Chapter 94: Heavenly Secret Guidance

The moment he stepped into the gate tunnel of the Imperial Capital, it was as if he had passed through an invisible membrane; the sounds of the outside world suddenly became distant and muffled, while a more dense, pure spiritual energy—so concentrated it was nearly liquid—rushed toward him, mixed with the vast Imperial Dragon Qi and the countless complex yet powerful auras of cultivators.

The view before him suddenly opened up.

A straight, wide street of green jade, broad enough for dozens of carriages to travel side-by-side, stretched toward the horizon; on both sides of the street stood rows of buildings with diverse styles, ranging from wine shops and stores dozens of stories high, to elixir pavilions and artifact workshops suffused with spiritual energy, to deep mansions shrouded in the halos of arrays, and even pavilions and towers floating in mid-air, connected by rainbow-like spiritual bridges, ethereal and immortal.

In the sky, flight was not entirely prohibited. Occasionally, one could see magnificently styled spirit boats, cultivators riding various lights of escape, and even tamed spirit birds and exotic beasts flying in an orderly fashion along specific "air routes" marked by arrays. On the streets below, there was a constant flow of carriages and people, as dense as a weave. Mortal martial artists, low-level cultivators, transformed demon clans, and even exotic races with peculiar auras brushed shoulders, bustling and noisy, yet orderly.

The prosperity and vitality here far exceeded any city Lin Xuan had ever visited. It was as if the essence of the entire world had gathered here.

Feng Xi on his shoulder also curiously sized up this majestic, giant city, a hint of amazement flashing in its cyan-gold eyes.

Lin Xuan's appearance, especially the cyan phoenix on his shoulder—which had shrunk in size but remained majestic—immediately attracted the attention of many on the street. Whispers and probing gazes came from all directions.

"Look, that's the one who just at the city gate..."

"Shh! Keep your voice down, didn't you see the fate of that fool from the Liu family?"

"He is Lin Xuan? He looks so young, yet his aura is so profound!"

"To be able to subdue a cyan phoenix, how could he be an easy person to deal with? The Imperial Capital is going to be lively again."

Lin Xuan turned a deaf ear to the surrounding discussions and walked leisurely down the street. He needed to find a place to stay first, then make further plans.

Living in the Imperial Capital is not easy. Especially for cultivators, a cave dwelling or inn with a spiritual vein is shockingly expensive. Lin Xuan was not short on spirit stones, but as a newcomer, he did not want to be too flashy and prepared to find a mid-range inn to stay in temporarily.

Just then, his heart stirred; he sensed that the Heavenly Secret Guidance token he had obtained from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's secret realm, kept in his dust ring, was emitting a clear, warm sensation and pointing in a specific direction.

"Heavenly Secret Pavilion..." Lin Xuan's gaze flickered. He still had an agreement with the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, and that opportunity for "one strike" had not yet been used. Moreover, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion was well-informed and might be able to provide him with more information regarding the situation in the Imperial Capital, the Star Palace, the Shadow Tower, and even the inheritance of the Primordial Dao Ancestor.

After a moment of contemplation, he changed his mind and followed the guidance of the Heavenly Secret Guidance token.

Passing through several bustling streets, the further he went, the more quiet and secluded the environment became, and the richer the spiritual energy grew. Finally, at the end of a quiet alley paved with bluestone slabs, he saw a seemingly ordinary small courtyard with blue tiles.

There was no plaque on the lintel of the small courtyard, only a door knocker in the shape of a yin-yang fish. If not for the clear guidance of the Heavenly Secret Guidance, no one would have guessed that the mysterious Heavenly Secret Pavilion's stronghold in the Imperial Capital was so inconspicuous.

Lin Xuan stepped forward and knocked on the door knocker.

"Creak—"

The door opened silently. An old man wearing a gray Daoist robe, with an ordinary face and an aura like that of a mortal, stood inside. Seeing Lin Xuan, a hint of understanding flashed in his cloudy eyes.

"An honored guest has arrived; I have been waiting for a long time." The old man stepped aside, "Please enter, the Pavilion Master is waiting for you."

Lin Xuan felt a slight chill in his heart; the Heavenly Secret Pavilion had indeed calculated that he would come. He nodded and stepped inside.

