As the transport aircraft carrying Wang Sheng and the group neared the airport closest to Mount Pingdu, Qing Yanzi's phone received a video of a nuclear explosion from the front lines. In his past life, Wang Sheng had seen videos of nuclear detonations online, making him familiar with similar footage. However, this one had taken place only minutes ago. Knowing that it had truly happened caused a ripple in his Dao Heart. He could feel the sense of security he once had rapidly slipping away. The six Daoist elders from the Daoist sects fell into silence. They let out a few sighs laced with complex emotions. However, Shen Sui'an and the elders of the Hidden Earth Sect were the most shaken. The searing fireball in the video, the overwhelming shockwave that surged into the sky, and the towering mushroom cloud left them speechless. Beside them, Qing Yanzi explained in a calm, clear tone, "That's a relatively low-yield nuclear warhead. The authorities were clearly worried about triggering a chain reaction, so they limited the destructive force. Judging from the blast radius, it appears to be a conventional ten-kiloton bomb. "At its core, it's simply the conversion of matter into energy. The basic principle is easy to grasp. Nuclear weapons are primarily categorized into fission and fusion types. The most powerful ones, known as three-stage bombs, use fission to trigger fusion, then the fusion triggers another fission in the outer shell. "You can see from the video that although the malevolent ghosts and fierce spirits were spread out across a large area, about twenty li in depth, this bomb's effective kill radius for ordinary humans is around six kilometers, just enough to cover the spread of those creatures. "However, it's likely the ones on the fringes of the blast were not fully destroyed. These are vengeful spirits, not humans, after all." The Daoist elders and Hidden Earth Sect elders listened attentively. Qing Yanzi spoke without pause, explaining everything with ease. "Daoist Master Bu Yan truly is well-versed," Liu Yunzhi whispered. Wang Sheng silently pulled out his phone, opened an encyclopedia app, and skimmed through the contents. He had to admit, his master's memory was impressive. The explosion had occurred over two hundred li outside Fengdu City in the Small Nether Realm. The crimson ground trembled for a while afterward, but the shaking remained localized. The energy contained in the two previous bursts of immortal light clearly far exceeded the power of this nuclear detonation. The tangible shockwave had torn apart most of the malevolent ghosts that had escaped the Eighteen Levels of Hell. The intangible force, however, had struck at the Dao Hearts of countless cultivators, young and old alike. More videos soon followed, showing tallies of the bomb's results. The elders of the Hidden Earth Sect opened the Nether Map again and focused on a particular area of the scroll. Over ninety percent of the black dots had vanished. Aside from quietly praising their sect master's wisdom in cooperating with the authorities, the elders had nothing else to say. Cultivators trained to transcend themselves in pursuit of a long and carefree existence. Now, even after reaching the Golden Core Realm, they still found themselves outmatched by modern technology, unable to live free from restraint. Still, cultivation realms could always improve, and their methods would continue to grow more refined. As for immortals, with their unfathomable powers, perhaps even such weapons could not take their lives. The elders could only find comfort in these silent thoughts. "Hey, Little Fei Yu," Xi Lian whispered beside Wang Sheng, "why didn't they use one of those on me back then?" "Because of the radiation," Wang Sheng answered seriously. "After detonation, that kind of weapon contaminates the area. It's very dangerous to ordinary people. I remember when you were just released from the seal, there were a few warheads much stronger than this sitting nearby, waiting just in case." The half-immortal's face immediately twitched, the corners of her mouth spasming slightly. "Hmph! Mortals nowadays have really gotten creative." "Everyone, please take your seats. We're about to land, so there may be some turbulence," Qing Yanzi instructed. "At the very least, this wave of malevolent ghosts is no longer a major threat. We now have to think about how to help the female immortal." Wang Sheng replied, "Master, I think the real question is what we can actually do to help her." Shen Sui'an said in a low tone, "Why not just drop a few higher-yield warheads into the Eighteen Levels of Hell?" Xi Lian's eyes lit up. "Want me to deliver them?" Qing Yanzi calmly reasoned, "What if a being sealed beneath the Eighteen Levels of Hell can survive a nuclear blast? If the explosion breaks the seal, that would be a true catastrophe." As they conversed, the transport aircraft touched down smoothly and began taxiing along the runway. The Daoist elders exchanged a few more thoughts before disembarking. They then boarded helicopters that had been waiting and headed straight for Mount Pingdu. Naturally, Wang Sheng, Mu Wanxuan, and Xi Lian stayed close together, while Liu Yunzhi was stopped by the Special Investigation Unit and told to remain at the airport until further orders. Liu Yunzhi's cultivation realm was too low. He was vulnerable to yin qi, the concentration of which at Mount Pingdu was rapidly