"You're such a disappointment," Lou Baiyue said. "A man's greatest fear is a lack of ambition. Even in adversity, one must not wallow in despair. Great responsibilities fall only on those who endure hardships. They must first endure pain in their hearts, toil in their bodies, and hunger in their flesh. Don't you understand this? If you had ambition and courage, I, Lou Baiyue, would fully support you. You want to train? I'll give you the best elixirs and techniques. With the Lou family backing you, you'd be no less capable than any prince. But if you lack drive, even destiny on your side would mean nothing. Human effort matters far more than heavenly fate."
"Heavenly fate? That's for the other princes. It has nothing to do with me. Please don't drag me into this." Gu Chensha's voice grew more fearful. "I don't want your help, and I beg you, please stop harming me."
"So, you really want to be a useless piece of mud that can't stick to the wall?" Lou Baiyue's eyes were filled with disappointment. "I know your mother, the Concubine Princess of the Xian Dynasty, raised you with caution because of the taboos surrounding her, and that's made you timid and weak. But the man I marry must be a true hero who can conquer any thorny path with a smile. Look at the current Emperor. Twenty years ago, he was just an illegitimate child, born even lower than you and in worse circumstances. Yet he defeated countless rivals to rule the world."
"I don't have the same ambition as the Emperor," Gu Chensha muttered, staring out the window as if lost in thought.
Seeing his cautious demeanor, afraid to say the wrong thing, Lou Baiyue grew bored. After a pause, her tone sharpened, carrying a hint of coercion. "If you insist on wasting your life, there's nothing I can do. But let me tell you this: your current situation leaves no room for peace. You can't just retreat to a quiet life. Either rise to glory, risking everything, or be poisoned to death. Do you really think you have no chance? Let me tell you, you carry the bloodline of the Xian Dynasty's royal family, imbued with the power of the Giant Spirit God. If I can awaken the divine power in your bloodline, your martial skills will advance rapidly! Now tell me, are you willing or not?"
"What? The Giant Spirit God's bloodline?" Gu Chensha's breathing quickened. Lou Baiyue's words seemed to stir something in him. The royal family of the Xian Dynasty, descendants of the Giant Spirit God, possessed divine bloodlines that were incredibly hard to awaken. If awakened under rare circumstances, they could become powerful masters in a short time. However, this didn't tempt him. What he realized was that the stakes were too high. Pretending to be ignorant any longer might expose his act, so he decided to play along. "What do I need to do?"
True fools are easily swayed by others' words. Clearly, Lou Baiyue was testing his reaction.
"Oh? So there's still some fire in you after all," Lou Baiyue said with a satisfied smile, seeing the flush in Gu Chensha's face. She knew her words had struck a chord.
"What do you want to do to help me?" Gu Chensha asked directly.
"Here," Lou Baiyue clapped her hands. A maid approached, holding a tray with three small gourd-shaped containers and a booklet. "This contains Boiyuan Pills, Stabilizing Pills, and Marrow-Washing Pills. These are top-tier royal supplies, though they've been withheld from you. I've brought them to make up for that."
She tapped the booklet. "This is a secret technique of the Xian Dynasty royal family, the Giant Spirit Art. It ranks between King and Emperor levels. Rumor has it that those who master it gain incredible strength, rivaling the ancient giants. Only those with the royal bloodline of the Xian Dynasty can truly cultivate it. This technique was acquired by my Lou family when we overthrew the Xian Dynasty's capital."
"What's the meaning of this?" Gu Chensha asked, suspicious. "The Giant Spirit Art is locked in the royal archives. Did you get the Emperor's approval for this?"
"If you want to catch up to the other princes, this is your only path. Cultivating the Giant Spirit Art will awaken your royal bloodline. As for permission, rest assured—I've already reported this to the Emperor, and he approved it. The Xian Dynasty's royal bloodline traces back to the Giant Spirit God. If you succeed, you could achieve heights no one expects," Lou Baiyue said gravely.
