Smoke and Mirrors

There are five days left until the First Emperor arrives at Langya.

Chen Jin focused his mind, sparing no effort to improve his strength.

Following Ren Tu's suggestion, he poured his energy into the agricultural classics of the Hundred Schools of Thought.

However, reality dealt him a minor blow.

The bamboo slips detailing soil coloration, the changing of solar terms, and the habits of grains were far less intuitive to him than mechanical blueprints.

Despite the guidance of Libationer Jiang Yan, his proficiency in the [Shennong Technique] hit a bottleneck after surging to 69%, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not advance further.

What frustrated him even more was that after scouring all the agricultural classics, not a single one met the requirements for visualization.

To visualize and comprehend skills from advanced agricultural texts, a minimum threshold of 70% proficiency was required.

"Sigh, it seems I really don't have the fate of a 'farming-genre protagonist'." Chen Jin closed a scroll of the Shennong Materia Medica with some frustration and rubbed his brow.

This feeling of seeing the threshold but being unable to cross it was truly enough to make one feel lethargic, or even want to abandon this path entirely.

After finishing breakfast and feeding Nuonuo, he went to the Libationer's residence to ask Jiang Yan about the bottleneck.

Jiang Yan stroked his beard in thought for a moment, then said slowly: "The art of the Agricultural School, at its core, lies in following the timing of heaven and responding to the energy of the earth.

Little friend Chen, by studying behind closed doors, you have gained the theory but lost the most direct communion with the nature of heaven and earth.

The Shrine of the Four Seasons Deity at Langya Terrace is one of the Eight Divine Lords of the Qi region. It governs the flow of the four seasons; the rhythms of spring growth, summer expansion, autumn harvest, and winter storage all converge here.

If you wish to break through the bottleneck of the Shennong Technique, perhaps you should go there to experience the aura of the four seasons; it should be of some benefit to you.

Realizing the cycle of the four seasons and the life of all things within the ancient atmosphere of the shrine might be easier for drawing inferences than rote study of the classics.

Although it is likely heavily guarded there at the moment, for someone as proficient in the art of disguise as you, it shouldn't be much of a challenge."

Jiang Yan's words enlightened Chen Jin.

The Shrine of the Four Seasons Deity—was that not the very location Xu Fu had chosen to present the elixir of immortality?

"Two birds with one stone!" A sharp light flashed in Chen Jin's eyes.

"Many thanks for the guidance, Libationer. This junior was just thinking of scouting the reality of that shrine; I shall make the trip."

With the Libationer's permission and carrying a recorded copy of the agricultural classics, Chen Jin packed his things, ready to leave the academy for the Shrine of the Four Seasons Deity.

He happened to be spotted by Ji, who set down his bamboo slips and asked casually: "Leaving already?

Don't forget, you are a 'person without a household' now; the Identity Tablet of 'Fu' was scrapped long ago.

The Heavenly Eyes are hanging high outside right now, and furthermore, the Shrine of the Four Seasons Deity is the place the Emperor is about to visit in person; it must be as secure as an iron barrel. Have you thought about how to get in?"

Chen Jin paused his steps, turned around, and smiled: "I was just about to ask you for advice. You must have had a pretext when you infiltrated the Law Enforcement team, right? What method did you use to avoid the Law Eye?"

Upon hearing this, a mysterious smile appeared on Ji's face.

Without haste, he picked up an ordinary wooden chopstick from the table used for eating, placed it flat on his palm, and held it out to Chen Jin.

"Watch closely." Ji wiped the smile from his face, stared intently at the chopstick, and said in an extremely firm tone, word by word:

"You are an Identity Tablet of a guard at the Shrine of the Four Seasons Deity."

"You are an Identity Tablet of a guard at the Shrine of the Four Seasons Deity."

"You are an Identity Tablet of a guard at the Shrine of the Four Seasons Deity."

After repeating it three times, a strange thing happened.

The ordinary wooden chopstick seemed to understand the words; it began to tremble slightly, and a layer of bronze-colored light shimmered on its surface.

