopeless! Are you only going to realize your error when everyone, including Boss, gets caught up in a crisis?” Azure Dragon could no longer contain his fury.
In fact, if it weren’t because of Levi, he would not have wasted his time and effort to persuade Floyd.
Azure Dragon would have directly given the latter a beating, and perhaps that would clear up Floyd’s mind more effectively.
“Azure Dragon, Phoenix, I warn you not to spread these baseless conjectures around. I will not let any of you go if you disrupt the base’s peace and sow discord between Master and me. Believe me. All of you cannot win against me even with your combined strength now.”
Floyd’s expression was grim as he suddenly released a frightening and malicious aura.
Azure Dragon and the rest of his party were astounded.
Firstly, they did not expect Floyd to be so uncompromising to the point where he was even acting slightly recklessly.
Secondly, they could not believe Floyd’s significant improvement in his abilities.
Most importantly, as Floyd had mentioned, Azure Dragon and the others did not possess solid evidence.
Although most of the clues hinted at Gloria, none of them had witnessed her as the Glorian Order’s leader.
If they acted rashly and informed Levi of their assumption, Floyd and Levi’s relationship, as well as the base’s peace, might be badly affected.
The situation at the base was already difficult.
If an internal conflict erupted, that would merely add to the existing trouble at the base.
Besides, the consequences would be dire if Gloria was indeed wrongly accused.
Sensing Phoenix and the others’ silence, Floyd pressed further.
“Be patient, all of you. I will bring Gloria to meet with Master very soon. At that time, all the suspicions about Gloria will be cleared, and you all can finally shut your mouths for good.”
Floyd was even feeling a little smug. If he had not confirmed Gloria’s innocence with her in advance, he might have been swayed after listening to Phoenix and the others’ words.
Floyd knew he would feel utterly remorseful if he misunderstood Gloria.
“Floyd, I hope you know what you’re doing!”
Azure Dragon left with the others after saying that.
“Ha!”
Floyd snorted in disdain while watching Azure Dragon and the other four’s leaving figures from behind.
The truth will prevail when I bring Gloria to meet with Master. I’d like to see you all spouting such nonsense by then!
He scoffed inwardly.
That argument merely fueled Floyd’s passion to become stronger.
Only with extraordinary power could his words carry more weight in the base or in front of Levi.
By then, everyone else would take his opinion seriously or even outright accept his proposals.
“I should continue searching for more spiritual energy to consume.”
Floyd’s only desire at that moment was to devour all kinds of energy.
Meanwhile, Phoenix and the others’ determination wavered after parting with Floyd.
Although the latter’s attitude was horrible, they could not deny his statements made sense.
Matters related to the Glorian Order were not to be taken lightly. Their groundless accusation of Gloria as the leader of the Glorian Order might cause unnecessary misunderstandings and conflict.
“I think there is a need to inform Boss. It is better to make an error than to regret our negligence regarding a matter like this,” Phoenix expressed her thought before anyone else.
Chapter 3604 Bloodbath At West Pavilion
The other four hurriedly protested.
“Phoenix, don’t you think it’s inappropriate to tell Boss?”
“After all, we don’t have any conclusive evidence. If Gloria is wrongly accused, it will affect the relationship between Boss and Floyd.”
“Floyd is such an intense person. If he ends up despising Boss because of this, there will be endless trouble!”
“Let’s dig deeper into the Glorian Order. We can report to Boss once we have solid evidence.”
Phoenix carefully considered the words of her comrades.
It was a delicate situation. There was no room for mistakes.
It would be too late for regrets if any irreversible consequences were to happen due to them keeping silent.
Besides, they could just notify Levi about the existence of Gloria and the Glorian Order while not mentioning anything about whether she was the leader. It would be up to Levi himself to draw the connections.
However, as long as they revealed this matter, Floyd would take offense, no matter what Levi did next.
To be fair, Floyd had no other flaw aside from his unhealthy obsession with Gloria.
He was Levi’s favorite disciple and was an excellent assistant.
If their relationship were to sour, it would be very difficult to resolve.
“What a dilemma!”
Phoenix was deeply conflicted.
“Are you all right, Phoenix?” Azure Dragon asked in concern.
Phoenix wore an indecipherable expression.
“It’s fine. I’ve made a decision.”
