After the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree pocketed the hundred-yuan note, he gave Gu Chen Sha a long, meaningful look before speaking. "Your Highness, Nineteenth Prince, next year His Majesty plans to lead the third campaign against the Man tribe. This hunting event, while nominally a martial arts examination, is actually connected to the capture of several Man tribal warriors by Marquis Ju Shi. They've been transported to the capital and are now held in Nan Shan. His Majesty has arranged for the princes to participate in hunting them down. This isn't just a simple hunting expedition."
"Thank you for sharing this information, Eunuch," Gu Chen Sha replied, understanding that the bribe had paid off. This was crucial intelligence.
"Well then, we'll take our leave. Be sure to arrive on time, Your Highness, or risk incurring His Majesty's displeasure." The eunuch turned and left the courtyard.
"What should we do now, Master?" Xiao Yi Zi asked. "Are we going to participate in this hunt? In the past, you would always feign illness to avoid such events, but this time…"
"This time, we'll go," Gu Chen Sha decided after a moment of thought. "The rumors about my martial training have already spread. If I fake an illness, it will give others leverage against me, and they'll exploit it. Besides, I've already accepted the decree. I can't afford the consequences of defying His Majesty's orders."
"That makes sense," Xiao Yi Zi nodded, a hint of anticipation in his voice. "Eventually, you'll have to face the complexities of court politics. You can't avoid it forever."
"I'll head to Nan Shan for the hunt. You'll stay here and continue your martial training. Keep in regular contact with Long Yu Yun," Gu Chen Sha instructed. He then grabbed a thick sheepskin coat, wrapping himself tightly before stepping out into the snowy streets.
With his martial prowess, he didn't need the coat, but he wanted to maintain appearances.
Moving quickly through the snowstorm, Gu Chen Sha headed toward Nan Shan. As he left the capital, the snowfall grew heavier, the wind howled fiercely, and the world turned into a blur of white. The road ahead was almost impossible to see.
Thankfully, his advanced skills allowed him to move swiftly, almost flying across the terrain.
Gu Chen Sha had already made significant progress in mastering Sun and Moon Refinement. In the ancient era, the Giant race had developed divine techniques from this very practice. His speed and agility were now extraordinary, allowing him to traverse long distances effortlessly.
As he moved, his body seemed to merge with the wind and snow, gliding forward with ease as he borrowed power from the storm around him.
Leaping through the snow-covered terrain, Gu Chen Sha felt a surge of exhilaration. He let out a sharp cry, his body momentarily growing larger and more imposing, resembling a towering Giant Spirit. His pace quickened, and like a spirit of the snow, he darted through the storm. In just half an hour, he reached the base of Nan Shan.
Normally, it would take two hours on horseback to travel from the capital to Nan Shan, especially in snowy weather.
Standing at the base of Nan Shan, Gu Chen Sha paused, his breathing steady, showing no signs of exhaustion. He quietly focused his mind, scanning his internal organs, muscles, bones, acupoints, and meridians. Satisfied, he thought to himself, I've completely absorbed the strength of the wolf, bear, and python. All of it has become my own power.
The snowstorm eased slightly, revealing snow piled several feet deep. A single step could sink a person waist-deep, making movement difficult.
At the base of Nan Shan, however, soldiers and officials had already cleared the snow from the main road. Flags bearing imperial insignias fluttered in the wind, and the atmosphere was charged with energy.
Obstacles had been set up along the main road, and massive tents were erected as noble carriages rolled in one after another.
The Emperor's arrival required an entourage of officials and courtiers, stretching for miles. This wasn't merely for show—it was a fundamental display of imperial authority and ceremony, meant to intimidate and command respect across the realm.
The grandeur of it all served to cultivate the Emperor's divine aura, reinforcing his supreme position.
As Gu Chen Sha approached a checkpoint, a soldier called out, "Who goes there?"
"It's me," Gu Chen Sha said, presenting his royal insignia. The badge was issued to every prince and was required for identification when entering or leaving the palace. Once they reached adulthood and established their own residences, these badges had to be surrendered, with future access to the palace requiring explicit permission.
