American variety show world begins with subduing Jason

The latter governs blood, nourishing the whole body like rivers and seas. In case of external injury, it can quickly stop bleeding, coagulate wounds, and accelerate healing. In case of internal injury, it can also help repair damaged blood vessels and organs, and guide the rapid discharge of stagnant blood, just like a series of nano-doctors.

These two passive minor supernatural abilities, though not as flashy and impressive as the Lung Metal Sword Qi or the Forehead Divine Eye, are quite robust and practical. In the event of sudden danger, they may be able to save one's life.

Zhu Mingyao carefully examined his own consciousness space again... It should now be called the Inner World.

The three-tiered altar and the flames atop it are the manifestation of his cultivated spiritual power.

Unlike the Taoist methods of the Shangqing Talisman School, the Huangting Heart Method, as one progresses, does not condense a natal immortal talisman, but a spiritual altar containing the three realms and twenty-four gods. One's true self resides on it, just as the Heavenly Emperor commands a host of gods and immortal officials, possessing infinite wonders.

Once one reaches the Golden Core Realm/True Talisman Realm, this Mystic Altar will completely transform from the illusory to the real. Further up, at the Yin God and Yang God levels, the Mystic Altar will evolve into the Three Primal Palaces. Finally, the Hundred Gods of Chaos will transform into Emperor One, achieving the Primordial Spirit True Immortal.

Of course, that's still a long way off. The Lingtai Xuantan is only in its initial stages. To reach that level, countless hours of hard work and reward points will be needed.

The power levels of various systems are not strictly equivalent. Zhu Mingyao roughly estimated that his current strength is between the peak of the Innate Realm and the Golden Core Realm. Compared with his teacher Zhang Shouzhong, he is only inferior in combat experience and on-the-spot tactics, but in terms of realm, he is already on par with him.

According to the Federation's common classification of superhumans, he belongs to the relatively mediocre and weak "Lord Rank". Even so, in this day and age, he can be regarded as a master in his own right. Ordinary small and medium-sized organizations may not be able to produce this level of combat power. Even the government has to show a certain degree of respect.

He spread his palm, and the talismans scattered all around him fluttered back into place like birds returning to their nests, and the magic circle that isolated the inside from the outside dimmed.

Please prepare some light vegetarian food, fruits, and vegetables.

After calming his surging inner energy, Zhu Mingyao walked out of the room, gave a brief explanation to the respectfully standing staff, and strolled onto the rooftop. The fine dust beneath his feet seemed to possess a spirit, automatically avoiding him from a distance.

He was not in a hotel at the time, but was temporarily staying in a villa owned by the Madison family.

As a wealthy heiress, although she usually stays at the witch school, she also owns property locally, complete with a meditation room and a spellcasting training room. Since they had contacted each other last time, Zhu Mingyao casually asked to borrow it for a few days.

In return... he smiled as he gazed at the city under the sunset in the distance, a surge of power rising from his body, soaring straight into the clouds as if connecting with the heavens, fully expressing the joy of his life essence being elevated.

After a full fifteen minutes, making sure that all his "friends" who were supposed to receive the message had heard it, he finally withdrew his imposing aura and leisurely went downstairs to enjoy a delicious dinner.

A newly promoted [Lord Rank] figure subtly sided with the witches in the ensuing conflict, which undoubtedly added to their prestige. That arrogant little brat, Maddie, I did you a huge favor, you know…

Chapter 294 Hitting the road

An outdated blue-gray Chevrolet roared along the highway, the air currents carrying a trail of withered yellow leaves that danced in the wind.

Zhu Mingyao stroked the worn leather attached to the steering wheel, then unfolded a pale yellow sheepskin map. On it, a strange mark the size of a fingertip was flashing with a ruby-like light.

It was late November, more than half a month after he left New Orleans.

After the Halloween incident, instead of rushing back to Los Angeles, he embarked on a journey to track down the "Horror Circus".

Putting aside their numerous evil deeds and the seemingly noble reasons for their execution, Zhu Mingyao couldn't easily let go of this pile of experience packs that had willingly come to him, just for the reward points.

Not to mention that he had long been eyeing the treasure that the other party possessed, which appeared to be a portable spatial item.

So far, three or four official members of the circus monsters have died at his hands, including the Illusionist and the Toymaker, who were completely annihilated, with even their remains taken into his possession.

With these items as evidence, Zhu Mingyao went directly to the authorities. After a secret discussion, he asked them to produce high-level prophetic treasures so that he could find clues and follow up on the investigation.

The federal government was already in a predicament of being short-handed and unable to handle the matter effectively. Now that an expert had volunteered, they were overjoyed and immediately reached an agreement. One side felt they had gotten free manpower, and the other felt they had gotten free resources. Both sides were quite satisfied.

As for daring to come alone to hunt him down, he was well-prepared. After considering all the information, he determined that even the strongest enemy, the clown leader, had not exceeded the [Lord Rank] in strength. Zhu Mingyao's current level was enough to suppress him, and even if there were some hidden tricks, he had a plan to deal with them.

