Fan Li began cultivating. He tucked the copy of 'Fundamentals of Body Refinement' under his arm and buried his head into the cultivation room in the Fan manor.
Eldest brother Fan Ming gave him an enormous gourd, making a rattling "dong dong dong" sound when shaken, apparently filled with all kinds of miraculous elixirs.
"Open up and eat them all!" Fan Ming generously said.
For his first cultivation session, Fan Li's goal was simply the Body Refinement Realm. He estimated that although the elixir in the gourd were many, they should be low-grade elixirs with mild medicinal potency and weak effects, so he didn't take them too seriously.
In fact, the Fan clan's medicine shop in the capital of Great Chu had already put up its closure sign!
The Fan family's medicine shop never sold low-grade elixirs. The shop's stock was extremely scarce, but they were all precious high-grade goods worth a fortune!
The elixirs in this gourd were all the merchandise the Fan family medicine shop had in store to be sold this month.
Within this month, the nobles and officials in the capital of Great Chu shouldn't expect to buy any more high-grade elixirs. The Fan family always conducted monopoly businesses!
"Why does this elixir pill have five different colors?"
Fan Li poured out an elixir from the gourd. Although he disliked its odd colors, he still swallowed it down. The medicinal potency turned into a warm current, circulating to every part of his body.
Fan Li felt comfortable all over. He wondered if this was some exotic elixir.
He opened the gourd and peeked inside. Out of the few hundred elixir pills in the gourd, at least a hundred were five-colored elixir pills!
"Rare items are valuable. These elixir pills probably aren't worth much."
Fan Li thought to himself. He simply poured out a few more five-colored pills and swallowed them all. Then, he began cultivating.
At the same time in the imperial cultivation room in the Great Chu imperial palace…
Xiang Ning raised her right hand, palm facing up, holding a five-colored elixir pill. She brought her nose close and greedily sniffed the fragrance of the medicine, unable to resist praising it!
"The Five Spirit Pellet, refined by fusing five types of spiritual roots, is truly a heaven-grade elixir. It's a pity the output is so low that I only get seven pellets per month."
Beside Xiang Ning, over a dozen exquisite blue and white porcelain medicine bottles were placed.
The bottle bodies were engraved with the words Heaven, Earth, Profound, Yellow, etc, categorizing the grades of elixirs.
"After eating the last pellet of the heaven-grade first-rank Five Spirit Pellet this month, I can only use earth, profound and yellow grade elixirs to aid my cultivation. sigh"
Xiang Ning reluctantly swallowed the Five Spirit Pellet, then casually unfolded a note. This was intelligence that Secretary Chen gathered through his network secretly monitoring the Fan manor.
"So Fan Li has indeed started cultivating? Hmph! I have cultivated for many years, how long will it take for him to catch up to me? What's more, I am the Emperor of Great Chu, enjoying offerings from all of Great Chu. Just my supplementary elixirs for cultivation alone are on a completely different level compared to Fan Li.
It won't be long before Fan Li discovers the growing disparity between us. I'd like to see him still ask me to call him 'Father' then! Hmph hmph!"
The more Xiang Ning thought about it, the more smug she felt. She also unconsciously licked the corners of her mouth, savoring the aftertaste of the Five Spirit Pellet.
Ten days later.
Fan Li emerged from seclusion. Outside the cultivation room, Fan Ming, Fan Chun and Fan Yuehua had long been waiting. Fan Li casually tossed them a gourd, which Fan Ming steadily caught.
"All eaten up?!" Fan Ming weighed the gourd and found it completely empty inside.
"Mm." Fan Li nodded and asked as if reminiscing, "These elixirs aren't bad. Get me some more when you're free. They taste pretty good."
Fan Ming's expression froze. He nodded with difficulty, "Alright. I'll try my best!"
Fan Chun whispered, "Second brother, those are all heaven-grade elixirs. They are very hard to obtain..."
Before he could finish speaking, Fan Ming and Fan Yuehua kicked him at the same time. The two even glared at him fiercely.
That gaze clearly said again: As long as Fan Li wants it, the Fan family will sell their pots and pans to get it for him!
