In the reed marshes, a small boat drifted downstream. The boatman knelt on the boat, hands clasped in fear, muttering incessantly under his breath.

"The Disaster Organization, sounds formidable, doesn’t it?"

Beiyou tilted his bamboo hat upward, gazing at the sky shrouded in dark clouds, "I wonder if I qualify to join?"

"You?" scoffed the Blood Phase beside him, "You don’t even have the skills of a Foundation Establishment Zhenren, let alone the ability to announce yourself to the world. You’re nothing but trash, not even qualified to be cannon fodder without the Celestial Spirits or Earthly Fiends."

"And what are you, something less than trash? A cockroach?"

"I’m just missing the Celestial Spirits. One more step and I can attempt the Foundation Establishment. I might even have a chance to get into the Divine Marquis Mansion. But how many more years will you have to endure?"

"I thought you’d leave those resources to a daughter or a son you’ve never seen. You’re getting on in years, why are you still trying to fight?"

"I don’t want to regret not trying when I’m old and gray, especially when hearing tales of others accomplishing the Fourth-Turn Foundation Establishment in their youth. Plus, my revenge is unfulfilled, how can I be content?"

"I think you’ll never fulfill this vendetta."

At that moment, the small boat grounded on the shoals. The boatman cautiously reminded them, "Gentlemen, ahead is Liangshan Marsh territory, this old man dares not go further."

Rain finally began pouring down. Beiyou handed two Spiritual Jades to the boatman, grumbling, "Rain again, this sticky place attracts only the Demon Dao."

"Isn’t that perfect," Blood Phase said calmly, "the blood scent will be washed away."

After they left, the boatman took out a whistle and blew it, and hidden Demonic Messengers in the jungle formed a net, surrounding the two unexpected guests.

A bloody battle of the Demon Dao was about to unfold.

...

...

In the garden of gardenias, within the Mountain Temple Secret Realm, the main hall of the temple was under repair. Carpenters bustled about, hammering and clattering, turning it into a major construction site. A third of the temple had been destroyed, and it would likely take another half month to restore.

The maids were temporarily sent outside. Not because the interior was uninhabitable, but Winter Hunting Zhenren ordered that no one approach without his command. After he returned three days ago, he accidentally devastated a third of the temple. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

At the edge of the cliff behind the temple was Winter Hunting Zhenren’s archery range, with bamboo mats laid across the ground. There were no targets, but in the distant forest across the cliff, there were a total of four hundred thirty-seven dense ginkgo trees. It was roughly estimated to have about five million leaves; imagining the grandness of the ginkgo forest from the cliff was overwhelming. However, almost half the trees were now bare, with branches unharmed and only the leaves scattered on the ground.

Hitting just the leaves without harming the trees was one of Winter Hunting Zhenren’s few hobbies. Archery was not only his foundation but also his means to dispel loneliness and vexation. He looked up at the unchanging sky within the Secret Realm, a trace of perplexity on his face.

"The Disaster Organization..." he mused on the term, pondering, "Organization... could it be what Treasure Vase Zhenren once mentioned..."

"Moreover, the leader even exposed their name voluntarily..." Winter Hunting Zhenren was extremely cautious, as if even uttering the name would invite danger, "Could it be a newly elevated True Monarch, trying to imprint their name across the world with such a brazen move? So arrogant, such means, it’s no wonder they dare to name themselves after calamity..."

Winter Hunting Zhenren sighed deeply. Knowing the turbulent changes outside, what did they have to do with a Fourth-Turn Foundation Establishment like him? Especially with both his mobile and defensive tokens severely damaged, he wouldn’t interfere with other causes and effects until they’re repaired.

Thinking of this, Winter Hunting Zhenren’s hand transformed, revealing a token, emblazoned with the words ’Treasure Hunting’!

He glanced at today’s Treasure Pavilion orders, which were still only at the second-turn level, meaningless to him.

Although the outside world said they were immortal orders, Winter Hunting Zhenren was almost certain the seller was a Mortal Messenger; otherwise, why would they repeatedly seek to buy Secret Technique Research Manuals? If it were a Foundation Establishment Zhenren, they could unlock the Third-Turn Great Secret Realm to obtain such manuals. Why go through the hassle?

But knowing this was useless, as the seller surely wasn’t in the Central Plains, and the Flame Pattern Long Saber and Seven-Star Sword weren’t products of the Central Plains Secret Realm.

This Treasure Hunting Order was not obtained by Winter Hunting Zhenren himself but passed down by Treasure Vase Zhenren. It was said to be an ancestral artifact from the Helan Family, yet no one had ever known how to use it. Even when the Treasure Pavilion was opened, it remained empty.

Winter Hunting Zhenren had thought he would hand down this token as well. Unexpectedly, the Treasure Hunting Order showed changes in his time.

Upon discovering that the Treasure Pavilion was a global trade platform, Winter Hunting Zhenren immediately realized its immense potential. Alas, no matter how much he studied it, he could only complete the orders within the Treasure Pavilion, unable to list or request anything himself.

If only I could become a seller in the Treasure Pavilion as well, Winter Hunting Zhenren sighed.

Aside from that, tools to repair his defensive token could only be bought from the Li Family and Yu Family. But if he exposed his actual purchasing volume, these Foundation Establishment houses would undoubtedly realize the severity of his token’s damage. Yet buying slowly or a bit above usual would take years to repair.

