The sky was nigh on black as Qiu Ji descended from his sedan chair, a brocade box clutched in his hand. His footsteps were quickening as he hurried towards the national treasury.

Upon reaching the outer gate, after the guards had verified his identity, he hastened his pace and entered the inner chambers. From a distance, he began to apologize profusely: “Lord Jiang Jue, my sincerest apologies! I’ve kept you waiting! I was held up at the palace, requesting the necessary documents. It took quite some time, but I rushed over as quickly as I could!”

He was one of the Eight Bing Bi Eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial, a position of considerable authority within the palace, no less significant than the Eight Sui Tang Eunuchs. It was this status alone that qualified him to possess the keys to the national treasury. While he couldn’t compare to Han Ling, the eunuch in charge of seals, he was nonetheless a prominent figure among the inner officials.

Upon meeting, he immediately offered apologies and, in a few succinct words, explained the reason for his tardiness, displaying a clear and efficient manner in handling affairs.

Logically speaking, the inner court and outer court officials generally kept to themselves, and he had no obligation to be so courteous to a mere fourth-rank Green Plaque holder. However, the title “Heaven’s Chosen of the Nation” was something else entirely. It was impossible to predict where this young man might rise in the future.

The guards stationed at the treasury gates, accustomed to such sights, harbored their thoughts only in the depths of their hearts.

Jiang Wang, having withdrawn from his visualization of the Fire Realm Technique, showed no sign of afternoon-long impatience. He offered a slight smile and replied, “It is of no concern. I understand that certain procedures require significant time.”

The inner official who stood before him was somewhat slender, yet his features were gentle, and his complexion was ruddy. His cultivation was likely not shallow, and his status within the palace was undoubtedly high. Jiang Wang did not scrutinize him rudely, but after a single glance, met the other’s gaze directly and candidly.

“It’s excellent that you understand!” Qiu Ji laughed, saying, “Then let us proceed inside. We mustn’t delay your cultivation any longer.”

“Please, you first,” Jiang Wang said courteously.

Truth be told, Qiu Ji had encountered many high officials, noble lords, and disciples of renowned sects. Individuals like Jiang Wang, who possessed such calmness and lack of arrogance, were a rarity. He could discern that this was not due to a lack of background necessitating an outward display of gentleness. On the contrary, this person possessed a quiet confidence, as if he were prepared to face any challenge at any time, allowing him to remain so composed.

As a Bing Bi Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, he had ample opportunities to handle matters outside the palace. Among the people he had met were some from humble origins who had risen to prominence. These individuals often felt compelled to constantly prove themselves and were particularly sensitive to being overlooked. Jiang Qing Yang was truly different.

However, these thoughts remained solely within Qiu Ji’s mind.

After arriving, Qiu Ji presented the official documents and verified his identity. Only then could the second gate of the national treasury be opened. Strangely, the gatekeepers were nowhere to be seen, having seemingly disappeared.

Following Qiu Ji closely, they entered and were met by an iron wall carved with all manner of strange and unidentifiable beasts. Alleyways branched off on both sides, each winding around corners. They turned left.

Inside the brocade box, Qiu Ji held half of a ceremonial seal. The other half resided with the guardian of the “Technique Treasury” and required a directive issued by the Directorate of Ceremonial to be mobilized – this was the reason for Qiu Ji’s earlier statement about requesting documents taking time.

Jiang Wang followed behind the Bing Bi Eunuch, allowing him to navigate the various checks. The path was circuitous and tedious, but finally, they arrived at the entrance to the designated Technique Treasury.

Only after Qiu Ji and the guardian of the Technique Treasury matched their seals did the large gate slowly creak open. It was not as vast or grand as one might have imagined. Instead, rows upon rows of stone shelves were filled with books and scrolls of various sizes, as well as some jade slips, tablets, and bamboo scrolls. They were neatly categorized and arranged.

Dust was naturally absent. The collections here were regularly maintained, replaced, and supplemented. The large and small protective formations in place were sufficient to guarantee their long-term preservation.

“This is the location of the Technique Treasury for the Inner Mansion realm,” Qiu Ji introduced, his voice low. “You are free to choose any technique you wish.”

The guardian of this Technique Treasury was entirely encased in armor, save for a pair of eyes. They remained silent, simply following behind Qiu Ji and Jiang Wang, seemingly there purely to supervise.

Being able to choose freely was, of course, excellent, but the sheer number of choices was overwhelming, enough to make one’s head spin… Jiang Wang looked left and right for a while, but could not find the types of secret techniques he desired.

