Chapter 15

"Gu Chensha, do you have any interest in vying for the imperial throne?" Long Yuyun, having confirmed Gu Chensha's identity, had an idea.

"I have no interest, but I need to reclaim something that belongs to me." Gu Chensha asked, "But if you want me to influence the court situation and save your Dragon Sword Island, that's just a pipe dream. Not to mention my current weak position, even if I held high office, I couldn't influence national policies. When our dynasty conquered a hundred countries and exterminated thousands of sects, those sects fled overseas, accumulating strength to seek revenge. Therefore, one of the three national policies set by the emperor is to pacify the overseas territories. Our dynasty is now building ships and developing ironclad warships to bring all overseas territories under our control."

"I know this better than you." Long Yuyun smiled bitterly, "I have secret businesses in the capital and am well aware of the current situation. My Dragon Sword Island can't be saved, and even my Long clan's people will be captured to have their blood extracted. I only hope to rescue my clan from the hands of the First Prince, Gu Hengsha."

"Extracting blood is a practice of evil sects. Has the First Prince gone mad?" Gu Chensha was greatly surprised.

"He wants to obtain the Dragon God's bloodline and is willing to do cruel things, even using living people for alchemy. Among his subordinates are experts from the Bloodthirsty Sect, which was exterminated years ago." Long Yuyun's brows furrowed with intense hatred.

"The princes in the court are all at odds with each other. The First Prince actually recruits inhumane experts from the Bloodthirsty Sect. Isn't he afraid that other princes will expose him?" Gu Chensha knew that the Bloodthirsty Sect had secret techniques to extract life force from living beings' blood, creating elixirs and pills, and countless lives had been sacrificed. No matter which dynasty, the Bloodthirsty Sect would be eradicated. Whether in the martial world or the civilian world, the Bloodthirsty Sect members were called blood-sucking demons.

All of this was essential knowledge for the royal family, to let the princes understand the martial world, the methods of evil sects, and the dangers of the world. Many princes were even sent out to clear the remnants of evil sects for training. Therefore, each prince in the court was cunning, skilled, and resolute, not just empty vessels.

Gu Chensha pretended to be foolish, but he studied diligently, even more so than many princes. It was just that due to a lack of resources, his martial arts could not advance.

"Which prince in the court doesn't recruit people from both the righteous and evil paths as subordinates and guests? Each has their own blemishes, and no one dares to accuse the others recklessly. Moreover, the First Prince has been stationed at the customs for many years, with a powerful influence and authority. No one dares to act rashly against him. If they fail to deal with him, even the Empress's own son, the Seventh Prince Gu Fasha, would not be able to withstand his counterattack." Long Yuyun knew the princes very well, showing the great influence and rich background of the Dragon Sword Island.

Gu Chensha fell silent, realizing that the princes' power was overwhelming, and he could hardly match them. But if a person does not harm a tiger, the tiger will harm the person. For example, the Tenth Prince was now plotting against him, and without reliable people, he would be vulnerable.

"I see that your situation is quite difficult. How about we cooperate?" Long Yuyun saw the right moment, "I will help you establish yourself in the court, and you will help me overthrow the First Prince and rescue my Long clan. What do you think?"

"The First Prince actually colludes with the Bloodthirsty Sect, such cruelty is beyond the norm. I should help you on the grounds of righteousness. Moreover, he has taken my mother's legacy as his own, so I should deal with him for personal reasons. Since that's the case, I will cooperate with you. However, I am currently in a difficult situation, and you need to help me with many things..." Gu Chensha detailed his current situation.

"You are indeed in a weak position, with only a small eunuch by your side." After hearing Gu Chensha's account, Long Yuyun frowned, "You need to first establish your own residence outside, and recruit loyal servants and experts. I can help you with this, and I have some financial resources. However, the most urgent thing is to gain the favor of the Heavenly Symbol Emperor and be given a mission, so you can openly expand your power."

"I will consider this after I reach the Dao Realm. My current strength is not enough to handle various dangers." Gu Chensha had already calculated this.

"Reaching the Dao Realm is not just a matter of hard practice." Long Yuyun waved her hand, "I was fortunate to fall into an ancient dragon's nest while picking pearls from the seabed, and obtained a fragment of consciousness, which activated the Dragon God's bloodline in my body, allowing me to achieve the first transformation of the Dao Realm, the Breath Control and Fasting. Otherwise, even sixty years of hard practice would be like a dream."

"Is it that difficult..." Gu Chensha murmured.

"Otherwise, why is it called the Dao Realm? To seize the essence of the world with one's spirit, transcending the need for food and drink, one is no longer human, and greatly offends the laws of nature. I see that your cultivation is good, but your combat experience is weak, and your will is not strong. You lack the sharpness forged through trials. To comprehend the Dao Realm is to struggle against the world, and to struggle against the world, one must also struggle against people. If you can't even defeat people, how can you defeat the world?" Long Yuyun had a lofty demeanor.

"Very well, these days I have nothing to do, and I will enter the mountains to practice martial arts. It's a good opportunity to meet an expert like you, who can guide me." Gu Chensha's fighting spirit surged, and having a Dao Realm expert as a sparring partner was a rare opportunity.

