Chapter 42: Fire Spirit Palace (One)

“You all stay in the temple for now. Do not go anywhere, and do not wander around!”

After giving this instruction, Daoist Wenyi hurriedly left the Iron Immortal Temple with the other Daoists from Wenchang Daoist Academy.

They even left directly, putting aside the bone aptitude tests for Ao Yi and Yun Yi, which made Yun Yi’s expression turn somewhat ugly.

Yun Yi couldn’t help but step forward and pull aside a steward Daoist to ask.

The steward Daoist shook his head. “Young Master Yun, testing is no longer needed. News about the Dharma Lineage bone aptitude of you two has already arrived from the sect. You possess three Dao Bones, which is indeed extraordinary. However, compared to the Innate Dao Body… well, there is a slight gap!”

The steward Daoist felt regretful for this talent and didn’t want to overly discourage him. After offering a few words of consolation, he hurried away.

Standing in place, Yun Yi was left speechless for a long time.

He had previously boasted in front of many Yun clan relatives, claiming he would be first or second. How could he save face now?

Filled with both anger and resentment, Yun Yi had calculated everything, but never expected that this Lin Yuan would actually be an Innate Dao Body!

Seeing the surprised gazes of numerous young boys and girls directed at him, his face burned with shame.

“Wenchang Daoist Academy, Lin Yuan…!” he gritted his teeth secretly.

Right at that moment, Yun Yi’s expression shifted. He lifted his gaze, feigning a hint of “regret,” just in time to see Lin Yuan looking over from a distance.

“Congratulations!” He nodded with a slight smile, appearing gracious and well-mannered.

Lin Yuan’s gaze swept over this youth in white with a meaningful look.

So young, yet possessing such deep cunning. People like this were the most troublesome and the most daunting.

A sliver of killing intent churned in Lin Yuan’s heart.

Not long after the Wenchang Daoist Academy Daoists left, many of the young boys and girls in the temple began to look restless. They found various excuses and left the Iron Immortal Temple.

Even the Dragon Maiden Ao Yi left the temple.

Meanwhile, in a stone hall.

Rows of fiery red long banners swayed. Behind a handsome Daoist, countless flames whirled. Above his head, a faint, illusory fire-red miniature figure suddenly gazed in the direction of Wenchang County. Sensing the various auras drifting in the void, threads of crimson flame appeared between the Daoist’s brows. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he murmured.

“The Water Mansion is about to appear. Have all who should come, arrived? Perfect. I’ll use your blood to consecrate my treasure formation, to awaken it!”

Suddenly, he raised his head. The handsome Daoist flicked his sleeve. An invisible red light flashed. At the hall’s entrance, a seductive woman clad in sheer gauze stepped forward from the side. Her figure was exquisite, with a slender waist and full hips, a rosy-cheeked face, but her charming features wore a wanton, alluring smile, exceptionally bewitching.

“Have the others arrived yet?”

A gentle yet sinister voice sounded from the stone seat.

Though this beautiful enchantress was the handsome Daoist’s concubine, she was extremely afraid of him. Fear flickered in her eyes as she replied softly, “Daoist Tongming, She Lingzi, Divine Lord Heisha, and the others are rushing here with all their might!”

“A bunch of useless cowards, overly cautious and hesitant. No wonder they’ll never amount to anything!”

The handsome Daoist snorted coldly. A savage red light flashed briefly in his eyes. Although the Mystic Gate orthodox path held sway in Dongyue Province, the unorthodox sects were not to be trifled with. Among the unorthodox sects, there were no lack of Patriarch Earth Immortals.

“Pay them no mind. Order the disciples of Fire Spirit Palace to prepare to move. We will round up all these Mystic Gate cultivators in one sweep!”

“Yes!”

Abruptly, the handsome Daoist’s expression shifted. He said, “I heard many newly enrolled disciples from the Daoist academies have also come this time to try their luck?”

“Our Fire Spirit Palace is reopening its gates. We happen to need a batch of new disciples!”

