Chapter 422: History 2

Chapter 422: Chapter 319: History 2

Returning to the inn, he pushed open the door to his room.

He saw the Orange Cat was still sprawled out, fast asleep.

Han Yuan wasn’t surprised.

These days, the Orange Cat would sleep for five or six days at a stretch, wake up for half a day, and then fall right back asleep.

He didn’t disturb the Orange Cat’s rest, simply sitting cross-legged on the bed and summoning his status panel.

Host: Han Yuan

Five Emperors Great Demon Divine Skill: Twelfth Layer (1455/25000)

Nine Mountains Heart Guarding True Skill: Perfection (Unmoving as a Mountain)

Celestial Spirit Divine Fist: Perfection (Demon Suppression)

…

After more than half a year of cultivation in the Great Demon Palace, and with a constant supply of Elixir Pills, he had only managed to advance his Five Emperors Great Demon Divine Skill by a single layer, reaching the Twelfth Layer.

If Han Yuan wanted to cultivate to the twentieth layer—the Perfection of the Divine Sea Realm—it would likely take him over a decade.

This speed of cultivation was, in truth, already absurdly fast.

Yet Han Yuan still felt it was far from enough.

After all, with the emergence of the Immortal Sect Organization, the world was in turmoil, and no one knew what might happen next.

His Divine Sea Cultivation might not be enough.

He wanted to break through to the absolute limit of the Five Emperors Great Demon Divine Skill and reach the Nirvana Realm.

‘I’ll take it one step at a time.’

Han Yuan swallowed an Elixir Pill, centered his mind, and began cultivating the Five Emperors Great Demon Divine Skill.

The Celestial Net Department had not yet detected any moves from the Immortal Sect Organization.

However, it was also possible that the Immortal Sect Organization had already begun to move, and the Celestial Net Department simply hadn’t noticed.

But regardless of the situation, all Han Yuan could do was wait.

…

The Great Li Capital was so vast and populous that to facilitate the movement of its people, it had a total of twenty small city gates and eight large ones.

Due to the threat of the Immortal Sect Organization, security at these gates had naturally become much stricter.

Every person entering the Great Li Capital was required to present identification papers and was forbidden from carrying any weapons.

The gates weren’t just guarded by the Divine Fire Forbidden Army; members of the Celestial Net Department were also hidden in the shadows, observing.

If they spotted anything unusual, they would intervene immediately.

However, the Great Li Capital processed a massive flow of people daily, and such strict security measures naturally led to long lines forming at every gate.

“Fang Stone… Feng Shui Master…”

A constable guarding one of the smaller city gates narrowed his eyes as he read the document in his hand.

“That’s right, that would be me.”

A tall, thin man in a long blue robe, holding a small banner, nodded eagerly.

“Open the bamboo basket on your back.”

the constable said flatly.

“Of course.”

The Feng Shui Master set down his bamboo basket.

The constable glanced inside and saw that it contained some books and a Compass, but nothing else.

“Alright, you can go in.”

The constable handed the document back to the Feng Shui Master.

“Many thanks, Officer.” The Feng Shui Master offered a fist-and-palm salute, then walked into the Great Li Capital, his expression relaxed.

「At another city gate」

A young Scholar also walked into the Great Li Capital.

The Scholar, fair-faced and clean-cut, gazed at the bustling prosperity of the city before him and smiled. ‘Great Li Capital… I’m here.’

Behind him, a burly, thick-waisted man with a savage-looking face, like that of a butcher, also entered the city.

…

「South City Gate」

This was one of the major gates, and it was extremely crowded, with people constantly streaming in and out.

A middle-aged man dressed as a Physician, sporting a graying goatee, walked through the gate.

“She Mu… Physician…”

The constable gave the middle-aged man a casual glance, then waved him through into the city.

The Physician nodded, took back his document, and walked into the bustling Great Li Capital, vanishing into the vast sea of people like a drop of water in the ocean, leaving no trace behind.

…

「Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.」

The Great Li Capital remained as peaceful as ever; no strange incidents had occurred.

It was as if the news about the Immortal Sect Organization gathering here was just a false rumor.

But this calm only made the Great Li Royal Family, the major Noble Families, and the Celestial Net Department even more tense.

Despite their prolonged investigation, they had found no clues whatsoever of the Immortal Sect Organization’s activities in the Great Li Capital.

And that, paradoxically, was what made them even more worried.

The information had come from the Profound Celestial Alliance, a source that was unlikely to be mistaken.

Han Yuan spent most of his days cultivating in the inn, and Dong Fangqu would come report on the situation whenever he was free.

