Mystic Firmament Palace

--- Capital Circuit, Great Abyss Capital

A purple talisman traveled from the south of the Mountain South, passing through various roads, straight towards the capital.

Those with discerning eyes would recognize at a glance that this was the Purple Imperial Golden Palace Talisman, a rare item reserved for the highest-ranking nobles of the Immortal Dynasty. Only one talisman was obtained in each round, making it exceptionally precious. Moreover, it allowed one to directly reach the Heavenly Court at any time.

The talisman moved with incredible speed, its purple tail trailing behind it as it passed through the Ancestor of the Four Waterways, which stretched for countless miles, and leaped over the Heavenly Current Gorge, a feat that would impress even Nascent Soul True Person.

After being seen by the duty officer on the city gate, the gaze swept past the "Taiyuan" plaque on the towering city gate, and over the heads of countless commoners in the capital of Emperor of Wei, before finally landing Mystic Firmament Palace, which was built by the founding emperor at the cost of exhausting the resources of the Great Wei.

After Fu Shu, in a human -Purple Imperial Golden Palace Talisman palace gate, a hundred elite palace guards thrust their spears into the ground, and the shoulders of the two golden generals guarding the left and right slumped as their two golden maces crossed, suddenly opening the ten-foot-high passageway reserved for high-ranking officials of the Immortal Dynasty to submit petitions.

A gentle breeze swept through, carrying the Purple Imperial Golden Palace Talisman into it.

Only then could the Purple Imperial Golden Palace Talisman reveal the true face of the Mystic Firmament Palace.

The palace walls were built from Mysterious Gang Rock dredged from the Liaoyuan Abyss, a gift from the Gui Household when Emperor Taizu first ascended the throne.

Each brick has been soaked in the Essence Blood of Third Tier Demon Officer. The seemingly naturally formed patterns on the brick surface are actually spiritual restrictions painstakingly carved by many skilled craftsmen. Even Foundation Establishment level will bleed from all seven orifices and have their meridians disordered if they stare at them for too long.

There were no weeds in the Mystic Firmament Palace. The sparse dark red moss growing in the corners of the walls was a gift from several Venerables of the Li Mountain Demon Land.

The founding emperor once fought against the Demon Race army here, and many Demon Race lords shed their Essence Blood here, which transformed into several demonic Spirit Plant, adding a touch of vitality to the Mystic Firmament Palace, which was filled with imperial aura.

These dark red mosses are only of the Second Tier rank, which might be considered rare in ordinary places, but here they can only be regarded as decorative embellishments.

Legend has it that among those demonic Spirit Plant, the rarest is a Blood Spirit Mushroom shaped like a dragon's horn. Over the past two thousand years, it has been continuously irrigated with the Essence Blood by a special member of the clan, and it has acquired the wondrous ability to help Golden Core cultivators break through to the Nascent Soul stage.

This is a legend, and outsiders cannot know whether it is true or not.

On either side of a wide central axis paved entirely with gold bricks inscribed with dragon patterns, from the outside in, to the inside, are five high platforms in sequence: Heavenly Pivot, Nine Heavens, Spirit Sealing, Dragon Imprisonment, and Sin Burning; to the right are five giant buildings: Homage to the Origin, Star Contemplation, Heavenly Gang, Wen Dao, Mysterious Illumination. All are vital locations, and are all controlled by nobles trusted by the current emperor, with infinitely wondrous uses.

The Purple Imperial Golden Palace Talisman, carried by the gentle breeze, passed through the ten buildings before finally stopping One Heart Hall, where the current emperor resided.

Twelve jade palace lamps hang outside the hall, burning eternally day and night. Each lamp wick contains Nascent Soul remnant spirit of a former dynasty's loyal minister, serving no other purpose. When the Taizu Emperor ordered the craftsmen to create them, he only mentioned that the lamps should burn continuously.

Looking at the palace gate again, it was indeed a vermilion door with golden nails, nine in each direction.

The golden nails were originally made from the Golden Core of the previous dynasty. When the late emperor ascended the throne, the imperial treasury was empty, so he used them to make elixirs and medicines, and rewarded meritorious officials in the court. When the current emperor ascended the throne, the situation had improved slightly, so this system was temporarily abolished.

Therefore, the palace gate, made of Fourth Tier red scale wood, still retains a row and a column of Golden Core. As for the other door nail holes, they were filled with cloud sea floating gold refined by Third Tier weapon masters. At first glance, it still looks dazzling and dignified.