Phoenix paused and continued, “Remember, this has nothing to do with any of you. It’s all on me. I’ll bear all the consequences.”
After Phoenix had turned and left, Azure Dragon and the others shared looks of confusion.
However, Phoenix’s vague statement slowly began to make sense.
She intends to inform Boss about the Glorian Order!
After an intense debate in her mind, Phoenix finally decided to report the matter to Levi.
There would be no turning back. Since Phoenix had made the decision, she alone would bear the consequences.
It did not take long for Phoenix to locate Levi.
“Boss, I—”
Levi interrupted her before she could complete her sentence. “Phoenix, I have more important matters to attend to now. Let’s talk later.”
Phoenix was caught off guard. When she finally came back to her senses, Levi had already walked away.
“Boss seems to be in such a hurry. I wonder what’s going on…”
Phoenix felt rather disappointed. She had rehearsed her speech in her head over and over. However, she had not even gotten the chance to speak.
She did not know that, at that moment, Levi’s head was filled with thoughts of the three super-spiritual ley lines.
He was thinking of ways to ensure the well-being of his loved ones.
Then, he would be able to relax and use the super-spiritual ley line without any worries.
Meanwhile, Gloria was also thinking of ways to improve her cultivation.
The limitations of her devouring annoyed her.
Although Gloria had chosen the Esoteric Guild, she did not want too many people to know of her decision.
In particular, Gloria suspected that Levi knew that she had reached her limit.
Thus, gaining control over the Esoteric Guild could only be done in secret.
The less people who knew, the better.
If Levi or the Ecclesiastic Order found out about her plan, they would surely cause trouble for her.
The Esoteric Guild was immensely powerful, so if one wanted to gain full control of it in secret, it required some time and effort to strategize a fool-proof plan.
It was not something that could be done quickly.
Gloria had also noticed that there were several new spies around the West Pavilion.
She knew that those spies had been sent by Levi’s men.
Floyd might not have outright told them that she was returning to the West Pavilion, but since they already had their suspicions about her, they would surely use the opportunity to investigate further.
Those insignificant insects are really bold. If it weren’t because I needed to hide for the time being, the lot of you would have been sent to the gates of hell.
“No, these people are nothing but trouble. Perhaps I should come up with an escape plan…”
Gloria’s lips lifted in a smirk. She already had a plan in mind.
“Let’s cause a diversion!”
Gloria’s eyes glazed over as her mind began spinning with ideas.
She murmured aloud, “For example, a bloodbath at the West Pavilion would certainly cause chaos. It would be easier for me to work while everyone’s distracted.”
Chapter 3605 Hell
Gloria decided on a plan and immediately began to carry it out.
She was already in the West Pavilion, and in the eyes of the elite disciples, she was insignificant.
Hence, not many people paid attention to Gloria’s movements.
Therefore, Gloria was able to quietly mobilize Xylas and the Fatalis Warriors.
With the help of the Glorian Order’s spies, the West Pavilion was successfully cut off from the outside world.
After confirming that everything was in place, Gloria walked straight into the main hall of the West Pavilion.
The main hall was heavily guarded as guards were posted everywhere.
After all, this was the heart of the West Pavilion, and there were many highly-secret technique books stored there.
It was also the base of the leader of the West Pavilion.
“Gloria, what are you doing here?” one of the guards asked in a steely voice.
“I have business with the Master,” Gloria answered with a smile.
“Nonsense. The Master did not call for anyone today.”
“How dare you, a nobody, come here and make trouble?”
“Leave quickly before we get rough with you!”
Several other guards had also appeared and moved to block Gloria’s entry.
Although Gloria appeared to lack strength in their eyes, they were still jealous of her.
In particular, they were envious of Gloria’s ways of dealing with men.
Hence, they took the opportunity to be cold and cruel to Gloria whenever they could.
“As arrogant as always! Tell me, where do you even get your confidence from?” Gloria mocked.
The guards were startled by her response. However, before they had time to respond, Gloria had disappeared from their sight.
“Go to hell!” the cold voice sounded out of nowhere.
The captain of the guards could not dodge in time and was hit with a violent force.
Without even making a single sound, the captain burst into a bloody red mist.
“Trash like her are only a waste of space and air,” Gloria said coldly.
The other guards were stunned.
They never expected Gloria to be so terrifying.
The captain had been killed instantly without having the chance to even make a sound.
