Chapter 58
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Chapter 58: Title
Mid-tier Tier One Strange Beasts, as chronicled in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, were not exclusive knowledge to the Special Bureau.
Leng Xingwen knew the ancient text intimately. Upon spotting the creature rampaging through the city’s heart, he vaulted onto a rooftop without hesitation, long sword flashing as he struck at the bloodthirsty beast.
The crimson-eyed abomination exhaled turbulence into the Spiritual Energy-laden air, its primal fury manifesting as a shimmering barrier that deflected Leng Xingwen’s descending blade before contact.
Undeterred, the cultivator engaged in a flurry of strikes – forty-seven missed, one grazing hit. Cold determination hardened his features as he assessed the situation: this thick-hided monstrosity surpassed his current capabilities. Why had such a being materialized solely to assault human cultivators?
Above the chaos, a figure hovered motionless upon a sword’s edge, observing with detached interest.
Though Leng Xingwen’s containment tactics prevented the spatial rift escapee from slaughtering bystanders, shockwaves from their clash threatened nearby structures. Each deflected strike cratered concrete; each missed slash sheared through steel beams. Civilians huddled in fragile shelters couldn’t withstand this collateral damage.
As Leng Xingwen maneuvered to expel the beast beyond city limits, an ice-cold voice resonated through his consciousness – unforgettable and imperious:
"Divert it to open terrain."
Ji Lang.
Snapping an explosive talisman from his sleeve, Leng Xingwen employed his remaining Tier One arsenal with tactical precision. The mindless creature took the bait, drawn inexorably toward the outskirts.
Above, Ji Lang stepped off his hovering blade, suspended mid-air by will alone. The abandoned sword gleamed before streaking back to his outstretched palm.
Amidst the desperate herding operation, an insistent ringing emanated from Leng Xingwen’s sleeve. "Ill-timed calls…" he muttered through gritted teeth, ignoring the vibrating phone as concrete cracked beneath his boots.
When they reached the barren outskirts, Ji Lang’s eyelids lowered in concentration. With a soft command of "Go," his blade erupted into forty-nine argent duplicates that pierced the beast simultaneously – a single, lethal symphony of steel.
The cultivator alighted on the ground, thumb brushing away a crimson trail at his lips.
Leng Xingwen stared at the fallen creature, momentarily stunned by the execution’s brutal efficiency. "My gratitude, Senior Ji Lang, for dispatching this Strange Beast."
"Not Strange Beast." Ji Lang’s voice carried winter’s edge as he examined bloody fingertips. "Demonic Beast."
Understanding dawned on Leng Xingwen. That momentary surge of power – Ji Lang had temporarily shattered his cultivation restraints. Simple in theory, yet few dared risk heaven’s wrath. All Tier One cultivators knew the unseen barrier’s warning: exceed the world’s tolerance, face catastrophic backlash.
"Demonic Beast? A demon subspecies?"
"Not true demons." Ji Lang’s gaze sharpened on Leng Xingwen’s sleeve. "An offshoot." The cold emphasis suggested this was no academic clarification, but vital intelligence.
"Too noisy."
"Apologies, Senior. I’ll answer the call immediately." Leng Xingwen retrieved his phone, the earlier chaotic situation having nearly made him forget the device.
"Hmm? Requesting my assistance? Understood—I’ll head there at once. The nearest city? Send the navigation to my phone…" His demeanor hardened as he spoke.
"Senior, will you accompany me?"
"Jiuzhou faces peril. Those Strange Beasts and Demonic Beasts have emerged across cities. The Special Bureau’s current capabilities may prove insufficient."
"Yet it’s peculiar—most Demonic Beasts seek areas dense with Spiritual Energy. Why would this one target the city directly?" Leng Xingwen eyed the carcass beneath them.
"Demonic Beasts surpass humans in cunning. They recognize true threats." Ji Lang flicked his wrist, summoning a sword. The remaining blades embedded in the beast’s corpse disintegrated into glimmering shards.
