Meanwhile, a black car slowly stopped in front of the city gate of Fuji City.

The car door opened.

Kujo Koji stepped out of the car.

He raised his head, looking at the city before him that had almost been reduced to ruins, and his brows furrowed tightly.

The air was filled with a pungent burnt smell and a thick scent of blood.

A huge deep pit, like a hideous scar, spanned across the center of the city.

As expected, the worst-case scenario he had anticipated eventually happened after all.

Fortunately, at this moment, a white figure flew rapidly from the distant horizon and landed steadily in front of him.

It was precisely that mysterious Man in White Suit.

Kujo Koji's gaze landed on the other's hand in the very first instant.

In his hand, he was holding a golden pendulum clock.

Pendulum of Life.

Seeing that it was safe and sound, Kujo Koji finally breathed a secret sigh of relief.

He withdrew his gaze, his voice low.

"What on earth happened here?"

The Man in White Suit was concise and to the point.

"Just as you expected."

"While we were trapped by Soma Kosuke, someone wanted to take the opportunity to snatch the Pendulum of Life."

"Fortunately, we stopped them in time."

"One accomplice ran away, but we kept two behind."

With that, the Man in White Suit casually waved his hand.

High in the air, two figures flew straight over like kites with broken strings, heavily slamming onto the ground in front of the two.

Dust flew everywhere.

Their appearances were extremely disheveled.

They were precisely Kalen and Polina.

Clearly not bound by any ropes, their bodies were tightly trapped as if by invisible shackles, unable to move at all.

Kujo Koji looked down condescendingly at the two, a faint smile appearing on his face.

"I was wondering who it was."

"Turns out to be Young Miss Polina from the Great Bear Country, as well as... Prince Kalen from Ancient Egypt."

He bowed slightly, striking a polite posture, but his tone was filled with undisguised sarcasm.

"Since the two of you have come from afar, why didn't you even say hello to me?"

"I didn't even have time to properly host you."

"Bah!"

Kalen spat a mouthful of bloody saliva onto the ground, glaring at him viciously.

"Kujo Koji, stop acting there!"

However, there was not the slightest trace of panic on Polina's face.

She raised her head, her azure eyes meeting Kujo Koji's calmly.

"Lord Koji, let's speak frankly."

"We indeed came for the Pendulum of Life."

"It's a pity we failed."

"Captured by your people, we have nothing to say."

The smile on Kujo Koji's face grew thicker.

"Rest assured, I won't kill you."

"As long as you obediently cooperate with my questioning."

"I can even specially send people to escort you back to your country."

Hearing this, Kalen's face immediately showed a look of suspicion.

"Would you be so kind?"

Kujo Koji chuckled softly.

"There are no eternal enemies in this world, only eternal interests."

"Maybe one day, we will be allies, right?"

Polina's gaze shifted slightly; she grasped the key point in his words.

"What do you want us to do?"

Kujo Koji's smile slowly faded, and his gaze turned sharp.

"Tell me."

"Who is that Insect Master?"

"Which faction does he belong to?"

Polina did not hesitate at all, blurting out almost immediately.

"He calls himself Ever-changing Star Lord, and he is a person from Great Xia Nation."

"We were only in a temporary cooperative relationship, and we don't know much about him."

"This operation was also led by him."

"We were only responsible for cooperating."

"It's a pity we still failed."

A person from Great Xia Nation?

Kujo Koji narrowed his eyes.

This answer was obviously somewhat beyond his expectations.

In his understanding of Great Xia Nation, ever since that woman Lin Zhu died, the entire Great Xia Nation openly had only two SS-Rank Experts left, Zhao Qingcang and Gandalf.

Where on earth did this Ever-changing Star Lord pop out from?

An Insect Master who could force two SS-Rank Experts, Chong Wenguma and Kujo Masakage, into such a state...

His strength must definitely not be underestimated.

Great Xia Nation...

Kujo Koji sneered in his heart.

He should have thought of it earlier.

Since the other party suffered such a huge loss previously, how could they possibly make no move?

Now it seemed that their hidden strength was far deeper than he had imagined.

Just as Kujo Koji fell into deep thought.

"Cough... cough cough..."

A suppressed fit of coughing suddenly came from not far away, interrupting his train of thought.

He subconsciously raised his head and looked in the direction of the sound.

He saw an elderly man in tattered clothes, skin and bones, as if a gust of wind could blow him over, walking towards him in a staggered manner.

The old man looked like a refugee crawling out from the ruins, without the slightest aura of an expert all over his body.

The moment the Man in White Suit on the side saw the old man, a trace of imperceptible smile flashed through his eyes.

He didn't speak, just watched with great interest, letting that old man walk up to Kujo Koji.

On Kujo Koji's face was a hint of doubt.

"Who are you?"

The old man raised his head, glaring at him angrily with turbid eyeballs.

In his hoarse and weak voice, there was an innate arrogance.

"You unfilial descendant."

"Wasn't it you who had people resurrect this lord?"

As soon as these words were said, Kujo Koji instantly understood.

The half-dead old codger in front of him turned out to be a legendary expert of the same generation as his great-grandfather, the King of a Hundred Ghosts.

Kujo Masakage!

He hurriedly restrained all his emotions, bowed deeply, cupped his hands together, his posture respectful to the extreme.

"Kujo Koji greets Lord Masakage!"

Looking at Kujo Koji's respectful posture made Kujo Masakage, who had just experienced a great humiliation, feel much more comfortable inside.

This was what a Junior should look like.

Unlike that damn Insect Master, who started off with a barrage of bombing without the slightest awe for an expert.

"Still... understands some rules."

"Hurry!"

"Arrange for someone to send this lord back to Takamagahara!"

Kujo Masakage impatiently pointed at Kujo Koji.

"This lord is about to starve to death!"

"I must have a good meal right away, and then sleep well!"

The respectful look on Kujo Koji's face didn't change at all, and he smiled politely.

"Lord Masakage, please rest assured, I will arrange it for you immediately."

He turned around and instructed a subordinate behind him who had long been frightened out of his wits.

"Go, prepare the car."

"Send Lord Masakage back to the main family to rest at the fastest speed."

Only then did Kujo Koji look back at Kujo Masakage and bow slightly.

"Lord Masakage, please get in the car and rest for a moment first. This Junior will return immediately after handling the matters here."

Kujo Masakage gave an annoyed "hmph," which counted as consent.

Right at this moment, a disheveled figure soared into the sky from the distant ruins, turning into a stream of light and flying over rapidly.

The person coming was none other than Chong Wenguma.

He landed heavily in front of Kujo Koji.

With his head lowered, his face was full of shame.

"It is my incompetence! I almost let the Divine Artifact be snatched away—"

"Please punish me... Lord Koji!"

The smile on Kujo Koji's face remained unchanged as he stepped forward quickly and took Chong Wenguma's hand.

"Uncle, what are you doing?"

His voice was gentle, without a hint of blame heard.

"Get up quickly."

Chong Wenguma buried his head even lower.

"Lord Koji, this failure is entirely due to my fault alone!"

"It was because I was too arrogant and underestimated the enemy that I gave that Insect Master an opportunity!"

Kujo Koji shook his head, his tone still gentle, yet carrying a power that brooks no doubt.

"Uncle, this isn't your fault."

He patted Chong Wenguma's shoulder, signaling him to stand up.

"The other party's strength is far beyond our expectations."

"If anyone is to be blamed, we can only blame me for being too careless."