Chapter 398: Eradication
Chapter 398: Eradication
Outside the Meng Family Estate, Lao Wan and Xiao Lu rushed over as soon as they received the message from the Bureau. Due to the unique nature of the White Bird District and the need for secrecy, they couldn't wait nearby, but even so, they arrived at the location in less than a quarter of an hour.
However, as they ascended the mountain, they were stopped by the security personnel under Meng Xu. Although they quickly contacted the estate owner, Meng Lei, and presented the pre-prepared execution certificate from the Handling Bureau, they were still delayed for a while.
The two had no time to argue with Meng Xu, and as they quickly reached the estate, intending to enter the underground passage, they saw a burst of light erupting from below.
"This is..."
Both of them couldn't help but frown, "A rift?"
In the underground space, the moment the light from Meng Huang's skull exploded outward, Chen Chuan immediately closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands.
But he soon realized that the light was only blinding initially, and then it flowed like a mist of light, drifting past him.
When he lowered his hands, he found that the surroundings seemed to have undergone significant changes.
Some areas illuminated by the light were still visible, while others seemed to be swallowed up by the light, making everything before him appear incomplete.
As a result, it seemed as if he were standing on floating rocks, and the walls on both sides also appeared fragmented and scattered, as if suspended in mid-air.
Aunt Yu stood not far from him, speaking rapidly, "Mr. Chen, that thing must have used its residual power to open the rift."
"A rift?"
Chen Chuan nodded.
Although he hadn't seen it before, the situation matched the information provided by the Handling Bureau. Sometimes, certain beings in the other realm, after losing their symbiotic bodies, would forcefully tear open a temporary rift to achieve a specific goal.
The scene he witnessed was a result of the merging of two realms, which, while not truly connecting the two sides, could still cause changes in real objects.
At this moment, his third eye between his eyebrows twitched slightly as he searched for the other party's location through psychic sensing. Due to the presence of the rift, he could see more clearly.
It was something whose full form was not visible, as if it were squeezing itself out of a deep, dark void. The front end of this entity was constantly extending forward, aiming directly at the door sealed by the Venom Sect's ritual.
It seemed that there was indeed something inside that it desperately wanted to obtain, hence its efforts to enter.
What could it be?
This entity no longer had a host body and wouldn't exist for much longer. Therefore, the thing it sought must be something it could take back with it or something that could prolong its existence.
Regardless, he couldn't let it succeed.
He raised his blade and said, "Since it doesn't want to leave, I'll send it on its way again."
He glanced at the ground swallowed by the light, the most heavily infested area. Stepping into it might cause him to sink and be further influenced by the other realm.
So, he didn't choose to pass through there. Instead, he leaped, landing on the remnants of a wall. After a couple of steps, he jumped again, landing on another piece of ground floating in the light. Then, with a few more strides, he reached the door.
Due to the light, he couldn't see the situation in the distance. As he looked up, he noticed countless tiny, glowing holes on the round door, seemingly caused by the connection between the two realms.
Amidst the countless small lights, he could see a part of the massive entity, like quicksand, seeping through.
He punched the door, causing it to shake violently. Although the door seemed to have turned into a sieve, it remained thick and sturdy. At that moment, something was thrown from behind. He reached out and grabbed it, finding a round, disk-shaped turning key.
Aunt Yu, standing behind him, warned, "Mr. Chen, be cautious of the rituals inside."
Chen Chuan thanked her and turned around. It seemed there were ritual obstacles behind the door, but these were minor issues for him.
He located the lock, placed the key, and with a gentle touch, a ritual node embedded within snapped, causing all the ritual patterns around the door to lose their effect instantly.
He pushed, and a metal door, just large enough for a person to pass through, slid open along its tracks, retreating into the interior. Chen Chuan quickly stepped inside.
Once inside, the signs of his second self's dematerialization intensified. He looked up and saw a circular tunnel devoid of any decorations. However, the walls and floor were covered in intricate ritual patterns, seemingly carved into the surface, with a glowing material embedded within.
It seemed that these rituals and other indescribable factors kept the material world's existence firmly locked, preventing the light from permeating too much.
In his spiritual world, he saw the entity's extending part striving to reach forward.
However, what caught his eye was a mass that appeared to be a cluster of brain tissue and blood vessels.
This was likely Meng Huang's last physical remnant, the only thing capable of attachment. Below it, tendril-like growths were inching forward on the ground, but their progress was slow, possibly due to the ritual's influence.
Chen Chuan's gaze moved past the mass, and at the tunnel's end, there seemed to be a well-like opening, the entity's apparent goal. However, he wouldn't let it get any closer.
As Chen Chuan strode forward, swinging his long sword, the ritual's influence caused his Second Self to flicker erratically, but it couldn't hinder his steps.