"I’ll join you. Proceed."
Special Bureau Headquarters
"Such methods…" Kunlun Valley, already under intense surveillance, had every action of Ji Lang’s captured by orbital satellites.
"…Pathetic." Yan Hua’s grim mutter left his criticism ambiguously directed.
With ancient practitioners mobilized, most cities regained stability. Some rescuers, prioritizing lives over consequences, unleashed their full cultivation to subdue the Strange Beasts.
Li Canghai confronted a twin-headed serpent coiled around a skyscraper. Prior to his arrival, military forces had encircled the creature, deploying light armaments.
Urban constraints prohibited heavy weaponry—a dilemma echoing across battlefields.
Stationed at Zhenyue Palace on Mount Taihua rather than the Capital City, Li Canghai had rushed to the nearest crisis upon the Special Bureau’s alert.
Most practitioners followed similar paths, though lacking flight capabilities delayed their arrivals.
The Strange Beast outbreak served as a grim awakening—cultivation’s importance now burned brightly in national and personal consciousness.
While urban threats were quelled, those in the mountains remained countless. This incident’s conclusion merely marked the dawn of its repercussions.
"We owe much to the ancient practitioners." Director Xi Ning sighed in his office, gaze fixed on Yan Hua. "Military casualties were severe before their intervention…"
Troops stationed near cities and rapid police response had only contained the rampaging Demonic Beasts. Mortal strength alone couldn’t eradicate them.
Every conventional weapon except city-leveling missiles had been utilized—an unthinkable option equating to collective suicide.
Sacrificing entire districts for single beasts? Such calculus risked tens of thousands of lives.
"Wasn’t the Jiuzhou barrier meant to protect us? Why this breach?"
"Lin Jing’s analysis suggests these Demonic Beasts originate from Jiuzhou itself—native entities unlike the external demon web."
Xi Ning’s phone interrupted. A rapid exchange later, he turned solemnly to Yan Hua: "Ji Lang confirms these are Demonic Beasts from a spirit cultivator faction. Their emergence ties to the spirit cultivators’ resurgence."
"Spirit cultivators… Their concealment frays at last."
Zhongxia’s initial fears about ancient practitioners had given way to respect—their detachment focused solely on cultivation matters, their ethics unexpectedly rigorous. Not one malevolent practitioner had surfaced.
Though eccentric in temperament, they proved cooperative when approached earnestly. Contrastingly, many self-made extraordinary individuals reveled in lawless arrogance, their power unburdened by moral scrutiny.
Leng Xingwen had clarified: cultivation sects rigorously evaluated disciples’ character. Admitting the unworthy invited ruin. True cultivation sought cosmic truths and longevity—not the bloody plundering of fantasy tales.
Special Bureau staff raised on such tales found this philosophical pragmatism almost disappointing.
"Should we request an audience with that senior?" Xi Ning mused, referencing Ji Lang. Previous invitations failed—he claimed guardianship restricted him to Kunlun’s periphery.
"The Kunlun Valley incident demands accountability." Yan Hua’s agreement came swiftly.
Xi Ning arched an eyebrow. "Unusually compliant today?"
"She unsealed her cultivation first—prevented countless deaths." Yan Hua cleared his throat. While others hesitated during the crisis, Ji Lang had acted decisively.
He’d lured urban Demonic Beasts for her elimination. Though pledging to remain in Kunlun, she’d departed instantly upon hearing of other infestations—a debt compounded by their earlier blunder.
"Schedule a meeting?"
"Tomorrow."
"So urgent?"
"Clarity on Demonic Beasts outweighs protocol." Yan Hua frowned. Ancient practitioners unanimously labeled these threats as spirit cultivator spawn—Ji Lang’s withheld insights troubled him.
Having cleansed the nearest city, Ji Lang now soared back to Kunlun on sword-steel wings. Leng Xingwen, guilt-ridden for diverting the guardian, pressed onward without inquiry—another metropolis awaited.
