Chapter 775: Cultivation Technique Sealed, Orthodoxy of the Imperial Dharma Pavilion (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

Chapter 775: Mantra Sealed, the Heritage of Yu Fa Pavilion (Request for Monthly Tickets)

Looking at Gu Qingya's solemn and confident demeanor, Zhang Yu remained entirely unresponsive.

The present Zhang Yu was no longer the high school or university student he once had been; no matter how extravagantly and beautifully the Gu Qingya before him spoke, his mind could no longer be easily shaken.

And seeing Zhang Yu's unmoved expression, Gu Qingya understood that the other party was not yet convinced at this moment.

Gu Qingya recalled his former self—the self of back then, who, upon seeing the seniors coming to recruit him, thought in his heart: "Me, avoiding your sharp edge?"

Yet if he could return to the past now, he only wanted to give his former self a resounding slap across the face, then kneel before that senior and call him father.

It was only after enduring setback after setback within the sect that he had gradually come to accept the inadequacies of those from the lower realms.

At this thought, Gu Qingya suddenly felt somewhat disheartened and dispirited, saying casually: "Zhang Yu, now that things have caused such a massive uproar, your promotion this time is bound to end in failure."

"Particularly having offended Minister Luo, alienating the number one chief of the department—this is an absolute taboo within the sect, a veritable state of severed prospects, with no further future in the immortal path. Do you understand?"

Having finished these words, Gu Qingya believed that a clever person would already have knelt down to beg for salvation; if their heart toward the Dao were firm enough, they would have directly cried out for father and mother. If the other party could correctly guess his psychological gender, it would mean they still possessed some understanding of him as a leader, showing they had applied some effort.

But the Zhang Yu before him did not kneel; he merely continued to stand there quietly, an expression like still water in an ancient well, as if the matters Gu Qingya spoke of had absolutely nothing to do with him.

Looking at Zhang Yu, who still remained silent, Gu Qingya shook his head: "It is only out of consideration that we both graduated from Wanfa University that I came to warn you of so much."

"But seeing you like this now, it seems I have acted entirely on my own initiative."

Zhang Yu spoke: "Thank you for the warning, senior."

Gu Qingya said: "I will give you one more piece of advice—those from the lower realms... do not be too arrogant and aggressive within the sect."

"On ordinary days, interact and associate more with your seniors."

"Since entering the sect, you have not visited a single senior, have you? Otherwise, you would not be reduced to the point of having not a single person to aid you as you do today."

With that, Gu Qingya waved his hand: "Very well, my words end here. You may go."

Watching the silhouette of Zhang Yu bowing with hands clasped as he departed, Gu Qingya shook his head, thinking to himself: "It seems his heart remains unresigned."

"So be it, let him be tempered for a few more years in the position of a Level 1 Sect Officer."

He secretly thought in his heart: "At that time, he should truly become useful."

Meanwhile, after Zhang Yu left Gu Qingya's office, he heard Fu Ji say: "This fellow must want to recruit us into the University Faction, right? However, he likely wants to see you, Zhang Yu, soften your stance and actively seek his aid."

"At this moment, his attitude toward you is probably one of dissatisfaction."

Zhang Yu said in his heart: "Seeking aid, softening one's stance, and the like... are naturally not an issue."

"It is just that regarding the current situation, I still do not fully understand it; before that, I do not wish to act rashly."

The goal of the one laying the chess pieces... what exactly is it? Going to such immense trouble... is it truly just to prevent him from promoting to a Level 2 Sect Officer?

...

The following day, Zhang Yu was once again summoned by the investigation team for a talk.

And the very first thing the other party said caught Zhang Yu completely by surprise.

"We have invited two cultivators from external sects to conduct an appraisal of the 'Spirit Refining Mantra' as a third party."

"In accordance with your requirements, they are both individuals who have cultivated the 'Obstruction-Breaking God-Forging Mantra' to Level 40."

Zhang Yu recalled the words the other party had spoken yesterday—within the Wanfa Sect, there were no longer any cultivators who had pushed the 'Obstruction-Breaking God-Forging Mantra' to Level 40.

Originally, he believed that because of this reason, the investigation team would be unable to find anyone to bear witness.

Yet he had not expected that the other party would actually bring in cultivators from other sects...

"Then does that not mean..." Zhang Yu secretly thought in his heart, "that before submitting to the Daoist Repository, my judgment can be confirmed as correct."

"Your judgment was incorrect," the other party said. "According to the conclusions reached by the two cultivators we invited, there is no technical overlap between the 'Spirit Refining Mantra' and the 'Obstruction-Breaking God-Forging Mantra'; it fully meets the requirements for submission to the Daoist Repository..."

