The attendees looked at each other, each with their own theories, but no one could be certain.
The host glanced at the old man seated at the head of the table. "The research team’s assessnt is that, given the uncertainty of Gu Zhao’s attitude, it’s best to approach him with caution."
Another person pointed to the paused video on the large screen. "Is it because of this? If this video is real, then the Palm Thunder he used must be real too."
"Yes." The host switched the images and information on the large screen again. "It’s not just about the Palm Thunder. A mont ago, we only discussed the tiline of Gu Zhao’s association with those Taoists. But during our investigation, we also uncovered so other information."
"What kind of information?"
"First, during the period when Gu Zhao invited Taoist Jing Feng, a wildfire broke out near Fengdu Temple. The weather forecast predicted no rain for the next half-month, and the fire departnt had already notified residents in the vicinity of Fengdu Temple to evacuate.
But at noon that very day, it suddenly began to rain over the location of the wildfire for a short ti, and the sky cleared up not long after the fire was extinguished.
Furthermore, the teorological chart of the rain stopping and clouds dispersing was incredibly bizarre. It caused a stir at the Mountain City Weather Bureau at the ti and was even reported to the National Weather Bureau. They later sent a team to study the area, but they ca up empty-handed."
On the large screen, a ti-lapse video played at ten tis speed, showing the donut-shaped weather pattern of the clouds dissipating.
"What’s important is that shortly after the wildfire was extinguished, Gu Zhao appeared at Fengdu Temple with Taoist Yi Hong of White Cloud Temple, Taoist Ming Yu of the Celestial Master’s Mansion, and Taoist Yan Song of Qingcheng Mountain.
This year, during the Qingming ceremony at Sanmao Mountain, there was also a drizzle. But when the ceremony ended, the rain suddenly stopped, and a rainbow appeared along with auspicious clouds shaped like an immortal crane. We checked the teorological charts from that day; the pattern of the rain and clouds dispersing was almost identical to the event in Mountain City."
A sharp hiss of indrawn breath was heard.
’Call the Wind and Summon the Rain?’
"Then there’s the timing of Gu Zhao’s appearances at the Eight Immortals Palace and Dragon Gate." The host put two video screenshots on the screen. "He appeared at the Eight Immortals Palace at 1:30 PM that day, and at the Dragon Gate Mountain ticket office at 2:30 PM.
Dragon Gate Mountain is located in the outskirts of Long County, nearly 300 kiloters from the West Capital. There’s no high-speed rail between the two locations, and the drive takes over three hours.
Furthermore, he left Dragon Gate Mountain a little after 4:00 PM and then appeared in Yangcheng before 6:00 PM to et Xiao Ya and Jiang Shishi for dinner."
Another hiss echoed through the room.
’Soaring Clouds and Mist?’
"Third, Taoist Yi Hong contacted friends at the capital’s steel mill and armory, using decommissioned submarine steel to forge a large number of traditional weapons—sabers, spears, swords, and halberds—and had them shipped to Yangcheng.
Gu Zhao, Xiao Ya, and Jiang Shishi have fild several videos in which they display incredible martial arts techniques. Their demonstration of White Crane Fist was so full of spirit that it even confused a red-crowned crane."
"This..."
’Incredible Martial Arts?’
"And since those Taoists are already masters who have cultivated Taoist Inner Breath, we suspect it’s not just Gu Zhao. The Taoists he chose to take with him to Yangcheng have probably all experienced improvents of their own to varying degrees."
The host said in a low voice, "Otherwise, it’s impossible to explain why they would follow Gu Zhao to Yangcheng without a second thought."
Everyone looked at the Golden Gang Bracelet on the table and nodded silently.
"Perhaps what we’re seeing is just the tip of the iceberg," soone said grimly. "If he can use Palm Thunder, Call the Wind and Summon the Rain, and travel by Soaring Clouds and Mist, then he’s capable of far more than we can possibly imagine."
Just because they hadn’t found evidence of other abilities didn’t an he didn’t have them. It might just be that he hadn’t shown them yet.