Qiu Ji, who had been standing to the side, suddenly chuckled and said, “Before I came, I made a point to learn a little about the techniques housed here. If Lord Jiang Jue trusts my judgment, perhaps you could tell me your requirements.”

“That would be most helpful! I naturally trust Eunuch Qiu implicitly.” Jiang Wang, having no reason to refuse such a kind offer, immediately and sincerely stated, “I require a pupil technique.”

Qiu Ji smiled, and without a moment’s hesitation, walked directly to the twenty-seventh row of bookshelves. He stopped there and said, “These are all pupil techniques for the Inner Mansion realm.”

Jiang Wang followed and examined them. Indeed, this entire row of stone shelves was filled with various pupil technique secret manuals. Regardless of whether they were books or jade slips, they could not be directly flipped through. For many cultivators, simply seeing a technique was equivalent to learning it. However, beside each pupil technique, a wooden plaque was placed, briefly recording the origin and approximate effects of the secret technique.

For example, the bamboo slip before Jiang Wang had a wooden plaque that read: “Obtained from Fa Yang, Inner Mansion chapter of the Yang family’s Burning Blood Red Pupil. Attack technique.”

Truly a fascinating twist of fate… Jiang Wang had participated in the war against Yang, even earning a title through his military contributions. Now, within the national treasury of Qi, he was seeing a secret manual of a pupil technique belonging to the Yang royal family. It seemed that within the threads of fate, there was a certain entanglement.

Of course, this particular pupil technique did not align with his intentions. The secret techniques of the Yang royal family were certainly not weak. However, Jiang Wang’s priority at present was to choose a pupil technique similar to Li Longchuan’s Candle Micro Divine Ability, one that could complement his State of Voice Hearing Immortal and supplement the “knowledge and sight” aspect.

But with so many secret techniques, examining them one by one would take an eternity… Jiang Wang sighed inwardly, his gaze silently searching.

Observing his expressions, Qiu Ji chuckled again and said, “What type of pupil technique does Lord Jiang Jue require, or do you have any more specific needs? Perhaps you could tell me a little more. I have some understanding of the techniques here.”

Jiang Wang did not refuse this act of goodwill. He had already formulated his requirements in his mind and stated them directly: “I need a pupil technique that enhances insight. Within this category, I prioritize techniques with greater potential.”

Requiring potential was naturally in preparation for Yan Dao Tai’s deductions. Although Jiang Wang had never learned a pupil technique, an Inner Mansion realm pupil technique would likely not provide him with significant help given his current strength. Therefore, he was considering the long term. Yan Dao Tai pushing a secret technique to higher levels also required the technique itself to possess a certain potential. Low-level Dao techniques like the Swallowing Poison Thorn, for instance, could only be deduced to the Swallowing Poison Flower at most. No matter how much merit was spent, it couldn’t be elevated further; its potential was limited.

Qiu Ji this time pondered for a moment, then took three steps forward, pointing to the third row of the bookshelf on the left. “This one.” He then walked over ten steps more, pointing to the fourth row of the bookshelf on the right. “This one.” He took another two steps forward, indicating the top layer of the bookshelf on the right. “And this one.” Finally, he stopped and laughed, saying, “These three techniques all meet your requirements. Considering potential, the second one is the best.”

Jiang Wang followed and examined them one by one, finding that the three pupil techniques introduced by the eunuch were indeed excellent and quite suited to his needs. He couldn’t help but marvel. With so many inner officials, Qiu Ji could become one of the eight Bing Bi Eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial! This was more than just having “some understanding.” He was clearly intimately familiar with all the secret techniques within the entire Inner Mansion realm Technique Treasury.

Given his identity and age, it was impossible for him to have learned all the secret techniques within the entire Inner Mansion realm Technique Treasury. Therefore, he must have simply memorized the brief information on those wooden plaques. The only value in doing so was likely for moments like this, to curry favor with someone. However, the Directorate of Ceremonial had eight Bing Bi Eunuchs and eight Sui Tang Eunuchs, all qualified to handle matters outside the palace. Even if the Emperor wished to bestow a reward upon someone, it wasn’t necessarily him who would be tasked with leading the way.

Precisely because this matter was so arduous and offered little direct benefit, it only served to highlight Qiu Ji’s intentions. If he handled matters like this with such diligence, how would he approach other things? Jiang Wang inwardly praised him and expressed his gratitude on his face.

These secret techniques couldn’t be directly examined at that moment. At most, one could only compare the simple introductions. Judging by this, the second pupil technique recommended by Qiu Ji was indeed the one with the most potential. Since he had already accepted Qiu Ji’s recommendation, to go and search around further would seem distrustful. Jiang Wang naturally wouldn’t do such a thing.

