Chapter 275: The Talismanic Edict

Layered ravines and repeated cliffs, peaks towering and elegant, mists and waters in a thousand tiers, clouded mountains in ten thousand folds.

Gem-adorned towers invade the Silver Han, jade halls and pavilions guard the crimson gauze—

Chen Heng gazed into the distance; all that met his eyes was a scene of gold, jade, and cinnabar, the utmost in splendor, beauty, and ingenuity.

The island's fireworks shimmered with five colors and ten hues, set against the various glories of stars and moon in the sky, dazzling the eyes and truly magnificent to behold.

This Rousuan Prefecture was a dominant power on the Eastern Sea, boasting countless disciples and producing talents in every generation.

Though the current Prefect Lord was of half-demon heritage with impure bloodline, his heavenly endowment was extraordinary; after abandoning the demonic path of bloodline cultivation to pursue orthodox immortal Dao, his progress in cultivation became unstoppable.

In the end, he subdued the myriad cultivators, received the succession from the old Prefect Lord, and truly became the master of a regional Daoist lineage.

And although Rousuan Prefecture did not lie upon the mainland continents, lacking spiritual caves as a sect's foundation, these spiritual islands were deliberately arranged by a great divine-power practitioner according to the positions of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams, gathering wind and concentrating qi, refining essence and nurturing substance, thus forming a superior Great Blessed Land, perfectly suited as a venue for immortals to refine qi!

Throughout this journey, because Zhao Hong Guanshi led the way ahead, restrictions closed and killing arrays remained inactive, not a single ripple of trouble arose.

Soon, Zhao Hong Guanshi stepped upon the frosty clouds beneath his feet, halting high in the sky, then turned back with a smile:

"We have reached our destination; my master awaits ahead. Please, you two go first; this old servant would never dare to precede you."

Chen Heng took one look and saw before him a large island brimming with abundant spiritual qi.

On the island, a hundred flowers competed in beauty, ten thousand plants vied in strangeness; towering pavilions could be seen everywhere, seeming ready to fly into the clouds, while several cascading waterfalls and flowing springs, clear, deep, and cold, resembled rinsed jade, making for truly fine scenery.

A young Daoist stood at a height of a hundred zhang on the island, smiling as he looked over, hands clasped behind his back, robes fluttering in the breeze.

He naturally possessed an otherworldly demeanor, like an exiled immortal under the moon, unforgettable at first sight.

"Chen Lü, this eager display of yours is unusual; in the past when I came to see you, I rarely saw you come out to welcome me?"

Chen Chan remarked with slight sarcasm.

Hearing this, the young Daoist felt no embarrassment; he laughed loudly and said:

"Sister, why must you mock me? The one beside you must be the person Chen Chen Xiangxian calculated would appear; I have heard both brothers Chen Chen Runzi and Master Master Yuanji speak of him, day and night I have longed to meet him, and now that I finally see the True Person in the flesh, how could I not lose my composure?"

He circulated his magic power and drifted forward.

Upon seeing Chen Heng, he spoke no words, only gazing for a long while before suddenly smiling, stepping forward to grasp Chen Heng's arm, and sighing deeply:

"The New Year's Assessment truly spoke without error; my younger brother indeed possesses the appearance of a celestial being! Had you been born a few years earlier and come to the Eastern Sea, how could I, Chen Lü, have monopolized the spotlight?"

Seeing his warm attitude, Chen Heng also smiled slightly, bowed, and said:

"How could the faint light of a firefly dare to compete with the brilliance of the sun and moon? I have long heard of Elder Brother's great name; today witnessing it in person, the reality surpasses the reputation."

"I, a man who lives off his wife, what fame could I possibly have? Even if some reputation spreads, it would surely be an infamous one.

Was not the recent great discord between the Little Saint of Yunlang and Rousuan Prefecture precisely because of me?"

Chen Lü laughed freely, unbothered, and looked only at Chen Heng, his eyes burning bright as he said:

"But you, Chen Heng, a proper Purple Mansion level eleven, have truly brought honor to our old Chen family! In the future, if we wish to see that old dog Yu Shou receive his just ends, we cannot do without you!

I hear you have joined the Yu Yu Yuchen Lower Academy; your coming to the Eastern Sea at this time must surely be for the Long Gong's selection of a son-in-law, yes?

Rest assured, Elder Brother has no other talents, but I am never lacking in connections or wealth... Let us first enjoy wine and food; Elder Brother will certainly prepare a generous gift for you!"

