The Thirteen Kingdoms and the Five Surnames and Seven Houses

"Though cultivators can use Earthly Baleful Forces, they all have flaws to some degree, whether it's [stolen-life baleful intent] or any other kind."

Xiao Yuanjun pondered for a moment, then said, "Hmm... you saw that Li Clan Daughter tonight, didn't you? Your master reckons her condition came from refining [crystalizing baleful intent]. Once the problem is resolved, she can return to normal."

"How do you resolve it?" Zhang Yuan asked.

"Refine any one Heavenly Dipper force, or find an Earthly Baleful Force that can complement and suppress it. Two methods: one neutralizes it, the other counterbalances it," Xiao Yuanjun said.

Neutralization and counterbalancing.

"Which is better?" Zhang Yuan asked.

"Naturally, neutralizing it with a Heavenly Dipper force is better, but those are hard to find. Ordinary cultivators aren't blessed with that kind of luck..."

At this point, Xiao Yuanjun glanced him over before continuing, "Neither are you."

Each of the thirty-six Heavenly Dipper forces was exceedingly rare. Whenever one appeared in the world, all the major powers of the Azure Sky Dust-Stained Realm would undoubtedly move to seize it.

Some shameless aristocratic clans would even send Foundation-Building Heavenly Beings to seize Heavenly Dipper forces for their juniors.

Zhang Yuan's chances of obtaining one were vanishingly slim.

Still, Zhang Yuan was not discouraged. He immediately asked, "Then I just need to find another suitable Earthly Baleful Force and refine it?"

"Yes."

Xiao Yuanjun nodded. "You've already reached the first level of Qi Refinement. Though your Daoist attainment isn't profound, refining [stolen-life baleful intent] has allowed you to resonate with heaven and earth and sense the locations of Earthly Baleful Forces that match you."

Deep in thought, Zhang Yuan tried to stir the imago of [stolen-life baleful intent] within his body.

The next instant.

Zhang Yuan's perspective changed dramatically.

He seemed to be standing amidst the stars. Darkness surrounded him, while countless points of light shimmered overhead and all around him, flowing without end, as dazzling as a river of stars and magnificent beyond compare.

"These are Heavenly Dipper and Earthly Baleful Forces, as well as... the Qi Refinement Realm cultivators of the Azure Sky Dust-Stained Realm!"

Understanding dawned on Zhang Yuan, and he began observing closely.

The points of light from the Heavenly Dipper and Earthly Baleful Forces were roughly alike, neither particularly bright nor particularly dim. Their defining feature was their steadiness. The other lights, varying in intensity, presumably came from Qi Refinement Realm cultivators.

The stronger their cultivation realm and the higher their Daoist attainment, the brighter the light they emitted.

"I need to find an Earthly Baleful Force that suits me."

As Zhang Yuan considered this, inspiration suddenly struck.

A point of light emitted by an Earthly Baleful Force flickered faintly, and he instantly locked onto it.

At once, information about that Earthly Baleful Force and its approximate location surfaced.

[Golden carriage baleful intent], southwest, the Capital City of the Bian Kingdom!

After memorizing its coordinates, Zhang Yuan did not stop. Instead, he continued searching this river of stars.

Once he gathered three Heavenly Dipper or Earthly Baleful Forces, he could condense his first life-bound divine ability.

I might as well find all three while I'm here!

Yet no matter how Zhang Yuan tried, he could not sense a third Earthly Baleful Force.

"Do I have to refine [golden carriage baleful intent] first?"

As Zhang Yuan pondered this and was about to withdraw, an incomparably dazzling light appeared before him.

A point of light... no, it could no longer be called a point. It was more like a sun.

What level of Qi Refinement was this cultivator at?

Zhang Yuan froze. The brightest point of light he had seen before this had only been the size of a fist.

"Can't find the third Earthly Baleful Force? If looking outward won't work, why not look within?"

Xiao Yuanjun's voice reached him.

Hearing her voice, Zhang Yuan immediately understood that this "point of light," brilliant as a star, represented Xiao Yuanjun.

Was tenth-level Qi Refinement really this terrifying?

