A heretical cultivator in Bureau 749, I'm the fiercest at pulling out tendons and skinning peop

Yunniang gave a bitter laugh, her voice hoarse, but her eyes were already bloodshot.

"Did you all hear that? This isn't about us constantly attacking him..."

"This King of Hell never intended to leave us a way out!"

"Do it—!!!"

Amidst the fierce shouts, dozens of Hehuan Sect disciples below the stage gritted their teeth, their eyes flashing with despair and final madness. They simultaneously formed hand seals, their spiritual energy surging, and various colored spells instantly blazed forth—

However, the light only flashed for a moment.

It was like a candle flame being extinguished by an invisible hand, suddenly dimming and disappearing.

"Well?"

"My spiritual power..."

"What's going on?!"

Exclamations and gasps of horror rose from all sides.

The color drained from everyone's faces, and they stared blankly at their palms—

The spiritual power that I could clearly sense and control just now has vanished without a trace, like a mud ox sinking into the sea. No matter how I try to activate my spiritual sea, I can't muster even a fraction of it!

Yunniang's pupils contracted sharply, and she looked down in disbelief at the wisp of light that had just gathered at her fingertips, which had silently extinguished like a candle in the wind.

A chill ran from my tailbone straight up to the top of my head.

She suddenly looked up, staring intently at the high platform—

Ji Zuodao had already lazily leaned back on the rosewood chaise longue, seemingly out of nowhere.

He held the jade pipe between his fingertips, slowly brought it to his lips, and took a deep drag.

"call--"

He exhaled slowly, and a pale blue smoke ring rose and slowly spread in the deathly silent hall.

Wherever the smoke rings passed, the air was filled with the strange, burnt herbal smell of tobacco, adding to the eeriness of the place.

"Click, click."

Ji Zuodao casually tapped his pipe on the edge of the couch, and a few sparks flew onto the scarlet carpet, leaving a few tiny scorch marks.

He raised his eyelids, looking at Yunniang below the stage, her face pale and as if she had fallen into an ice cave, with a half-smile, his tone light and tinged with mockery:

"Yunniang..."

"How does my Spirit Smoke taste?"

He paused, the smile on his lips deepening, but his eyes remained devoid of any warmth.

"Do you really think I'm stupid? To take on a whole group of you by myself without knowing your cultivation levels? My life is more precious than yours."

"you--!!!"

Yunniang trembled violently, pointing at him, her lips quivering, her face turning from white to green, then from green to red, and finally into a twisted, ferocious expression.

"You bastard! You actually poisoned me?! You...! Are you even worthy of being an investigator for Bureau 749?! You're not even a man! Despicable! Shameless!! vile!!!"

She screamed and cursed, her voice distorted and changed by extreme anger and fear, completely devoid of its usual charm.

Ji Zuodao raised an eyebrow, still looking lazy, and even took another leisurely puff of his cigarette.

Instead of being annoyed by Yunniang's hysterical insults, he found them rather...interesting.

He's about to devour you, so what's wrong with him cursing you a bit before he dies?

Ji Zuodao is still very magnanimous and kind; he might just have to be a little harsher later.

Just then—

"Run—!!!"

From the crowd below the stage, someone let out a sharp, almost collapsing scream.

It was as if the fuse of the last vestige of the will to survive had been lit.

A young woman, her face streaked with tears and snot, turned and ran frantically toward the gap in the collapsed gate, no longer caring about her image or manners!

"Yes! Run! Run out!!"

"Just run out into the street! In broad daylight! Even investigators from Bureau 749 wouldn't dare kill someone in the street!!"

"Quick! Let's charge together!!"

This was like an anthill bursting its banks.

The dozens of Hehuan Sect disciples, who were already terrified and had lost all their spiritual power, no longer cared about Yunniang, nor about their fellow disciples or the sect's rules.

The instinct to survive overwhelmed everything.

They screamed, cried, and pushed each other like headless flies, fleeing for their lives toward the broken door!

The scene instantly spiraled out of control, descending into utter chaos.

"Oh."

Ji Zuodao let out a very soft sneer, filled with undisguised mockery and coldness.

He twitched his fingertips slightly, the pipe spinning between his fingers, as if preparing to do something—

"Click...click..."

A very clear and rapid sound of ice crystals condensing suddenly came from the direction of the gate!

Accompanied by an extreme chill that seemed to freeze the soul, it swept in with a roar!

"ah--!!!"

The women at the front let out short screams, abruptly stopped, and their faces instantly filled with terror.

At the gap in the collapsed gate, a thick, translucent wall, emitting a faint blue light, had somehow materialized out of thin air—

Ice wall!

The ice wall sealed off the entire exit, its surface smooth as a mirror, with a cold current surging inside, completely isolating it from outside light and noise.

At the edge of the ice wall, wisps of white frost were spreading rapidly along the wall and the ground at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Everything it passed through froze, and the temperature plummeted.

The warmth in the lobby was instantly dispelled, replaced by a bone-chilling cold.

Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events and turned around in horror.

Beside the high platform, the little girl who had been standing quietly, dressed in a cute little official's robe and with a pale face, slowly lowered her raised hand.

Her pale purple eyes were calm and still, her small mouth slightly open, her words clear yet carrying an undeniable, slow, earnestness:

"Brother...didn't say...you can leave."

Her voice was soft and gentle, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly in the deathly silent, frigid hall.

Ji Zuodao was taken aback at first, then a bright smile appeared on his face, a smile that was filled with pride and joy, like the joy of seeing one's daughter grow up.

He reached out and gently ruffled Qiqi's soft, cool, pale purple hair, his voice so tender it could melt hearts:

"Qiqi is so good."

"You even know to close the door for your brother."

Qiqi tilted her head back, feeling the warm touch on her head. Her pale purple eyes curved slightly, as if there was a subtle, happy smile in them.

Then, she looked again at the figures standing there in despair below the stage. Her small face was still expressionless, but deep in her clear purple eyes, there seemed to be a glimmer of icy blue light that flashed by.

The entire lobby of "Drunken Dream Pavilion" has now been transformed into a magnificent ice cave.

There is no way forward, and the King of Hell is behind us.

What should I do?

Am I really going to die?

This thought, like the coldest venomous snake, gnawed fiercely at everyone's heart.

Most of them are only in their early twenties, some even younger, the prime of their lives when they yearn for love, indulge in romance, and squander their youth and beauty.

Beneath the exquisite makeup lies delicate skin that has not yet been ravaged by time.

Within her graceful body beat an endless desire for luxurious pleasures, sensual delights, and a long future.

Living a life of luxury, surrounded by admirers, indulging in extravagance and decadence...

This life, which they had grown accustomed to and even taken for granted, was about to come to a complete end with a single, casual remark from the young investigator.

How could I accept this?!

How could they just die silently in this cold, filthy place, like ants?!