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There is no wall that does not let the wind through, and it is very difficult—nigh impossible—to completely hide the commotion that occurred in the botanical gardens without the outside world getting wind of it.

Shoppers nearby, upon hearing the noise, thought there was an earthquake and were scared into hiding under tables, pulling out their phones to make calls to their families.

However, after a while, they realized the buildings were still intact, yet they felt intermittent tremors.

When they ran out of the shopping center, they quickly discovered that the vibrations and the explosive sounds were coming from the botanical garden.

So, some began to call the police. The officers wanted to rush into the botanical garden but were shocked to find that, although its gates were wide open, there seemed to be an invisible barrier that no matter what they tried, they just couldn't breach.

They began seeking support, and soon, the anomaly reached the ears of Ji Yutao, the top official of Ling City. Upon hearing the news, Ji Yutao contacted Cheng Dongliang immediately.

Cheng Dongliang, almost instantly guessed that this incident was most likely related to Li Xiaoyao.

Receiving no answer when calling Li Xiaoyao, Cheng Dongliang decided to drive there directly.

Upon his arrival at the botanical garden, he found the entrance swarming with pedestrians. Cheng Dongliang strode forward briskly and said to a police officer, "Disperse them all, there's nothing to see here."

The officer did not recognize Cheng Dongliang and was about to question him when the precinct chief ran up, fawning, and said, "Military Governor Cheng, you've arrived."

"Hmm, what's the situation now? Can we get in?" asked Cheng Dongliang, staring at the entrance.

"Just now, a group of people came out from inside," the chief replied.

"Where are they? Where did they go?"

"Well, those who came out are all high-profile individuals. I wanted to keep them here, but I simply couldn't," lamented the chief. Those who emerged from the botanical garden were influential figures not just in Ling City but throughout Lu Province. After all, he was just a minor precinct chief—how could he dare to stop them?

Cheng Dongliang's expression darkened as he continued, "What about afterward? Did anyone go in?"

The chief nodded, "One person went in."

"Who?"

"Zhen Jie." The chief involuntarily wiped the sweat from his forehead as he mentioned the name, clearly indicating that this person was someone of great importance—certainly not someone he could afford to provoke.

"Zhen Jie? Who is that?" Cheng Dongliang felt the name sounded familiar but couldn't immediately recall where he'd heard it.

"He showed me an identification, it was from the headquarters of the armed forces," explained the chief.

"From the headquarters of the armed forces? Named Zhen Jie?" Cheng Dongliang thought rapidly, and soon, the face of a young man emerged in his mind.

"It's him!" Cheng Dongliang remembered.

The number one man in the military, Ling Tian's senior disciple, Zhen Jie.

It was said that this person's martial strength was extraordinarily powerful, and he was Ling Tian's most esteemed disciple.

As for Ling Tian, he was a legend of the military, his strength so formidable that to this day no one dared to challenge him.

The reason why Xuan Country managed to intimidate so many Cultivation Sects and martial arts forces was, in essence, because the country had pacified and cultivated many powerful individuals.

Ling Tian was one of the most outstanding among them.

To say that Ling Tian was the number one in Xuan Country would certainly be an exaggeration. However, the strongest on the surface was indeed Ling Tian.

As for those even more powerful Cultivators, they often prefer to remain unknown to the world, but should the country encounter trouble, they would certainly not shirk their duty.

Being a disciple of Ling Tian, Zhen Jie must have come here on Ling Tian's orders.

However, what Cheng Dongliang couldn't fathom was why Ling Tian, a person from the general military area, would come to his turf to handle these matters? And to do so without even a word of greeting to him—that was indeed quite puzzling.

"You all stay here and disperse anyone unrelated; I'm going to take a look inside," Cheng Dongliang instructed before he stepped forward toward the interior. As he reached the entrance, he added without looking back, "Without my orders, no one is allowed in."

Cheng Dongliang was very familiar with the layout inside the botanical garden. Upon entering, the first thing he did was head toward those buildings.

Li Xiaoyao had promised him a thousand square meters, and he hadn't wasted a single inch. First, he constructed a conference hall as per Director Chen's requirements, and then, right next to the conference hall, he erected a large training room.

The training room housed various equipment and a number of small rooms, specifically for the military's cultivation needs.

On the other side, several villas had been built, all at the request of Li Xiaoyao.

In just over ten days, these massive structures had taken shape. To commoners, it seemed a miracle, but to Cultivators, it was incredibly simple.

The abilities of a Spells Master were heaven-reaching and earth-penetrating; with a wave of their hand, they could destroy a building or make one appear out of thin air.

From afar, Cheng Dongliang saw the banquet hall now in ruins, and he couldn't help but stand still, eyes wide.

"What happened here?" Staring at the ruins, Cheng Dongliang could almost imagine the terrifying battle that must have taken place here.

As he stood there shocked, a tall, young man appeared from one side and walked over.

"Military Governor Cheng," the man said, his expression serious and respectful, giving only a slight nod in acknowledgment, even to Cheng Dongliang.

Cheng Dongliang composed himself and glanced at the man, saying, "So it's Zhen Jie, what brings you here without letting me know? Afraid I wouldn't host you well enough?"

Zhen Jie shook his head, "I intended to visit you directly, Military Governor Cheng, but as soon as I got off the plane, I sensed a surge of immense energy erupting from the city center, so I rushed over here first."

Cheng Dongliang's question was just a casual remark—he was more eager to understand what exactly had happened here. Who had turned this place into the state it was now?

Today was supposed to be the day Master Gui Hai held an internal exchange meeting, but now, not even Master Gui Hai's shadow was to be seen.

And in the morning, Li Xiaoyao had parted with him at the bar and had come here, and now he too seemed to have disappeared.

The entire botanical garden exuded an eerie and peculiar atmosphere as if haunted.

Cheng Dongliang and Zhen Jie walked around and finally arrived at the villa's doorway. Just as Cheng Dongliang reached out to push the door, an invisible force repelled him several steps back.

Gazing at the villa before him, Cheng Dongliang knew there must be someone inside.

Inside the villa, Li Xiaoyao sat cross-legged, the botanical garden's Spiritual Energy drawn to him, transforming into miniature tornadoes swirling from all directions into the villa, and pouring into Li Xiaoyao's body like rivers into the sea.

Bathed in this dense and immense Spiritual Energy, Li Xiaoyao's empty Dantian was rapidly filling at a terrifying rate.

Outside the villa, Cheng Dongliang and Zhen Jie, sensing something, looked up only to see the spectacle of the Spiritual Energy tornadoes enveloping the villa.

"What is this!"

Zhen Jie's pupils contracted, utterly astounded.

Cheng Dongliang was also stunned. What exactly had happened here, and why had the Spiritual Energy taken the form of tornadoes?