Chapter 773: Sealing the Cultivation Art
Zhang Yu showed no reaction as he watched Gu Qingya make his solemn pledge.
The Zhang Yu of today was no longer the high school or university student he once was. No matter how extravagantly Gu Qingya spoke, his mind could not be easily swayed.
Seeing Zhang Yu’s unperturbed expression, Gu Qingya understood that the young man was far from convinced.
Gu Qingya recalled his younger self. Back then, when a senior had come to recruit him, he had thought, “Me, avoid your brilliance?”
If he could go back in time now, he would slap that younger self across the face and then kneel before the senior, calling him “Dad.”
Only after enduring repeated setbacks within the sect had he gradually come to accept the inherent shortcomings of Lower Realm natives.
At this thought, Gu Qingya’s enthusiasm suddenly waned. He said casually, “Zhang Yu, with things escalating this far, your promotion is now guaranteed to fail.”
“Especially since you’ve offended Minister Luo, antagonizing the department head. This is a major taboo in the sect, a State of Absolute Disqualification. Your path on the Immortal Dao is now completely severed. Do you understand?”
After saying this, Gu Qingya believed that a clever person would have already knelt down to beg for help. Someone with a sufficiently firm Dao Heart would have even started calling him “Dad” or “Mom.” If they managed to address him by his preferred psychological gender, it would show they had done their homework on him as a leader and had put in some effort.
But the Zhang Yu before him did not kneel. He simply stood there, his expression as still as an ancient well, as if Gu Qingya’s words had nothing to do with him at all.
Seeing Zhang Yu remain silent, Gu Qingya shook his head. “I came to warn you about all this because we both graduated from Myriad Laws University.”
“But seeing you like this, I realize I’ve been meddling.”
Zhang Yu replied, “Thank you for the warning, Senior.”
Gu Qingya added, “Let me give you one more piece of advice: Lower Realm natives… shouldn’t be too arrogant in the sect.”
“You should interact more with your seniors in your daily life.”
“You haven’t visited a single senior since you joined, have you? Otherwise, you wouldn’t be in this situation with no one to help you.”
With that, Gu Qingya waved his hand dismissively. “Alright, I’ve said my piece. You may go.”
As he watched Zhang Yu’s retreating back after a cupped-fist salute, Gu Qingya shook his head and thought, “It seems he’s still unwilling to accept it.”
“Oh well, let him stay as a Level 1 Sect Staff and temper himself for a few more years.”
He thought to himself, “By then, he should finally be truly useful.”
Meanwhile, after Zhang Yu left Gu Qingya’s office, Fu Ji said, “That guy probably wants to recruit us into the University Faction. But he likely wanted to see you, Zhang Yu, submit and proactively seek his help.”
“His current attitude toward you suggests he’s not satisfied.”
Zhang Yu replied in his mind, “Seeking help, submitting… those aren’t the real issues.”
“The problem is, I still don’t fully understand the current situation. I don’t want to make any rash moves until I do.”
“What is the mastermind’s ultimate goal? All this trouble… is it really just to stop me from being promoted to Level 2 Sect Staff?”
The next day, Zhang Yu was summoned by the Investigation Team for another interview.
The first thing they said took him by surprise.
“We’ve invited two cultivators from an Outer Sect to serve as a third party and evaluate the Spirit Refining Art.”
“As per their requirements, we are all individuals who have cultivated the Obsession-Breaking Spirit-Forging Art to Level 40.”
Zhang Yu recalled what they had said yesterday: there were no longer any cultivators in the Myriad Laws Sect who had cultivated the Obsession-Breaking Spirit-Forging Art to Level 40.
He had originally thought that, for this reason, the Investigation Team would be unable to find anyone to testify.
He never expected them to bring in cultivators from other sects…
“Doesn’t that mean…* Zhang Yu thought, *my judgment can be confirmed even before submitting it to the Dao Repository?*
“Your judgment is wrong,” the investigator said. “According to the conclusions reached by the two cultivators we invited, the Spirit Refining Art and the Obsession-Breaking Spirit-Forging Art have no technical overlap and fully meet the requirements for submission to the Dao Repository…”
Hearing this, Zhang Yu’s gaze sharpened. “Impossible. If those two truly cultivated the Obsession-Breaking Spirit-Forging Art to Level 40, how could they fail to notice the connection between the two cultivation arts?”
“Are they really at Level 40? Or were they bribed?”
