Chapter 56

On a bright and pleasant morning, Cai Xueshi's carriage carried him and several others into the National Teacher Palace.

Cai Xueshi's spirit bone had already been tested when he proactively requested to become a disciple; he did not comment on his aptitude, but it certainly would not be poor, otherwise the National Preceptor would not have accepted him.

As for the remaining few servants, they would need to be tested separately; Cai Xueshi brought a total of five people including Ruan Xing: Ruan Xing, a maidservant attending to Cai Jiao, a middle-aged male servant who appeared honest and simple, and the remaining two were individuals who had heard rumors and paid money through connections to purchase a quota.

They were led by a young acolyte to a semi-circular room sloping downward; ahead was a narrow arched gateway, its material appearing like gold and jade, with shifting light and shadow making it seem to flash with a greenish glow.

After passing through the archway, the young acolyte soon informed them that the maidservant and those two individuals possessed spirit bones and could enter the Outer Sect, while the others did not.

Upon hearing this, the two individuals expressed joy openly and immediately declared their willingness to join the Outer Sect; unexpectedly, the maidservant refused, and the acolyte did not insist, simply stating a few rules of the National Teacher Palace before leading them onward; based on their descent and distance, Ruan Xing preliminarily judged they were now five or six meters underground.

When they entered the National Teacher Palace, they had not undergone a physical inspection; regardless, private combat was forbidden within the palace, so even if they brought in dangerous items, they would be detected by the boundary and turned to flying ash before being used.

When they arrived at the location, Ruan Xing finally saw the true form of the boundary tree that had caused her miserable deaths multiple times.

This was an underground pool; the bottomless water emitted a fluorescent azure glow, and at its center lay tangled roots—dark brown tree roots plunged into the water like breathing vessels, flashing with azure light with each expansion and contraction.

"This is the Boundary Tree," the guiding acolyte introduced proudly, "The Boundary Tree protects the National Teacher Palace; anyone harboring ill intent or violating prohibitions will be punished by it. It has existed for over a thousand years, as long as the history of the National Teacher Palace. Come, cut your wrists and let your blood flow into the pool; once the Boundary Tree absorbs the blood, it will recognize you as one of its own. Thereafter, each month you must come here to drip a drop of blood... No, next month you will no longer be here."

The acolyte tapped his own head, regretting his oversight: "Alright, hurry up and let the blood out; after that, you must return."

The individuals took turns cutting their wrists to let blood flow; in Ruan Xing's previous simulation, this step had also occurred, yet she had still successfully left the Six Suns Study and reached the town, and until she was twenty-three when evil cultivators invaded, this Boundary Tree seemed to have had no effect on her.

Moreover, as long as she evaded the evil cultivators before turning twenty-three, the Six Suns Study would naturally be destroyed by them, and she would have nothing to worry about.

After the bloodletting, the acolyte led the group back along the original path, sent the two individuals who wished to join the Outer Sect to another residence, and then brought them back to where Cai Xueshi resided.

The maidservant and male servant entered with their bundles; seeing the acolyte about to leave, Ruan Xing hurriedly grabbed him, "Junior Brother, please wait a moment—could you trouble yourself to introduce the National Teacher Palace to me?"

As she spoke, she slipped a small golden cake into the acolyte's sleeve.

Silver notes are useless in the cultivation world, but gold holds value; even a man of few words, upon seeing gleaming gold, could be prompted to speak a few more words.

Though called an acolyte, he was also a boy of eleven or twelve; in the National Teacher Palace, he likely rarely received unexpected wealth, so he cherishedly gripped his sleeve, halted his steps, and asked strangely: "You cannot even stay a month in the National Teacher Palace—what do you wish to know?"

"Why can't we stay even a month? Junior Brother, do you know when the National Preceptor will depart?" Ruan Xing could affirm the National Preceptor was a Golden Core True Person, yet why did even a young acolyte know the exact schedule of his movements?

The young acolyte patted his chest: "Of course I know—I have grown up in the National Teacher Palace since childhood, and I know much about its affairs! Each term of the National Preceptor lasts fourteen years, and this term is about to expire."

"Then, are you also an Outer Sect Disciple, Senior Brother? Have you seen the National Preceptor?"

"I am not yet, but I possess a spirit bone, so I will surely become one in time; however, my parents said I should first take the civil examinations—if I can become an official, I may directly enter the Inner Sect; if I fail the exams, I may wait until the next National Preceptor departs and leave together then. As for the National Preceptor himself, I have only seen him one or two times, and I can barely recall what he looks like."

"Becoming an official?" Ruan Xing sharply sensed the information in the young acolyte's words and quickly asked, "Why does becoming an official allow entry into the Inner Sect?"

"You wouldn't understand this, would you? For families like ours that have served the National Teacher Palace generation after generation, although we are bound from birth to death and cannot leave the palace, we also have a certain privilege: we naturally possess one additional opportunity to enter the Inner Sect compared to others. The National Teacher Palace's cultivation method cultivates through literary aura and official fortune; upon retirement, the higher the office held and the better the writings, the faster the cultivation progress, and the upper limit is also higher than those who entered the Outer Sect early."

