Chapter 3: The Spirit Web and the Celestial Law Division

The encounter with Wang Ruohan had cast a shadow over Lin Rui's mood, but it only fueled his urgency to cultivate the [Azurewood Heart Chant] and become a registered cultivator.

Back in his humble courtyard, he wasted no time on the herbs he had bought. Drawing on his predecessor's vague memories, he pounded some into a paste while simmering others in a clay pot. A strange, clean fragrance, mingled with a faint bitterness, soon filled the small hut.

Once the decoction was ready, he drank it down in one go.

A gentle warmth spread through his abdomen, and the weariness in his body eased. That night, he slept more soundly than he had in days.

The next day, as dawn broke, Lin Rui was already in his courtyard. He took a deep breath of the misty morning air, settled into a low stance, and began to practice a set of simple fist forms from his memories. But he imbued them with the efficiency of his past life's fighting style, each punch and kick carrying a focused, short-range power.

Sweat soaked his faded training clothes. The burn of muscle fatigue washed over him, but he gritted his teeth and persisted, pushing his body to its absolute limit while silently circulating the mnemonics of the [Azurewood Heart Chant], attempting to sense the "vitality" in the world around him.

"Azurewood heart, let vitality flow..." he chanted in a low voice, his mind sinking into his dantian.

This time—perhaps because of the herbal tonic, or the high-intensity exertion—when he once again visualized the phantom azurewood tree, he truly captured a faint, almost imperceptible coolness.

It was a weak, yet exceptionally pure wisp of "vegetal vitality." Like the first sprout breaking through the soil in spring, it carried a clean scent of greenery as it gathered in his dantian.

A jolt went through him. He reined in his excitement and, following the unique method of the Chant, carefully guided this precious wisp, attempting to merge it with his meager lifeblood. The process was challenging; the wisp nearly dispersed several times. But with mental control that far surpassed an ordinary person's, he stubbornly held it steady.

An unknown amount of time passed. When the last of the vitality had reluctantly fused with his lifeblood, the newborn spiritual energy was still pitifully weak, thin as a spider's thread. However, Lin Rui could clearly sense that something new had formed within him.

He relaxed his stance and opened his eyes.

At that exact moment, he sensed that the air in the small courtyard seemed fresher. Wisps of spiritual energy, as if drawn by some invisible force, were faintly gathering around him. The very concentration of spiritual energy in the air had increased, just slightly.

"Hmm?" An idea struck him as he recalled what Baobao and Xu Yu had said about the Spirit Web. "Could this be… positive feedback from the Spirit Web? My cultivation drew in the world's spiritual energy, so it's giving me a little incentive?"

He savored the sensation. It was like the +1 EXP notification that pops up over a character's head in a video game. An indescribable joy welled up inside him.

"This is it!" Lin Rui clenched his fists, a grin spreading across his face. "If I keep training like this, reaching the first stage of Mystic Art Enlightenment… it'll only be a matter of time!"

The Lin family's Spirit Web Monitoring Hub was like an invisible net, constantly capturing the state of all spiritual energy within the family's domain.

Naturally, the nascent fluctuation of "vitality" from Lin Rui's small courtyard did not escape its "eyes."

This time, however, the one knocking was not a guard, but Lin Tiancheng—Lin Rui's Second Uncle.

The gate creaked open. The two guards on watch saw the visitor and immediately bowed. "Second Master."

Lin Rui, who had been resting in the courtyard, quickly stood up. "Second Uncle."

Lin Tiancheng wore a peach-colored robe embroidered with plum blossoms. His long hair was tied back with a cloth band, and a well-groomed ring of beard framed his sharp, angular face, giving him a roguish, handsome air.

Fragments of memory about this uncle flashed through Lin Rui's mind. After his father disappeared, this uncle had been reasonably attentive, visiting monthly with gifts of spirit meat and herbs. He seemed to have a nickname in the clan, "the Guardian of Principles," though it was unclear if it was a compliment or a criticism. In short, his impression wasn't bad, but they weren't particularly close.

Lin Tiancheng waved a hand, signaling for the guards to be at ease. His gaze fell upon Lin Rui, looking him up and down with a faint, knowing smile.

"Rui'er, was that little stir just now your doing?"

Lin Rui's heart skipped a beat, but he feigned confusion. "A stir? I'm not sure what Second Uncle is referring to."

