Chapter 727 - 105: True Seal Seed, Unlocking the Forbidden Secret
Zhang Yan, upon hearing Huo Xuan’s words, pondered silently for a moment before looking directly at him, shaking his head and saying, "Brother Huo, I must apologize, but I cannot comply with this request."
Huo Xuan subtly raised an eyebrow, his gaze lingering on Zhang Yan’s face for a moment before he spoke in a measured tone, "Junior Brother, is there something that makes this difficult for you?"
Zhang Yan smiled calmly and replied, "I just returned from the Demon Cave and haven’t even made it back to my cave mansion before coming here. If it were for other matters, it wouldn’t be an issue; at most, it would only delay my cultivation for a few days. However, I am now the overseer of the Lower Court, and in half a month’s time, I must select True Disciples to send to the Upper Court. At such a crucial moment, how could I possibly abandon my duties?"
Huo Xuan was momentarily stunned. He had anticipated that Zhang Yan might decline, but he had been confident in his ability to persuade him. This reasoning, however, was unexpected. The affairs of the Lower Court were not something he had ever considered important.
That being said, while the matter might not seem significant, it was neither trivial. True Disciples were the foundation of the Mingcang Sect, and according to the sect rules, there was indeed no excuse for delay.
As the overseer of the Lower Court, Zhang Yan held the required seal. Without it, the Meridian Opening Disciples could not ascend to the Upper Court. Even if this matter were brought before the Sect Leader, Zhang Yan’s reasoning would be entirely sufficient.
Huo Xuan frowned slightly. Although he was the leader among the Top Ten Disciples, forcing Zhang Yan to submit by invoking the Sect Leader’s decree would compromise his prestige. After all, if word spread that someone ranked first had to rely on the Sect Leader to pressure someone ranked ninth, it would only invite mockery and diminish his authority.
Zhang Yan stood there silently, his expression calm.
This matter wasn’t without a solution. Since they were both members of the Top Ten Disciples, Zhang Yan wouldn’t act without some benefit in return. The key was whether Huo Xuan was willing to offer a price high enough. Zhang Yan was confident that Huo Xuan would understand his meaning.
At this moment, Zhong Muqing, who had been standing to the side, allowed a faint smile to emerge at the corner of his lips. He glanced at Zhang Yan before cupping his hands toward Huo Xuan and saying, "Brother Huo, in my humble opinion, Junior Brother Zhang has just broken through the Shell Barrier and is likely preparing to coalesce his True Imprint of Dharma Power. Driving him back and forth like this, disrupting his cultivation, seems a bit inappropriate."
Huo Xuan glanced at Zhong Muqing, nodded, and said, "You’re right. This is indeed unfair to Junior Brother Zhang. Do you have any suggestions, Junior Brother Zhong?"
Zhong Muqing chuckled and said, "How about this? Once upon a time, an elder from Du Zhen Hall gifted me a True Seal Seed. Later, when I became a disciple of True Master Qin, I was granted an even better seed directly from him, so this one is now useless to me. If Junior Brother Zhang is concerned about his cultivation being compromised, I’m willing to offer this seed as compensation. Would that suffice for both of you?"
Upon hearing this, Huo Xuan’s expression involuntarily flickered with surprise.
Once a Hua Dan Cultivator reached the Second Realm, they needed to condense a True Imprint of Dharma Power.
However, the process of condensing the True Imprint was extremely intricate. Even with exceptional talent and a perfect elixir formation, a single misstep might result in a flaw within the imprint, which could destabilize future cultivation or even make achieving a Nascent Soul impossible.
It was not easy for any cultivator to reach this stage. To aid their disciples, teachers would use their own Essence Qi to imprint secret dharma techniques and key insights into talismans, creating a True Seal Seed. This would then be passed down to guide their disciples through this pivotal step.
When using a True Seal Seed, cultivators would have a clear and safe path forward, eliminating the need for cautious exploration and saving time and effort. By following the guidance of the seed, they could proceed methodically with their cultivation.
Since the True Seal Seed often contained secret mental methods of each lineage, it was typically reserved exclusively for direct descendants. Thus, Zhong Muqing’s willingness to offer such a valuable item was surprising to both Huo Xuan and Zhang Yan.
After a brief moment of reflection, Huo Xuan remarked, "Wouldn’t this be a bit of a grievance for you, Junior Brother Zhong? Even if you personally don’t need it, your own disciples could surely make use of it."
Zhong Muqing smiled lightly and shook his head. "It’s no matter. Since I am now under the tutelage of a True Master, I have other methods and resources and will never have use for this item. Instead of letting it gather dust, why not use this opportunity to extend a favor to Junior Brother Zhang today?"
Huo Xuan turned his gaze toward Zhang Yan and, softening his tone as much as possible, asked, "Junior Brother Zhang, what do you think of this proposal?"
Zhang Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly before he cupped his hands in salute and said, "Since Brother Zhong is being so generous, I can no longer refuse. However, I ask to be given a few more days to ensure that matters in the Lower Court are properly settled before departing. Would that be acceptable, Brother Huo?"
Seeing Zhang Yan finally agree, Huo Xuan’s mood visibly lifted. He replied, "Of course. You are the overseer of the Lower Court, and you must see to it that all matters are handled carefully. I had hoped to invite you to my mansion for a visit, but under these circumstances, I won’t keep you any longer."