Chapter 94

The moment he stepped into the city gate hole, it was as if he had passed through a layer of invisible film, the sound of the outside world suddenly became distant and blurred, and a more concentrated, pure spiritual energy almost liquefied rushed toward him, mixed with vast Imperial Dao Dragon Qi and countless complex but powerful cultivator auras.

The scene in front of him suddenly opened up.

Straight, wide streets paved with bluestone slabs that could accommodate dozens of carriages side by side extended to the end of the line of sight, and on both sides of the street were buildings with different styles, including high-rise restaurants and shops with dozens of floors, elixir pavilions and weapon workshops with spiritual energy, deep courtyards shrouded in array light, and even some pavilions suspended in mid-air, connected by rainbow-like spirit bridges, with immortal energy.

In the sky, it was not completely forbidden to fly. Occasionally, one could see gorgeous spirit boats, cultivators driving various escape lights, and even some tamed spirit birds and strange beasts, flying in an orderly manner on specific "routes" marked by arrays. On the street below, carriages and horses were like dragons, and the crowd was like weaving. Mortal martial artists, low-rank cultivators, demon clan transformations, and even some strange-looking alien races were rubbing shoulders and bustling, but orderly.

The prosperity and vitality here far exceeded any city Lin Xuan had been to. It was as if the essence of the whole world was gathered here.

Feng Xi on his shoulder also curiously looked at this magnificent giant city, a trace of exclamation flashing in its green-gold eyes.

Lin Xuan's appearance, especially the Green Phoenix on his shoulder that had shrunk in size but was still extraordinary, immediately attracted the attention of many people on the street. Whispers and probing gazes kept coming.

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

"Shh! Keep your voice down, didn't you see the end of that straw bag of the Liu Clan?"

"He is Lin Xuan? He looks so young, and his aura is so deep!"

"Being able to subdue a Green Phoenix, how could he be an easy person? The Imperial Capital is going to be lively again."

Lin Xuan ignored the discussions around him and walked on the street. He needed to find a place to stay first, and then make plans.

Living in the Imperial Capital is not easy. Especially for cultivators, the price of cave dwellings or inns with spirit veins is exorbitantly expensive. Lin Xuan is not short of spirit stones, but he is new here, and he doesn't want to be too flashy, so he is ready to find a medium-grade inn to stay temporarily.

Just at this time, his heart moved slightly, and he sensed that the Heavenly Secret Token obtained from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion Mystical Realm in his dust ring transmitted a clear warmth, and pointed to a clear direction.

"Heavenly Secret Pavilion..." Lin Xuan's eyes flashed. He still had an agreement with the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, and that opportunity for "one shot" had not yet been used. Moreover, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion was well-informed, perhaps it could provide him with more information about the situation in the Imperial Capital, the Star Palace, the Shadow Tower, and even the inheritance of the Primordial Dao Ancestor.

He pondered for a moment, then changed his mind and walked in the direction pointed by the Heavenly Secret Token.

Passing through several prosperous streets, the further he went, the quieter the environment, and the richer the spiritual energy. Finally, at the end of a quiet alley paved with bluestone slabs, he saw a seemingly ordinary blue-tiled small courtyard.

There was no plaque on the door lintel of the courtyard, only the door knocker was in the shape of a yin-yang fish. If it weren't for the clear direction of the Heavenly Secret Token, no one would have thought that the stronghold of the mysterious Heavenly Secret Pavilion in the Imperial Capital would be so unremarkable.

Lin Xuan stepped forward and knocked on the door knocker.

"Creak——"

The door opened silently, and an old man wearing a gray Taoist robe, with an ordinary face and an aura like a mortal, stood inside the door, seeing Lin Xuan, a trace of understanding flashed in his turbid eyes.

"Distinguished guest, I have been waiting for a long time." The old man stepped aside, "Please come in, the Pavilion Master is waiting for you."

Lin Xuan's heart was slightly awe-struck, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion really calculated that he would come. He nodded and stepped inside.

