Brocade Robe Unparalleled

Chapter 128 The Conditions of the High Priest
Xuanwu Department.

In Lin Xuan's small house.

The atmosphere was somewhat quiet.

Aya hasn't eaten her older brother's cooking for a month. She's been eating non-stop, barely having time to speak.

Youmeng removed her veil and, as usual, ate her meal in silence.

Lin Xuan didn't speak either; he was thinking about how to bring up this matter with Youmeng.

He had finally made it to the Xuanwu Clan, only to find himself asking for a favor; he was somewhat embarrassed to ask.

If Youmeng refuses, or if the Xuanwu Clan disagrees, he will have to think of other ways.

After dinner, Lin Xuan cleaned up by herself.

Aya ran out to show off her new clothes, but Youmeng didn't leave. As if by telepathy, she looked at Lin Xuan and asked, "You came back this time for something, right?"

Lin Xuan remained silent for a moment before saying, "There is something I would like to ask the Xuanwu Department for help with."

To pass through the Yang family's nine barriers, a large number of artifacts that can counter those spirit pattern arrays need to be produced.

This process requires a large number of high-level spirit rune masters.

Although Lin Xuan could make it himself, he was only one person, so his efficiency was extremely limited, and he couldn't explain it to the Jingye Division afterwards.

Youmeng looked at Lin Xuan and waited quietly for him to speak.

Lin Xuan put down the bowl and chopsticks, returned to the table, and then said, "The reason I went back this time is actually to participate in an important mission... Several hundred years ago, a holy maiden of the Jiuli tribe set up nine passes on Dragon Cliff Mountain. Each pass has the Jiuli tribe's spirit pattern array and mechanisms..."

Youmeng lowered her eyelids slightly; she knew of the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Witch Clan from hundreds of years ago.

There was not a single saint in any of the departments who did not know this.

From the very first day she became a saint, the high priest told her the story of that saint as a counterexample.

The same applies to the saintesses of other departments.

After leaving the Jiuli tribe and marrying an outsider, that holy woman was expelled from the tribe and the Jiuli tribe.

Even though that saintess later advanced her cultivation to the second rank, she was never recognized by the Jiuli tribe.

Before her death, she returned to her tribe and requested to be buried in the ancestral land of the Jiuli people, but the tribe refused.

The high priest often spoke to her about these things, so that she would learn from them and not follow in the footsteps of that saint.

A month ago, half a month ago, three days ago... the high priest told her the story again.

She looked at Lin Xuan and asked softly, "Do you want the Xuanwu Department to help you break those spirit pattern arrays and mechanisms?"

Lin Xuan nodded and said, "Yes, the Yang family is the root of the troubles in the southwest. As long as the Yang family is not eliminated, the southwest will not have peace. Therefore, I would like to ask the Xuanwu Department for help."

Youmeng didn't give him an answer immediately, but asked, "What kind of spiritual patterns and mechanisms are used in those nine layers of barriers?"

Lin Xuan took a booklet out of his pocket and handed it to her.

After reading it, Youmeng said, "I'll go and discuss it with the High Priest."

Lin Xuan said, "Thank you, Holy Maiden."

Youmeng didn't speak, put away the booklet, and turned to leave.

Lin Xuan waited inside the small house.

He wasn't sure if the High Priest of the Xuanwu Clan would agree.

However, compared to continuing to infiltrate the Yang family, seeking help from the Jiuli tribe is clearly a better option.

After a while.

Inside a grand hall at the highest point of the Xuanwu tribe.

High Priestess You Lian of the Xuanwu tribe frowned and said, "That's impossible. Our tribe never interferes in the affairs of outsiders, let alone helps the Yong Kingdom's court. Does this brat think that he can take advantage of our kindness by helping us? He even forcibly took your body!"

Youmeng remained expressionless as she reminded her, "I forced myself on him."

You Lian waved her hand and said, "In short, I disagree. I let him go last time because of you. This time he wants to push his luck. He's just dreaming!"

Youmeng didn't argue with her, and silently turned and left.

Youlian watched her leave, but her heart remained heavy.

The children she raised from childhood naturally knew her temperament well.

If she argues her case logically, there is still a chance for things to turn around.

The calmer she is, the more it shows that she has already made up her mind.

Once she's made up her mind about something, no one can change it.

Ever since that kid appeared, Youmeng seems to have become a different person.

Hundreds of years ago, the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Witch Clan was also tricked away by outsiders in the same way.

Reimu, Yumu...

Perhaps, in the first place, she shouldn't have given her that name...

Inside the hut.

Lin Xuan waited for a long time before Youmeng walked in from outside the door again.

