Chapter 325: Is This A Show Of Force From The Higher-ups? Is This A Legendary Creature?
Director Qiu pressed that button, then secretly glanced at the Chen Family Head.
Seeing that his expression was unchanged and that he had not noticed the small gesture, he let out a breath of relief.
Honestly, he was a scholar, counted as one of the scientific researchers, yet those people actually had him doing this kind of thing.
Still, it was kind of exciting.
Chen Han looked unaware, but in fact he had already seen Director Qiu’s actions.
In his eyes, the other was just a bookish man. In front of such ordinary people, he really could count as an expert; such small tricks could not escape him.
However, he could roughly guess a few things, so he did not expose it.
“Chen Family Head, how did you calculate all this? Was it through the Eight Trigrams and Classic of Changes?” Daoist Priest Xuan Shi was still very curious about the old man extorting the girl and asked once more.
Director Qiu also pricked up his ears, his face full of curiosity.
To be honest, predicting that something would happen and preparing in advance was absolutely harder to understand than Feng Shui.
Or rather, Feng Shui could be given a scientific explanation, but how could this sort of thing be explained scientifically?
Hearing this question, Chen Han replied with a beaming smile, “Daoist Priest Xuan Shi, although we are people who cultivate the Dao, we must also believe in science. It was just a coincidence, yet Daoist Priest Li spread it like this.”
“…” Daoist Priest Xuan Shi immediately looked resentfully at the Chen Family Head. Everyone knew what Daoist Priest Li was like; he would never spread such things carelessly.
But you, Chen Family Head, although you and Daoist Priest Chen share the surname Chen, there is no need to always keep repeating his catchphrase about believing in science, right?
Director Qiu’s expression was also very strange.
Believe in science?
He wondered whether these were the words those people wanted to hear.
On the other side, several people were already wearing headphones, listening in on the conversation inside the car where Chen Han was.
The words “believe in science” made them look at one another.
These past days they had already studied all the videos and news related to this Chen Family Head; the phrase “believe in science” really did appear quite often.
Inside the car.
Seeing that the Chen Family Head was unwilling to talk about this matter, Daoist Priest Xuan Shi did not press him, and instead turned to discussing matters related to Feng Shui.
On this topic, Chen Han naturally chatted happily with Daoist Priest Xuan Shi and even Daoist Priest Xuan He.
After all, Feng Shui was now science, and could be talked about openly and extensively.
As for any discussion that went beyond Feng Shui to other aspects of Daoist cultivation, he remained at “believe in science.”
This left Daoist Priest Xuan Shi very depressed.
Daoist Priest Xuan He, however, seemed to sense something. He subtly made a Daoist hand sign to remind this junior brother.
Seeing that hand sign, Daoist Priest Xuan Shi instinctively looked at Director Qiu, his brows slightly furrowed.
There were all kinds of Daoist hand signs, and the one his senior brother had made was from the Linggong Art, indicating the suppression of lurking evil spirits.
In the present situation, it implied that some monster was lurking and spying.
There were certainly no monsters in reality, which meant that Director Qiu must have done something to the car, like installing surveillance.
It was just Feng Shui Geography, with a new branch of science added. Did they really need to go to such lengths?
So boring.
Daoist Priest Xuan He was thinking further.
Since Feng Shui Geography had been proven to be science, that 《Basic Feng Shui》 published by the association was absolutely clear and easy to understand.
Leaving aside Daoist Academy students, geography experts at the higher level could definitely understand it. Although its influence was great, it did not warrant such a big formation.
Unless the higher-ups suspected that Feng Shui was far from that simple, or that this whole setup was about more than just Feng Shui.
Thinking this through, Daoist Priest Xuan He continued chatting with the Chen Family Head, but only about Feng Shui-related matters.
If someone wanted to listen, then let them hear more.