The arrival of the Purple Imperial Golden Palace Talisman in the capital was indeed a momentous event in the eyes of various forces along the route that were loyal to the Immortal Dynasty. However, as soon as they entered the palace gates, even the group of female officials who were hurrying along did not bother to look at them.

After waiting for half a day, a ruddy-faced man dressed in a blue robe finally came out from a side gate of the palace to greet them.

The husband remained silent, merely revealing the square token at his waist and beckoning with his hand, drawing the purple talisman down from the breeze before turning and leaving. The purple talisman, possessing its own spirit, followed the spiritual energy of the husband's square token.

After passing countless rare and precious spiritual artifacts and undergoing inspections by numerous palace soldiers, Zi Fu finally arrived with her husband in green robes before a pale-faced attendant dressed in purple robes.

"Greetings, eunuch!" Even though he knew the man before him was hard-hearted, the man in the green robe still couldn't help but show a hint of flattery on his face.

The pale-faced attendant didn't even bother to nod; he simply took the purple talisman, glanced at it, pondered for a moment, and then placed it into the dragon-patterned wooden box in his hand.

The man in the green robe seemed used to such cold treatment and wisely withdrew.

The pale-faced attendant stood still until a bunch of wilted red flowers on the low table in front of him suddenly perked up and straightened their branches. Only then did the pale-faced attendant straighten his clothes and enter the courtyard.

Upon entering the courtyard, atop the dragon throne sat a middle-aged man with a broad face and a heavy chin, extremely robust.

Perhaps it was because he had long held a high position and naturally possessed an air of authority, but the old man in purple robes who held the jade tablet was clearly more powerful than him, yet he was still overshadowed in terms of aura.

"Your Majesty, Chancellor Gui." Even when facing the two most powerful figures in the current Immortal Dynasty, the pale-faced attendant's expression remained icy cold.

Fortunately, the two people presenting the audience in the court seemed to be used to the behavior of the pale-faced attendant and were not surprised.

Not only that, Emperor of Wei even put down his vermilion brush and replied with a smile, "You've worked hard, Grand Eunuch. Please try the new tea presented by King Yu Circuit. This Chaoyin purple qi tea has been out of supply for over five hundred years. I am only able to enjoy this taste again thanks to the blessings of my children."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." The pale-faced attendant did not refuse and sat down next to Chancellor Gui to drink tea.

Emperor of Wei was clearly a humble man. He had just served tea to his attendants when he spoke kindly to the old man beside him, saying, "Chancellor Gui, now that the Grand Eunuch has arrived, let's not argue for too long. If you have any other opinions regarding the matter of Princess Chancellor Gui and the Kuai Household, then we can discuss it later."

Since Emperor of Wei had already made his point so clearly, Gui Xuantong knew that it would be difficult to change his mind in a short time, so he remained noncommittal about what the former had said.

Emperor of Wei thought the old man was about to take his leave, but to his surprise, the latter raised the jade tablet in his hand, bowed, and spoke:

"Your Majesty is quite right. The matter of the Kuai Household marrying the princess is of great importance and cannot be decided lightly, lest it cause turmoil both inside and outside the court. However, it seems that several Purple Imperial Golden Palace Talisman have entered Great Abyss Capital today. I wonder if this old minister may dare to stay here and listen to what the Grand Eunuch has to say, so that I can offer some advice to Your Majesty."

Although Gui Xuantong held the dual identities of the current Left Prime Minister and the head of the Liaoyuan Gui Household Immortal Dynasty, a first-class noble family in the Immortal Dynasty, the purple talismans transmitted by nobles from various regions were different from the documents of the high-ranking officials. They were always handled by the inner court, and in principle, there was no need for him, an outsider, to consult them.

Therefore, what this old man requested today can be described as presumptuous, and is indeed an act of disrespect to the emperor.

However, the current emperor is known for his magnanimity. Upon hearing Gui Xuantong's words, he showed no anger whatsoever. He merely glanced at the upright, pale-faced attendant, and seeing that the latter showed no sign of displeasure, he smiled faintly and agreed.

"Chancellor Gui, Prime Minister Gui. It is indeed my wish, but I dare not ask for it."

Upon seeing this, the pale-faced attendant put down his fragrant tea, picked up his scepter, and stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, three purple talismans have arrived from various regions. First, Yao Gu, the chief administrator of Mountain North Circuit and Marquis of Changshun, has submitted a memorial to plead guilty. According to him, he recently found Wang Beixing, the elder of the Battle Hall the Blood Sword Sect of Two Rivers Circuit, in Mountain North Circuit. He fought with this man, but Yao Gu was defeated in ten moves and fled. Most of his Daoist soldiers were killed, and most of the general's guards also deserted and were no longer in formation."