She didn't tell Lin Xuan the result of their discussion. Instead, she took out a silver mirror and said, "I will engrave the spirit patterns for breaking through the four passes on this silver mirror. With this mirror, you can pass through the mountain without any obstacles."

The first four barriers are gravity, mental power, a combination of gravity and mental power, and illusion.

The fifth barrier is the Stone Pillar Formation.

Youmeng looked at him and asked, "Do you remember how many stone pillars were on that level of the pass?"

Lin Xuandao: "One hundred and eight."

Youmeng said softly, "It should be the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend Formation. This formation is unstoppable, but as long as you remember all the formation's variations, you can pass through safely. Tomorrow I will give you the solution to this formation. Do you still remember the spirit patterns on those mechanical puppets? You don't need to remember them all, just the general outline..."

Lin Xuan nodded slightly and said, "I remember."

When he passed the sixth level, he made a point of memorizing the spirit patterns on all the stone golems.

Different spirit patterns result in different weaknesses on the stone golem.

Youmeng took out a thick booklet and said, "The puppetry techniques from hundreds of years ago are all in this book. If you memorize it, you will know where the weaknesses of those puppets are."

Lin Xuan was stunned for a moment: "This..."

Youmeng knew what he was worried about, and shook her head, saying, "It's alright, this is already an abandoned puppet technique."

Lin Xuan actually had information about puppetry in his mind, but he still kept the book.

Youmeng continued, "I will refine some poison-avoiding pills and antidote pills so they can safely pass through those two checkpoints. For the final checkpoint, they will have to rely on themselves. The Yong Kingdom court should have also purchased a lot of spirit-patterned weapons from the Spirit Witch Department..."

The seventh barrier for the Yang family is poison, the eighth is Gu (a type of poison), and the last barrier is the elite Dragon Cliff Army, whose members are all equipped with spirit-patterned weapons.

Spirit-patterned weapons have the ability to penetrate armor. Ordinary weapons crumble upon contact with spirit-patterned weapons, and even a martial artist's protective aura is difficult to resist.

Only weapons with similar spirit patterns, or spirit pattern armor like the Xuan Guang Armor, can counter it.

He has already solved enough troubles for them; let the imperial court figure out a solution for this one.

Lin Xuan looked at Youmeng and asked, "What about the High Priest...?"

Youmeng said calmly, "The Jiuli tribe does not participate in conflicts with other tribes. The High Priest must abide by the rules of the Jiuli tribe. I hope you will not blame her. I will slowly prepare the things you need for you."

Lin Xuan understood what she meant.

The Xuanwu tribe won't help him, but she will.

In this matter, she was not the Holy Maiden of the Xuanwu Clan, but merely a dream.

Watching her carefully inscribe spirit patterns on the silver mirror, Lin Xuan couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

Their acquaintance was originally just a collaboration where each party got what they needed.

But this relationship has unknowingly changed.

Lin Xuan didn't think that a box of jewelry worth several hundred taels could be compared to the item that could break through the Yang family's nine-fold barrier.

This selfless dedication left Lin Xuan somewhat bewildered.

Even if she made some requests to the imperial court...

But she didn't.

She didn't even ask a single unnecessary question.

Lu Feng gave him a lot of freedom in this matter, and the court would do its best to meet any request made by the Xuanwu tribe.

Inside a certain grand hall.

Yu Lian, who was sitting cross-legged on the futon, slowly opened her eyes.

It’s over.

It seems that Youmeng has truly fallen for that boy.

The tribes' excessive protection of the holy maidens deprived them of the experiences that young men and women should have during their upbringing.

That kid helped her ascend to the Temple of the Witch God and obtain the ancestral spirit's inheritance. The two of them then had that kind of thing happen inside the Temple of the Witch God. In addition, his own talent was even higher than Youmeng's, and he even had some pretty good cooking skills...

Youmeng grew up in the tribe and had never encountered such a talented young man.

Of course, outside of the tribe, probably no one surpasses him in warlock talent.

It seems unsurprising that Youmeng fell for him.

If it were any other woman in the tribe, it would be fine.

But she is a saint.

The only saintess in three hundred years to receive the inheritance of ancestral spirits.

If she were to be abducted by an outsider, she would be ashamed to face her ancestors of the Xuanwu tribe after her death, and the other tribes of Jiuli would not agree to it either.

After thinking for a long time, she finally came up with a solution.

She stepped out of the main hall, walking on air, and arrived at the door of Lin Xuan's wooden house in the next moment. "Greetings, High Priest!"

The two maids guarding the door immediately knelt down respectfully.

