Chapter 678: True Person

Watching the Prince of Yutang, Zhu Shizhen, being led away by the black-armored penal officers, Xu Jin's heart also hung in the air.

Although they had already agreed upon the relevant plan long ago.

There was still no hundred-percent certainty that this plan could deceive a True Person.

If True Person Commander Tian Zhang had any doubts, it would all come down to the final step.

It would depend on how far Zhu Shizhen's sister could arrange his identity.

"Please!"

The very moment True Person Commander Tian Zhang announced the end, it meant that Xu Jin was now a legitimate Candidate Daoist.

Immediately, a guard trotted over to lead the way for Xu Jin.

Within this Dongxuan Dao Palace, even a mere guard possessed the cultivation of the Eighth Tier; its foundation was truly extraordinary.

As they walked, Xu Jin's Mingji Star Pattern rippled outward in all directions like water, but before it could spread out of the plaza, it was blocked by one invisible force after another.

Xu Jin immediately retracted the power fluctuations of his Mingji Star Pattern.

He also reacted instantly.

This was the Dongxuan Dao Palace, the core area of the Dongxuan Star Realm in the Great World. Although it was known that no Emperor sat in residence, there were four True Persons alone, and several dozen Tenth Tier Tianyang Xingjun experts.

Before his Mingji Star Pattern had evolved into a Dao, he feared he would be unable to spy on these experts without making a sound.

Of course, it would be different during wartime.

"My lord, this is Courtyard No. 673. Within these three days, you may cultivate in seclusion here. Meals will be delivered by others, and if you have any requests, you may speak directly to the guards. However, according to Dao Palace regulations, Candidate Daoists may not leave the Dao Palace within these three days, though you may walk freely within the outer palace area.

Additionally, private duels are prohibited during these three days."

The guard leading the way gave a few instructions and then left.

Xu Jin felt some worry for Zhu Shizhen, who had been called away by True Person Commander Tian Zhang, but upon second thought, worry was useless.

He simply began to inventory the Sumeru space of Lu Huang, the Grandson of the Bixuan Prince.

Dongxuan Dao Palace, Commander Tian Zhang Hall.

The Prince of Yutang, Zhu Shizhen, was brought before True Person Commander Tian Zhang.

On the Dharma throne, True Person Commander Tian Zhang sat cross-legged, his body wreathed in starlight, majestic and mysterious.

The Prince of Yutang, Zhu Shizhen, who had been brought there, immediately performed a grand kowtow and then waited quietly.

"Shizhen, do you know why this True Person summoned you here?" True Person Commander Tian Zhang said.

"I know."

"Then speak for yourself."

As the only direct descendant of the Yutang True Person's manor, Zhu Shizhen naturally knew True Person Commander Tian Zhang and was not stage-frightened. He immediately recounted the various excuses he had prepared beforehand in detail.

While speaking, even Zhu Shizhen himself felt a vague sense of trance.

He felt that everything he said was as if he had experienced it personally.

Completely and utterly real.

It was as if he were truly speaking of a real experience, without the slightest feeling of fabrication, full of confidence.

After finishing in one breath, even he was somewhat surprised.

This fabricated experience was more real than the truth.

Even he believed it implicitly.

In his mind, Xu Jin became even more mysterious and unfathomable.

A fabricated, reasonable experience was, after all, still fabricated, but his cheap brother-in-law had used methods to force him to experience a dream that was incomparably real.

So much so that after the dream ended, the experience he was now speaking of had become real.

This was the effect of Xu Jin's "Gentle Dream."

How could fabricated things be more convincing than scenes one had truly experienced?

Looking at Zhu Shizhen, who was enveloped by his divine sense, True Person Commander Tian Zhang was slightly surprised.

The process sounded flawless. "Shizhen, I personally performed the head-touching ceremony at your full-month banquet. Are you sure there are no omissions in what you just said?

If you confess now, given the relationship between our two manors, everything will be easy to handle.

But if I discover it later, I will have to handle it according to official business, and don't blame this True Person for being impolite!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhu Shizhen immediately cried out in grievance.

"Grandpa True Person, I wouldn't dare lie to you even if I lied to anyone else! Really, this Xu Jin is a genius who emerged from our Yutang Sect. His combat power is truly astonishing. You know my level, so I came up with this idea this time.

However, he couldn't kill the Gu Mother with his own strength alone.

It was only after we killed that Pei Qiu by chance and obtained the Gu Mother's Dragon Bone Flute that we came up with this idea.