A series of guesses flashed through Zhang Yu’s mind. The investigator across from him waited patiently, seemingly giving him time to think.
Just then, Immortal Slayer suddenly spoke: “What if those two cultivators aren’t lying? What if they genuinely can’t see the connection between the two cultivation arts?”
Zhang Yu frowned slightly. “What does he mean? How is that possible? As soon as I pushed the cultivation art to Level 40, reversed its operation, and performed some deductions, I immediately saw the problem…”
Immortal Slayer spoke in a way only Zhang Yu could hear: “But you have the Book. You have the Feather Book, and they don’t.”
“Your cultivation art was gained through the Feather Book.”
“That is the difference between you and them.”
Zhang Yu froze for a moment. The Feather Book had reappeared before him.
Gazing at the book that had accompanied him through countless days and nights, Zhang Yu said, “You mean… it was only through cultivating with the Feather Book that I was able to deduce and discern the connection between the two cultivation arts?”
Immortal Slayer suddenly changed the subject. “The Feather Book is something I’ve never seen before. I’ve always been very curious about this book…”
“Lately, as I’ve been reviewing your past experiences, I’ve noticed something strange.”
“Why do you think you were able to comprehend the hidden mysteries of the Crippled Ox Body-Sacrifice Heart Art?”
Zhang Yu replied instinctively, “It was because I fought back under immense pressure. At the First Layer, I achieved a breakthrough under Wang Yin’s oppression…”
Immortal Slayer said, “That’s certainly part of the reason. But could it be… that the Feather Book was also involved? Was it because of the Feather Book that you were able to comprehend the hidden mysteries of the Crippled Ox Body-Sacrifice Heart Art?”
“And was it also because of the Feather Book that you were able to discern the connection between the Spirit Refining Art and the Obsession-Breaking Spirit-Forging Art?”
Zhang Yu stared silently at the Feather Book before him. Scenes of his cultivation flashed through his mind once more, the insights that had appeared each time he leveled up his cultivation art.
“Could it be… that the Feather Book granted me insights beyond the contents of the manuals whenever I broke through?”
Zhang Yu couldn’t be certain, but at that moment, the Feather Book seemed even more mysterious than ever.
At the same time, a major question arose in his mind: “What will the Dao Repository’s judgment be?”
“Will it, like the Feather Book, deem it plagiarism of the Obsession-Breaking Spirit-Forging Art?”
“Or will its judgment align with everyone else’s?”
By now, Zhang Yu no longer felt absolutely, one hundred percent certain.
Just then, a member of the Investigation Team asked, “Zhang Yu, do you have anything else to say?”
After a moment of silence, Zhang Yu shook his head. “I have nothing more to say.”
The Investigation Team member continued, “After our confirmation, the Spirit Refining Art meets the submission criteria. It will be uploaded to the Dao Repository this afternoon.”
“Once it’s successfully uploaded, there will be no turning back for you.”
“Are you sure you want to stick to your original judgment?”
“If you’re willing to admit your mistake now…”
Seeing Zhang Yu remain silent, the Investigation Team members shook their heads and left one by one.
“So Zhang Yu is still sticking to his judgment?” Xiao Zhi chuckled. “Stubborn enough. He won’t shed a tear until he sees the coffin.”
“How can someone with such a stubborn refusal to admit fault possibly handle review tasks?”
Xiao Zhi shook his head and sighed. “Poor skill, terrible attitude, and a detrimental influence. I don’t think Zhang Yu is suited for the Review Department at all.”
“I’ll report this to my superiors and recommend that Zhang Yu be transferred from his current position.”
As the saying goes, “kick a man while he’s down.” Besides recommending Zhang Yu’s transfer, Xiao Zhi also planned to thoroughly publicize Zhang Yu’s stubborn refusal to admit fault, firmly branding him with this label.
This way, whenever anyone mentioned Zhang Yu in the future, they would immediately recall this fixed impression.
“Zhang Yu?”
“You mean that guy the Investigation Team questioned twice? The one with conclusive evidence against him, who caused a major scandal within the sect, and still stubbornly refused to admit his mistake.”
Combined with the impact of this incident, Xiao Zhi believed no leader would ever consider promoting Zhang Yu again. Even if Zhang Yu wasn’t transferred out of the Review Department, he would never rise through the ranks for decades.
Only by grinding Zhang Yu into the mud could Xiao Zhi eliminate his own sense of crisis.