If it weren't for the urgent rescue by the head of the Five Old Mothers Mountain General Affairs Office, the entire Mountain North Circuit General Administration Office might have been reduced to ashes.

Master True Person Moon Hidden, the leader of Five Old Mothers Mountain, has sent an edict from the outer sea, ordering his disciples to obey the commands of Marquis of Changshun. Wang Beixing was previously injured by His Highness the Prince of the North, so he is unlikely to act rashly again. Good news should arrive soon.

The first matter mentioned by the white-faced attendant might be considered a momentous event in the palace, but Emperor of Wei and Gui Xuantong considered it insignificant.

However, since it was a nobleman who had been stationed in a high-ranking position, sending a purple talisman into the Mystic Firmament Palace, it was not appropriate to ignore him. After thinking for a moment, Emperor of Wei said softly:

"Wang Liao is fierce and ruthless. I have ordered Shu Zhengde troops to Mountain North Circuit to assist him. The Imperial Medical Directorate has selected physicians to go to Mountain North Circuit to treat and recuperate Marquis of Changshun. The Privy Treasury has selected rare treasures and ordered capable men to go to the Billowing Dream Palace to present them to the True Person Moon Hidden, as a token of my appreciation and reward."

After the pale-faced attendant calmly acknowledged the Emperor of Wei's words regarding these matters, seal characters automatically appeared on the jade tablet in his hand as a record.

Gui Xuantong glanced at Emperor of Wei slightly but remained silent, waiting for him to speak again.

The pale-faced attendant produced another purple talisman. Although this matter was going to be even more dangerous, the purple-robed eunuch's tone remained as calm as ever:

"Feng Dan arrived from Zu Ting Marquis of Chengyi, Imperial Horse Directorate Liangxi Circuit of the Purification Army, fell into the trap set by the Demon Officer Imperial Horse Directorate Purple-Robed Viper. More than half of the 1,200 Purification Army who were searching for and exterminating the demon were killed or wounded. Of the 16 officers and soldiers of rank who had been demoted from Zu Ting, only three survived."

The Imperial Horse Directorate are now unable to protect the Liangxi Rare Beast Garden and have no choice but to temporarily seek refuge at the Green Jade Pavilion. The head Feng Dan, fearing complications, petitioned the Imperial Guards to send troops to its aid.

This news caused Emperor of Wei to frown slightly, while Gui Xuantong remained calm and composed.

It wasn't that the current Left Chancellor was better at cultivating his composure than Emperor of Wei, but rather that the Imperial Horse Directorate, which was established in Liangxi, was one of the few remaining private properties of the Kuang Household family's clan and had little to do with them, the important officials of the outer court, so it was none of their business to concern themselves with it.

Emperor of Wei understood this principle, and after glancing briefly at the old man in the courtyard, he felt a little regretful for having agreed to let him listen in earlier.

Of course, such matters could not be kept from these veteran officials in the end, but they were still a matter that damaged the dignity of the imperial family. When the Left Chancellor heard about it in person, he was somewhat embarrassed.

After a moment of contemplation, Emperor of Wei spoke again, "I hereby appoint Kuang Furen the Imperial Clan, to lead the Imperial Guards to Liangxi to oversee the overall situation. He shall be temporarily Feng Dan of the Imperial Horse Directorate. After the handover is completed, he shall return to the inner court."

The position of Chief Imperial Horse Directorate will be filled by a virtuous and capable individual. The Grand Eunuch will be responsible for thoroughly verifying the Feng Dan to determine if there are any errors. Those found innocent will be allowed to return to court and resume their duties; those found guilty will be severely punished without leniency.

Before the pale-faced attendant could respond, Emperor of Wei spoke again, "Furthermore, inform the imperial family members in charge of supervising the various regions that the Liangxi Imperial Horse Directorate's Purification Army needs to be re-recruited, and they are to select capable individuals from their own households, without making excuses or delays."

The palace also needed to select inspectors to travel to various regions to supervise and monitor any disobedient or disrespectful members of the imperial clan. Those found to be disrespectful or irresponsible would be punished by having their salaries and ranks stripped, as a warning to others.

Emperor of Wei had been on the throne for many years and had long been adept at handling state affairs. These minor decrees could be decided with a single word without consulting anyone. This shows that although the Kuang Household clan was in decline, they were not, as outsiders suspected, merely figureheads who only knew how to stamp their seals.

As always, the old prime minister Gui Xuantong remained silent in the face of Emperor of Wei's decree, sitting as still as a jade sculpture, seemingly uninterested in the Wang Household.

