"Ha! Come to me about meeting the Holy Master once you've completed your research. Otherwise, if he finds out you have the Monkey Talisman, he'll devour you!" Valon replied coldly, then scoffed.

"The Bull Talisman appeared in your territory, so it's your responsibility to figure out its whereabouts and give an explanation for the deaths of my subordinates!"

"Let's see which other force is eyeing the talismans. From the information we have so far, besides us, there are at least two other powers. One is Jackie Chan and the 13th District behind him, which isn't very strong..."

"The other is the power that obtained the Rat Talisman. I had information on Alex, but her network was completely cut off later, indicating their significant strength!"

"No matter how powerful they are, they're still an official force. How deep can they really hide? Unlike us, who have been forgotten by the world..." Baron Strucker scoffed disdainfully.

"Yes, we've been dormant for too long. But it's not yet time for us to appear. Each of our branches is accumulating strength. The position of the supreme leader will depend on each one's ability!" Valon took a deep breath, hung up the phone, and looked towards the chamber where the Holy Master's statue was located.

"Better to be cautious!" Valon thought for a moment, prepared himself, and then entered the chamber of the Holy Master's statue.

"Valon, where is the Bull Talisman? Don't tell me you've failed again..." The Holy Master's eyes flickered red as he looked at Valon and asked in a deep voice.

"Yes, I've failed again..." Valon spread his hands and replied, "It's unavoidable. The Bull Talisman is so powerful, and my subordinates are just ordinary people. How can they be a match for the talisman's holder?"

"Waste!" The Holy Master spat angrily, "If you can't even handle such a small matter, what use are you?"

"Isn't that because you, Holy Master, are too stingy with your power?" Valon looked helpless, preparing to bargain with the Holy Master to squeeze some benefits from the miserly dragon. However, Valon's pupils suddenly shrank as he noticed shadows appearing around him. These sudden figures were dressed in black ninja attire with deep red collars and belts. Their clothing covered most of their bodies and faces, revealing only a bit of gray-blue skin and red eyes. Valon immediately recognized that these beings were not human. "What is this?" Valon instinctively stepped back, watching the shadowy ninjas warily.

"They are the Black Shadow Corps' ninjas. Say hello to them," the Holy Master sneered.

"Swoosh!"

"Swoosh!"

"Swoosh!"

As the Holy Master spoke, the ninjas threw shurikens and other hidden weapons. Valon's gaze sharpened, but he was quick to dodge, looking at the Holy Master seriously, "Is this how you greet people, Holy Master? If this is the case, it'll be difficult for us to continue cooperating..."

"I don't collaborate with trash. Show your worth if you want to work together!" The Holy Master sneered as the ninjas drew knives and clubs, rushing towards Valon.

"Hmph!" Valon snorted, pulling out two sleek laser guns from his sleeves, more refined than those used by the masked men against Robert.

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

Valon didn't waste words, shooting decisively. Lasers pierced through the ninjas, turning them into black smoke and vanishing. He then pointed the guns at the Holy Master, smirking, "Do you find my strength satisfactory, Holy Master? But your subordinates seem a bit weak to die by my hand, what a waste..."

"Not bad. No wonder you were so confident before. So, you have special means!" The Holy Master looked coldly at Valon, then spoke chillingly, "Then, can you explain how, with such weapons, you repeatedly lost the talismans and didn't bring back a single one?!"

With a "hum," as the Holy Master finished speaking, more shadows appeared, encircling the chamber.

"Does the world only have talismans as extraordinary powers? Where did my laser weapons come from? And how were you, Holy Master, sealed?" Valon glanced at the surrounding ninjas, though slightly unsettled, he maintained a calm demeanor looking at the Holy Master.

"And if you have so many powerful subordinates, Holy Master, why didn't you use them before and insisted on collaborating with me? What are you wary of?"

"You're questioning my power?!" A cold glint flashed in the Holy Master's eyes, the ninjas revealed their weapons, and the statue of the Holy Master trembled slightly, emitting a violent aura pressing down on Valon, making him unable to move and feeling the approach of death.

But it was all over in an instant. The violent aura disappeared, the ninjas retracted their weapons, and the Holy Master looked deeply at Valon, "Pleasant cooperation, Valon. They will assist you in your operations. I expect you to personally deliver the talismans to me, understand?"

"Rest assured, Holy Master. I won't disappoint you again!" Valon's eyes brightened as he quickly agreed with a smile.

Soon, Valon left the chamber, wiping the sweat off his forehead and sighing with relief. Glancing back at the chamber, he muttered, "That old guy indeed has other tricks up his sleeve! But not too bad, at least I seem to have gained a bunch of undying subordinates, though they don't seem to take orders from me normally..."

In the chamber, the Holy Master showed a trace of fatigue after Valon's departure. Suppressing Valon had drained a lot of his energy, especially since he was currently sealed.

"The Black Shadow Corps is not my original power. I must be cautious. After subduing Valon this time, he should be obedient for a while. If I can get back a talisman, I'll have a chance to turn the tables!" The Holy Master plotted as he watched Valon leave, then slowly closed his eyes and fell silent.

...

"Isn't this kid planning to come back?" In the Kent farm, Clark, having finally managed to deceive the Kents and Kara's family, found that Robert had no intention of returning after separating from Jackie Chan and the Bull Warrior, leaving him somewhat speechless.

Clark had intended to advise Robert not to mention Diana upon his return, to avoid any slip-ups, but Robert didn't seem to plan on coming back at all.

Unaware of Clark's thoughts, Robert obtained a world map from the Bull Warrior, estimated his location, and then followed the map's guidance. As for his next destination, he naturally planned to visit the Temple of Athena...