The group of senior and junior brothers all lowered their heads, faces gloomy.
They were already fugitives, outlaws. Facing the Immortal Technique Committee, facing officials, they felt a deep sense of powerlessness.
The rotund body of the Round Stone Ancient Immortal sat on a stone, smiling faintly, not concerned.
"Lift your heads.
"Tomorrow, just follow the plan and do as you're supposed to, regardless of what those humans do — it won't make much of a difference.
"The means of the Ancient Immortal are not something they can fathom.
"The will of the Ancient Immortal is not something they can stop."
The Round Stone Immortal looked at the more than sixty apprentices in the distance.
"Tomorrow, go to the Fuqing Hotel, do what needs to be done.
"You don't need to worry about your junior brothers and sisters.
"I have my own arrangements."
Black Hide and the others looked at each other.
Some people thought their master seemed to be spouting nonsense... given the current situation, what else could he do? What other arrangements could he have?
Others felt their master was unfathomable, even getting goosebumps.
Black Hide sneaked a glance at his master and immediately looked away.
He knew more than his senior and junior brothers, aware that as an Ancient Immortal, their master actually had many constraints and couldn't interfere too much with the current world. Given this, how would their master operate?
The Round Stone Ancient Immortal chuckled, looking at his more than sixty new apprentices.
"Don't overthink it.
"Tomorrow, they will advance to Sequence Nine.
"If you're lucky, a few of you might advance to Sequence Eight too.
"No matter how much that group struggles or what tricks they pull, they are merely human."
...
In the early morning, before dawn, Bai Mo sat inside the business car.
Inside the car, there were already several fully armed committee members, wearing stab-proof suits and carrying walkie-talkies. They were likely new to dealing with immortals. Some had already reached Sequence Nine, while others hadn't yet.
When Bai Mo got in, all four of them were delighted.
"Good morning, Expert Bai Mo.
"We heard you saved Lu Zhou and the others earlier, truly a young hero.
"Today, the four of us will assist you in your operation and follow your commands."
Bai Mo nodded and settled into the car. Through the window, he saw a distant building with lights already on. Inside that building were sixty-three immortal-related personnel, mostly high school students.
The leather seats of the business car had a special scent. However, as an Alchemist, Bai Mo didn't mind.
"Let's go, follow the planned route."
The business car started, leaving the Immortal Technique Committee, merging into the road traffic, driving towards the destination.
...
Inside the car, Bai Mo opened his tablet to review the operation plan.
It was confirmed that the so-called "Fuqing Hotel" was actually a motel on the outskirts of West State City. The location wasn't great, the standard wasn't high, but its only merit was its large scale, hosting many wedding banquets from the urban and rural fringe. This morning, there was indeed a wedding banquet there.
"The Bloodthirsty people's plan is related to this wedding banquet?"
Bai Mo flipped through the plan document to check the scale of the wedding banquet.
"Sixty tables, six hundred people?
"Such a large wedding banquet?
"A prominent family?"
The others in the car also exclaimed.
"It's quite impressive, indeed, a big family from the urban-rural fringe."
"Setting up sixty tables must cost a lot of money, right?"
"Oh, you guys don't know, my relatives live around there. Don't underestimate the urban-rural fringe; there are lots of relocated households! They have money, want to save face, and throw grand banquets!"
Everyone in the car nodded, feeling a mix of admiration and jealousy. They inexplicably felt their attention scattered, alleviating some of their tension.
...
The business car sped along, leaving West State City center, driving on a road with fewer and fewer cars, reaching the city's edge.
On both sides of the road, there were fewer tall buildings and more dilapidated buildings, more urban villages, car repair shops, auto parts markets...
Finally, following the planned deployment, the car turned into a small alley of an urban village.
It was at this moment that the sun had just risen.
No one in the car moved.
"We are only a little over seven hundred meters from Fuqing Hotel.
"According to the plan, we need to hide here, ready to provide support at any time."
Bai Mo nodded.
In fact, it wasn't just their car; dozens of other experts were also hiding around, ready to provide support at any moment.
A large number of Immortal Technique Committee members and staff, armed with guns and weapons, started setting up the previous night — some ambushed near Fuqing Hotel, while others infiltrated inside. Quite a few people even used various connections to obtain wedding invitations, allowing them to attend the wedding today.
The young Immortal Technique Committee member gritted his teeth.
"The Bloodthirsty won't expect that Master Chong already figured out their plan.
"And they wouldn't expect that Fuqing Hotel is already under a tight net.
"If they dare to come, they're sure to be captured!"
Bai Mo's business car had been modified, equipped with communication facilities, antennas, and multiple screens.
At this moment, many perspectives of Fuqing Hotel were projected on the screens.
On the first screen was the grand entrance of Fuqing Hotel, decorated with lanterns and streamers. People wore red clothes, faces beaming with joy, welcoming guests.
The second screen showed the banquet hall of Fuqing Hotel, with the stage set up and someone arranging drinks and cigarettes.
The third screen showed the kitchen of Fuqing Hotel, with rows of large fried fish, pots of braised pork, and plates of beef seasoned sauce... A variety of dishes were ready, and some were still being prepared.
Seeing this, the bellies of the Immortal Technique Committee members in the car started rumbling.
"Oh, right, we bought buns in advance.
"Expert Bai Mo, which filling do you like?
"We have cabbage, tofu, and pure meat..."
...
Time passed quickly; the Fuqing Hotel on the screen became increasingly lively. More and more relatives and guests entered the hotel, joyful and radiant.
The Immortal Technique Committee members in the car widened their eyes.
"Let me see if I can spot the fugitives on camera!"
Someone next to them laughed.
"No need for you to trouble yourself!
"Our Committee has professional video surveillance, experts watching the footage, and computers doing facial recognition.
"Just sit tight."
After a while, several Immortal Technique Committee members exclaimed.
"Haha, look, it's the branch president who slipped into the wedding."
"Ah, it really is him."
Bai Mo put down his tablet and looked up.
On the screen, a small elderly man was at the hotel entrance, showing an invitation and offering a monetary gift, smiling broadly. It was the branch president, Chen Shu!
This small old man's experience was similar to Master Chong's; he used to be a university professor who loved studying calligraphy. Three years ago, he was among the first to immerse himself in the Immortal Dream, learning the "Talisman Dao." His skills in calligraphy fit perfectly with the Talisman Dao, and in just three years, he forcibly cultivated to Sequence Eight, becoming known as an Immortal Technique genius in West State City!
Although Bai Mo didn't quite understand what was so genius about taking three years to reach Sequence Eight...
...