Chapter 70

After settling into the inn, Gu Chensha had all his soldiers remove their armor and take a hot bath to relax, then go to bed. He then took Yi Ming, Liu Yu, and five others out for a stroll.

This border market was incredibly large, with shops everywhere. Even at night, it was brightly lit, bustling with people, and filled with the sounds of carriages and horses. One convoy after another transported goods, with martial artists and bodyguards from the civilian world keeping watch. Various taverns and brothels were lively and bustling, offering all-night entertainment. Compared to the capital, the atmosphere here was different, even more vibrant, lively, and fiery.

Strong liquor, beautiful women, living on the edge, wealth, and savagery—all were concentrated in this border market.

As they strolled, Gu Chensha felt an unprecedented sense of ease. He recalled the past half-year when he was alone in a small room within the palace walls, biding his time, enduring humiliation, and secretly reading books and practicing martial arts in his sleep, feeling hopeless but still striving. It was only after obtaining the Heavenly Sacrifice Talisman that he gained the strength of a bear, wolf, and python, practiced the Emperor's Divine Technique, and became a martial arts grandmaster. He was enfeoffed as a national duke, established his own household, and came to Xianzhou to begin his rise. He killed the four great demons, the barbarian general, obtained the Heavenly Dew, recruited subordinates, and even managed to subdue the barbarian divine envoy, his luck and momentum unstoppable.

But the more successful he became, the more cautious he was, constantly reflecting on whether his virtue matched the divine power of the Heavenly Sacrifice Talisman.

The divine power belongs to those with virtue.

"These days, I haven't done anything bad. I saved over ten thousand people in a town, slew evil demons, and killed barbarian soldiers. The only questionable actions were seizing the Law-Breaking Immortal Sword and the Untrustworthy Heart-Seizing Talisman, but those were all because the Dust family was trying to harm me. I had to defend myself, and I had no choice. I even let Dust Jianfeng go. Thinking about it, I have no regrets." Gu Chensha, who had read books since childhood, believed that self-cultivation required self-reflection three times a day. After every action, he would reflect to see if he was at peace with himself, gradually cultivating great virtue and becoming a great person.

He carefully examined his actions, reflecting on right and wrong, and resolved to correct any mistakes.

Gradually, his confidence grew, his internal energy became lively, circulating throughout his body, warm and cool currents flowing together, forming a yin-yang cycle, like the alternation of day and night.

"Master, it's not good to break through here. If someone disturbs you, you might suffer a mental breakdown and never make progress again." At this moment, a voice in his ear startled him, breaking his concentration. It was Yi Ming, interrupting his thoughts.

"Was I about to break through just now?" Gu Chensha came to his senses. "I must have lost myself. I was just having some insights, but I didn't expect my soul to harmonize, causing a resonance and changing my own magnetic poles. Thank you for the reminder; otherwise, it would have been troublesome."

Breaking through is most feared when someone disturbs you. This market is full of people, and there are many hidden dragons and tigers. Any disturbance would be extremely troublesome.

"Breaking through a realm is best done gradually, not in one go. It's better to test and explore step by step, and after multiple attempts, achieve perfection. Just like how the Heavenly Engineering Academy of the Great Yong Dynasty conducts thousands of experiments for new inventions. Breaking through in one go is often unstable." Yi Ming offered more advice.

"Indeed, governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish. Cultivation requires bold and vigorous progress, but that's for everyday practice. At critical moments, you need the patience of a gentle spring rain and the perseverance of water wearing away stone, turning hardened steel into something as soft as silk." Gu Chensha understood immediately.

Transitioning from the Mortal Realm to the Dao Realm is a crucial step, and one must not be rash. Lingering at this threshold and repeatedly testing it allows one to become more familiar with the interaction between the soul and the spirit world, which is greatly beneficial for future cultivation.

