"How can you talk like that?!" Wang Xuan was unhappy. Was it really considered normal to be shot dead and lie on the ground?

As Old Chen applied ointment to his forehead wound, he replied, "What I mean is that you were too careless. In a situation like this, blocking bullets with your flesh will inevitably lead to various speculations."

Wang Xuan emptied his pockets, placing the bullets on the table. He turned to Qingmu and said, "Old Qing, find me three bulletproof vests and get the same type of firearms to shoot again."

"That works; at least it'll make sense," Qingmu nodded. He hadn't let Wang Xuan get shot again. By the time they returned, everything would be resolved. The bulletproof vests had marks from gunfire, and he was also holding a bullet.

Wang Xuan put on the vest and said, "Tonight's downpour has washed away the blood. I even retrieved my own nails; there shouldn't be any traces left."

Old Chen was serious. "This explanation is only temporary. Prepare for all sorts of contingencies."

He decided to head to the capital in two days, with Qingmu escorting his "sickly" self to relevant departments to recuperate. In reality, it was a private meeting with certain individuals to discuss cooperation.

Meanwhile, "Wang Xiao" would stay by his side, avoiding contact with outsiders. As for Wang Xuan's real self, he would finally be freed from the terrifying vortex, temporarily extracted from the situation!

Clearly, Old Chen planned to have an open discussion with some parties, seeking a backup and deepening cooperative relationships.

"Old Chen, you need to be careful. Don't put yourself at risk," Wang Xuan felt heavy-hearted. He was relieved, but Old Chen would likely be less free to move.

Old Chen waved his hand, signaling that it was unnecessary to say more; he understood the stakes, and the situation wasn't too severe.

"When the time comes, whether you go to Xinxing or to the Greater Khingan Range to reunite with the female faction, it's your decision."

Wang Xuan quickly corrected him, "Why would I go to the Greater Khingan Range? I'd rather light a blue lamp in some small temple and keep the sword fairy company!"

Old Chen thought for a moment and said, "Then go to the deep space; I'll help you arrange it later!"

He also advised Wang Xuan that paper couldn't cover fire forever; they wouldn't be able to hide everything for long, so he should strive to grow stronger in the meantime.

---

The rain began to lighten, and Qingmu personally led patrols, informing everyone that things were now safe. He emphasized that the police had already been notified, so everyone shouldn't worry about safety.

Many people were speechless. Report what? They had already seen the others carrying energy cannons to fight against mechas!

Wang Xuan made a timely appearance and followed Qingmu on a long patrol. Soon, someone came through the rain to meet him, eager to see his current condition.

Old Wu arrived, warmly inquiring about Wang Xuan. The Wu family desperately needed an Old Technique expert right now. With Old Chen "dying," they had turned their attention to Little Wang!

Wu Yin also appeared. Seeing Wang Xuan's blood-soaked hand through the bandage, she quickly called for the old doctor from the Wu family to help re-bandage it.

Wang Xuan sighed inwardly, enduring the pain. He unwrapped the bandage again, revealing his bloody fingers.

This was all for show; he intended to reveal his injuries while also letting everyone see that he was wearing a bulletproof vest.

"Don't crowd!" Big Wu scolded. She was trying to help Little Wang treat his wound, but a group of people gathered, making it very crowded.

Clearly, the relevant parties were observing what the young man was really like and whether he had achieved the Golden Body Technique.

Wang Xuan gritted his teeth as the old doctor worked on his wounds, exposing the bones of his fingers to the onlookers.

"How's your gunshot wound? You should get it treated quickly," someone indeed mentioned, wanting to confirm the essential issue.

"I'm fine; I was wearing… three layers of bulletproof vests!" Wang Xuan lifted his shirt to show them, revealing that the outer vest had clearly been hit by a bullet.

Everyone was speechless. He actually wore three layers; this young man truly valued his life!

"Alright, disperse! Don't hinder the doctor's work. What are you all doing?" Big Wu shot an annoyed glance at the crowd and shooed them away.

Finally, she advised Little Wang to take care and rest. As she turned to leave, her curves accentuated by high heels, her graceful figure gradually disappeared into the night.

On his way back to his residence, Wang Xuan saw Zhong Cheng being scolded by his sister. Upon spotting Wang Xuan, Zhong Cheng even winked and smiled.

What's wrong with him? Wang Xuan thought, too lazy to deal with him, and turned to give him a dismissive look. After being beaten to that state, he still had the audacity to act so carefree around Wang Jiaozu? Wang Jiaozu decided that he would find an opportunity to give him a proper beating.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

---

In the morning, everyone in the manor was up early, first checking to see if Old Chen had "passed away," only to find that he was still very much "strong."

Everyone was speechless; they couldn't wait any longer! All decided to withdraw for the day; they simply couldn't endure it any longer.

Then, people began browsing the news to check for reports related to last night's events.

They had received some news that not only had there been fierce battles in the manor, but further out in the suburbs, a spaceship had also crashed.

Those coming to the manor to "pay their respects" were representatives from various organizations, including wealthy tycoons, so the news spread rapidly; they received various reports early in the morning.

Many began to realize that something significant might have happened!

"The city issued a thunderstorm warning, yet a spaceship still launched and was unfortunately struck by lightning…"

"Breaking news: According to reports from our frontline correspondents, a ship of model F attempted to proceed during a thunderstorm and was unfortunately struck by lightning, crashing in the outskirts of An City. There are currently no survivors found."

Everyone was momentarily stunned. Old Chen was on the verge of death, yet he still had such a significant influence in An City? The people from the New Technique realm were "lost" in the incident, suffering tragic fates.

