Reborn as a lotus, she initially refuses to hand it over to the state.

Wang Jun remained silent for a long time before finally sighing.

"I understand. For now, Lin Qingxue will be under observation and protection."

Zhou Zhenshan nodded: "Notify Su Wan that Lin Qingxue's information is classified as top secret. Any domestic or foreign forces that contact Lin Qingxue without permission will be treated as high-risk infiltration."

"Yes."

The order was quickly relayed, but the atmosphere in the conference room remained heavy.

The beast tide in Nanjiang City has not completely ended, and the problem at Chixia Ridge is becoming increasingly bizarre.

The Qinglian Forbidden Zone expanded again at this time, and all the events piled up at once, making it almost impossible for the people in the Ninth Inning to breathe.

Zhang Xuanling looked at everyone, remained silent for a moment, and then took out a yellowed scroll from his wooden box.

The edges of the scroll are severely worn, and the paper is yellowed, indicating that it has been preserved for many years.

Zhou Zhenshan looked at him: "What's this?"

Zhang Xuanling placed the scroll on the table with both hands: "An old treasure of Longhu Mountain, 'The Return of the Spirit'."

The expressions of everyone in the conference room changed.

Zhang Xuanling said, "This scroll is not a magic book, nor can it make one an immortal instantly. It records the understanding of the three treasures of the human body by the Taoist predecessors."

"Essence, Qi, and Spirit. Essence is the foundation, Qi is the furnace fire, and Spirit is the master. If the three are not in harmony, the stronger the spiritual energy, the easier it is to self-destruct."

At this point, he looked at Zhou Zhenshan and said, "Director Zhou's previous failure to forcefully break through to the fifth rank was probably not due to insufficient spiritual energy, but rather because his qi, blood, spirit, and spiritual energy were not truly unified."

Zhou Zhenshan's eyes narrowed. These words almost hit the nail on the head regarding the key to his failure. When he forcibly attempted to break through to the pseudo-fifth rank, his spiritual energy had indeed reached its limit.

His own blood and qi could not withstand it, and his spirit could not fully control that power. In the end, the spiritual energy backfired, causing his realm to drop to the late stage of the fourth rank, and he still could not break through to the fifth rank.

Zhang Xuanling continued, "I dare not say that this scroll will definitely help someone reach the fifth level, but it may help Director Zhou avoid some detours."

Zhou Zhenshan looked down at the scroll of Daoist scriptures, and no one in the meeting room spoke.

After a long while, Zhou Zhenshan picked up the Taoist scroll and said, "Thank you, Celestial Master."

Zhang Xuanling shook his head: "It's not just for Director Zhou, but for the future of all the people of our Dragon Kingdom."

These words sent a jolt through everyone in the meeting room.

Zhou Zhenshan said no more. He left the conference room with the Dao Scroll. Deep inside the Ninth Bureau headquarters, there was an old courtyard house.

This was originally an old courtyard left over from before the spiritual energy was restored, and there is an old locust tree in the courtyard.

A cup of cold tea sat on the stone table.

After failing to break through to the pseudo-fifth rank, Zhou Zhenshan often recuperated here.

At this moment, he is sitting under the old locust tree.

Zhang Xuanling, Elder Ye, and Wang Jun stood not far away.

No one bothered us.

Zhou Zhenshan laid out "Refining the Spirit and Returning to One Chapter" on his lap.

He read through the pages one by one.

At first, he remained calm, but gradually his breathing slowed.

The previously disordered spiritual energy within the body began to flow slowly in a certain rhythm.

Qi and blood are like a furnace, spiritual energy is like a tide, and spirit is like a sword.

The three forces, which were originally independent, are now showing signs of converging.

Wang Jun watched nervously and subconsciously lowered his voice: "Old Ye, there's a reaction."

Elder Ye remained silent, only staring at Zhou Zhenshan. Zhang Xuanling said solemnly, "Don't disturb him. This step can only be taken by himself."

A sudden gust of wind picked up in the courtyard.

The old locust tree swayed without wind, its leaves rustling, and the tea on the stone table rippled.

Zhou Zhenshan closed his eyes, and his consciousness seemed to return to the moment when he broke through to the pseudo-fifth rank.

Tearing, pain, backlash, failure.

He once thought he was only one step away from the fifth rank.

Looking back now, he realizes that he was just using his psychic powers to forcefully break down the door.

The door was indeed forced open a crack.

But his body and mind simply couldn't withstand the force behind the door.

