Chapter 478: The Apostles' Plan
Strategy and Setback
Due to the incident at White Cloud Temple, the teams formed by Tesla and ShowMe were forced to halt their progress in Lake Province.
For the following days, Number Eleven (operating as Luke Shaw) navigated the political and business elite while secretly trying to gather information on White Cloud Temple.
Unfortunately, his contacts in China were severely limited. After two days of searching, he found nothing useful, only knowing that the Daoist priests of White Cloud Temple were extremely capable—able to perform rites, drive away ghosts, and capture demons—and enjoyed a very high reputation in the Lake Province area.
"We can't keep going like this."
Number Seven complained. "We can't delay anymore. Linda is still in their hands."
Number Eight said gravely, "China isn't the U.S. We have no local influence here. It's not that simple to quietly figure out the truth about White Cloud Temple."
"Perhaps we can try contacting Miss Qu."
Number Nine offered a suggestion. Number Six scoffed, "You know what she represents, right?"
Number Five shook his head. "Right now, she's the only option. We need to resolve this through official channels."
"I disagree with that approach, and the Original Body wouldn't agree either."
"It's nothing more than a transaction. One of the reasons we're here is to expand business. After all this fuss, it's time to reveal some of our trump cards."
Number Four spoke casually, but Number Three held the opposite view.
"Have you considered that doing this might expose the Original Body's condition? White Cloud Temple isn't stupid, and the people behind Qu Youran aren't either. If they communicate even briefly, they can figure out the entire sequence of events."
"Once they realize the Original Body hasn't fully awakened, we'll face enormous trouble."
Number Three's point was valid, and the apostles couldn't refute it.
"Then what should we do? We can't keep stalling."
Number Eight said chillingly, "Activate the drone army. Once we find the Original Body, we take him directly. If anyone dares to obstruct us, we'll blow them up."
"That's the only way."
Number One sighed faintly. "Notify Eve."
The Master's Insight
Qingyun Mountain, White Cloud Temple.
Zhang Ruochen pushed open the main door of the back hall, approached Zhang Haoyan, and bowed slightly in greeting.
"Senior Master!"
"Have you found out the information?"
The old Daoist priest, who was meditating, opened his eyes. "Well?"
"It might be troublesome."
Zhang Ruochen explained, "That foreign girl is called Linda Danvers, the CEO of an American tech company. Her boss is Luke Shaw, a young Chinese-American man. He is quite remarkable, having amassed a fortune of tens of billions at a young age, and is globally renowned. It's also said he has intricate ties to the Hongmen (Triads/Secret Society)."
"No wonder."
The old Daoist stroked his beard. "There were rumors that after Lingxu Zi fled to America, he was sheltered by the Hongmen. That girl must also be associated with the Hongmen."
Zhang Ruochen couldn't help but ask, "Did she truly learn the Tiger Fiend Scripture?"
"I saw it with my own eyes. It cannot be false."
"A martial arts technique passed down since ancient times in China was learned by a foreigner."
Zhang Ruochen sighed, his words full of regret.
"The thoughts of a common man," the old Daoist gently shook his head. "The Tiger Fiend Scripture is not a righteous Daoist technique. The deeper one cultivates it, the greater the murderous nature becomes. A slight mistake, and she will lose her humanity and become a demon that only kills."
"That girl has exceptional talent and unbelievable physical qualities. If she truly masters it, no one in this world will likely be able to control her."
Zhang Ruochen frowned. "You're not planning to keep her locked in the cave, are you?"
"To release her would be to unleash a scourge."
Zhang Ruochen gave a bitter smile. "Senior Master, she's different. The higher authorities won't agree to you doing this. This isn't a private grudge; it involves relations between nations."
"Oh?"
The old Daoist's brow slightly raised, showing curiosity.
Zhang Ruochen explained in detail the identities of Luke Shaw and Linda, including the performance of the Tesla power armor and the purpose of their current trip to China, emphasizing the potential repercussions.
After listening, the old Daoist's expression changed.
"I didn't expect that a descendant of our lineage, living abroad, would produce such a hero."
Zhang Ruochen said helplessly, "Luke Shaw's identity is extraordinary. If they really demand her return, the government won't refuse. We can't stand against them, can we?"
The old Daoist remained silent, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. After a moment, he slowly said,
"I've been thinking these past two days: Why does she care about that piece of metal? Is it the metal itself, or the soul hidden inside?"
Zhang Ruochen was startled, deep in thought.
"If it's the metal itself, it means the metal is truly extraordinary, or she wouldn't have come to seize it personally. If it's the soul inside, then that is very interesting."
The old Daoist revealed a mysterious smile.
The Aerial Assault
Just then, a chirping sound was heard outside. A bird landed on the window, its dark eyes flashing with tiny red lights, making it look extremely bizarre.
The old Daoist initially paid no attention, but suddenly sensing something, he raised a finger, and his whisk flew up, aiming for the bird.
The bird quickly flapped its wings and vanished outside the window.
Zhang Ruochen looked at his Senior Master, confused as to why he would attack a mere bird.
The old Daoist rose and went outside, looking up. The sky above White Cloud Temple was filled with many unfamiliar birds. Their calls were incessant, causing a disturbance. A few young Daoist priests tried to drive them away with wooden sticks, but the birds always managed to dodge them.
"These birds are problematic."
"They carry no aura of living creatures."
"Let's go, to the back mountain."
The old Daoist turned and drifted toward the north. Zhang Ruochen called his disciples, following closely behind.
The group crossed a hill, only to be met by a dense, black flock of birds. The flock was divided into two parts, one blocking the way forward, the other blocking their way back.
Suddenly, a bird broke away from the flock and shot toward a rock like an arrow.
Boom!
A huge explosion sounded, and a three-meter-tall boulder was instantly shattered into pieces.
The disciples were stunned, looking at the flock of birds with an indescribable horror in their eyes.
Such an attack, if directed at a person, would be unsurvivable.
"What an arrogant Luke Shaw!"
The old Daoist was furious. "You wait here."
With that, he soared up, flew through the flock of birds, and reached the stone cave.
The two disciples responsible for guarding the cave were lying on the ground, unconscious. The old Daoist checked their condition, and after confirming they were not in mortal danger, he flew into the cave.
A handsome young man, approximately twenty years old, stood in front of the stone monument. His ghostly green eyes shimmered with a strange glow.
The old Daoist assessed him, then suddenly frowned.
"Twelve souls!"
"You actually have twelve souls inside you."
Number Eleven smiled. "The old gentleman is indeed formidable, seeing through my condition in a single glance."
Though he spoke casually, his heart was extremely heavy. This thin old man was clearly a soul entity, a Spirit Body solidified from the ethereal to the real. Purely in terms of cultivation realm, he was a level higher than the Original Body.
No wonder Linda lost.
Zhang Haoyan gently shook his head, golden light emerging from his body, transforming him into the majestic Golden-Armored War God once more.
"I don't understand how you managed to gather twelve souls into one body. However, White Cloud Temple is not a place you can enter and leave as you please."
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