These days, based on the general direction indicated by the divination, he has been heading north along the interstate highway, searching and inquiring in various places. However, he has made little progress. The enemy is not some illiterate monster from the countryside, and it seems that they have also done a lot of interference, so it has been difficult to pinpoint their exact location.

However, there were also unexpected gains:

With its vast territory and dense road network, the federal government has difficulty monitoring every road. In some remote areas, cases of extortion, blackmail, and even murder and robbery often occur. Solo travelers like Zhu Mingyao, who travel alone, are the most popular targets for criminals.

A seemingly wealthy Asian gigolo?

Serves me right for getting rich today!

The gangsters rushed in...

The gangsters typed "GG"...

Of course, he didn't have a penchant for killing. He only gave a death warrant to a murderer with blood on his hands, sending him to repent before the Lord Jehovah. As for the other petty thieves, he just taught them a lesson and then handed them over to the police.

Aside from a few meager rewards, sitting in this old car was a tribute scavenged from a trainee robber, a perfect opportunity for him to practice his mediocre driving skills.

The afternoon sun slanted into the carriage, and the radio host's voice, serious yet barely suppressed, came through the tape recorder.

"...This concludes the follow-up report on the Halloween incident. The government has yet to provide a convincing explanation. Whether the Federation deliberately concealed the existence of supernatural phenomena is still under intense debate. Now, let's connect with a renowned psychic..."

"What is this? Neither admitting nor denying?" Zhu Mingyao shook his head slightly. Unlike previous incidents where extraordinary events were exposed and were immediately handled properly, the authorities have remained strangely silent since the attack, letting public opinion ferment without ever saying a word.

He had a sudden realization: perhaps with the arrival of the elemental tide, more and more abnormal phenomena would occur, and one day the truth would be revealed. This was a plan to gradually loosen the control over information and allow the public to slowly improve their psychological acceptance.

The shimmering Tennessee River had disappeared behind us a few hours earlier, and the terrain ahead gradually became rugged and uphill. Hills appeared on both sides of the winding road, covered with spruce and cedar trees, indicating that we had entered the Cumberland Plateau region.

This area belongs to the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, and it was the location indicated by the last divination.

He found a secluded spot to stop, then slipped into the nearby woods. Zhu Mingyao cast a spell to conceal his presence and pulled out an exquisitely crafted wooden box made of black walnut wood.

The seal was broken by lifting the lid smoothly from the four corners of the magnificent wings outlined with fine silver wire.

A milky-white crystal surrounded by hundreds of tiny sacred symbols floated up weightlessly, emitting a clear, moon-like glow.

"Revelation from heaven guides the path of mortals!"

The chanting of the incantation activated the powerful divine magic contained within. The hard crystal melted silently like ice under the scorching sun, and a tangible, silver-white vertical pupil quietly appeared on top of it. The eyes were smooth as a mirror, with light and shadow changing within them, indifferently reflecting all things in the world.

Within the Christian system, only a very few exceptionally gifted patriarchal clergy have the opportunity to master the advanced divination technique—the Revelation of Gabriel.

Being named after a seraphim who governs the divine pronouncements of heaven, its effects are naturally extraordinary. Vast and ethereal holy power surges and spreads into the void, capturing the hidden information in the darkness.

A ray of light shone on the alchemy map that Zhu Mingyao had spread out, and the area covered by the crimson mark instantly shrank several times, becoming much more precise.

"It's in Xiongshan County, which is nearby..."

He perked up, carefully put away the remaining two crystals in the box, and turned back to his car.

"Hopefully the clues are reliable, allowing me to hit the bullseye and save some money as a reward for my hard work."

Although he was given a reward when he set off, he wouldn't pretend to be high-minded if he had the chance to take advantage of the situation, since high-level divine magic gems in the field of prophecy are rare items.

……

……

The blaring of car horns and the cacophony of complaints forced the man to cover his other ear before he could hear the voice on his phone.

"Don't worry, don't worry, sir! I'm on the highway, and I'll definitely be there before dark to get to work... Oh, there's nothing here, it's just a temporary inspection... Please don't ask anyone else..."

Before his clumsy lie could be discovered, he quickly hung up the phone, staring at the endless line of cars stuck in traffic, rubbing his temples in frustration.

"Officer, excuse me, but I'd like to ask how much longer it will take?" The black-haired man approached a patrol motorcycle and offered half a pack of Camel cigarettes in a fawning manner.

The policeman wearing a blue and white helmet glanced at him, took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, asked a few questions into the walkie-talkie, and shrugged helplessly.

"A logging company's eight-wheeled heavy truck overturned, and logs as thick as roof beams rolled everywhere, smashing a bunch of vehicles to wrecks. Several unlucky people have broken arms and legs and need to be taken to the hospital immediately. It's a chaotic mess right now, and it will take at least three or four hours to fully restore traffic flow."

