October 5th, at 5 a.m. The two official forums—Taiyuan Gate and the Five Elements Alliance—were in full turmoil. Two posts were highlighted and placed at the top. The first, issued by the headquarters account in Beijing: #The Commander of the Army has launched a large-scale offensive on the capital. Senior elders and high-ranking officials from surrounding branches have been swiftly dispatched for reinforcements.# The second, an official announcement from the Songhai Branch: #A powerful interest group, led by Cai Qinhelo, has colluded with the Southern School and the Night Rose Faction, orchestrating the assassination of the Prime Immortal, plotting against the Grand Marshal, and now facing violent arrest and execution after their criminal activities have come to light. Ongoing investigations will continue. Please pay close attention to the forum. Special announcement—Fu Qingyang.# These two developments are part of the aftermath of the Court of Judgment’s proceedings. It had already been anticipated that the return of the Prime Immortal to the Spiritual Realm would trigger a series of adverse ripple effects. Yet, the scale of the crisis has far exceeded expectations. Clearly, the Army Command has seized the opportunity of internal instability within the Five Elements Alliance to launch a coordinated offensive on the capital, Since the Five Elements Alliance was founded, and especially when the initial overreach caused a near-total collapse crisis for the Shura, the official side had been blocked at their doorstep. For the subsequent twenty years, no such incidents occurred. This increasingly highlighted the gradual decline of the Five Elements Alliance under the rule of the Ten Elders—marked by internal strife, the erosion of talent, recurring backlashes, and severe internal consumption—thus allowing the adversarial organizations to seize the opportunity. Meanwhile, the notice issued by the Songhai branch offered a glimmer of hope to those grassroots practitioners who had grown utterly disillusioned with the Wuxing Alliance. Not all of the Alliance's senior leaders had bowed to the pressure exerted by the Ten Elders. When the headquarters made moves that threatened to undermine its very foundations, several steadfast, order-oriented practitioners had risen up in resistance. As a result, Mr. Qian's support surged dramatically, and he now seemed to shine brightly in the eyes of mid- and lower-level practitioners. His breath was weak, most of the black serpents on his head broken, with scorched marks from flames spreading across his roots and body. He, along with the other eight, had sustained serious injuries. The series of disturbances caused by the Tribunal had enraged Jiang Master profoundly. As a half-god, he single-handedly faced nine peak sovereigns, severely wounding the nine elders—including Miao Elder. Fortunately, no lives were lost. Fortunately, Jiang Master's initial outburst had subsided—fire masters are like that; as long as you withstand their first wave of fury, you can then proceed steadily. As the mastermind, Cai Qinhe had been sent back to the Spiritual Realm by Yuan Shi Tian Zun. The nine elders merely "followed protocol"—and indeed, from a disciplinary standpoint, this was correct. From a legal standpoint as well—there was no dispute. Yuan Shi Tian Zun had indeed killed the official elders, and had indeed colluded with the evil profession. As for the accusation of being lured to death, if you've allied yourself with the evil profession, why should you blame them for luring you to your demise? They used the rules to defeat you—so who else could you blame? Thus, after venting his anger, even if he remained furious and reluctant, the matter was effectively settled, and the marshals would have to see that the final details were handled. Senior Master Miao gently inhaled, and the plants around him shivered softly, their fresh green leaves releasing a misty green vapor that eagerly flowed into his mouth. His weakened energy swiftly strengthened. "Ah…" he exhaled contentedly, only then turning his gaze to the recorder on the table. It had been left by his eldest son, Yun Zhongzi—typically, when something arose and no one could be found, he would leave a recorder behind. Senior Master Miao picked up the recorder and pressed the button. "Father, there have been some developments. First, the Heavenly King of the Commander of the Army launched an attack on the capital, driven not only by fear but by a full-scale mobilization. Second, Fu Qingyang has returned to reality and eliminated the entire core of the Cai family." Senior Master Miao's eyes darkened. ... The capital. Amid the thick fog, the battle between the seductive monster and the Five Elements Alliance and the Taiyuan Sect unfolded across streets, alleys, parks, residential neighborhoods, and even individual apartment