The night was deep, the chilly wind howled outside, yet inside the house, Qin Yu's entire body was feverishly excited.
"Grandpa Lian, tell me how to cultivate. I must cultivate. I will definitely become an Upper Immortal, and even if I can't become an Upper Immortal, I must become an Innate Expert!" Qin Yu's eyes shone with extreme determination.
In his heart, Qin Yu had already begun to sketch out scenes of the future. He could even imagine the approving gaze of his royal father.
He didn't need anything else, only paternal love. His father's approval, his father's smile, even his father's criticism or punishment, would let Qin Yu feel the presence of paternal love. All he needed was that paternal love.
Now, he had found a method, a way to reclaim that paternal love. That was to diligently cultivate, to become a brave martial artist like his big brother Qin Feng, a martial artist with formidable power, or even... an Upper Immortal transcending mortal existence.
Qin Yu looked forward to Lian Yan's response with anticipation.
"Little Yu," Lian Yan said helplessly in his heart but felt obligated to speak the truth, "To become an Innate Expert, one must cultivate Inner Strength, breaking through from the Postnatal Realm to the Innate Realm. But you were born with a Dantian that cannot accumulate Inner Strength. How can you cultivate Inner Strength? And how can you become an Innate Expert?"
"It's true that my Dantian has a problem, but Uncle Wang and the others have said that the number of Internal Cultivation Methods in the world is terrifyingly vast. Surely, there's one that I can cultivate. And even if I can't cultivate Inner Strength, there's still Outer Strength. I can still become an Innate Expert!" Qin Yu quickly replied.
He absolutely couldn't tolerate failing to become an expert.
Because... in the heart of this pure eight-year-old child, that was the only way to reclaim his father's love.
"Outer Strength? Outer Strength is nothing more than continuously using various methods to train the body to become stronger and faster. That's merely a minor path. From ancient times until now, not a single person, even those with Innate Divine Strength or with extreme physical training, has ever reached the Innate Realm through Outer Strength alone. Training the body with Outer Strength is fundamentally impossible to become an Innate Expert," Lian Yan didn't want Qin Yu to put in fruitless effort and spoke directly.
"Not even one? There's not the slightest hope?" Qin Yu was taken aback, his face immediately turned deathly pale.
As his last hope disappeared, Qin Yu felt waves of chill in his heart.
Seeing the deathly pale Qin Yu, Lian Yan felt a pang of distress: "He's still just a child!"
Lian Yan quickly added, "Little Yu, actually, Outer Strength is quite formidable. First, there's the power of the muscles, with long-lasting endurance. It doesn't deplete as quickly as Inner Strength does. Additionally..." In an attempt to comfort Qin Yu, Lian Yan's mind raced with the benefits of Outer Strength, inspiring a glimmer of light in Qin Yu's eyes once again.
"Furthermore, even though it's difficult to train in Outer Strength, the body is ultimately a person's foundation. In the Fierce Tiger Army, there's a man with Innate Divine Strength who, solely through training in Outer Strength, can lift an eight-hundred-pound stone block with one hand."
"Eight hundred pounds? With one hand?" Qin Yu's hope was rekindled; he could imagine such incredible strength, chopping down enemies with a large axe as easily as if cutting wheat.
"Yes, eight hundred pounds. With just one hand, he can lift an eight-hundred-pound stone block. His weapon is a One-legged Copper Man, and on the battlefield, not even Early-stage Innate Experts can match his bravery. With a single swing of that One-legged Copper Man, a swath of enemies fall." Lian Yan continued to speak of the advantages of Outer Strength.
Finally, Lian Yan drew his conclusion: "Although no one has ever cultivated to become an Innate Expert through Outer Strength alone, if one cultivates it to the Postnatal Extreme, pushing the body to its limits, the power can be terrifying indeed, not inferior to an Early-stage Innate Expert."
Seeing Qin Yu's complexion improve, Lian Yan internally breathed a sigh of relief, knowing Qin Yu's temperament all too well, having watched him grow up.
"Cultivating Outer Strength to the Postnatal Extreme is comparable to an Early-stage Innate Expert?" Qin Yu asked again.
Lian Yan nodded repeatedly; at this moment, how could he dare to deny it? Probably if he shook his head, Qin Yu's heart would suffer even more.
"Grandpa Lian, you're saying that in the past, no one has ever cultivated Outer Strength to the Innate Realm?" Qin Yu inquired, and Lian Yan nodded nervously. But Qin Yu became excited and waved his fist, "Good, since nobody in the past has ever cultivated to the Innate Realm, then I definitely will!"
Lian Yan was taken aback.
"Just because nobody has done it in the past doesn't mean it's impossible. I believe in myself!" Qin Yu's eyes blazed with an intense light.
Lian Yan smiled wryly.
Outer Strength?
