Chapter 79: A Gathering of Great Forces

Chi Ling was already on the highest alert. Forces that the investigation unit had dispatched from various regions had been temporarily transferred to the city along with a large number of armed policemen and local law enforcement. Moreover, seemingly in just one night, hundreds of Daoist Priests had emerged from train stations and airports.

Since some cultivators lurked in the shadows, the investigation unit was forced to allocate significant manpower to keeping them under surveillance.

It wasn't just the investigation unit that had underestimated the Celestial Master Secret Scroll’s allure to various Daoist lineages, orthodox organizations, and unorthodox factions. Even the Fire Sage, who had orchestrated the event, was likely surprised by the massive stir that it had caused.

Two elders from the Longhu Mountains had also answered the investigation unit’s call to action. Among the Daoist Priests who had come, very few had such seniority. After all, in this day and age, the elders had yet to fully convert their Daoist realms into actual cultivation power. The Daoist lineages’ most formidable combatants were still their disciples.

Less than thirty hours left before the auction, Wang Sheng and Jingyun prepared to depart from Lantian. Having been busy for the majority of yesterday, Lin Huifeng had already gone back to rest the previous night.

At dawn, Chi Wen and Mu Wanxuan arrived at the foot of the mountain, where Wang Sheng had been waiting for them. A middle-aged man who spoke little had driven them over in a police car. He declined the invitation to rest at the Daoist temple on the mountain, opting instead to find a hotel in town.

Still half asleep, Chi Wen looked around at the rather desolate mountain forest. "Is Dad really in seclusion here?"

Wang Sheng smiled and nodded, hoisting their suitcases onto his shoulder. "Did you bring enough food? The conditions up here are even harsher than the Wudang Mountains."

Chi Wen nodded repeatedly. "Yes."

Beside her, Mu Wanxuan merely smiled, a large sack of snacks in her hands. She then blinked at Wang Sheng, who immediately understood what she was trying to say.

Mostly for Chi Wen’s sake, he began to give a summary of the situation.

"Martial Aunt Jingyun has been helping us out here. She's our master's junior sister. Since she has an extremely high cultivation level, she’s been watching over him while he's in seclusion.

"When she heard that the mistress needed experts to help maintain order, she volunteered to go. Master has already formed his Golden Core and is now just meditating to comprehend his realm, so there shouldn't be any further dangers.

"With Martial Aunt Jingyun going to help, our master can stay in seclusion with peace of mind. Honestly, there's no need to disturb his cultivation for these mundane matters. Whether we're down there or not won't make much of a difference anyway."

Chi Wen nodded slightly. She seemed a bit absent-minded, which was only natural. Meeting her father, whom she had never met before, was bound to be nerve-wracking.

Mu Wanxuan shot Wang Sheng a glare, making him chuckle awkwardly in response. After spending so much time together, they were practically able to communicate with just expressions.

Mu Wanxuan was clearly sulking. After all, Wang Sheng had called her over in the middle of the night to watch over their master while he headed down the mountain with Jingyun. Had it been up to her, she would have arranged for her and her junior brother to leave the mountain instead, sweeping away injustice as a pair of martial siblings.

Unfortunately, since Wang Sheng had already finalized the plan, Mu Wanxuan had no choice but to go along with it. Still, she couldn’t help but feel a little frustrated.

The three made their way up the mountain and then helped Chi Wen settle into her lodging at the Daoist temple. The remote and rugged surroundings made her frown a little, but she didn't complain.

After thinking about it for a moment, Wang Sheng called Lin Huifeng and paid him to buy a tent and a soft mat to send up the mountain. He figured Chi Wen might as well stay with their senior sister at the seclusion site.

Once everything had been arranged, the three headed to the mountaintop.

Jingyun was still standing beneath the cliffside, guarding the cave entrance like a jade statue. However, the moment she saw Chi Wen, her expression seemingly softened, making her appear warm and gentle.

Chi Wen stared at her in a daze. Jingyun stepped forward, taking Chi Wen's hands in hers and greeting her with motherly concern.

Wang Sheng couldn't help but jokingly think,

Has she already prepared herself to be my junior sister’s stepmother?

While Jingyun enthusiastically welcomed Chi Wen, Mu Wanxuan frowned slightly and fell deep in thought.

She had rarely interacted with any female Wudang cultivators from Qing Yanzi’s generation. Whenever she came across Daoist masters like Li Shiwu and Gao Shixing, she just called them "Uncle" as her way of addressing them as Martial Uncle.

Now, she was standing before Jingyun, her master's junior sister. She couldn't possibly ignore proper etiquette, but calling such an ethereal and elegant woman "Aunt" felt a bit inappropriate.

The Daoist sects had nuns, but it was considered rather disrespectful to use terms like "Daoist Nun" or "Warrior Nun" as forms of address. Female Daoists had to be addressed as "Daoist Master," just like male Daoists.

After much deliberation, Mu Wanxuan finally seemed to have made up her mind. She stepped forward and shouted, "Aunt!"

Jingyun was momentarily startled, but she soon broke into a warm smile. Without hesitation, she pulled Mu Wanxuan into a conversation filled with affectionate inquiries.

As a male disciple, Wang Sheng didn't expect to receive the same treatment. He simply stood by, waiting quietly.

Jingyun soon arranged for Mu Wanxuan to stand guard, repeatedly reminding her not to let anyone disturb Qing Yanzi's cultivation and comprehension. She then descended the mountain with Wang Sheng.