On this particular day, the two of them were conversing in the main hall of the inn.

Han Yuan had ordered a table full of food.

If nothing else, he thought the inn’s chef was truly excellent; the dishes were perfectly to his taste.

Even though he no longer needed to eat, he still ordered a few dishes every day.

“Palace Master Han, there’s still no news regarding the Immortal Sect Organization.”

Dong Fangqu said in a low voice.

“It seems these people are plotting something big.”

“Haven’t you had any Abnormal People try to divine their location?”

Han Yuan asked quietly, munching on a piece of braised pork rib.

“For the past few days, one of the Celestial Net Department’s Spiritual Realm Abnormal People has been constantly trying to make a divination, but has come up with nothing.”

Dong Fangqu shook his head.

“A Spiritual Realm Abnormal Person is definitely not going to be enough…”

“Don’t you in the Celestial Net Department have any Abnormal People who’ve reached the Primordial Spirit Realm?”

Han Yuan asked, his tone deceptively casual.

The Orange Cat hadn’t woken up at all recently, and he was getting quite worried.

He planned to find a Primordial Spirit Abnormal Person to take a look at the cat the next time it woke up.

If this situation worsened, he feared the Orange Cat might fall into a slumber from which it would never awaken.

That was why he was using this opportunity to ask if the Celestial Net Department had any Primordial Spirit Abnormal People.

Dong Fangqu gave a wry smile. “Palace Master Han, Abnormal People are far rarer than Martial Artists. Even we at the Celestial Net Department have no Primordial Spirit Abnormal People.”

“However, tonight, the National Preceptor, Ling Yunzi, will petition the heavens and peer into the celestial secrets. We hope he can locate the members of the Immortal Sect Organization hiding within the Great Li Capital.”

‘Ling Yunzi…’

Han Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“What’s this Ling Yunzi’s story? How did he become the National Preceptor?”

Han Yuan asked with curiosity.

Dong Fangqu knew Han Yuan came from the remote Changming Province. Besides, Ling Yunzi had always kept a low profile, preferring to cultivate in seclusion deep in the mountains, so it was normal that Han Yuan hadn’t heard of him.

He explained, “Ling Yunzi is a legendary figure. He was once a simple Medicine Gatherer in his youth. The story goes that while gathering herbs in the mountains, he stumbled into the Cave Mansion of an ancient Abnormal Person. There, he solved a mysterious chess problem left behind by its former master and received their legacy.”

“He cultivated relentlessly after that. At forty-five, he broke through to the Spiritual Realm and became a retainer for the Great Li Royal Family. At seventy, he reached the rank of a Primordial Spirit Abnormal Person and was granted the title of National Preceptor.”

Han Yuan smiled. “He sounds impressive. I wonder, could I observe this ceremony of petitioning the heavens tonight?”

Dong Fangqu hesitated. “Palace Master Han, that’s not something I can decide.”

“I’ll have to ask Vice Director Cheng for instructions first, and then I can report back to you.”

Han Yuan nodded. “Then go ahead.”

Dong Fangqu immediately took his leave.

Han Yuan, meanwhile, continued to enjoy the delicacies on the table.

Half an incense stick later, Dong Fangqu returned.

“Palace Master Han, the Vice Director says you may go tonight.”

“Many people besides yourself wish to meet the National Preceptor… so a banquet is being held in the Imperial Palace this evening.”

Dong Fangqu said with a smile.

“So many people had the same idea as me.”

Han Yuan laughed.

After all, Primordial Spirit Abnormal People were far rarer than Divine Sea Martial Artists.

Dong Fangqu took out an invitation. “Palace Master Han,” he said softly, “this is your invitation. You can use it to enter the Imperial Palace tonight. Someone will be there to guide you.”

Han Yuan accepted the invitation. “Thank you for going to the trouble for me, Brother Dong.”

Dong Fangqu waved his hand dismissively. “There’s no need for such pleasantries, Palace Master Han.”

The two chatted for a little while longer before Dong Fangqu took his leave.

He was, in fact, responsible for the defenses in this area and needed to deploy his personnel.

Even though there had been no sign of the Immortal Sect Organization, Dong Fangqu could not afford to relax in the slightest.

If something were to happen, the lives of over a hundred thousand people could be at stake.

Han Yuan returned to his room and sighed softly as he looked at the still-slumbering Orange Cat.

He and the Orange Cat had been through life and death together many times; he had long since come to see the cat as his partner.

No matter what, he had to find a way to solve the Orange Cat’s current problem.