vrcanaries Chapter 246 Young Man on a White Horse Drunk in the Spring Breeze 20
Chapter 246 Young Man on a White Horse Drunk in the Spring Breeze 20
After dealing with Ye Dingzhi's matter, Xiao Ruojin suddenly found herself in a state of having nothing to do.
His most important task right now is to seize the throne, but he has already handed that matter over to Xiao Ruofeng. He only needs to control the overall situation from behind the scenes and keep an eye on the progress from time to time.
This resulted in Xiao Ruofeng being extremely busy, helping his brother seize the throne while secretly assisting Ye Dingzhi in dealing with Tianwaitian, and also having a child at home who needed care.
In the end, Xiao Ruojin had a change of heart and carried Xiao Lingchen to the Jingyu Prince's Mansion, where he was handed over to the Princess Consort for careful care. This gave Xiao Ruofeng a moment to catch his breath, after which he worked even harder to help his brother seize the throne.
Xiao Ruojin was very pleased with this, so when he had nothing else to do, he began to develop his second goal ahead of time: to reach the pinnacle of martial arts and travel to the mystical realm.
Instead of rushing into rigorous training, he began reading. He read all sorts of books on martial arts, from internal energy cultivation methods and martial arts techniques to strange tales and legends from the martial arts world.
As I continued to observe, I discovered that the martial arts in this world were actually quite illogical.
Although almost everyone practices martial arts, some people may not be able to reach the Vajra Realm even after a lifetime of diligent practice, and remain just a martial artist for life; while others may never hold a sword, but can become sword immortals the moment they do.
The saying goes: "No sword in hand, but sword in heart; read a move in a book, practice a move in your mind, and once you finish reading the book, you've learned the sword technique."
Listen to this!
Where can you go to reason with this?
Correct!
I'm talking about you—Qianshan Academy.
Qianshan Academy was no less prestigious than Jixia Academy, and was known as "a place where there is no road in front of the mountain, but one step can lead to heaven".
Almost everyone at Qianshan Academy was a bookworm, always with a book in their hand. They called themselves scholars, knew nothing of martial arts, yet once they got into a fight...
Ha ha!
Therefore, there must be shortcuts to martial arts in this world. If you really want to practice diligently step by step like most people, you may not achieve much in your entire life.
Therefore, if he wants to reach the realm of spiritual travel, he must find another way.
Leaving aside how Xiao Ruojin in the Jingyu Prince's Mansion racked her brains to find a shortcut, Qi Tianchen, the Imperial Advisor in the Imperial Observatory, was so worried about the sudden appearance of good fortune in Tianqi City that he almost got blisters on his lips.
As the Imperial Preceptor, Qi Tianchen would stand on the Star Moon Pavilion of the Imperial Observatory every day to observe the movement of the stars and predict the future of Beili and the changes in major events in the world.
But a closer look revealed the problem.
Half a month ago, an extremely powerful aura suddenly emerged in Tianqi City.
This aura is powerful and soars into the sky. Although it has not yet had a significant negative impact on the fate of the Northern Kingdom, its very existence is enough to make people uneasy.
At first, Qi Tianchen suspected that he was just old and his eyesight was failing, but after half a month of continuous observation, his discovery was confirmed and there was no mistake.
But how is that possible?
How can one person's fortune be compared to that of a nation?
Even Li Changsheng, the greatest martial artist in the world, could not have reached such a level.
There could never be anyone in this world with such incredible luck!
Could it be... that the four borders have fallen, and immortals have descended upon the world?
Upon realizing this possibility, Qi Tianchen's heart pounded like thunder. He could no longer sit still and got up to head straight for the palace. However, halfway there, he realized that even if he informed Emperor Tai'an about this matter, what good would it do? It would only add to his troubles and disrupt the peace of the entire Tianqi City.
Back then, Zhao Yuzhen alone made Emperor Tai'an want to kill her, and he almost sent troops to flatten Qingcheng Mountain. Even though he later gave up the idea, he still sent three thousand iron cavalry to garrison at the foot of Qingcheng Mountain to prevent Zhao Yuzhen from coming down the mountain.
If he were to inform Emperor Tai'an of this matter, the city of Tianqi would likely be plunged into bloodshed, and the problem might not even be solved.
Thinking of all this, Qi Tianchen turned around and went back to the Imperial Observatory. He was worried and didn't know who to discuss it with, so he could only look up at the starry sky and sigh.
Meanwhile, Emperor Tai'an in the palace had just taken his medicine and was about to rest when Zhuoqing informed him that the Imperial Preceptor had intended to come to the palace but had turned back halfway.
Emperor Tai'an knew that Qi Tianchen was a person who devoted himself to cultivation and would not easily step into the palace unless there was something important, let alone at this hour of the night.
