Zhenru's words were still blunt, but the underlying meaning had softened.
The discussion isn't about whether or not the Golden Crow bloodline has been activated, but rather about how the Golden Crow bloodline is a matter of public and private concern.
This is a tacit admission that she is indeed activating the Golden Crow bloodline.
The Qingxuan Sect Master had never put on airs, and if Zhenru agreed, his attitude became even more open and generous:
"Although my Qingxuan Dao Sect is relatively new and not particularly well-established, we do have some understanding of the Golden Crow Divine Clan. If you don't mind, you can visit the Collection Peak."
If Zhenru truly wanted to understand the Golden Crow Clan, she didn't feign refusal and directly said:
"Thank you for your generosity, Sect Master. What are the conditions? Qingxuan Dao Sect is not about to do charity."
This time, Qingxuan Dao Sect did not comply with Zhenru's wishes and insisted:
"Providing the classics can be seen as the Qingxuan Dao Sect's willingness to befriend Fellow Daoist Zhenru, or it can be understood as the Qingxuan Dao Sect's Junior Brother Qin's hospitality."
"As for the conditions, we can discuss them in detail after Fellow Daoist Zhenru has finished reading the classics, including the assistance that Qingxuan Dao Sect can provide and the requests made by Qingxuan Dao Sect."
It must be said that the Qingxuan Sect Master's attitude was very humble, which meant that the Qingxuan Dao Sect was also very humble, which in turn put Zhenru on a very high pedestal.
In this situation, unless one truly doesn't need it, refusing again would not only be pretentious but also make one seem ungrateful.
When Zhenru looked at the Qingxuan Sect Master's round, exceptionally kind face, she felt that what was in his eyes was not a smile at all, but clearly the cunning scheme of a fox.
"Since the Qingxuan Dao Sect is so generous, Zhenru is not ungrateful. Zhenru will shamelessly accept this friendship."
The smile on the Qingxuan Sect Master's face became even more genuine, and in Zhenru's eyes, it seemed even more like the fox's cunning scheme had succeeded.
...
When the Qingxuan Sect Master said that the Qingxuan Dao Sect had no foundation, he was clearly being extremely modest.
As Zhenru stepped onto the Classic Peak under the guidance of the sect leader's disciples, she was immediately captivated by the ancient, profound, and serene atmosphere of the peak.
The turmoil brought about by arriving in the new realm, advancing to the Nascent Soul stage, and clashing with the Qingxuan Sect Master all subsided completely at this moment.
There aren't many buildings on Diancang Peak; most of the area is covered with lush trees, unique rocks, and beautiful waters, and you can see disciples everywhere reading books.
As Zhenru walked from the foot of the mountain to the top, he was somewhat surprised to find that most of the disciples reading the classics were holding bamboo slips, animal skin books, or thick paper books.
Very few, almost none, cultivators read the jade slips.
Zhenru couldn't help but turn her head and ask the disciple who was leading the way:
"Does the Qingxuan Dao Sect not use jade slips to inscribe its scriptures?"
The disciple smiled politely and explained patiently:
"No, it's because the books they read aren't manuals of martial arts techniques or secret skills, so they are considered original texts."
"Books on cultivation techniques and secret skills naturally need to be copied and engraved on jade slips, and they are not allowed to be read in public."
As the disciple spoke, he thoughtfully introduced the layout of the Collection Peak to Zhenru.
"The Collection Peak is divided into three parts. One part contains sect techniques and secret manuals, which are engraved on jade slips. Different permissions are required to engrave specific areas, and it is only open to disciples of the sect."
"The second part contains some strange tales and acrobatics, including jade slips and original books. It is fully open to disciples of this sect, but outside visitors need certain permissions."
"The third part contains some confidential news collected by the sect, which can only be accessed with specific permissions. It is not open to those inside or outside the sect. This is the area that you are going to, Senior."
The disciple explained very clearly, and Zhenru nodded after listening. With a flick of her wrist, she took out the jade token that the Qingxuan Sect Master had given her earlier and said:
"Is this the access token for the area I need to go to?"
Seeing the disciple nod, Zhenru asked again:
"What if the token is lost?"
The disciple smiled and explained good-naturedly:
"It doesn't matter if it's lost. As long as it's not actually used by the senior himself, this token is invalid."
"...Of course, although Senior Zhenru has obtained the authority, it is invalid without using the token."
Zhenru raised an eyebrow, and the meaning was very simple: only when she and the token are used together does it count as valid permission; using the token alone or using herself alone does not count.
"We've arrived. I don't have the authority to proceed from here on out; Senior Zhenru will have to go on his own."
As the two were talking, they arrived at an entrance. The disciple stopped and made way for Zhenru, acting as a guide.
Thank you.
Zhenru glanced at the entrance, nodded slightly to thank the disciple who had led the way, and stepped into the quiet entrance with the jade token in her hand.
Before entering the entrance, Zhenru wondered if the secrets and privacy held by the Qingxuan Dao Sect were not limited to the Golden Crow God Clan, and she didn't know how to find her way.
Once inside the entrance, Zhenru discovered that she didn't need to find her way at all.
The Qingxuan Dao Sect does indeed contain more than just the secrets of the Golden Crow Divine Clan, but the other secret areas are completely invisible to Zhenru. She can only vaguely sense that there are other different forks in the road beside her.
However, the only path she could walk and see clearly was the one beneath her own feet.
Clearly, this was the work of an array or a kind of restriction barrier, and the token in Zhenru's hand could not only guide her but also prevent her from going the wrong way.
If you have no intention of prying into other people's secrets, just follow the path under your feet until you reach the end of the path, and you will see a huge, lush, golden hibiscus tree.
I must say, when Zhenru saw the golden hibiscus tree, her heart skipped a beat, but she quickly calmed down.
Although the hibiscus tree in front of me is so lifelike that it could be mistaken for the real thing, and even the aura of a sacred tree is simulated, it is still fake.
After staring at the simulated sacred tree for a moment, Zhenru raised the token in her hand and gently pressed it onto the golden tree trunk, at which point she disappeared completely.
If Zhenru reappears, he will be inside the simulated sacred tree—a huge storage room for ancient books.
Unfortunately, the storage room for the ancient books was very large, but the shelves were mostly empty, filled with decorative items.
Only a small portion contained various original texts, each covered in a thick layer of dust, indicating that they had not been read for a long time.
Zhenru's mind, which had calmed down since entering the Treasure Peak, began to become chaotic at this moment.
After carefully putting away the token, Zhenru tried to calm her breathing. Her gaze swept across the entire collection room, finally settling on the last book on the largest shelf in the center.
"call--"
Zhenru didn't know what she was nervous about. She took a deep breath, slowly stepped forward, and reached out to take the large book down.
"Chronicles of the Golden Crow"
It's like reaching out to brush the dust off a classic book and softly reading out the words on the page.
It's the book she's looking for.
It's so thick, it must contain content she needs.
As Zhenru eagerly opened the cover, before she could even see the contents, a strong golden light enveloped her.
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