157: Chapter 157 A Cup of Spirit Tea: The Dramatic Intent and the Truth Revealed

The moment this message was sent out, the entire world seemed to fall silent.

Lin Chen's test had ended, and the results were beyond reproach.

The golden beam of light that connected heaven and earth slowly dissipated. He stood in the center of the Formation, his robes fluttering without wind, and the lingering aura of the Geng Metal Law on him made him appear sharp and pure.

"Good! What a wonderful Spirit Resonance!" Master Iron Feather's unreserved praise rang out once again. His massive azure hawk projection appeared exceptionally solid. "With such talent and such Heart-Nature, if he is still doubted, what justice remains in our Xuanling World!"

True Monarch Zhenyue put away the jade box. His gaze, as steady as a mountain, fell upon Lin Chen, carrying a hint of approval after scrutiny: "Lin Chen, your achievements have been determined by Tianshu Pavilion. Your innocence has also been proven."

He paused, his voice becoming more imposing: "From this day forth, you are one of the Deputy Commanders of the 'Wind Patrol Envoy' of our Xuanling Alliance. This position allows you to access all Sect files, excluding core Forbidden Grounds, and grants you the power to execute first and report later. I hope you will use this power wisely to find the Moyuan hidden agents and unearth the location of the Demon Lord's altar as soon as possible."

Deputy Chief Huangfu Ming's face instantly turned ashen.

He could never have imagined that the interconnected scheme he had set, instead of plunging Lin Chen into eternal damnation, had allowed him to ascend in a single step, becoming a 'Wind Patrol Envoy' Deputy Commander who stood on equal footing with him, and in some aspects, even held higher authority.

Master Jianzhen resumed his compassionate appearance and bowed to Lin Chen: "Congratulations, Commander Lin. This old Daoist has offended you many times before, and I hope you will be magnanimous."

Lin Chen remained calm on the surface and returned the salute: "Master, you joke. You were also thinking of the safety of the Xuanling World; how could Lin Chen have any complaints?"

Their gazes met in the air—one gentle and compassionate, the other humble and respectful—as if the life-and-death struggle that had just taken place had never occurred.

Just then, a figure as sharp as a sword appeared silently in the great hall.

It was a young man dressed in black martial attire with a face as cold as ice. His Late Stage Golden Core cultivation was condensed and unreleased, and he was like a peerless weapon hidden in a sheath.

His eyes were hollow and indifferent, as if he had no interest in anything in the world.

"Commander Ling Wuying," True Monarch Zhenyue introduced, "He comes from the intelligence family 'Tingfeng Valley' and is the other Deputy Commander of the 'Wind Patrol Envoy,' proficient in tracking, assassination, and intelligence analysis. From today on, you two shall work together."

Commander Ling Wuying's gaze swept over Lin Chen like a blade scraping across skin, without the slightest emotional fluctuation. He simply nodded mechanically, as if to greet him.

Lin Chen returned the nod.

He could feel that this person was very strong and very pure; he was a pure "tool" who only took orders from the highest level.

Working with him would actually save a lot of unnecessary internal friction.

Senior Xuanjizi's Incarnation floated to Lin Chen's side, his voice ringing directly in Lin Chen's Sea of Consciousness: "Well done. The status of Wind Patrol Envoy is what you deserve, and it is also a protective talisman. Go ahead and do what you must; I will block the pressure from above for you."

"Thank you, Senior." Lin Chen felt grateful, and then, without hesitation, he exercised the authority he had just obtained.

He turned to Commander Ling Wuying, who seemed isolated from the world, and issued his first order after becoming Deputy Commander. His voice was not loud, but it clearly spread throughout the entire space at the top of the tower: "Commander Ling, please use your Wind Patrol Envoy authority to immediately and secretly retrieve all files, Formation research records, and personnel handover lists of the Tianji Academy, especially those involving Master Jianzhen, from the past hundred years. I want the most detailed ones, including those that have been sealed or discarded."

The moment his words fell, the air seemed to solidify for an instant.

Everyone's gaze subconsciously glanced toward Master Jianzhen.

To order a thorough investigation of someone right to their face.

This overbearing and direct approach made the old foxes present look askance.

On Commander Ling Wuying's eternal iceberg face, for the first time, a trace of subtle ripples appeared. He looked at Lin Chen deeply, as if re-evaluating this new colleague.

He did not ask why, but simply and cleanly spat out one word: "Agreed."

His figure flickered and then disappeared without a trace, as if he had never appeared.

