Chapter 1303: Sealed
Chapter 1302: Sealed
“Fake, right…”
“Who is he, for so many elders to sign for him?”
“And the key point is, the handwriting’s wrong too. When elders sign, which one of them isn’t wild and flamboyant? The messier, the more unrestrained, the more personality, the better. Signing this neatly—what, afraid people won’t recognize it?”
“This could be a signature of our Great Void Sect’s elder?”
The two administrators shook their heads. But as they kept flipping through it, something began to feel off.
“Wait… not just elders? This is…” The two exchanged glances. “The Sect Master signed too?”
True-Person Zhuge let out a sigh. “Keep looking…”
They flipped further. Their expressions changed instantly, this time they truly sucked in a cold breath.
“The Ancestor’s title is here too?!!”
“What colossal nerve!!”
“Elders might be one thing, but daring to fake the Sect Master’s signature? And even forging the Ancestor’s signature? This is beyond reckless! This kid’s guts, utterly heaven-defying…”
True-Person Zhuge shook his head. “Look more carefully. It’s not just one sect’s Ancestor.”
“The Ancestors of Tai’a and Chongxu Sect signed as well…”
“And even earlier—there are quite a few Tai’a and Chongxu Sect Masters and elders mixed in…”
“Hiss…” The Heavenly Pivot Pavilion administrator frowned. “Is this a three-sect Jade Certificate? But this isn’t a Great Void Sect Jade Certificate…”
The Heavenly Authority Pavilion administrator sighed. “Have you been busy to the point of confusion? The three sects merged. Over a hundred years ago, when we graduated, each sect still counted separately. But about ten years ago, Great Void (Taixu), Tai’a, and Chongxu merged. Now they’re the number-one great sect of Qianxue.”
The Heavenly Authority oversaw the systems and rankings of clans and sects, so he paid closer attention to such matters.
“Oh…” The Heavenly Pivot Pavilion administrator nodded, somewhat emotional. “I haven’t been back to Great Void Sect in a long time… feels a bit unfamiliar.”
Sect cultivation, Foundation Establishment grand competitions, those were basically things from their “childhood.”
They had graduated long ago, each busy with their own cultivation and pavilion affairs—seeking Core Formation, seeking Feathered Ascension, vying for administrator positions—mentally and physically exhausted.
Naturally, they’d grown distant from past sect matters.
What’s more, the cultivation world’s Nine Provinces were vast, with people and events as numerous as the sea. The Seven Pavilions managed affairs across the realm; stationed in the pavilions, each was responsible for different provincial intelligence. Matters of Qian Province weren’t even under their jurisdiction.
The Heavenly Pivot Pavilion administrator pondered, then suddenly realized:
“Put that way… doesn’t that mean I now count as a disciple of the number-one great sect of Qianxue too?!”
Back then, even trying to enter one of the Four Great Sects had been a stretch for him.
Now, in the blink of an eye, his sect background was actually ranked above the Four Great Sects?
Back then, Tai’a Sect and Chongxu Sect had only been considered “friendly sects.” Now they could truly be discussed as “fellow disciples”?
The changes of the world and of people—honestly so delightful it was a bit bewildering.
The Heavenly Authority Pavilion administrator shot him a look. “At least pay some attention to your own sect. I remember mentioning this to you before.”
The Heavenly Pivot Pavilion administrator waved his hand. “Too busy. You mention too many things in passing, I subconsciously filter you out sometimes.”
The Heavenly Authority Pavilion administrator’s face darkened.
Then the Heavenly Pivot Pavilion administrator frowned, pondering.
“So if that’s the case… this kid isn’t a complete ‘outsider’? He at least knows about the three-sect merger. He even knows the elders’ names, the Sect Masters’ names, and even the Ancestors’ titles? Where did he get all this? That’s not right…”
“Yeah… something’s not right.”
“Then is there a possibility… that this Jade Certificate is real?”
All three froze.
If it really were real…
That would be a bit…
Terrifying…
After staring blankly for a while, all three couldn’t help but laugh.
“Don’t joke…”
“It’s not like we’ve never been sect disciples before. Are we that ignorant? What sect’s Jade Certificate looks like this?”