“Like getting a free performance boost? Making us work hard to help you get promoted?”
He thought inwardly, “Then go ahead and boost your performance as a Level 1 Sect Staff.”
Several hours later, Xiao Zhi and the other members of the Deliberation Group arrived at the Dao Seeking Hall, preparing to upload the Spirit Refining Art to the Dao Repository.
But just after the upload was complete, as Xiao Zhi looked at the feedback that appeared from the Dao Repository, he froze for a moment, his expression shifting to one of utter surprise.
“According to the Dao Repository’s assessment… the Spirit Refining Art is the Obsession-Breaking Spirit-Forging Art? How is that possible?”
Xiao Zhi’s heart jolted. “Doesn’t this mean… we were wrong? And Zhang Yu was the only one who was right?!”
Meanwhile, the Dao Repository’s feedback hadn’t stopped. A series of warnings, formed by crimson characters, materialized before everyone’s eyes.
Xiao Zhi’s gaze tightened. He thought inwardly, “So this is the result?”
Chu Wangji, who was busy working, noticed a notification flashing in his group chat.
When he opened it, he discovered that the Edict Pavilion had just released a public announcement regarding the Spirit Refining Art incident.
“Is it because this incident caused such a significant public outcry that they have to make a public announcement?”
“Sigh, Zhang Yu is probably…”
Just as Chu Wangji assumed the worst for Zhang Yu, he froze on the spot after reading the investigation’s conclusion.
“Spirit Refining Art suspected of plagiarism?” Chu Wangji thought in astonishment. “Zhang Yu’s judgment was correct. Xiao Zhi, the Investigation Team… even Minister Luo’s judgment was wrong?”
At that moment, Chu Wangji felt utterly shocked.
Meanwhile, Wen Zhiwei sighed in the group chat, “Who would have thought that when it came to the Spirit Refining Art, everyone’s judgment would lose to Zhang Yu’s. His ability to assess martial dao techniques is probably already at the highest level in the Review Department.”
In another office, Group Leader Qu Yizhi also saw the announcement.
Staring at the result he never could have anticipated, Qu Yizhi thought inwardly, “This actually worked? Zhang Yu really managed to overturn it?”
In the Martial Dao Group One office, Shen Qingyun approached her group leader and asked in astonishment, “Group Leader, did the Spirit Refining Art really plagiarize the Obsession-Breaking Spirit-Forging Art? Was Zhang Yu’s judgment correct?”
“How did he do it?”
Xiao Zhi frowned at her words and then sighed. “I don’t know how he did it. Theoretically… he shouldn’t have been able to.”
“The department will issue an internal notice with the specific details later. You’ll understand then.”
At the same time, Gu Qingya raised an eyebrow as he read the announcement, surprised. “He was actually right?”
Elsewhere, Ye Xingli exclaimed joyfully, “Junior Brother, you’re safe now! You can be promoted to the 2nd Rank again!”
Zhang Yu stared at the announcement, thinking, “So it wasn’t aimed at me? Was I just caught in the crossfire? Or perhaps…”
Just as Zhang Yu was pondering this, an internal notice was sent to every reviewer in Martial Dao Groups One, Two, and Three.
Unlike the previous public announcement, this internal notice could only be viewed by group members.
Reading its contents, Zhang Yu thought, “The Spirit Refining Art was rejected, and the public reason is plagiarism. The real internal reason… is because it involves a black art?”
“It’s because of a black art? But if it involves a black art, why can the Obsession-Breaking Spirit-Forging Art, which shares the same origin, be openly available?”
Just then, Immortal Slayer explained, “It’s likely because the version of the Obsession-Breaking Spirit-Forging Art in the database is a degraded version, not the true original black art.”
“It’s like how the censored version of the Crippled Ox Body-Sacrifice Heart Art is allowed to exist.”
“The Spirit Refining Art might be the work that truly inherited the principles of the original black art.”
Zhang Yu nodded and said, “So it’s not that the Spirit Refining Art is a Reverse Operation of the Obsession-Breaking Spirit-Forging Art, but that the Obsession-Breaking Spirit-Forging Art is a Reverse Operation of the original black art?”
Immortal Slayer replied, “Indeed… I suspect the original name of that black art might have been the Obsession-Breaking Spirit-Forging Art. The Feather Book’s judgment didn’t classify the Spirit Refining Art under the censored version of the Obsession-Breaking Spirit-Forging Art in the database, but under the original black art version of the Obsession-Breaking Spirit-Forging Art.”