The interior of the small courtyard was another world. It didn't look big from the outside, but it used the technique of space folding, with deep courtyards, winding corridors, rockeries and flowing water, and rich spiritual energy, which was more exquisite than many prince's mansions.

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

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

Lin Xuan pushed the door and entered. The quiet room was simple, with only one table and two chairs, and a figure wearing a white star-patterned Taoist robe, with a blurred face as if shrouded in a layer of water mist, was sitting behind the table, quietly looking at him. This person's aura was as deep as the sea, Lin Xuan couldn't see through his cultivation level at all, and the feeling he gave him was even more powerful than Captain Li Feng, Yue Qingtian, and others, I fear it was at least a Spirit Transformation existence!

"Junior Lin Xuan, see the Pavilion Master." Lin Xuan bowed his hands, neither humble nor arrogant.

"Young Friend Lin, no need to be polite." The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master smiled, gesturing for Lin Xuan to sit down, "Young Friend has traveled all the way, with constant storms and rising fame, and is also burdened with the Chaos orthodoxy, which is truly a variable that has not been encountered in ten thousand years. The old man has long been looking forward to seeing Young Friend."

Lin Xuan was shocked, the other party really knew his roots well. He sat down calmly and asked directly: "Since the Pavilion Master knows the Junior's origin, I don't know what the goal of the 'one shot' agreement mentioned in the Mystical Realm is? And what does the Junior need to do?"

The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master flicked his sleeves lightly, and a star-light condensed, constantly changing Imperial Capital map phantom appeared on the desktop, with countless light spots marked on it, representing major forces.

"Young Friend is straightforward, the old man will not go around in circles." The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master pointed to the center of the map, the Imperial Palace area shrouded in thick golden light, "The target is inside the Imperial City. What exactly it is, the time has not come, and Young Friend will know it when the time comes. As for what Young Friend needs to do... it is not to be an enemy of someone directly, but to make a 'choice' at a certain key node, or rather, push the gears of fate."

This was said in a cloud-shrouded way, but Lin Xuan heard the key: the target was in the Imperial City, involved major issues, and needed him, this "variable," to play a specific role at a specific time.

"The Pavilion Master is so sure that the Junior will agree? Aren't you afraid that the Junior will go back on his word, or lack ability?" Lin Xuan asked back.

The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master laughed: "Young Friend is a trustworthy person, since you have received the favor of my Heavenly Secret Pavilion, you will definitely not break your promise. As for ability..." His gaze seemed to penetrate Lin Xuan's body and fell on the Chaos Dao Seed fused with the star core in his dantian, "With Young Friend's current strength and potential, you will be enough to take on the responsibility when the time comes. Moreover, if this matter is successful, for Young Friend, it is also a heaven-sent opportunity, which might solve many doubts in Young Friend's heart about his own Dao path."

Lin Xuan was silent for a moment. Cooperating with the Heavenly Secret Pavilion was no different from skinning a tiger, but he indeed needed the information and support of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion at present. Moreover, the "opportunity" and "solving doubts" mentioned by the other party also moved him.

"Okay, since there is a prior agreement, the Junior will naturally fulfill the promise." Lin Xuan finally nodded, "But before that, the Junior needs to understand the situation in the Imperial Capital, especially information related to the Star Palace, Shadow Tower, and... possibly related to the 'Ruins Abyss'."

"This is natural." The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master seemed to be prepared, took out a jade slip and pushed it to Lin Xuan, "This jade slip contains the latest trends of major families and sects in the Imperial Capital, as well as some secret information about the Star Palace and Shadow Tower. As for the 'Ruins Abyss'... this is a taboo, involving a lot, the old man can only tell you that the water in the Imperial Capital is much deeper than Young Friend imagined, and the demon matter is not an isolated case, and it involves ancient and even more distant karma behind it. Young Friend is burdened with Chaos, which is both an opportunity and a catastrophe, so you need to be cautious at every step."

Lin Xuan took the jade slip, his spiritual sense swept over, and the information inside was as vast as the sea, of immeasurable value. "Many thanks, Pavilion Master."

