CHAPTER 259: CLASH

After a few moments of walking, Elena and Ethan paused in the corridor, whispering in casual conversation to give the invisible abbot ample time to make his move—if he had one.

"The military seems to be struggling to manage the residents. In this extreme heat, the units must feel cramped, leading to growing dissatisfaction. Diseases are sure to spread, and many will definitely need medicine and ointments to ease their ailments," Elena remarked.

With her heightened sense of smell, she could detect the faint stench of decay.

Even though the military did their best to retrieve and cremate the corpses, it was still not enough.

She could only hope it wouldn’t lead to an epidemic.

"That’s true. This heat is unbearable—it’s such a nuisance to deal with," Ethan replied with a faint scowl.

"Should we expand and build more pharmaceutical facilities?" she asked thoughtfully.

"It would be good," he admitted, "but I’m afraid we don’t have enough people to manage it."

Elena took note of the idea, convinced that even when abilities began to awaken and human physiques grew stronger, people would still be vulnerable to injuries.

Though there were healing ability users, they were rare—even in her past life.

For this reason, medicine would always remain indispensable.

They continued talking about the situation at Camel Tower with their expressions calm as if nothing were amiss.

All the while, the abbot stood in the middle of the corridor, directly facing them, arms folded across his chest.

He remained still and silent, like a statue, as he observed and listened to the two masked staff members.

Elena’s irritation swelled with every passing second until she could no longer hold back.

Without warning, she lifted her chin and spoke loudly, her voice echoing slightly off the walls, deliberately aiming to draw him out.

"Alright, stop staring at me. What do you want?"

The abbot was startled by her words, his eyes widening as if caught off guard.

For a moment, he wondered if she was addressing him directly.

Yet, after a brief pause, he convinced himself that the masked woman must be speaking to another masked figure beside her.

Deciding to cling to his pretense, he kept his composure and continued to feign indifference.

Ethan, noticing the small pout on his wife’s lips, stepped in to prevent her from being angry.

His voice dropped into a firmer, colder tone as he issued a second, sharper warning to their uninvited guest.

"I think he’s deaf. We should speak louder so he can hear us."

"I see... What do you want?" Elena called out sharply, still not bothering to look at the invisible abbot.

The abbot flinched, his composure briefly cracking.

The two masked staff seemed to sense his presence but showed no sign of seeing him—at least, that’s what he thought.

In truth, Elena could see him perfectly; she was simply too lazy to turn her head.

After a long, deliberate pause, she finally shifted her gaze toward him.

This time, her voice carried a sharper edge. "Are you going to talk, or do you plan to stand there... forever?"

The abbot’s expression stiffened.

His earlier assumption—that he could hide without being detected—crumbled instantly.

He now realized that these two could cultivate spiritual energy at a level equal to, if not greater than, his own.

Making a quick decision, he tore off the invisible talisman, revealing himself to them.

"I mean no harm," he said with a warm smile, though his spiritual defenses quietly flared.

"I only wish to get to know you all better, and I’m just observing a little."

Elena rolled her eyes, a faint smirk tugging at her lips, for she didn’t believe a single word.

With a mocking lilt in her tone, she asked, "So... what did you find out?"

"Mysterious.... Maybe powerful," the abbot replied, studying them closely.

"What sect are you from? I’ve never heard of the Paradise Sect in the cultivation world."

Elena chuckled, giving him a look that clearly labeled him as foolish.

"Don’t waste your time searching for our sect. Truth is, there’s no such thing as the Paradise Sect. Now, stop dodging the question and get to the point—what do you want?"

The abbot’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he answered without hesitation.

"I’ve heard you possess deep knowledge about this disaster... I wish to purchase that information."

"As long as the price is right," Elena replied coolly, "and we actually have the information you’re after—then we have a deal."

Afterward, the abbot inquired about the disaster and the awakening of abilities.

Elena responded exactly as she had with both the military and Brother Elias, holding nothing back.

She still believed that the abbots’ group would act in ways that wouldn’t make them her enemies.

And out of respect, she chose to treat them better, convinced they could become valuable allies once the new cycle began.

However, her trust had limits.

If they ever exposed a hidden agenda or tried to undermine her interests, the only sensible course would be swift elimination.

She would genuinely feel sorry for Brother Elias if matters reached an irreversible stage, but in the end, her family’s survival would always take priority.

"That’s all we know. Please handle the payment," she concluded firmly, wanting to end the deal already.

The abbot nodded mischievously.

The information they provided matched exactly with reports he’d heard from others who had purchased similar intelligence.

That consistency suggested they were telling the truth.

Still, his arrogance refused to let the meeting end so easily.

’Who did these masked staff think they were, standing before him with such confidence?’

He wanted to see the extent of their strength—if they were truly formidable or merely bluffing behind a façade.

Ever since the world’s restraints had loosened, granting him the freedom to wield spiritual energy, he had longed for an opportunity to demonstrate his superiority

Before the disasters, cultivators had been bound by the natural laws—spiritual energy could not be used to harm ordinary mortals.

But with the surge of spiritual energy flooding the world, those ancient restrictions were crumbling, allowing the cultivators the freedom to unleash their skills without restraint.

And here, in front of him, stood two masked figures who dared to meet his gaze without flinching.

Their aura might be impressive, but to him, it was nothing more than a challenge—a provocation.

’Do they believe they are strong?’

Well, he would show them the difference between pretenders and a true cultivator.

He smirked and sneered, "Here it is! Catch."

Instead of hurling an imbued spiritual energy item for payment, he swiftly pulled out a fire talisman and activated it in one smooth motion.

Whoosh!

A ball of searing flame burst into existence, shooting directly toward Elena and Ethan.

They were startled for only a heartbeat before regaining their composure.

Without hesitation, Elena reached into her [Inventory] and pulled out a massive metal door, which appeared just in time to shield them from the blast.

Boom!

The flames struck the metal door, bursting into harmless sparks that scattered around them.

But the sharp impact echoed through the area, catching the soldiers’ attention and prompting them to rush over to check the situation.