NOVPUB
Chapter 59 - The Urgency of Being Inspired, Bai Wuchang's Shock
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As for why the opponent retreated at the last moment, Yāoyao had no way of knowing.
Perhaps they were in the middle of a critical cultivation session, or maybe the distance was too great—intervening might not guarantee success and could expose their hiding place, provoking an all-out retaliation from the state. After all, the power of a Ren Huang Human Emperor level expert is akin to a moving aircraft carrier, and even more terrifying than that. Unlike conventional weapons, such individuals can appear anywhere they shouldn't, causing unimaginable disasters.
At this level, if national stability were at stake, the government wouldn't hesitate to deploy nuclear weapons.
Had the enemy openly killed every member of the Special Operations Team just now, it would have been an outright provocation against the nation. And while Ren Huang experts are indeed powerful, they're still bound by mortal flesh. If the state decided to spare no expense, there was a high chance that any discovered Ren Huang could be eliminated.
Thus, unless they wanted to live on the run indefinitely, most would exercise restraint.
"This is a recording talisman I extracted from the memories of that evil cultivator earlier. Uncle Pang, you can take it back and submit it," Yāoyao said, producing a yellow talisman.
This type of recording talisman not only preserves images but also captures scenes perceived through divine consciousness, making it highly convenient for storing evidence. Its main drawback, however, was that it required the user's soul to be exceptionally strong; otherwise, any fluctuation could erase everything.
Such a remarkable tool!
Upon hearing this, Liu Dong became incredibly excited. He had assumed that after such a massive commotion, nothing would remain. Trembling with anticipation, he accepted the talisman from her hands.
At that moment, he knew full well that what he held wasn't just a lightweight talisman—it was his golden ticket to promotion and a raise! 𝙣𝒐𝙫𝙥𝙪𝙗.𝙘𝙤𝙢
But before he could daydream about his future life as a higher-ranking official, Master Yāoyao doused him with a bucket of cold water—icy cold.
"Uncle Pang, I suggest you don't go after those locations recorded in the talisman," she advised. "There's likely to be an ambush. That Taoist's accomplice sensed my surveillance."
Perhaps the mastermind wouldn't care about the fate of their lower-level underlings and let Uncle Pang lead a cleanup operation. But what if they did? They wouldn't need to act themselves; merely leaking information could result in unforeseen reinforcements appearing at those seemingly weak outposts. Should the authorities miscalculate and fall into a trap, the entire team sent to investigate might be wiped out.
So, while it seemed like valuable intelligence, in reality, you might think you're fishing—but it's possible the fish are reeling you in instead.
Liu Dong hadn't considered this initially, but upon hearing the master's explanation, realization dawned. This significantly reduced the value of what he held. Anyone planning to send operatives would need to weigh the risks carefully.
"Regardless, we caused trouble for the master today. When I return, I'll bring gifts to express my gratitude," Liu Dong said earnestly. "I heard you enjoy pastries. Coincidentally, I know someone whose ancestors served as imperial chefs—their pastries are unparalleled."
At this, Yāoyao's eyes lit up, and she chimed in softly, "It's a promise, Uncle! You're an adult—you can't deceive a child, okay?"
"It's a promise!" Liu Dong replied happily, pleased that his flattery had hit the mark perfectly.
After returning the teleportation talisman to Yāoyao, Liu Dong and his team waited leisurely for their department's vehicle to pick them up—they weren't in a hurry to leave. Meanwhile, Yāoyao headed home first, knowing her grandmother, father, and others were likely waiting anxiously for her return.
At the same time, a sense of urgency welled up within her. Among the group of evil cultivators, there was apparently a Ren Huang-level expert. Clearly, she was nowhere near capable of confronting such a formidable opponent head-on right now.
She needed to work harder to increase her strength. Only then could she protect those dear to her.
For others, advancing in cultivation becomes increasingly difficult as they progress. But Yāoyao knew she was different. Her growth was straightforward: as long as her shadow gained sufficient energy, its power would feed back into her own. And currently, the best source of energy for her shadow was merit.
"It seems I need to urge Brother Seven to livestream more often!" she thought to herself. "If my shadow gets enough merit, I'll quickly catch up to that villain."
Yāoyao calculated that with seven or eight more units of merit, she'd finally break through the plateau she'd been stuck on and officially enter the eighth tier.
Yes, even Liu Dong and the others didn't realize that the master they revered wasn't some mediocre sixth-tier practitioner but rather a fully realized seventh-tier cultivator. Combined with her young age, this fact would blow anyone's mind. It was as though fate itself favored her above all else.
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Yāoyao soon returned to the Gu family estate. Grandmother Gu examined her thoroughly, visibly relieved when she confirmed that not a scratch marred her granddaughter's skin.
Hugging Yāoyao tightly, she spoke earnestly, "My dear Yāoyao, next time, don't rush to the front lines. You may be talented, but you're still so young—it's easy for bad people to deceive you."
In this world, humans are the most complex creatures, sometimes far scarier than ghosts or monsters. Thinking of her pure-hearted granddaughter, Grandmother Gu couldn't help but feel deeply worried.
"Grandma, don't worry. Yāoyao won't let anyone deceive me."
This wasn't mere reassurance; it was true. From the moment she began understanding the world, Yāoyao could vaguely sense others' emotions toward her—whether benevolent or malicious. These feelings were starkly distinct.
Take the Gu family, for example. Whether it was her brothers, parents, or grandparents, being around them always made her feel comfortable. That comfort stemmed from their goodwill toward her.
On the other hand, interacting with those harboring ill intent left her feeling uneasy, as though something about them clashed horribly with her senses.
Grandmother Gu remained unaware of this ability and assumed her granddaughter was simply trying to comfort her. Not wanting to dampen Yāoyao's spirits, she patted her head affectionately and smiled. "Alright, our Yāoyao is the smartest."
"But it's getting late. Hurry off to bed. Children who stay up late won't grow tall, you know!"
Looking at her granddaughter, who was noticeably shorter than her peers, Mrs. Gu expressed her concerns.
Yāoyao was well aware that she lagged behind other children in height and feared she might never grow taller. Thus, whenever this topic arose, she obediently retired to her room to sleep.
However, this time was different. Instead of going straight to bed, she retrieved a small stack of paper ingots and began chanting a spell to summon a spirit envoy.
Whether because the ingots smelled irresistible or because of patrol schedules, Xie Bi'an, the White Impermanence, appeared once again.
Taking a deep breath, he absorbed wisps of green smoke emanating from the offerings.
After savoring the feast, he finally spoke, "Alright, tell me. What ghost do you want me to capture this time?"
He wholeheartedly supported this transactional arrangement, largely thanks to how meticulously Yāoyao prepared her offerings. Had it been anyone else, he wouldn't have been nearly as cooperative.
Though Yāoyao found it odd that the White Impermanence showed up again, now wasn't the time to dwell on it.
"You don't need to capture anything this time, sir. I've already caught them all myself."
This left Xie Bi'an utterly astonished. Even among practitioners of esoteric arts, successfully capturing souls without killing them was no small feat. There was a vast difference between restraining a soul and outright destruction.
Knowing he needed proof, Yāoyao waved her hand, releasing the captured spirits one by one from the containment talismans stored inside her Soul-Seizing Banner.
In the blink of an eye, the room filled to capacity with densely packed spirits.
Xie Bi'an froze, staring at the overwhelming number of souls. His expression shifted dramatically as he struggled—and failed—to contain his shock.
"Did you raid some minor underworld court or something?" he blurted out incredulously.
The sheer number of spirits was absurd!
