155: Chapter 155 A Word from the Heart, A Pledge of Allegiance in the Heavenly Pivot Pavilion

The sea of clouds surged, lifting their footsteps like living cotton.

The seven-colored radiance became increasingly clear; it was actually formed by the natural refraction of light through countless, infinitely minute Restriction runes. Merely gazing at it caused Lin Chen to feel a slight stinging sensation in his Sea of Consciousness.

Passing through the final layer of the light screen, the view before him suddenly opened up.

The floating palace was not the carved beams and painted pillars, or the ethereal Immortal Qi he had imagined.

Its entire body was built from a type of grayish-white, naturally porous giant stone. The style was extremely ancient and rugged, yet it exuded a sense of accumulated time and Rule-based pressure a hundred times heavier than the outer halls.

This was the main hall of Tianshu Pavilion.

The hall doors were wide open, with no gates or panels, but a layer of pale cyan light membrane permeated the entrance.

Senior Xuanjizi's Incarnation did not pause in the slightest, passing straight through the light membrane.

Lin Chen followed closely behind. The moment his body made contact with the light membrane, he felt the dormant Chaos Golden Core within his Dantian tremble violently, as if probed for an instant by an invisible force, before immediately returning to calm.

The stone ring did not issue a warning, but the chill of having his core peered into lingered, refusing to dissipate.

The scene inside the hall came into view, causing his pupils to constrict slightly.

There were no thrones or screens as he had imagined; the floor of the great hall was made of smooth, flat black stone slabs, reflecting the dome above.

Four sky-supporting stone pillars, each requiring several people to encircle, held up a ceiling that seemed to have no end. The surfaces of these pillars were not carved with Dragons or Phoenixes, but with dense, ancient runes that flowed slowly like living creatures. These runes were obscure and difficult to comprehend; merely glancing at them for a few moments was enough to make one feel dizzy and cause discomfort to the Divine Soul.

The true core, however, was in the center of the hall.

There was no high platform there, but several meditation cushions composed of pure light and shadow were floating in the air.

At this moment, several figures were sitting upright on those cushions.

They were not physical entities, but Incarnations of light and shadow condensed from powerful Divine Thoughts.

Even so, every figure exuded a terrifying pressure, deep as an abyss and vast as the sea, that was enough to make one's heart palpitate.

They were either burly as mountains, slender as bamboo, or blurry and difficult to distinguish; the only thing they had in common were those pairs of eyes that seemed capable of piercing through the Void Realm, containing endless time and power.

These gazes were now all fixed upon Lin Chen, who had just stepped into the hall.

Pressure—unprecedented pressure. It did not come from the Formation of Tianshu Pavilion, but from the Divine Thought fields unconsciously emitted by these several Nascent Soul-level light and shadow Incarnations.

The air was as viscous as mercury; every breath was unimaginably heavy.

Lin Chen felt like a fish thrown into a deep-sea trench, surrounded on all sides by terrifying water pressure capable of crushing him to pieces.

He forcibly steadied his mind and swept his gaze across the room.

Beneath the third light and shadow Incarnation on the left, Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming stood with his hands hanging down. Although his complexion was still pale, the sinister look in his eyes had receded significantly, replaced by a deliberate sense of deference.

Senior Xuanjizi's Incarnation walked to the side of the second light and shadow Incarnation on the right, where an empty meditation cushion waited. His figure merged into it, and the light brightened slightly.

He turned his head and nodded slightly at Lin Chen, signaling him to stand behind and to his side.

Lin Chen stepped forward as instructed. In the center of that terrifying intersection of Divine Thoughts, he tried his best to keep his spine straight, standing on the edge of the shadow cast by Senior Xuanjizi's Incarnation.

He could feel at least three gazes, carrying different emotions, scraping repeatedly over his body as if they were tangible.

"The people are all here."

A voice rang out. It was not loud, but it seemed to strike directly upon everyone's Divine Soul, carrying the clanging texture of metal rubbing against metal.

The voice came from the light and shadow Incarnation directly facing the hall doors, situated at the very center.

