Chapter 29

Seeing Guchen Sha board the ship, Lou Baiyue smiled, "Now you are a national duke and a prince. With just one more step, you could easily obtain the title of Marquis. Going out on official business without any attendants, aren't you afraid of losing face and diminishing your prestige?"

"My foundation is shallow, and my only reliance is the slight favor of the Emperor and the secret manual of the Juling Divine Power you gave me, which has allowed me to reach my current realm. What prestige do I have to speak of?" Guchen Sha looked around the ship, then switched to a warship, which was larger and more stable than the previous one, with cannons arranged below, capable of attacking cities and territories.

The financial power of the Lou family was evident.

In principle, the nobles in the capital, though they might have ships, could not possess large warships with cannons, as that would be considered rebellion, punishable by the extermination of three generations.

"This Fire Shark Warship was secretly ordered by the Emperor for me to requisition from the Heavenly Engineering Institute." Lou Baiyue noticed Guchen Sha's doubts: "It has eighteen newly developed Mountain-Cleaving Fire Cannons, each engraved with array patterns by a Dao Realm master. The cannonballs also carry mysterious array patterns, capable of collapsing a solid city wall from ten miles away."

"Powerful! With such cannons, next year's campaign against the barbarians will be invincible!" Guchen Sha was shocked, "Even Dao Realm masters would be shattered to pieces."

"Initially, Dao Realm masters are not invincible. Only after reaching the Ninth Transformation do they become like immortals, impervious to mortal means." Lou Baiyue waved his hand, and the blade slave respectfully handed him a small, black object.

Guchen Sha saw a trigger on it, indicating it was some kind of concealed weapon or firearm.

Bang!

Lou Baiyue pulled the trigger toward the distance.

On the river, about three thousand steps away, a water bird was hit, its body exploding into a fireball that fell into the river, turning into charcoal in an instant.

"This isn't a fire gun? How can a fire gun have such power?" Guchen Sha felt a chill.

"This is a Fire Symbol Gun, the latest development from the Heavenly Engineering Institute." Lou Baiyue handed the gun back to the blade slave: "With this gun, even a warrior with minimal training can kill a Grandmaster."

"The Heavenly Engineering Institute has created such a powerful weapon for the nation? But if such a dangerous weapon falls into the wrong hands, wouldn't it cause chaos?" Guchen Sha thought of the most serious issue.

"I have also considered this problem and submitted a secret memorial to the Emperor. However, the Emperor believes that the common people might need such things to defend their dignity. The Emperor's vision is indeed different from any ruler in history. While past rulers aimed to keep the people ignorant, the Emperor aims to enlighten them, overturning the legacy of any great emperor in history." When speaking of the Heavenly Symbol Emperor, Lou Baiyue always showed genuine admiration.

Guchen Sha could not help but admire the governance of the entire Da Yong Dynasty.

"Have you not eaten breakfast yet? Shall I have my subordinates prepare something for you?" Lou Baiyue asked, "I have already reached the Dao Realm and do not need to eat, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth is enough."

"I am a bit hungry, but recently, I have been practicing and have developed a dislike for the smell of food. I heard you found many good things in the ancient ruins of Tianzi Xu. Do you have anything that might be useful to me? I can offer something in exchange." Guchen Sha had a dense network of sun and moon dragon scales in his abdomen, storing energy, so he could go without food for months, but he did not want to reveal his trump card and wanted to test Lou Baiyue's resources.

"Oh? What do you have to offer in exchange?" Lou Baiyue was interested.

"How about this?" Guchen Sha took out a Tiger-Wolf Pill, which was black and green, exuding a powerful aura. He wanted to test Lou Baiyue's discernment.

"Ancient Tiger-Wolf Pill!" Lou Baiyue's eyes sharpened: "Even an ordinary person, after taking it, can become as strong as a tiger or wolf, comparable to a warrior who has trained for twenty years. Besides increasing strength without side effects, the most important thing is that it changes a timid person into a brave one, as it contains the might of tigers and wolves."

A person's character determines success or failure. A timid person, who is indecisive and hesitant, will not use the strength given to them and will ultimately fail. A strong-willed person, even without strength, will strive and eventually achieve success.

The Tiger-Wolf Pill is crucial for infusing an ordinary person's soul with the resilience of a wolf and the confidence of a tiger.

These two qualities are essential for success.

No other pill can achieve this; it requires the power of heaven to integrate.

"Truly remarkable, you can identify the Ancient Tiger-Wolf Pill at a glance." Guchen Sha praised, "I imagine the Lou family has many young disciples who need this pill."

"Where did you get it? This pill comes from ancient times and has long been lost. Even the most skilled alchemists today cannot replicate it. There are pills to increase strength, but none that can imbue a person with the nature of a tiger or wolf, as this involves the changes of the Heavenly Dao." Lou Baiyue was clearly moved, though she did not need it, many of the Lou family's disciples did.

The Lou family is a large clan, and to remain prosperous, talent is crucial. Most disciples, though they have good resources, have become lazy and arrogant due to a life of luxury, making it difficult for them to shoulder great responsibilities. If they had the Tiger-Wolf Pill, the situation would be entirely different, and the family would be filled with elites.

What a family relies on is the continuous emergence of outstanding individuals.

A wolf can remain motionless for a long time while hunting, enduring hunger and cold. If a person had the patience and resilience of a wolf, what could they not accomplish?

