Void Realm, Taixu City
At this moment, Zhang Jian’s Yin Spirit Realm had already stepped into the grand Divine City.
Taixu City corresponds to the Second Tribulation of the Yin Spirit Realm, Void Entwined Heart, a tribulation also originating from the Nine Netherworld Underworld.
After reclaiming the Soul Imprint, the Yin Spirit becomes complete, but it will also be entangled by the obsessions of past lives deep within the Soul Imprint and, under the urging of Tribulation Qi, it can pollute one’s Dao Heart and Yin Spirit, triggering the Nine Nether Heart-Burning Tribulation.
However, this tribulation also could not trouble Zhang Jian.
He cultivates the Vast Righteous Qi, not solely relying on the Seven-Orifice Exquisite Heart but rather filling with knowledge, taking the path of insight into the essence of the world.
Within the vast sea of classics, he not only comprehended numerous Daoist Techniques, but his Dao Heart also became tempered to an incredible tenacity.
After stepping into Taixu City, Zhang Jian proactively triggered the Nine Nether Heart-Burning Tribulation.
It was the third time Zhang Jian witnessed the special phantom of the Nine Nether Reincarnation Grinding Disc descending. Among its six compartments, the third compartment was opened, and a wisp of intangible dark radiance flowed like a torrent, connecting at a particular layer, merging into the deepest essence of the Yin Spirit from the Soul Imprint, invoking all kinds of memories from past lives within the Soul Imprint.
There was also a layer of Celestial Demon Qi-like power penetrating the Yin Spirit, attempting to manipulate the Yin Spirit, generate various Heart Demons, and split the Yin Spirit into numerous individual entities.
However, at this moment, Zhang Jian’s Yin Spirit shimmered as if it were encrusted with diamonds; the Nine Nether Heart-Burning Flame couldn’t take effect, and Zhang Jian instead treated the emerging scenes as an Illusion Realm.
For instance, he saw in one lifetime, he was a beggar, crawling in the cold wind, begging, and was bullied by malicious beggars around him, eventually freezing to death in the cold wind.
In another lifetime, he was a snake catcher, traversing deep mountains, and one day "encountered" a large beast in the mountain and died unexpectedly.
There were also times of good fortune, becoming a local official, serving with integrity; while not wielding power over the court, he still lived peacefully and joyously, surrounded by children and grandchildren, bringing a hasty life to a close.
Some lifetimes also encountered opportunities for cultivation, transforming either into a monster or becoming a member of a Heterodox Sect.
And there were those who were High Cultivators of the Daoist Sect!
Many past-life Resentful Fiends were born from these individuals.
But moments later, they all transformed into illusionary bubbles, merging deep into Zhang Jian’s Yin Spirit.
Various obsessions were eliminated, as if they metamorphosed into a special form of feedback, allowing Zhang Jian’s Yin Spirit Origin to grow slightly.
Moreover, having been tempered by the Nine Nether Heart-Burning Tribulation, Zhang Jian felt the texture of his Yin Spirit subtly change, as if having rid itself of part of the disruption from the Nine Nether Reincarnation Disc, completely severing the residual toxicity of reincarnation.
In the future, even if he cannot achieve the Dao, with such a Yin Spirit reincarnating, embarking upon cultivation once more would be much smoother.
Simultaneously, as these memories of past lives dissipated, Zhang Jian naturally comprehended a Divine Technique, which he named Yin Spirit Size at Will.
It can alter the size of the Yin Spirit!
This kind of Divine Technique is better than nothing.
Having smoothly passed the Second Tribulation, Zhang Jian did not continue to challenge the Third Tribulation of the Yin Spirit, Monkey Mind.
In fact, his pace of crossing tribulations was extremely fast.
Two tribulations in a year; if this were to spread, it would surely astonish many cultivators.
Ordinary Yin Spirit Venerables treat each major tribulation of the Yin Spirit with the utmost caution, often honing themselves for a century or even several centuries.
