The Desire for Stability

Problems after the injections?

Wang Jixuan listened to Xiang Lin Tian's description.

Some had suddenly gone mad, shouting and screaming. Some had turned pale, blood-red light blazing from their eyes. Others kept vomiting, nearly throwing up their stomachs.

Why did this sound a little like... symptoms of demonic energy entering the body?

Daoist Wang stroked his chin and pondered carefully.

Blind guessing would yield nothing. They could only wait for them to send the people over; with expedited military air transport, they could arrive within two hours.

If it really was demonic energy entering the body, then there was a serious problem.

Was it demonic energy I left behind when I fought at Snow Mountain Base?

Strange. Logically, rootless demonic energy should have dissipated long ago. Besides, most of the demonic energy created during my battle was in the collapsed passageway section, while the injections should have been stored in Areas Two and Three of the Secret Base.

Daoist Wang was somewhat puzzled as well.

Still, successfully bringing D2 over to their side would have enormous consequences.

This concerned the fates of who knew how many humans, as well as his own vital interests. Wang Jixuan naturally would not take it lightly.

Before the nine important generals were sent over, Wang Jixuan had already gathered the Buddha Hall Squad.

He also assigned Gao Huating to the Buddha Hall Squad as a reserve member, having her learn several passages of scripture from Wu Man to test the results.

This test allowed Wang Jixuan to discover another unusual aspect of Gao Huating.

Gao Huating was not a Psionicist and possessed no psionic energy. At most, Wang Jixuan had previously given her a little spiritual energy to nourish her.

When she recited the scriptures, spiritual energy spontaneously reacted around her words, carrying a faint golden glow and producing a peculiar effect that soothed the mind.

Wang Jixuan was a little shocked inside, though his expression remained calm and unruffled.

Wu Man and the others merely felt that Gao Huating had some talent and gave no further thought to it.

After waiting here for a while, he led the Buddha Hall Squad and the Peak Maid Group to the Surface Hangar, where they even prepared an operating table in convincing fashion.

The first military aircraft landed, delivering a "young general" in his fifties, who was swiftly carried into the hangar.

Xiang Lin Tian waited anxiously outside the door.

The moment Wang Jixuan saw the man, his brows rose.

It really was demonic energy entering the body!

Fortunately, it was only a trace amount of demonic energy.

If they had not sent him over in time, this general might have endured it on his own!

Though there was also a chance he would not have endured it. It was unlikely, but people could indeed die.

With a point of his Sword Finger, Wang Jixuan directly knocked the man unconscious, then casually drew out that wisp of demonic energy.

His control over demonic energy had become increasingly refined.

Still, appearances had to be maintained.

If the people outside did not know he had put in considerable effort, how would they understand the difficulty of this treatment?

Wang Jixuan had the Buddha Hall Squad recite scriptures with great effort. Gao Huating was also given a new instrument—a wooden fish—which she tapped away at nearby.

Taking advantage of the moment, Wang Jixuan repeatedly tapped the general's back of the head with his Sword Finger.

He wanted to see what sort of person this general, selected and sent over by Xiang Lin Tian, truly was. What achievements had he earned, and what evil deeds had he committed after being controlled by Xing Tian?

Memories, open!

Zhou Zhengde had originally not wanted to come along and watch the excitement.

He had work of his own to do.

Regarding the redevelopment plan for Fortress No. 82, he had already advanced it at "lightning speed" to the implementation stage. He had to coordinate with the responsible parties at several fortresses simultaneously, and every task was exceptionally complicated, time-consuming, and exhausting.

Moving the Lower City residents of these fortresses to Fortress No. 82 so they could begin new lives was, in truth, a systematic undertaking.

However, Xiang Tiantian timidly said, "Can we go take a look? I haven't seen Grandfather in a long time. I just want to see him from nearby."

"Of course," Zhou Zhengde immediately replied. "Just follow me. There won't be any problem."

Xiang Tiantian always spoke in a tiny voice, which stirred an inexplicable urge in Zhou Zhengde to protect her.

Inside the ascending elevator;

Zhou Zhengde looked over Xiang Tiantian's clothes.

She had modified them herself. They had originally been ordinary clothes worth four or five General Quotas—a light-blue hooded sweatshirt and a denim miniskirt—but Xiang Tiantian had altered them into a fitted style that flattered her figure.

"Are you interested in fashion design?"

"Hm?" Xiang Tiantian froze for a moment, then hurriedly nodded. "Yes. I studied fashion design before. I was supposed to enter a related profession, too. Designing affordable clothes that could highlight everyone's individuality was always what I wanted to do, but later..."

"What happened later?"

Xiang Tiantian briefly described her experiences.

When the elevator doors opened, Zhou Zhengde walked out with the corners of his mouth twitching faintly.

Wait, this girl was an A+-rank Psionicist?

Why had nobody told him just now?!

He had even wanted to protect her. If enemies came, he might as well hide behind her and cheer her on.

Xiang Tiantian caught up in two steps and softly asked, "What's wrong, Brother Zhou... did I scare you?"

