Chapter 1186: Internal and External Troubles
Yang Haoran stepped out of the Ghost Gate, naturally finding himself in the Underworld. Soon after, at the Jingling Continent Underworld Office headquarters, he met his direct superior, Luo Yao, who also seemed to have just arrived at the headquarters.
Upon successfully meeting Luo Yao, and before Luo Yao could speak, Yang Haoran respectfully handed over all the data Shui Ling had collected.
Luo Yao wasted no time. Taking the documents Yang Haoran offered, he began to pore over them. As he flipped through the pages, his expression gradually shifted from initial composure to solemnity, and finally, to one of deep displeasure.
The Communication Talisman Yang Haoran had previously activated was one Luo Yao had given him. Yang Haoran himself couldn't draw such a Gold Talisman; even the lowest-grade Communication Talisman was quite valuable. While he wasn't so poor as to be unable to afford one, he simply saw no need. A Black Talisman-level Communication Talisman was already sufficient for him, offering impressive usage frequency and transmission range, so there was no point in spending money on a higher-grade Gold Talisman. Of course, once he himself became a Gold Talisman Master and could draw Gold Talisman-level Communication Talismans, he wouldn't mind using them exclusively from then on.
In the Communication Talisman sent to Luo Yao, Yang Haoran had briefly outlined the main objective of the Spirit Mediums' current operation and informed Luo Yao that he possessed a collection of relevant data. Upon learning this, Luo Yao instructed him to immediately proceed to the Underworld with the gathered information. This was why Yang Haoran had summoned the Ghost Gate to travel to the Underworld after receiving the Communication Talisman.
Luo Yao instructing Yang Haoran to go directly to the Underworld with the data indicated just how seriously Luo Yao regarded the matter. If he hadn't, there would have been no need for Yang Haoran to rush to the Underworld, nor for Luo Yao himself to drop his important affairs and hurry back there from elsewhere; Yang Haoran could have simply explained everything via the Communication Talisman.
Luo Yao, like Yang Haoran, had not been in the Underworld prior. The reason they both rushed to the Underworld was that meeting there would save them the most time. If they had met in the mortal realm, not only would their whereabouts likely be exposed, and the journey entail dangers, but it would also take significantly longer. Therefore, for the sake of safety and to conserve time, Luo Yao decided to set their meeting place in the Underworld.
As for why Yang Haoran had removed and completely destroyed a few pages from the data Shui Ling had collected, it was because those pages implicated Lecheng. To prevent Luo Yao from forming a negative impression of the Lecheng Underworld Office, or indeed of Yang Haoran himself as his subordinate, he felt it was best to omit those particular pages.
A moment later, Luo Yao lowered the documents, his face a grim mask. His expression clearly showed that he was in a terribly foul mood.
Yang Haoran observed Luo Yao's facial expression, but still remained silent. In this situation, it was better to let Luo Yao speak first. As a subordinate, speaking preemptively, whether hitting the mark or not, was generally ill-advised.
"Damn it! Three months of hard work, and we've been played for fools by the Spirit Mediums! We poured all our manpower and energy into preventing their sudden attacks, and they used the opportunity to target our god's believers. What a move they pulled!"
An enraged Luo Yao let out a curse, smashing his fist onto the table before him. The tabletop instantly shattered, utterly unable to withstand his blow. Although the table was destroyed, the fury in Luo Yao's heart did not diminish in the slightest.
Luo Yao's outburst of anger indicated that he had no doubts about the information Yang Haoran had brought. Had there been even a trace of suspicion, Luo Yao would not have reacted this way.
It was no surprise that Luo Yao harbored no suspicion. The information collected by Shui Ling was extremely detailed, with various pieces of evidence proving its veracity. Even if Luo Yao had wanted to doubt it, he would have found no grounds for suspicion.
Facing Luo Yao's rage, Yang Haoran slightly lowered his head, but still kept silent. He knew Luo Yao was currently in a fit of pique. If he spoke and inadvertently "diverted the trouble east," ending up with a furious dressing down himself, it would be far too disadvantageous.
Luo Yao also realized he had lost his composure. He took a deep breath, trying hard to calm his emotions. A moment later, his expression improved slightly.
"I've also noticed something amiss lately," Luo Yao said. "The Spirit Mediums' supposed 'big move' showed no signs at all. All the preparations our Underworld Office made for their impending action proved completely useless. So, I arranged for someone to discreetly investigate the matter, to see if we could uncover the problem. I never expected that before the investigation results were in, you would deliver this information into my hands. It seems my worries were well-founded."
At this, Luo Yao stood up, his hands clasped behind his back, and began to pace back and forth. After a few turns, he fixed his gaze on Yang Haoran and spoke with a serious expression. rAnOBEs
"You've done well this time. If you hadn't discovered this matter in time and investigated it thoroughly, our Underworld Office's losses this time would only have grown greater. I've already noted this merit down for you."
Although Luo Yao was praising Yang Haoran, there was no hint of joy on his face; instead, he seemed deeply troubled.
Yang Haoran fully understood Luo Yao's current state of mind. Although he had uncovered the matter and learned the true objective of the Spirit Mediums, their operation had, after all, been ongoing for three months. It was obvious that during this time, the Spirit Mediums had poached a considerable number of believers from the Underworld Office, and their Jingling Continent Underworld Office was certainly no exception. As the Jingling Great Emperor of the Underworld Office, Luo Yao's mood could only be imagined.
"Divine Envoy, there's no need for excessive worry. While it's true our Underworld Office has likely lost many believers over these three months, now that we've discovered their true objective, proper corrective measures can still be taken in time."
