Chapter 154

At 3 a.m., Aria Bennett's phone buzzed violently.

"The Blackwell family situation is mostly resolved, but the mastermind got away," Damian Cross's low voice came through the receiver.

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

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

"All footage turned to static."

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

"The Arcane Society issued a warrant." Damian 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." Aria scowled at the hexagram. "Only confirms he fled south."

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

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

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

Damian 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, Blackwell Estate.

Through the downpour, Aria followed Damian into the courtyard. Agent Brooks and two others from Special Response Division were consulting with Taoist priests.

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

Damian nodded. "Master Alden." He gestured sideways. "This is 'Moon,' our array specialist."

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

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

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

She drew the Wraith Dagger and stabbed the core.

"Break!"

Thunder cracked as jade shattered.

Master Alden gasped. "Masterful technique!"

Damian'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 Ashcroft 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 Logan Price convulsed violently. Monitors shrieked—his vitals were crashing.

Karma's wheel turned without mercy.