“The Dao Repository likely reached a similar conclusion, which is why it deemed the Spirit Refining Art to involve a black art.”
Listening to Immortal Slayer’s speculation, Zhang Yu felt the immense power of the Feather Book. This entity, manifested from his own potential, seemed far more profound than he had initially judged.
Looking at the final sealing order in the internal notice, Zhang Yu thought, “Black arts… even the Edict Pavilion Review Department isn’t qualified to view them.”
Zhang Yu knew that because they lacked the authority to view black arts, these techniques were like a black box to the Review Department’s reviewers. They could only discover the truth at the moment of submission to the Dao Repository.
Immortal Slayer continued his analysis, saying, “In that case, it seems the Feather Book and the Dao Repository reached the same conclusion. It was indeed because of the Feather Book’s enhancement that you were able to comprehend the connection between these two cultivation arts after practicing them.”
Zhang Yu said, “If… the person behind submitting this cultivation art for review knew it would ultimately be sealed for being a black art, then why would they do it?”
Immortal Slayer replied, “The target wasn’t you; you were just caught in the crossfire. No… you were likely a decoy. The real target…”
Just then, Ye Xingli forwarded news from the Dharma Realm to Zhang Yu.
“Junior Brother, something happened at the laboratory that developed the Spirit Refining Art!”
Zhang Yu looked at the streams of information and videos appearing before him in the Dharma Realm. He saw pillars of Thunderfire erupting into the sky. A fierce battle had broken out within, only to end in an instant.
Zhang Yu exclaimed in surprise, “The laboratory was sealed, and the cultivators inside resisted with force, only to be completely suppressed?”
Immortal Slayer said, “This has escalated. I’m afraid the entire laboratory was just a sacrificial pawn. They probably didn’t even know the cultivation art they developed was related to a black art.”
Meanwhile, Zhang Yu scanned the various news feeds in the Dharma Realm, finding a flood of reports about the Spirit Refining Art and the laboratory.
He even saw numerous leaks about the black art sealing.
“Laboratory with Tens of Millions in Investment Leveled After Clashing with a Black Art.”
“Lifetime Assets Wiped Out — When Will Cultivation Art Sealing End?”
“Cultivation Art Sealing Must Have Clear Boundaries…”
Watching the surging tide of public opinion, Zhang Yu felt more and more that this entire incident was far from simple.
He thought to himself, “This is all for…”
Immortal Slayer said, “It’s targeting the sealing of cultivation arts, specifically black arts.”
Zhang Yu asked, “Could someone be trying to build momentum to unseal black arts?”
Immortal Slayer replied, “No. Perhaps it’s just to prevent further cultivation art sealing, to halt the spread of a certain Dao Lineage…”
He seemed to recall something and spoke slowly, “The cultivators of the Edict Pavilion lineage, and even the Immortals above them, have always advocated for stricter control over cultivation arts.”
Zhang Yu said, “Stricter control over cultivation arts?”
Immortal Slayer explained, “Correct. The ultimate goal of this Dao Lineage is to control all cultivation arts in the world. With a single sealing edict, they could erase any art from existence.”
“With just one command, they could render the cultivation art you’ve painstakingly practiced for years completely ineffective.”
“This Dao Lineage is known as ‘Law Adjudication.’ Historically, most of the laws established by Void Refinement Cultivators who ascended through the Edict Pavilion were designed to support this lineage.”
Zhang Yu nodded, thinking to himself that if this Dao Lineage ultimately succeeded, the cultivators in Kunxu would find it even harder to rise up.
Immortal Slayer continued, “This year’s assessment just ended. By rights, Luo Wuji should be heading to the Fifteenth Layer to break through to the Void Refinement Realm and establish a new law.”
“This incident was likely orchestrated to prevent him from establishing that law.”
“So that’s it. Was I the target?”
Watching the video of the conflict, the ruins of the development zone, and the public outcry spreading across Layers 11 to 20, Luo Wuji sighed. “Zhang Yu was just a smokescreen.”
“I knew it. Why would they go to such lengths for a mere Level 1 Sect Staff?”
At the same time, Luo Wuji focused on his Sea of Consciousness. He saw streams of divine light converging, countless runes intertwining at a single point, gestating something.
If one looked deeper, they could faintly make out the words “Secondary Black Art Technology Sealing…”
What was gestating within was precisely the law he intended to establish after breaking through to the Void Refinement Realm.
