Imperial Scepter

The council hall of Gaojia Village.

Four Silver-level cultivators gathered together for an emergency meeting.

In the main seat, village chief Gao Changhe sat upright like a mountain.

This usually calm and collected, unfazed even by the collapse of Mount Tai, now had a faint yet clear look of worry between his brows.

In three days, it will be Gao Chun's ninth birthday.

Nine years old is the deadline for an ordinary child to develop the seed of enlightenment.

Once you pass this age, you are destined to be an ordinary person for the rest of your life, completely cut off from the mystical path of immortality and the power to overturn rivers and seas.

"Father, don't worry, there are still three days left. Chun'er will definitely be able to give birth to the Dao Seed!"

Gao Xuemei, who had just rushed over from school, was dressed in a smart red outfit and looked very dashing. She immediately saw through her father's thoughts.

She slammed her hand on the table, her eyebrows furrowed, her almond eyes wide, and her tone resolute: "Chun'er's bloodline is extraordinary; she could never be of mortal origin!"

She clenched her fists, her fingertips turning white from the force, and her voice suddenly rose several decibels, revealing her impatient and hasty nature.

"It must be that this child's obsession with the Xuan Dao isn't intense enough! Ordinary ridicule and mockery won't work; we need to let his classmates go all out and relentlessly rub salt into his sore spot..."

Before she could finish speaking, she couldn't contain herself any longer and turned to rush out the door, her steps as hurried as if she were riding on wheels of fire.

"Xuemei, calm down!"

Gao Qingfeng quickly stood up, grabbed her sleeve, his face gentle, his movements soft yet unwavering.

He gently comforted her, "Mei'er, I understand your anxiety. Chun'er is my brother-in-law, and I've watched him grow up. How could I not hope that he will be born with a Dao seed and embark on the path of cultivation?"

He raised his hand and patted Gao Xuemei's hand, his voice becoming increasingly gentle: "For the past six months, we have been teaching ordinary people, explaining the vast difference between those who are esoteric and those who are ordinary, all to inspire the children's desire for the esoteric path. The results have been remarkable, and many children have already developed the seed of the Dao."

"But Chun'er is different. We both know his special circumstances. The most urgent task is to get to the bottom of things, not to rush things."

He pulled Gao Xuemei back into the chair, his fingertips stroking the back of her hand, a calm smile on his face, but a hint of worry hidden in his eyes.

"well……"

A long sigh broke the tension in the hall.

From the seat on the right, Li Quan, whose one eye gleamed with cunning, spoke up.

His hair was gray, but he was still very energetic, and his tone was full of playful teasing: "Xuemei, you still have a temper like a firecracker, it'll ignite at the slightest touch."

His gaze then turned to Gao Qingfeng, and he waved his hand, saying, "And Qingfeng, you're too composed, which makes you rather boring."

Sensing that the atmosphere in the hall was still heavy, he suddenly slapped his thigh, and a childlike smile bloomed on his face.

He raised his voice in a light tone, "Don't worry too much about Chun'er, everyone. Even if he can't cultivate, he's still the young village chief of Gao Family Village. With us old guys around, who would dare to bully him in the slightest?"

Before he could finish speaking...

He then changed the subject, a calculating glint in his single eye: "Of course, we still have three days left, so we can't just sit here and wait to die."

In my opinion, let my rascal Li Daoqiu, along with Gao Chengzhi from Xuemei's family, provoke Chun'er. Maybe that will force him to unleash his Dao seed!

Gao Xuemei's eyes lit up upon hearing this, clearly indicating that she was already interested.

Gao Chun was very close to these two, and having them mock and provoke him might actually work.

Immediately.

We must get up and take action.

But Gao Qingfeng, who was beside her, pulled her back.

"Don't rush, listen to what your father has to say," Gao Qingfeng advised in a low voice.

In the hall, Gao Changhe remained silent, observing the expressions and conversation of the three people without interrupting.

Only then did he take a deep breath and slowly stand up.

The lingering worry between his brows vanished without a trace, like ice and snow melting away, replaced by his usual composure and wisdom.

He understood the special nature of Gaochun better than the other three present.

He had now glimpsed some of the reasons why Gao Chun had been unable to give birth to the Dao Seed for so long.

If my prediction is correct, all external stimuli will be in vain. Only by waiting for that special opportunity can the seed of the Dao be born.

