Chapter 26

The "Dust Country Duke's Mansion" of Gu Chensha.

Inside, there was a study, quite spacious, but the furnishings were very simple, and the furniture was not luxurious, just ordinary hardwood with a layer of red paint on the surface.

The Duke's Mansion should not be so shabby, but it had been emptied by the steward, and Gu Chensha had not yet had the time to purchase new items.

He was practicing martial arts.

In principle, in the mansions of wealthy families, there are secret chambers, which are convenient for practicing martial arts, discussing matters without being eavesdropped on or disturbed, and storing treasures, as well as for escaping.

Secret chambers are a must for wealthy families.

However, there was none here.

This was because building a secret chamber is extremely expensive, involving various mechanisms, deep excavation, and the arrangement of magical arrays, which can cost several times, even tens of times more than building the entire mansion.

Gu Chensha knew that in the mansions of princes like Gu Fasha, there were even ancient magical arrays in the secret chambers, gathering the essence of heaven and earth, the quintessence of the five elements, used for purifying the body and soul.

"Once I stabilize and gradually accumulate wealth, I must also build a secret chamber."

He held the imperial edict in both hands. This was the edict that conferred the title of Duke of Dust upon him. By carefully feeling it, one could sense a kind of "aura" that commands the world and changes people's fates, which is the aura of the Son of Heaven.

The emperor is the master of fate.

Even a destitute person can rise to prominence with a word from the emperor. This kind of "aura" that changes fate is already the "aura of the Son of Heaven."

The "aura of the Son of Heaven" is an extremely mysterious power that Gu Chensha's cultivation level could not yet comprehend.

Gu Chensha lived in a small courtyard, ate stale food, and drank bitter water. Now, with the command of the Heavenly Symbol Emperor, he immediately moved into a spacious mansion with hundreds of servants, and his fate had also changed.

Now, he was going to offer the "aura of the Son of Heaven" on the imperial edict to the heavens, in exchange for the cultivation method of the third form of Sun and Moon Radiance.

Of course, he had only learned the basics of the first two forms, Sun and Moon Refinement and Sun and Moon Transformation. Normally, it would be unwise to be greedy, but with the imperial edict in hand, he could not waste the "aura of the Son of Heaven."

Losing the imperial edict would be a grave offense, and he might be attacked, but it didn't matter; he could forge a fake one later, as no one would be able to tell the difference.

Bang!

The imperial edict burned in his hands, emitting a fierce flame.

The "aura of the Son of Heaven" within it was transmitted into the sacrificial edict.

However, this time, instead of receiving the image of the third form of Sun and Moon Radiance, the sacrificial edict itself changed.

The originally green, luminous edict suddenly disappeared, transforming into a green light that entered the depths of Gu Chensha's mind. Then he saw a green light space, about a few acres in size, with a circular altar in the center. The altar was ancient and desolate, with mottled patterns engraved on it, giving a sense of the primordial chaos.

"An altar? A space?"

Gu Chensha's mind was clear, and he was back in the room.

Then, with a thought, he entered the green light space again, observing the ancient altar.

"Is this space and altar the true form of the sacrificial edict? Now it has merged into the depths of my mind, and I can enter it at will to make offerings." Gu Chensha thought carefully and understood what had happened. "The sacrificial edict is a powerful magical treasure, and it's not surprising that it has its own realm. This change is good, as it leaves no trace, and I don't have to carry it around, making it less likely to be discovered."

The sacrificial edict had transformed into a space altar, hidden in the depths of his mind, where no one could detect it.

This change pleased him greatly.

The key was that in times of danger, he could hide in the space of the sacrificial edict. As long as he thought about it, he could enter. Of course, if he encountered a true expert, he might not even have time to think before being overwhelmed by martial prowess and meet a tragic end.

While he was contemplating the use of the sacrificial edict, he suddenly sensed something.

"Your martial arts are getting stronger?"

A person had appeared in the room.

It was Long Yuyun.

"Be careful not to be discovered. Although I have established my mansion, every move I make is under surveillance. The capital is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. If they discover my connection to Dragon Sword Island, it could bring unforeseen disaster." Gu Chensha saw Long Yuyun's figure, which was elusive and her aura faint, and knew that her poison had been completely eliminated and her martial arts had recovered.

Even a Dao Realm expert at the first stage, due to their ability to absorb the essence of heaven and earth, has an extremely strong recovery ability and rarely gets poisoned or sick. They do not沾染人间烟火和红尘污秽。

"Relax, I have fully recovered and obtained a concealment talisman to hide my aura." Long Yuyun smiled lightly. "You underestimate the means of Dao Realm experts and the hidden strength of Dragon Sword Island. I already know that you recently hunted in the Southern Mountains and were granted the title of Duke of Dust. Moreover, Lou Baoyue actually killed a demonized barbarian general. It seems that even if I were to fight her head-on, I wouldn't have an advantage."

"You know all of this?" Gu Chensha was surprised by the strength of Dragon Sword Island.

"We have been in conflict with Gu Hengsha for many years and have our own methods. We have spies in various noble mansions, so it's not surprising that we know some information." Long Yuyun was somewhat mysterious.

"What brings you here today?" Gu Chensha asked.

