Reborn as a lotus, she initially refuses to hand it over to the state.

"Fifth tier?"

In the meeting room, everyone held their breath for a moment. Some even doubted whether they had heard correctly.

Since the revival of spiritual energy, the strongest person in the country on the surface is only at the peak of the third rank.

So now the director of the Ninth Bureau has actually broken through to the fifth rank?

Wang Jun's voice trembled: "Old Ye, are you saying the bureau chief has succeeded?"

The old man nodded, his gaze profound: "Half an hour ago, the spiritual energy in the secluded cultivation room surged, and Zhou Zhenshan officially stepped into the fifth rank."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire conference room erupted in chaos.

"That's great. We're finally no longer suppressed by the Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone. With the director here, Linjiang City has at least stabilized."

Many were even moved to tears; they had been under immense pressure these past few days. A fifth-tier forbidden zone lord possessing intelligence.

They would even kill on purpose; the oppressive feeling was simply suffocating.

However, Old Master Ye suddenly raised his hand: "It's too early to be happy."

The meeting room fell silent instantly, and Wang Jun was taken aback.

"Elder Ye?"

The old man remained silent for a moment before speaking: "You don't really think that breaking through to the fifth rank will solve the Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone, do you?"

In short, it was like a bucket of cold water being poured over me.

The group exchanged bewildered glances: "But the bureau chief is also a fifth-rank official, isn't he?"

The old man shook his head: "Even among those of the same level, the gap is huge. What's more, the opponent is the lord of the forbidden zone. It is rooted in the center of the spiritual vein, has a geographical advantage, and can mobilize the power of the entire forbidden zone."

"The most crucial thing is..."

The old man paused, his gaze lingering on the enormous, illusory image of a blue lotus. His voice was more solemn than ever before.

"That thing is unlike ordinary beasts; it's too calm."

"An enemy who can think strategically, plan meticulously, and establish authority is more dangerous than one that is simply powerful."

The entire conference room was deathly silent.

Just then, from the depths of the thirtieth underground level, a low, deep footstep sound suddenly rang out.

The sound wasn't loud, but with each step, everyone's heart seemed to tremble.

The conference room door opened, and a figure walked in.

The man was in his forties, dressed in a simple black combat uniform. He had a buzz cut, a square face, and an ordinary appearance that was almost unremarkable.

But the moment he appeared, the air in the entire conference room began to distort.

It was as if even spiritual energy was actively converging on him, and what was even more bizarre was that no one could see through his aura.

He was like an ordinary person, yet also like a volcano that could erupt at any moment. Everyone stared wide-eyed, for the person before them was so similar to Zhou Zhenshan, or more accurately, Zhou Zhenshan.

Zhou Zhenshan, whose hair was originally completely white, now has all turned black, and he has successfully emerged from his second life.

"Chief!"

"Director Zhou!"

Zhou Zhenshan nodded, his gaze falling directly on the holographic screen. The conference room was eerily quiet on the overwhelming, illusory image of a blue lotus.

After a long silence, he spoke: "Is this the one from Black Dragon Mountain?"

Wang Jun nodded quickly: "Yes, it has been determined to be at least level five, possibly a plant-based life form. It possesses full intelligence, can transmit its thoughts, and has an extremely strong sense of territory."

"Multiple groups of intruders have been killed."

Zhou Zhenshan asked, "Did it actively attack the city?"

Everyone was taken aback.

Wang Jun shook his head: "No, all the dead so far have entered Black Dragon Mountain voluntarily. Including the Lin family group, they were killed while hunting strange beasts."

The meeting room fell silent. Zhou Zhenshan remained silent for a moment, his gaze still fixed on the illusory image of the blue lotus.

After a long silence, he finally spoke: "So, so far, all those it has killed have been intruders?"

Wang Jun nodded: "Yes, including people from several families in Linjiang City, who also went in to hunt exotic beasts and compete for opportunities."

Zhou Zhenshan didn't speak immediately. Instead, he tapped the table. No one in the meeting room dared to speak.

A few seconds later, Zhou Zhenshan suddenly laughed: "Interesting."

Everyone was taken aback.

"The bureau chief?"

Zhou Zhenshan looked at the illusory blue lotus that blotted out the night sky on the screen and said calmly, "They issue warnings and mark their territory. They understand the rules and follow them. At least they're better than some self-righteous people."

One sentence made many people in the meeting room instantly feel awkward.