After descending from the clouds, they entered a spacious and magnificent palace hall on the island.

Once the three had taken their seats as host and guests, a group of maidservants brought forth spiritual pills, miraculous medicines, fragrant tea, and fine wine.

The hall was strewn with pearls of the Eastern Sea, glowing brightly, filling the entire room with ethereal qi that mingled with the radiance of stars and moon above and below, while flutes and pipes played, sounding like the grand music of the highest heavens.

It made one feel as if placed within a crystal palace or a mermaid's chamber, bringing clarity of spirit and smoothness of breath, calming both body and mind.

Moreover, this Chen Lü was quite talkative, his speech humorous, discussing heaven and earth, almost nothing left unspoken.

In this gathering, he was the one who spoke the most.

According to what Chen Chan had said earlier, the reason Chen Lü held such an extraordinary status within Rousuan Prefecture was that during a trip abroad, his handsome features and heroic demeanor had caught the eye of the Prefect Lord's only daughter.

Initially, the two merely brewed tea and warmed wine together, but later they consummated their relationship, secretly binding themselves in marriage.

Once this matter spread, it caused a sensation throughout the Eastern Sea, prompting everyone to express admiration and envy.

It also made the name Chen Lü momentarily the focus of countless eyes!

Most of the Rousuan Prefect Lord's children died young; only this only daughter, born after he firmly secured his position as Prefect Lord, grew up safely to the present day, and naturally, she was deeply doted upon, possessing all manner of glory and splendor.

After the matter of Chen Lü became known, the Prefect Lord of Rousuan Prefecture naturally refused to let it rest, wishing nothing more than to beat Chen Lü to death on the spot; only because his daughter bitterly protected him was he forced to reluctantly swallow his anger and tacitly approve the affair.

And from then on.

Chen Lü naturally became a disciple of Rousuan Prefecture, studying supreme classics.

His status within the prefecture was incomparably high; even some Elders, when meeting him, could not help but offer him a smiling face.

As for the recent conflict between Rousuan Prefecture and the Little Saint of Yunlang, it arose because after Chen Lü returned with his wife from a banquet at the Long Gong, he was accidentally encountered by the Little Saint of Yunlang.

The Little Saint of Yunlang, having recently become a widow and usually favoring handsome young men, felt excitement at the sight and spoke with disrespect.

The enmity between the two sides stemmed from this...

At this moment.

When the wine was half-consumed and spirits high, Chen Lü suddenly set down his jade cup and said in a deep voice:

"My younger brother has traveled a thousand li to the Eastern Sea; surely you also intend to win first place in the selection of a son-in-law? I wonder, if you seize the top position, what wish would you present to the Dragon Lord?"

"I dare not deceive Elder Brother; the Grand Competition of Yu Yu Yuchen's Four Academies will take place in five years; I do not wish to wait bitterly for another twenty-nine years."

Chen Heng cupped his hands and replied calmly:

"My purpose in coming to the Eastern Sea this time is solely to borrow a Fan Fan Dongtian from the Dragon Lord, so that I may attend the grand event in five years."

At these words.

The gathering fell slightly silent.

Chen Chan looked at Chen Heng thoughtfully but said nothing.

After pondering for a while, Chen Lü seemed about to say something, but in the end merely smiled slightly, raised his cup, and repeatedly urged them to drink.

It was not until dawn broke and a rising sun leaped from the vast sea waves that this banquet finally concluded.

Seeing Chen Heng's figure disappear into the hall with several female attendants guiding the way, gone to his residence to rest,

Chen Lu's eyes flashed slightly, the eighty or ninety percent of drunkenness on his face vanishing without a trace as he looked at Chen Chan and asked in puzzlement:

"This child seems somewhat strange; he—"

"He never received the talisman edicts crafted by his two elder brothers, nor has he ever been to the Yuluo Immortal Mansion; there is no need for further suspicion. I shall tell you plainly,"

Chen Chan interrupted indifferently.

"How could this be? Yet his name was clearly retained in Chen Chen Xiangxian's divination... Furthermore, even if he were not the one destined to fulfill it, the two elder brothers should still have given him a talisman edict."

Chen Lu frowned:

"What exactly is the intention behind this? Clearly of Chen Chen Yushu's bloodline, yet he failed to enter the Yuluo Immortal Mansion.

In my view... this must be the first time such a thing has occurred?"

(End of Chapter)