"Master's insights have laid the foundation for the Dao." Yi Ming praised. "Actually, above the Mortal Realm grandmaster level, there is the Martial Arts Barrier. Breaking through this barrier requires laying a solid foundation for the Dao. The more solid the foundation, the greater the future achievements. From what I can see, Lou Baoyue has the most solid foundation. Her cultivation could have broken through to the Dao Realm five years ago, but she only did so recently, showing how much she has accumulated."

"Five years ago! She endured for so long?" Gu Chensha was shocked, but then he thought it made sense. This must have been the guidance of the Heavenly Talisman Emperor. "Father even passed on the Great God-Slaying Technique to her. He must have given her many secret teachings. But for Father to have her get close to me, there must be some deeper meaning."

"Master, someone has noticed us." Yi Ming suddenly looked into the distance.

A convoy of carriages was approaching on the road, with dozens of vehicles. The central carriage was particularly luxurious, made of iron-scented wood, which is as hard as iron and as fragrant as orchids, with even a small piece being very valuable. The wheels were wrapped in thick leather, making the ride smooth and vibration-free.

The carriage was large, pulled by five horses in front.

The surroundings were filled with numerous attendants, each wearing dark green armor, not made of fine iron but rather jade-like.

This convoy, with its attendants, numbered nearly five hundred people. Despite this, no one dared to challenge them.

The border market was a mix of all sorts, with large caravans coming and going. Robberies and black market activities were not uncommon, though the court severely cracked down on them. However, the lure of wealth and the madness of greed have always existed. The fact that this convoy could parade through the market without fear suggested either ignorance or absolute strength.

"There are Dao Realm experts in this convoy." Yi Ming closed his eyes. "There seem to be more than one. In the first, seventh, fifteenth, twenty-fourth, and thirty-sixth carriages, there are Dao Realm experts. The central carriage contains a woman with extremely high cultivation, even surpassing Lou Baoyue, though her combat ability may not match Lou Baoyue's."

"How strong is Lou Baoyue's combat ability? She is at the Second Transformation of the Nine Oxen and Two Tigers. Can she defeat a Third Transformation Copper Skin and Iron Bone expert?"

"The Great God-Slaying Technique is known as the most lethal. In the past, our barbarian Sky Wolf God suffered a great loss, even having his divine kingdom destroyed. In the end, it was only the secret intervention of the Maha God that stopped the Great God-Slaying Technique. This information comes from the divine revelations." Yi Ming recalled. "Of course, Lou Baoyue can't unleash even a fraction of its power, but she can't be underestimated. She can easily defeat a Third Transformation expert and even hold her own against a Fourth Transformation expert."

"The Great God-Slaying Technique is a lethal move. I wonder how it compares to my Sun and Moon Killing Technique." Gu Chensha compared the two. The Sun and Moon Killing Technique allowed him to kill a Second Transformation old demon while still in the Mortal Realm, a significant leap. If he had the chance, he would like to test the Great God-Slaying Technique, which might give him new insights into the Emperor's Divine Technique. The Heavenly Talisman Emperor must have understood this martial art, which is why he created the Great God-Slaying Technique and the Emperor's Divine Technique, using them to slay gods.

"Speaking of which, which noble family does this convoy belong to? Six Dao Realm experts in one convoy—only a thousand-year-old family could match that." Gu Chensha asked. "Yi Ming, you are well-informed. Whose convoy is this?"

"The style seems to be from overseas. The warriors wear dark green armor, which is actually black jade blood jade. Wearing it for a long time absorbs the wearer's blood and qi, making the jade more lively, while the essence of the jade nourishes the body." Yi Ming said. "If I'm not mistaken, this should be the convoy of the Jade Kingdom from overseas."

"The Jade Kingdom, the island nation known for its jade, is much larger than Dragon Sword Island and has a strong national power. However, it has been heavily pressured by the fleet of the leader in recent years, having to pay tribute annually." Gu Chensha frowned. "The leader has been forcing the overseas nations to pay tribute, gathering countless treasures and talents. While he gives some to the court, most of it goes into his own pockets, making his power grow. The people of the Jade Kingdom might have no choice but to seek refuge in the Great Yong Dynasty, following the path of Long Yuyun. The princes are all gathering at the Heavenly Gate, and I wonder which prince this convoy is meeting with."