The interior of the small courtyard was a world of its own. It did not look large from the outside, but inside, it utilized the art of space folding; the courtyard was deep with winding corridors, rockeries, and flowing water, filled with spiritual energy, more exquisite than many noble mansions.

The old man led Lin Xuan to a quiet room and bowed, saying, "Pavilion Master, Fellow Daoist Lin Xuan has arrived."

"Come in." A gentle and ethereal voice came from inside the room.

Lin Xuan pushed the door and entered. The quiet room was simple, with only one table and two chairs. A figure wearing a white star-patterned Daoist robe, whose face was blurred as if shrouded in a layer of water mist, sat behind the table, quietly looking at him. This person's aura was as deep as the sea; Lin Xuan could not see through their cultivation level at all. The feeling they gave him was even more powerful than Cold Peak, Yue Qingtian, and the others—they were likely at least a Soul Transformation existence!

"Junior Lin Xuan greets the Pavilion Master." Lin Xuan bowed, neither humble nor pushy.

"Little Friend Lin, no need for such formalities." The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master's voice carried a hint of a smile, and he gestured for Lin Xuan to sit down. "Little friend, your journey here has been full of turmoil, your reputation has risen, and you carry the Chaos lineage; you are truly a variable not seen in ten thousand years. I have long looked forward to meeting you."

Lin Xuan was shocked; the other party indeed knew his background in great detail. He sat down calmly and asked directly, "Since the Pavilion Master knows my background, may I ask what the target of the 'one strike' agreement mentioned in the secret realm is? And what do you need me to do?"

The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master gently flicked his sleeve, and a phantom of the Imperial Capital map, condensed from starlight and constantly changing, appeared on the table, marked with countless points of light representing the major forces.

"Little friend is straightforward, so I will not beat around the bush." The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master pointed to the center of the map, the Imperial Palace area shrouded in dense golden light. "The target is within the Imperial City. As for what it specifically is, the time is not yet ripe; you will know when the time comes. As for what you need to do... it is not to directly make an enemy of someone, but to make a 'choice' at a critical node, or rather, to push the gears of fate."

This was vague and mysterious, but Lin Xuan understood the key: the target was in the Imperial City, it involved something major, and it required him, the "variable," to play a specific role at a specific moment.

"Is the Pavilion Master so certain that I will agree? Are you not afraid that I might go back on my word, or that I might lack the ability?" Lin Xuan asked in return.

The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master chuckled: "Little friend is a man of his word. Since you have accepted the favor of my Heavenly Secret Pavilion, you will certainly not break your promise. As for ability..." His gaze seemed to pierce through Lin Xuan's body, landing on the Chaos Dao Seed in his dantian that had fused with the star core. "With your current strength and potential, you will be capable enough when the time comes. Moreover, if this matter succeeds, it will be a tremendous opportunity for you, perhaps even resolving many of the doubts in your heart regarding your own Dao path."

Lin Xuan was silent for a moment. Cooperating with the Heavenly Secret Pavilion was no different from bargaining with a tiger, but he did indeed need the information and support of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion at the moment. Furthermore, the "opportunity" and "resolution of doubts" mentioned by the other party also moved him.

"Very well, since there is a prior agreement, I shall naturally fulfill it." Lin Xuan finally nodded. "But before that, I need to understand the current situation in the Imperial Capital, especially information regarding the Star Palace, the Shadow Tower, and... information that might be related to the 'Ruined Abyss'."

"That is only natural." The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master seemed to have been prepared, taking out a jade slip and pushing it toward Lin Xuan. "This jade slip contains the latest developments of the major families and sects in the Imperial Capital, as well as some secret information about the Star Palace and the Shadow Tower. As for the 'Ruined Abyss'... this is a taboo and involves too much. I can only tell you that the waters of the Imperial Capital are much deeper than you imagine. The matter of that demon is by no means an isolated case; behind it lies karma from the ancient times or even further back. You carry Chaos; it is both an opportunity and a tribulation, so you must proceed with caution."

Lin Xuan took the jade slip, and with a sweep of his spiritual sense, he found the information inside as vast as the sea and of immeasurable value. "Many thanks, Pavilion Master."

"Little friend has just arrived in the Imperial Capital and must not have a place to stay yet." The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master added, "I have a vacant courtyard in 'Qingyun Square' in the East City. It is quite quiet and the spiritual energy is decent, so I will gift it to you for temporary residence. Here are the key and the array token."

