388 *****

  Tian Du City.

  Sword Card Master Association.

  It was very late at night.

  Lu Ming had wanted to rest.

  When he passed by Xiaobai’s bedroom, he was surprised that there were faint lights inside……

  Eh?

  What is this child doing?

  “Xiaobai, why aren’t you sleeping?” Lu Ming asked softly.

  “Yes.”


  Xiaobai opened the door, looking slightly depressed. “I’m looking for ancient literature about cultivation but the content is not complete. I haven’t finished it yet.”


  “Oh?”


  Lu Ming was somewhat surprised.

  Were there things that Xiaobai could not finish?!

  Xiaobai was probably more widely read than him. Cough…… Seemingly, this girl had already read all the books in the library at least once!

  Yet, there was something that she could not figure out?

  Hence……

  Lu Ming flipped open that ancient book and black imaginary lines appeared on his face instantly.

  ——


  A certain year, month and day.

  Weather: Overcast and rainy**

  I got up early and stepped out of the mine* to cultivate.

  My wife had already prepared the dishes and poured me a glass of pure cow’s *. As usual, I researched the nine layers of ** method and my wife kept me company all the time.

  I feel very grateful.

  With her accompanying me in my life, **, it is the greatest ** in my life.

  That afternoon.

  My old friend visited me.

  We ** walked in the **forest to research the ** method.

  This method is very difficult.

  Fortunately.

  After a long day’s work until late at night, the nine layers of the ** method are finally completed. It turns out that this ability needs to be paired with some precious herbs before it can succeed!

  The herbs are recorded here:

  Night Light Power, ***, **, Tiger*, Bull*, 404, Dragon Phoenix*, Turt**, Sky**……

  ——


  Lu Ming looked dumbstruck. Damn it. What kind of black technology is this?!

  “The words are lost?” Lu Ming asked.

  “No.”


  Xiaobai shook her head and recalled something written in the book. She explained seriously, “These words were scanned and uploaded on the Internet during the early phase of Internet development. It was a period of crackdown then and all the data was affected. As such, I am only able to find this now.”


  Lu Ming was speechless.

  Well……

  They did not even spare the cultivation diaries from the early crackdown……

  They were rather harsh in their censoring. He understood some parts of the sentences but not all. Nevertheless, the content had been affected greatly.

  With this, he was very curious as to what happened to celebrity endorsements in that era?

  For example……

  Delicious *drink, healthy *food.

  Another example was—


  Every drop of pure cow’s* is screened out through 57 rigorous processes.

  Can you tell me……

  Would you dare to buy these products when seeing such advertisements? Would you dare to drink it?!

  “The original copy is lost?”


  Lu Ming sighed.

  “Yes.”


  Xiaobai felt very vexed. If she had the original copy, she would not have to examine the words one by one. The narration at the beginning of the diary was not crucial. The later sections about prescription and the cultivator’s learning points were more important.

  “Is this method very important?”


  Lu Ming asked.

  “Yes.”


  Xiaobai was very certain. “Li Ergou brought these back. They are a couple of materials that carry out optimization for nurturing the spirit bodies.”


  “What about his other diary records?”


  Lu Ming suddenly asked.

  Since this person’s diary could be passed down over the ages, it went to say that this cultivator was very famous. Therefore, they could also analyze notes from his other diaries.

  It would be easy to find out what these asterisks mean when they put the diary records together.

  “They are all gone.”


  Xiaobai felt somewhat upset.

  She took out the materials that she had sourced for Lu Ming to see.

  This cultivator was called Chang Yu. He was a very powerful seven-star cultivator and his forte was spirit body cultivation. He wrote many cultivation materials. It was a sheer pity that his materials disappeared due to the earlier crackdowns. This set of documents was the only spirit body related content remaining.

  It was no wonder Xiaobai was obsessed with this……

  “Let’s solve this together.”


  Lu Ming rubbed her head and smiled faintly. “We will get through this.”