The creature seemed to sense his approach and quickened its writhing, but to no avail. Due to the ritual's hindrance, its speed seemed painfully slow in comparison.
Chen Chuan approached it step by step, then raised the Snow Empress Blade high above his head, aiming the tip at the creature. With a swift downward thrust, the mass of the creature convulsed violently in a desperate struggle.
At that moment, his third eye between his eyebrows twitched slightly. In his psychic sensing, the massive creature seemed to have noticed him. Instantly, the ritual materials on the surrounding walls began to vanish rapidly, like powder blown away by a strong wind, and his Second Self faded to the point of near invisibility.
Unfazed, Chen Chuan held the blade firmly.
At that moment, he felt the Snow Empress Blade vibrate slightly, and the creature within seemed eager to emerge, sending him a faint thread of thought.
The creature had already fused with the altered organs within the sword, and those organs could be considered a part of him. Without his consent, it couldn't escape.
After a moment's thought, Chen Chuan released his restraint on it.
In the next instant, a fine mist-like substance, akin to luminous fog, emerged from the sword and enveloped the writhing mass beneath, seemingly absorbing it desperately.
Within a few breaths, the struggling mass ceased its movements, and after a while, it turned into sand-like debris. Simultaneously, the flickering lights outside also vanished without a trace.
In his spiritual world, the connection with the massive creature abruptly severed, and he felt a sense of relief throughout his body.
Looking down, he saw only a pile of sand-like debris beneath the blade.
The luminous fog slowly returned to the sword, and he sensed a feeling of satiated satisfaction emanating from it.
Chen Chuan contemplated for a moment, deciding not to immediately investigate its nature. He withdrew the sword from the ground, took a step back, and headed towards the well entrance. Peering inside, he spotted a metal staircase along the well wall, designed for someone to descend.
He didn't bother to explore what lay beneath; a quick glance was all he needed before turning to leave.
Stepping outside, Chen Chuan noticed that while things had returned to normal, the areas affected by the luminous lights seemed to have undergone some transformation. Fine debris was falling from those surfaces.
Aunt Yu had been waiting outside, and she couldn't help but admire Chen Chuan's composure. He had just walked through the ritual runes without any apparent difficulty.
To ensure safety within, only Meng Lei himself could navigate freely; everyone else had to endure the additional ritual influences. Aunt Yu had to confront these effects each time she passed through, which was far from easy. Only a formidable fighter like Chen Chuan, with his exceptional physical qualities, could make it look so effortless.
"Mr. Chen, we need to leave quickly," Aunt Yu said. "There might be a risk of collapse here."
Chen Chuan nodded and left with Aunt Yu. Two people in Handling Bureau uniforms were waiting outside—the agency's support had arrived.
"Agent Chen, are you alright?" Lao Wan and Xiao Lu approached him.
Seeing the rift, they felt both relief and concern. The appearance of the rift meant the entity had abandoned its attachment, and the situation was essentially resolved.
But this was also the moment when the infestation was at its worst. If the essence blood and divine essence were insufficient, problems could arise.
"I'm fine," Chen Chuan assured them.
Lao Wan and Xiao Lu gave him a thorough once-over. Thankfully, there were no apparent issues, and as long as he maintained his rationality, everything could be managed. Even if there were complications, they had ways to address them.
Although he already knew the outcome, Lao Wan asked cautiously, "Agent Chen, what about that thing?"
"It's been taken care of," Chen Chuan affirmed confidently.
The two relaxed slightly.
Meng Huang had been eliminated, and most importantly, the impact hadn't spread. The situation was still under control. They felt a mix of embarrassment and admiration, as Chen Chuan had single-handedly resolved the issue while they could only run alongside him.
However, due to their responsibilities and procedures, they needed further confirmation.
Lao Wan addressed Aunt Yu solemnly. "We need to inspect the site personally."
Aunt Yu replied cautiously, "I'll take you there."
Chen Chuan asked Aunt Yu, "Ms. Yu, where's the safety shelter?"
Aunt Yu, seeing that the boundary token had returned to normal, sent him the location. "It's right here, Mr. Chen. I can't accompany you right now, please understand."
"It's fine, I can go by myself," Chen Chuan said.
After parting ways, Chen Chuan emerged from the underground passage and looked up at the golden midday sun. He stretched out his hand, feeling the warmth, and then clenched it.
Confronting that existence had stimulated his altered organs, causing them to grow erratically.
However, this growth was chaotic, and he needed to control it with essence blood and divine essence to suppress and correct it.
In the end, he hadn't lost much, as the drugs to cultivate these two substances were readily available. If he ever lacked special medications, this could serve as a substitute.
(End of Chapter)
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