"Oh, it's the Nineteenth Prince! Please proceed. His Majesty hasn't arrived yet, but several other princes are already here, resting at the camp at the base of the mountain. You should head there to join them," the soldier said politely, immediately stepping aside to guide him.
The camp at the base of Nan Shan was filled with rows of large tents, heavily guarded. Nobles and officials wandered about, mingling and strengthening their connections under the pretext of the hunt.
Some princes were seen socializing with influential officials, cementing alliances and securing support for their positions.
In this dynasty, the Emperor didn't forbid princes from allying with officials; in fact, he encouraged it. Without a designated Crown Prince, the Emperor allowed the princes to compete for influence and prove themselves capable of serving the nation. Whoever excelled would be deemed worthy of inheriting the throne.
Gu Chen Sha, well-read in history, understood the dangers of this strategy. It led to the formation of countless factions within the court. However, it also demonstrated the Emperor's absolute control over the court and his unshakable confidence in his own power.
Emperor Tian Fu's martial prowess was legendary. Before ascending to the throne, he had waged campaigns across the realm, destroying countless sects and even eradicating dark gods and demonic figures who had terrorized the land.
Without unparalleled strength, it would have been impossible for him, a prince born of a concubine, to seize the throne.
"Haha! Isn't this the Nineteenth Prince, the infamous 'Meat-Eating Slacker'?" A thunderous voice rang out, so loud it made the ears of everyone nearby ring. The sheer force of the speaker's presence was overwhelming.
"Old Nineteen!"
Gu Chen Sha looked up to see the speaker: a prince towering a full head taller than him, clad in bronze armor with a belt coiled like a serpent. His presence was as imposing as a mountain, his face wolfish and menacing, with an aura of thunderous power.
It was the Tenth Prince, Gu Zhen Sha.
Years ago, Gu Zhen Sha had injured Gu Chen Sha during a feud, leaving him bedridden for months. The incident had been instigated by Lou Bai Yue. Recently, Gu Zhen Sha had made it clear that he intended to crush him entirely. Seeing him now, Gu Chen Sha knew trouble was inevitable.
"Nineteenth Brother, I hear you've been quite active lately, practicing martial arts?" Gu Zhen Sha said, striding forward. His fiery aura caused those nearby to scatter. His wolf-like gaze seemed to pierce into his opponents' very souls, intimidating even seasoned martial artists.
Some princes and noble spectators stood nearby, smirking, clearly enjoying the spectacle.
Gu Chen Sha stood tall, refusing to retreat. The oppressive aura Gu Zhen Sha exuded had no effect on him. In the past, he would have been terrified, backing away uncontrollably or even falling to the ground. But now, with his newfound strength and deep reserves of energy, he stood firm, unfazed.
"It seems you've made some progress," Tenth Prince Gu Zhen Sha remarked, his expression darkening. The fact that his earlier oppressive aura had no effect on Gu Chen Sha was both surprising and unsettling.
The nobles and officials observing exchanged glances, their curiosity piqued.
"Let me see how much you've improved," Gu Zhen Sha said. He suddenly extended his large hand forward, creating a wave of pressure in the air. His long arm tore through the atmosphere with a piercing whistle as his five fingers spread wide, compressing the air around them into an inescapable prison.
This technique radiated a faintly bloody aura, accompanied by an ominous sensation like wailing ghosts.
"Five Demons Capture!"
A skilled martial artist in the crowd recognized the technique and shouted.
The "five demons" represented the five fingers, each driving the movement of air currents. This move could fracture bones and tear flesh apart in a single strike.
Legend had it that this deadly skill originated from the Ghost King Sect's Five Demons Technique, a ritualistic martial art passed down for millennia. It was considered heretical, and successive dynasties had banned it repeatedly. In the Tian Fu Dynasty, the Ghost King Sect was ultimately eradicated, and the imperial court confiscated the ancient Ghost King Manual, adding it to the royal archives.