As he spoke, he handed over a green jade token.

This time, Lin Xuan did not decline and took the token: "I am grateful for the Pavilion Master's kindness."

"It is nothing, we are mutually beneficial." The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master waved his hand. "Little friend can go and settle down first to familiarize yourself with the environment. If you have any needs, you can use the Heavenly Secret Guidance token to come and find me at any time. Remember, in the Imperial Capital, the rules on the surface are not scary; what you really need to be careful of are those hidden beneath the rules, or even... the people who make the rules."

His words were full of deep meaning.

Lin Xuan stood up and bowed again: "I understand, farewell."

Leaving the small courtyard of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, Lin Xuan followed the guidance on the token and headed toward Qingyun Square in the East City. With a definite place to stay, he felt slightly more at ease.

Qingyun Square was located in the East District of the Imperial Capital, a relatively quiet residential area, mostly home to mid-to-high-level cultivators, small families, or sect offices. The courtyard provided by the Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master was well-located, a standalone property with its own small gathering and defensive arrays, and the environment was elegant.

Lin Xuan used the token to open the array and entered the courtyard. The courtyard was not large, but the layout was exquisite, with a practice room, a quiet room, an elixir room, and everything else needed, and the concentration of spiritual energy was far superior to the outside.

Only after he set up his own familiar concealment and warning arrays did he truly relax. He put Feng Xi down from his shoulder, fed it a healing elixir, and let it move around the courtyard on its own.

Afterward, Lin Xuan couldn't wait to sink his consciousness into the jade slip gifted by the Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master.

A vast stream of information poured into his consciousness.

The forces in the Imperial Capital were intertwined, mainly divided into the following major camps:

The Imperial Family: Led by the current Emperor, Huangfu Tianji, controlling the Imperial Dynasty's Dragon Qi and the strongest military force, but the interior did not seem to be a monolith, with several adult Imperial Princes engaged in fierce internal struggles.

The Four Great Families: Zhao, Wang, Li, and Zhou, with long lineages and deep foundations, each controlling vast resources and connections, with a delicate relationship with the Imperial Family. Among them, the Zhao family already had a blood feud with him.

The Three Great Sects: Heavenly Secret Academy (leaning toward the Imperial Family), Divine Weapon Pavilion (neutral, skilled in artifact refining), and Medicine King Valley (neutral, skilled in elixir refining), all of which had huge influence.

Mysterious Forces: Star Palace (transcendent and detached, rarely interfering in secular affairs, but with frequent recent movements), Shadow Tower (a notorious assassin organization, suspected of colluding with certain major forces), and some ancient inheritances that appeared and disappeared.

Regarding the Star Palace, there was little recorded in the jade slip, only that its members were few, and they were proficient in star divination and arrays; its mountain gate was located in a small world called the "Star Fall Secret Realm," with an elusive entrance. Recently, there had indeed been Star Palace descendants active outside, with unknown purposes.

Regarding the Shadow Tower, there was slightly more information, listing some of its known strongholds (though they might have already moved) and its style of operation, confirming that it had recently accepted many assassination missions targeting young geniuses and important figures of various forces.

As for the "Ruined Abyss," there was only one warning in the jade slip: "The secret of the Ruined Abyss concerns the remnants of the ancient Heaven-Slaying War; it touches upon the taboos of this world's origin. Be careful what you say, be careful what you investigate."

Putting down the jade slip, Lin Xuan's gaze was profound. The situation in the Imperial Capital was indeed extremely complex. The arrival of his "variable" was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, which would surely stir up even greater ripples.

"The top priority is to improve my strength as quickly as possible, at least to have the ability to protect myself in front of a Soul Transformation expert," Lin Xuan thought to himself. "Then, make contact with Ye Chen, Huangfu Hao, and others to learn more about the movements of the 'Children of Destiny,' while secretly investigating the Star Palace and the Shadow Tower."

He glanced at Feng Xi, who was dozing in the courtyard and absorbing spiritual energy to heal, and felt the Chaos Dao Seed in his body, which was longing to further fuse with the Star Iron.

The Imperial Capital, this new stage, had already raised its curtain.

And his journey had only just begun.