Starting as a prodigy wanting milk? A world-destroying deception in the opposite direction.

The stench of blood from the dungeon had not yet dissipated, but the commotion from the direction of the prefect's residence had gradually subsided.

A guard hurried over and whispered an announcement to Han Zhong and Wei Qingxu:

"Prefect, Garrison Commander, the disturbance in the direction of the government office has been quelled. Seven bandits have been captured, five have been killed, and two of our men have sustained minor injuries."

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the bandit leader committed suicide by poison.

Han Zhong nodded solemnly and exchanged a glance with Wei Qingxu.

The enemy's plan was ruthless and meticulous; had the delegation not been prepared, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

"Clean it up thoroughly and increase security," Han Zhong ordered in a deep voice.

On the dungeon side, the captured heretics, though all wounded, were very stubborn and could not be pried open no matter how they were interrogated.

"Take him back to the branch prison, keep him under strict guard, and interrogate him slowly." Wei Qingxu waved his hand.

He knew these were assassins, and ordinary methods were useless; he could only rely on the special methods of the branch hall that targeted the erosion of mental power and the imprisonment of the sea of ​​consciousness.

For the next two days, Great Moon City seemed to have returned to calm.

The delegation members stayed at the inn to rest, treat their wounds, meditate, and digest the lessons learned from the battle.

Shen Zhen's shoulder wound has mostly healed thanks to the carefully prepared medicine by Chen Xi and the nourishment from his own mental power.

He spends most of his time immersing himself in the realization of his own power.

The battle in the dungeon, where he nearly exhausted himself, especially the final detonation of the latent despairing mental power, gave him a deeper understanding of the nature of this power.

Despair is not simply about destruction.

It amplifies and guides the target's deepest fears through an extreme "emotional resonance" and "rule erosion" until the mental barrier collapses.

He couldn't help but think of the newly acquired spatial power, which also had unique attributes and ways of being used.

The power of space is not merely limited to confinement and traversal of space; it is more like a control over dimensions and boundaries, focusing on the subtle manipulation of "existence" and "connection."

In a quiet room.

Shen Zhen drew upon a trace of spatial power and mobilized most of his mental energy to condense two spatial ripples in the void, more than ten meters apart.

With a slight thought, he guided the Mind Ruler towards one of the spatial ripples, then flew out from another ripple and hovered in the void.

"It still consumes too much mental energy," Shen Zhen frowned slightly, looking at the mental ruler floating in the void, and muttered to himself:

"It seems that to master the power of space, one needs a more thorough understanding of its essence."

"Not bad, your understanding of spatial power has improved again." A voice rang out from the doorway.

Shen Zhen looked up and saw that Yi Tianxing had appeared in the room at some point, with a look of relief mixed with emotions on his face.

"Master." Shen Zhen quickly stood up.

Yi Tianxing walked in, waved his hand, and glanced at the Mind Ruler floating in the void.

"Good lad, your comprehension is something even your teacher is envious of."

His tone was filled with admiration, but also with a hint of barely perceptible worry.

This force is progressing too quickly and too strangely; its potential for both good and bad is unpredictable.

"I acted on impulse in a moment of panic," Shen Zhen said humbly.

Yi Tianxing nodded and didn't press further; every Spirit Master had a secret.

"Consolidate your position well. The waters in the western border are deeper than we thought. We must be even more cautious in our future actions."

"I understand, disciple."

When Shen Zhen reappeared before everyone, Su Mingyuan, Ye Zhi Qiu, and the others clearly felt that his aura had become more restrained and his eyes more profound.

Everyone was shocked by his achievement of killing a second-tier Divine Blessing Master, yet they also felt it was reasonable.

After all, Shen Zhen's performance in Qingwu Town had already shown them his extraordinary abilities.

"Brother Shen, your progress is... truly astonishing." Ye Zhi Qiu said, half-jokingly and half-seriously, fanning himself with his fan.

"If this continues, where will we put our faces?"

Gu Chengye nodded steadily and added sincerely:

"Special Envoy Shen is exceptionally gifted and diligent, truly a blessing to our temple."

Qiu Zhengnan didn't speak, but his gaze towards Shen Zhen became even more probing.

Feng Yu smiled and patted Shen Zhen on the shoulder:

"The stronger Envoy Shen is, the safer our journey to the west will be. I'm putting all my eggs in one basket with you."

