Chapter 154

At 3 a.m., Lucy White's phone buzzed violently.

"The Powell family situation is mostly resolved, but the mastermind got away," Ethan Smith's low voice came through the receiver.

Lucy jolted awake, throwing off the covers. "How?"

"We raided all their strongholds, but the old fox who set up the arrays vanished," Ethan's tone darkened. "Surveillance last placed him at the hospital before he disappeared into thin air."

"All footage turned to static."

Lucy smirked. "Clever bastard." Her fingers tapped the phone's back. "Must've used miasmic interference."

"The Metaphysics Society issued a warrant." Ethan paused. "Can you track him?"

She understood his concern. This mess started because of her—that old man would hold a grudge.

"I'll try."

She grabbed three divination coins from her nightstand, shook them in her palm, and cast them.

"Tch. The fox used fortune to mask his trail." Lucy scowled at the hexagram. "Only confirms he fled south."

At her current cultivation realm, pinpointing him was impossible. But she wasn't worried—with Liam Parker neutralized, her mental state had stabilized.

"Will he come after you?" Ethan's voice tensed.

"Relax." She chuckled. "After destroying the Powell estate's array, he'll suffer backlash. By the time he recovers, I'll have reached the Innate Realm."

Ethan exhaled. "We still need you to dismantle the array. The Society's two masters can't handle it."

"I'm on my way."

"I'll pick you up."

"No ne—"

"Roads are slick with rain." He cut her off. "Already en route."

Thirty minutes later, Powell Estate.

Through the downpour, Lucy followed Ethan into the courtyard. Agent Hanks and two others from Special Ops were consulting with Taoist priests.

"Director Yang!" The elder priest clasped his hands.

Ethan nodded. "Master Qingyuan." He gestured sideways. "This is 'Moon,' our array specialist."

Master Qingyuan hid his surprise. This masked young woman radiated formidable spiritual energy.

"Master Moon." His eyes flicked to the compass in her hand—clearly a top-tier artifact.

Inside the array chamber, Lucy traced the wall and suddenly laughed. "A maze array. Clever."

She drew the Cursed Dagger and stabbed the core.

"Break!"

Thunder cracked as jade shattered.

Master Qingyuan gasped. "Masterful technique!"

Ethan's lips quirked. "She's always impressive." The pride in his voice made the old priest glance between them.

Meanwhile, on a southbound train—

"Gack—!" Elder Liu spewed black blood. He stared in horror as his hair whitened and skin withered in the mirror.

"Who...?" Clutching the sheets, his eyes burned with venom.

In a hospital room, the comatose Liam Parker convulsed violently. Monitors shrieked—his vitals were crashing.

Karma's wheel turned without mercy.