Because they all knew that quite a few people had recently sneaked into Black Dragon Mountain. Some of them were even from families of Awakened Ones.

To put it bluntly, it was greed; they thought that rare and precious resources should be reserved for the most capable. As for any warnings about restricted areas? Nobody took them seriously, and now people are dead.

Zhou Zhenshan stood up: "Issue the order: the lockdown level in Linjiang City is raised. No one is allowed to trespass into the Qinglian restricted area; those who disobey will be executed."

Wang Jun nodded quickly: "Yes!"

Zhou Zhenshan then changed the subject: "In addition, prepare a private jet."

Old Ye raised an eyebrow, as if he had guessed something: "You're going to Linjiang City?"

Zhou Zhenshan nodded and said, "Now that the other party has become so powerful, we should see for ourselves what their attitude is."

Wang Jun's expression changed: "Director, no, it's too dangerous. That's the master of a fifth-tier forbidden zone. What if it's hostile?"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Zhenshan laughed: "Hateful?"

boom!

An invisible aura suddenly spread, and the air in the entire conference room became heavy. Many third-level awakened individuals even held their breath for a moment.

The next second, the momentum vanished instantly.

As if everything that had just happened was an illusion, Zhou Zhenshan casually straightened his cuffs and said, "Then let's fight."

Everyone in the conference room was shaken to their core.

This is the fifth rank, a true powerhouse standing at the pinnacle of humanity. But Zhou Zhenshan's next words silenced everyone once again.

"However, I don't think it necessarily wants to go to war with humans."

"If it really wanted to kill, with its fifth-tier strength, Linjiang City would have been in chaos long ago, but it didn't."

"It's just telling everyone, don't go into its territory."

The meeting room was deathly silent, because they realized that it seemed to be true.

Zhou Zhenshan turned and walked outside.

As he reached the door, he said, "Also, issue an order that those families in Linjiang City are forbidden from setting foot in the restricted area again."

Meanwhile, in Linjiang City, at the Lin family manor, the atmosphere in the main hall was terribly oppressive. News of Lin Xue's death had spread far and wide.

At the end of the long table, Lin Lieshan, the head of the Lin family, had a face so gloomy it looked like it could drip water. He even managed to crack the mahogany armrests on the table by squeezing them.

"Dead? My daughter just died like that?"

His voice was soft, yet it sent a chill down the spines of everyone in the hall. No one dared to speak. In the center of the hall, the holographic projection remained frozen on the last image: the overwhelming, illusory silhouette of azure lotus leaves.

Lin Lieshan's eyes gradually turned bloodshot: "What 'Lord of the Forbidden Zone,' what 'Fifth Rank.' It killed my daughter; it will pay the price!"

"Third Uncle."

A middle-aged man suddenly spoke up, his eyes filled with malice: "Our Lin family has connections with the military; we can mobilize private armed helicopters."

"No matter how strong the beast is, it's still made of flesh and blood. If explosives don't work, then use incendiary bombs and wipe out the entire Black Dragon Lake!"

As soon as he finished speaking, many people in the hall exchanged glances.

Yeah, so what if it's fifth-tier? No matter how strong it is, can it withstand missiles?

An old man said coldly, "Right now, the Ninth Bureau is tied up by that monster and may not be able to attend to us. As long as we act quickly..."

"Send planes over tonight for low-altitude bombing to shatter that demonic lotus, then seize its core spiritual treasure."

Lin Lieshan remained silent for a long time, hatred surging in his eyes, before finally speaking and ordering: "Notify Falcon Security to prepare three armed helicopters. In addition, all Lin family members who are awakened at the second level or above are to stand by."

"I want to see it die with my own eyes."

Everyone's spirits lifted.

"yes!"

However, less than ten minutes had passed since the order was issued.

boom!

Outside the manor, a huge roar suddenly came, and several black armored vehicles crashed directly into the Lin family's gate.

Immediately afterwards, an armed transport plane bearing the Ninth Bureau logo landed in the center of the manor.

A fierce wind howled, causing the faces of the Lin family members to change drastically.

"The ninth inning? What are they doing here?"

Before anyone could react, the hall doors were pushed open. A team of Awakened Ones dressed in black combat uniforms walked in.

Their auras were all incredibly powerful, at least at the second rank, and the leader was a short-haired woman.

Su Wan, one of the heads of the Ninth Bureau of Linjiang City, walked into the hall and scanned everyone with her eyes.

