Chapter 284: Seek the Demon

Compared to the heated discussions outside and the constant stream of new measures and actions at the national level, the core location of Longyuan Mountain Range remains calm and tranquil.

When Hua Tiancheng was allocating the construction site for the Longyuan Immortal Sect, he took Longyuan Mountain as the center, with the sect's various buildings interspersed within it, like stars surrounding the moon, but there was not much change to Longyuan Mountain itself.

The construction site is some distance away from Longyuan Mountain and will not disturb the Great Demon on the mountain; it can be said that every aspect has been considered.

While urging the progress of the project, the Supernatural Cultivation Bureau also dispatched a special team that arrived deep within Longyuan Mountain.

The mountain wind brushed past, pine waves surged, only the rustling of swaying leaves could be heard, along with the sound of footsteps on dry branches, making the surroundings seem even more quiet.

Between the broad leaves, several figures could be seen walking cautiously within, as if lost in a primordial jungle, with towering plants blocking out the sunlight completely.

Occasionally, scattered sunlight filtered through the gaps and fell down, forming scattered specks of light.

Leading the way and clearing the path were several young people; the member in the middle had an aged face, holding a walking stick, walking through the dense jungle, and due to old age, some were out of breath.

But if someone familiar with the officialdom of Great Xia were here, their eyes would almost pop out of their sockets.

Because these elderly people are all the top diplomatic members of Great Xia, including the former head of the Shen Zhao Kingdom Embassy, the head of the Miguo Embassy, and the newly appointed highest diplomatic official of Great Xia.

It is no exaggeration to say that these dozen or so people are each the top strength in Great Xia's diplomatic field.

Even their students and disciples are currently holding important positions in Great Xia's diplomatic-related departments, yet this group of esteemed individuals has appeared in such a remote place.

The team was led by the 749 Bureau, followed by Wang Zhenghao, Xu Tiancheng, and others who joined from the Supernatural Cultivation Bureau.

Considering these people have had considerable dealings with Longyuan Mountain before and are somewhat familiar with this place, Hua Tiancheng entrusted them with this arduous task.

These diplomatic elites, who could be called the treasures of Great Xia, should have been sitting in offices leisurely drinking tea, but now they hold walking sticks and walk through deep mountains and old forests.

Their clothes behind were soaked with sweat, large beads of sweat rolled down from their foreheads, yet they showed no sign of impatience; their aged eyes were filled with solemn and reverent expressions.

One of the elders wiped the sweat from his face and asked aloud: "Captain Wang, approximately how much longer until we reach Longyuan Mountain and see those Great Demons?"

Wang Xuehao looked around, feeling deeply moved; clearly, the last time he came near Longyuan Village to handle a case wasn't long ago, but now it feels as if a lifetime has passed.

Not only have the surrounding plants grown wildly, ancient towering trees block out the sky, the vines around seem like azure dragons soaring straight up, making one feel as if placed in a primordial wilderness, completely different from the scene he initially saw.

He does not know that the terrain here has already been altered by spiritual energy, naturally changing day by day, and with the addition of formation support, ordinary people wanting to find a way in would find it as difficult as climbing to heaven.

This point was already prepared in Wang Xuehao's heart when he set out.

"I'm not entirely sure either; you all should have learned about it—Longyuan Mountain Range has complex terrain, and unless they willingly reveal themselves, I fear that even if we walk many more roads and spend much time, we still won't be able to reach them."

One of the elders gave a bitter smile: "Rather than saying we are seeking the Great Demons, it might be better to say we are waiting for these Great Demons to come to us?"

Wang Xuehao nodded: "That's about right."

Upon hearing this, everyone's faces showed no sign of discouragement, not even a hint of complaint.

He looked at this group leaning on walking sticks, panting heavily, and a sense of awe arose in his heart.

These people have devoted their entire lives to their country and nation.

After confirming the existence of demons in Longyuan Mountain Range and that a global catastrophe would descend, all of Great Xia began to act swiftly.

