Wizards begin with Occlumency.

Lin Ke's itinerary included his trip to Beijing.

It's just that the matter of Hunyuan Sect and Master Li Shuwen brought this timeline forward.

The capital city, right under the emperor's nose, is a place of great virtue and talent, producing many remarkable individuals.

As they approached the capital, Link stopped using teleportation to travel.

Instead, they rented a car, hired a driver, and drove leisurely towards the capital.

Leisurely and carefree, like a tourist strolling around.

After arriving in the capital, Link spent two days wandering around, familiarizing himself with the terrain.

It's always good to be prepared. If something happens or you encounter someone and a fight breaks out, you'll know which way to go.

Link wasn't arrogant and didn't think he was invincible, so he naturally had to be careful.

After making the necessary preparations and using intelligence channels to locate the Inner Guard Governor's private residence, Link began his operation.

The night was dark and windy, with no stars or moon.

Dressed in black, Link moved through the shadows and stealthily made his way to the private residence of the Inner Guard Overseer.

This is a courtyard house with one entrance. It is not dilapidated, but it is somewhat old.

It's not the understated luxury style, but rather genuine simplicity.

This is highly inconsistent with his status as the Inner Guard Governor and the rumors of his extravagant spending.

But this was indeed the private residence of the Inner Guard Governor.

It's a place I live in regularly, not just for show, and not a smokescreen.

"Friend, you've come uninvited; you're an unwelcome guest."

The moment Link climbed over the wall, the noise he made was noticed by the Inner Guard Supervisor.

Of course, Link did this on purpose, wanting the other party to discover it.

"My Lord, if I didn't do this, I wouldn't be able to see you."

Link stepped out of the shadows and walked confidently toward the main house.

At this moment, the governor also got dressed and went out.

The two met in the courtyard.

"This friend looks familiar."

The eunuch narrowed his eyes, his tone sinister, and his whole being exuded a cold and ruthless aura.

The atmosphere in the courtyard suddenly changed, becoming like an ice cellar, making one's hair stand on end.

"You jest, Your Excellency. We have never met before."

Link remained unaffected and calmly replied.

"Oh!!! I remember now."

The eunuch then drew out his words, as if he had really remembered seeing Link somewhere before, "You are Li Shuwen's eighth disciple, Link."

As he spoke, the eunuch laughed: "You came to see me so late at night, is it to do something for Li Shuwen and get the Hunyuan Sect out of trouble?"

"The Grand Eunuch possesses great wisdom."

Link did not hide his purpose.

"hehe……"

The eunuch chuckled coldly twice, but then said nothing more.

The meaning is quite obvious.

He wanted to hear what gave Link the confidence to come to him.

"I possess a unique skill that allows me to reattach limbs, and the function remains unchanged."

Link didn't waste any time and directly offered a condition that the eunuch couldn't refuse.

In the world of swords and rain, King Yama was a highly skilled and powerful figure who stirred up countless storms in his quest to become a man again.

How could the Inner Guard Supervisor be an exception?

Are you making fun of me?

The eunuch exuded murderous intent, clearly driven by extreme rage.

If I didn't genuinely harbor this expectation, I would have already taken action and killed this mute bastard in front of me.

"This matter will be known with a single test; why should I bother the Grand Eunuch?"

As Link spoke, he sent out a piece of paper, then vanished without a trace, leaving only a sentence echoing in the courtyard.

"If the Grand Eunuch wishes to verify the authenticity, he may find a loyal eunuch to conduct the test."

The eunuch activated his inner energy, caught the piece of paper, and saw that it contained a phone number.

But it meant that he should make the call after he was ready.

"snort!"

The true energy surged, and the paper shattered into tiny fragments.

The eunuch flicked his sleeves and walked back into the house with a frosty expression.

But he was already thinking about who to find as experimental subjects.

Li Shuwen is a master of martial arts, but his eighth disciple has many secrets and is suspected of inheriting some strange magic or Taoist arts.

We shouldn't believe it blindly, but what if it is?

If it works, and I can be a man again, why would I still need to be a dog for the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors?

In his early years, Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong favored the women in the harem, but the eunuch stood guard every night to watch over them.

if……

For some reason, the eunuch felt that after decades of being depressed, he had finally unleashed the blood and ambition in his masculine bones.

The concubines in the harem haven't received any imperial favor in a long time.

If the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors were incapable, then the Grand Secretary could take their place.

If the limb reattachment can really be successful.

Link hadn't gone far from the Inner Guard Governor's courtyard when a voice suddenly rang in his ears.

"Fellow Daoist, please wait."

This shout made Link quicken his pace unconsciously.

It was as if I had heard a death knell.

However, this can indeed be considered a death knell, without exaggeration.

Anyone who dares to answer that shout will most likely lose their life!

"Fellow Daoist, please do not panic. I have no ill intentions. I simply wish to invite you to the Sanyuan Temple for a chat."

