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"If you hadn't dozed off in history class, you should know what the Old World was like a thousand years ago, when the spiritual forces were still active and the Church still held considerable power?"

"The church, the court, the monastery, and other institutions at all levels formed a tight system, with influence penetrating every corner of society. They claimed to own one-fifth of the land, and divine authority was above royal authority. When the Pope spoke, kings bowed down!"

"Nobody likes having another little father on their head, especially those powerful people who control the country."

The Church's power and influence have gradually declined over the centuries, not only due to the loss of its supernatural powers caused by the ebb of the elements, but also because of the tacit joint suppression by secular authorities in various countries.

In particular, its covert support for the separation of Protestantism from Catholicism dealt a fatal blow to the Church, rendering it powerless to interfere in secular politics.

Zhu Mingyao gave a slight, cold laugh, and then said:

"This is even more blatant in the Federation, a young nation!"

At the beginning of the Federation's founding, legislation was even passed prohibiting the propagation of Catholicism! Subsequently, it fully supported Protestant denominations, making them the de facto official faith, clearly demonstrating its resistance and wariness towards the old papacy.

"Now that the era of elemental resurgence has arrived, will the Holy Church, which once ruled over everything and was the only one of its kind, make a comeback?"

Compared to those increasingly active demons and monsters, this problem is probably the real concern of the Federation's upper echelons!

Therefore, the authorities will not leave any ammunition in their wake to prevent them from using this as a pretext to expand their influence.

This is a new era's struggle between royal and divine power!

"Clap clap." Henry Lai clapped his hands lightly twice, looking at the boy with satisfaction.

"To be able to deduce all this from such limited information, you have a keen sense of the federal situation. How about you consider doing some foreign affairs work with me?"

He sat up straighter and continued, "Mingyao is right. Cases involving supernatural powers have been frequent over the past ten years, and the federal government's resources are sometimes stretched thin. But when have you ever seen the government and the Holy Church cooperate on a large scale?"

The public education authorities have repeatedly and "enthusiastically" offered to take charge of handling some of the supernatural incidents, and even send people to help train federal personnel, but the authorities have never given a clear answer.

"It's easy to invite a god, but hard to send him away!" Henry Lai sighed.

"The Special Investigation Bureau dares to secretly formulate a joint training plan for superhumans with various Protestant sects because there are many Protestant factions, their systems are loose and they are not subordinate to each other, so the authorities can easily control them!"

"Try replacing them with Catholics. Will the trained personnel obey you or His Holiness the Pope of the Holy City?"

"These are all digressions, let's get back to today's matter." Perhaps feeling that he had gone too far off topic, Henry Lai brought the subject back.

"In conclusion, Elder Singh and Mrs. Laurent were merely there to make noise today."

The real main force is Archdeacon Johnson, or rather, the Catholic Church behind him!

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Chapter 61 The martial world is also a place of human relationships and worldly wisdom.

"On this occasion, as soon as Vice-Bishop Johnson appears, the Special Investigations Bureau will immediately take the initiative to smooth things over."

For them, more important than appeasing Venerable Red Sun, their external ally, was preventing the church from using the situation as an excuse to cause trouble.

"This case shouldn't have anything to do with them, so how is he going to use it as an excuse?" Bai Ziyuan was still a little confused.

Lai Hengli blew on the steam rising from his teacup, and without looking up, said, "How do you know it has nothing to do with them?"

At this moment, Zhu Mingyao suddenly interjected, "Is it because of that victim who was almost sacrificed in blood?"

"I remember that the cross she wore around her neck had an image of the crucified Christ on it..." the boy recalled.

"I understand! Wearing the Cross of the Crucifixion means she is a Catholic," Bai Ziyuan said with sudden realization.

Henry Lai nodded. "Her family are Sicilian immigrants, and the whole family are Catholics. After I got the victim's information, I immediately went to visit them and told them that the hero who rescued their daughter from the kidnappers was facing retaliation. I also gave them some condolence money in the name of the Chinese American Foundation."

They were happy to help, so I gave them directions.

—Go to the Cathedral of St. Angels and plead with the church.

Zhu Mingyao immediately understood. The Cathedral of St. Angels in Los Angeles is the residence of the Patriarch of the West Coast Archdiocese.

Devout believers came to the door crying, saying they had almost been kidnapped and murdered by an evil wizard. For the Catholic Church, which has been seeking to expand its influence in the Federation in recent years, this was like a pillow being delivered to someone who was sleepy.

