Chapter 277: Divine Art

At this moment.

Outside the Ninth Realm, Shouxin Hall.

Bi Shui Lake Minor Realm.

The dark-robed youth set down his fishing rod and turned his gaze toward Jiang Jian.

“Yinshan will not enter the competition process.”

His tone was light, yet utterly unquestionable.

Jiang Jian froze at the sight of his gaze.

This was the first time he had looked directly into the eyes of the dark-robed youth.

The upper lord’s pupils flickered between withered stillness and vibrant life.

As if all creation and dissolution unfolded within them, strange and wondrous.

To gaze upon him.

Shook the spirit, as if caught in a dream.

A few seconds later.

Jiang Jian snapped back to himself, a suspicion rising in his heart, and asked: “May I ask, my lord, are all the other chosen ones from Yinshan surface-world prodigies?”

The dark-robed youth nodded slightly and said: “The Earth-Moon realm is in dire need of talent. Those chosen by the strange realms almost all possess extraordinary gifts—they cannot die in internal strife.”

Jiang Jian fell silent for a moment, then replied: “I defer to your lordship’s arrangements.”

As he spoke,

upon Bi Shui Lake,

dozens of tiny whalefish, no larger than a palm, leapt one after another from the water, splashing droplets as they vanished into the void.

At the same time,

above Chang’an Prefecture,

outside the Nine Realms, one thousand-zhang fissures appeared one after another, shaking the heavens!

From within the fissures,

colossal kun fish surged forth, crashing into the world gates of the Nine Realms!

The Nine Realms were all formed from Earth’s primordial stellar ring.

Their spatial coordinates were interconnected!

Once the coordinates of the Second Realm were found, the coordinates of all other realms became perfectly clear!

BOOM!

CRACK!

Shards flew and dissolved, unceasing roars of shattering echoed everywhere!

From the Sixth Realm, a peerless divine palace stepped forth, appearing upon the floating fleet yard, its voice exultant: “Finally, I am out!”

From the Third Realm, a being rode a green phoenix, expression icy, instantly piercing through the world gate; its vast wings flapped, stirring violent gales, its cry echoing across all directions!

From the Fourth Realm, a terrifying being stepped through the world gate, silent and swift, streaking directly toward the Moon Realm!

Many members of the Xu family followed behind, faces blank, boarding various flying vessels, racing toward the Moon at full speed!

The Ninth Realm was even more bustling and noisy.

Countless central officials employed their own methods, passing through the world gates and landing upon the Shouxin Pavilion platform!

In Chang’an Prefecture’s Ninth Realm, every great clan, sect, and even the Tianjing Central Authority had all regained their freedom at this very moment.

Travel and passage resumed as normal!

Not just the Tianjing Central Authority.

Chang’an’s bureaucratic offices, Yingtian Bureau, Chengfu Prefecture, and others.

Officials of every rank and level resumed their duties, returned to their posts!

Soon,

a steady stream of edicts issued from the Tianjing Central Authority, delivered at maximum speed to every corner.

Wherever they reached, orders were obeyed without exception.

The seventy prefectures of the surface realm had nearly become a single whole.

This colossal entity had truly begun to function!

“So the Jade Capital Upper Lord’s move was meant to protect the failed chosen ones.”

Jiang Jian pondered this thought, then fell silent.

This was an extraordinary time.

Every divine palace cultivator on the surface was precious.

If they perished in the struggle for Yinshan,

the surface realm would lose several prodigy divine palaces.

“I understand you wish to conceal your Level-7 talent, fearing trouble.”

The dark-robed youth spoke softly, “When I trained, I was just as cautious.”

“Don’t worry too much.”

“Aside from me, the other true lords won’t necessarily detect your talent level unless they deliberately probe.”

Hearing this,

Jiang Jian lowered his gaze slightly and said: “Thank you, my lord. I understand.”

The dark-robed youth gave a slight nod and said no more.

He swept his sleeve lightly before him.

CRACK!

A cracking sound came from the depths of nothingness!

Jiang Jian was startled.

A clear sensation surged within him!

The Yinshan Strange Realm was rapidly approaching!

He suddenly remembered:

Spirit Platform beings possessed the power to destroy strange realms.

Even if one fully controlled a strange realm,

if a Spirit Platform being was determined to hunt it down,

hiding deep within the realm, even deliberately concealing oneself, would be useless!

“Every strange realm on Earth is a relic of history.”

The dark-robed youth gazed into the void, his eyes deep and dark: “Since their emergence, strange realms have had their own rules.”

“For such great strange realms, though we may destroy them, we cannot interfere with their operation.”

With these words spoken,

he said no more.

In an instant, his form dissolved into light.

Only one final phrase lingered in Jiang Jian’s ears:

“The surface realm’s support for Level-7 talent varies by individual.”

“When you emerge from Yinshan, come to the Tianjing Central Authority to see me. Then, I will personally teach you a divine art.”

Hearing the voice,

Jiang Jian stood frozen, not yet moved.

The space before him suddenly tore open!

A stream of black light surged forth, engulfing Jiang Jian entirely!

A tremendous pulling force seized him!

The surrounding light and shadows twisted and warped.

When Jiang Jian opened his eyes again, he stood within the Yinshan Strange Realm.

Unlike before,

this was not the Tenth Hall.

It was the original entrance to the Yinshan Strange Realm.

Amidst alternating light and shadow,

a majestic strange realm floated in the depths of darkness, appearing utterly real.

At first glance,

the realm was magnificent and wondrous, filled with mountains, rivers, pavilions, and towers; streams of light cascaded down like a celestial palace from a painting.