Aya, who had just run back, knelt down without hesitation, her little face full of respect.

Youlian entered the wooden house.

Youmeng put down the silver mirror in her hand and said to Lin Xuan, "This is our High Priest of the Xuanwu Tribe."

Lin Xuan quickly clasped his hands and bowed, saying, "Greetings, High Priest."

The old woman with gray hair in front of him was the strongest person in the Xuanwu tribe. Whether in martial arts or spiritual power, she had already reached the third rank. She was definitely the strongest person Lin Xuan had ever seen so far.

Even the commander of the Jingye Division was no match for her.

You Lian looked at Lin Xuan indifferently and said, "The Jiuli Clan doesn't concern itself with the affairs of outsiders. If you want the Xuanwu Tribe to help you, it's not impossible. You can become a member of the Xuanwu Tribe through bloodline baptism and stay here forever. Then the Xuanwu Tribe will not make an exception for you..."

Lin Xuan was slightly taken aback.

Bloodline baptism?
This is a good thing!

Having received the ancestral spirit's inheritance, he naturally knew what bloodline baptism was.

It was a Jiuli tribe ritual that could forcibly change a person's bloodline and even reverse their cultivation talent.

However, the price of this bloodline baptism is also very high.

The baptism process involves immense suffering.

He had already endured the pain of being devoured by the Gu worms, so he didn't care about this little bit of pain.

The greater cost was borne by the Xuanwu tribe.

The blood of baptism is not ordinary blood.

This secret technique requires the essence and blood of many powerful Jiuli tribe members to perform, and it takes these Jiuli tribe members at least one month and at most several months to recover their lost cultivation.

Lin Xuan didn't care at all what kind of blood flowed through his body, since the bloodline of this body had nothing to do with him anyway.

Moreover, this body's martial arts talent was already extremely poor; now that he finally had a chance to improve, he had no reason to refuse...

This secret technique has always been reserved for the offspring of high-ranking members of the Jiuli tribe.

Those in high positions would pool the resources of their entire clan to help their offspring alter their bloodline talents.

Alternatively, in order to strengthen their tribe, they might use this technique on geniuses from other tribes, assimilating them into the Jiuli tribe.

Upon hearing the High Priest's words, Youmeng's brow twitched almost imperceptibly, and a hint of anticipation flashed in her eyes, but she remained silent.

You Lian looked at Lin Xuan and continued, "With the blood of my Xuanwu tribe, through the Jiuli secret technique, your original bloodline will be washed away. From now on, the blood of Jiuli will flow in your body, and you will become a member of my tribe. In the future, you can learn my tribe's techniques and secret arts. When my tribe encounters danger, you must live and die with the Xuanwu tribe... Are you willing?"

You Lian stared at Lin Xuan.

Whether they are from the Jiuli tribe or other ethnic groups, they all value bloodlines immensely.

Baptism by blood is like betrayal of one's clan.

If this boy refuses, the Xuanwu tribe will naturally not help him, and she can also expel him from the tribe and forbid Youmeng from seeing him again.

If he agrees, he will become a member of the Xuanwu tribe. It wouldn't matter if Youmeng were with him. With his talent, he will surely become another high priest of the tribe in the future, which would be a good thing for the Xuanwu tribe.

Lin Xuan thought for a moment and said, "I am willing to accept the bloodline baptism, but can I not stay here?"

You Lian asked in surprise, "You're willing to betray your family and become a member of my Xuanwu tribe?"

Lin Xuan nodded slightly.

He was the only one left in the family; what kind of family was there to speak of?

It could improve his martial arts talent, legitimately cultivate the Nine Li secret techniques, and even get the Nine Li tribe to help him deal with the Yang family—it was killing three birds with one stone! He never dreamed such a good thing could happen...

Lin Xuan could accept any of the conditions except for being trapped here for his next life.

Before the high priest could speak, Youmeng said, "You don't need to stay in the tribe all the time. You only need to stay in the tribe for one month each year."

You Lian shook her head and said, "Two months."

Youmeng glanced at the High Priest, and unusually, did not refute him.

Lin Xuan nodded without any hesitation and said, "I'm willing."

It's only been two months. The scenery here is beautiful, and the people are kind and honest. I come back occasionally for a few days to stay, just like a vacation.

Anyway, it's not far from Sizhou, so he can even bring Qingluan along.

Aya skipped in, excitedly saying, "Great! Big brother is going to be part of our family!"

You Lian glanced at Lin Xuan, then left with her hands behind her back, her gaze much gentler than before.

As long as he is willing to shed his bloodline and become a member of the Jiuli tribe, then he is one of us, and there is nothing that cannot be discussed with one's own people.

