Ch. 3611..3620
Chapter 3611 Turn Against Us
Word of the bloodbath at West Pavilion soon reached Levi.
It was evident that the mysterious force was behind it, and after further investigation, they discovered traces of Xylas’ and the Fatalis Warriors’ handiwork.
However, this mysterious woman’s whereabouts and actions are extremely strange. I simply can’t guess what her next step will be.
“She may very well be planning to attack the base next,” he mused.
With that thought in mind, Levi redoubled his efforts to find a place for his friends and family to go into hiding.
I’m eager to metamorphose using the three super-spiritual ley lines. Hence, I have to think of a way to ensure everyone’s safety first so I can do so without any worries.
Meanwhile, Phoenix and the others were still investigating the massacre at West Pavilion and soon obtained a piece of crucial information.
Almost everyone who died used to be Gloria’s mortal enemies, including those who had bullied and mocked her.
As for those on good terms with her, they either survived or were nowhere to be found.
Such an occurrence was quite intriguing indeed.
“If there were only one or two such cases, it could be a coincidence. However, there’s clearly something fishy if there’s that many of them,” Phoenix said, voicing her concern.
The others agreed with her.
If it’s really Gloria’s doing, it’d be easy to explain the situation. Or in other words, only if she were the person behind it would what had happened make sense.
“We must inform Boss of this so that he’s aware of how things stand,” Azure Dragon suggested.
Feeling unsure about that, Phoenix replied, “He’s very busy now. We’d better wait until we have more conclusive evidence before telling him.”
Just then, Floyd arrived back at the base.
Since ascertaining that Gloria was alive and well, he was in exceptionally high spirits, and even the sight of Azure Dragon and the others did not make him as angry as before.
“You don’t have to continue investigating. Gloria is still alive, and the bloodbath at West Pavilion definitely has nothing to do with her,” he announced.
The others were dumbfounded. They did not think Floyd would actually succeed in tracking down Gloria’s whereabouts.
Could it be that just like we suspected, he and Gloria have been in touch all this while?
After a brief moment of stunned silence, Phoenix could not refrain from asking, “Floyd, how are you so sure that she’s innocent?”
Floyd replied, “That’s because I saw many West Pavilion people with her. They all survived after fighting hard. If she was the culprit, wouldn’t she have slaughtered every last person?”
He thought his question would render them speechless.
After all, he felt that his reasoning and logic were flawless.
“Floyd, that just shows how good she is at fooling others,” Phoenix sneered.
Noticing that Floyd was about to fly into a rage again, Azure Dragon hurriedly explained, “Don’t get angry just yet, Floyd. After our investigation, we found that the members of West Pavilion who survived or we have no news of are those who were friends with her. As for those who bullied and ridiculed her, practically all of them suffered a horrible death.”
The angry expression on Floyd’s face froze immediately.
Suddenly, he recalled how he had devoured the powers of the deceased disciples from West Pavilion.
He seemed to recall that Gloria did say they were those who had bullied her.
That was also why he felt slightly less guilty about what he did.
“That’s impossible!”
Floyd’s thoughts were in turmoil. Nonetheless, he still could not bring himself to believe that Gloria was the real culprit.
“I even injured her not too long ago. Would she be so weak and helpless if she’s really that mysterious woman? Why are all of you so fixated on doubting her? What has she done to offend you? If you’re unhappy about something, take it out on me,” said Floyd.
He became increasingly worked up as he spoke, even going so far as to assume a fighting stance.
“Floyd, are you going to turn against us just because of a woman?” Black Tortoise asked in a low voice.
Chapter 3612 Targeting The Esoteric Guild
“Just because of a woman? That’s easy for you to say!” Floyd gave a mirthless chuckle, then asked, “If your loved ones were unjustifiably accused and doubted by others, would you still be reasoning with others so calmly? You can’t understand someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes. Don’t you even understand such a simple concept?”
He was very upset indeed.
The good mood I had after finding out that Gloria is safe and well is now ruined. Although many signs show she’s innocent, she’s still getting doubted by all these evil people. Moreover, it feels like their suspicions have intensified. That’s really crossing the line!
“Floyd, you’re Boss’ best aide and a brother to us. That’s why we’re saying all this. We mean well, but why do you keep taking our kindness for malice? Have you thought carefully about how much you actually know about Gloria?”
Azure Dragon was also getting a little angry. He even felt that Floyd was becoming increasingly unreasonable.
Why does his wisdom turn into stupidity whenever the issue has anything to do with Gloria?
“Azure Dragon, you’ve finally touched the crux of the matter. You’re right. If it weren’t because of our bond, I’d have already taught all of you a lesson. Forget it. People who have different values can’t work together. Some day, you’ll realize how wrong your suspicions are.”
With that, Floyd turned and walked away.
Everyone was stunned as they watched him leave.
