After hearing Zhou Huai's deduction, Zhao Qingcang frowned deeply.

"If this is really the case, the problem with the Dawnbreaker Guild might be much more serious than our anticipation."

"Once we clean up the remaining mess over in Sakura Country, we must concentrate all our strength and focus on dealing with this Dawnbreaker Guild!"

He turned his head to look at Zhou Huai, his eyes filled with admiration and gratitude.

"Zhou Huai, we really have you to thank this time. Now that your task has been completed with Perfection, it is time for us old bones to clean up the battlefield."

"Rest assured, once the problem in Sakura Country is completely resolved, the Great Xia Military Department will definitely reward you according to your contributions!"

"However, during this period, you must protect yourself well. You are now Great Xia's most precious asset, and absolutely cannot afford any mishaps, understand?"

Zhou Huai smiled and nodded: "Rest assured, Marshal, I understand. You and Elder Chen must also be very careful. The situation on the front lines changes in an instant; although Sakura Country's upper echelons have been wiped out, the counterattack of their remaining forces cannot be underestimated."

Lin Zhu, who was standing nearby, also stepped forward.

"Zhou Huai, thank you." Lin Zhu's voice was soft: "If not for you, I might have slept in that darkness forever. I, Lin Zhu, will remember this kindness. If you have any needs in the future, just say the word."

Zhou Huai smiled and cupped his fists: "Principal Lin exaggerates. You bled your last drop of blood for Great Xia, and allowing you to return to your homeland is my duty."

After some brief pleasantries, Zhao Qingcang did not delay any further.

Although the overall situation of the front-line battle was settled, it still required him, the commander-in-chief, to go back and personally hold down the fort.

Soon, the many military VIPs left in cars.

As for Zhou Huai, he returned to his courtyard.

Looking at the evening glow across the horizon, he, no longer troubled by life and death, felt unprecedentedly carefree.

At the same time.

Deep within an unknown coordinate somewhere in the world.

This was a bottomless giant abyss, devoid of sunlight and breeze.

Complete silence reigned.

Yet at the bottom of this dark abyss abandoned by the world, grew a gigantic tree that defied all reason.

This tree was hundreds of meters tall, its thick trunk supporting the dome of the abyss.

Even more bizarrely, its dense branches did not grow many leaves; instead, they bore massive fruits that beat like hearts.

Every single fruit was as large as a millstone, radiating a deep blue light all over its body.

The light flickered like a person's breathing, appearing exceptionally eerie and beautiful within this darkness.

If someone could get close and observe carefully, they would be shocked to discover—

Inside those transparent, glowing fruits, blurred human figures were actually curled up!

These figures had their eyes tightly closed, their bodies curled up like infants gestating in the womb. Golden energy, hard to detect with the naked eye, was continuously being transported into these fruits along the veins of the trunk.

Gazing up from beneath the tree, tens of thousands of glowing fruits hung on the branches like brilliant stars, yet exuded a spine-chilling, evil beauty.

At this moment, at the thick roots of the giant tree.

A middle-aged man was quietly standing there.

He wore a well-fitted and exquisite retro suit, his hair combed meticulously. His face was pale and handsome, carrying an elegance and composure forged by the passage of time.

The middle-aged man tilted his head back, gazing with infatuation at the galaxy-like brilliant fruits above, his eyes filled with obsession and fanaticism.

He was appreciating a perfect work of art into which he had poured his life's blood.

Not speaking or making any movement, he just watched quietly like this.

Not knowing how long had passed.

"Da, da, da..."

In the empty abyss, the crisp sound of high heels striking the ground suddenly echoed.

The sound went from far to near, breaking the tranquility here.

A slender figure walked gracefully out of the darkness in the distance of the abyss.

If Zhou Huai were present at this moment, he would surely recognize this woman's identity at a glance.

The youngest professor at the Imperial Capital Academy of Great Xia, S-Rank Formation Master—Chen Lanxin!

However, Chen Lanxin at this moment no longer had the serious and conservative scholar attire she usually wore in the academy.

She wore a tight black leather outfit that outlined her proud figure curves, her fair skin rendered even more seductive against the leather. Her face was painted with exquisite and charming makeup, and her eyes were wild and cold.

