Fan Zhentong said, "Indeed. Among those added to the Advisory Group during its subsequent expansions, quite a few possess secret diagram bloodlines. They hold deeper potential and a greater likelihood of breaking through to the upper realm. Rumor has it that isn't even their upper limit.
"I don't know the exact headcount, but by my estimate, they make up roughly a quarter.
"And this seems to have become a trend. Moving forward, those with secret diagram bloodlines will likely become more numerous—ever increasing in number.
"Because once the Great Impact arrives and we stand in direct confrontation with the opposite side, possessors of secret diagram bloodlines truly have greater advantages than ordinary people, as well as a higher chance of survival. Reaching such an outcome is an obvious conclusion."
Having clashed with secret diagram bloodline possessors himself, Chen Chuan did not find this statement exaggerated.
Possessing a secret diagram bloodline meant having an additional aberrant tissue compared to regular martial artists. As long as one's personal foundation did not lag behind, one could draw upon upper-realm power.
Leaving aside a clash between two combatants of the same level—where an additional combat method already granted an edge—such upper-realm power was more than enough to establish an overwhelming advantage over ordinary opponents.
Furthermore, anyone capable of bearing such a bloodline was inherently exceptional, someone who had distinguished themselves among countless peers, which widened the disparity even further.
In truth, Chen Chuan cared little about what bloodlines they possessed. What truly mattered was their self-identification and the stance they chose to take; that was fundamental. If these people shared the same goals and ideals as them, he naturally hoped there would be as many of them as possible.
If the opposite were true, however, it would obviously bode ill.
Amid their conversation, after nearly two hours of driving, the private car arrived at the Tianyuantang Administration Court, situated at the heart of Zhongjing.
The vehicle did not halt upon arrival. Instead, it drove straight inside, turning west toward Qinghu Lake.
Chen Chuan looked out the window. Along the road, armed guards stood sternly at attention on both flanks, all visibly martial artists. As the car passed before them, every single one raised a hand in salute.
The vehicle proceeded along the road circling Qinghu Lake, ascended a gentle slope, and ultimately pulled into the parking lot outside Danxin Hall.
This time, Chen Chuan could clearly sense that he had passed through an invisible barrier. The ambient temperature changed dramatically. The weather had been chilly for mid-January, yet the moment they arrived here, it suddenly turned pleasantly warm as spring.
He cast a glance upward. That sensation of upper-realm power appeared once more, but unlike the starkly aloof and ethereal impression it had given upon entering the Administration Court, it now felt far closer.
After he stepped out of the car, staff members were already waiting. Fan Zhentong said, "Fifteen minutes left. Plenty of time. I'll wait inside the hall. Advisor Chen, please take a moment to prepare."
Chen Chuan agreed. Once Fan Zhentong had departed, the person in charge here stepped forward, offered a respectful salute, and said deferentially, "Advisor Chen, would you like me to explain the procedure to you?"
Chen Chuan replied, "No need. Advisor Fan already briefed me on the way."
"Understood. Would you like to change your attire first?"
Chen Chuan said, "Not for now."
"Very well, Advisor Chen."
The supervisor found nothing unusual in this. Every member of the Advisory Group was distinct and possessed a fierce personal will. Some advisors had likely never once donned the official advisor uniform.
Chen Chuan gestured, prompting the other man to bring over the boundary credential gifted by the Advisory Group. As Fan Zhentong had mentioned earlier, other things did not matter, but this boundary credential was an absolute must.
It embodied Great Shun's pinnacle biotechnology and possessed immense developmental potential. Even if one crossed over to the opposite side of the Ring of the World, there was no fear of contamination, and one could even contact upper-realm forces from there.
Furthermore, Kaiyang—the active conscious entity tasked with serving all advisors within Danxin Hall—required this boundary credential to verify identity for the first time.
Whether to continue using it afterward was purely a matter of personal preference. After all, every advisor was at the Cave Mystery View level, fully capable of establishing a field connection and communicating with it through mental power alone.
The boundary credential appeared on the surface as an irregular spiral, yet it was composed of gossamer threads so pure white they bordered on transparent. It spun ceaselessly, as though manifesting a multidimensional object.
As he reached out with his intent to communicate, the object unfurled at once, transforming into a wisp of light smoke that drifted toward him and entered his field directly. The sensation felt somewhat akin to a bound weapon.
Guided by this sensation, he immediately connected to an active conscious entity.
"Greetings, Advisor Chen. I am Kaiyang, the active conscious entity of Danxin Hall, here to serve you."
Chen Chuan nodded in acknowledgment, then looked back at the supervisor. Seeing Chen Chuan's gaze, the supervisor beamed and said, "Advisor Chen, the investiture ceremony can begin at any time. Shall we proceed to the ceremonial hall now?"
Chen Chuan said, "Right now."
"Please follow me."
Chen Chuan followed the man along an internal corridor. Five minutes later, they arrived at a spacious, domed hall whose layout featured an outer circular perimeter enclosing a square floor.