The attack triggered a chain reaction.
Guards rushed into the hall and surrounded Gloria.
“How good it is for all of you to join us! I will just send all of you to the gates of hell together. That way, none of you will be lonely on the road there. Am I not merciful?”
As soon as Gloria was done speaking, she suddenly released her aura.
A powerful and terrifying surge of energy exploded from her.
That storm of energy sent the guards flying in all directions.
All of them were shocked.
The elite disciples who had looked down on Gloria before were especially stunned.
At that moment, the fear of death was very real for all of them.
“How is she so strong!”
“We cannot fight her! Let’s retreat and report to Master!”
The guards all began to retreat quickly.
“Are you trying to run away? I won’t let you leave so easily!”
Gloria rushed forward and hit the last two guards from the back.
Thud! Thud!
Again, they did not have the chance to make even a sound before they turned into mists of blood.
Gloria was an apex predator amongst a flock of sheep. Wherever she moved, she left screams of terror in her wake.
Disembodied limbs were flying everywhere.
All the elite disciples of the West Pavilion were frozen in fear.
They wanted to run, but under the weight of Gloria’s terrifying energy storm, their legs seemed to have turned to stone.
They could not even move a single inch.
“What’s wrong? You used to be so proud!”
Gloria wrapped her hands around a guard’s neck and exerted a little force.
Snap!
The sound of bones breaking crackled through the air.
The guard’s neck was bent at a ninety degrees angle.
The look of fear would never leave the lifeless guard’s face.
“All of you are but an army of tiny ants!” Gloria gloated with disdain.
She raised her hands and thrust her two fists forward. Two more guards had their bodies crushed.
They struggled for a few minutes in intense pain but eventually succumbed to death.
“Is that all you’ve got?” Gloria snorted.
She concentrated all her pent-up resentment in each of her punches.
She wanted to turn the West Pavilion into hell.
“Gloria, stop!” a cold female voice commanded.
Chapter 3606 You Must Die Gloria’s eyes searched for the source of the voice and found a woman in a white dress rushing toward her.
“Well, if it isn’t the Master of the West Pavilion! Shannon, how are you?” Gloria said in a mocking tone.
Shannon glanced around at the disembodied limbs and lifeless bodies littering the ground.
She gasped as the full force of Gloria’s power dawned on her.
Even the strength of Gloria’s own mentor, Linda, could not match up to this, let alone Shannon’s.
However, Shannon was the Master of the West Pavilion. If she did not stand up to Gloria, she was afraid that no one would be left alive after Gloria’s rampage.
“Gloria, these are all our own people! Why are you killing them so mercilessly?” Shannon asked in confusion. “Why are you doing this?’
Gloria sneered and replied, “When all of you humiliated and bullied me, did you ever think of me as one of you? Now that you are facing death, you expect me to think of you as family? What double standards! This is all your fault!”
Gloria’s angry rant left Shannon speechless.
It was true that they were guilty of treating Gloria terribly all along.
They had deprived her of cultivation resources and rained down endless verbal abuse on her.
“Gloria, what do you want?” Shannon asked in a serious voice.
Gloria smiled beatifically and replied, “It’s simple. I just want to kill all you two-faced evil b*tches!”
“Y-You…”
Shannon wanted to scream and scold her. However, considering the disparity in strength between them, she held her tongue.
Any harsh words would serve to only anger Gloria further.
The consequence of scolding Gloria was even more unimaginable than the bloodbath in front of Shannon at that moment.
“Just tell me what you want! If you want, I will even give you the position of the Master of the West Pavilion.”
At that moment, Shannon’s only priority was to placate Gloria and calm her down.
Secretly, however, she hoped that she could stall for time until reinforcements arrived.
Even if nobody showed up, it would be good enough if Shannon could keep her life.
“Well, that’s a thought. I’ll consider that offer.”
Shannon wanted to strike while the iron was hot. However, Gloria went on, “But I have one more condition.”
“What is it?” Shannon asked.
“Get on your knees and bow to me. Admit to all the wrongs that you have done against me,” Gloria demanded.
“Y-You!”
“Why? Are you unwilling to do that? Then, you shall die!”
Gloria let loose her terrifying wave of energy once more, and the faces of everyone around her turned ashen with fear.
They really were as fragile and helpless as ants in the presence of such an elite warrior.
