A Familiar Face in a Foreign Land

"No wonder the Capital Region is said to be Divine Ability Forbidden Zone. Since leaving Prosperity Virtue City, as I approach Prosperity Capital step by step, I have felt my body becoming heavier and heavier. My extraordinary power has been gradually suppressed, and even the acupoints of my physical body seem to be blocked by an invisible force. It has become more difficult for my Divine Soul to leave my Spirit Projection, and my connection with the Spiritual Qi of the outside world has also become strained. I am no Original Edition."

Standing before the city gate of Imperial City, watching the bustling scene inside and outside the city, Qiu Yan took a deep breath. What he felt first was not the prosperity of the city, but the solemn atmosphere that emanated from it at all times.

Heavy, weighty.

"However, there are some popular figures in this city who are converging on my side..."

Indeed, this group of strange people were none other than him and Hu Qi.

Since leaving Prosperity Virtue City and heading towards Prosperity Capital, Qiu Yan and the others felt increasingly burdened with each step they took.

It wasn't that there was actually a heavy object pressing down on him, but rather that the various forces within his body were being suppressed little by little, causing his body, which had become increasingly light and easily controlled after cultivation, to begin to revert to its state before cultivation. The huge contrast in this process created an increasingly heavy feeling.

Of course, more than anything, it's a mental burden.

"However, this change is also an extraordinary experience. Changes in the environment trigger changes in the mind and consciousness, which in turn affect the body. The principles contained within this are well worth pondering."

With this in mind, after traveling for a while, Qiu Yan gradually let go of his concern about the external pressure, and even stopped trying to find out what force was suppressing his extraordinary Divine Abilities.

This change secretly surprised the two old Daoist priests of Golden Crow Dao.

The two old Daoist priests were unwilling to reveal their names, so Qiu Yan gave them two code names: one was "Golden Left" and the other was "Golden Right".

Their nascent Nascent Souls were sealed, and their cultivation was extinguished. However, apart from a period of discomfort and emotional fluctuations after the battle and upon waking, the two old Daoists quickly adapted and seemed to accept their fate.

Subsequently, Qiu Yan and the others left the inn before the many wealthy merchants came to visit, and embarked on their journey westward. Along the way, their Divine Ability were gradually suppressed, but this had little impact on the two Nascent Soul cultivators whose spiritual cores were sealed. Their State of Mind also remained largely unchanged.

In contrast, they turned to observe the physical and mental changes in Qiu Yan and the others, wanting to learn more about Qiu Yan.

In fact, the higher one's cultivation level, the more obvious the suppression of Divine Ability power becomes. For Life Cultivation like Hu Qi and Dai Guo, whose acupoints are sealed, it only creates a slight barrier between them and Spiritual Qi, making their True Qi slightly obscured. It doesn't have a significant impact on their strength or Qi and Blood. They will only be more affected when their cultivation level is higher.

In contrast, cultivators who Nature Cultivation, regardless of their level, will feel a significant impact as soon as they approach Prosperity Capital. After their acupoints are blocked and their souls are unable to leave, they will gradually become like ordinary mortals. This disparity often causes considerable turmoil in the cultivator's heart, affecting their State of Mind and thus hindering their cultivation.

The Golden Crow Elders originally wanted to see how Qiu Yan's State of Mind was affected, but they did not expect that the latter would quickly get used to the change and show extraordinary attainment in State of Mind.

"Qiu Yan's current cultivation level is indeed not due to luck. Judging from the information gathered from the sect, he is not very old. We don't know if he was replaced by some old monster, or if he awakened his Past-Life Wisdom, or if he is the reincarnation of a great power."

Thinking this, the two old Daoists became even more interested in Qiu Yan. However, after their Nascent Souls were Nascent Soul, their bodies were not as strong as those of young people. After traveling for a period of time, in the later stages, although their hearts were calm, their bodies were exhausted. Yet they were unwilling to admit defeat and followed step by step, to the point that they almost overexerted their strength.

When they arrived at the city gate of Prosperity Capital, the two were so breathless they could barely speak, their bodies drenched in sweat.

"Stop."

At the city gate, the soldiers guarding the gate saw this group of people and went up to stop them.

They certainly wouldn't ignore Qiu Yan and his group given their strange behavior, especially since the imperial Metropolitan Examination and the flow of people in Prosperity Capital was increasing dramatically, making it the perfect time to strengthen vigilance.

Under the emperor's nose, any negligence could lead to unimaginable setbacks, and no carelessness is permissible.

"What are you doing here? Do you have any travel permits?" The soldier walked over, glanced at them, and his gaze fell on Qiu Yan. He could tell that Qiu Yan was the leader of this group, and his scholarly attire made him suspicious.

"I am a candidate for the imperial examination in the capital. This is the document." Qiu Yan didn't say much more and handed over the document.

At the same time, Qiu Yan was also observing the soldier. The soldier was wearing a military uniform, had a strong physique, and his movements exuded a powerful and vigorous aura.

"This is the capital city after all. This gatekeeper is full of energy and spirit, with strong muscles and bones, and his Qi and Blood and qi are also quite Qi Manifestation. At the very least, he has mastered the Bright Force. If he were in the Jiannan Circuit army, he would most likely be a squad leader or fire captain. But here, he is just a gatekeeper!"

