Hidden Moth-Chapter 550 - 313: Unfathomable Divine Schemes Never Fully Known

Chapter 550: Chapter 313: Unfathomable Divine Schemes Never Fully Known

After an elder steps down, they are honored as a Supreme Elder and no longer interfere in sect affairs. In secular terms, it’s like a former leader retiring and not getting involved, allowing the new leader to take over, implement their plans, and establish authority.

However, for cultivators of their realm, this is not merely a statement of intent; from a personal perspective, it means they cannot and will not act in such a way.

On the other hand, the Ancestral Hall should not disturb these Supreme Elders’ secluded cultivation with sect affairs.

Therefore, Jiang Daozhen couldn’t openly seek out Zhao Sanjin in the name of the Ancestral Hall. In reality, he merely detained Zhao Ci at the Ancestral Hall and did nothing else, while Zhao Sanjin came of his own accord.

When Zhao Sanjin appeared, he didn’t mention Zhao Ci even once, as if the matter didn’t exist. Since dealing with Zhao Ci was the Ancestral Hall’s affair, he couldn’t interfere.

If the Ancestral Hall’s handling of Zhao Ci was unreasonable, he could of course object in his personal capacity, but the power of judgment and decision still lay with the Ancestral Hall.

That being said, even a Supreme Elder’s personal opinion holds significant public and potential influence, necessitating caution.

Guo Qianhuai’s identity is also that of a Supreme Elder, which is why Zhao Sanjin asked him.

Guo Qianhuai quickly explained, "Although I have stepped down, I can still cultivate in the Grotto Heaven and exchange mystical techniques with fellow disciples, which does not involve sect affairs.

During that time, I was a guest in the Immortal Pot Grotto Heaven and happened upon Geng Yanxin, a steward from the Alchemy Sect, betraying the sect by secretly allowing two experts from Xiao Alliance inside, who brought with them the Alchemy Sect’s lost Sect’s Sacred Artifact, the Eight Trigrams Purple Gold Furnace.

They intended to seize the Grotto Heaven and loot the treasury, and when discovered, they recklessly attempted to kill the witnesses. Anyone in the Immortal Pot Grotto Heaven at that time could not remain idle.

As for Qi Nansheng, though he has stepped down, he is still a Pill Master. Someone gathered the materials and requested his help in alchemy, which is only natural..."

Zhao Sanjin waved his hand to interrupt, "I didn’t ask about Qi Nansheng. From what you say, you have no issue, but why did you stop me earlier?"

Guo Qianhuai stepped forward and handed him a mirror, "Martial Uncle, can you recognize what this is?"

Zhao Sanjin took the mirror without any action, only staring at it for a long time before looking up, "This is an imitation of the Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror, crafted very skillfully."

The Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror is the Sect’s Sacred Artifact of the Observing Body Sect, and Zhao Sanjin, having once been its Sect Leader, would not mistake it.

After performing a grand courtesy, Jiang Daozhen stood up and spoke appropriately, "Recovering the lost Sect’s Sacred Artifact is not merely a sect affair but the responsibility of every Magic Sect Disciple."

Zhao Sanjin turned and asked, "Where did this come from?" 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Jiang Daozhen finally got his chance to speak, quickly saying, "This matter is actually related to your great-grandson Zhao Ci..."

Elder Jiang introduced the experiences of He Kao in Dangguan County and Ba Mountain Medicine Garden, with Elder Li as a witness, and the involved parties present to provide additional details as needed.

Since Zhao Sanjin had come here, he must have already heard of this affair, though how much he understood was unknown.

At that moment, he did not delve deeper and just said flatly, "Zhao Ci being captured was his own fault. As long as the Ancestral Hall’s disposition is reasonable, no need to consult me."

Jiang Daozhen: "Though you need not be consulted, since you are here, I must inform you—I plan to seal his cultivation indefinitely to observe if he shows remorse in his conduct..."

