The cicadas in the forest chirped loudly, and a nearby eunuch swung a bamboo stick wrapped in spiderwebs, collecting a whole clump of insects. The scorching midday sun was already enough to make people dizzy, and the incessant chirping only added to the irritation, making the atmosphere increasingly unbearable. Even Guo Chen Sha, despite his endurance, found it hard to persist for much longer.
While he was being punished to stand outside, the group of noble children finished their literary lessons and entered the martial hall to practice combat skills.
"Bo Yue, Liang Dao is a leading figure of the Qingliu faction in the court, and he once accused your father of misconduct. This time, during the disaster relief campaign, he emphasized benevolence in his rhetoric. I think there's a deeper meaning behind his actions. Your elder brother killed one of his protégés during the relief efforts," remarked a prince as he approached Lou Bo Yue. Clad in a silver robe, he carried a somewhat dashing demeanor that was in stark contrast to the clumsy and foolish Guo Chen Sha.
"Talking about morals and righteousness—who doesn't know how to pretend?" Lou Bo Yue sneered coldly. "The Qingliu faction in the court is full of pompous windbags, constantly boasting but utterly useless when it comes to matters of state."
The silver-robed prince cast a glance outside at Guo Chen Sha, who was being punished. "What do you think about that boy? Is he genuinely foolish, or is it all an act? I heard that when he was ten, something you did broke him mentally, turning him into what he is now. Because of that, you were placed under house arrest for ten whole months."
"Fourteenth Brother, don't speak nonsense. He was beaten by our thirteenth brother, not me. You were also present at that incident," Lou Bo Yue said, her face cold.
The silver-robed youth, the fourteenth prince, was named Guo Yun Sha. He smiled faintly. "That incident was instigated by you, wasn't it? You incited the thirteenth brother, who acted impulsively and attacked him without asking any questions. Even your father knew the truth; otherwise, you wouldn't have been put under house arrest, and the thirteenth brother wouldn't have been punished by the Ancestral Court with a beating."
"And so what?" Lou Bo Yue said dismissively. "My eldest brother died storming the capital of the Xian Dynasty. I had two uncles who also perished in battles against them, and a cousin poisoned to death by remnants of the Xian Dynasty. Even last year, my father was ambushed by their assassins. Do you think I would feel any goodwill toward that boy?"
"Regardless, he is still a child of the emperor. Now that he's turned into a simpleton, some things shouldn't be taken too far," Guo Yun Sha replied with a smirk.
"Fourteenth Brother, stop pretending to be righteous. Over the years, you've done no less to torment him. You ordered the eunuchs to cut his monthly allowance and even denied him the medicinal pills necessary for royal martial training. That's why he's neither literate nor skilled in martial arts now," Lou Bo Yue remarked while casually inspecting her nails.
"Isn't that what you wanted? Besides, back when his mother was alive, she fought with my mother for favor and played all sorts of underhanded tricks. If I don't kick him while he's down now, when else would I get the chance?" Guo Yun Sha's eyes flicked toward the outside. "Bo Yue, I heard your martial arts have improved significantly recently. Care to demonstrate?"
Lou Bo Yue didn't respond. She calmly extended her palm and lightly struck a wooden training post. With a sharp crack, the post shattered into splinters, scattering debris across the ground.
Effortless, natural, and devastatingly destructive.
"The Silent Yin Palm... Have your martial arts reached the level of a Grandmaster?" Guo Yun Sha's eyelids twitched.
"The path of martial arts has four mortal stages: Novice, Adept, Master, and Grandmaster. Whether it's a mere fighter, a warrior, or a grandmaster, they're all mortals. Only the 36 transformations of the Dao Realm truly elevate one to divinity," Lou Bo Yue remarked with a hint of pride.
"Stepping into the Dao Realm is easier said than done. Even among us royals, with our unmatched talent and access to the best techniques, only four princes have reached the Dao Realm," Guo Yun Sha said, frowning. "Breaking through requires both talent and fortune. Even with talent, without fortune, it's all in vain."
Lou Bo Yue looked skyward. "The first transformation of the Dao Realm, Sustaining through Abstinence, allows one to transcend mortal needs, subsisting on air and absorbing the energy of heaven and earth. At that point, the body becomes immaculate and pure—a state truly worth aspiring to."
"Bo Yue, you're now cultivating the True Silent Yin Sutra, created by the ancient Celestial Maiden of the Yin Sect. Father conquered the Yin Sect and bestowed this technique upon you, clearly favoring you above many other princes," Guo Yun Sha said, his tone tinged with jealousy. "This sutra is an imperial-level technique. The Celestial Maiden herself was once an Empress under the ancient Heavenly Emperor. My Demonic Cloud Strength is merely a royal-level technique in comparison."
"I heard that the Seventh Prince recently reached the eighth transformation of the Dao Realm, the True Fire of Three Purities. If he survives the Trial of Fire's Tempering, he'll attain the ninth transformation and achieve the Indestructible Glazed Body. Such a cultivation level would make him the foremost among the princes," Lou Bo Yue remarked, her tone laced with hidden meaning. "The nine transformations before reaching the Dao Realm—Sustaining through Abstinence, Strength of Bulls and Tigers, Iron Skin, Gold-Eating, Stone-Forming, Hundred Apertures, Condensing Qi into Steel, Flying Above the Ground, and the True Fire of Three Purities—are foundational to immortality. Once one reaches the Indestructible Glazed Body, they will be free of sickness and impurity, living for centuries."
"Hmph! The Seventh Prince may be the empress's son and the eldest among us, but he's had countless strokes of fortune and expert guidance to reach his current state. However, the True Fire of Three Purities is treacherous, burning the body. Many exceptional individuals have perished at this stage, reduced to ashes," Guo Yun Sha said darkly. "I don't believe he'll succeed."