Star Trace Gate

Chapter 843 Returning Home, Mysterious Candidate

In a flash, another ten days passed...

Ren also sent Chu Jin's body back to his hometown and buried it properly, thus ending his journey to Jiuli that lasted more than "seven years".

This trip yielded huge rewards. Not only did he accept an emperor-transmitted disciple, but he also gained various opportunities that suited him, allowing him to enter the fourth level and increase his strength dramatically.

But the most important thing is that he used the "Tao" and power of a group of pioneers to encourage Jiuli to establish the "Haoran Sect", which initially ended the chaos here. This can be regarded as accumulating virtue and blessings for himself and future generations.

This action actually consolidated and strengthened Ren Ye's previously vague understanding of the Tao, and laid a solid foundation for his future contact with the Tao.

On the day when Little Bad King and his companions left Jiuli, Yang Linger, the civil and military officials of Chaolong City, and Mingquan's family all came to see them off.

Ren also said goodbye to them one by one, and once again seriously asked Brother Mingquan if he wanted to bring his family and follow the main force to settle in Qingliang County. However, the latter still smiled and said, "It was not good here before, and everyone wanted to escape. Now it's good here, and there is no need to go out to pan for gold. I want to stay in my hometown and do whatever I can..."

Travelers are always homesick, and Ren could understand Mingquan's feelings, so he didn't force him to do anything. After all, after the establishment of the Haoran Sect, Jiuli could be considered his second home. He could come back anytime in the future, and there would be plenty of opportunities to meet up for a drink and chat.

Mingquan and the others weren't ready to leave, but Chunniang and her family had no attachment to Daze Township. This fertile land of their homeland brought back too many nightmarish memories. Plus, the little one had to stay with his master, so Chunniang simply packed her belongings and prepared to take the child to Qingliang County.

Old Liu had entered a sinister realm, charged with the task of liberating the resentful spirits of the heroes. He certainly wouldn't be able to leave anytime soon. But the world out there was vast, and hopefully, there wouldn't be a knife behind him when he took a shit.

The Haoran Sect, using the former site of the Xianlan Dao Palace as a backdrop, has begun construction on a former ruin. The sect's Zhengqi Pavilion boasts nearly fifty sixth-rank Daoists, who have agreed to select eight individuals annually on a rotating basis to oversee the sect's blessed land. This is intended both to educate the talented individuals selected within the pavilion and to deter the evildoers of the Nine Li people.

These six-rank officials of the Zhengqi Pavilion who are on duty are collectively called "Jiuli Sword-wielding Heavenly Masters."

When everything was settled, Ren Ye and the others waved goodbye, their thoughts surged together, and they left the place in a blur.

The young marquis who was traveling with us, looking at his hometown blurred in his eyes, grinned and said, "Oh, the mighty Heavenly Dragon? You will soon face the peerless genius from the Jiuli Continent!"

Since Xiao Shuai would be getting married in the secret realm of Longtian City in a dozen days, and the migration site would also be reopened, many close friends had agreed to travel together, so Li Yan, Yinhu, Qingning and others did not leave, but followed Ren Ye back to Qingliang County.

……

After returning home and staying comfortably for three days, Ren Ye called Xiaobudian and used the inscriptionless stele as a guide to lead him into Suzaku City.

Suzaku City, Academy Cabinet.

Ren also knelt on his knees and saluted, shouting respectfully, "Master's Dharma image is like an immortal banished from the Nine Heavens, shocking the Nine Li people and making the heaven and earth clear...!"

"Okay, okay."

The master, seated behind the desk, waved his hand impatiently and said simply, "Present it!"

Ren hadn't seen the master for a long time, so his skills were a little rusty and his words were too corny. So after diligently reflecting on it, he immediately climbed onto the couch in a flattering manner and rubbed the master's shoulders himself: "Master, I really missed you...!"

"Oh, you missed me? You want me to quickly send those people in white to Jiuli to support you." Lin Xiang sat upright on the couch, and did not even knock away Ren Ye's dog paws. Instead, he allowed him to touch his body.

This was impossible in the past, because the master had always had a serious obsession with mysophobia and was very serious. Looking around the entire Suzaku City, only the second master dared to clap and joke with him.

Ren Ye was the second person who could touch the skin of the Chinese Gatekeeper. This showed that he was quite satisfied with the performance of Ren Ye Jiuli and his group.

"Master, this is my account of my travels in Jiuli. It's very detailed and took me two days to write. It also includes the founding charter of the Jiuli Haoran Sect. This is the final version, approved by the Jiuli Nineteen States, as well as the sect elders invited by my disciples."

He massaged his master's shoulders and introduced him softly.

Minister Lin sat at the desk. Seeing that Ren Ye's travelogue was dozens of pages long, he did not rush to read it. Instead, he put it on the table, preparing to read it himself later.

The desk is filled with the scent of sandalwood, and the study is filled with tranquility.

After a long silence, Lin Xiang sighed, "When you first entered here, you couldn't even see where the door to the secret realm opened, but now... you already have disciples. Great."

"Hehe, that guy came here on his own. I can't deny it." Ren Ye smiled modestly.

"It's difficult to go to the emperor's tomb, right?" asked Prime Minister Lin.

"It was difficult, but it's all over." Ren also thought carefully and added: "This is probably the most important secret realm... that I have ever experienced. It changed my state of mind."

Lin Xiang sat cross-legged and slowly closed his eyes, as if he was also enjoying the "blessings" of his disciples and this extremely short moment of tranquility.

He allowed the Little Bad King to pinch his shoulders, and asked in a slightly tired voice, "Have you sensed your promotion to the Fifth Stage?"

