Chapter 91: Blasting Fish, Reeling In the Net

Wang Sheng longingly watched the experts battling on the river. If he had a longsword in hand and had reached the late stage of the Seed Formation Realm, he would have loved to test his Dao of the Sword against them. Unfortunately, his cultivation was still lacking, his leg was broken, and he didn't even have a proper weapon at the moment.

At least two to three hundred cultivators were in the water, all of them at the early stage of the Seed Formation Realm or higher. The chaotic battle on the river grew fiercer, making more cultivators believe that the middle and upper volumes of the Celestial Master Secret Scroll were truly hidden there.

Guo Qianxing was dead, but the authorities still had to clean up the mess that he had left.

Wang Sheng could roughly guess that the current official policy toward the cultivation world was primarily of flexible tolerance. It was supplemented by deterrence, righteous Daoist recruitment, and corrupt cultivator suppression.

"Have our choppers broadcast a message on loop over the river. 'The Fire Sage is dead. The auction was a hoax!'" Chi Ling commanded, somewhat confirming Wang Sheng's hypothesis. "Notify the Special Warfare Unit on both shores to capture all Daoists as well! It doesn't matter if they're righteous or evil!

"I also want the cultivators in the city monitored. Arrest or detain anyone caught fighting or causing disturbances as necessary! We are initiating Plan C, people! Request the judicial department to set up the Special Tribunal Unit overnight. Any cultivator who kills or injures someone tonight will not escape justice!"

Chi Ling's orders were swiftly executed. Within a minute or two, helicopters circling over the Dajiang River began announcing, "The Fire Sage is dead. The auction was a hoax."

The dozen or so righteous and evil experts who had been locked in battle abruptly stopped and retreated.

While the Longhu elders looked confused, the evil Daoist experts—including the two "gods" of the Five Gods Cult—swiftly dove back into the river.

"Fellow Daoists, withdraw to the shore for now!" one of the elders from the Longhu Mountains instructed. "Let me figure out what is happening."

Jingyun and the dozen or so Daoist elders gracefully walked on water toward the shore. Illusory Core Realm cultivators still couldn't fly, but they could easily walk on water or suspend themselves briefly in midair.

Now that the battle on the river had stopped, the chaos in the water also shifted. Some cultivators came to their senses and began withdrawing, but crisscrossed iron chains immediately ensnared the first group of thirty or so who rushed to the shore.

The cultivators who were about to climb onto the shore quickly backtracked and scanned their surroundings warily.

"Government forces are nearby!"

"This is a damn police trap! They lured us here to catch us all at once!"

Realizing that something was off, many of the cultivators retreated upstream, intending to return the way they came. However, they soon found speedboats blocking the river, each one manned by people as solid as iron towers. They tried to rush past, but heavy iron chains were swiftly hurled into the water, forming a nearly impenetrable formation.

"Let's move downstream! We didn't gain anything tonight; we can't end up getting caught as well!"

Meanwhile, having regained her composure, Chi Ling calmly issued a series of commands amid the chaos. Gradually, the battlefield was brought under control, and the river was sealed off with an inescapable net.

The Special Warfare Unit had completely surrounded the area. Righteous and corrupt cultivators attempting to escape were immediately captured.

Nevertheless, Wang Sheng's expression grew increasingly serious. He couldn't help but be worried about the Special Warfare Unit's safety. Their average cultivation level was merely at the Spirit Convergence Realm, a middle-tier level among third-generation disciples of Daoist sects.

Relying on formations and iron chains, they could easily handle ordinary Seed Formation Realm cultivators. However, several highly skilled corrupt cultivators were likely still in the water, including two or three at the Illusory Core Realm. If those individuals tried to force their way onto the shore, the Special Warfare Unit would have no means to hold them back. It would surely result in casualties.

Wang Sheng glanced at Chi Ling, finding her talking to two elderly men in white lab coats. He extended his spiritual consciousness and eavesdropped on their conversation.

