Zhou Yi nced at the camera, waved his hand to grab Xiao Ran, and the Supreme rity Divine Talisman shone with spiritual light.


    "Let’s go!"


    Xiao Ran hastily spoke, "Teacher, please take Li Chao with us."


    "A decent protector in the making."


    Zhou Yi nodded slightly, and the spiritual light enveloped the three, as they dove into the ground and disappeared.


    It’s easier said than done, and in a sh, the oue of the confrontation had been decided. The warriors from the Investigation Bureau within the building hadn’t recovered yet whenmands from higher-ups reached their ears, instructing them to sign confidentiality agreements ording to the previous procedure.


    The Imperial Court had discovered haunting spirits three years ago, and to avoid unrest, still strictly controlled the dissemination of information.


    Due to the increase in harrowing spirits and victims, even though the inte was buzzing with spection and rumors were too persistent to be purged, mainstream media continued to report peace and tranquility.


    The only change was the official reminders to the popce.


    Don’t go out at night!


    Some believed that the Imperial Court’s actions infringed on their freedom to night run, whether genuinely or to seek attention and traffic, and they physically embodied this belief by proving the health benefits of night running!


    In these tumultuous times, the Imperial Court couldn’t be bothered with such people.


    Anyway, within a few days, they wouldn’t be able to speak anymore—the spirits didn’t care for freedom and were quite adept at silencing people on a very physical level!


    Combat Command Center.


    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Conducting a destructive attack within the city, nobody could escape ountability.


    At the same time, new questions arose, "Who is Heavenly Monarch Yuanling?" The Demon Head, on hearing this title, was scared half to death, clearly indicating a significant background.


    To investigate a person for the Imperial Court, a single face was enough; they could dig up ancestors eighteen generations back.


    Using Heavenly Monarch Yuanling’s name while operating didn’t involve deliberate concealment, and this person’s identity information soon appeared before themander.


    "It is indeed Elder Xu, no wonder he looked familiar. The title of Heavenly Monarch, originating from Taoism, signifies a deity..."


    Themander, having briefly looked over the records, asked, "Does Elder Xu follow Taoism?"


    Taoism is the state religion of Great Zhou, with believers numbering in the hundreds of millions, and to this day, the Royal Family officiates consecration ceremonies for every generation’s head of Baiyun Temple.


    "Elder Xu has repeatedly stated publicly that he is a non-believer, unafraid of ghosts and deities!"


    The assistant pointed to a piece of information in the materials, saying, "Ten days ago, Elder Xu was critically ill and had even prepared for his funeral, but suddenly he announced a miraculous recovery."


    Themander instructed, "Inquire with the attending physician to find out the true situation in the ward."


    The assistant took out a stack of documents, "This is the murderer’s information; he was an ordinary person, cheerful and kind-hearted. Half a year ago, his personality changed abruptly, and he killed his parents, children, and wife, practicing evil Cultivation Techniques!"


    Themander frowned, "What are you suggesting?"


    "Experts spected at the time that firstly, the Cultivation Technique was bizarre, and those who practiced it would inevitably be possessed."


    The assistant continued, "The second is the legendary possession, initially thought to be the work of a harrowing ghost, but now it seems it may not be..."


    Themander nodded in approval, having thought of a simr hypothesis, but the implications were too frightening for someone of his status to voice lightly.


    "Continue."


    "I often read novels online, and one recurring plot is the reincarnation of certain immortals or Demon Heads."


    The assistant suggested, "Could it be that Elder Xu and the murderer are in such a situation, and perhaps the Demon Head knew of the immortal’s renown and thus was stricken with fear?"


    "That is quite reasonable."


    Themandermented, "Compile your spections along with the details of today’sbat into a report, and submit it to the headquarters of the Investigation Bureau."


    Upon hearing this, the assistant was overjoyed, bowed deeply to take orders.


    "Thank you, my lord!"


    ...


    Xianjing.


    South City.


    Investigation Bureau Headquarters.


    Conference room.


    Therge screen on the wall was frozen on the image of "Old Xu" activating the Supreme rity Divine Talisman.


    The Director rubbed his temples to ease the headache, even though his Qi-Blood martial arts had advanced to the stage of Condensing Orifices, staying awake for seven continuous days was bing unbearable.