“What sect’s Jade Certificate has this many signatures?”
“How many elders signed yours?”
“Six… What about yours?”
“Seven…”
The two administrators looked at True-Person Zhuge.
Zhuge suddenly felt a bit awkward inside. “I have none…”
The two administrators immediately began chattering.
“Back then, during cultivation, you were way too lazy, skipping classes all the time. The elders didn’t like you…”
“But your family background was good, your talent high, and you carried the surname ‘Zhuge.’ No elder really dared to discipline you…”
“Only Old Master Xun didn’t indulge you—when it was time to scold, he scolded; when it was time to punish, he punished…”
“But he was both an Ancestor and an instructor—serious and meticulous, with endless responsibilities. Managing the sect’s grand picture and teaching formations—how could he watch you every day? Most of the time, he could only lament wasted potential and let you muddle along…”
“So it was right not to give you a Jade Certificate…”
“No one signing for you isn’t the elders’ fault at all…”
“And besides, you’re from the Zhuge Clan. Whether you had a Jade Certificate or not didn’t really matter…”
“Indeed…”
“Indeed…”
“But… speaking of which, graduating without even managing to get a sect Jade Certificate, that really is a bit…”
“Indeed…”
True Person Zhuge kept a straight face and tapped the table. “That’s enough. I’m Feathered Ascension now—a True-Person. Show some respect…”
“Yes, True-Person Zhuge…”
“Our apologies…”
The two replied calmly.
True-Person Zhuge was at the Feathered Ascension realm, a Consecrator of the Imperial Celestial Bureau.
The two of them were peak Golden Core, administrators of the Seven Pavilions.
In terms of realm, family background, or position, there was quite a gap.
But when they were first enlightened, they had studied and cultivated together at Great Void Sect.
Often, it was those childhood years—carefree, clueless—that forged the most precious bonds.
As time passed and cultivation rose, the people they met held higher status and realms, but interests intertwined, schemes multiplied, and genuine sincerity grew rare.
Moreover, the path of cultivation was long. At the very end, fame and profit faded, kinship thinned, and one had to face solitude alone. To have one or two “Daoist Friends” who didn’t care about status, who could sit down and drink tea and discuss the Dao—that was what truly became priceless.
Though the three differed in realm, because of shared sect ties, they treated each other as peers, with few worldly formalities.
Often, True-Person Zhuge was the one being disliked.
Because he was too idle.
Those serving as administrators were swamped every day, overwhelmed and exhausted. The last thing they liked seeing was someone this free, wandering around.
“I told you… with so many elder signatures, how could this Jade Certificate possibly be real…”
“This isn’t a Jade Certificate—it’s clearly a sect elder roster…”
“Don’t forget, it’s not just the elders. The Sect Masters and Ancestors are there too. It’s basically equivalent to a ‘sect genealogy’…”
“Way too absurd…”
“Yeah…”
As they chatted, something crossed their minds. Suddenly, all three fell silent again.
After a long pause, the Heavenly Authority Pavilion administrator said slowly, “It still… feels a bit off…”
A sect genealogy wasn’t something just anyone could obtain.
Forging one was even less something an ordinary person could do.
And anyone capable of forging such a “list” would absolutely not be ordinary.
Most crucially, the signatures of those Sect Masters and Ancestors carried an elusive spiritual resonance—somehow… not quite like fakes…
The Heavenly Pivot Pavilion administrator asked, “Who is this Jade Certificate issued to? Is there a name?”
The Heavenly Authority Pavilion administrator struggled through the long string of names for quite a while.
Normally, on a sect Jade Certificate, the disciple’s own name was always the most eye-catching one.
But on Mo Hua’s Jade Certificate, there were too many elders, Sect Masters, and Ancestors—names packed densely together. His own name was squeezed into a tiny corner. Because of that, the Heavenly Authority Pavilion administrator flipped through it for a long time before finally finding those two characters in the corner:
“…Mo Hua?”
The Heavenly Authority Pavilion administrator frowned.