Hearing these words, Zhang Yu's gaze froze instantly, his mind racing: "Impossible. If these two truly pushed the 'Obstruction-Breaking God-Forging Mantra' to Level 40, how could they fail to perceive the relationship between the two mantras?"

"Are they truly Level 40? Or perhaps they too have been bought off?"

Several conjectures flashed through Zhang Yu's mind in succession; the investigator in front of him was in no hurry either, seemingly waiting for Zhang Yu's deliberation.

Just at this moment, Zhan Xian suddenly spoke: "What if these two cultivators did not lie, and they truly cannot see the connection between the two mantras?"

Zhang Yu frowned slightly, thinking in his heart: "What do you mean? How could that be possible? As soon as I pushed the mantra to Level 40, reversed its operation, and then performed a series of deductions, I saw the problem within..."

In a manner that only Zhang Yu could hear, Zhan Xian spoke alone: "But you have a book. You possess the Jade Scroll, while they do not."

"Your mantra was obtained through cultivation via the 'Jade Scroll'."

"This is the difference between you and them."

Zhang Yu was momentarily stunned; the Jade Scroll had already manifested before him once again.

Looking at this book that had already accompanied him through day after day and night after night, Zhang Yu said: "You mean... it was only through the cultivation of the 'Jade Scroll' that I was able to deduce and discern the connection between the two mantras?"

Zhan Xian suddenly spoke of another matter: "The 'Jade Scroll' is something I have never seen before; toward this book... I have always been exceedingly curious."

"During this period, I recalled your past experiences and suddenly felt that one matter was somewhat strange."

"Why do you think you were able to comprehend the hidden mysteries of the 'Maimed Ox Sacrifice Core Mantra'?"

Zhang Yu said subconsciously: "It was because under immense pressure, I rose up in resistance, and ultimately, at the first tier, under the oppression of Wang Yin, a breakthrough occurred..."

Zhan Xian said: "This is indeed one aspect of the reason, but is it possible... there is also the relationship with the 'Jade Scroll'? Because of the existence of the 'Jade Scroll', you were able to comprehend the hidden mysteries of the 'Maimed Ox Sacrifice Mantra'?"

"And it is precisely because of the existence of the 'Jade Scroll' that you were able to comprehend the connection between the 'Spirit Refining Mantra' and the 'Obstruction-Breaking God-Forging Mantra'?"

Zhang Yu gazed quietly at the 'Jade Scroll' before him, his mind seemingly recalling once more those scenes of cultivation that surfaced in his brain every single time a mantra level ascended.

"Could it be... that the 'Jade Scroll' allows me to obtain insights transcending the contents of the secret manual when a mantra breaks through?"

For a time, Zhang Yu could not be certain either; only at this moment did he feel that the 'Jade Scroll' before his eyes seemed to become increasingly mysterious.

At the same time, a massive question also surged within Zhang Yu's heart at this moment: "What will the judgment of the Daoist Repository be?"

"Will it, like the 'Jade Scroll', deem it plagiarism of the 'Obstruction-Breaking God-Forging Mantra'?"

"Or will it be the same as everyone else's judgment?"

By this point, there seemed no longer to be any absolute, one-hundred-percent certainty within Zhang Yu's heart.

Just then, a member of the investigation team spoke: "Zhang Yu, do you have anything else you wish to say?"

After a moment of silence, Zhang Yu shook his head: "I have nothing more to say."

The member of the investigation team continued: "Following our confirmation, the 'Spirit Refining Mantra' meets the conditions for submission and will be uploaded to the Daoist Repository this afternoon."

"Once the upload is successful, there will be no room for maneuver regarding your matter."

"Are you certain you wish to adhere to your original judgment?"

"If you are willing to admit your mistake now..."

Looking at Zhang Yu, who still maintained his silence, the members of the investigation team shook their heads and departed one by one.

...

"This Zhang Yu still adheres to his own judgment?" Xiao Zhi laughed. "Obstinate enough; this is truly not crying until one sees the coffin."

"With this kind of character that refuses to admit error even unto death, how can he perform review tasks properly?"

Xiao Zhi shook his head and sighed: "His competence is poor, his attitude is also poor, and the impact is exceedingly adverse. I feel that Zhang Yu is fundamentally unsuited for the work of the Review Department."

“I’ll report this to my superiors—Zhang Yu should be reassigned from his current post.”

Strike while the iron’s hot, and strike hard. Beyond merely proposing Zhang Yu’s transfer, Xiao Zhi intended to loudly broadcast Zhang Yu’s stubborn refusal to admit fault, branding him indelibly with that label.

