Chapter 24

Cultivation is not something that can be achieved overnight by simply locking oneself away and practicing day and night. In fact, worldly experiences and various battles are equally important. This is one of the reasons why Emperor Zhuang established the Dao Merit List to encourage cultivators to complete various tasks. It’s not that the court is unable to handle those matters, but rather that such experiences can improve cultivation efficiency. This is not unique to the State of Zhuang; all countries and sects in the world have similar systems.

For example, after the battle in Xiaolin Town, after slaying the vengeful ghost, Jiang Wang’s Heavenly Palace produced over ten new Dao Yuan. This was not achieved through the cultivation of meridians but rather naturally conceived in the aftermath of intense battles.

Dao Yuan is the perfect fusion of intent and power, a true reflection of the essence of the universe by the spirit of all things, and the foundation of all strength and the root of the extraordinary.

This is the reason why Zhao Rucheng invited everyone to a flower party—cultivators need to enrich their life experiences.

Ling He, with his upright character, refused to go along with the crowd, so he was responsible for picking Jiang Anan up from school that day and taking her to play.

Du Yehu was more than happy, and Jiang Wang reluctantly agreed. He initially refused on the pretext of needing to take care of little Anan, but after Zhao Rucheng quickly “arranged” for Ling He, everyone was overjoyed.

There was also Huang Azhan, who was drinking with Du Yehu at the time. Upon hearing about this great opportunity, he almost clung to Du Yehu’s leg and was dragged along. Fortunately, Young Master Zhao was wealthy and generous, and didn’t mind a few extra people.

The best brothel in Fenglin City, San Fen Xiang Lou. The most luxurious private room, the most expensive courtesans.

Since moving in with Anan, everyone had been busy with classes at the Dao Academy and rarely gathered privately. After a few rounds of drinks, Jiang Wang asked the courtesans to leave.

“Hey, don’t go.”

“Sister, dear sister, I’ll go home with you!”

The one with red cheeks and tears streaming down his face was naturally Huang Azhan. He had just clung to each courtesan and drunk no less than seven or eight rounds, and was now quite tipsy. He was almost ready to send them off for ten miles, deeply reluctant to part, and very much wanted to lose his virginity there. But the courtesans all laughed and refused, filing out one by one.

They were all cultivators, of course, and it was unlikely they would really indulge in debauchery. For cultivators, maintaining their primordial yang before opening the Heavenly Gate was very important.

So Jiang Wang remained sober.

Du Yehu, on the other hand, was just there to drink. Where and with whom he drank was secondary.

The only one who was still reluctant was Huang Azhan. He looked at Zhao Rucheng for help, thinking they were kindred spirits. But Zhao Rucheng just shook his head. The courtesan he had specially invited didn’t come, and he couldn’t hide his disappointment, “Ordinary and vulgar, truly boring.”

“This is ordinary and vulgar, this is!” Huang Azhan almost jumped up, “How big are those cups! No, how round are those clothes. No, how white are those hairpins...”

He finally gave up and sobbed, “Wah, where is it vulgar?”

Jiang Wang: “...”

Zhao Rucheng: “...”

Du Yehu slapped him on the head, “If you’re drunk, go to sleep. You’ll find everything in your dreams.”

Ignoring Huang Azhan, who had already fallen asleep on the table with loud snores, Jiang Wang calculated and said, “I’ve been doing various tasks recently and have earned 15 Dao Merits. Adding the 25 I had saved, I now have 40. I don’t need the Dao Merits for now, so I’ll transfer them to you. Whoever has enough Dao Merits can exchange for a Meridian-Opening Pill first.”

By “you,” he naturally meant Zhao Rucheng and Du Yehu, and of course, Ling He, who was not present. They were all brothers, and if they had to decide an order, it would be unfair to those not present. Therefore, the best approach was to give it to whoever had the most Dao Merits.

Opening the Dao Meridians is a significant event, the first step to becoming extraordinary, and the sooner, the better.

“I don’t want it.” Zhao Rucheng lounged lazily in his chair. He seemed to be indifferent to cultivation, relying entirely on his talent.