  “Okay.”


  Xiaobai was very happy.

  With her Master around, they would definitely be able to research this successfully.

  Hence……

  The duo began to analyze.

  Lu Ming felt that this was more difficult than solving problems…… It was true. He could guess what turt** was. If he did not guess it wrong, it was parts of a turtle.

  What the hell is ‘We ** walked in the **forest to research the method’?

  He pondered for a long time.

  **forest was not important as the name of the place was not critical. After all, strange and mysterious names such as x peak or huge x peak were not uncommon.

  But ‘we** walked in’.……

  Lu Ming tried to associate the top and bottom paragraphs and was stunned when he finally understood what it meant.

  ——


  We.

  The three of us.

  Walked in a certain forest.

  ——


  Well……

  There was nothing wrong with those three asterisks which were deleted!

  This was still fine!

  The problem was……

  What was bull* and tiger*? And the terrifying word *** which had been fully censored?

  What the hell was 404?

  Was there an error when scanning the diary?

  This was not logical!

  He could only analyze some of the data from the same period of the crackdown.

  Well……

  Xiao-Xiaojian could also help to deduce the rest.

  In the end……

  After a night of hard work, Xiaobai and Lu Ming finally pieced this diary together. They had reverted the method and learning points to their original state!

  “I’ll get junior brother to make some preparations for this.”


  Xiaobai was very happy.

  With this, they could begin experimenting.

  Well……

  Perhaps there would be a breakthrough in card spirit research very soon. Silly Xiao-Xiaobai might have a chance to attain a new consciousness!

  All the best!

  Xiaobai encouraged herself.

  “Thank you, Master.”


  Xiaobai hugged Lu Ming happily and went back to work.

  “Aren’t you going to rest?”


  Lu Ming was a little worried.

  This girl was crazy when it came to work.

  “It’s okay.”


  Xiaobai waved her little fists. “I’m still young.”


  Once he finished speaking……

  Xiaobai hopped away.

  Lu Ming was speechless.

  Lu Ming, who was planning to sleep earlier, fell silent for a moment. He then turned around and headed back to the office. Young…… Snort! She seemed to be saying that someone else was not young!

  I’m also young!

  It’s just that I have an older mindset! My body is still young! Burning midnight oil? In the past, he could survive even if he did not sleep for seven consecutive days!

  Although he had turned cold later on……

  Cough.

  He had faced a sudden death……

  There should not be a problem if he did not sleep well for one day!

  Hence……

  Lu Ming washed his face and went to work.

  In the room.

  Warm, pure cow’s* was placed in his room.

  Lu Ming felt very touched when he saw this. Xiaobai must have prepared this earlier. This child had not slept for one night and she was still that heartwarming.

  Wait a minute

  Why did he have to call it pure cow’s*!

  Lu Ming did not know whether to laugh or cry. He shook his head and cast those thoughts away from his mind.

  However……

  At this moment.

  Buzz—


  Li Haoran suddenly sent him a video with the headlines — “Shocking News! Ten thousands of men and women actually did this kind of thing in the snow!?”


  Enclosed.

  A very seductive homepage.

  Lu Ming was shocked. Haoran this child……

  “Master!

  “You have to see this.”


  Li Haoran looked serious.

  “Are you sure?”


  Lu Ming looked at the homepage expressionlessly.

  “Huh?”


  Li Haoran was shocked. “What kind of headlines and photographs are these?! It’s not like that. Master, the contents are totally different. You have to take a look.”


  “Understood.”


  Lu Ming understood right away.

  This was the same tactic as those seen with their friends…… One second You were looking at a very normal video but when you forwarded it, it would become various kinds of vulgar homepages and headlines……

  True enough.

  This world did not escape from such tactics either.

  At the thought of this……

  Lu Ming opened the video quietly.

  Greeting his eyes was a group of neatly dressed and young cultivators reciting loudly together, “Original Card, Original Card, you have grown up. You are a mature……”


  Afterward……

  It triggered an avalanche.