But when the pale-faced attendant spoke again, Emperor of Wei and Gui Xuantong both perked up.

"The third purple talisman came from Shannan Circuit and was personally inscribed by Marquis Fei Tianqin of Marquis of Fengcheng."

Just as the white-faced attendant mentioned this point, Emperor of Wei and Gui Xuantong simultaneously conjured up an image of a large bird with flat feathers and a sharp beak. Thinking of this sharp-tongued Marquis of Fengcheng, the two also felt a sense of kinship.

Although this old bird's cultivation level wasn't considered high, he had served three dynasties and had numerous military achievements. Moreover, because he had lived for over two thousand years, he had promoted and mentored many members of the imperial family and nobles in the past.

Among these people were many powerful officials who had already risen to high positions; heaven knows how much good karma this old fox had accumulated.

One thing is certain: the reason why the Ying Prefecture Fei Household has been able to stand among the prominent families of the Immortal Dynasty as a powerful clan over the past hundred years is not only because Fei Ye Shui is indeed a rare talent in managing the household, but also because of the many good relationships that this old bird has formed.

After all, in the three thousand years since the founding of the Kuang Household by the Great Ancestor, only this old bird, Juntian Bird, has been able to obtain a noble title and position in the Immortal Dynasty while in the form of a beast.

There are not many people who can gain the favor of both the imperial family and the nobles, but this Juntian Bird can be considered one of them. Upon hearing that it had come with news from Shannan Circuit, the expressions of Emperor of Wei and Chancellor Gui both softened a little.

The pale-faced attendant, naturally aware that this old bird's status was considerably higher than the previous two nobles, didn't keep them in suspense and continued:

"Marquis of Fengcheng said that Snow Mountain Circuit Original Response Temple Abbot Gelie may have already attained the Three Bodies Harmonized in Illumination Aspect, and has mastered the cultivation method to reach the 'Vairocana Illusory Body Vidyadhara Mahasattva Aspect' and advance to the level of Spirit Transformation."

Upon hearing the words of the pale-faced attendant, both Emperor of Wei and Gui Xuantong straightened their expressions, realizing the gravity of the matter.

Since the disappearance of Emperor Taizu, Snow Mountain Circuit has always been outside the control of the central government, rarely under actual control and only subject to restraint. Not to mention supervising the imperial family, even the circuits, prefectures, states, and counties established at the beginning of the dynasty were all abolished by Original Response Temple.

Therefore, after three hundred years of Gelie, such progress is not necessarily a good thing for the Kuang Household clan or the court nobles.

The news had been circulating for some time, and the Original Response Temple side had not made any intention to conceal it. It was not the first time the two had heard of it, but hearing confirmation from a high-ranking official still made them solemn, which showed how much they valued it.

The pale-faced attendant's tone remained unchanged despite the change in the two men's expressions; he continued in a calm voice:

"Bai Canhong, the Master of the Star-Picking Pavilion, had an ambiguous attitude, allowing Original Response Temple's current abbot, Funeng, to enter the Shannan Circuit to select consorts and advance his Dharma form. The Three Administrations under the Star-Picking Pavilion also turned a blind eye and allowed Funeng to take advantage of the women."

Left with no other choice, the Cloud Horn Prefecture Court selected nine talented individuals to fight against him. Funeng defeated eight of them, but in the ninth round, he was no match for Fei Household's son-in-law, Kang Dabao, and was defeated in thirty breaths. He is currently being held in Xuanwei City, personally guarded by the Marquis of Gucheng Fei Nanying.

After a long silence, Gui Xuantong finally spoke up, "Grand Eunuch Wei, the attitude of the Star-Picking Pavilion may not be clear, but is their Daozi also among the nine who will fight against Funeng?"

Grand Eunuch Wei the Chancellor Gui's question, he responded in his usual calm voice:

"Reporting to the Left Prime Minister, the words on the purple talisman from the Marquis of Fengcheng are very clear: not only did the Star-Picking Pavilion not send anyone, but even the Five Old Mothers Mountain of Mountain North Circuit did not send any Daoist disciples to help. The reason we were able to win against Funeng is entirely due to the dedication and concerted efforts of the outstanding members of each family to the affairs of the king; it is by no means the achievement of just one family or faction."

Gui Xuantong was taken aback for a moment, then laughed out loud, "This old bird has really improved. In all these years, I've never heard him utter a single word of humility."

Emperor of Wei was not surprised that Star-Picking Pavilion made no move, but when he heard that Five Old Mothers Mountain was doing the same, another idea began to stir in his mind.

