My construction materials are weird

The Xia Capital's Department of Demon Suppression, headquarters.

Rarely, several ministers, deputy ministers, and experts were all present.

"Is the news online true?"

Bi Xia, the head of the Great Xia Department of Demon Suppression headquarters, asked.

An old Taoist replied, "I inquired with Daoist Ma from Nan City, and this matter is true. Moreover, Daoist Ma indicated there's another surprise, but it's not convenient to say for now. Daoist Ma wants the old Taoist to visit, and I am still considering it."

The one who answered was one of the three extraordinary individuals of the headquarters representing Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism: Taoist Master Jiutong.

"Why didn't Xu Ruyi report this to us?"

Asked Zhao Zhengdao, the first deputy minister.

The Department of Demon Suppression headquarters was filled with experts. The three deputy ministers and the minister were all third-order experts, plus the Dragon Master, making five on the surface.

"Xu Ruyi said he didn't know either. If it hadn't been exposed online, he would still be in the dark."

Said Han Wu, the second deputy minister.

"How is Xu Ruyi managing things? Such news isn't even reported to him by his subordinates. Is he getting too comfortable in his position as minister?"

Lamented Tang Zong, the third deputy minister.

Han Wu was silent for a moment, then said, "It was intentionally concealed by Jia Zhengyi, the deputy minister of Nan City. Furthermore, Jia Zhengyi suppressed Xuan Huang, and there is evidence indicating that this person hired the Wraith Qi Long to assassinate Xuan Huang. However, both Qi Long and Jia Zhengyi have disappeared, which is how this was exposed."

After these words were spoken, the high-level officials present did not speak rashly.

Although Han Wu's words seemed unremarkable, everyone understood the meaning behind them.

It wasn't just that a group of spirit masters in Nan City were wary of the rise of Immortal Martial arts threatening the status of spirit masters; there were also many at headquarters who felt the same way.

It couldn't be said that they were entirely wary of the rise of Immortal Martial arts.

What they cared about wasn't these things, but rather the different philosophies.

One was the Guardian faction, and the other was the Strongest faction.

The Guardian faction, like Xu Ruyi and others, possessed boundless love, treated everyone equally, and did their best to protect the clan, even without expecting anything in return.

Strictly speaking, even the Strongest faction was justifiable in the current environment.

It was impossible for everyone to be upright and selfless; everyone had their own selfish motives.

A small benefit that could help many people was fine.

But if it required sacrificing a lot to help others, that was impossible.

Those who were truly 'inhuman' like Jia Zhengyi were actually a minority in the Department of Demon Suppression.

Of course, Jia Zhengyi's dual identity as one of the leaders of the evil cult made this behavior normal.

So, to put it bluntly, even the spirit masters of the Strongest faction weren't necessarily bad people.

The truly bad and evil people had long joined various evil cults or become rogue cultivators; who would join the Department of Demon Suppression?

Those who joined the Department of Demon Suppression, no matter what, had some thought of saving the world and its people within them.

There wasn't much difference between the two.

However.

Once it involved different philosophies, people suddenly became strange, as if the slightest difference was a matter of life and death.

At this moment, after Han Wu finished speaking, those who understood the meaning behind it remained silent.

Afraid that their words would become the target of attack by another faction.

"Minister, Dragon Master, Deputy Ministers, esteemed elders. Our human race's development of a new extraordinary path cannot be ignored. All the ministers are busy. How about this: I, along with Grandmaster Minghui and Mr. Yan Lai, take a trip to Nan City to personally see this 'Xuan Master' who is both questioned and respected. What do you think?"

Taoist Master Jiutong had decided to go.

Regardless of what his friend Daoist Ma said, or his own path, since a direction had appeared, he had to personally investigate it.

If one didn't work hard for their own future, even the heavens wouldn't favor such a person.

"Indeed, regardless, it is ultimately a new extraordinary path for our human race. This person can be called 'Xuan Master.'"

