Redemption of a Born Demon

Chapter 105: Final Tally: A Barrage of Tricks, an Imperfect Result

Just as online discussion about the incident reached a fever pitch, things were heating up in the Director-General’s office at the Special Security Bureau headquarters.

Zhao Ping was closely monitoring the shifts in public opinion. Rows of cell phones and landlines were laid out on his desk.

A phone would ring almost every three to five minutes.

On one hand, Zhao Ping had to field inquiries from his superiors; on the other, he had to instruct his subordinates on how to proceed.

Although he had known this operation on Dragon Tiger Mountain would inevitably attract public attention, he hadn’t expected it to have such a massive impact on public opinion.

The main reason was that one of the battles took place at a large convention. A huge number of online influencers and bloggers were gathered there and broadcast the Saint’s fight live. Countless netizens then captured and edited clips from the stream, causing it to instantly go viral.

This put both Zhao Ping and the Special Security Bureau under immense pressure.

But he knew this was pressure he had to bear. In fact, from another perspective, this whole uproar was actually a good thing.

If they could weather this storm and guide public opinion correctly, they could naturally introduce the public to the Cultivation Circle. After that, all their work related to the Martial Hero Conference would become much easier.

As the head of the Special Security Bureau, he was well aware of the grand strategy that Wei Cheng and the upper echelons of Donghua’s leadership were planning.

The Martial Hero Conference was meant to gather talented cultivators to spar and discuss the Dao, all with the goal of fostering the emergence of new Saint Experts in Donghua.

According to the plan, the conference would hold open selections at the provincial and municipal levels, using a tournament-style dueling format.

Most importantly, the matches wouldn’t be held behind closed doors or in small, private venues. While there wouldn’t be a wide-scale television or internet broadcast, the chosen locations would be large-scale venues or stadiums. Any adult citizen could buy a ticket to watch the matches in person.

The idea was to borrow the will of the masses, the great trend of the era, the passion in the crowd’s cheers, and the honor of the public spotlight. All of this would stimulate the competitors’ physical abilities and spirits, helping the cultivators sublimate their being and break through their limits in grand and open duels.

The true worlds of the Martial Arts Dao and cultivation would be revealed to ordinary people. Then, leveraging the influence of the Martial Hero Conference, they could further promote the Martial Arts Dao and cultivation to the public.

In this day and age, more and more Saint Experts who can surpass the limits of the human body are emerging. The threat such an individual poses when fighting in a bustling city is simply incalculable.

The conventional weapons wielded by the world’s major powers are now so devastating that no side dares to use them lightly. In such a climate, conflicts between Saints might become the key to international disputes in this new era.

In a way, this Martial Hero Conference was a momentous event that could influence the very fate of Donghua Country.

Setting aside the web of interests involving Donghua’s various cultivation schools, the most critical factor was the event’s impact on the common people and the potential uproar it could cause.

The existence of certain individuals and the truth about them were simply too shocking, enough to shatter a person’s entire worldview.

This meant the public needed to be "inoculated" ahead of time, and the current controversy over the short video clips was the perfect opportunity.

By guiding public opinion and discussion, they could slowly lift the mysterious veil of a world different from the secular one. This would make the revelation less abrupt and give the public a buffer to process and accept it.

This was why all official media outlets were remaining silent.

Zhao Ping hung up another phone call reporting on the situation and couldn’t help but sigh.

A little exhaustion on his end was fine. He just hoped the battle in Dragon Tiger Town would proceed smoothly.

After this went viral online, there was no telling how many powerful entities were watching and waiting for the outcome of this battle.

「Elsewhere.」

Dragon Tiger Town was under complete lockdown. From time to time, the roar of fighter jets could even be heard overhead.

The battle between the Saint Experts was also nearing its end.

At the summit of Dragon Tiger Mountain.

In a small courtyard of the Celestial Master’s Mansion, next to the Ten Thousand Laws Sect Altar, Yi Beidou sat cross-legged. In front of him lay several Peacock Pills provided by the Yundong Group.

WHIRRR!

His internal organs churned and his Qi and blood surged throughout his body. With every opening and closing of his pores, a misty vapor escaped.

He was circulating his Qi and blood to transport nutrients throughout his body and repair his injuries.

Normally, with his regenerative abilities, he could have recovered from such physical wounds in less than an hour.

But this time was different. The most severe damage from the last battle wasn’t to his flesh and blood, but to his Life Magnetic Field.