But if he could use the Treasure Pavilion platform, he could anonymously purchase repair tools from elsewhere, even if it cost more, it’s better than exposing his token’s damage. Moreover, if Outer Realm Foundation Establishment holders had Treasure Hunting Orders, they could use the Treasure Pavilion to exchange what they lack... The benefits were immense, even Winter Hunting Zhenren was tempted.

It’s a pity that he can only watch with wide eyes, unable to participate.

First, the Treasure Pavilion underwent changes, then the Calamity Organization proclaimed its dominance, and a few days ago, the Divine Marquis Mansion and Thief’s House... Even though Winter Hunting Zhenren prides himself on having Foundation Establishment Divine Techniques, faced with the sweeping tide of this era, he can’t help but feel a bit lost.

His life has been smooth sailing; in his childhood, Zhou Taizu had already stabilized Chang’an and quelled the chaos, in his youth, his talents were recognized by Treasure Vase Zhenren, in his middle age, he successfully established his foundation and looked down upon the Central Plains. Until now, a hundred years have passed in the blink of an eye, and thinking carefully, he realizes he hasn’t left behind any achievements worth boasting about.

"Perhaps," he tightly gripped the Hunting Bow of Inconstancy that had accompanied him for decades, "I should take this step as well."

...

...

Did my name just get exposed like that?

Yan Qing opened the game console and saw a notice from the ’Calamity Organization’ in the chat channel, which was the ’Dominance Proclamation’ that had just sounded in his ears. Since it was a team he himself created, the leader of the organization was naturally him. He switched to Ye Si’s account, and sure enough, everyone in the camp was discussing the recent announcement.

The bad news is that now the whole world knows his real name.

The good news is, everyone is asking around, ’Who is Yan Qing?’

After all, Yan Qing has never revealed his name, so even if the system accidentally exposed it in an announcement, no one would associate it with him.

In a way, he actually hasn’t been exposed; as long as he changes his name to Yan Suo, Yanyu, or Yan Xiu now, no one will ever believe he is the leader of the Calamity Organization.

Though there’s no loss, this feeling of being famous but unrecognized is somewhat unsettling... Yan Qing shook his head to dispel unnecessary thoughts and looked down at the token engraved with the word ’Calamity’ in his hand.

After establishing the team, the Clan Establishment Order transformed into the Disaster Order, clearly a tool to assist the organization leader in managing the team. He pressed it firmly, and a light screen appeared in his vision:

"Since you established an Immortal-level team, you can choose two from the following six skills as your team skills:

① Treasure Lotus Breathing Skill Lv1: All team members automatically use Treasure Lotus Breathing Skill, restoring 1% Spiritual Power/Spiritual Essence/Immortal Essence per second.

② Undying Heart Lv1: For all team members, a fatal damage becomes nullified. This effect has a 72-hour cooldown after activation.

③ Radiant Fire Lv1: All team members possess this skill, which when activated, inflicts 20 points of fire damage to all objects within ten meters. Multiple activations can stack the damage.

④ Unity Lock Lv1: When a team member receives damage that destroys their defensive barrier, this skill automatically triggers, linking them to the team member with the highest defensive barrier. The damage is shared until both barriers are completely broken. Once triggered, the whole team’s skills are on cooldown for 6 hours.

⑤ Immortal Traveling Lv1: Teleport a team member to your side or vice versa, requiring mutual consent. The teleportation takes thirty seconds, during which no other operations can be performed, and it can be interrupted. After use, all team skills have a 24-hour cooldown.

⑥ Lone Traveler Lv1: The fewer people in the team, the stronger the team skills. With only one person in the team, your other team skills increase by 6 levels."

Yan Qing rubbed his eyes, and thought, how the heck do I choose?

I want every single one of them!

Treasure Lotus Breathing Skill seems rather ordinary; after all, Yan Qing currently owns millions of Spiritual Jade and isn’t short of this blue medicine money. But this skill works for Third-Turn Messenger and Seventh-Turn Immortal Monarch, making it a choice that doesn’t lose now and becomes increasingly profitable as a long-term investment.

Yan Qing even thought that if he took this skill out, perhaps even a Seventh-Turn Immortal Monarch might join the Calamity Organization just to benefit from this effect.

Undying Heart looks similar to a Life-Saving Pill, but while the Life-Saving Pill is ’locking the last drop of blood’, Undying Heart directly nullifies fatal damage, making it a boosted version of the Life-Saving Pill, and can trigger once every three days.

Radiant Fire is purely a damage skill, and as long as five people stand together, it deals 100 points of damage per second. Although the damage doesn’t seem high, its range and damage can be increased, and more importantly, it can serve as a medium for other damage triggers. If a Life-taking Messenger Rabbit Heroine has this skill, she just needs to stand there, and those around her would take 10 points of fire damage + 34 points of Asura’s Fury true damage + 11 points of Power of Calamity true damage, totaling 55 points of damage!

If the range is enlarged a bit more, the Rabbit Heroine would completely become a human-shaped calamity!

In the hands of the right player, the value of Radiant Fire far surpasses Undying Heart and Treasure Lotus Skill!

Unity Lock and Immortal Traveling, though not as straightforward and simple as the previous ones, and both are entire team cooldown types, meaning using them sends all team members’ skills into cooldown, their functionality is undeniable, and Yan Qing could use them in many situations.

The final skill, Lone Traveler, is the most outrageous. If Yan Qing remembers correctly, team skills can be four or five. Plainly raising other team skills by 6 levels; if other team skills are damage skills like Radiant Fire, then players might be able to explore the Fourth-Turn Secret Realm at level one.

The skills of an Immortal Team, one is more practical and absurd than the other!

How to choose then?