The dome was dim and nebulous, resembling a starry sky. Constellations in every quarter were clearly distinguishable, backed by a lattice of celestial coordinates, creating the impression of standing beneath the vast firmament itself. At the far reaches of the floor sat representations of the divine beasts guarding the four poles.
The design evidently drew upon the concept of "the heavens round like an open canopy, the earth square like a chessboard." At the celestial pole directly above, however, lay an aperture through which a shaft of light spilled down. It resembled an open portal—likely symbolizing the convergence between the opposite world and their own.
Because everyone knew Chen Chuan was arriving today, and because he was an advisor personally designated and elevated by Tianshu, all sixteen advisors, along with the five members of the advisory panel, were present in full force.
As he arrived, they stepped out from the lounge one after another, entering the hall and taking their respective positions.
Guided by the conscious entity Kaiyang, Chen Chuan walked to the position designated for him.
He swept a glance across his surroundings, taking in the appearances of all twenty-one advisors present. Finally, he looked forward and raised his gaze slightly to see three men and two women standing on the dais above. That had to be the five-person advisory panel.
The distinguished middle-aged man standing in the center stepped forward and spoke courteously, "Greetings, Advisor Chen. I am Dai Xuming, a member of the advisory panel. Welcome. Today, I shall read your certificate of appointment. Before we begin, do you have any questions?"
Chen Chuan looked at him and said, "None. If there is anything I need to know, I will find out for myself."
"Very well."
Dai Xuming produced a certificate of appointment, unfurled it, and read aloud:
"By decree of Tianshu, you are hereby granted the post of official advisor to the Republic of Great Shun's National Security Advisory Group. May you perform your duties with diligence and prudence, uphold the pillars of the state, dedicate your wisdom and sincerity, and never fail the high expectations placed upon you.
"Witnesses: All members of the Supreme Security Advisory Group of the Republic of Great Shun.
"Date: January 15, Year 99 of Jianzhi."
The moment the reading concluded, the beam of light spilling from the star-speckled dome abruptly expanded, enveloping Chen Chuan entirely.
Immediately, Chen Chuan sensed numerous gazes falling upon him. They did not come from the surrounding advisors, but from... even higher above!
Vaguely, he felt as if he were standing within the opposite world, surrounded by towering, colossal silhouettes.
At the same time, the items gifted to him by Meteora and Heavenly Master Lu trembled faintly on his person.
He lifted his gaze, meeting those colossal silhouettes eye to eye without the slightest hesitation.
Just then, a brilliant light flew toward him. Upon reaching his side, it revealed an exquisitely crafted jade tally.
He recognized it at a glance as the identity tally representing his status in the Advisory Group. Reaching out, he caught it in his palm.
In that instant, the surrounding sensations and brilliant lights vanished without a trace, and he found himself standing once more within the hall.
Dai Xuming stepped down from the dais, handed the certificate of appointment to Chen Chuan, and after Chen Chuan received it, extended a hand to shake his with a smile. "Advisor Chen, welcome to the Advisory Group. A hearty welcome."
Chen Chuan shook his hand and said, "Thank you, Advisor Dai."
Dai Xuming smiled. "We have a few internal matters to brief you on, Advisor Chen. Shall we step aside to discuss them in detail?"
Chen Chuan nodded and agreed.
The surrounding advisors all watched him. Some clearly welcomed his arrival, their eyes reflecting genuine goodwill; others held looks filled with wariness and dread; still others appeared aloof, detached, or absentminded, as if indifferent to everything.
Chen Chuan swept his gaze across everyone present, then followed Dai Xuming out of the hall and into a conference room.
The five-person advisory panel filed inside. Among them, a tall man in his forties with gentle eyes and a dignified, elder demeanor stood up and took the initiative to shake his hand, saying in a resonant, warm voice, "Greetings, Advisor Chen. I am Xiao Yuanguang. Welcome aboard."
Chen Chuan knew this man was one of their own from the Purist Faction. Yet the instant their hands met, he sensed something subtle. He nodded to the man and said, "Greetings, Senior Xiao."
Xiao Yuanguang smiled and nodded in return.
Dai Xuming then introduced the remaining three. A petite woman in her thirties with a stern expression was Pei Xiyan, hailing from the Defense Department.
Beside her stood a tall, strikingly handsome man with fair skin, a delicate air, and a perpetually scrutinizing gaze: Tong Xin from the Convergence Faction.
The last was an aloof woman with short hair: Xu Yingqing, representing the state enterprises.
As for Dai Xuming himself, he came from the Refined Practice School.
Once introductions were complete, Dai Xuming invited Chen Chuan to sit and said with a smile, "Advisor Chen, the Advisory Group provides every joining member with certain cultivation conveniences. If there is anything you require for your cultivation, please let us know, and we will do our best to provide it."
Fan Zhentong had already mentioned this on the way over, so Chen Chuan had considered the matter beforehand.
Of the three requirements for breaking through to the upper realm, he was still slightly short on precious materials, but those currently seemed easiest to procure. While a gap remained for relics, he had already acquired several. For now, what he lacked most was a suitable location.
And so he spoke, "Then I would like to ask: can the Advisory Group provide me with sufficient celestial seeds?"
Chapter 1474