Chapter 195: Chapter 194: Making a Move to Save People

Zhang Hang quietly sidled up to Gu Zhao. "What’s a White Bone God Monarch?"

"It’s a realm of Cultivation," Gu Zhao said with a straight face. "Have you heard of the White Bone Temple?"

"I actually have," Zhang Hang nodded, a bit puzzled. "But isn’t that a Buddhist Sect thing?"

"It’s a similar concept, more or less," Gu Zhao bullshitted him. "It’s about realms of Cultivation. You wouldn’t understand."

Zhang Hang wanted to roll his eyes at Gu Zhao, but then he remembered the man had real skills—the scene where he attracted Red-crowned Cranes just by practicing a fist routine made him feel a little less confident.

’There really is something to metaphysics!’

"Hey, don’t let all that talent go to waste. How long has it been since you last posted a short video?" Zhang Hang changed the subject. "Everyone’s been begging for the master to return, whether it’s in my comments or the ones from Xiao Ya and the others."

Gu Zhao clicked his tongue. Ever since he had started making his mark in the Otherworld, everything that had happened before felt like a lifetime ago.

Looking at the myriad city lights around them, Gu Zhao thought for a moment. He really should relax a bit.

"Let’s find some time this week," Gu Zhao nodded, his interest piqued. "I’ve learned some new skills. I can film a few more historical-style videos for fun."

Zhang Hang’s eyes widened. He asked excitedly, "Is it Tiger Fist? Are you going to the zoo to fight a tiger?"

Gu Zhao was speechless. "The zoo is full of people. How would I film that?"

Just then, a series of panicked shouts erupted from nearby.

Everyone looked toward the sound and saw a tour boat on the river not far away, slowly capsizing. The tourists on board were screaming for help, and many had already fallen into the water.

"That boat’s leaking!" The captain of Gu Zhao’s boat stuck his head out of the cockpit and said to everyone, "We have to go save them!"

Even as he spoke, he was already turning the helm, heading toward the distressed vessel.

At the same time, other tour boats in the area also turned toward the accident.

Zhang Hang stood up and grabbed the railing. Seeing the numerous tour boats converging, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Saturation rescue. They should be fine."

"Not necessarily." Taoist Yan Ling stood in the crowd, his eyes glinting. A Divine Light, invisible to others, shone from his eyes as he stared at the troubled boat.

"There are four or five people trapped in the cabin who can’t get out." Taoist Yan Ling pointed at the boat, his voice transmitted via Divine Sense. "And there are two more in the shadow behind the boat, caught in the current and unable to break free."

Taoist Yi Hong frowned slightly. "Besides, the tourists on board are panicking. If any non-swimmers fall in, they’ll be in danger too." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

The old Taoists looked at Gu Zhao, who also replied using Divine Sense, "Which Senior Uncle will make a move?"

Taoist Yan Song rubbed his hands together and chuckled. He whistled sharply, and a clear breeze swept past. The tour boat, which had already tilted to a forty-five-degree angle, seemed to be held up by an unseen force, its capsizing momentum halted.

Immediately after, the water inside the cabin began to drain out slowly. With the water pressure gone, the few people who had been trapped inside were able to open the door and escape onto the deck.

At the same time, the tourists who had been clinging to the side of the boat, nearly pulled underwater and almost sucked into the propeller, were pushed a safe distance away. They and the other scattered people in the water were gathered together to await rescue.

Taoist Yan Song nodded. "Good thing they’re all wearing life jackets. Otherwise, I would have had to put them all back on the boat."

Taoist Yan Ling teased, "That would be a supernatural incident. You might as well just fly over there."

Taoist Yan Song shook his head and said with a straight face, "No, can’t do that. The first time we officially reveal our powers to the world must be left to the Sect Leader."

Everyone smiled, filled with anticipation.

Gu Zhao was speechless. "Aren’t you worried about shattering the public’s entire worldview?"

Taoist Ming Yu stroked his beard and smiled. "We have always been Taoists who cultivate and believe in Immortals. All our skills come from the Daoist Canon, which is common knowledge."

Taoist Jing Feng grinned. "Besides, it’s possible to develop True Qi Magical Power even in modern society. Our Cultivation is just a tiny bit deeper, that’s all."

Taoist Qingyuan nodded repeatedly. "Exactly! Exactly!"

Taoist Ming Chong rubbed his chin. "Elixirs for friends and Five Thunders for foes. If the Sect Leader has the ambition, he could recreate the glory of the Taoist Sect during the Song and Ming Dynasties, and even surpass it."

Gu Zhao waved his hand dismissively. He glanced at the crew members and at Zhang Hang, who hadn’t heard their Divine Sense conversation, then pointed ahead. "Let’s focus on the rescue first."

...

There weren’t many people in the water, but the leaking tour boat had been crowded. After all the passengers were transferred one by one to the surrounding boats, the vessel that had stopped capsizing suddenly tilted faster, quickly flipping upside down on the river before slowly sinking.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"Look, the boat’s sinking!"

"Talk about lucky! The boat sank right after we got off?"

"Thank god we’re in our own country. If this happened abroad, we’d probably be toast."

"The ancestors are watching over us! Amitabha!"

"Hey, look over there!"

"Whoops, my bad, my bad. Blessed Infinite Celestial Venerable! The Three Pristine Taoist Ancestors be praised!"

The surrounding tour boats formed a circle, watching as the overturned vessel slowly sank. The captain of that boat, who happened to have been transferred onto Gu Zhao’s, showed no sign of sadness. He was just holding his phone, engrossed in recording.

Gu Zhao couldn’t help but ask, "Your boat sank. Aren’t you sad at all?"

"Not at all." The captain was even smiling. "It’s insured. Now I can add a little money and get a new one, with even more passenger capacity."

Gu Zhao: "..."

...

The tour boat returned to the dock, where numerous staff, police cars, and ambulances were already waiting. After helping the tourists back onto the shore, they didn’t continue their river tour but disembarked as well.

Looking back at the river, the sunken boat was nowhere to be seen.

Taoist Ming Yu looked at Taoist Yan Song. "Saving a life is a deed of boundless merit."

Taoist Yan Song tugged his beard. "You know, saving people in the Otherworld feels completely different from saving people back home."

"They are our own people, after all," Taoist Yi Hong said with a smile.

The group chatted and laughed as they took a car back to the Taoist Research Institute. After Gu Zhao sent the others across to the Otherworld, he met up with Zhang Hang, who was waiting at the entrance.

Zhang Hang glanced behind Gu Zhao to make sure no one had followed him, then couldn’t help but ask, "You’re not actually planning to become a monk, are you?"

"I have more girlfriends than I can count on one hand." Gu Zhao’s answer was completely off-topic. He tossed an object to Zhang Hang. "Don’t say I never look out for you. This is a Magical Artifact personally given Enlightenment by a True Cultivator. It’ll ward off evil and protect you from misfortune."

Zhang Hang caught it and saw it was a beaded bracelet. On it were three beads—one large and two small—engraved with Taoist Runes.

He fiddled with it for a moment before slipping it onto his wrist, scoffing at the same time, "More than you can count on one hand, yeah right. If you can actually win over both Xiao Ya and Jiang Shishi, I’ll call you my godfather!"

Gu Zhao looked at Zhang Hang and sneered repeatedly.

Zhang Hang’s heart skipped a beat, and a strange, ominous feeling washed over him.

Gu Zhao pulled out his phone, dialed a number, and said simply, "I’ll come see you two tonight."

Zhang Hang: ╭(°A°`)╮