"Have the devices been calibrated? Can its lethality be controlled?" Chi Ling asked.

"They're ready. It's time to teach these cultivators a lesson," one of the elders responded.

"Good. I want your people on standby. Our principle is to detain first and judge later, but in combat, casualties are inevitable."

"Understood. We'll have the warriors downstream withdraw first. The affected area will be at least three to four kilometers."

Chi Ling nodded slightly. She then turned to two young women waiting beside her. "Tell those experts to keep an eye on the stronger corrupt cultivators. We must prevent the Special Warfare Unit from suffering casualties."

Wang Sheng couldn't help but be curious about the device in question.

"Those people are the researchers from the institute," Mou Yue whispered.

Wang Sheng nodded as he watched the screen. Soon, he got his answer.

Two patrol boats moved into position on the river and lowered two large, drum-like devices into the water.

Sonar?

The Special Warfare Unit members downstream quickly withdrew to the shore and put on tactical helmets. The helicopters hovering over the river also pulled back.

Once green signal flares rose from both shores, the researchers on the patrol boats activated the underwater devices. The river water trembled, rippling in concentric waves.

Inside the command center, the underwater audio transmission sent back a sound so piercing that many staff members clutched their chests and retched.

That noise... A directional infrasound weapon?!

Even Wang Sheng's Dao heart wavered slightly.

The staff quickly cut off the audio. Right after, the scene on the main screen spiraled into chaos.

Figures burst out of the water and scrambled toward the shore. Even if iron chains awaited them on land, it was still better than drowning.

Many cultivators bled from their seven orifices as they surfaced, convulsed, and collapsed onto the shore. Some couldn't even make it out of the water; they lost control of their bodies and sank deeper into the river.

The corrupt cultivators fought desperately once they reached land, knowing they would meet a grim fate if captured. Unfortunately, even if they somehow managed to break through the first line of defense, more layers of sword formations awaited them. Beyond those, mounted heavy sniper rifles and police officers were also in position.

In his wheelchair, Wang Sheng silently watched the disorder on the screen. For some reason, the fact that his legs were broken gave him an odd sense of security.

***

By 2:00 AM, the city had quieted down and become even calmer than usual.

The Special Warfare Unit had captured over six hundred cultivators along the riverbank. Fifteen were at the Breath Condensation Realm, three hundred twenty-one at the Spirit Convergence Realm, and two hundred ninety-seven at the Seed Formation Realm.

Around twenty Seed Formation Realm cultivators managed to escape. None of the Illusory Core Realm experts had been caught either. Those at their level already had ways to counter the infrasound weapon, allowing them to escape upstream.

The Special Warfare Unit had suffered zero casualties. It had been a one-sided suppression. Although they had not faced large-scale resistance from cultivators, tonight had proven the initial deterrent power of a structured cultivator army.

Among the six hundred captives, about a fifth were evil. Some even had serious crimes on their records. The majority were unaffiliated practitioners, though a significant number were disciples of Daoist sects as well.

Despite the vast land and resources of the Hua Republic, where reckless corrupt cultivators ran rampant, tonight's results were still an impressive victory.

However, the investigation unit barely had a few hours to rest before their real work began. They had interrogations to conduct and urgent measures to deploy in hopes of preventing the widespread dissemination of cultivation techniques online.

Even before the Fire Sage's death, cultivation techniques had already been circulating on the Hua Republic's internet. However, as soon as they appeared on public platforms, the pages were taken down within three minutes.

Law enforcement agencies across the nation had swiftly formed dedicated teams to monitor and contain the situation, working through the night to build a digital "flood barrier." Now, even if corrupt cultivators tried to cause a massive leak, the agencies were prepared to give it their all to block it.

Even so, the internet was vast and had hidden corners beyond their immediate control. As videos of the battle spread, opportunists had already begun exploiting the situation for attention.

