Chapter 597
Entering the Microscopic
"All we can do is wait..."
Xue Jin took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the chaotic thoughts in her mind, and leaned back against the corner of the wall. But her eyes were no longer sleepy, and she was vigilantly watching any movement around her.
……
Meanwhile, in a distant, unknown land, deep within a magnificent castle that seemed to have existed since time immemorial in the darkness.
The dark and cold palace was vast and boundless, quiet and solemn, filled with an invisible pressure that made people feel suffocated.
Here, light seems to be a taboo.
Suddenly, from the depths of endless darkness, a detached, ethereal voice, seemingly devoid of any human emotion, resounded.
Why the betrayal?
As the sound rang out, the darkness receded like a tide, revealing a colossal throne entirely constructed from the bones of unknown, pale beasts. Seated atop the throne was a blurry figure, shrouded in eternal shadow, only her outline discernible, yet she seemed to be the very center of the dark world, like a monarch ruling over eternal night.
In the center of the palace, a figure was kneeling.
It was a shirtless man with bulging muscles, exuding a powerful aura.
However, his situation was extremely miserable at this moment. Several thin, hair-like black chains, extending from who-knows-where, pierced his spine deeply, locking all the major acupoints on his body, as if they were alive.
Strange black flames, emanating from the chains, silently burned his skin, emitting a soft sizzling sound, and the air was filled with the smell of burnt flesh.
The man lowered his head, clenched his teeth, and his muscles convulsed slightly from the extreme pain, but he did not utter a sound, as silent as an ancient, unyielding stone.
The Night Queen on the throne of bones, or rather, that blurry figure, spoke again, her voice still indifferent.
"Since you choose to defend your betrayal with silence, then I will grant your wish and let you defend it with your death."
As soon as he finished speaking, the black chain running through the man's back trembled violently, as if it were about to completely penetrate his body and burn his soul to ashes!
"Ugh—!"
The man finally couldn't help but let out a suppressed groan of pain, his body trembling violently, but he still kept his head down, neither begging for mercy nor making any excuses.
Just then, an old man dressed in an ancient black court robe, with his hair neatly combed, entered the hall silently, like a ghost.
He first bowed to the figure on the bone throne, and then slowly spoke, his voice old and calm.
"Your Majesty, it has been determined. Deacon Zihun's betrayal this time was to protect a woman."
The man, who had been kneeling silently, suddenly raised his head upon hearing the word "woman," revealing a face with sharp features and a resolute expression.
His eyes instantly filled with bloodshot veins, rage, and an indescribable pain. He stared intently at the old man, as if he wanted to tear him apart with his gaze.
But in the end, the light in his eyes dimmed little by little, and he lowered his head again, as if he had resigned himself to his fate.
The Queen of the Night, seated on the throne of bones, remained silent for a moment before letting out a faint sigh that echoed through the empty hall, carrying a detached indifference born of a profound understanding of the world.
"The word 'love' has indeed caused a great deal of harm."
As she spoke, an even deeper shadow of eternal night spread like a tide, quietly covering the kneeling man.
There were no screams, no struggles. The man's body disintegrated and vanished silently in the shadows like a sand sculpture, ultimately returning to nothingness as if it had never existed in this world.
After dealing with the traitor, the Night Queen's gaze seemed to fall on the old man.
The old man bowed again and reported.
"Your Majesty, the old priest at the Observatory seems to have also noticed something amiss. News has come from the Chi family that they are willing to step in and resolve that 'minor matter' left over from back then."
"Oh? The Chi family is willing to get involved?"
The Queen of the Night's voice seemed to carry a very faint hint of surprise.
What conditions did they propose?
"The other party agreed to most of our conditions, but made one extra request."
The old man answered calmly.
"They demanded that Jiang Xuan... must 'successfully' enter the Forbidden City. If he fails midway and does not arrive, all conditions will be void."
"Successfully entered?"
The Queen of the Night chewed on the word.
“Yes. And,” the old man added, his tone still completely flat.
"The Chi family made it clear that they would send cultivators below the Spirit Sea Realm to 'stop' Jiang Xuan along the way."
They claimed this was a 'test' of their sincerity in cooperating.
Upon hearing this, the Queen of the Night seemed to twitch her face, which was shrouded in shadow, and then let out a soft laugh that revealed neither joy nor anger.