Zhao Sanjin not interfering in sect affairs does not mean he cannot understand the situation. Jiang Daozhen explained how he intended to handle Zhao Ci, leaving He Kao listening with wide eyes.

It turns out this scheme started a year ago, its origins unexpectedly involving He Kao in some way.

Back then, the Tier Three Sorcerer Shi Yun Road from the Huiming Shi Family was punished with a year’s sealing, yet secretly broke it before the term ended and attempted to harm the Shi Haotu couple. His plot was thwarted by He Kao and others.

Here lies a mystery—who exactly lifted Shi Yun Road’s sealing?

Sealing cultivation is an applied technique, executed if the other party consents without resistance or has already been subdued. Any sect disciple who breaks into the high tier can perform it on Tier One to Tier Five Sorcerers.

For sorcerers breaking into the Tier Six and above for Great Success, their cultivation cannot be sealed by others, which is another matter entirely.

Principally, only the one who performed the sealing can safely undo it, as each individual’s method has subtle differences, much like an encrypted system where only the caster knows the password.

However, there are exceptions; another method involves the intervention of a Tier Five Healer from the Observing Body Sect.

After mastering sect techniques at a high tier, exclusive divine techniques are acquired. The exclusive divine technique for the Observing Body Skill is called Healing. A Tier Four Cultivator can eliminate negative states on themselves, while a Tier Five Sorcerer can eliminate various negative states on others.

Healing is said to be an ancient sorcery, "only by transferring essence and changing energy, can Healing be achieved." Using healing techniques to cure diseases, the method appears bizarre while its effect is to remove various negative states, restoring normalcy.

Being sealed in cultivation does not mean the cultivation is abolished; since it can be restored, it is considered a negative state removable by the Healing Skill in theory.

However, having a Tier Five Healer undo a sealing requires extreme caution, akin to a hacker bypassing a password and directly breaking into a database—any misstep could injure the subject.

Moreover, a Tier Five Healer’s intervention can only break a sealing imposed by a sorcerer of the same or lower tier.

For instance, the sealing of Shi Yun Road’s cultivation had been applied by Zou Tianjin, a Micro Realm Sect Steward and Tier Five Heart Measurer. Theoretically, Gong Xiaodong, an Observing Body Sect Steward and Tier Five Healer, could have lifted it.

But what if the seals were imposed by a Tier Six Elder? Then Gong Xiaodong would not be able to unlock it; only Fabre, the Tier Six Physician from Xiao Alliance, could do it.

At the time, in Nanhua, the only Tier Five Healer regularly in contact with Shi Yun Road was Gong Xiaodong, so there was suspicion that he was the culprit.

It wasn’t until later that the Ancestral Hall figured out that it was Fabre who had unsealed Shi Yun Road.

But what if the caster’s cultivation was even higher? For instance, if it was Jiang Daozhen, the Tier Seven Cultivator, who placed the seal, then even Fabre would be helpless... According to intelligence, Xiao Alliance does not have a Tier Seven Grand Physician.

In such a case, aside from Jiang Daozhen himself, could anyone else unravel the seal? Not necessarily, because there are two hypothetical situations to consider.

The first hypothesis involves using the Observing Body Sect’s lost Sect’s Sacred Artifact, the Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror.

The true wondrous power of the Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror can only be activated by a Great Success Sorcerer. In theory, it can eliminate all negative states, so unsealing would naturally be no problem.

If Xiao Alliance had the Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror, not to mention breaking the seals of a Tier Seven Sorcerer, it’s said that even the seals cast by a Tier Nine Sorcerer could be undone, as sealing technique is not that sophisticated after all.

The second hypothesis involves Ancestor Zhao Sanjin of the Observing Body Sect making a move.

Zhao Sanjin has been unheard of for fifty years, and shortly after his retreat, he broke through to Tier Seven Grand Physician cultivation, which is confirmed.

There’s also a rumor that he is still living and has broken through to Tier Eight cultivation... but this rumor, at least before today, was unconfirmed.

