’Mr. Zhang, Teacher Li.’
Chu Lingguang couldn’t help but recall the scene on the stone dais that day. He had been sent flying by the combined power of Yan Zhen, Qin Yu, and even Hu Yanlin, leaving him severely injured and unconscious.
In his daze, two powerful streams of Spiritual Power had rapidly infiltrated his Sea of Consciousness.
It was then that he learned the secret of loyalty: by seizing the flag in the illusion, he would be able to grasp the Iron Sword on the stone dais.
Unfortunately, even when Yan Zhen was the last one remaining on the dais, he still couldn’t touch the sword. In the end, Yan Zhen took first place by force and became the Martial Champion Scholar.
"Master, where is Yuanchu Mountain?"
Chu Lingguang had a bold idea.
"It’s not in the Southern Domain. It’s behind the Imperial City,"
Guo Wei answered directly, seeming to see through Chu Lingguang’s thoughts.
"It seems I was overthinking things."
Chu Lingguang said with a wry smile.
"Lin Guang, the Court has appointed you to start as a Captain. Whether this has anything to do with the people from Yuanchu Mountain or not, it shows that the Court has high hopes for you. No matter what, you must remember this: find a way to serve the Court and build your reputation, and work hard to improve your cultivation. Only then will you have a chance to enter Yuanchu Mountain to train in the future."
"Though you have completed the Martial Arts Examination, you have merely moved from one proving ground to another. The opponents you faced before were only vying with you for fame and fortune. The opponents you will face from now on will decide which of you can enter Yuanchu Mountain."
"As your master, I have already taught you everything I can. From now on, you walk this path alone. You must be careful. Don’t forget your goal. The Martial Arts Examination is just your starting point, and Yuanchu Mountain is by no means your final destination. Understand?" his master said with great earnestness.
"Master, I understand."
Chu Lingguang knelt and replied.
He knew that heading to Qingzhou Prefecture to assume his post was a long journey. Coupled with his military duties, it wouldn’t be easy to see Guo Wei again in the future.
He might only be able to return home once every year, or perhaps even every two or three years.
Just as Guo Wei had said, he had already learned everything his master had taught him. In the past, wherever he went, Guo Wei was always there to back him up, giving him a sense of confidence no matter what he faced.
Now, he was about to travel far from Guo Wei. He would have to fight for his own future in the world.
"Martial Arts Cultivation grows more difficult the further you progress. I stopped at the third level of the True Martial Realm not because my aptitude was lacking or I didn’t work hard enough. It’s because the Cultivation Techniques that surpass the True Martial Realm are almost all controlled by the Court and Yuanchu Mountain. You are still young and have plenty of opportunities. I hope that one day, you can break through your body’s shackles, enter Yuanchu Mountain, and see what the Martial Arts Hall looks like,"
Guo Wei said encouragingly.
"Yes, I will not disappoint you, Master. One day, I will surely stand on Yuanchu Mountain,"
Chu Lingguang declared with conviction.
For the remaining few days, master and disciple stayed together. Guo Wei told Chu Lingguang everything he needed to pay attention to in his official career and even used his own connections, hoping to help Chu Lingguang and make his path as an official smoother.
「Time passed quickly.」
In the blink of an eye, it was time for the master and disciple to part.
The journey was long, and after this farewell, there was no telling when they would see each other again. For this reason, Guo Wei rode Red Boy, accompanying the official escorts and servants to see Chu Lingguang off to South City. He and Master Yan stood on the docks, watching as Chu Lingguang boarded a merchant ship and sailed downstream to assume his post in Qingzhou Prefecture.
On the ship, Chu Lingguang was alone in his room.
He checked his information panel.
Favor Points: 21,099
Mixed Element Skill: (0/10,000)
Great Cang Heart Method: (58,934/120,000)
(Remaining Lifespan: 191 years)
Since becoming a Military Scholar, Chu Lingguang had accumulated over twenty thousand Favor Points. The value for his Great Cang Heart Method had also increased by several hundred, which was better than nothing.
BUZZ!
Chu Lingguang closed his eyes to feel it. In the small ocean within his Sea of Consciousness, the glimmer of Divine Wisdom Power had brightened considerably along with the increase in value.
According to what Zhang Xuan and Li Mao had shown him,
the Great Cang Heart Method could make cultivation twice as effective with half the effort, allowing one to learn practically any mundane Cultivation and Martial Arts technique almost instantly. In fact, Zhang Xuan and Li Mao had not been exaggerating.
After becoming a Military Scholar, Chu Lingguang had returned to Baiyang County and obtained several basic cultivation and martial arts techniques. From these to the secret manuals his master, Guo Wei, had passed down to him, Chu Lingguang could learn them almost instantly. After a period of dedicated study, he could cultivate the basic techniques to their peak.
