Great Sun Divine Spring Secret Codex

"Hey, kid, what are you standing around for!"

"The Chief Director has summoned you. You're about to strike it rich, kid."

"Little Chen—no, Brother Chen—don't forget your brothers once you make it big."

The familiar colleagues around him wore faces full of envy.

Luo Chen came back to his senses and responded calmly.

He followed the Demon Suppressing Guard who had delivered the message to the mountaintop.

Yet it was not the largest courtyard, but a residence at the edge.

"Go in. The Chief Director is inside."

The Demon Suppressing Guard who had led the way spoke solemnly, then left.

Luo Chen gently knocked on the courtyard gate.

Shangguan Changyue's calm voice came from within.

"Enter!"

He pushed open the courtyard gate.

Shangguan Changyue sat on a stone stool in the courtyard, brewing tea with unhurried precision.

Luo Chen closed the courtyard gate, stepped forward several paces, and bowed.

"Greetings, Chief Director."

Shangguan Changyue nodded lightly, her tone no longer as cold as before.

"Blood Circulation complete. Not bad."

At those words, Luo Chen's heart sank, but he spoke without haste.

"I merely broke through by luck."

Yet countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

It seemed the grade of the Withered Glory Art was still too low.

Before someone at the Divine Intent level, it had been detected so easily.

"There is no need to be nervous. Since you have joined my Demon Suppression Bureau, talent will naturally be cultivated."

"Do you possess a Martial Bone?"

Facing Shangguan Changyue's question, Luo Chen gently shook his head.

His progress had been astonishingly swift, and the Skin Tempering Demon had also believed he possessed a Martial Bone last time.

Afterward, he had specifically gone to the Library Tower to consult relevant books.

Put simply, a Martial Bone meant having one more bone within the body than ordinary people.

Those with Martial Bones encountered no bottlenecks before the Divine Intent Realm. Breaking through realms came as naturally as water flowing into a channel.

But the Divine Intent Realm involved the soul and spirit, so the Martial Bone's effects were weakened. Even so, they remained geniuses.

Luo Chen's background and cultivation resources were utterly incomparable to those of disciples from major powers.

Yet his cultivation and strength could advance by leaps and bounds.

He was no weaker than anyone else.

It was only natural for others to mistake him for someone with a Martial Bone.

"May I examine you?"

Although Luo Chen was merely a subordinate of Shangguan Changyue's subordinate, a Demon Suppressing Guard, she still asked first.

"As you wish, Chief Director."

Luo Chen could tell that she bore him no ill will, and he relaxed considerably.

A slender jade hand lightly rested upon Luo Chen's shoulder.

He felt a cool sensation sweep through his entire body.

In an instant, the delicate hand withdrew.

Shangguan Changyue retracted her hand and pondered for a while.

Without a Martial Bone, yet possessing such extraordinary progress in strength—he must have encountered some fortuitous opportunity.

But she was merely curious and had no intention of investigating further.

After some thought,

Shangguan Changyue took out a secret manual and set it on the stone table.

"This cultivation art is called the Great Sun Divine Spring Secret Codex. At the Mysterious Aperture Realm, it can open two hundred and sixty apertures. It is a superior aperture-opening art, and I shall give it to you."

"Thank you, Chief Director." Luo Chen cupped his fists respectfully.

He picked up the secret codex from the table and asked curiously,

"Chief Director, what is the greatest number of apertures one can open in the Mysterious Aperture Realm?"

Shangguan Changyue took a sip of hot tea and said meaningfully,

"At the extreme of the Mysterious Aperture Realm, one may open three hundred and sixty apertures. Talent, comprehension, resources, and peerless cultivation arts—none can be lacking!"

"Cultivation arts capable of opening three hundred and sixty apertures are all the core inheritances of major powers."

Luo Chen understood, but he was not discouraged.

At worst, he would deduce a peerless cultivation art himself.

He would simply need to earn more lifespan.

Being gifted a superior Mysterious Aperture cultivation art by the Chief Director today was already an abundant harvest.

He stood before the stone table, hesitating.

