The Azure Mountain

Chapter 126: Cloud Obscuring

People came and went on Anxi Street, but Jin Zhu squatted on the ground, raised his head, and stared fixedly at Chen Ji regardless of everything: "Do you know what it means that the cultivation Pathway was delivered to Luo City today?"

"What does it mean?"

Jin Zhu said with absolute certainty: "For this cultivation Pathway to arrive in Luo City within a single day, it needed to exit the Capital City before sunset yesterday. All the way, it passed through six Relay Stations in Baoding, Hengshui, Handan, Hebi, Xinxiang, and Zheng County, changing warhorses six times without stopping for even a quarter of an hour. Do you know, even ordinary military intelligence Imperial Gazettes do not have this special honor. It must be that the Inner Chancellor issued a verbal edict to be able to dispatch the warhorses of so many Relay Stations."

Jin Zhu continued: "The person who delivered this cultivation Pathway is also extraordinary; it is... Forget it, this cannot be told to you. Kid, when you lived in the Capital City previously, did you ever meet with the Inner Chancellor?"

Chen Ji was silent.

Chen Liqin came to Luo City in the autumn of the 25th year of Jianing, and it was now the winter of the 31st year of Jianing.

This meant that six years ago, Chen Liqin's entire family lived in the Capital City. Chen Ji wasn't sure whether he had seen the Inner Chancellor or not, so he couldn't answer carelessly.

Chen Ji changed the topic and asked: "Lord Jin Zhu, why did the Inner Chancellor mobilize so many people to bring over a cultivation Pathway?"

Jin Zhu smilingly said: "Kid, you've entered the Inner Chancellor's favored sights."

Chen Ji fell silent for a moment: "Is it a good thing or a bad thing?"Jin Zhu stood up and patted his shoulder: "Good thing, of course it's a heaven-shakingly great thing. As long as you can establish merits for the Inner Chancellor, he can make whatever your heart desires come true. Congratulations, only from today onwards are you considered to have truly entered the Secret Spy Division."

Chen Ji asked curiously: "What cultivation Pathway did Lord Jin Zhu request for me?"

Jin Zhu looked around at the pedestrians and said in a low voice: "Come with me, this is not a place to talk."

The two, one in front and one behind, weaved through the flow of people on Anxi Street and boarded a carriage by the roadside.

Xi Feng guarded beside the carriage. He lowered the door curtain and window curtains, covering the inside of the carriage cabin tightly; it was exceptionally cautious and solemn.

Sitting inside the carriage cabin, Jin Zhu mysteriously took out a black stone tube from his sleeve and handed it to Chen Ji's hands: "What I requested for you is the Mandala Secret Seal. It is the supreme dharma gate of the Ning Sect of the Esoteric Buddhism in the southwest. It can detain ferocious ghosts to hide within one's own body; detaining different ghosts yields different abilities. I once saw an eminent monk detain an Avici Hell evil ghost to hide within his body; he could fly into the sky and escape into the earth, omnipotent."

Chen Ji was puzzled: "Why would an Esoteric Sect dharma gate be in the Trouble-Resolving Tower?"

Jin Zhu chuckled: "This technique of forming seals to detain ghosts is the lifeblood of the Ning Sect. If the Inner Chancellor hadn't grasped heaven-shakingly huge leverage against them, how could they be willing to offer it up with both hands?"

Chen Ji looked down.

There was a black wax seal on the black stone tube, and stamped on top of the wax seal was the mark of "Trouble-Resolving".

Chen Ji raised his hand and was about to break open the wax seal, but Jin Zhu pressed down on his wrist: "Wait a moment. A cultivation Pathway is a confidential secret of our Directorate of Ceremonial. According to the rules, the recipient can only read it themselves, and it must be burned immediately after reading. Don't open it in front of me, that violates a taboo."

However, Chen Ji looked up, only to see Jin Zhu staring eagerly at the stone tube in his hand the entire time, his gaze not deviating even a bit...

He pondered for a moment, immediately dug out the wax seal, and poured a paper scroll out of the stone tube.

Jin Zhu was astonished: "What are you doing?"

