213: They all started from humble beginnings, but they all had great ideals.

Elder Sun seemed to have heard a joke and retorted, "The Cultivation Technique was passed down from the Immortal Realm. Those great figures in the Immortal Realm are busy with countless affairs; who would truly care if someone in the Lower Realm used these scraps to establish a sect?"

He pointed to the sky, his tone carrying a hint of world-weary detachment: "No one cares!"

"They turn a blind eye; as long as no major trouble arises, who would genuinely come down to investigate this?"

Qin Wangchuan silently drank his tea, but a trace of anger flashed in his eyes.

Ultimately, it was due to the inaction of the Qin Family in this realm.

As the sun set, Jiang Yan returned, his body even more exhausted, yet his eyes shone with astonishing brightness.

"Big Brother, have you closed the stall?"

"Mm."

Elder Sun, a pill Cultivator, also smiled and began to pack up his bottles and jars: "Young man, will you come again tomorrow?"

"I have something to do tomorrow, so I'll rest for a day," Qin Wangchuan replied.

Elder Sun's face showed an 'as expected' expression upon hearing this.

"I knew I couldn't persuade you young people."

He sighed, took out an ancient-looking token from his embrace, and slipped it into Qin Wangchuan's hand.

"Of the ten people who go to the Qin Family to seek methods, nine will be met with rejection. This token is Grade A; though not extremely precious, it can help you avoid some detours. Take it."

"Don't lose it; you still have to return it to me!"

Qin Wangchuan took the token and examined it. On the front of the dark Xuan-colored token was carved a vigorous character "Qin," and on the back was a flowing character "Jia" (A), like a Dragon and Phoenix dancing.

This was a unique identification credential of Qin City—awarded to Cultivators who performed exceptionally well, based on their duration of stay and conduct in the city.

A Grade A token was the highest recognition an ordinary Cultivator could obtain.

It was evident that Elder Sun had indeed stayed in this city for a very long time.

Qin Wangchuan did not decline, nodding and accepting it.

On the way back, Jiang Yan, like a chatterbox, mumbled:

"Big Brother, the seven challengers today all used different Move sets! Although I only won one, they don't know that they were all my sparring partners!"

He suddenly thought of something, scratched his head, and chuckled awkwardly: "It's just that Big Brother suffered, giving away so many talismans for nothing, a huge loss..."

Qin Wangchuan walked with his hands behind his back on the long street, where the lanterns were just being lit, and upon hearing this, he retorted: "They were all your sparring partners?"

"Then how do you know you weren't their sparring partner?"

"Ah?" Jiang Yan scratched his head; it seemed that was indeed the logic.

"Then... Big Brother." He jogged two steps to catch up, "With my current strength, am I qualified to win the martial arts competition?"

Qin Wangchuan continued walking, "Your opponents are protagonists who jump out of storybooks; today they'll kill someone above their level, tomorrow they'll exterminate an entire Family, and the day after they'll dominate the ages."

"I can't imagine how you'd win."

Jiang Yan shrank his neck and whispered, "Is it really that scary...?"

"However," Qin Wangchuan's tone shifted, "you might not be without a chance."

"If you can comprehend a part of the secret methods passed down by the Qin Family Divine Son over these years, winning this martial arts competition should not be difficult."

"Big Brother, do you have the Qin Family's secret arts?" Jiang Yan's eyes immediately lit up, and he eagerly leaned closer.

During his time in this city, he had long heard how Heaven-Defying the Qin Family's secret arts were.

"Not yet."

The next day, Qin Wangchuan brought the two people and one bird to a teahouse opposite the Qin Family's Scripture Pavilion.

He sat by the window on the second floor, his gaze sweeping over the bustling crowd on the street, then landing on the magnificent thirty-three-story pavilion in the distance.

That was the only building of the Qin Family open to the public.

Qin Wangchuan took a sip of tea and tossed Elder Sun's token to Jiang Yan: "Go try it."

Jiang Yan took Elder Sun's token, inscribed with the character "Jia" (A), and excitedly went downstairs.

In front of the Scripture Pavilion, people were packed like mountains and seas, with the queue stretching half a street away.

