World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 376: No More Disturbances in the Western Lands
The overly enthusiastic "fans" who came to welcome him nearly knocked Wang Sheng off balance. In the end, he had no choice but to release a surge of enchanted power to push the excited young ladies away. After clasping his hands in thanks, he immediately used his enchanted power to step onto Flying Haze and soar into the sky, bringing along Xiaomiao.
Worried that Wang Sheng hadn't fully recovered from his injuries yet, Shi Qianzhang and Liu Yunzhi followed him closely behind. Meanwhile, Huai Jing had originally intended to return to Europe and stir up trouble with the Daoist masters there. He mainly just came back to protect the weakened Wang Sheng.
The "Pride of the Daoist Sects" and "The New Era of Sword Cultivators' Role Model" being ambushed while he was vulnerable would be explosive news.
Huai Jing hurried off to find officers of the Special Warfare Unit, asking if any support squads had been deployed. He also wanted to seize the chance to earn some battle merits.
Dale, who could not fly through the skies, ended up being left behind. Since the Sword-Smashing Squad had completed their mission, she no longer had to follow them. Moreover, during the previous operations, the Special Investigation Unit's hope of using Dale to gain some support from the Light Faction proved fruitless.
Now, she could only watch Wang Sheng and the others leave in a slight daze.
She already knew that the Hua Republic's cultivation world had begun to act against the Light Faction. However, since the matter did not involve the Cecil family, it didn't deeply bother her. Earlier on the road, she had received repeated phone calls from the Light Faction elders she had once begged for help. They had pleaded for her to arrange a private meeting with the Hua Republic officials.
Dale firmly rejected their request with clear reasoning.
"You rejected all my requests for help and attempts to persuade you. I'm merely returning the favor now. Do not talk to me about ideals or belonging. You can only blame yourselves for your mistakes; neither I nor my family should bear them. I wish you the best. May God be with you." 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎
Her stance was firm. All that mattered to her was her family's interests.
For the Cecil family of the Gelan Empire, getting to stay out of this storm was already the best possible outcome. Dale wasn't even worried about whether their family would one day face revenge from either the Light Faction or the Dark Faction. The closer they were to the Hua Republic, the more those bullies, who always preyed on the weak and feared the strong, would think twice before messing with them.
Having lived in the Hua Republic for so many years and obtained permanent residency, Dale naturally understood the true terror of the Hua Republic's cultivation world. Not only were they powerful, but they could become even stronger.
Her fingers brushed her lips as she straightened the long hair that had been ruffled earlier. Her gaze shifted from hesitation and helplessness to determination and strength. The fire of initiative then finally ignited within them.
She took out her phone and called her father, the head of their family. After a brief discussion about the situation, she expressed her own opinion as the heir of the clan.
"Father, I think our ties with the Hua Republic's cultivation world are still too shallow. Why don't we strengthen them through a political marriage?"
On the other end, the Gelan gentleman pondered aloud.
—Marriage? Aren't Daoist priests unmarried celibates? Now that you mentioned it, though, our family could certainly use that to deepen our relations with the Hua Republic. Do you have a suitable candidate in mind? We can consult some of your cousins.
"We can't demand a woman sacrifice her own happiness to achieve such a tainted goal," Dale answered solemnly.
—Uh... this was your idea, though.
"I'll sacrifice myself," Dale said with complete seriousness, momentarily stunning her father.
—Absolutely not! Oh, my sweet angel, you have a bright future ahead of you! Moreover, you are to inherit my position in the future. I can't let you sacrifice yourself for the family. No, as your father, that would be a nightmare!
—Forget political marriages! I'll come pick you up right now, my beloved daughter! How could you possibly marry someone? Wait, that's not what I meant. I'm not trying to control or possess you. I'm just expressing my fatherly love for you.
"Never mind. I'll rest for now," she whispered, then hung up. She stood still for a while, speechless.
Huai Jing floated past with his devil-subduing staff. Noticing Dale looking dejected, he drifted over out of concern for his "teammate."
"What's wrong?"
"I'm wondering if there's a way to sleep with Daoist Master Wang..."
"Huh?"
Dale's face flushed scarlet as she waved her hands in panic. "Ah, no, no! You misunderstand, Buddhist Master. I was just... thinking of jokes! Yes, jokes."
Huai Jing's lips twitched. As a certified ordained monk, why was he always dragged into matters between men and women? Still, he felt he had to do something for Mu Wanxuan's sake, who was bad at expressing herself.
Huai Jing intoned Buddha's name with a faint smile. He looked like a Buddha plucking a flower under the Bodhi tree, which made people instinctively trust him. "Miss Dale, I have a few Buddhist scriptures here. Would you like to take a look? They could help you grow stronger."