But when they got into deeper Feng Shui knowledge points, both Daoist Priest Xuan He and Daoist Priest Xuan Shi could not quite follow, even though they had been diligently studying 《Basic Feng Shui》 and 《Feng Shui Secret Record》 recently.
Daoist Priest Xuan Shi finally could not resist asking, “Chen Family Head, at our Baiyun side there is a place where reciting the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 is effective, which shows there is particular geography and terrain there. Without a Feng Shui Formation Diagram, is there really no way for us to repair that geography and terrain and make use of it?”
When this question came out, Daoist Priest Xuan He also looked full of expectation.
Chen Han shook his head and said, “Daoist Priest Xuan Shi, it is not that without a Feng Shui Formation Diagram there is no way to repair the geography and terrain, but that with our current capabilities we simply cannot produce a Feng Shui Formation Diagram ourselves.”
This was the truth. His Feng Shui Ability might be stronger than that of these Daoist priests, but he still relied more on the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone.
Only with a Feng Shui Formation Diagram could he use the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone to analyze large Feng Shui arrays in famous rivers and mountains and how to make use of geography and terrain.
Otherwise, with his current Feng Shui Ability, even with the New Five Emperors Sword, he would be helpless.
As for Daoist Priest Xuan Shi and Daoist Priest Xuan He, they did not know whether this was good news or bad news.
The bad news was that they still had not found a Feng Shui Formation Diagram in the temple.
The good news was that once Feng Shui research reached a high level, one could do without a pre-existing Feng Shui Formation Diagram and draw one independently.
Indeed, when Feng Shui Formation Diagrams first appeared in the past, had they not been created by ancestors through their own research?
It was just that their current abilities were insufficient.
On the other side, the people who had been listening in immediately started recording when they heard this.
This was the most useful information they had obtained so far.
At the highest level of Feng Shui research, one could indeed use geography and terrain to set up Feng Shui arrays.
The Chen Clan’s Feng Shui array and Wudang’s Thunder Fire Refining Golden Summit were not unique.
Through covert investigation of both these sides, leaving aside absurd matters like the Chen Clan Dreamscape and Family Cave Mansion, they already understood the power of Feng Shui.
It was not only about the Chen Clan’s regulation of air; more importantly, it was about that special free energy that appeared at Wudang’s Thunder Fire Refining Golden Summit.
Their people had secretly gone up there to capture some of that free energy with instruments, and it was astonishing.
By now they could basically confirm one thing: the Chen Clan’s True Kung Fu was supported by Feng Shui arrays, and the 《Tai Chi》 on the Wudang side would soon become True Kung Fu as well.
And if they wanted to research Feng Shui, since it had been confirmed as science and there was foundational Feng Shui Knowledge as a basis, the resources the higher-ups could mobilize for this research were absolutely beyond what Daoist sect palaces and temples could compare with.
Not even the entire Daoist Sect together could match it.
They knew very well: which side had the most Feng Shui Books domestically and the oldest Feng Shui texts? It was actually the authorities.
At the time, many people of foresight and vision had secretly preserved a lot of books.
And there were texts unearthed from the ground, many of which were related to Feng Shui Books.
Previously, no one had paid attention to this field, that was all.
Inside the Special Intelligence Collection Department.
One of the staff responsible for monitoring, puzzled, reported to the pondering person in charge beside him, “Minister Ma, I feel something is off. It seems that this Chen Family Head has discovered us. Otherwise he would not talk only about Feng Shui and say nothing but ‘believe in science’ for the rest.”
“Not only the Chen Family Head, those two Daoist priests from Baiyun may have noticed as well.” Minister Ma smiled, not really bothered, since they did not bear any malice.
Then he said, “Keep listening. Everyone knows in their hearts what is going on and will not expose it. What I am curious about now is whether this Chen Family Head, when he gets to the place we carefully selected, can detect anything unusual, and how long it will take him to find it.”
That remark also aroused the curiosity of the others.