Holding the token, he quickly moved through the crowd, ignoring their displeased looks, and headed straight for the front.

Up in the teahouse, Ye Jianwei sat quietly to the side.

Her eyes, covered by white gauze, "looked" in the direction of the Scripture Pavilion, and she suddenly spoke softly: "Young Master, indeed many people have been thrown out."

"I saw it," Qin Wangchuan's gaze remained fixed on the window.

"Those who were expelled varied in strength, but it wasn't as the waiter said earlier, that they were accepting bribes." She tilted her head slightly, as if sensing, "It's more like... a screening."

Qin Wangchuan did not reply upon hearing this.

He already vaguely felt that there might be a hidden reason behind this.

In less than half a cup of tea's time, Jiang Yan was thrown out and returned to the teahouse with a bewildered expression.

"Big Brother..." Jiang Yan scratched his head, his face full of confusion, "I was thrown out..."

"Tell me in detail," Qin Wangchuan put down his teacup.

"I used the token to cut in line to the very front, but before I even stood firm, the Qin Family member at the front glanced at me and simply said 'unqualified.'"

"Then... then I was chased out."

Qin Wangchuan tapped his fingertips lightly on the table: "Did he say anything else?"

"No!" Jiang Yan shook his head vigorously.

Qin Wangchuan took out a smooth jade pendant from his embrace: "Go again. Show this jade pendant to the person who kicked you out and tell him to come see me."

Jiang Yan took the jade pendant; it felt cool to the touch and looked unassuming, leaving him feeling truly uncertain.

But seeing Qin Wangchuan's calm expression, he could only brace himself and turn around.

In front of the Scripture Pavilion, the queue was still long.

This time, as soon as he appeared at the end of the line, he attracted attention.

"Eh? Isn't that the kid who was just thrown out?"

"Why is he back? What thick skin."

"He's probably not giving up, still trying his luck."

The murmurs carried a hint of schadenfreude.

Jiang Yan lowered his head and quickly walked forward amidst the gazes of the crowd.

Qin Ming was in a good mood today.

As a collateral Disciple of the Qin Family, despite possessing a special Physique, he was content to do reception work here at the Scripture Pavilion.

Although, this work was rather tedious.

Just as he was mechanically verifying the qualifications of these Cultivators, the corner of his eye caught a familiar figure—it was the young man he had just thrown out.

His brow immediately furrowed, and he cursed: "Why are you here again? Didn't I just tell you that you're unqualified?"

"Didn't you hear? Steward Qin said you're unqualified, so scram!"

As the angry shouts of a few passersby just began, Jiang Yan hastily held up the jade pendant.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Qin Ming's reprimand caught in his throat, and his pupils suddenly constricted.

As soon as the jade pendant was displayed, without even needing to see the markings, the unique Dao Rhyme flowing from it instantly made Qin Ming recognize its origin—this was clearly a token that only direct descendants of the main Family could possess!

"T-The main Family's jade pendant?!"

"Clang—"

Someone knelt on one knee first, followed by a wave of clashing armor sounds spreading like a tide.

All the Qin Family guards bowed and knelt, and the previously noisy crowd was now dead silent, countless gazes fearfully focused on that seemingly ordinary jade pendant.

Qin Ming half-knelt, carefully taking the jade pendant, which looked genuine no matter how he examined it.

But the problem was, how could such a thing appear here?

When his fingertips touched the character "Jiu" (Nine), written with powerful strokes, on the back, his entire body trembled violently:

"It's... the Divine Son!"

Qin Ming looked up, his voice trembling: "Who gave you this jade pendant?"

The Divine Son...?

It's over!

Big Brother wasn't joking; he really was impersonating the Divine Son!

When he realized this, Jiang Yan's face instantly turned pale.

He thought, isn't Big Brother setting me up? If people found out his identity was fake, wouldn't he be torn apart on the street?

As for this jade pendant, it must be fake, no need to say.

But fortunately, these people were all fools; they didn't seem to have noticed.

Jiang Yan looked at his previously haughty, now obsequious manner, and an unprecedented sense of exhilaration surged within him. His tone unconsciously carried a hint of confidence: "This was given to me by my Big Brother."

