Joining the Ranks

In an instant, Xia Dong's divine sense silently reached out and swept over Zhao Ting.

His heart settled, and he became even more certain that this Eagle-Wolf Guard Flag-Bearer's cultivation was indeed below Qi Refining Fourth Layer. He had not even cultivated divine sense.

That Cultivation Miscellany mentioned that high-level cultivators could use divine sense to practice techniques like the Qi-Gazing Technique and observe other people's cultivation. I wonder if I'll be able to find a similar spell to practice someday.

His thoughts raced like lightning, yet nothing showed on his face.

With the Evergreen Qi-Circulation Art, he concealed the vigorous qi and blood of his Bone Forging Realm body so completely that not a drop leaked out. To outsiders, he looked like no more than an ordinary young man with a healthy complexion and plenty of energy.

Xia Dong gave a slight, neither servile nor arrogant, salute.

He was now a tribute scholar personally recommended by the magistrate, and his household register bore that mysterious Dao Registry mark. By the rules of the Great You Dynasty, even when meeting a high-ranking court official, he was not required to kneel and bow.

Zhao Ting fixed his gaze on Xia Dong and got straight to the point. "I heard you have a Dao Registry. Have you ever had your Spirit Root tested?"

Xia Dong answered frankly, his expression calm. "An immortal master from the Qixia Immortal Sect tested me once. He said I had no Spirit Root."

Zhao Ting was startled. "Oh? So you have ties to the Qixia Immortal Sect?"

Though the Great You Dynasty Court was now powerful and pressed the various Immortal Sects at every turn, the situation was nowhere near as simple as it seemed.

The Qixia Immortal Sect, in particular, had once been a true sacred ground of the Immortal Dao at the height of its power, with influence extending across several prefectures of the Great You Dynasty.

But during the great upheaval that caused the world's spiritual energy to wither, the Qixia Immortal Sect had decisively pulled back its forces and retreated to Linyuan Prefecture.

Because they had withdrawn quickly, they avoided a devastating blow after the Great You Dynasty was established, and the sect's foundations remained exceedingly deep.

On the other hand, even now that the Eagle-Wolf Guard had entered Linyuan Prefecture and taken the opportunity to recruit quite a few disciples from the Qixia Immortal Sect's enforcement squad, it had still failed to reach the sect's true core.

For that matter, just the few Foundation Establishment Perfection grand cultivators who lent the Qixia Immortal Sect its public prestige were extraordinary figures in their own right.

True Person Lone Moon was especially formidable. According to intelligence within the Eagle-Wolf Guard, this cultivator with a Heavenly Spiritual Root had long possessed the foundations to attempt Core Formation, yet she had refused to form her Core. Rumors whispered that True Person Lone Moon had enormous ambitions: she intended to follow the Golden Core Dao of ancient times—first opening a Purple Mansion, then forming a Golden Core.

It was a path straight to Spirit Transformation.

Even in Middle Antiquity, when the world's spiritual energy had not yet declined, walking this path to its end had been extremely difficult. How much more so now, with spiritual energy exhausted?

Yet any grand cultivator bold enough to attempt opening a Purple Mansion possessed divine powers far beyond those of an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator. A terrifying existence of that caliber was no one Zhao Ting, a Qi Refining Third Layer cultivator, could afford to provoke.

Meanwhile, faced with Zhao Ting's probing, Xia Dong pondered briefly and decided he might as well bring up his connection to the Qin Family.

In a calm voice, he explained what he could about his former betrothal to the Qin Family and Qin Wan's having entered True Person Lone Moon's tutelage.

Zhao Ting listened, and his heart was swept by a storm. He had never imagined that the unremarkable Xia Dong before him would have such ties to True Person Lone Moon's lineage.

"I never expected you and True Person Lone Moon to share such a connection, Brother Xia!" The severity on Zhao Ting's face melted away, replaced by a warm smile. "Quite a few disciples from the Qixia Immortal Sect have joined our Eagle-Wolf Guard, so our two sides are already close. And you have a Dao Registry. When all is said and done, we're practically family. From now on, let's call each other brothers."

Zhao Ting was a clever man.

Although Xia Dong had been rejected by True Person Lone Moon's disciple, he had also subtly mentioned that True Person Lone Moon and her disciple still looked out for him.

Besides, the Qixia Immortal Sect was no Devil Dao Sect devoid of all compassion and righteousness. It had no ironclad rule that one must sever worldly ties to cultivate immortality.

Zhao Ting had nothing to lose by forming a friendly connection first.

Of course, what made Zhao Ting look more favorably on Xia Dong, beyond the Immortal Sect connection, was his unquestionably genuine Dao Registry status. The Zhao Family was a prominent family in the Capital City, yet it had never made it into the thirty-six Dao Registry Clans that founded the Great You Dynasty.

For centuries, the fortunes of noble clans had risen and fallen, but those with a Dao Registry had never truly left the center of power in the Great You Dynasty, no matter how badly they declined.

To put it in the language of common folk doing business, Dao Registry Clans held the original shares of the Great You Dynasty.

Even the most miserable of them all, the Duke Qi Mansion, had fallen into disgrace after being implicated in the Deposed Crown Prince's treason case. Yet deep within its estate, an old ancestor in the Core Formation Realm still held the fort.

However, the current Duke of Qi had no sons, only daughters. Under the ironclad rule that a Dao Registry could not pass to bloodlines of another surname, the current duke was likely to lose his own Dao Registry allotment.

Of course, before Xia Dong's precise Dao Registry origins were thoroughly investigated, Zhao Ting would not dare recklessly wade into these treacherous waters, which might involve immortals battling one another.

He planned to keep Xia Dong close for now, then write a secret letter to inform his family and have them investigate, lest he accidentally stir up a colossal mess and be held responsible.

Still, it could only help to win over Xia Dong for the time being.

Zhao Ting was a seasoned operator in official circles. In just a few words, he had become chummy with Xia Dong, addressing him as a brother.

Since it was a favor that cost him nothing, Zhao Ting simply swept his brush across the page and recommended Xia Dong directly as the medical officer of his flag.

Though the medical officer's post was low-ranking and carried no official grade, it was a real position within the Eagle-Wolf Guard system.

When Xia Dong heard that this easy post came with a monthly allowance of two Spirit Stones and one Foundation Building Pill, he had no reason to refuse.

After all the twists and turns, he had still entered the Eagle-Wolf Guard.

Fortunately, Magistrate Zhao's cultivation was shallow. With his own methods, Xia Dong could keep his secrets hidden from him.

Before leaving, Zhao Ting clapped Xia Dong warmly on the shoulder. "Brother Xia, do your best in this post. If you earn merit within our flag, you might have a chance to apply for a dip in the Spirit Spring. With the spring's wondrous effects, we could improve your Root Bone a little. It'll make practicing martial arts much easier for you. Who knows? Someday you might reach the Mortal Transformation Realm and pass the martial arts imperial exam."

"Then I thank you, Magistrate Zhao."

"Brother Xia, don't be so formal. Just call me elder brother."

"Mm, thank you, dear elder brother."

Zhao Ting then took his leave with Magistrate Yang and Xia Dong, saying that someone would come by to arrange Xia Dong's duties before long.

After seeing them off, Xia Dong let out a quiet breath of relief.

The world could not be avoided, just as a fish could not leave the water.

Since things had come to this, all he could do was go with the flow and act as the situation demanded.