Some individuals had already received insider information that An City residents had helped Qingmu locate the ship last night. It was evident that Qingmu had likely destroyed it out of anger.

Clearly, if an investigation were pursued, relevant departments could restore the truth using satellite surveillance.

"Understood. Chen Yongjie is about to die, and the people from the New Technique realm were still restless enough to launch a night raid. If I were Qingmu, I would also take vengeance for my master and destroy that ship!"

Many expressed understanding and sympathy for Qingmu, feeling a deep-seated dislike for those from the New Technique realm who had dared to disturb them at night.

From a distance, a middle-aged man from the wealthy circles spoke coolly, "These people know the surface but not the essence." He had chosen not to participate and was instead packing to leave.

He had received the latest reports: the destroyed ship might have contained top figures from the New Technique realm, likely killed by Qingmu. This was certainly a significant matter.

By morning, many were packing their belongings, preparing to return. Soon, some learned the hidden details.

"What? The top figure from the New Technique realm might be dead?!"

"Qingmu is ruthless! With one blast from his energy cannon, he avenged a great wrong. Old Chen has likely been waiting for this moment to finally rest in peace!"

---

That morning, Wang Xuan was called into Old Chen's hospital room, where Old Chen was using his black sword to carve up a white broken sword.

"This sword is remarkable. When powered by super material, its durability rivals my black sword; it can definitely cleave through mechas," Old Chen remarked, admiring the extraordinary blade.

After the old man with golden hair exhausted a significant amount of super material, the sword no longer compared to the black sword, which Old Chen subsequently shattered, collecting the material.

"You faced super material armor bare-handed last night and barely survived. If you had a proper weapon, it wouldn't have been so tough," Old Chen told Wang Xuan, preparing to melt the silver extraordinary sword to forge him a suitable weapon.

This material was rare and possessed mysterious attributes.

"Clang!"

As he struck the white broken sword with the black sword, an unusual sound emerged, and the blade trembled, failing to sever the remaining piece.

Old Chen's senses were sharp; he immediately set down the black sword and leaned closer to inspect the increasingly short white broken sword, suddenly sensing something unusual.

"Another sword?!" Old Chen was astonished. The golden-haired man had drawn this extraordinary sword from a broad sword, which he understood was intentional, meant to lure him into a trap.

But now, what was happening? A short sword was hidden within the extraordinary sword!

Qingmu approached, equally surprised, and examined closely. "It seems to be... bronze material."

Old Chen remained silent as he tried to pull it out, only to discover it was cast within and could not be drawn out, so he resumed carefully carving the white broken sword.

After a lengthy effort, he finally extracted a very ancient-looking short sword, less than a foot long. It was so short it could almost be called a dagger; excluding the hilt, the blade was merely palm-sized, yet it felt heavy.

The blade and hilt were one piece, appearing to be made of bronze and adorned with intricate patterns reminiscent of pre-Qin designs.

Old Chen scrutinized it closely. "The white long sword was dug out from a mysterious place. Clearly, the top figure from the New Technique realm had no idea it concealed a short sword."

He flipped it over, examining it from all angles. "From these engravings and the blade's shape, it undoubtedly originates from the old earth, following pre-Qin styles. But it had long ago entered deep space, buried in that mysterious place. There's definitely something wrong here."

Wang Xuan took it and attempted to cut through a fragment of the white long sword, and to his surprise, it actually… cut through!

"It is indeed strange; it looks like bronze, yet can slice through extraordinary weapons." Wang Xuan speculated that it must be made from an extremely rare material.

Old Chen also felt it couldn't be mere bronze. He carefully tapped the short sword against the black sword, and both swords simultaneously emitted a chilling glow, remaining undamaged.

"A good sword, no less than my black sword. I wonder who wielded it. It must have had a grand reputation back in the day," Old Chen said, reluctant to part with it. He eventually handed it to Wang Xuan, urging him to keep it safe for future use.

"It just glowed by itself," Qingmu exclaimed, surprised.

Old Chen nodded. "Of course. Why do you think I say it's extraordinary? Like the black sword, it can make ghosts and gods retreat. Its mysterious properties are unimaginable and need to be uncovered slowly."

"Ghosts and gods retreat?" Wang Xuan asked, puzzled.

"Our expedition organization visits very unusual places. Over the years, I've faced all kinds of storms, yet I've also encountered inexplicable things. Ultimately, it was this black sword that kept me alive in dire situations; mysterious forces would disperse upon contact with it, never getting close to me."

Wang Xuan felt joy as he stroked the bronze short sword, planning to make a scabbard for it. He could either slip it into his boot or strap it to his arm for convenience.

Old Chen said, "Qingmu, take the fragments of this white long sword and melt them down to forge a weapon for personal use."

---

Wang Xuan left Old Chen's hospital room. Outside, the sky was still overcast; though it wasn't raining, lightning occasionally flashed across the sky.

He looked up at the sky, letting out a gentle sigh, realizing he would soon part ways with Old Chen and Qingmu, uncertain of when they would meet again.

Suddenly, he was taken aback. What was that in the clouds? Glimmers of golden light danced within, ethereal and sacred!

He immediately turned and rushed back into the room. "Old Qing, hurry to the window and see what that is in the clouds!"

Qingmu, astonished, went over and looked up but saw nothing but dark clouds and the occasional lightning bolt.

"This is ridiculous; I can't be imagining it! It's still there!" Wang Xuan was adamant he wasn't mistaken.

Old Chen, hearing this, jumped up and rushed to the floor-to-ceiling window, staring into the sky. Yet, he too was perplexed; aside from the dark clouds and lightning, there was nothing.

Wang Xuan whispered, "I really saw it! It was a hazy golden light, peaceful and divine, but just too far away to see clearly!"