Youmeng was silent for a moment, then looked at Lin Xuan and said softly, "Actually, you don't have to force yourself. I can give you what you want, but it will be a little slower."

Lin Xuan smiled and said, "No, not at all. Anyway, I have no family left. I am grateful to the Xuanwu tribe for taking me in, and I am willing to become a member of the tribe..."

Youmeng nodded, and a slight smile finally appeared on her lips beneath her veil. She said softly, "After you wash away your bloodline, I will teach you the art of spirit runes."

Lin Xuan smiled and said, "Okay."

……

Xuanwu Department.

Inside an ancient hall.

All experts of the fifth rank and above from the Xuanwu tribe will gather here.

In the center of the main hall is a pool built of black rocks. The water is clear and transparent, and it exudes a refreshing fragrance of herbs and trees.

The pool walls are covered with intricate and ancient spiritual patterns, faintly exuding an ancient and profound aura.

High Priestess Youlian stood by the pool, took a dagger from a tray held by a maid, and cut open her own palm.

Drops of crimson blood, imbued with pure power, swiftly plunged into the pool, quickly turning a section of the water a light red.

Youmeng was the second to step forward, took the dagger from her hand, and also cut open her own palm.

A drop of bright red blood fell into the pool, making the red color around the edge of the pool even deeper.

You Lian's gaze swept over the dozens of Xuanwu tribe experts present. These experts all had solemn expressions, cut open their palms, and let the blood flow into the pool.

Although the bloodline baptism would result in the loss of some cultivation, the high priest said that this baptism was related to whether the tribe could have another high priest in the future, so even if some cultivation was lost, it was worth it.

Soon, the entire pool of water was dyed a light red.

After the last Xuanwu tribe expert offered his essence blood, You Lian looked at Lin Xuan and said, "Enter the pool."

Lin Xuan, dressed in a single garment, slowly walked into the center of the pool, sat down cross-legged, and the water reached about shoulder level.

The powerful members of the Xuanwu tribe present all sat cross-legged by the pool, their palms pressed against the spiritual patterns on the edge of the pool.

You Lian shouted in a deep voice, "With our blood, let us initiate the bloodline baptism!"

As everyone simultaneously channeled their true energy, the spiritual patterns on the pool wall suddenly lit up, emitting a dazzling red light.

The once calm pool water suddenly began to boil and surge uncontrollably.

The crimson color of the pool water rushed rapidly toward Lin Xuan.

Soon, the water at the edge of the pool became clear and transparent.

Meanwhile, the crimson color around Lin Xuan continued to deepen.

Lin Xuan, who was in the pool, immediately felt a sharp pain.

The crimson blood in the pool seemed alive, rushing wildly into his body through his pores.

Lin Xuan's vision turned blood red. He felt his blood boiling and evaporating. At the same time, a brand new blood, full of vitality and wild power, was forcibly invading his body and drilling into his blood vessels.

The intense pain surged wave after wave, assaulting his willpower.

However, after experiencing the Gu worms devouring his heart and undergoing several marrow cleansing sessions, Lin Xuan's ability to endure pain was already extraordinary.

The pain of this bloodline baptism is perfectly bearable.

Outside the pool, a hint of surprise flashed in the high priest's eyes.

For ordinary people undergoing bloodline purification, it is an arduous process, and many suffer a breakdown of willpower.

It's rare to see someone like Lin Xuan who didn't even furrow his brow once from beginning to end.

That kid's got some guts.

After an unknown amount of time, the boiling water gradually calmed down, and its color gradually became clear.

Lin Xuan sat cross-legged in the middle of the pool, his body covered with a thin layer of blood scabs.

"Click..."

As Lin Xuan moved, the scabs covering his body began to crack and peel off piece by piece, revealing smooth and shiny skin.

He slowly opened his eyes, feeling his body at that moment.

Even though it was still his body and his cultivation level hadn't changed, he could clearly sense that something inside his body was different.

A feeling of complete transformation arose spontaneously.

He tried circulating his true energy, and without deliberately using his mental power, the response speed of his true energy was several times faster.

This means that his body is more compatible with true qi.

In the future, during his martial arts training, his cultivation speed can be even faster.

Standing by the pool, You Lian looked at Lin Xuan and sensed the unique bloodline aura of the Jiuli tribe emanating from him. A hint of satisfaction finally appeared on her wrinkled face.

The Holy Maiden of the Xuanwu Clan must never be abducted by outsiders.

But if she could bring the outsiders back, she would have fulfilled her duty to her ancestors...

(End of this chapter)