Boom!

Two figures in the snow rapidly separated, the shockwave scattering the snow back into the air.

Gu Chensha panted heavily, while Long Yuyun stood calmly.

They had been in the mountains for three days, and during this time, Gu Chensha almost daily sparred with Long Yuyun, whose guidance greatly accelerated his martial arts progress. Previously, he had been practicing in isolation, lacking interaction with others, and no matter how much he pondered, he could not avoid flaws. Now, he was able to correct these flaws one by one.

Especially as the leader of the Dragon Sword Island, Long Yuyun was essentially a king, leading armies in battles against the Great Yong Dynasty and pirates. Her martial arts experience was vast, and her guidance helped Gu Chensha avoid many detours.

Gu Chensha was naturally intelligent, well-versed in literature and history, and his martial arts progressed rapidly, to the point where even Long Yuyun was surprised.

"Your strength is almost on par with mine. I wonder what you have taken or what powerful force has reshaped your body. Has your Giant Spirit bloodline been activated, and have you been transformed by the power of the Giant Spirit God?" Long Yuyun felt an irresistible force in each of Gu Chensha's strikes, and her meridians tingled slightly.

She was a Dao Realm expert, even at the first transformation, her body had been transformed, far beyond the realm of ordinary martial arts masters. A single punch or strike from her could kill a master, yet Gu Chensha could withstand her three or four strikes without falling behind, and could even counterattack, moving as swiftly as a ghost. The only thing he lacked was the sharpness and courage forged through countless battles.

"I always feel that something is missing, unable to break through the final vague barrier. The world before me is blurry, and I can't see it clearly." Gu Chensha stood in the snow, deep in thought.

"You are encountering the martial arts barrier, which is the key to breaking through to the Dao Realm. It requires enlightenment." Long Yuyun took a deep breath, her injuries much better, "Out of a thousand martial arts masters, at most one can touch the martial arts barrier. You are truly a genius. Now, I can't teach you much more. You must gain enlightenment through life-and-death battles. At the brink of death, one's spiritual potential is unleashed, and by comprehending great fear and great joy, one can have the opportunity to touch the path of the Dao."

"I understand, thank you for your guidance." Gu Chensha bowed.

"Since we have agreed, we should not delay. You have learned enough these past few days, and the rest is up to you. I will secretly arrange a residence for you around the capital, as your base." Long Yuyun planned, "If you need manpower, I have some."

"Thank you for your efforts." Gu Chensha nodded, then suddenly remembered something, "I read the recent court records. In the early years of the Heavenly Symbol Emperor, the emperor issued an edict to enfeoff your Dragon Sword Island's Long family as kings, hoping to bring you under the Great Yong Dynasty. However, after receiving the edict, you delayed and refused to come to the capital, angering the emperor."

"That's true." Long Yuyun laughed coldly, "A single edict to make a million people of the Dragon Sword Island become his subjects? It's not that simple. What's the point of asking this?"

"I want to know if that edict still exists." Gu Chensha needed this.

The edict from the Heavenly Symbol Emperor enfeoffing the Dragon Sword Island's Long family as kings was no small matter, equivalent to a national document. The seal used was extremely significant, and the imperial aura was very strong. If he could obtain it and offer it to the heavens, he could learn the next move of the "Sun and Moon Radiance."

This was the main goal.

"What do you want with that edict? It's just a useless piece of paper." Long Yuyun was puzzled.

"It has its uses. It's evidence. In the future, to overthrow the First Prince, it might be useful. When I have more influence, I will petition that it was not the Dragon Sword Island that refused to submit, but the First Prince who interfered." Gu Chensha lied slightly.

"If it's useful to you, then take it. I don't have it with me, but we can contact each other later." Long Yuyun said, "I will arrange the remaining assets of the Dragon Sword Island in the capital. Be cautious when contacting me; the princes in the capital are not easy to deal with."

"Don't worry, I have some experience after all these years." Gu Chensha thought for a moment, "By the way, I will send my personal eunuch, Xiao Yizi, to contact you. He is my confidant, and you can also guide him in martial arts."

"Any subordinates you have, I can train them." Long Yuyun smiled, her body moving without wind, leaping onto a tree branch, and jumping away like a bird, twice as fast as Gu Chensha.

"Her lightness skill is indeed fast, but it hasn't reached the point of walking on air or flying." Gu Chensha recalled the transformations of the Dao Realm. Only at the seventh transformation, when one could leave the ground and fly, could one truly be considered a "仙" (immortal).

Without reaching the seventh transformation, no matter how high one jumps, one will eventually land.

Seeing Long Yuyun leave, Gu Chensha nodded inwardly. This mountain retreat had not only gained him a strong ally but also greatly improved his martial arts. Most importantly, he could obtain the edict, which would allow him to learn the second move of "Sun and Moon Radiance," giving him a solid foundation.

He had long seen through it; power and influence were just auxiliary. Only one's own strength was fundamental. If the Heavenly Symbol Emperor did not have supreme divine skills, how could he subdue a hundred countries, or even attempt to depose the gods?

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