Later, we went to Ten Thousand Gu Peak, and the losses were heavy.

Three of our Prince's Mansion's personal guards died in battle on the spot, and the life-substitution tokens of both Xu Jin and Chang Lin were also consumed; it was only after repeated participation in the battle that we achieved this result.

Otherwise, there would have been no possibility of killing the Gu Mother.

In the end, I naturally took the lion's share of the Daoist benefits.

But that innate treasure, the Innate Crystal Egg, was given to that Xu Jin," Zhu Shizhen said.

Just kidding, if he really believed True Person Commander Tian Zhang's words, he would be in trouble.

"Confession brings leniency, resistance brings severity" was not just a saying.

As long as he held firm, True Person Commander Tian Zhang had no evidence!

Soul-searching? Given his status, that was even more impossible!

As soon as these words were spoken, True Person Commander Tian Zhang immediately caught the flaw. The starlight around his body flickered slightly, and he sneered, "The Innate Crystal Egg is a supreme treasure for refining a life-bound spirit treasure. After refining, there is no upper limit to its growth; it can even forge a True Person's killing weapon.

Such a treasure, and your Yutang Prince Manor is willing to give it to an Eighth Tier genius who is nothing?"

"Naturally not!" the Prince of Yutang, Zhu Shizhen, answered righteously.

"Oh, then why was it given?"

"Because he is my brother-in-law!"

"What?"

"When did that girl Linxiao get engaged? Why didn't I know? Why wasn't I notified?" True Person Commander Tian Zhang looked stunned.

"Grandpa True Person, you actually understand this! It hasn't been made public before. One reason was to see his potential for growth, and another was to see if he could become a Daoist and if he could help our Yutang Prince Manor.

You know the situation of our Yutang Prince Manor." Speaking of this, Zhu Shizhen looked dejected.

True Person Commander Tian Zhang, however, understood.

Or rather, he filled in the blanks and understood.

Early investment, recruiting a son-in-law, or even a matrilocal son-in-law!

"What a pity."

True Person Commander Tian Zhang sighed secretly; he had originally wanted to recruit a son-in-law himself.

One must know that a hundred years ago, Jiang Yi had killed the Gu Mother single-handedly with the cultivation of the early Ninth Tier. And this Xu Jin's combat power, according to Zhu Shizhen, especially his explosive combat power, had reached the peak of the Ninth Tier, and his thunder-type star arts were extremely strong, but there was no possibility of him killing the Gu Mother single-handedly.

It was under the desperate attacks of the other six Ninth Tier experts, with the assistance of substitute-death tokens, and the help of the Gu Mother's Dragon Bone Flute, that they killed the Gu Mother together.

Judging by this, this strength and potential were quite a bit worse than the peerless genius Jiang Yi from a hundred years ago.

But even if he was worse than Jiang Yi, he was still a second-tier peerless genius, far stronger than ordinary geniuses.

He had the value of being recruited as a son-in-law.

But the Yutang Prince Manor had already beaten him to it!

Now, it could only be like this.

But in the end, there was still some regret.

It was fortunate that he didn't have the combat power to kill the Gu Mother single-handedly; otherwise, even he, True Person Commander Tian Zhang, would have had to lower his face to snatch a son-in-law.

After all, this Xu Jin was currently at the early Eighth Tier; if he cultivated to the mid-to-late Ninth Tier, there would inevitably be a possibility of him killing the Gu Mother single-handedly.

As for the Yutang Prince Manor sacrificing so many house guards, it was also understandable.

This Daoist identity was too important for Zhu Shizhen or the Yutang Prince Manor.

With this Daoist identity, the inheritance and territory of the Yutang Prince Manor could be stabilized for another hundred years; even without a True Person-level existence, they would just suffer a few losses.

But at least they could still exist.

Otherwise, in a few years, they would be swallowed up by the other families until not even the bone dregs remained.

"Shizhen, regarding your Yutang Prince Manor's private transfer of the Daoist quota, this time, considering past friendships and your contributions, this True Person will not hold it against you.

But... let this be an exception!"

While speaking, True Person Commander Tian Zhang smashed the Gu Mother's Dragon Bone Flute that Zhu Shizhen had handed over into powder right in front of him.

This thing was considered a cheating device among the vanguard selection.

He knew it, but he just couldn't find it.

Now that Zhu Shizhen had handed it over, it could be considered a contribution.

"Thank you, Grandpa True Person."