After the obliteration of West Pavilion, there was also an attack on East Pavilion.
However, the number of casualties was not particularly high.
Of course, that was because the Ecclesiastic Order and other factions started forming defensive alliances after what happened to West Pavilion.
The mysterious force failed to cut off East Pavilion’s communication with the outside world.
Hence, reinforcements managed to arrive at the scene in time, leading to their success in dispersing the enemy.
The incident sent the Ecclesiastic Order into a panic.
My strategy has been to divert attention from my goal by pretending to take another course of action. All this while, my target has been the Esoteric Guild.
Knowing she had to eliminate any possibility of Levi interfering halfway to ensure her plan was foolproof, she summoned Xylas again.
“What are your orders, Master?” Xylas asked respectfully.
“The Ecclesiastic Guild has its hands full, so they’ll be too busy to pay attention to the Esoteric Guild. However, I’m not so sure about Levi. That’s why you need to bring your men near Levi’s base from time to time. That’ll make him think twice about leaving the place,” Gloria instructed in a low voice.
“Got it,” Xylas responded with a grin.
She pondered for a moment before continuing, “Another thing is to up the efforts on training the Fatalis Warriors. They’ll be the Glorian Order’s sharpest sword, a sword that’ll strike fear in everyone’s hearts!”
“Understood!”
Xylas was also very keen on training the Fatalis Warriors because all of them were currently his direct subordinates.
They would also be Xylas’ means to exact revenge on the Ecclesiastic Order and the Holy Guild.
After making all the arrangements, Gloria headed straight to the Esoteric Guild.
Outside the Esoteric Guild, the theurgists knew they were facing a formidable enemy.
Gloria was shrouded in black energy, and everyone present could not help trembling before her powerful and intimidating aura.
“I’ve heard of the Esoteric Guild’s ability to kill its foes with Heavenly Thunder, so allow me to experience its power.”
Gloria’s voice rumbled like thunder, causing a ringing in the theurgists’ ears.
“So, you’re Lord Gloria from the Glorian Order, the person who destroyed Yartran?” the master theurgist asked in a deep voice.
She smiled and said, “They were merely an inconsequential foreign force. Do you need to be so surprised by that?”
There was a collective sharp intake of breath.
Even someone as strong as Levi wouldn’t describe Yartran as such, would he?
“Initiate the Thunder-Summoning Technique!” the master theurgist commanded immediately.
His instinct told him that Gloria was there to destroy the Esoteric Guild. Hence, he decided to retaliate using the powerful Heavenly Thunder Formation so that they would not follow in Yartran’s footsteps.
Chapter 3613 Metamorphose With Heavenly Thunder
Confronted by a formidable enemy, the theurgists unleashed the Thunder-Summoning Technique right off the bat.
In an instant, dark clouds gathered. Lightning flashed, and thunder roared.
The theurgists chanted incessantly as they launched the technique.
Crack!
Alongside a deafening clap of thunder, a bolt of lightning split the sky.
On the heels of that, countless thunderbolts as thick as tree trunks clustered together interminably.
Even the people on the ground could hear the crackling sound of electric current despite the vast distance.
“The Esoteric Guild has no intention of making an enemy out of you. I’ll spare you if you leave now. Otherwise, wherever the Heavenly Thunder strikes, flesh and blood will turn into ashes,” the master theurgist warned solemnly.
In response, Gloria sneered, “You’re still putting on a tough front when death is close at hand. Is the ultimate technique of the Esoteric Guild the Tough Front Technique?”
At once, fury blazed within the master theurgist.
Although summoning Heavenly Thunder to attack one’s opponent could attain evident results, the activation of that technique took a lot out of the theurgists.
As such, the Esoteric Guild wouldn’t easily employ the Thunder-Summoning Technique unless absolutely necessary.
“Since you refuse to repent, don’t blame me for showing you no mercy. Summon the Heavenly Thunder and attack!”
Following the master theurgist’s command, the small lightning bolts promptly converged and fused.
The dazzling electricity surges were exceedingly blinding.
They seemed to carry enough power to destroy the world.
However, Gloria wasn’t afraid in the least. In fact, her eyes glinted with greed.
She remembered that Heavenly Thunder was also present when she devoured the Cetus’ spiritual ley line back then.
Regretfully, it was far inferior in terms of energy and might when compared with the Heavenly Thunder summoned by the Esoteric Guild at present.
Hopefully, I can successfully metamorphose. Then, I’ll be able to devour Yartran’s spiritual ley line.
At that thought, Gloria grew all the more excited. She leaped right into the path of the Heavenly Thunder.
“What is she doing?”
All the theurgists were stunned for a moment.
By all reason and logic, shouldn’t someone targeted by Heavenly Thunder do their best to duck and dodge? Yet, she’s actually rushing head-on into it? Is she sick of living?