Though the Ghost King Manual contained heretical teachings, it also had practical applications. Gu Zhen Sha's foundation lay in the Thunder Strike Technique, which was fierce and overwhelmingly yang in nature. By combining it with the Ghost King Manual, he achieved a balance of yin and yang, enhancing his chances of breaking into the Dao Realm.
Gu Chen Sha's eyes flashed brilliantly, glowing with a radiance as bright as the sun and moon. His mastery of the Heavenly Emperor's Sealing Technique and his training in Sun and Moon Harmony—specifically the Sun and Moon Refinement and Sun and Moon Transformation forms—imbued his body with an aura reminiscent of the celestial bodies. Faced with Gu Zhen Sha's attack, he showed no fear. He stepped forward boldly, his arms suddenly growing thicker and sturdier, with a faint bronze hue shimmering across his skin.
Bang!
The two arms collided directly. Both Gu Chen Sha and Gu Zhen Sha staggered backward, leaving deep footprints in the ground. The shockwaves from their clash scattered the snow, blinding the onlookers for a moment.
"What?"
The crowd was stunned, their eyes wide with disbelief.
"What just happened? Their strength seems evenly matched? The Tenth Prince possesses incredible natural strength, is a martial prodigy, and has fought countless battles, eliminating numerous heretical sect leaders and demonic threats to the court. His Thunder Strike Technique is so potent that even the Emperor once praised his efforts in subduing demons with thunderous force. He's almost guaranteed to step into the Dao Realm. How could he fail to overpower the Nineteenth Prince, a so-called 'useless slacker'?"
"Could it be the Giant Spirit Divine Art? Was that the Mountain-Bearing Stance?"
Lou Bai Yue, who was watching the match, furrowed her brow. Her thoughts raced as she analyzed the situation. "That strike from Gu Zhen Sha wasn't just for show, yet it was blocked? Gu Chen Sha's move was from the Giant Spirit Divine Art, specifically the Mountain-Bearing Stance. Could he really have awakened the Giant Spirit Bloodline? Even among the Xian royal lineage, it's a phenomenon that only occurs once in centuries. This… this is nothing short of a miracle."
The Xian Dynasty's royal family was said to be descended from the ancient Giant Spirits, but over the generations, the bloodline had become so diluted that manifestations were exceedingly rare. Whenever the bloodline was awakened, it marked a period of great prosperity for the dynasty.
If Gu Chen Sha truly had awakened the Giant Spirit Bloodline, he could use sacrifices to communicate with the Giant Spirit God himself.
If news of this spread, the remnants of the Xian Dynasty and the commoners who still worshipped the Giant Spirit God would rally behind Gu Chen Sha, proclaiming him the rightful emperor of the Xian Dynasty.
Though the Xian Kingdom had long since fallen, the faith in the Giant Spirit God endured.
The Giant Spirit God was an ancient deity officially recognized as a True God. Even Emperor Tian Fu, with all his power, couldn't revoke this god's divine status without risking catastrophic backlash and upheaval that could plunge the realm into chaos.
"Gu Zhen Sha's martial prowess is formidable, and his killing intent is overwhelming. His combat experience far surpasses mine," Gu Chen Sha thought, calming the energies surging within him. He realized that Gu Zhen Sha's Five Demons Capture contained five layers of tearing force. A single misstep could have resulted in severe injury. If not for his three days of training with Long Yu Yun and his initial grasp of the Sun and Moon Transformation, he would likely have been defeated.
The Heavenly Emperor's Sealing Technique was undoubtedly a supreme art, but Gu Chen Sha had only practiced it for less than a year. His understanding of it was barely one in ten thousand. With three to five, or even ten to eight more years of training, his strength would grow immensely, allowing him to dominate the realm with ease.
Reflecting on the fight, Gu Chen Sha quickly evaluated his gains and losses. He concluded that in a life-and-death battle with Gu Zhen Sha, his chances of victory were far from guaranteed—especially since his opponent likely had other hidden techniques.
It became even clearer to him that none of the princes were ordinary men. Even with his incredible fortune and unique opportunities, he couldn't afford to let his guard down.