"Go, cultivate well, prepare well. Although you have already obtained the Daoist identity, you must not slack off.

If you are willing, it is best to participate in the Daoist Grand Selection; it can also be considered training!" True Person Commander Tian Zhang said.

"Thank you for your guidance, Grandpa True Person."

True Person Commander Tian Zhang waved his hand, but Zhu Shizhen kowtowed respectfully once more before leaving, his heart already blooming with joy.

It was stable!

Everything was settled!

As for the Daoist Grand Selection?

He would have to be brain-damaged to go there for training.

He knew exactly how much he weighed.

Wouldn't he be exposed if he went there!

Watching from the sidelines!

Watching others struggle was the most fun!

Not until he walked out of Commander Tian Zhang Hall and left the Middle Palace area did Zhu Shizhen finally breathe a complete sigh of relief.

Originally, Xu Jin's identity was a fatal flaw, so the strategy decided upon was not to let Xu Jin be too dazzling, otherwise, it would easily cause problems, hence the various arrangements.

As for the identity of "brother-in-law," it was something Zhu Shizhen added on the spur of the moment.

Now it seemed it had succeeded!

The Dao Palace's basic investigation was actually just a formality, and passing this hurdle with True Person Commander Tian Zhang was equivalent to endorsing Xu Jin's identity.

Of course, what needed to be done still had to be done.

Once this matter spread, other forces would inevitably investigate Xu Jin in secret.

But that would be a matter for several days later.

"No, since I've already told Grandpa True Person that he is my brother-in-law, this identity must be made real!"

Leaving the Middle Palace, Zhu Shizhen's eyes brimmed with smiles, and he immediately sent a starlight message to Xu Jin: 【Brother-in-law, I'm out, nothing happened! Which courtyard are you in? Shall I come find you?】

Inside the room, Xu Jin, who was inventorying his gains, finally breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this starlight message from Zhu Shizhen.

The heart that had been hanging in the air was finally put down.

The identity issue was finally resolved.

Xu Jin wanted to report the good news to his Master, Emperor Fenghua, immediately.

But upon second thought, he was still inside the Dongxuan Dao Palace, and True Person Commander Tian Zhang, the ruler of the Dongxuan Star Realm, was just a few thousand meters away, and there were many more Star Lords and True Persons, so it was better to be safe and contact Master Emperor Fenghua in a few days.

It would be bad if the matter was successful but he got exposed because of this little thing.

After reporting the courtyard number to Zhu Shizhen, Xu Jin continued to inventory the gains from Lu Huang's Sumeru space.

It was basically finished.

The Grandson of the Bixuan True Person's manor still had some wealth.

There were more than three bottles of elixirs, which Xu Jin didn't recognize, and he would have to learn about them later.

As for the gains in Star Jade Tablets, there weren't many.

There were over a hundred Eighth Tier Star Jade Tablets.

But what surprised Xu Jin was that in Lu Huang's Sumeru space, there were actually three Ninth Tier Star Crystals.

These were Ninth Tier Star Crystals that could only be generated in Star Jade Tablet veins after over a hundred years.

Not only was the star power content immense, but the hundred years of precipitation made the star power within even purer; they were treasures that could be used directly to improve cultivation.

Ninth Tier and Tenth Tier experts usually used them for cultivation.

However, the most precious thing in Lu Huang's Sumeru space was the treasure material for forging life-bound spirit treasures, the Ice Soul Heavenly Beads, of which there were five.

Although they were not innate treasure materials, they were of the supreme treasure material type, and each one could carry at least one Dao rule.

If Xu Jin forged a life-bound spirit treasure of the Ice-Water system, as long as he forged the embryo of the spirit treasure and refined it into it, he could let Xu Jin's life-bound spirit treasure directly possess five more Dao rules, refining it into a Five-Turn Spirit Treasure.

If Xu Jin didn't use them, they would also be very valuable if sold.

Treasure materials for forging life-bound spirit treasures were generally traded by barter.

Of course, they couldn't be sold in the short term.

Besides this, there were three other spirit materials, but their value was about the same as Ten Thousand Crystal Sand.

Xu Jin had harvested over a thousand catties of Ten Thousand Crystal Sand, so they weren't worth mentioning.

The next moment, Xu Jin's gaze shifted; footsteps came from outside the courtyard, and there was more than one person.

The moment Xu Jin put all these gains into his Sumeru space, a knock sounded on the door outside the courtyard.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 679 =====