Langya Capital.
Since Meng Qingzhou announced the occupation of Langya three days ago, the citizens have been deeply worried.
The Sword Saint’s brutality was evident to all. He stormed into the palace, massacred the inner sanctum, and executed the emperor in front of the entire city. Such swift and ruthless actions made people fear they were about to face a merciless tyrant.
But soon, an edict was issued.
The Sword Saint personally wrote the decree: “No force shall disturb the lives of the people. Those found guilty will be judged by the law. Any unauthorized military entry will be considered an act of provocation.”
In an instant, the various forces surrounding Langya withdrew their troops and presented congratulatory gifts.
The citizens watched as the leaders of these forces, usually revered as god-like beings, lined up like ministers waiting for an audience with the Sword Saint.
Some smaller factions, with shallow roots and limited territories, brought gifts but couldn’t even get a glimpse of the Sword Saint himself.
Two days later.
Meng Qingzhou ordered Wu Die and Su Qingqiu to capture the loyalists of the King of Langya, those who aided his tyranny and helped him capture female cultivators. These individuals were then handed over to the ‘victims’ outside the borders.
Such actions gradually reassured the people of Langya, and the voices of opposition disappeared.
However, most followers of the Buddhist Kingdom continued to secretly spread rumors, slandering Meng Qingzhou.
The Buddhist Kingdom’s infiltration of Langya was not a recent development; they had long since indoctrinated these followers into fanatical loyalty.
In their hearts, the Buddhas of the heavens came first, and the monarch second. After all, divine right of kings, the words of the King of Langya couldn’t shake their faith.
To this, Meng Qingzhou paid no mind. He dismissed all the palace maids and eunuchs from the entire palace, occupying the Eastern Palace’s Crown Prince Hall, leaving only a few maids to maintain cleanliness, while the rest of the palace was left idle.
“Master, since Langya has already fallen, why not occupy this country? It would be convenient for the Great Jin army to station here in the future. It’s right next to the Buddhist Kingdom, and using it as a springboard to advance into the Wilderness would shorten supply lines and reduce unnecessary military expenses.” Wu Die served a cup of hot tea, gently blowing on it before placing it beside him.
The Crown Prince Hall of the Eastern Palace covered several acres, with a five-courtyard layout. There was a pond in the garden, home to hundreds of spiritual fish, and even a dragon-blooded flood dragon with golden scales.
Apart from the spiritual fish, the rest were ordinary fish and shrimp.
After fishing for half a day, Meng Qingzhou caught nothing.
Wu Die, however, kept refilling his tea and offering snacks, eating and drinking her fill.
Meng Qingzhou held the fishing rod, speaking calmly, “No need. The Great Jin is not yet strong enough to confront the Buddhist Kingdom head-on. Unless I can successfully break through to the Sky-Reaching Realm, a full-scale invasion by the Buddhist Kingdom, led by the Buddha, would crush the Great Jin.”
Wu Die nodded slightly, refraining from further speech. She refilled the tea and knelt beside him, gently massaging Meng Qingzhou’s leg with her delicate hands.
“Where are Qingqiu and Lian Yue?” Meng Qingzhou asked.
“They’ve left the palace to maintain order in the capital, overseeing the officials to stabilize Langya and prevent any uprisings.”
Hearing this, Meng Qingzhou understood and rarely praised, “Well done. Was this your idea?”
Wu Die smiled lightly, “I provided the strategy; Qingqiu and Lian Yue executed it. We all contributed.”
“You’ve all worked hard. Here, these three divine powers are top-tier Immortal Grade. Each of you take one and study it well.”
Meng Qingzhou took out three divine power manuals from the system space and handed them to Wu Die, explaining, “The top one is a soul Dao divine power called ‘Nuo Face Soul Play.’ It integrates the essence of soul Dao divine powers, including soul mimicry, disguise, control, and some offensive techniques. It will be very beneficial for you.”
“The middle one is for Qingqiu. It contains my understanding of swordsmanship. If she can comprehend it thoroughly, it will ensure her cultivation progresses to the half-step Sky-Reaching Realm.”
