Chapter 230

The Bureau Director had mentioned that the twelve secret arts of the Clearing Bureau are ranked. The Aries Secret Art, known as “Abnormality Annihilation,” ranks first, while the Taurus Director’s “Anomaly Forging” comes in second. As for the Aquarius Director’s “Anomalous Creation,” it only places eleventh.

However, this ranking doesn’t seem to be based on combat power but rather on significance to the entire Clearing Bureau. The low rank of the Aquarius Secret Art is mainly due to its extreme methods, high material requirements, and unpredictable nature, which can result in wasted resources with no gains.

On the other hand, the Taurus Secret Art is stable and controllable. Even after being simplified and weakened over generations, it can still be used to train artisans who forge anomalous items for mid-to-low tier Cleaners, making it invaluable to the Clearing Bureau, thus placing second.

Even if the ranking seems a bit inflated, it’s genuinely the second-best secret art!

Setting aside the ability to create anomalies, if I were to master this technique and become a “Reserve Taurus Director,” my status within the Clearing Bureau would surely rise. Even as a third-level incident handler, I’d likely have more say in many matters.

Truly, fortune lies in taking risks! After risking getting eliminated in a verbal duel with the Aquarius Director, is this the time for my reward?…

With an excited expression, Leon observed as the Honorable Taurus Director closed her eyes. Then, similar to when the Sun’s Eye appeared, the General Bureau dimmed again, its walls turning transparent.

However, instead of the top splitting open like before, the change occurred at the “waistline,” where the Taurus seat manifested. Composed of over a hundred star points connected by arcs of light resembling meteors, the massive ox phantom quickly formed.

“This is the full form of the Taurus Star Palace.”

Looking back at the ox phantom behind her, the Taurus Director reminisced, “The Taurus constellation lies between Aries and Gemini, having the most stars among the zodiac constellations, totaling 125. However, there aren’t many bright stars—only one first-magnitude star and two fourth-magnitude stars. The rest are quite dim, making it hard to identify.

So, the previous Taurus Director taught me to locate Taurus by finding the constellation intersected by the ecliptic, celestial equator, and galactic plane… Today, I pass this tip to you, hoping it will serve you well in the future.”

After briefly explaining how to recognize Taurus’ position, subtly expressing her expectations for Leon, the Taurus Director gestured backward. The mighty ox phantom leapt from the wall, transforming into an ancient compass taller than a person.

“Just touch this area.”

Pointing near the one o’clock and two o’clock angle outward from the compass center, the Taurus Director said hopefully, “I can only summon part of the star palace here; the rest belongs to other star palaces, which you cannot reach… Good luck, Leon. I hope you surprise me and everyone else.

But don’t feel pressured. If nothing happens, it’s fine. I can offer another reward… Come on, give it a try!”

“…”

The Honorable Taurus truly is kind, like a benevolent elder. No wonder our Bureau Director, who usually acts recklessly, behaves so respectfully in front of her, listening quietly even when scolded…

Seeing the Taurus Director’s lack of arrogance, patiently explaining and kindly encouraging him, Leon felt a warm glow inside. He set aside some minor calculations, nodded, and reached out to touch the Taurus Star Palace.

[Name: Remnant Stellar Compass Pieces – Zodiac – Taurus (Star Palace, Sunwheel, Law)]

[Ability: Star Palace Shift, Zodiac Light, Law Imbue]

[Cost: Holder’s divinity will continuously drain]

[Archive: A relic relied upon by the first generation of Clearing Bureau members to protect humanity’s descendants as they escaped from the Old Earth, shattered by one of the Supreme Four Pillar Gods.

Fragments of the Stellar Compass later collected by the first Taurus Director, re-forged into eighty-eight star palaces, placed on the sun’s orbit, nurtured by the sunwheel’s power in hopes of restoring it.]

[Assessment: One of the Clearing Bureau’s most important trump cards, a doomsday ark usable only by humans from the Old Earth. Should a world-ending crisis arise, destroying even the Watchtower Palace’s protection, it would be humanity’s last hope.]

[Taint Value: Indeterminate, increases with user’s proficiency]

“…”

Holy crap! Even knowing beforehand that this thing must be extraordinary—considering both the eighty-eight branches and the twelve directors derive their names from star palaces, indicating their importance to the Clearing Bureau—Leon’s mind still buzzed upon personally witnessing the “true face” of the star palace.

Not a single detail was wrong in what followed!

Guarding humanity’s descendants… Escaping from the Old Earth… The Clearing Bureau’s trump card… A doomsday ark usable only by humans…

Connecting these pieces, the star palace feels less like an anomalous item and more like a spaceship, possibly solar-powered!

And humans are outsiders in this world, perhaps forced to land here after something called the “Supreme Four Pillar Gods” damaged their spaceship-star palace… Seriously…

Unbelievable! I just wanted to touch the star palace, hoping to find a loophole to learn the anomaly forging secret art. How did the plot suddenly turn into sci-fi?

“Hm?”

Seeing Leon’s utterly shocked expression, the Taurus Director looked over curiously and asked, “Leon? What did you discover? Why does your expression look so strange?”