Facing the terrifying disaster to come, the nation's colossal machine began operating at high speed, with countless measures emerging one after another, and many senior officials actively took action.

At this critical moment, no one dares to be careless or negligent.

In the series of plans formulated by Great Xia, the core is not building a Training Hall, nor exchanging resources externally; the most crucial aspect remains Longyuan Mountain.

Although cooperation has been reached with the Longyuan Immortal Sect, the higher-ups deeply understand the principle of not putting all eggs in one basket, and from a strength perspective, the existence on Longyuan Mountain is certainly superior to all else.

The key is to establish good relations with the Great Demons of Longyuan Mountain, cooperate together, and seek Great Xia's future development.

Under these circumstances, many elderly members have come out of retirement without hesitation, applying to go, and compared to the younger generation, they naturally have more experience.

Even though these people are old and should be retired enjoying blessings, when the country needs them, they step forward without hesitation.

However, although they are experienced, they are still somewhat nervous; after all, having lived most of their lives, they have seen all kinds of people and scenes, but truly communicating with demons is still their first time.

In this team, each member's average diplomatic experience exceeds several decades; none of them are strangers to constantly being abroad, facing countless national presidents or important figures with composure.

Yet now, walking deep in the old forest, their expressions reveal a rare tension.

"I hope this conversation with the Great Demons of Longyuan Mountain can achieve the expected outcome."

Gazing at the boundless mountains and forests, these elders took a deep breath, their eyes somewhat complex: "This mission must succeed; failure is not allowed!"

Although everyone is somewhat nervous, the feeling of fear is minimal, after all, from previous contacts, the Great Demons harbor no great hostility toward Great Xia.

Otherwise, during the last meeting, they would not have shared so much information, nor would they have left behind basic cultivation techniques; from these actions, their goodwill can be glimpsed.

Wang Xuehao and other members of the Supernatural Cultivation Bureau walked ahead, clearing the path, preventing those behind from tripping over weeds and dry branches, sweeping away any obstacles to the side.

"Watch your step."

He skillfully pushed aside the bushes and gave a reminder.

"I have a feeling that the temperament of Longyuan Mountain's Great Demons should be relatively gentle; Longyuan Mountain has had many incidents before, but truly those who suffered harm from them are few, and those punished are mostly bad people, showing they still distinguish right from wrong and understand good and evil."

"Moreover, the villagers at the mountain base devoutly worship them; if not for the care of these Great Demons, how could they be so reverent in their offerings? If one relied solely on force, such a degree could not be achieved."

When the 749 Bureau investigated cases before, they interacted frequently with the villagers; now all villagers have joined the Longyuan Immortal Sect, enough to show how harmoniously these people coexist with the demons.

Perhaps the bond between them is deeper than they imagined; if not for the demons' kindness, how could the relationship be so close?

"Although these Great Demons' temperaments are unpredictable, people all have personalities, let alone demons possessing many Divine Abilities; one can understand this as well."

After hearing Wang Xuehao's explanation, the tense emotions among the team members eased considerably.

Wang Xuehao seized the moment to encourage: "With so many experts here, this negotiation will surely succeed."

Upon hearing his words, the elders in the team waved their hands repeatedly: "Captain Wang, please don't say that; we already have enough pressure."

"Yes, this is talking with demons; if it were ordinary people, it would be fine, but we have lived most of our lives and have hardly ever interacted with non-humans."

"Now our shoulders bear the future of billions; just thinking about it feels heavy, pressing so hard I can barely catch my breath; when I once met multiple foreign presidents, I never felt this way."

"It's not just that relying solely on Great Xia's unilateral effort to resist the impending heavenly and earthly catastrophe in such a short time would be extremely difficult; the key still lies with the demons of Longyuan Mountain."

"Therefore, this negotiation is extremely important! Various resources are basically no longer a worry, but we fear that plans may not keep up with changes."