"My mother, at least, was a princess of the Xian Dynasty, and she left me some items for self-defense, which is not unusual." Guchen Sha would not be foolish enough to reveal the truth, of course, even if he said he had the Heavenly Symbol Edict, no one would believe him.

"How many of these pills do you have?" Lou Baiyue was straightforward.

"How many do you want?" Guchen Sha countered.

"However many you have, I want them all." Lou Baiyue instructed her subordinate, "Yuxiang, go get the Heavenly Dew."

"Truly, it is Heavenly Dew." Guchen Sha recalled the historical records, confirming that Lou Baiyue had indeed taken this substance. The ancient ruins of Tianzi Xu contained remnants of Heavenly Dew, but it was unknown how much Lou Baiyue had obtained.

A servant quickly brought a thumb-sized jade bottle.

"This is Heavenly Dew. You are well-versed in history and should know its effects. This bottle contains five drops. Each drop will remain in your body for a month, improving your meridians, expanding your acupoints, and strengthening your flesh and blood. For a month, you won't need to eat anything, to avoid contaminating your constitution with mundane substances." Lou Baiyue said, "Now, five drops of Heavenly Dew for two Tiger-Wolf Pills, you won't lose out, right?"

"Deal." Guchen Sha immediately exchanged, as he needed Heavenly Dew now. The ancient Tianzi practiced the Tianzi Sealing Divine Technique, which required Heavenly Dew to refine the sun and moon to a profound level.

In fact, only the Sun and Moon Refinement could fully integrate the effects of Heavenly Dew with the body.

At the Grandmaster level, one must be very cautious about eating and drinking. It is best to avoid human food as much as possible, as the impurities and toxins in the body would accumulate, hindering progress and even causing regression.

This is why, in the martial world, few Grandmasters can advance to the Dao Realm.

Grandmasters should ideally consume only the most refined pills or heavenly treasures. Who can sustain such a massive consumption?

Even for wealthy and noble families, supporting a few Grandmasters capable of advancing to the Dao Realm is a significant expense.

After exchanging the treasures, Guchen Sha asked Lou Baiyue for a quiet room to take a drop of Heavenly Dew and begin his cultivation.

"Princess, how did he get the Tiger-Wolf Pill?" Yuxiang, clearly a confidant, immediately knelt, "Was my intelligence incorrect? Am I at fault?"

"He still surprised me." Lou Baiyue's expression was calm, "Not bringing attendants and riding my ship shows he can endure humiliation and avoid unnecessary trouble, which is a sign of great wisdom. I can use this time to observe his true strength. Set sail!"

Boom!

The massive iron anchor was raised, and the Fire Shark Warship set off, leaving the capital.

On the shore, several plain-clothed spies exchanged glances, "We never thought Prince Nineteen would disregard his status and ride Lou Baiyue's ship, completely disrupting our plans. The Tenth Prince instructed us to create trouble for him along the way. What should we do now? We dare not provoke Lou Baiyue."

"We should report this to the Tenth Prince."

The group quickly left.

In addition, several other groups felt they could not act.

"Hmph! If I had taken my own ship, I would have encountered countless troubles, and I might not have reached Xian State without being obstructed in various ways." Guchen Sha observed the surroundings in the small cabin, calmly thinking.

The cabin was spacious, about ten steps wide and ten feet high, made of steel but decorated with fragrances and furs, luxurious and elegant.

Guchen Sha dripped a drop of Heavenly Dew, and the room was instantly filled with a fragrant aroma. The Heavenly Dew was a deep blue, similar to the sky, as if a small piece of the sky had been torn off.

He placed it on his tongue, and without swallowing, the Heavenly Dew melted into his flesh and blood, quickly spreading throughout his body.

The sensation was astonishing, like a sudden flash of insight.

For example, when you have been pondering a problem for a long time and suddenly understand it, that moment of clarity is the most intense experience in life.

The moment the Heavenly Dew entered his mouth and spread throughout his body was just such a sensation.

"Sun and Moon Refinement!" He immediately activated the internal energy of the Sun and Moon Refinement, and the power of the Heavenly Dew flowed through his meridians, transforming and refining his flesh and blood, gradually expanding his meridians.

With each breath, it felt as if a whirlwind was forming inside him.

Although his internal cultivation was the Sun and Moon Refinement, from the outside, it appeared he was practicing the Juling Divine Power. This was because he had practiced the Sun and Moon Transformation, which allowed him to integrate any martial art into the Sun and Moon Refinement.

After a long time, he regained clarity, feeling that his strength, speed, agility, and thinking had all increased slightly, and his limits had been raised.

On his back, several sun and moon dragon scales appeared, protecting key acupoints.

"He is practicing the Juling Divine Power." In another room, a mirror showed Guchen Sha's every move. Lou Baiyue observed but could not discern any secrets: "His internal power surges like a tide, his bloodline is strong, giving a sense of weight like a mountain. It seems the Juling Divine Bloodline is gradually being activated."

At this moment, the red sun hung high in the sky, and the fog on the river had completely dissipated, indicating it was noon.

Guchen Sha had practiced for two hours.

The river was vast, and the wind, though cold, carried a hint of spring.

The river was covered with floating ice, making it difficult for ordinary small boats to navigate, but the Fire Shark Warship could easily break through even thick ice, let alone floating ice.

"Princess, we have left the capital. At this speed, we will reach the Shizhou region by nightfall." Someone reported.

"Although the waterway in the Shizhou region is wide, the current is swift, and the sides are high mountains and deep valleys. We must be cautious." Lou Baiyue frowned, sensing an ominous premonition.

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