After a moment of contemplation, Li Yanchu finally chose his next spell: Flame-Sitting Art! While enhanced talismans offered faster effects, he was currently preparing only for potential emergency scenarios. And no matter how much merit points he had stored, it wasn’t something to be spent lightly. With that in mind, learning the spell itself offered far better value. “Flame-Sitting Art” was a technique for resisting and controlling fire. It allowed one to enter flames unharmed. Not just ordinary flames, even ghostly fire, demonic fire, or yin fire could be avoided. This wasn’t some street-performer trick or a low-grade spell of a wandering Daoist, it was a genuine minor divine technique. Moreover, cultivating Flame-Sitting Art enhanced one’s comprehension of fire-based Daoist methods, leading to a deeper understanding across all fire-related arts. Take Li Yanchu’s current internal force, Six Yang Force, a power of pure yang and fire. When activated in battle, it produced high heat and even flames. This was known as “yang fire”, a phenomenon that occurred when the yang qi in a mortal’s body reached an extraordinary level. Yang fire could dispel ghosts, destroy evil spirits, and, being rooted in blood and qi, was immensely powerful. If Li Yanchu mastered the Flame-Sitting Art technique, it would greatly enhance his own yang fire, further amplifying his combat strength. This was precisely why he valued this particular divine technique. Ordinary cultivators would need a long time to comprehend a spell , and even then, achieving anything meaningful was difficult. But Li Yanchu was different. He mastered the technique in just half a day. Yup... something’s off. This is what happens when your skill learning and comprehension stats are maxed out, Li Yanchu mused internally. And that thought genuinely delighted him! No matter how difficult the Daoist technique, once it landed in his hands, it wouldn’t take long before he had mastered it. If he ever combined this with a top-tier cultivation talent, then he really would be unstoppable. The spirit qi within his body wasn’t particularly abundant. After stepping into the second realm, the growth rate of qi in his dantian was only about average compared to other Daoist disciples. However, since the second realm involved astral projection, his spiritual soul was actually stronger than most rudimentary second-realm cultivators. This was thanks to treasures like the Spirit Officer Summoning Talisman and the talismanic armor, which constantly nourished and strengthened his soul. In the days that followed, Li Yanchu spent each day at Qingyun Temple, studying and comprehending divine arts like Flame-Sitting Art and Sun Veil. At night, he would use the Qi Sight to scan for demonic or yin qi. But over these past few days, he didn’t find any Bare Body Sect remnants or other evil monks or demon cultivators. He did catch three or four thieves committing burglary, though. He made a trip to Wangjiang Pavilion in the deep of night, but the Celestial Master from Mount Longhu was no longer present. The watchful, hidden gazes from the shadows had vanished as well. Everything seemed unusually calm. But Li Yanchu could feel it, that stillness, like the quiet before a storm. The more terrifying the storm to come, the more eerily calm the air became. As Li Yanchu was cultivating the Sun Veil within Qingyun Temple, he suddenly heard a series of urgent knocks at the door. “Daoist Master Li! Daoist Master Li! Are you inside?!” Li Yanchu rose and went to open the door. It was Head Constable Wang’s voice. When he pushed open the door, he saw the weathered and windworn Head Constable Wang, his face anxious. “Something’s happened, Daoist Master Li! Come with me to the yamen, we'll talk on the way.” Li Yanchu was slightly taken aback but nodded in reply. The two of them walked side by side, and Head Constable Wang lowered his voice and said, “The Baxia stone statue by Wangjiang Pavilion is gone!” Gone? Li Yanchu was slightly stunned. Who would steal something as massive as that statue? Head Constable Wang continued, “A high official from the capital arrived at the yamen. He said this matter concerns the life and death of the people of Wei City, and asked me to invite you to come speak in detail.” A high official from the capital... Li Yanchu nodded, though doubt crept into his heart. How could the disappearance of the Baxia statue affect the life and death of the people of Wei City? When the two arrived at the rear hall of the county yamen, Head Constable Wang did