Chapter 101: The Dao Vein Examination

“Wait, there must be something suspicious here!”

Just as Sima Lingzhen clapped his hands and laughed heartily, a low shout suddenly came from the jade table opposite him.

Frowning at the sound, Sima Lingzhen turned with some displeasure, only to see confirmation of his suspicions reflected on his face.

“Hou Wen, junior brother, is it you again? Since arriving in the Southern Domain, you’ve been nothing but a persistent skeptic. Do you really think your divination can unravel all the mysteries of heaven and earth?”

Raising an eyebrow, Sima Lingzhen smiled faintly and said, “It’s not that I belittle you. Even our Yuchen Sect’s most skilled diviner, Senior Brother Jun Yao, who has received the secret true transmission, wouldn’t dare make such bold assumptions. How long have you been from the lower courtyard to the upper sect? Your insight is still quite shallow.”

“Since that foreboding divination before our journey began, I’ve been uneasy, and it has somewhat tarnished the honor of our Yuchen Sect. It’s also made several senior brothers here look like fools.”

Radiant auspicious clouds shimmered, and pure light wove through the Lan Pavilion, where six or seven lofty platforms had been erected. Each was occupied by a Golden Core Realist, draped in a precious glow and bearing profound virtue.

Before them on the jade tables lay rare celestial fruits, spirit pills, and fine wines, the air infused with a refreshing and ethereal vitality.

The Realists had been engaging with Sima Lingzhen and Hou Wen in friendly conversation, the atmosphere quite harmonious.

But as the two Yuchen disciples exchanged subtle barbs, and with Sima Lingzhen’s unhidden mockery, the mood instantly turned somber and stiff.

The Golden Core Realists quietly observed, saying nothing.

Even they maintained this stance; the few Dongxuan Refiners serving wine at the back were utterly silent, not daring to utter a sound.

Opposite Sima Lingzhen sat a tall Taoist clad in purple-blue Bagua robes, wearing a lotus crown, a relic bell hanging at his waist.

He appeared to be in his thirties, with a short beard on his chin, a clear and steady countenance, and an imposing demeanor as solid as towering mountains and vast rivers.

Hearing Sima Lingzhen’s words, Hou Wen furrowed his brow slightly, a flash of sharp spirit in his eyes that pierced the soul. Yet Sima Lingzhen seemed oblivious, his smile faintly lingering.

“The wood and fire intersect, nourishing water below, with Saturn present—this is the pattern of eight calamities encroaching upon the rightful seal, an omen of malevolent spirits…”

After silently scrutinizing each other for a long moment, Hou Wen finally sighed deeply and spoke slowly:

“I know you hail from the noble Sima clan of the main hall. Among your twelve great families, most—eight or nine times out of ten—are proud and arrogant, intolerant of advice.”

“But my divinations rarely err. There must be some trick concealed within the ten-thousand-mile illuminating talisman. That fierce, dark, dominant demon is surely the malefic spirit in my reading!”

“If you care not for your own life, then at least consider the sect’s great matters.”

Seeing Sima Lingzhen unmoved, Hou Wen fell silent for a few breaths before speaking resignedly:

“This is the thirty-yearly Dao line appraisal of our sect. Since we both bear this duty, we must fulfill it faithfully.”

“Yet we have not even journeyed to Ai Jian’s Xuanzhen Sect to appraise and register in the Golden Registry. How can we abandon our posts over a mere fierce, dark, dominant demon?”

The Yuchen Sect governed nearly a thousand Dao lines and branch sects, all sprouted and divided over countless years.

Though bearing the Yuchen name and granted benefits, and taught the sect’s Dao arts and divine skills, outstanding disciples could be recommended by Dao line leaders to attend lectures at the main sect for a time.

But all these benefits were not without cost.

Each Dao line paid annual tributes to the core Yuchen Sect to maintain the sacred flame, and every thirty years, two inspection Taoists were dispatched to assess the progress of each Dao line.

They judged disciples’ cultivation, sect spiritual energy, Dao arts, and merits concerning both the mortal and demon realms.

If a Dao line failed three consecutive assessments, it would be struck from the Golden Registry, losing all benefits and forbidden to act under the Yuchen name, under penalty.

Sima Lingzhen and Hou Wen were precisely these inspection Taoists, tasked with appraising the Southern Domain’s Dao lines.

The Southern Domain lacked spiritual opportunities, hardly a paradise for cultivation.

Only thirty years prior did Ai Jian, after a grave misstep nearly expelling him, hastily establish a Dao line here…

Hou Wen, while still in the Yuchen Sect’s lower courtyard, had dominated with innate divination skills, securing a place among the top ten disciples before being admitted to the upper sect.

Before heading to the Southern Domain, he painstakingly cast a divination for the journey, revealing a dire omen.

Yet having accepted the official token, he dared not retreat, lest he show cowardice before his brothers and lose face, disappointing the elders who esteemed him.

