When the golden radiance erupted, this remote small alley was brightly lit. Even the skies above became bright like day.

Many people in the city saw this radiance, thus, even more people began to bow down in a devout and respectful manner.

The radiance disappeared.

Yuhua Shanhe turned around.

Following a light ding sound, the light flexible sword in that cultivator’s hands fell down onto the stone path.

Then, this cultivator fell on his back. His head didn’t truly become like crystal material, but the power behind the light rays seemed to have truly fried up a lot of blood in his brain. The skin of his face was even deeply wrinkled, eyeballs also scorched through his eyelids, eye sockets sinking down deeply. Even though he died within a split second, the feeling he gave off was as if this body had already remained a corpse for a long time.

Only when Yuhua Shanhe passed by his side did Lin Xi snap out of his daze, feeling alarmed as he caught up to Yuhua Shanhe who was leaving this quiet alley.

Judging from the aura Yuhua Shanhe released from his body just now, he was sure that Yuhua Shanhe was a Sacred Expert. However, what left him in shock wasn’t Yuhua Shanhe’s Sacred Expert level cultivation, because for someone of this status in the empire, moreover from an influential family, being a Sacred Expert was a perfectly reasonable thing… What left him in shock was naturally that streak of pure radiance this golden robed Eternal High Priest released from his palm and fingers just now.

This type of radiance was clearly not some type of bravado or illusion used to light up the darkness or used for some type of ‘divine miracle’, it was clearly just like Gao Yanan’s ice and his own hidden golden lightning, powerful vital energy power.

“Are you going to pass a certain Priest Hall cultivation method onto me?” Lin Xi’s shock also rested in that he sensed Yuhua Shanhe’s intentions.

Yuhua Shanhe sighed in sincere admiration. “You possess extremely sharp judgment, able to easily grasp the main points. Clear insight, for a priest, is even more important than cultivation. You indeed can become an excellent priest.”

Lin Xi quickly took a few steps, catching up to this elder’s steps andasking, “Who was that person just now?”

Yuhua Shanhe couldn’t help but smile. “It seems like Divine Generals aren’t deities after all, still human, there is no way you can know everything. However, it is also good that you are human… if you were a deity above humans, you might not have much humanity left.”

“He is one of the people who wished to kill you, someone from Great Mang’s side.” After revealing a smile, he calmly explained. “Now that your whereabouts are exposed, you’ve naturally become a target. However, when some powers make their moves, they will also reveal some traces, let others notice them.”

Lin Xi thought for a bit, and then asked, “Right now, apart from your Yuhua Family, are there any families that have voiced their stance?”

Yuhua Shanhe was already used to Lin Xi’s directness, and he also seemed to be fond of this type of direct conversation style. His steps didn’t stop in the slightest, replying, “The other families are all still waiting, Only Jiang Family seems to have made some big moves. Only, we still don’t know what they are trying to do.”

“Jiang Family originally belongs to the emperor defending faction, right?” Lin Xi asked.

Yuhua Shanhe’s brows furrowed slightly. Emperor defending faction, these three words were a bit new to him, the feeling they gave him seemingly a bit uncomfortable. However, he still said, “Huang Family, Hu Family and Wenren Family all seem to have lost power due to his majesty’s deliberate suppression. According to his majesty’s actions these past few years, these families have reason to suspect that his majesty wishes to completely change the layout, make all of these rich and powerful families all withdraw. Moreover, after Grand Secretary Wen took the stage, Jiang Family and Wen Family’s conflict of authority also became fierce, everyone wishing to obtain more authority and resources from his majesty’s hands.”

Yuhua Shanhe spoke extremely simply, but for Lin Xi, everything was already extremely clear.

“Using the words emperor defending faction is indeed incorrect, we can only say that when facing Green Luan Academy’s pressure, Jiang Family and the emperor stood on the same extremist side.” Lin Xi nodded and said.

Yuhua Shanhe originally felt a bit of unhappiness inside again, but immediately afterwards, he thought about how even though there were some people who were quick to judge while overestimating their own abilities, Lin Xi’s status indeed had this type of qualification, inwardly feeling relieved. He felt a bit moved inside, saying quietly with a sigh, “Actually, when Yunqin Empire was first established, it should have been Green Luan Academy who supervised the nine senators, while the nine senator supervised his majesty. Green Luan Academy didn’t participate in politics, while the nine senators would keep his majesty in check. This way, when his majesty crossed the line, the nine senators would correct him, while if the nine senators erred, Green Luan Academy would correct them. However, when Principal Zhang suddenly disappeared, his majesty acting powerful year after year, this earliest structure already changed a bit.”

“The theory exists but cannot be carried out in reality.” Lin Xi’s brows furrowed slightly, saying seriously, “This is because Yunqin doesn’t have someone like Principal Zhang who can suppress the entire world, but has no interest in controlling the world.”

Yuhua Shanhe stared blankly for a bit and then began to laugh, “You are making me more and more convinced that you are the same type of person as Principal Zhang. The only difference is that back then, when Principal Zhang first entered Central Continent City, formally appearing before this world’s cultivators, he already reached Sacred Expert level cultivation, already powerful enough. However, you are still far from Sacred Expert level, so Yunqin will still be tossed about by the wind and rain.”