From then on, whenever anyone mentioned Zhang Yu, this would be the fixed impression they carried.

“Zhang Yu?”

“The one who was interrogated twice by the investigation team, with overwhelming evidence against him, causing serious damage within the sect—and yet still refuses to admit wrongdoing.”

Coupled with the fallout from this incident, Xiao Zhi was certain no leader in their right mind would ever consider promoting Zhang Yu again. Even if Zhang Yu somehow remained in the Review Department, he’d never rise above his station for decades.

Only by grinding Zhang Yu into the mud could Xiao Zhi finally dispel the gnawing sense of threat that clung to him.

“You enjoy boosting your performance metrics for free? Want us to do all the work while you climb the ranks?”

He thought bitterly to himself, “Then go ahead—keep climbing from your Level 1 Sect Affairs Clerk position.”

Several hours later, Xiao Zhi arrived at the Hall of Seeking the Dao alongside the other members of the Deliberation Panel, ready to upload *The Spirit Refining Scripture* to the Dao Treasury.

But the moment the upload completed and Xiao Zhi saw the feedback materialize from the Dao Treasury, he froze—then blinked in genuine astonishment.

“According to the Dao Treasury… *The Spirit Refining Scripture* is actually *The Scripture of Casting Spirit Through Breaking Attachments*? How is that possible?”

His heart jolted violently. “Does this mean… we were wrong? And Zhang Yu—the lone voice—was right all along?!”

At that very instant, the Dao Treasury’s response didn’t stop there. Crimson characters, forming dire warnings, began surfacing before everyone’s eyes.

Xiao Zhi’s gaze sharpened. “So it really came to this?”

…

Chu Wangji, immersed in his work, suddenly glanced up as a notification flashed in his private chat group.

When he opened it, he discovered the Law Enforcement Pavilion had just issued a public announcement regarding the *Spirit Refining Scripture* incident.

“Because this stirred significant public outcry, they’re making an official statement to clarify things?”

“Heh… Zhang Yu is probably…”

Just as Chu assumed Zhang Yu’s fate was sealed, he read through the investigation results—and stood utterly stunned.

“*The Spirit Refining Scripture* suspected of plagiarism?” Chu thought, incredulous. “Zhang Yu’s judgment was correct. Xiao Zhi, the investigation team—even Director Luo got it wrong?”

In that moment, Chu felt thunderstruck.

Meanwhile, Wen Zhiwei posted in the group: “Who would’ve thought that on the matter of *The Spirit Refining Scripture*, everyone’s judgment lost out to Zhang Yu’s. His discernment of martial cultivation manuals must now rank among the very best in the entire Review Department.”

Elsewhere, Team Leader Qu Yizhi also received the announcement. Staring at this outcome—so utterly unforeseen—he muttered inwardly, “Is this even possible? Zhang Yu actually proved them all wrong?”

Inside the Martial Arts Division One office, Shen Qingyun approached her team leader, wide-eyed. “Team Leader, did *The Spirit Refining Scripture* really plagiarize *The Scripture of Casting Spirit Through Breaking Attachments*? Was Zhang Yu right?”

“How did he manage that?”

Hearing this, Xiao Zhi frowned, then sighed. “I don’t know how he did it. Theoretically… he shouldn’t have been able to.”

“The department will release an internal bulletin shortly explaining the specifics. You’ll understand then.”

At the same time, Gu Qingya, reading the announcement, raised an eyebrow in surprise. “He was actually right?”

On another front, Ye Xingli exclaimed joyfully, “Junior brother, you’re safe now! You can finally get promoted to Rank 2!”

Zhang Yu stared at the announcement, thoughts swirling. “So this wasn’t aimed at me after all? Was I just collateral damage… or…?”

As doubt flickered in his mind, an internal bulletin landed simultaneously in the inboxes of every reviewer across Martial Arts Divisions One, Two, and Three.

Unlike the earlier public notice, this one was accessible only to division members.

Reading its contents, Zhang Yu realized: “Externally, they announced plagiarism—but internally, the real reason… is that it involves a forbidden scripture?”

“A forbidden scripture? But if that’s the case, why is *The Scripture of Casting Spirit Through Breaking Attachments*, which shares the same roots, allowed to exist openly?”

Just then, Zhan Xian explained, “Likely because the version of *The Scripture of Casting Spirit Through Breaking Attachments* in the database is a degraded copy—not the true, original forbidden scripture.”

“Much like how a castrated version of the *Residual Ox Body-Mind Scripture* can be publicly listed.”