Seeing Wang Sheng dressed casually in shorts and a T-shirt, Jingyun pondered for a moment. When they reached the entrance of her Daoist temple, she asked, "Should I change into something else?"

"Whatever is comfortable for you, Martial Aunt."

"

Hmm.

Wait here for a moment, Fei Yu."

Jingyun gracefully stepped inside and headed to a side room. Not long after, the ethereal Kun Daoist emerged looking completely different. She had changed into a tassel dress and small sandals. If not for her refined demeanor, she could have easily been mistaken for a fresh graduate.

As they made their way down the mountain, Wang Sheng noticed the short sword in Jingyun's hand. "Martial Aunt, do you use a sword as well?"

"My master left this to me. It wards off corruption," Jingyun replied with a smile. "Senior Brother always brags about taking in a sword maniac as his disciple. Seeing how the sight of a sword lifts your spirit, I see he wasn't exaggerating. Unfortunately, the only sword art I learned in my early years was the Jade Maiden Sword Art, so I have nothing to pass down to you."

Wang Sheng felt a little embarrassed. He didn’t say it out loud, but he assumed that the Jade Maiden Sword Art was a sword art with a softer and more fluid intent. Even if he couldn't cultivate it himself, it could still serve as a valuable reference for his comprehension.

As they descended the mountain, they engaged in casual conversation, mostly touching on cultivation. Wang Sheng maintained the etiquette of a disciple, while Jingyun carried the dignity of a senior, making their interactions rather smooth.

When they reached the foot of the mountain, an SUV was already waiting for them. Wang Sheng voluntarily took the front passenger seat, leaving the entire back seat for his martial aunt to enjoy on her own.

The driver was a member of the Special Investigation Unit. He had been rushing to provide support elsewhere but changed course when Mou Yue had called him to pick up Wang Sheng and Jingyun.

There seemed to be some strict protocols within the unit. The young investigator only took a couple of glances at Jingyun through the rearview mirror before quickly looking away, as if afraid to stare too much.

"Tell me about the situation over there," Wang Sheng requested.

While driving, the investigator straightened his posture and reported the intel that he had gathered.

According to him, the last three core members of the Supernatural Revelation Club were still nowhere to be found. Other than the Fire Sage, they still lacked information on the remaining two. Moreover, another corrupt cultivator group now backed the Fire Sage, making the club's background even more complicated.

Hence, the captured elders of the Supernatural Revelation Club were undergoing another round of interrogations.

Initially, they just had a simple case of some cultivators committing fraud, and the perpetrators would have been imprisoned for only a few years. However, if the Special Investigation Unit managed to link any of them to its blacklist of corrupt cultivator organizations or wanted criminals, they could face entirely different charges.

The investigator sighed. "Honestly, those unaffiliated practitioners are the real unlucky ones. They came out of seclusion just to make some money, and now they could end up rotting in prison."

"How many corrupt cultivator organizations has the Special Investigation Unit identified so far?" Wang Sheng asked.

"Only about three or four. They were all discovered when they tried to cause trouble in the past two years. There's the Persian Heavenly Fire Sect, Five Gods Cult..."

The investigator listed six names. Wang Sheng only recognized the Five Gods Cult; the rest seemed more like fraud rings than true large-scale organizations.

The Yin-Yang Cult, on the other hand, remained well hidden even though two of their Seed Formation Realm cultivators had been involved in the Supernatural Revelation Club case—one managing to escape and the other killed. It seemed as though the cult itself managed to quickly vanish without a trace.

That was the real big target. Unfortunately, there was still too little information on them.

Compared to the Yin-Yang Cult, the Five Gods Cult seemed much less significant. Also known as the "Martial God Cult," it primarily used Daoist arts to attract followers and amass wealth.

Wang Sheng had a strong impression of the cult since it had once made official news headlines in his past life. Eventually, the Special Investigation Unit completely wiped it out, labeling it as a prime example of an unorthodox sect.

As of now, a large number of Five Gods Cult experts had infiltrated the mess in their hands, even openly declaring their intent to claim the Celestial Master's Secret Scroll. In doing so, they successfully helped their allies in the Yin-Yang Cult divert the authorities' attention.

Sacrificing themselves for the greater cause—their courage was truly commendable.

The drive from Lantian took over ten hours, with Special Investigation Unit members replacing the driver twice along the way. It reminded Wang Sheng of ancient urgent military dispatches, where riders had to change horses at regular intervals.

With Mou Yue coordinating everything remotely, Wang Sheng and Jingyun made rapid progress toward the all the forces’ rally point.

At around 8:00 PM, they got stuck at a toll booth. A group of armed policemen was conducting thorough inspections of passing vehicles, leaving them no choice but to wait.

After nearly half an hour, just as it was their turn, a traffic officer suddenly ran over, waving a baton and signaling them to pull aside temporarily.

The driver frowned and immediately got out of the car, looking like he was ready to pick a fight. However, after just a couple of exchanges, he suddenly glanced behind him, his expression changing instantly. Without another word, he slinked back into the vehicle and obediently pulled over to the side.

A long line of twenty or so military-green buses slowly rolled past. Wang Sheng, who had been watching with a relaxed expression, suddenly tensed.

Many of the passengers exuded early-stage to mid-stage Spirit Convergence Realm auras. Looking up and through the bus windows, he saw rows of solemn figures sitting upright, all dressed in military attire.

The Special Warfare Unit had arrived.