As their minds wandered, the first bolt of blinding Heavenly Thunder struck Gloria.
Crackle!
Electricity surged, flooding one with a sense of despair even when watching from afar.
If it were an ordinary elite, the person would have been reduced to ashes with a single strike.
Gloria, however, withstood the first strike of Heavenly Thunder. She merely stumbled back a few steps from the impact.
The black energy encapsulating her roiled as though fighting against the Heavenly Thunder.
“No wonder she could destroy Yartran using the blitzkrieg method!”
“She can actually withstand the Heavenly Thunder to such an extent.”
“This is simply mind-boggling!”
Shock inundated all the theurgists.
After all, even the most powerful master theurgist wasn’t capable of that.
“Amplify the Heavenly Thunder! Annihilate her regardless of the cost!”
Once again, the master theurgist gave an order.
Witnessing Gloria’s terrifying capabilities, he didn’t want the Esoteric Guild to suffer the same fate as Yartran.
Therefore, he wanted to kill her with the might of Heavenly Thunder if at all possible.
Otherwise, the consequences would be dire as she was a threat to them all.
“Understood!”
The theurgists again focused, chanting even faster.
The Heavenly Thunder in the sky sizzled and crackled all the more.
Consequently, its energy and intensity soared.
Even the surrounding space seemed to be severely contorting, as though it was moments away from collapsing from the ferocity of the Heavenly Thunder.
“Heavenly Thunder, strike!”
With a wave of a hand from the master theurgist, a bolt of Heavenly Thunder far more petrifying than the previous one headed right for Gloria.
Boom!
As it struck her, an ear-splitting blast rang out.
Gloria’s figure swiftly crumpled, but in the end, she was still supported by a burst of violent energy.
She remained standing even after going head-to-head against the Heavenly Thunder.
This is absurd! She’s only courting death to go against the Heavenly Thunder forcibly time and again!
Such were the thoughts that popped into the minds of the theurgists.
After several consecutive bolts of Heavenly Thunder, the theurgists gradually realized that something was amiss.
Gloria didn’t show any inclination to fight back during the entire process.
It was as though she was waiting for the next round of Heavenly Thunder.
Chapter 3614 The Esoteric Guild Seeks Help
Out of the blue, the master theurgist cried out, “Halt the Thunder-Summoning Technique! She’s using the Heavenly Thunder to metamorphose!”
That single remark had realization dawning upon everyone.
Even if Gloria were so arrogant that she wanted to go head-on against the Heavenly Thunder, logic dictated that she would launch a counterattack after withstanding a round or a few rounds of Heavenly Thunder.
That would ruin the formation of the Thunder-Summoning Technique.
However, she showed no signs of counterattacking despite withstanding several strikes of Heavenly Thunder.
Instead, she continued waiting for the next round of Heavenly Thunder after each strike.
Thus, it was clear as day that she was using the might of the Heavenly Thunder.
As understanding dawned upon the theurgists, they hurriedly halted the technique.
Following that, the Heavenly Thunder that had condensed into a ball earlier slowly dissipated.
The dark clouds in the sky started scattering as well, and a ray of sunlight broke through.
“Looks like the lot of you aren’t that stupid, after all. You realized my intentions so quickly.”
Gloria’s mocking voice drifted into the air.
Right that moment, she was suspended in mid-air. Her black hair flowed about her as black energy surged around her.
She appeared like Medusa descending on earth, striking inexplicable fear into people.
“The most powerful Heavenly Thunder summoned by the Heavenly Thunder Formation can undoubtedly reduce you to ashes. I’d advise you to leave quickly, lest all that’s left of you is a pile of dust,” the master theurgist warned solemnly.
Unfortunately, Gloria couldn’t possibly agree to leave.
She could distinctly sense right then that she had grown stronger.
Alas, it was still far from enough if she wanted to devour the energy of Yartran’s super-spiritual ley line.
“Cut the crap! Hurry up and summon the Heavenly Thunder again. Otherwise, I’ll wipe out the Esoteric Guild!”
Before her words even finished escaping her lips, she abruptly disappeared.
While everyone was still in a daze, she had already darted over to two theurgists on the outermost circle.
With a single blow from her, the two young theurgists fell dead before they could even make a peep.
“My patience is very limited. If you don’t activate the formation, I’ll continue killing!” Gloria threatened in a cold voice.
Left with no other choice, the master theurgist instructed the rest of the theurgists to launch the Thunder-Summoning Technique once more.
Verily, he could sense the murderous intent emanating from her.
The Esoteric Guild might really be obliterated if we don’t do as she demands. Most important, none of us is her match when it comes to combat prowess. Instead of dying, it’s far better to use Heavenly Thunder and attempt to attack her. If we can severely injure her, the Esoteric Guild will stand a chance of defeating her!