Master Jianzhen's hand stroking his long beard paused slightly, but the smile on his face became even gentler: "Commander Lin's actions are indeed swift and decisive, unconventional. This old Daoist is upright and does not fear a crooked shadow; I welcome the Wind Patrol Envoy's investigation at any time."

A silent confrontation thus settled.

Immediately after, the first joint research meeting on the geng metal true spirit fragment was hastily held at the top level of the Spirit Suppression Tower.

To ensure absolute safety and efficiency, the participants were kept to a minimum.

The main seat was occupied by True Monarch Zhenyue's Incarnation, responsible for holding the field and guarding.

Those actually participating in the research were only Lin Chen, Senior Xuanjizi, Master Jianzhen, and two other Grandmasters of Formation who also came from Tianji Academy.

"The Laws of this divine object are violent; direct investigation may lead to backlash." Master Jianzhen stepped forward proactively, looking every bit like the technical lead. "This old Daoist is untalented, but I recently obtained a method of 'Non-Destructive Diversion,' which can extract a thread of the Law aura overflowing from the divine object, like peeling silk from a cocoon, and seal it in a specially made crystal container. In this way, it can be used for analysis without damaging the divine object itself. What do you all think?"

Senior Xuanjizi and the other two Grandmasters of Formation nodded slightly upon hearing this.

This method was indeed the most secure plan at present.

After receiving approval, Master Jianzhen began to set up.

He took out a set of complex glass Magical Artifacts, engraved with silver patterns as fine as a spider web, and connected them to a crystal container the size of a fist, crystalline and transparent.

Lin Chen was arranged in a seat near the main position. On the table sat a cup of Spirit Tea he had casually taken out when he came in.

The tea was light green, and in the curling steam, it emitted a fragrance of vegetation that made the mind peaceful.

This was specially prepared for him by Su Qingyao, using several types of second-grade spirit plants that could calm the mind and dispel distracting thoughts.

In a place like Tianshu Pavilion, which was like a dragon's den and a tiger's lair, he would not touch anything that went into his mouth, but the temperature and fragrance of this tea could give his tense nerves a trace of comfort.

He did not drink it, but simply placed his right hand near the warm cup wall, feeling that familiar warmth.

The knuckles of his index and middle fingers tapped unconsciously on the smooth cup wall, while his thumb habitually rubbed the rough stone ring.

In the venue, Master Jianzhen had already begun to cast spells.

He formed seals with both hands, his expression focused, and streams of pure Qi were struck into the Magical Artifact.

The set of glass Magical Artifacts emitted a buzzing sound, and from one end, an energy tentacle thinner than a hair extended, cautiously probing toward the Geng Metal fragment in True Monarch Zhenyue's palm jade box.

Everyone's breath hitched for a moment.

The energy tentacle stopped three inches from the fragment and began to vibrate at a profound frequency, as if resonating with the Geng Metal Law.

A moment later, a barely perceptible yet dazzling golden breath was indeed "stuck" from the fragment, slowly retreating along the energy tentacle, preparing to be injected into the crystal container.

The whole process was smooth and flowing, and the ingenuity of the technique made even Senior Xuanjizi nod secretly.

Lin Chen's gaze appeared to be focused on the wisp of Geng Metal Qi, but in reality, all his attention was immersed in [Earth Pulse Perception] and the warning from the stone ring.

Just as that wisp of Geng Metal Qi, thinner than a hair, was only half an inch away from the entrance of the crystal container and about to be successfully imported—

Hum!!

The rough stone ring on Lin Chen's right thumb suddenly transmitted a burning, stabbing pain!

This stabbing pain was stronger than any previous warning, as if a red-hot steel needle had been fiercely thrust into his bone marrow!

The [Geng Metal Sharpness Enhancement] ability on the ring, obtained from the Geng Metal fragment, was passively triggered to an unprecedented extreme at this moment.

His spiritual sense was infinitely heightened, and time seemed to be stretched into slow motion before his eyes.

He "saw" it!

At a microscopic level that no one had noticed, beneath the sleeve of Master Jianzhen's wide Daoist robe, an extremely obscure and twisted fluctuation of magic power, like a poisonous snake flicking its tongue, precisely locked onto the wisp of Geng Metal Qi being guided.

This was not an attack, but a type of "catalysis"!

Once this cold magic power touched the extremely Yang and extremely rigid Geng Metal Qi, it would be like a drop of water falling into a boiling pot of oil, instantly detonating it!

That was a Law fragment of an Innate divine object!