Finally, the voice stopped on Lin Lieshan, icy cold: "By order of the Ninth Bureau Headquarters, the Lin family is now forbidden from setting foot on Black Dragon Mountain. This includes any private armed forces, air power, and Awakened teams."

"Those who disobey orders will be dealt with as crimes endangering national security."

She paused, then took out a top-level authority order stamped with a red seal from her bosom and slammed it onto the table.

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly changed. A Lin family elder abruptly stood up and shouted angrily, "Why? It was someone from our Lin family who died. Are we just going to let this go like this?"

Su Wan looked at him coldly: "You know why your family members died. The Ninth Bureau issued a blockade order long ago."

"Anyone who trespasses will bear the consequences."

"Now, you still want to bomb Heilong Mountain?"

One sentence made the faces of everyone in the Lin family turn ugly instantly.

Their plan had clearly been exposed. Lin Lieshan's eyes darkened. "Captain Su, this is a private matter for the Lin family. Isn't the Ninth Bureau meddling too much?"

Su Wan sneered: "Private matters? Do you even know what Black Dragon Mountain is like now?"

"An S-class restricted area, the master of a fifth-tier restricted area, you've really driven it mad."

"Not just the Lin family, the entire Linjiang City will be wiped out."

The hall fell silent, but Lin Lieshan remained unwilling to accept it: "So my daughter died in vain?"

Su Wan was silent for a few seconds before speaking, "The director is already on his way. He will personally go to Black Dragon Mountain to meet with the master of that forbidden zone. Before the results are in, no one is allowed to make any moves."

Just then, a member of the Lin family rushed in from outside, shouting in a panic: "Patriarch, something terrible has happened! The Ninth Bureau is everywhere outside, and the manor has been sealed off!"

"Military troops have also been deployed!"

The expressions of everyone in the Lin family changed instantly.

They finally realized that this time, in the ninth inning, it was for real.

Not only the Lin family was placed under blockade and control by the Ninth Bureau, but the Zhou family and the Loose Cultivator Alliance in Linjiang City were also placed under the control of the Ninth Bureau immediately.

Meanwhile, thousands of meters in the sky, a black private jet was cutting through the night sky, speeding towards Linjiang City.

Inside the cabin, Zhou Zhenshan sat by the window, closing his eyes to rest.

But just as it entered the airspace over Linjiang.

He suddenly opened his eyes and looked towards the distant Black Dragon Mountain.

There, a vast and ancient aura quietly lingered, like a sleeping god.

Zhou Zhenshan was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed: "Interesting, you're actually looking at me too."

Meanwhile, in the center of Black Dragon Lake, a blue lotus swayed in the breeze. Chu Zhou raised his consciousness, his gaze piercing through the hundred-mile-long night sky.

They locked onto the private jet that was flying at high speed.

His expression also turned serious.

It's a bit strange. Logically speaking, humans didn't produce fifth-tier powerhouses so quickly in the previous life. Could it be because of my rebirth?

Did this lead to a series of uncontrollable changes?

In the center of Black Dragon Lake, blue lotuses swayed. Chu Zhou's consciousness locked onto the rapidly approaching black private jet, his expression turning serious for the first time.

Fifth rank, and not just any ordinary fifth rank. That aura was extremely condensed, like a heavy sword that had been repeatedly hammered and forged, steady and weighty, carrying a sense of oppression as if it had emerged from a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

Completely different from those Awakened Ones who rely on spiritual energy to achieve their status.

"Zhou Zhenshan..."

Chu Zhou murmured softly. In his previous life, this name belonged to one of the most prominent figures in the Great Xia Dynasty.

It's just that he shouldn't have broken through so early.

"The butterfly effect, huh..."

Chu Zhou's gaze turned slightly cold. It seemed that because of his early rise, the entire human camp was also accelerating its pace.

Just then.

boom!

The clouds high in the sky were suddenly torn apart, and an extremely heavy aura pressed down from the heavens.

The special plane didn't even approach Black Dragon Mountain. A figure had already taken a step out from thousands of meters in the air.

The black combat uniform fluttered in the wind.

Zhou Zhenshan didn't fly; instead, he walked step by step, treading on the air.

With each step, the air rumbled with a deep, resonant sound, as if invisible steps were forming beneath our feet.

After reaching the fifth rank, briefly taking to the air is no longer a difficult task.

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Heilong Mountain, the Ninth Bureau maintained its blockade line.

Thousands of soldiers looked up abruptly.