When the formation commenced, Gloria again used Heavenly Thunder to metamorphose.
After several hours had passed, she finally sensed that she had reached her energy limit that day.
If she were to continue metamorphosing forcibly, she would very likely be injured by the Heavenly Thunder.
“Listen up, Esoteric Guild! When I next come again, continue preparing the Thunder-Summoning Technique. Otherwise, I’ll wipe out the entire Esoteric Guild!”
As she streaked away, the theurgists hastily called a halt to the Thunder-Summoning Technique.
Activating such a major formation had also consumed a lot of their life force.
If they were to persist for a long time, they would eventually die from exhaustion.
At the base, Levi still hadn’t found any suitable hiding place even after searching all this time.
The thing was, he couldn’t go out too far when he explored.
Ultimately, no one knew when the mysterious woman would show up again.
Just as Levi was at a loss, the Esoteric Guild came knocking on his door.
It was evident that it never crossed Gloria’s mind that the man actually had some connections with the Esoteric Guild.
After Levi had annihilated Idrae, he bumped into a theurgist on his way back.
It was that theurgist who was tasked with making contact with him this time.
The theurgist was known as Caelum, and he narrated everything that had transpired earlier to Levi.
“Mr. Garrison, the Esoteric Guild is now in a great crisis. As it stands, there are common benefits between us. Please support the Esoteric Guild and work with us to kill the lord of the Glorian Order. It’s also for the sake of leaving no loose ends. Don’t you agree?” Caelum reasoned, trying his best to convince the man.
Levi didn’t agree directly but contemplated whether there was a different method to resolve the predicament.
Chapter 3615 Levi Starts Making His Move
While Levi was mulling over the matter, he suddenly remembered something very important. This incident proves my suspicion that the mysterious woman has probably hit her devouring limit as correct. Now that she has gone to the Esoteric Guild and forced them to launch the Thunder-Summoning Technique, she likely wants to use Heavenly Thunder to metamorphose, thereby building up her body to be stronger.
Then, she would be able to boost her devouring capacity. And according to Caelum, the mysterious woman said she’d return before leaving. That means she hasn’t completed her metamorphosis yet. Therefore, I’ve got a chance, no?
“This female lord has a lot of spies. If I were to rush over rashly, she wouldn’t appear once news of it leaks out. At that time, it’ll be difficult to lure her out. How about this? Go back and keep an eye on things first. Notify me timely if there’s any crucial news. I’ll then appear when the time is right so that I can get her in one fell swoop,” Levi proposed grimly.
Caelum nodded in agreement. As long as he agrees to lend us a hand, my mission is considered accomplished!
Meanwhile, Levi’s mind whirred at warp speed as he pondered upon a slew of things.
Since the mysterious woman is currently utilizing Heavenly Thunder to metamorphose, she certainly wouldn’t have the time and energy to deal with me. Therefore, this is a good opportunity for me to use those three spiritual ley lines. Even if she successfully metamorphoses, I would’ve long since drained all the energy in those spiritual ley lines. This would put a kibosh on her plan. At the same time, I can boost my capabilities significantly. Two birds, one stone! Of course, I’ve got to hide Evie and the others away before doing so.
In truth, he had come up with a few backup plans previously.
One of the most suitable places was none other than a safe house.
He had previously set up safe houses to combat the impact of the spiritual energy revival.
A few of them were located in exceedingly isolated places, either hidden in snow-capped mountains or in the depths of the sea.
“Since we’re working together now, Caelum, you’ll be responsible for keeping an eye on the movements of that mysterious woman at all times. As soon as there’s news, please inform my friends and family at once,” Levi asserted solemnly.
“Of course.”
Caelum agreed without an ounce of hesitation.
In fact, he even gave Levi a few of the Esoteric Guild’s secret communication tools.
“I’m looking forward to working with you!”
“Deal!”
After the two of them had reached an agreement, Caelum left happily.
Levi, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief.
With the Esoteric Guild’s stellar assistance, Evie and the others would be safe while I’m gone. The instant they foresee danger or receive news from the Esoteric Guild, they can swiftly go and hide out in the safe houses. While the safe houses aren’t indestructible, they could at least last for some time.
Soon, Levi gathered everyone with the exception of Floyd.
Needless to say, that was a decision he made after listening to Phoenix and the others.
It was a critical time then, so they had to avoid anything that could bring about problems as much as possible.
“In the few days to come, you must all pay attention to any news from Caelum. If there’s anything amiss, go and hide out in the safe houses at once. Also, always be on guard against Xylas. There have been signs of him leading Fatalis Warriors near the base recently,” Levi instructed somberly.
He reckoned that the suspicious figures around their base of late might be the doing of the mysterious woman to delay him so that he couldn’t go and back the Esoteric Guild up.
Since such was her plan, he decided to play along.
