Cultivation: Being Immortal Chapter 766

Penglai Continent, Wanghai City

Lin Jiang reached Wanghai City, as Cao Ying conducted a high-level Tao Achieving conference in Huaxia. On this occasion, Cao Ying intended to exploit Lu Xuan’s incident for sorting out internal issues.

Since this matter concerned the Lin family directly, Lin Jiang showed up to steer clear of suspicion and dodge Lin Ying; he headed straight to Wanghai City.

Lin Jiang traveled along with the primary team. Huaxia had formally seized Lu Xuan’s operations, and Lin Jiang swiftly transformed them into his personal asset.

Originally intended for the Huaxia authorities, but with the exposed corruption, Lin Jiang grew displeased. Rather than handing the funds to those who would squander them, it proved wiser to entrust it to him. After all, Lin Jiang lived with genuine integrity, and these resources would ultimately fuel research efforts.

In recent times, Lin Jiang supplied roughly 30 to 40 percent of Huaxia’s research budget. Lacking his backing, at least half the initiatives would face shutdown.

"Ancestor, I messed up this time. Please discipline me."

Qiu Weidao spotted Lin Jiang and bowed low to offer his apology.

"How is this linked to you?"

"Regarding the disappearance case on Penglai Continent…"

"That was an enemy ploy; it’s unrelated to you. Stop shouldering the fault."

"Thank you for your leniency, Ancestor."

Qiu Weidao sensed relief washing over him. In this incident, his accountability weighed heavily. Should anyone target him aggressively, he might truly fall from grace.

"Keep up the good work, Qiu Weidao. Though I’m advanced in years, I’m no fool. I can tell who’s diligent and who’s stirring chaos."

Lin Jiang clapped his shoulder. In truth, Lin Jiang grasped much about Huaxia’s inner workings. He overlooked the corrupt ones since human flaws were inevitable. If the waters ran too pure, no fish would thrive; he comprehended this principle. Yet, accepting funds demanded diligent performance and due diligence. One couldn’t treat it lightly.

Thus, Lin Jiang required a sharp tool, and that tool was Qiu Weidao. This explained why countless reports against Qiu Weidao over the years failed to topple him. Provided Qiu Weidao avoided rash actions, his position stayed secure.

Following some conversation, the pair entered Lu Xuan’s hidden facility, where a crowd assembled, and various pertinent specialists had convened.

"We salute the two esteemed ones."

"Brief me on Lu Xuan’s activities."

"Sir, Lu Xuan appears to have pursued biological studies."

"I’m aware it’s biological research, a vast field indeed. I require finer details."

"Affirmative, it involves gene editing and cloning."

"Tsk tsk, forbidden techniques both."

Lin Jiang noted that Huaxia had explicitly outlawed these pursuits.

Gene editing faced the initial prohibition, for straightforward reasons: legalization would allow affluent families to alter their offspring’s genes. Consequently, the elite’s heirs would all become prodigies, widening the gap for common folk. Wouldn’t the wealthy then dominate utterly?

Deprived of such opportunities, the underprivileged would see their lineages doomed without hope, fostering deep injustice. Lin Jiang instilled a rebellious ethos in Huaxia, sparking rising unrest to keep the powerful in check.

Cloning clashed with ethical and moral standards. For instance, did clones possess rights? If yes, how to delineate them? If no, what status did they hold? Moreover, risks of misuse in illicit schemes loomed, prompting Lin Jiang to impose a total ban on such investigations.

"Proceed, inform me of Lu Xuan’s progress in these areas."

"Yes, sir. Lu Xuan personally erased the lab’s records. Detailed logs elude us; we rely on residual hints for inferences. We suspect his advancements surpass ours in Huaxia by a wide margin."

"That remarkable?"

"It’s less his prowess and more our restrictions on this tech. Unfettered, Lu Xuan ran over a hundred live trials per the traces, acts of sheer brutality. The outcomes were savage, yielding at least over a hundred clones, though most met destruction at his hands, likely as flawed rejects."

"Qiu Weidao, can you verify the viable clones and gene editing achievements?"

"Not yet confirmed. We’re attempting to breach his AI’s central database. Success there might yield insights. Lu Xuan undoubtedly employed computers for his work, yet he could have wiped data or powered down at key junctures."

Qiu Weidao explained that Huaxia’s AI had seized control of Lu Xuan’s system, yet penetrating the core files remained a separate challenge.

"I won’t meddle in the operational details. State your required assistance, and I’ll furnish it."

Lin Jiang responded steadily. He embodied an ideal leader; avoiding micromanagement, he supplied resources and aid without undue meddling.

·········

"Ancestor, an arrival approaches."