That Incarnation was the most solid; it was vaguely visible as an old man with a square face, broad forehead, and wide nose. Just sitting there, he gave one a sense of steadiness, like a towering mountain that could not be shaken.

"Fellow Daoist Zhenyue, let us begin," Senior Xuanjizi said calmly.

The light and shadow Incarnation of Immortal Master Zhenyue in the center nodded, his eyes, which seemed to contain the birth and death of stars, sweeping across the hall: "The calamity of the Moyuan is no longer the tribulation of a single Sect or faction, but a crisis that threatens the collapse of the Xuanling World. Tianshu Pavilion has resolved that, effective immediately, we shall unite all Sects and clans of Golden Core rank and above across the four regions and one continent to establish the 'Xuanling Alliance' to jointly resist the outer demons."

His voice was flat and straightforward, yet carried an unquestionable decisiveness: "Within the Alliance, we shall temporarily establish nine seats for Elder councilors; all of you present here are the inaugural Elders. Additionally, we will establish the position of 'Wind Patrol Envoy,' dedicated to inspection, early warning, and rapid response, to deal with Moyuan infiltration and sudden crises."

As his voice fell, the hall fell silent for a breath.

Immediately after, Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming took half a step forward and cupped his hands toward the several Incarnations on the high platform. His voice was clear and resonant, instantly breaking the silence: "Immortal Master, please bear witness. With a great enemy at hand, establishing an Alliance to jointly resist the outer demons is naturally the right path. This Junior has no objections. However, there are two matters that must be discussed clearly first!"

He spoke extremely fast, giving no one else a chance to interject, his spearhead pointing directly at the crux of the matter: "The first is the ownership of the geng metal true spirit fragment! This is a world-suppressing spiritual object that concerns the fundamental Luck of our Xuanling World; how can it be held privately due to one person's Opportunity? In this Junior's humble opinion, this object should be held and managed by the Xuanling Alliance Elder Council, and studied collectively to find methods to restrain the Moyuan—that would be the secure approach!"

He paused, his gaze turning to Lin Chen, his tone becoming meaningful: "The second is this newly established 'Wind Patrol Envoy.' How critical is the position of its commander? It requires someone who possesses both virtue and talent, and whose background is untainted. Although Clan Chief Lin performed great meritorious service at Dragonfall Gorge, he has only risen to prominence for a dozen years or so. The speed of his cultivation advancement is shocking, his Cultivation Technique path has many suspicious points, and it is even more of a coincidence that the timing aligns with this great Moyuan case and the emergence of the spiritual object..."

He did not continue, but the implication was already glaringly obvious: Lin Chen could not be trusted and might even be related to the Moyuan.

"Bullshit!"

A rough, boisterous shout interrupted Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming.

A light and shadow Incarnation on the left flared brightly, manifesting a burly man with a face like a red date and a faint phantom of a giant eagle circling behind his back.

His voice was like a great bell, causing the hall to hum: "Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming! You brat, stop with the passive-aggressive nonsense here! If it weren't for the Lin kid, I'd still be staring blankly at that damn Formation in Dragonfall Gorge! The Geng Metal Fragment was forced out by him, and the clue about the Demon Lord was interrogated by him. What was your Sky Patrol Division doing at the time? Eating shit? With a great enemy at hand, instead of thinking about how to kill the enemy, you only think about tripping up your own people. Are you, motherfucker, in league with the Moyuan?"

"Fellow Daoist Tieyu, watch your words!" Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming's expression changed, but he dared not lash out at the clearly higher-ranked Immortal Master Tieyu, so he could only force a rebuttal: "This Division Chief is merely discussing the matter as it stands! Caution is the key to longevity!"

"Hmph, caution? I think it's cowardice!" Immortal Master Tieyu did not buy it at all.

"The two of you, calm down," Senior Xuanjizi's voice sounded at the right moment, peaceful yet carrying power. "Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming's concerns are not without reason. However, I have seen with my own eyes that Lin Chen bears the authentic Luck of the Human Race. His power is extremely Yang and rigid, diametrically opposed to that evil Moyuan power; there is absolutely no possibility of collusion. As for the origins of his Cultivation Technique..." He glanced at Lin Chen, "In the cultivation world, everyone has their own karmic Opportunities. Forcibly prying into them is likely not the Righteous Path."

