Chapter 129 (3): Extraordinary Premonition!

"We have deemed the branch helm to be one of the most exceptional ones we've ever seen! It excels in all departments, including covertness, stability, safety, legitimacy, future potential, and overall combat prowess. In fact, it excels even beyond the branch helms of the subsidiary churches at the very top of the pyramid!"

"I agree with this assessment," the young man said with a nod. "This is an incredibly successful branch helm. In that case, let's conclude our assessment and submit the results to our higher-ups."

"Where should it be ranked, Young Master Xing?"

"Number one!" the young man replied without any hesitation.

"But Young Master Xing, the Metal Demon Church's branch helm was established by subordinates serving your older brother, and it's also very successful," one of the five individuals reminded.

"So what? Our assessments are made based on the merits of the branch helms, not on who's running them! The Metal Demon Church is a much more powerful subsidiary church than the One Heart Church, yet they've somehow been outmatched! What right do they have to claim the top spot? The Unmatched Escort Agency must be ranked number one! If my brother doesn't like it, he can come speak to me about it!"

The five individuals were very relieved to hear this.

As long as the young man was willing to take responsibility for the decision, the five of them would be safe.

They could hardly care less which branch helm was ranked at the top, all they cared about was self-preservation.

"Now that the assessment of the branch helm has been completed, it's time to evaluate all of its members," the young man continued.

This was going to be an onerous task, given that the branch helm had over six hundred members to be evaluated, but it had to be done.

"Do you want to spare yourselves some trouble?" the young man asked.

"Please enlighten us, Young Master Xing."

"Just mark them all down as outstanding. With someone like Starlight as their leader, that's the only possible fair assessment. Beyond that, just make records of how many escort assignments each of them went on and how much they've advanced in their cultivation base during their time in the White Cloud Prefecture, and you can leave it at that."

The five individuals were ecstatic.

"Inform the other assessment teams to go to the other prefectures. The work here in the White Cloud Prefecture is done. I'll give you three days to wrap things up here."

"Yes, Young Master Xing. Now that the assessment of the branch helm has already been completed, can we make ourselves known to its members? It would make carrying out the rest of our work much easier. Right now, it would be rather risky for us to go anywhere with Dong Changfeng still in the city."

***

At the headquarters of the main church, Duan Xiyang was standing before the destroyed remains of the Black Gold Spear with his hands clasped behind his back.

The spear had disintegrated into countless tiny particles, and as he swept his spirit sense over the particles, they rose up into the air at his behest to reform the Black Gold Spear, only to scatter again a moment later, leaving only several dozen particles remaining in mid-air.

Duan Xiyang reached out to catch some of the particles with his finger, and they completely disintegrated into powder before he even had a chance to crush them between his fingertips.

He looked down at the particles at his feet with a forlorn expression.

The fact that you destroyed even the Black Gold Spear so completely tells me that you've completely passed on and no longer have any attachments to this life. Who allowed you to finally pass on? Dong Changfeng? I doubt it. There's no way you would've considered Dong Changfeng a worthy heir.

Dong Changfeng is merely a cover for the one who truly received your inheritance! I've visited your cave many times in the past, and I could sense your disdain and disregard of me. If I'm not even worthy in your eyes, then there's no way you would've deemed Dong Changfeng as worthy! Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone.

I look forward to seeing what heights your heir will reach. He'll be sure to reach the pinnacle of the warrior world someday, and I will be eagerly awaiting the day that we cross spears! I never had the honor and privilege of facing you in battle, but I will be waiting for your heir at the top!

With a sweep of his sleeve, all of the particles on the ground rose up into the air before being reduced to powder, and with that, Duan Xiyang departed.

He had only just emerged from the treasure vault when he ran straight into Yan Nan, Bi Changhong, and Chen Gu.

"I heard the Black Gold Spear broke, is that right, Old Man Duan? How did it happen?" Yan Nan asked.

"It's gone," Duan Xiyang replied in a concise manner.

