Special Events Management Department, General Office.
Qin Hui, the head of the department, looked at the freshly printed task completion report and happily patted Zhong Qi on the shoulder, praising him with a smile: "Good, excellent!
To be able to lure such a powerful figure over, it's a shame you're not in Human Resources as a manager."
"Minister, please don't joke.
This isn't my ability; she's just easy to talk to.
However, I didn't expect her to be this formidable. Originally, I only guessed she might be a Yang Shen level Great Heavenly Master and that I couldn't afford to be negligent, but now it seems she's likely not just Yang Shen, but Immortal level. While I don't know if she's a Loose Immortal or Human Immortal, she's definitely strong.
Calling her the strongest of this era wouldn't be an exaggeration.
After all, she directly destroyed a thousand-year-old Ghost King and an abyss that constantly emanated demonic energy. These are existences that even Great Heavenly Masters of the previous dynasty could only barely seal!"
While being humble, Zhong Qi was also quite emotional. He was impressed by Ding Yun's power and also by his own foresight. If he hadn't actively invited her back then, would there be such good fortune now?
The top-ranked tasks among the numerous missions were originally posted on the software not for people to accept, but primarily to let everyone in the Special Events Management Department know that there were many difficult problems in the world that they couldn't solve, requiring them to be vigilant and not slack off.
But who would have thought that the problems they found difficult...
Would be so easily resolved by a supreme being.
"Regardless, you deserve credit.
Also, I need your help with another matter. This card contains one hundred and thirty-six million in cash, which is the bounty for the first six tasks in the software. The bounties for the last three tasks were directly transferred to her after our review. The review for the first six tasks was a bit slower, as we had to personally verify them.
Most importantly, we have other matters we wish to discuss with that Heavenly Master Ding. Therefore, we have jointly decided that you will personally deliver this money to her.
And engage in conversation with her to build rapport!"
As he spoke, Qin Hui handed the prepared bank card to Zhong Qi and patted his shoulder again, signifying his trust.
This was his usual habit.
"Minister, I have no problem building rapport, I'd even sell myself if you asked, but what exactly do you need to discuss with her that I can't hear?"
"And can you please speak clearly? What kind of rapport are we talking about, colleague rapport or something else?"
Zhong Qi wanted some clarification on certain matters.
To avoid any misunderstandings later.
As he spoke, he playfully winked.
"Don't worry, it's a very proper discussion of colleague rapport. If we wanted to use a honey trap, we wouldn't send you; we have plenty of handsome men and beautiful women in our department.
Let me put it simply: through conversation, you need to gauge her views on our Special Events Management Department, and her views on cultivators who commit evil and harm mortals.
Most importantly, you need to ascertain if she can accept a situation where the entire world has no foundation for Xuanxue, if she can accept a world without Xuanxue at all."
Some of these words, Qin Hui hadn't had the time to say earlier. Seeing Zhong Qi's playful demeanor, he rolled his eyes and revealed his true intentions.
Upon hearing this, Zhong Qi was first stunned, then his eyes widened in disbelief as he asked:
"Minister, you're still thinking about the Spirit Depletion Plan?"
"Although severing the remnants of spiritual energy in the world and ushering in an era of Dharma Decline, preventing the proliferation of non-scientific substances, could indeed prevent people from harming others with unorthodox methods.
But such a feat can only be accomplished by an Immortal-level Heavenly Master.
No matter how approachable that supreme being is, she wouldn't agree, would she? If she were to do this, her entire cultivation would be gone. She wouldn't agree even if she were mad!"
Years ago, the Special Events Management Department had begun preparing the Spirit Depletion Plan, but its most crucial aspect required the assistance of an Immortal-level Heavenly Master to sever all remaining spiritual veins in the world. They had no way to find an Immortal-level Heavenly Master.
They couldn't even find a Yang Shen level Heavenly Master.
So the plan had to be shelved.
And they had been having the research department ponder how to sever all remaining spiritual veins in the world through scientific means.
But there had been no progress.
Now, having finally encountered a suspected Immortal-level Heavenly Master, even knowing the chances of her agreeing were minuscule, or even zero, Qin Hui still wanted to try because the world was getting progressively worse.
As the spiritual energy in the world gradually dissipated, orthodox cultivation methods became increasingly difficult, while various demonic and heretical paths often required relatively less spiritual energy.
Souls, blood, luck, faith, and the like.
Could all be used for their cultivation.
Although these demonic and heretical methods would eventually become useless once the spiritual energy completely dissipated, during the period when the spiritual energy was on the verge of dissipating but hadn't yet, demons would surge, and the number of people practicing unorthodox methods would inevitably increase.
Even though they had done their utmost to restrict and obstruct the spread of unorthodox practices, they still couldn't stop it.
The situation had now become so dire that even they, the so-called righteous path practitioners, had to resort to cultivating some less harmful unorthodox techniques to barely deal with those who practiced extremely harmful lower-grade unorthodox techniques.
If the situation continued to deteriorate, the order might collapse before the spiritual energy completely dissipated.
This was why they had devised the Spirit Depletion Plan.
Hoping to accelerate the dissipation of spiritual energy.
"Let's just try, if we don't try, how will we know? Even if there's only a one in ten million chance, we must try, because if she really agrees, many fewer people will die."
Although he knew the hope was slim, Qin Hui still placed his hands on Zhong Qi's shoulders and said with unwavering determination.
"Alright, I can go and try.
But whether she agrees or not, I can't guarantee it. I still suggest you don't hold out too much hope, or rather, don't hold out any hope at all.
Based on current estimates of the spiritual energy dissipation rate, it will take at least another two hundred years for the spiritual energy to completely dissipate. With Heavenly Master Ding's cultivation, she can at least live for another two hundred years, perhaps even a few decades longer, to witness the complete dissipation of spiritual energy.
But if she helps us execute the Spirit Depletion Plan, she'll only live for another hundred years at most. Which fool would be willing to lose a hundred years of their lifespan for no reason!"
Zhong Qi continued to complain, as he thought this was simply impossible and a waste of time.
"You talk too much when I ask you to do something. Just do as you're told. Go quickly, and come back soon!"
"Understood, Minister Qin!"