Number Five, the spiritual cultivator, had even less patience than Wang Jixuan had imagined.
It hadn't been long at all before they couldn't help but come over.
In the process of cooperation between the two parties, whoever spoke first would be at a disadvantage. It could be said that Wang Jixuan now held the initiative.
The girl said softly, "That, um… our master would like you to come over for a chat about some personal matters."
Wang Jixuan looked troubled.
He sensed that this girl possessed a peculiar spiritual aura, and Number Five was clearly eavesdropping.
He still needed to put on an act; this was the least he could do to respect Number Five.
Daoist Wang cleared his throat and righteously declined, "I really can't spare the time right now. I just finished a meeting, and I still need to refine battle puppets… How about this? If Spiritual Cultivator Number Five has any requests, just tell me directly, and I will definitely do my best to fulfill them."
"Ah, this…"
The girl's lips moved, but ultimately, her nature was too gentle. She said softly:
"Alright then… Then, can I write a letter home? My parents don't know I'm still alive. I want to write a letter to let them know I'm safe."
Wang Jixuan asked strangely, "Your family doesn't know you're alive?"
"That's right," the girl said softly. "I originally had a terminal illness and only had a few months to live. My dad used his connections to send me to the Snow Mountain. They said that as long as I was transformed into a spiritual energy user, I might be able to recover my health. But at the time, I seemed to be in even worse condition… Then, they placed me in front of my master's stone slab, and the master healed me…"
Daoist Wang asked curiously, "Is your family very influential?"
"Well," the girl blinked, "My grandfather is the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the D2 Integrated War Zone, and my maternal grandfather is the Deputy Chief of the General Staff."
Wang Jixuan looked enlightened and then signaled Peony to send a message to Ji Xiao to ask about it.
Speaking of which, Ji Xiao and Ji Yale, these two brothers, also encountered many twists and turns on their way back. The attitude of the D2 higher-ups was uncertain. These two guys were circling in the air on a transport plane. Fortunately, they finally returned safely.
"I see. So, she's the descendant of an official… ahem, an influential family."
Wang Jixuan said solemnly:
"Please convey my apologies to Number Five. Once I'm done with my work, I will definitely come to chat with your master as soon as possible."
"Okay," the girl pointed to the door. After receiving Wang Jixuan's nod of approval, she turned around and slipped away nervously.
Wang Jixuan watched the girl's back.
An A+ level spiritual energy user with a seemingly gentle personality, a D2 connection. It seemed that she could become a link for them to contact the D2 higher-ups and strive to bring D2 into their camp…
'Forget it, this has nothing to do with this poor Daoist.'
'It's best not to get involved in political matters.'
Wang Jixuan yawned and called Peony to return to his dormitory to rest.
He had only slept for a while, barely half an hour, before he had fully recovered the energy he had spent in the previous chaotic battle. He got up and was about to rush back to his studio.
"Sir, you previously scheduled a meeting with Aunt Dragonfly and Beta Yo."
"Right, I almost forgot about Auntie," Wang Jixuan asked, "Has Mane Bear been retrieved?"
"He's still on the way back. He's already been picked up by the people we sent. The D2 side didn't make things difficult."
"That's good," Wang Jixuan thought of the young girl earlier, "Pass the request of that girl from before to Dongfang Zhenghong. First, investigate her identity and pass it on together."
"Yes."
Wang Jixuan stretched and looked at the three sets of clean clothes Peony had prepared.
A suit. It was too formal. Wang Jixuan preferred Tang suits or Zhongshan suits as formal wear; a set of sportswear and a set of casual wear. The former was all about comfort, while the latter looked younger.
Wang Jixuan decisively chose casual wear.
"Where is Lingtong now?"
"She's giving an motivational speech on the front lines. Do you need me to schedule her to come back and meet you?"
"Not for now," Wang Jixuan said. "I'll go see her when I'm done with business. I didn't expect being a hero to be so busy."
