On the ground, after the instruments detected the second tremor, everyone felt it. The chilling aura that had perpetually hung over Hantan Village vanished, as if a lid had been lifted from the village's sky.
Warm sunlight bathed Hantan Village, and even the water in the cold pond began to rise in temperature!
The changes in Hantan Village brought immense joy to Jiang Tao, Zhang Daoyun, and the others who remained on the surface. They knew Ling Tian had succeeded.
Jiang Tao and the others immediately dispatched a small team to meet Ling Tian. As they reached the cave entrance, they saw Ling Tian emerging from within.
"Ling Tian, how was it?" Zhang Daoyun asked anxiously.
"I have fulfilled my mission. The problem with Hantan Village has been completely resolved!"
"Mr. Ling Tian, those thermobaric bombs..." Jiang Tao inquired.
"Uh, I used all the thermobaric bombs. There was no other way, as there were many unclean things below, and the core of the formation was difficult to break without brute force..." Ling Tian explained.
"Oh, I didn't mean anything by it, I just wanted to confirm. So, Mr. Ling Tian, what are your suggestions for what to do next?"
"You can send people in to take a look. There shouldn't be anything dangerous inside anymore, but the cave is very steep, with a lot of ice, making it extremely slippery.
Also, I suggest it would be best to blast it and collapse the cave. That way, it's a clean sweep!"
"Alright, you go rest first. I'll arrange it immediately!"
Ling Tian and the others returned directly to Hantan Village, while the team sent by Jiang Tao entered the cave. Two dog-shaped robots led the way, with the team following behind.
Soon, they descended to the cold pond at the bottom. The scene within shocked them. The entire space looked as if it had been scorched by intense fire, with residual heat still present.
It appeared as though the area had indeed been burned by thermobaric bombs.
However, in reality, this was all a ruse by Ling Tian. Before leaving, he had poured a large amount of alcohol and gasoline stored in his spiritual realm into the cave and then set it ablaze.
The raging fire burned for a long time, creating a scene similar to a thermobaric bomb explosion. This was a masterful deception, a true testament to Ling Tian's inheritance from his fourth master, the King of Assassins, Xiang Yuntian.
For a top assassin, killing someone was not the most difficult part; the most profound skill was to kill someone without a trace, making it appear as an accident.
In the temporary command center set up on the ground, Ling Tian recounted the events below to everyone. Of course, he concealed the existence of the massive Earth Essence and Ah Li.
The Earth Essence was hidden because possession of such a treasure without cause was dangerous; a massive object disappearing without explanation would be difficult to account for and could expose his spiritual realm.
As for Ah Li's existence, the relevant authorities would likely not permit such a powerful cat demon to roam freely in the human world.
After the meeting concluded, Jiang Tao and Zhang Daoyun each wrote a report and submitted it to their superiors. In the following days, Ling Tian cooperated with the disciples of Longhu Mountain and the military to sweep through the surrounding mountains and forests, ensuring no malevolent spirits were lurking.
With a violent explosion, the cave where the underground cold pond was located was directly collapsed. This even altered the local topography. After a minor tremor, the eerie presence over Hantan Village vanished, and even the temperature of the cold pond returned to normal.
Only then did Ling Tian return to Longhu Mountain with Zhang Daoyun.
That evening, at Zhang Daoyun's residence, Zhang Caifeng personally prepared a sumptuous meal. Zhang Daoyun, Caifeng, Ling Tian, and Zhang Daowen, who had been invited by Zhang Daoyun, sat around the table.
The atmosphere was cordial as they dined and conversed. This time, Ling Tian had not only saved the Sect Leader of Longhu Mountain but also salvaged its reputation.
During the meal, Ling Tian provided a more detailed account of what had happened underground to Zhang Daoyun and Zhang Caifeng, particularly mentioning the twenty-meter-long lamprey.
Upon hearing that the lamprey had been killed by Ling Tian's thermobaric bombs, Zhang Daowen was quite distressed.
"Ling Tian, judging by your description, that lamprey must have had several hundred years of cultivation. This beast, having resided in this Yin-gathering formation for so long, likely formed a demon core.
That's a valuable item, whether for cultivation, crafting talismans, or magical artifacts, it's a rare treasure..."
Ling Tian gave a wry smile.
"Uncle-Master Zhang, that thing was too bizarre. Talismans had no effect, and bullets couldn't penetrate its skin. If I hadn't used a powerful weapon, I might have been covered in its excrement by now."
"Yes, you're right. It was my greed."
At this point, Ling Tian's heart stirred, and he asked Zhang Daoyun, "Uncle, how much do you know about demons?
Do wild beasts that live for hundreds or thousands of years truly become spirits or demons?
Also, can these demons truly cultivate into human form? Is this a factual existence or just a myth?"
Zhang Daoyun smiled, "Ling Tian, if you asked others, they might not know, but if you ask me, this humble Taoist priest does know a thing or two.
I can tell you that while animals that can cultivate into demons are extremely rare, they do exist, including some that achieve human form!
However, these demons have integrated into human society. In fact, among the retainers of some ancient families and cultivation sects, there are members who are these demons who have achieved human form.
Even within the Righteous Alliance, there are a few such retainers..."
As he spoke, Zhang Daoyun made a gesture upwards. Ling Tian immediately understood.
"Uncle, if one were to encounter such a demon, how should it be handled?"
"Naturally, you should report it to the Righteous Alliance, then try to persuade it with reason and emotion. If the other party is sensible and willing to abide by the rules of human society, the Righteous Alliance will monitor it and provide certain conveniences for its living.
If it is disobedient, then engage it directly. If it must be killed, so be it. Remember, a demon that has cultivated for a thousand years, its body itself is a treasure..."
Hearing Zhang Daoyun's words, Ling Tian felt incredibly fortunate that he hadn't allowed Ah Li to appear publicly, otherwise, it might have caused some trouble.
Ling Tian and Zhang Caifeng stayed at Longhu Mountain for a few more days. During this time, he discussed talisman knowledge with both Zhang Daowen and Zhang Daoyun. However, as the New Year approached, Ling Tian proposed to take his leave.
Early that morning, Ling Tian and Zhang Caifeng woke up and returned to Jiangshan City.