Marvel: The other side of the double-passing door is Devouring the Stars

Chapter 517 The Lair of Evil!
“This is the best I can do,” Rowan stood up. “From now on, it’s up to the company.”

He took one last look at the Demon-Suppressing Abyss, then turned and walked back the way he came.

After leaving the Netherworld Valley, Luo Wen did not return directly to Yunxi Town.

He stood at the foot of the Dragon Vein Mountain Range, gazing at the distant, undulating mountains, his mind filled with countless thoughts.

The reinforcements from the Virtual Universe Company wouldn't arrive for an unknown period—perhaps a year, perhaps five, perhaps ten. During this time, he couldn't simply remain idle on Earth.

But at the same time, he cannot leave.

Although he had temporarily reinforced the seal of the Demon-Suppressing Abyss, it was only a stopgap measure. If the seal malfunctioned again, he needed to be able to arrive at the scene immediately.

"Since I'm going to stay on Earth, I might as well use this time to do something meaningful," Rowan thought to himself.

He remembered Yuan Zhenzi's sealing technique.

It was a very peculiar technique, unlike any sealing method recorded by the Virtual Universe Company. Yuan Zhenzi, with only planetary-level strength, created a seal capable of suppressing the leakage of energy from ancient star beasts. The principles and techniques involved are definitely worth studying in depth.

"If I could master this sealing technique," Rowan thought, "perhaps I could find a better way to deal with the ancient star beasts."

He made a decision—to go to the headquarters of the Mysterious Bureau to learn the unique sealing techniques of this planet.

According to Zhou Qing, the headquarters of the Mysterious Bureau is located in Tianqi City, the largest city in the Eastern Continent. It is the political, economic, and cultural center of the entire Eastern Continent, as well as the seat of the royal family. The highest-ranking officer and core force of the Mysterious Bureau are stationed there, possessing various secret techniques and scriptures for dealing with evil spirits.

Rowan set off towards Apocalypse City.

He no longer deliberately suppressed his speed, and with all his might, he traversed thousands of miles in just three days, arriving at the outskirts of Tianqi City.

Tianqi City was even more magnificent than he had imagined.

The towering city walls, reaching dozens of feet high, were constructed of massive bluestones and intricately carved with patterns. The city gates were wide enough for more than a dozen carriages to pass side by side. On either side of the gates stood a tall tower, with soldiers patrolling the tops day and night.

The city was incredibly prosperous. Wide streets were lined with shops, displaying a dazzling array of goods. Pedestrians thronged the streets, and carriages and horses bustled about, creating a lively and bustling scene.

"As expected of the largest city in the Eastern Continent," Luo Wen secretly admired, "it's many times more prosperous than Yunxi Town."

Following the address Zhou Qing gave him, he found the location of the headquarters of the Mysterious Bureau.

The headquarters of the Mysterious Bureau is located in the eastern district of Tianqi City, covering a vast area and forming a grand architectural complex. Two imposing stone lions stand on either side of the main gate. Above the gate hangs a black plaque with gold lettering, bearing the three large characters "Mysterious Bureau," their ancient and vigorous script exuding an aura of authority.

Several soldiers dressed in black were guarding the entrance. They immediately became alert when they saw Luo Wen approaching.

"Halt!" the lead warrior shouted. "This is the headquarters of the Mysterious Bureau. Unauthorized personnel are not permitted. Who are you?"

Luo Wen took out the token Zhou Qing had given him and handed it over.

"My name is Luo Wen. I have come to headquarters to report for duty, recommended by Lord Zhou Qing of the Yunxi Town branch."

The soldier took the token, examined it carefully, and his vigilance relaxed slightly.

"So it was Lord Zhou who recommended him," he said. "Please wait a moment, I'll go and inform him."

He turned and went inside, and soon came out with a middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man was about forty years old, thin, with a gaunt face and bright, piercing eyes. He wore a gray robe and had a jade pendant at his waist, making him appear to be an official of the Bureau of Mysteries.

"You're Luo Wen?" The middle-aged man sized Luo Wen up. "Zhou Qing mentioned you in his report, saying you're highly skilled in martial arts and have saved our lives many times, greatly helping our Mysterious Bureau."

"You flatter me, Lord Zhou," Luo Wen said, cupping his hands in a fist salute. "I have only done my humble best."

"My name is Chen Yuan, and I'm a deacon at the headquarters of the Mysterious Bureau," the middle-aged man introduced himself. "Zhou Qing is my junior brother, and he spoke highly of you in his report. Someone so highly praised by him must be extraordinary."

