Chapter 22: Discerning the Finest Details, the True Vision to Distinguish Good from Evil (Part II)

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“The Special Security Bureau sent you here to negotiate with me, yet you dispatched a representative carrying such obvious hostility. Am I to understand that this is the attitude of the Special Security Bureau?”

“It seems I have been too lenient with you. I walked straight into your trap because I did not wish to disrupt social order or affect ordinary people, and I extended goodwill toward you. Yet you took that as a sign that I was weak and easy to bully. If this is the attitude of the Special Security Bureau, then I see no need for negotiations.”

“Whether you send the army to surround me or bombard this place until the ground is scorched, I will accept it all. I have been wanting to see what a body of flesh and blood can accomplish against modern weapons.”

“But you had better make certain you kill me in one strike. In ancient times, Heaven’s Court surrounded the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, yet failed to kill him. Instead, they helped him forge a body of bronze skin and iron bones and a pair of fiery, discerning eyes. He went on to wreak havoc in Heaven and fight his way into the Hall of Golden Chimes. Whatever the Great Sage Equal to Heaven could do, I can do as well. I only wonder whether, in this modern world, your Jade Emperor can still journey to the Western Paradise and invite a Buddha capable of subduing me.”

Yi Beidou’s tone remained calm, yet his words left Sun Hanlin and Zhou Baiwei utterly horrified. Their breathing grew rapid, and cold sweat streamed down their faces.

The increasingly terrifying killing intent and oppressive might emanating naturally from Yi Beidou made it difficult even for them to remain standing. Zhou Baiwei wanted to offer an explanation, but at that moment she did not dare utter a word.

If their mishandling of the situation truly led to such an outcome, even dying ten thousand times would not atone for their crime.

Given Yi Beidou’s temperament, he really might do it. Unlike the other experts who had attained sainthood through the physical body, most of whom retained some ties to the mortal world, he had only an aunt and a cousin. Judging from the present circumstances, he was completely beyond coercion. He would rather shatter like jade than survive like a mere clay tile.

Headquarters had made a mistake in its strategy. They should never have sent Ma Changping. Then again, who could have imagined that this man’s spirit would be so keen, as though he possessed some connection to the divine?

“Mr. Yi… please, do not become agitated. We were indeed lacking in our handling of this matter, and I apologize to you. Please believe that the vast majority of the personnel in the Special Security Bureau bear you no ill will. But within any organization, differing opinions are unavoidable, and we cannot make every decision unilaterally.”

“In truth, Ma Changping was only accompanying me. I am the one in charge.”

Sun Hanlin occupied a high position and quickly regained his composure. He bowed deeply to Yi Beidou as he spoke.

“Differing opinions? Unable to make decisions unilaterally? It seems your positions are not high enough, and your words carry no real weight. I said that if you wished to discuss matters in depth, you should find someone on equal footing with me. Do you think I am young and inexperienced, and therefore easy to deceive?”

Yi Beidou’s tone remained calm, but his gaze grew increasingly sharp, while the aura surrounding him became more and more dangerous.

“No! Absolutely not! Mr. Yi, I hope you can understand. Even our Director-General sometimes has no choice but to make certain concessions…”

Sun Hanlin hurriedly explained.

“Then your Director-General’s status is not high enough either. Tell him to find someone whose word is final. Your Special Security Bureau stands above Eastern China, governing both the cultivation world and the martial arts world. I refuse to believe that you have no true masters or sages capable of suppressing all opposition.”

Yi Beidou spoke with detached calm.

Sun Hanlin was about to say more, but Yi Beidou waved his hand and cut him off.

“Enough. You may leave. Do not come bother me again without reason. And pass along one more warning: the man I struck down will probably not survive three days unless he receives the assistance of an expert who has attained sainthood through the physical body. You had better hurry.”

With that, Yi Beidou turned and walked into the courtyard, returning to the villa.

Sun Hanlin and Zhou Baiwei’s expressions changed slightly. They hurried over to examine Ma Changping.

He lay limp on the ground, unconscious, his breathing somewhat labored.

Rip!

Zhou Baiwei tore open the clothing over Ma Changping’s chest. At the spot Yi Beidou had touched, dense black veins had spread outward in a web-like pattern.

