Infinite Mask Game.

Wei Miao hasn't had time to focus on the main quest yet, mainly because the quest requirements are too broad. They're not difficult to complete, but the challenge lies in completing them with high quality.

There are also differences in rank among the statues of gods, and people generally have a general method for judging them.

The more negative emotional traits a demon possesses, the higher the rank of the idol, and the deeper the mental strength at the same level, but the more difficult it is to cultivate.

Some statues even impart martial arts techniques, projecting the cultivation methods into the minds of martial artists. Martial arts, in this context, refers to the skillful use of mental power in offensive techniques. It's not simply about adding mental power to individual moves to amplify their power, but rather about combining mental demons with specific traits to imbue moves with "characteristics."

For example, the Fire Breaking Style practiced by Euphemia essentially adds the characteristics of inertia and other properties of the power of eternal night to swordsmanship, giving the moves effects such as "sharpness" and "erosion".

Without a deep understanding and study of the essence of power, one cannot create such techniques. When a person without techniques uses power, they are merely throwing it out like an object.

The vast majority of martial arts circulating in the martial arts world today are derived from divine martial arts, and are branches of them. Even if some geniuses can create their own martial arts in a flash of inspiration, the power of the martial arts can only barely escape the level of "using force to smash people", which is the lowest level of martial arts.

Because only the idol can reveal the full essence of power, martial artists merely acquire, cultivate, and utilize it by following the clues.

As the core of visualization techniques, the inner demon is something martial artists tend to avoid, let alone study in depth.

Those who do this have mostly become a bad example of madness.

Wei Miao leaned back in the soft chair, slightly gathering her scattered thoughts, and began to ponder the main plot of this mission again.

The number of surviving statues of deities is not large. Some are in the hands of the imperial court, and are sometimes used as rewards for meritorious individuals to hold worship ceremonies. Some officials privately possess the statues. A portion has been scattered among the martial arts world, in the hands of independent individuals or sects.

"Currently, I have three options."

"One option is to serve the court and earn merit so that I can choose any statue from the armory. But this path is not suitable for my status."

Almost no one can cultivate both statues simultaneously. The only well-known exception is the "Yin-Yang Twins," which share the same origin and complementary powers; martial artists must cultivate both to achieve balance.

As Pei Wenwei, a martial artist who had reached the Seven Sects level in the eyes of others, and who had no descendants or disciples, her act of demanding the statue was hard to explain.

Unless it's claimed in the name of the shrine's inherited statue, there's a problem: "ownership." The statue is nominally owned by the shrine, not by an individual. Whether the system will consider it her possession remains to be seen.

"Secondly, murder and robbery. As the prophetic poem spreads, powerful figures in the martial arts world will come to investigate, and it wouldn't be unreasonable to find an excuse to deal with one or two of them."

However, the Supervisor's identity presents some challenges in this matter. The martial arts world falls under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Observatory, and her intervention could be seen as overstepping her authority.

"Thirdly, confiscate the homes of traitors. This is in line with my authority, but it will require more effort."

In these extraordinary times, it is much easier to find traitors than usual. However, ministers with a strong foundation are mostly from prestigious families. Because they are burdened by their families, they are usually cautious and discreet, making it difficult to find fault with them.

"No rush, let's see how things develop first."

Wei Miao squinted and reviewed the memorial again, then smiled meaningfully.

"Such a major event is a rare occurrence."

She possessed the keen sense of a seasoned gamer. For players, significant events are often preceded by unusual signs, and these events usually become the main quests they need to complete. If it weren't for the relatively unique nature of the main quest involving clearing dungeons, which offered a wide range of completion requirements, based on her understanding of the game's nature, she believed the main quest description would be something like "investigate the truth behind the prophetic poem and resolve it."

The prophetic poem incident has far-reaching implications, and as the head eunuch, she will inevitably have to get involved. This matter was even thrown at her by the emperor himself, leaving her with no choice but to accept it.

She believed this matter was somewhat related to the main storyline, as it required a considerable amount of her energy, something that wouldn't happen in free exploration mode.

It's practically a blatant warning.

At the end of Shenshi (3-5 PM), as the sun began to set, Wei Miao prepared to enter the palace.

Unexpectedly, he bumped into an acquaintance outside the palace gates. To be precise, it was an acquaintance of Pei Wenwei.

The middle-aged man in front of her wore a crimson python robe and was even slightly taller than Pei Wenwei. He had a heroic appearance and an extraordinary noble aura. His deep purple eyes scrutinized her without any attempt to hide it.

Even an ordinary person without martial arts skills can recognize his identity as a martial artist from his heterochromatic eyes.

In this land, people are born with black eyes. After practicing visualization techniques, the color of some people's pupils will change, which is one of the signs that distinguishes whether someone is a martial artist.

There is a mysterious saying about this: "The eyes are the windows to the soul," and those with inner demons no longer have pure eyes.

However, in Wei Miao's view, this is more like an outward manifestation of power transforming and permeating the body.

Wei Miao smiled and looked directly at the official of equal status to her, her future partner, Gu Fuhui, the Director of the Imperial Observatory.

Unlike Pei Wenwei's stunning appearance, Gu Fuhui's indescribable charm lies more in his imposing aura, like that of a raging lion. Those with weak wills may find it difficult to suppress their surging admiration upon first meeting him.

This is the realm of the Seven Sects, where one can easily gain the blind favor of strangers simply by looking at them; this profound charm already belongs to the extraordinary realm.

"Congratulations, Chief Supervisor, on achieving your wish." Gu Fuhui's face held a calm smile, revealing no other emotions.

This was not only because he was adept at concealing his emotions, but also because he had likely already received news of Pei Wenwei's breakthrough from somewhere.

“It is thanks to Gu Jianzheng’s encouragement that I was able to take that step with determination.” Wei Miao replied with a friendly smile, “After all, responsibility and ability are commensurate. One Seventh Sect might be a bit of a stretch, but two Seventh Sects should be enough to share His Majesty’s burdens.”

Gu Fuhui immediately understood her implication, but his expression remained unchanged: "Chief Supervisor Pei has high aspirations, which is certainly a good thing for the court."

The emergence of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs (典秘仪) has impacted the status of the Imperial Observatory (司天监) and subtly diminished its power. The Imperial Observatory's control over court officials is now far less than before, and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, wielding its official authority, is eyeing the Imperial Observatory with predatory intent, striving to weaken its former influence in order to establish its own position and prestige.

The two have more friction than cooperation. As leaders of their respective departments, Pei Wenwei and Gu Fuhui have often tripped each other up in order to gain benefits.

But ultimately, the strong rule. Gu Fuhui achieved the Seven Sects realm earlier, thus subtly surpassing Pei Wenwei. The value of a top-tier expert is far less than that of a Seven Sects expert.

Only when Pei Wenwei finally realized his potential and turned it into strength did he truly have the capital to compete.

However, both of them were clear about their business. A few words exchanged didn't hinder their journey to the Xuanji Palace. (End of Chapter)