What on earth happened that could make the usually calm and collected Imperial Advisor rush into the palace in the dead of night?
The thought that Qi Tianchen would observe the celestial phenomena and the major events of the world every night made Emperor Tai'an's heart tighten.
Could it be that something major has happened in the world again?
If that's the case, why didn't the Imperial Advisor go directly to the palace, but instead turned back halfway and returned to the Imperial Observatory?
Although the palace gates were locked at this time, and ordinary people could not easily enter or leave, the Imperial Preceptor was no ordinary person. He had the cultivation of a half-step Divine Traveler, not to mention that he had been given special privileges, allowing him to enter the palace to meet the Emperor anytime and anywhere.
What exactly happened?
Emperor Tai'an coughed twice, his sleepiness completely gone. He finally managed to lie down after being persuaded by the palace servants around him. However, before going to sleep, he repeatedly instructed that the National Preceptor should be summoned to an audience after the morning court session the next day.
After the morning court session the following day, Qi Tianchen, led by a palace attendant, went to the Imperial Study to meet Emperor Tai'an.
On the way, they happened to encounter the officials leaving the court. The civil and military officials filed out, some talking in hushed tones, others looking hurried. Several princes were also being escorted by their respective entourages.
Qi Tianchen's mind stirred, and he couldn't help but look up, using his Qi-gazing technique to penetrate the crowd, trying to capture that unusual aura.
Among the many officials, he was astonished to find a surge of fortune rising from one person, soaring straight into the sky—the very fortune he had been observing these past few days.
The sheer power of this aura was astonishing; it resembled a giant golden dragon spiraling upwards, its radiance almost blinding him.
Qi Tianchen quickly closed his eyes to ease the discomfort, then opened them again to search for the owner of this fortune.
He dared not be careless, holding his breath and concentrating, afraid of missing any details.
"Huh? Prince Jingyu?" Qi Tianchen was shocked.
He had previously analyzed the fates of several princes and observed their fortunes. Prince Jingyu had always been unremarkable in all aspects, so how could such a dramatic change have suddenly occurred?
What exactly happened to King Jingyu?
Seemingly sensing that someone was watching her, Xiao Ruojin turned her head and met Qi Tianchen's gaze.
A meaningful smile appeared on Xiao Ruojin's lips. This Imperial Preceptor was a Taoist practitioner. After years of secluded cultivation, although he had not yet comprehended the Great Dao, he had achieved immortality and could be considered a celestial being.
Despite being watched by such a powerful figure, Xiao Ruojin showed no panic whatsoever. Instead, she simply smiled faintly, exchanged a brief glance with the Imperial Advisor, nodded slightly in acknowledgment, and then turned to leave.
……
Xiao Ruojin's face blossomed into an undisguised smile, like the brightest ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds in summer, filling the surrounding air with a joyful atmosphere.
Seeing his expression, Xiao Ruofeng couldn't help but ask, "Brother seems unusually happy today?"
Xiao Ruojin was naturally very happy today, because he had finally found the shortcut to the Divine Realm. How could he not be happy?
The four realms of contemporary martial arts are the Vajra Mortal Realm, the Free and Easy Earth Realm, the Carefree Heaven Realm, and the Divine Wandering Mysterious Realm.
The Vajra Mortal Realm aims to temper the body, and once mastered, one is free from all worldly desires and becomes indestructible.
The Realm of Freedom primarily involves intensive cultivation and enlightenment; once attained, one can roam freely in the world, achieving complete freedom.
The realm of carefree heaven begins with the attainment of oneness with heaven and man. Upon completion, one can resonate with all things and become invincible.
The realm of the divine exists only in legends; one can travel thousands of miles, open the gates of heaven with a sword, ascend to heaven on a cloud, or ride a crane into the sky.
Therefore, in this world, practicing martial arts is not just about practicing martial arts; more importantly, it is about learning to sense the world and absorb its power for one's own use.
The most common and easiest force to be activated is the fortune between heaven and earth.
Just like Zhao Yuzhen on Mount Qingcheng today.
From the day she was born, Zhao Yuzhen was brought to Qingcheng Mountain by six celestial masters and carefully raised because she embodied the century-old fortune and martial luck of Qingcheng Mountain.
And he certainly lived up to expectations. Whether it was his cultivation of Taoist magic or his swordsmanship, he was the most talented person in Qingcheng Mountain in the past hundred years. His progress in cultivation was so fast that it was like a wildfire spreading, progressing by leaps and bounds in a day.
Now, at only eleven or twelve years old, he has already reached the state of "freedom of mind, invincible on earth." If this trend continues, it is not impossible for him to enter the realm of divine travel in the future.
Zhao Yuzhen possessed only the fortune of a single sect, yet she achieved such success.