An ugly expression colored Shannon’s face. She knew that Gloria wanted to humiliate her.
Gloria wanted to disgrace her in front of all the disciples of the West Pavilion.
“Do you have to be so cruel?” Shannon asked in a trembling voice.
Gloria shrugged and countered, “You led these b*tches to ruin my reputation in secret. You know you had it coming.”
“Okay, okay! I will kneel before you. You will spare the lives of the disciples of the West Pavilion if I do as you wish, right?”
Shannon’s mind worked quickly.
With just those few words, she had managed to turn herself from a woman who was fearful of death and desperate enough to beg for mercy into a leader willing to sacrifice her pride for her disciples’ lives.
“Well, that depends entirely on you and if you manage to please me,” Gloria answered.
Thump!
Shannon fell to her knees in front of Gloria.
She bowed to Gloria over and over again while begging for forgiveness for all the sins that she had committed against Gloria.
After a while, Shannon’s forehead began to bleed from repeated contact with the floor.
“Is this enough?”
Shannon’s face was now as pale as death while her lips were bleeding from how hard she had bitten them.
She had never been so humiliated before.
Gloria leaned closer to Shannon, and the smirk on her face widened.
Shannon thought that this meant Gloria was about to release her from her misery. She breathed a silent sigh of relief.
However, at that moment, Shannon felt her head being forcefully grabbed.
Before she could react, Gloria slammed her head painfully to the ground.
Gloria’s strength was unimaginable, and Shannon’s head became deformed from her terrible force.
The sound of her skull cracking echoed around the hall.
Gloria, however, seemed to have exerted no more effort than if she were cracking a peanut shell.
“There was no sincerity at all! I am not satisfied!” Gloria sneered. “So, you will just have to die.”
Chapter 3607 The Truth Will Be Revealed The hall was filled with the sound of gasps.
Gloria’s mindless cruelty had left everyone present in a state of shock.
Finally, someone broke the silence and screamed.
Most of the others were paralyzed by what they had seen, unable to move or even speak as they collapsed to the ground.
Everyone present in the hall was an elite disciple of the West Pavilion, and yet, they had all sustained bloody injuries.
The sight of Gloria cackling cruelly after slaughtering her fellow disciples made the rest of them tremble.
“Gloria, I was wrong. Forgive me!”
“I will do anything for you if you will spare me!”
“Gloria, from now on, you will be our Master.”
One by one, all the disciples of the West Pavilion knelt before Gloria.
Their voices were choked with tears as they collectively begged for their lives.
“It’s too late to beg for mercy now!” Gloria declared.
Then, she once again turned into a ruthless murderer, mercilessly ending the lives of all the elite disciples of the West Pavilion.
It was a massacre.
With such a huge disparity in strength, the elite disciples had no hope of resistance or defense.
They did not even have the chance to escape or retreat.
“Death to all of you!”
Wherever Gloria moved, several lifeless bodies were left in her wake.
In the end, the heart of the West Pavilion was littered with dead bodies and stained with blood.
At the same time, Xylas and the Fatalis Warriors were also on the move.
They, too, had the advantage of strength.
Within a short amount of time, the entire West Pavilion had turned into a living hell.
Dead bodies were everywhere, and the blood had formed rivers.
Even the clouds hanging above the West Pavilion had turned red as the sun reflected the blood from the ground onto them.
All the disciples who had once insulted Gloria had been unceremoniously beheaded.
Only the members of the Glorian Order were left in the West Pavilion.
“How wonderful!”
Gloria threw her head back and laughed in cruel delight.
She had finally vented all the anger and pent-up resentment that she had built up inside herself over the past years.
Her body and mind felt infinitely lighter.
“Go and spread the news! Then, we will wait and watch what happens next!”
After Gloria had issued her instructions, she quickly led Xylas to evacuate the West Pavilion.
They used a secret escape route that was unknown to outsiders.
News of the massacre at the West Pavilion spread quickly.
Everyone was shaken when they heard.
The members of the Ecclesiastic Order were particularly fearful. They were now in great danger.
Even the Holy Guild did not know how to comfort and reassure the people.
The strength and power of the Holy Guild were fading before the eyes of many.
The Acting Minister of the Holy Guild was completely helpless in the face of such a threat. The poor man was absolutely exhausted from trying to deal with the situation.
