Chapter 27

The Imperial Conscription Office was located in a magnificent government office in the western part of the city. Unlike the noisy and chaotic treasure hunting area, it was orderly and solemn. Cultivators coming to sign up were endless, with the lowest cultivation being early Golden Core, and among them were many mid-stage and even late-stage Golden Core experts, each with a deep aura and sharp eyes.

Lin Xuan restrained his aura, maintained his cultivation at the level of Golden Core Stage 1, and mixed into the crowd, inconspicuous.

The registration process was not complicated; he just needed to register his name (Lin Xuan used the alias "Mu Xuan"), cultivation, and area of expertise, and leave a wisp of spiritual power mark for identity verification. The official in charge of registration was expressionless and highly efficient.

"Next, Mu Xuan, Golden Core Stage 1. Expertise... direction?" The official looked up at Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan didn't change his expression: "Reconnaissance, concealment, and... dealing with various emergencies." This was not entirely a lie; the system and many life-saving means indeed gave him unique advantages in these aspects.

The official recorded it noncommittally and then handed over a jade token: "Go to the side hall to wait for testing, verify your cultivation and ability. Only those who pass can be selected."

Lin Xuan took the jade token, thanked him, and walked toward the side hall.

There were already dozens of cultivators waiting in the side hall, in groups of three or five, talking in low voices, vaguely divided into several small circles. Lin Xuan found a corner and sat down quietly, observing secretly.

Most of these cultivators had fierce auras and carried the murderous aura of fighting outside all year round. Many wore sect or clan badges, clearly having a background. Rogue cultivators like Lin Xuan who looked "alone" were rare.

"Have you heard? This beast tide movement is very unusual. It is said that there may be ancient cultivation caves or incredible spirit items born in the depths of the mountain range, which caused the ten thousand beasts to be restless."

"Humph, no matter the reason, as long as there are exotic beasts to kill and merit to get! I just happen to be missing a handy spiritual tool!"

"It is said that the four great guardian clans and the ten great sects have sent elite disciples to come, the competition is fierce..."

"What are you afraid of? Wealth is sought in danger! I am determined to get that 'Condensing Core Jade Liquid'!"

Listening to the surrounding discussions, Lin Xuan had a clearer understanding of this mission. The risk was not small, but the opportunity was equally tempting.

Just then, there was a commotion at the entrance of the side hall, and a sharp sword intent came with a faint fragrance.

Everyone looked over and saw a young monk wearing a moon-white monk robe with delicate features and a woman wearing a light purple long dress, face covered with a light veil, and a graceful figure walking in side by side.

Liaochen! Saintess Yun Yao!

Lin Xuan's pupils shrank, and he immediately lowered his head, using the crowd to cover his figure, while operating "Turtle Breathing Technique" and luck disguise to the extreme. He didn't expect to meet these two "old acquaintances" here! What about Ye Chen? Didn't he come with them?

The arrival of Liaochen and Saintess Yun Yao immediately attracted the attention of the whole hall. Both had outstanding temperament and extraordinary cultivation (Liaochen was mid-stage Golden Core, Saintess Yun Yao was peak early-stage Golden Core), and their identities were even more prominent (Buddha Son of Great Brightness Temple, Saintess of Floating Snow Palace), instantly becoming the focus.

Some cultivators stepped forward to talk, their tone respectful. Liaochen put his hands together and returned the salute one by one, his expression peaceful. Saintess Yun Yao just nodded slightly, her cold gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall, seemingly looking for something.

Lin Xuan called himself unlucky inwardly, trying to minimize his presence. He didn't want to get involved with these two now, especially Saintess Yun Yao; the grudge of peeping (attempted) hadn't been settled yet!

The testing began. The cultivators were called by name one by one and entered the inner room. The test content was mainly to verify cultivation and test some basic abilities, such as strength, speed, spiritual sense intensity, etc.

Soon, it was Lin Xuan's turn.

"Mu Xuan!"

He took a deep breath and walked into the inner room. Inside sat three examiners, with deep auras, at least late-stage Golden Core. Several test magic tools were placed in the center of the room.

"Fellow Daoist Mu Xuan, please put your hand on the spirit-measuring crystal and circulate your spiritual power." An examiner signaled.

Lin Xuan followed suit, controlling his spiritual power to the level of Golden Core Stage 1, and injected it into the spirit-measuring crystal. The crystal pillar lit up, stabilizing at the scale representing Golden Core Stage 1.

"Golden Core Stage 1, verified correctly. Next is strength test..."

After a series of tests, Lin Xuan performed in a standard manner. His strength and speed just reached the average level of Golden Core Stage 1, and his spiritual sense intensity was slightly "prominent," but it was also controlled within a reasonable range, and did not attract too much attention from the examiners.