Its form twisted and reshaped within the flowing light; inscriptions flowed across the wood grain, its edges became uniform, and in the end, it truly transformed into a wooden Identity Tablet engraved with runes and small seal script, exactly the same as the standard ones Chen Jin had seen before.

"This...!" Chen Jin's pupils constricted; he was truly shocked.

Although he knew the School of Names was skilled in debate, he had not expected them to be able to distort the perception of reality to such an extent.

"Is this the School of Names' 'pointing at a deer and calling it a horse'?"

"What 'pointing at a deer and calling it a horse'? This is merely a bit of a trick of the eye."

Ji was modest, but a trace of pride flashed in his eyes. "In essence, it is just temporarily deceiving the 'rules,' allowing the 'Law Eye' in this area to identify the object in your hand as an Identity Tablet.

The effect doesn't last long, but it should be fine for sneaking in."

Chen Jin took the "Identity Tablet" that had just been stained with rice, his heart suddenly clearing, but then a trace of guilt arose: "Such a divine skill... your goal when you went undercover in the Law Enforcement team must have been significant. Was it my involvement that caused you to fail the mission?"

Ji waved his hand, his demeanor relaxed: "Hey, don't mention it; it wasn't exactly a world-shaking mission anyway.

I just heard that the squad leader Wang Wu was related to General Wang Jian, so the higher-ups sent me to follow that thread and see if I could find an opportunity to approach this top general of Great Qin."

He shrugged, with a touch of self-mockery: "As you can see, that guy Wang Wu was almost hacked to death by the Qin Mohists' iron contraptions, and I didn't see a single Wang clan elder jump out to shout 'spare him.'

It seems either he was bragging to the heavens, or the relationship is so distant it can be ignored.

That lead was a long shot to begin with.

With you causing such a stir, I just happened to take the opportunity to slip away and come back for some peace and quiet; I should be thanking you."

Chen Jin knew these were words of comfort from Ji, yet he still etched this favor into his heart.

He gripped the Identity Tablet in his hand and nodded. "Many thanks! I will remember this assistance."

"Proceed with caution." Ji's smile faded as he gave a solemn warning.

After Chen Jin departed, Ji closed his bamboo scroll and approached the Libationer, Jiang Yan.

"With major events imminent, why send him to such a perilous place? Though we haven't spent much time together, I believe he is a good man."

The Libationer Jiang Yan glanced at Ji and said, "Can't you see? He came to Langya specifically for this matter. Even if you didn't send him, he would go regardless; there is no stopping him."

"But..."

The Libationer Jiang Yan cut Ji off. "I have calculated his destiny these past few days. Care to guess what it is?"

"This student does not know."

"An extraordinary spirit, a grand curiosity, a sudden emergence, and vast, multifaceted talent. His fate is one of great calamity and great fortune."

"Now, do you understand his origins?"

Chen Jin paused at the foot of Langya Mountain and looked up.

Though this mountain lacked the majestic grandeur of Mount Tai, it possessed a unique, ethereal beauty born of its proximity to the sea.

The mountain range stood like a dark green screen slanted against the shore of the azure sea, its peaks defined by soft lines and forests so lush that the rocky bones beneath were barely visible.

At this hour, the morning mist had yet to disperse; milky vapor rose from the sea, coiling around the mountainside and casting the ancient shrine atop the peak into a hazy silhouette, making it appear like a celestial palace suspended in the clouds.

Yet, beneath this picturesque landscape of spiritual beauty lay countless hidden guards.

From the foot of the mountain, every path leading to the shrine had been heavily blockaded.

Clad in black armor and wielding long halberds, the Qin Elite Soldiers stood guard every five paces and kept watch every ten, forming a silent yet impenetrable perimeter.

But these were merely the forces in plain sight.

Deep within the shade of the trees, the Empire's Shadow Secret Guard had all but merged with the flora.

In the sky, if one observed closely, they would see that the hovering Law Eyes were several times denser than usual. Their indifferent pupils rotated slowly, like a net of the Heavenly Dao, shrouding the entirety of Langya Mountain.

...At this moment, Langya Mountain was no longer just a mountain; it was a dragon's pool and a tiger's den, its invisible jaws agape, waiting to devour any uninvited guest.