The cultivation of that was going to be many times more arduous than cultivating Inner Strength. Outer Strength was physical training—to reach the limit of the body required various training methods, sure to subject the body to countless transformations. The pain involved was not something ordinary people could endure.
How could Lian Yan bear to see Qin Yu suffer like that?
"Little Yu, training in the Outer Strength is extremely arduous, even more painful than enduring a hundred lashes every day. You are also the son of Prince Zhen Dong; there are people to protect you, you don't need to suffer so much," Lian Yan persuaded, truly unable to bear watching such a young child suffer.
Qin Yu slowly shook his head.
"No!" he uttered just one word, leaving no room for negotiation.
Lian Yan felt helpless in his heart, "Why are the Qin Family members all like this? No matter the external circumstances, their core nature is always unyielding. Each and every one of them sets their sights on a goal and never looks back, his father was like this, and now he's the same."
Qin Yu suddenly beamed with a smile; he knew his Grandpa Lian cared about him.
"Grandpa Lian, don't worry. Maybe I can practice Internal Cultivation Methods. Look for some more for me to try. If I truly can't practice Inner Strength, then it's not too late to start cultivating Outer Strength," Qin Yu walked over to Lian Yan, wrapped an arm around his shoulder, and said, "Grandpa Lian, no more worries. Within the villa, aren't there the best doctors, all kinds of experts, and the miraculous hot springs? What's there to worry about?"
Lian Yan patted Qin Yu's head, his face showing a trace of an affectionate smile.
He naturally knew that Qin Yu didn't want him to worry.
"Alright, Little Yu, go back to sleep. Leave this matter to me," Lian Yan said.
However, Qin Yu suddenly looked up and said, "Grandpa Lian, also help me find some experts in Outer Strength Cultivation. Having guidance should be better."
"Rest assured, Grandpa knows," Lian Yan smiled. Qin Yu immediately grinned, planting a warm kiss on Lian Yan's cheek, then happily dashed towards the door, shouting, "Grandpa Lian, go to sleep. I'm going to bed too!"
The moment his voice fell, he had already left the room.
Lian Yan immediately took out a writing brush and paper, and began to write a letter…
In Yan Capital City, inside Prince Qin De's study.
Qin De stood in the study, looking up at the window; dawn was breaking.
A scholar in black, Xu Yuan, entered holding a letter, walking up beside Qin De with a smile, "Prince. this is a pigeon-delivered letter from Uncle Lian concerning Little Yu. Take a look."
Qin De took the letter and stared at its contents, his eyes reflecting complex emotions. For a long while, he didn't put down the letter in his hand.
"Prince…" Xu Yuan called out softly. Qin De snapped back to reality and instantly, a flame Qi Force emerged from his hands, burning the letter to ashes. Then, with a cold demeanor, he calmly instructed, "Xu Yuan, gather copies of various Inner Strength secret books and the secret books on Outer Strength from within the Prince Mansion, and send them to Cloud Mist Villa."
Xu Yuan was taken aback; he knew Qin Yu was unable to cultivate Inner Strength, and was aware of how precious these Inner Strength secret books were. Even compared to the secret collections within the Imperial Palace of the Chu Dynasty, Prince Zhen Dong's were far more valuable.
Wouldn't it be a waste to give so many secret collections to Qin Yu who could not cultivate Inner Strength?
"Prince, all of them? Including the 'Ancestor Dragon Technique'? But Little Yu, he can't cultivate Inner Strength…" Xu Yuan asked again.
"Did you not hear what I just said?" Qin De replied coldly, and Xu Yuan nodded, not saying any more. He could sense that Qin De was troubled and could guess the Prince's state of mind.
"And…" Qin De took a deep breath, "Yu'er wanted experts in Outer Strength Cultivation, so bring over the three Outer Strength Experts from the Fierce Tiger Army, and also look for Outer Strength Experts in the Eastern Domain Three Prefectures to bring over as well."
"Yes!" Xu Yuan responded.
Qin De paused, then suddenly said, "Xu Yuan, send a message to the Boundless Wilderness, have General Zhao Yunxing go to Cloud Mist Villa as well. If Yu'er chooses him as a teacher, let him stay in Cloud Mist Villa for a year."
"General Zhao Yunxing?" Xu Yuan was surprised.
Qin De nodded, then proceeded to leave the study, but Xu Yuan suddenly spoke out, "Prince, now that you're back in Yan Capital City, won't you visit Cloud Mist Villa to see Little Yu? The last time you saw him was over a year ago. Shouldn't we make time to visit him for a day?"
Qin De stopped in his tracks, and said calmly, "No need," and then left the study directly. Gazing at the Prince's retreating figure, Xu Yuan shook his head with a sigh, "Are the Qin Family members all like this? So stubborn. For the sake of their oaths, do they forsake even the bonds between father and son?"
With a sigh, Xu Yuan also left the study, leaving behind only the ashes of the burned letter on the study's floor.