"Roar!!!"
"Awoo!!!"
"Crack crack crack!!!"
In survivors' gazes, countless sword lights thunderously descended. Amid countless mutant beasts' anguished cries, their bodies were pierced through.
These sword lights seemed equipped with trackers—no matter how mutant beasts dodged, it was useless.
The gap between ability users truly was vast!
These terrors they considered undefeatable were merely third-rate trash easily slain in true powerhouses' eyes.
But every era was unfriendly to the vast majority—eras only ever favored a small portion of people.
Xu Qing wasn't impatient to slay that First Sequence level mutant beast. Rather, he walked through this area still being ravaged by mutant beasts, slaying mutant beasts one by one that his sword light hadn't killed.
Shushan cultivation methods naturally possessed unique sensitivity toward evil demons. No matter how they hid, it was futile.
Discovered by him, then slain!
These ordinary mutant beasts—no matter how numerous—held no difference in Xu Qing's eyes.
Nothing more than requiring a bit more time to resolve.
"Besides me, did higher authorities dispatch others?"
"Or is he the reason I need to delay that big fellow?"
Zhang Hai had also arrived here at some point. Looking at that massive sword phantom in the sky, his eyes couldn't help showing some surprise.
He'd also seen the methods Xu Qing used. The opponent's strength seemed above his own.
"Pity neither of us has much fame. Otherwise, we could directly announce our names."
"Something like 'Vantora Capital's Zhang Hai, here to provide support.'"
"Let them feel at ease too."
Support from famous ability users could make civilians feel at ease.
If this time it had been Skyler Quinn, Nathaniel Gray, Firewing, or Chen Bing—they'd only need to announce their names, and all survivors in the entire city would feel at ease.
Because these people were currently Huaxia's most peak combat power—also powerhouses everyone relied upon and trusted.
He might have some fame, but good reputation probably wasn't much.
Though Liu Suifeng said he'd help fix things, that had to wait until after the Beast Tide ended.
Shaking his head slightly, Zhang Hai shifted his gaze toward Goose City's other area. No matter how miserable mutant beasts' wails here, that area always maintained silence.
Under its massive physique lay unimaginable power.
Its ability's range divided entire Goose City in two, occupying half alone.
Whether people or mutant beasts—once entering, within extremely short time, they'd be petrified.
First Sequence—none were simple opponents...
However, fortunately, only needed to delay...
Wait—seemed delay wasn't even necessary?
As long as he didn't enter that area, that mutant lizard seemingly wouldn't do anything.
So should I choose to wait?
Zhang Hai fell into contemplation.
Looking at Xu Qing still resolving mutant beasts remaining in the city, he shook his head.
Better think about this after finishing this area.
One step forward—his silhouette disappeared from its original position.
Time slowly passed. Under Zhang Hai's and Xu Qing's two people's powerful strength, mutant beasts remaining in currently this half of Goose City had all been eliminated.
Earlier, when Xu Qing's sword descended, countless sword phantoms had already slain the vast majority of mutant beasts. What they eliminated was merely the small portion of mutant beasts that survived then or weren't attacked.
"Vantora Capital Spiritual Energy Bureau, Zhang Hai."
"Shushan Sect disciple, Xu Qing."
After resolving things, the two people greeted each other.
Hearing Xu Qing's words, Zhang Hai also froze momentarily. Shushan?
Shushan was very famous in Huaxia—because xianxia stories filmed before Spiritual Energy Revival all featured Shushan's appearance.
At the time, many people suspected whether Shushan truly possessed immortal cultivation methods, attracting quite a few people to inquire, even wanting to join.
But in truth, Shushan—like Wudang and Quanzhen—was merely an ordinary Daoist sect.
Didn't even have martial arts, let alone immortal cultivation.
But now he was somewhat uncertain.
Could it be after Spiritual Energy Revival, immortal cultivation became possible?
"What you just used..."
Zhang Hai's tone was somewhat strange. Xu Qing seemingly knew what he wanted to ask, saying without reservation:
"What I just used was our Shushan's Sword Flight Subjugating Demons."
"Pity I haven't cultivated it proficiently. Even practicing day and night, I'm still far from cultivating to perfection."
Sword Flight Subjugating Demons was one of the Shushan Sword Arts. Qi emanates from the body. Person and sword unite as one. Heart follows intention—countless sword qi arise from the body. One sword transforms into ten thousand swords, and ten thousand swords can combine into one, slaying enemies.
Pity his cultivation didn't meet standards. During use, nearly half the sword qi dissipated, wastefully squandering his spiritual power.
Zhang Hai didn't know Xu Qing was being modest—still immersed in that phrase "Shushan's Sword Flight Subjugating Demons."
"Can we cultivate immortality now?"
If immortal cultivation was possible—in the future when his strength grew powerful, could he communicate with the Six Paths of Reincarnation and revive his parents?
Even if revival wasn't possible, finding his parents' reincarnated bodies should be possible, right?
"Possible, but also not."
Hearing Zhang Hai's words, Xu Qing didn't conceal anything. In truth, after they could cultivate, Shushan's sect leader immediately reported it.
Then came long-term testing and analysis.
The vast majority of people in entire Shushan could cultivate. Only a small portion couldn't.
They inquired one by one, investigated.
Then surprisingly discovered—these people unable to cultivate surprisingly didn't believe in the Dao.
Joined a Daoist sect yet didn't believe in the Dao?
Then what did you join for?
Later they inquired with other sects. Not just Shushan—other sects also had people more or less able to cultivate.
And people able to cultivate also all shared one commonality—absolute trust in their own "Dao."
Daoist people were thus. Buddhist people were also thus.
Many ascetic monks who lifelong practiced devotion to Buddha—after cultivating, grew at incredibly astonishing speeds. Buddhist martial arts and cultivation methods could be mastered and integrated in extremely short time.
Longhu Mountain even birthed someone naturally close to the Dao. Daoist cultivation methods—learned and mastered, learned and perfected.
Whatever related to the Dao—whether pills, feng shui, talismans, subduing demons and devils, artifact refinement, formations—all could be easily grasped and thoroughly integrated.
Wudang apparently also had one, but they hadn't revealed much.
Their Shushan seemed to have produced no geniuses. The strongest was him, and he didn't consider his strength very powerful.
"Only those who seek the Dao, those who've gained the Dao's recognition, can cultivate."
"Vantora Capital Spiritual Energy Bureau should have backups of our Shushan's cultivation methods. If you want to try, you can return and test it."
Not just Shushan—Longhu, Wudang, Maoshan, Quanzhen—these sects' cultivation methods all had backups in the Spiritual Energy Bureau.
Though currently unable to cultivate, who knew about the future?
Moreover, they also wanted to use these to create a foundational cultivation method everyone could practice.
(End of Chapter)