Chen Ji said: "Since this is the cultivation Pathway Lord Jin Zhu requested for me, there's no harm in letting Lord see it."

Jin Zhu was puzzled: "Didn't you know cultivation Pathways must be kept confidential?"

"Lord Yun Yang once said so."

"Then you're still letting me see it?"

Chen Ji smiled harmlessly to humans and animals: "Lord treats me with sincerity, so I shall treat Lord with sincerity."

Jin Zhu fell silent for a long time: "Previously I still doubted you multiple times. Thinking back on it now, I'm truly ashamed... Hurry and take a look."

Chen Ji slowly unrolled the paper scroll. With just a rough glance, he exclaimed in surprise: "Lord, what is recorded on this paper scroll is not the Mandala Secret Seal."

Jin Zhu was startled and poked his head over to look at the paper scroll, only to see the first two large characters leaping into view: Cloud Obscuring.

The next moment, he quickly retracted his body, saying with shock and uncertainty: "Why is it this cultivation Pathway?!"

Chen Ji was puzzled: "What's wrong, Lord?"

Jin Zhu lowered his head, his expression changing several times. When he raised his head again, he said seriously: "I have absolutely not seen this cultivation Pathway of yours. I don't know what's inside, and I certainly don't know what the content is! If the Inner Chancellor asks, you absolutely must say so!"

Chen Ji looked at the paper scroll in his hand: "What kind of cultivation Pathway is it, to actually make Lord act as if facing a formidable enemy? How about... I just don't practice this Pathway."

Jin Zhu's expression struggled for a long time. Ultimately, he spat out a breath of turbid air and said: "No, you must practice it! This Pathway has no harm to you; it's merely related to a secret matter."

"What secret matter?"

Jin Zhu said faintly: "Twelve years ago, a young Practitioner emerged from the Qi family. His original name was Qi Yunchang, but at nine years old he suddenly changed his own name to Qi Zheyun. He entered the Connate Realm at twelve, entered the Path-Seeking Realm at sixteen, and by the age of twenty-one had already touched the threshold of the Divine Path Realm; it seemed he was only one step away from that realm above the cyan clouds. His singular formless Sword Qi reached the pinnacle of perfection, making it impossible for people to defend against."

Formless Sword Qi?

Chen Ji was deep in thought. This cultivation Pathway seemed very suitable for him.

He casually asked: "Is this Qi Zheyun even more formidable than Tian Ma?"

Jin Zhu sighed with emotion: "If comparing strength, they are evenly matched. If comparing potential, I'm afraid he was a notch higher than Tian Ma. Qi Zheyun entered the Border Army at sixteen. Within three years, he beheaded over ten Jing Dynasty great generals in battle. In the winter of the 17th year of Jianing, he led a cavalry unit of three hundred men six hundred li deep into the Jing Dynasty and captured the Jing Dynasty's Marquis of Chicheng alive. Later, he was surrounded, pursued, and intercepted by Jing Dynasty iron cavalry. Everyone thought he couldn't return, yet he led those three hundred-odd cavalrymen in a massive circle around Northern Liao, ultimately fighting their way to Lüshun and returning to the country by ship. For such merit, His Majesty conferred him the title of Rank-3 Dragon Tiger General and specially granted him permission to wear a sword to court."

Jin Zhu continued: "When Qi Zheyun returned, it was precisely the Lantern Festival of the 18th year of Jianing, and His Majesty was hosting a banquet for the court officials. At the banquet, His Majesty asked him what his ambitions were. Qi Zheyun stepped forward wearing his sword, saying he wanted to become the first Martial Saint of the Jing and Ning dynasties, to unify the mountains and rivers for His Majesty."

Chen Ji asked curiously: "Where is this Qi Zheyun now?"

Inside the dim carriage cabin, Jin Zhu looked at the opposite Chen Ji with a bizarre expression: "Dead."

Chen Ji was momentarily stunned: "Dead?!"

Jin Zhu continued to speak: "Just listen to me tell it slowly. This Qi Zheyun's identity was extraordinary. When someone went to the Qi family as a guest, they unexpectedly found that his father and mother revered him like a deity, and they did not address each other as parents and son. Later, when his father was drunk, he once said that this Qi Zheyun was no mortal, but an Immortal from above the Forty-Nine Heavens, coming from 'East Kunlun'."

