This is what an immortal should be like

Chapter 231 Breaking the Mold: Immortal Traces
After the sounds of gunfire and explosions subsided, the smoke from the scene gradually began to dissipate over a considerable period of time.

Everyone watched the location of the monster with great tension, and no one could forget that feeling.

Although peace had lasted for decades, the soldiers present were usually well-trained, yet they experienced such intense fear at that moment that their limbs became unresponsive.

Cameras from all positions were pointed in that direction, and many people were staring intently at the screen from a great distance.

As the smoke and dust thinned, the crater, which had expanded more than once, gradually came into view. The cameras on the ground could not capture the specific situation, but in some places, bits of flesh with fur could be seen.

The aerial view directly captured the interior of the crater, revealing a scene of utter devastation. Broken flesh and blood were scattered everywhere, and the giant wolf's body was mangled, with bones exposed in many places.

When they saw this scene, everyone watching the screen breathed a sigh of relief.

"First group, put on your gear and go forward to assess the situation. Be careful!"

The dozen or so people who had been preparing on the perimeter began carrying their equipment toward the ravine. Upon reaching the slope, they put on their protective suits and helmets and began to climb.

The closer they got to that location, the faster the hearts of the first group of a dozen people beat, and a faint sense of oppression began to become more and more obvious, starting from an illusion.

"It should have been eliminated by now, right?"

"I don't know, be careful!"

The teammates communicated through the internal radio headsets. A dozen or so people jumped over some craters, carefully climbed up, and then faced the monster again.

Compared to remote filming, these dozen or so people are now in close proximity to the monster. Everyone feels extremely oppressed, and even has some difficulty breathing. This is not an illusion.

In their view, the crater was filled with flesh and blood. The monster's condition was even more horrifying than what was shown on the screen; a puddle of blood had already seeped into the ground beneath its body.
"We have reached the target area. We are now checking for vital signs!"

The lead warrior reported the situation, then made a gesture and led six of them closer to the monster's body.

For some reason, even though they were wearing protective suits and gas masks, they could still smell a peculiar stench. However, since they were all well-trained soldiers, this was nothing to them. On the contrary, the oppressive feeling of the monster was very uncomfortable.

"Hiss. Hiss. Hiss."

It was a faint but distinct sound of wind, like an old bellows with many holes in it. All six people could hear it when they got close enough.

"He's still alive!"

The leader of the first group shouted in surprise on the communication channel, which immediately made everyone's hearts tighten.

How can he still be alive?

"Retreat immediately!"

The on-site commander almost immediately gave the order to prepare for a second round of fire support, but the voice of the first group leader came through again.

"No, I don't think it's necessary!"

The leader of the first group was carrying a relatively lightweight camera, but due to the current technology, it still weighed several kilograms. The footage was shaky before because of the problem of moving forward, but he overcame his nervousness and aimed the camera at the right position.

At that moment, the camera feed in the team leader's hand was switched to the main screen of all observers.

Behind the camera is an unusually broken yet visually striking monster body. The sound of wind comes from its exposed lungs, though only half of them remain, riddled with holes.

"Gulp, gulp, gulp."

As the team leader approached, another faint sound appeared on the screens of all observers simultaneously with the video signal through the audio equipment.

It was a heart that was still beating, but with each beat, more blood spilled from the broken heart.
What incredible vitality!

Many people were astonished and exclaimed in surprise.

As the team leader moved the camera, the scene shifted to a head riddled with blood and flesh, but with relatively intact bones, and a huge, blood-red wolf eye slowly turned towards it.

The person carrying the camera clearly took a step back, but instead of running away immediately, they moved even closer.

The wolf's mouth was already broken, but at this moment the monster actually spoke!
"Heh heh. You, you ants, how could you possibly be like this?"

The sound stopped abruptly, and the heartbeat and the throbbing breathing gradually disappeared.

The other group members had also approached by this time, and soon the voice of the first group leader came through the public communication channel.

"Vital signs have been confirmed to have disappeared, there is no radioactive contamination, and other biochemical toxins are being investigated."

At that moment, almost everyone breathed a sigh of relief, even the scientists.