After briefly examining the wooden plaque for the second pupil technique, he turned his head, ready to announce his choice to the guardian of the Technique Treasury. It was at this moment that Qiu Ji suddenly spoke again: “Lord Jiang Jue, I have an opinion. I wonder if you are willing to hear it?”

Jiang Wang was equally polite: “It is my honor that Eunuch Qiu is willing to advise me. Please speak.”

Qiu Ji gathered his sleeves and smiled slightly, saying, “In my personal opinion, the most valuable pupil technique currently within this Technique Treasury should be the one behind me… However, it might not quite align with your requirements.”

“If Eunuch Qiu introduces it, I must certainly see it,” Jiang Wang said, then walked over.

From beginning to end, the guardian of the Technique Treasury remained silent. When they stopped, they stood like a statue cast in place, offering no interference to Jiang Wang’s choices.

A smile graced Qiu Ji’s face as he slightly opened his body. And Jiang Wang followed his gaze to a fiery red bead placed on a stone tray. This red bead was smooth and round, its color bright and uniform, exceptionally beautiful.

The nearby wooden plaque read: “A scattered inheritance from the Yang country, Qian Yang’s Eye. Inner Mansion Chapter.”

As for its effects, the description was also very simple—”Divine soul attack.”

Only these four characters. But these four characters suddenly illuminated Jiang Wang’s eyes. He had only witnessed Wang Changji unleash a secret technique involving divine soul attack in the Inner Mansion realm thus far! He himself had researched the Divine Soul Hidden Snake, but it was primarily effective in exploring the Inner Mansion aspect. In true life-or-death combat, it rarely played a significant role, primarily used by Jiang Wang to attract the opponent’s attention. In other words, as a killing technique involving the divine soul, the Divine Soul Hidden Snake was fundamentally unqualified.

Jiang Wang took a deep breath. At this moment, he had already assessed its value. Insight, observation of the subtle… these were all momentarily put aside. Compared to a divine soul killing technique, an insight-class pupil technique at the Inner Mansion level truly had no comparative value. Moreover, Jiang Wang’s divine soul power already far surpassed that of cultivators in the same realm, yet it had always been difficult to fully utilize. This technique perfectly matched his needs!

“Does the national treasury have the complete inheritance?” Jiang Wang asked directly.

Qiu Ji smiled slightly and said, “There is also an Outer Building chapter. As for the chapters after the Divine Arrival realm, they are already lost… Regardless of potential or effect, within the current Technique Treasury, this is simply the best pupil technique.”

Loss was irrelevant. Since it still possessed chapters at the Divine Arrival level, it proved its potential to reach the Divine Arrival and even higher realms. Yan Dao Tai might even be able to deduce the missing parts. This was undoubtedly the best choice!

But Jiang Wang did not immediately decide. He looked again at the red bead recording Qian Yang’s Eye, forcibly averted his gaze, and looked at Qiu Ji, saying, “I wonder why Eunuch Qiu is helping me so? Jiang Wang is of humble virtue and shallow connection. To be honest, at this moment, I feel a bit uneasy.”

Qiu Ji’s eyes held a touch of surprise, clearly not expecting that at this crucial moment, Jiang Wang could still resist reaching out.

“Lord Jiang Jue, as the Nation’s Heaven’s Chosen, you represent our Qi country in the Guan He Platform battle,” he smiled, his expression more sincere. “If I can be of assistance to you, I am helping Great Qi, and also helping His Majesty. My satisfaction is boundless! This matter does not violate any rules; it merely requires a little extra effort to memorize. Why would I not do it?”

These words were truly well-spoken. The most important part was the phrase “does not violate any rules,” which convinced Jiang Wang. This implied that even if Qiu Ji had requests in the future, they would also be “within the rules.”

Jiang Wang pondered for a moment, then bowed his hands and said, “Then I express my gratitude to Eunuch Qiu.”

Qiu Ji smiled without speaking.

Jiang Wang then turned to the guardian of the Technique Treasury and said, “I choose Qian Yang’s Eye.”

The guardian, fully encased in armor, spoke for the first time. Previously, when they had interacted with Qiu Ji, they had only verified the seals and remained silent. “As you wish, please,” their voice was very muffled, possessing a suppressed quality. “Once you have made your selection, this technique will be sealed for three years. Within these three years, no second person will be able to learn it.”

This was indeed a benefit. No matter how powerful a technique was, the more people who learned it, the lower its value became. With countless geniuses in the world, the wider it spread, the faster it would be deciphered.