The young acolyte wore a look of pride.

Ruan Xing suddenly had an epiphany: previously, due to the Six Suns Study having no female disciples, she had assumed they practiced monastic methods she could not follow, but she had not expected this path of cultivation; in this mortal dynasty, women fundamentally cannot enter officialdom, so where would official fortune come from? No wonder the Six Suns Study secretly raised a mortal dynasty while concealing it from the cultivation world—this is their foundational cultivation method; without this dynasty, there would be no fresh blood to replenish the Inner Sect disciples.

No wonder the people here emphasize literature over martial arts, with everyone regarding scholarly study and civil examinations as their primary life path—likely due to the subtle, pervasive guidance of the Six Suns Study.

However, knowing this is useless, for she fundamentally cannot produce such complex, convoluted writings; even if she exhausted her efforts to become an official and waited sixty years, it would still not compare to her going early to the cultivation world to find a method more suited to herself.

Ruan Xing thanked the acolyte for informing her of this, then inquired about other disciples residing within the National Teacher Palace; considering the golden cake she had given, the acolyte did not conceal anything and told her: "Besides the Cai Xueshi you follow, there are five other Inner Sect preparatory disciples, but you need not worry about getting along with them, for they are rarely seen—they are high officials who retired several years ago, the eldest already nearing eighty, with poor legs, and after obtaining the cultivation method, they have remained in their own residences practicing; likely they will only have a chance to meet after shedding mortality, when their bodies regain vitality."

Before the Qi Refining stage, if one has not practiced martial arts, their physical quality will not be high afterward, for Qi Refining does not extend lifespan and one remains in the state of a mortal; upon reaching Foundation Establishment, one can cleanse essence and marrow, extending life by two hundred years—this is likely what the young acolyte meant by 'shedding mortality.'

These old men are also racing against time; it is uncertain whether they will reach Foundation Establishment first or meet their end first.

Nevertheless, this cultivation method's significant advantage is not bad: although the preliminary period is longer, accumulation leads to sudden breakthrough, guaranteeing at least a Foundation Establishment disciple in the Inner Sect, and with good luck, one could directly reach Golden Core—no wonder this sect, so peculiar, has endured for thousands of years; Ruan Xing, in the town, has seen many cultivators of advanced age still stuck at the fourth or fifth level of Qi Refining in her memories.

"However..."

Ruan Xing was analyzing according to the acolyte's words when she suddenly heard him shift tone, and quickly focused her spirit: "However what?"

The acolyte continued: "However, within the National Teacher Palace, there is a person you must be careful not to provoke; the scholars say he is a preparatory Inner Sect disciple, yet he has not formally become a disciple of the National Preceptor; the person I am telling you about is different—he was brought back by the National Preceptor from outside, and it is said—"

The acolyte lowered his voice.

"He is the National Preceptor's direct great-great-grandson; from childhood he was sent to the National Teacher Palace, taken out by the previous National Preceptor, and now brought back by the current National Preceptor—perhaps because he lacks literary aura and official fortune, making cultivation difficult."

"Ah?" Ruan Xing responded with the acolyte's gossipy tone, "Indeed, he must not be provoked; I do not know what he usually does or where he likes to go—I wish to avoid him."

"This is precisely why I am warning you," the acolyte suddenly became solemn, "His favorite is precisely girls of your age; he is not bound by the National Teacher Palace's rules, and I do not know where he often goes; if unnecessary, you had best stay with your scholar in your residence and not go out."

"Thank you for your warning; I have taken note."

After expressing gratitude, Ruan Xing watched the acolyte depart, closed the door, and turned back into the room. The maidservant and male servant were tidying and cleaning in the bedroom, while Cai Xueshi sat in an outdoor recliner, holding a book and flipping through it.

"What are you reading?" Ruan Xing approached.

Cai Xueshi slowly spread the book open on his knees, unhesitatingly letting Ruan Xing see, "The cultivation method the National Preceptor gave me—would you like to look?"

Upon hearing this, Ruan Xing lost interest, as she could not practice it; yet after thinking, she decided to first read it thoroughly and commit it to memory, for perhaps it could later serve as reference.

She was concentrating on memorizing the book's content when Cai Xueshi suddenly said, "I heard the maidservant say you have no spirit bone?"

Ruan Xing instinctively hummed in affirmation.

Cai Xueshi inquired: "How did you conceal and deceive the spirit stone test?"

Ruan Xing replied with a hint of amusement: "Why would I conceal it? Even if tested positive for spirit bone, refusing to join the Outer Sect would suffice—could it not simply be that I truly lack a spirit bone?"

"Forget it if you don't wish to say," Cai Xueshi flicked his lips and continued reading the technique in his hand.

"I do have another matter I wish to ask you: the National Preceptor's attendant said to be his great-great-grandson—do you know this person?" Ruan Xing inquired; in her simulated memories, this person did not exist, yet for some reason she felt uneasy.