Azure Dragon and the others, too, had heard the news.
They had even sent one of their men to the West Pavilion to verify the truth of the story.
The main target of their investigation was, of course, Gloria.
However, the findings of their investigation were inconclusive as to Gloria’s current state and whereabouts.
“I went to the scene myself. It was hell on earth! Whoever did it was too cruel!”
When they heard the report of the scene at the West Pavilion, even Azure Dragon shuddered.
“Do you think it was really Gloria’s doing?” Phoenix asked.
Kirin pondered for a moment before saying, “I think yes, it could be Gloria. My gut is telling me that she’s still alive. After all, it would be impossible for there to be no trace of her death at all.”
“I’ve interviewed, or tried to interview, the disciples of the West Pavilion who had miraculously survived the massacre. They were all terribly traumatized by it. Their words were completely incoherent,” Azure Dragon said solemnly.
Phoenix’s eyes narrowed as she listened to the men talk. She was convinced that Gloria was the mastermind behind the massacre at the West Pavilion.
After all, Gloria hailed from the West Pavilion and naturally knew the layout very well.
That would explain how she easily managed to contact outside forces and cut off the West Pavilion from the outside world.
Besides, Azure Dragon had said that the slain disciples had been killed by various strange methods. It was definitely not the act of a single person.
The murders had been done quickly and easily with no resistance.
Apart from Levi, the only other people who could cause such destruction was the mysterious Glorian Order.
The way those people were killed pointed to Xylas and his Fatalis Warriors, who had once attacked their base camp before.
“Please continue to track down Gloria. The truth will soon be revealed,” Phoenix said grimly.
Chapter 3608 Gloria Is Dead
Azure Dragon and the others nodded in agreement. All of them were also convinced that Gloria was still alive and related to the massacre.
That was the only explanation for everything that had happened and everything which would happen in the near future.
“Also, keep an eye on Floyd. I think he may have means of contacting Gloria somehow.”
As soon as Phoenix voiced that thought, the others immediately turned to look at her.
Doubt flickered in their eyes.
“Think about the way Floyd has changed in the past few days!” Phoenix explained.
With those words, realization dawned on the others.
Azure Dragon and the others immediately understood what Phoenix meant.
For a long while, Floyd had seemed to be utterly despondent. He had been distracted, listless, and had not been taking care of himself.
However, just a few days ago, he suddenly appeared reinvigorated with no explanation at all.
Then there was the fact he had acted out of the norm by warning them, even going so far as to propose introducing Gloria to Levi.
All these signs combined pointed to the high likelihood that Floyd had contacted Gloria, but for reasons unknown to them, he had kept this secret.
Only Gloria was capable of causing such a big shift in Floyd’s attitude.
“However, Floyd’s abilities have improved significantly. Keeping an eye on him may be pointless.”
“That’s right. Once Floyd finds out what we’re doing, he will be able to get rid of us easily.”
“If that happens, won’t we just be alerting the enemy?”
Their concerns were valid. Phoenix pondered for a moment before saying, “In that case, let’s ask Evie for help!”
“Okay!” The others nodded in agreement.
Discounting Levi, Forlevia was the only person who could keep an eye on Floyd without raising any suspicion.
On the other hand, Floyd had also learned of the bloodbath at the West Pavilion.
His instincts told him that Gloria was in trouble, so he had immediately rushed to the West Pavilion to see what was happening.
When he finally arrived, the West Pavilion was surrounded by people from other factions of the Ecclesiastic Order.
However, since he was Floyd, one of Levi’s disciples, nobody stopped him from entering the West Pavilion.
After all, the entire Ecclesiastic Order was now relying on Levi.
Naturally, they treated him with as much respect as they would toward Levi.
At that moment, Floyd was not in the mood for bootlickers and brownnosers.
He searched like a madman for traces of Gloria.
Floyd typed: Gloria, are you safe? Please don’t be hurt!
Then, he followed with another message: Reply me soon, please!
The final message he sent said: Where are you, Gloria?
Floyd sent message after message to Gloria through his communication device.
However, Gloria did not respond to any of his messages.
Her radio-silence made Floyd even more worried.
He searched the entire West Pavilion, outside and inside, and all the secret passages that the others might have missed.
There was no sight of Gloria anywhere, and she had not replied to his messages either.
Floyd slumped down on a rock, defeated.