After all, once the Special Intelligence Collection Department had taken an interest in this matter, they had brought in many geniuses in geography, quite a few Daoist Studies Enthusiasts, and relevant experts to study and analyze this knowledge.
During this period they had made some small progress.
…
Chen Han asked Director Qiu first to send Chen Dalong and the other two to the national team, and afterward, when Director Qiu was arranging his accommodation, he also sensed something wrong.
For someone being granted the title of Grand Scholar, his lodging should be at the Chinese Academy of Sciences guest house, but instead, the car Director Qiu arranged brought them to an independent multi-courtyard Courtyard House.
It seemed to have been built in a fairly distant era. From its construction and layout, it should have been the residence of someone extremely wealthy and noble.
Director Qiu then offered a clumsy excuse: “Chen Family Head, our academy’s guest house is currently being renovated, so we specially arranged this quiet residence for you here. Tomorrow, when it is time to award your certificate, a special car will come to pick you up.”
Chen Han almost laughed when he heard this.
The excuse was too clumsy.
Even if he was not familiar with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, he knew there had to be more than one guest house. All over the country, people came to the Chinese Academy of Sciences every day.
Laboratories large and small, companies, official delegations, private parties…
Even if there was renovation, it was impossible for all of them to be under renovation at the same time.
In this situation, it was highly likely they had deliberately arranged this place for him.
They definitely had a purpose.
Following Director Qiu inside, Chen Han immediately noticed some Feng Shui arrangements.
This house seemed to have been built according to a Feng Shui Pattern, with Feng Shui layouts everywhere.
Chen Han could not be certain right away; later he could take out the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone to confirm.
Director Qiu did not stay long. After arranging their lodging, he left, but he did assign dedicated service staff.
At this moment, Daoist Priest Xuan Shi and Daoist Priest Xuan He were looking around in astonishment.
“Chen Family Head, there seems to be some Feng Shui Pattern here,” Daoist Priest Xuan Shi said in surprise.
Daoist Priest Xuan He also nodded. “There is indeed. A rockery was specially built there, surrounded by a pond. That should all be serving a Feng Shui Pattern.”
“You two are right. Why not take a look around,” Chen Han said with a smile, as if he understood the intention behind this.
They wanted to see how much weight his Feng Shui Ability carried.
It could be seen as a show of power.
As for how they had found such a house constructed with a Feng Shui Pattern, even making use of a small-scale geography and terrain, that was not strange.
Because the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 was currently the best method to detect whether there was special geography and terrain.
Simply by reciting the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 here, one could find out.
Sure enough, just as this thought arose, Daoist Priest Xuan Shi had already sat down cross-legged to recite the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》, and instantly the special Effect of the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 manifested.
This meant that this house was not only built with a Feng Shui Pattern, but its former owner had also utilized the surrounding small-scale geography and terrain.
In a city, it was almost impossible to find a place with such an attached small-scale geography and terrain. Even if one was found, to completely contain that terrain and build a structure like this was beyond what ordinary people could do.
Chen Han turned to the staff member arranged by Director Qiu and asked, “Who was the first original owner of this house in ancient times?”
“Sima Chengzhen,” the staff member answered politely.
“I see.” Chen Han was not surprised. After all, this was someone who had met an emperor of his dynasty, summoned several times to discuss Daoist Studies.
More importantly, there were legends that he had a friend, Yuan Tiangang.
The 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 was now widely known. Daoist palaces and temples everywhere had started public sessions of listening to the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》. For the higher-ups, copying the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 would be very easy.
Even without the musical notes, as long as they found people with exceptional innate talent for musical notes, they could reproduce it by listening alone.
Though such people were rare, if action was taken at the national level, among 4 billion people they could definitely find more than a few.
Once the higher-ups discovered that this place had records related to Feng Shui, having people test it with the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 was not difficult.
Now that the author of the Feng Shui Geography Science books had come, if they did not intend to see his abilities, they would never have arranged for him to stay here.