Her nervousness was not an act.

For now, being a Psionicist had not made her feel superior. Instead, she was afraid people would look down on her.

Most likely, she had heard her family curse Psionicists as evil ever since she was little, leaving her with a deeply ingrained belief.

Zhou Zhengde turned to look into her eyes. Feeling somewhat sorry for her, he smiled gently. "You did scare me."

Xiang Tiantian's expression could not help turning despondent.

Then Zhou Zhengde changed tack. "I never expected such a sweet and adorable girl to be a superhero capable of protecting countless civilians."

"Huh?"

Xiang Tiantian's pretty face visibly reddened.

"Actually, actually, I... I still can't fight... I'm not some hero, and... Psionicists are all evil. Everyone says so."

"Teacher Wang once said that power itself was neither righteous nor evil. It depended only on how you used it."

Zhou Zhengde said solemnly:

"You possess power ordinary people do not have. That in itself is a talent. As long as you use it well, you will certainly be able to accomplish things ordinary people cannot.

"I believe in your talent for fashion design, but now I look forward even more to seeing how many people you can save with this psionic energy.

"Believe me. You can definitely do it."

Xiang Tiantian subconsciously straightened her chest and lifted her head.

Zhou Zhengde's silhouette was reflected in her pupils. She pressed her lips together lightly and gave a firm "Mm."

"Come with me." Zhou Zhengde jerked his thumb toward the hangar where Wang Jixuan was.

Zhou Zhengde smiled. "If you have any needs in daily life, you can come to me. I have a tiny bit of influence around here, and I'm also one of Teacher Wang's best friends."

He had learned humility when it came to friends.

"Okay," Xiang Tiantian said, following closely behind Zhou Zhengde.

Like a pretty little shadow.

By the time they neared the hangar, the fourth batch of generals had already been sent inside. Buddhist chants echoed within, golden light flashed, and the spiritual energy for several kilometers around had been stirred, strange phenomena appearing everywhere.

A total of nine generals from D2 were sent inside: six Half-Human Mechs and three ordinary humans.

Zhou Zhengde and Xiang Tiantian observed from the outskirts. Afraid of disturbing those inside, they did not dare get too close to the entrance.

Twenty minutes passed like this before the chanting inside the hangar finally began to fade.

Wang Jixuan walked unsteadily, his face pale, over to Xiang Lin Tian. He handed over several casually modified Bagua Plates and briefly explained how to use them.

These things could dispel trace amounts of demonic energy.

He said in a low voice, "The strain on my mind has been too great. I can only rest now. They'll be fine."

Xiang Lin Tian's old eyes were full of emotion. He raised his hand in a military salute. "Thank you, Teacher Wang!"

Wang Jixuan waved a hand, glancing at Zhou Zhengde and Xiang Tiantian standing side by side in the distance.

They were standing quite close...

Oh?

Wang Jixuan raised a brow and nearly broke his current "performance." He transmitted a few words to Fu Jian, then strolled toward the elevator.

The Buddha Hall Squad and the Mechanical Maid Group filed out in a stream, chatting and laughing as they followed him.

The voice transmission Fu Jian received went like this:

"D2 can be saved. If their military structure is compared to a tree, most of the branches are nearly rotten, but the trunk and roots are still decent. The leaves—the ordinary soldiers—simply follow orders and have little autonomy. Most soldiers are deeply resentful of the D2 Military's weakness in psionic incidents.

"I examined all nine of their memories. Not in detail—I only looked for their worst memories... They were much like the Black Shell Instructor and the others.

"There are some gray areas, but they have not abandoned their principles. Seven of the nine were actively sent over by Xiang Lin Tian and several other old men, then placed under Xing Tian's drug control. The purpose was to ensure that the forces Xing Tian controlled would not become runaway wild horses.

"However, there are twenty or thirty Senior Generals directly colluding with Xing Tian. These people must be purged. Those who should be killed, kill. Those who should be flayed, flay."

Fu Jian gave Wang Jixuan a gesture of acknowledgment.

On the way back, Wang Jixuan kept thinking about the demonic energy.

He had learned from Xiang Lin Tian where these injections were discovered: Area Three of the Secret Base beneath Snow Mountain Base.

Why would there be so much demonic energy there?

When I shattered the crystal core, I drew over all the Remnant Souls of Blade Beasts. Even if faint demonic energy remained, it should quickly have dispersed into the spiritual energy in the air.

Demonic energy can only persist by attaching itself to living beings. Did some evil demon arise there?

Wang Jixuan thought of the S-Class Material that had previously been overlooked due to the fierce battle.

After considering it from every angle, he still could not feel at ease.

If a demon had truly been born there, it would inevitably be connected to him. Their karma was entangled; if that demon caused trouble, it would add to his karmic burden, and the Heavenly Dao would settle accounts during his tribulation...

Ah, perhaps karmic burden was merely something their predecessors in the Cultivation World had made up.

"Peony, have Dragonfly Aunt get ready. She has a job."

"Yes, Commander."

With matters here settled, Wang Jixuan unexpectedly felt his fighting spirit ignite.

