Chapter 541: Liquidation (Thanks to 'Ye Jingtian' for Gifting Alliance Leader)

Chapter 541: The Reckoning (Thanks to 'Yejingtian' for the alliance-level tip)

As the Ocular Remains reconnected to the Spirit Realm, watching the familiar stream of information cascade before his eyes, Zhang Yu let out a long, relieved breath.

Having long grown accustomed to the device, he had found the state of being blind—unable to contact others or access information at will—utterly unbearable.

With the restoration of the Spirit Realm, order began to return to the University City. The first thing Zhang Yu noticed was the rhythmic sweep of divine light across the sky.

The Orthodox Deities were manifesting throughout every level of the University City with a frequency and efficiency Zhang Yu had never witnessed before.

Every now and then, he would catch sight of a figure being pinned down, their physical form disintegrated and their soul extracted under the crushing weight of divine power.

Zhang Yu felt a tightening in his chest. "Has the reckoning begun?"

He understood that for all the destruction, losses, and criminal acts that occurred during the blackout, the university administration and the Orthodox Deities would inevitably conduct a thorough purge.

Once security cameras reconnected to the Spirit Realm, the footage stored within would certainly be scrutinized by the gods.

There was also the unknown number of people seduced by the demonic cults, which would undoubtedly be a primary focus of Wanfa University’s investigation.

"There must be many who secretly recorded the events with their Ocular Remains," Zhang Yu thought. "Mass reporting must be starting by now."

As for the repairs to the University City, insurance claims for lost supplies, and the inevitable lawsuits and disputes arising from the chaos—Zhang Yu only had to imagine the scale to know how busy Wanfa University would be in the coming days.

Just then, a flurry of documents popped up in his Ocular Remains, sent by the Orthodox Deities: "Learn Anti-Cult Knowledge!", "Why We Oppose the Demonic Cults", "A Deep Analysis of the Evil Essence of the Feathering Cult", "Righteousness Endures, Evil Fades: A Critique of the Social Cancer Known as the Wu-Ye Cult", and "On the Dangers of Non-Action."

Looking at these files, a single thought surfaced in Zhang Yu’s mind: "They’re in such a rush."

At the same time, a beam of divine light descended from mid-air, sweeping across the crowd like a wall of light, scanning every individual it touched.

As the light passed over the passersby, some remained unaffected, while others triggered alarms and were immediately pinned to the ground by massive golden hands.

Zhang Yu felt a flicker of anxiety, but he knew running was futile. He could only stand still and accept the scan.

As the light washed over him, an option appeared in his Ocular Remains, asking if he consented to the inspection.

Zhang Yu agreed readily. His injuries had been treated, his device contained nothing incriminating, and the data sent by the demonic cult had long since been deleted.

His companions, such as Yu Xinghan and Le Mulan, were in the same position, having prepared during the cleanup. Even Xiao Qingxuan had regurgitated his Outer Elixir, reverting to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Moments later, the inspection concluded, and the divine light faded from Zhang Yu’s body.

"Whew..." Zhang Yu exhaled. "The basic check is over. There might be follow-up questioning, but we shouldn't be high-priority targets. It’ll likely just be a formality."

With the Spirit Realm back online, a deluge of messages began to flood his device.

Many were delayed messages sent while the network was hijacked.

Mo Shangjin: Are you in your dorm?

Zhang Pianpian: Contact me once the Spirit Realm is back.

Zhao Tianxing: Why did you all go offline?

Ying Xin’s Grandfather: Can you see this? Is there a problem with Wanfa’s Spirit Realm?

Many messages came from soul cultivators within his company. To them, the loss of connection meant that everyone at Wanfa University had simultaneously vanished, and the university’s entire network had blinked out of existence, as if a massive chunk of the world had been carved away.

For people like Zhao Tianxing, Che Yufei, and Hu Yuntao, who were still navigating economic crises, nothing was more terrifying than waking up to see their boss’s avatar grayed out.

They had been deeply worried that something had happened to Zhang Yu or that the company was on the verge of collapse.

Now that he was back online, many others reached out as well.

True Lord Magnetic Pole: Come to the lab. We’ll talk when you get here.

Director Gao: Go find your master immediately.

Zhao Tianxing: Boss Zhang, are you alright?

Ye Xingli (Poverty Simulator): Junior Brother, are you okay?

After replying to the most important messages, Zhang Yu headed to the laboratory.

The moment he entered True Lord Magnetic Pole’s office, the room darkened, and the figure of the Old Man of Non-Action suddenly manifested. He smiled, saying, "Magnetic Pole, is this the new disciple you’ve taken in?"

Zhang Yu was stunned, only to hear True Lord Magnetic Pole say coldly, "Zhang Yu, I invited him here specifically to welcome you into the cult."

Zhang Yu wore a look of utter shock. "Master, how can this be? I cannot join the demonic cult!"

After True Lord Magnetic Pole pressed him repeatedly, seeing Zhang Yu’s genuine fear and refusal, he finally dismissed the projection of the Old Man of Non-Action and said calmly, "You’re smart."

Zhang Yu let out a sharp breath, feigning lingering fear. "Master, was that a test? You nearly scared me to death."

Internally, he thought, "Thank goodness... based on my previous interactions with the Evil Gods, it seems Master hasn't joined the cult."

Because he confirmed this, Zhang Yu realized quickly that True Lord Magnetic Pole was merely testing his loyalty.

