Looking at this pathetic panel, Zhao Ci felt a dull ache in his balls.
This… was just too damn pathetic!
The Emperor's Extreme Body Refining Technique was the premiere Physical Cultivation Technique of the Zhao Imperial Family. When cultivated to its absolute limit, one could even hope to forge a Celestial Grade Body.
Among all the Physical Cultivation Techniques in the entire Great Yu, it was firmly in the top three. By cultivating one's physical form with it, one could shatter metal and break iron using only their body, without even a shred of True Qi. Legend claimed that if cultivated to the absolute peak, one could single-handedly hold up the sky if it were to fall.
He didn't know how much of that was an exaggeration, but historical records did mention a beast from the Zhao Clan who had destroyed an entire city by ramming it with his body.
Then there was Xiang's Spear Technique, also a first-rate Battle Array spear art. On the battlefield, it was a true meat grinder.
His own deceased uncle, Xiang Tiange, was said to have once charged into the enemy army all by himself. With a single spear, he cut down a thousand enemy soldiers, took the enemy general's head, and strolled back to his own camp as casually as if he had just gone out to buy snacks.
A top-tier Cultivation Technique and a top-tier spear technique, yet the original owner of this body had managed to train them to such a pathetic state.
What a disgrace!
But it couldn't be helped. Talent was innate; if you didn't have enough, no amount of hard work would matter.
And this was only for the Physical Body, just one Divine Treasure.
With talent like this, cultivating the subsequent Divine Treasures would be a complete crapshoot.
On his first day after transmigrating, Zhao Ci had figured out the cultivation system. The levels in this world were divided into seven grades. Opening the First-Layer Divine Treasure made you a first-grade master, and opening the Seventh-Layer Divine Treasure made you a seventh-grade master. Different people unlocked them in different orders, but without exception, the first Divine Treasure everyone opened was the Physical Body.
The Physical Body Realm was divided into five stages: Qi Recognition, Body Refining, Tendon Transformation, Bone Forging, and Vein Tempering.
The first stage was to perceive and control the True Qi inside the body.
The second, third, and fourth stages involved using one's internal True Qi to temper the flesh, tendons, and bones.
The final stage was Vein Tempering, which would completely unlock the Physical Body Divine Treasure.
There were five steps in total, and each one required a considerable degree of comprehension.
Furthermore, the more powerful the Cultivation Technique, the higher the difficulty of comprehension.
And he had only just barely entered the Qi Recognition Stage.
Zhao Ci couldn't help but shake his head. 'Looks like I'll have to work twice as hard from now on.'
"Add points for me!"
Instantly, his Comprehension Value flooded out.
[Comprehension Value]: 34
[Current Items]: Money-Eyed Talisman x11, On-Spot Relief Charm, Suffocation Talisman, Illusion Step Talisman, Organ-Swapping Secret Manual (Learnable).
[Xiang's Spear Technique]: Proficient (0/1000)
[Emperor's Extreme Body Refining Technique]: Body Refining Stage (0/100)
BOOM!
Zhao Ci felt a roar inside his head, as if something had suddenly been unblocked.
It was like a years-old blood clot in his brain had suddenly vanished!
The Qi control techniques he could never grasp before were now completely and thoroughly mastered. As long as he cultivated step by step, he was certain to reach the Body Refining Stage. As for the stages after that, adding points later wouldn't be a problem.
That was why he'd chosen to add points to his spear technique, skipping past the "Initial Glimpse" level and directly reaching "Proficient." Disregarding his cultivation base and speaking only of spear arts, he was now already a cut above the rest among his peers.
He sat down cross-legged on the spot and began circulating the Emperor's Extreme Body Refining Technique. His previously sluggish and idiotic True Qi had become incredibly nimble, growing a fraction stronger with every full cycle of circulation.
One cycle after another, without a moment's rest.
His True Qi was almost too obedient, moving as effortlessly as a limb. A mere flicker of thought was enough to guide its circulation perfectly, even leaving him enough mental capacity to ponder other matters.
"This is... the Harmony Realm?"
Zhao Ci was ecstatic. This was the exact Harmonious Realm described in the Emperor's Extreme Body Refining Technique, a state one could only reach by perfectly internalizing every aspect of the technique.
Using the same Emperor's Extreme Body Refining Technique, some people would cultivate a Mortal Grade Body while others would achieve a Celestial Grade Body, all because of their differing levels of comprehension of the Cultivation Technique.
But he relied on Comprehension Value, which allowed him to perfectly bypass the issue of incomplete understanding.
It was like an exam—scoring a 99 and a 100 were two completely different levels of mastery.
If the next few stages were also like this, he could definitely maximize the Divine Treasure Grade of his Physical Body.
'It seems that as long as I have enough Comprehension Value and Cultivation Resources...'
'...surpassing the threshold that destines me to have my blood and marrow extracted won't be hard at all. Then I'll be able to buy myself a few more years.'
The problem, however, was that he was clueless about how to get enough Comprehension Value and Cultivation Resources.
Qi Recognition cost 10 points, and Body Refining cost 100. The next three stages likely followed a decimal progression, meaning the last one would cost a hundred thousand.
'How is this any different from robbery?'
Zhao Ci felt a pit in his stomach. On his way back, he'd noticed that the vast majority of people's wish subtitles were gray, only granting 1 Comprehension Value upon completion. To save up a hundred thousand points one by one... he had no idea how many years that would take.
