The Celestial Emperor's Wind God Technique
Every movement of the Celestial Emperor's Wind God Technique encapsulated the supreme truths of the universe. The first form, Sun and Moon Refinement, though foundational, was the most critical. If mastered, it could make one as radiant as the sun and moon, traversing the heavens with yin and yang as its fuel, capable of reducing gods, demons, and spirits to nothing but dust in the annals of history.
Although Guo Chensha had only learned the basic motions of this form, when he executed it, his mental clarity sharpened, and his aura shifted. It seemed as if he was pulling the vastness of the universe into a single divine furnace, exuding an unparalleled sense of power.
The technique's display left Long Yuwen momentarily stunned. For a moment, she felt her mind slip as though the surrounding space was consumed by roaring flames, igniting the very fabric of the void. She shook herself out of the illusion, her heart pounding in disbelief.
"How could he be this strong?" she thought, instinctively retreating a step. Long Yuwen, who had stepped into the Dao Realm, was far beyond ordinary mortals in both body and spirit. Even though she was only in the first stage, Qi Absorption and Sustenance, her mind should have been impervious to such mortal displays of power. Even now, though weakened by a deadly poison and reduced to less than a fraction of her strength, her spiritual resilience far surpassed any grandmaster's.
But martial arts demanded precision, and a moment's hesitation had cost her. Guo Chensha closed the gap, taking the upper hand.
"Ocean God's Abyssal Suppression!" Long Yuwen's hands formed a defensive circle, enveloping her body in a vortex of dark energy, as though she were sinking into an endless abyss. She sought to dissolve his attack by drawing it into the depths.
However, Guo Chensha's Sun and Moon Refinement was too powerful to be entirely neutralized. After three exchanges, he found an opening in her defense and drove a fierce punch into her chest.
A loud crack echoed.
Long Yuwen staggered back three steps, her ribs fracturing under the blow. Blood trickled from her mouth and nose, but she did not fall. Instead, she calmly sat down, attempting to realign her ribs and focus on healing herself.
Guo Chensha was not unscathed. The force of her counterattack had pushed him back several steps, and his chest heaved with exhaustion. Internally, he marveled at her resilience. "My punch can shatter stone tablets, yet it only managed to break a few of her ribs? The strength of someone in the Dao Realm is terrifying."
Long Yuwen, her voice cool despite her injuries, smirked. "Impressive, boy. I didn't think you had such a reckless side. If I weren't weakened by poison and severe injuries, my strength reduced to less than two-tenths, I could have killed you in an instant."
"I told you I meant no harm," Guo Chensha replied, his tone calm but irritated. "I simply couldn't turn a blind eye to injustice. Yet you repay my help with treachery."
Long Yuwen's expression turned cold. "You expect me to believe you saved me out of the goodness of your heart? A stranger wandering these snowy mountains at night, conveniently drawn here? If you're not plotting something, who would believe you?"
Guo Chensha frowned. "Plotting? Against you? I came across this area while training. Your sword's light caught my attention—I thought it might be a treasure unearthed. If I made a mistake helping you, I'll chalk it up to bad luck. Heal yourself; I won't bother you further. Let's part ways."
As he turned to leave, Long Yuwen's voice rang out sharply. "Stop right there. Planning to go out and bring back reinforcements to finish me off? Do you think I'll let you leave so easily?"
Guo Chensha scoffed. "With your current strength, do you think you can stop me? You remind me of a fable. A farmer saved a frozen snake by placing it inside his coat. Once it warmed up, the snake bit him. I guess I've just saved a snake. The old saying that 'nothing is more venomous than a woman's heart' seems to hold true."
Her lips curved into a cold smile. "You think those weaklings can kill me? I lured them here by deliberately activating the Ten Thousand Sword Talisman. My goal was to draw out the forces backing them. And sure enough, here you are. Do you really think someone like me, with the blood of the dragon and commander of millions, would fall to mere thieves?"
Guo Chensha raised an eyebrow, considering her words. "Longjian Island," he said thoughtfully. "I've read about it in the Geography of the Seas. Despite being called an island, it spans thousands of square kilometers—practically its own kingdom. The Long family has ruled it for a thousand years. They're said to carry the blood of the dragon, granting them the ability to traverse the seas as if walking on land. Even children as young as three can dive into the ocean and slay sharks."
Long Yuwen popped a pill into her mouth, swallowing it with practiced ease. "You seem unusually knowledgeable for a commoner. So, which prince are you?"
"And why do you assume I'm a prince? Just because of my martial arts?" Guo Chensha replied, keeping his expression neutral.
"Your demeanor," Long Yuwen said coolly. "I've met Guo Hengge. From a young age, he was shaped by the empire's rigorous courtly training, giving him an unmistakable imperial air. You have the same aura. Do you think I'd waste my breath talking to someone I believed to be ordinary?"
Her sharp observation unsettled Guo Chensha. He silently acknowledged her extraordinary intelligence. "She's already stepped into the Dao Realm. A true prodigy. Even Lou Baiyue, the most talented woman I know, is stuck at the grandmaster level and can't cross into the Dao Realm. That shows just how remarkable Long Yuwen is."
After a moment of thought, he admitted, "Fine. I am the Nineteenth Prince, Guo Chensha. But I'm nothing like Guo Hengge, the First Prince who attacked your Longjian Island."