Lin Tiancheng didn't press the point. He strolled over to the stone table and sat down, his fingers tapping the rough surface. "An hour ago, the Spirit Web Hub detected signs of spiritual energy converging on your courtyard. Not the powerful surge from the Ancestral Hall, no. This was the real deal… hmm, the Spirit Web's feedback from a genuine sliver of cultivation progress."

He paused, his gaze sharpening. "The Patriarch found out and asked me to take a look. You little rascal, when did you secretly learn how to cultivate?"

Old fox, Lin Rui cursed inwardly. Outwardly, he plastered on a smile of pleasant surprise and slight embarrassment.

"Second Uncle, you see right through me! To be honest, I'm just as confused. Ever since… er, the ancestral manifestation, I've felt my body has been a bit lighter. A few days ago, I stumbled upon the fragment of the [Azurewood Heart Chant] that Father left behind and thought I'd poke around with it. Who would have thought that while I was just messing around this morning, a tiny wisp of coolness would actually appear in my dantian!"

He gestured with his hands, doing his best to look like a simple-minded kid who'd gotten lucky. "I figured it must be the ancestors watching over me. With my sudden bout of good luck, I just stumbled my way into it!"

Lin Tiancheng listened, his deep-set eyes betraying nothing, his expression seeming to say, Go on with your story, I'm listening.

Only after Lin Rui had finished did he speak. "Hmm. Blessed by the ancestors, with deep fortune. Not an entirely inaccurate way to put it. In that case, you've more or less found your way to the threshold. It won't do to keep fumbling around on your own. If you misalign your Qi, you'll do more harm than good."

Lin Tiancheng's tone shifted, a profound smile appearing on his face. "How about this, Rui'er? Since fortune has found you, your Second Uncle will pull some strings for you."

"I've already spoken with someone at the Celestial Law Division. Tomorrow morning, go directly to their branch office in the market. Give them my name and tell them I've approved you for cultivator registration. They'll process it for you directly, saving you the trouble of their tedious examinations."

Lin Rui's eyes went wide.

Holy shit! I get to cut the line? This convenient uncle of mine… his connections are that wild? This is a straight-up cheat code!

Seeing Lin Rui's stunned expression, Lin Tiancheng's smile deepened.

"Don't just stand there grinning, you little rascal. This path of cultivation… it's like tipping over the first domino." He held up a finger. "Yesterday, through your hard work, you condensed a sliver of vitality, which triggered positive feedback from the Spirit Web. That was the first push."

He paused, his gaze meaningful. "That feedback, as insignificant as it seemed, was like a pebble tossed into a calm lake. The ripples were small, but they have already altered the flow of 'cause and effect.' Because of it, the Patriarch noticed you. Because of it, I am here. And because of that, I am willing to offer you this convenience. This is my second push."

"Do you understand? It's all connected. Without your first push, there would be no second push from me. How far you can go on this path will depend on whether you can seize every tiny 'cause' to leverage a greater 'effect'."

Lin Rui was dumbfounded. The initial joy of winning the lottery subsided, replaced by a sudden, illuminating clarity. He had always known that hard work paid off, but he'd never imagined that in this world, the link between effort and opportunity was governed by this ethereal "Spirit Web" and the laws of "cause and effect."

"Second Uncle, I… I understand," he said, giving Lin Tiancheng a solemn, formal bow.

Lin Tiancheng nodded in satisfaction, gave a few more instructions, and then departed.

The next morning, Lin Rui changed into a cleaner set of coarse clothes and, with a mix of apprehension and anticipation, made his way to the Celestial Law Division's branch office in the center of the market.

The office was more imposing than he had imagined.

High bluestone walls, with stone carvings of two unknown beasts crouching by the entrance, gave it an air of authority. The main doors were open, and cultivators armed with various weapons streamed in and out.

Lin Rui stood across the street, took a deep breath, and walked inside.

The moment he stepped through the door, a chaotic wave of smells—ink, sweat, and various spiritual materials—assaulted him. The hall was packed with cultivators on business. Some crowded around tall counters, speaking anxiously with the clerks. Others sat on benches along the walls, sighing in frustration.

The bluestone floor was polished to a shine by countless feet, and several thick spirit-wood pillars supported the high ceiling. On the walls hung scrolls bearing excerpts from the Celestial Dao's Laws of Cultivation, written in a bold, powerful script.

