Just as everyone was discussing, one of Xu Zhenxiao’s two disciples outside the door knocked a few times, the knocks were rhythmic, actually a sort of code.
Two knocks in quick succession, followed by a pause, then three more knocks.
Upon hearing this sound, Fu Daoyi and Song Xiangdong looked slightly puzzled.
But the old man with the cane, Xu Zhenxiao, his expression turned serious instantly.
"The third Pathfinder has arrived!"
"We can confirm the final destination is the Security Bureau!!"
Xu Zhenxiao stood up, his tone solemn and certain. In the airtight room, his voice echoed in Song Xiangdong’s ears like a tremor.
It was thought that there might be a change, but now with three Pathfinders present, it could be almost certain that the Security Bureau was responsible for resolving the crisis of the Celestial Master’s Mansion’s stone statues shaking.
"No need to think about it. Perhaps there is no legacy left behind. We set off tonight!"
Xu Zhenxiao spoke in a stern and determined voice, his unwavering gaze fixed on the two of them. After making his decision, he walked out with the aid of his cane.
Fu Daoyi and Song Xiangdong were left in the room, clearly unprepared and somewhat dazed.
"What do I need to prepare? Paper, pen, ink, sword?"
"A military? Or airplanes and cannons?"
"I don’t know anything at all!"
After Xu Zhenxiao, the Supervisor, left, Song Xiangdong looked at Fu Daoyi, the Supervisor of the North China Region, and expressed his doubts.
In terms of military strength, Song Xiangdong indeed had substantial backing.
But he had no idea how to begin, what to use and what not to use, how to act, how to resolve this crisis - he knew nothing.
It was like an ordinary person being suddenly told one day that he was the chosen one to save the world, how could he not be confused?
Fu Daoyi shook his head and sighed. He was equally confused, though slightly better than Song Xiangdong.
In his heart, he firmly believed that the Sect Leader of the Celestial Master’s Mansion from hundreds of years ago could foresee the future. He had never doubted this.
Being one of the supervisors of the five major war zones, he naturally knew some Daoist heritage secrets unknown to the public.
"We can only take it one step at a time. How to resolve it, we’ll have to see first."
After speaking, Fu Daoyi also left the room, leaving Song Xiangdong standing there in confusion.
But time did not allow much for thinking, with dusk and sunset approaching, it was time to prepare an operational plan.
That night, a military plane took off from the local area, heading to the nearest airport to Dragon Tiger Mountain.
The moment it landed, it attracted a lot of attention from airport personnel.
It could be said it caused a considerable stir.
Many people took out their phones to film, reporters arrived shortly after to live broadcast, but Song Xiangdong had informed the local airport’s security personnel in advance.
In a short while, major reporters were intercepted outside, and travelers were notified that they could only watch and not take photos.
After all, it was quite rare for a military plane to land at a civilian airport.
After disembarking, more than a dozen military jeeps formed a row and drove over in an orderly manner.
At this time, a full moon hung high, the night grew deeper, nearing one in the morning, with few vehicles on the road, everyone was asleep.
Song Xiangdong and his team took the jeeps from the airport, heading straight towards Dragon Tiger Mountain without pause.
After two hours of travel, they arrived at the foot of Dragon Tiger Mountain around three in the morning, the surroundings were utterly serene, no one around except for a military helicopter waiting on an open ground.
Though the night was quiet with the pleasant sounds of crickets, under the foot of Dragon Tiger Mountain, dozens of jeeps’ lights illuminated the entire area.
The helicopter’s rotor started to spin, the engine roared throughout the mountains.
Xu Zhenxiao, Fu Daoyi, Song Xiangdong, two accompanying disciples, and three Pathfinders boarded the helicopter first.
If they had to climb the mountain by foot, it would take at least a day and a half for a strong person, resting midway for a night to reach the summit the next day.
But Song Xiangdong and the two elderly were far from their prime.
Despite Dragon Tiger Mountain being surrounded by mountains with its treacherous terrain and turbulent weather, the military helicopter’s performance and pilot training were outstanding.
Ordinary civilian helicopters couldn’t take off and land in such an environment.
This was part of Song Xiangdong’s early preparations.
The helicopter took off and in just over ten minutes, they arrived at the summit, landing in front of the vast Observation Platform.
Outside the Celestial Master’s Mansion, personnel from the Security Bureau had already arrived, including guards, all armed and standing in line to welcome them.
Xu Zhenxiao couldn’t help but glare at Song Xiangdong, feeling that such a spectacle was unnecessary in front of the Celestial Master’s Mansion.
Stepping off the Observation Platform to the door of the Celestial Master’s Mansion, they were greeted by Guantian Celestial Master, who had lit a lamp early to welcome them, and beside him was the current Sect Leader and Guantian Celestial Master’s direct disciple.
Seeing the old man with the cane, Guantian Celestial Master showed respect and saluted, Xu Zhenxiao returned the salute with Daoist gestures.
Fu Daoyi and the current Sect Leader exchanged greetings as well.
Song Xiangdong, not knowing what was going on, couldn’t tell much, only knowing the accompanying disciples by Xu Zhenxiao understood that the gestures varied by seniority.
Guantian Celestial Master’s respectful gesture towards Xu Zhenxiao was slightly above the forehead, indicating Xu Zhenxiao’s higher realm.
Fu Daoyi’s exchange with the current Sect Leader indicated they were of equal rank.
After some formalities, Guantian Celestial Master led the way, explaining the whole process of the incident along the way.
He also expressed his shock.
A few hours before their arrival, a helicopter suddenly hovered over the Observation Platform, from which dozens of armed special forces descended.
Someone handed a fax notice, Guantian Celestial Master learned that the final destination sought by the three Pathfinders was the Security Bureau.
He was deeply shaken!
This path-finding method was recorded in ancient texts passed down by successive Sect Leaders, but the final contact point was unknown to him.
They could not send people to follow the Pathfinders as it was taboo, only to wait quietly!
During this period, Guantian Celestial Master tried countless times to consult various ancient texts, but found no method to calm the statue’s anomaly.
Earlier, he had tried everything, yet couldn’t close the black hole swallowing the statues.
He recounted all these experiences to Xu Zhenxiao and his team in detail.
Though it was late at night, with a hint of moonlight faintly illuminating the way insufficiently.
Under these circumstances, dozens of elders from the Celestial Master’s Mansion stood along the road holding lanterns.
They finally reached the courtyard, before the black hole.
Dozens of lanterns lit up the entire courtyard.
Seeing the pitch-black, seemingly bottomless black hole for the first time, despite his mental preparation, Xu Zhenxiao stood stunned.
Fu Daoyi and Song Xiangdong were petrified, their eyes fixed on the roughly ten-foot-wide elliptical black hole.
A wooden fence had been set up around the black hole to prevent anyone from getting too close, as no one knew what danger it might trigger.
Guantian Celestial Master had sealed off the path up and down Dragon Tiger Mountain, making sure no one from the outside knew about the situation.
Even the special forces arranged by Song Xiangdong could only stand guard outside the Celestial Master’s Mansion.
Regarding the mission, Song Xiangdong hadn’t told them a word, maintaining the highest level of secrecy.
The group observed the black hole for over half an hour, increasingly feeling its depth and the absence of any light, the mystical way it appeared on the stone slab, swallowing the statues beneath, incredibly fantastical.
Such a miraculous phenomenon greatly shocked Xu Zhenxiao as well.
Near a century old, having seen the world’s grandness, he should have been undisturbed, but today he was visibly astonished.
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