The Painter said slowly, "This is the ninth report about the West Asian God to surface this year. These things pop up a few times annually, and even the Spirit Saints are getting tired of it. Besides, legend has it that some of Blue Star’s top Spirit Saints have already found the Magic Technique to evolve into Divine Spirits. Even if the ruins of the West Asian God are real, they wouldn’t hold any interest for them."

Shu Feng said, "So you’ve come to invite me to explore the ruins of the West Asian God with you?"

The Painter smiled faintly. "It’s always a pleasure talking to someone intelligent! That’s right. I’ve come to invite you to explore the ruins of the West Asian God with me."

Shu Feng weighed his options for a moment before saying decisively, "Alright!"

The Painter’s strength was unfathomable, giving Shu Feng a faint sense of danger. ’With a companion like this,’ Shu Feng thought, ’I can abandon him if necessary. He’ll make a powerful shield.’

Shu Feng had always believed in a certain saying: when a bear is chasing you, you don’t have to run faster than the bear—you just have to run faster than your companion.

A companion with a mysterious background like the Painter was precisely Shu Feng’s favorite type—the kind you could screw over without any pressure.

After leaving behind a sufficiently powerful Synthetic Beast to protect Chen Xue, Shu Feng and the Painter set off, sneaking toward the Ancient Xiyi Civilization Ruins.

Under the cover of darkness.

Shu Feng abruptly stopped before an open field. He stared at a transparent film of light that had suddenly appeared before them, invisible to the mortal eye. He frowned slightly. "There’s a Spiritual Power Barrier here. Anyone who tries to sneak through will be detected immediately!"

Shu Feng didn’t have any subtle way of dealing with a warning Barrier erected by such a powerful Secret Treasure. The only option was a frontal assault to blast it to smithereens.

A warning Barrier like this, maintained by a powerful Secret Treasure, consumed a vast amount of Spirit Stones. Typically, only the headquarters of Major Noble Families, Clans, or super-conglomerates could afford to keep one active at all times. Even some Minor Noble Families couldn’t maintain a constant warning Barrier.

"Watch me!"

The Painter smiled faintly and waved his hand. Four painted scrolls flew out and landed on the Spiritual Power Barrier.

Shimmering ripples spread out as the four scrolls sank into the Spiritual Power Barrier. They linked together, end to end, forming a gateway large enough for a person to pass through.

Shu Feng and the Painter quickly passed through the gateway and continued silently toward the Ancient Xiyi Civilization Ruins.

"Sentries ahead! They’re from the White Eagle Sword!"

Shu Feng’s physique was already monstrously strong, and with the enhancement from the Lord of the Dark Night’s Magic Ring, his perception and vision were incredibly sharp. He immediately spotted the White Eagle Sword investigators tucked away in various hiding spots.

Shu Feng pressed his Phantom Badge. Eerie wisps of the Power of Illusion silently settled over the White Eagle Sword investigators, bewitching them one by one.

The Painter followed beside Shu Feng, quietly assessing his abilities. ’Illusion Technique! Shu Feng’s Illusion Technique is impressive, about the level of a top-tier Great Spirit Master.’

Shu Feng’s cultivation was at the Great Spirit Master Level, yet he could dominate the Void Demon Battlefield, slaughtering the geniuses among the Void Demons so badly that they suffered grievous losses and no longer dared to face him. The major powers all held Shu Feng in high regard.

This was precisely why the Divine Research Association was willing to let Shu Feng join as an Elder. The Painter, meanwhile, was assessing Shu Feng’s power, preparing for how he might have to face him in the future.

The White Eagle Sword investigators were the elite of the elite, but before two powerhouses like Shu Feng and the Painter, they were completely helpless, allowing the pair to venture deep into the Ancient Xiyi Civilization Ruins.

After sneaking for several miles, a huge cave entrance appeared before them. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"It’s an underground passage! This Ancient Xiyi Civilization is an Underground Palace!"

The pair entered the opening, and a massive, incredibly spacious tunnel appeared before them, one seemingly wide enough for a hundred-meter-tall Giant to walk through.

The duo followed the enormous tunnel, walking for more than ten miles. After passing through one massive palace after another, a vast, open space, a thousand meters high, appeared before them.

The massive chamber was covered with countless, incredibly intricate reliefs depicting the people of the Ancient Xiyi Civilization worshipping and making sacrifices to the West Asian God.

In the reliefs, the West Asian God was depicted as a monster with three heads—one young, one middle-aged, and one old. A rhombus-shaped crystal was embedded in its forehead, and it had a long tail. Its expression was one of cold indifference.

In the center of the vast space stood a Golden Altar, and upon it rested a Golden Coffin.

Below the Golden Altar stood several hundred Bronze Statues. They had already been activated and were now attacking the White Eagle Sword investigators, brandishing Bronze Battle Halberds.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

A series of gunshots rang out. Andrea, wielding the Famous Gun, the Thunder Eagle, fired wildly at the Bronze Statues.

Each bullet transformed into a Thunder Eagle wreathed in blue lightning, slamming into the Bronze Statues. The impacts blasted large holes directly through the constructs.

The seemingly frivolous investigator, Moaido, was also armed with a Tier Four Spiritual Spear loaded with Blast Bullets. He fired at the statues Andrea had already hit, blowing them to pieces that scattered across the ground.

One of the White Eagle Sword investigators, clad in a suit of black, full-body heavy armor and wielding a black Giant Shield, acted as a human bulwark, staunchly protecting the other investigators.

The rest of the investigators also opened fire, activating their own Spiritual Abilities to destroy the Bronze Statues one by one.

After all the Bronze Statues were destroyed.

Before the Golden Altar, a Golden Statue inscribed with countless esoteric runes and holding a Golden Battle Halberd suddenly opened its eyes. Golden light shot from its pupils.

A vicious light flashed in the Golden Statue’s eyes. With a flick of its right wrist, it hurled the Golden Battle Halberd. The weapon shot like a meteor toward Andrea, who was still holding the Famous Gun, the Thunder Eagle.

"Protect our comrade!"

The investigator with the black Giant Shield activated one of his Skills, instantly teleporting in front of Andrea. The black Giant Shield in his hands began to glow, transforming into a massive black gate that emanated a mysterious aura.

BOOM!!

A terrifying, earth-shattering boom resounded. The massive black gate, with its mysterious aura, instantly collapsed. The Giant Shield in the investigator’s hands crumbled, and the Golden Battle Halberd pierced through his chest. His life force began to fade rapidly.

A female White Eagle Sword investigator with glasses splayed her fingers. Healing vines shot out, wrapping around the shield-wielding investigator and yanking him to her side, where she began to treat his wounds.