buildings. Communications were cut, water and power supplies were lost. Residents, startled awake by gunfire and combat, huddled in their rooms, trembling in fear. Those brave enough to step out found themselves dead outside. The moral values of both the lawful and the chaotic spiritual travelers rapidly declined. Official spiritual travelers nearing the red line were forced to retreat helplessly. In contrast, the seductive monsters under the command of the Commander of the Army were far more ruthless—once their eyes turned bloodshot, they no longer cared about moral values, unleashing full force against both lawful travelers and ordinary citizens, killing them all without mercy. They even exploited their fellow spiritual travelers, now officially wanted and exposed in their coordinates, using the fog as cover to ambush official forces from the rear. At this moment, every surviving seductive monster heard the voice of the King of Fear: "The elders have returned—retreat!" ... at 11 a.m. In the spacious and bright office, the nine elders sat in quiet silence on either side of the conference table. Li, the secretary of the Grand Elder Di Hong, stood beside her superior, holding a folder and reporting: "According to statistics, four elders have sacrificed their lives, thirty-six saints, and seventy-five transcendent individuals have been lost. Twelve of the military commanders and the fog-masters have been killed, and forty-seven demons have been persuaded. The casualty figures among ordinary residents have not yet been finalized, but preliminary estimates suggest they will exceed one thousand. The government has been extremely furious about the disaster last night and expects the Five Elements Alliance to take responsibility, as well as to propose a retaliatory plan against the military commanders." Pausing briefly, Li added, "Last night, Fu Qingyang launched an attack on the Thousand-Bird Lake. Except for a few representatives of the Cai family stationed outside, all others—including the four elders—have been confirmed dead. Additionally, he independently posted a judgment against the Cai family on the forum, which suffered a cyberattack, resulting in a complete shutdown overnight. The forum only resumed operations this morning at ten o'clock, and the posts issued by the Songhai branch have been deleted." The Grand Elder Di Hong gazed at the eight peak masters seated on either side of the conference table, sighed, "What are your thoughts?" The Sword Gate elder scanned the group and sensed a certain regret in them—though at their level, such regret remained unspoken. There was no need to articulate it. At that moment, Li, the secretary, glanced at the notebook on the table and said, "Excuse me, leaders, Fu Qingyang has requested a video link." "He?" Another elder among the White Tiger troops scoffed. "He's recklessly eliminated the leading family of the Cai clan, showing no regard for discipline or organizational structure. How dare he come here? Does he have any offense that even the Marshal can't absorb?" Although there had been power struggles between the Nine Elders and Cai Qinhè, their relationship spanned decades, even a century—essentially one of close alliance. Fu Qingyang's complete eradication of the Cai clan's core family had stirred resentment in everyone. Imperial Hong waved his hand, "Since he's here, let's address his issues at the same time—let him enter." A projection head on the ceiling extended, casting a glowing blue beam. In the beam of light, Fu Qingyang appeared in a snowy white suit, his expression stern, as cold as the most piercing sword in the world. He glanced around at the nine elders seated at the table, his gaze growing even colder. Di Hong said solemnly, "Fu Qingyang, are you here to cloak your act of killing Cai Qinqie's descendants in the guise of justice, or are you willing to trade off the wrath of the grassroots members in exchange for restoring the headquarters' prestige—thus avoiding execution?" Fu Qingyang was well known for his skill in shaping public opinion and political negotiations—something they had long observed. The Grand Elder of the Water Deity Palace spoke with a somber tone: "Your posts on the forum clearly indicate your intention to shift the blame squarely onto the Cai family, hoping thus to mitigate official losses. How foolish! This may bring satisfaction to the grassroots, but it offers no real benefit. After all, you have personally killed four elders—your losses rival only those of the Commander of the Army. You are now ready to face trial, I presume?" "Are you daring to judge me? I am not averse to emulating the Prime Immortal." The very first words Fu At this crucial moment, a trial would be too sensitive. The Grand Elder of the Water Deity Palace had only issued a verbal warning—yet Fu Qingyang's response surpassed everyone's