“Three or four little…” The man’s voice suddenly rose in pitch. He swallowed the rest of his words, irritably unbuttoned the collar of his business suit, revealing a blue shirt underneath, and paced back and forth anxiously.

"Is it urgent? Where are you going? Maybe I can find you a way." The patrolman, fumbling for a lighter in his pocket, offered directions out of consideration for the cigarettes.

"Really? Thank you so much." The man was excited and, using his body as cover, stuffed the remaining half pack of cigarettes into the other person's palm.

“I have to get to Raleigh, North Carolina within three hours… four hours at most, or this deal will fall through.”

The policeman casually exhaled a smoke ring, then gave a thumbs-up in the direction he had come from.

“Drive back for about ten kilometers, then at the first three-way intersection, head east off the highway, then turn left at the Shell oil billboard and follow the narrowest country road into the mountains. If you are a good driver, three hours should be enough to get through the mountains.”

"Oh, right, let's make this clear first..." He seemed to remember something and reminded the man's hurried back.

"That road is partially abandoned; sometimes you'll find dead animals there. Be careful when you turn the corner..."

Chapter 295

Just as a member of the British royal family's extramarital affair can become a global scandal, and a love affair in the White House can become the talk of the town, for people with certain resources, there are no absolute secrets in this era.

Especially when the news involves their own significant interests, their keen sense of smell is enough to make all paparazzi blush with shame.

Just days before the Halloween events, while media reporters had barely set up their teams and cameras to besiege the police and city government, other special guests had already infiltrated New Orleans through various overt and covert channels…

On a low slope in the coastal area, a simple two-story building faces the beach, quietly overlooking the crimson sunset.

Unlike most coastal tourist cities, the occupancy rate of the sea-view villas in the "Entertainment Capital" is not very high due to the city's low-lying and flood-prone natural terrain, coupled with the annual Gulf hurricanes that make it a regular destination. Most property owners only use them as occasional vacation homes.

The faint light flickering inside the house today indicates that the owner has returned.

"Your Excellency, High Priest..." In the clean and spacious bedroom on the second floor, a brown-haired woman with a cow horn ornament around her waist pushed open the door and bowed to the figure sitting at the tea table on the balcony, respectfully presenting a stack of printed documents.

"All the materials have been compiled. Please take a look."

Tender holly branches intertwine between fingers, gradually weaving into a five-pointed star inlaid in a ring. The pale green sap seeping from the broken ends seems to have a life of its own, climbing up to form ancient, rice-grain-sized runes.

"Just read it aloud." The figure continued her work slowly and deliberately, slightly raising her head to reveal the dignified and graceful face of a middle-aged woman.

"...Besides our side, the Séance Society, the Rosicrucian Order, and several factions within the Satanic Church also sent representatives to have made private contact with the authorities."

"Hmph, they're all good-for-nothings, yet they dare to try and take advantage of us." The woman curled her lips in a mocking smile.

"What do a bunch of weak and powerless psychics and alchemists have to compete with us? Not to mention those lowly cultists, do they really think they have a chance to turn the tables?"

She smiled smugly, straightened her back, opened a jewelry box, and began setting amber, amethyst, and turquoise into the nearly completed ritual object.

"Apart from our Wicca Church, which of these organizations can provide a Lord-level expert to fill the void left by the witches' power contraction?"

The obscure and difficult-to-understand incantations echoed, and on the verdant wreath, the solemn and ethereal image of a deer with antlers on its crown appeared and disappeared.

The middle-aged woman took a breather, picked up a cup of herbal tea to replenish her magic power, and said smugly:

“What’s even better is that we both belong to the witch faction in a broad sense. Didn’t Fiona formally extend an invitation, trying to reach out to us? It’s only natural that we take the initiative to offer to help guard the town now.”

She stood up, cup in hand, her eyes brimming with excitement, her tone exuding an air of complete control.

"Thank God Cenarius, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I have already communicated with some influential people in the upper echelons of the government. The Federation's commissioner should be coming to discuss this with me right now, 'requesting' that they send a [Lord-level] to assist in the cleanup work."

If they refuse, the authorities will use the excuse that the local area urgently needs high-level personnel to guard it, and take the opportunity to let us settle down.

The middle-aged woman changed the subject, chuckling coldly:

"According to reliable intelligence, apart from Fiona herself being unable to take charge due to her need to oversee the overall situation, the remaining mentors of the sorority are either seriously injured in the attack and require long-term recuperation, or are too old to take action."

She couldn't help but grin as she spoke, "The reason is perfectly legitimate, unless they can find a Lord-level expert to help them right now, hahaha..."

Before she could finish speaking, the woman's body suddenly trembled as if she had been electrocuted. She looked in a certain direction with surprise and doubt, not even noticing that half of the tea in her hand had spilled out.

"Who is breaking through to the Lord rank? Or which force...?" Feeling the vast and dense aura there, like the glow of the rising sun, and savoring the youthful vitality within it, her envy, jealousy, and hatred almost overflowed.