Chen Lanxin walked to a distance of five steps behind the middle-aged man and stopped.

She lowered her head, her tone respectful and submissive: "Sir."

The middle-aged man did not turn his head, still infatuatedly gazing at the fruits on the tree, only letting out a "Mn."

"The latest news just came from Kochi," Chen Lanxin reported: "That SSS-Rank Expert who just resurrected in Tokyo City, Kujo Naruya... seems to have been killed by someone."

Hearing these words, a trace of an extremely minute fluctuation finally flashed through the middle-aged man's eyes.

He let out an "Oh."

His tone held some surprise, but even more of a dismissive calmness.

Like a high and mighty deity hearing the news of a slightly stronger ant being stepped to death.

"Dead is dead." The middle-aged man's voice was low and magnetic, slowly dispersing in the abyss: "As long as he completes the sacrificial ritual and sends over what we need, his life or death is of little consequence."

He turned around, those pitch-black eyes looking at Chen Lanxin: "Our goal has already been achieved, hasn't it?"

"Yes, sir," Chen Lanxin respectfully replied.

The middle-aged man nodded, then calmly inquired: "Do you know who made a move? A newly awakened SSS-Rank, although in a weakened state, is not someone just anyone can kill."

Chen Lanxin raised her head, her expression turning somewhat solemn: "It is said... to be a group of SS-Rank Experts."

"A group?" The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." Chen Lanxin swallowed a mouthful of saliva, feeling even she herself found this intelligence somewhat preposterous, "Kochi said that right at that moment, a full seven SS-Rank Experts rushed in from outside the ruins of the Ise Grand Shrine!"

"Not only did these seven people cooperate with tacit understanding, but each of their strengths was extremely terrifying."

She paused and continued: "I saw the intelligence on two of them. One is the swordsman who used thunder sword techniques and appeared on the battlefield of Donghai City before, Yasuo."

"The other is the Forbidden Spell Mage, Gandalf."

Chen Lanxin's eyes showed dread: "Sir, both of these men previously shone brilliantly on Great Xia's battlefield. Combining this information... it should be that mysterious existence hiding in Donghai City who personally made a move."

Hearing the three words "Donghai City", the middle-aged man's eyes moved.

"Oh?" He smiled, "A bit interesting."

Chen Lanxin added: "That's right, sir. Chu He and Mo Hen, who were previously sent to Donghai City to investigate intelligence on this mysterious person, have completely lost contact."

"According to reports from our moles planted inside Great Xia, they have mostly likely already been exposed and captured by the other party, or... already died."

Hearing that he had lost two major generals, the middle-aged man not only didn't get angry, but instead let out a low laugh.

He turned around, looking once again at that gigantic sacred tree with deep emotion.

"Today's Great Xia really makes me feel surprised."

"Originally I thought that Great Xia's upper echelons were already failing to connect the generations, and apart from those few dying old fellows, there were no more trump cards to pull out. I didn't expect... that in such a declining era, a terrifying Classer capable of slaying an SSS-Rank Expert would suddenly pop up."

He sighed, his tone nostalgic.

"Speaking of which, I really haven't gone back to take a look for a very... very long time."

"That place used to be my hometown too."

Chen Lanxin stood quietly to the side, not daring to speak out and disturb him. She knew that the sir before her was an ancient existence who had lived for an unknown number of years. His past hid too many untouchable taboos.

The voice stopped abruptly right there.

The warmth in the depths of the middle-aged man's eyes vanished without a trace, leaving only ruthlessness and mercilessness.

He withdrew his hand, took out a snow-white handkerchief from his bosom, and meticulously wiped his fingers.

"Past clouds and smoke, better left unmentioned."

He casually threw the handkerchief onto the ground and turned his head to look at Chen Lanxin.

"Remember to go remind Joseph."

"Have the people on his side take action as soon as possible as well. Don't dawdle like before."

The middle-aged man raised his head, staring burning bright at those flickering blue fruits on the tree crown, splitting into a spine-chilling smile.

"Our sacred tree still needs more nourishment."

"Only when these fruits are completely ripe can this world welcome the true... Dawn!"