’This is true Five Elements Perfection.’
Chu Bai slowly opened his eyes. Deep within his pupils, the five-colored streams of light no longer flickered alternately, but instead merged into an extremely profound, almost chaotic Dark Gold hue.
With the Five Elements now perfectly balanced, the Spiritual Power in his body was instantly purified to an astonishing degree.
If his previous Magical Power was a rushing river, then his current Magical Power was a heavy slurry of mercury, every single strand containing a terrifying explosive force sufficient to shatter solid rock.
Moreover, with the Five Elements forming a self-sustaining, endless cycle, the surrounding Spiritual Qi would spontaneously surge into the apertures all over his body even when he wasn’t actively cultivating. His cultivation speed had risen by another significant notch compared to just six months ago.
’I’ve finally reached this step.’
Chu Bai felt the power within him—filled to the brim, as smooth and perfect as a pearl—and his mind became utterly clear.
Water and Earth complete, the Five Elements were now gathered.
At this point, his foundation in the Qi Cultivation Stage had been polished to its absolute limit, with no room for further progress.
Only one last step was needed for Perfection.
Within the courtyard, the Five Element Spiritual Energy intertwined in mid-air, forming a faint, rosy glow.
As the final wisp of pure Water Qi from the [Abyssal Spring Pearl] flowed into his meridians, the great Five Elements cycle within Chu Bai’s body let out a clear chime, like the sympathetic resonance of zither strings.
At this moment, he sat on the stone couch, his aura as profound as an abyss and as steady as a mountain. After achieving Five Elements Perfection, his Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer Magical Power was no longer a violent torrent, but a deep, bottomless, yet extremely stable pool.
Just then, the sound of heavy footsteps came from outside the courtyard, along with Pang Song’s trademark booming voice.
"Younger Brother Chu, are you in seclusion? I have urgent business!"
Chu Bai retracted his aura, and the Spiritual Mist in Qingfeng Courtyard instantly dissipated by more than half.
He got up and pushed open the door, only to see Pang Song looking travel-worn, the hem of his official robe still splattered with mud. It was clear he had rushed back from outside the city.
"Brother Pang, seeing your condition, I presume there’s been a development regarding the Threadline Gorge matter?" Chu Bai led him to a seat and casually poured a cup of Spirit Tea.
Pang Song gulped it down, heedless of the heat, and chuckled. "Younger Brother Chu, you’re a true psychic. Ever since you captured that traitor Qii Pan last time, the Director has saddled my Demon Suppression Team with the task of tracking down the Wild Cultivators."
"You have no idea. Qii Pan was a tough nut to crack, but under the Law Net, we have methods like Soul Searching. We followed the meeting points he confessed to and staked them out for months in the barren mountains outside Anping County. We finally caught a big one!"
Chu Bai’s eyes flickered. "Oh? Did you catch the leader?"
"Not the leader, but a high-ranking member who has some say in the organization."
Pang Song’s expression turned serious, and his tone grew low. "That Wild Cultivator has a Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer cultivation. When he was captured, he even tried to sever his own meridians. I went through a lot of trouble to save his worthless life. According to the interrogation, the organization that has been lurking outside our Law Net has finally surfaced."
"This group calls themselves the Dharma Inheritor Disciples. Most of them are Wild Cultivators who are unwilling to be bound by the Receiving Talisman ceremony, or who were already fugitives for violating the Great Zhou Laws.
"They usually gather in small groups, scattered at the intersections of Water Veins and barren mountains. They don’t have a unified command, but for the assassination of the Water Uncle, they were temporarily assembled under some kind of secret order."
Chu Bai’s hand, holding the teacup, paused slightly. "Dharma Inheritor Disciples?"
"That’s right."
Pang Song nodded, a trace of wariness in his eyes. "Moles like Qii Pan, who they’ve infiltrated, are merely their spies placed within the Government. The core members of this organization are all Wild Cultivators who broke through on their own, refusing to be bound by the Receiving Talisman."
"They revere the True Spirit who was slain back then as their founder, and their slogan is ’Reclaim the Dharma of all living beings, shatter the false Celestial Net.’ For years, they have been lying dormant in the Land Without a Master on the borders of Qingzhou. Assassinating the Water Uncle was just one part of their plan."
Chu Bai pondered for a moment, then asked, "Did this captured Wild Cultivator reveal their hiding place?"
"Chaotic Bone Ridge, at the border of Anping County, Dayuan Prefecture, and the neighboring County."
Pang Song said in a low voice, "That’s a blind spot where the Law Net’s coverage is weak. According to his confession, a team from the True Spirit Association is stationed there."
"A dozen or so people in total. Their leader is codenamed ’Black Sheep,’ and he should be at Late-stage Qi Cultivation or Perfection."
Hearing this, not only did Chu Bai show no fear, but an unprecedented fighting spirit flashed in his eyes.
He had now achieved Five Elements Perfection, his Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer Realm was stable, and he also possessed Micro Level Magic Techniques and multiple Secret Techniques.
He had been worrying about not having a worthy opponent to temper himself against, to build momentum for the Celestial Examination a year from now.
"Chaotic Bone Ridge..." Chu Bai murmured softly.
"Younger Brother Chu, Director Zhang is already aware of this matter, but the Prefecture City is still bickering with the Inspection Department over the ownership of the Water Uncle’s Seal, so they can’t send reinforcements for now."
Pang Song looked at Chu Bai and said with some hesitation, "The Director’s meaning is that since this Wild Cultivator organization acted right under our noses, we naturally have to give our superiors an explanation."
Chu Bai slowly stood up. His originally gentle aura instantly became as sharp as a blade, and the Jade Treasure Gourd at his waist let out a cheerful hum.
"Since we have the information, there’s no need to wait for the people from the Prefecture City."
Chu Bai looked at Pang Song, his tone calm yet filled with an unquestionable dominance. "Brother Pang, gather the men. I’ll go with you."
As dusk fell, a grim and murderous aura filled the Martial Arts Arena of the Anping Evil Suppression Department, startling the nearby birds into flight.
Chu Bai and Pang Song stood side by side. Before them, two hundred elite guards stood in neat formation, dressed in dark teal martial attire and clad in light black-iron armor.
Among them, one hundred were the "Demon-slaying Guards" led by Feng Qin and Hu Hao, and the other hundred were the "Demon Suppression Guards" under Pang Song’s command.

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