“I don’t need it either.” Du Yehu drank a cup of wine and suddenly said, “I’m leaving.”

“Leaving, where to?” Jiang Wang asked.

“I’ve been thinking about Wei Yan’s offer to join the army. I’ve decided to leave tomorrow.”

This was sudden, and Zhao Rucheng sat up straight, “Brother Hu, you need to think this through.”

“I’ve thought it through.” Du Yehu grinned, “Wei Yan said I’m more suited for the military path, and I agree.”

That was true, and both Jiang Wang and Zhao Rucheng knew that Du Yehu’s physique and blood qi were extraordinary, making him a natural fit for the military path. However, the State of Zhuang was primarily focused on Dao cultivation, and there were few military experts.

Even the nominal supreme military commander of the State of Zhuang, General Huang Fu Duanming, was a Dao cultivator. The State of Zhuang lacked the environment for other cultivation paths, including the military path. Even Wei Yan himself cultivated Dao techniques.

If Du Yehu chose this path, it meant he would have no systematic cultivation space for a long time and would only have some scattered military cultivation methods.

It’s not that the military path was not powerful. The reason the State of Zhuang could maintain peace under the threat of the State of Yong was largely due to the support of the Dao sects. The State of Zhuang’s backbone was not strong enough to be as inclusive as the States of Qin and Chu. The State of Zhuang, being primarily focused on Dao cultivation, could only remain so.

But Jiang Wang couldn’t bring himself to stop him. He knew Du Yehu’s character too well. This man had a burning fire in his heart, fierce and wild, unwilling to lose, and certainly not willing to fall behind Jiang Wang. But the Dao classics gave him a headache, and he was not suited for them. His physique and blood qi were indeed exceptionally gifted. If he were in the State of Mo or another place where military cultivation was prevalent, he would certainly be a highly regarded genius.

“Who is Wei Yan recruiting you for?” Jiang Wang asked.

“There are some vacancies in the Jianghuang Xuanjia, and a few spots have been allocated to our Fenglin City. Wei Yan thought I was suitable, so he recommended me.”

Du Yehu’s bravery and straightforwardness were well-received by the military. After the Xiaolin Town mission, Wei Yan had indeed formed a friendship with him.

As for the Jianghuang Xuanjia... it was almost a symbol of the State of Zhuang, the most powerful military force in the entire state, with a reputation even higher than the White Feather Army that guarded the capital, Xin’an.

In fact, because of the existence of the Jianghuang Xuanjia, Jianghuang City, though just a city, was often referred to as the fourth prefecture of the State of Zhuang. It was nominally under the jurisdiction of Daishan Prefecture but was highly autonomous. The city lord of Jianghuang City was also the leader of the Jianghuang Xuanjia, a tradition that had continued since the founding of the state, highlighting its special status.

“Even if you join the Jianghuang Xuanjia, you will still need Dao Merits.” Because Du Yehu was about to join the military, Jiang Wang had already decided to transfer his Dao Merits to him first.

“I don’t need them.” Du Yehu still shook his head. He was not being pretentious; he was a straightforward person. He said, “Since I’m taking the military path, I don’t plan to take the Meridian-Opening Pill. I want to take the most traditional and ancient path of the military!”

The traditional path of the military refers to cultivators not relying on pills but choosing to open their Dao meridians with their blood qi. It is called “ancient” because only one in a thousand can succeed on this path. The best outcome for those who fail is to become a cripple, and many die on the spot.

It’s worth noting that daily meridian cultivation, refining blood qi, and condensing Dao Yuan is already the limit for most people. Directly opening the Heavenly Palace and externalizing the Dao meridians with overwhelming blood qi is extremely dangerous.

But precisely because of its danger, it is revered as the orthodox path by the military, who are a group of madmen.

Once successful, the benefits are immense. Military cultivators who succeed in this method often achieve more than ordinary people.

Jiang Wang and Zhao Rucheng fell silent, feeling the determination of this tiger.

“So, transfer the Dao Merits to the leader first. I’ll give mine to him too.” Du Yehu casually cut off his own retreat, picked up the wine jug, and drank half of it.