"Heh... They certainly know how to set conditions. It sounds like they've got me cornered and I have to rely on them to resolve these follow-up problems?"
The old man nodded slightly.
"This old servant also finds this matter strange. The Chi family's actions seem to be making things difficult, but they limit it to those 'below the Spirit Sea Realm' and require Jiang Xuan to 'successfully' enter the Forbidden City... This seems more like a test specifically for Jiang Xuan himself."
Behind this, there are likely hidden secrets that we are yet to discover.
A brief silence fell over the hall. Only the eternal darkness flowed silently.
A moment later, the Dark Queen's indifferent voice rang out again, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness.
"Since the old fellows at the Observatory and the Chi family both want to play this game with me, then let's play."
"Send word to Xue Jin that the plan has been changed. He will personally escort Jiang Xuan to the Forbidden City."
"Tell the Chi family that they can 'stop' them along the way, but if the Obsidian Sanctuary doesn't intervene, they can only send cultivators below the Spirit Sea Realm. If they break the agreement and send out forces beyond their limits, or dare to harm Jiang Xuan's life, then all the conditions previously agreed upon will be null and void."
"Furthermore," the Night Queen's voice paused slightly, seemingly carrying a subtle, complex meaning.
"Have Xue Jin tell Jiang Xuan."
He might die on his way to the Forbidden City.
If he hadn't come, there would have been no way of knowing the mystery of his origins.
The choice is his own." "This old servant obeys."
The elderly man, dressed in court attire, bowed deeply, then his figure seemed to blend into the darkness as he quietly withdrew from the hall.
The vast palace returned to deathly silence and darkness, with only the figure on the bone throne seemingly becoming eternal.
……
The following evening, the setting sun was like blood.
In the small courtyard south of the city, Xue Jin saw the magnificent six-winged falcon of the night once again.
This time, it brought more detailed and even more shocking news.
"The traitor's identity has been confirmed; he is Deacon Zi Hun."
The Dark Night Six-Winged Falcon spoke in a flat, monotone voice.
"Purple Soul?!"
Xue Jin's pupils suddenly contracted, and an expression of disbelief appeared on her face. Zi Hun, one of the twelve deacons of the Obsidian Sanctuary, held a high position and great power, and was himself a top-tier expert in the Cave Heaven Realm! Such a person was actually a traitor? Moreover, he leaked core secrets related to Jiang Xuan to protect a woman?
Xue Jin felt a chill rise from the bottom of his heart, and he found that he could not understand the reason at all.
What astonishing secrets are hidden in Jiang Xuan's background that would make a deacon at the Cave Heaven Realm betray the Obsidian Sanctuary?
His brows were furrowed as he watched the setting sun gradually sink below the horizon, his heart filled with endless confusion and a heavy premonition of an impending storm.
He knew that all he could do was follow instructions and inform Jiang Xuan of the relevant matters; he couldn't interfere with the subsequent decisions. Knowing Jiang Xuan's character, he had a feeling that the young man would not back down after learning the news.
……
Three days passed in a flash.
During these three days, Jiang Xuan was completely unaware of the uproar caused by him. He was even more unaware that a six-winged falcon of darkness had descended upon his courtyard the night before, bringing news that was enough to change the course of his destiny; nor did he know that his mysterious background had already quietly stirred up new undercurrents in the distant Forbidden City.
He devoted all his energy to the upcoming final provincial examination. After three days of sleepless and focused meditation, thanks to his strong physical foundation and pure spiritual energy, the hideous wound on his left shoulder had healed and scabbed over, and the internal injuries caused by Yue Zhiyou's Heavenly Gang Realm spiritual energy had also basically recovered. He was now in peak condition.
What delighted him even more was that the fierce battle against five powerful enemies in the third round served as the best whetstone, allowing his control and comprehension of the [Nine Shaking Heavens Dao] to finally be firmly established at the threshold of "Initial Understanding," and he even faintly touched upon the next realm, "Subtle Understanding"! This undoubtedly brought a significant boost to his actual combat strength.
Early in the morning, Jiang Xuan finished washing up, changed into a clean blue robe, and pushed open the door to go out. When his gaze swept across the corner of the courtyard wall, he was surprised to find Xue Jin looking at him. Her lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she swallowed it back, simply waving her hand to signal him to go quickly.