"That's right," Peony smiled. "Heroes of the Fortress Era not only have to work hard to perform for the people and soldiers, to motivate them, but no matter how bad the real situation is, they have to smile and convey the idea that 'we will definitely win.'"
"Is our situation that bad right now?"
"The threat of the Blade Beasts, the threat of the ruling faction of Spiritual Energy City, each threat is enough to be fatal."
"Only temporarily."
Wang Jixuan did a chest-expanding exercise: "Help me keep an eye on Lingtong's schedule a week from now. It feels like it's been a long time since we've met. Chatting with Little Shen reminded me that relationships also need to be maintained and warmed up."
Peony blinked.
Then she would communicate with Sister Wan in advance and play the role of wingman in an unconventional way.
…
This time's lunch location was chosen to be a hangar on the surface of the fortress.
Peony had her 'underlings' arrange a simple private room in advance and brought some Blade Beast meat for Wang Jixuan to work with.
After eating some charcoal-grilled Blade Beast meat and drinking some industrially synthesized wine, Aunt Dragonfly sighed. Without beating around the bush, she directly stated her request:
"Spiritual Energy City has sent me a message. They've reported to the outside world that I've died in battle.
"My going to the Snow Mountain base is also being said to be an investigation led by the Natural Faction.
"Now, I need to change my image… So, do you have any weight loss surgery here? I really need it."
Wang Jixuan, Treant Beta, and Shaman, who was just there to make up the numbers, leaned back at the same time.
For a moment, they couldn't tell whether Aunt Dragonfly was carrying any personal agenda.
Daoist Wang said solemnly, "As far as I know, there is no weight loss surgery… The resources inside the fortress are all precisely calculated. There are food rations, and obesity is rare. But if you have such a request, Peony and the others can do it by loading a module."
Peony raised her right hand, which was wearing a lace white glove, and covered her nose with disgust: "I don't want to touch those flocculent fats."
Aunt Dragonfly retorted, "Naturally grown fat cannot be simulated by artificial skin, you know? Why don't you come and touch it?"
"Is that all?" Daoist Wang asked.
Aunt Dragonfly ate a piece of Blade Beast meat, her eyes slightly hesitant. In the end, she still said it:
"Actually, I have a secret intelligence report about the structure of the underground building complex in Spiritual Energy City, as well as a survey and statistics of the strength of the spiritual energy users hidden inside Spiritual Energy City.
"I want to use this intelligence to exchange for something from D5.
"Although I have now joined you, this is not a transaction between us, but between me and D5, the Natural Faction and Fu Jian."
Wang Jixuan asked with a smile, "What do you want to exchange for?"
"A promise to fulfill the political demands sought by the Natural Faction," Aunt Dragonfly said. "We can cooperate with D5 to strike against the ruling faction… This is actually carrying a great risk. We are the weaker side in Spiritual Energy City… If the ruling faction is defeated by us, and we jointly resolve the crisis of the Blade Beasts, after the world is restored to peace, the military will not exterminate our Natural Faction."
Wang Jixuan was silent.
He really didn't dare to respond to such a thing casually.
First, although defeating the Blade Beasts seemed hopeless now, the Daoist had confidence in it.
As long as he could safely reach the Nascent Soul Realm, he would be confident in surviving the Blade Beast encirclement. Then things would be simple. He would just need to hide and cultivate in seclusion, and come out to pacify the Blade Beasts after entering a higher realm.
So, humanity would definitely defeat the Blade Beasts—that's how Wang Jixuan saw it.
Second, whether the human world after peace could accommodate spiritual energy users.
This was a topic that was likely to be bloody.
The human military was vigorously developing autonomous mechanical technology, and the birth of spiritual energy users was accompanied by huge sacrifices;
Whether spiritual energy users could survive in a world without Blade Beasts was indeed unknown.
"You can talk to Old Fu directly about this."
"The result of the teachers' discussion was that talking to you would be more effective," Aunt Dragonfly's eyes became sharper. "You represent the future."
"I can only represent myself."
Wang Jixuan picked up his wine glass and took a sip:
"D5 really needs more help from the Natural Faction now. I can feel that after this Snow Mountain conflict, both sides will inevitably take action.