Even those with exceptional talent require decades of accumulation, repeatedly venturing and testing the strength of the Void Realm tribulation before completing this process.
...
On the Observatory Platform, not long after Zhang Jian passed the Void Entwined Heart, he met Jingming Daoist after over a dozen days, only to find Jingming Daoist in a startling condition.
"State Preceptor, what has happened to you...?"
Zhang Jian’s gaze rested on Jingming Daoist. The Jingming Daoist before him was emaciated, withered, and clearly suffering from severe Essence Blood loss, evident even to an average cultivator.
"Surviving is already a stroke of luck!"
There was a touch of post-tribulation survival in Jingming Daoist’s expression, his eyes somewhat clouded, and mentioning his journey seemed to cast a shadow over him.
This time, he had gone to the Northern Land and encountered Hei Xue Daoist of the Blood Evil Sect, who, though not a Primordial Spirit Master, unleashed the remnants of the Blood Evil Sect’s foundation, enticing him into an Underground Palace. Various magics were applied, burning and refining him. Fortunately, he was equipped with sufficient Dharma Artifacts, sustaining him until Huang He Daoist arrived, else he might not have escaped.
Even though he escaped, his foundations had sustained significant damage.
Zhang Jian also noticed that something was wrong with Jingming Daoist but it had little to do with him.
"Now that the State Preceptor has returned, the Treasure Land is yours once again! Consider me honorably retired!"
At this moment, Zhang Jian’s expression was calm.
The Observatory Platform is a Treasure Land for any cultivator, but for him, any place with books is a cultivation Treasure Land.
Hearing this, Jingming Daoist nodded and said, "Jingming thanks the Dong Shen Temple on behalf of you, sir!"
"It’s no problem!"
Zhang Jian smiled slightly; Jingming Daoist had compensated him beforehand, and now he was returning the place intact, beginning and concluding appropriately.
...
Upon leaving the Observatory Platform, Zhang Jian immediately returned to the Sports and Arts College the next day, reporting back to Dean Huang Liangzhong to complete his reappointment.
Huang Liangzhong had already received the news, and this Dean Huang greeted him with a broad smile, greatly welcoming Zhang Jian’s return.
Without Zhang Jian, the compilation of the Daqian Complete Book, which he presided over, had significantly slowed.
Seeing the compilation progress drop, Huang Liangzhong witnessed this with his eyes and felt urgency in his heart.
Huang Liangzhong was not an official devoid of ambition; he was still young, not yet at the age of knowing destiny. If the compilation progress slowed, it meant he would waste the most valuable decade of his life on this cumbersome compilation project.
The Sports and Arts College, although noble, constantly requires cautious service to Emperor Jingwu, dealing with various high-ranking officials, inevitably enduring some grievance.
He hopes to complete his endeavors soon, receiving rich rewards from the Emperor, at which point he could have time to pursue his ambitions.
This requires a capable assistant like Zhang Jian to complete this great task ahead of schedule!
...
Deep within the Imperial Palace, Zhang Jian stepped out of the South Study, his gaze sweeping in the direction of the North Study and the East Study.
He had already visited the North Study several times, which mostly housed some ordinary Martial Dao Techniques and a few classic manuscripts, but Zhang Jian found they did not greatly aid him.
However, it was said that the East Study contained the Royal Scripture Repository, with its collection of classics whose preciousness far surpassed those in the south and north large libraries.
This intrigued Zhang Jian as well.
However, since the East Study was located in a crucial area of the palace, Zhang Jian had kept a low profile before, and although he had obtained authorization tokens, he hadn’t ventured into it.
But by now, he no longer cared about such things.
With a stride, he passed through multiple sentry posts of the Imperial Guard, stepping right into the palace harem.
This area of the Palace of the Imperial Harem was evidently more filled with a feminine fragrance compared to the Sports and Arts College side. From afar, Zhang Jian could see lines of dazzling palace maids.
These palace maids seemed to have rarely seen officials entering the harem, each with an expression of astonishment.
As if they had discovered some new and strange creature!