NOVPUBThe Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s Superintendent, within Great Xia, only secondary to Emperor Xia himself, controls the cultivation powers of Great Xia’s Imperial Court, supervising all the states.
The students and former officials of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s Superintendent were scattered throughout Great Xia, and in the many grotto heavens sacred grounds outside the court, the Superintendent’s influence even exceeded that of Emperor Xia.
People said the Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s Superintendent was the top cultivator of the age, yet no one had seen him truly take action.
As the Superintendent stepped into the range of Lang Huan Garden, Shen Yuan’s eyes flickered with the Star Astrology Divine Power, easily breaking through the Superintendent’s technique for shielding the Tianji, and discerned the Superintendent’s cultivation level.
Spirit Refining Early Stage!
Seeing the Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s Superintendent’s cultivation level, Shen Yuan was slightly surprised.
During the brief encounter at Lake Dongting, Shen Yuan had sensed that the Superintendent possessed extraordinary means, even traceable to the Heavenly General Great Divine Power.
Now, upon a true meeting, Shen Yuan realized he had still somewhat underestimated the Superintendent.
The world of Primal Chaos Realm bore fragmented rules, only permitting Spirit Transmutation cultivators to exist, and the cap on cultivation was locked at the Spirit Transmutation Realm.
Yet the Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s Superintendent managed to defy the rules and advanced to the Spirit Refining Stage, proving what was said about him was not false.
There must also be other secrets hidden upon the Superintendent.
However, after giving it brief attention, Shen Yuan did not care to delve further; there were many people harboring secrets in this world, him not the least, and one more made no difference.
Moreover, even if the Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s Superintendent’s secrets were significant, they paled next to the numerous ones Shen Yuan carried, not worthy of his envy.
Shen Yuan flicked his sleeve. His right hand made a summoning gesture.
"Sit!"
"Forgive my presumptions."
The Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s Superintendent showed a smile and respectfully took his seat.
Spotting this, Mingzhi wisely chose to withdraw.
The Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s Superintendent appeared scholarly with handsome features, not at all like one dominating the Imperial Court, but rather more like a private school teacher.
Gently stroking his beard, the Superintendent slowly said,
"Truly, it is not easy to gain an audience with Venerable Taoist."
In saying this, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s Superintendent naturally referred to the several unfruitful attempts to meet with Shen Yuan in the past.
But beneath the surface, there seemed to be a deeper meaning.
Shen Yuan’s eyelids lifted slightly as he glanced at the meaningful Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s Superintendent and said calmly,
"So what if you see me?"
The Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s Superintendent’s expression stalled, then he sighed,
"The Imperial Capital suffered through a great catastrophe. Although it cannot be said to have brought ruin to all living beings, there were still significant casualties. This disaster might even change the attitudes of foreign nations towards Great Xia, leading to more problems in the future.
If it were possible to discuss in advance and minimize the risk, maybe we could prevent it..."
The Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s Superintendent had not finished speaking when Shen Yuan interrupted him.
"The choice lies in Emperor Xia’s hands. If he were willing to give up the deal with Dusk Realm, there would have been no need for you to see me.
But if he were unwilling to give it up, what difference would our meeting make?"
The Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s Superintendent stumbled in his words.
Before he could say more, Shen Yuan’s voice already carried a hint of frost.
"The Superintendent seems to care about the country and its people and does not want to be complicit with Emperor Xia. However, as the Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s Superintendent with the duty to monitor the world’s purity, not stopping the disasters brewed by Emperor Xia is a grave dereliction of duty.
If you truly realized Emperor Xia’s choice was wrong and wished to stop all this from happening, then your visit should not have been a courtesy call, but to seek punishment!"
In the midst of these words, the might of the Supreme Emperor instantly descended, and the Spirit Refining Early Stage Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s Superintendent immediately felt indescribable oppression.
Mana and the power of Yang God within his body stagnated under the pressure, and an instinct from deep within his soul made him subconsciously want to prostrate in worship before the white-robed Taoist.
But then, a divine light quietly rose within the Superintendent, morphing into the phantom of a divine general.
A thunderbolt resounded between heaven and earth as if to rip apart the Divine might exuded by Shen Yuan, the Divinity Path Emperor.
However, as soon as the thunder fell, it was completely erased by the Divinity Path Will, and the phantom of the divine general behind the Superintendent knelt down thunderously.
The Emperor’s might retracted.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye, Shen Yuan still calmly sipped the Spiritual Tea, while the Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s Superintendent was already soaked in cold sweat.
Originally, he thought that relying on his advantage in cultivation and the Ancestral Immortal Artifact within his body, he would not be comparable to Fengdu Emperor with his supreme Divine might, but he would not be far from the Supreme Taoist.
But the reality before him told the Superintendent it was merely his wishful thinking; he couldn’t even bear the pressure of the Supreme Taoist.
Shen Yuan glanced thoughtfully at the kneeling divine general phantom behind the Superintendent.
The divine general wore purple-gold armor, carried a thunder-patterned war drum on his back, and it seemed as if thousands of thunders resounded around him.
In the moment of thunderclap, all malicious and evil spirits retreated.
"Evil Subduing Strongman?"
Shen Yuan seemed surprised, clearly recognizing the origins of the divine general phantom behind the Superintendent.
Despite the unimposing name of the Evil Subduing Strongman, he was in fact a true Thunder Bureau’s deity, one of the thirty-six Thunder Drum Strongmen.
The Ancestral Immortal Artifact inside the Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s Superintendent must stem from some Canonical God of the Thunder Bureau; otherwise, he wouldn’t have the Thunder Drum Strongman’s phantom for protection.
Yet Shen Yuan, with his Gods Purging Divine Power, pointed directly to the root of the Canonical Gods of the Eight Bureaus and naturally did not care for the inheritance of mere Canonical Gods.
As the phantom of the Evil Subduing Strongman returned to his body, the Superintendent tried to steady his thoughts and stood up dejectedly from the stone stool, saying,
"Zhong Buwen was too arrogant and offended the Venerable Taoist, please forgive me."
Shen Yuan’s expression was unchanged, and he simply ordered,
"Tell me everything you know."