Jiang Xuan was slightly taken aback by his hesitant expression, and a sense of doubt arose in his heart.
This old drunkard seems a bit off today?
……
When Jiang Xuan arrived at Yanxia Academy again, the huge training ground was already packed with people, the atmosphere more intense and tense than any previous round. Today was the final round of the provincial examination! The top two hundred cultivators selected from the previous three rounds would compete here for the final one hundred spots to pass the provincial examination! The fate of the dragon, the leap to success, rested on this moment!
There was a lot of discussion in the room, with everyone speculating about who would ultimately emerge victorious.
"Needless to say, Jiang Xuan will definitely secure a spot! The only question is where he'll end up in the rankings?"
"I think he has a chance to reach the top! Even Lezhiyou was defeated by him, who else can stop him?"
"That's not necessarily true. Xue Shaolin, Yu Wenjing, and Yun Zitong are no pushovers either; their strength is equally unfathomable!"
"After Le Zhiyou's defeat, I feel that Xue Shaolin and the others are probably in trouble when facing Jiang Xuan..."
"No matter what, today will definitely be a fierce battle!"
Within the assessment area, the remaining two hundred cultivators were all elites among elites, possessing formidable auras and sharp eyes.
Some people closed their eyes and meditated to adjust their state; some talked in hushed tones to exchange information; and some had a deep look in their eyes, seemingly lost in thought.
But in everyone's eyes burned a desire for victory and advancement.
Jiang Xuan stood in the crowd, but seemed somewhat absent-minded. Xue Jin's unusual behavior that morning, like a small knot, remained in his heart, preventing him from concentrating as fully as the others.
"clang--!"
The melodious bells rang again, marking the official start of the final round of assessments!
The rules of the final round were displayed on a giant light screen.
It's very simple: a draw for a duel, one-on-one! The winner will officially pass the provincial examination and gain the qualification to go to the Forbidden City, the capital of the empire, to participate in the national examination! The final ranking will be determined by the important figures on the white jade platform, based on the overall performance of the participants in the four rounds of examinations.
The draw began, and Jiang Xuan pressed his token onto the jade plate. The token flashed, revealing his opponent.
“Yun Jing City, Wang Kang.”
His gaze swept over the area casually, without paying any attention.
However, not far away, a handsome young man dressed in brocade robes was stunned when he saw the name of his opponent. His face turned pale as if he had seen something extremely terrifying, and he couldn't help but scream.
"Jiang...Jiang Xuan?! My opponent is Jiang Xuan?! I'm doomed! I'm doomed!"
His sudden reaction immediately attracted a lot of attention from those around him.
When everyone saw the name displayed on his token and his grief-stricken, almost tearful appearance, they did not laugh at him but instead cast sympathetic glances at him.
"Tsk, it's Wang Kang, the most outstanding member of the Wang family in Yunjing City this generation. He had a good chance of advancing, what a pity..."
"Having run into Jiang Xuan, that jinx, is just bad luck."
"Judging from his appearance, he probably lost half his courage before the fight even started."
Even top geniuses like Xue Shaolin and Yu Wenjing couldn't help but show a subtle hint of relief when they saw that their opponent wasn't Jiang Xuan.
Jiang Xuan's previous performance had put immense pressure on them.
Jiang Xuan was speechless as he looked at his opponent, Wang Kang, who was in a state of panic.
He touched his face and thought to himself.
Am I that scary?
He felt as if he were the crane standing out from the crowd, with everyone around him keeping their distance. However, he quickly regained his composure and did not become complacent because of it.
He knew perfectly well that the Southwest Province was only a corner of the empire; the outside world was much larger, and there were many more powerful individuals. Although his achievements were currently outstanding, his cultivation was still only at the Human Realm, and the road ahead was still very long.
……
The assessment officially began, and the atmosphere in the entire arena was instantly ignited, becoming incredibly exciting! On each arena, the booming sounds of clashing spiritual energy, the crisp sounds of weapons hitting each other, and the thunderous cheers of the audience intertwined into a passionate battle anthem!
The duel between Jiang Xuan and Wang Kang was scheduled for one of the earlier matches.
Stepping onto the arena, the cultivator named Wang Kang seemed to forcibly suppress his fear, his eyes becoming calm and composed, demonstrating remarkable mental fortitude. (End of Chapter)