The ruins of the astronomical observatory in the inner city of Fengjing.
Since Qin Minghuang ascended the throne, the position of Imperial Preceptor has been abolished, leaving only Chu Xinglan, an official of the Ziwei Terrace.
All sorcerers in the world originate from Tianyan. Apart from the Tianyan Sect, no one else may act under the name of "sorcerer" but may be called a fortune teller or magician.
However, sorcerers are no longer recognized by the imperial court, and the status of the Tianyan Sect is no longer as prosperous as it was during the reign of the previous emperor.
The astrological observatory has been abandoned for fourteen years, and the buildings have been neglected for a long time, now becoming dilapidated.
The two sat on the ground atop the precarious building, an indescribable aura surrounding them, blocking all prying eyes.
"Fourteen years have passed since we last met. How have you been, Junior Sister?"
Chu Xinglan lowered her eyes, "Senior Brother Sect Leader, you didn't come to the capital just to reminisce, did you? If you have something to say, just say it."
Jiang Wuyai shook his head and chuckled, "You, who are in charge of the human resources, are still so cold and heartless."
He was a robust man, and his old, gray-blue cloth shirt billowed slightly in the wind, its coarse linen texture gleaming with a frosty white from washing.
Who would have thought that this person, dressed like someone from the lower rungs of Fengjing, was actually the current sect leader of the Tianyan Sect?
"The celestial compass recognizes its master."
Upon hearing this news, Chu Xinglan remained expressionless, but in reality, her heart was filled with turmoil.
The sacred artifacts of the Tianyan Sect consist of three plates: Heaven, Earth, and Man. The Earth plate belongs to the sect leader, while the Man plate is controlled by her.
If I remember correctly, the Heavenly Plate has not chosen a master for twenty-three years since Master returned to the Void.
"Which member of the sect obtained it?"
"I don't know." Jiang Wuyai appeared casual, but his eyes were actually fixed on his junior sister opposite him.
Ten days ago, the celestial compass suddenly disappeared.
Only then did they realize that what had been in the ancestral hall was merely an illusion, and that the figure had already vanished.
The Heavenly Plate is of great importance; it is said to be the key for sorcerers to enter the first rank.
However, unlike territory and people, the inheritance is the most mysterious. The master never figured it out in his entire life, and even after his death...
"Junior sister, you were the one who served Master before his death. Did he leave behind any words at that time?"
No.
"I deduced from the location that the connection lies in Fengjing, but apart from my junior sister, I can't think of anyone else in the entire city of Fengjing who is related to the Heavenly Plate."
Chu Xinglan raised her eyes and looked straight at the person opposite her, without backing down in the slightest. "It has nothing to do with me."
As soon as she finished speaking, a powerful force swept towards her like a tidal wave.
However, Chu Xinglan remained unmoved, as if there were a boulder three inches away from her body, blocking all the towering waves.
“Entering the world to cultivate is not about staying in the small space of the palace. Junior sister has gone astray.”
"For the sake of our past relationship, I must advise you, senior brother: Human strength has its limits, and following the will of Heaven and the will of the people is the true way."
"Junior sister, why deceive yourself? Before the unity of heaven and man, knowing one's destiny and defying one's destiny are the fate of sorcerers."
Chu Xinglan did not speak again. Her senior brother was still the same as always, resorting to any means to achieve his goals, and even trying to shake her Dao.
Having been stationed in Fengjing for fourteen years, it was no easy feat to waste those years.
She no longer focused solely on defense, but instead launched a powerful attack on her opponent.
The old building could hardly withstand the impact of two powerful experts facing off, and immediately emitted a muffled, teeth-grinding sound.
Bang!
The next moment, the astrological platform collapsed with a roar.
Chu Xinglan enveloped the area with her power, so the collapse did not affect the surrounding area.
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Wuyai had vanished without a trace.
Chu Xinglan stood in mid-air, looking up at the sky.
Tonight, the sky is overcast and the stars are dim; a storm is brewing.
——————
Xuanji Wei Canglan walked through the pitch-black mine, illuminated only by the faint light of the luminous pearl.
The underground tunnels were crisscrossed, and most of them were filled with floodwaters, making it extremely difficult for even a fourth-grade cultivator at the Qi Transformation Realm to find them.
If it weren't for her excellent swimming skills and the perfect fit of her technique, it would be difficult for most people to maintain their level four cultivation.
Fortunately, some tunnels were located at higher elevations or had hollowed-out sections in the mountains, providing space for breathing. After a bumpy half-day swim, we finally approached the destination area on the map.
Suddenly, we found ourselves in a dead end.
Canglan frowned, because according to the map, these places should be connected.
With her inner energy still plentiful, she stopped and carefully recalled the route she had just taken, finding no ambiguous options.
In that case, either the map itself is faulty, or...
Canglan pressed his palm against the wall in front of him, and then suddenly exerted force.
The next moment, a gap half a person high appeared in the retaining wall, and it shattered completely.
This was not formed naturally, but rather the passage was blocked after the earthquake.
Just as I was about to shake them all away, my gaze met a pair of eyes.
Canglan was startled and raised his hand to strike, but withdrew his force before he could make contact.
The man's body swayed uncontrollably, his expression of shock frozen on his face; he had clearly been dead for some time.
They lifted the luminous pearl to illuminate the body, and sure enough, it had been soaking in water for a long time, as the corpse showed obvious signs of decomposition.
Not only that...
Looking through the shattered hole, one could see countless corpses floating inside!
Xuanji Wei was naturally not afraid of these things, and she pulled over the body she had seen earlier.
The murder weapon was quickly found in the right temple; it was a copper nail, exactly the same as the one found by Jiang Mingyuan, a constable from Chiyan County.
It seems these people were the mine workers responsible for illegal mining, and after the flood, they were all killed here to cover up the truth.
Perhaps because the water flow was too rapid, there was no time to collect the bodies, so in haste they could only shatter the passage and temporarily close it off.
Canglan examined all the corpses but did not find anyone resembling Zhao Hengjiang.
I learned from his son that he had very distinctive physical features, including a long, half-palm-length scar running across his right eye, which was said to be a wound he sustained on the battlefield in northern Xinjiang.
He secretly breathed a sigh of relief and began to untie the belts of the corpses.
Don't misunderstand, Canglan simply tied everyone together and fastened them to a solid rock.
Although the mine is deep and dark, there's no guarantee that someone won't float out.
If discovered, it would inevitably cause a disturbance, making it difficult to operate in secret.
Canglan didn't completely shake open the barrier; instead, he slipped through the opening and transformed into a swimming fish, continuing to probe deeper inside.
The further we went, the simpler the tunnels became. Before long, we reached the end of the map. It seemed we would have to explore the rest of the way on our own.
This is not difficult, because to survive in a tunnel for more than 20 days, one must have a large cavity, and the terrain must be high to avoid being flooded.
Next, Canglan went straight uphill, and after about half an incense stick's time, he finally found a huge cave in the mountain.
"Who are you? Who are you?!"
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