He was preparing a grand formation for himself to improve his aptitude and temper his body. He was also considering how to let Gao Huating attempt to absorb spiritual energy, to see whether anything wondrous might happen.

To him, this D2 incident was nothing more than a minor interlude.

Working with Fu Jian to settle War Zone D2 would also help improve the environment around him.

As for the demonic energy over there...

He could only wait for Auntie's investigation report.

This time, Auntie's investigation would likely have the support of major figures in the D2 Military, so the difficulty should not be too great.

Wang Jixuan truly did not want to go out anymore.

The last time he went out, he had believed his plan was thorough enough. Yet in the end, he had nearly been forced to burn the Mahayana Remnant Soul. Though he had gained a great deal in the end and acquired a battle puppet that vastly increased his current combat strength, it had still not been stable enough.

Now, he only wanted steady happiness.

Build the foundation, improve his aptitude, break through, enter Core Condensation, and stabilize his vital energy. By then, Primordial Yang would become something that was "nice to have" but "not regrettable to lack."

At that point, he could arrange some proper righteous-path dual cultivation techniques for Immortal Partners and obtain nourishing spiritual pills for Ling Tong, allowing her to take half a step onto the path of cultivation and continuously strengthen her physique.

"Not bad."

The Daoist narrowed his eyes in a smile, his heart seeming to stir with a faint restlessness.

"How does it feel?"

Fu Jian stared at Xiang Lin Tian and asked in a deep voice.

Xiang Lin Tian had just checked on the conditions of the nine people sent here. Knowing what Fu Jian meant, he clasped his hands behind his back and walked over.

He gave a bitter laugh. "New hope."

"And?"

"Why did hope come so late?" Xiang Lin Tian's expression turned bitter. "A major shift is needed. I'll take charge of it. Send me a squad of Half-Human Mechs for follow-up support. When necessary, I'll need to use your banner."

Fu Jian slowly nodded. "If Wang Zheng had not appeared, I probably would have taken another path."

"What path?"

"One much like yours."

Fu Jian did not hide it:

"The heirs I cultivated were either not hard enough, or they were nothing but hard. After I die, the situation will become extremely unfavorable for D5. That much is foreseeable.

"Later, I heard that a mysterious Psionicist had appeared in this fortress, seemingly having awakened naturally, and had clashed with the Psionic Home here... Then...

"Everything has been like a miracle.

"Sometimes, I even wonder whether this is a fantasy before my death. A fantasy that a group of new, righteous Alien Civilizations arrived—ones that would not casually bully Primitive Civilizations, and that were dissatisfied with the ways of Blade Beasts and Psionicists."

Xiang Lin Tian asked, "Is Wang Zheng righteous?"

"His chat nickname is Light of the Righteous Path. It used to be, anyway."

Fu Jian called out:

"Let's go to the transport aircraft. I'll take you to the border. You probably want to rush back immediately.

"We can have a drink on the way and talk about the plans ahead."

Xiang Lin Tian asked in confusion, "You can still drink alcohol?"

"A glass of No. 82 lubricating oil."

The two old Combat Bases exchanged smiles, apparently recalling a joke they often used in their youth. As they were about to board the aircraft, Xiang Lin Tian remembered something and turned to look for his granddaughter.

Xiang Lin Tian could sense his granddaughter's Psionic Fluctuation.

She was hiding behind Zhou Zhengde and had not looked directly this way. Her eyes were red as well.

Xiang Lin Tian did not mind and waved at Zhou Zhengde.

"Old Fu, is your grandson single?"

"He wasn't before," Fu Jian said simply. "But he can be."

"Don't mess around. We cannot casually interfere with young people's freedom. That's the feudal parenting style of the Silver Age."

"His previous relationship was Political Romance too. He and the woman barely saw each other for years."

Fu Jian shook his head.

"Of course I won't force their growth, but if they can end up together, that would be a good thing.

"I can't wait to witness the continuation of the bloodline."

"Same here, hahaha!"

Xiang Lin Tian shouted:

"Little Zhou! Give Teacher Wang my regards! I'm going back to kill and burn! Tell him to wait until I come inspect the work!"

"Yes!"

Zhou Zhengde raised his hand in a military salute as the transport plane's cabin door slowly closed.

Zhou Zhengde seemed to see mountains of corpses and seas of blood;

The D2 Comprehensive War Zone would likely soon be swept up in a bloody storm. He just didn't know how thoroughly Xiang Lin Tian would clean house this time, or whether Psionic Capital would react in time and intervene.

As Xiang Lin Tian embarked on his return journey;

Deep beneath Area Three of the Snow Mountain Base ruins.

A figure wrapped in Black Energy slowly drifted out from a crack in the rocks. The spire behind the rocky peak flashed continuously, and after the figure floated out of the crevice, he slowly opened his eyes. Black Flames burned endlessly in their depths.

A voice echoed beside his ear:

"Go kill. Kill them all. Bring their souls back... Hehehe... Wonderful power, mysterious power, this is the power bestowed upon me by the gods... You all must die. All of you must die..."