“A soul-seizing technique! This man truly has no restraint whatsoever!”

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Sun Hanlin drew a deep breath, a helpless, bitter smile appearing on his face.

Before coming, he had expected the trip to go badly. Yi Beidou was probably not an easy man to deal with, and they might have to expend considerable effort.

But who could have imagined that the other party would be more than difficult to reason with? He had not even given them the chance to speak.

The other experts in the country who had attained sainthood through the physical body still showed some deference to the mortal authorities. At the very least, they remained polite on the surface. After all, immortals did not usually contend with the mortal world.

When the emperor summoned Zhang Sanfeng to court, Zhang Sanfeng had merely avoided appearing.

But this man was different. At the slightest disagreement, he threatened to wreak havoc in Heaven and overturn the world. This was already beyond anything they could handle.

Even more frightening was the possibility that he truly possessed the ability to do so.

“Take him back to the branch immediately. I will report everything to Minister Zhao at once.”

Sun Hanlin spoke in a grave voice.

“Director Sun, I am worried that something may happen here with Yi Beidou. Shall I stay behind and keep watch?”

Zhou Baiwei asked anxiously.

“That would be best. But do your utmost not to provoke him again. And, Little Zhou, be sure to keep yourself safe.”

Sun Hanlin pondered for a moment before finally nodding. He too was concerned that their arrival that day might have angered Yi Beidou and that the man might do something drastic.

“I know how to deal with him.”

Zhou Baiwei nodded.

Before long, Zhou Baiwei returned to Yi Beidou’s small villa.

“I told you not to bother me without reason. Did you not hear me?”

Yi Beidou turned his gaze toward her.

“I was worried they might actually send troops to surround and attack you, so I came here deliberately to offer myself as a hostage.”

Zhou Baiwei answered earnestly.

“Offer yourself as a hostage? They simply do not trust me and think I might strike first, so they sent you here to keep an eye on me, did they not? Besides, if it truly came to that, I would not need a hostage.”

Yi Beidou spoke calmly.

“How can you say that? My family has quite a bit of influence. If the time came, you could take me hostage. At the very least, that would ensure your aunt and cousin could leave the country safely.”

Zhou Baiwei replied.

At those words, Yi Beidou paused slightly, then nodded. He found her reasoning sound.

“Very well.”

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Got you!

A smile tugged at the corners of Zhou Baiwei’s lips. She felt that she was becoming increasingly adept at handling this man’s temper.

Yet in the very next moment, her vision blurred. Yi Beidou had already appeared in front of her, tapping her repeatedly across the body.

Her limbs went limp, and she collapsed to the floor. She felt utterly powerless, yet her consciousness remained clear.

“What are you doing?!”

Zhou Baiwei was horrified. She turned and saw Yi Beidou walk into the house. A short while later, he returned with a bundle of hemp rope from somewhere and tied her up.

“If you are going to be a hostage, you should at least look the part.”

Yi Beidou lifted Zhou Baiwei, who had been bound tightly from head to toe, and casually tossed her into a corner of the living room.

“Why did you tie me up? I am not going anywhere! Untie me at once. I have to use the bathroom!”

Zhou Baiwei shouted loudly.

“If you are not afraid of embarrassing yourself, you may relieve yourself where you are.”

Yi Beidou ignored her and turned to walk upstairs.

How could he possibly be so easily handled by someone else?

Meanwhile, at the Special Security Bureau headquarters in the capital, Zhao Ping received the information sent back by Sun Hanlin. His expression instantly grew solemn.

“He possesses a divine eye and can perceive good and evil… If he can perceive good and evil, can he also sense danger? Such a person is exceedingly difficult to deal with. Unless we are prepared to pay the price of throwing an entire city into chaos, there is no chance of capturing him. I never expected his spiritual perception to possess such an unusual quality. It seems my decision was indeed a mistake. I should not have sent Ma Changping.”

“At this point, this is no longer something I can handle.”

Zhao Ping let out a sigh.

Although he was the current Director-General of the Special Security Bureau, he was merely a representative. Many matters still had to be discussed and decided collectively.

It seemed he would have to trouble the person behind him.

He took out a backup phone and dialed a number.

The call rang three times before it was finally answered.

“Hello, Little Zhao. I am out farming. What do you need?”

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