"Fine, I'll accept it," Gu Chensha said. Hearing the words "reported to the Emperor," he realized Lou Baiyue had earned some favor with the Emperor, possibly handling critical matters for him.
He gestured to his servant, Xiao Yizi, to collect the elixirs and the booklet. "Since this is a royal gift, I dare not refuse. I'll take it."
"Good. In truth, your current predicament is of your own making. If you had trained diligently, you'd already be a master by now, winning the Emperor's favor and achieving great accomplishments. Instead, look where you are," Lou Baiyue said, her voice tinged with scorn.
"Very well, no problem," Gu Chensha replied without hesitation.
"It's settled then." Lou Baiyue clapped her hands. "Prepare some wine to celebrate!"
"No need for wine. I'll return to train hard and prepare for my future achievements," Gu Chensha said, appearing full of newfound resolve.
"Good. A man with ambition is admirable." Lou Baiyue gave him a long look. "You seem short on funds. Here's 10,000 gold coins to get you started. In a few months, when the Emperor grants you land, you can settle in properly."
Another tray was brought out, stacked with golden paper currency, shimmering with an aura of divinity. These were official imperial notes, impossible to counterfeit.
Gu Chensha didn't hesitate, letting Xiao Yizi collect the money before leaving the ship silently.
As his figure disappeared, Lou Baiyue's maid said, "Miss, it seems the Nineteenth Prince isn't as foolish as he seems. He's been hiding his talent."
"No," Lou Baiyue replied, shaking her head. "His actions prove he's truly foolish. A wise man would understand that no elixirs or techniques could bridge the gap between him and the other princes, especially the Giant Spirit Art. Even the direct descendants of the Xian Dynasty struggled to master it. If he were smart, he'd have refused outright. But since he accepted, it shows his little cleverness is easily blinded by greed. He'll likely die young."
"Miss, I don't understand why the Emperor assigned you such a challenging task. It's like he's setting you up for failure," the maid said, worried.
"Perhaps this is a test of my abilities. If I can't handle this, how can I manage greater responsibilities in the future?" Lou Baiyue said calmly. "The Nineteenth Prince will train hard with what I've given him, but he'll inevitably become a target for the other princes. If he dies, it solves many problems. If he survives, it proves he's capable."
"And if he masters the Giant Spirit Art? He could rise to a prominent position," the maid suggested.
"If he does, so be it. The Emperor is magnanimous enough to accommodate him," Lou Baiyue said with a faint smile.
"To master the Giant Spirit Divine Art, one must awaken the Ancient Giant Spirit God's bloodline. This bloodline is rare, appearing perhaps once in a century among the talents of the fallen dynasty. If it weren't so powerful, how could it have been destroyed by the imperial court? You see, once the bloodline is awakened, it allows for communication with the true Ancient Giant Spirit God through sacrifices. This grants divine power beyond compare. If the fallen dynasty had such protection, how could their nation have been extinguished?" Lou Baiyue gazed at the boats drifting down the river. "But His Majesty's cultivation… I suspect it has already reached an unimaginable level. Once he obtains the Heavenly Sacrifice Talisman, he can ascend the path of the Son of Heaven, destroy the true gods, and sever the Ancient Giant Spirit God's influence. Even if the Giant Spirit God is a primeval master, he won't be able to shatter the barriers of this world or project divine power here. Without offerings, he will perish at His Majesty's hand."
"My lady, what are you talking about? I can't follow a word," her maid said, bewildered by Lou Baiyue's muttering.
"This isn't something you can understand," Lou Baiyue waved dismissively. "I suspect this meeting with the Nineteenth Prince won't go unnoticed by the other princes. They'll surely come asking questions afterward. When they do, turn them all away. Tell them I'm in closed-door cultivation."
"Understood," the maid replied.
On the riverbank, Xiao Yizi carried a bundle of items, his face full of confusion. "Master, why did you agree to Lou Baiyue's terms? This doesn't seem like your usual cautious approach."
