Volume 5, Chapter 123 – Calming Down

The upheaval in Zhennan caused a limited amount of public unrest, but as the celestial disturbances subsided, the disorder was quickly brought under control.

[The dimensional fusion phenomenon is intensifying. Environmental changes may occur in surrounding areas. All citizens are asked to avoid going outside whenever possible and to reduce the frequency of traveling alone. If you encounter danger or hardship, please call the Inspectorate at 112-098-xxxx…]

Broadcast vehicles rolled through the streets under military escort, their tires splashing up rainwater that had pooled along the curbs.

“Looks like things have already settled down.”

In the courtyard where the Xuanxia delegation was staying, the scholar Dong Biyan looked up at the gloomy sky and muttered to himself for a while.

Then he lifted his head toward Shenming Mountain, said nothing, and walked back into the building with his hands behind his back.

The upper ranks of the delegation already knew that Li Wenyu had gone missing. But after failing to get anything by probing the guards, he, Insect Lady, and Song Qiaoshu reached the same conclusion after discussion: Li Wenyu had definitely been taken away by the Xia Emperor’s people.

So there was no need to worry too much for the time being.

If Her Highness could acknowledge each other with the Xia Emperor, that would naturally be best. Even if that did not happen, simply being willing to meet… that was still a good development.

And that mountain could well be called the safest place in all of Zhennan. They had nothing much to worry about and all believed that Li Wenyu was very safe now.

Dong Biyan went upstairs and told several of the higher-ups what he had seen. Song Qiaoshu frowned. “Security here is so thorough. I’ve never seen a government that set up this many relief stations and disaster supplies.”

The farther north one went in Xuanxia, the more normal its cities seemed. They no longer treated citizens like livestock, and there was at least a little of that so-called human rights.

But there was no way it could compare to Eastern Xia. This trip had truly opened his eyes.

“Hurry, hurry, hurry… everyone, faster, faster, even faster!”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Xu Shu was leading a team made up of Shenming disciples and Inspectorate personnel, rapidly hauling piled-up supplies out of warehouses, throwing them into truck beds, and sending them off.

The supplies stored within the Dao were meant for times like this. True, Zhennan had not yet seen large-scale fusion phenomena, but contingency plans and emergency response could hardly mean waiting until disaster actually struck before scrambling to distribute and transport such things.

“Senior Brother!”

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Chen Jing was wearing a tight combat suit over her clothes and a baseball cap on her head, with the hair she had pulled out tied back into a ponytail. When she walked over, she asked directly, “The supplies for the south and east have basically all been distributed. Yong-ge sent me to ask how much longer things will take on your side!”

“This is the second-to-last batch!” Xu Shu nodded and wiped away some sweat. “Once I’m done supervising here, I’m heading north. Have a few people come with me.”

Zhennan’s local defenses mainly faced three directions, but the most important was still the north, or more precisely, the northwest.

Because farther in that direction, beyond Satellite Circuit City, it bordered directly on the northwestern desert. Although the desert no longer posed a voidfiend threat at the moment, given how sharply relations with the Federation had deteriorated, they had to guard against a Federal army incursion from that direction.

“Bai Changze’s uncle is General Bai Tingyun,” Chen Jing said. “He has access to inside channels, and he says Bai Tingyun has already deployed a contingent of troops there. If anyone invades, this side will be informed immediately.”

“I naturally trust General Bai,” Xu Shu said with a nod. Seeing that she still had not left, he raised his brows and asked, “Is there something else?”

“There’s been a notice from the Starwater laboratory telling us to go pick up some new equipment when we have time.”

“New equipment?”

“Right!” Chen Jing nodded, her eyes lighting up with excitement as well. “Actually, it’s from the back mountain… the results from the Voidfiend Research Institute! Do you think there’ll be a ‘Demon God Sword’ and ‘Demon God Armor’?”

The Voidfiend Research Institute had received a large amount of material from the desert battle, and that included Jiuli’s corpse. This was no secret to them.

They had discussed the matter before during their private gatherings, fantasizing about those materials being turned into sturdy armor and weapons.

After all, they had rendered meritorious service too, and the Dao had promised them rewards. Other than money, those rewards would most likely be physical items like these.

“Maybe!” Xu Shu laughed, remembering the way Bai Maoxu kept adjusting his glasses from time to time while putting on that mature act. “It’d be great if there were, but I’d rather there be more new standard equipment. That way, more disciples can be armed!”

Bzzz…

As they spoke, a helicopter buzzed overhead. One person leaned halfway out of the cabin and looked down over the city. It was Bai Maoxu, wearing a pair of windproof goggles.

“Ah… I know. Anyway, the equipment has already been prepared for them.”

“With these people and those three towers, as long as you all don’t drop the ball over there, it’ll be impossible for any monster to break through at the grassroots level.”

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Bai Maoxu held onto a rail with one hand and pressed the earpiece with the other. Though his voice was completely drowned out by the noise of the rotor blades, it was still being precisely recognized and transmitted along the signal.

“What do you mean, as long as we don’t drop the ball over here?!”

An enraged shout came from the other side, Bai Leying sounding like an angry monkey. “You make it sound like I’m some great cultivator too!”