A trickle of blood suddenly seeped from the corner of Zhou Zhenshan's mouth.

Wang Jun's expression changed drastically: "Director Zhou!"

Zhang Xuanling raised his hand to stop him: "No, if we cut him off now, he will surely die."

Wang Jun's body stiffened.

He could only forcefully suppress the urge to rush over.

Zhou Zhenshan's aura began to fluctuate violently.

His old injuries flared up completely at this moment.

Tiny bloodstains appeared on his chest, arms, and back, and many images flashed through his mind.

The civilians who died in the first spiritual energy tide.

The streets of Nanjiang City were ravaged by a beast tide, and the towering blue lotus on Heilong Mountain.

The polluted tiger king in the snow and wind of Changbai Mountain.

There are also countless ordinary people asking questions in despair online.

Is there any hope for mankind?

Zhou Zhenshan let out a breath.

If there is no road, then he should take the first step.

At this moment, the three forces within him finally began to merge.

Qi and blood are no longer just qi and blood, spiritual energy is no longer just spiritual energy, and spirit is no longer suspended high outside.

When these three elements converge, it's like refining gold in a furnace.

boom!

A terrifying aura erupted from Zhou Zhenshan's body, causing the ground of the entire courtyard to tremble.

The leaves of the old locust tree in the courtyard instantly curled up.

Immediately afterwards, a golden-red beam of light shot into the sky from deep within the Ninth Bureau headquarters.

Soaring straight into the sky.

The purple moonlight above Beijing was violently shattered.

In the night sky, a blurry figure seemed to appear.

The figure was not clear, yet it gave people a feeling of towering height.

Countless people in Beijing witnessed this scene.

Someone was standing on the balcony and didn't even notice when their water glass fell to the ground.

Someone poked their head out of the shelter, staring blankly at the golden-red pillar of light in the sky.

Some people stopped in the hospital corridor, and a child pointed to the night sky and asked, "Mommy, what's that?"

The woman, holding her child, said with tears in her eyes, "I don't know, but Mom doesn't think it's a monster."

On the street, many people took out their phones to take pictures.

The internet exploded instantly.

A gigantic pillar of light appeared in the sky above Beijing!

Is a new restricted area emerging?

No, I was nearby, and I felt that aura was very warm.

I cried, I don't know why, I just felt like someone was supporting us.

Could it be that a powerful individual on the human side has also broken through to a higher level?

at the same time.

Ninth Bureau Headquarters.

Zhou Zhenshan opened his eyes.

In that instant, all the violent aura emanating from him vanished.

The golden-red pillar of light then dissipated.

The courtyard fell silent again.

It was as if everything just now was an illusion, but Zhang Xuanling, Elder Ye, and Wang Jun all knew that it was not an illusion.

Zhou Zhenshan has truly made a breakthrough.

Wang Jun's voice trembled: "Director Zhou, you..."

Zhou Zhenshan looked down at his palm, which was no longer trembling.

The hidden injuries left from forcibly breaking through to the pseudo-fifth rank were completely suppressed at this moment.

He said, "Fifth rank."

Upon hearing Zhou Zhenshan's admission, Wang Jun's eyes instantly reddened. Old Ye took a deep breath, his voice somewhat hoarse: "Humanity has finally reached the fifth rank."

Zhou Zhenshan looked at Zhang Xuanling and said gratefully, "Thank you, Celestial Master Zhang, for bestowing this magic."

Zhang Xuanling smiled and said, "Director Zhou, there's no need for that. I'm just doing what I should do. A strong nation makes a strong people. Nanjiang City is currently facing a beast tide, and the people are suffering terribly. Your ability to reach the fifth level means that Nanjiang City can be saved."

Wang Jun said, "Director Zhou, you've just broken through, and your body isn't stable yet. You'd better rest for a while."

Zhou Zhenshan shook his head: "I just broke through to the fifth level. My realm is not unstable. On the contrary, I have benefited from the misfortune. I feel that my energy and spirit have reached an unprecedented level."

He stood up straight, his long hair falling to his shoulders, clearly indicating he was in his seventies or eighties.

But now Zhou Zhenshan has the face of a thirty-year-old man, with a full head of long black hair, giving people a transcendent feeling.

Just by standing there, a strange and wonderful fragrance emanated from his body.

"According to ancient Taoist texts, when ancient sages achieved physical immortality, their bodies would emit various special fragrances. Congratulations, Director Zhou."