Chen Ji's expression calmed down.

Forty-Nine Heavens!

Forty-Nine Heavens again!

This Forty-Nine Heavens was like the greatest secret in the mortal realm, known only to an extremely small number of people. He originally thought a Banished Immortal like Xu Shu of the Imperial Observatory was rarely encountered in a century, but he didn't expect there to be more than one such 'Immortal'.

Counting this Qi Zheyun, Xu Shu, and including Chen Ji himself, there were already three people from the Forty-Nine Heavens!

What exactly was this Forty-Nine Heavens, and why did he come to the Ning Dynasty from the Forty-Nine Heavens?

Chen Ji's head hurt just thinking about it: "Lord Jin Zhu, since Qi Zheyun was an Immortal, how could he die?"

"Having come to the mortal realm, he was a mortal. As long as one is mortal, there will eventually be death," Jin Zhu answered: "In the spring of the 21st year of Jianing, on his way back to the capital from the border town to report on his duties, this Qi family Practitioner was ambushed and assassinated, dying in Changping."

Chen Ji was puzzled: "He just died like that? Who did it."

Jin Zhu lowered his head to look at that paper scroll in his hand: "...What do you think?"

Chen Ji suddenly felt that this cultivation Pathway was burning his hands somewhat!

Since Qi Zheyun's cultivation Pathway was in the hands of the Directorate of Ceremonial, then this matter was naturally done by the Directorate of Ceremonial!

But why would the Directorate of Ceremonial ambush and assassinate a Banished Immortal from the Forty-Nine Heavens? And why did the Inner Chancellor dare to impart this cultivation Pathway to him?

Was he not afraid of him leaking this matter out?!

Chen Ji's head was now full of question marks; he couldn't figure it out at all.

He seemed to see a middle-aged man draped in a black python robe, sitting upright behind a dim desk, letting out a silent sneer at him. Like an experienced national chess master making an unfathomably mysterious move, plunging the opponent into an endless, agonizingly long contemplation.

Chen Ji thought for a bit and asked: "Perhaps this isn't Qi Zheyun's cultivation Pathway, but merely shares the same name? Lord, take a look to confirm if it is the one from back then, Qi Zheyun's..."

Jin Zhu hurriedly closed his eyes: "Take it away, take it away! Don't let me see it, don't drag me down into the water!"

Chen Ji gave Jin Zhu a glance, and simply unrolled the paper scroll and read aloud: "Before the Shangqing Purple Cloud Void Sovereign, the Supreme Great Dao Jade Dawn Lord. Idly residing in the stamen pearl, composing seven-character verses, dispersing the five forms to transform into myriad gods."

Jin Zhu let out an "Ah", interrupted Chen Ji, and widened his eyes: "Kid, are you trying to harm me?!"

Chen Ji laughed: "Lord Jin Zhu, you and I are grasshoppers tied to the same rope now; what talk is there of harming or not harming? Moreover, this might not necessarily be Qi Zheyun's cultivation Pathway. If he was ambushed and assassinated, how could he possibly have recited his own cultivation Pathway for his enemies to hear?"

Jin Zhu threw him a glance and said bitterly: "Have you forgotten Meng Ji? I'm telling you, it's best not to get involved in this matter; there is definitely an even greater secret. How peculiar, I clearly requested the Mandala Secret Seal for you, why did the Inner Chancellor give you this thing."

Chen Ji raised the paper scroll: "Dare I ask Lord, what grade is this cultivation Pathway? Grade A?"

Jin Zhu waved his hand: "Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding are our mortal realm's way of speaking. A cultivation Pathway of a Banished Immortal from the Forty-Nine Heavens, who has the qualifications to grade it? Kid, you're on your own, look out for yourself!"

Having said that, he drove Chen Ji off the carriage, called out to Xi Feng, and ran away in a puff of smoke.

...

...

It was high noon. The cold winter wind blew against his face, clearing Chen Ji's head a little.

The Secret Spy Division was like an abyss; it seemed there was an invisible hand pulling him down into the frigid pool vortex beneath the abyss.