  In the end, everyone was smothered.

  The end.

  They even heard sounds of screams and wails……

  “What is happening?!”


  Lu Ming looked solemn.

  The secret skill of the birth of the spirit body had been leaked!

  However……

  It was okay!

  He knew that it was fake!

  He was more concerned about the ten thousands of people who died at the crest of the snow mountain!

  Were their brains leaking?!

  That was an avalanche!

  Yet, they dared to fool around like that!

  Most of them were low-level cultivators who could not resist the super powerful avalanche. How many of them could survive?!

  “Don’t they have any common sense?” Lu Ming said in a low voice.

  “President.”


  Li Haoran paused for a moment. “Although most people nowadays are leading a good life, only 80% have passed basic education!”


  “Understood.”


  Lu Ming sighed.

  This meant that 20% had not gone to school! Furthermore, 20% of the population……

  “The Snow Mountain Sect targets these people,” Li Haoran said with a low voice.

  Lu Ming was silent.

  There was no pure land, indeed.

  “How many deaths are there?”


  Lu Ming looked to a distance.

  “There is no death.”


  Li Haoran scratched his head. “Everyone’s body physique is very good nowadays. They were at most buried by the snow for some time. During the rescue operation, most of them were saved. Most of these people did not join the sect willingly and had felt like dying. They are very thankful for this avalanche.”


  Lu Ming was stunned.

  No one died?!

  Why did you rush in that anxiously if no one died?

  Goodness.

  It was such a serious and grave atmosphere that I had thought that ten thousand people had died!

  “Can we not be that anxious next time?”


  Lu Ming gave a deep sigh.

  “Ah???”


  Li Haoran was very frantic too. “But…… our secret has been leaked?”


  “If that’s the case, so be it,” Lu Ming said with a lazy drawl.

  “Ah??”


  Li Haoran was dumbstruck.

  “Master!

  “This is very serious!

  “Can you be more concerned!!!

  “This is the main advantage of the Sword Card Master Association!

  “Although this does not constitute everything that the Sword Card Master Association has, it occupies at least 50% of our core. Furthermore, this is the hard work of Senior Sister!

  “Isn’t this considered serious?”


  Cough, cough.

  Lu Ming came to his senses.

  Oh.

  This group of children had thought that it was real……

  Sigh.

  Lu Ming stared at the sky.

  What should he do?

  How could he explain to this group of aggressive disciples that that secret skill was false?!

  “Hmm……”


  Lu Ming pondered deeply for a moment. “Actually……”


  He could not continue with this lie anymore……

  Thump!

  Li Haoran’s heart skipped a beat.

  He looked at Master’s expression and his heart stirred. Perhaps……

  “Master.

  “Do you already have a plan?”


  Li Haoran said in a low voice, “It’s not convenient for you to tell me but you also don’t want me to misunderstand. That’s why you don’t know how to put it in words?”


  “Huh?”


  Lu Ming was puzzled.

  “Master, just tell me if this will affect the Sword Card Master Association?” Li Haoran said seriously.

  He was in charge of the Sword Card Master Association operations and he wanted to have a idea of what was going on.

  “It won’t affect the association.”


  Lu Ming was very certain!

  What a joke.

  Even the secret skill was false. How could they be affected?!

  “I understand now.”


  Li Haoran smiled bitterly. “It’s no wonder…… Master, you’re that intelligent. It’s impossible that you don’t have a back-up plan. I feel so ashamed. It’s such a simple thing and you must have long thought of it! Master, don’t worry, I won’t inquire about this anymore. I will ensure that I carry out my duties properly!”


  “Huh?”


  Lu Ming felt dazed.

  Did he consider such things?

  No.

  This is fake. Why the hell is there a need to ponder over this……

  This……

  “Don’t worry, Master!”


  Li Haoran said seriously, “I won’t tell the other disciples.”