“The bottom one is ‘Five Animal Play.’ Despite its name, it encompasses all beasts. The creator observed countless species to develop this divine power. This ‘Five Animal Play’ is for Lian Yue. As a member of the seraph race, she might gain some insights from it.”
Wu Die carefully accepted the three divine powers, unable to contain her excitement, “Top-tier Immortal Grade?!”
“Indeed.”
“Thank you, Master! You’re the best!” Wu Die excitedly hugged Meng Qingzhou’s arm, coquettishly acting spoiled.
Meng Qingzhou felt goosebumps all over, quickly withdrawing his arm from the soft embrace, and unceremoniously flicked her forehead, scolding, “Behave yourself. Go back and study. If you can’t figure it out, come ask me.”
Wu Die rubbed her forehead, stuck out her tongue, made a funny face, and seeing no reaction from him, secretly smiled and hurried back to her room with the divine power manuals.
…
…
During this time, the system occasionally rewarded him with items, different from before.
Before breaking through to the Morning Glow Realm, even Celestial Grade treasures were rare.
After breaking through, the system’s rewards started at the Immortal Grade!
However, these rewards gradually became useless to Meng Qingzhou, unable to keep up with his progress.
Moreover, he had been too busy to distribute these rewards. Now, with some rare free time, it was the perfect opportunity to reward his subordinates.
After the battle at Langya Palace, Meng Qingzhou gradually realized that Su Qingqiu and Wu Die were no longer mere vases; their extraordinary talents were beginning to show.
Together, they could resist the entire Langya capital’s siege. Given time, they would undoubtedly become the pillars of the Great Jin.
“The Heavenly Fortune Body, combined with the system’s experience points, helped me successfully break through to the peak of the Morning Glow Realm, just a step away from the Sky-Reaching Realm.”
“A few days ago, using the Zen Buddhism divine power ‘Spiritual Sense of Bodhi,’ I finally glimpsed the path to the Sky-Reaching Realm.”
“The gap between the Sky-Reaching and Morning Glow is immense, like an ant seeing a giant tree. Without breaking through to the Sky-Reaching, one remains a mere insect.”
The Sky-Reaching Realm, in essence, means embodying the Dao, no longer relying on the spiritual energy of the world or the external principles of the Three Thousand Great Daos to nurture oneself.
Embodying the Dao means becoming a world unto oneself, with an internal cycle and principles born within the inner universe.
Even if the flesh body is destroyed, the Sea of Consciousness shattered, and reduced to dust, as long as the inner universe remains intact and the principles undestroyed, one can still be reborn.
The gap between the Morning Glow and Sky-Reaching is like a tree and the insects on it. Morning Glow cultivators live by consuming the nutrients of the tree. Detached from the tree and the natural environment, they perish instantly.
But the Sky-Reaching is different. The Sky-Reaching embodies the Dao, akin to a new sapling growing beside the tree’s roots. Regardless of the tree’s fate, the sapling can survive independently.
Embodying the Dao sounds easy but is extremely difficult. It’s not just about accumulating spiritual power, reaching a certain cultivation level, or having enough insights.
For thousands of years, countless Morning Glow cultivators have emerged in the Wilderness. The Ancestral Sect Alliance alone has dozens of Morning Glow cultivators. Yet, only the Buddha has managed to survive since the era of the Human Sovereign, exploring for thousands of years, supported by the collective will of the entire Buddhist Kingdom, and with a determination to die, barely breaking through, showing the difficulty.
“But I’m different. Throughout history, I’m the only one who walks the Dao of Space-Time. Coupled with my Great Emperor Grade Sword Sense, I just need some sharpening stones. In at most three months, I can break through.”
Meng Qingzhou silently gripped the fishing rod, appearing to fish.
In reality, the embryonic form of his inner universe was operating with a rumble. The stars of the universe, the Dao giving birth to all things, and the principles of time and space were gradually being assimilated into his body.
His cultivation level was continuously rising, and the embryonic form of his inner universe was becoming more refined.
At this moment, Su Qingqiu returned, leading a masked girl, and called out:
“Master! I met a heroine in the city who wishes to join you!”
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