Even if it was just a wisp of aura, once it exploded out of control at such a close distance, its power would be enough to raze the top of the tower to the ground, and severely injure or even annihilate all the Golden Core Cultivators present, including himself!

True Monarch Zhenyue's Incarnation might be able to block it, but they, these Golden Core Cultivators, would absolutely not be spared!

What a poisonous scheme of mutual destruction!

This was Plan B!

From the warning to seeing through the conspiracy, the whole process took less than half a breath.

A line between life and death!

Lin Chen's brain didn't even have time to think, and his body had already made the most instinctive reaction.

He could not shout, could not give a warning, because once he opened his mouth, the opponent's catalytic magic power would immediately trigger, and no one would be able to run!

His body seemed to be tripped by an invisible force, his feet stumbled, and he uncontrollably lunged forward.

"Oops!"

He let out a perfectly timed exclamation, and the moment his body leaned forward, his right elbow precisely and "accidentally" hit the cup of Spirit Tea on the table.

Crash—

A full cup of still-warm light green Spirit Tea drew a perfect parabola in the air, spilling out precisely and accurately.

The target of the tea was exactly the set of glass Magical Artifacts that were operating in front of Master Jianzhen, as well as the crystal container connected to them!

Sss... Sss sss...

The scalding tea poured onto the cold Magical Artifact, making a harsh, light sound and rising into a patch of white mist.

The various medicinal properties of the spirit plants contained in the tea were instantly stimulated at this moment, forming a gentle yet chaotic energy field.

That wisp of Geng Metal Qi that was about to be detonated, and that cold catalytic magic power, were like being doused by this sudden handful of "dirty water."

The violent energy that was about to explode was like having its throat choked, instantly disordered, calmed down, and finally dissipated into nothingness.

A shocking explosion that would have been enough to wipe out all the Golden Core Cultivators present was just like that, killed in the cradle by a cup of tea.

Everyone present, except Master Jianzhen, only felt a sudden palpitation in their hearts, as if some great terror was about to descend, but the next moment it vanished like smoke, and everything returned to normal.

Senior Xuanjizi frowned as he looked at the set of Magical Artifacts that had dimmed after being wet, and then looked at the flustered, apologetic Lin Chen.

"Sorry! Sorry! Seniors, Junior... Junior was agitated just now, and was careless for a moment. Please forgive me!" While apologizing repeatedly for his "recklessness," Lin Chen hurriedly took a cloth from his Storage Pouch to wipe the Magical Artifacts.

No one noticed that the moment he lowered his head to apologize, a cold arc curled up at the corner of his mouth.

Master Jianzhen turned his head abruptly. In those eyes looking at Lin Chen, the murderous intent that burst out in an instant almost solidified, as if he wanted to slice him to death.

But that murderous intent only lasted for a thousandth of an instant before he perfectly concealed it, replaced by an expression of regret and helplessness.

"It's fine, it's fine," he waved his hand, stopping Lin Chen's movements, his tone still gentle, "Commander Lin's action was unintentional, but it is a pity for this opportunity; the Magical Artifact has been soaked by the Spirit Tea and cannot be used again today."

Lin Chen sneered inwardly.

The moment the tea was spilled, the stone ring on his thumb, using the gentle spirit plant energy as a medium, clearly "tasted" the flavor.

That cold catalyst, before being neutralized and dissipated by the Spirit Tea, leaked a trace of residual aura.

This wisp of aura was completely homologous to a certain energy mark on Master Jianzhen that was hidden extremely deep, extremely paranoid, and seemed not to belong to this world!

In his mind, it was as if a bolt of lightning had pierced through the heavy fog.

From the layout of Dragonfall Gorge to the framing at Tianshu Pavilion, and then the two assassination attempts inside the Spirit Suppression Tower... all the clues connected into a line at this moment.

The secret code passed during the internal meeting of Tianshu Pavilion, the mysterious organization manipulating everything behind the scenes, finally had a clear direction.

The enemy was no longer a vague shadow.

He had a name.

Lin Chen's gaze swept imperceptibly over the black stone slab at the top of the tower inscribed with the Laws of Tianshu Pavilion, and a bold plan began to take shape in his heart.

This Master Jianzhen, and even the organization behind him, acted so meticulously and ruthlessly that it was definitely not the work of a single day.

The traces they left might be hidden in some of the most inconspicuous, yet most core places.

He needed an opportunity to be alone, an opportunity that would allow him to use the System and his trump cards without any scruples to verify his conjecture.