not enter, but remained outside to stand guard with several saber-wielding officers. The guards stood like wolves and tigers, and they were stern and alert. Inside the rear hall, Magistrate Xu was not present. When Li Yanchu pushed open the door and entered, he saw only one man inside: a young man wearing the uniform of a military official. The youth’s aura was sharp and commanding, which was far beyond anything common martial artists could compare to. His shoulders were broad, and his waist was narrow; his build exuded a sense of restrained, explosive power. The young officer smiled as he spoke, “You must be Daoist Master Li Yanchu, I’ve heard much about you.” Li Yanchu returned the gesture, cupping his fists in greeting. “I’m Chen Yang, from the Court of Judicial Review in the capital. I’ve come under orders to investigate matters concerning the Bare Body Sect. I arrived in Wei City some time ago, but unfortunately never had the chance to meet you until now.” Court of Judicial Review! In the Kingdom of Qian, the Ministry of Justice, Court of Judicial Review[1], and the Censorate were collectively known as the Three Judicial Offices, the nation’s highest authorities on law and judgment. However, Li Yanchu wasn’t certain if the Court of Judicial Review in the Kingdom of Qian operated like those found in more traditional dynasties, purely as a judicial institution. Chapters first released on novel~fire~net “Lord Chen, you invited me here... is this about the disappearance of the Baxia statue?” Li Yanchu asked directly. “Correct!” Chen Yang nodded. “The Baxia stone statue originated from the Blissful Land that is soon to emerge near Wei City. Word has spread, and now extraordinary individuals from across the land are pouring into the city. It appears that the Baxia statue retreated on its own into the deep mountains, right when the Celestial Master from Mount Longhu was confronting the forces of evil. “That Celestial Master has already pursued it into the mountains. Several other top experts have also entered the area to search for the statue. “Before going, the Master left me a message: If anything goes wrong, seek out Daoist Master Li Yanchu for assistance. So, Daoist Master Li,would you be willing to venture into the mountains and investigate?” Chen Yang spoke with formality. Li Yanchu couldn’t help but glance at him. He was a Court of Judicial Review officer, yet he was so familiar with the affairs of Blissful Lands and the supernatural? Could this Lord Chen be a cultivator himself? “I shall not refuse a righteous cause,” Li Yanchu replied solemnly. The young official from the Court of Judicial Review immediately smiled. “Daoist Master Li, your sense of duty is admirable. After this is over, I will report your merit to the court and ensure your efforts are properly rewarded.” “Thank you, Lord Chen.” Chen Yang then handed Li Yanchu a jade pendant. “The Celestial Master asked me to give this to you. It carries his aura.” Li Yanchu took the jade pendant. The texture was smooth and cool, yet it radiated a vast, ancient energy. Upon close inspection, he noticed a faint purple qi swirling on its surface; it was clearly not an ordinary item. So the Celestial Master even knew about his expertise in the Art of Pursuit... Li Yanchu's interest in this reclusive master, whom he'd only glimpsed once, grew stronger. “The Celestial Master said this Clearheart Jade Pendant is a gift for you, see it as a small token from a senior of the Dao,” Chen Yang said with a faint smile “Then I truly must thank the Celestial Master,” Li Yanchu said. What a considerate man! After leaving the back hall, Li Yanchu turned and quietly activated his Qi Sight, casting a glance at Chen Yang within the room. Azure qi swirled around him, which was a sign that he too was a cultivator. But what surprised Li Yanchu more was the faint trace of golden qi hidden within that aura. “A member of the royal family?” Li Yanchu was caught off guard. That kind of golden qi wasn’t something ordinary people could possess, and it symbolized an exceptionally noble fate and a destiny steeped in power and prestige. He couldn’t help but study this Court of Judicial Review officer a bit more carefully. Are all officials from the capital this impressive? Even a seemingly random martial officer... turned out to be royalty. 1. Dalisi was the central government's judicial body in ancient China responsible for handling criminal cases. It was also known as the Jisi because interrogations of criminals often took place under thorn trees. ☜