The Fire Sage's funds would not last forever, but the "fire seeds" he had scattered would continue to sprout. As long as even one remained, the moment the authorities eased up on their efforts, they would spread once more.

Wang Sheng understood that better than most. After all, he had once relied on the internet to pursue cultivation, using his meager earnings to buy techniques online well into his thirties.

As long as there was profit to be made, there would always be those willing to exploit the situation. Such people were willing to do anything for money, making it impossible to eliminate them completely.

Chi Ling was clearly aware of that as well. After all, her goal was not to achieve absolute containment but to prevent cultivation techniques from spreading uncontrollably, giving the Hua Republic more time to prepare and adapt.

Maintaining order and security in a nation with over a billion people was no simple task that could be done overnight. That was why in Ancient India, the crime rate had skyrocketed, and chaos reigned. Since it was the birthplace of Buddhism, the sheer number of Buddhist cultivators had nearly paralyzed the government. The high monks who preached patience, suffering, and the promise of happiness in the next life had essentially seized control over the nation.

By dawn, the Special Warfare Unit had stationed a large force to guard the captured cultivators, while the main troops left the city and returned to their original stations.

The disciples of the Longhu Mountains also departed last night. With their sect's techniques leaked, they had no choice but to split up in pursuit of those who had purchased them.

As morning light spilled into the command center, Mou Yue gently shook Wang Sheng, who had been meditating in a corner of the room. She had brought breakfast and invited him to eat with her and the other women.

Wang Sheng politely declined and decided to go out for a walk. However, as he started moving his wheelchair, he heard someone call out to him from behind.

"Fei Yu, where are you going?" Chi Ling asked, her tone betraying her deep exhaustion. "I'll push you. Are you heading to the restroom?"

"It's alright, I can manage on my own. You've been busy all night. You should rest, Mistress."

"It's fine. I just have one or two more meetings, then I can sleep," Chi Ling replied with a tired smile. She pushed his wheelchair toward the door, and two female staff hurried ahead to open it.

Wang Sheng smiled and thanked them. Before the admiring gazes of the dozens of people in the central command room, Chi Ling pushed him out into the sunlit corridor.

Chi Ling folded her arms and gazed at the flower beds outside the window.

"Has Little Wen given you any trouble?"

"No, our junior sister has been well-behaved. Life on the mountain is tough," Wang Sheng said. "She's currently staying with my senior sister on the Zhongnan Mountains, waiting for our master to leave seclusion."

"I know." Chi Ling sighed softly. "I just... don't know how to face your master."

Wang Sheng blinked. "He feels incredibly guilty toward you and your daughter."

"I don't need his guilt!" Chi Ling firmly responded. After a brief pause, she shook her head and smiled at Wang Sheng, who looked a bit awkward. "I shouldn't be telling you this. Anyway, what do you think of last night's events?"

Wang Sheng carefully chose his words. "It was a strong message to the cultivation world. The Special Warfare Unit is growing. Soon, they'll have the power to protect the nation."

"You're a cultivator, Fei Yu. I want to hear the perspective of a cultivator."

"Cultivators will likely fear the government's strength, but some may also resist it. You should conduct a survey, Mistress."

Chi Ling chuckled. She fell silent for a moment before murmuring, "To make cultivation accessible to the public, we need a stable society, and the techniques themselves must be refined. None of this will be easy..."

Wang Sheng simply nodded. "

Mmhmm.

"

"You keep calling me 'Mistress,' so I can't say I haven't looked after you. This afternoon, the Cultivation Research Institute is hosting a private tour for a few Illusory Core Realm cultivators." Chi Ling patted his shoulder and smiled. "You and Mou Yue should attend as representatives of the investigation unit. I've already made arrangements. There's a lot there that could help with your cultivation."

Stretching lazily, she added, "If you want to know why the primal qi of heaven and earth is resurging, you'll get your answer there."

Wang Sheng perked up.