Chapter 444 Three Years Later

Three years later, in Paris.

The open-air cafes along the Seine were packed with people under their parasols.

A blond man took a sip of coffee, flicked the Kunlun Instrument in his hand, and looked at it.

"The spiritual energy index is good today, three percentage points higher than yesterday, which is perfect for breathing exercises at the Sacred Heart Hall this afternoon."

His friend across from him nodded: "That's right. I heard that the special envoy from China just optimized the spirit-gathering array in Paris yesterday, and the effect was immediate."

"The Chinese are truly generous. If it weren't for them, we'd probably still be worrying about how to avoid being eaten by monsters with abnormal energy points."

"Shh, keep your voice down, call him Immortal Master."

As the two were talking, a streak of azure sword light flashed overhead, moving as fast as a phantom.

The people in the café glanced up briefly, then went back to chatting, as was their custom.

In the corner, a young girl dressed casually, who looked like a tourist, looked away.

Her name is Fang Qing, a recent graduate of Kunlun College, and an intern in Sun Jiuchou's "persuasion team".

The Kunlun instrument in her hand was displaying a text.

"Xiao Qing, are you done daydreaming? Next stop, Rome."

It was a message from Sun Jiuchou.

Fang Qing immediately replied, "Teacher Sun, I'll be right there."

She paid the money, and in a flash, she disappeared into the crowd.

...

Rome, the ancient Colosseum.

The area has been cleared out, and the ruins are filled with practitioners dressed in various colors.

In the center of the arena, a tall man with brilliant blond hair floated in mid-air, surrounded by visible arcs of electricity that crackled and hissed.

His name is Marcus. He awoke here three days ago and claims to be a descendant of the god-king Jupiter. Local cultivators have already tried to communicate with him, but without success.

Sun Jiuchou, Lu Changfeng, and Fang Qing were standing at the entrance of the arena, watching this scene.

Lu Changfeng frowned; he didn't like this noisy scene.

"A kid who plays with electricity dares to call himself a descendant of gods?"

"Why bother with all this trouble if you just beat them into submission and take them away?"

Sun Jiuchou shook the folding fan in his hand and looked at him with a smile.

"Elder Lu, times have changed."

"This isn't about fighting and killing anymore. We're civilized people who follow the rules."

He said slowly, "Fighting is the last resort, and also the least skillful one."

"He needs to realize that he not only has to follow the rules, but also has to thank us for making him follow the rules."

Lu Changfeng's eyelids twitched as he listened. He always felt that Sun Jiuchou's roundabout approach was more tiring than a direct fight.

Fang Qing silently took notes, the title of which was "The Core Ideas of Sun Jiuchou's Persuasive Learning (Part Three)".

"Mortals from the East!"

Marcus spotted them from mid-air, his voice like muffled thunder echoing throughout the Colosseum.

"You're the Alliance's 'inspection team'?"

He looked down at us, his eyes filled with the contempt of a god for mortals.

“Go back and tell your masters that I, of Jupiter’s blood, the rightful ruler of Rome, from this day forward, this land belongs to me!”

"The mortal laws of the Alliance have no jurisdiction over the gods!"

He stretched out his hand, and a thick bolt of lightning gathered in his palm, radiating an aura of destruction.

The local cultivators below all had dark faces. They had spent the last few days trying to explain the situation to him, but he still acted like he was the only one who mattered. Fortunately, he treated them all as his subjects and followers and did not harm them.

Faced with this divine power, Sun Jiuchou's smile remained unchanged, and he spoke to Fang Qing beside him.

"Xiao Qing, let's go through the formalities."

"Yes, Teacher Sun."

Fang Qing nodded, stepped forward, activated the Kunlun Mirror, which popped up a light screen. She cleared her throat and recited in mid-air.

"Marcus Aurelius Valerius".

"Awakened 72 hours ago, energy characteristics determined to be low-level lightning-type superhuman."

"According to Chapter 3, Section 2 of the Global Extraordinary Alliance Awakener Management Regulations, you must register your personal information with the Alliance's Rome office within 24 hours and undergo a 90-day observation and evaluation period."

"During this period, all unreported public proselytizing and large-scale energy release activities are prohibited."

"Those who fail to wait until the deadline will be subject to enforcement by a special 'persuasion team' dispatched by the alliance."

Fang Qing's voice was clear and crisp, and her pronunciation was perfect. Through the amplification of her spiritual energy, it was clearly heard throughout the entire arena.

The scene fell silent for a moment.

Marcus, suspended in mid-air, froze completely, his sacred expression frozen.

He froze for a few seconds, then burst into a furious roar.

"The laws of mortals?"

"How dare you use the laws of mortals to bind God?!"

"die!"

The lightning in his palm transformed into a raging thunder serpent, tearing through the air with a piercing whistle as it hurtled straight toward Fang Qing.

Lu Changfeng finally moved. He merely raised his eyelids, glanced at the lightning serpent, and didn't even lift his hand.

“Noisy.” He uttered the two words softly.

The fierce lightning bolt, less than three meters from Fang Qing, seemed to have struck an invisible wall, instantly exploding into countless tiny arcs of electricity that dissipated into the air.

Not even a wisp of wind could touch Fang Qing's clothes.

Marcus's pupils suddenly contracted.

Lu Changfeng didn't even look at him. He just impatiently stretched out a finger and gently pointed at a huge, remaining stone pillar in the distance behind Marcus, which required several people to hug.

A thin, white sword aura, as fine as a cow's hair, flashed by in an instant.

The next second.

The enormous stone pillar that had stood for a thousand years silently turned into the finest powder, which drifted down from the middle.

It was as if it had never been a hard stone, but rather a handful of sand blown away by the wind.

The electric arcs around Marcus seemed to freeze, and he stared blankly at the pile of falling stone dust, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

His attack was powerful and imposing.

The other party's finger gesture was completely silent.

The destructive power they cause may be similar, but the control over power they contain is worlds apart.

"You...you all..."

Marcus's voice trembled for the first time.

He no longer dared to call himself "God".

But he still has one last trump card.

"You can't kill me!" he shouted, his voice trembling with fear. "I know everything! The threat from alien civilizations is imminent! The Alliance needs every powerful fighter! My... my strength is useful to you!"

"Oh?" Sun Jiuchou, who had been silent until now, finally smiled.

He closed his folding fan and gently tapped his palm with the fan ribs.

"You've finally hit the nail on the head."

"We're here today mainly to talk to you about this."

He raised his wrist and lightly tapped the Kunlun Instrument screen with his finger, and a holographic projection appeared above the arena.