“Holy Light, purify these defiled beings!”
A deep, majestic chant echoed from the cave entrance.
The priest who had acted—a middle-aged man with a solemn face, eagle-sharp eyes, and dressed in a silver-white, gold-trimmed priestly robe—raised his Holy Emblem Scepter.
Behind him, six Temple Knights, clad in uniform, gleaming silver armor, white cloaks, and wielding greatswords or flails, marched in like a steel wall!
Intricate holy runes were carved into the Knights' armor, glowing with a soft radiance that repelled the surrounding death qi.
Their eyes were firm and fanatical, filled with hatred for "evil" and devotion to their mission of "purification."
“In the name of the Holy Father, judgment!” The priest's scepter swung down!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Several pillars of holy light, thicker than before, descended from the sky, accurately striking the densest areas of Spirit Wights!
The sacred energy exploded, forming small-scale purification fields!
Low-level Spirit Wights within the range melted and disintegrated rapidly, like snow under sunlight, their soul fires completely extinguished!
Even the elite Spirit Wights hissed as they were scorched, their movements becoming increasingly difficult!
The Temple Knights also roared and charged!
Their greatswords and flails gleamed with holy light; each slash and strike inflicted significant damage on the Spirit Wights, as if their power was inherently a bane to these undead creations!
The tide of battle instantly turned!
Gao Zhan and Leimeng felt their pressure greatly reduced, but their expressions were not good.
“Damn it! The Temple's vultures! How did they end up here?!”
Leimeng smashed a Spirit Wight while muttering a curse, clearly not fond of the Knights Templar.
Gao Zhan's eyes flickered; he fought while vigilantly observing the movements of the Temple group.
The relationship between the Central Special Operations Bureau and the Knights Templar had always been delicate, with cooperation and competition coexisting. Now that the latter had arrived uninvited, their intentions were certainly not simple.
Ling Chen took the opportunity to retreat, reuniting with Su Qing and Chen Mo, feigning a posture of full defense and lingering shock, while secretly observing everything with cold eyes.
The addition of the Knights Templar was highly efficient. Their divine abilities seemed specifically targeted at these undead beings, making purification twice as effective.
In less than ten minutes, most of the Spirit Wights in the cave were cleared out, with only a few elite Spirit Wights still stubbornly resisting, but they too were at their last gasp.
The battle gradually subsided.
The cave was a mess, with Spirit Wight remains and shattered Soul Sealing Spirit Gold everywhere. The lingering purification aura of the holy light intertwined with the dense death qi, creating a strange sensation.
The Temple priest put away his scepter, his gaze sweeping across the scene before finally landing on Gao Zhan. He nodded slightly, his tone carrying a formalized solemnity: “Officer Gao Zhan, it’s a pleasure. It seems we arrived just in time.”
Gao Zhan put away his warhammer, his expression calm as he returned the greeting: “Priest Bardell, I’ve long heard of you. Thank you for the Temple’s assistance. May I ask why you appear in this remote and dangerous place?”
He directly voiced everyone’s question.
Priest Bardell’s face was solemn:
“Holy Light guided us here. This place is permeated with a strong aura of death and blasphemy, a source of great evil and impurity. We are here by order of the Cardinal Council to purify it and search for any ancient holy relics that may exist, tainted by evil, to prevent them from falling into error and causing great disaster.”
His gaze seemed to intentionally or unintentionally sweep over the black rectangular object Professor Qin clutched tightly in his arms.
Gao Zhan frowned slightly: “Purify evil? Search for holy relics? Priest Bardell, this place is an important relic first discovered and ordered to be explored by the Central Academy of Sciences, guarded by my Special Operations Bureau. Your so-called ‘holy relics’ are likely the Academy of Sciences’…”
“The Academy of Sciences’ conspiracy?” Priest Bardell’s tone was calm but carried an undeniable implication.
“Officer Gao, with all due respect, some things contain powers that mortals cannot control. Rash contact will only invite disaster. Entrusting them to the Temple for purification and sealing is the responsible thing to do for this world.”
The atmosphere instantly grew tense. Leimeng clenched his fists, glaring angrily. The Academy of Sciences researchers nervously retreated a few steps.
Ling Chen sneered inwardly.
Sure enough, the Temple was after something in the ruins! That black rectangular object? Or other things left by Zhang Liang?
Just as the two sides were in a standoff, suddenly!
Buzz—!!!
The metal platform that Ling Chen had damaged suddenly emitted a faint hum again! Immediately after, the runes on the platform, which had originally dimmed, began to flicker very faintly again!