“What your respected self said is correct.” Lin Xi laughed and said, “Then what should we do with that dead cultivator? We can just ignore him?”

“Your way of thinking jumps around too much, it is hard for someone of my age to keep up with the thoughts of a youngster like you.” When he heard how Lin Xi’s way of address suddenly changed, Yuhua Shanhe also learned that his conversation with Lin Xi was extremely pleasant, moreover truly developing a bit more respect for him. “There should already be someone dealing with him now.” After a chuckle, he then said this.

Lin Xi who only casually asked about this immediately became a bit more serious, “The light you just released… this type of cultivation technique, what kind of principles are there behind it?”

“According to cultivation principles, soul force is our spirit that has merged with some of the world’s vital energies. All soul weapons and runes are some methods that can allow our soul force to amass a bit more of this world’s power. All cultivation methods’ principles are the same.” Yuhua Shanhe explained with a smile, “Towards the source of runes and soul weapons, many great cultivators from the past until now have the same opinion. Perhaps when many ancient people, while refining tools or weapons, unintentionally discovered that there was some special power that was produced when certain patterns were carved, thus slowly developing them. Even if many ancient texts state that runes and soul weapons were passed down from gods and devils from a long time ago, even if it is a god or devil, they might have similarly experienced this type of process who knew how long ago.”

Lin Xi stared blankly. Immediately afterwards, he felt a deep sense of veneration. At the very least, some virtuous predecessors in this word already had this type of concept of evolution a long time ago.

“Some cultivation methods were likely unintentionally produced from someone’s experimentation hundreds of thousands of years ago. Through the flow of some unique soul force through some organs in the body, some secretions, they would then gather even more powerful vital energy power.” Yuhua Shanhe gave Lin Xi a look. “Your Green Luan Academy’s Internal Study Department, isn’t their research precisely on this subject?”

“It is quite similar to what I thought before, Yanan also spoke about similar reasoning before. She said that her body was like a soul weapon, the soul force itself special. Meanwhile, some cultivation methods were precisely some methods cultivators learned, methods that could make their soul force become a bit more special.” Lin Xi nodded. “Priest Hall’s way of turning soul force into light, apart from astonishing illumination, it also carries heat, like carrying flames?”

“It is actually just like what you saw just now, apart from making the light that makes the other party lose sight easy, the heat is far inferior to Shentu Clan’s[1] pure flames.”

“When much of a soul force’s strength is placed on releasing brilliance, in terms of heat, it cannot compare to pure condensed flames. The reason I was able to kill that individual just now was still mainly because he was only at the State Master level cultivation, unable to block most of my power. Towards similar level Sacred Experts, my Priest Hall’s radiance can only at most make enemies fight as if they are blind, unable to use their sight together with their perception, thus making their decision-making produce some sluggishness.”

Yuhua Shanhe smiled, speaking as if he was inferior, but he instead carried a bit of pride on his face as he spoke. “However, our Priest Hall radiance’s significance doesn’t lie only on this aspect of facing an enemy.”

Lin Xi and Gao Yanan exchanged a look. Lin Xi couldn’t help but open his mouth, wishing to ask about this.

“One ought to teach by words and example.” However, before Lin Xi spoke up, Yuhua Shanhe already continued, “Bringing you around Rudong City today is precisely to let you see that sometimes… personally seeing will allow you to understand some reasoning even more clearly, allowing you to better understand some of the meaning of our existence.”

Lin Xi knew that what he needed right now was only a bit of patience, which was why he became quiet, following Yuhua Shanhe in moving through the night scene.

He saw that there was a dirty boy in a corner of the street who was kneeling on the ground, begging, in tattered clothes, his arms and legs skinny and shriveled. There was a pair of eyes filled with loss and fear on his thin and dirty face. It wasn’t that the dirt on his face hadn’t been washed, in places like Rudong City, there were many water wells and canals, but rather because a beggar like him would often be in dirty places. For someone like him who often slept in an alley corner or some small abandoned shed, maintaining his body’s cleanliness was an impossible thing.

Perhaps because of the blistering hot weather, the mosquito bites and his body’s constant dirty condition, this little beggar’s neck was covered in a rash, with even a huge rotten ulcer growing there.

Yuhua Shanhe walked up to this twelve or thirteen year old boy’s face, reaching out his hand towards him.

This boy didn’t know what the golden priest robes on Yuhua Shanhe signified, he only felt like Yuhua Shanhe was some type of distinguished individual, only feeling a bit frightened.

Yuhua Shanhe looked at this beggar with pity. His hand and fingers released candle-like radiance, shining on this boy’s neck.

Lin Xi’s eyes quickly contracted, revealing shock. Then, he felt like this world’s cultivation methods really were filled with indescribable brilliance.

Under the pure radiance’s illumination and permeation, the rotten ulcer on that boy’s neck quickly scabbed.

“This truly is a sacred light of healing…” Lin Xi couldn’t help but release a light sigh of admiration.

1. The clan that leads Purgatory Mountain and Great Mang