At this moment, a Game System Prompt appeared:
【On this trip to the Shushan Immortal Alliance headquarters, it seems someone is unconvinced by how the Chen Clan has risen to fame in such a short time and opened its own branch. Because the Chen Clan excels at formations, they deliberately prepared a flawed formation to make things difficult and to see what level the Chen Clan’s formations are at.
In the art of formations, let these people see the gap.
Before leaving, give them a gift so they will know the Chen Clan’s strength is not limited to formations.】
Seeing this task prompt, Chen Han understood that his guess had been correct.
In the game plot, Feng Shui arrays were directly turned into formations, huh?
But no matter how many resources the higher-ups could mobilize, at this point they had only learned a bit of superficial skin.
Right now all they had in hand was likely only 《Basic Feng Shui》, which the Daoist Association planned to use to teach at the Daoist Academy.
The other volume, 《Feng Shui Secret Record》, had not been made public, and only various Daoist palaces and temples had it.
Moreover, that so-called secret record in the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone was only 《Beginner Feng Shui》, not to mention that there was some 《Intermediate Feng Shui》 knowledge in the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone as well.
So these people setting up a place like this to test his skill was rather like showing off in front of an expert.
Such a small Feng Shui array was something he could repair even without relying on the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone.
Entering the hall, he pretended to reach into his Daoist Robe and took out the New Five Emperors Sword.
Without relying on the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone, he still needed this New Five Emperors Sword to sense the flow of geography and terrain.
Without it, in such an environment, no one could determine what combination of Feng Shui Patterns formed this array.
With the help of the New Five Emperors Sword, Chen Han checked the surroundings. Using the design of the rockery, the encircling water, and other features, he judged that this was a small “camel-back mountain facing away from water pattern plus four waters returning to the hall plus conceal wind gather qi” pattern.
A small pattern meant using small-scale geography and terrain to simulate large natural terrain, then using a Feng Shui Pattern to construct a small Feng Shui array.
Naturally, its Effect would be weaker and its area of Influence smaller.
This small array’s Effect was naturally to purify the air and keep it warm in winter and cool in summer, possessing the same Attribute as what the Chen Clan currently had, except its Effect would definitely be weaker.
But for a single building, it was absolutely remarkable. If this Feng Shui array were restored and the outside world learned of it, this place would become the highest-priced House in all of the Capital City.
Daoist Priest Xuan Shi stopped reciting the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》, then came over with Daoist Priest Xuan He to stand before Chen Han.
“Chen Family Head, there is indeed a Feng Shui array,” Daoist Priest Xuan Shi said in amazement.
Then he and Daoist Priest Xuan He both looked in surprise at the sword in the Chen Family Head’s hand.
It seemed to be the Five Emperors Sword refined by the Chen Family Head.
But had he brought this sword when he came?
They had no impression.
“It is actually just a small combined Feng Shui Pattern array, and it is not hard to repair,” Chen Han said, already walking around.
When he reached a ring-shaped water channel, he stepped on a spot not far away. “There should be another diversion channel here leading to the pond below.”
Hearing this, Daoist Priest Xuan Shi and Daoist Priest Xuan He did not hesitate. They hurried to search for tools and unexpectedly found plenty in a side room: cleavers, hoes, shovels, all kinds.
Keeping such things here?
That was abnormal.
Even so, they picked up hoes and began digging where the Chen Family Head had indicated.
Moments later, they actually uncovered a diversion channel built of bricks.
Normally, flowing water would reach this point and be diverted into the pond beneath the rockery.
But after so many years, the channel had been buried.
The two Daoist priests clearly had some practical skill; in a short time they had opened the channel again, though in a fairly rough way.
The staff member arranged by Director Qiu gaped in shock at this scene.
Those people from the Special Intelligence Collection Department had studied the place for so long with little Progress, and now this Chen Family Head had barely arrived before he made a discovery.
Chen Han had already moved to another spot. “There is a diversion channel here as well.”
