Three days later.
A streak of light came from the direction of the East Sea with unprecedented high spirits, descending directly onto Golden Ao Island.
Shen Gongbao had returned.
He stood tall and straight, his Eight Trigrams robe fluttering without wind. His face bore three parts reserve, three parts composure, and four parts unconcealable pride.
He landed in the plaza before the main hall of the Calamity Aversion Department.
The gazes of the tens of thousands of disciples who had long been waiting there all snapped onto him at once.
"Senior Brother Shen!"
"Senior Brother is back!"
Shen Gongbao ignored their shouts. With his eyes fixed straight ahead, he strode through the crowd, every step as steady as Mount Tai.
Reaching the foot of the platform, he gave a deep bow to Chen Changsheng, Daoist Duobao, and Zhao Gongming, who had been waiting there.
"I have not failed my mission!"
The four words rang out powerfully.
He held up a jade box sealed beneath layer upon layer of restrictions with both hands.
"The East Sea Dragon Clan Risk Assessment Survey Form has been successfully completed. I ask the Dao Protector to review it!"
The entire plaza fell silent in an instant.
Everyone unconsciously held their breath.
It was done?
It had really been done?
Shen Gongbao, who just days ago had wailed to the heavens and wished he could die on the spot, had actually made the East Sea Dragon Clan fill out that absurdly unreasonable survey form?
Chen Changsheng gave a slight nod, signaling Daoist Duobao to accept the jade box.
Daoist Duobao stepped forward, carefully undid the restrictions, removed the Jade Slip, and released a thread of spiritual power.
A massive Light Screen projected onto the Mission Assessment Wall, displaying the contents of the Jade Slip before tens of thousands of disciples without missing a single word.
[Interception Sect Calamity Aversion Department · Special Mission (East Sea Conflict) · Risk Assessment Survey Form (Dragon Clan Version)] [Submitting Organization: East Sea Dragon Clan (signed on behalf by Third Prince Ao Bing)]
That title alone drew a collective gasp from the crowd below.
They had really signed it!
When their gazes moved lower and they saw the detailed contents, the entire plaza fell into absolute silence.
[I. Basic Information Confirmation] [1. What is the nature of your operation this time?] [E. Other (key point: an act of war intended to secure reasonable racial rights)] [2. Who is directly responsible for your operation this time?] [B. Third Prince Ao Bing (Note: His Majesty the Dragon King is in seclusion; I am acting in his stead)] [3. What is the core demand of your operation this time?] [B. Restore the glory of the Dragon Clan (see Appendix I, <Several Suggestions on Raising the Collective Status of the Dragon Clan in the Primordial World>)] [II. Strength Assessment and KPI Assessment] [1. Your total forces committed this time number approximately 300,000, including 5 Grand Unity Golden Immortal-level combatants and 37 Golden Immortals.] [2. Do you possess an Innate Spiritual Treasure? A. Yes (Note: Water Splitting Thorn, low grade, long neglected and in disrepair, unstable performance)] [3. Have you deployed a large-scale array? B. No (Note: More than half of the ancestral Myriad Waters Return to Origin Array Diagram has been lost and cannot be activated)] [4. Please estimate the strategic objective (KPI) your side hopes to achieve in this conflict.] [E. Successfully Defend East Sea Dignity (specific quantitative standard: secure a place for the Dragon Clan among the top ten of the Hundred Clans of the Primordial World and maintain it for at least one Yuanhui)]
Every entry on the Light Screen was crystal clear.
The Dragon Clan's troop deployments, high-level combat strength, magic treasure situation—even their strategic trump cards and ultimate demands—were all laid out in black and white.
How was this a survey form?
This was plainly a surrender letter delivered by the Dragon Clan themselves!
No, it was even more thorough than a surrender letter!
They had practically stripped themselves naked and turned out their very organs for the enemy to inspect!
After the deathly silence, the plaza erupted like a volcano.
"Heavens! What am I seeing?"
"The Dragon Clan... the Dragon Clan gave away all their secrets?"
An Inner Sect Disciple rubbed his eyes fiercely, his face full of disbelief.
"Five Grand Unity Golden Immortals and thirty-seven Golden Immortals! Is that the Dragon Clan's strength? It seems... it doesn't seem that strong?"
A disciple beside him instinctively chimed in, with a trace of contempt in his tone that even he himself had not noticed.
Once upon a time, the East Sea Dragon Clan had seemed immensely powerful to them, an enemy they needed to face with utmost vigilance. Yet before this cold set of data, they appeared so... fragile.
Zhao Gongming stared at the contents on the Light Screen, the corner of his mouth twitching nonstop.
He turned toward Chen Changsheng, his voice dry.
"Dao Protector... did Shen Gongbao go hypnotize the Dragon Clan?"
Chen Changsheng did not answer. He merely watched the Light Screen calmly, a trace of satisfaction flashing through his eyes.
This was precisely the effect he wanted.
The terror of war often came from the unknown.
Once everything about the enemy became quantifiable data, fear would fade, replaced by absolute rationality.
He slowly walked to the center of the platform and lightly raised one hand.