The overseas nations are very wealthy, and Dragon Sword Island is just one of the smaller ones, only daring to call itself an island, not a nation.

The Jade Kingdom, which dares to call itself a nation, must have its strengths.

The convoy entered a large inn in the market.

Gu Chensha didn't pay much attention and continued to stroll, enjoying the border market's atmosphere.

At this moment, a man hurried over, bowed slightly to Gu Chensha, and said, "Nineteenth Prince, my lady invites you, hoping you will honor us with your presence."

"Your lady is?" Gu Chensha asked.

"You have already seen her, Nineteenth Prince." The man was neither humble nor arrogant, already aware of Gu Chensha's identity.

"Lead the way." Gu Chensha didn't ask further.

The man bowed again and turned to walk.

The group entered the large inn, which was intricately designed and very quiet, with layers of rockeries and gardens, clearly designed by a feng shui master. There was no noise, indicating that it only served distinguished guests and conducted major business.

"The lady is in the inner building, and she hopes only Nineteenth Prince will come." The man stopped at the entrance to the inner building.

"Guests follow the host's convenience." Gu Chensha waved. "Yi Ming, Liu Yu, wait here."

"Yes, Master."

"Yes, Prince."

Gu Chensha pushed open the door and climbed the stairs. The air inside the building was incredibly pure, like the earth in spring, with the scent of fresh soil, full of vitality. The entire building was a spirit-gathering array, and this array was quite unique, even more effective than a regular spirit-gathering array. He had seen spirit-gathering arrays in barbarian temples, but they were not as powerful as this building.

When he reached the second floor, he saw a woman playing the zither. The music was delicate, like a lament, inaudible outside the building. Her fingers plucked the strings, evoking images of a beauty sitting on a reef by the sea, the moon full and the flowers blooming, captivating and enchanting.

"The moon rises over the sea, and at this moment, it is shared by all. Lovers complain about the long night, and thoughts of each other arise." The woman recited a poem. "This poem was written by the Heavenly Talisman Emperor, a man of great talent and vision, the emperor of the ages. Our Jade Kingdom has long wished to submit, but treacherous ministers have oppressed the good. I wonder if Nineteenth Prince can report to the Emperor and allow our Jade Kingdom to become a state of the Great Yong Dynasty, guarding the land for the court for generations."

"May I ask which princess of the Jade Kingdom you are?" Gu Chensha bowed.

"I am the seventh princess, Yu Hanlu." The woman lifted her head, her features delicate and graceful, her demeanor gentle and frail, evoking a deep sense of compassion.

At this point, Gu Chensha had a clear impression of three women. Lou Baoyue was strong and sharp, her influence reaching the court, a true heroine. Long Yuyun was shrewd and pragmatic, skilled in strategy, and hard to read. This woman was gentle, a refined lady, secluded in her boudoir, self-pitying.

But through Yi Ming's investigation and his own feelings, this woman had extremely high cultivation, possibly at the Third or even Fourth Transformation of the Dao Realm.

"Princess Yu Hanlu." Gu Chensha bowed again. He had received strict education in etiquette since childhood and had been reflecting on his conduct and cultivating his virtue to match the power of the Heavenly Sacrifice Talisman. "I have read about the Jade Kingdom in ancient texts, and it is truly a place of wonder. Princess Yu Hanlu is as beautiful as jade, with a refined demeanor. It is a pleasure to meet you. If you have any requests, I will do my best to fulfill them."

"I have heard of Nineteenth Prince's deeds. Your ability to endure humiliation and rise to greatness is a sign of a great mission. Heaven will bestow a great task, but first, it will test one's resolve." Princess Yu Hanlu extended her hand, and a servant brought tea.

..................................

"It's been a while since I've had a burst of updates. I'll have a burst of updates these few days, with three updates today and five tomorrow."

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