Daoist Priest Xuan Shi and Daoist Priest Xuan Shuang immediately started digging again, and sure enough uncovered another buried channel.
In total, they discovered four such spots.
Chen Han then went to the rockery, searched around, and patted a place on it. “There should also be a Feng Shui Stone here, but it is not here now.”
“Where are we supposed to find it?” Daoist Priest Xuan Shi frowned.
The staff member arranged by Director Qiu suddenly spoke up. “It should be in the rear hall.”
Then he hurriedly headed to the Backstage.
Previously, an expert brought in by the Special Intelligence Collection Department had said that Feng Shui Stone should be placed in the rear hall, insisting that was the correct placement.
The expert held high Status, and without solid grounds to refute it, no one had dared argue.
Now it seemed that expert’s conclusion was completely wrong.
Soon that staff member brought out a Stone roughly the size of a stone stool and placed it exactly where Chen Han had said.
Chen Han continued to wander, identifying Feng Shui Patterns, and in total he found eight points where the others had interfered.
Finally, when he reached the last tree, he said, “Cut down this tree. What we want here is to conceal wind and gather qi. A lone tree in the wind’s path blocks the wind. If the wind is blocked, what qi is there to gather?”
Daoist Priest Xuan Shi and Daoist Priest Xuan He were stunned.
Could they cut this tree?
This was an arranged place, and cutting a tree in the Capital City could bring penalties.
Chen Han understood their concerns. “Cut it. They arranged for us to stay here precisely to see the Daoist Sect’s Feng Shui Ability.”
Only then did Daoist Priest Xuan Shi hesitate no longer. He went to the room to fetch the cleaver and started chopping down the tree.
As soon as the tree fell, everyone inside clearly felt a gentle breeze blowing in from outside.
With this breeze, it seemed a special airflow began moving inside.
The feeling was very miraculous.
“It seems to be repaired,” Daoist Priest Xuan Shi said, amazed.
Daoist Priest Xuan He also said, “Yes. Although I cannot put my finger on what changed, it feels much more comfortable to be here.”
Chen Han naturally knew that this was the Effect of the array for air Purification and keeping the place warm in winter and cool in summer. It was far from as strong or obvious as the Chen Clan’s, though.
But even so, it already made this Courtyard House exceptional; there would not be a second such Courtyard House in the entire Capital City.
The staff member clearly noticed it as well and looked at Chen Han in even greater shock.
So this was the strength of someone about to be granted the title of Grand Scholar.
Chen Han smiled at him. “You can report to your Leader now. Going to such trouble for this, if they wanted to see my Feng Shui Ability, they could have just said so directly.”
The staff member smiled awkwardly at once.
So the other party had known his identity from the beginning and even understood the higher-ups’ intentions.
This Chen Family Head was truly remarkable.
He quickly left respectfully and hurried off to report.
At this moment, in an Office, Minister Ma was looking at a Map, a coastal City map, on which he had marked several places.
After staring at those places for a long time, he added a red circle around one location.
There was a very famous place there called “*Hai Lou.”
Just then, he saw a subordinate in a waiter’s uniform rush in, and he asked, “Why so anxious, what is it?”
The man quickly reported, “At Sima Chengzhen’s residence, the Feng Shui array has been repaired by that Chen Family Head and the two Daoist priests.”
“What? They have only just arrived,” Minister Ma said in astonishment.
After confirming that the residence had a Feng Shui array, he had set the recruited people to work on studying how to repair it. Over this period, they had written many theoretical papers.
Especially those experts, who could write one theoretical paper a day, yet none of it helped actually repair the Feng Shui array.
Who would have thought that the Chen Family Head repaired the Feng Shui array as soon as he went in?
How long had it been?
They had originally planned to use this to test the Feng Shui Grand Scholar’s ability, to see how long he would take to find it or whether he would fail to detect the Feng Shui array at all.
Now they just looked like clowns.
This also showed how big the gap was between the people recruited by the Special Intelligence Collection Department and this man.