"There are three reasons," Gu Chensha replied, his expression thoughtful. "First, if I refused outright and showed no interest in the benefits offered, it would only raise suspicion. Lou Baiyue is too clever; she'd see through me immediately. By appearing greedy and careless, I can feign foolishness. This is called 'hidden wisdom.' Second, I've been practicing other martial arts secretly, but I can't reveal them yet. Accepting Lou Baiyue's gifts gives me a legitimate reason to use new techniques without drawing suspicion. This is called 'turning the tables.' Third, I need to understand why Lou Baiyue and the emperor want me to cultivate the Giant Spirit Mirror. What's their true intention?"
"Master, your foresight and strategy are remarkable," Xiao Yizi said, full of admiration. "But what should we do with these pills and money?"
"With this amount of money, we'll be much better off. Ten thousand silver notes aren't a small sum; even a Duke's annual salary wouldn't come close to this. As for the pills, I no longer need them, so I'll give them to you to strengthen your foundation. There are tasks I can't handle openly, so I'll need to rely on you. The stronger your martial arts, the better. As for this manual, I'll study it carefully. If it turns out to be useful, you can train with it as well."
Gu Chensha had already mastered the first technique of the "Heavenly Son's Divine Art," Sun and Moon Refinement. He didn't need any other martial arts, but observing a variety of techniques could deepen his understanding. Besides, the Giant Spirit Divine Art was said to have been created by the Ancient Giant Spirits themselves, who were once protectors of the Heavenly Son. There might be some connection to the Heavenly Son's Divine Art.
Back in the small courtyard of the imperial palace, Gu Chensha opened the Giant Spirit Divine Art. The first thing he saw was an imposing giant figure, its muscular body encased in heavy armor, fists clenched tightly. It radiated boundless energy. Surrounding the figure were intricate diagrams of acupoints and meridians, alongside notes on cultivation techniques.
This was not a martial art in the usual sense but a method focused on meditation, mental training, and willpower refinement.
Gu Chensha's solid foundation in martial arts, coupled with his mastery of the Heavenly Son's Divine Art, made his mind exceptionally sharp. Studying the Giant Spirit Divine Art felt like a torrent of understanding rushing into him, with nothing too complex to grasp. Though he didn't begin practicing immediately, he absorbed the knowledge mentally, preparing himself.
Martial arts principles flowed through his mind, refining themselves repeatedly until only the essence remained. His spirit and body aligned harmoniously, like sparks of starlight, flickering brilliantly.
After a long time, Gu Chensha opened his eyes. The energy in his body surged, and he leapt out the window. His left hand moved with the sun's energy, his right with the moon's, a perfect execution of the Sun and Moon Refinement technique.
His movements were graceful yet powerful—at times like drifting autumn leaves, at others like surging rivers, blazing arrows, or meteors crashing to earth.
This blend of strength and fluidity marked the peak of his training. His spirit and body felt as pure as freshly fallen snow.
As he trained, a mix of hot and cold energies clashed within him, creating an intense conflict. This was the critical challenge of the Sun and Moon Refinement. Gu Chensha's mind seemed to transcend, his soul detached from his body. He saw the world as a massive furnace, where all things were being smelted. The impurities sank to the bottom, while the essence rose above, becoming something extraordinary.
"The heavens and earth are a furnace; creation is the smith; yin and yang are the charcoal; and all things are the materials!" he suddenly understood a key verse from the Heavenly Son's Divine Art.
Through suffering and endurance, one could become the refined essence of the world.
With a loud bang, the energies within his body exploded like a cocoon breaking open. His entire being began to breathe in harmony with the world, faintly drawing in the primal energy of heaven and earth.
This was the threshold of the "Dao Realm."
However, he had only touched its edge. True Dao Realm mastery required sustaining oneself entirely on heaven's essence, abandoning mortal sustenance. Such transcendence was still far from his reach.
A Dao Realm cultivator was no longer an ordinary person. Freed from the constraints of daily human life, they no longer worried about food or material needs. They lived by absorbing the essence of the heavens, free from the mundane struggles of the mortal world.
For now, Gu Chensha remained a mortal, bound by the demands of daily life. But within him burned the potential for something far greater.