There's really no need for everyone to worry about this!

His anxiety these days stems from his concern leading to confusion.

He stood quietly in the hall, his fingertips lightly tapping the table.

The clear, melodious sound slowly spread throughout the hall, instantly silencing all other subtle noises.

He was about to speak and get to the point of the meeting.

"Snapped!"

A crisp crack of a whip suddenly exploded in the void!

The sharp crack of the whip cutting through the air was extremely penetrating, piercing the stagnant air in the hall and landing directly in the ears of the four people.

Gao Changhe's heart tightened suddenly, and his pupils contracted sharply.

next second.

That whipping sound... it belongs to the headless man!

His tense nerves suddenly relaxed, an indescribable ecstasy flashed across his eyes, and his tightly pursed jawline suddenly relaxed.

coming!

The opportunity for the birth of a Dao Seed of High Purity has finally arrived!

In the blink of an eye.

He threw his head back and burst into hearty laughter.

His hearty laughter reverberated, making the beams and pillars in the hall vibrate.

"Father?" Gao Xuemei looked bewildered, not understanding why her father had suddenly lost his composure.

Gao Changhe completely ignored the astonished expressions of the three people in the hall, laughed loudly as he stood up, strode out the door with quick and steady steps.

The three looked at each other, their faces still showing confusion and shock.

"What's going on?" Li Quan scratched the back of his head, his one eye wide open.

"That whipping sound... it's a headless man!" Gao Qingfeng reacted the fastest, instantly understanding what was happening. His expression changed. "Quick, follow him and see!"

The three of them dared not delay for a moment, and immediately got up and followed Gao Changhe out.

I had just stepped out of the council chamber.

Then Gao Changhe lightly touched the ground with his toes, and his figure soared into the air like an arrow released from a bow. With his clothes fluttering, he left only a swift silhouette.

The three looked up at the sky again and saw a headless figure driving a flock of sheep slowly toward Gaojia Village.

All three were filled with doubt: Why was Gao Changhe so unusually overjoyed at the appearance of this headless man?

"Slap! Slap! Slap..."

The cracking of whips pierced the sky and echoed in every corner of Ping'an County.

In an instant, the entire Ping'an County was in an uproar.

In the teahouse, the tea drinkers put down their teacups, looked up at the empty space, and argued heatedly.

On the ridges of the fields, the farmers put down their hoes, stood gazing into the distance, and chattered amongst themselves.

In the village lanes, children pestered their elders, pointing at the strange phenomena in the sky and chattering with great curiosity...

The villagers of Gaojia Village also came out of their homes one after another, ignoring the scorching midday sun, and looked up at the sky, discussing loudly.

"Look! That headless man is herding sheep again..."

"Those white sheep are so handsome, so pure white..."

"Handsome my foot! Look at the corners of their eyes, there are clearly tear stains, they look so pitiful..."

At this moment.

Deepest part of the grove behind the village.

Gao Chun, who was punching the ancient tree, was also attracted by the sound of the whip and subconsciously looked up at the sky.

Just then, they saw the headless figure dressed in pure white, and the flock of four-horned white sheep trembling in the sound of the whip.

"The headless shepherd in the void... why is he here again?" A question flashed through my mind.

But it was only for a moment.

He then abandoned this distracting thought, indifferently withdrawing his gaze from the void, and swung his arm in a wide arc again, slamming it heavily onto the tree trunk.

"Bang!"

The force was greater than before, causing the tree trunk to shake violently.

At this moment, his entire being was consumed by despair and grief at being unable to give birth to the Dao Seed, and he couldn't muster any interest in this earth-shattering phenomenon.

Don't say it's just a headless shepherd.

Even if immortals and gods descend to earth, or Buddhas come to earth, they cannot distract him even a little bit!

Unless... unless this headless man can help him give birth to the Dao Seed!

The moment the thought appeared, it grew wildly like weeds, instantly taking over his entire mind.

He stopped throwing a punch.

He stared blankly at the headless figure in the sky.

His eyes were incredibly complex, filled with longing, anticipation, and a hint of madness that even he himself was unaware of.

If... if this headless man truly possessed extraordinary abilities and could help him cultivate a Dao seed...

He would gladly kneel down and kowtow nine times, addressing the man as "godfather," and do so with great pleasure...