Calamity of Tomorrow
Chapter 670 670: 668 Pursue Zhou Bai

In a secret chamber of the Heavenly Palace.

Li Zhengdao sat upright and formal, facing both Xiang Tiandi and Zi Yang True Monarch.

The countenance of Zi Yang True Monarch before him was withered, giving the appearance of someone who had just overcome a severe illness, on the brink of a life-threatening condition.

Yet both Li Zhengdao and Xiang Tiandi could sense that beneath the opponent's desiccated body, a vast power was contained, especially since this power carried an odd, twisted sensation, a kind of corrupt ability that Zi Yang True Monarch had mastered after his deviation.

Clearly, with the help of Heavenly Dao's true gods, Zi Yang True Monarch had managed to restrain his emotions for the time being, slowing down the progression of his deviation, and was even able to move freely.

Although he had lost his lifespan, in some ways, he had become even more powerful and threatening than before.

At this moment, Xiang Tiandi and Zi Yang True Monarch were looking at the report in their hands, their Primordial Spirit swiftly scanning over it; it took them only a few seconds to thoroughly read through the tens of thousands of characters in the report.

Li Zhengdao spoke slowly, "This is a summary by the Plague Department, an investigation report regarding Zhou Bai. It's a compilation based on Zhou Bai's tactics in the recent battle and the information provided by the people from Three Pure Dao Sect.

And the troublemaker Gu Letian is likely another imposture of Zhou Bai, according to this summary."

Xiang Tiandi looked at the report in his hands with twitching eyelids, "The mere reliance on speech and text can twist others' minds, even driving them to madness and deviation. Such an ability is too bizarre and wicked."

Zi Yang True Monarch sneered, "But it's quite easy to break. Just don't listen to his words with your own ears, don't read his writing with your own eyes. Use magic treasures or Dao techniques to mediate what you see and hear, and Zhou Bai's abilities are rendered completely useless."

Thinking of this, the resentment in Zi Yang True Monarch's eyes intensified. If he had known about these earlier, he would not have ended up in his current state. Such a simple ability to counter, and yet he paid a heavy price simply because of the three words 'did not know'.

Li Zhengdao added, "Indeed, his ability is strange, but it relies solely on the 'unknown' to create advantage. As long as one is forewarned, it's not difficult to guard against."

Xiang Tiandi turned to look at Li Zhengdao, "What about the investigation from the Eastern Dao School? Now that they're aware Zhou Bai has defected from the Heavenly Demon, they should be more cooperative, right? The deep-seated enmity between mortals and the Heavenly Demon could fill a year's worth of discourse. Zhou Bai has probably become a public enemy by now, hasn't he?"

Li Zhengdao nodded, "Indeed, the public sentiment is tumultuous. We've received a lot of intelligence. One point of particular interest is that based on the interrogation results from our representatives at Eastern Dao School, it seems that Zhou Bai cultivates the Original Dao Collection, and he needs it to advance his power."

It was apparent that Li Zhengdao had dispatched an investigation team to probe into Zhou Bai at Eastern Dao School.

With the power of the Heavenly Palace behind them and the fact of Zhou Bai's defection from the Heavenly Demon, they soon received a flurry of reports, with countless teachers and students at Eastern Dao School disclosing everything they knew about Zhou Bai.

Zi Yang True Monarch exclaimed furiously, "The Original Dao Collection? Shouldn't we have confiscated all of that over a hundred years ago? Why is there still some in the outside world?"

Li Zhengdao glanced at the enraged Zi Yang True Monarch. Although the latter's progression was temporarily slowed, he was still inching closer to the final deviation every moment, meaning his emotional and mental state was extremely unstable, so Li Zhengdao decided not to say much more.

Xiang Tiandi beside him said, "The Original Dao Collection, outwardly explained as elaborating on the mysteries of the Heavenly Dao, actually follows the path of Void Mysteries, which does not conform to the heavenly order. If promoted on a large scale, it would only disrupt our plans, so it was indeed thoroughly confiscated back then. Could it be that some other immortal or god provided him with it?"