Thinking fast, Lin Rui scanned the crowd and located a quiet counter in a corner. A small sign on it read: New Cultivator Registration. Behind it, a clerk in the division's standard gray robe was yawning out of sheer boredom.

Lin Rui squeezed through the crowd and arrived at the counter.

"Honorable Clerk, my name is Lin Rui. I've come to register under the order of Second Master Lin Tiancheng of the Lin family."

The clerk lifted an eyelid, his gaze sweeping over Lin Rui. His expression clearly said, Oh, so you're the kid.

He slowly pulled a palm-sized, azure jade slip from a drawer, along with a long, thin rune brush whose tip glowed with a faint spiritual light.

"Name: Lin Rui. Domicile, Lin family branch of Zhuyun Town. Age?"

"Eighteen."

"Primary cultivation method?"

"Er… a fragment of the [Azurewood Heart Chant]," Lin Rui said.

The clerk's hand paused. He looked up, a strange expression in his eyes, as if to say, Who in this day and age still practices that fossil of a technique? But he didn't ask, simply making a few strokes on the jade slip.

"Any special skills or master?"

"My father, Lin Yuntian, had some skill in alchemy. I… learned a thing or two by watching him," Lin Rui said vaguely.

The goateed clerk grunted and recorded something else. Then, he retrieved a palm-sized, vibrant green jade tablet from under the counter. The front was carved with the two characters for "Celestial Law."

"Hold out your hand. I need a drop of blood to bind this cultivator tablet."

Lin Rui did as he was told. The clerk pricked his finger with a silver needle. A single, crimson drop of blood welled up and fell onto the blank back of the tablet. Like a living thing, it spread rapidly across the jade, forming a fine web of blood-red lines before fading, leaving only a faint, dark red mark.

The clerk nodded and handed the tablet to Lin Rui. "Done. This is the 'Azure Bamboo Jade Tablet,' unique to Zhuyun Town. From now on, this will serve as your proof of status as a registered cultivator. It will also record your cultivation progress and merit points."

He paused. "However, since you haven't even reached the first stage of Mystic Art Enlightenment, your cultivation level won't show up for now. Second Master Lin opened the door for you; it's up to you to walk through it."

Lin Rui accepted the tablet, a thrill running through him.

The clerk then tossed three thin booklets onto the counter. "Take these. Celestial Law Division - Cultivator Code of Conduct, Spirit Web Mission Tiers and Compensation Outline, and Abridged Mutual Aid Treaty for Cultivators of Qingluo Prefecture. Read them carefully. If you break a taboo or miss an opportunity later, don't say no one warned you."

Lin Rui quickly gathered the booklets, thanked the clerk, and turned to leave.

The bustling hall was crowded. Suddenly, a figure bumped right into him.

He shifted his feet, narrowly avoiding a full collision, and looked up. He froze.

The person opposite him hadn't expected to run into anyone either. Her willow-like eyebrows furrowed for a moment. Then, upon seeing Lin Rui's face, her almond-shaped eyes widened in utter shock and disbelief.

"Lin Rui?!"

Lin Yueyao was dressed in the practical uniform of an inner-hall disciple today, her long hair tied up high, accentuating her sharp, heroic features. She was holding a beast-hide scroll, apparently on business at the Division.

Her gaze fell to the Azure Bamboo Jade Tablet at Lin Rui's waist. The newness of the tablet and the faint spiritual energy fluctuating from it made her eyes sting.

"What are you doing here?! This cultivator tablet… since when were you able to guide Qi into your body?!" Her voice rose, laced with a sharpness she hadn't noticed, her gaze so intense that it seemed she wanted to drill holes through him.

This "waste" whom she and her peers couldn't even be bothered to mention—how was this possible? The "ancestral manifestation" was strange enough, but in just a few days, he had actually managed to guide Qi into his body and obtain a cultivator tablet?

Lin Rui saw her dumbfounded expression and chuckled inwardly, but his face remained a calm, placid mask.

"Just got lucky. Thanks for the concern, Cousin."

His bland, indifferent attitude caught her off guard. The litany of questions she had been ready to unleash was suddenly stuck in her throat. She stared at his unruffled face and realized he seemed different. The old Lin Rui wouldn't have even dared to lift his head in her presence.

Lin Yueyao snorted, her tone softening slightly but still dripping with condescension. "Hmph. Since you were lucky enough to get your foot in the door, you'd better cultivate properly. Don't disappoint the ancestors' 'blessing,' and stop embarrassing the Lin family."