Soon, as some simple test results came out, more and more people began to approach the body.

Pieces of monster flesh, blood, and fur scattered everywhere were collected, both for scientific research and because Xiong Xuguang said that if the monster corpses were not properly disposed of, they would easily breed miasma if left exposed for a long time.
-
Clearly, while this decision was somewhat risky, it played a decisive role in confirming many of the Bureau of Extraordinary Investigations' current speculations and some of its findings, especially the confirmation of Xiong Xuguang's past life information.

The so-called risks are inevitable in the long run; it is impossible to expect all research to be safe.

Furthermore, because of this incident, the Bureau of Extraordinary Investigations launched a major research project, which was named the Reincarnation Department.

With Xiong Xuguang's case as an example, many people have realized that there may be more possibilities for the continuation of life, or rather, the continuation of one's own existence.

Of course, an important report was still necessary.

About a week after the Laohuaishan incident, while Laohuaishan was still under lockdown and the subsequent impact was being observed, the Bureau of Investigation held another important meeting. This time, leaders from the highest level of the Great Yan Council also participated in the video conference.

The main presenters were several experts from the Bureau of Investigation.

While studying the corpses of monsters, many experts and scholars who were originally required to teach or participate in other research work at the university all turned down their official jobs and took leave for various reasons, some normal and some bizarre, all rushing to the Bureau of Extraordinary Investigations, vying to participate in the research.

Seven days is neither a long nor a short time, but it has already yielded enough results.

"According to the latest research findings, some of the secrets of the No. 1 demon have been revealed. Its physical strength is astonishing, and its vitality is incredibly strong. Under that level of attack, the corpse and the scattered bones that were recovered were eventually able to be pieced together relatively intact."

The biologist mainly explained the monster's powerful physical structure, the toxicity of its tissues and blood, and the nature of its internal organs. However, after listening to a long explanation, someone from the Supreme Council, unusually, interrupted the speaker. When the warning lights came on, the biologist stopped speaking, and one of the screens in the conference room enlarged to reveal a highly respected elderly man.

"From a biological perspective, we certainly know the power of this kind of life. Although ancient legends are now considered superstition by most people, our understanding of monsters in the Great Yan Dynasty is still inherited from our cultural roots."

The old man paused for a moment, then continued.

"The monster's power is undeniable, but our weapons and equipment are capable of eliminating it. However, we should also figure out why our soldiers didn't act immediately. I heard from the military's report that the soldiers' hands and feet were out of control at the time."

Upon hearing this question, many people looked towards a spot in the conference room of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, where Xiong Xuguang stood up.

"Minister, I'll answer this question. I believe none of my colleagues here are more suitable than me!"

Xiong Xuguang has a degree in psychology, but that's not enough compared to the experts. However, he is also the reincarnation of a member of the Fengling Sect, which gives him a very special position in the current Bureau of Investigation.

Xiong Xuguang glanced subconsciously at the military leader sitting with the dean, took a deep breath, and gave his answer.

"Our warriors were not cowardly. The fear they felt earlier stemmed from spiritual energy, or rather, from a suppression of their souls. The reason demons are so terrifying is the deadly threat posed by this demonic energy and malicious invasion, which made our warriors almost unable to move at that time."

"Moreover, by my master."

Xiong Xuguang paused slightly as a jumble of images flashed through his mind, some modern, some ancient, some showing his wife now, some showing his former junior sister, and some showing the old man in the white light. This caused a brief moment of confusion and bewilderment in his thoughts.

No one made a sound, and after a few breaths, Xiong Xuguang regained his composure.

"I'm sorry, it might be due to memories from a past life, but lately my mind and thoughts have been a bit muddled. Let's continue!"

"Moreover, the demon sealed by that ancient master of the Sealing Spirit Sect was no ordinary demon. According to my fragmented memories, it had successfully undergone tribulation, and its demonic power was extraordinary. Of course, after the long years of sealing, it was already injured, and its power had almost completely disintegrated. That's why we didn't see it use many demonic techniques last time, but its physical strength was still terrifying, and its speed was also very fast."