"But such a big promise, even if I give it, what if it's not fulfilled in the future? There's no binding force."
Aunt Dragonfly's lips turned down: "This is the situation of the Natural Faction. We insist on not taking the path of ruling humanity, respecting spiritual energy, respecting nature. Previously, some people advocated trying to negotiate with the Blade Beasts, wanting to divide the land and live there. Later, it proved to be wishful thinking. The Blade Beasts disdain to communicate with us… Actually, as long as you give a promise, this side will fully support Fu Jian and you."
Wang Jixuan's eyes flickered slightly.
After a few minutes, Daoist Wang smiled indifferently:
"You should still talk to Old Fu. I'm not avoiding this issue, I just don't want to bear these responsibilities that don't help improve my strength.
"I have a certain sense of belonging to D5, and I will definitely help with what I can.
"Fighting Blade Beasts, fighting evil spiritual energy users, these are all things I can do and will do.
"I won't care about anything else."
Aunt Dragonfly asked in confusion, "But the contribution you're making now is already very great. You've already begun to change the power structure of the human world…"
"We cultivators don't seek fame or fortune. Wealth and status all go away, and freedom can bring peace."
Wang Jixuan took two skewers of grilled meat and handed them to Aunt Dragonfly:
"Eliminating demons in troubled times and returning to the mountains in peaceful times, this is my code of conduct."
"Ah, this… Okay, although I don't understand, I respect it."
Aunt Dragonfly picked up the grilled meat and took two bites, turning her head to look at Treant Beta, who was full of emotion, and marveled:
"I didn't expect those old generals to be able to extend their lives by eating Beta's hair."
Wang Jixuan: …
It's a little impolite to say it that way.
This is a natural spirit herb culture medium! In their cultivation world, such things would generally be given the Elder's treatment and protected as a treasure of the sect!
Drink up! Later, I'll refine a batch of medicinal pills for conditioning and send them to your teachers.
Thanks! Beta, cooperate well and continue to contribute to humanity.
The Treant Beta raised his glass, which was filled with plant nutrient solution.
The value of his life was easily realized.
… …
After finishing mundane affairs and chatting briefly with Ling Tong, Wang Ji Xuan announced that he would be in seclusion for a few days, instructing Mudan to activate the do-not-disturb mode.
'Xing Dian' remained seated in the corner of the studio's second floor.
The mechanical maid brought two screens to create a simple secret room.
Wang Ji Xuan sat opposite 'Xing Dian'.
This puppet body had been meticulously cleaned by the mechanical body and dressed in a loose robe. The missing leg and foot could be retrofitted using D5's cyborg technology, with Mudan in charge of maintenance, providing a significant boost to Wang Ji Xuan's own strength.
After careful consideration, Wang Ji Xuan conceived a method beneficial to his own cultivation.
He could use his main body's mana as a guide, with himself as the foundation, to draw the impure mana that had been initially refined within 'Xing Dian's' body into his main body, refine it completely, and then return it to 'Xing Dian's' body.
In this way, his main body could also partake in the benefits, rapidly increasing his total mana reserves.
The downside of this method was also obvious—it was mentally taxing.
Wang Ji Xuan was currently troubled by insufficient cultivation, so expending some mental effort was acceptable. He simply wanted to improve his strength as quickly as possible.
Outside the screen, Mudan skillfully arranged twelve array bases, forming a simple spirit-gathering array.
Wu Man, Ji Xiao, and Ji Yale stood by outside, ready to recite Buddhist scriptures as soon as black gas emanated from behind the screen.
Gao Hua Ting, who had gradually adapted to her new lifestyle, waited nearby with her acoustic guitar.
She was responsible for helping everyone harmonize their spiritual energy and could assist Wang Ji Xuan at critical moments.
Daoist Wang instructed:
"Mudan, remember to replace the crystal cores within the array bases approximately every three and a half hours."
"Okay."
"Alright, I'll begin."