"Neither," Li Zhengdao said, his gaze flickering. "According to the investigation from Dao School Donghua, Zhou Bai's first set of original Daoist scriptures was found in an abandoned hospital in Donghua City, collected by someone named Zhuang Yan. This is the report about this Zhuang Yan."

"Zhuang Yan? Never heard of him," Xiang Tiandi said, looking at the report. "A researcher who participated in the 'Direct Encounter' experiment 50 years ago?"

Li Zhengdao continued, "There is too little information on Zhuang Yan, and it's very difficult for us to verify where his original Daoist texts came from. But one thing is for sure, Zhuang Yan had hidden the original Daoist scriptures in different locations, and each time one was mastered, the next could be obtained. The Three Pure Dao Sect has also been assisting Zhou Bai in recovering these scriptures."

Excitement immediately shone in the eyes of Zi Yang True Monarch, "If Zhou Bai is going to search for the original Daoist scriptures, then we must recover all the scriptures that have scattered outside before he does!"

Li Zhengdao went on, "Zhou Bai previously attacked the Evil Sect under the guise of Gu Letian, and I have made a round there; it seems he must have taken the original Daoist text 05 that they came upon unwittingly. Next, he should be looking for original Daoist text 06."

"In recent years, as the twisting of Heavenly Dao has become more severe, these original Daoist scriptures have broken through their seals and gradually become the source of distortions."

As he spoke, Li Zhengdao stretched out his hand, and a small statue appeared in the palm of his hand.

"This is the previously confiscated original Daoist text 06. It, like the one Zhuang Yan hid, is made from the same segment of Void Mysteries and likely uses the same materials."

"The Void Pulses of both are similar; by using this one to resonate, we should be able to find the original Daoist text 06 that Zhuang Yan hid in the wild."

Having finished, Li Zhengdao tossed out the original Daoist text 06, which the impatient Zi Yang True Monarch caught.

Holding the original Daoist text 06 excitedly, Zi Yang True Monarch exclaimed, "Good! With this, we can find Zhou Bai. Unless he intends to hide and make no progress for the rest of his life, the moment I encounter him, he's as good as dead. I will show him what true despair is."

However, Xiang Tiandi was looking at Li Zhengdao, who had ascended to godhood merely four hundred years ago, and asked in a deep voice, "Why should the Heavenly Department bother with Zhou Bai's affairs? And why are you helping us?"

The Heavenly Department, one of the four divisions of heaven, was the most mysterious. Mortals didn't know what the deities of the Heavenly Department did; even most gods and immortals were unaware of the specific duties of the Heavenly Department, knowing only that they reported directly to the Emperor of Heaven and handled highly confidential events. Xiang Tiandi also knew that, unlike common belief, they did not leave behind immortal seeds.

As the Marshal of Thunder Department, Xiang Tiandi, nominally at the same level as a Lord of the Heavenly Department, was privy to many secrets of the Heavenly Department.

In his view, normally, the Heavenly Department should not intervene in the affairs of the other three departments and mortals.

At the question, Li Zhengdao's smile grew, "The Heavenly Demon was willing to take Zhou Bai away, even showing a submissive attitude, and expended such vast resources to attack Central City for him. This shows a profound connection between the Heavenly Demon and Zhou Bai, and both the Emperor of Heaven and the Heavenly Department are very concerned about this."

"The relationship between the two is indeed thought-provoking," Xiang Tiandi said, looking intently at Li Zhengdao. "Does the Emperor of Heaven have any plans?"

Li Zhengdao replied, "His Majesty hopes to secretly bring him back to heaven, as he may be used to check the Heavenly Demon, and also because Zhou Bai harbors many secrets."

Xiang Tiandi sighed, "Why not just eradicate him? My intuition tells me that a variable like Zhou Bai is best dealt with by direct removal. Sometimes, by trying to obtain too much, you end up with nothing."

Li Zhengdao's lips curled slightly, as if with a touch of wistfulness, he said, "The way of the Heavenly Dao changes, and the environment evolves. The only constant in this universe is change itself. Killing only solves the immediate issues; finding the trends of each era, and the methods compatible with the times, is the way to claim the advantage and stand on invincible ground."