True-Person Zhuge thought for a bit and couldn’t recall anything at all. His nature was lazy and easygoing, letting everything drift by without much attention. So he asked:
“Have either of you heard this name before?”
The two administrators thought for a moment, then both shook their heads.
Being a Seven Pavilion administrator was exhausting and complicated—high pressure, easy to induce anxiety.
Over ten years, the documents, names, and events that passed through their minds—major and minor matters, important people and unimportant ones—numbered well over a million.
“Seems… no particular impression…”
True-Person Zhuge said, “Which of you has the authority to check?”
The Heavenly Authority Pavilion administrator replied, “I still have urgent matters, war is pressing, and there’s a pile of official work to handle…”
True-Person Zhuge pointed at the long string of elders’, sect master’s, and ancestors’ names on the Jade Certificate and asked, “More important than this?”
The Heavenly Authority Pavilion administrator sighed, knowing he’d be staying up late approving dossiers tonight. Scratching his head, he took out his administrator’s token, passed through a concealed door, and entered the nearby Confidential Repository. After searching through it, he came back with an indescribably strange expression.
“Didn’t find anything?”
The Heavenly Authority Pavilion administrator nodded.
True-Person Zhuge was slightly startled. “What’s going on?”
“There’s no dossier. In the Nine Provinces’ cultivator registry, there’s no one that matches. In the disciple roster Great Void Sect submitted to the Heavenly Authority Pavilion, there’s no record of him either…”
True-Person Zhuge frowned. “This name, is it fake?”
The Heavenly Authority Pavilion administrator said, “According to precedent, there’s a high probability it has been…”
True-Person Zhuge’s eyes flashed. “…sealed?”
The Heavenly Authority Pavilion administrator nodded.
True-Person Zhuge asked, “You checked using your authority?”
“I did…” the administrator said. “Didn’t work…”
“Even an administrator’s authority isn’t enough?”
“Mm. At least within my level of authority, I can’t access it… I estimate that only authority at the level of a Chief Supervisor or above might be able to access it…”
True-Person Zhuge’s expression subtly changed. “Chief Supervisor or above to access it… Then the one who sealed the documents…was a Grand Elder?”
A Grand Elder sealing the documents of a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator?
The Heavenly Pivot Pavilion administrator frowned. “It’s possible…”
True-Person Zhuge’s thoughts stirred. “If we can’t find the person, then we’ll check the events. Check the records related to the Sect Grand Competition—there must be some clues there…”
The Heavenly Authority Pavilion administrator nodded.
The Heavenly Pivot Pavilion administrator also stood up. “I’ll go with you to check…”
“Good…”
The Heavenly Authority Pavilion oversaw aristocratic clans and sects, dividing authority and grading ranks. The Heavenly Pivot Pavilion, meanwhile, was in charge of formations and formation masters.
Their duties differed, and some internal information wasn’t shared between them. Searching together with both authorities would reduce omissions.
True-Person Zhuge didn’t go. He was an Honorary Consecrator, a lofty idle post, not involved in internal affairs, and didn’t have much authority to begin with.
Thus the two administrators “neglected their proper duties,” tossed their own work aside, and went off to investigate Mo Hua instead.
After searching for a long time, the two emerged from the Confidential Repository, both wearing confused expressions.
“Can’t find anything…”
“It’s been sealed as well…”
True-Person Zhuge froze, completely baffled. “Even the Sect Grand Competition records were sealed?”
The Heavenly Authority Pavilion administrator nodded.
True-Person Zhuge said, “There should at least be something left…”
“Nothing at all,” the Heavenly Pivot Pavilion administrator shook his head and sighed. “Sealed cleanly and completely…”
“Why?”
“Because ten years ago, something major happened at Qian Academy…”
True-Person Zhuge’s pupils shrank, understanding dawning on him.
Arhatian Blood-Sacrifice Grand Formation.
The impact of that incident was extremely severe. To prevent unrest and worsening public sentiment, the Dao Court simply cut it off at the root, sealing all related dossiers.
Before and after the Arhatian Blood-Sacrifice, all dossiers concerning people and events were likewise sealed and banished to the “cold palace.” Ordinary people couldn’t access them at all.