“I sensed it.”

Ren Ye's face suddenly sank when he heard this. "I understand. This promotion requires not only that I expand my territory to a whole state, but also that my territory have a population of at least 50 million... This is too difficult, it's simply abnormal. Oh, by the way, if I want to upgrade the Human Emperor Seal to the fifth rank, I also need to find the True Dragon Soul...!"

"Master, wow, have you ever seen a dragon?"

Ren also threw an immature little joke to Lin Xiang.

When Lin Xiang heard about the True Dragon Soul, his brows furrowed slightly, and he took the initiative to say, "I have seen it... but the True Dragons I have seen are all dead."

You've really seen it?! Ren was a little shocked.

"You are about to be promoted to the fifth rank. Do you need any help from your master?" asked Lin Xiang.

Ren Ye was shocked and upset when he heard this. He instinctively thought that his master was testing him, testing his will, because his requirements for his disciples were always clear: if they could do something on their own, they had to do it on their own.

So, this time he asked proactively, it must be a sting operation.

"Haha, no need, I can handle it myself." Ren replied cunningly.

Unexpectedly, after a long silence, Lin Xiang opened his eyes slightly and said softly, "When you are young, you must learn to walk on your own; but when you grow up, it will be difficult to walk in this world. As a teacher, I have to give you some help... After that, you can also make requests to me."

"As long as I am alive, you will never be a wild child left unattended, whether you are in Jiuli, in the vast and glorious migration land, or in any other mysterious land."

Ren Ye had never expected that this would be the answer he was waiting for. After a long moment of confusion, he felt an indescribable warmth rising in his heart, but he also felt that he was being held back by his own words.

He blinked his eyes and gritted his teeth, "I'll try it myself first. If it doesn't work, I'll talk to you about it."

"Ah."

Lin Xiang slowly stood up, stepped onto the couch, and said softly, "Let's get down to business. The Migration Land will soon reopen. Based on the travel reports compiled by the New Year's Eve keepers from various places, I have deduced that the rules of heaven and earth will change drastically after the Migration Land reopens. This specific change...will likely be in the struggle for ownership of the secret realms within the Migration Land, similar to the Keys of Authority that appeared in Gutan City and Huangling City. The specific participants will be Order, Freedom, and Chaos.

Ren Ye stood up after hearing this. "You mean, all the secret realms under the Migration Land will produce the Key of Authority? And it will evolve into a complicated task, causing Order, Freedom, and Chaos to fight for it. And the final winner will control the Key of Authority here like the Wanxiang Gate and completely occupy it?!"

Lin Xiang nodded slightly: "Yes, that's it."

"Master, I've heard a bit about this." Ren also thought for a moment. "The eldest son of the Xu family from Longtian City, who are participating in the Jiuli Alliance this time, is my younger brother... He told me that the Xu family has already established a secret migration area, which is also a city, and they have secretly obtained the key to power. As long as the migration area is reopened, the secret city will be occupied by them...!"

"I know."

"You know?!" Ren was stunned.

"The official documents flowing into Moon Watching Pavilion every day must be at least eight thousand, if not ten thousand." Lin Xiang said with his hands behind his back, "If I don't know the gains and losses of this city, how can I even plan a migration area? Do you really think the establishment of the Jiuli Haoran Sect and the mobilization of twenty-two of my white-robed guardians were just for you to show off your prowess?"

"Those noble families chose you, and your sect also chose them. Only with this in mind can this matter be accomplished."

Master is awesome!

After listening to this, Ren Ye's hair stood on end and he praised the old man in red in his heart.

"Not only are we, the Shousui people, planning the migration area, but the Wall-Facing People are also uniting the chaos and planning the struggle for the secret realms in the migration area. Huangling City is just a small opportunity that they have brought to the surface first. In addition, Freedom is also ready to make a move, occupying many opportunities." Lin Xiang said softly, "So, the migration area may have just reopened, and many city secret realms will be occupied. Of course, the territory that I, the Shousui people, will obtain will not be small."

"Fan Ming has already obtained a key to power, and the Ministry of War has paved the way for him. Once the migration area opens again, he will occupy that secret place."

"In short, the reopening of the migration site is a battle for ownership of the secret realm under its command. This also concerns the fortune of the three major factions, as well as their future... their survival." Lin Xiang pointed at Ren Ye and said, "You also need to fight for a key to authority."

"I?!"

Ren was also stunned.

"If you can obtain a key to authority, perhaps you can solve your problem of being promoted to the fifth rank." Lin Xiang frowned and said, "Guess which secret realm you are fighting for?"

After being stunned for a moment, Ren Ye blurted out instinctively: "You...you are not asking me to fight for the migration site - Tiandu?!"

"Hahaha!"

When Lin Xiang heard this, his eyes were filled with relief: "Smart!"

"Oh my god, is this possible?!" Ren Ye said in disbelief, "Tiandu... that was the capital of the migration area before it collapsed! Is it also among the secret realms being fought over? Will it also give birth to the key to authority?!"

"Not only will they, but the Wall-Facing People are already plotting to take over Tiandu. Their seed... is the ancient prince you challenged to battle." Lin Xiang said sternly, "Tiandu was once the capital of the Migration Land and the nation. Only by seizing it will we seize the destiny of order. Furthermore... only by seizing Tiandu can we perhaps see the entrance to the Land of the Fallen Angels, the place guarding the Heavenly Gate."

"However, the disaster that befell the Migration Area will also be repeated in Tiandu. Therefore, the fight for the key to authority here will also be extremely difficult."

"If we lose, the fate of order...will naturally dissipate."