After speaking, he turned and pointed to the teahouse opposite, "He wants you to go over..."

"Your Big Brother?" Qin Ming was stunned upon hearing this, his gaze filled with suspicion as he looked towards the teahouse.

Immediately, he carefully held the jade pendant in his palm, gave a few instructions to the guards, and then rushed towards the teahouse.

After Qin Ming's figure disappeared, the kneeling guards slowly dared to rise. When they looked at Jiang Yan again, their eyes were filled with reverence.

Jiang Yan suppressed the unease in his Heart-Nature, but on his face, he feigned composure and cleared his throat:

"Can I go in now?"

Several guards bowed and made way, their voices incredibly respectful: "Of course, please enter—"

This sudden deference made Jiang Yan's heart skip a beat. He dared not linger, fearing that staying even a moment longer would expose his deception.

He immediately stepped quickly over the threshold, his figure rapidly disappearing into the Scripture Pavilion.

In his Heart-Nature, he was nervously muttering:

"Big Brother, you have to hold out a little longer, don't expose that you're fake, otherwise... I'll be chopped into mincemeat before I even get a good look!"

— — — — — — — — — — — —

Qin Ming rushed into the teahouse, holding the jade pendant, and after dismissing the waiter who came to greet him, he looked around.

The closer he got, the clearer the pressure emanating from deep within his Bloodline became.

It wasn't a deliberately released Aura, but the natural Dao Rhyme and majesty exuded by Qin Family members after being nourished by the Divine Tree.

He almost held his breath as he ascended to the second floor, following the source of the Aura that made his Divine Soul tremble slightly, stopping outside an elegant room.

He cautiously raised his hand; before his knuckles even touched the door, a clear, cold female voice came from inside:

"Enter."

Qin Ming took a deep breath and gently pushed open the door.

In an instant, it felt as if he had stepped into another Domain.

The outside commotion was completely cut off. The light in the elegant room was dim, with only one window letting in natural light, outlining the silhouette of a young man sitting with his back to the light.

His face was hidden in shadow, not clearly visible.

Only his eyes, like molten gold burning in the dark night, indifferent, majestic, with a sense of detachment overlooking the mortal world, rested quietly upon him.

Qin Ming's Heart-Nature was greatly shaken, almost suffocating.

Although he had never personally seen the legendary Divine Son, the images and portraits circulated within the Family had long deeply etched this revered countenance into the Soul of every Qin Family Disciple!

No confirmation was needed at all; the resonance of the Bloodline and the trembling of the Soul screamed the same answer—

"Thump!"

Qin Ming knelt on both knees without hesitation, bowing his head with the most solemn Family Rei, his voice trembling with extreme reverence:

"Disciple Qin Ming, a collateral Disciple of the Qin Family branch in the Tongtian Realm, respectfully greets Your Highness, the Divine Son!"

The figure in the shadows did not respond. The elegant room was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard, only the silent pressure, like a tangible weight, heavily pressed upon Qin Ming's spine and Divine Soul.

After a long while, just as cold sweat began to bead on Qin Ming's forehead, making him almost unable to bear the terrifying silence, the Divine Son in the shadows finally moved.

Qin Wangchuan merely moved a single finger ever so slightly.

Immediately, a calm and unruffled voice echoed in the elegant room from the shadows, clearly reaching Qin Ming's ears:

"Qin Ming, seventh collateral Bloodline of the Tongtian Realm Qin Family, born on the night of spiritual rain, with damage to the mother's body, Innate deficiencies, yet with tenacious will..."

The voice was neither hurried nor slow, recounting everything from his birth, his weak childhood, his secret arduous Cultivation, to his accidental activation of the hidden Hundred-Aptitude Spirit Body, yet keeping it a secret, willingly presiding over the Scripture Pavilion.

This detailed narration, as if counting his Family's treasures, was naturally not to inform Qin Ming himself.

Rather, it was spoken for the Divine Son sitting in the shadows to know.

Qin Ming trembled violently, his body on the ground shaking like a sieve, his Heart-Nature already experiencing a stormy surge.