Dale could not help but smile helplessly as she pressed a hand to her forehead.
***
By the time Wang Sheng's group reached the villa, the sky was already dimming. After all, he had brought along Xiaomiao and also had to consider Shi Qianzhang and Liu Yunzhi's speed.
He was still slowly replenishing his enchanted power, and his Nascent Soul was still weakened and lacked energy. Fortunately, he no longer had to rush now that he was back home. He could take his time recuperating before restoring his cultivation.
Wang Sheng wasn't worried about his master and senior sister encountering danger. With the Daoist masters sweeping across like autumn winds scattered fallen leaves, all he had to do was wait for news at home.
As soon as they arrived, he immediately sought out Mou Yue and used virtual projection to enter the Special Investigation Unit's command hall, where one could get first-hand reports from every battlefield. He was more than influential enough to stand beside the Special Warfare Unit officers. Though he wasn't worried, it didn't mean he no longer cared.
Shi Qianzhang and Liu Yunzhi also stayed there for a while, taking advantage of the access to intelligence. Meanwhile, Xiaomiao rushed straight into the kitchen. Since she still hadn't learned to forgo food, she had been running around hungry all day,
Noticing how famished she was, Shi Qianzhang swiftly ran to town and ordered a full barbecue feast. He brought it back and set the grill, fresh fruits, meat, and vegetables right on the tea table.
The four sat around the table. Shi Qianzhang opened a few cans of beer, which Wang Sheng accepted. Right now, he truly had to relax, and drinking was a good way to do that.
Xiaomiao brought over two cans of cold cola. Besides eating and drinking, she also tended the grill, brushing oil onto the skewers, making her look like a diligent little housekeeper.
The four ate heartily while watching the large screen of the command center. From time to time, they chatted casually, commenting on the occasional scenes of combat. Unaware that they were all being projected right into the most prominent side of the command platform, the four sat around, ate, and drank in clear view. Their presence alone more than halved the tense atmosphere of the command hall.
Some staff wanted to inform them, but Chi Ling gestured for them not to. Her people continued operating as usual, acting as though they didn't even notice their presence.
Many young cultivators secretly glanced at the projection of the four. Unlike a few days ago, their focus was no longer on the heartthrob of the cultivation world. Instead, they watched the weary but ever-smiling sword cultivator.
After half a day of intense battle, Operation Sword Sweep entered its final phase. The Daoist masters were determined not to spend the night abroad. By seven in the evening, they were already on their way home.
The Special Investigation Unit quickly compiled reports about Operation Sword Sweep. Wang Sheng and his companions received them at once.
Hundreds of Daoist cultivators and over sixty Special Warfare Unit instructors had destroyed over one hundred twenty Dark Faction strongholds in just eight hours. In the process, they had killed more than three thousand corrupt cultivators and crippled over six thousand nine hundred more. Including the battle on the Aukuili Mountains, the Dark Faction had already lost more than half of its middle-ranking and high-ranking combatants.
The few who survived had either fled quickly or hidden deeply. Instead of wasting time digging them out, the three Daoist task forces just killed everyone on their way.
However, those were only the official numbers.
Wang Sheng had also received a message from his master that, aside from wiping out or crippling every corrupt cultivator they could find, the Daoists had also broken apart most of the Light Faction forces outside their main headquarters, crippling more than two thousand of their cultivators.
Operation Sword Sweep ended in complete success.
The Daoist elders moved on to discussing certain matters. First, they decided to organize overseas trials every year, allowing the younger generation to temper themselves abroad. They also suggested finding an opportunity to "take a group photo" at the Statue of Freedom with the many Dark Faction experts who had fled to Dami.
The Hua Republic's cultivation world also had to consider the mass assassination that Sakura Island's shadow dwellers would launch on the Dami military in a few days. Its international impact would be limited, though.
With the Daoist sects taking to the battlefield, the once-dominant Dark Faction fell into disarray, while the Light Faction suffered heavy losses yet dared not utter a word of protest.
Still, the Dark Faction had only been so easily crushed due to the hostage incident at the Aukuili Mountains, where most of their elites had gathered. The Dark Faction would have fallen regardless, but if not for that battle, it could have likely at least inflicted casualties on the Daoist sects.
Although Wang Sheng had returned home early instead of personally taking part in Operation Sword Sweep, he would still inevitably get top credit for the campaign.
At 10:00 PM, Mu Wanxuan, Xi Lian, and Qing Yanzi made their way back to the villa. Meanwhile, Chi Ling and several Special Warfare Unit senior officers arrived by special plane to visit in person.