For that reason, he deliberately wandered around the base in the following few days.
He wanted to give Xylas and the mysterious woman behind the man an illusion that he was keeping guard there, ready to face their attack.
After settling everyone, Levi secretly left the base.
His movements were so stealthy that no one even realized when he left.
The first spiritual ley line he chose was the one in the Atlantis project.
Chapter 3616 The Return Of Thundera
As for Floyd, he had grown obsessed with devouring all sorts of energy. His obsession ran so deep that he didn’t even take the initiative to contact Gloria.
He only had a single thought right then—to become stronger in the fastest time possible. Then, he would have more say in the base and before his master.
Consequently, he would be able to bring Gloria back to meet everyone even sooner.
Only by enduring the temporary pain of missing her would I be able to be with her forever.
Every time that thought flashed across Floyd’s mind, he was all the more motivated to cultivate.
Besides, he grew increasingly familiar with the extreme devouring technique, so his capabilities were indeed skyrocketing.
Meanwhile, Gloria had already gained full control of the Esoteric Guild.
Her capabilities were simply too terrifying.
The theurgists had studied other ways to kill her, but they all gave up in the end because they had no confidence that they would succeed.
Therefore, Gloria was actually ordering the Esoteric Guild to launch Heavenly Thunder for her to metamorphose.
Having no other recourse, the Esoteric Guild could only bear the humiliation and submit.
It went without saying that all the theurgists understood that the Esoteric Guild would no longer be of any use once she completed her metamorphosis.
At that time, they would all die.
They only hoped Levi would make an appearance as promised when the time came and help the Esoteric Guild overcome the crisis.
“Intensify the power of the Heavenly Thunder. The current one isn’t sufficient anymore,” Gloria ordered in a condescending tone.
The theurgists had no choice but to obey.
Gloria was very much satisfied at the current situation.
As long as the intensity of the Heavenly Thunder was controlled precisely, she wouldn’t have to expend extra energy to withstand it each time.
Then, she could enjoy a longer metamorphosis time.
Crackle!
A bolt of Heavenly Thunder struck her once more.
For a moment, electricity wrapped around her, sizzling and crackling.
Gloria channeled her technique, directing the Heavenly Thunder to temper her body and meridians while shielding her heart.
She multitasked, doing two things at once.
“This is the feeling! How utterly incredible!”
She enjoyed the process of metamorphosis greatly.
Every bolt of thunder made her body more durable by far.
Likewise, her meridians underwent qualitative changes.
If her meridians were merely steel wires in the past, they were showing signs of developing into steel bars after the continuous tempering by the Heavenly Thunder.
After hundreds of bolts of Heavenly Thunder, she finally sensed that her metamorphosis that day was close to reaching its limit.
Metamorphosis was a long and important process in which haste would only make waste.
Blindly rushing through it would likely make the body and meridians extraordinarily tough yet lacking in flexibility.
Consequently, her body might very possibly swell so much that it burst when she continued to devour spiritual ley lines in the future.
After all, there was an essential difference between pure hardness and flexibility.
Gloria was clearly aware of that, so she was exceedingly patient.
Furthermore, Levi was being stalled by Xylas at present.
Thus, she could slowly metamorphose without any worries.
When her metamorphosis was complete, she would be able to devour Yartran’s super-spiritual ley line.
At that time, she would be even more invincible.
“Let’s call it a day!”
Gloria could distinctly sense the changes in her body and meridians.
According to her estimation, her metamorphosis should be almost half-completed.
Everyone of the Esoteric Guild breathed a sigh of relief.
It looks like this fiend has yet to complete her metamorphosis, which means we’ll be able to remain alive for the time being.
As Gloria left in sheer gratification, Caelum conveyed the happenings there to Forlevia and the others in real-time.
At the Holy Guild, the Acting Minister was at a loss before the panic-stricken Ecclesiastic Order.
News suddenly came from Thundera of the imminent return of the lord of the Cetus, Wade.
Hence, they were instructed to shore up their defenses during this time.
At the same time, he claimed that they had already found the mythical world of legend, which was filled with incredibly powerful fighters who could lay waste to all creation.
The legends recorded in the ancient manual of the Ecclesiastic Order back then had actually gone to that world.
Over there, their initial capabilities were considered to be the lowest among all.
The jaw of the Acting Minister of the Holy Guild promptly dropped.
Verily, he couldn’t believe his own eyes.
Chapter 3617 The Mark Of The Glorian Order
The Acting Minister of the Holy Guild was so shocked that words eluded him.
He continued reading the missive from Thundera.
After such a long time, both Thundera and Wade had joined the super sects in the legendary world.
The capabilities of the super sects were beyond imagination.
Wade had learned that his clan had been wiped out, so he was returning to exact his revenge.
“What should we do now?”