Another member, upon hearing this, slightly nodded, his expression full of agreement: "Who says otherwise? Our Great Xia is vast and rich in resources, but its population is also very dense."

"If it were only a month or so of harsh extreme weather, relying on Great Xia's current foundation, gritting our teeth, we could still endure it."

"But we fear things are not as simple as we imagine; if the Earth's orbit shifts, if geological disasters emerge endlessly, or even if a prehistoric-level destructive catastrophe erupts, where would we go then?"

Thinking of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, everyone fell into silence—such a disaster could not possibly be stopped by human effort, no matter how many resources were stockpiled.

Even if underground shelters were built, billions of humans could not all enter underground; most would be unable to escape catastrophe.

But could the small portion of humans living underground truly be safe?

It's impossible to remain hidden underground forever.

Therefore, this journey to the Longyuan Mountain Range, whether from a strategic perspective or for the future, holds immense importance for Greater Xia.

"Putting it broadly, Greater Xia's future rests upon us."

The air grew increasingly still, each person's expression turning grave and solemn—such a statement was no exaggeration.

The relationship involved is truly immense.

Not only Greater Xia, but all of humanity faces an unprecedented catastrophe of annihilation-level severity, possibly even worse than prehistoric disasters.

Under these combined factors, Greater Xia's strength alone is absolutely incapable of resisting it.

This is a cultivation civilization! To them, time is merely a number; to Greater Xia, they are an unattainable existence.

No matter how they scheme, the gap cannot be bridged; the only correct path is to seek aid from the Great Demons within the Longyuan Mountain Range.

In modern parlance, that is to use magic to defeat magic.

One cannot possibly use technology to defeat cultivation.

Even if such technology existed, it would have to be extraordinarily advanced; no nation on Earth today possesses such technological capability, and even given several hundred more years, they could not catch up.

After the events of this period, everyone clearly understands just how powerful the forces within the Longyuan Mountain Range truly are.

The Hua Shan plane crash, the Changbai Mountain incident, the beast tide, the divine illumination sea area, Mount Fuji, and including the mountain demons of Longyuan Range undergoing tribulation in the magical capital—

All of these highlight one thing!

An unprecedented domineering power has emerged from nowhere!

The appearance of trans-era power will inevitably bring about an unprecedented transformation, capable of changing all of Greater Xia, even the entire globe!

For example, the previous steam age brought the Industrial Revolution, followed by the information age, in which everyone entered the world of electronic information.

Only by mastering this power might we possibly resist terrifying disasters, protecting our nation and people when heavenly and earthly catastrophes arrive!

In this, the most important is the Longyuan Mountain Range—it is Greater Xia's sole opportunity and the breakthrough point.

As the team set out, even the elderly leaders of the capital personally received them!

"Comrades, you bear a heavy responsibility on this journey, concerning the safety of all billions of Greater Xia's people!"

"This journey to the Longyuan Mountain Range has two tasks: one is to seek the Great Demon, express Greater Xia's friendliness and peace, seek more cultivation techniques, and related knowledge and skills, such as alchemy, qi cultivation, formations, etc."

"The second is to invite the numerous Great Demons of the Longyuan Mountain Range to descend the mountain and go to the Misty Capital Mountain City's Cultivation Academy to teach courses."

"Whether one or the other, both are of utmost importance, concerning the life and death of Greater Xia. I know this may be difficult for you, but as long as the Longyuan Mountain agrees, Greater Xia will spare no expense!"

Recalling the words spoken by the elderly leader and his earnest, hopeful gaze at parting, everyone's hearts grew increasingly heavy.

Spare no expense!

This is not only the elderly leader's idea, but also the idea of all of them!

From the moment they first saw the Great Demon of Longyuan Mountain, they had a premonition in their hearts—this is a power capable of changing the world.

Yet they did not expect this power to arrive so violently and swiftly, stirring up a whirlwind among Greater Xia's high officials.

