Chapter 709 - 660: It Must Be Done! (4)
Lai Zhuge’s voice trembled slightly as he spoke, nervously watching for any change in Qin Fan’s expression. But he was soon disappointed. Aside from a slight furrowing of his brow, Qin Fan’s expression remained unchanged.
This plunged him into a state of anxiety. If Qin Fan refused to intervene, could he handle the Demon Dragon Energy on his own? He hadn’t truly witnessed its power himself, but the fact that the group of Masters sent as reinforcements had all perished before their mission could even begin was proof enough of its horror.
Leaving aside the question of whether they could even handle the Demon Dragon Energy, success would undoubtedly come at a devastating price. Lai Zhuge didn’t want to take that path unless it was absolutely unavoidable. However, at this very moment, only two options lay before him.
One was to ask Qin Fan to go and display his might, to see if he had a solution. If even Qin Fan was powerless, then their only other choice was to risk everything to halt the Demon Dragon Energy at the border of Jiangdong, even at the cost of their own lives. After all, if the Demon Dragon Energy were allowed to spread, the entire region could be turned into a Purgatory on earth in minutes. Furthermore, if Qin Fan chose to simply stand by and watch, they would have no other option but to proceed, even knowing it was a suicide mission. Therefore, his only hope now rested on Qin Fan.
After that trembling plea, Lai Zhuge pressed on, "Master Qin, will you come with us? With you there, we would at least have some confidence, some assurance!" At his words, every Master in the conference room stared at Qin Fan, awaiting his reply.
Qin Fan, however, was lost in thought.
Demon Energy? Demon Dragon Energy? Sealed Demon Dragon Energy?
At these words, an irrepressible excitement began to stir deep inside him.
The path of Cultivation isn’t sustained by Spiritual Energy alone. Dragon Energy and Divine Beast Energy often have effects far more potent than mere Spiritual Energy! But back on the Cangqiong Continent, where could a Cultivator possibly find Dragon Energy or Divine Beast Energy to absorb for their Cultivation? Besides, legends say that not every Cultivator can adapt to Dragon Energy or Divine Beast Energy. If the energy backfires, it could cause the user’s body to explode at any moment! But I’m not considering such extreme possibilities right now. A covetous restlessness is surging up from the depths of my heart. If I could refine that Demon Dragon Energy and combine it with the Crystal Cores from the Qiantang River Jiao and the Yamata-no-Orochi, my Cultivation would definitely soar to the peak of the Golden Core Middle Stage! I might even be able to break through the threshold into the Late Stage! The key is that it has to be real Dragon Energy. It doesn’t matter if it’s from a Demon Dragon or a Divine Dragon—as long as it’s Dragon Energy, it will work!
As these thoughts raced through his mind, a look of excitement began to spread across his face. Under these circumstances, he would never miss such an opportunity, even if Lai Zhuge hadn’t asked.
He snapped back to reality and looked at Lai Zhuge. "What did you just say?"
The entire room fell silent at Qin Fan’s question.
Finally, Lai Zhuge broke the eerie silence with a nervous repetition. "Master Qin, we were hoping you would agree to travel with us to Xiangjiang to investigate the Demon Dragon Energy. With you there, we’d not only have more of a guarantee, but our chances of successfully dealing with it would be much greater!"
Qin Fan didn’t answer directly, changing the subject instead. "How long did you say until it begins to spread?"
"Barring any surprises, it will begin to spread from its seal in five days at most," Lai Zhuge replied, his voice tense and solemn. "As for when it might reach us here in Jiangdong, that’s still hard to say."
"Go to Xiangjiang and wait for me. Observe the situation for now. I’ll join you on the evening of the third, or the fourth at the latest," Qin Fan said solemnly, suppressing his excitement. "Remember, do not make any rash moves before I arrive."
"Master Qin, you’ve agreed?" As Qin Fan finished speaking, Lai Zhuge’s eyes shot wide open, his voice trembling. It wasn’t just him; everyone’s intense gaze on Qin Fan sharpened.
Chuckling softly, Qin Fan shook his head without offering a direct reply. "You all head out first and monitor the situation," he said. "As long as the Demon Dragon Energy hasn’t started to spread, things are manageable. If you notice any signs of it spreading, let me know. Is there anything else? If not, I’m leaving." With that, Qin Fan stood up.
"Good, good, good!" Lai Zhuge exclaimed, overjoyed with relief. He quickly stood as well. "Master Qin, I’ll see you out!"
"Master Qin, we’ll see you out!" the other Masters echoed, all rising to their feet.
Qin Fan just smiled and shook his head. Without another word, he turned and walked out, followed by a grand procession of the top figures from the Lingnan Fengshui Association. This was a first for the association in many years; no one had ever received such treatment before. Qin Fan was the first.
To the stunned amazement of the other staff members, Qin Fan was escorted out like a king being seen off by his court. Only after the Bentley started up and sped away did the onlookers finally tear their eyes away.
"Lai Shenxiang, what’s our next step?" a Master asked after Qin Fan had gone.
"Go back, pack your things, and grab your gear! We leave for Xiangjiang in two hours!" Lai Zhuge commanded gravely, then flicked his hand and strode briskly toward his private office.
The Masters exchanged knowing glances, nodded in silent understanding, and quickly dispersed.
This left the junior members of the association completely bewildered. What in the world just happened? And what does it have to do with Xiangjiang?
It wasn’t just them; to this day, neither the authorities in the Forbidden City nor the officials in Xiangjiang were aware of the situation. After all, it involved matters that were difficult to explain with science. Informing the officials would be useless. If even people like them couldn’t handle it, the authorities would be completely out of their depth.
Sitting inside the Bentley as it departed from the Lingnan Fengshui Association, Qin Fan couldn’t help but smile bitterly.
Looks like my schedule is completely packed. Deal with the Demon Dragon Energy in Xiangjiang. Go to the Medicine Valley and use their Spiritual Medicine Garden to mass-produce a batch of my own Grandmasters. Head to Europe to settle that score with the Werewolves and Vampires. All of these are pressing and unavoidable tasks.
He shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside. Instead of heading to the No. 1 Group to meet his parents, Qin Fan began to drive aimlessly through Jiangzhou City.
He hadn’t been driving for long when his attention was caught by a rear-end collision up ahead, forcing him to slam on the brakes. His gaze fell upon a striking, beautiful figure at the scene of the accident, who carried herself with an imposing, spirited air—every bit the equal of any man.
He thought for a moment and decided he couldn’t just ignore the situation and drive away. Although they hadn’t interacted much, she wasn’t a complete stranger. With this in mind, he pulled the car over to the side of the road.
Pushing the door open, he walked over with a leisurely, amused expression on his face.