The coppery smell of blood still lingered in the air, which further agitated Floyd.
There are so many divisions in the Ecclesiastic Order. Why did they choose the West Pavilion?
“Could this be related to Gloria’s investigations into the Minister’s whereabouts?” Floyd muttered under his breath as the thought suddenly crossed his mind.
It was rumored that Thundera had gone in search of the mythical world, and Gloria had been ordered to locate him.
Perhaps this is somehow related to the secrecy of the mythical place!
However, it was also possible that the mysterious attacker had randomly selected the West Pavilion just to surprise and shock the Ecclesiastic Order.
Whatever the reason was, Floyd was upset that poor Gloria had been needlessly caught up in it.
Floyd slapped himself hard.
“I’m such a useless man!” he shouted at himself.
Not too long ago, he had boldly promised Gloria that he would protect her.
It had not taken long for him to break that promise.
How could I not have been by her side, protecting her?
“She must have really hoped for a savior when the attackers came for her!”
Floyd was racked with guilt.
If only I had been determined back then to bring Gloria back to our base camp, she would have avoided this disaster!
“Gloria, forgive me. I was not resolute enough. I am useless. It’s my fault for not being by your side at all times.”
Floyd kept slapping himself over and over again as he repeated his sins to himself. His cheeks had turned red and were beginning to swell.
Chapter 3609 You Are Incorrigible
Just as Floyd was beating himself up about it, he suddenly heard the faint sound of footsteps behind him.
Turning toward the sound, he saw that it was Phoenix and the others. “Hmph!” After snorting coldly, Floyd got up to leave.
He was still angry at them after their quarrel previously.
If not out of respect toward Master, I would’ve gotten into a physical fight with them. After all, they keep targeting Gloria and won’t leave her alone. That irks me so much!
“Wait,” Phoenix said, blocking his path.
Floyd frowned. In an annoyed tone, he said, “If there’s nothing important, step aside. I’m busy.”
“You’re planning to go and look for Gloria, aren’t you?” Phoenix asked seriously.
Floyd nodded, admitting to it.
I’m determined to go and save her. She’s probably in grave danger as we speak.
“Don’t worry. She’s definitely alive,” Azure Dragon piped up.
For a moment, Floyd was overjoyed. His guess was that Azure Dragon and the rest had been keeping an eye on Gloria in secret.
Could it be that they know where she is?
He could not help but ask, “Where’s Gloria?”
Phoenix replied coldly, “I don’t know where she is exactly. Nonetheless, even if everyone in West Pavilion is dead, she’s definitely alive. In fact, she’s probably the one who wiped them out.”
Floyd became angry, the eager anticipation that had just blossomed within him turning into fury in the blink of an eye.
“Do you guys have a screw loose or something? Gloria is a member of West Pavilion, so why would she kill her fellow disciples? You like to form conjectures, don’t you? In that case, why don’t you help me figure out where Gloria is now?” Floyd retorted bluntly.
As he spoke, he became progressively agitated, and the veins on his forehead bulged.
To him, Gloria was an innocent and kind woman.
Even amidst the gossip and disparaging comments from the other disciples over the years, she chose to endure in silence. She was upset for a long time after accidentally injuring one of the younger disciples during a sparring match. How can they even suspect a woman like her of killing those in the same faction as her? It’s utterly preposterous!
“Wake up and smell the coffee, can’t you? You can’t judge a book by its cover. Shouldn’t you at least think it through and ask yourself why it happened? Someone unleashed a bloodbath on West Pavilion, and it just so happens that there’s no trace of Gloria. Are you telling me you’ve never even paused to consider the possibility that she could be the instigator of the entire incident?” Phoenix pressed, trying to get through to Floyd with her words.
However, those words merely added fuel to the fire for Floyd.
“Shut up! What kind of logic is that? West Pavilion is so big. Is there no possibility she could’ve escaped? Besides, an attack by such a formidable force is unlikely to leave behind intact corpses. How are you so sure that she’s alive?”
Even as Floyd jabbed a finger at Phoenix while speaking, sadness filled his heart.
If the worst truly happened, I won’t be able to take it if her body isn’t intact.
“You’re incorrigible!”
Azure Dragon no longer knew what to say to Floyd.
The others were also confused. Floyd is so level-headed when analyzing other situations, but why is he so stubborn when it comes to matters of the heart?