The brows of the Acting Minister of the Holy Guild creased deeply.
Ultimately, Wade’s return wasn’t good news for the Ecclesiastic Order.
Right now, the Glorian Order has set its sight on us, and there are signs of Xylas working with them. If Wade were to return, he would most likely form an alliance with the Glorian Order. At that time, the Ecclesiastic Order would be all the more powerless to go against them!
Fortunately, Thundera’s subsequent remark had relief suffusing him.
It read: Don’t worry, for I won’t stand idly by as the Ecclesiastic Order is annihilated. I’ll also be coming back in a few days to defend the Ecclesiastic Order.
Subsequently, Thundera even noted that he wasn’t returning alone this time.
He would be bringing along a few mighty beings from the legendary world.
That was the end of his missive.
Nonetheless, it was already enough reassurance for the Acting Minister of the Holy Guild.
He immediately informed the high-ranking officials of the Ecclesiastic Order of Thundera’s imminent return alongside mighty beings.
In the blink of an eye, the conference hall plunged into an uproar.
“This world is probably going to fall into complete chaos!”
“Once the mighty beings from the legendary world make an appearance, they’ll undoubtedly spark a bloodbath.”
“Even if they could restrain themselves, a bloodthirsty fiend such as Wade wouldn’t possibly let things slide!”
“What’s there to fear? Wade is bringing mighty beings back, but Master Thundera is also doing the same. Thus, why should we be afraid?”
“Exactly! We can finally regain our prestige, and we’ll no longer have to obey Levi!”
On the whole, the Ecclesiastic Order had mixed feelings about the matter.
Nevertheless, they were still very much looking forward to Thundera’s return.
After all, they wouldn’t have to be reliant on someone else and live cautiously anymore.
On the other hand, the Glorian Order had spies in the various forces.
In no time, news of Thundera and Wade’s imminent return reached Xylas.
“This is great!”
He was over the moon as it was wonderful news for him.
Father has been cultivating in the legendary world for a long time, so his capabilities are sure to have soared. Together with my master, Gloria, we’ll be able to reign supreme over this world! Furthermore, Father isn’t coming back alone but bringing along mighty beings. That’s simply a colossal plus point!
“At that time, Levi, I’m going to snap your neck personally,” Xylas muttered viciously.
Right then, he couldn’t wait to meet his father, Wade.
At the same time, Phoenix and the others were carefully observing the development of the situation.
All the while, they continued investigating whether Gloria was the mastermind behind everything.
In reality, it was exceedingly practical to investigate her identity, especially to discover the method she was utilizing to grow so powerful.
As long as they managed to shed light on that source of all problems, they would be able to resolve many questions and problems without having to expend much effort.
On top of that, having an idea of the person’s identity would give them a more distinct target to guard against.
They also had to shore up their guard against those linked to that person in question.
That would prevent them from being manipulated and avoid dissent as much as possible.
Recently, many spies had sent news, one after another, and they swiftly obtained a lot of evidence.
Sure enough, those from West Pavilion who were still alive were all people who were once close with Gloria.
What was more, they had all joined the Glorian Order.
That wasn’t all, for East Pavilion was also ambushed later. Its remaining members had likewise joined the Glorian Order.
In other words, the Glorian Order was rapidly expanding its influence.
Its main spread of power was slowly making short work of the various primary forces of the Ecclesiastic Order.
The key evidence was that all those people bore the mark of the Glorian Order—the tattoo of a dragon devouring the earth.
Chapter 3618 Coming Closer To The Truth
Everything was extremely obvious, and it was not difficult to investigate it either.
More information came one after the other.
Phoenix and the rest even discovered that Gloria was one of the West Pavilion members who almost got killed by Levi.
This information was extremely critical. In fact, it pointed them to a very clear direction.
Back then, Levi had suspected that there was a mysterious woman amongst the members of West Pavilion.
Furthermore, Phoenix discovered that Linda, Gloria’s master, had been killed by Gloria and Floyd.
Azure Dragon and the rest were dumbfounded when they heard the news.
Back then, Linda had been accused as a traitor. According to an insider, she had brought multiple apprentices to kill Gloria.
No one knew exactly why Gloria and Linda suddenly became enemies, despite initially being in a teacher-apprentice relationship.
However, regardless of anything else, this was directly related to Floyd. Perhaps, they could glean some important clues from him.
“We must ask Floyd about this.”
Having decided on that, Phoenix and the rest looked for Floyd directly.
At that moment, he was frantically devouring spiritual energy, completely immersed in the joy of being able to increase his abilities in a short amount of time.
“Floyd, did you kill Linda?” demanded Phoenix straightforwardly.
Having been interrupted in the middle of his cultivation, Floyd was very unhappy.
When Phoenix asked that question in such an accusatory tone, as if she was confronting him, he became even more upset.
