My family tree hollow connects to the modern era : Chapter 34

Psychics, much like practitioners, have a class system, though their cultivation method is different. Without the guidance of predecessors, they must follow their instinct for power to improve step by step. Currently, they are categorized into three levels: entry, intermediate, and high. The two psychics who died while trying to capture Xianyu were only at the entry level.

Their country’s Psychics Management Bureau has a very mature “Extraordinary Human Project.” Anyone with a natural affinity for the power of the Five Elements can have their latent potential—their psychic ability—awakened through technological means. However, most psychics awakened in this way remain at the entry level for their entire lives because their natural talent is insufficient to allow for further cultivation. That is why the United States did not care about the two who died; as long as there is a need, they can manufacture entry-level psychics indefinitely.

Of course, this artificial manufacturing process is strictly resisted by the entire cultivation community. They must conduct it quietly under the guise of “awakening latent talent” and cannot violate the public convention in public. Otherwise, global practitioners would be able to ignore the treaty and wage war against them directly.

Ousen was different. He was a high-level psychic who could be ranked on the national stage, and he was the descendant of a family of “Shadow Masters.” The so-called Shadow Master family in the U.S. started by conducting assassinations. The psychic power they cultivate is of the Earth element, and they are most skilled at using Earth-based power to hide their aura and conceal themselves. They have their own cultivation methods that are not passed on to outsiders. Losing such a high-level psychic is a heavy blow for the United States. Since the loss has already been incurred, their next step is to pressure China and try to extract as much compensation as possible for losing a high-level asset.

In a special meeting room of the Bureau, Hel sat in a chair without saying a word, while the psychics who accompanied him were seated in a row below him. Hel was unaware that Eke—the blond man Bai Zhizhi had scratched—had colluded with Ousen and others to cause trouble for Bai Zhizhi. Hel had been busy haggling with Chinese practitioners over quotas, only to be informed that Ousen’s ability core had been destroyed. Since the fox was the one most likely responsible, Hel took the opportunity to demand an explanation through official channels. Since Ousen was already ruined, he might as well maximize the value of the “waste.”

The Bureau Chief sat in the center, and on the other side of the meeting table sat a row of practitioners, including various team leaders who hadn’t entered the energy field but happened to be in the capital for it. The atmosphere in the meeting room was cold, with the kind of tension that felt like a spark could ignite a war at any moment. Hel did not make a scene as he did before; some things could be won through arguing, but some things were more effectively achieved through silence. This time, he was determined to make the Chinese Bureau hand over Bai Zhizhi. He would make that fox pay the price for offending a powerful nation.

The team leaders on the other side looked at each other, feeling the pressure. If the Deputy Director personally went to find someone, this little fox demon was likely not just a key holder for the energy field; he probably had secrets they didn’t know about. Today’s matter was not going to end peacefully.

When Song Cheng walked in with Bai Zhizhi, the already tense atmosphere reached a breaking point. Bai Zhizhi scanned the room, his gaze finally landing on Hel, who hid his smugness behind a sinister expression. Bai Zhizhi followed them inside with a calm demeanor. Song Cheng signaled to his side, and several team leaders hurriedly stood up to clear two seats. Bai Zhizhi sat down without hesitation, looked at Hel, and then swept his gaze over the row of psychics beside him: “Did the one who got crippled not come?”

Hel raised an eyebrow and smiled: “We are here on a mission of diplomacy. You crippled our man; are you trying to declare war on our country?” The Bureau Chief glanced at Hel. Before he could speak, Bai Zhizhi chuckled: “Your ‘diplomacy’ involves framing others first, and when that fails, trespassing on my territory? And when you are outmatched and get crippled, you use your country to pressure me?”

Hel said: “What evidence do you have that we trespassed on your territory? I see you are just harborng hatred and taking revenge!”

Bai Zhizhi let out a “Wow”: “It’s my first time seeing someone who dares to do something but doesn’t dare to admit it.” Even the pups in his tribe wouldn’t do something like that; those who act but won’t own up to it are destined to be despised. Hel slammed the table: “Stop changing the subject! Your China crippled our U.S. psychic. If you don’t give an explanation, our country will terminate all cooperation!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than a crisp slapping sound echoed through the room, and Hel was sent flying backward. As soon as Bai Zhizhi acted, the U.S. psychics immediately tried to retaliate, but a small bell appeared out of nowhere. It flew to the middle of the table, gave a gentle shake, and with a loud “hum,” the group of psychics preparing to retaliate were forced to their knees by a powerful pressure.

Bai Zhizhi looked at Hel, whose mouth was full of blood after being slapped: “I didn’t intend to hold a grudge against you. After the Luoxia Creek incident, I promised Jiang Lin that as long as you didn’t provoke me, I wouldn’t remember it. What gave you the delusion that you could provoke me again and again?”

Song Cheng said: “Zhizhi, now, now.”

Bai Zhizhi turned his head: “You humans are truly disgusting; you flip black and white and dare not admit what you’ve done.” The Bureau Chief gave a light cough: “People are different from each other, and demons are also different, right? We can’t speak for others, but the practitioners of our China definitely wouldn’t do such things; we always dare to act and dare to admit it.”