“You’ve got no right to criticize me.”
With a flicker, he dashed past Phoenix, moving so quickly that the latter did not even have time to react.
“The next time you dare to make wild speculations without concrete evidence, I’ll really strike you. Don’t blame me for not giving you any warning.”
After saying that, Floyd walked off, leaving the others dumbfounded and shocked.
The more Floyd thought about it, the angrier he became. He never thought Azure Dragon and the others would go so far.
D*mn it! Will they only be satisfied after they have her pinned as the lord of the Glorian Order?
Even as he seethed with rage, he was still the most concerned about Gloria’s safety.
But just as his mind was racing with thoughts, suddenly, the communication device vibrated.
He quickly took it out.
Chapter 3610 Floyd Devours Dead Bodies
The communication device displayed a message: Floyd, come and save me! It was a distress signal from Gloria! Floyd’s spirits lifted instantly.
It’s just as I expected. Gloria is alive! However, she’s also being hunted down and may be in mortal peril at any moment.
He dared not delay any longer and quickly followed the coordinates on the communication device to track her location.
Vaguely sensing that someone seemed to be trailing him, Floyd could not help but quicken his pace.
The feeling that he was being followed finally disappeared after half an hour.
After that, he hastened on a two-hour journey that led him to a dense forest.
“Where on earth is Gloria?”
He quickly searched for signs of Gloria’s aura, and soon, he sensed something.
He ventured into the forest, and it did not take long before he spotted her in a relatively open space.
She’s alive and unharmed!
His head whirled, and the doubt in his heart flashed across his mind.
However, he quickly noticed there were many other people next to her.
A few of them were familiar faces. They looked like they were disciples of West Pavilion.
The doubt in his heart dissipated at once. How else could so many of them have survived? If she were the instigator, it’d only make sense for her to kill as many people as possible.
However, what he did not know was that those people had been friends with Gloria and later chose to submit to her.
Floyd rushed forward and asked, “Gloria, what on earth is going on?”
Glib-tongued, Gloria explained that they had fled to West Pavilion’s secret passage but were still pursued to where they were. Then, taking advantage of their numbers, they killed the mysterious force’s elite fighters, which led to their lucky escape.
Floyd could sense the unstable auras of the people before him, and some of them were particularly weak. They clearly looked as though they had just undergone a fierce battle.
Instantly, he dismissed his doubts.
It’s just as I thought. The truth is nothing like what Phoenix and the rest said. Gloria has nothing to do with this entire incident.
Suddenly, Gloria said, “Floyd, these disciples of West Pavilion just died in battle. It’s a good time to put your devouring technique to use.”
Her words shocked him. He had not expected her to make such a request.
How could I dare to devour another person’s powers?
Gloria cursed at him inwardly when she saw him hesitate. What a loser! How will he achieve great things if he can’t even be a little cruel?
But because of that, it also ignited a deep-seated excitement within Gloria to guide him to the dark side.
“Floyd, do you know how these people bullied me before they died? I would’ve attacked them if they weren’t disciples of the same faction. Now that a mysterious force has killed them, I’m merely borrowing their skills. That’s not asking too much, is it?”
Noticing him wavering, she decided to strike while the iron was hot. “Didn’t you say you’d continue to become stronger to protect me? The opportunity is in front of you now, yet you don’t cherish it. I’m disappointed in you, Floyd.”
She put on a dejected expression as she spoke.
“Don’t be sad, Gloria. I’ll do as you say.”
In the end, Floyd chose to relent as he could not bear seeing her miserable.
Moreover, he could not help thinking about how the elite disciples of West Pavilion had denigrated Gloria in every way and uttered many unpleasant remarks.
Floyd could not help feeling somewhat resentful as those thoughts crossed his mind.
After an intense internal conflict, he finally activated the technique and devoured the deceased’s powers.
He could not help resisting a little at first. However, after devouring the powers of several people, he became adept at doing it.
In fact, he started getting a heady feeling from becoming stronger through devouring.
Everyone soon heard the news that West Pavilion had been completely destroyed, and those in the Ecclesiastic Order and the Holy Guild were scared out of their wits.
They could not help worrying whether the tragedy of having their entire faction wiped out would befall them soon.
After all, the mysterious force’s strength was simply too terrifying.
Hence, everyone could not wait for the Minister’s return.