“That’s right. I killed Linda,” he admitted without a hint of hesitation.
Back then, he had not expected himself to actually kill Linda by catching her off guard.
“Floyd, do you know why Linda wanted to kill Gloria?” asked Azure Dragon.
Smirking coldly, Floyd answered, “Linda heard some dubious rumors about how Gloria had stolen West Pavilion’s cultivation technique book. A master who cannot tell the truth from the lies deserves to die.”
The more Floyd spoke, the angrier he became. Gloria had informed him about everything afterward.
If she had actually stolen the advanced technique book, she would not have remained so helpless when up against Linda.
Even if she could not defeat Linda, retreating was not a problem.
When Azure Dragon and the rest saw how much Floyd trusted Gloria, they did not know how to convince him otherwise.
Furthermore, they had a falling out previously, to the extent that they were now almost on the verge of fighting.
“Floyd, you should think more carefully about why all these happened. Maybe it’ll be beneficial for you.” With that, Phoenix turned around and left.
Azure Dragon and the rest followed behind her closely.
Scoffing nonchalantly, Floyd said, “What the h*ll? Are you the only ones who know how to think?”
Naturally, he did not believe that this was all part of Gloria’s plan as he had witnessed everything himself.
If she wanted to put on an act to gain sympathy, there was no need for her to risk her life so easily.
He knew that if he had acted a second slower in that situation, Gloria would have perished immediately, which further proved that Gloria had not learned Forlevia’s technique.
Otherwise, she could have escaped from Linda’s attacks, even if she was unable to win.
After leaving Floyd, Phoenix and the rest found a secluded place.
Phoenix asked solemnly, “Do you think that Gloria killed Linda because Linda found some indisputable evidence?”
“That’s not very likely. It’s true that Linda was killed by Floyd. Quite a lot of people know about that. There’s no way it’s just slander,” dismissed Azure Dragon with a wave of his hand.
The rest fell into momentary silence. That was certainly a point of conflict.
After staying quiet for a while, Phoenix suddenly suggested, “What if Gloria used some kind of ploy to create the illusion that Linda had been killed by Floyd?”
What she said immediately enlightened everyone. Azure Dragon and the rest quickly expressed their agreement.
If Gloria was powerful enough, it was entirely possible for her to control some of Linda’s actions.
Considering Floyd’s abilities back then, it would not be a simple task to kill Linda even if he ambushed her.
Chapter 3619 Do Not Conceal It Anymore
“Phoenix’s hypothesis is very likely.”
“Yeah! Even if Floyd had been tricked, he wouldn’t have known at all.”
“Furthermore, he’s completely smitten with Gloria. It would only be natural for his first impression about the situation to be one that was not negative.”
As the group expressed their opinions, Phoenix’s expression became even more solemn.
If their guesses were true, Gloria’s manipulations were simply too terrifying.
Even if Floyd was in love with her, he was still a very intelligent man. To be able to deceive him completely, she would need an extremely elaborate plan.
Azure Dragon sighed and said, “Although we are basically sure that it is Gloria, we lack actual evidence.”
“That’s true. If we want Floyd to give up on her completely and for Boss to believe it, we’ll need to continue searching for evidence.”
Phoenix and the rest mustered their energy and continued looking for evidence regarding Gloria.
At the same time, Gloria kept using the Heavenly Thunder to strengthen herself while Xylas made his rounds in the forces with a bunch of Fatalis Warriors.
The Ecclesiastic Order and Levi’s base were the top targets.
Although Xylas knew that the Minister was about to return, he still did not have a care in the world. In his opinion, even if the Minister returned, there was nothing the Minister could do to him.
Even if he could not defeat the Minister, it was a piece of cake for him to escape unscathed.
Furthermore, Wade informed him that he would return soon with a few powerful figures that had been supporting him.
That bolstered Xylas’ confidence even more, to the extent that he had no fear for anyone in the world.
Just when Xylas was parading around and acting all arrogant, he revealed that the technique he was cultivating had something to do with Levi’s daughter.
There was no news in the world that could be kept secret, especially when Phoenix and the rest were constantly looking out for information relevant to Gloria.
Soon, they managed to get a hold on that intel.
Considering how important this was, Phoenix and the rest decided to look for Forlevia and clarify the situation immediately.
Once it was verified, they could be certain that Gloria was the mysterious woman.
“Evie, think carefully about the technique that Xylas used. How likely is it that it’s your self-created technique book?” asked Phoenix urgently.
Actually, Forlevia had been mulling over it for a period of time, especially after Xylas attacked the underground base for the second time.
Forlevia was sure that it was a part of the devouring technique from her self-created technique book.
Phoenix and the rest immediately became reinvigorated, for this was a highly critical piece of evidence.
They wanted to tell Levi about it, but his location was unknown. Even Zoey and Forlevia did not know where he had gone.