The noisy plaza instantly quieted.
Every gaze was fixed on him, filled with fervent adoration.
"Everyone."
Chen Changsheng's voice rang clearly throughout the plaza.
"This is the power of process."
He pointed at the data on the Light Screen and spoke loudly.
"The East Sea Dragon Clan may look menacing, but they are strong on the outside and weak within. Their forces are numerous, but their elite are few. They possess magic treasures, but those treasures have long since fallen into disrepair. Their so-called uprising is more like a tantrum."
"Their goal is not war, but negotiation. What they want is not to overthrow the Heavenly Court, but a seat at the table."
"So, what is the conclusion of this report?"
He swept his gaze across the plaza.
After their initial shock, all the disciples had calmed down and begun examining the matter through the new risk assessment mindset they had learned from the Calamity Aversion Department.
One disciple shouted an answer.
"The conclusion is that the threat level is low! The probability of conflict is small! It can be resolved peacefully!"
"Correct!"
Chen Changsheng nodded approvingly.
"One form is worth more than a hundred thousand soldiers. This is the second lesson I want to teach you."
With a sweep of his wide sleeve, a book glowing with faint golden Merit light appeared in his hand out of thin air.
The volume was ancient and weighty, with several bold characters dancing across its cover.
General Principles of Primordial Era Procedures!
"This is a Post-Heaven Merit Treasure, the treasure that safeguards the Calamity Aversion Department of our Interception Sect, and the highest principle by which our sect shall conduct itself from this day forward!"
Chen Changsheng's voice became incomparably solemn.
"From today onward, whether in external diplomacy or internal administration, everything in the Interception Sect must be handled according to process!"
His gaze shifted to Daoist Duobao.
"Senior Brother Duobao!"
"Present!"
"I order you to immediately establish three major departments under the Calamity Aversion Department: the Department of External Relations Risk Assessment, responsible for all foreign affairs; the Department of Internal Mission Release and Review, responsible for overseeing all actions taken by disciples of our sect when descending the mountain; and the Department of Process Supervision and Optimization, responsible for improving all procedures and ensuring that orders are carried out without fail!"
He then looked at Zhao Gongming.
"Senior Brother Zhao!"
"Present!"
"I order you to establish the Center for Tactical Wargaming and Data Analysis. Create files on the myriad races of the Primordial World, every major force, and every renowned great cultivator! Cultivation, magic treasures, cultivation techniques, personalities, battle records—all information must be quantified into data! I want the Primordial World to have no secrets left before the Interception Sect!"
Finally, his gaze fell upon Shen Gongbao, who stood tall with excitement flushing his face red.
"Shen Gongbao!"
"This disciple is here!"
"You completed this mission excellently and pioneered the practice of process-based diplomacy for our sect. From today onward, you shall be the Chief Elder of the Department of External Relations Risk Assessment under the Calamity Aversion Department! You will specialize in external communication and negotiations!"
Shen Gongbao's body shook violently. An immense sense of happiness overwhelmed his mind, and he dropped to his knees with a thud, his voice going out of tune.
"This disciple... this disciple will offer up his heart and soul and will not shrink from death ten thousand times over!"
At that moment, all of Golden Ao Island erupted completely.
If the Myriad Tribulations Samsara Mirror had taught them how to fear death before,
then today's Dragon Clan report taught them how not to die.
Seeds called rationality and rules took root and sprouted in the hearts of every Interception Sect disciple.
From this moment on, the Interception Sect's entire style had thoroughly gone off the rails.
Just as the entire sect was immersed in the joy of this profound transformation,
Chen Changsheng looked at the Dragon Clan report and slowly spoke.
"As for how we should reply to the East Sea..."
He paused, revealing a genial smile.
"Send an Official Letter to Prince Ao Bing in the name of the Calamity Aversion Department."
"Tell him that our sect agrees in principle with <Several Suggestions on Raising the Collective Status of the Dragon Clan in the Primordial World>. However, the details of certain provisions still require joint discussion with the Heavenly Court, the Chan Sect, the Western Sect, and other parties. We recommend that the Dragon Clan first establish a Proposal Preparation Group and submit a more detailed feasibility plan before reporting it further."
"This matter may be placed on the agenda for the next Yuanhui."
As his words fell,
Daoist Duobao and Zhao Gongming exchanged a glance, each seeing a trace of profound... sympathy in the other's eyes.
The next Yuanhui?
This was no longer mere stalling.
He was going to drag the Dragon Clan to death in the process!
Truly brilliant!
However, before the smile at Chen Changsheng's lips had fully faded, his brows suddenly furrowed slightly.
He raised his head and looked in the direction of the Jade Void Palace on Kunlun Mountain.
Just then, the system in his mind issued an unusual notification.
[Yellow Alert!] [Detected that the Chan Sect Twelve Golden Immortals have assembled at the Jade Void Palace.] [Target: Golden Ao Island.] [Reason for action: The Interception Sect has refused to accept the Heavenly Court's decree and has shown contempt for the Sage's authority. The Chan Sect will carry out Heaven's punishment on its behalf.] [Estimated arrival time: Three hours.]
Before you continue