Link ignored him completely and increased his speed even further.

"Jingxu is my junior disciple. He mentioned you to me before, which is why I invited you."

The person who secretly transmitted the message didn't give up and brought up an acquaintance that Link knew and had a good impression of.

Putting aside some inappropriate associations, Link changed direction and headed towards the Sanyuan Temple in the west of the city.

We arrived shortly afterward.

They still climbed over the wall to enter, instead of using the main entrance.

An old Taoist priest with white hair and a youthful face, exuding extraordinary demeanor, dressed in a Taoist robe and wearing shoes with ten directions on his feet, sat in the Sanqing Hall with a whisk in his hand, waiting for the guests.

What Master Jingxu said—that the Taoist school strictly prohibits Taoist arts—may not be untrue.

However, before the strict prohibition was enforced, some people were practicing, and their cultivation was not shallow, so it could not be abolished.

This old Taoist priest, who was able to spot Link from a great distance, possessed extraordinary Taoist skills and profound cultivation.

Facing this person, Link felt a sense of déjà vu, as if he were facing his master, Li Shuwen.

"I've met the real person."

Link removed the black cloth covering his face and greeted her politely.

"This humble Taoist priest, Wuya, greets Young Hero Lin."

The old Taoist priest returned the greeting, lightly waved his whisk, and pointed to the prayer mat beside him, "Young Master Lin, please sit down."

Lin Ke sat down as instructed and asked directly, "May I ask what business Master Wuya has with me?"

The old Taoist priest waved his whisk again: "Nothing else, just hand over the two items to Young Hero Lin."

Two ancient sandalwood boxes from the offering table in front of the Three Pure Ones statue floated lightly down in front of Link.

Perhaps sensing Link's confusion, and realizing that Link wouldn't accept it rashly without a detailed explanation and a solid reason, they realized that Link wouldn't accept it without a proper explanation.

The old Taoist priest Wuya slowly spoke: "An ancient sage of the Taoist sect left behind a precept: the Valley of the Dead will open three times, for this world will face a great calamity. However, the Heavenly Cycle is fifty, and one will escape. The great calamity is not insurmountable. Heaven will send down another to undergo the calamity and save this world. These two items were left by that sage to aid the one undergoing the calamity."

"What does this have to do with me?"

Link listened without being moved, and even disliked the tone.

In the wizarding world, there was a saint named Nostrodam who left behind a prophecy that stirred up a storm.

There was also a Taoist sage in this world who left behind some lasting teachings.

Link really didn't want to get involved in anything like that again.

Therefore, his attitude was very firm, and he got up and left: "Master Wuya, please find someone else to undergo tribulation. I, Lin, have no time to get involved."

The old Taoist priest Wuya didn't react much to this. He simply waved his whisk, removed the seals from the two sandalwood boxes, and opened the lids.

Link, who had already reached the temple gate, suddenly stopped.

At this moment, the shackles that were harder to sever than the threads of cause and effect loosened!

"Damn it!"

Link couldn't help but curse in his mind!

I'm about to get caught up in someone else's scheme again.

After cursing a few times, Link turned around and looked at the sandalwood box.

There were two boxes, one containing a seal and the other containing a seal.

Link walked back to the prayer mat and sat down, taking out the two seals one after the other and examining them carefully.

Upon looking at it, Link's expression became extremely strange.

The seal held in his left hand is the Yangping Zhidu Gong Seal, and the seal held in his right hand is the Jiulao Xiandu Seal.

With the two seals in hand, the shackles immediately loosened.

Link felt an intuition that he only needed to complete one thing—to fully possess both seals—to break free of his shackles.

This should have been a joyous occasion.

Link, however, was not happy at all.

He's a wizard from the Wizarding World, so how come in this world, he's first involved with the martial arts of immortals and now with the Taoist sect?

This……

It's very difficult to evaluate.

Link put the two imprints back into the box, closed the lid, and remained silent for a long time.

"Fellow Daoist, is something on your mind?"

The old Taoist priest asked in a soft voice.

"Could you tell me the name, Taoist name, and why that sage left behind this instruction?"

Link didn't answer but asked a question instead.

"Of course."

The old Taoist priest smiled slightly, "That sage's surname was Zhang, given name Jixian, Taoist name Xujing, and he was skilled in using thunder magic."

After a pause, the old Taoist priest Wuya continued, "Master Xujing claimed to come from the upper realm. He visited this place and foresaw a great calamity that would affect the entire world. Therefore, he left behind these two seals. Master Xujing famously said that these are imitations, but they are still quite miraculous. Those who are destined to obtain them will benefit from them."

"Clearly, to be destined to encounter these two methods, one must undergo tribulations and save the world, right?"

By this point, Link could no longer be unaware that the parallel universe the Wizarding World longed to reach was indeed a universe where cultivation/immortal cultivation civilizations flourished.