    The territory of Great Zhou was so vast that even if only one malicious ghost appeared in each city per day, the paperwork would pile up on the Investigation Bureau’s desks.


    The malicious ghosts were still ssified, and no correspondingws had been established, so the Investigation Bureau’s soldiers had to get approval from headquarters at every level for their operations.


    The imperial cab had no choice but to exterminate the ghosts while also needing to keep the power of the Investigation Bureau in check, to prevent it from expanding without limits.


    "Let’s talk about it, what’s the procedure for today’s issue?"


    The deputy director to his left said, "Can we not invite Old Xu for a talk? After all, Old Xu is also part of the system, receiving special allowances, and his family is in the capital."


    "Based on the murderer’s reasoning, whether Old Xu still recognizes his family is hard to guarantee."


    Someone immediately objected, "If the negotiation ends unpleasantly, with the strength Old Xu has shown, no one can bear the consequences that arise!"


    "We can’t say that either, Old Xu still recognizes his disciples, evidently, he’s not a Demon Head!"


    "That disciple was born with a Spirit Eye, an excellent candidate for a sect heir; ording to Buddhist and Taoist texts, it’s much more important than blood rtions!"


    "..."


    The conference room was a babel of voices, engaged in a heated discussion on whether to contact "Old Xu."


    Smack!


    A loud bang, and a handprint appeared on the solid wood table, instantly quieting the room; everyone turned to look at the Director.


    "Ha! Each of you knows very well what’s going on, trying to y dumb with me?"


    The Director, originally a top expert in the military and known for his vtile temperament, was extremely loyal to the Imperial Court. Thus, he had earned the cab’s trust. He cursed, "Is the main point now whether to see Old Xu or not?"


    "The main point is the Cultivation Technique!"


    Everyone bowed their heads upon hearing this, not daring to speak. The matter of Cultivation Techniques was too sensitive and dabbling in it could easily lead to a catastrophic end.


    "Whether Old Xu is human or ghost doesn’t matter, what’s clear is that he values the legacy of his sect so much that he would risk exposing himself to save his disciple. He will definitely start a school to pass on his techniques in the future!"


    The deputy director said, "Can we not use the name of the Imperial Court to ask Old Xu to temporarily refrain from spreading the Cultivation Technique for the peace and security of the people?"


    "ording to Buddhist and Taoist texts, those who cultivate immortality are indifferent to the mortal world, whether it’s peaceful or in chaos."


    The Director said, "Even if Old Xu agrees, what if other immortals or Demon Heads appear? Will you go and negotiate with each one?"


    Everyone shook their heads upon hearing this, understanding that suppressing the spread of Cultivation Techniques could notst forever.


    The Imperial Court had scoured Buddhist and Taoist texts and had alreadypiled several basic Immortal Techniques. They had even started training cultivators, but hindered by the requirement of Spirit Roots, the overall effectiveness was minimal.


    The military did have many soldiers with superior Spirit Roots, but the cab used the excuse of iplete techniques to temporarily forbid training in the military.


    The fundamental reason was that this issue involved the redistribution of power.


    Since ancient times, heroes have been forbidden to use martial arts to defy thew!


    The power controlled by Cultivators was a hundred times stronger than heroes. Once they made progress in their cultivation, not to speak of abiding by thew, it might not even be clear who has the final say in the Imperial Court.


    If everyone could cultivate immortality, the Imperial Court would actually be less worried, for the strong powers would check each other, and the worst-case scenario would be the emergence of a new ss.


    But the entirely random nature of Spirit Roots left the Imperial Court helpless.


    "I have also read several Immortal Techniques, and ording to the conclusions drawn by the Research Institute, the core is to absorb Spiritual Energy."


    The Director’s gaze swept over everyone, his voice dark and icy.


    "Times change, the world changes. We are not living in ancient times. We can refer to Immortal Techniques and use technological means to forcibly integrate Spiritual Energy into the human body, perhaps bypassing the restrictions of Spirit Roots!"


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "The Research Institute has already sessfully infused Spiritual Energy intob mice, which significantly enhanced their responsiveness and strength."


    "Now we just need some benevolent and brave volunteers willing to test the new style of Cultivation Techniques, um, I mean Elixirs..."