The beautiful enchantress hesitated slightly. “Those newly enrolled disciples likely have guardians watching over them. We might not be able to capture them alive…”

A fiery, sinister glint flashed in the handsome Daoist’s eyes as he turned his head. A trace of killing intent flickered deep within his gaze. “Do I need to teach you this?”

“If my Fire Spirit Palace cannot have them, then of course, those people from the Mystic Gate Dharma Lineage shall gain nothing either!”

The beautiful enchantress dared not show any disagreement. She nodded slightly, transformed into a wisp of exotic fragrance, and turned to leave.

…

Back in the temple, seeing that the Wenchang Daoist Academy group had departed, Lin Yuan simply turned his attention back to himself.

Having recently refined his Mystic Gate Primordial Spirit, it needed careful polishing. Earlier, when Lin Yuan entered the temple, he had noticed an ancient-looking scripture library beside it, which seemed to hold many Daoist Canons. This interested Lin Yuan greatly.

Lin Yuan stopped a Daoist from the Iron Immortal Temple nearby and expressed his wish to visit the scripture library. The Iron Immortal Temple Daoist readily agreed.

Before leaving, the many Daoists from Wenchang Daoist Academy had instructed that any request from this newly enrolled disciple of theirs should be fully accommodated.

The scripture library was located in the eastern courtyard. Along the way, many young boys and girls came forward to greet him. These youths came from prominent backgrounds, most were quite precocious, and their understanding of social etiquette was even sharper than that of ordinary merchants.

Lin Yuan was not ignorant of social niceties, but after exchanging a few pleasantries, he immersed himself in the sea of books within the scripture library.

According to the Iron Immortal Temple Daoist, this scripture library had been established for several hundred years. It collected many Daoist Canons from various dynasties throughout history. Though not as comprehensive as the main library in Wenchang Daoist Academy, it was still remarkable. What was rare was that it also held many ancient texts from various schools of thought.

For Lin Yuan, this was a rare source of nourishment.

With each Daoist Canon he acquired, Lin Yuan felt he was a step closer to achieving the convergence of the Five Qi to the Origin, achieving inner and outer perfection.

Lin Yuan’s foundation was too solid.

Possessing a nature close to that of an Innate Divine Demon—though the Innate Divine Demon designation only represented bone aptitude, not cultivation level—this bone aptitude was already comparable to that of an Innate Deity.

Moreover, having that Heavenly Mansion Jade Book in hand made it even more enviable!

Only someone like Lin Yuan could perfect his Primordial Spirit just by reading Daoist Canons!

Lin Yuan remained immersed until nightfall, when the Iron Immortal Temple Daoist invited him to the dining hall for the evening meal.

Lin Yuan stood up and realized it was already late. Outside, paper lanterns had been hung between the flying eaves.

Exiting the scripture library, a gentle night breeze blew. From the high vantage point, he could see the lights of countless households in the distance.

The dining hall was on the other side of the Iron Immortal Temple’s several side chambers. After passing through multiple covered corridors, Lin Yuan’s expression changed the moment he stepped inside.

The dining hall was now completely empty. Not even lanterns were lit.

The Daoists who should have been dining were all gone.

Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow as he looked around the dining hall and sighed softly.

“You dare to trespass in an Innate Dao Lord’s domain? Are you ignorant, or fearless?”

“It’s merely a clay idol. The Innate Dao Lord has countless domains. How could He care about such a minor temple?” A figure in a long gown quietly emerged from the darkness.

It was a scholar, around thirty years old. His attire looked quite refined. His appearance was rather ordinary, but he carried a strange, sinister aura.

Lin Yuan caught a whiff of a Yin Spirit from him.

“How did you see through my concealment?” Zhang Qi’s sharp, gleaming eyes stared at Lin Yuan. He was an elder of Fire Spirit Palace. Though he had cultivated in seclusion within Fire Spirit Palace and was not well-known, his cultivation level was that of a genuine Yin Spirit True Lord.

After decades of arduous cultivation, this was his first outing on business for Fire Spirit Palace, yet a youth who seemed to have no cultivation had seen through him.

“You don’t know who I am?” Lin Yuan was slightly taken aback. Was this person not here for him?