"What happened to him?"
Su Qingfei's heart tightened as she pressed for answers.
"The lord was fighting at the front lines when he suddenly fainted for unknown reasons and was slashed twice by Wei soldiers. Fortunately, two bodyguards intervened in time to save him! He is currently being transported back and should arrive in the Imperial Capital in about half a day. The lord is still unconscious, so I hope the princess is prepared."
The soldier spoke to Su Qingfei in a grave tone.
Su Qingfei took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm.
"Order all the guards from the manor to go and escort him! There must be no mistakes on my husband's way back!"
Su Qingfei was a woman who had seen much of the world.
Though anxious, she made the best arrangements immediately.
"Steward, go and summon the best physician in the Imperial Capital to treat my husband! He will be fine! He must be!"
Zhuang Zhou's heart sank.
What was meant to happen, happened.
Everything before him overlapped with his memories from his past life.
After he left the Northern Guardian Prince's Manor, news came that the Northern Guardian Prince had fallen unconscious and was injured.
The prince was brought back to the manor but remained in a coma until the manor fell, and the family was executed. He never woke up.
If not for this, how could the manor have fallen to ruin in just a year?
Zhuang Zhou had some suspicions about the cause of the prince's coma, but he couldn't be sure until he saw him.
"Zhuang Zhou, go back to your room for now! Mother has some things to arrange!"
Su Qingfei gave a few instructions and hurried away.
***
Zhuang Zhou returned to his room, closed the door, and dismissed the maid.
He assumed the meditation posture and began his cultivation.
The path of cultivation lies in a single-minded focus!
In this era, martial arts were predominant!
However, ten years later, the world would change dramatically, ushering in an era of tribulation, with countless races emerging and numerous relics appearing.
In this Ling Tian Realm, various legacies would surface, offering countless paths for cultivation.
The strongest path among them was the Three Paths and Nine Ways!
The Three Paths referred to the Martial Path, Shamanic Path, and Divine Path!
Each path corresponded to one of the three Dantians: upper, middle, and lower.
The Upper Dantian was for the Divine Path, nurturing divine abilities, practicing magic, controlling water and fire, and summoning thunder!
The Middle Dantian was for the Shamanic Path, communicating with spirits, offering sacrifices to the heavens, borrowing power from ghosts and gods, and manipulating mountains and rivers!
The Lower Dantian was for the Martial Path, refining the body, achieving immortality, slaughtering all beings, and pointing at the stars!
In his past life, Zhuang Zhou started with the Martial Path, reaching a high realm before gradually exploring the Divine Path. As for the Shamanic Path, he only grasped its essence shortly before his fall!
Thus, in that era of catastrophe, he was merely an average person, achieving nothing significant.
Reborn, Zhuang Zhou decided to cultivate all three paths simultaneously, forging the strongest foundation!
However, regardless of which path or way, they all relied on True Qi as their foundation, differing only in where the True Qi was stored: in the Upper Dantian for divine abilities, in the Middle Dantian for shamanic arts, and in the Lower Dantian for martial arts.
So whether focusing on one path or cultivating all three, the key was to refine True Qi and elevate one's realm!
When it came to refining True Qi, Heavenly Dew was the best!
It was a rootless substance, naturally harmonious with all living beings!
It was excellent for healing, cultivation, alchemy, and even summoning heavenly thunder, truly a panacea in the cultivation world!
Zhuang Zhou took a drop of Heavenly Dew.
A vast amount of Spiritual Qi instantly dispersed, permeating his entire body.
"This Heavenly Dew tastes like lemon!"
Zhuang Zhou tasted it and muttered to himself.
He quickly activated the Nine Suns Mysterious Heaven Art, and nine vague sun-like shadows appeared behind him.
The Nine Suns Mysterious Heaven Art was an unparalleled technique crafted specifically for the Body of the Nine Suns.
In the early stages, it could invoke the Power of the Nine Suns within, awakening the body's divine abilities, allowing rapid progress! In the mid-stages, it could devour flames, refining the power of the sun, as long as the sun shone, the magic would be endless! In the later stages, it was said one could transform into a Golden Crow, rivaling primordial savage beasts, devouring the heavens, and becoming invincible!
This technique was something Zhuang Zhou had almost numbed his tongue to acquire from an empress.
Reflecting on his past life's humility, Zhuang Zhou couldn't help but shed tears!
As the technique operated, the Spiritual Qi in the Heavenly Dew transformed into overwhelming flames, instantly turning the impurities blocking his meridians to ash!
In a mere instant, Zhuang Zhou's hundred meridians were cleared, his body light and pure, like a newborn, immaculate and ethereal!
"Boom!"
Zhuang Zhou's internal organs felt ablaze!
A trace of the Power of the Nine Suns within his body was drawn out by the Nine Suns Mysterious Heaven Art.
This trace of power transformed into a wisp of True Qi of the Nine Suns, with an extremely high temperature, seemingly capable of refining all things!
"Body Refining Realm, first level!"
A hint of joy appeared on Zhuang Zhou's face.
"Indeed, supreme divine techniques are extraordinary!"
In the Grand Yong Dynasty, most people had to endure arduous cultivation from the age of eight, tempering their foundation, and only at ten or eleven could they practice techniques, officially stepping into the ranks of martial artists!
Yet, with the Nine Suns Mysterious Heaven Art and the Nine Suns Physique, Zhuang Zhou broke through in an instant, refining a wisp of True Qi and officially entering the ranks of martial artists!
The path of cultivation was divided into ten major realms: Body Refining, Profound Connection, Golden Core, Divine Abilities, Yin-Yang, Earth Fiend, Heavenly Gang, Sage, Nine Transformations, and Ascension.
Each major realm was further divided into ten minor levels!
Refining a wisp of True Qi marked the entry into cultivation!
Zhuang Zhou divided his True Qi into three, injecting it into the upper, middle, and lower Dantians.
Even within the Body Refining Realm, the True Qi stored in each Dantian had its unique uses!
The Upper Dantian strengthened the Brain Domain!
The Middle Dantian fortified the muscles!
The Lower Dantian enhanced the internal organs!
Only when the three were united was there no deficiency or flaw!
The Spiritual Qi in the Heavenly Dew was abundant, and after Zhuang Zhou cleared his hundred meridians and refined his True Qi into three, it still forcefully elevated his cultivation to the third level of the Body Refining Realm before being fully absorbed!
Afterward, Zhuang Zhou ceased absorbing the Heavenly Dew, instead focusing on breathing exercises to consolidate his foundation.
***
Half a day passed in the blink of an eye.
A maid hurriedly knocked on the door.
"Young master, the lord has returned! He's in the Dragon Elephant Courtyard, and the lady instructed you to go see him!"
Zhuang Zhou's eyes snapped open, a glint of light flashing through them.
"Understood!"
Zhuang Zhou got out of bed, and having just broken through, he didn't control his strength well. As his feet hit the ground, he shattered the floor made of Black Tortoise Stone, creating a sunken center with spiderweb-like cracks spreading around!
"Combining the three paths is truly powerful? At just the third level of the Body Refining Realm, I already possess strength comparable to a young savage beast!"
Zhuang Zhou marveled, speaking to himself.
He then left the room, heading swiftly towards the Dragon Elephant Courtyard where the Northern Guardian Prince was.
Before leaving, he instructed the maid to replace the floor with a new layer and not to let anyone know about the broken floor!
"Whether father's coma is an accident or a deliberate curse, I'll soon find out!"
In front of the Dragon Elephant Courtyard, Zhuang Zhou's young face was tense, his expression serious as he muttered to himself and walked into the courtyard.
Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan