[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-dragon-lies-hidden":3,"chapter-the-dragon-lies-hidden-the-dragon-lies-hidden-chapter-25":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Dragon Lies Hidden",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2289323,4477,"Chapter 25: The Reputation of Yesteryear","the-dragon-lies-hidden-chapter-25",25,"\u003Cp>The young cultivator’s eye twitched involuntarily—had they really just obtained the prestigious sect slot, the very one everyone was fighting over, in the space of a breath?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man added, “But the master says this slot comes at a heavy cost—it’s final once written.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even Father thinks the cost is high? What kind of cost?” Bao Yun asked, curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man said, “The master says the boy from the Yan family of the Eastern Sea was originally bumped out, and his family went to great lengths to secure another slot. But now you suddenly wish to enter the Tai Chu Palace, so the master had to negotiate and push the Yan family out again. The master says caprice has its limits—if you write your name, you cannot change it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bao Yun smiled sweetly. “I won’t change it. Don’t you always say I lack refinement? Isn’t the Tai Chu Palace itself a ready whetstone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young cultivator opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, sighing. Only the Bao family would consider Bao Yun merely a bit willful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In another grand hall, the old Confucian Liu Sigu was lecturing eight examinees; three stood in the front row, Li Zhi at the center—all predetermined disciples of the Four Saints Academy. The five in the back row were actually entering the cave-heavens affiliated with the Four Saints Academy, and the old Confucian had gathered them all together to impart the teachings of the sages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old Confucian spoke at length, beginning with the sages’ travels across the land, his words flowing endlessly. The middle-aged Confucian knew this lecture would last at least half an hour without pause; weighed down by inner tension, he stepped out of the hall to clear his mind. Though the Red Tide Sect was small, it had spared no expense for this unified examination—the mountain gate was arranged with remarkable beauty, and to the middle-aged Confucian’s eyes, it was deeply pleasing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After walking only a few steps, the middle-aged Confucian saw Sun Yu standing silently in the shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged Confucian had almost no impression of this young Tai Chu Palace cultivator—he only knew the man handled all the examination’s miscellaneous duties, a position that, bluntly put, made him the head of the servants, unworthy of notice. The middle-aged Confucian held himself in high esteem and had spoken fewer than three words to Sun Yu in total.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, Sun Yu standing in the shadows was no longer harmless—he gave the middle-aged Confucian an inexplicable sense of danger, like facing a primordial beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet within the Red Tide Sect’s mountain gate, Sun Yu was still young, with far less cultivation time than the middle-aged Confucian; thus, though he sensed ill intent, the middle-aged Confucian felt no fear whatsoever, standing with hands behind his back, calm and composed as he regarded Sun Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Yu asked, “Where’s Liu Lao?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s inside, instructing the new disciples.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Yu said, “Then I’ll tell you the same. Both of you gentlemen have shown great care toward Xiang Weiyuan. Zhang Sheng, being magnanimous, might overlook it afterward—but I, Sun Yu, remember it well. When you and your disciples travel the world in the future, be extremely cautious—the mountains are high, the waters swift; should any accident occur, it would be unfortunate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged Confucian flew into a rage: “Are you threatening me?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly, Sun Yu replied without hesitation: “Exactly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged Confucian’s robes stirred without wind, ready to strike—but his expression flickered uncertainly, the robes gradually settling, then he said, “We eat the ruler’s food, we serve the ruler’s affairs. We are merely doing others’ bidding. If you harbor resentment, you should seek the true master—not trouble us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Yu said, “You beat a dog by watching its master. I can’t touch the master, but I can still beat the dog. Besides, the task is done—you’re useless now. Merely two stray dogs. Beat you, I will.