As Lin Feng and the others hurried towards the Seventh Department, Li Xiang discovered a terrifying scene through the surveillance cameras of the Seventh Department via his mobile phone.
The Seventh Department headquarters, located underground, had been reduced to ruins.
The capital was shrouded in dark clouds and lashed by fierce winds and torrential rain, as if the end of the world had arrived. Even the television stations broadcasted emergency information, claiming the capital was experiencing severe weather and urging citizens not to panic.
In reality, the capital's high-ranking officials were in utter chaos.
No one knew what had happened, and the meteorologists were also at a loss, as according to meteorological data, the coming days should have been clear and sunny.
Yet, the weather had suddenly changed drastically, as if some powerful figure were undergoing tribulation.
Dense lightning formed dazzling thunderous masses in the sky, and the deafening thunder sounded like explosions, making one's scalp tingle.
Soon, the power grid and the internet collapsed, plunging the entire city into darkness.
"It's over. It must be the Demon Emperor. The Demon Emperor is too powerful; wherever he goes, it's like the apocalypse."
"He shouldn't belong to this era at all. Under heaven, who can be his match?"
Li Xiang watched with a pounding heart. In all his years, this was the first time he had witnessed someone capable of changing the heavens and earth with his own power.
"It's quite normal! You've truly never seen the world. Let alone changing the heavens and earth, it would be perfectly reasonable for the Demon Emperor to destroy the world."
"And this is even with the Demon Emperor sealed for ten thousand years, his strength less than one ten-thousandth of his peak."
"If it were the Demon Emperor in his prime, in the Three Realms, you could count his equals on one hand."
Duan Liang scoffed. Having seen much, he showed no particular reaction to such a scene.
"Old man, what are you? You say we haven't seen the world, so tell us what you've seen?"
Li Xiang was somewhat displeased. He was also a cultivator, and encountering this old Daoist priest, Duan Liang, had ignited his competitive spirit.
"I have seen much. The aristocratic families and the various training grounds, pick anyone from them, and they could suppress the current era."
"You are all frogs in a well; you haven't seen the power of another realm."
"With the Demon Emperor's emergence, the people from the aristocratic families and training grounds will not be able to sit still. Soon, you will witness people from different worlds surfacing one after another."
Duan Liang said with anticipation in his eyes.
"The aristocratic families and training grounds, what are those?"
Li Xiang asked curiously. He had never heard these terms before.
Qing Niao and Lin Feng were also very curious. They had heard of aristocratic families, meaning hidden aristocratic families.
But the term "training grounds" was unfamiliar.
"The aristocratic families are the hidden powers of these prominent families in the mortal world in another realm."
"Training grounds are places where people of the righteous path, after reaching a certain level of cultivation, have opened up their own sects. For example, our Kunlun Sect can be called a small Kunlun training ground, with its own world and its own cultivation techniques."
"Of course, compared to those grand training grounds, the Kunlun Sect is not worth mentioning."
"The founders of those grand training grounds are figures from the same era as the Demon Emperor, and their strength is also similar."
"With the Demon Emperor's emergence this time, people from those grand training grounds will also appear. You just wait and watch the show."
Duan Liang chuckled, as if he were brewing some grand plan, his smile sly and cunning.
"It's so magical. It turns out there are so many people and things in this world that we don't know about."
Li Xiang was filled with emotion, finally realizing how insignificant he was.
Lin Feng and Qing Niao also felt complex emotions. These things that Duan Liang spoke of were beyond their reach.
In the eyes of those people, they were indeed humble mortals.
But mortals also have their pride. Lin Feng firmly believed that he would become an existence even more formidable than them.
Nothing is impossible in this world if one is determined to climb!
He now had the advantage of time, place, and people. If he didn't achieve something great, he would be letting himself down with his cheat-like skills.
As they were chatting, the paper boat had already sailed into the capital's territory.
The capital before them was like the eye of a storm, a dark city swept by fierce winds and torrential rain. Amidst the lightning and thunder, the myriad of lights had dimmed.
It was not until a long time later that the storm ended, and the capital returned to its former tranquility.
Only where the Seventh Department was located was there ruins, as if a great battle had taken place, with the hidden underground entrance completely blocked by debris.
The entire land seemed to have suffered a major earthquake, with collapsed houses and billowing smoke.
Seeing this, Li Xiang's tears began to fall.
Even though True Master Zi Yu had said long ago that the Seventh Department would suffer a devastating blow, seeing it with his own eyes still pained Li Xiang.
After all, he had worked at the Seventh Department for so long and had developed deep feelings for it.
How could he remain indifferent after witnessing the Seventh Department's demise?
"Lin Feng, look quickly, that looks like Uncle Guo!"
Qing Niao pointed to a figure trapped under the debris in the ruins and urgently signaled Li Xiang to control the paper boat to descend.
Lin Feng also saw clearly. The person crushed by the debris was indeed that fortune-telling old man.
The three of them got off the paper boat. Lin Feng rushed to the fortune-telling old man first, moved the debris off him, and was shocked to find that the old man was already dead.
"Your prediction was truly accurate. You were indeed destined to die."
Lin Feng looked at the fortune-telling old man's corpse, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
He hadn't really believed in the old man's fortune-telling abilities before, but now that he had witnessed it firsthand, he couldn't help but believe.
"Uncle Guo is gone. Then did Master Zi Yu also fall victim to the Demon Emperor's poison?"
Qing Niao's eyes welled up, an ominous feeling engulfing her.
"Yes, he should have ascended to the west. Look!"
Lin Feng pointed towards the western horizon.
Everyone looked up and saw colorful auspicious clouds blooming in the west.
Colorful auspicious clouds were a sign of good fortune.
The only person who could cause such a phenomenon in the heavens and earth was True Master Zi Yu, the one undergoing tribulation.
Perhaps, as True Master Zi Yu had said, this was an unavoidable great calamity for him.
After this tribulation, his cultivation in this lifetime would be complete.
Only the shell perished; the soul attained eternal life.
"Then where did the Demon Emperor go?"
Qing Niao asked.
"I'm not sure. We shouldn't stay here long. I need to take care of some personal matters."
"Old Daoist, come with me to the Ye family. The Ye family thinks they've allied with the Demon Commander and wants to kill me. This debt must be settled."
Lin Feng said coldly.
"Damn it, we definitely have to settle this. The Ye family wanting to kill you is equivalent to wanting to kill me. I can't tolerate this!"
Duan Liang immediately became displeased.
No wonder Lin Feng had offended the Demon Commander Qiu Long; it turned out the Ye family was responsible for this.
Thus, Lin Feng and Duan Liang both unleashed their flying pig speed and rushed towards the Ye family's location.
"My Lord Demon Commander, they are heading to my home. Let's follow them quickly. You are the pillar of our family; you cannot stand by and do nothing!"
Ye Chen realized Lin Feng and Duan Liang's intentions and was terrified.
Qiu Long ignored Ye Chen's urging. He was only responsible for personally protecting Lin Feng and Duan Liang. Wherever Lin Feng and Duan Liang went, he naturally had to follow.