Once successful, all Immortal Dao Technologies derived or degraded from black arts could be sealed for a specific duration and within a certain scope.
Luo Wuji knew that for years, the faction he belonged to had been gradually expanding the scope of cultivation art sealing, step by step, to support and extend the authority of their Dao Lineage.
To break through to the Void Refinement Realm, besides one’s own abilities, talent, achievements, and track record, the most crucial factor was the choice of law.
Only a law that aligned with the Dao Lineage, could be integrated into it, and could support it would earn the favor of superiors and grant the opportunity to break through to the Void Refinement Realm.
“Only by leveraging the advantages of Immortal Dao Technology to establish a law and support the Dao Lineage can one gradually approach the realm of monopolizing a certain authority of the Heavenly Dao, becoming an Enlightened True Immortal who has leaped beyond the Three Loans, is not bound by the Five Insurances, and is unemployed yet without flaws.”
Luo Wuji sighed at this thought. He could feel the law gestating in his Sea of Consciousness shrinking, as if suppressed by an invisible force amidst the raging public opinion.
“Even if I obtain the Void Refinement Certificate and break through to the Void Refinement Realm now… I probably won’t be able to establish this law for several years.”
Luo Wuji understood that being temporarily unable to establish this law made him a temporary waste to the Law Adjudication faction.
The original Deputy Ministers had now become new candidates, ready to replace him as head of the Review Department and establish a new law next year.
The names of the Deputy Ministers flashed through Luo Wuji’s mind, finally settling on one.
“Lu Hengzhang…” Luo Wuji thought grimly. “Besides me, he is the most likely person to take charge of the Review Department, break through to Void Refinement, and establish a law.”
Meanwhile, in Zhang Yu’s dormitory.
He had just received news from the Investigation Team. The investigation against him had concluded, and his previously frozen promotion process had resumed.
Zhang Yu would become a Level 2 Sect Staff in a few days.
But at this moment, Zhang Yu wasn’t concerned with that. He was silently studying a report.
Meanwhile, within the aura surrounding him, beast-like shadows flickered in and out of existence, emitting thunderous roars that shook the air.
These were Zhang Yu’s Monsterfolk Clones, using Formless Martial Art to simulate cultivation techniques and evaluate certain review projects.
Fu Ji sighed in Zhang Yu’s mind, “Thinking about it now, it makes sense. Lu Hengzhang is the Deputy Minister in charge of the Martial Dao. If he wanted to deal with us, he wouldn’t have caused such a huge scandal that would splatter him with mud too.”
Immortal Slayer replied, “So it was never about targeting Zhang Yu. It was about cornering Luo Wuji.”
“The times have changed. Any law Luo Wuji tries to establish related to sealing cultivation arts will inevitably be blocked.”
“The higher-ups won’t wait for him forever.”
“He’ll probably be replaced before long.”
Fu Ji said, “If the Martial Dao Group’s performance continues to grow, does that mean Lu Hengzhang has a good chance of becoming Minister? Wouldn’t that mean he used us too?”
Immortal Slayer responded, “It’s hard to say. But if Lu Hengzhang is truly involved, this likely involves the Edict Pavilion’s internal power struggles.”
Fu Ji said to Zhang Yu, “What should we do, Zhang Yu? If Lu Hengzhang becomes the Minister of the Review Department, our lives will be tough.”
At this moment, Zhang Yu was still staring at the reports before him, no longer just one, but dozens, even hundreds of them.
As he observed each report, the beast-like shadows flickering within his Gang Qi grew more intense. The explosive bursts of airflow around him sounded like continuous thunderclaps, crackling and booming around him.
Still focused on the reports, Zhang Yu slowly replied, “A long time ago, I heard a saying: ‘People can’t invent what they haven’t seen.’”
Fu Ji asked, puzzled, “What does that mean?”
Immortal Slayer’s eyes lit up. “I remember you saying that. When people frame others, they subconsciously accuse them of things they’ve done themselves.”
“They always assume that the secret things they’ve done, others must have done secretly too…”
Watching the two communicate so effortlessly, Fu Ji thought to herself, “Damn it, these two are so in sync. They understand each other instantly. I can’t even keep up with their wavelength.”
Zhang Yu nodded as Immortal Slayer spoke. “That’s why I specifically looked into Group One’s review reports today.”
“And sure enough, I found some problems.”