Since arriving, Hou Wen’s cautious vigilance due to the omen struck Sima Lingzhen, born of noble blood, as mere tunnel vision and needless worry—truly unbearable.

Noble families and commoners harbored mutual disdain; even within one sect, they often detested each other, rarely forming friendships.

Moreover, Sima Lingzhen was already irritable from Hou Wen’s constant suspiciousness, his simmering anger only growing.

If they had quickly proceeded to Xuanzhen Sect for assessment, they might have spared themselves much discomfort.

Yet, just days earlier, the revered Fire Dragon Elder transmitted a decree by spiritual projection: Wang Shu, who had gone to the Southern Chanzhou to seek herbs, remained missing.

After discussion among all elders of the Xuandao Hall, only upon confirming Wang Shu’s true fate would Sima Lingzhen and Hou Wen be permitted to continue the Dao line assessment at Xuanzhen Sect.

As for Wang Shu’s connection to Ai Jian and how his life or death might affect this appraisal, that was another matter.

With the Fire Dragon Elder’s command and the elders’ tacit approval, neither dared disobey.

No matter how much Sima Lingzhen despised Hou Wen, they had to wait, postponing their journey to the Xuanzhen Sect on Little Gan Mountain.

At that moment, several Golden Core Realists from Southern Domain sects, having heard the news, specially hosted a banquet at the Five Dragon View to invite them.

Sima Lingzhen and Hou Wen followed suit, resting there and silently awaiting developments.

Hou Wen remained anxious, reluctant, even wielding the importance of the Dao line appraisal to pressure Sima Lingzhen.

Coldly, Sima Lingzhen sneered inwardly, “This fellow received much help from Shao You when he was among the top ten disciples in the lower courtyard. Now Shao You overestimates himself, vying with Senior Brother Xie for the true transmission, and Hou Wen jumps eagerly to oppose me, acting as his vanguard to curry favor? How ridiculous! And he dares use divination as his banner? Does he really think I, Sima Lingzhen, am unaware of his schemes?”

“When Senior Brother Xie ascends to the treasure seat, one day soon, I will force you out beyond Xudu Heaven to open a branch sect on the earthly continent, where you will spend your remaining days in the wilderness!”

“Not just you, but Shao You and his pack of lackeys will all meet the same fate!”

Without further thought, Sima Lingzhen chuckled coldly again, beckoning with a hand to summon a ten-zhang-high Yinyue Palace, resplendent with dazzling brilliance and auspicious mists, radiating a magnificent and imposing presence that illuminated the ten-mile sea of clouds with resplendent light.

He stamped his foot and soared into the palace, opening its array and seals.

The palace shimmered with shifting colors, stirring the spiritual energy within the Five Dragon View like a rising tide. Clouds parted and light burst forth, accompanied by several clear, resonant phoenix cries, like thunder rolling and summoning eight peaks.

A newly risen Golden Core Realist from Divine Fire Cliff, witnessing this, rose in astonishment, exclaiming:

“What a marvelous treasure! Could this be the Yuchen Sect’s Jade Scenery Flying Palace?”

Within the Yuchen Sect, any disciple surpassing the Grand Competition and ascending from the four lower courtyards to the main sect’s cultivation would be granted a “Jade Scenery Flying Palace” by the Spiritual Treasures Hall, honoring their Dao prowess and protecting their life.

The Jade Scenery Flying Palace is an extraordinarily high-grade magical artifact, fully sealed and capable of withstanding assaults from Yuan Spirit Realists without a scratch. Its escape speed far surpasses ordinary Golden Core cultivators, harnessing the light and winds of the four seasons, allowing instantaneous travel through the void.

At this moment—

The Divine Fire Cliff Golden Core Realist, abandoning all decorum, expelled twin flames from his eyes to closely examine the palace’s seals and materials, full of envy.

Divine Fire Cliff’s foundation lies in refining and forging. The clan’s Copper Mountain Ancestor left behind three volumes of iron books: one on Yuan Spirit Dao fruit and two detailing methods for forging various treasures.

Because Copper Mountain Ancestor once apprenticed at Yuchen Sect’s lower courtyard but failed repeatedly to enter the top ten disciples, he eventually gave up, severed his ties, wandered for centuries, even visiting the outer realms, and finally founded the Divine Fire Cliff lineage in the Southern Domain.

Due to this connection, Copper Mountain Ancestor harbored a bittersweet obsession with the Yuchen main sect. His cherished treasure, the Luo Iron Flying Palace, was forged in the shape of the Yuchen Spiritual Treasures Hall’s Jade Scenery Flying Palace, striving to replicate its grandeur.

Yet now—

To this Divine Fire Cliff golden core, Sima Lingzhen’s summoned palace, though fully sealed, showed evident differences in forging methods and materials compared to their own clan’s treasure.

