Investigation
The Vine Jiao Legion hovered in the sky, and an invisible force covered the ruins of the Blood Python Society headquarters, moving the surviving members out of the area. In a short time, from the vast headquarters that spanned billions of kilometers, several million members were transported out.
"After such a battle, only about ten to twenty percent of the Blood Python Society members survived," General Jiang Chengrong observed, shaking his head slightly as he looked down.
"Those who survived mostly hid deep underground," his deputy remarked. The Blood Python Society headquarters did indeed have many underground structures, and the thick, stable earth of the Origin Continent allowed one or two tenths of the members to survive the terrifying battle.
"Hmm?" General Jiang Chengrong and his deputy both noticed the latest bounty task sent from the Dark Hall of the Yan Feng Guild. The Dark Hall only sent updates to clients when a bounty task changed.
The bounty task displayed that the mission to assassinate Blood Python Society Leader Mu Yang had been completed!
"The Blood Python Society Leader is dead?" The deputy was surprised; from the ruins, they couldn't see any Eternal True God corpses, so they had no idea of the casualties.
"If the Yan Feng Guild confirms death, then it's certain," Jiang Chengrong nodded. Since the Yan Feng Guild's Dark Hall issued assassination missions, they were always certain of their target's life or death.
The deputy spoke gravely, "Our entire Vine Jiao Legion couldn't do anything to the Blood Python Society Leader, but now he's been killed…"
"The one who did it must be stronger than our entire legion!" Jiang Chengrong sighed. "And we still don't know who it was."
Whoosh!
In the distance, a group of figures appeared, traversing the void. Leading them was the Supreme Commander of the entire Huyang's Ten Major Legions, Mo Li Xiao. His face was somewhat aged, and his purple flame-burning eyes scanned the battlefield.
"You oversee the Vine Jiao Legion; I'll go greet Commander Mo Li," General Jiang Chengrong ordered.
"Understood," the deputy replied immediately.
Each of the Huyang's Ten Major Legions was fully staffed with two Eternal True Gods, over twenty thousand Void True Gods, and more than twenty million elite True Gods. This was a double configuration! It ensured that at all times, there was at least one Eternal True God, over ten thousand Void True Gods, and more than ten million elite True Gods within the legion's mechanical treasure.
This allowed for shifts and rotations so that even if an Eternal True God encountered an accident, the legion's operations wouldn't be affected.
Whoosh.
General Jiang Chengrong flew out of the enormous Vine Jiao Legion to personally greet Commander Mo Li Xiao.
"Commander Mo Li," General Jiang Chengrong flew over to his side.
"The Yan Feng Guild confirms that the Blood Python Society Leader is dead," Mo Li Xiao said, looking at the vast ruins of the Blood Python Society headquarters. "In Huyang City, there are very few who could kill the Blood Python Society Leader!"
"Indeed, he couldn't even escape; he was killed outright," Jiang Chengrong agreed. "The entire battle took place within the Blood Python Society headquarters. I moved all the surviving members aside as soon as possible, so they didn't disrupt the battlefield."
Mo Li Xiao nodded slightly.
Buzz~~~
With a thought, an endless black mist spread out, completely covering the ruins of the Blood Python Society headquarters, carefully examining the traces left behind. Based on the remnants in the ruins, they could deduce some details of the battle.
"The material here, along with the power of heaven and earth, was completely shattered and melted into chaotic energy not long ago," Mo Li Xiao observed carefully. "This isn't the Blood Python Society Leader's doing."
Jiang Chengrong nodded. "It seems the one who acted possessed a mechanical treasure capable of controlling chaotic energy."
"But simply having a mechanical treasure isn't enough to kill the Blood Python Society Leader," Mo Li Xiao shook his head slightly. "You're using a legion's mechanical treasure—could you have killed the Blood Python Society Leader?"
General Jiang Chengrong chuckled, "The one who did it is far stronger than I am."
"Very strong, and not someone I'm familiar with," Mo Li Xiao frowned. "It seems a new powerhouse has arrived in Huyang City!"
Their subordinates, following behind them, didn't dare to make a sound during the conversation.
Next to Mo Li Xiao was his favored disciple, Gao Wushui.
Gao Wushui listened and was secretly shocked.
In his mind, his master was the pillar of Huyang City! General Jiang Chengrong was also an extremely powerful Eternal True God. But now, this mysterious powerhouse was clearly someone even his master was wary of.