The person hidden in the shadows recounted all the unknown details, even the mental journey he himself had almost forgotten, word for word.

Before the Divine Son, he felt as if he were naked, with no secrets to speak of!

"...Possessing the Hundred-Aptitude Spirit Body, hidden until now, your Heart-Nature is acceptable."

When the last four words fell, Qin Ming breathed a sigh of relief.

He felt almost completely drained, his Heart-Nature filled only with endless reverence and submission.

Qin Wangchuan finally spoke:

"Do you know why I have come?"

In the shadows, those molten gold-like eyes subtly shifted, falling upon Qin Ming.

Merely being watched, Qin Ming felt the surrounding space pressing in on him, his Soul wailing, as if it would be utterly crushed in the next instant.

"Disciple knows, the Divine Son has come regarding the matter of those seeking methods being turned away."

Qin Ming dared not hesitate in the slightest, enduring the pressure that almost made his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, he touched his head to the ground, reporting quickly yet clearly:

"Divine Son, please be enlightened! This matter... this matter indeed violates the Family's explicit rules, but it was truly unavoidable!"

"Since the Dao Canon was released, those seeking methods have been as numerous as carp crossing a river. However, those with mediocre Aptitude read it like a heavenly book, unable to grasp its essence for months, instead crowding the Scripture Pavilion and delaying truly promising talents. Even more so..."

His voice carried a deep sense of lingering fear: "Many ill-intentioned individuals have infiltrated! Some wished to steal core Legacies, some wanted to tamper with the Dao Rhyme Foundation, and even more attempted to embed malicious Restrictions in the Cultivation Technique, presuming to pollute our Qin Family's Dao lineage from its very root!"

"This Disciple, possessing the 'Hundred-Aptitude Spirit Body,' can acutely perceive Cultivators' Aptitude and Heart-Nature. That is why I had no choice but to set up a threshold, both to screen out the untalented and to strictly guard against those with malicious intent!"

After speaking, Qin Ming kowtowed heavily:

"Your subordinate acted on his own initiative, violating Family rules, and is willing to accept any punishment! I only ask the Divine Son... to investigate the hidden circumstances here!"

As his voice fell, the elegant room temporarily fell into dead silence.

In fact, the moment Qin Wangchuan heard 'Hundred-Aptitude Spirit Body,' he understood the situation's context.

Screening those seeking methods would make the entire Scripture Pavilion operate more efficiently.

But... in the shadows, those molten gold-like eyes narrowed slightly, radiating a chilling light.

"I've heard some rumors," Qin Wangchuan's voice was calm and unruffled, yet carried a bone-chilling coldness, "saying that you engaged in favoritism and accepted bribes. Officials and nobles could all enter, while poor Loose Cultivators were all rejected."

Every word was like a heavy hammer striking Qin Ming's Heart-Nature.

He suddenly looked up, his face deathly pale: "Since this Disciple assumed the position of steward, among those rejected were many scions of influential families, and among those allowed in were also poor Loose Cultivators; there has never been any favoritism!"

"As for bribes... indeed, every day there are rejected individuals who try to clear the way with lavish gifts."

"But this Disciple can swear a Great Dao Oath that I have never accepted even a fraction of a benefit all these years!"

Qin Ming spoke with conviction; if he had accepted even a tiny gift, he wouldn't dare speak like this.

Qin Wangchuan nodded slightly upon hearing this, golden light flowing in his eyes.

The elegant room fell into a brief silence, with only Qin Ming's nervous breathing.

"In the neighboring city," Qin Wangchuan's voice sounded again, with a hint of scrutiny, "someone is using my Qin Family's Cultivation Technique to establish a sect. Are you aware of this matter?"

Qin Ming took a deep breath and respectfully replied: "Replying to the Divine Son, this matter... this Disciple is aware. Moreover, it was deliberately allowed after this Disciple discussed it with the Family."

He looked up, his eyes gleaming with fervent light, his voice trembling slightly with excitement: "Because this action is precisely to fulfill Your Highness the Divine Son's command to 'spread the Qin Family's Cultivation Technique throughout the myriad heavens.'"

"At the same time, this is also the ideal I have pursued my entire life!"