"Steward Chen is too kind."

Chen Yuan nodded and asked, "Is there something you need from headquarters?"

Luo Wen stated frankly, "I have come here to learn the sealing techniques of the Mysterious Bureau."

"Sealing techniques?" Chen Yuan was slightly taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. "You want to learn sealing techniques?"

“Yes,” Rowan said, “I witnessed the seal left by Senior Yuan Zhenzi in the Netherworld Valley. The ingenuity of that seal left me in awe. I am very interested in it and wish to study it further.”

Chen Yuan's expression turned serious.

"You've been to the Valley of the Netherworld?" he asked in a deep voice. "Did you see the Abyss of Demon Suppression?"

“Yes,” Rowan nodded, “I also know what is sealed there. Rest assured, I will not reveal any information to anyone.”

Chen Yuan gave Luo Wen a deep look, as if judging whether his words were credible.

After a while, he sighed and said, "Zhou Qing was right after all; you are indeed no ordinary person. Ordinary people simply cannot enter the Netherworld Valley, let alone reach the Demon-Suppressing Abyss. The fact that you returned safely from there shows that your strength far surpasses that of ordinary people."

Luo Wen did not deny it, but simply waited quietly for Chen Yuan to continue.

“Sealing techniques are the core secret arts of our Mysterious Bureau,” Chen Yuan said. “Not just anyone can learn them. According to the rules, only those who have officially joined the Mysterious Bureau and accumulated sufficient merit are qualified to access these secret arts.”

“I understand,” Rowan nodded. “How can I join the Mysterious Bureau? What are the requirements?”

Chen Yuan looked at him with some surprise: "You're willing to join the Mysterious Bureau?"

"Why not?" Rowan smiled. "The Mysterious Bureau protects the people and vanquishes evil spirits; they are a righteous force. Having traveled far and wide and witnessed the harm caused by evil spirits, I also want to do my part for this land."

Chen Yuan was silent for a moment, then said, "Joining the Mysterious Bureau isn't difficult; you just need to pass the assessment. However, sealing techniques are core secret arts. Even after joining the Mysterious Bureau, you'll need to accumulate enough merit points to gain the right to learn them. This process might take a long time. Are you sure you're willing to wait?"

"How long?" Rowan asked.

"It could take three to five years, or even eight to ten years," Chen Yuan said. "It depends on how many merits you accumulate. The more merits you accumulate, the faster you'll gain access."

"Ten years..." Rowan secretly calculated in his heart.

The reinforcements from the Virtual Universe Company wouldn't arrive for at least a few years. In the meantime, he could spend time on Earth gaining a deeper understanding of this world and learning its secret arts. Ten years isn't a long time for a stellar-level martial artist.

“Alright, I’m willing to join the Mysterious Bureau,” Rowan decided. “What form will the assessment take?”

A smile of approval appeared on Chen Yuan's face.

"The assessment is simple," he said, "divided into three parts: a martial arts test, a knowledge test, and a practical combat test. The martial arts test mainly assesses your combat abilities, the knowledge test assesses your understanding of evil spirits, and the practical combat test will have you actually handle an evil spirit incident. Pass all three, and you can officially become a member of the Mysterious Bureau."

"When can we begin?" "Anytime," Chen Yuan said. "If you're ready, we can begin now."

“Let’s do it now,” Rowan said. “I’m ready.”

Chen Yuan nodded and turned to walk into the headquarters of the Mysterious Bureau. Luo Wen followed behind him, passing through several corridors and courtyards, and arrived at a spacious training ground.

There were many people practicing martial arts in the training ground. When they saw Chen Yuan walking over, they all stopped what they were doing and looked at him with curiosity.

"This is the main training ground of the Mysterious Bureau," Chen Yuan introduced. "The martial arts test will be held here. The test is simple—spar with our instructors and survive ten moves without being defeated to pass."

He waved to the sidelines, and a burly middle-aged man walked over.

The man was easily 1.9 meters tall, with bulging muscles and a full beard, looking incredibly imposing. His aura was at the fifth level of the Qi Circulation Realm, which should be considered above average within the Mysterious Bureau.

"This is Zhang Meng, our martial arts instructor in the Mysterious Division," Chen Yuan introduced. "Instructor Zhang, this is Luo Wen, who wants to join the Mysterious Division. Please test his martial arts skills."

"Join the Mysterious Bureau?" Zhang Meng sized up Luo Wen, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. "Looking at your delicate skin, can you even fight?"

Luo Wen smiled slightly and said nothing.