"Nineteenth Prince, Guo Chensha?" Long Yuwen repeated, her brow furrowing. Then her eyes gleamed with sudden realization. "Ah, you're the 'foolish prince'—the one who said the starving could eat meat? I see now. You've been feigning stupidity to protect yourself. Your mother, the sacrificed Princess Xianxiang, died tragically, leaving you surrounded by enemies at court. If you hadn't hidden your true self, you'd have been dead long ago."
"How do you know so much about court politics?" Guo Chensha asked, startled. Then it hit him. "Of course. The empire has waged war on overseas territories for years. Longjian Island must have spies embedded in the court, gathering information."
"Talking to Someone Smart Is Truly a Pleasure"
"So, it turns out you're the Nineteenth Prince," Long Yuwen said, her expression easing now that she knew Guo Chensha's identity. Her demeanor became more relaxed as if a weight had lifted from her. "It seems my earlier guesses were off. Your martial arts don't appear to be the Great Desolation God Technique. Instead, is it the secret technique of the late Princess Xianxiang's sect? Perhaps you were secretly taught by Master Hong, the legendary martial artist who escaped the imperial court's pursuit? Are you practicing his ultimate skill, Ten Thousand Stars Ascending to Immortality?"
Long Yuwen's understanding of the world's affairs was impressive. She spoke effortlessly about court intrigues, martial arts, and power struggles, her analysis precise and insightful.
"Isn't it up to you to figure that out?" Guo Chensha replied carefully, concealing his thoughts. He knew Long Yuwen wasn't someone to be underestimated. Since she bore deep grudges against the imperial court, it was better to keep her wary of him.
"Very clever, very clever!" Long Yuwen suddenly laughed. "It seems we are friends, not enemies."
"Oh?" Guo Chensha raised an eyebrow. "Are you planning to use me to influence the imperial court and create obstacles for the First Prince?"
"You really are perceptive," Long Yuwen admitted, a hint of admiration in her voice. "From the intelligence I've gathered, you're a disappointment—a prince ridiculed as a fool, with lackluster martial skills and a reputation for enduring humiliation. But meeting you today, I see a man with ambition, even if not yet fully realized. You carry the aura of a hidden emperor."
"Are you praising me or plotting against me?" Guo Chensha asked, sitting at the cave entrance. "Don't even think about using me. All I want is freedom and peace, not power."
"Freedom and peace? That's the greatest ambition of all," Long Yuwen said with a smile. "Once, there was a man known for ten lifetimes of good deeds. After his death, a heavenly deity offered to grant him any wish for his next life. The man humbly asked for nothing more than enough to eat and drink, the ability to live without worry, to read books, write poems, and explore mountains and rivers. The deity replied that such a life was unattainable even for immortals. 'You might as well be reborn as an emperor,' the deity said."
"That's true. Life rarely goes as we wish. Even gods can't live without trouble, so how can mere mortals expect to?" Guo Chensha mused. "I once read about a sect led by a man called Buddha, who was said to cut through worldly troubles and even advise the gods on how to rid themselves of worries. I wonder if such a person truly existed."
The conversation between the two began to flow like that of old friends.
Suddenly, Long Yuwen tossed a porcelain bottle to Guo Chensha. "Here's some Dragon Renewal Pill, a top-tier healing elixir. I realize now that injuring you earlier was a misunderstanding."
Guo Chensha caught the bottle, broke the wax seal, and poured out a single pill. It was crystal blue, like a drop of frozen water, and exuded a cool aura that spread through his hand, only to transform into a comforting warmth.
Recognizing its value, Guo Chensha didn't hesitate. He swallowed the pill and began channeling the energy through his body using the Sun and Moon Refinement. Blue mist flowed from his pores, swirling around him before retreating back into his body. In moments, his injuries were completely healed, and his mind and spirit felt sharper than ever.
"You could refine the Dragon Renewal Pill so quickly?" Long Yuwen was astonished. "This pill was crafted by my ancestors, using hundreds of rare herbs and decades of cultivation within the island's volcanic heart. Ordinary people would die from its power, their bodies unable to contain it. Even martial grandmasters would need months to fully absorb the energy and years of training to completely cleanse their bodies. Yet, you refined it in mere moments."
She continued to observe him, puzzled. "If I'm not mistaken, this isn't the Ten Thousand Stars Ascending to Immortality. That technique involves communing with the stars and channeling cosmic power, but I sense no such energy from you. Nor does it resemble the Giant Spirit Divine Art, another legendary technique. What's more, you accepted and consumed the pill without hesitation. Either you're incredibly brave, or you lack caution."
"This is indeed a miraculous medicine," Guo Chensha said as he opened his eyes. His entire body felt revitalized, as if his bones and flesh had been reforged. The pill had granted him what might have taken years, even a decade, of training to achieve. "This isn't an ordinary healing pill—it must be a treasure of Dragon Sword Island. And yet, you gave it to me so casually?"
"I wanted to test you," Long Yuwen admitted with a sigh. "I thought you'd suspect it was poison and return it to me. I didn't expect you to actually take it."
"Haha!" Guo Chensha laughed. "Of course, I considered the possibility of poison. But I figured someone as intelligent as you wouldn't poison me so blatantly. It seemed more likely that you were testing my character, so I played along."
"Clever. No wonder you've survived so long in the imperial palace," Long Yuwen said, a rare smile appearing on her face.
With that, the tension between them dissolved entirely. The two adversaries had become allies, their laughter echoing through the cave.