Yang Haoran knew what was troubling Luo Yao, so he offered words of comfort. Hearing this, Luo Yao nodded lightly.
"You're right," Luo Yao conceded. "Since things have come to this, all we can do now is promptly rectify the situation. But our Underworld Office has truly lost face this time. If the Spirit Mediums reveal the true purpose of this operation to the public, we'll undoubtedly become a laughingstock, significantly impacting our Underworld Office's reputation and prestige."
Yang Haoran had, of course, considered the point Luo Yao brought up, but he didn't appear as crestfallen as Luo Yao. A faint smile played on his lips, and he exuded an air of calm.
"If, as the Divine Envoy says, the Spirit Mediums intentionally spread word of this operation and publicize or exaggerate their achievements, then it's certainly true it will negatively impact our Underworld Office's reputation and prestige," Yang Haoran stated. "However, the face we've lost isn't impossible to regain. As long as we annihilate the Spirit Mediums, we can reclaim both the face lost this time and any face lost in the past, all at once."
Yang Haoran pondered for a moment, then, with a faint smile, offered these words to Luo Yao. Though his statement seemed like nonsense, it contained a deeper meaning.
Hearing this, Luo Yao shook his head lightly, a hint of helplessness in his expression.
"If we could annihilate the Spirit Mediums, I wouldn't be fretting like this now," Luo Yao said. "In the past, while the Spirit Mediums posed a certain threat in the eyes of our Underworld Office, it wasn't a significant one. If they dared to show their heads, it was a certainty they'd be wiped out by our Underworld Office. They knew this themselves, which is why they always hid like mice, never daring to show themselves. Some even secretly learned the arts of other sects and forces, adding disguises to their Spirit Medium bodies and walking the world under false identities to evade our Underworld Office's pursuit. From this, it's clear that back then, our Underworld Office faced no pressure from the Spirit Mediums whatsoever."
At this, Luo Yao sighed softly, and the worry on his face deepened involuntarily.
"Now, the situation with the Spirit Mediums is vastly different from before," Luo Yao continued. "Because a Spirit God has emerged among them—though merely a Spirit Master False God—its strength surpasses that of any Great Emperor in our Underworld Office. The appearance of this Spirit Master False God has given the Spirit Mediums hope for resurgence. Those Spirit Mediums who had been hiding in the shadows have successively stepped into the light. Those who walked the world using other identities have also, one after another, shed their disguises."
Here, Luo Yao's voice paused slightly once more, then he continued.
"Without exception, these Spirit Mediums have all become followers of the Spirit Master False God," Luo Yao explained. "Under the Spirit Master False God's leadership, the Spirit Medium collective quickly coalesced and grew stronger. The Spirit Mediums, who once only dared to cower, have, in a short time, acquired the courage and strength to actively assault our Underworld Office. It has become exceedingly difficult for our Underworld Office to trample them underfoot as we once did."
After finishing his words, Luo Yao said no more. Yang Haoran, seizing the opportunity, immediately chimed in.
"Even if the Spirit Master False God is formidable, and none of our Underworld Office's Great Emperors can match them alone, what if they launched a joint attack?"
Yang Haoran asked. Luo Yao hesitated slightly upon hearing the question, but still responded to Yang Haoran.
"Since I already regard you as a confidant and am cultivating you, there are some things I won't hide from you," Luo Yao explained. "After all, the more you know, the more it will benefit you. While the strength of this Spirit Master False God is indeed formidable, in my opinion, they certainly couldn't withstand a joint attack from our five Great Emperors of the Underworld Office. However, the Spirit Mediums are hidden while we are exposed. Not only do we not know the Spirit Master False God's hiding place, we don't even know the location of the Spirit Mediums' Spirit Land or their Spiritualist God Realm. Without the Spirit Master False God's whereabouts, we simply cannot coordinate to deal with them."
Luo Yao spoke with a look of helplessness. Yang Haoran knew about both the Spirit Land and the Spiritualist God Realm that Luo Yao mentioned. The former was akin to the headquarters of each continent's Underworld Office, serving as the main base for the Spirit Mediums of that continent. The latter, it was said, was where the Spirit Master False God resided long-term, somewhat analogous to the Underworld Office's Underworld.
Yang Haoran's smile receded slightly, and he feigned an expression of deep thought, then spoke to Luo Yao.
"Since the Spirit Master False God is unwilling to show himself, why can't we devise a plan to make him appear?"
Luo Yao naturally understood what Yang Haoran implied, but he shook his head after hearing it.
"This Spirit Master False God is extremely cautious and intelligent," Luo Yao stated. "Otherwise, he wouldn't have reached this point today, not only successfully uniting all the Spirit Mediums but also causing them to grow rapidly in a short period. This clearly shows his strength and intellect. A scheme to make him appear might not necessarily bait him. Furthermore, there's another very important issue: our five Great Emperors of the Underworld Office are far from as united as you might imagine; a 'joint effort' isn't guaranteed to succeed just by saying so."
A faint expression of surprise appeared on Yang Haoran's face. However, whether this surprise was genuine or merely feigned for Luo Yao's benefit, only he himself knew.
Luo Yao saw the surprise on Yang Haoran's face, yet he did not doubt the authenticity of Yang Haoran's surprised expression.
"I told you last time," Luo Yao said, "our Underworld Office has enjoyed peace for too long. There have been hidden conflicts and struggles among the higher echelons for their respective interests, and these so-called higher echelons include the Five Great Emperors of the Underworld Office."
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