Father and son exchanged a knowing nce, each seeing the approval in the other''s eyes.


    [Your descendant, George, aided by the twenty-three elders and with the support of the seven major factions and the current leader, Jason, has secured the position of the next Azure Cloud Pavilion Master!]


    [Empowered by Competent!]


    [Your family, with the help of the Ten Thousand Life Mountain Immortal Master and the rescue efforts of the Ten Thousand Life Mountain experts, sessfully eliminated over thirty Williams Psychics. The Immortal Master, joining forces with Sky Corpse Gary, killed the fleeing Donald on the spot!]


    "Ahem."


    The Immortal Master cleared his throat, his gaze sweeping over the father and son.


    One, earnest and sincere, the other, stern and unsmiling – they appeared to be genuinely good people.


    Yet, the Immortal Master saw through their facade, recognizing the cunning that dwelled within.


    "Understood. Ten Thousand Life Mountain will announce that the Williams n attempted to coborate with foreign enemies and was subsequently eradicated by thebined forces of Cloudview County. As for the Williams'' resources..."


    The Immortal Master paused, considering.


    "Azure Cloud is alreadycking in resources. It would be best if ckwood were to assess them first and then distribute them among the various factions of Azure Cloud. This would greatly benefit all of Azure Cloud and help ckwood solidify their position."


    Nathan nodded slowly in agreement.


    Ethan, observing from the screen, felt a surge of hope.


    This Immortal Master was someone they could work with.


    The Immortal Master''s assistance had been crucial.


    Without him, Gary alone wouldn''t have been able to prevent Donald''s escape, and ckwood would have faced a sleepless night.


    The fact that he had some authority over the distribution of resources...


    ckwood getting first pick meant they could take whatever they desired without needing to justify themselves.


    Moreover, the Immortal Master''s words signified his eptance of ckwood''s presence in Cloudview County.


    Quickly, with the help of the Ten Thousand Life Mountain experts, Nathan and his son gathered all the corpses and remnants of equipment, taking Gary with them as they made their way towards the Williams'' base.


    ...


    "Demonic, possessed esper, your kind shall not escape Buddhist justice!!!"


    Golden Forest.


    Abbot David continued his relentless assault.


    His body was covered in wounds, but the formations he faced were also on the verge of copse.


    He was, after all, the most aplished practitioner of Buddhist arts in all of Cloudview County.


    Though only a few individuals were engaged inbat, the Golden Forest was eerily still, the groundpacted by the sheer force of their struggle.


    Blood stained the earth – the blood of ckwood''s third generation and the Lord of Frenzied Blood.


    Despite theirbined might, Abbot David had killed them time and time again!


    And now...


    "Boom!"


    With a six-armed strike, his power diminished but his determination unwavering, he finally broke free from the Lord of Frenzied Blood''s assault, shattering the formation!


    He charged towards Luna, closing the distance with every stride.


    Luna, as if frozen in ce, remained rooted to the Primordial Blood Tree, her demonic mutterings echoing in the air.


    Abbot David saw it with his own eyes.


    Under the weight of his Buddhist aura, Luna stood paralyzed, her eyes wide with terror, her mouth agape in a silent scream.


    "No!"


    Luna stood frozen, her three fluffy tails still swaying slightly.


    She couldn''t move.


    The Buddhist chants and inscriptions enveloped her, the power of a Competent-level technique holding her captive.


    The Primordial Blood Tree''s rootsshed out, twisting and turning as they tried to ensnare Abbot David.


    Its esper abilities surged,yers of barriers forming in defense.


    But...


    It was no use.


    The roots were slowly being pulled away, the distance widening.


    Behind him, ckwood''s third generation and the Lord of Frenzied Blood charged forward with a desperate fury, their cries filled with anguish and rage.


    None of them had anticipated the sheer extent of Abbot David''s power!


    He had reached the middle stage of Competent.


    Unstoppable!


    "Grandma, Grandma!"


    As golden light red, amidst the heart-wrenching cries of ckwood''s third generation, Abbot David smiled cruelly and threw a punch!


    Blood.


    The demon''s blood sttered as his fist connected, pulverizing Luna into nothingness!


    Even the Primordial Blood Tree was snapped in half by his strike!


    Abbot David didn''t hesitate.


    With terrifying speed, he vanished from the scene.


    There were still many ckwood members scattered throughout Cloudview County, awaiting his judgment.


    And then...


    "Today, this humble monk has in the demoness in the name of Buddha! But Azure Cloud remains tainted by the ckwood evil. This monk swears to never rest until it is purged!"


    "...."


    The golden God Beggar Formation still held strong, its intricate patterns shimmering in the air.


    Outside its protective embrace, the crimson crown of the Primordial Blood Tree zed defiantly.


    Luna continued her insidious whispers, her voice a siren''s call.


    Within the formation, ckwood''s third generation and the Lord of Frenzied Blood stood shoulder to shoulder, a line of defense against the unseen enemy.


    But now, a new figure stood just beyond the formation''s edge.


    He was a gaunt man, d in ck.


    A long, thin strip of ck cloth, once used to cover his eyes, now hung loosely around his neck.


    He had removed it upon arriving, yet Abbot David, consumed by the ongoing battle, seemed oblivious to his presence.


    The neer''s eyes zed with an eerie ck light, and like Luna, his lips moved in a silent chant.


    "Hahaha, old baldy, your time hase!"


    Drunken Fool watched with delight as Abbot David thrashed wildly within the formation, his attacks growing increasingly erratic.


    Though Drunken Fool was only at the peak of the Developing Skill level, he could see that Abbot David''s previous battles had taken their toll.


    It was the inherent weakness of physical cultivators – their bodies, no matter how strong, were still susceptible to exhaustion and the erosion of will.


    Abbot David was already sumbing to the insidious whispers of Luna''s demonic influence.


    And now, to make matters worse, the founder of the Ghost Eye Demonic Gate, Old Ralph, had arrived!


    Old Ralph was a master of ocr techniques, arts that could shatter the very mind of his opponents.


    In the past, the Ghost Eye Demonic Gate had been branded as demonic cultivators, feared for their ability to sow chaos and madness with their gaze.


    It was only through generations of effort that they had finally earned the grudging eptance of the other major powers in Cloudview County.


    Such was the power of their techniques.


    "You think you''re so tough, huh, baldy? Back at Sky Sect, I was just a spectator, and I almost got killed by your sorry hide when you ran off! Let''s see you try that again!"


    Drunken Fool, the grimy old man, stood with his hands on his hips, his voice a mocking taunt.


    He had barely escaped with his life thest time he had witnessed Abbot David in action.


    This time, he would not only watch, but he would make sure the old monk paid for what he had done.