Chapter 474: Daoist Masters Gather
Qin Ruchuan's Final Denial
"One sentence left Dai Yunkai confused, and he couldn't help but laugh."
"Mr. Qin said it before I even asked, but..." He paused and smiled, "Your words were a bit arbitrary."
"I am simply telling the truth."
"But as far as I know, the truth is not what you said."
Dai Yunkai adjusted his glasses, his sharp eyes seeming to be able to pierce through people. Unfortunately, the person sitting opposite him was no ordinary character.
As soon as he graduated, Qin Ruchuan went to the Middle East as a war correspondent, then joined the embassy, responsible for diplomatic affairs in the Middle East, Africa, and other regions. His complex experiences had forged a tough character that could not be fooled by mere words.
Dai Yunkai smiled and continued,
"The feeling of a father's protective love is understandable. No father wants to cause trouble for his child, but some things are unavoidable after all. If you don't admit it, it doesn't mean he doesn't exist."
"Mr. Qin, I hope you can tell the truth, which will be good for everyone."
Qin Ruchuan said with a wry smile, "Since you are here, you must have investigated Angelica. Yes, I did pursue her, but before that, she was already pregnant. I truly don't know who the biological father of that child was, but it's definitely not mine."
"Facts are facts, and you can't force Luke Shaw to find a father just because he's special."
"Lies cannot withstand testing, and this isn't the old days. Whether someone is biological or not can be determined as true or false with just one DNA photo!"
"Frankly, I don't want to have such an amazing son."
The last sentence was full of exasperation, which made Dai Yunkai frown. If he hadn't obtained the documents from Mr. Li in advance, he might have actually believed the other party's lie.
However, since Qin Ruchuan refused to admit it, there was nothing Dai Yunkai could do.
He couldn't force him to acknowledge his kin; that would only make things worse.
"Anything else? I'm going to work if not."
The words fell, and before the other party could agree, Qin Ruchuan got up and left. As he reached the door, a sentence came from behind:
"Luke Shaw controls technology that far exceeds this era and is a rare talent. We have absolute respect for him, with no selfish motives, let alone any intent to harm him. Mr. Qin, the reason I sought you out today is simply because I want one more option, nothing more."
"I hope you understand."
Without opening his mouth, Qin Ruchuan closed the door of his office and left.
The Gathering of Daoist Masters
For some unknown reason, White Cloud Temple on Qingyun Mountain—known for its flourishing incense—suddenly closed its main gate and dismissed all its lower-ranking disciples.
In contrast, the older generation of disciples who wandered across the country were summoned back by the late Sect Leader's decree.
In the back hall of White Cloud Temple, the twenty-eighth generation of disciples, represented by Zhang Ruochen, sat cross-legged in the center, followed by some twenty-ninth generation disciples and revered Daoist masters borrowed from other temples.
Zhang Ruochen opened a sandalwood box and solemnly placed the clothing and Daoist robes left by his late Sect Leader Brother on a low table.
Someone couldn't help but say,
"Uncle, the Sect Leader is truly..."
Zhang Ruochen smiled bitterly. "Senior Brother drove off to the West of the River two days ago."
All the disciples began to weep. Han Lin, a Daoist priest of great authority, sighed:
"When I met Brother Rusu last year, he had already attained the Way of the Yang Spirit. I never thought that only a few months would pass before Yin and Yang would be separated. I would like to ask Junior Brother Ruochen to clearly explain the reason."
"This is exactly why I invited all my brothers to return."
"Please wait."
Zhang Ruochen got up and left the main hall. Not long after, he walked back in, holding a wooden box covered with protective talismans. As soon as he crossed the threshold, Han Lin frowned.
"What a strange evil power!"
Several older Daoist priests with higher cultivation levels also turned around, staring solemnly at the wooden box.
Zhang Ruochen put down the box and carefully opened the wooden lid. A metal object emerged. Its surface glowed with a red light, and a flash of green appeared from time to time. Whenever the greenery appeared, everyone felt a phantom pain as if their souls were being stripped away.
"It was this metal that killed the Sect Leader."
Zhang Ruochen recounted the entire incident, including what happened in the stone chamber in the back mountain, without concealing anything.
"Green flame!"
Han Lin stroked his beard. "Is it Underworld Fire?"
"No!"
The Daoist master next to him shook his head. "Underworld Fire does not possess such evil power."
Someone asked in a condensed voice, "Did Brother Rusu truly die because of the metal?"
Zhang Ruochen raised his right hand. "If what I said is half-false, may I never die well and be spurned for life."
Hearing his oath, everyone no longer doubted and turned their attention to the metal.
Zhang Ruochen continued,
"Before his death, the Sect Leader Brother raised his finger to the metal and said, 'Seal, seal.' I think he meant for us to seal it."
Han Lin shook his head slightly. "I'm afraid it won't be that easy."
As the head of White Cloud Temple, Zhang Rusu's cultivation level belonged to the top ranks. The Way of the Yang Spirit—the alternation of the ethereal and the real—restrains all evil things, and coupled with the Golden Thunder of the Divine Night, it could be said that few people in the world today were his opponents.
Such a powerful man was destroyed—his Yang Spirit and soul obliterated—in the blink of an eye.
One could imagine how powerful the demon entity within the metal must be.
At this moment, an old Daoist priest with white beard and hair stepped forward. Zhang Ruochen looked delighted and said hurriedly,
"Senior Brother Zhao, do you have a solution?"
The old Daoist priest's surname was Zhao and his given name was Congxin. He was the oldest among all those present and possessed the strongest cultivation.
"I will try it."
The old Daoist priest opened the box and took out a black wooden sword from the bottom. Everyone was shocked and couldn't help but gaze.
The black wooden sword was three feet long, also known as the Thunder Spirit Mother Sword. It was the treasure of the Crape Myrtle Temple. It was said to have been made from the heartwood of a thousand-year-old tree demon that failed to overcome its tribulation. It had a natural restraining effect on the netherworld and the soul.
With the long sword in his hand, the old Daoist priest's aura suddenly changed. Golden thunder flashed in his eyes, and his gaze was cold, like a Divine General in charge of Heavenly Punishment.
"Hah!"
He shouted loudly, put his left index and middle fingers together, and forcefully wiped the sword. Wherever his fingers passed, the talisman seals on the sword seemed to come alive, twinkling with light and faintly accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder.
Zhang Ruochen's expression changed slightly, and he quickly ordered the disciples with lower cultivation to retreat.
The thunder in the hall grew stronger and stronger. Suddenly, there was a roar, and a bolt of lightning fell from the sky, through the layers of space, and landed on the wooden sword, which instantly turned pure white.
The old Daoist priest raised his long sword and slashed at the metal with all his strength.
Clang!
The sound of gold and iron rang out, and thunder shot everywhere, constantly penetrating into the inside of the metal.
At that moment, a little green glow appeared.
The greenery quickly solidified and turned into a blazing flame, wrapping itself around the metal and doing its best to contend with the thunder.
"It's it! It finally appeared."
Zhang Ruochen shouted loudly, "Senior Brother, be careful! The green flame is extraordinary."
Zhao Congxin frowned, his expression extremely cold. The lightning on the sword was not ordinary lightning, but Heavenly Thunder, which specialized in killing evil spirits. Not to mention ordinary ghosts—they would be stunned at a mere glance.
Yet, the demon entity inside the metal could directly resist it.
What kind of entity could this be?
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