What she meant was that this sort of thing was for people like Bai Zhuqing to handle. If anything went wrong, it could hardly be blamed on her, a temporary stand-in.

“Oh, so you don’t want to become a great cultivator?”

“If you could devote even one percent of your love for rock music to cultivation, you wouldn’t still be stuck without even crossing the seventh layer of Refining Qi.”

Bai Maoxu followed up with a quiet stab. Every word hit where it hurt.

“I can’t be bothered talking to you!” Bai Leying snapped, flushed red with fury. “I’ve already picked up Second Aunt’s family, and everyone else is on their way to Zhennan. You don’t need to worry about things here, so hurry up and go do your stupid experiments!”

Beep.

She hung up directly.

“Same lousy temper as ever.”

Bai Maoxu shook his head.

But he had no time to do any experiments right now.

Pulling himself back inside, he opened a photonic screen under the awed gazes of the other soldiers, adjusted his headset channel, and said, “Hello? Director Yu? It’s like this. My urban road defense system needs access privileges for those three towers, so I hope your side can cooperate.”

As one order after another was sent out and carried out, the entire Zhennan base city began operating like a precision machine, reaching the utmost this era could achieve in control measures, rescue, logistics, and surveillance.

Bang!

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The great doors of the Listening-to-Rain Tower slammed shut. Outside the doors, Xiang Xian turned to the several former Hall Masters of the Demon Court waiting quietly there and bowed in thanks. “During Great Xia’s time of trouble, many thanks to all of you for coming to our aid.”

“We dare not claim such credit.”

Li Huiran’s body had already been repaired, though he was still somewhat weak. Pale-faced, he said, “To repay kindness by helping avert disaster is simply our proper duty.”

After all these years, he still spoke like an assassin.

Even Zhu Qingluo could not help shooting him a sidelong glance, while she and Yu Daoyong both moved a step away at the same time.

Seeing this, Xiang Xian merely smiled faintly and turned her gaze to Zhu Qingluo. “Hall Master Zhu…”

“Just call me by my name,” Zhu Qingluo said with a frown. “I have already left the Demon Court. From now on, I have cut all ties with that side.”

“Then may I ask what made you decide to come and join us?” Xiang Xian looked straight into her eyes. “Please forgive me, but this is something we must ask clearly.”

“You know my circumstances as well,” Zhu Qingluo said frankly. “The problem of coexistence between the two races has troubled the world for far too long. I approve of the answer she gave.”

“In other words, you support having all demonkind, including your own clansmen, switch to qi cultivation and use it to wash away the demonic power on their bodies?” Xiang Xian pressed.

“Yes.”

“Even though qi cultivation is still not particularly suited to demon meridians at present, and there are still relatively few branches available for demonkind to cultivate?”

“I am willing to wait.” Zhu Qingluo was growing impatient. “The greatest feature of foundational qi cultivation is that it can use vibrational sound to detect each person’s Inner Body-scape structure, and then create the most suitable cultivation path on that basis. You humans can use that to develop hundreds and thousands of advanced methods. I do not believe demonkind would be incapable of doing the same after enough effort.”

“Then there is no problem.” Xiang Xian nodded. “Before Chief Administrator Bai entered seclusion, she intended to appoint you as Grand Priestess and establish the Auspicious Immortals Directorate, placing matters of this kind under your authority. May I ask what you think?”

Zhu Qingluo raised a hand in salute. “I have no objection.”

Xiang Xian returned the salute, then looked at the old beggar standing behind her. “Then regarding this one…”

“At this point, he basically only recognizes me.” Zhu Qingluo hurriedly cut her off. “Let him stay with me for a few days first. Once things are sorted out, I’ll come find you again!”

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Xiang Xian nodded, glanced at Yu Daoyong, then picked up a black-furred fox from beside her feet and flew away from the front of the hall, her skirts swaying.

“I’m going to rest.”

Zhu Qingluo also left with the old beggar.

Li Huiran originally had no intention of bothering with them, but when the old beggar passed by him, he suddenly made a face at him. Li Huiran froze for a moment, then his pale face immediately flushed red.

“That old thing Pang Tiandao… even the split body he left behind is this arrogant!”

Li Huiran understood very well. He knew the old beggar was mocking him for failing to beat Yuxiu and ending up badly wounded.

But was that really how the score should be kept?

When the few of us were surrounding him, I was the one taking all the hits!

“Oh, enough, enough.”

“He doesn’t go by that name anymore. Maybe one of these days he’ll switch back to Zhu Changlun. We’re all on the same side, so don’t take it too seriously…”

Yu Daoyong hurriedly pulled him back while jerking his chin in the direction Xiang Xian had gone.

“And you don’t seriously think that just because she isn’t here, you can mess around as much as you want, do you? I’d advise you not to get too cocky…”

“What do you mean?” Li Huiran stopped and turned to look at him.

“That black-furred fox gives me a very unusual feeling,” Yu Daoyong said, narrowing his eyes.

“I don’t believe she would leave without setting up any backup plan at all.”

“So we shouldn’t think too highly of our own importance either.”