This revelation chilled the golden core’s limbs and caused some loss of composure.

His exclamation drew the gaze of the other Golden Core Realists on the platforms, their expressions varied.

Clearly, disciples of a great sect like Yuchen stood worlds apart from them.

Not to mention the scriptures, divine powers, fate, blessed lands, and spiritual opportunities they possessed, even their personal wealth far outstripped theirs.

Merely owning such a fully sealed, heavily guarded flying palace was beyond the reach of most Golden Core Realists here, even those from sects like Five Radiance or Divine Fire Cliff.

If they were poor Golden Core wanderers, they likely wouldn’t even possess a single artifact, relying instead on high-grade talismans.

...

“Truly a group of rustic savages from the Southern Domain, unable to recognize even the ‘Purple Pure Eight Directions Palace’ of my noble Sima clan, mistaking it for the ‘Jade Scenery Flying Palace’?” Sima Lingzhen found it amusing but was too lazy to explain.

Though vast and complete with buildings, pavilions, and flower ponds, the Purple Pure Eight Directions Palace could hold nearly a hundred residents but was still no match for the ‘Jade Scenery Flying Palace,’ almost like a small city.

Moreover, the Jade Scenery Flying Palace, when propelled, emits magnificent radiant clouds like a rising sun—its aura unmistakable.

Only these Southern Domain cultivators, whose lands are hardly favorable for Dao cultivation and whose sects are far apart, remained so inexperienced.

After settling on the cloud couch in the main hall, suppressing a smile, Sima Lingzhen drew a jade token from his sleeve, preparing to activate it when Hou Wen frowned again, seemingly about to plead once more.

“Junior brother, do not trouble yourself with needless worries! Who dares to offend and attack a Yuchen sect cultivator? And do you think my cultivation is weak as clay?!”

Growing more impatient, Sima Lingzhen snapped, “Don’t use the Dao line appraisal to pressure me. Wang Shu’s fate remains unknown! According to the Fire Dragon Elder’s decree, even the journey to Ai Jian’s Xuanzhen Sect must wait until Wang Shu’s fate is clarified!”

With that, the flying palace dispersed the fierce wind, flashed brilliantly, and vanished.

“Heh... Everything boils down to sectarian prejudice?”

“Those noble family members truly are fools. Keeping them only tarnishes the Heavenly Venerable’s reputation!”

Watching the flying palace’s departing direction, Hou Wen stood stunned for a long moment before reluctantly withdrawing his gaze and sighing.

No one dared contradict him.

The Golden Core Realists on the platforms laughed awkwardly, raising their cups in toast to Hou Wen, easing the atmosphere once more.

Among them, Wang Zhenren of the Five Radiance Sect remained unsettled, refusing the cup, his fingers clenched silently beneath flowing sleeves.

“Huaifu... you fool, befriending a celestial demon?! If you only sought escape from Xudu Heaven, why not speak with me? Are you afraid I’d steal your celestial demon?”

Near his platform, a Golden Core Realist from the Flower Deity Mansion watched Wang Zhenren’s changing expression with mild amusement.

She was a voluptuous beauty, ribbons adorning her arms, twenty-four flower spirits radiating from her nape like swirling clouds.

“That Huaifu boy is doomed,” she murmured with a smile.

Wang Zhenren showed no expression, avoiding her gaze.

“Honestly, a rare fierce, dark, dominant demon? If I were Huaifu, I’d hide it, distrusting even parents and teachers, let alone old friends of my master.”

She smiled again, “But that demon’s able to commune with the ‘Silent Heavenly Palace’s Holy Prayer Technique’? Lucky! If it reincarnates and possesses, becoming a troubling demon child, it might be uncontrollable.”

“Are you speaking so much now?” Wang Zhenren asked unexpectedly.

“Too bad that with Yuchen Sect’s Sima Lingzhen intervening, even the mighty twelve great families won’t save that fierce, dark, dominant demon from the alchemical furnace.”

The beauty seemed not to hear, covering her lips in a smile:

“Not just it, but that Huaifu boy you watch over is dead meat too!”

Wang Zhenren coldly glanced at her, eyes flickering as if hesitating, then turned away.

“Huaifu... you really are doomed this time…”

He lowered his eyelids, sighing inwardly.

...

Floating Jade Anchorage.

The sorrowful demonic light struck Chen Heng’s chest, spreading rapidly over his limbs like dense, multicolored silken threads.

Within moments, Chen Heng was heavily wrapped, resembling a splendid cocoon.

Seeing the cocoon complete, Sect Leader Huaifu finally relaxed, lightly flicking his dust whisk.

“Once this succeeds, I can finally rest peacefully. Two hundred years of bitter waiting, and this moment has come. Heaven does not disappoint me!”

He thought to himself.

Inside the cocoon,

Chen Heng experienced feelings unlike any before.