After a simple wash and rinse, he fell into a deep sleep.
***
Meanwhile, high up in a room within a certain corporation, a naked woman lay on the bed, seemingly having just finished something. In front of the floor-to-ceiling window, Lin Zhixuan was furiously shouting into a walkie-talkie.
"Bastard Chen Fan, just you wait until tomorrow when I chop you to death, you lowly slave!" With that, he tossed the walkie-talkie aside and climbed back into bed, engaging in a passionate embrace with the naked woman.
***
Over in the Crimson Sun Nation...
A secret high-level meeting of District Thirteen.
A grave voice echoed into the ears of the organization's executives present.
"I heard the report indicated that the life force of the Left Shrine has vanished..."
As the words fell, the atmosphere in the room instantly turned heavy.
In this operation by District Thirteen, apart from a small number of armed personnel and Bai Lin, no one else had returned. The group of masters who went with the Left Shrine had all perished in the ancient tomb, and the divine artifact was subsequently stolen. Bai Lin's report mentioned at least three terrifying, major explosions.
"Do any of you have an explanation for me as to what exactly happened?"
The voice from the sky questioned with anger.
"Your Majesty, this is a once-in-a-millennium defeat for District Thirteen," the Right Shrine stated.
"Then you can explain it," the voice retorted.
The Right Shrine was instantly lifted by a surge of true energy and slammed hard onto the ground.
Not a shred of dignity was left for the Right Shrine.
The Right Shrine struggled to stand up.
"Your Majesty, this was our operational negligence. I beg you to be merciful and forgive us." The Right Shrine, fearing further enraging the King, immediately knelt on both knees and spoke with utmost reverence.
Seeing the highest-ranking official, the Right Shrine, kneeling to beg for forgiveness, the other high-ranking officials also knelt in unison.
"Hmph."
The voice in the air huffed, taking in a deep breath.
"Don't say I didn't give you a chance. I'm giving you three months! Investigate and find out who killed the Left Shrine!! If you fail to find them, you will all be severely punished!"
The voice vanished, and the oppressive aura in the air dissipated with it.
The Right Guardian stood up again and looked at the leaders of each district in District Thirteen.
"Now that Lie Shan is also dead, I'll ask one last time: who is willing to take on the investigation of this matter?" the Right Shrine said.
However, in the conference room, everyone mumbled and hesitated, no one daring to volunteer.
"If no one is willing, then I will make a compulsory assignment!" The Right Shrine, having just been berated by the high and mighty King, was now faced with insubordination from his subordinates. This further aggravated his foul mood.
"Do you all wish to die? I, the leader, certainly don't lack a few of you," the Right Shrine said angrily.
"Without me, do you think you would have reached your current positions in District Thirteen? Do you really think you can do whatever you want now that you're a leader?"
"You're all useless. I can't believe that with the Left Shrine dead, the remaining twelve leaders dare not make a sound. And you." As the Right Shrine spoke, he pointed at a leader in the back row fidgeting nervously.
"The Left Shrine treated you well when he was alive, didn't he? Now that something has happened to him, you, who should have been the first to step forward, are instead meekly sitting at the very back."
"I've decided. I will assign this matter to you!" the Left Shrine roared, pointing at the timid leader.
The other leaders dared not say anything more. The timid leader, upon being assigned the task, was so terrified that he sat on his chair, reluctant to accept the mission for a long time.
Indeed, someone who could casually kill a powerful expert like the Left Shrine, how could they be weak? They had all received the report stating that Lie Shan, who was by the Left Shrine's side, was instantly annihilated with no ability to resist. Among the leaders present, weren't they all accustomed to bullying the weak? Having reached the position of leader, they had long lost the passion of their youth, merely wanting to coast along, relying on their authority.
Even at the critical juncture of District Thirteen's crisis, these leaders had either fled or scattered. Of course, that was a story for another time.
After a long moment, the leader stood up and said in a trembling voice, "Yes." and then fell silent.
"Yun Meng, you are truly unfortunate..." said another leader sitting beside this leader.
Yun Meng sat in his seat without speaking, seemingly deep in thought.
"Meeting adjourned." Seeing everyone sitting silently in their seats, the Right Shrine said no more and directly adjourned the meeting.
After the meeting, Yun Meng and the other leaders walked back to their respective areas.
A leader at the front row, who had always been at odds with Yun Meng, taunted him from behind.
"Congratulations, Leader Yun Meng, a loyal dog serves his master well." The leader laughed heartily after speaking. Two leaders who were closer to Yun Meng looked at him and sighed.
According to the intelligence gathered by the remaining twelve leaders, the enemy's strength was at least equivalent to the late Nascent Soul stage, the same as the Left Shrine's. These leaders were in no way a match for such an opponent. Even if the leaders of District Thirteen could rely on the drugs developed by District Thirteen to forcibly enhance their cultivation, they still feared an unforeseen outcome. What if the enemy was not of the same strength as the Left Shrine...?
Upon returning to his office in Zone Seven, Yun Meng slumped into his executive chair.