“Alright, let’s begin,” Zhang Meng stretched his limbs. “You should know the rules: you pass if you survive ten moves without losing. But let me make this clear first, I won’t hold back.”

"Please go ahead."

The two arrived at the center of the training ground and stood facing each other.

"I'll attack first!" Zhang Meng shouted, his fists wrapped in a faint layer of energy as he lunged at Luo Wen.

He was incredibly fast, his punches were fierce and powerful, each one carrying a formidable aura. Among the martial artists of Blue Star, his strength was indeed outstanding.

But for Rowan, this speed was practically like slow motion.

He gently turned to the side, avoiding Zhang Meng's first punch.

A hint of surprise flashed in Zhang Meng's eyes, but he did not stop and continued to launch an attack.

One punch, two punches, three punches...

His punches became faster and more ferocious, but Rowan simply dodged them casually without making any counterattacks.

"What incredible speed!" the surrounding spectators exclaimed in amazement.

The ten moves passed quickly.

Zhang Meng stopped attacking, panting heavily, his forehead covered in sweat. Luo Wen, on the other hand, remained calm and composed, his face neither flushed nor out of breath, as if he had just been taking a walk.

"You…" Zhang Meng's eyes widened, "How can you move so fast? My fists couldn't even touch you!"

"You flatter me," Luo Wen said, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

Chen Yuan, who was on the sidelines, saw everything clearly and was filled with surprise.

"Incredible," he murmured. "I know Zhang Meng's fist techniques; even a master at the seventh level of the Qi Circulation Realm would find it difficult to completely dodge them. This Luo Wen actually dodged ten moves with ease... Just how strong is he?"

He stepped forward and said to Rowan, "Martial arts test passed. Next is the knowledge test."

The knowledge test was conducted in the library of the Bureau of Mysteries.

Chen Yuan led Luo Wen to a quiet room containing a table and a chair. On the table were an exam paper and a calligraphy brush.

"This test has fifty questions, all about basic knowledge of evil spirits," Chen Yuan said. "You'll pass if you answer thirty or more correctly. There's no time limit, take your time."

Luo Wen sat down, picked up the exam paper, and looked at it.

The questions covered the classification, characteristics, weaknesses, and methods of dealing with evil spirits. Luo Wen had already learned a lot of this knowledge during his time with Zhou Qing and the others, and coupled with his exceptional memory, answering the questions was not difficult.

About half an hour later, Luo Wen put down his brush and handed the exam paper to Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan quickly glanced through it, a look of surprise on his face.

"Fifty questions, all answered correctly," he said, looking at Rowan. "Your understanding of evil spirits surpasses that of many of our veteran officers. Where did you learn this knowledge?"

"Having traveled extensively, I've gained a lot of knowledge and experience," Luo Wen said with a smile. "Plus, I've learned a great deal from spending time with Lord Zhou Qing and the others."

Chen Yuan nodded and did not ask any further questions.

"Knowledge test passed," he said. "Next is the final test—the practical test."

The practical test involved handling a real-life evil spirit incident.

Chen Yuan assigned Luo Wen a task—to go to an abandoned mine on the outskirts of Tianqi City to investigate and deal with the evil spirits that had appeared there.

“That mine has been abandoned for decades,” Chen Yuan said. “Recently, some miners reported that monsters were appearing inside, and several people have died. We sent people to investigate and confirmed that it was the work of evil spirits, but we haven’t had time to deal with it yet. Go and resolve this matter; that will count as passing the practical test.”

“Understood,” Rowan nodded. “I’ll go now.”

He set off that very day.

The abandoned mine was located in the eastern suburbs of Tianqi City, about fifty miles from the city center. Luo Wen arrived at his destination in less than an hour.

The mine entrance had been abandoned for years, overgrown with weeds, and the dilapidated wooden frame teetered on the brink of collapse. A damp and rotten smell permeated the air, and strange noises could occasionally be heard coming from inside.

Rowan released his mental energy to scan the situation inside the mine.

“Three evil spirits,” he quickly concluded, “all at the lower level, between fourth and fifth rank. Their lair is deep within the mine, about three hundred meters down.”

He entered the mine and walked along the tunnel.

The mine tunnels were dark, but for him, darkness was no obstacle. His mental power was like the sharpest radar, allowing him to see everything around him clearly.

After walking for about ten minutes, he arrived at the lair of the evil spirits.

It was a naturally formed cave, about twenty meters wide and ten meters high. The cave was filled with bones and rotting flesh, clearly the remains of evil spirits after they had eaten. Three evil spirits were curled up in a corner of the cave, seemingly resting.

(End of this chapter)