Qiu Yan looked towards the city gate again, and the soldiers he saw all resembled the man in front of him, appearing to be quite formidable in combat.

The soldier took the document, glanced at Hu Qi and Dai Guo, and asked, "Are these two your servants?"

After receiving an affirmative answer, he pointed to the two men, Golden Left and Golden Right, and continued to ask, "And who are these two Daoist priests? Do you have Pure Precepts Certificate? Nowadays, there are many people coming and going in Prosperity Capital, from the south and north. Without documents, travel permits, and Pure Precepts Certificate, one cannot enter the city and can only stay in the villages and towns outside the city."

Historically, there have been numerous uprisings that relied on Daoism. Therefore, after establishing their rule, each dynasty would try to control Daoists. In the past, there was even a system of Daoist officials, which attempted to completely control Daoism.

This Daoist Sect is home to many people with Divine Abilities, who are controlled and restrained by the imperial court. There must be conflicts and stories involved. It is difficult to understand by simply reading history books. Although Qiu Yan had made some guesses, he did not know the details.

During the Great Rui Dynasty, the court relaxed its control over the Daoist Sects, which led to the establishment of the Pure Precepts Certificate system. This system was similar to registering Daoist practitioners as ordinary citizens, with each person having a document that recorded their Daoist name, lineage, and lineage. It served as proof for Daoists to travel the world. As for the deeper implications of this system, Qiu Yan was not aware of them at the moment.

"They..." Qiu Yan frowned, about to speak, but the Golden Crow Elders said directly, "We have the Pure Precepts Certificates." After speaking, they took out the documents from their robes and handed them over as well.

After the soldiers took the items, they asked Hu Qi and Dai Guo for their names, glanced at the others, and then handed the items to the clerk by the city gate for identification and recording before returning them.

"Once Qiu Jieyuan enters the city, he should find an inn to settle down as soon as possible; the imperial Metropolitan Examination is just a few days away."

"Thank you for the reminder." After taking the items, Qiu Yan and the others entered the city.

Seeing that the others had gone far away, the soldier returned to his post at the city gate, sat down in a chair, and started chatting with the clerk.

"Recently, there have been quite a few more Daoist priests in the city. I wonder why. Could it Metropolitan Examination?"

"We don't need to concern ourselves with these things, so let's not ask any more questions. However, Qiu Yan's group—a scholar, a martial artist, and a Daoist priest—is rather strange. We should report it to our Yamen when we return to the yamen tonight, just in case."

That's exactly right.

"The people of Prosperity Capital actually harbor such great hostility towards scholars from other places."

Upon entering the city, Qiu Yan was greeted by hostile stares from passersby, their anger and resentment palpable.

Although his Divine Ability were suppressed in Prosperity Capital, his senses were still intact. Even though they were no longer as sharp as before, he still had no difficulty sensing the emotions of pedestrians on the road.

"Gentlemen, would you like to stay at the inn?"

After walking a few more steps, Qiu Yan encountered someone who wasn't so hostile towards him, but this person kept addressing them as "guest" and said he would take them to an inn.

At this moment, Hu Qi walked up to Qiu Yan's ear and whispered, "Young master, don't be fooled. Those who solicit people on the street are mostly run-down shady shops. They are most common when there are crowds. My brothers and I have also participated in the martial arts tournament and encountered similar situations." His words revealed a sense of lingering resentment, indicating that he had suffered a considerable loss back then.

"Isn't this similar to the scene at the train station in my previous life where they solicited people for accommodation?" Qiu Yan thought with interest, scrutinizing the man's attire, which made the other person feel uneasy.

"Thank you very much, brother. We already have a place to stay." Hu Qi went up to negotiate.

After declining the man's invitation, Qiu Yan led his group towards the city, proceeding from the edge towards the Inner City.

Hu Qi noticed that Qiu Yan's entry into the city, seemingly aimless wandering, actually appeared to be purposeful.

"Is the young master going to take us on a tour of the capital?" Dai Guo didn't seem to have much of an idea, and showed an excited expression.

As for the Golden Crow Elders, they were already exhausted, but they still gritted their teeth and followed along, though they swayed with every step, making people worry for them.

As they walked, Qiu Yan remarked, "Although Prosperity Capital is the capital, in terms of prosperity, it may not be able to compare with Eastern Capital."

"This..." Hu Qi was taken aback upon hearing this. He looked around and saw that the crowds were as large as those in Eastern Capital. He wondered why his young master would say such a thing.

He was about to ask more questions, but Qiu Yan, who was walking ahead, suddenly quickened his pace.

"Huh?" Dai Guo looked over and let out a soft exclamation.

Just then, several scholars approached Qiu Yan. Two of them, upon seeing Qiu Yan, showed excited expressions and hurriedly rushed out of the crowd, calling out the same words—

"Brother Qiu, I'm so glad to finally see you!"

"Brother Luo, Brother Zhou." Qiu Yan also smiled.

Meeting an old friend in a foreign land is a joy in life. (To be continued. Please search for the novel for better and faster updates!)