On the high platform, the Divine Thoughts of the other few Incarnations fluctuated slightly, seemingly communicating, or perhaps weighing the options.

The atmosphere fell into a deadlock once again.

Just at this moment, from beneath the light and shadow Incarnation where the Tianji Academy seat was located, a person slowly walked out.

It was an old Daoist with a long beard reaching his chest, a gaunt face, and wearing an ancient crown. He held a snow-white horsetail whisk, his footsteps were calm, and the aura around him was peaceful and upright—the very image of a virtuous Daoist cultivator.

He first bowed deeply to the various Incarnations on the high platform, his posture extremely humble, then turned toward the hall. His voice was gentle, yet clearly reached everyone's ears:

"Fellow Daoists, please listen to this old Daoist's words."

His face wore an expression of compassion for the world. His gaze swept between Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming and Senior Xuanjizi, finally landing on Lin Chen. His eyes were concerned but bottomless: "The worries of Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming are for the sake of security; what Senior Xuanjizi said is the reality of what he witnessed. Both sides are acting for the safety of the Xuanling World, with no selfish motives."

His tone shifted, becoming increasingly earnest: "However, since doubts have arisen, if they are not resolved, it may lead to internal rifts, which the outer demons could exploit. This old Daoist has a humble opinion that might satisfy both sides." He stroked his long beard and proposed, "Why not, before deciding on the ownership of the Geng Metal Fragment and the candidate for Wind Patrol Envoy, invite Clan Chief Lin... to accept a 'Heart Inquiry' test? This is a secret technique of our Tianji Academy, which can reflect the purity of the examinee's Dao Heart and the root of their Cultivation Technique at the level of the Divine Soul. There is absolutely no risk of prying into privacy, and it is impossible to fake. If he can pass smoothly, Clan Chief Lin will prove his innocence, and his Cultivation Technique will be unquestioned. Then we can discuss other matters—wouldn't that be a natural progression of events, and also satisfy all the Fellow Daoists in the hall?"

Heart Inquiry test!

The hall instantly went silent.

Everyone's gaze, once again, focused even more intensely on Lin Chen.

Even Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming and Immortal Master Tieyu frowned, seemingly wanting to say something, but looking at Master Jianzhen's righteous appearance, they swallowed their words back.

Senior Xuanjizi's Incarnation fluctuated for a moment; he did not immediately object, but only looked at Lin Chen with a deep gaze.

This was an incredibly ingenious open conspiracy.

Refuse?

In such an occasion, facing a suggestion proposed by a highly respected figure in the name of "fairness," refusing would be equivalent to having a guilty conscience. It would be equivalent to handing over the most powerful evidence for Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming's accusation, and could even trigger the suspicions of more Nascent Soul Elders.

Accept?

Through his skin, Lin Chen's thumb clearly felt the bone-chilling cold of the stone ring.

It was not a simple warning of good or bad fortune, but a more acute, more targeted sense of crisis, firmly locking onto this Master Jianzhen before him, with his gentle smile and sanctimonious appearance.

[Good/Bad Fortune Spiritual Sense] was screaming wildly: This proposal itself is a trap!

This Master Jianzhen is absolutely not as simple as he appears on the surface!

The Heart Inquiry test is likely not as simple as just "reflecting the Dao Heart"!

Lin Chen's heart was beating steadily and powerfully in his chest.

The chill climbed up his spine, but his brain was running at high speed in extreme calmness.

Expose the System?

Absolutely impossible.

But directly opposing this seemingly unrefusable "suggestion"...

The gazes filling the hall were like tangible probes, stinging his skin.

Silence would only be viewed as tacit agreement and hesitation.

Facing this overwhelming pressure, Lin Chen did not respond immediately.

He lowered his head, looking at the mirror-smooth black stone slab in front of his toes, which reflected the blurry and distorted outlines of the several Incarnations above.