However, both hypotheses face a problem: if Xiao Alliance has the Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror, or if Ancestor Zhao is still alive, why would they act to lift a seal placed on someone?

Or put another way, sealing whose cultivation makes these two scenarios possible?

As early as last year’s "Shi Yun Road Incident," Jiang Daozhen may have started pondering this, but only recently did he find the right person, Zhao Ci.

The importance of the Huailin Lineage and Zhao Ci’s background is undoubtedly clear to Xiao Alliance.

If his cultivation was sealed, and Zhao Ci could see no hope of unblocking it, and the Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror was in Xiao Alliance’s hands, then they might seize the chance to recruit him...

Some might ask—what if Zhao Ci doesn’t make a mistake? Then let it be. After all, not all plots succeed, and in that case, no one would even know Jiang Daozhen ever had such a plan.

If Xiao Alliance acts, it would confirm that they indeed possess the Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror, thus confirming the whereabouts of this Sect’s Sacred Artifact.

If it’s Zhao Sanjin acting, with his status, he certainly wouldn’t do it in secret. He would definitely come to Jiang Daozhen to clarify, and Jiang Daozhen could achieve another goal—confirm whether Ancestor Zhao has broken through to the Tier Eight cultivation?

A question often doesn’t have just one answer, and a plan can have multiple outcomes.

And today’s punishment for Zhao Ci hasn’t been issued yet, but Jiang Daozhen has already achieved his two objectives simultaneously, only with a small unexpected event, or rather an unexpected delight.

This surprise was He Kao’s counterattack against an assassin at Ba Mountain Medicine Garden, where he acquired the Shadow Mirror. The Shadow Mirror was confirmed to be a replica of the Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror. If the assassin was from Xiao Alliance, it would confirm that the Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror is indeed in Xiao Alliance’s hands.

However, there remains a flaw, as it’s not determined whether the assassin was from Xiao Alliance. But it’s fine; Jiang Daozhen adapts without changing, continuing to make arrangements accordingly.

The Ancestral Hall’s punishment for Zhao Ci is the indefinite sealing of his cultivation.

This "indefinite" is very calculated, as it doesn’t completely ruin him, retaining a glimmer of hope for restoration, while also leaving open the possibility of being sealed for life.

What counts as truly reforming and compensating for his mistakes through action? Jiang Daozhen also intends to give Zhao Ci a chance.

When Zhao Ci returns, if anyone contacts him in secret, offering to help restore his cultivation, he can go along with it, allowing them to help lift the seal, effectively drawing them out...

Zhao Sanjin nodded and said, "If the Ancestral Hall handles it this way, I find it appropriate. I have nothing more to say. Do not tell anyone that I was here, including Zhao Ci and Zheng Yisi."

He Kao couldn’t help but ask, "What if no one contacts Zhao Ci?"

Zhao Sanjin replied coldly, "Then let him have his cultivation sealed for a lifetime! A sealed cultivation doesn’t equate to a wasted one. The foundation of Observing Body Skill remains, and it can extend longevity. If by any chance he breaks through to Tier Six, the seal will naturally lift."

Jiang Daozhen hurriedly added, "As long as he sincerely reforms, I have ways to verify it. Even if no one comes to him, I will lift the seal for him."

Zhao Sanjin gave Jiang Daozhen a look, perhaps communicating some divine thought privately, then tossed the Shadow Mirror back to Guo Qianhuai and walked out.

Guo Qianhuai caught the mirror, startled, because it was imbued with a Divine Control Thought from Ancestor Zhao.

After all, Zhao Sanjin is the founder of the Observing Body Sect, and having cultivated Observing Body Skill to Tier Eight, he had already studied the Shadow Mirror just now, leaving his insights and artifact control techniques within it.

In his moment of surprise, Guo Qianhuai saw Zhao Sanjin step out, followed by Jiang Daozhen and He Kao escorting him, so he hurriedly followed them out.

**