Cai Wen was startled, set down the book in his hand, and fell silent for a while.

"Perhaps I do know. When I brought Nannan to seek an audience with the National Preceptor, he had a disciple extremely close to him by his side; after the National Preceptor diagnosed Nannan, he actually intended to admit me into the National Teacher Palace for cultivation, but at that time I was utterly despairing, wishing only to die alongside Nannan, so I refused the National Preceptor; afterward, that disciple told me he was interested in Nannan and wished to purchase her; he thus insulted me, and I flew into a rage, berating him severely; that disciple's expression was also unpleasant as he shoved me, and the National Preceptor rebuked him a few times and drove him away."

"They treated Nannan as an object... Upon re-entering the National Teacher Palace, I am deeply reluctant in my heart, but you indeed persuaded me—what right does the National Preceptor, unrelated to me by blood or kin, have to help me? In this world, only I still care for Nannan; if I abandon her, she will truly have no hope left."

"So that is the case," Ruan Xing murmured thoughtfully, "I will wait and simulate a few more times to investigate this disciple; if he is merely someone relying on background to act arrogantly and brainlessly, a spoiled rich youth, I will temporarily avoid him—after all, his backer is a Golden Core True Person, and I cannot confront him directly."

"I do not know what plans you have in the National Teacher Palace, but you had best avoid him; otherwise, he will surely affect you."

This old man is truly too conspiracy-theorist; Ruan Xing felt somewhat helpless, yet it is good—precisely because he is suspicious and paranoid, Ruan Xing can feel at ease using him.

Just then, the maidservant came to report that the room had been cleaned, and Ruan Xing entered the inner chamber without hesitation.

Having domineeringly chosen a spacious main chamber, Ruan Xing set down her belongings, propped her feet up, lay on the bed, and began to simulate in her mind.

【Currently simulating】

Six years old, you have entered the National Teacher Palace.

The National Preceptor's disciple caught your attention; you investigated him within the National Teacher Palace and secretly followed him, but he discovered you within a few days. He was not angry, instead smiling and asking why you were following him, whether you wanted to go home with him.

You did not answer, turned to leave, but he attacked you to prevent your escape. You activated your True Qi to resist, and you died.

【Simulation End】

Ruan Xing reviewed the memory, initially believing the disciple had killed her with his high cultivation, but the memory showed she was reduced to powder instantly by a barrier detection at the moment of her resistance.

……Ah, that's right—private combat is forbidden within the National Teacher Palace, but the National Preceptor's disciple is not bound by this rule.

This left Ruan Xing somewhat at a loss; she could not provoke conflict, so she ran another simulation. Not knowing the man's cultivation level or how he had detected her, she dared not get too close, only observing from afar. Yet she noticed he always appeared hurried and busy, frequently interacting with people outside the National Teacher Palace.

Half a month later, she followed him to Zhaixing Terrace. Since it was the National Preceptor's residence, she dared not enter rashly, only hearing a great commotion from within. The next day, she inquired of a young acolyte and learned the National Preceptor was furious—he had not only punished the disciple but also killed a batch of palace acolytes close to him, and even some merchants outside who regularly brought the disciple delicate gifts to curry favor were not spared.

After that, it was the same old routine: she rode the Black Eagle to the Cultivation Realm, but saw no trace of the disciple beside the National Preceptor. Had he done something that utterly disappointed the National Preceptor?

Did this unknown act of his affect her? Was that why she felt unsettled?

Ruan Xing pondered, then opened the simulation again, directly infiltrating his residence.

Though she was still discovered, this time Ruan Xing did not resist but obediently allowed him to seize her and cast her into a secret chamber.

In the secret chamber, she saw seven or eight little girls—some as young as five or six, others thirteen or fourteen—all with vacant, numb eyes and bodies covered in wounds. Only one somewhat older girl wore the National Teacher Palace acolyte uniform, her mind still relatively clear. She told Ruan Xing that as long as she obeyed, she could live longer here.

The disciple would occasionally come to torture the girls in the secret chamber, lashing them with a whip like a madman or carving bloody lines into their skin with a dagger, shouting, "What right do you have? What right do you have!" After calming down, he would bandage their wounds and feed them tasty food, showing a mix of self-reproach and gentleness.

The girls were not bound; some, unable to endure the torment, would try to attack him, but before he could be injured, the barrier would annihilate them.

Some girls showed no reaction at all, becoming toys he disliked. Their disposal was simple: he would place the dagger in their hands, have them cut themselves, and use the barrier to destroy the corpses and erase traces.

During the ten days Ruan Xing was imprisoned in the secret chamber, four girls disappeared in this manner.

Perhaps because the secret chamber had become empty, the disciple brought in new "goods," holding a girl as he descended the stairs into the chamber, gently saying, "I don't want you to die too fast," while snapping the joints of her limbs.

The girl bit her teeth, making no sound, but when she turned her head, Ruan Xing saw a face that made her heart stop.

Thanks to Bai Zhi for the monthly ticket~ Thanks to Human May Day_Cd for the monthly ticket~(End of chapter)