“To think it was sealed this thoroughly…”
“That’s standard Dao Court practice—nothing indefensible about it…”
“But this way, a lot of matters all turn into muddled accounts…”
“This kid called Mo Hua is basically a ‘black household’ now…”
“I still think something’s off. Tell me, was it because the Arhatian Blood-Sacrifice occurred that all records related to the Sect Grand Competition were sealed, or was it because this ‘Mo Hua’ has a suspicious identity, and because of his involvement those Sect Grand Competition records were sealed…?”
“That’s not that mysterious, is it…”
True-Person Zhuge asked, “You two are administrators, after all. You haven’t heard even a whisper of rumors?”
The Heavenly Pivot Pavilion administrator shook his head and sighed. “Ten years ago, we weren’t administrators yet… In the end, do you think becoming a administrator is that easy?”
“This position… don’t be fooled by the low status. It’s busy and exhausting, but it’s one of the Seven Pavilions’ true power posts. Sitting in it isn’t easy…”
The Heavenly Authority Pavilion administrator nodded as well. “Strictly speaking, if not for the Great Wilderness rebellion and the Dao Court’s early military defeats, with the front lines desperately short of manpower—and us willing to endure the hardship—we wouldn’t have had this opportunity… Otherwise, with so many nobles eyeing the administrator positions, it would never have been our turn…”
“And before becoming administrators, many past matters simply never passed through our hands at all…”
True-Person Zhuge pondered. “Then… how about asking the previous administrators?”
After thinking for a moment, the two still felt it inappropriate. “Within the Seven Pavilions, there are many people and many ears, the waters run deep, if we ask, and it reaches someone with ulterior motives, it could easily cause trouble…”
“That’s right, the Seven Pavilions are far too complicated…”
“At this point, there’s only one method left…”
True-Person Zhuge sighed. “Write a letter, and ask the old ancestor?”
“Yes, that’s the only way…”
“After all, on that Jade Certificate, there is the old ancestor’s signature, at least possibly…”
“If we investigate on our own, it’s easy to create side complications, better to directly write a letter, and ask the sect’s old ancestor…”
Both administrators looked toward True-Person Zhuge.
True-Person Zhuge didn’t want to speak.
He had already thought of this, he just didn’t want to do it.
The Heavenly Pivot Pavilion administrator said, “We’re administrators, we’ve already used our authority to investigate, but found nothing… Now as for writing to the old ancestor, it can only be you…”
“Exactly,” the Heavenly Authority administrator added. “You’re Feathered Ascension, a True-Person, your cultivation is high, your status is high, and you’re the most familiar with Venerable Elder Xun, this kind of matter can only be handled by you…”
True-Person Zhuge was still extremely reluctant.
But at this point, he had no other choice… This letter to Venerable Elder Xun, whether he wanted to or not, he had to write it…
“Fine…”
Looking somewhat despondent, like a student on vacation who still had to report homework to his teacher, True-Person Zhuge sighed repeatedly and left.
After returning to his temporarily arranged cave abode, True-Person Zhuge sat crookedly at the table, wracked his brains, carefully chose his words, and wrote a letter to Venerable Elder Xun…
After finishing, True-Person Zhuge hesitated for a long time, finally clenched his teeth, shut his eyes, steeled his heart, and at last sent the letter out…
The Qiánxué Province boundary was extremely far from the Great Wilderness, with tangled and complex terrain…
Under normal circumstances, letters took a long time to arrive, not to mention that this was during wartime, making transmission even harder…
But whether True Person Zhuge was at the Feathered Ascension realm, an Honorary Consecrator of the Imperial Celestial Bureau, and a True Person of the Zhuge Clan, if he truly wanted to send a letter, then whether by using Feathered Ascension methods, the Imperial Celestial Bureau’s beacon-fires, or the Zhuge Clan’s own Bagua transmission, none of it would be difficult.
The real difficulty lay in only one thing, whether he wanted to.
In short, after many inner struggles, True Person Zhuge finally sent the letter, transmitting it through the Zhuge Clan’s own channels, all the way to the Qianxue Province boundary…
……
Great Void Sect.
The current number-one sect of Qianxue.