“The most important thing to do now is to find out who revealed the technique,” said Azure Dragon in a deep voice.
As long as they could verify that, they could easily clarify their doubts by following this clue.
In fact, they might even be able to ascertain the mysterious woman’s true identity.
“But I asked everyone whom I’ve told the technique about. It’s none of them!”
Forlevia was troubled too.
“Evie, do you know when you taught Floyd the technique?” asked Phoenix out of the blue.
Forlevia was stunned, for she did not intend to talk about it. But, naturally, she understood the implicit message in Phoenix’s words, and she similarly harbored doubts toward Floyd.
Nonetheless, she did not have any evidence, and Floyd was her father’s most valued apprentice.
To outsiders, Forlevia’s actions and words would sometimes represent Levi’s mindset. Hence, under usual circumstances, she was unwilling to suspect anyone internally.
Once internal disputes arise, it would be difficult to resolve them in the future—in fact, it might lead to irreversible outcomes.
“Evie, you don’t need to have any concerns. Without any concrete evidence, we won’t tell Boss.”
“Yeah, Evie. This is really important, so we must be extremely sure first.”
“At this point in time, there’s no need for you to conceal anything, Evie.”
Phoenix and the rest tried their best to convince her.
Chapter 3620 He Has Lost Himself
The expression on Forlevia’s face turned grim.
Upon thinking that this would concern everyone’s safety and Floyd’s future, she revealed everything without holding anything back.
Forlevia only described the approximate time period—it was much earlier than when she taught the others the technique.
“Furthermore, Floyd especially reminded me not to tell Daddy about teaching him the technique.”
Recalling what had happened back then, Forlevia tried her best to narrate all the details.
As the most meticulous member, Phoenix revealed a serious look when she heard that.
Logically speaking, Floyd should not be worried about Levi knowing about it even if he asked Forlevia to teach him the technique.
After all, he was Levi’s most valued apprentice.
Levi eagerly wished Floyd would become stronger, so Floyd could help shoulder some of his stress.
He wanted Floyd to handle more important responsibilities independently.
Furthermore, when Phoenix and the rest tried their best to recall that time period, they realized that a lot of crises had emerged soon afterward.
The base was attacked first before the God Crusher got stolen.
Considering how it was a joint attack by various forces, it seemed like someone was manipulating everything behind the scenes and deliberately creating such a huge war.
Afterward, Levi was also certain that there was a mysterious third party behind everything.
Someone was also purposely guiding them toward the Cetus’ location, triggering the major battle with the Ecclesiastic Order.
“Looking at it now, that enemy became stronger rapidly after obtaining Evie’s technique,” concluded Phoenix.
Azure Dragon agreed and added, “She only took action personally after waiting to become stronger.”
Everyone soon remembered how the mysterious woman managed to rescue Xylas in front of Levi.
Back then, it was obvious that she had no confidence in succeeding.
Otherwise, she would not have chosen to attack Floyd and cause Levi to switch focus. It was only through this distraction that she managed to find a chance to rescue Xylas.
“Floyd didn’t want me to tell Daddy that I taught him the technique because he suspected that Daddy created the technique and did not intend on teaching anyone else. Hence, he assumed that I was just trying to hide the secret from the others by saying that I created it. Nevertheless, Floyd did not dare to ask Daddy about it, so he secretly asked me about the technique’s content,” analyzed Forlevia quickly.
Phoenix and the rest were dumbfounded, for they did not expect Forlevia’s thinking to reach such an advanced level at her young age.
There was no doubt that her guess was very logical.
Otherwise, considering Floyd’s status, there was no need for him to ask about the technique secretly and worry that Forlevia would tell others about it.
There was only one reason—he was afraid Levi would have a bad impression of him after finding out.
“Now, we just need to be sure that Floyd was the one who revealed the technique,” said Kirin.
As long as they managed to verify this clearly, the answers to everything else would be revealed naturally.
However, it was a tough challenge to make Floyd admit the truth.
“What are we waiting for? Let’s ask him directly.”
“That’s right. At this point in time, there’s no need to show any courtesy toward him. It’s better to just confront him honestly.”
Azure Dragon and Black Tortoise agreed with Kirin.
“Forget it!” Phoenix objected. “Considering Floyd’s previous attitude, it’ll be a futile attempt even if we ask him. He’ll probably lie in order to cover up for Gloria. In fact, if we corner him too much, he might even fight us.”
Heaving a deep sigh, Azure Dragon said, “I don’t know what’s up with that dude. It’s like he has lost himself.”
The others also shook their heads and sighed, with the memory of Floyd’s agitated response still vivid in their minds.
If he was now the target of such a serious suspicion, he might attack them out of panic.
There was no way to be sure about that.
Regardless, no one noticed that flash of determination that appeared in Kirin’s eyes.