The speed was not just very fast. Although it looked much better to the people on site, from the camera's position at the time, to many people watching on screen, the monster's movement seemed to disappear suddenly.

Someone asked the question instinctively.

"How strong would it be under normal circumstances?"

Xiong Xuguang looked serious.

"It was very powerful! Killing it at the time would have been difficult or extremely risky, so we chose to seal it away!"

When Xiong Xuguang became the presenter, it seemed that many people wanted to ask questions. There were quite a few people raising their hands at the scene of the Investigation Bureau, and several indicator lights lit up behind the split screen of the big screen.

During this period, Xiong Xuguang was both a researcher and a participant, as well as the person being studied. He was well protected by the Bureau of Extraordinary Investigations, and even his colleagues could not easily contact him.

At this moment, Xiong Xuguang did not evade the questions and answered them one by one. In addition to the questions about the demons, many of these questions also concerned himself.

Do you still remember your old name? Your name from your past life?

"To be precise, it may not be a past life, but perhaps one of my past lives. However, for reasons that are well known, that life left a deep impression on my soul. In that life, I was Xuan Qingzi, the personal disciple of the Fengling Sect's leader!"

Do you still remember the spells?

"I still remember some of it, and I even recited part of it from memory during the last meeting. The 'Sealing Spirit Record' was once a closely guarded secret of the Sealing Spirit Sect. At the time, I actually had some psychological burden, but I knew that I was Xiong Xuguang."

At this point, Xiong Xuguang also shared some rather exciting news.

"Moreover, this also proved that the Fengling Sect's seal retained at least a trace of its power, which, even after being shattered, aided our counterattack at the time."

Everyone understood what was happening, and some even nodded subconsciously.

"So, although it's only a fraction of what it was at its peak, the fact that some of that spiritual light still has a lingering glow suggests that other immortal lineages might still have clues. The group of immortals who left behind the Xuan Turtle must have had cultivation levels far beyond my imagination, probably even surpassing the experts of the Fengling Sect back then. Those immortals must have had other backup plans!"

Even if Xiong Xuguang didn't say it, some people had already thought of it, and the atmosphere within the Bureau of Extraordinary Investigations of the Imperial Observatory hadn't been that heavy during this period.

At that moment, someone suddenly asked a question.

"So, besides your wife, do you remember any other cultivators? Has the Fengling Sect been destroyed? Do you remember any other sects, or can you recall their locations?"

The same question had been asked of Xiong Xuguang countless times during this period, and he could only smile helplessly this time.

Just as he was about to answer, Xiong Xuguang seemed to lose his composure again. This time, he frowned, held his forehead, and took a long time to calm down. Images flashed through his mind, making it impossible for him to remain calm.

In the corner of the conference room, Zhuang Lin and the others sat there, unnoticed by anyone.

"We can't cram any more 'memories' into Xiong Xuguang. There's a limit to how much a person can take. It's fine if an ordinary person just treats it as a dream and doesn't care, but if he actively immerses himself in research and exploration, he's likely to drive himself insane."

These are Zhuang Lin's words: You can't just fleece one sheep at a time.

Zhou Xianglin nodded in agreement.

"Let's skip the rest of the scenes and not ruin this young man's chances. Let's move straight to the breakthrough phase!"

Zhuang Lin glanced at Zhou Xianglin, then looked at Xiong Xuguang.

"it is good!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhuang Lin pointed towards where Xiong Xuguang was, and a glimmer of spiritual light instantly entered Xiong Xuguang's spiritual platform.

This scene is invisible to ordinary people, but the camera seems to have captured something special. On the screen, a faint white light appeared above Xiong Xuguang's head.

This brief moment was like Xiong Xuguang having a fleeting dream amidst his chaotic and dazed thoughts, or perhaps just seeing a glimpse of a scene: his master taking him and his junior sister to visit someone, bowing to several Taoist priests in front of a magnificent Taoist temple.

Although the image is short, the Taoist temple plaque is crystal clear.

Before anyone present could ask if the white light they had just seen was just their imagination, Xiong Xuguang suddenly looked up.

"I've got it! I remember now, the Taiji Yin Yang Temple is in Jingzhou!"

(End of this chapter)