Fan Chun rubbed his butt with one hand while looking aggrieved and admitting defeat.
"Second brother, what were the gains from your secluded cultivation?" Fan Yuehua eagerly asked.
"The Body Refinement Realm. What else?" Fan Li answered matter-of-factly.
For his first cultivation session, his goal was to enter the Body Refinement Realm. Now that his goal was accomplished, he was at the first rank of the Body Refinement Realm, so naturally, he emerged from seclusion.
Cultivating to Body Refinement Realm in just ten days, Fan Li was quite satisfied with his own performance. However, he discovered that the three siblings' expressions instantly froze.
"What's the matter? Was my cultivation speed too fast, giving you all a shock?" Fan Li asked with a laugh.
"Fast?" The three asked back in unison.
Then very much in sync, all three shut their mouths at the same time.
Without a doubt, the Body Refinement Realm as the most basic cultivation realm was the easiest to cultivate into.
Even an ordinary person who went into closed door cultivation for ten to fifteen days could basically reach first rank of Body Refinement Realm.
And Fan Li was born with the omen of [Winds and Clouds, Dragons and Tigers], aided by hundreds of heaven and earth grade elixirs.
After a full ten days of closed door cultivation, his result was still... first rank Body Refinement Realm?
The three repeatedly confirmed that Fan Li truly only had first rank Body Refinement Realm cultivation level.
"Cough!"
Eldest brother Fan Ming lightly coughed. "I declare that all information related to second brother's cultivation shall be classified as the Fan family's highest confidential secret, strictly prohibited from spreading externally!"
Fan Chun and Fan Yuehua also solemnly nodded!
The Second Young Master of the Fan family, Prime Minister Fan who held power over the imperial court, had a cultivation speed comparable to a turtle crawling.
This secret absolutely must not spread outside!
"Could the omen of [Winds and Clouds, Dragons and Tigers] be fake? Or has second brother's foundation truly not recovered?" The same question popped up in the three siblings' minds.
But things like inborn omens only existed for ancient sages and the founding emperors of the three kingdoms. The records were vague and no one could accurately explain the profound mysteries within.
The three surrounded Fan Li, constantly comforting him. Only then did Fan Li understand that his cultivation was too deficient.
"The palace has sent people saying that Your Majesty has emerged from seclusion and will hold morning court today." Right in the middle of their discussion, a servant briskly came in to announce.
The little emperor emerged from seclusion? Fan Li recalled the cross-dressing Xiang Ning from ten days ago. Was that brat cultivating behind closed doors or cross-dressing behind closed doors?
"Alright. I'll go change into court dress."
The imperial palace, main hall. Civil and military officials stood in two columns while Xiang Ning sat on the dragon throne.
Having just ended her seclusion, a strong and mysterious self-confidence exuded from her smiling face!
"The Prime Minister still hasn't arrived?" Xiang Ning rather expectantly asked.
A little eunuch answered, "Someone has gone to summon him. The Prime Minister should arrive very soon."
Just as he spoke, someone came to announce from outside the palace.
"Father Minister has arrived!"
Xiang Ning's smile instantly froze. How could she have forgotten about this?
Father?
Even just hearing it pissed her off!
Fan Li walked with his head held high and chest puffed out. He directly strode past the officials, stepping onto the imperial stairs and standing right next to the dragon throne.
"Your Majesty has emerged from seclusion?" Fan Li stood there, looking down at Xiang Ning sitting on the dragon throne.
"Ye...yes...Father..."
Xiang Ning didn't expect Fan Li to be so arrogant as to stand right in front of her to speak. She was so frightened that she subconsciously called out "Father".
But the officials below the imperial stairs felt it was very normal, since Fan Li was indeed Great Chu's number one powerful minister!
Feeling embarrassed, the confidence that Xiang Ning gained from breaking through in cultivation during her seclusion vanished after just one question and answer.
"I'm so useless! Why am I still so afraid of him? It's clear I've already broken through to the next cultivation realm!"
Xiang Ning was angry enough to cry, but could only swallow the bellyful of grievances.