Said the Dragon Master, who had been silent all along.

"Everyone, regardless of our philosophies, we gather together with the heart to help the world and its people. There are more and more anomalies, and the world is changing every day. Fellow Daoists and colleagues, let us put aside the disputes of philosophy for now and look forward, not backward."

Bi Xia stood up and cupped his fist towards the Dragon Master, saying, "Everyone, the Dragon Master is right. Disagreements in philosophy are just that. Don't you all still have the heart and expectations you had when you joined the Department of Demon Suppression? You mustn't forget them!"

Zhao Zheng replied, "Minister, you're being too serious. This Zhao joined the Department of Demon Suppression for the sake of Great Xia and this race. The ancients said 'loyalty to the ruler and love for the country,' which I used to scoff at. But I now agree with it, except this ruler is not that ruler, this ruler is this nation, this country. I think I am 'loyal to the ruler.'"

Han Wu smiled, "Minister Zhao is indeed eloquent. Being so 'loyal to the ruler,' how could you bear to exchange a few people for nearly ten thousand? Are those ten thousand not people?"

Tang Zong retorted, "Minister Han, you're mistaken. Minister Zhao simply doesn't want meaningless sacrifices. Since it's already impossible, preserving the strong is also for the better protection of the weak."

"Heh heh, impossible? Clearly, we could have saved nearly ten thousand people with just a little more effort. I'm not being stubborn or unable to distinguish right from wrong. If there's a real life-or-death crisis and a few spirit masters tactically retreat, I wouldn't say anything. But clearly, there was an opportunity, just a little loss…"

"Alright, everyone, stop. We're not discussing these things today."

Minister Bi Xia stopped Han Wu's words, even though he felt Han Wu was right.

Bi Xia said, "Since Taoist Master Jiutong, Grandmaster Minghui, and Mr. Yan Lai are willing to go, then we'll trouble the three of you."

"Esteemed elders, rest assured, the three of us will investigate carefully."

"Alright, meeting adjourned."

Bi Xia stopped the conversation cleanly.

Otherwise, they would definitely deviate from the purpose of this meeting and enter the struggle between the two theories again.

The Dragon Master helplessly shook his head and didn't say anything more.

Just acknowledging that Xuan Huang was honored as 'Xuan Master' was a kind of recognition.

…

Inside a dark cave, the cave was a mess.

Three lifelike puppets were placed in a conspicuous spot, and there were many incomplete limbs, dried bloodstains, and hideous expressions around them, making it exceptionally eerie.

In the center of the cave, a middle-aged man was sitting cross-legged, with several medicine bottles beside him.

Among them was the 'God's Blood' that Xuan Huang recognized.

With a sudden tremor, the middle-aged man opened his eyes.

"Xuan Huang, you will die a miserable death."

This person was none other than 'Jia Zhengyi,' or Gou Jianren, the Hall Master of the Devil Puppet of the demon believers.

"What kind of method is this that even my divided soul is imprisoned, with no chance of escape?"

Gou Jianren was still afraid when he thought about it.

It wasn't that he hadn't encountered puppet dolls being killed before, but only the puppets died, and it couldn't hurt him, so the loss wasn't great.

But this time, being imprisoned and besieged by Xuan Huang even destroyed his divided soul.

For nearly half a month, he had almost exhausted all his accumulated life-saving methods to stabilize his divine soul.

During this time, the devil puppet almost completely lost control, which was extremely dangerous.

This led to his disappearance for half a month. The news of Xuan Huang had spread, but he had not yet reported the situation to the demon believers church.

"Hmph, wanting to kill me? What a pity. The Gou Jianren I am believes in caution, stability, and patience. The person who wants to kill me hasn't been born yet."

"I even have to thank you. After this crisis, I will go one step further. Xuan Huang, wait for death."

After saying that, Gou Jianren quickly changed, and only a puppet was left sitting cross-legged in the cave, while the real person disappeared.

…