Green Mountain
Chapter 169 - 125. Shrouding Cloud

Chapter 169: 125. Shrouding Cloud

People came and went on Anxi Street, but Jin Zhu squatted on the ground, raised his head, and stared straight at Chen Ji without any concern, "Do you know what it means for the Cultivation Path to be sent to Luocheng City today?"

"What does it mean?"

Jin Zhu said confidently, "To want the Cultivation Path to reach Luocheng within a day, it needed to leave the Imperial Capital before sunset yesterday, passing through Baoding, Hengshui, Handan, Hebi, Xinxiang, and Zheng County, six relay stations in total, changing horses six times without stopping for a moment. You must know that even the regular military reports in the official gazette didn’t have this privilege; it must be the Lord Prime Minister who issued the command, allowing the utilization of so many relay stations’ horses."

Jin Zhu continued, "The one who brought this Cultivation Path is also out of the ordinary...never mind, I can’t tell you that. Kid, when you lived in the Imperial Capital before, did you ever meet the Lord Prime Minister?"

Chen Ji was silent.

Chen Liqin had come to Luocheng in the autumn of the 25th year of Jianing, and now it was the winter of the 31st year of Jianing.

Therefore, six years ago, Chen Liqin’s family all lived in the Imperial Capital, and Chen Ji was not sure whether he had seen the Prime Minister or not, so he couldn’t reply carelessly.

Chen Ji changed the subject and asked, "Lord Jin Zhu, why is the Lord Prime Minister making such a grand gesture to send a Cultivation Path here?"

Jin Zhu said with a smile, "Boy, you have caught the eye of the Prime Minister."

After a moment of silence, Chen Ji asked, "Is this a good thing or a bad thing?"

Jin Zhu stood up and patted his shoulder, "A good thing, of course. It’s a huge favor. As long as you can achieve merits for the Lord Prime Minister, he can make your wishes come true. Congratulations, from today onward, you’re truly a member of the Spy Department."

Chen Ji curiously asked, "Lord Jin Zhu, what is the Cultivation Path you asked for on my behalf?"

Jin Zhu looked around at the pedestrians, then spoke in a low voice, "Follow me, this is not the place to talk."

The two of them, one after the other, navigated through the crowd on Anxi Street and boarded a carriage by the roadside.

West Wind stood by the carriage, lowering the door curtain and window curtain, sealing the interior tightly with extra caution and solemnity.

Jin Zhu sat inside the carriage and mysteriously took out a black stone tube from his sleeve and handed it to Chen Ji, "What I’ve acquired for you is the Mandala Seal, a Supreme Dharma of the Southwest Esoteric Sect Ning. It can capture fierce ghosts to dwell within one’s body, and capturing different ghosts grants different abilities. I once saw a high monk who captured a hellish evil ghost within his body, able to fly through the sky and burrow through the earth, omnipotent."

Chen Ji wondered, "Why would the Esoteric Sect’s Dharma be at the Jiefan Building?"

Jin Zhu chuckled, "The art of sealing ghosts with this signet is the lifeblood of the Ning branch. If they didn’t have some critical leverage in the Prime Minister’s hand, how would they willingly present it with both hands?"

Chen Ji looked down.

The black stone tube was sealed with black wax, and on top of the wax seal, there was a "Jiefan" stamp.

Chen Ji reached to break the wax seal, but Jin Zhu stopped his wrist, "Hold on, the Cultivation Path is a secret of the Ritual Supervision; those who receive it are only allowed to view it alone, and must burn it after reading. Don’t open it in front of me; it’s taboo."

However, when Chen Ji looked up, he saw Jin Zhu still gazing greedily at the stone tube in his hand, his eyes not shifting away...

After thinking for a moment, Chen Ji immediately broke the wax seal and poured out a scroll from the tube.

Jin Zhu was surprised, "What are you doing?"

Chen Ji said, "Since this is the Cultivation Path sought by Lord Jin Zhu for me, there’s no harm in letting the Lord see."

Jin Zhu was puzzled, "Don’t you know the Cultivation Path must be kept secret?"

"Lord Yunyang once said so."

"And yet you’re letting me see it?"

Chen Ji smiled innocently, "The Lord has treated me with sincerity, so I will reciprocate with sincerity."

Jin Zhu was silent for a long while, "I had my doubts about you before, but now, thinking back, I am truly ashamed... Go on, take a look."

Chen Ji slowly unfurled the scroll, took a brief glance, and exclaimed in surprise, "Lord, what’s recorded on this scroll isn’t the Mandala Seal."

Jin Zhu startled and leaned over to look at the scroll, but upon seeing the first two large characters, Shrouding Cloud, he quickly drew back, saying in confusion, "Why is it this Cultivation Path?!"

Chen Ji puzzled, "What is it, Lord?"

Jin Zhu, with his head bowed and his complexion changing several times, said solemnly when he looked up again, "I haven’t seen this Cultivation Path you have, I don’t know what’s inside it, and I have even less idea of what it’s about! If the Prime Minister asks, you must say just that!"

Chen Ji looked at the scroll in his hand, "What Cultivation Path is it that makes the Lord feel so threatened? Maybe I shouldn’t practice it after all."

Jin Zhu struggled for a long time, then finally exhaled heavily and said, "No, you must practice! This path will not be harmful to you, it’s just related to a profound secret."

"What secret?"

Jin Zhu spoke hauntingly, "Twelve years ago, a young Executive Officer from the Qi family, originally named Qi Yunchang, suddenly changed his name to Qi Zheyun at the age of nine. He entered the Innate Realm at twelve, the Seeking Dao Realm at sixteen, and by twenty-one, he almost reached the threshold of the Divine Realm, it seemed he was just one step away from that realm above the clouds. His Invisible Sword Energy was unfathomable and impossible to guard against."

Invisible Sword Energy?

Chen Ji pondered, this Cultivation Path seemed quite fitting for him.

He offhandedly asked, "Is this Qi Zheyun even more formidable than Heavenly Horse?"

Jin Zhu lamented, "In terms of power, they are well-matched, but in potential, he may have even outstripped Heavenly Horse. At sixteen, Qi Zheyun joined the border army and in three years’ time, he struck down over ten generals of the Jing Dynasty. In the 17th year of Jianing, during winter, he led three hundred cavalrymen deep into the Jing Dynasty territory for six hundred miles and captured the Marquis Chicheng alive. Later he was surrounded and chased by the Jing Dynasty’s Iron Cavalry, and everybody thought he wouldn’t return, but he led those three hundred cavalry through a big loop in Liao Bei and finally fought his way to Lushun, then sailed back to the country. For such achievements, Your Majesty bestowed upon him the third-rank title of Dragon Tiger General and granted him the special privilege to wear a sword to the court."