“*The Spirit Refining Scripture* might actually be the one that inherited the original forbidden scripture’s core principles.”

Zhang Yu nodded slowly. “So it’s not that *The Spirit Refining Scripture* reverse-engineered *The Scripture of Casting Spirit Through Breaking Attachments*—but rather that *The Scripture of Casting Spirit Through Breaking Attachments* itself was derived from the original forbidden scripture?”

Zhan Xian continued, “In fact… I suspect the original forbidden scripture might have been named *The Scripture of Casting Spirit Through Breaking Attachments* all along. *The Feathered Codex* didn’t classify *The Spirit Refining Scripture* under the database’s castrated version—it linked it directly to the original forbidden scripture.”

“The Dao Treasury likely reached a similar conclusion, which is why it flagged *The Spirit Refining Scripture* as involving forbidden knowledge.”

Listening to Zhan Xian’s speculation, Zhang Yu felt anew the profound power of *The Feathered Codex*—this manifestation of his own latent potential seemed far greater than he’d originally believed.

Gazing at the final lines of the internal bulletin—detailing the scripture’s suppression—Zhang Yu thought grimly, “Forbidden scriptures… even the Law Enforcement Pavilion’s Review Department lacks clearance to access them.”

He knew well that precisely because reviewers couldn’t view forbidden scriptures, these texts remained black boxes—only revealed upon submission to the Dao Treasury.

Zhan Xian added, “Given this, *The Feathered Codex* and the Dao Treasury likely reached identical judgments. It was only through *The Feathered Codex*’s blessing that you, after cultivating the manual, could perceive the connection between these two scriptures.”

Zhang Yu murmured, “But if the person behind pushing this manual for review knew it would ultimately be suppressed due to its ties to a forbidden scripture… why go through with it at all?”

Zhan Xian replied, “You weren’t the target. You were merely caught in the crossfire—or rather… you were a decoy. The real objective…”

At that moment, Ye Xingli forwarded Zhang Yu breaking news from the Dharma Realm.

“Junior brother, the lab that developed *The Spirit Refining Scripture* has been raided!”

Zhang Yu watched as streams of information and videos flooded his vision—columns of lightning and fire erupting skyward, a fierce battle flaring and ending in an instant.

“The lab was sealed off,” Zhang Yu said, astonished. “Its cultivators resisted with force—and were completely crushed?”

Zhan Xian said, “This is spiraling out of control. That entire lab was probably expendable. They may not have even known their manual was tied to a forbidden scripture.”

Scanning the flood of Dharma Realm headlines, Zhang Yu saw torrents of reports about *The Spirit Refining Scripture* and the lab.

He even spotted leaks detailing the suppression of forbidden scriptures.

“Lab flattened after colliding with forbidden scripture—millions in investment vaporized.”

“Life savings gone—when will scripture suppression end?”

“Scripture suppression demands clear boundaries…”

As public outrage swelled, Zhang Yu sensed more deeply the complexity of this entire affair.

He thought, “This is all for the sake of…”

Zhan Xian finished for him, “It’s targeting scripture suppression itself—and the forbidden scriptures.”

Zhang Yu asked, “Could someone be trying to build momentum to lift the ban on forbidden scriptures?”

“No,” Zhan Xian countered. “Perhaps it’s merely to halt further suppression—to check the spread of a certain Daoist lineage…”

He seemed to recall something distant, speaking slowly: “Cultivators aligned with the Law Enforcement Pavilion—and the immortals above them—have always advocated stricter control over cultivation manuals.”

“Stricter control?”

“Indeed,” Zhan Xian explained. “This lineage’s ultimate goal is to govern all cultivation manuals under heaven—to erase any scripture from existence with a single decree of suppression.”

“With one command, they could render your decades of arduous cultivation utterly useless.”

“This lineage is called ‘Law Adjudication.’ And historically, every Void Refining cultivator promoted through the Law Enforcement Pavilion has enacted statutes primarily to advance this very doctrine.”

Zhang Yu nodded silently, realizing that if this lineage ever achieved dominance, cultivators within Kunxu would find themselves even more powerless.

Zhan Xian added, “The annual evaluations just concluded. By rights, Luo Wuji should soon ascend to the 15th Floor to break through to the Void Refining realm—and enact new statutes.”

“This incident was likely orchestrated to prevent him from enacting his decree.”

…

“So it’s me they’re after, then?”

Watching the footage of the conflict, gazing upon the ruined development zone, and observing how public opinion had already swept through Levels 11 to 20, Luo Wujie sighed: “Zhang Yu was merely a decoy.”

“I knew something this massive couldn’t possibly be aimed at a mere Grade-1 Sect Affairs Officer.”