Chen Ji tightened his collar, returned to the front of Taiping Medical Clinic, and took a deep breath.

He rubbed his cheeks, smiled and said: "I'm back!"

There was only Liu Quxing behind the counter, propping his chin with his hand and dozing off. Hearing Chen Ji's voice, he instantly jolted up and stood up, saying angrily: "What are you shouting for!"

Chen Ji looked around and asked curiously: "Where are Master and Senior Brother She?"

"Master and She Dengke went to the princely estate for a house call. It's said the Prince supervises the Kiln Factory every day and caught a bit of a cold," Liu Quxing pointed to the backyard: "Your food is left on the stove in the kitchen. I hid four slices of cured meat under your rice for you, otherwise they would have all been snatched away by that grandson She Dengke."

Chen Ji chuckled cheerfully: "Thank you, Senior Brother."

He went to the back kitchen and casually shoveled a few mouthfuls, then tip-toed back into the apprentice dormitory, closed the door tight, and took out that paper scroll from his sleeve again.

He quietly stared at the verses on the paper scroll, but didn't know how to practice it.

Could it be reciting scriptures unceasingly like the Little Monk?

"Before the Shangqing Purple Cloud Void Sovereign, the Supreme Great Dao Jade Dawn Lord. Idly residing in the stamen pearl, composing seven-character verses, dispersing the five forms to transform into myriad gods. This is the Yellow Court Inner Chapter, the lute heart strikes thrice as the embryo immortal dances. Nine Qis reflect brightly to emerge amidst the clouds, the divine canopy boy generates purple smoke. It is said the jade book can be finely studied; recite it ten thousand times to ascend to the three heavens..."

"Wait, recite it ten thousand times to ascend to the three heavens? The answer to the riddle is right there on the riddle's face."

Chen Ji sat cross-legged on the bed, reciting over and over again. The entire text was two hundred and thirty-nine sentences, totaling one thousand six hundred and seventy-three characters. Reciting the entire text took half an incense stick's time.

He read silently for a moment. The instant he finished the first reading, he suddenly felt a strand of purple Qi birth within his body, circulating continuously in his blood.

Chen Ji muttered: "It's this miraculous?"

However, right as his voice fell, that brilliant Sword Qi inside his body, nurtured by the sun, actually chased after that wisp of purple Qi and shattered it with one strike of the sword!

Chen Ji's pupils slightly shrank. Ever since he confirmed Jin Zhu was betting on him, he had deliberately hidden the Sword Qi and stopped Nourishing Sword. Who could have known this Sword Qi would actually come out to cause trouble at a crucial moment.

Could cultivation Pathways mutually repel each other? No, I'll try again!

At this very moment, in a carriage heading east, all the bones in Jin Zhu's body suddenly crackled wildly, as if he had stretched his body upon waking up, his entire body feeling smooth and unobstructed.

Although his Cultivation Base hadn't increased much, he could genuinely feel it!

Jin Zhu was momentarily stunned at first, and then burst into wild joy: "Has Chen Ji started practicing? He entered the Pathway this quickly!"

He had waited for this moment for far too long.

He had painstakingly confirmed Chen Ji's identity without error, and exerted utmost flattery to plead the Inner Chancellor for a cultivation Pathway, precisely so that after Chen Ji stepped into the cultivation Pathway, he could feed back the Cultivation Base, allowing him to ascend to the Path-Seeking Realm once more!

But.

Jin Zhu suddenly let out a miserable scream, a layer of fine sweat seeping out on his forehead.

A heart-piercing pain surged into his heart, as if someone had forcibly pulled out his ribs. He was too familiar with this kind of pain; it was clearly the sign of a falling Cultivation Base!

Jin Zhu gritted his teeth and muttered to himself: "What's going on, Chen Ji clearly just stepped one foot into the cultivation Pathway, why did he back out again?!"

Before the pain had completely eased, his body transmitted another burst of wild crackling sounds.

Jin Zhu was just about to breathe a sigh of relief, but his expression changed again: "Wait, this kid Chen Ji couldn't be... Aiyo!"

(End of Chapter)