Mad Doctor No. 9

Fallen Soul Slope returned to calm. The array completely dimmed, and the evil energy in the deep pit ceased to surge. The remaining few corrupted monsters, out of control, were quickly dealt with by Night Owl and Qin Feng.

Wang Tian stood there, panting heavily. This "Starfall" had consumed most of his star power and most of his life force.

However, the effect was also very obvious; the remnant soul of the evil cultivator was also reduced to ashes by this attack.

"Advisor Wang!" Qin Feng and the other two hurriedly came forward, their faces full of shock and worry.

"I'm fine." Wang Tian waved his hand, took out a Rejuvenation Pill from his pocket, swallowed it, and a trace of color returned to his pale face. "The great formation has been broken, and the source of the evil has been destroyed. However, the earth's veins here have been contaminated."

He walked to the edge of the pit and sat down cross-legged. The power of the Purifying Star Flame flowed from his palm into the ground, slowly burning and purifying the remaining Yin energy. This process cannot be rushed.

Night Owl and Qin Feng stood guard vigilantly around the area. Qing Shu began collecting items left behind at the scene, especially the gray-robed deacon's belongings, hoping to find clues about the Eternal Life Society.

Half an hour later, Wang Tian stopped. The evil energy in the earth veins had been mostly purified and would dissipate on its own after a while, without causing any harm.

Wang Tian ordered, "Mission accomplished, retreat."

The four quickly cleaned up their tracks and disappeared into the darkness.

Unbeknownst to them, in some distant, dark temple, a crystal mirror inlaid with countless skulls suddenly cracked open.

Before the mirror, a figure shrouded in a black cloak snorted coldly.

"The Star Lord's successor... dares to thwart my cult's plans time and again... Issue my order: activate the 'Star Hunting Project.' No matter the cost, we must obtain the Star Lord's decree!"

The crisis at Panlong Ridge has been temporarily averted, but the struggle between Wang Tian and the Eternal Life Society and the Blood Moon Cult has only just begun. Undercurrents are swirling in the capital.

The matter of Panlong Ridge is top secret, and only a very few high-ranking officials know the details. After returning to his residence, Wang Tian secluded himself for three days, restoring his depleted star power and vital energy while checking the items he had brought back.

The token found on the gray-robed deacon was neither gold nor wood; it was covered with twisted runes, with an eye engraved on the front and the two ancient characters "Eternal Life" engraved on the back.

The token had a miniature energy circuit embedded in it, which served as both an identification and communication function, but it had been destroyed by the self-destruct device.

Judging from the residual energy fluctuations, Qing Shu believes that this token is a product that combines modern technology and ancient weapon-making techniques. It is definitely not something that a small workshop could produce. There must be a huge organization behind it with abundant resources.

In addition, he found several pieces of animal hide with some array diagrams drawn on them, and a bone fragment with some strange syllables and rituals recorded on it.

Wang Tian recognized it as a spell used to summon or communicate with an evil god, and the ritual was related to blood sacrifice.

Wang Tian said thoughtfully, "The Eternal Life Society's reach extends deeper than we imagined." This organization, capable of combining modern technology with evil magic, is definitely not simple.

On the morning of the fourth day, Wang Tian received an invitation from Jiang Lan, inviting him to the "Tingtao Pavilion," a detached courtyard of the Zhenwu Academy in the capital, under the guise of tea tasting and philosophical discussion.

Wang Tian thought about it and agreed. As the number one sect in the north, the True Martial Sect's intelligence network must be quite extensive, and they might be able to find out the follow-up news about the Eternal Life Society and the Blood Moon Cult.

Tingtao Pavilion, nestled at the foot of West Mountain, is a quaint, garden-style building with upturned eaves and bracket sets, exuding a simple yet elegant charm. Led by a servant, Wang Tian walked through a winding corridor to a pavilion built by the water.

Jiang Lan had been waiting for a long time. Today, he was wearing a loose, moon-white training uniform, which made him look less noble and more otherworldly.

Upon seeing Wang Tian arrive, he smiled slightly, stood up, and went to greet him: "Brother Wang, please forgive my abrupt invitation."

"Young Master Jiang, you flatter me." Wang Tian returned the greeting.

The two sat down, and a maid served fragrant tea. The tea was the finest Wuyi Mountain Da Hong Pao, its aroma filling the air.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Jiang Lan got down to business: "Regarding the Juxian Manor incident, Brother Wang turned the tide with his efforts. As for the Panlong Ridge incident, although the news was blocked, the Zhenwu Sect had its own methods. I admire him greatly."

Wang Tian remained expressionless: "It's my duty."

"Brother Wang is indeed straightforward." Jiang Lan smiled slightly, put down his teacup, and said seriously, "To be honest, the reason I invited Brother Wang here this time is twofold. First, on behalf of my father and the Zhenwu Sect, I want to express my respect to Brother Wang and establish a good relationship with him. Second, I want to make some deals with Brother Wang."

"I'm all ears."

"Brother Wang, do you know that the Eternal Life Society didn't just appear recently?" Jiang Lan said slowly. "According to the ancient records of the Zhenwu Sect, and with some secret investigations, the Eternal Life Society can be traced back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties or even earlier."

Its core doctrine is "physical immortality and eternal life," and the object of its worship may be an ancient evil god that has been sealed away.

For centuries, they have been operating in the shadows, collecting all sorts of evil arts, secret techniques, and rare and precious materials, their influence spreading across almost the entire world. In recent decades, their activities have become increasingly frequent, seemingly brewing some grand conspiracy.

"Do you know what connection they have with the Blood Moon Cult?" Wang Tian asked.

"Blood Moon Cult..." Jiang Lan's gaze sharpened. "Based on the intelligence we have so far, the Blood Moon Cult should be considered a branch of the Eternal Life Society in Kunlun, or rather, a cooperative relationship."

Meanwhile, the Blood Moon Cult was conducting experiments in Kunlun, attempting to introduce the power of the evil god into their own world.

Those appearing at Juxian Manor and Panlong Ridge are most likely people sent by the Eternal Life Society. It seems they are determined to obtain the Star Lord's Token.

Wang Tian asked, "What's so special about this Star Lord's Token?" Although he had obtained the Star Lord's Token, he was still exploring its true origin and secrets.

Jiang Lan thought for a moment and said, "This matter involves secrets from the ancient times, which I don't know much about."

In ancient times, a star fell from the sky, carrying this token and its inheritance, which created an invincible star lord and averted a great calamity.

But later, this star lord also mysteriously disappeared, leaving his token scattered on the ground. It is said that the star lord's token is the key to opening a 'door' and can also resist a kind of 'great darkness'.

The reason the Immortal Society covets it so much is likely related to the "Gate" or the "Great Darkness."

Beyond the heavens... the key... the great darkness... Wang Tian silently memorized all of this.