"It's gone?" Yan Nan asked as a cold gleam appeared in his eyes. "Are you trying to hide something from us, Duan Xiyang?"

"I am," Duan Xiyang readily admitted. "My Dream Shattering Spear has been lonely on the peak of invincibility for far too long."

"Invincible? You dare to say that about yourself?" Bi Changhong scoffed.

"Among wielders of the spear, I am invincible!" Duan Xiyang replied in a confident manner.

"I know how you feel, Old Man Duan, but you can't nurture a future threat to us just so you can have a rival!" Chen Gu said.

"I'm not nurturing anyone."

"But you're wilfully ignoring the threat!"

"My heart is already set!" Duan Xiyang said in a cold voice. "I have already been waiting for thousands of years for someone to inherit Master Jun Lin's will, but you can rest assured that even if his heir manages to rise to the top, he will ultimately be slain by my spear!"

"And what if you lose?" Bi Changhong asked in a cold voice.

"No spear can defeat me," Duan Xiyang replied, his confidence as unshakeable as his resolve.

With that, he departed without another word.

"Brother Yan! You can't just keep allowing Duan Xiyang to do whatever he pleases!" Bi Changhong urged.

"You know what his personality is like," Yan Nan sighed. "Also, when all of us were swearing vows to become sworn brothers, it was you who made him back out and become the chief enforcer of our church instead, so it's no wonder that he harbors some animosity toward you."

"Surely he's not still holding a grudge over something like that after tens of thousands of years!" Bi Changhong exclaimed.

"By denying him the right to become a sworn brother of ours, he has been reduced to a subordinate for all of eternity."

"But we've always treated him like a brother! When have we ever truly regarded him as a subordinate?"

"That's what you think. I suggest you have a drink with Old Man Duan and talk things out. None of us can do anything to help you mend that relationship."

"Are you suggesting I apologize to him?" Bi Changhong sneered. "I've never apologized to anyone!"

Yan Nan heaved a resigned sigh, one that was echoed by Chen Gu.

"About Jun Lin's inheritance... Let's allow Old Man Duan to do as he pleases just this once," Bi Changhong said in a begrudging fashion, then instantly vanished from the spot.

Yan Nan and Chen Gu exchanged a wry smile.

"Why can't these two idiots just talk things out? They've been like this for tens of thousands of years!"

With an exasperated shake of their heads, they bade each other farewell, but right as they were about to part ways, someone suddenly came to them and informed, "Chief Enforcer Duan has left the main church on his own."

"Let him be."

***

At the Guardian headquarters, Dongfang Sansan was reading through the report on his desk with a pleased smile on his face.

"Now that Dong Changfeng has finally made a long-awaited breakthrough, it's time to take Li Yao out of the picture, but for now, go and congratulate Dong Changfeng on my behalf."

"Yes, Master Nine."

After the door was closed, Dongfang Sansan fished out his communication jade. "Where are you right now? Still in the southeast?"

Xue Fuxiao had returned to the southeast a few days ago, still concerned that Duan Xiyang had been lying about the One Strike Spear Demon's inheritance.

Dongfang Sansan had only made this up as an excuse to send Xue Fuxiao to the southeast, but the latter had taken him very seriously and was constantly making trips to patrol the southeast whenever he had some spare time.

However, he couldn't admit to Xue Fuxiao that he had lied to him, so he could only let him be.

To his astonishment, Xue Fuxiao's frequent trips to the southeast really did seem to have paid off! At the very least, the inheritance of the One Strike Spear Demon had truly appeared, much to Dongfang Sansan's surprise and elation.

Looks like my luck is really beginning to turn!

Xue Fuxiao's reply was instantaneous: "I don't even know what to say anymore, Sansan. You're amazing! The inheritance of the One Strike Spear Demon really did appear! How did you know this was going to happen? Even for you, this is extraordinary!"

Xue Fuxiao didn't think he could gain any further admiration for Dongfang Sansan, but he had been proven wrong!