Not many of those who went to fight in Jinyun City returned.
Compared to the grand procession that had set out, the number of those who returned was pitifully small.
Everyone who returned alive received a great deal of Cultivation Resources, but the survival rate was chilling.
In the past, whether dealing with powers like the Three Major Sects and the No-Life Evil Cult, or seeking fortunes in Secret Realms, there had always been losses. But the difference this time was far too great.
This led many Cyan Yuan Sect Disciples to harbor hatred for the Great Zhou Imperial Family. Among the dead were their friends and relatives, so naturally, they directed their anger at the Imperial Family.
If it had been a true national war against the Jin Meng Empire, the resentment wouldn’t have been so intense. But knowing that the Imperial Families of two Imperial Dynasties had orchestrated this bloodshed simply to extend a Martial Saint’s life and help someone break through to the Martial Saint Realm made everyone lay the blame squarely on them.
It was rumored that someone in the Jin Meng Empire had also attempted to break through to the National Guardian Martial Saint Realm. However, because their Destiny Golden Dragon was severed, the attempt was affected and ultimately failed.
The Dragon Slayer, Ouyang Qingtian, a National Guardian Martial Saint, had already raised an army within the Jin Meng Empire. He intended to move against them, overthrow the empire, and establish a new Imperial Dynasty.
The various Major Sects within the Jin Meng Empire had already taken the initiative to pledge their allegiance to him. Now, the empire’s Imperial Family, the Wulan Race, was trying to win them back through various means, but no one trusted them anymore.
They already despised the Wulan Imperial Family for their deceit. Furthermore, the Wulan Imperial Family no longer had a National Guardian Martial Saint to back them. Their only National Guardian Martial Saint Ancestor had been slain by Ouyang Qingtian, leaving the imperial authority dangerously unstable.
Now, a new National Guardian Martial Saint had rallied support, offering all sorts of generous terms. Coupled with the fact that he was clearly favored by destiny, the choice was obvious.
No one would stay on a sinking ship, especially one riddled with holes that couldn’t be plugged. Seeing no future with the Wulan Imperial Family, they naturally abandoned them.
The Major Sects have existed far longer than any Imperial Dynasty; they naturally knew how to choose in such times.
Everyone gives a falling wall a push.
Those who had once propped up the wall were now the ones pushing it down. They would even use this opportunity to completely exterminate the Wulan Imperial Family’s bloodline, showing no mercy.
If the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty didn’t have its own National Guardian Martial Saint, the Great Zhou Imperial Family would suffer the same fate as the Wulan Imperial Family.
Even with a National Guardian Martial Saint, they would still have to pay a price.
Yang Chan had caught wind of these rumors, but he wasn’t paying them any mind. At the moment, he was busy eating grapefruit.
There were thousands of fruits in the world, but he still preferred grapefruit. They were so juicy. A single bite filled his mouth with their exquisite flavor.
And when he wasn’t eating them, just holding them in his hands was a fine choice as well.
After all, who could refuse large grapefruits?
Han Bingyu was very dutiful. While scrubbing Yang Chan’s back, she kept herself very busy, wiping him down thoroughly and washing away the fatigue of his journey.
And this, in turn, allowed Yang Chan to enjoy even more of the grapefruit.
Outside the bathroom, the maids blushed, but none of them left.
The "battle" was too intense. If she became exhausted, perhaps they would be needed as reinforcements. Then they too could join the fray.
Ever since Yang Chan’s return, many of them had been vying for his attention. Competition was fierce for any task that brought them close to him.
Bathroom duty, in particular, was highly sought after, as it presented the greatest opportunity. Perhaps it could even be their ticket to a meteoric rise.
As Yang Chan’s power grew, so did his Combat Power. Even though Han Bingyu’s Cultivation had reached the External Refining Copper Skin Realm, the gap between them was still immense.
Despite her persistence, she was ultimately defeated.
Yang Chan glanced at the deeply sleeping Han Bingyu. After settling her into bed to rest peacefully, he changed into a Training Suit.
An invigorating battle could be very relaxing; the fatigue from before was gone.
On the journey, he hadn’t seemed particularly tired due to his powerful Recovery Power, but his state of mind had still been affected.
Now, however, he felt much better.
’Indeed, sometimes a good battle can relieve one’s anxiety.’
’But this wasn’t enough. Only by increasing my strength can I truly feel at ease.’
The "battle" this time had been a bit long; somewhere along the way, night had fallen.
He popped the remaining Elixirs into his mouth and entered the secret room within the bathroom to begin his Cultivation.
He had excavated several secret rooms in Yuanqing Courtyard, including one in the bathroom. It was the perfect time to process the Medicinal Power of the Elixirs.
These were Elixirs that aided in the Cultivation of the Inner Refining of the Five Viscera. The process involved Tempering the Five Viscera while circulating the Flood Dragon Demon Breath Method. It didn’t require much space, but it was still necessary to do it in seclusion.
Normally, he always practiced the Inner Refining of the Five Viscera in seclusion, as the process created a bit of a disturbance.
The higher his Cultivation, the more pronounced these effects became. They were phenomena inherent to practicing a powerful Inner Refining Refining Method, a clear sign of its extraordinary nature.
Even though his Meditation and Breath Holding Technique had reached Tier Four, allowing him to conceal his aura—including his Qi and Blood and Essence Qi—it was difficult to suppress the physical phenomena that manifested automatically.
It was like the cracking of bones when one stretched their limbs—a normal phenomenon that couldn’t be suppressed, even while Concealing Breath.
Therefore, Yang Chan usually practiced his Cultivation in a secret room. He would set up arrays to conceal his aura and soundproof the chamber. That way, even if some phenomena occurred during his Cultivation, no one would discover them. This was why he could practice with such peace of mind.
As for Han Bingyu, leaving aside the question of whether she even had the strength to get up, she was also very discreet. She never pried into matters that Yang Chan didn’t want her to know, an aspect of her personality that he found very satisfying.
Inside the secret room, as Yang Chan began circulating the Flood Dragon Demon Breath Method, his body moved through a corresponding set of motions. Before long, sweat beaded on his skin, a sign that the Inner Refining of the Five Viscera had begun and that he was rapidly absorbing the Medicinal Power from the Elixirs.
While this daily effort wasn’t as fast as simply using Potential Points, it allowed him to gain complete mastery over his newfound power. This prevented a situation where his strength increased, but he was unable to control it.
Only with meticulous control over his power could he unleash even greater Combat Power and slay his enemies.
Although Yang Chan would normally not choose a direct confrontation, sometimes things didn’t go according to plan. That was why he never slacked off when it came to improving his strength, dedicating a significant amount of time to it.
WHOOSH!
After a moment, Yang Chan exhaled. The breath condensed in mid-air, forming a plume of white mist that shot forward like an arrow of air. This was an ability he had mastered as his Cultivation improved.
This air arrow possessed lethal force. At close range, it could pierce through stone and even penetrate the body of an External Refining Copper Skin practitioner. If he held a Hidden Weapon in his mouth and channeled this force, he could even kill a fellow Inner Master.
By piercing their head directly, even an expert Inner Master would fall.
However, it was only effective as a surprise attack, unleashed suddenly during a fight. Otherwise, with an Inner Master’s Reaction speed, they would be able to dodge it easily!