Redemption of a Born Demon

Chapter 339 - 252: Secret Meeting: A Lotus in the Marketplace

At the sound of the familiar voice, Zhou Baiwei’s pupils constricted. She whipped her head around to look at the doorway.

And there he was. A tall, almost god-like figure had appeared at the entrance to the training room, though she had no idea when.

"Sir!"

An expression of pure delight instantly broke out across Zhou Baiwei’s face. Her eyes curved into crescents in a look of absolute elation, a far cry from the cold, ruthless demoness who, just moments ago, had single-handedly beaten down over twenty trainees with an intimidating aura of Evil Qi.

If any of the trainees or the staff from the Modu Special Security Bureau had seen Minister Zhou wearing such a girlish expression, they would likely have been scared out of their wits.

’Oh no!’

Suddenly, Zhou Baiwei seemed to remember something, and the color drained from her face.

Yi Beidou’s current whereabouts were considered top secret. He had caused massive turmoil around the world and had already publicly severed ties with Donghua. If news of his return to Donghua and his visit to the Special Security Bureau were to leak, one could only imagine the resulting public outcry.

Countless conspiracy theorists around the world would likely come out of the woodwork, accusing Donghua of secretly masterminding all the world’s unrest and claiming that the incident in Japan was not Yi Beidou’s personal doing.

Therefore, Yi Beidou’s visit to see her had to be kept absolutely confidential.

But right now, the training room had too many eyes and ears. These were all new recruits to the Special Security Bureau. Although they had undergone rigorous vetting, that was the nature of intelligence work: the more people who knew something, the greater the chance of a leak.

"Don’t worry. No one knows I’m here, and they won’t find out."

Yi Beidou said.

Zhou Baiwei paused, taken aback, and looked at the trainees groaning and wailing on the floor.

She saw that clusters of Demon Flame were swirling around their eyes and ears, though she hadn’t noticed them appear.

It was like the old saying about a single leaf blocking one’s sight—their five senses had been bewitched, leaving them completely oblivious to Yi Beidou’s presence.

After three months of Cultivation on Penglai Immortal Mountain, Yi Beidou had gained more than just the Penglai Flame.

Through constant practice, his control over the Demon Flame had improved tremendously. After all, using the Penglai Flame required it to penetrate deep into his cells to take effect—an operation demanding microscopic precision.

That was why he was now capable of such a feat.

In the past, when he used the Demon Flame to perform a Stealth Technique, he had to completely distort the magnetic field of an entire area to bend the light.

Under those conditions, the moment he made a sound or caused too much of a disturbance, the concealment would naturally break and could not be maintained.

But now, he could meticulously control the Demon Flame to conceal specific, small target areas. As long as he wished it, he could appear silently in the middle of a crowd and interact with just one person.

"Sir, what brings you back to Donghua so suddenly?"

Zhou Baiwei relaxed and walked briskly toward the door. As she spoke, a realization seemed to dawn on her. "Is it about the Antarctic Array Map?"

"That’s right. It is indeed my next objective."

Yi Beidou admitted with a nod, not bothering to hide it.

"Are you hoping the Special Security Bureau can help you get to the Mediterranean Region?"

Zhou Baiwei asked.

"Not exactly. I came to see you about something else, but since I’m here, I might as well ask. Who from Donghua is planning to go?"

Yi Beidou inquired.

"Zhou Qingchen, Huang Tianhu, Ding Huiyuan, Zhang Taifeng, and several other Saint Realm experts have already departed. The higher-ups are taking this very seriously. I’ve heard that even some experts from the older generation are on their way."

"We’ve also received intel that Sea, Land, and Air from the Starry Sky Country are on the move. However, the Mediterranean nations have reacted quite strongly, so for now, everyone is traveling in secret. All operations are confidential, and their specific destinations and entry points are unknown."

Zhou Baiwei said in a low voice.

In truth, this level of intelligence was not something a mere branch deputy director should have access to. However, due to her connection with Yi Beidou, her security clearance far exceeded her actual rank, which was why she was privy to it.

"Sir, are you sure you don’t need me to notify the Director-General and have him make arrangements for you?"

Zhou Baiwei asked again, tentatively.

"No need. It would only cause unnecessary complications."

Yi Beidou shook his head. Then, his gaze fell upon Zhou Baiwei, scrutinizing her for a moment before his hands suddenly formed a seal.

BOOM!

A terrifying torrent of Demon Flame erupted, instantly engulfing Zhou Baiwei.

"Let’s see how much your strength has improved recently."

Yi Beidou’s voice echoed, layered and distorted like a Demon Sound.

Zhou Baiwei’s vision blurred. The world spun around her, and she found it nearly impossible to control her own body.

But she had waited so long to see Yi Beidou again; she refused to go down so easily.

"Hah!"

With a loud cry, the Qi and blood in her body surged. Her Heart Intent erupted, and the projection of the Evil Qi Seven-Star Mantis burst forth, taking on the form of an Ancient Fierce Beast.

This Heart Intent had already broken through the threshold of Soul Capturing to reach the Soul-Seizing Realm. At this level, it could physically affect a person’s body, Transforming Illusion into Reality to a certain degree.

In the past few months, Zhou Baiwei’s strength had indeed reached a new level. Before the Martial Hero Conference, reaching the Soul-Seizing Realm at her age would have been considered an incredible feat, a sign that she possessed the aptitude for Ascension.

Now, however, it was no longer so remarkable.

Times were changing.

"Not bad, but still not enough."

Yi Beidou’s voice drifted over. Zhou Baiwei couldn’t see him at all, but she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest, as if countless needles were piercing her body.

But then, her spirit jolted. A surge of Evil Qi and a current of heat flooded her body. Her blood began to circulate more rapidly, pushing beyond her original limits. Her mind trembled as she experienced an unprecedented clarity. It felt as if minor flaws in her Qi and blood circulation, as well as the shackles suppressing her Heart Intent, had been gently shattered. The path forward in her cultivation had never been clearer.