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged Confucian roared in fury, his robes stirring again—but he could not fathom Sun Yu’s true depth. After weighing his options, he dared not act. Yet though he held back, Sun Yu moved. Suddenly, he opened his mouth and blew out a thin, pale thread of fire, straight toward the middle-aged Confucian’s chest!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged Confucian grunted; a massive “Seal” character materialized before him, blocking the fire. The character gleamed with silver hooks and iron strokes, radiant and striking, especially against the night. In sheer aura, it surpassed Sun Yu’s fire by countless times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the moment the Seal touched the fire, it erupted into violent flame. The middle-aged Confucian felt his magic power draining away in an instant, unable to sustain it. At the same time, he caught a whiff of an odd medicinal fragrance, and his mind grew dizzy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged Confucian cried out, startled and furious: “Spirit Fire?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Seal and the fire held for only a few breaths before the Seal was half-burned away. Seeing the middle-aged Confucian on the verge of collapse, Sun Yu withdrew the fire and sneered, “The Immortal Path is long. Take care of yourselves. Immortal silver isn’t so easy to earn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, Sun Yu drifted away without waiting for a reply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged Confucian stood frozen, his expression shifting between anger and unease. Sun Yu seemed unremarkable, but that Spirit Fire was of extremely high grade—it had already scorched his Dao Foundation in mere moments; without two years of quiet rest, he would never recover. He hadn’t expected Sun Yu to strike within the Red Tide Sect’s mountain gate. Shocked and indignant, he thought: We were merely doing others’ bidding, collecting a few treasures and immortal silver—why drag in personal grudges? These young Tai Chu Palace disciples are utterly uncouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking that Sun Yu had cultivated a full decade less than him, a shadow fell over the middle-aged Confucian’s heart. He returned gloomily to the hall, no longer noticing the scenery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In another tranquil courtyard, a fine banquet had been laid out, many ingredients unseen even by a minor sect like the Red Tide Sect. Only two sat at the table: Fufeng Daoist at the head, and the young cultivator serving as his companion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fufeng Daoist did not touch his chopsticks. “Lu Xuan, no merit, no reward—speak your purpose first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young cultivator said, “Sir, you aided my young lady in the evaluation—this I, Lu Xuan, deeply remember. Second, I have a small favor to ask of you, Elder.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could you tell me about Zhang Sheng’s past deeds?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fufeng Daoist glanced at Lu Xuan. “Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xuan said, “I won’t hide it, Elder—my young lady has decided to switch to the Tai Chu Palace. She still broods over her failure in the martial test. As her maternal cousin, I may yet have to spar again with Zhang Sheng, Xiang Weiyuan’s teacher. I know I’m no match for him now, so I wish to learn his past deeds—to see if I can still close the gap.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fufeng Daoist’s expression turned peculiar. “Seven years ago, Zhang Sheng descended the mountain to cultivate. Before that, he was indeed somewhat known in the Tai Chu Palace—but mainly for being utterly reckless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xuan exhaled in relief, smiling. “Good, good—I thought I’d hear about an invincible Dao Foundation. Today in the evaluation hall, that sword qi was truly unmatched; clearly, he’s had great fortune in these seven years!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fufeng Daoist said, “In his first year descending the mountain, Zhang Sheng encountered calamity—his Dao power was sealed for six full years, only unsealed yesterday. So in these seven years of cultivation, he made not a single inch of progress.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xuan, who had just raised his wine cup, froze it halfway in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fufeng Daoist stroked his beard. “Also, Zhang Sheng’s Dao Foundation was formed from three immortal swords. Thus, ‘invincible Dao Foundation’ is an unspoken consensus—not something he’s known for. Of course, ‘invincible’ only applies within the Tai Chu Palace. The world beyond is vast—no one can say for sure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xuan’s voice grew dry: “Three… immortal swords?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1344,"2026-06-20T03:38:27.933Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","f771e5f24e46bc3017b8abc6abdbc0ea879d99de98ed57dcfa0fed5146c87fb8","the-dragon-lies-hidden-chapter-26","the-dragon-lies-hidden-chapter-24",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-dragon-lies-hidden-cover.jpg"]