Do you really have the ability to protect the believers of the Lord?

If it is really too much for them, the church, as the Lord's shepherds, can send people to take on part of the responsibility!

The boy could imagine that the clergy would probably say things like that with righteous indignation.

"That's the art of social interaction, that's what you call using minimal effort to achieve maximum effect." Lai Hengli downed his tea in one gulp, smacked his lips, and said:

“We are leveraging the influence of the Catholic Church! The Catholics also know that we are leveraging their influence!”

But they won't care; on the contrary, they'll cooperate tacitly, because doing so is in their own interest.

"The martial arts world isn't just about fighting and killing; it's about human relationships and social interactions." After listening to Lai Hengli's detailed explanation, Zhu Mingyao couldn't help but sigh.

"That statement is only half right. It should be said that the martial world is not just about fighting and killing, but also about human relationships and social interactions." Lai Hengli's expression turned serious as he instructed with a somewhat earnest tone.

"If your fist isn't strong enough, then all the social niceties and connections you have are meaningless!"

Just like today, what's the use of making things work out on the surface if we don't have enough strength to withstand that old guy's underhanded tactics?

Only by showing him that we have both strength and power, as we are now, can we completely eliminate future troubles.

The two quickly nodded in agreement, and Zhu Mingyao asked, "So this is the end of it? That old man won't cause any more trouble, will he?"

"They classified your actions as excessive self-defense, made you pay a fine, went through the proper procedures, and didn't record it in your personal information. It was just to give that old man some face. In the end, the Special Investigation Bureau gave you an advisor's certificate, which is considered to have semi-incorporated you. They might ask you to assist them in the future."

"You don't have to go if you don't want to; they have no right to forcibly recruit you. With this certificate, you can even earn a small consulting fee each year."

Henry Lai sneered. "Don't worry, if that old guy dares to cause trouble again, he'll be slapping the government in the face. The Federation won't tolerate someone who doesn't even want to be controlled on the surface. No matter how capable he is, he'll only be sent back to India in disgrace."

Anyone who has cultivated to this level is no fool. Would they risk offending both us and the federal government just to vent a little anger? Would they throw away their newly acquired high-ranking position and generous salary? They wouldn't be that muddle-headed!

Zhu Mingyao let out a long breath.

This result is quite good. With the system in my possession, I'll inevitably have to go out and find those demons and monsters to cause trouble in the future.

With this consultant certificate, you gain a semi-official status, which not only saves you some trouble, but after slaying those evil creatures, you might even be able to collect a reward from the Special Investigation Bureau—a win-win situation.

Zhu Mingyao first thanked Lai Hengli sincerely, then suddenly remembered something and casually asked:

"That old fellow, Venerable Red Sun, may not be the best person, but his strength is undeniable. I wonder what kind of price the Special Investigation Bureau paid to recruit him from India, thousands of miles away?"

Henry Lai shook his head and said nonchalantly:

"It's nothing more than throwing money and resources at it. Although the Federation has a short history and a weak foundation, it is powerful enough. With the green paper paving the way, what can't we get?"

Cultivators are human too, after all. They always seek rare treasures, magical techniques, and secret skills...

……

In the Special Investigations Bureau's meeting room, Davis looked at the Red Sun Venerable, who was sitting on the sofa with his eyes closed and remained silent, and said calmly:

"If you wish to continue meditating here, please stay. I must apologize for being unable to accompany you due to official business."

He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, stood up, walked to the door, paused, then suddenly seemed to remember something, turned back, and said lightly again:

“We have contacted Ms. Jones and found the whereabouts of your sect’s lost relics in her grandfather’s notes!”

Upon hearing the words, the Red Sun Venerable, who had been as still as a statue, suddenly opened his eyes, and two points of intense red light shone from his pupils...

The secret transactions that took place in the dark room had absolutely nothing to do with the young sorcerer who had resolved his troubles and greatly improved his skills.

At this moment, he is standing in his home, which he has been away from for many days, sweeping away the thin layer of dust that has accumulated on the floor.

The cleaning method is just a bit unusual.

Ten small wisps of cold wind rolled around on the floor and shelves, deftly dodging various antiques and miscellaneous items as Zhu Mingyao manipulated them, picking up the thin layer of dust and throwing it into the trash can.

After a while, Zhu Mingyao waved his hand and put the ten ghostly soldiers into his pocket. Looking at the completely transformed environment, Zhu Mingyao wiped the sweat from his forehead and muttered to himself:

"Diverting attention to multiple things and maintaining precise control is still a bit of a stretch."