At Wanghai City’s shoreline, Lin Jiang caught the words from nearby. Without glancing up, he gestured for his attendants to withdraw.

The visitor turned out to be Li Qing.

Lin Jiang felt astonishment too; what brought Li Qing here now? Was she angling for control?

"Ancestor Lin enjoys such leisure, basking in the sun still."

"Li Qing, we’re hardly close acquaintances. What brings you to me?"

"I came expressly to mock you."

"Mock me? I fail to see what’s amusing about my situation."

"The mighty Huaxia, unrivaled globally, routed at Tianya Mountain Base by a demonic force. Thousands perished, the top guardian commander slain. Even two Tao Achievers required Space Battleship aid; how humiliating and ridiculous!"

Li Qing jeered; indeed, her purpose was pure derision toward Lin Jiang, nothing more.

Upon hearing the report, exhilaration surged through her, like gulping chilled cola amid scorching heat. After endless years, witnessing Huaxia’s plight filled her with delight.

"Such a spectacle"

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

"Figure it out!"

"Are you mocking me?"

"Rubbish, if not you, then who? Keep blabbering, and see if I won’t strike you."

"Go on then, give it a shot."

Li Qing fumed intensely, glaring icily at Lin Jiang, who showed no inclination to evade.

He lacked the drive for combat; not inability to overpower Li Qing, but sheer disinterest. Victory offered zero gain.

"Ancestor Lin, rumors say this Lu Xuan is the same one who staged his demise long ago on my Ying Continent?"

"What further schemes do you harbor?"

"Should it be Ying Continent’s Lu Xuan, then this territory belongs to me by right."

"Have you lost your mind? If I brush off your words, do you truly presume to claim my domain?"

Lin Jiang flared up too, rising abruptly to fix Li Qing with a fierce stare. Was she mad? Did a mere connection suffice to seize Lu Xuan’s vast expanse spanning tens of thousands of miles?

What audacity fueled such claims?

"I’ll relinquish my territory claims, but I demand Lu Xuan’s computer data."

"Forget it; mark my words: any attempt to extract gains from me invites battle. Weigh Ying Continent’s might and your odds."

Lin Jiang warned sharply. He recognized Li Qing lacked the boldness for territorial grabs; her true aim was Lu Xuan’s findings.

"Lin Jiang, originating from my Ying Continent, Lu Xuan’s discoveries ought to benefit us there by logic."

"Is that so? Being Ying Continent natives, shall we discuss Lu Xuan’s atrocities? Your folk from Ying Continent slaughtered thousands of my Huaxia cultivators. Doesn’t that justify all-out war?"

"Lin Jiang, dare you ignite conflict? Recall, the demon race lingers, and mutual strife would leave us both weakened…"

"Spare me the drivel. Both weakened? Against you? Do you deem yourself a match?"

Three Tao Achievers make you formidable? Rest assured, a single command from me could submerge all of Ying Continent.

"Are three Tao Achievers so grand? Know this: Huaxia boasts twelve Tao Achievers…"

"You…"

Li Qing faltered upon hearing of twelve Tao Achievers. Assembling three for Ying Continent had drained her efforts, believing it rivaled Huaxia. This revelation stunned her.

"Well? Care to provoke war? Speak up if so; I endorse it."

"I apologize for my impudence. Farewell."

"Return and offer a proper apology, bow deeply, waist bent right. What’s that glare? Insincere remorse, and I’ll raze your Ying Continent."

Lin Jiang berated, and beneath his piercing gaze, Li Qing submitted with a humble bow and regret.

"That’s merely an issue."

Lin Jiang bellowed furiously, "Isn’t this begging for punishment?"

It held no relevance to Li Qing or Ying Continent; she ventured here solely to invite reprimand. Truly pathetic.

Qiu Weidao materialized swiftly, likely alerted to Li Qing’s presence.

"Great Ancestor, has Ying Continent sent representatives?"

"Indeed, Li Qing appeared. She sought Lu Xuan’s research yields from me. Isn’t she absurd?"

"Utterly absurd. We haven’t secured them ourselves, and Ying Continent has strutted arrogantly in recent years."

"Hmph, a modicum of power, and they fancy themselves invincible. I disdain clashing with them; else, I could crush them outright."

Lin Jiang remarked, aware of Li Qing’s tireless labors over decades. Ying Continent’s power surged rapidly, outpacing Qingyun and Zhou Liao. Yet, to Lin Jiang, such might appeared pathetically feeble.

"Ancestor, I grasp the plan. Should they pursue formal talks, I’ll have officials rebuff them."

"Fine, handle your duties. I’ll resume sunbathing."

Lin Jiang dismissed with a wave; the affair merited no ire. He refused to let it interrupt his relaxation.