When the Life Magnetic Field is in disarray, all bodily functions decline and regenerative capabilities are severely hampered. Forget recovery—if the Life Magnetic Field can’t be stabilized, his physical condition would likely worsen until it led to organ failure.

An ordinary Saint likely couldn’t have withstood the damage from an overloaded burst of the Celestial Slaughter Seven Stars, compounded by the stimulus from Dong Xuanzi’s Dragon and Tiger Manifestation of Sacred Truth. A normal person in the current state of Yi Beidou’s Life Magnetic Field wouldn’t survive, even if they had three lives to spare.

This was a true Internal Injury, one that could not be seen or touched.

Yi Beidou estimated he would need at least two days of recuperation to return to his peak condition.

WHOOP! WHOOP! WHOOP!!

Just then, the sound of a helicopter came from outside.

Yi Beidou opened his eyes and stood up.

’The other Saint Experts are back,’ he thought.

He walked out of the room and saw Huang Tianhu’s team returning.

The team consisted of Huang Tianhu, Yue Ming, and Zhu Zi’er, but only Huang Tianhu and Zhu Zi’er were there.

"Yue Ming isn’t with you. It seems your mission didn’t go smoothly. Is he still alive?"

Yi Beidou narrowed his eyes as he asked.

"That Corpse Dissolving Immortal had a lot of tricks up his sleeve. The three of us had him completely suppressed, but he suddenly used a desperate, life-risking Secret Technique, a version of Burning Jade and Stone Together. After injuring us, he tried to escape. Thankfully, at the critical moment, Brother Yue threw caution to the wind and blocked his path. With covering fire from the machine guns on several arriving helicopters, we were finally able to kill him."

"Brother Yue suffered Internal Injuries from the Magical Combat, as well as multiple gunshot wounds from friendly fire during the strafing run. Fortunately, they aren’t life-threatening, but he needed emergency medical treatment, so he couldn’t return with us."

Huang Tianhu explained, his expression grave. This life-or-death struggle had clearly left a deep impression on him.

The three of them had nearly failed to take down the Corpse Dissolving Immortal, getting wounded in the process. He realized he had underestimated such figures.

"We encountered a similar situation. Luckily, we were able to disrupt his Technique just as he was casting his Secret Technique. Otherwise, who knows how it would have turned out," Yi Beidou said.

If he hadn’t seen the Elder Celestial Master use the Shattering Pill Method before, he likely wouldn’t have been prepared and wouldn’t have been able to seize that opening.

If Dong Xuanzi had succeeded in shattering his pill, it would have truly ended in mutual destruction. There’s no way he would have won so easily.

"To ensure a successful Corpse Dissolution, they have to push their power to the absolute limit within a set time. Since they’re about to abandon their bodies anyway, these methods usually have no regard for the physical toll. That’s why Corpse Dissolving Immortals often master Taoist Skills that result in ’Jade and Stone Shattering.’ When unleashed, their power is immense."

"Backing someone like that into a corner is extremely dangerous."

Just then, Zhu Zi’er spoke up with a sigh. Looking a little annoyed, she pulled a lollipop from her pouch and took a bite.

She hailed from Miaojiang and its family traditions, so she knew many of the Cultivation Circle’s secrets.

WHOOP! WHOOP! WHOOP!

Just then, another helicopter arrived. Zhou Qingchen, Ding Huiyuan, and Wei Cheng disembarked.

None of the three had any visible injuries, but their expressions were grim.

"The target used an Outer Body Incarnation technique and escaped our pursuit," Wei Cheng said, his expression somber.

"Outer Body Incarnation?"

Everyone frowned at the news.

"The target secretly cultivated a completely loyal Death Warrior Disciple. He had the disciple practice his own fundamental Taoist Skill and even gave the man a Lifebound Dharma Artifact. This made the disciple’s aura so convincing it could pass for the real thing. At the critical moment, it scrambled our senses, forcing us to split up. Because our forces were divided, he managed to get away."

"We caught up with his disciple. He tried to kill himself, but I used the True Word Technique to take control of his body and stop him. He’s been sent for interrogation, so we might learn something. Still, the chances of finding the real target again are slim," Ding Huiyuan said, shrugging helplessly.

They had really been played this time.

A person who had remained hidden for so many years was bound to have an endless arsenal of tricks, making them incredibly difficult to deal with.