A streak of crimson light cut across the sky. Propelled at full speed by the Upper Grade Dharma Artifact, the Fire Element Ring, the air in its wake warped slightly from the scorching heat, leaving a long trail of flames.
At such extreme speeds, an ordinary Demon Horse Carriage, which could travel a thousand li a day, was left far behind. Only a Spiritual Power Shuttle belonging to a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator like Zhang Cheng could possibly be faster.
Chu Bai stood atop the wheel of fire, the lapels of his robe whipping in the wind.
As the silhouette of Dayuan Prefecture City, which loomed on the horizon like a colossal beast, gradually came into focus, he slowly lowered his Escape Light.
This was not his first time coming to the Prefecture City.
He remembered that the last time he set foot in this place was three years ago, when he enrolled in the Daoist School to pursue his studies.
Back then, he was just a boy from the bottom rungs of society who had just stepped onto the path of Qi Cultivation, his heart filled with both aspiration and unease.
In Chu Bai’s eyes at that time, the Prefecture City was an unattainable paradise, a sacred place where destinies were decided.
And now, more than three years had passed in the blink of an eye.
Chu Bai stood before this magnificent city once more, his Realm now firmly established at the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer.
He not only possessed the combat strength to stand on equal footing with most Bureaucrats, but also had the confidence to plot for Foundation Establishment and covet the Cyan Talisman.
His perspective had changed, and so the world he saw was completely different.
The massive city walls soared into the clouds, built not of mortal earth and wood, but of Basalt imbued with Spirituality.
The surface of the walls was densely inscribed with the orthodox Array Patterns of the Great Zhou Immortal Dynasty. As the morning sun rose, the golden light flowing within the runes blazed like a sun crashing to the earth, emitting a dazzling and solemn fluctuation.
The brilliance of that light was so immense that it dyed the clouds for a hundred li around a radiant gold, making it seem as if the entire city was bathed in the divine might of the Law Net.
In the sky, a colossal Mechanical Golden Falcon emitted a low, rhythmic roar. With each beat of its enormous metal wings, it stirred up fierce gales.
That was the Inspection Department on its routine patrol.
Farther away, several Spiritual Power Shuttles streaked across the sky, leaving long rainbows of light that crisscrossed through the clouds.
Sights like these, which would be considered an Immortal Divine Wonder in Anping County, were nothing more than a common, everyday occurrence in Dayuan Prefecture.
Chu Bai put away his Fire Element Ring and landed on the official road before the city gate.
’I never noticed it before, but the Spiritual Mechanism in the Prefecture City is truly different from a small county. When I first came here, I was too overwhelmed by its grandeur to realize that beneath the foundation of the Law Net, even the blades of grass and leaves of trees carry such a profound depth.’
Chu Bai muttered to himself.
But this time, there was no longer any fear or shock in his eyes. In its place was an extreme calm and scrutiny.
He dusted off his dark cyan official robe, though there was no dust on it, and under the reverent gazes of the city guards, strode toward the gate that was wide enough for ten horses to pass abreast.
Dayuan Prefecture, a major city within the Great Zhou Immortal Dynasty’s Qingzhou, was now beneath his feet. It was no longer a divine wonder, but a testing ground where he would shatter all obstacles and take the final step to leap the Dragon Gate.
「In the eastern district of the Prefecture City, at Cloud Ascending Pavilion.」
This waterside restaurant had been built with extremely discreet Sound Insulation Arrays on every floor. Only those holding an official post or of immense wealth were permitted entry.
Guided respectfully by an attendant, Chu Bai pushed open the door to a private room where incense smoke curled elegantly into the air.
"Junior Brother Chu, over here!"
By the window of the private room, a young man in an exquisite brocade official robe was rising to his feet.
It had been a long time. Much of the scholarly air about Lü Qing had vanished, replaced by a steady demeanor that came from overseeing the Merit Examination and reviewing Officials year-round.
However, the moment he saw Chu Bai push open the door and enter, the calm and composed bearing of a Steward was instantly shattered, as if struck by a massive, invisible wave.
Lü Qing’s hand, holding a white jade cup, trembled violently. A few drops of clear Spirit Wine splashed onto his sleeve, but he paid it no mind. His eyes were fixed on Chu Bai, pupils constricting. "You... Junior Brother, have you really reached Qi Cultivation Perfection?"
Three years ago, when they had discussed the Qingzhou Celestial Examination, Chu Bai had mentioned he wanted to give it a try.
But Lü Qing was still astonished by the speed of Chu Bai’s progress.
’He actually did it?’
Chu Bai smiled faintly and retracted the profound, mountain-like Spiritual Pressure around him, casually sitting down across from Lü Qing. "Senior Brother has a sharp eye. I was just lucky enough to break through before the grand examination."
"Lucky? There’s no such thing as this kind of luck in the world!"
Lü Qing gave a bitter smile and shook his head repeatedly, looking at Chu Bai as if he were a monster. "Back when we graduated from the Daoist School, I already thought you were the most unreasonable freak in our class."
"But I thought a remote place like Anping County, with its barren Spiritual Mechanism and tedious affairs, would slow your progress. I never imagined that in a place like that, you would manage to forge yourself into an unparalleled, deadly weapon."
He took a deep breath, as if wanting to use his Divine Thought to probe Chu Bai’s true state.
As an Immortal Official from the Daoist School, Lü Qing had naturally also diligently cultivated the Divine Thought Secret Technique, the Guardian Scripture. However, when his Divine Thought extended just three feet out from the private room in an attempt to touch Chu Bai, he felt as if he had crashed into a boundless, mountain-heavy wall of steel.
The feeling of helplessness, like a clay ox sinking into the sea, horrified Lü Qing once again.
"The Guardian Scripture... what level have you reached?"
Lü Qing withdrew his Divine Thought with a self-deprecating laugh. "My Divine Thought can only cover a little over thirty zhang right now. I thought my progress after more than half a year of tempering in the Prefecture City was pretty good, but when I touched you just now, I couldn’t even perceive the edge of your Divine Thought."
How could he have known that Chu Bai’s Divine Thought already extended over three hundred zhang?
"Diligence makes up for a lack of talent. I’ve only reached Minor Achievement," Chu Bai said dismissively.
Lü Qing sighed emotionally. "The gap between us is truly growing wider and wider. I had thought that once I was promoted to Junior Eighth Grade Steward and used my position to get a few more resources, I’d be able to catch up to you. But now it seems the gap is quite large."
The two reminisced for a while, their conversation gradually drifting back to their time at the Daoist School several years ago.
Lü Qing drained a cup of wine, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. "Thinking back to our days at the Daoist School... even though we spent all our time scheming for a little Daoist Merit and a few Cultivation Techniques, it was a simpler time."
"Junior Brother Chu, after you achieve great success in the Celestial Examination and return with the Cyan Talisman, if you have time, how about coming back to the Daoist School with me for a visit? The Instructors from our year are always talking about you."
Upon hearing this, a few faces came to Chu Bai’s mind.
’It’s a rare trip to the city. Visiting my respected teachers at the Daoist School is the right thing to do, both in sentiment and in principle.’
He nodded solemnly. "Of course. Once the Celestial Examination is over and the dust has settled, I will definitely return to the Daoist School with Senior Brother to pay our respects to our teachers."
"Excellent!" Lü Qing raised his cup in a toast.
The two looked at each other and smiled. In the past, they had never realized how precious their bond as fellow students was. Now that they had both entered the officialdom, they found themselves missing it.
After the tea and wine were finished, Chu Bai took his leave.

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