Hel’s face turned ghastly pale. As he moved, another slap came from the air, knocking the man, who hadn’t yet managed to crawl up, until he saw stars. Bai Zhizhi raised his hand, and Hel was lifted into the air. His hands and feet were bound by an irresistible force, and even the psychic energy in his body seemed to be sealed off by something, rendering it unusable.

At that moment, a video call came in. The Bureau Chief glanced at it; it was the Director of the U.S. Management Bureau. Once he connected, the scene in the meeting room was broadcast to the other side. The U.S. Director looked at the situation and said: “Director Shang, Hel is representing our country to discuss the distribution of spirit soil with you. Doesn’t China have an old saying about not killing the messenger? In this situation, are you trying to take this to the International Court?”

Bai Zhizhi looked at the person on the big screen: “Are you the master of this group?”

The U.S. Director looked at the beautiful fox demon and smiled: “This is no longer a personal grudge between you and Hel, but a matter between two countries. Director Shang, I don’t think you want a moment of impulse to ruin the stability between our two nations.”

Bai Zhizhi looked at the Bureau Chief: “What stability? They are flipping right and wrong, and you still have to swallow your pride?” The Bureau Chief looked at the screen: “This incident was indeed initiated by your people. We can leave it at this, and we hope you know when to stop.”

The U.S. Director sneered: “If your practitioners were crippled on our territory, would you ‘know when to stop’?” Bai Zhizhi was about to speak but was pressed down by the Bureau Chief: “If it were our practitioners who provoked others first and were outmatched, I wouldn’t have the face to try and settle the score for them if they got crippled.”

The favoritism in his words was undisguised. The U.S. Director said: “Since that’s the case, please ensure the safety of Hel and the others. I will send people to bring them back immediately. Our cooperation will be paused until there is a result. You just discovered an energy field; I hope it contains what you want.”

They had been researching the energy field China just discovered for years. According to the data they possessed and notes left by predecessors who had entered, it was filled with strange stones and mineral mountains, but no spiritual plants. Mineral mountains are valuable, but this value pales in comparison to spirit soil that can grow spiritual items.

While they were talking, Hel felt the air he could breathe becoming thinner and thinner and began to struggle out of necessity. The U.S. Director saw Hel’s condition through the lens and said with a cold face: “Director Shang!”

Bai Zhizhi pushed away the Bureau Chief who was holding him: “What are you shouting for! He offended *me*. I’m the one who decides whether to let him go or not. China or America, this is now a matter between my Fox Tribe and your Human Tribe.” He then turned to the Bureau Chief on the practitioner side: “I won’t make things difficult for you. What were you cooperating with them on? Spirit soil? I have plenty. Begging them is not as good as begging me.”

With that, Bai Zhizhi threw out a small drawstring bag. He tilted the cloth bag in mid-air, and the black soil inside poured out. The rich spiritual energy made the practitioners in the room trance out, their bodies instinctively beginning to absorb it and circulate their spiritual power. The U.S. Director’s expression changed. He couldn’t feel if it was spirit soil through the screen, but seeing the practitioners’ reactions, it shouldn’t be fake. More importantly, he saw the storage device holding the spirit soil very clearly.

They had yet to understand spatial energy, and since they didn’t know the principles, they couldn’t manufacture storage devices. The existing ones were all left by predecessors and found in energy fields; their numbers were naturally very limited. Despite the U.S. controlling so many energy fields, they possessed fewer than ten. This fox actually had a storage device, and he coveted that even more than the spirit soil.

The small cloth bag seemed bottomless, and the spirit soil poured out with a rush, quickly piling into a small hill in the meeting room, burying the kneeling psychics until only their heads were visible. The Chinese practitioners were both surprised and happy, not knowing what to do. Being buried in spirit soil like this in their lifetime was something they could smile about in their dreams.

As the room was about to be submerged, Bai Zhizhi sat on the table, put away the pouch, and looked at the white-haired old man on the screen: “Now, I will give you two choices. One, the conflict between Hel and me. Two, the conflict between my Fox Tribe and your United States. You choose one.”

The Bureau Chief on the side timely interjected: “Sorry to interrupt, but the key to the newly discovered energy field was provided by Bai Zhizhi. Director Wells, the final list of who can enter needs to be decided by Mr. Bai Zhizhi.”

The U.S. Director’s expression shifted several times before he finally smiled: “Adults should be responsible for their own actions. Hel, since this matter is because you were outmatched, you should apologize properly.”

The U.S. Director hung up the video call. He didn’t know the fox demon’s hidden cards, but being able to take out so much spirit soil at once meant he was definitely not an ordinary demon. Although high-level psychics are valuable, it is not worth provoking a powerful enemy for them. He didn’t know if the Chinese demons were stronger than the Wolf or Vampire tribes; it was best not to act rashly until he knew the details.

After Wells hung up, Bai Zhizhi was stunned for a moment, then turned to ask the Bureau Chief: “Is he just… letting it go?”

The Bureau Chief smiled: “That should be the meaning. But Zhizhi, if they are willing to apologize and admit their mistakes, I wonder if you would be willing to be the bigger person and spare their lives.” Wells not caring didn’t mean they could ignore the situation; if Hel were truly killed, things would only spiral in a worse direction. Bai Zhizhi did not answer the Bureau Chief, but instead looked at Hel, who was restrained, tilted his head, and smiled while spitting out harsh words: “Your master doesn’t want you anymore.”