Although his realm hadn’t advanced during this time, the amount of Kung Fu he had mastered increased significantly. Sometimes, by combining different Kung Fu skills—even the most basic Skills—he could achieve unexpected results.
This made him realize the importance of the Great Cang Heart Method even more, so he added all of his twenty thousand-plus Favor Points into it.
Favor Points: None
Great Cang Heart Method: (80,033/120,000)
(Remaining Lifespan: 191 years)
「The journey ahead was long.」
Qingzhou City was located in a corner of the Southern Domain, bordering the Hundred Thousand Mountains that spanned tens of thousands of li. The journey from Baiyang County to Qingzhou City was even longer than traveling to the Imperial City or the northern national border.
A one-way trip would take a full month.
Even with falcons to carry correspondence, a one-way message would still take seven or eight days.
On the way to his new post, Chu Lingguang used every spare moment to comprehend the Great Cang Heart Method, using it to improve his mastery over the forty-six responses.
He had already grasped the synergistic connection between these forty-six responses, but he had yet to awaken their power.
Even though the value of his Great Cang Heart Method had increased, he made no progress during the month-long journey.
Chu Lingguang was certain he had hit a cultivation bottleneck.
If he could achieve a breakthrough, he would open the door to another world and enter a whole new domain. The power he would gain might even surpass what Yan Zhen and Qin Yu had obtained when they advanced.
If he couldn’t overcome this hurdle, his lifespan might truly be limited to just 191 years.
’The day Teacher Li’s punch permeated my body, I clearly felt all forty-six responses resonate in unison. A power was on the verge of emerging, but unfortunately, I failed to grasp it at the critical moment. Perhaps that failure is what’s making it so much harder to awaken this power now,’
Chu Lingguang muttered to himself.
"Sir, Qingzhou City is ten li ahead. A friend of yours has been waiting at the city gate for quite some time."
Chu Lingguang was not traveling alone to his new post. Officials from the various regions he passed through would host him and see him off for a part of his journey.
The Court had also assigned him a team of official escorts.
There were ten of them in total, responsible for all the trivial matters of the journey, including food, clothing, lodging, and transportation, as well as reporting to the local officials and ensuring the posthouses were prepared for their arrival in advance.
Unconsciously, the way people addressed Chu Lingguang had changed to "Sir," "Captain," or even "General Chu."
"Alright. Everyone, let’s pick up the pace. Don’t keep my friend waiting,"
Chu Lingguang ordered.
He had already learned the identity of this friend from one of the officials during his journey. To his surprise, it was Xuanyuan Jinkang.
During the Palace Examination, although Xuanyuan Jinkang hadn’t stood out, he had achieved his goal of becoming a Military Scholar. He, too, had been assigned to serve in Qingzhou City.
He was starting as a mid-level military officer, a Junior Captain of Qingzhou—a position one rank below Chu Lingguang’s, making him a subordinate.
Chu Lingguang knew that Xuanyuan Jinkang had always been jealous of him. Now that they were assigned to Qingzhou City together, with Xuanyuan serving under him, he probably hadn’t gotten over the psychological hurdle yet.
Now, hearing that Xuanyuan was waiting to welcome him at the city gate, he didn’t dare to delay and immediately urged his Little Red Horse onward.
The ten li passed quickly.
From a distance, Chu Lingguang spotted Xuanyuan Jinkang’s figure. Just as he expected, the man was practicing his smile, which looked incredibly stiff. ’He’s still resentful about becoming my subordinate.’
’Eunuch Liu.’
Suddenly, Chu Lingguang saw another familiar figure.
Eunuch Liu had actually come to Qingzhou City as well. Chu Lingguang knew that after losing all his power, Eunuch Liu had taken a two-year leave of absence to recuperate at home. He must have specifically followed Xuanyuan Jinkang from the Imperial City to Qingzhou Prefecture to supervise his training, hoping he would inherit his mantle soon and carry on the legacy of the Soft and Flexible Technique.
Chu Lingguang was aware that while Eunuch Liu had some influence in the Court, it wasn’t enough to interfere with his own official appointment. Nor would he have knowingly arranged for the jealous Xuanyuan Jinkang to serve under him.
’It seems he followed him all this way hoping that Xuanyuan Jinkang can keep his composure and not make a mistake at a critical moment.’
He had been wondering why someone with Xuanyuan Jinkang’s defiant attitude would come to the city gate to welcome him. Now it seemed Eunuch Liu must have forced him to do it.
"HYAH!"
At this thought, Chu Lingguang picked up his pace, urging the Little Red Horse into a gallop. Waving from a distance, he called out, "Eunuch Liu! Xuanyuan! I’m here!"