Its gates were ancient and majestic, disciples as numerous as clouds, its presence vast and awe-inspiring.
Within the Elders’ Pavilion, Old Master Xun—his face dark with worry and gloom—received True Person Zhuge’s letter.
Old Master Xun was somewhat surprised.
He had never expected that the lazy brat from the Zhuge Clan back then would actually write to him… there was an odd feeling to it, like a slothful rooster suddenly crowing at dawn.
Curious about the contents, Old Master Xun examined the jade slip. As he read on, it was as though a single stone stirred a thousand waves, his expression changed completely.
“Mo Hua…”
“This child is safe!”
Old Master Xun’s emotions surged, and he let out a long breath he’d been holding in.
The Great Wilderness was shrouded in obscured heavenly secrets, a savage land riddled with deadly perils. There was also that trace of sinister Deceptive intent, clinging like maggots to bone, its depth of plotting chilling to the soul.
Old Master Xun had been on edge the entire time.
Some days earlier, he had suddenly found himself unable to sleep night after night, constantly feeling that someone—many people, and many great powers at that—were all trying to kill Mo Hua.
The moment he closed his eyes, he seemed to see Mo Hua failing his Core Formation, his Golden Core shattering, meridians destroyed, his face covered in blood.
Whenever Old Master Xun thought of this, his heart felt like it was being carved by knives, leaving him restless through the night.
But the Great Wilderness was simply too far away, his reach could not extend that far. The Heavenly-Secret Duality Lock had also been sealed, and with the sect to look after, Old Master Xun was powerless to split himself further.
Now, this letter revealed Mo Hua’s whereabouts. Learning that Mo Hua had merely become a “prisoner” and was not in mortal danger truly made Old Master Xun feel as if a great weight had been lifted.
After a brief consideration, Old Master Xun immediately named several sect elders in his mind, along with inner-sect Feathered Ascension cultivators, intending to send them to the Great Wilderness.
Originally, he had wanted Mo Hua to wander and temper himself through experience.
But from those obscure strands of karma, Old Master Xun could more or less guess that Mo Hua had indeed “tempered himself” in the Great Wilderness—only, what he had tempered might have turned out to be just a little rebellious.
If this continued, what else he might “temper out” next, only heaven would know.
He could not be allowed to fool around any longer.
Moreover, the current Great Wilderness was truly a land of absolute right and wrong, where life and death hung by a single thread.
Too many people had already reached their hands into it, the waters were so muddied they had turned pitch-black.
This was no longer a matter of tempering at all. If the situation kept developing like this, then…
Old Master Xun took a deep breath.
“No matter what, first get someone to bring this child out. At the very least, he must be kept far away from the Great Wilderness, this land of danger…”
Old Master Xun began to “muster his troops and assign his generals,” but halfway through, he suddenly stopped.
At this moment, if he sent Great Void Sect’s people in, wouldn’t that be equivalent to extending another hand into the mess and stirring the waters further?
If that startled the snake in the grass, it might not truly be possible to “fish” Mo Hua out of the Great Wilderness, on the contrary, it could very well harm him instead.
Old Master Xun reconsidered. In the current Great Wilderness, who still had ties to Great Void Sect, someone who could act on his behalf and retrieve Mo Hua?
But after thinking it through, under these circumstances, those old fellows…
Not a single one could be trusted.
Old Master Xun’s brows knit tightly.
The more urgent the matter, the less one could rush. It had to be done slowly, without large movements—otherwise, disturbing the black mire would only make it easier for Mo Hua, trapped within, to drown.
“First, protect the person…”
“The Zhuge Clan…”
After careful deliberation, Old Master Xun wrote a long passage of instructions, but once finished, he felt it was inappropriate.
Words were things that easily left behind karmic traces, especially words written by an old ancestor like himself.
After some thought, Old Master Xun erased all the text, leaving only a simple drawing etched into the jade slip.
After finishing the drawing, Old Master Xun recalled that he could not show favoritism.
Thus, he wrote a long string of admonitions and exhortations to True Person Zhuge, and together with that single drawing, transmitted it to True Person Zhuge.
(End of this Chapter)