"Worldly affairs are unpredictable, always surprising—who could have foreseen that heavenly and earthly catastrophes would occur?"

"The time left for us is truly not much."

Everyone sighed deeply; although it is clearly now the ninth month, looking across all of Greater Xia, the climate displayed in various regions bears no resemblance to autumn or winter.

Some people even wore short sleeves.

This abnormal weather is not only appearing in one place in Greater Xia, but even across the entire globe, which is gradually becoming hotter.

Those unaware might even think it is midsummer.

All of this aligns with what Longyuan Mountain previously said—Earth's orbit is favorable, temperature abnormally rising.

Not only Greater Xia, but other countries worldwide have also noticed this phenomenon, yet they have given it little thought, merely attributing it to the greenhouse effect, believing this year's weather has become hotter, causing cold air to be delayed.

In recent years, the greenhouse effect has intensified, polar glaciers have melted, and everyone has long since grown accustomed to it—who would have thought this is related to heavenly and earthly catastrophes?

But regardless of external conditions, within the Longyuan Mountain Range it is eternally spring, as before, making people feel extremely comfortable, as if some mysterious power controls all this, causing their reverence to grow ever deeper.

Everyone simply attributes this to the Great Demons, unaware that this place has long been transformed by spiritual energy, the air's magnetic field stabilized, so regardless of the outside world, this place is a self-contained world, utterly unaffected.

Gazing into the distance, lush green forests spread out like a vast canopy, covering the mountains between, truly a delightful scene to behold.

Yet no one has the mood to admire the beautiful scenery before them; instead, they are worried and anxious, brows furrowed.

Longyuan Mountain—will it truly agree to them?

Even though these are Greater Xia's top diplomatic personnel, they have no confidence in their hearts.

After all, the principle of negotiation is to understand both sides' needs and bottom lines.

Yet Greater Xia's information on demons is truly too scarce; they also have no idea what demons actually want, nor whether Greater Xia can afford to give it.

Demonkind and humanity are not the same species, nor can they be measured by human moral standards.

If they are willing to help, it is a favor; if not, there is nothing more to say.

An elder spoke up to break the silence: "Forget it, don't dwell on these unhappy things—no matter how much we think, it's useless."

"Even if we don't say it a myriad times, Greater Xia is still not bad—at least we've seized the initiative, knowing these things, compared to other ignorant countries, we might still not understand the situation."

"Indeed, just saying that Bureau Chief Hua used scarce resources to exchange for grain and steel—truly impressive, this mind works fast, no wonder he's in politics."

"Although those resources are precious, in the midst of all these disasters, they are fundamentally unimportant; conversely, grain and cotton are what humans truly need, after all, clothing, food, shelter, and travel—clothing and food come first."

"I don't know if, when they learn the truth, they won't vomit blood from anger—especially the Divine Illumination Country, heard they used nine-tenths of their domestic grain reserves to reserve our country's resources for the next few months."

"The Divine Illumination Country has wrapped itself in a cocoon; I can wait to watch the show—this black-hearted lot deserves it, always bowing to whatever the Pacifying Ghost Society, truly infuriating."

People in the team shifted topics and attention to each other, dispelling inner panic; everyone's mood indeed improved considerably, no longer as pessimistic as before.

Just as everyone was talking while continuing forward, faint rustling sounds came from the distant forest.

Wang Xuehao, who was walking at the front, had sharp hearing and was the first to notice something was wrong; he suddenly stopped and gestured to the people behind him.

Seeing this, the people behind, still unaware of what was happening, quickly called out: "Captain Wang, what's going on?"

Wang Xuehao held his breath and focused, listened carefully, then frowned and said: "I feel like there's some movement ahead."

As his words fell, the sound grew louder, until everyone could hear it clearly.

"Splash splash splash!"

The green leaves ahead were violently swaying, as if something was about to emerge, and for a moment everyone stared wide-eyed! (End of chapter)