Jiang Wang wasted no time. He reached out and grasped the fiery red bead. With a slight touch of his divine soul power, the relevant records of the Inner Mansion chapter of Qian Yang’s Eye flowed into his mind. He closed his eyes for a moment to absorb the information, and when he opened them, he was filled with admiration. Although he had only skimmed through it, far from mastering it, this Qian Yang’s Eye had already filled him with joy. It was truly worthy of being an inheritance from the Yang country!

The Sunrise Country, which had once unified the Eastern Domain and asserted its dominance over the world, left behind inheritances, even if only at the Inner Mansion level, that could be called wondrous. Compared to his own painstakingly developed Divine Soul Hidden Snake technique, they were indeed on a completely different level.

Jiang Wang carefully placed the red bead back into the center of the stone tray. The Technique Treasury guardian said nothing more, simply pressing their upright palm onto the stone bookshelf. The stone tray miraculously merged into a sphere, enveloping the red bead within. And then, the entire stone sphere began to “sink,” sinking into the bottom shelf of stone as if it were a liquid surface. The next time it would reappear would be exactly three years from that day. During this period, even if someone were to receive a reward and enter the Technique Treasury, they would not be able to learn Qian Yang’s Eye.

Jiang Wang was very mindful of the rules and did not pry too much into the Technique Treasury guardian. After learning the dynasty’s secret technique, he followed Qiu Ji out of the Technique Treasury. As they walked back along the original path, the Technique Treasury guardian simply vanished. Jiang Wang did not know how he disappeared, nor did he wish to know.

The Great Qi Empire was strong in the East, and naturally wealthy. The value of the various treasures within the national treasury was immeasurable. Who knew how many powerful cultivators were guarding this place? Asking less and looking less, suppressing one’s curiosity, was simply the proper course of action. Qiu Ji, as a Bing Bi Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, had been here countless times, yet he still did not let his eyes wander. This was a perfect example.

Following Qiu Ji steadily towards the outside, passing through checkpoint after checkpoint, and undergoing repeated verification, they were finally able to emerge from the national treasury. Stepping out of the inner city, they were still within the confines of the formidable capital. By this time, Linzi had already entered the night. The sky was dotted with stars, and the lights of Linzi City glittered like a dragon.

The young eunuch waiting outside the national treasury had already lifted the sedan curtain. Qiu Ji, with hands clasped, headed towards the sedan chair belonging to the palace. Jiang Wang followed for a few steps and said, “For the matter today, I truly do not know how I should thank Eunuch Qiu!” The person opposite him was one of the eight Bing Bi Eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial. To be honest, at his current stage, he had no way of repaying the other’s kindness.

Qiu Ji did not seem to take it to heart. He turned his head to look at him, only laughing and saying, “Consider it forging a good destiny.” He then bowed and entered the sedan chair.

The palace’s small sedan chair slowly receded into the distance. Jiang Wang stood alone outside the national treasury, silent for a moment. He lifted his head to look at the starry night sky, then headed towards his residence at Xia Mountain. To be honest, every time he came to Linzi City, he was either preoccupied with various matters or in secluded cultivation. He came by large sedan chair and left by carriage. He rarely had the experience of walking alone through the streets of Linzi like this.

Amidst the bustling crowd, he “swam” freely, silently savoring the secrets of Qian Yang’s Eye amidst the prosperity. This technique, inherited from the Great Yang Empire that had once unified the Eastern Domain and contended for dominance over the world, was still a fragmented chapter at the Inner Mansion realm, but it clearly demonstrated its domineering and majestic nature.

Its cultivation began by absorbing the intense sunlight at noon each day into the pupils, assisted by divine soul power, and refined into the pupils through a secret method. Once successfully cultivated, one could harness the power of Qian Yang to gain an advantage in divine soul battles, a truly formidable technique. It was a pity that it wasn’t noon, and he couldn’t immediately give it a try.

Setting aside the momentarily studied secrets of Qian Yang’s Eye, Jiang Wang did not relax, but continued his deductions on the Fire Realm Technique. Thus, as he walked slowly, he remained immersed in the boundless wonders of the technique world.

It was precisely at this moment that Zhao Yu, in her slowly moving carriage, caught sight of this young man strolling amidst the crowd. She watched him stroll with composure, so harmonious with the bustling crowd of Linzi’s streets, yet possessing an air of independence, like a star or the moon.

“Who is that person?” the person beside her asked.

“Jiang Wang.”

“The one who learned your blade technique in battle?”

Zhao Yu lowered the carriage window curtain: “He is a man who is a match for that one blade of mine.”

The lights of the human world and the stars of the heavens; may both places be clear. The steed pulling the carriage did not neigh. In the silence, the carriage drove towards the outskirts of Linzi City.