Chapter 282 - 255: Return to the Abyss
"Huff~"
Annan exhaled in relief when he saw that he had at last handed himself over to the Night Watcher.
They were still very particular about their principles.
"Your share of the money, I’ll transfer it," Lin Chao spoke with meticulous care to Annan. "Make a clean break with the past, and strive to come out alive."
Such sincerity touched Annan a bit, even though it was they who had captured him. But with the Abyss being blocked, compromise was just a matter of time. Either he would go mad and start killing, to be executed on the spot, or he would have to willingly walk into the trap.
She had even considered letting her father capture her to collect the reward but feared getting killed by others on the way there.
"Thank you, once I get out, I promise to make you ecstatic~"
Annan blew Lin Chao a kiss then obediently put on the shackles and followed the staff member away.
Later, they would assign her different cannon fodder tasks according to the severity of her misdeeds. Should she complete them, she would earn her freedom!
With Annan’s strength, it was absolutely worth controlling her with some implanted explosives, and although the cannon fodder tasks had a high mortality rate, the company had indeed always kept its promises so far.
If she refused to cooperate, they might just dismantle her for organ sales. The money from the bounty couldn’t be lost, after all. The choice was, in fact, quite simple…
…
"I’ll go and deliver the money for her."
"Yeah, I’ll come with you, and then I’ll take you back home afterward," Tao Yu said to Lin Chao.
He was responsible for bringing the person out, so of course, he had to deliver her back unharmed.
Both Annan and Haus seemed to have heard this news; perhaps they were almost ready to take action.
Lin Chao’s "Intuition" was probably a thorn in their side.
"Thanks, I still need to discuss this with the Society Chairman, sigh, there indeed seems to be trouble this time…" Lin Chao said, appearing somewhat uneasy. He then followed Annan’s address and delivered a sum of money to her father. Lin Chao kept none of it for himself, and Tao Yu let him do as planned, his character was such, and nothing could be done about it.
However, as they were preparing to leave the city, the ground suddenly began to tremble slightly.
But Tao Yu and Lin Chao both turned to look toward the distant sky at the same time.
Roar!
A roar rang out, and a thirty-zhang long dragon soared across the sky, emitting a furious roar.
The dragon was entirely black, with a fierce appearance and its skin seemed to be covered with iron armor in many vital areas.
Above the dragon’s head, one eye bore a scar, making it look even more ferocious.
That Dragon’s Chant could chill one’s heart across several streets, involuntarily evoking a sense of dread.
Many passersby’s faces changed and they quickly sought cover.
Some even cried out in shock,
"It’s the Supreme Elder of the Longxi Clan!"
"Only he could achieve this!"
"How is this possible? What’s happening!"
Then came an angry bellow from the dragon in the sky,
"Gu Qiu! How dare you attack us openly in the Inner City!"
At this, Lin Chao also exclaimed,
"The Chairman?!"
Tao Yu was also stunned. Was that Gu Qiu the Chairman of the Chaoyang Society?!
Damn, is he that fierce?
"Haha, you amass bountied criminals, collude with Heretic God Followers... Your Longxi Clan deserves to die!"
A domineering voice actually overpowered the dragon’s chant.
"You…"
However, before the dragon could react further, a cold snort came from above.
A streak of light shot out from the base of the Floating City, instantly pressing the dragon down and causing the ground to vibrate.
Thereafter, transparent walls descended from the sky, completely sealing off the area, and no more sounds could be heard.
"It’s the Inspector of the Floating City. Within the Inner City, using attacks beyond a certain range is prohibited. That Supreme Elder has crossed the line..."
Lin Chao whispered to Tao Yu, excitement evident in his eyes.
"It’s the Sect Hierarch, he already knows, ha ha, the Sect Hierarch is right: when it comes to evil, we should strike proactively and hit them hard!"
Lin Chao had always been a little fanboy of the Chaoyang Society’s Sect Hierarch, often quoting him in conversation.
Although they only heard a voice from afar this time, they could somewhat discern the other party’s strength.
Even though the dragon had not displayed much power, its sheer size alone made it a formidable opponent. The Sect Hierarch of Chaoyang Society attacked their stronghold directly, his strength must be even greater.
"This must be the ’ceiling’ of the Inner City. These old immortals have accumulated a lot of power indeed. But Gu Qiu seems rather young, even younger than my parents."
Tao Yu felt somewhat sentimental.
For now, it seemed the Sect Hierarch of Chaoyang Society had temporarily resolved the issue, but whether he could ultimately settle it was still uncertain.
If the Longxi Clan truly had nothing to do with the Heretic God Followers, then it might be difficult to take them down at once.
When it comes to some bounty-wanted criminals, that would not be a fatal problem.
"Now it’s Chaoyang Society that has provoked universal anger. I’m afraid the other clans in the Inner City will protect the Longxi Clan instead of coveting their market share..."
In theory, the Longxi Clan also had competitors in the Inner City. Even if they didn’t, if they encountered troubles on a normal day, there would be many who would kick them while they were down.
But the situation becomes different when it’s tied to Chaoyang Society.
Given Chaoyang Society’s current stance, these are their enemies!
Today it could be the Longxi Clan, and tomorrow it might be the next one...
This is different from those who took over and became ’our own people’...
…
"Be sure to stay safe after I leave. Safety comes first, understand?"
That’s what Tao Yu reminded his family when he was getting ready to leave.
Since they had already familiarized themselves with the basic Shaolin breathing technique, and with their third brother teaching them hand-by-hand using the Meridian Chart, by the time he returned, they had already mastered the basics of the meridians.
So this time, he had completed teaching them the Muscle Changing and Bone Forging Scripture.
Once they had the Muscle Changing and Bone Forging Scripture down, the next time he came back, he could teach them the fundamental heart method.
They were currently practicing the basic Shaolin breathing technique, and transitioning to the Muscle-Tendon Changing Classic wouldn’t be a problem. The initiation of the Muscle-Tendon Changing Classic is simpler than that of the Nine Yin True Scripture’s Big Dipper.
"Tao Shi, pay attention these days. The situation with Chaoyang Society is a bit delicate; you better just stay home. Safety comes first."
Tao Yu also made a special point to warn Tao Shi. The current turmoil wasn’t going to settle down easily.
"I know. It won’t cause trouble for you all. I’ll stay home and cultivate for the time being, and I should be awakening in another year," Tao Shi, though wild on normal days, solemnly agreed this time. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
After making all the arrangements, Tao Yu also returned to his room, folding the ’personal flying machine’ he had custom-made and carried back as a backpack. Then, he sat cross-legged on his bed.
He wondered where they had reached now, hoping he could catch up if he set out now...
…
When Tao Yu opened his eyes again, he was already in the chamber of the Ming Cult where he had been before he left.
It was evident that even though more than a month had passed, the chamber was still clean, probably cleaned daily.
Tao Yu, carrying the folded flying machine, opened the door and saw two beautiful maids waiting at the entrance.
Upon seeing Tao Yu emerge, they first expressed surprise, then bowed excitedly
"Congratulations to the Sect Hierarch for coming out of seclusion."
"Hmm. Where is Shi Zuoshi? Call him to see me..."
He just wanted a brief update on any new intelligence from the nearby Bright Summit. If there was nothing major, he would head out to chase after the main force...