Around it, a semi-transparent black veil enveloped it.

The veil was solid, blocking the chaotic void currents, unmoving and steadfast.

“The Jade Capital Upper Lord.”

“Is the most powerful being I have ever seen, aside from the physician.”

Jiang Jian’s expression turned grave.

His thoughts churned as he still recalled the dark-robed youth.

This dark-robed youth was merely a spiritual essence avatar of the Jade Capital Upper Lord.

The principle behind such spiritual essence incarnations is very simple.

The Jade Capital Lord, dwelling in the Sea of Suffering, merely needs to project a thread of intent, draw sufficient spiritual essence, and instantly manifest.

As long as he wishes.

At the same time, he can activate many spiritual essence incarnations.

Nevertheless,

this spiritual essence incarnation also opened Jiang Jian’s eyes wide.

The terrifying aura radiating from its every gesture, and the dreadful presence of a higher life tier, far surpassed anything a Spirit Palace cultivator could match.

Even Shen Xi, a true peerless Spirit Palace cultivator of the Second Realm, exerted far less soul pressure on Jiang Jian than the spiritual essence incarnation had just now.

What surprised Jiang Jian was,

the Jade Capital Lord seemed quite approachable.

But Jiang Jian knew better.

This True Lord of the Spirit Platform had summoned him amid his countless duties for one reason and one reason only: two reasons.

First, the transportation of the World’s Origin.

Shen Xi’s plan truly offered unimaginable aid in easing the surface’s Unified War pressure!

As the executor,

Jiang Jian receiving a generous reward was only natural.

Second, it concerned the Yinshan Wonderland.

The Wonderland is Earth’s core resource.

Although in practice, the Wonderland belongs to the one favored by fate,

as long as a Wonderland appears on Earth,

or rather,

as long as it manifests from Earth’s history, materializing from the ethereal,

the Heavenly Capital Central Authority can sense it.

Will it destroy the Wonderland,

or allow it to choose its favored one, undergo fierce elimination, and ultimately select its master?

Both outcomes rest within a single thought of the Heavenly Capital Central Authority.

In Earth’s history, there was once a case where the favored one, of vile character and endless evil deeds, reached the point of threatening Earth itself.

Thus, a True Lord of the Spirit Platform personally destroyed a Wonderland.

At this very moment,

Jiang Jian has every reason to suspect

that this spiritual essence incarnation of the Jade Capital Lord

went out of his way to meet him

precisely to observe his character and moral nature.

The Yinshan Wonderland is too important.

In Jiang Jian’s speculation,

Yinshan’s nature

holds considerable utility for Earth’s domain.

“What’s going on!”

The Guide Messenger materialized.

Its expression, unusually, showed alarm: “The master of Yinshan hasn’t been chosen yet—why would any True Lord of the Spirit Platform on Earth act against Yinshan?”

Jiang Jian glanced at it and said: “The other Hall Masters will likely abandon their claims soon.”

The Guide Messenger froze.

Jiang Jian said no more.

He walked forward, pondering the Jade Capital Lord’s words.

The Lord had just said

that once Jiang Jian emerged from Yinshan, he would personally teach him a divine art.

Divine arts are rarely mentioned in textbooks.

Only scattered records exist in the library’s supplementary texts.

Only when one reaches the Third Realm, Divine Illumination Approaches Truth,

does one gain access to “divine arts.”

Jiang Jian recalled the descriptions of divine arts,

and felt a slight shock at the Jade Capital Lord’s promise.

Divine arts come in two types, both exceedingly rare.

The first is a divine art cultivated through personal insight into spiritual inspiration.

The strictest condition is:

Only a True Lord of the Spirit Platform can cultivate a divine art!

And,

not every True Lord of the Spirit Platform attains one.

Once one possesses a divine art,

that True Lord of the Spirit Platform may transmit it to a Spirit Palace cultivator.

But this transmission has limits.

If the Spirit Palace cultivator lacks sufficient talent,

the transmission of the divine art will still fail!

The second type is innate divine art.

Heaven-bestowed—once a “technique” or “martial art” appears, it may be called an innate divine art!

Shen Qingchanyi’s “Weaving Fate” technique,

when mastered to its depths, becomes a complete divine art!

Aside from innate divine arts,

ordinary Spirit Palace cultivators face extreme difficulty in learning divine arts.

In the Four Realms of Earth and Moon, True Lords of the Spirit Platform remain hidden.

Only the four True Lords holding official posts are known to the world.

All others are utterly elusive.

Moreover,

transmission of divine arts is inherently private.

Even if a True Lord’s family junior reaches the Spirit Palace Realm, they may still never receive such an opportunity.

“The Wall-Contemplation Hall once recorded:

‘The Jade Capital Lord, upon ascending to the Spirit Platform, cultivated three divine arts.’”

Jiang Jian recalled the scenes he had seen in the Wall-Contemplation Hall, and a faint anticipation stirred within him for learning a divine art.

The most precious aspect of divine arts is that their use incurs no conventional cost!

However,

releasing a divine art consumes spiritual will.

If used repeatedly in a short time, it causes soul dizziness and mental fatigue.

Even outright fainting is not uncommon.

Jiang Jian once read an ancient text in the Linjiang Academy’s Library Tower.

It recorded

how a Spirit Palace cultivator, in battle, disregarded his mental exhaustion and cast a divine art multiple times.

In the end,

his mind grew hazy, his body like a puppet, and he was slain on the spot.

(End of Chapter)