Wouldn't you become even more powerful if you ruled the world and used the nation's fortune to cultivate your skills?
Thinking of this, Xiao Ruojin's breathing became rapid, and a person appeared in her mind: Emperor Xiao Yi of the Northern Li Kingdom.
It is said that Xiao Yi once traveled to the Mystic Realm in spirit.
If Xiao Yi could use the nation's fortune to enter the realm of the divine, there's no reason why he can't.
Xiao Ruojin turned to look at Xiao Ruofeng beside her, her gaze softening.
He was finding his younger brother, who had helped him seize the throne, increasingly pleasing to the eye, and a genuine feeling welled up within him: "I just feel that the weather is so nice today, it makes me feel much brighter, and I've become happy without even realizing it."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ruofeng looked up at the sky and saw that it was indeed sunny and clear, with the occasional white cloud on the horizon tinged with gold. The view was truly refreshing, so he smiled and nodded, "That's right."
"How are your injuries?" Xiao Ruojin asked again.
“My injuries have fully healed, brother, there’s no need to worry,” Xiao Ruofeng replied easily, a relaxed smile on his lips.
Seeing Xiao Ruofeng's nonchalant attitude, Xiao Ruojin couldn't help but add a few more words of advice: "In the future, if you encounter any problems, don't be foolish and rush in alone."
Xiao Ruofeng looked up at his brother, feeling the concern in his words, and nodded, "Brother, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Xiao Ruojin nodded in satisfaction and patted Xiao Ruofeng's shoulder lightly: "It's good that you understand!"
The two brothers chatted for a few more minutes before arriving at the palace gate. Xiao Ruofeng rode away on horseback, while Xiao Ruojin rode back to the palace in a carriage.
After returning to the palace, Xiao Ruojin first visited the pregnant princess, sat with her for a while, and comforted her sensitive emotions during her pregnancy before returning to his residence in the front courtyard to rest.
After removing her heavy court robes and changing into lighter clothes, Xiao Ruojin lay on the bed, closed her eyes and concentrated. A red mark appeared on her forehead, and an invisible force emanated from the mark, spreading directly towards the west city.
As the capital of the Northern Li Kingdom, Tianqi City was far too vast for his current mental power to cover. Therefore, to understand Tianqi City, he could only explore it slowly, section by section.
During this period, he had used his mental power to find all the people with ulterior motives lurking around the Prince's mansion. However, these people were just small fry, and capturing them would be of no use. Instead, it would alert the enemy and make the people behind them more cautious. It would be better to keep them all, as they might come in handy in the future.
After dealing with the people spying around the surrounding palace, he didn't rest. He would take some time each day to explore Tianqi City with his mental power, and today it was the West City's turn.
Tianqi City is a city that gathers all the prosperity in the world, a place where countless masters gather and Grandmasters of the Heavenly Realm are everywhere.
The power dynamics here are incredibly complex, including an imperial palace, three princely residences, five major bureaus, the Imperial Observatory, the Marquis of Huaiyu's residence, the residences of the six ministers, the Grand Tutor's residence, the Shadow Clan, the Imperial City Army...
Not to mention, there are also the Thirty-Two Music Halls, the Sixty-Four Wine Lounge, the Thousand Gold Gambling Platform, and the Unparalleled Changyu Tower in the North, which attract countless martial arts enthusiasts...
The prosperity and complexity of Tianqi City far exceeded people's imagination.
Xiao Ruojin carefully controlled her mental power, letting it slowly penetrate every corner of Tianqi City, from the bustling alleyways to the solemn government offices, collecting information about the city bit by bit.
He felt the pulse of the city, as if he could hear it breathing.
At this moment, Xiao Ruojin felt like an owl stalking its prey, circling above this seemingly peaceful but actually dangerous city.
As his mental power extended, he finally arrived at the West City and the former site of the Imperial Observatory.
Although the place is somewhat dilapidated, a magnificent golden pavilion stands quietly amidst the ruins.
This pavilion has four floors, each with exquisitely crafted upturned eaves and glazed tiles that reflect a dazzling light in the afterglow of the setting sun.
The exterior walls of the attic are made of high-quality bluestone, which, despite the erosion of time, remains incredibly sturdy and stands firm.
In front of the pavilion sits a lifelike statue of the mythical beast Bai Te, its majestic posture suggesting it is ready to take flight at any moment to protect the pavilion from outsiders.
And the name of this pavilion is—
The Number One Pavilion Under Heaven!
Xiao Ruojin suddenly opened her eyes, sat up, and her eyes flashed with a sharp light.
At the same time, he quickly sifted through the nooks and crannies of the original owner's memories to find information about the attic.
The so-called No. 1 Pavilion under Heaven, each floor represents a realm. If one can ascend to the fourth floor, one can reach the realm of divine travel and ascend to heaven in one step.