Furthermore, a powerful being in that parallel universe had long anticipated the wizarding world's plans and made numerous arrangements.

The strange phenomena on this planet are truly the result of two of the most prosperous civilizations in their respective universes probing each other.

Link even speculated that the highest levels of the two civilizations, such as the High Council of the Wizarding World, had already established contact and reached a tacit understanding.

Those young, promising wizards who, along with Link, were drawn into Iris Clark's trials under the will of the High Council, may have faced trials and entered planets that were just as unpredictable and bizarre.

"Fellow Daoist possesses great wisdom."

The old Taoist priest Wuya gave a thumbs-up.

This sentence sounds familiar.

Link inwardly scoffed, then asked, "Master Wuya, could you please tell me what this so-called Great Calamity is?"

"This humble Taoist does not know."

A look of worry appeared on the old Taoist priest's face. "I have observed the stars for decades, hoping to unravel the mysteries of the Great Calamity, but to no avail. However..."

"But what?"

"However, the actions of the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors in recent days foreshadow a great calamity."

"The worst outcome of what the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors did was nothing more than a war that affected the entire country. It probably doesn't qualify as a major calamity."

"What do you, fellow Daoist, consider the standard for a great calamity?"

Link thought for a moment and uttered a single word: "A complete upheaval."

With a loud bang.

A thunderclap suddenly resounded from the heavens.

It seemed as if the "Way of Heaven" had heard Link's rebellious words and was enraged.

Rumble.

One after another, thunderclaps rang out.

A thundercloud appeared and enveloped the Sanyuan Temple.

Electricity crackled, and the wrath of heaven descended suddenly.

Link looked up, his gaze piercing through the palace roof, through the thunderclouds, and reaching the world's barrier.

There was nothing there, yet a will lingered within.

It may also be called the will of the world or the way of heaven.

Stimulated by this, the old Taoist priest Wuya could no longer maintain his tranquil mind, muttering to himself, "Is this the person who is about to undergo tribulation, as Master Xujing spoke of? His words have come true!"

The next second, the old Taoist priest Wuya, who had been observing the stars for decades without any results, suddenly had an epiphany.

If this great calamity is not handled properly, it could truly lead to a cataclysmic upheaval!

What does "earth-shaking upheaval" mean?

The entire planet was utterly destroyed, devoid of life!

"snort!"

Link suddenly let out a voice filled with anger.

His will was carried out, and a mysterious wave emanated from him, striking the crackling thunderclouds.

Another loud bang.

Thundercloud exploded completely after being struck by Link's furious attack.

A torrential downpour suddenly began in the capital.

Inside the palace, in a side hall heavily surrounded by the Imperial Guards.

An old man, his body hunched over and frail, seemingly so old that a gust of wind could extinguish his life, sat before the alchemy furnace, carefully tending to the fire.

The alchemy furnace was clearly empty, yet the old man seemed to be tending to a priceless treasure.

It looked like they were really refining elixirs.

"This is terrible, this is terrible!"

As he added a piece of firewood made of sandalwood to the furnace chamber, the old man muttered to himself.

"A great calamity is coming."

"This old geezer should die too."

"However, I must finish refining this batch of pills before I die."

"Once this batch of longevity pills is successfully refined, this old man will have no regrets when I die."

The old man was clearly the Imperial Observatory Director, revered by the imperial court, aristocratic families, and the martial arts world as the greatest master in the land.

He never left the observatory for years, but at the invitation of the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors, he stepped down to practice alchemy.

Even though the Longevity Peach had already been eaten by the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors, the old supervisor seemed to be genuinely refining elixirs.

Moreover, what they refined was truly a longevity elixir.

This elixir can be given to humans, beasts, nature, and the heavens and earth; it seems it can be given to them as well.

Sanyuan Temple.

After the thunderclouds dispersed, the old Taoist priest Wuya returned to calm.

The way she looked at Link couldn't help but carry a strange emotion.

"Master, if there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now."

Since we can't escape it, let's enjoy it.

Link waved his hand, collected the two seals and kept them safe, then took his leave.

"Fellow Daoist, please take care."

The old Taoist priest Wuya neither tried to stop him nor got up to see him off.

After leaving Sanyuan Temple and returning to the hotel where he had stayed under an alias, Link sat by the window, looking up at the sky, his feelings extremely complicated.

It is said that life is like a game of chess, and people are just pieces in the game.

But only when you truly feel the lack of freedom from being controlled do you realize how unpleasant it is.

What caused all of this?

It's all about strength, status, and power.

In the extraordinary world, strength is the foundation of everything.

Standing from midnight until dawn, until the first light of day broke and the sun rose, Link had an epiphany.

Suddenly the golden shackles were broken, and the jade lock was ripped off.

Only today do I realize who I am.

The Void Realm has been achieved. (End of Chapter)