Zhao Huaijin, Zhou Shi, Wu Xian, and others were all happy for Shen Zhen. Qi Xuejian blinked and said:

"Captain Shen, you'll have to teach us properly in the future, otherwise, out of our four teams, you're the only one who stands out, and the teams are too uneven."

Shen Zhen shook his head slightly and smiled bitterly.

As they were talking and laughing, Wei Qingxu strode over, a hint of excitement on his face:

"Special Envoy Shen, Third Prince, gentlemen, there's been progress on the branch palace side! They finally managed to get some relief from that tough nut to crack!"

Everyone immediately followed Wei Qingxu to an interrogation room in the branch hall.

A heretic was bound by special shackles, his spirit was low, and there were signs of torture on his body, but the stubbornness in his eyes had turned into fear.

"Speak!" Wei Qingxu said sternly.

The heretic shuddered and said haltingly:

"It was...it was Wolf Batu...the high priest of the Wolf Batu tribe who discovered...that altar..."

"Wolf Batu?" Shen Zhen's gaze sharpened, matching Agutuo's previous testimony.

"That's right... Their high priest appointed a shaman from his own tribe, named Garro, to be in charge of this altar..."

With the altar destroyed, Garro must have already reported it... The High Priest's plans... will definitely change...

"Who are your superiors?" Shen Zhen pressed.

"That guide?"

The heretic's eyes flashed with immense fear, and he shook his head repeatedly:

"No...I don't know...we're only responsible for perimeter security..."

Normally, a messenger comes to deliver orders... The messenger is very mysterious and never says anything unnecessary.

"What are the characteristics of a messenger?" Su Mingyuan asked in a deep voice.

"Wearing a black robe...a mask...a hoarse voice...every time he comes, he brings with him...an aura of death..."

The clues seem to point back to the mysterious "guide" and his messenger, but they remain vague.

This description is too broad. During the last great battle of the God-Soothing Ritual, those heretics all wore black robes and masks. Trying to find someone based on this characteristic is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Just then, Han Zhong led Qian Sihai and his son Qian Duoduo in.

Qian Duoduo immediately spotted two familiar faces among the prisoners—A Da and A Er, the ones who had encouraged him back then.

He was instantly enraged and rushed forward to attack:

"Bastards! It's you!"

"I took you in back then, and you betrayed me!"

Ah Da raised his head, grinned, and revealed a mocking yet numb smile:

"It's all my fault for being stupid."

Qian Duoduo was so angry that she was trembling, but she was stopped by Qian Sihai and the others.

"You unfilial son! Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough?!" Qian Sihai scolded, then turned to Shen Zhen and Feng Yu, his face beaming with smiles.

"Special Envoy Shen, Third Prince"

"Look... this misunderstanding has finally been cleared up. Duoduo was also deceived... Would you do me the honor of coming to my humble abode for a gathering, so that I, Qian, can show you some hospitality and help you all calm your nerves?"

Feng Yu reverted to his usual frivolous self in front of everyone, glancing at Shen Zhen with a smile.

Shen Zhen nodded slightly. The Hongshan Chamber of Commerce was a local power, and they did need to help with many things. This was a good opportunity to win them over.

"Since Chairman Qian is so kind, then I will trouble you," Feng Yu said calmly.

Qian Sihai was overjoyed: "No, no, it's an honor for me that Your Highness and the Special Envoy have graced me with their presence!"

That night, the Qian residence was brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and a grand feast was held.

Although Qian Duoduo still harbored resentment over what happened during the day, he was secretly glared at by Qian Sihai and, due to the occasion, had no choice but to suppress his anger. As if he had forgotten the humiliation he felt during the day, he fawned over Shen Zhen, Feng Yu, and the people from the temple, becoming excessively enthusiastic and constantly toasting them.

After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere was in full swing.

Suddenly, the butler scrambled in to report:

"My lord, something terrible has happened! Hogner Muruga of the Uche Royal Court has stormed in with a group of men!"

Before he could finish speaking...

A group of fierce-looking barbarians dressed in furs, with curved swords at their waists, strode into the banquet hall.

The leader was a middle-aged man with a burly build, ruddy complexion, and sharp, eagle-like eyes; it was none other than Hogner Muruha.

Qian Duoduo immediately bristled and abruptly stood up:

"Hogner, how dare you!"

"How dare you trespass into my Qian residence and disturb His Highness and the special envoy! Can you bear the consequences?!"