expectations. This was not a negotiation. Fu Qingyang spoke with cold composure: "The Cai family has already been expelled from the Five Elements Alliance. The grievances against Yuan Shi have been settled—but I still feel it's not enough. You nine are accomplices, and you ought to bear the consequences. I am not here to negotiate. I am here to upend the table." By the time he finished, he radiated the fury of a lion in full rage. "I won't waste any more words. Regarding the Yuanshish Tianzun's judgment session—don't you think I've already explained it thoroughly?" Fu Qingxuan said coldly. "The Yuanshish Tianzun's passing has eroded the trust of grassroots officials and members in the Wu-Xing Alliance, exposing numerous internal weaknesses. The ten elders now hold too much power—they need to be curtailed!" The Master of the Water Deity Palace furrowed her brows, saying, "What nonsense! I won't agree!" "Very well. If you don't agree, I shall announce my withdrawal from the Five Elements Alliance and establish the White Tiger troops as an independent force." Fu Qingxuan, no less a scout, was resolute and direct. The Master of the Water Deity Palace smiled, "Young lady, you're not the first commander, are you? Look at the White Tiger troops—how many of them will follow you?" Fu Qingxuan replied coldly, "Those who have already left the Five Elements Alliance will follow me. Those who have grown disillusioned with the Alliance will follow me. I just mentioned that the grassroots are now utterly disenchanted with the Five Elements Alliance. Fu Qingyang and I have strong support. When he raises his voice, the momentum will be clear. How many will follow him, I daresay, you all will agree." She turned to the four half-gods, saying, "Before this meeting, I've already met with government leaders. They believe this unrest stems from excessive centralization of power within the Five Elements Alliance. To them, the official organization of the spiritual realm "The Master of the Central Courtyard sighed, 'Fu Qingxuan, have you forgotten why the Five-Element Alliance was formed?' It was precisely the prophecy of the Light Compass about the present age that brought the Five-Element Alliance together, allowing the orderly factions to rise overwhelmingly, surpassing even the more powerful evil professions. Fu Qingxuan shrugged, 'The decision lies with you. If you're not even willing to weaken the headquarters, then you're just doing nothing—so I'm going to do nothing too.' The Master of the Central Courtyard frowned, 'What does "doing nothing" mean?' 'Just keep reading manga!' Fu Qingxuan scoffed. After a quiet pause of about fifteen seconds, the Chief of the Jiang Clan nodded, 'Then that's settled—I think it's excellent.' He had been silent throughout, thinking deeply about Fu Qingxuan's proposal, and after a while, he realized, 'Wow, this is actually a great idea.' It's more effective than simply beating up the Nine Elders. The Master of the Central Courtyard thought for a few seconds and then gave a slight nod. The young tree swayed gently, and a warm voice murmured, 'As long as you decide, I don't care Fu Qingxuan immediately turned to the Water Deity Palace Master: "Minority follows majority—whether you agree or not makes no difference now." "The establishment of the judicial and investigative departments, including personnel appointments, is primarily driven by Fu Qingyang, with your assistance." The meeting room instantly fell silent. The nine peak masters seemed frozen in place, rigidly seated at the table, their expressions and emotions completely still. Fu Qingyang slightly inclined forward, his gaze sharp and penetrating, his voice calm yet detached: "You've already lost half your ground by killing Yuan Shǐ Tianzūn, and you've lost the entire game when the General-in-Chief launched an offensive on the capital. Do you think I merely posted on the forum, eliminating Cai Qinhè's loyalists, out of mere frustration? No—I'm building my voter base. "The Marshal has already met with government leaders and secured approval to establish a third official organization. With my strong public support, if the Wuxing Alliance wishes to avoid fragmentation, its chieftains must accept my terms. "You old fellows have utterly failed. If it weren't for the need to maintain the status quo, I'd have no hesitation in eliminating all of you." Master Yuan Shi did not kill you yesterday—not because you deserved to live, but because even in his most desperate situation, he was unwilling to see the Order faction collapse. Finally, Master Fu turned to Elder Miao: "Miao Elder, I once told you that the arrogance of the rulers is the cradle of chaos, the poison of order, and the root of all evil in the world. Yet it seems you have not taken it to heart." A flash of luminous blue light, and he vanished into the conference room.