  Lu Ming was speechless.

  “However……”


  Li Haoran thought about it. “If it has been leaked, we still have to investigate this.”


  “That’s for sure.”


  Lu Ming nodded.

  Actually, they already had some idea of what happened!

  The secret skill was suddenly leaked. Who else could it be?

  Of course, it was their lovely female disciple! However, it could also be another new disciple! Although the possibility of the latter happening was small, it could not be disregarded!

  It seemed that……

  It was time to have an in-depth exchange with their lovely disciples.

  He felt quite excited at the thought of it.

  “Master, there’s something else.”


  Li Haoran sent another video.

  In the video……

  Amid the avalanche.

  Somewhere.

  While everyone was buried, a white-bearded old man fled swiftly. He was so quick that none of the others could keep up with him, seemingly adopting the stance ‘As long as I run fast enough, the avalanche can’t catch up with me’.

  This was not only the only thing.

  He was carrying a huge bag with various gold, silver, jade and treasures inside.

  And…… cultivation books!

  ——


  “Who’s this?”


  Lu Ming was surprised.

  “This is one of the elders of the Snow Mountain Sect. I only know that his surname is Sun and everyone calls him Elder Sun. He has a very poor reputation. He often bullies and humiliates the female sect disciples and covets wealth. In addition, despite being a six-star, he flees each time they encounter trouble. He is known as Snow Mountain Flying Dog,” Li Haoran explained.

  “What did this have to do with us?”


  Lu Ming was curious.

  “According to those disciples rescued, every year, they engage a ‘mountain structural stability architect’ to reinforce the mountain. This is because they live in the mountains and there are many horrifying fearsome beasts. Therefore, they needed to prevent the loud roars of fearsome beasts from causing an avalanche. And the person responsible for this task is…… this guy.”


  Li Haoran shrugged his shoulders. “Additionally, according to the records, this guy has bought insurance for the buildings of the Snow Mountain Sect…… Therefore, there is a high possibility that……”


  “Understood,” Lu Ming exclaimed in amazement.

  Look at this guy!

  He is that scheming!

  He emptied the Snow Mountain Sect when the sect was annihilated! Afterward, he could receive insurance compensation when everyone died……

  Undoubtedly……

  There would be a hefty compensation!

  Tsk tsk……

  This was crazy!

  However, Lu Ming was even more curious. “Haoran, how did you get this video?”


  “Uh.”


  Li Haoran explained, “Someone from the Snow Mountain Sect ordered an extremely expensive and urgent food delivery…… An Original Card filmed this when it delivered the food to them.”


  Lu Ming was between laughter and tears.

  Although the Snow Mountain Sect was part of Tian Du City, it was very, very far away…… They would be thankful if they could have one food delivery order per day from that area.

  This crazy racing Sun guy seemed super evil.

  “Where is he now?”


  Lu Ming squinted his eyes.

  “He arrived in the city five minutes ago,” Xiao-Xiaojian suddenly said.

  Lu Ming looked at it in shock. “How did you know?”


  “Haha.”


  Xiao-Xiaojian sneered. “Of course, the card spirit which sent the delivery order told me. I told them to report to me if they notice any abnormal situation during the deliveries.”


  Lu Ming looked down for a moment. This guy had been lying in the card bag for the whole day. How did he get the news?

  “You have underestimated us, card spirits.”


  Xiao-Xiaojian sneered. “Animals have their own ways of communication. Sound waves, telepathy and so on. Card spirits also have our own ways of communication. Why should we be restricted by distance?”


  Alright.

  Lu Ming understood now.

  Oo……

  In that case, Crazyracing Sun, Snow Mountain Sect and the female disciple…… The situation was getting more and more interesting.

  However……

  Lu Ming was having a headache about something. He developed the food delivery business initially because he wanted to help his disciples earn some money. Why were things becoming stranger and stranger?

  →_→


  At the rate that this was developing, an intel agency was going to be established soon……