However, since he was not a ruler who could make absolute decisions, he had no right to express his feelings in front of his ministers. He simply picked up on a few words from Grand Eunuch Wei's words and murmured, "Fei Household son-in-law, Kang Dabao?"

The emperor was quite familiar with the Aristocratic Clan of the Immortal Dynasty. After pondering for a while, he asked, "If I remember correctly, there seems to be a Chenjiang Kang Clan in Si Prefecture Huangpi Circuit, which is near Shannan Circuit."

During the reign of the late emperor, the family was quite illustrious, with both father and son achieving the Golden Core and serving in the same dynasty, a story that became legendary. However, more than three hundred years ago, the family had already declined and become a respectable clan. Is this Kang Dabao a talented individual from the Kang Household?

Grand Eunuch Wei, holding the jade tablet, bowed again and said, "Your Majesty's Sagacity is unparalleled. There is indeed a Kang family from the Chenjiang Kang Clan within the territory of Si Prefecture, but this Kang Dabao is a native of Cloud Horn Prefecture. He is a commoner from an obscure family, and even his family genealogy is not very clear, only tracing back a little over two hundred years and about ten generations."

These words piqued the interest of both Gui Xuantong and Emperor of Wei, with the former asking on their behalf, "Or is he a disciple of some True Person?"

Grand Eunuch Wei then examined the purple talisman for a while before answering seriously. "The Marquis of Fengcheng said that Kang Dabao's master is only a Qi Refinement cultivator and is currently the head of a small sect. He is favored by the Earl of Earl of Nan'an and also oversees the military and civilian affairs of Ping and Jin counties."

He was a talented individual whom the Earl of Nan'an had selected after he entered Cloud Horn Prefecture. The Marquis of Gucheng, Fei Nanying, had a discerning eye for talent, betrothing his eldest daughter to him and nurturing her for decades, resulting in this fortunate turn of events.

A rare hint of joy appeared on Emperor of Wei's face as he thought to himself, "The Fei Household is indeed dedicated to their work. If they weren't so concerned with national affairs, why would they marry their eldest daughter to this penniless man?!"

Gui Xuantong naturally understood why Emperor of Wei was pleased. Since the fall of Emperor Taizu, the Kuang Household clan had been very keen on selecting young men from less prominent families.

Over the years, it seems that some results have been achieved. Shen Lingfeng was born into Foundation Establishment Lineage. Because of his extraordinary talent and the possession of the Primordial Chaos Mysterious Pivot Physique, he not only received great support from the royal family, but also became a princess, was listed as a member of the royal family, and formed Nascent Soul. He could almost be said to have risen to the top in one step.

For this reason, Shen Lingfeng, the newly promoted True Person, is only very close to the imperial clan and has almost no contact with the major clans and sects that have been established for many years. If things don't go well in the future, it goes without saying who he will side with.

After all, it would be an exaggeration to say that the entire court of officials and the royal family of Great Wei were only superficially united, but it would also be impossible to say that the two sides were currently interdependent; at most, they could be described as being inextricably linked.

Therefore, whether there were any True Person in the world who were loyal to the imperial family, and how many of True Person were loyal to the imperial family, was of paramount importance to Emperor of Wei.

Having tasted the benefits of cultivating someone like Shen Lingfeng, the Kuang Household clan members began to pay more attention to children from humble backgrounds.

Therefore, it was only natural that Emperor of Wei would be pleased to hear that Kang Dabao of Original Response Temple, had such an innocent background.

Emperor of Wei's spirits lifted, and even his worries about Gelie's attainment of the Three Bodies United in Illumination Aspect lessened somewhat. He simply spoke to Grand Eunuch Wei:

"A special envoy is hereby ordered to select two top-quality sesame seeds from the Eastern Seas within the Privy Treasury and send them to the Ying Prefecture Fei Household, as a commendation for the Duke of Shangzhu's loyalty to the country and his merit in selecting outstanding talents. At the same time, the Duke of Shangzhu is also to be informed that if any talented individuals come from the border regions in the future, and the time is right, they may be brought to meet me."

"Yes!" After the matter was settled, Grand Eunuch Wei and Gui Xuantong took their leave one after the other. Emperor of Wei dismissed his attendants, leaving only one person in the huge hall, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

After a long silence, Emperor of Wei sighed with regret, "The affairs of the state are indeed difficult."

Just as Emperor of Wei's sorrows were fading away, a letter written in the handwriting of Juan was being sent to Cloud Horn Prefecture from the Shangqin Palace of Imperial Repose One Heart Hall.