"We must find out his identity as soon as possible," Mo Li Xiao ordered.
"If this mysterious powerhouse goes to claim the bounty, the Yan Feng Guild will surely know his identity," General Jiang Chengrong said. "But the Yan Feng Guild never betrays its clients."
Mo Li Xiao nodded. "As long as he's not aligned with the Kingdom of Shi, it's good news for us."
The Kingdom of Shi frequently invaded neighboring regions, and as a border city, Huyang City was naturally under great pressure.
...
In Menghua Tower.
Chang Tianyan and Sang Shuiyun were sitting across from each other in a hall, drinking and chatting leisurely. They were regulars at Menghua Tower.
"Hmm?" They both received the latest bounty task sent by the Yan Feng Guild's Dark Hall.
"The Blood Python Society Leader is dead?" Chang Tianyan was surprised. "He was one of the overlords of Huyang City. I always avoided him when I saw him—who could kill him?"
The winged man, Sang Shuiyun, exuded a sense of despondency. Even this news didn't faze him as he casually remarked, "Since he established a dark force and constantly fought and killed, it's only natural that he was eventually killed by another powerhouse."
"True, after killing so many, he finally met a stronger opponent," Chang Tianyan nodded, a hint of excitement in his eyes. "But I'm still curious about who did it."
"Why think so much about it? Given time, the truth will come out naturally," the winged man, Sang Shuiyun, calmly observed his cup of wine.
...
"Who could have killed Blood Python Society Leader Mu Yang?" A thin old man, who was busy cooking, suddenly paused, a slight smile forming on his lips. "Huyang City is becoming more and more interesting."
...
"The Blood Python Society Leader's bounty was ranked fifth, and mine is ranked fourth with a higher reward. Will he come after me next?" The leader of another dark force, the Puppet Shadow Tower Lord Chun Yuyi, felt a tightness in his chest upon hearing the news.
...
At this moment, everyone in Huyang City who was a client of the Yan Feng Guild's Dark Hall received the latest bounty task. The news of the Blood Python Society Leader's death naturally caused a stir throughout the city.
The killing of Diao Rongyan had little impact, as Diao Rongyan was relatively weak.
But the death of the Blood Python Society Leader was a different matter! In Huyang City, those who could kill him were few, and every time one of them moved, it caused the city to tremble.
"Was it one of the usual suspects, or a new powerhouse?" All factions were eager to know.
...
In the top floor of Tianyun Tower, Guild Master Zanyun sat holding a communication token.
"The one who killed me is Luo He! He used an extremely powerful mechanical treasure to kill me! His mechanical treasure far surpasses my 'Life Blood River.' My 'Life Blood River' is worth 1.5 million Universe Sand, but his mechanical treasure is worth at least 5 million Universe Sand!" The Blood Python Society Leader sent a message and a picture to Guild Master Zanyun before his death.
The image showed Luo Feng with six pairs of golden wings spread out, surrounded by chaotic energy.
"Luo He?" Guild Master Zanyun was taken aback. "Are those six wings on his back an ordinary treasure, or a mechanical treasure?"
Many mechanical treasures could be integrated into the body, making them indistinguishable from the outside.
Moreover, throughout the long history of the Origin Continent, countless Eternal-level mechanical treasures had been created. Just in Huyang City, the Huyang Legions had ten legion-type treasures, and the Huyang Guards had slightly weaker legion treasures. There were also many single-body mechanical treasures.
"To be able to kill the Blood Python Society Leader, his strength is on par with Mo Li Xiao and Xue Yun," Guild Master Zanyun concluded.
...
The current leader of the Mo Li Clan, Mo Li Meng, also received the same message and image sent by the Blood Python Society Leader before his death.
"The one who killed me is Luo He! He used an extremely powerful mechanical treasure to kill me! His mechanical treasure far surpasses my 'Life Blood River.' My 'Life Blood River' is worth 1.5 million Universe Sand, but his mechanical treasure is worth at least 5 million Universe Sand!" It was the same message.
Mo Li Meng looked at the message and the image of Luo Feng with his Killing Wu Wing spread out.
"Two mechanical treasures worth 6.5 million Universe Sand in total, not to mention the other treasures he carries," Mo Li Meng mused. "This is clearly an attempt to use me as a tool. I'm tempted to act myself."