Just when he thought he had passed smoothly and was about to leave, the chief examiner who had been closing his eyes and resting suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze shooting at Lin Xuan like electricity: "Fellow Daoist Mu Xuan, you seem to be very good at concealing your aura?"

Lin Xuan's heart stirred, his face unchanged: "Know a little bit, needed for life-saving."

The chief examiner nodded and signaled to an examiner next to him. That examiner took out an ancient bronze mirror and shone it at Lin Xuan!

"Hum!"

The bronze mirror emitted a clear, hazy light, covering Lin Xuan. This was a magic tool for detecting disguise and concealment divine abilities!

Lin Xuan immediately felt that the disguise formed by "Thousand Faces Phantom" and "Turtle Breathing Technique" fluctuated slightly under the mirror light, and there seemed to be a risk of being seen through! He was shocked, hurriedly urged his luck-disguising ability, and secretly communicated with the system: "System, assist in stabilizing the disguise, interfere with the detection!"

【Ding! Consuming 1% energy, disguise interference initiated!】

An invisible fluctuation swept past, the light of the bronze mirror flickered a few times, and Lin Xuan's image on the mirror surface twisted slightly, but in the end, it did not reveal his true face, just becoming a bit blurry.

The examiner holding the mirror frowned: "Eh? This kid's concealment method is a bit strange, actually able to interfere with the 'Shadow Mirror'?"

A strange look flashed in the chief examiner's eyes, and he sized Lin Xuan up a few times, seemingly wanting to see through him. Lin Xuan remained calm, his gaze meeting his frankly.

A moment later, the chief examiner waved his hand: "Forget it, some opportunities are normal. As long as you are not a demonic spy, it doesn't matter if your concealment means are stronger. Mu Xuan, passed."

Lin Xuan breathed a sigh of relief inwardly, bowed his hands: "Thank you, examiner."

He turned and walked out of the inner room, and he could still feel the chief examiner's probing gaze behind him. He knew that his disguise had attracted attention, but fortunately, he had mixed through.

Returning to the side hall, he found that Saintess Yun Yao's gaze seemed to linger on him for a moment, with a trace of imperceptible doubt, but soon moved away. Liaochen was still closing his eyes and resting, as if everything in the outside world had nothing to do with him.

Lin Xuan didn't dare to stay long, and after getting the token representing selection, he quickly left the government office.

Walking on the road back to the Four Seas Pavilion, he recalled the experience just now, with lingering fears. The imperial capital was indeed full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, and a test magic tool almost made him reveal his secrets.

"It seems that I need to upgrade the level of luck disguise as soon as possible, or find a higher-level concealment method." Lin Xuan made up his mind.

At the same time, the appearance of Liaochen and Saintess Yun Yao also made him more vigilant about this trip to the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range. With these two guys here, Ye Chen was probably not far away. When they met in the mountain range, there would inevitably be another storm.

"Need to make some preparations in advance..."

He touched the newly obtained conscription token, and thought of the priceless Phoenix Wood remains and Void Stone fragment.

"Perhaps, before setting off, I can use the Phoenix Wood remains to exchange for some practical things with the Four Seas Merchant Guild? Or, find a way to refine that Void Stone fragment into a storage magic treasure?"

New challenges were right in front of him, and he must use all the resources at hand to arm himself.

Returning to his small courtyard in the Four Seas Pavilion, Lin Xuan immediately activated the defensive array.

He first took out the conscription token to study. The front of the token was engraved with the two characters "Tianyuan," and the back was "Conscription" and his alias "Mu Xuan," containing a wisp of his spiritual power mark and a simple communication array inside. The mission departure time was set in three days, and the assembly point was the military camp in the west of the city.

Time was tight.

He also took the Void Stone fragment in his hand to play with. One cubic meter of space, not big, not small, the key was stable and secret.

"System, is there any way to refine this Void Stone fragment into a storage equipment that is easy to carry? For example... a ring?"

【Ding! Retrieved relevant artifact refining manual "Dust Ring Refining Method (Simplified Version)," needs to consume slack-off points, and auxiliary materials: three qian of Void Sand, one liang of Star Iron...】

The system was indeed powerful! Directly provided a solution!

Lin Xuan checked the required auxiliary materials. Although Void Sand and Star Iron were precious, with his status as a guest of the Four Seas Merchant Guild, it shouldn't be difficult to get them.

"That's it! Before setting off, get this storage ring done! Then go to the guild treasury to see if there are any suitable life-saving items!"

A sharp light flashed in Lin Xuan's eyes. The trip to the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range was full of crises, and he must make full preparations.

This time, he didn't want to be chased so miserably again.

(Chapter 27 End)