"Young Friend has just arrived in the Imperial Capital, and I think you don't have a place to stay yet." The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master said again, "I have a vacant courtyard in 'Qingyun Workshop' in the east of the city, which is quite quiet, and the spiritual energy is okay, so I will give it to Young Friend to stay temporarily. This is the key and the array token."

As he said, he handed over a green jade token again.

Lin Xuan did not decline this time, took the token: "Many thanks for the Pavilion Master's kindness, the Junior is disrespectful."

"No matter, you and I are mutually beneficial." The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master waved his hand, "Young Friend can go to settle down first and familiarize yourself with the environment. If you have any needs, you can come to find me at any time with the Heavenly Secret Token. Remember, in the Imperial Capital, the rules on the surface are not terrible, what you really need to be careful about are those who hide under the rules, and even... make the rules."

The words were full of deep meaning.

Lin Xuan stood up and bowed again: "The Junior understands, goodbye."

Leaving the small courtyard of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, Lin Xuan walked toward Qingyun Workshop in the east of the city according to the guidance on the token. With a clear place to stay, his heart settled slightly.

Qingyun Workshop was located in the east district of the Imperial Capital, a relatively quiet residential area, mostly the residences of some medium-to-high-rank cultivators, small families, or sect offices. The courtyard provided by the Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master was well-located, single-family, with its own small spirit-gathering and defensive arrays, and the environment was elegant.

Lin Xuan opened the array with the token and entered the courtyard. The courtyard was not big, but the layout was exquisite, with a practice room, quiet room, elixir room, etc., all available, and the concentration of spiritual energy was far higher than the outside world.

He deployed the concealment and warning arrays he was good at before he truly relaxed. He put Feng Xi down from his shoulder, fed it a healing pill, and let it move around in the courtyard by itself.

Subsequently, Lin Xuan couldn't wait to sink his mind into the jade slip given by the Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master.

The vast information flow poured into his sea of consciousness.

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

Imperial Clan: Led by the current Emperor Huangfu Tianji, controlling the Imperial Dynasty's dragon energy and the strongest military force, but the interior does not seem to be monolithic, and the infighting among several adult princes is fierce.

Four Major Families: Zhao, Wang, Li, Zhou, with a long inheritance and deep foundation, each controlling vast resources and connections, and the relationship with the Imperial Clan is subtle. Among them, the Zhao Clan has a death feud with him.

Three Major Sects: Heavenly Secret Academy (leaning toward the Imperial Clan), Godly Weapon Pavilion (neutral, good at refining), Medicine King Valley (neutral, good at alchemy), with huge influence.

Mysterious Forces: Star Palace (transcendent, rarely intervening in secular affairs, but active recently), Shadow Tower (notorious killer organization, suspected of colluding with some major forces), and some ancient inheritances looming.

Regarding the Star Palace, there are few records in the jade slip, only knowing that its disciples are few, proficient in star deduction and arrays, and its mountain gate is a small world called "Star Fall Mystical Realm," with an elusive entrance. There are indeed Star Palace successors active outside recently, with unknown purposes.

Regarding the Shadow Tower, there is slightly more information, listing some of its known strongholds (but they may have already moved) and style of conduct, confirming that it has accepted many assassination missions targeting young geniuses and important figures of various forces recently.

And regarding the "Ruins Abyss," there is only one warning in the jade slip: "The secret of the Ruins Abyss is related to the remnants of the ancient Heaven-Cutting War, touching the taboo of the origin of this realm, speak carefully, investigate carefully."

Putting down the jade slip, Lin Xuan's eyes were deep. The situation in the Imperial Capital was indeed complex. The arrival of his "variable" was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, which would inevitably stir up bigger ripples.

"The top priority is to improve strength as soon as possible, at least to have the ability to protect oneself in front of Spirit Transformation." Lin Xuan secretly said, "Then, contact Ye Chen, Brother Huangfu, and others to understand more about the trends of the 'Son of Destiny,' and at the same time secretly investigate the Star Palace and Shadow Tower."

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

The Imperial Capital, this new stage, has already opened the curtain.

And his journey has just begun.