"But Luo He is too mysterious. I don't know anything about him," Mo Li Meng lightly shook his head. "This is not something I should tell my father."
His father was none other than Mo Li Xiao.
"My father is the pillar of the Mo Li Clan. I can't let him take such a big risk." Mo Li Meng decided to pretend he had never seen the message.
...
Before his death, the Blood Python Society Leader sent this message to five major factions within Huyang City. These five factions had one thing in common: they all had significant backgrounds and could summon terrifying powerhouses from other places.
Outside Huyang City.
In the endless wilderness, a pitch-black poisonous insect emerged from deep underground. Once it surfaced, it naturally transformed into a figure—none other than the gaunt Deputy Leader Mu Lin.
"I chose to cultivate a body of poisonous insects precisely for its strong survival ability," Deputy Leader Mu Lin said as he gazed at Huyang City in the distance. "My primary poisonous insect was always hidden outside the city."
"That Luo He is indeed terrifying, and according to the bounty task sent by the Yan Feng Guild, the Society Leader is dead as well," Deputy Leader Mu Lin shook his head slightly.
His primary poisonous insect carried only a regular communication token, and he could only receive Dark Hall messages when close to Huyang City. The regular communication token didn't have the mystical abilities of the causal communication token, with its limited range but immunity to causal tracking.
Deputy Leader Mu Lin was far more cautious than his kin, Society Leader Mu Yang.
"It's time to leave, far away from Huyang City. If Luo He finds me, all the poisonous insects I painstakingly cultivated will turn to ash," Deputy Leader Mu Lin was indeed afraid of Luo Feng. "I'll head to Xuyin City in the Nine Jiang Chaos Province, where there are three large cities!"
Deputy Leader Mu Lin made his decision and set off for Xuyin City.
...
In Huyang City, at the City Lord's Mansion.
Three divine power avatars stood side by side, all watching the city's surveillance.
With the citywide surveillance, the City Lord's Mansion could monitor all the dark forces' movements and, combined with the location tracking of identity tokens, determine which dark forces killed which True Gods.
Ordinary True Gods each had an identity token and had to pay their residence fees regularly, or they would be expelled from the city.
"If the one who did it used a small universe domain to isolate themselves from detection, we wouldn't be able to track their movements," said a white-haired figure.
"Let's take a look. Maybe we'll find something," the City Lord of Huyang City, who had three eyes, said as he observed the recorded surveillance footage.
Commander Mo Li Xiao stood silently beside them, also watching.
Huyang City was built by a coalition of mechanical powerhouses, and all recorded scenes were preserved for at least one era. So they could review scenes from the past.
"Look!" The white-haired figure, the City Lord of Huyang City, and Commander Mo Li Xiao all perked up.
The citywide surveillance clearly showed—
After separating from Morosa and Mo Yuqingyan, Luo Feng walked alone to the front gate of the Blood Python Society headquarters. Then, darkness suddenly appeared out of nowhere, completely engulfing the headquarters.
"It's him," the City Lord of Huyang City exclaimed excitedly. "It's Luo He!"
"He didn't try to hide or block detection; he just openly walked to the front of the Blood Python Society headquarters," Commander Mo Li Xiao nodded. "He did it on purpose."
Any Eternal True God could use a small universe domain to block surveillance and prevent detection by citywide monitoring.
"The entire Huyang City is monitored only by our City Lord's Mansion. So he's only hiding from others, not from us," the white-haired figure remarked. "This Luo He is showing goodwill to our City Lord's Mansion."
Commander Mo Li Xiao and the City Lord of Huyang City both nodded in agreement.
The Origin Continent's time and space were stable, so no one in Huyang City could rewind time to see past events.
Therefore, only the City Lord's Mansion, which monitored the entire city at all times, could review the moment Luo Feng arrived at the Blood Python Society headquarters.
...
After leaving the Blood Python Society headquarters, Luo Feng flew onward, and soon he could see the Yan Feng Guild in the distance.
"The City Lord's Mansion monitors the entire city, so they should be able to see the moment I arrived at the Blood Python Society headquarters," Luo Feng thought. Between the City Lord's Mansion and the Kingdom of Shi's infiltrating forces, he naturally favored the City Lord's Mansion.
As he thought, Luo Feng had already arrived at the Yan Feng Guild. "Time to claim the bounty."