"The research team’s recomndation is to find an excuse to invite Taoist Yi Hong back to Yandu. We can first sound him out and then, depending on what we learn, establish contact with Gu Zhao. This should avoid startling him or making him unnecessarily wary."
"PFFT!" Soone spat out a mouthful of tea. "Startling him? He’s the one who’s startling us!"
"He’s a young man. It’s understandable that he might be apprehensive or distrustful of us." The elderly leader shook his head. "That’s why our first contact must leave him with a good impression."
"Besides..." The elder paused. "We are the ones initiating this, and we do, in fact, have sothing to ask of him."
Putting aside his other abilities, they might not need Gu Zhao’s offensive power, but those Golden Gang Bracelets—which appeared to be mass-producible—were incredibly important, both for covert operations and for the protection of VIPs!
"So Taoist Yi Hong is indeed a good choice," another elder nodded. "He is an Elder of the Yandu White Cloud Temple and knows many people within the system. Forging those weapons required pulling strings with his connections. Even if he doesn’t agree to help, he won’t betray us."
"Judging by how he’s taking people across to the Otherworld and handing out Golden Gang Bracelets, I don’t think he’s particularly worried about exposure. In fact, it’s a show of trust in us."
Soone shook their head. "I think you’re all overthinking this. Our country’s character is different from Huaqi Country’s. Besides, Gu Zhao is clearly a patriotic young man. We should just be direct with him."
"There’s no harm in being cautious," another person countered, shaking their head and giving the previous speaker a aningful look. "Not everyone thinks the way you do."
"If that’s the case, then it’s settled." The lead elder made the decision and looked to a person beside him. "This eting is adjourned. You are to contact Taoist Yi Hong’s junior brother, Taoist Yi Guan. The next ti Taoist Yi Hong gets in touch with him, have him find an excuse to ask Yi Hong to return to Yandu."
"Understood!" the person replied.
"One last thing." The elder scanned the room. "The contents of this eting are strictly confidential. No one is to contact Gu Zhao or his family without authorization—especially not his parents, his maternal grandparents, or his two girlfriends."
A chill went through the attendees. Soone asked, "Should we send people to protect them?"
The elder mulled it over for a mont before nodding. "Tail them from a distance. We need to be prepared in case word of this leaks and soone with ill intentions decides to act."
"Yes, sir!" soone replied, accepting the order.
...
「As the eting in Yandu concluded, the battle in the Otherworld’s Bai Shi Prefecture was drawing to a close.」
Taoist Yi Hong and Taoist Yan Song had forced the White Bone God Monarch and his wife into the Five Thunders Dragon-Catching Array at Bai Shi Prefecture’s Daluo Temple. There, they joined forces with Taoist Ming Yu, Taoist Jing Feng, and Taoist Yan Ling, and the five of them surrounded their quarry to launch a final assault!
Taoist Shen Hao, with his profound power, and Taoist Qingyuan, with his extraordinary combat skills, were also providing support. Aided by their pure and potent Taoist True Qi, which allowed them to fight opponents of a higher level, the assembled veteran Taoists were more than a match for the White Bone God Monarch, despite his profound Dao Practice.
Lady White Bone’s physical form had long been destroyed, leaving only a pale, weathered skeleton that she barely managed to maintain under the White Bone God Monarch’s protection.
The White Bone God Monarch had failed to break through their encirclent several tis and was heavily wounded. He had deployed three or four Magical Treasures, but none had succeeded. Instead, his Divine Soul was afflicted by the Taiyi Divine Light and Mingling Hell, while his physical form was suppressed by the Taiyi Wind and Fire and the Five-Colored Thunderclouds. He was being thwarted at every turn.
In the next instant, thirty-six Dragon-Binding Iron Chains coiled around the White Bone God Monarch’s body. Taoist Yi Hong’s figure flickered, and he instantly appeared behind the Divine Monarch, his Yanyue Saber raised high.
"Sever!"
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