Chapter 58: Phoenix, the Demon Emperor

Two days after the turmoil in Yizhou, at the Supernormal Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

At nine o'clock in the morning, Qin Jiajia arrived at the research group's office on time. As soon as she pushed open the door, she saw a group of people gathered around a table, talking over one another in a chaotic buzz of voices. Yet, she still managed to catch the three words: "Heavenly Mystery Bureau."

Could it be that a reply had finally arrived from the Heavenly Mystery Bureau regarding the archaeological work on Yuan Tiangang done previously?

That was her very first reaction deep within her heart.

Ever since discovering that the chess artifact was related to Yuan Tiangang, Cheng Xiaomeng had mobilized the entire research group's resources, taking the lead in compiling a report and sending it off to the Heavenly Mystery Bureau.

Just as regular academic disciplines have their hot fields and dead ends, research on cultivators also had its divisions of popularity. As the foremost surviving Dao-art cultivator in the country, Yuan Tiangang's popularity was undoubtedly equivalent to the core of the sun; touching upon it even slightly meant instant success.

In Cheng Xiaomeng's words, this report was pinned on everyone's bonus performance evaluations and professional title selections. The entire group had worked overtime for it, and the amount of fallen hair on the laboratory floor had visibly increased.

Fortunately, the research as a whole went relatively smoothly. The only small accident was when the Heavenly Mystery Bureau suddenly issued a Level-3 requisition order midway, seeking a method to prolong life. For a time, everyone was shaken, and all sorts of speculations flew everywhere, terrified that this sun would suddenly extinguish just like that, plunging the research group into a state of anxiety.

As it turned out, not long after, all the requisition orders on the internal network were rescinded. Although the personnel at the Supernormal Research Institute did not know the specific details, at least that supreme being was not in immediate danger of losing his life, and the report's value was preserved.

Qin Jiajia walked forward, squeezed into the crowd, and asked Zou Peng, the deputy head of the research group standing before the table, "Has a reply come from the Heavenly Mystery Bureau?"

"Yes, they verified the authenticity of the chess piece we excavated. It does indeed belong to Yuan Tiangang, and it is said to be related to a cultivator friend of his from back then."

Zou Peng sighed with emotion, "With this, that item should be able to make it into the museum. A top-tier supreme being is truly a top-tier supreme being; just by borrowing a shred of his name, the value is already more than enough."

For everyone in the research group at the Supernormal Research Institute, this was naturally a good outcome. Their hard work over the past half-month had not been in vain.

However, strangely enough, the deputy group leader in front of them did not wear much of a joyful expression. Instead, he wore a headache-inducing look, just like someone who had just stepped out of the company doors after finishing overtime, only to find out that their boss was calling again.

"The Heavenly Mystery Bureau also sent another letter, co-issued with the Sanitation Bureau..."

Zou Peng rubbed his temples. "They said a new cultivator was recently discovered, and both units have applied to nominate him as strategic-grade, hoping we can open a project to conduct further investigations... I suppose I'll be drafted into the investigation team as well."

Qin Jiajia was slightly startled. She had heard the title "strategic-grade" before, and naturally understood the weight of such a designation.

However, combining the recently discovered cultivator supreme being, the Sanitation Bureau, the Heavenly Mystery Bureau, and the recent affair regarding Yuan Tiangang...

Could it be him again?

"Isn't this a great opportunity, then?" she voiced her initial thought. "Strategic-grade—aren't those the most powerful cultivators? The value of this project should be very high, right?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Zou Peng cast a glance her way, his eyes filled with tender affection for an ignorant child.

"Strategic-grade is naturally powerful. But precisely because the title is so formidable, it gets people stuck. It trips up both the nominated cultivators and us investigators."

"To give a relatively simple example: are room-temperature superconductors impressive? Are brain-computer interfaces impressive? Are graphene and perovskites impressive? If you can achieve true results, of course it's impressive, but the reality is that most researchers are doing futile work."

"Strategic-grade investigations are just like that. Cultivators with such monumental contributions are nominated once every few years. Just the evaluation investigations I've participated in number three already, and some investigations drag on for years, yet not a single one manages to ultimately reach the institute's baseline. It's purely exhausting and unrewarding."

Qin Jiajia blinked. She had truly never thought about it from this perspective.

There are tens of millions of cultivators in China, with many possessing profound cultivation bases, numerous masters of wondrous skills, and countless individuals who have made massive contributions to society. Yet, those who simultaneously satisfied all conditions and possessed deep historical significance were exceedingly few and far between.

Throughout past and present, countless figures as brilliant as gold were born on this land, yet Chinese history itself was already resplendent.

Trying to fish out the brightest and most meaningful nuggets from this resplendent history was indeed no simple task.

"It's fine, Brother Zou. Maybe this time this person can actually pass the evaluation?" another researcher nearby comforted him. "If a strategic-grade can really be evaluated successfully, then everyone in your investigation team will be thoroughly gilded. By then, you might even be able to connect with a big shot through this."

"You said the exact same thing during the first three times," Zou Peng shot him a blank look.

Qin Jiajia pursed her lips and was just about to say something when, with a loud *bang*, the office door was suddenly pushed open.

Everyone turned their heads at the sound and saw Cheng Xiaomeng, the head of the research group, standing in the doorway, striding directly toward Deputy Group Leader Zou Peng.

"Zou Peng! I have a business trip next week, let's do a handover. You'll act as the group leader for those few days and lead everyone."

"I'm about to be transferred out myself soon too. The timing might not match up, you should find someone else first."

As Zou Peng spoke, his gaze fell upon the badge in her hand. "Wait, going on a business trip at a time like this... Could it be that you were selected to go to the Monster Realm for exploration?"

As soon as these words fell, the entire room erupted in a commotion. Everyone's attention instantly shifted away from the previous conversation about the Heavenly Mystery Bureau. Seeing Cheng Xiaomeng nod in confirmation, the uproar rose to an even higher level.

"Monster Realm exploration? Is that the Qishan Monster Realm?"

"Qishan? Holy crap, in previous years only the principal directors of each office could go! Sister Cheng, you're getting a major promotion this time!"

"Does that mean Sister Cheng will get to see the Monster Emperor this time? When you come back, you definitely have to tell us all about it..."

Everyone talked at once, their words filled with envy. Qin Jiajia listened from the side, her curiosity piqued, and leaned over to ask, "What is the Qishan Monster Realm?"

"You don't know?" Cheng Xiaomeng turned her head. "To put it simply, that is the largest surviving blessed land in the country, and also the gathering place of the monster race."

"I haven't been there in person before, but it's said that just the surface space of that blessed land is larger than the entire Shaanxi Province, and it also contains countless sub-spaces, sheltering millions of demons of various races living there."

"And the ruler of this Qishan Monster Realm is also the only high-level monster in the past thousand years to reach the Monster Emperor rank. Very few people have ever seen its true form; it's only known that it evolved from a fire-type avian demon, and its level of spiritual intelligence is no less than that of a cultivator, even possessing thought processes no different from a human's. We generally refer to it as..."

"The Monster Emperor, Phoenix."