Shangguan Changyue asked curiously,

"Is there something you need to report?"

He took a deep breath.

Luo Chen spoke tentatively.

"Chief Director, have you sensed the aura of a Demonic Beast nearby?"

Shangguan Changyue cast the Youth a surprised glance. After a moment of silence, she nodded faintly.

Ever since arriving at the courtyard,

Luo Chen had known the problem did not lie with the Chief Director before him.

The Skin Tempering Demon aura sensed by Little Butterfly still lingered within the largest courtyard in the distance.

That was why he had reported it despite the risks.

It was also an act born of helplessness. A Demonic Beast had infiltrated the upper ranks of the Demon Suppression Bureau, giving him a sense of crisis as well.

Luo Chen glanced behind him.

Shangguan Changyue spoke softly, her tone calm.

"Rest assured, no one can spy upon our conversation."

Only then did Luo Chen put his mind at ease. He removed the hollow sphere from his waist and explained,

"I was assassinated several times by a Skin Tempering Demon. To uncover the Demonic Beast's true identity, I specifically refined a Shadowless Scent Seeking Gu."

"According to the Gu insect's senses, the Skin Tempering Demon has most likely infiltrated the five Colonels!"

Luo Chen did not make an absolute claim.

In his mind, Li Tiankui was the most suspicious.

After all, he had been completely unknown at the time, yet a Skin Tempering Demon had targeted him the first time he left the city. It could hardly have been a coincidence.

Among the five Demon Suppression Captains who had come this time, only Li Tiankui had any old grievance with him.

Yet after hearing him out, Shangguan Changyue said unhurriedly,

"Li Tiankui went to such lengths to lure me out. He must have made his preparations."

Shangguan Changyue did not avoid the matter and stated it directly.

Luo Chen's performance had made her consider nurturing him. In the future, he might become a trusted confidant.

"He—or they—have underestimated me far too much."

A sharp gleam shone in Shangguan Changyue's eyes.

"You should go cultivate first!"

Luo Chen gave a respectful bow, then turned and left.

Leaving the cool and aloof woman in the courtyard to drink tea quietly.

"There is someone—or some force—behind this."

Luo Chen reflected on their conversation, tightening his hold on the secret codex in his arms.

When he returned to the foot of the mountain, Wang Yue and several Demon Suppressing Guards under him were gathered around a bonfire.

They had somehow procured several wild rabbits and were roasting them over the flames.

The cold wind swept past, making the bonfire flicker unsteadily.

Seeing Luo Chen return, everyone made room for him.

Nor did anyone dare ask why the Chief Director had summoned Luo Chen.

The group continued discussing the topic from earlier.

Wang Yue glanced at Luo Chen and said,

"Just now, the Colonel announced our mission. We are to guard a vital passage fifty li west of here.

Before the formal encirclement begins, we must not let a single Demonic Beast escape."

One Demon Suppressing Guard seemed rather pleased.

"This mountain road is on the outermost perimeter, so it should be relatively safe."

Wang Yue reached out and smacked him, saying irritably,

"Do not let your guard down. Danger is everywhere."

"Hehe, understood, Boss."

Luo Chen nodded in response as well.

Because there were not enough rooms at this outpost and many Demon Suppressing Guards had come this time,

they simply sat on the ground, taking turns keeping watch and resting.

As martial artists, the cold of the night did not make them uncomfortable.

Luo Chen gazed at the night sky until the latter half of the night.

Sitting beside the bonfire, he used its light to read the Great Sun Divine Spring Secret Codex in his hands.

[Great Sun Divine Spring Secret Codex (Not Initiated)]

"Open two hundred and sixty apertures, forming a Great Sun Divine Spring within the body. Condense Great Sun astral qi; the divine spring surges with blood and qi, far surpassing ordinary martial artists."

Closing the secret codex, Luo Chen felt grateful.

"As expected of a superior Mysterious Aperture cultivation art."

"What sort of power would a peerless cultivation art possess?"

Filled with longing, Luo Chen tucked the secret codex into his robes.