Seeing this, Lin Xiao widened his eyes and carefully observed the scene before him, determined not to miss a single detail.
"This is great material," he thought, already planning to record everything and store it in the library for the others to learn from.
Moments later, Zhao Yunzong opened his eyes. Noticing Lin Xiao's focused gaze, he smiled warmly and explained, "Lin Daoyou, I hope you don't find this strange. The national seal can be stored directly within the reigning monarch's body. Considering how important the seal is, keeping it outside would be far too dangerous. With the seal within me, I can rest easier knowing that as long as I live, the seal remains secure."
Lin Xiao nodded in understanding but couldn't help but have some doubts. With Zhao Yunzong only at the early stage of the Golden Core realm, was storing the national seal in his body really the safest option? However, being tactful, he chose not to voice his concerns.
Sensing Lin Xiao's unspoken thoughts, Zhao Yunzong smiled again and reassured him, "No need to worry, Daoyou. Although my cultivation is at the early Golden Core stage, the national seal has an innate defense mechanism. Should I face an attack, the seal will automatically protect me. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator would have difficulty breaking through its defenses."
Hearing this, Lin Xiao didn't deny his previous thoughts but nodded in acknowledgment. "I see. I hadn't expected the national seal to have such capabilities."
Great, now there's more to write about in Huan You Kingdom Insights.
At that moment, the system unexpectedly chimed in:
Ding—Congratulations, host, on unlocking the [Sect Master's Observational Journal] feature. This function allows the host to record observations in the form of text or images, which can later be compiled into books through the item synthesis function. Friendly reminder: You can selectively compile entries into individual chapters or organize them into various categories.
The system's sudden announcement brought Lin Xiao a pleasant surprise. Although his memory had improved significantly since reaching the Golden Core stage, who wouldn't want a mental notepad to jot things down?
Excited, Lin Xiao briefly checked out the new [Sect Master's Observational Journal] feature. It included options for creating categorized folders and records at will. Without delay, he created a new document and quickly recorded everything Zhao Yunzong had just shared, as well as what he had observed.
Of course, Zhao Yunzong was unaware of any of this. All he noticed was Lin Xiao briefly pausing before returning to normal.
Unperturbed, Zhao Yunzong continued, "Lin Daoyou, you needn't worry about learning the secrets of the national seal. Many of the current nations and dynasties have been established for over a thousand years, if not longer. In truth, the existence of the national seal is no longer a well-kept secret among those in the upper echelons."
Lin Xiao immediately recognized that Zhao Yunzong was trying to ease his concerns. Gratefully, he responded, "Rest assured, Zhao Guozhu, I won't breathe a word of this."
Perhaps I should see if there's a way to create a restricted version of the Huan You Kingdom Insights journal that can't be shared, Lin Xiao mused.
Zhao Yunzong smiled, clearly trusting Lin Xiao. "I have no doubts about your integrity, Lin Daoyou. Truly, I must thank you for retrieving the national seal. Without your help, I might have searched endlessly for it. But tell me, where exactly did you find it?"
Lin Xiao had anticipated this question. Without hesitation, he recounted the events involving the previous king of Huan You Kingdom.
Zhao Yunzong fell silent, contemplating what he'd just heard. After a while, he frowned and said, "If I'm not mistaken, that person likely intended to absorb the seal entirely and make it his own."
"Is that even possible?" Lin Xiao asked, surprised.
Zhao Yunzong nodded. "There's an ancient saying: 'In times of mortal peril, a royal heir may absorb the seal to fight for a chance at survival.'"
It was unclear whether Zhao Yunzong's openness was due to the trust Lin Xiao had earned from saving him or if he was just naturally forthcoming. Either way, Lin Xiao, while diligently recording these insights, began to feel the weight of responsibility.
Zhao Yunzong continued, seemingly unaware of the pressure Lin Xiao was under. "What Lin Daoyou may not know is that the one who holds the national seal cannot coexist with Jishi—those two forces are utterly incompatible. It's impossible for someone who possesses the seal to follow such an evil path. Perhaps the previous king didn't know this, as it's a secret passed down orally within the Zhao royal family."
Great, now it's not just ancient sayings but family secrets too, Lin Xiao thought, debating whether to keep recording or stop.
Zhao Yunzong sighed and continued, "He may have realized his inability to cultivate the Jishi techniques and then, in desperation, tried to absorb the national seal, thinking it could save him."
Shaking his head, Zhao Yunzong added, "Unfortunately, what he didn't know is that absorbing the national seal isn't easy. Even for those in power, the success rate is less than one percent. Without that sliver of luck, the only outcome is death by backlash. Only direct descendants of the Zhao royal bloodline can increase their chances, and the purer the bloodline, the higher the likelihood of success."
"After all, it was my Zhao ancestors who founded the Huan You Kingdom!"
Overwhelmed, Lin Xiao didn't know how to react. He had unintentionally learned not just the secret of one nation's royal family, but perhaps the core secrets of many similar kingdoms.
If other royal families discovered that he knew their deepest secrets, wouldn't they come after him en masse?
Realizing this, Lin Xiao suddenly felt a chill. Or was it just the air?
When he looked at Zhao Yunzong again, he saw the king smiling warmly, as if oblivious to the burden he'd just placed on Lin Xiao.
No doubt about it—this was the poise of a ruler, even a newly minted one. It seemed that after years of living in the shadows, the Zhao family heirs had been well-trained in these kinds of tactics.
Given the situation, Lin Xiao quickly dismissed any thoughts of silencing Zhao Yunzong. The king clearly had contingencies in place.
Zhao Yunzong's intention was clear: by entrusting Lin Xiao with these secrets, he ensured that Lin Xiao would be disinclined to share them.