He looked at the circled “*Hai Lou.” It seemed they would still have to rely on the Daoist Sect, especially this Chen Family Head.
…
At Sima Chengzhen’s residence.
Daoist Priest Xuan Shi and Daoist Priest Xuan He stared in amazement at the Chen Family Head’s hands.
The Five Emperors Sword had disappeared as if it had never appeared at all, yet they had clearly seen the Chen Family Head take it out before.
Sensing the restored Feng Shui array, Daoist Priest Xuan He eagerly invited him, “Chen Family Head, after the certificate ceremony tomorrow, you must come to Baiyun Temple to take a look at our Feng Shui array.”
Even without finding a Feng Shui Formation Diagram, they might make some discoveries.
“Yes, I will visit then, and trouble you two Daoist priests to accompany me,” Chen Han agreed. After all, they were fellow people of the Daoist Sect, and Daoist Priest Xuan He in his purple robe had personally come to accompany him.
It was a matter of courtesy.
But he also thought of that task. Now that he had repaired this Feng Shui array and shown them the difference in strength, the first condition had been fulfilled.
The second condition was to present a gift to show that the Chen Clan’s strength was not limited to Feng Shui.
He needed to think carefully about what to give.
After a short while, he remembered something he had obtained on a demon-subduing map, which he had already tested in the Artifact Refining Furnace.
That thing could practically open a new chapter for a certain category of Weapon.
He wondered what expression they would have then.
…
The next day, Chen Han rose from Cultivation. When he reached the hall, breakfast had already been prepared; the service was quite thoughtful.
Shortly after breakfast, Director Qiu arrived to escort him to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It was not yet time for the Grand Scholar certificate ceremony, so Director Qiu took him around several places in the academy.
When it was almost time to award the Grand Scholar certificate, he brought him to the hall. The process itself was not complicated, but there were all kinds of polite formalities and the nuisance of meeting this person and meeting that person.
Fortunately, it was all over by noon. After having lunch with Director Qiu and the leaders of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, his official program ended.
Leaving the Chinese Academy of Sciences, he now officially had the title of Feng Shui Grand Scholar and held a certificate.
Daoist Priest Xuan Shi and Daoist Priest Xuan He had been waiting for a long time. As soon as he came out, they greeted him and invited him into the car to go to Baiyun Temple.
Chen Han understood that the two Daoist priests wanted his help examining their Feng Shui array, so in the car he took the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone out of the Game Warehouse and put it in his pocket.
As soon as he entered, if there were any Feng Shui array discoveries to be made, the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone would definitely give a Prompt.
If there was a discovery, he could remind the two Daoist priests.
If there was nothing to find, then there was nothing he could do and they would have to wait until the two Daoist priests located the Feng Shui Formation Diagram.
But as soon as they stepped into the Baiyun Temple Square, he noticed an anomaly in the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone. Immediately, a Game Prompt appeared:
【The Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone has detected a complete Feng Shui array… current array lacks a Feng Shui array map and cannot be analyzed… current Feng Shui array is affected by a terrifying terrain and cannot be analyzed…】
Chen Han froze. The Feng Shui array at Baiyun Temple was complete, so why could it not function? Daoist Priest Xuan Shi had said that the 《Ancient Quiet Heart Art》 was effective only in the northern corner.
That should not be the case. If there was a complete Feng Shui Formation Diagram, it would not be so limited.
At this moment, perhaps because of the complete Feng Shui array, the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone projected a White Light that only he could see, quickly outlining the Feng Shui array conditions around him.
The state of Baiyun Temple’s Feng Shui array appeared before him. As he looked at what the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone outlined, his eyes suddenly widened in shock.
When he turned slightly, he saw next to the Baiyun Temple Feng Shui array a colossal entity, also outlined by the Feng Shui Spirit Record Stone.
Damn… that was a creature from Legends, was it not?
Chen Han was truly stunned.