"After activating the [Mind and Spirit Core], I've used up almost all my Karma Points. To maintain my current cultivation speed, I need to find new resources (demons and monsters)."

However, I'll give myself a couple of days off first. Things have been happening one after another lately, which has really made me a bit stressed. Zhu Mingyao decided to take a break and go to the school when he has some free time.

He hadn't forgotten that he was still an auditor in the Folklore and Mysticism program at South Jinju University.

Although I don't plan to continue my studies now, I still feel it's polite to say hello to Professor Charlie Dalton, who taught the course.

After all, this witty old man had been quite nice to me, and I could also take the opportunity to ask about the recent situation of his nephew Clay and his wife, implying that I was only helping them out of respect for him.

This isn't about repaying a favor or showing off; it's just how interpersonal relationships work in the Federation. If you do someone a favor, you have to let them know. If you help someone, you have to be open and honest, putting things out in the open so that others will think you're straightforward and trustworthy.

Zhu Mingyao pulled out his long-unused timetable from his desk drawer, checked it, and confirmed that he had Professor Charlie's class tomorrow. He then went straight out the door and headed towards the commercial street.

He plans to buy a few small gifts to say goodbye to his teachers and classmates.

Human relationships, comings and goings, past lives and present lives, East and West, all follow this pattern.

I'd like to recommend an author: Teeth, Power Surge (both pseudonyms). He's the author of the bestselling novel *Reidler the Wizard* on Chuanshu. Although he often prefers an outline-based approach due to his busy schedule, he has a deep understanding of fantasy. A few dozen chapters from each of his books can serve as an outline for a fantasy novel, which can then be expanded into a full book. Aspiring fantasy writers might find this helpful.

Chapter 62 Professor Charlie

The next day, Zhu Mingyao squeezed off the bus carrying several large plastic bags and a bulging backpack, and followed the sparse students into the university he had been away from for many days.

Southern California University is one of the few walled universities in the federal government. The reddish-brown cement brick walls and pointed metal fences tightly protect the entire main campus. This is because the surrounding neighborhoods are complex and crime-prone, and several incidents have caused the university considerable embarrassment.

Therefore, for the safety of teachers and students on campus, there are people on duty day and night at every entrance and exit. Although the school is nominally open to the public during the day, if someone's behavior is suspicious, they will inevitably be questioned by the guards when entering or leaving.

However, the boy, who had been auditing classes for almost a year, was already quite familiar with the process. He had long ago hung his student ID around his neck, and with his perfectly proper Asian student attire, even though he was carrying a lot of bags, no security guard bothered to come up and check.

It was early March, and the wisteria climbing the red brick wall had already sprouted tender green buds, trembling slightly in the spring breeze.

Zhu Mingyao bypassed several flower beds and lawns, and followed the path straight into a corner deep in the campus, where a lonely two-story old teaching building stood.

Looking out the window, Zhu Mingyao saw that the class in the large classroom on the first floor had not yet ended. He found a bench in the corridor, put down his bags and sat down.

They accidentally bought a bit too many gifts. Although the weight was nothing to a teenager who had already entered the extraordinary realm, the sheer size and quantity made them a bit of a hassle to carry. This Nanjin University wasn't Hogwarts, and Zhu Mingyao couldn't very well use a levitation spell or something similar to carry them around in public.

"Supernatural abilities like 'Hidden Universe in a Sleeve' can only be used by cultivators at least at the True Person realm. Spatial artifacts are too precious and priceless. What if I get some spoils of war but can't carry them all? I can't exactly drive a big eight-wheeled truck out to subdue demons and monsters..." Looking at the pile of things he had bought, the boy's thoughts began to wander.

After a while, accompanied by a few crisp bell rings, the class in the classroom ended, and a dozen young men and women of different skin colors surrounded a short, chubby old man wearing a dark blue coat as he walked out.

"Oh, Mr. Milyo! What are you doing here?" The old man greeted Zhu Mingyao with a hint of surprise and warmth when he saw him sitting on the bench.

“I heard from Clay that you inherited the family business, and I thought you wouldn’t be coming back.”

Zhu Mingyao shrugged and made a playful gesture:

“Dear Professor Charlie, even though I am leaving, as your student, even if I am just an auditor, I should at least say goodbye to you formally and thank you for your care over the past year.”

"Besides, I remember promising to treat you to authentic Eastern handmade pastries, not those so-called modified versions that cater to stereotypes." He winked and picked up a plastic bag.