intensifying. Hence, he had no choice but to wait. Feeling a little frustrated, he handed over all his ghost-exorcising and lightning talismans to Wang Sheng. Wang Sheng was not particularly fond of using talismans. Most of the ones that Shi Qianzhang had given to him were still in his Crane-Spirit Treasure Pouch. Now, he had more to add to the collection. At the very least, even though junior disciples had made them, they still had decent effects. As the group approached Mount Pingdu, Xi Lian chuckled smugly. "They kept refusing to let me come. Well, I'm here now, aren't I?" Wang Sheng frowned slightly. "How are you holding up, Big Sister? Will the yin qi and ghost aura from the Small Nether Realm affect you?" "They do affect me, but as long as I don't use more than ten percent of my power, I'll remain stable," Xi Lian said seriously with a composed expression. "I've also been thinking about how to retain a bit of reason in case I lose control. As long as I don't attack friend and foe alike, I'll be fine." Wang Sheng thought for a moment, then reminded, "Big Sister, you're actually the one most likely to be able to help that female immortal, but we'll see how things go. If possible, avoid fighting." "Yeah, yeah, yeah… You're even more naggy than Daoist Master Qinglin." Xi Lian closed her eyes. Immortal light swirled around her, and she reverted to her true appearance, no longer disguised as a young girl. "I'm going to regulate my breath and steady my mind. If the Special Investigation Unit comes and asks me to act, you judge the situation. You can agree or turn them down on my behalf." She winked playfully at Wang Sheng before closing her eyes again. Her charming face now bore a hint of solemn grace. Mu Wanxuan also winked at Wang Sheng. Softly, she said, "You decide." She then closed her eyes to rest as well, adjusting her state to its peak condition. Wang Sheng smiled helplessly. With low cultivation, he had no choice but to play the role of a "manager." The Pure Yang Immortal Mantra was inherently capable of warding off yin qi, and the immortal light of his celestial-grade flying sword could suppress wandering spirits and vengeful ghosts. As the top sword cultivator on the Earthly Rankings, Wang Sheng's strength in the Small Nether Realm might not even be lower than that of Golden Core Realm cultivators. Well, since it's for my senior sister, I might as well play "manager." He gazed at the graceful beauty sitting silently beside Xi Lian. Despite Xi Lian's peerless appearance, she failed to draw his attention away from Mu Wanxuan for even a moment. Fine wine could not compare to the nectar of the Jade Pool. Physical beauty meant little when the heart was already bound. Once this Nether Gate crisis was over, he would return to the villa in the mountains to continue cultivating. He would also look for a chance to finally confess to his senior sister. There was no need for anything elaborate. On a starlit night, he would find a bench in the breeze and ask her one simple question. "Will you walk the rest of this life with me?" Wang Sheng felt they already shared a mutual understanding, but his senior sister had known so little about such matters just a few years ago. Her concept of a Daoist partner still differed somewhat from his. Regardless, it was time to take that step. Always putting it off is not the way of a true gentleman. It's settled, then! Even if she shakes her head and says no… Wait, what if she really rejects me? That could happen, right? There's no reason she would say no, though… Wang Sheng had stayed calm when facing the Five Gods Cult, when confronting the Yin-Yang All-Creation Sect, and even when fighting the cunning monks and the ancient devil who had broken free from her seal. Yet now, his heart was starting to waver. Fortunately, the helicopter began its descent, leaving him no time to overthink. Several helicopters landed one after another on a mountaintop clearing near the command post, just a few kilometers from the rear of Mount Pingdu. From here, the Nether Gate was clearly visible. Under the night sky, Wang Sheng looked around. He saw brightly lit artillery positions, armored vehicles covering the mountains, tanks, rocket launchers, missile arrays…. The rapid assembly of such a large armored force in such a short time spoke volumes about the Hua Republic's military efficiency. After disembarking, they were taken directly to the command camp at the front lines, though not all to the same destination. The elders of the Hidden Earth Sect were escorted to a sector packed with high-level researchers already waiting for their sect's secret treasures, while the six Daoist elders were guided to a specialized resting area prepared for Daoist experts. Only Qing Yanzi, Shen Sui'an, Wang Sheng, Mu Wanxuan, and Xi Lian were taken to the main command center. Mu Wanxuan was then brought before a large screen to face over a dozen senior officials. Naturally, Wang Sheng followed as her interpreter. All they wanted to know was how Mu Wanxuan had received the female corpse's summons and plea for help. Mu Wanxuan had already typed out everything she wanted to say. Wang Sheng read it aloud. Though all of it had already been explained before, hearing it directly from her made the story slightly more credible. One of the people on the screen then prompted the meeting to proceed. 「It's time to decide how many experts we should send for this dangerous task.」