Although far less bright than before, they exuded an extremely unstable, violent energy fluctuation, as if they could explode at any moment!
At the same time, deep within the cave, the Soul Sealing Spirit Gold components embedded in the rock walls also began to emit a resonant, low hum! The entire cave began to tremble slightly!
“Oh no! The leyline energy cycle is out of control! It’s going to explode!” Professor Qin’s face turned ashen, and he cried out in terror!
Ling Chen’s act of destroying the control core seemed not to have completely stopped the energy cycle; instead, it might have triggered a worse chain reaction!
The energy system of this ancient ruin, having endured a thousand years, was already extremely unstable. Now, forcibly interfered with by external forces, it showed signs of complete collapse and triggering a massive energy explosion!
“Everyone! Evacuate immediately! Quick!” Gao Zhan’s expression changed drastically, and he roared sharply!
“Go!” Priest Bardell also did not hesitate; a Holy Light Shield instantly unfurled, protecting the Knights behind him.
No longer concerned with confrontation and scramble, survival became the top priority!
Everyone rushed towards the cave entrance in a scramble!
Ling Chen’s eyes flashed. In the chaos, he seemingly “accidentally” tripped over a fallen Spirit Wight carcass, stumbling into Professor Qin, who was closest to him and retreating in a panic, clutching the black rectangular object!
“Professor, watch out!”
At the moment of impact, Ling Chen’s fingers, at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, very secretly brushed across the bottom of the black rectangular object!
A trace of blood, faint to the extreme yet containing the unique aura of the Soul Jade Physique, like the finest dust, silently imprinted itself on the surface of that strange object!
Having done all this, he immediately “fumbled” to support Professor Qin, apologizing repeatedly: “I’m sorry! Professor! Are you alright?!”
Professor Qin, still shaken, didn’t notice anything unusual. He just clutched the black block tightly and continued to run out with the help of his assistant.
The corner of Ling Chen’s mouth curved into a cold arc that no one noticed.
With the mark left, no matter where this thing was taken, he would have a chance to sense and find it!
Everyone scrambled out of the cave, desperately climbing up the rappelling ropes!
Just as the last person climbed to the top of the valley!
Rumble rumble rumble—!!!
A terrifying, deep roar, as if from the depths of the earth’s core, came from below! The entire rift valley shook violently!
A chaotic pillar of energy, mixed with violent spirit energy, death qi, residual holy light, and dust, suddenly erupted from the cave entrance, shooting up hundreds of meters to the valley top! Hot air waves and shattered rocks flew everywhere!
Everyone was knocked off balance, staring in horror at the scene below, like a volcanic eruption!
The energy eruption lasted for nearly a minute before gradually subsiding.
The bottom of the rift valley was filled with smoke and debris; the cave entrance had been completely buried by collapsed boulders.
Zhang Liang’s “Martial Training Grotto-Heaven” relic was once again buried deep underground.
The shaken crowd looked at each other, still catching their breath.
Gao Zhan looked grimly at the buried entrance, then at the people of the Knights Templar, and said in a deep voice: “The relic is destroyed. It’s not advisable to stay here long.”
Priest Bardell looked at the swirling smoke and dust, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure: “Evil has been buried deep, but whether the hidden danger has been completely eliminated is yet unknown. The Temple will continue to monitor this place.”
His gaze again swept over the black block in Professor Qin’s arms, implying something.
Gao Zhan snorted coldly, not responding, and began to direct everyone to organize their equipment and prepare for withdrawal.
Ling Chen silently watched all this, his heart calm.
Although the relic was destroyed, the most important thing—that black rectangular object, which even Zhang Liang valued so highly—had been brought out.
And, his mark was left on it.
The unexpected intervention of the Knights Templar, while introducing variables, also muddied the waters further.
The Special Operations Bureau, the Academy of Sciences, the Temple… the three forces mutually constrained each other, instead giving him, this “minor character,” more room to maneuver.
More importantly, through this exploration, he confirmed the existence of Zhang Liang’s relic and established a connection with it. This was crucial for his future exploration of the “Fourth Path of Ascension.”
On the way back, the atmosphere was silent and oppressive. Each faction harbored its own intentions.
Ling Chen sat in the car, closing his eyes to rest, as if utterly exhausted.
In reality, the cold will of the Soul Jade Physique, like the most precise radar, was remotely sensing the faint mark left on the black rectangular object.
The fish had bitten the hook and been tagged.
Now, it was time to wait patiently.