novelraw Chapter 293 286: The Clan of Wa
Chapter 293 286: The Clan of Wa
The blockade around Nanjiang had been lifted. With Liehong Mountain and Zhao Beidou standing guard, their presence was sufficient. In truth, there was little point in Zhou Yuanjue remaining in Nanjiang. Thus, after receiving Ning Muqing's notification and bidding a simple farewell to Liehong Mountain and Zhao Beidou, he boarded the same fighter jet he had arrived on and returned to Shangjing Prefecture.
Ning Muqing picked him up at the airport. Without stopping, she drove Zhou Yuanjue directly to the restricted area at the foot of Zixiao Mountain.
As usual, when Ning Muqing reached the entrance to the restricted area, she glanced back and found the car's rear seat empty.
By now, however, she was used to it and thought nothing of it. She parked the car, exchanged a few pleasantries with the middle-aged man in charge at the gate, and familiarly made her way to the tea room. There, she began to leisurely sip her tea, looking for all the world like a seasoned veteran.
Meanwhile, Zhou Yuanjue had already reached the summit of Zixiao Mountain.
"Why were you looking for me?"
Zhou Yuanjue asked directly, without stepping into the courtyard.
"You should be aware of the public reaction after we released some basic information about the Celestial Demons. I have to say, the disclosure of the Data on Celestial Demons has left many people in a state of panic. Recently, rates of travel abroad and emigration have risen sharply. The reactions from foreign powers have also been quite telling. On one hand, they're blocking the information, but on the other, they're opening up channels to recruit talented individuals. Their objective is perfectly clear."
"If the public remains in this state of panic for long, it will become a very serious matter for both society and the Martial Arts Realm."
The Chief Commissioner's voice boomed through the void.
"So, what are you planning to do?"
Zhou Yuanjue inquired.
He had also been paying close attention to the current situation in Donghua. The Nanjiang incident was simply too big to be suppressed. Although several days had passed, allowing time for it to develop and for people to absorb the shock, it was still too sudden for many to accept.
It hadn't caused outright chaos, but the panic had undoubtedly had a significant impact on society.
This was also something he didn't want to see, as the Martial Arts Realm was being affected as well.
After learning that the establishment of the Martial Arts Association was closely linked to these bizarre life forms, most Martial Artists had begun to overestimate the potential dangers of joining, leading to instability in the Martial Arts Realm.
'It really is time to take action and stabilize the situation.'
"Chen Qingmu and I have discussed this. We've decided to have the official media produce a short video interview about the Celestial Demons. The goal is to help our citizens understand them better, dispel their fear, and showcase humanity's strength to restore their confidence and stabilize the current situation."
"After discussing it, we all agreed that you are the most suitable person to be on camera. We hope you will help us with this filming."
"What do you think?"
the Chief Commissioner asked Zhou Yuanjue.
"Filming?"
Zhou Yuanjue's brow furrowed slightly at the suggestion.
"Your age, your strength, and your current status and reputation in the Martial Arts Realm all make you the ideal choice. In critical times like these, we need a role model like you to rally everyone. We all hope you will take on this responsibility."
"Don't worry, it won't take up too much of your time,"
the Chief Commissioner said with a smile.
"If that's the case, then I have no problem with it. When can the recording begin?"
Zhou Yuanjue mused for a moment before ultimately accepting the Chief Commissioner's request.
"As soon as possible, of course. You'll receive a script with the proceedings shortly, and we should be able to start recording this afternoon. By the way, we've decided to use this secret research institute on Zixiao Mountain as the filming location. We might also selectively reveal some of the standard-issue equipment currently in development to boost public confidence,"
the Chief Commissioner said.
"Standard-issue equipment?"
Hearing this term, Zhou Yuanjue raised an eyebrow slightly.
"It's normal that you don't know about it. The technology isn't mature enough, so it hasn't been made public. For example, the Demon-Catching Bottles you used before are one type of standard-issue equipment we've developed."
"Actually, we've been trying to create standard-issue Dharma Artifacts that even ordinary people can use. We've had some success recently, but we can't mass-produce them yet. So, apart from Shangjing and the various Guardian Bureaus, they haven't been widely distributed."
"Besides, this standard-issue equipment isn't very effective against General Level or higher Celestial Demons, so it can't play a decisive role on the main battlefields. However, there aren't just General Level Celestial Demons to worry about. We don't know how many ordinary Celestial Demons are hiding across the country. Equipping these items will at least give every region some ability to resist,"
the Chief Commissioner explained.
"Standard-issue equipment... What's the main factor limiting the production of this equipment?"
Zhou Yuanjue asked.
"Materials. A single, core Material is the hurdle we still haven't been able to overcome,"
the Chief Commissioner said.
"What Material?"
Zhou Yuanjue asked curiously.
"You should know that the original creators of Dharma Artifacts were the Spirit Guardians. In fact, the most crucial Material for a Dharma Artifact is the Spirit Guardian's own 'Essence Blood.' It's the key that can transform ordinary materials into materials with specific magnetic permeability."
"And that is precisely the hurdle we cannot overcome. The amount of 'Essence Blood' needed to support the mass production of Dharma Artifacts is astronomical. The more powerful the Dharma Artifact, the more 'Essence Blood' it requires. Moreover, giving 'Essence Blood' causes immense harm to the Spirit Guardian themselves."
"Do you know where most of the Essence Blood used in the secret research institute comes from?"
the Chief Commissioner said in a low voice.
"Where? Don't tell me it's from a single person?"
Zhou Yuanjue asked.
"The Li Family of Shangjing Prefecture. And most of it comes from Li Zhaonan."
the Chief Commissioner said.
"Li Zhaonan..."
Zhou Yuanjue recalled their last meeting. He had noticed then that Li Zhaonan's complexion was extremely pale and he looked very weak. 'Could it be because he's been losing his Essence Blood for years?'
'But how could the Li Family alone—or rather, how could Li Zhaonan alone—possibly supply such a vast amount of Essence Blood?'
He suddenly remembered the brief, probing handshake he had shared with Li Zhaonan. He had felt a magnetic field related to blood. 'Could that be connected to this?'
"Daoist Bailong hailed from a Guardian Spirit Race that inherited the Bloodline of the Ancient Hero 'Xi.' The Li Family, on the other hand, inherited the Bloodline of the Ancient Hero 'Wa.' According to ancient legends, these two Ancient Heroes were related by blood, so their descendants have always been close allies. This is why when Daoist Bailong defied the opposition of the other Guardian Spirit Races to cooperate with the government, only the Li Family followed his lead."
"And the power of the 'Wa' Bloodline, somewhat similar to your own abilities, lies in its extremely potent Life Force, physical vitality, regenerative ability, and the Control Power to multiply its own blood. Therefore, he is able to use his own power to create a sufficient quantity of 'Essence Blood' for research,"
the Chief Commissioner said.
"But even so, the Essence Blood he supplies is still far from enough. And now you're preparing to distribute these standard-issue Dharma Artifacts throughout the country. Don't tell me..."
Zhou Yuanjue narrowed his eyes.
"That's right. After the Nanjiang incident, Li Zhaonan came to me. He has volunteered to enter a deep slumber to fully activate the power of the Wa Bloodline and provide the maximum possible amount of Essence Blood,"
the Chief Commissioner said flatly.