"Who is that?"

"Holy crap, someone's walking in the sky?"

Su Wan stood beside the armored vehicle and her breath caught in her throat when she saw the figure.

Lu Cang, standing beside him, looked up, his expression also filled with shock and a deep-seated awe.

He was a disciple trained by Zhou Zhenshan and vowed to take Zhou Zhenshan as his role model for life.

Upon seeing the other party arrive, he lowered his head respectfully, saying, "The director has arrived."

Next week, Zhenshan hovered above Black Dragon Mountain, his gaze sweeping over Lu Cang and Su Wan, before nodding to Lu Cang.

He then looked towards Black Dragon Lake. At this moment, he was only a few thousand meters away from the center of the lake. He did not speak, but just looked down quietly. But the moment his gaze fell upon the lake...

boom!

A vast and powerful pressure suddenly swept across the entire Black Dragon Mountain, like an invisible mountain crashing down, causing the forest to shake violently. A large number of strange beasts instantly prostrated themselves on the ground, trembling in fear.

Even an unconscious release of energy is terrifying and suffocating.

In the sky, Little Jinbao, who was originally on patrol, was excitedly flapping its wings.

Suddenly, it felt as if it had been struck hard by an invisible hand, its entire body crashing down from the sky. Feathers flew everywhere as it landed in the woods, its head spinning.

"Ouch, who hit this bird master!"

On the other side, Shan Kui was sitting on the hillside eating spiritual fruit when the oppressive aura descended.

The four-meter-tall giant ape's knees buckled, and it was forced to kneel on one knee by the force of the pressure. The ground cracked, and the mountain demon's expression changed drastically.

He roared and tried to stand up, but his bones cracked and popped, and he couldn't get up at all.

In the lake, the Xuanjia writhed and roared. Large swaths of water exploded, but couldn't rise to the surface at all; even the Qingfeng vines were pressed flat against the lakebed.

For the first time, the entire Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone was forcibly suppressed. High in the sky, Zhou Zhenshan's gaze remained calm. He harbored no ill intentions; he simply wanted to see just how capable this Lord of the Forbidden Zone truly was.

Or rather, to give them a warning, to show them that humans also have a fifth rank.

However, in the next second, the blue lotus that had been quiet in the center of Black Dragon Lake suddenly swayed gently.

Immediately afterwards, a cold snort resounded throughout Black Dragon Mountain.

"Arrogant."

The voice wasn't loud, yet it sounded like a deity's whisper. A more ancient, domineering, and vast pressure suddenly rose up.

A giant wave hundreds of meters high was instantly created in Heilong Lake.

A blue light shot into the sky, and the spiritual energy of the entire mountain range surged, releasing the power that had been suppressing the strange beast.

It was forcefully pushed back, and Little Jinbao flapped its wings and flew up.

I was furious.

"You bastard, how dare you hit your bird master! Master, beat him up!"

The mountain demon suddenly stood up and roared to the sky. Countless green vines rose from the ground, obscuring half the sky.

In the center of the lake, Chu Zhou fully awoke. Five lotus leaves unfurled, divine runes flowing within them. For the first time, his spiritual energy truly spread without reservation.

"On my territory, who gave you the audacity to suppress my subordinates?"

The sky suddenly darkened, and the ethereal image of a blue lotus, obscuring the sky, appeared. It was different from what I'd seen in the previously leaked videos on the forum.

More realistic, more terrifying, spiritual energy surged like a tsunami, two fifth-order pressures.

The first head-on collision distorted the air, caused rocks to crumble, and outside the blockade line, a large number of soldiers turned pale.

Some of the first-tier awakened individuals were even forced to their knees by the pressure, and Su Wan's breathing stopped.

"Oh no, are we going to start a fight right away?"

High in the sky, Zhou Zhenshan's pupils suddenly contracted, and for the first time, he showed a serious expression.

Strong, the opponent is very strong, even stronger than I expected. Most importantly, there is no chaos or madness in the opponent's aura.

Terrifyingly lucid, Zhou Zhenshan suddenly laughed, withdrew his oppressive aura, and raised his hands to indicate that he had no hostile intentions: "Don't misunderstand, I'm just saying hello and taking a look at what kind of person the master of the forbidden zone is who can keep the entire Linjiang City awake at night."

Chu Zhou sneered, the azure light still illuminating the heavens and earth: "Greeting? When you humans greet each other, do you always bully someone else's dog first?"