"Amitabha, this benefactor seems unfamiliar, please forgive this humble monk's poor sight; I cannot recognize which Honorable Master you might be."
Sheng Rulai approached Jian Ruyan, stopped in front of her, brought his hands together in a gesture of respect, chanted a Buddhist invocation, and said softly.
His intonation was quite peculiar; not only did Jian Ruyan understand the meaning in Chinese, but it also contained Japanese, Korean, English, and other languages—it seemed as if she would understand him no matter her nationality.
Originally, Jian Ruyan was already on alert around this Buddha of the Buddha's Light, and upon hearing his words, she felt even more wary of his extraordinary methods, subtly increasing the distance between them as she said, "Dragon King Hall, Hall Master of White Tiger Hall, Jian Ruyan."
"Dragon King Hall?" Sheng Rulai's expression shifted slightly upon hearing Jian Ruyan's words because he remembered that Dragon King Hall didn't seem to have a White Tiger Hall.
Besides the Hall Master Tiance True Dragon, the other positions were designated by the Big Dipper Seven Stars and the Twenty-Eight Constellations.
With Jian Ruyan's strength, she would be at least a Seven Stars of the Big Dipper General; her position could not be any lower, so what about White Tiger Hall?
However, Sheng Rulai didn't ponder any further; after all, Jian Ruyan's position in Dragon King Hall was of no significance to him.
He asked, "Sword Donor, having arrived earlier than this monk, have you discovered anything?"
"Nothing," Jian Ruyan said, controlling her expression, and shook her head slightly.
The satellite surveillance footage she had obtained would likely not only be available to Dragon King Hall but to America and other countries as well; however, she wouldn't reveal the matters concerning Xiang Mantang to them until the last moment.
Call her selfish or say she doesn't prioritize the bigger picture; in the end, Jian Ruyan has only cared for one person, Xiang Mantang, from the very beginning.
"Is that so? What a pity," Sheng Rulai responded to Jian Ruyan's answer, sensing her reservation, yet he did not press further.
After that, Sheng Rulai no longer engaged in conversation with Jian Ruyan, for he had initially thought that since she came early, she might have some clues. However, since Jian Ruyan was not inclined to say more, he would not force others, and thus he lost the desire to converse further.
Sheng Rulai walked into a relatively intact part of the ruins, which was originally a row of houses that now, eroded by darkness, left behind only mud, sand, and some broken bricks and tiles.
Sheng Rulai squatted down and started to sift through a half wall.
"Boom!"
The damaged wall crumbled like tofu dregs at the touch of Sheng Rulai, turning into a pile of sand and stone.
The exposed steel rebar was also broken in pieces, covered with rust.
Upon seeing this, Sheng Rulai's pupils flickered, and the radiant Buddha's Light behind his head suddenly shone even more brilliantly, changing from seven colors to nine, rotating ceaselessly.
He then carefully picked up a piece of relatively intact rebar, expanded his Divine Sense, and gingerly attached it to the metal, sensing the residual dark power on it.
"Hiss!"
In an instant, Sheng Rulai's face turned as pale as paper, and he threw away the piece of rebar, stumbling back several steps. Since he had been squatting down, he nearly fell in a disgraceful heap.
"Such a terrifyding power; if such demons appear in the world, it bodes ill for all! Amitabha..."
Sheng Rulai's face was ashen, his expression full of shock and uncertainty, and at the end, he closed his eyes again, intoning a Buddhist chant.
As the Master of the Buddha's Light and the Head of Ten Thousand Buddhas, was Sheng Rulai someone to be trifled with? It could be said that on Earth at this time, there were no more than a handful who could match him in battle.
Yet this Buddha-level figure, upon contacting just a trace of the dark power left by Xiang Mantang, was overwhelmed and nearly lost his life, having to hastily sever his Divine Sense to escape the danger. This showed how terrifying the demon possessing Xiang Mantang was!
Therefore, Sheng Rulai uttered the grave pronouncement of imminent danger to the world.
"Old baldy, after so many years, you've actually become this weak!"
At this moment, an aged voice carrying a hint of amusement rang out leisurely.
Jian Ruyan and Sheng Rulai, hearing this voice, turned their heads towards the northwest at the same time.
Then, they saw an elderly man wearing a Taoist robe, with white hair and beard, walking towards them with hands clasped behind his back.
But strangely, with each step he took, it was as if he teleported, reappearing a hundred meters away.
With just a few steps, the old man was already near them.
Though he did not introduce himself, Jian Ruyan guessed that this elder must be the Taoist Master of the Way of Nature, Ren Xiaoyao.
"Amitabha, Cultivator Ren, it's been years since we've last met; I hope you've been well."
As the Buddha Head of Buddha's Light Shines Everywhere, Sheng Rulai naturally recognized the Taoist Master of the Way of Nature. Although he heard Ren Xiaoyao call him an old baldy, he didn't get angry and instead greeted him amiably.
Ren Xiaoyao snorted and then looked suspiciously at Jian Ruyan, "Whose kid is this little girl? With just Energy Transformation strength, she dares to come here for reconnaissance. Is she tired of living?"
"She's from the Dragon King Hall," Sheng Rulai explained.
Jian Ruyan nodded expressionlessly as well.
Upon hearing Sheng Rulai's words, Ren Xiaoyao showed a disdainful and scornful expression, muttering, "With such a big incident happening, Dragon King Hall actually sent only a little girl at the Energy Transformation level. Do they not take the situation seriously, or is Dragon King Hall out of people?!"
Jian Ruyan's grip tightens around the sword hilt, her knuckles turning somewhat white.
But unfortunately, Ren Xiaoyao was not wrong; with the death of the Old Dragon King and the continuous problems in Jinyu Mantang, Dragon King Hall indeed suffered a significant decline in talented individuals, with no one else to send.
If it hadn't been for her desperate breakthrough to the Peak Energy Transformation stage recently, the Dragon King Hall would probably have had to send a Martial Artist at the Complete Energy Transformation Stage, which surely would have invited ridicule from other powers.
After muttering to himself, Ren Xiaoyao stopped paying attention to Jian Ruyan.
He had no ill will towards the Dragon King Hall or Jian Ruyan; he was just a man who spoke his mind, often saying things that offended others.
If he didn't possess the strength of the God Realm, he likely would have been beaten to death already.
"Alright, stop your inspection here; it's useless. I've come to inform you that the Nine Great Organizations around the globe are now convening to discuss this incident. The meeting is taking place at a small town nearby that's unaffected. Representatives of other organizations have already arrived; you're the only ones still missing. Let's go!"
After saying this, Ren Xiaoyao turned and started walking back in the direction he came from.
Jian Ruyan and Sheng Rulai immediately followed Ren Xiaoyao's steps.
However, Ren Xiaoyao was using Shrinking Ground into Inches, a divine skill that God Realm powerhouses can master, thus Jian Ruyan had a hard time catching up.
Seeing this, Sheng Rulai slightly paused his pace, walking while intermittently stopping to allow Jian Ruyan to keep up with him.
Jian Ruyan felt much relieved and was quite grateful to the Buddha Head of Buddha's Light Shines Everywhere.
Soon, one after another, they arrived at a deserted town, and following Ren Xiaoyao, they entered a little house.
Upon entering the house, Jian Ruyan felt the lighting was somewhat dim and couldn't see the people inside very clearly.
"Is everyone here now? Then let's begin this meeting against the dark unrest."