The Daoist gently exhaled, gazed at the puppet body before him, slowly closed his eyes, and began to integrate his perspective with the alien soul's, simply adapting to multitasking.
Subsequently, the puppet body gradually circulated its energy, absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy.
This process would inevitably be lengthy; Wang Ji Xuan had prepared himself to abstain from food and drink for seven days and seven nights.
Compared to gradual cultivation, this could already be considered taking a shortcut.
Soon, wisps of black gas surged outward from 'Xing Dian's' body, while Wang Ji Xuan's main body emanated rays of azure light, the two vying and contending with each other.
Wang Ji Xuan attempted to harmonize, abandoned harmonization, and instead began to suppress the demonic energy, extracting the mana within the puppet's body, flowing it into his main body for purification and refinement, expelling the impurities from his palm.
During this process, Wang Ji Xuan was also comprehending the Dragon Python Swallowing Heaven Art. As he constantly interacted with the Dragon Python alien soul, he gained some insights in his heart.
Gradually, Wang Ji Xuan's main body and the puppet body began to connect their auras, with their mana initially intermingling.
The sun rose and set.
The guards on duty could not hold on and yawned incessantly, beginning to take shifts.
Mudan and the maid corps stood by vigilantly nearby. They did not feel fatigue; they simply needed to perform periodic machine maintenance.
Thus, it was peaceful for more than thirty hours.
Wu Man and the others sensed that:
The 'spiritual energy' within Wang Ji Xuan's body had noticeably increased;
Although the spiritual energy within the puppet's body had somewhat decreased, it gave them the distinct illusion of becoming stronger.
In fact, it was not an illusion.
Although the total amount of mana within the puppet's body had decreased, the quality had steadily risen to a higher level, and its overall strength had indeed become somewhat stronger.
The Fifth Spirit Practitioner once again sent the young girl, who, upon discovering that Wang Ji Xuan was indeed busy, dejectedly returned to wait.
Number Five wanted to obtain Wang Ji Xuan's technology.
D5's attack plan was being vigorously advanced, and D3 would soon become a battlefield. Currently, Fu Jian and the D3 high-level officials were in a stage of gaming and negotiation.
While the D3 Comprehensive War Zone was in full swing, dense fires appeared in the Xingrui Wilderness.
A joint cross-regional law enforcement operation by multiple war zones suddenly bombarded the branch of Biological Institute Thirteen; D3 reacted quickly and immediately expressed its protest to the D5 Comprehensive War Zone.
This was somewhat staged.
The joint forces mobilized hundreds of medium and small armored vehicles, using dozens of cyborgs as assault troops, and launched a ground offensive against Fortress 012 in the Xingrui Wilderness, engaging in fierce battles with a large number of spirit practitioners. The Spirit Energy Capital continuously dispatched reinforcements, and the joint forces began to advance and retreat, using attrition tactics to attract more spirit practitioners to this place.
The two sides quickly launched a war of attrition.
The three major space fortresses and the various war zones that did not participate in the war called on Fu Jian and the Six Elders to exercise restraint and not to deplete the strength of the human camp.
However, the fighting will shown by both sides this time was unexpectedly firm, and neither side would give in.
The Spirit Energy Capital cleared the Silent Sphere, and all spirit practitioners except the Six Elders left the Silent Sphere.
The Six Elders were implying that they could bet everything on one throw.
Fu Jian convened an online conference in the D5 Comprehensive War Zone, and Ling Tong delivered a speech on behalf of the military, pointing out that Institute Thirteen had been conducting inhumane human experiments, causing a large number of deaths, and that some spirit practitioners were colluding with blade beasts. This military operation was to prevent the evil biological experiments of Institute Thirteen.
Fu Jian made it clear that his side would fight to the end.
While the two sides continued to escalate, they were also controlling the scope of the impact, and at the moment, it was still mostly probing.
Just as the D3 Comprehensive War Zone was in full swing, Daoist Wang's Fortress 76 welcomed a group of uninvited guests.
"Are you sure? Xing Dian is in this place?"