Without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked to the "Family Affairs" counter.

Lin Rui watched her cold, rigid back, a thought suddenly surfacing: Could she be the one?

He then shook his head. While Lin Yueyao was arrogant, she acted openly. She was the recognized genius of the younger generation and would never stoop to using such underhanded tactics on a "waste" she didn't even see as worthy of her notice. Besides, if she wanted to get rid of the original Lin Rui, there were far more direct methods. Why use a slow-acting poison like the Spirit-Corroding Powder? It didn't fit her style.

It was more likely the work of some other scum lurking in the family's dark corners.

He dismissed the thought and left the Celestial Law Division.

With nothing else to do, he decided to wander the town to familiarize himself with this new world better.

He was strolling along the bluestone road when the street corner ahead suddenly erupted in chaos.

"Get out of the way!" a panicked voice shouted.

Immediately, a steed that was crimson from head to hoof, its hooves faintly sparking with fire, charged toward them, completely out of control. A man in rich brocade fumbled frantically with the reins, his face pale with fright. The Crimsonflame Steed's eyes were bloodshot as it barreled through the crowd.

"My stall!" an old man selling talismans cried out as his stall was about to be overturned.

"Protect the shop!" Clerks from several storefronts scrambled into action. Two of them pulled out palm-sized, turtle-shell-shaped objects that transformed into a translucent, pale-yellow light shield, appearing just in time to block the storefront. The steed slammed headfirst into the shield with a dull thud. The shield wobbled but held.

Lin Rui's pupils contracted. The steed was incredibly fast and about to crash right into him.

Relying on the agility of his past life, his feet moved almost instinctively, his entire body sliding several feet to the side, narrowly avoiding the maddened spirit beast.

Whew… damn near gave me a heart attack. Good to know I've still got the moves, he thought, relieved.

The street was a mess. Fortunately, a few patrolling cultivators from the Celestial Law Division arrived. One threw out a rope-like artifact that glowed with an azure light, instantly wrapping itself around the Crimsonflame Steed. The man in brocade finally calmed down and began apologizing profusely.

Lin Rui shook his head, having no intention of getting involved. He turned to continue on his way.

"Well, well, who do we have here? If it isn't our little Ruohan's former… uh, fiancée?"

A flippant, playful voice sounded from behind him.

A vein throbbed on Lin Rui's forehead. He felt a headache coming on. That voice, that tone… it matched a certain unreliable character in his memories. He turned and, sure enough, saw a man in a flashy purple robe, trinkets jingling at his waist, hopping down from a white "Snow-Mane Horse" across the street.

Wang Ting. An oddball from the Wang family's branch clan and Wang Ruohan's cousin.

He swaggered over, a pair of flirtatious eyes looking Lin Rui up and down, a teasing smirk on his face.

"I thought that silhouette looked familiar. What a rare sight. Young Master Lin, did the sun rise in the west today? You deigned to leave that hovel of yours?"

Lin Rui couldn't be bothered with his nonsense and gave him a massive eye roll. "Spit it out."

Wang Ting was taken aback, but far from getting angry, his eyes lit up. He clapped his hands. "Interesting! Haven't seen you in a few days and you've… completely transformed?" He leaned in closer and sniffed. "Tsk, that faint smell of the Celestial Law Division… And that Azure Bamboo Jade Tablet at your waist, fresh off the press. Did those old fossils at the Lin family finally pull some strings for you?"

Lin Rui ignored his overly familiar banter.

Wang Ting, however, circled him, his eyes gleaming with a gossipy light.

Lin Rui waved a hand impatiently. "Alright, stop looking at me like that."

Wang Ting stroked his chin. "Hey, you probably haven't eaten yet, right? Come on, big brother, I'm in a good mood. I'll treat you to a meal at the Drunken Immortal Tavern. And while we're at it, you can tell me what kind of strange encounter you've had. Don't tell me your ancestral tomb did start smoking and you got possessed by an old ghost?"

Lin Rui snapped back irritably, "You're the one who's possessed!"

Wang Ting threw his head back and laughed, slinging an arm over Lin Rui's shoulders and dragging him toward the Drunken Immortal Tavern.

"Hahaha, just kidding! Let's go, let's go! The Drunken Immortal Tavern just got a new shipment of 'Biluochun Spirit Tea,' and they have their signature 'Roasted Snow Rabbit Legs.' I guarantee you'll want more after one bite!"