At that moment, Luo Wujie turned his awareness inward toward his sea of consciousness. There, under converging divine radiance, countless runes intertwined at a single point, gestating something new.

Peering deeper, one could faintly discern the words: “Secondary Black-Cultivation Techniques—Archival Seal…”

What was forming within was precisely the decree he intended to establish upon breaking through to the Refining Void realm.

Once successfully enacted, all derivative and degraded Immortal Dao techniques stemming from black cultivation methods could be sealed away—for a limited duration and within a defined scope.

Luo Wujie understood well that for years, his faction had steadily expanded the reach of such archival seals, gradually elevating and propagating the authority of their Daoist orthodoxy.

And to break through to Refining Void, beyond talent, capability, achievements, and credentials, the most crucial factor was the choice of decree.

Only a decree harmonious with the orthodoxy—capable of integrating into and uplifting it—would earn favor from higher-ups and grant one the chance to ascend.

“By leveraging the superiority of Immortal Dao techniques to enact decrees and uphold the orthodoxy, one draws ever closer to monopolizing a fragment of Heaven’s authority—becoming a True Immortal who transcends the Three Debts, lies beyond the Five Insurances, and exists without occupation or leakage.”

Yet as these thoughts crossed his mind, Luo Wujie let out a sigh. He could feel it clearly: amid the surging tide of public outrage, the decree gestating in his sea of consciousness was shrinking back, as if suppressed by some invisible force.

“Even if I obtain my Refining Void certification today and break through immediately… I doubt I’ll be able to enact this decree for several years.”

He knew full well that, unable to establish this decree for now, he had become temporarily useless to the “Decree Adjudication” faction.

The former deputy ministers would now emerge as fresh candidates—ready to replace him as head of the Review Department and enact new decrees next year.

Names of deputy ministers flickered through Luo Wujie’s mind until one remained.

“Lu Hengzhang…” he thought silently. “Aside from me, he’s the most likely to take charge of the Review Department and legislate upon breakthrough.”

…

Elsewhere, inside Zhang Yu’s quarters.

He had just received word from the investigation team: the inquiry into him was concluded, and his previously frozen promotion process had resumed.

In a few days, Zhang Yu would become a Grade-2 Sect Affairs Officer.

But right now, he paid no heed to that. Instead, his eyes were fixed on a report.

Around him, within his protective qi aura, shadowy beastly forms flickered in and out of existence, their roars shaking the very air.

These were Zhang Yu’s demonic-blood avatars, using Formless Martial Simulation to analyze and evaluate certain review items.

Fuki murmured in Zhang Yu’s mind: “Now that I think about it, Lu Hengzhang is also the deputy minister overseeing martial affairs. If he wanted to target us, he wouldn’t cause such an enormous uproar and risk getting himself covered in filth too.”

Jian Xian replied: “Exactly. This was never about Zhang Yu—it was meant to block Luo Wujie.”

“With the current shift in heavenly timing, any decree Luo Wujie proposes related to technique sealing will inevitably be obstructed.”

“The higher-ups won’t wait patiently for him.”

“He might be replaced sooner than we think.”

Fuki added: “If our Martial Affairs Team keeps delivering strong results, won’t Lu Hengzhang have a real shot at becoming minister? Doesn’t that mean we’ve been used by him?”

Jian Xian said: “Hard to say—but if this truly ties back to Lu Hengzhang, it likely stems from internal strife within the Imperial Decree Pavilion.”

Fuki turned to Zhang Yu: “What should we do? If Lu Hengzhang becomes head of the Review Department, things are going to get rough for us.”

Zhang Yu, however, kept his gaze fixed—not on one report now, but dozens, even hundreds.

As he scrutinized each document, the beastly shadows swirling in his aura grew more frenzied, their explosive qi discharges crackling like thunderbolts around him.

Finally, hearing their exchange, Zhang Yu spoke slowly: “Long ago, I heard someone say: ‘A man cannot fabricate what he has never seen.’”

Fuki frowned. “What does that mean?”

But Jian Xian’s eyes lit up. “I remember that saying too. When people frame others, they often unconsciously accuse them of things they themselves have done.”

“They assume that because they secretly committed certain acts, everyone else must have done the same…”

Watching them understand each other so effortlessly, Fuki grumbled inwardly: “Damn it—these two share some unspoken wavelength. Their conversation clicks instantly, and I can’t even keep up!”

Zhang Yu nodded at Jian Xian’s words. “That’s why I specifically reviewed Group One’s audit reports today.”

“And sure enough—I found something.”

Requesting Moon Tickets

(End of Chapter)