After a moment of astonishment, Zhang Yuan hastily steadied his mind at Xiao Yuanjun's prompting.

She wanted him to look within?

Puzzled, Zhang Yuan lowered his gaze.

He would never have known without looking. Aside from [stolen-life baleful intent], there was actually another "wild" Earthly Baleful Force inside his body.

After sensing it briefly, Zhang Yuan learned its details.

This baleful intent was called [red phoenix baleful intent].

The red phoenix was originally an auspicious bird that blessed marriages. Legend held that a match made in heaven would draw a red phoenix to bestow its blessings. But if that destined union was ruined, the auspicious red phoenix would transform into [red phoenix baleful intent].

This was the imago represented by [red phoenix baleful intent].

Zhang Yuan's experiences with the Eastern Bian Li Clan matched that imago perfectly, so its appearance inside him was no surprise.

"You found it, didn't you? Rein in your imago and come out," Xiao Yuanjun said again.

The "sun" gradually dimmed, slowly vanishing from the river of stars.

Zhang Yuan also reined in the imago of [stolen-life baleful intent], and the scene inside the cave appeared before his eyes.

"That space... no, it was more a perspective, one specifically meant for observing the workings of heaven and earth."

"What's the second Earthly Baleful Force?" Xiao Yuanjun asked.

Of the three Heavenly Dipper or Earthly Baleful Forces he needed, Zhang Yuan already had two: [Stolen-life baleful intent] and [red phoenix baleful intent], which he could not use yet. Knowing what the second Earthly Baleful Force was would give her a rough idea of what powers his first life-bound divine ability would possess.

"[Golden carriage baleful intent]," Zhang Yuan said.

"[Golden carriage baleful intent]?" Xiao Yuanjun's expression turned a little strange.

As its name suggested, [Golden carriage baleful intent] embodied a golden carriage, a vehicle ridden by those of high standing. Its imago represented someone of low standing receiving help from someone above them, but having their freedom controlled by that benefactor in return.

To put it bluntly, this was an Earthly Baleful Force for living off a patron.

If one did not care about personal freedom, it was probably the Earthly Baleful Force with the fewest drawbacks.

[Stolen-life baleful intent], [Red phoenix baleful intent], and [golden carriage baleful intent]—a divine ability condensed from those three would likely have some very unexpected effects.

"Where is [golden carriage baleful intent]?" Xiao Yuanjun asked.

"Southwest, in the Capital City of the Bian Kingdom," Zhang Yuan replied.

"The Capital City of the Bian Kingdom, huh? Tsk, that's actually a good place. However far the Eastern Bian Li Clan's reach extends, surely they can't cover the sky with one hand in a kingdom's capital."

After a little thought, Xiao Yuanjun smiled. "Then it's settled. We'll rest tonight and set out tomorrow morning."

Zhang Yuan nodded in agreement.

Though the Li Clan had kept a great deal of information from him, he still knew a little of such common knowledge.

The Azure Sky Dust-Stained Realm was vast beyond measure. It was currently divided among the Thirteen Kingdoms, with aristocratic clans and powerful lineages standing thick as trees.

Among these aristocratic clans and lineages, the five surnames with the greatest power and prestige were known as the Five Surnames and Seven Houses. They bore a striking resemblance to the Five Surnames and Seven Houses of the Sui and Tang dynasties, different tunes with the same melody.

The aristocratic clans and lineages below the Five Surnames and Seven Houses were ranked into four tiers: A, B, C, and D.

Of course, as a realm of immortal cultivation, the Azure Sky Dust-Stained Realm also had sects. Zhang Yuan had merely heard of them, however, and knew little about them.

The Eastern Bian Li Clan was among the Five Surnames and Seven Houses, but the Bian Kingdom also contained another of those houses—the Western Bian Chu.

One in the east and one in the west, the two clans controlled the entire Bian Kingdom from afar. Precisely because the Western Bian Chu kept them in check, the Eastern Bian Li Clan had relatively little control over the Capital City, which lay farther west.

All in all, heading to the Capital City of the Bian Kingdom was fairly safe. He would not suddenly be slapped to death by the tangible giant hand of an Eastern Bian Li Clan Foundation-Building Heavenly Being.