"Of course, to congratulate you on establishing your mansion and to discuss important matters. Your mansion is in disrepair, and the servants have ulterior motives. Without my help, it might fall apart within half a year. Your recent reorganization was just a temporary measure, like scaring the grass and alarming the snakes. Governing a country is like cooking a small fish, and the same applies to managing a household." Long Yuyun looked around with a playful smile.

"Wouldn't it be the same if I replaced them with your people?" Gu Chensha naturally knew what Long Yuyun was up to.

"Far from it. The people of other princes are out to harm you, while I am here to cooperate and help you. We each have our own needs." Long Yuyun analyzed the pros and cons. "You have a quota of fifty soldiers, and you need to recruit them yourself. Do you dare to use the soldiers from the Ministry of War? My Dragon Sword Island can provide you with fifty warriors, even ten martial arts masters, and one grandmaster."

The Great Yong Dynasty's conscription system is well-established. There are "military academies" in various regions where anyone who wants to join the military can study for free. As long as they pass the examination and reach the first stage of the Mortal Realm, "Initial Insight," they can become soldiers.

Before the Heavenly Symbol Dynasty, soldiers had a hard life, and it was often said, "Good iron is not used for nails, and good men do not become soldiers." However, the Heavenly Symbol Dynasty reformed the military system, greatly improving the treatment of soldiers and granting their families exemptions from labor services, making them almost on par with scholars.

Of course, in military academies, they also learn to read and write, and the examinations cover various subjects such as military strategy, geography, astronomy, water patterns, and climate.

It is precisely because of this that the term "warrior" exists.

Soldiers who can reach the "Mastery" stage and pass the military examination become "warriors" and can serve as ordinary officers, equivalent to scholars.

Those who reach the "Mastery" stage and pass the examination to become "martial arts masters" can hold positions managing hundreds or even thousands of soldiers, becoming "minor generals."

Once they reach the pinnacle and become martial arts masters, they have the potential to become major generals, capable of commanding tens of thousands of soldiers.

If the Ministry of War were to assign soldiers to Gu Chensha, they would be ordinary soldiers. Now, Long Yuyun was offering fifty warriors, which demonstrated the depth of her resources.

However, considering that Dragon Sword Island is equivalent to a country with millions of people, this was not surprising.

Warriors are a middle force wherever they go. This is why, in ancient times, the Tiger and Wolf Pill, which could turn ordinary people into fierce warriors, was widely used.

A person with slightly better talent, trained from a young age with abundant resources and guidance from masters, would need at least a decade of diligent practice to become a qualified warrior.

"Very well, we have a deal. Even if the entire mansion falls under your control, it's better than being controlled by the princes." Gu Chensha thought for a moment and immediately agreed.

"Great." Long Yuyun clapped her hands. "It seems you are a man of great ambition, able to weigh the pros and cons quickly. Rest assured, once you gain power in the court, the entire Dragon Sword Island can submit to you. After all, the world already belongs to the Great Yong Dynasty."

Gu Chensha stood up. "That's not necessarily true. I have read history books, and the vastness of the Endless Continent is beyond even the gods' comprehension. The Great Yong Dynasty's territory is just a drop in the ocean compared to the entire Endless Continent. Who knows, in some distant place even the gods cannot reach, there might be a stronger dynasty."

"That makes sense. The second prince, Gu Xuansha, has the task of exploring the edges of the world, mapping the land, and looking for any powerful nations." Long Yuyun said, "Even just in the distant western lands, there is the Great Wei Dynasty, whose power cannot be underestimated. Unfortunately, it is too far away. Even the most profound Dao Realm experts from our Dragon Sword Island, who can fly a thousand miles a day, would need decades to reach it."

"Fly a thousand miles a day for decades?" Gu Chensha was amazed. "No wonder we haven't heard of any envoys from the Great Wei Dynasty."

"The affairs of the mansion can be entrusted to Xiao Yizi. I hope you will cultivate him well. By the way, I have some matters to entrust to you." Gu Chensha remembered many things.

"What matters?"

"Books about ancient sacrificial rituals, such as the sacrifices of ancient emperors to heaven and the sacrifices of the people to deities."

"You want to sacrifice to a deity?" Long Yuyun frowned. "Right, you activated the Giant Spirit bloodline. Could it be... you can truly communicate with the Giant Spirit? Do you want to make a sacrifice to the Giant Spirit? Sacrificing is no joke. Once you communicate with a deity, the sacrifice is an exchange, and you will be controlled by the deity, which is very dangerous. Throughout history, whether sacrificing to a righteous deity or an evil deity, it is not the right path. Sacrificing to an evil deity is obviously wrong, but even sacrificing to a righteous deity means you will bear their mark. If they fall, you will fall too, and you will never be able to reach their level. For us cultivators, the realm is infinite. Even a deity should not be an insurmountable peak. Believing in a deity means you cannot surpass the deity."

"That makes sense. It is the spirit of our cultivators." Gu Chensha suddenly remembered the "Great God Slaying Technique" of the Heavenly Symbol Emperor. "I am not sacrificing to a deity; I just want to understand it."

"Suit yourself, but the imperial secret library has the most extensive collection of books. As a duke, you now have the right to read the classics there, so you don't need to ask me." Long Yuyun said.

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