"...Who are you?"

The horse-faced man looked at the unfamiliar emerald eyes, squinting as if confirming something, then his entire demeanor changed, and a violent spirit instantly filled the small room.

The other three elders were stunned for a moment, then they all suddenly turned their heads to look at their colleague.

Clearly, they had just noticed something was amiss.

However, the female elder's tone remained calm as she introduced herself, "Just a fellow traveler, you can call me Hecate."

"Hecate? The goddess of ghosts and magic? The dark side of the world? Quite a bold claim."

The horse-faced man smirked.

Even though his words were dismissive, his tense body did not relax in the slightest, "Where are my people?"

"Right in front of you."

The woman who called herself Hecate pointed to herself, "I'm just borrowing his time for a moment."

"Borrowing? Or replacing? Do you know this is a blatant provocation?"

The horse-faced man began to emit wisps of yellow aura, as if he was ready to take action.

"If you think of it as replacing, that's fine too. My value far exceeds that of your former subordinates."

Hecate said calmly, "Unless you're willing to be a rat in the gutter for life, then pretend I didn't say anything."

The horse-faced man stared intently at the familiar yet unfamiliar woman in front of him and suddenly said, "What do you want?"

"The Celestial Punishment Weapon and Chen Lusi. I believe you would be interested in both of these creations, considering their emergence seems to have caused you some trouble."

Hecate seemed to smile slightly before continuing, "If you're willing to cooperate, we can share this precious 'truth' with you while helping you solve this little inconvenience..."

"Creation?"

The horse-faced man vaguely guessed who the person in front of him was but did not say it out loud, instead repeating one of the words Hecate had just used.

"Philosopher's Stone."

Hecate answered directly, "Our intelligence system has basically confirmed that the Celestial Punishment Weapon is closely related to Chen Lusi, perhaps even created solely by him. To make an advanced weapon exhibit such power, there is no other way than to modify the Compression Device...

Three branches of the Compression Device, whether it's your domestic branch, our church branch, or the similarly ancient Sumer branch, are essentially the same thing. We've attempted to modify the church system's Compression Device earlier, yet we've made no progress over the years. No matter the incentive or changes, its power remains unimproved.

Our researchers even assert that unless the legendary Philosopher's Stone appears, it's impossible to fully unleash the Compression Device's potential.

Then, before three months had passed after saying this, news of the Celestial Punishment Weapon spread out, and not long ago, Yorgai I of the Russian Orthodox Church met his end under the Celestial Punishment Weapon."

"So you're saying Chen Lusi is the Philosopher's Stone?"

The horse-faced man sneered, "A figment concocted by third-rate Empowerers?"

"It's just a code name."

Hecate didn't mind, her tone still calm as she softly said, "What's important has never been the name, but the value it brings. Isn't that little girl you've long desired your so-called Philosopher's Stone?

The three Compression Devices belong to the same source, meaning Chen Lusi can modify your domestic Compression Device as well as the other two branches'. Do you understand what this implies?

Moreover, what he can do might far exceed that... The Yellow Springs Root Source Authority of the little girl you've long desired, is there no replacement for it? Those ancient Empowerers behind you, struggling to pursue immortality, must they covet the elusive 'Emperor's Throne' to achieve their goals? Must they rely on a little girl to save themselves? Don't you think someone who created the Celestial Punishment Weapon holds even more power?

And... have you heard of the Universal Medicine Azote?"

Hecate's words were highly seductive.

But the horse-faced man seemed unmoved, just quietly watching her.

"If you don't believe me, you can visit Kunlun."

However, Hecate suddenly smiled, "You have the concept of Alchemy here, right? Chen Lusi is akin to your local legend's 'Golden Core,' and neither the Philosopher's Stone nor the Golden Core should be tolerated by heaven and earth. You can verify that... Think it over, if you want to cooperate, you can call my name."

The moment she finished speaking.

The emerald green in the female elder's eyes gradually faded away.

Soon after.

She, like suddenly awakening from a long dream, asked, "Why are you all staring at me?"

The horse-faced man remained silent, as did the other three elders, lost in their thoughts.

...

"Did they agree?"

A voice suddenly spoke, like a whisper.

"Not yet, but they will bite, no one can refuse what they desire."

A woman sat up from bed, took a sip of water, answered while walking to the door.

"Hope so."

"Don't need hope, they will agree, then Chen Lusi will appear in the church... No one can wield divine power."

The woman forcefully pushed open the door, greeted by the sea breeze tinged with a slight fishy and salty smell, she looked past the bustling military base to the distant coastline, "If anyone can, it would be us."

...

Celestial Strategy Mansion.

Underground.

Even though Wu You and Xia Panqiu didn't quite understand.

They still followed Chen Lusi's instructions and tried it out.

"You call people... back to dust."

Wu You lightly waved the sheepskin paper in his hand, aiming it in the direction of the cat.