"This invitation for you, Mr. Shen, is for a special guest. Less than thirty of these have been distributed worldwide." Seeing Shen Yun looking unimpressed, Director Lu offered a hint. "Perhaps you could check the back. We've printed a little gift there. There will also be a grand Cultivator exchange meet. After all, our country has a long history and profound heritage. I believe it won't disappoint you."
"Oh?" Shen Yun was somewhat curious.
He turned the invitation card over, revealing an intricate pattern plated in Dark Gold on the back. He had absolutely no idea what it was, which made him panic a little.
"What in the world is this?" he wondered. He reasoned that since the other party called it a gift, it had to be something good. Should he act dismissive? Or thrilled? Or say something else entirely?
"Master, this is an Array." Xiao Jiu's voice rang out in his mind.
Standing to the side, a flash of surprise crossed Xiao Jiu's eyes as the Thunderfire Golden Core within her spun frantically. As a mobile phone turned demon, her computational power was far beyond that of an ordinary Golden Core. In mere moments, she had completely analyzed the relatively simple Array. However, what truly surprised her was the Array's underlying concepts and operational methods, which differed entirely from the Heavenly Dao Law of this world.
"Master," she reminded Shen Yun through their mental link. "This is not a legacy from this world."
"What do you mean?" Shen Yun asked in his mind.
"It means that this Array most likely comes from an Otherworld."
"Huh?" Shen Yun couldn't help but gasp softly. An Otherworld! He realized a second later that he had made a sound out loud, so he simply maintained his surprised expression and looked up at Director Lu. "There's actually an Otherworld?"
Director Lu's expression drastically changed.
"Holy crap! What the hell!" he thought in absolute panic. "The Otherworld's existence is the nation's greatest asset and current top-secret information! Yet this man saw through it in an instant, just from a single Array!? Is this big shot really that powerful? But over a dozen of these invitations have already been sent out across the country! This is an emergency; I must report it immediately! It's far too early for the Otherworld to be fully exposed!"
A cold sweat instantly broke out on Director Lu's forehead. Bureau Chief Zhao, standing beside him, was equally astonished, waves of shock surging through his heart.
No one in this era was a fool. An Otherworld was equivalent to aliens. Did they possess relics from this Otherworld? Or living creatures? Or was it simply a portal? What exactly did the Otherworld look like? Was it connected to the resurgence of Spiritual Qi? It was completely unknown; the concept of an Otherworld meant anything was possible.
"Mr. Shen, this is a classified matter, so I cannot reveal too much." Director Lu pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his forehead. This response was essentially a tacit admission, but he cautiously lowered his voice and added, "We had originally prepared a small, private exchange meeting during this grand event. Please remember not to leak this information to the public, Mr. Shen. After all... it's best to keep our heads down and make a fortune in silence."
For him to even use a phrase like "make a fortune in silence," one could imagine the absolute panic ravaging Director Lu's mind. Fortunately, this Array was precisely designed to bait the interest of domestic Cultivator elites. The invitations sent abroad didn't have this feature.
"Don't worry, I know what's at stake." Shen Yun was just as shocked inwardly, but he maintained a blank expression and simply nodded.
An Otherworld. He felt a bit troubled. It seemed that until he understood the situation clearly, he couldn't afford to just cower. Bowing out at the right time was wise, but never fighting for anything was just plain foolish.
Shen Yun's reassurance finally set Director Lu's mind at ease, though his gaze remained somewhat resentful. "If you understood what was at stake, you shouldn't have just blurted it out so casually!" Director Lu complained inwardly.
Of course, he didn't dare say that out loud. Today, he had once again experienced the massive disparity between Cultivators. In his eyes, this Array was nothing more than an incomprehensible pattern. Yet, this man had held the Array for less than ten seconds before recognizing it wasn't a product of this world. It was no wonder he could forge a Golden Core. Some people were simply beyond comparison. Taking a moment to adjust his breathing, Director Lu finally calmed down.
"Mr. Shen, is there anything we can help you with in your daily life?" Director Lu spoke with increasing caution. Times had changed. They needed to tie these elite Cultivators down with mutual benefits as much as possible, making them feel cared for without crossing any bottom lines.
"There is." Shen Yun thought for a moment and nodded, pointing at Xiao Jiu. "Xiao Jiu is someone I... brought back from abroad. She's of Chinese descent... Could you arrange an identity for her?"
At this, he couldn't help but look a bit troubled. Xiao Jiu's background was completely untraceable. Even though he was currently shielding her with the aura of a Golden Core expert, it would still be troublesome if she was suspected of being a spy or something similar.
"Master..." Xiao Jiu's voice silently transmitted into Shen Yun's mind once more, laced with a hint of sweetness. "Jiu'Er can manipulate foreign networks to create a fake identity profile. With Master covering for me, there's no need to worry about Jiu'Er."
"Can she really do that?" Shen Yun realized. But then again, Xiao Jiu was a mobile phone turned demon; it wasn't strange that she could control the internet.
Director Lu glanced at the stunningly beautiful maid standing nearby and understood. No wonder there was no record of this person in their files. Shen Yun had probably kept her hidden out of fear that she would be flagged as an illegal immigrant. It seemed this rogue Golden Core big shot was quite the young romantic.
"Please rest assured, Mr. Shen." Director Lu smiled softly and nodded. "We understand your concerns. In recent years, all sorts of shady characters have indeed been flooding into the country. However, to borrow a phrase from the cultivation world, destiny is on our side. We certainly have the capacity to be accommodating."
He planned to investigate the girl's identity once he returned. If it was just a matter of illegal entry, it wouldn't be a big problem with Shen Yun backing her. After all, someone with weak willpower who could be easily seduced would never forge a Golden Core in just three years. Mindset, comprehension, and aptitude were all indispensable.
"Thank you," Shen Yun said softly.
Suddenly, he found himself liking this era just a little bit. In the past, people had to rely on their family backgrounds and connections. Now, one could truly rely on their own merits and reach heights previously deemed impossible.
"Though I'm only relying on my phone right now, I still have to work hard," he reminded himself.
"It's the least we can do. Is there anything else?" Director Lu beamed. For a moment, the atmosphere in the room was exceptionally harmonious.
"There's also the water and electricity issue in my house," Shen Yun said, feeling much more relaxed. "I've lived here for a long time and have grown attached to it, so I can't bear to move away. But last night's Celestial Tribulation destroyed the utility lines. Other than that... I suppose there's nothing else."
Director Lu finally snapped to attention. He stared blankly at the TV screen, which was still displaying a video game, utterly speechless. Nevertheless, he nodded in agreement; these were all minor matters.
The group chatted about a few other trivial things. Suddenly, the faint sound of several wolf howls drifted in from outside. It sounded as though they were gradually drawing closer.