True Lord Magnetic Pole looked at him and said, "The two major demonic cults have wreaked havoc on the University City. There’s no telling how many have been seduced. The higher-ups are determined to purge them, and you will be questioned later. If you have anything to confess, tell me now, and I will help you resolve it. I don’t want to hear about any problems from someone else’s mouth."

Feeling the sharpness of her gaze, Zhang Yu said firmly, "Master, rest assured, I have never joined a demonic cult. When the Spirit Realm went down, I went to the office area with Mo Shangjin and the others. Later, when the Golden Core-level battle broke out, we were scattered, and I hid with my classmates until the connection was restored..."

As Zhang Yu recited his prepared script, True Lord Magnetic Pole smiled slightly, patting his head. "It’s good that you’re safe. It’s not that I don’t trust you, Zhang Yu, but the demonic cults are cunning and adept at corrupting the heart. I only fear you might have been ensnared without realizing it. Remember, I am your master; you can tell me anything, and I will help you. But if you wait until the Orthodox Deities uncover a problem, even I won't be able to save you."

Zhang Yu listened with a look of gratitude, nodding occasionally.

But he knew he could only believe half of what she said.

"Ordinary matters, perhaps, she would cover for me," Zhang Yu thought. "But the things happening to me now... if I truly spoke of the Evil Gods, it’s hard to say how she would handle me."

Meanwhile, True Lord Magnetic Pole recalled the cult’s recent actions: "They scouted the lab, attacked me and Tianzhang, and then besieged the Research Department. It’s highly likely they are interested in the experiments on the Transformation-level Dharma Remains."

It was precisely for this reason that she wondered if Zhang Yu, as a test subject, had encountered them.

Beyond Zhang Yu, she still had to interview her other subordinates to ensure no issues remained that could jeopardize her path to Transformation.

Just then, Zhang Yu saw her brow furrow as she read a message in her Ocular Remains, her expression darkening.

"Master?" Zhang Yu asked curiously. "What happened?"

True Lord Magnetic Pole sneered. "Remember Feng Yuhan from the Research Department?"

Seeing Zhang Yu nod, she continued, "The Research Department was besieged by cultists. That man fought them off single-handedly, protecting a vast amount of school assets. He’s earned a great merit."

Zhang Yu’s heart skipped a beat. "Fought them off single-handedly? It seems the Evil Gods really did trust the intelligence provided by Fu Ji and sent people to deal with him. But was it truly a battle, or has he been secretly controlled by the cult, staging a performance?"

"Next time I enter the Dark Spirit Realm, I’ll have to investigate."

Shortly after Zhang Yu left, Director Gao sent a message to True Lord Magnetic Pole.

Director Gao: Is everything alright?

True Lord Magnetic Pole: So far, there don't seem to be any issues. Continue observing.

Director Gao: Sigh, after the chaos caused by the two cults, everyone in the University City is living in fear. Who knows how many have already been compromised.

True Monarch Magnetic Pole: I fear that long before this incident unfolded, someone of Nascent Soul caliber had already conspired with the Demonic Sect.

Director Gao: Nascent Soul caliber?

True Monarch Magnetic Pole: The divine path techniques employed by the Demonic Sect this time were formidable, and their ability to mobilize two Transformation Deity lords caught everyone off guard; yet even so, without an insider acting in concert, it would have been impossible to hijack the spiritual realm within and around the University City with such ease.

Director Gao: Who do you suspect it might be?

True Monarch Magnetic Pole: Hard to say.

True Monarch Magnetic Pole: In any case, proceed with the utmost caution.

Gazing at the message from True Monarch Magnetic Pole, Director Gao let out a soft, weary sigh, as if he could already perceive a hidden figure standing silently in the shadows of the University City, weaving some dark design.

On the other side, shortly after leaving the laboratory, Zhang Yu was summoned for questioning by the Orthodox Deities.

Following his consciousness deep into the spiritual realm, Zhang Yu began to answer the barrage of inquiries posed by the deities.

Just as he had anticipated, he was not a primary target, and the interrogation concluded after a brief session.

Yu Xinghan, Shi Huaiyu, Le Mulan, Xiao Qingxuan, and the others all insisted that they had remained in hiding with Zhang Yu until the crisis passed; with the seven of them providing mutual testimony, they were all cleared of suspicion, allowing them to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

Just as the seven of them successfully passed their ordeal, Mo Shangjin, who had reportedly been abducted by a Demonic Sect Golden Core cultivator only to return safely afterward, became a subject of intense surveillance.

Then there was Su Yanyang, who had slept through the entire event while hiding in a graveyard; suspected of being bewitched by the Demonic Sect, he was sent to a disciplinary unit for anti-demonic indoctrination.

Following rounds of scrutiny, when the rankings and scores were updated that evening, Zhang Yu was surprised to find his departmental ranking had climbed one spot to thirty-eighth.

Zhang Yu thought to himself: "Has someone ahead of me in the Artifact Refining Department met with misfortune? I wonder if they were killed by the Demonic Sect when the spiritual realm was severed, or if the Orthodox Deities uncovered some hidden treachery."

It was not just Zhang Yu; the rankings of all the students who had survived the University City incident had risen to varying degrees.

It was as if, having been tempered by the ordeal, the remaining students felt their path to immortality had suddenly grown a little wider.

Meanwhile, as Wanfa University busied itself with the aftermath, the Ten Great Leagues on the other side reached their final conclusion.

(End of chapter)