Besides, wishes came from the heart; it would be very difficult to artificially create them. The cap for farming wishes with money was 1 Comprehension Value, and it required a significant amount of silver coins. There was no easy bug to exploit.
If he wanted to get that many points, he had to do something big!
Then there was the problem of resources. The Royal Family's rules were extremely strict; it wasn't as simple as being given an unlimited supply of resources just for having talent.
You could be a good-for-nothing in the Royal Family; they'd give you more than enough money to walk dogs and play with birds.
But get Cultivation Resources for free? Impossible!
Many crucial resources had to be earned with merit, otherwise his predecessor wouldn't have lived in such a pathetic state.
"This is forcing my hand! I have to go big!"
Zhao Ci felt that familiar ache in his balls. The Crown Prince's people and the Fourth Prince's people were all keeping an eye on him.
If he quietly remained a good-for-nothing, no one would bother him.
But if he started making waves, his days would become much harder.
If he caused trouble for a bad reason, he would undoubtedly face all sorts of accusations.
If it was for a good reason, he would be met with endless jealousy and resentment.
'What a pain... '
No!
That's not right!
Zhao Ci suddenly realized he had fallen into a mental trap.
It was true that his biggest threats right now were Zhao Huan and Gu Xiangzhu.
But Zhao Huan was coveting his blood marrow and internal organs. As long as he showed potential, Zhao Huan would absolutely not let anything happen to him before his heart was ripped out and his blood drained.
'Until the moment his true intentions are revealed, he is actually my greatest backer!'
'Even if he won't actively help me, he would never allow the Crown Prince or the Fourth Prince to do anything too drastic to me!'
'The same went for Gu Xiangzhu. As long as we don't come into conflict, she can't shirk any of the duties a birth mother should perform.'
Having figured this out, Zhao Ci couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from turning up in a manic grin.
'The Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince? What the fuck are they even?'
'As if they're worthy of making *me* tread carefully?'
'First, I'll cultivate for ten cycles. Then I'll head to the Imperial Palace to see that Old Deng, Zhao Huan!'
'It's time for me to make some waves!'
...
「At the foot of the Imperial Palace.」
The Kan Mansion sat quietly on the left bank of the Yanghe River. Anyone who lived here held an incredibly prestigious status in Lingge.
Although Kan Tianji held no real political power, he was exceptionally valued by the Emperor, and on any normal day, a constant stream of guests would arrive seeking his divination services.
Today, however, the Kan Mansion had suddenly closed its doors to visitors, making it seem much more deserted.
Beneath the window of the study.
Kan Luotang rested her chin on her hand, leaning against the desk. Her features were exquisite and her demeanor was serene. Her every glance and movement exuded the youthful aura of a sixteen-year-old girl.
At this moment, she was flipping through a medical text with single-minded focus, adding a touch of intellectual beauty to her charm that set her apart from ordinary girls.
"Luotang, don't you worry!"
The speaker was a girl with a cute, baby-fat face. Despite her petite frame, she was dressed in the wide-cut garb of a Martial Artist. As she spoke, she gave a heroic pat to her chest, which was surprisingly ample for her small build, creating a rather comical sight.
Waving a greasy goose leg in her left hand, she offered confident reassurance. "With Grandmaster Kan's status and eloquence, is there any reason His Majesty would refuse to send Zhao Ci to his fief? If you ask me, you should just take a nap. You'll wake up to another victory."
Kan Luotang closed her book with a gentle smile. "Zhu Li... I think *you're* the one who's worried."
Zhu Li retorted, "And what makes you say that?"
Kan Luotang pursed her lips. "Don't those words you just said sound a little familiar?"
Zhu Li thought for a moment, her expression one of surprise. "Now that you mention it, yes! I feel like I've heard them somewhere before!"
Kan Luotang chuckled, speechless. "That's because I'm the one who said them to you, fifteen minutes ago!"
"..."
Zhu Li's face flushed red. She tossed the half-eaten goose leg out the window to a small mutt waiting with its head cocked, and huffed, "Well, I'm just worried that after you're married, I'll have no one to hang out with... to go on heroic adventures with! Zhao Ci has been alive for over a decade, yet he's useless in both scholarship and combat. How can a wild pheasant be a match for a phoenix?"
Kan Luotang smiled and shook her head. "You shouldn't say that. While it's true Zhao Ci spends all his time walking dogs and playing with birds, he's never broken the law or committed any evil. He's not a bad person, so there's no need to be so hostile toward him. Besides, Zhao Ci himself has no intention of getting married; otherwise, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to inform my grandfather."
Zhu Li was exasperated by her friend's lack of concern. "Luotang! You're still defending him? Aren't you worried in the slightest?"
Kan Luotang simply gave a light smile and said nothing.
At that moment, the main gate creaked open.
Through the several courtyard gates, they could faintly make out Kan Tianji's figure.
Zhu Li immediately perked up and scurried over on her short legs. She wanted to be the first to hear that Zhao Ci's assignment to a fief had been confirmed.
"Grandmaster Kan, is it settled?"
"It's settled!"
Kan Tianji's expression was grim.
"As long as it's settled!"
Zhu Li let out a sigh of relief and turned to Kan Luotang. "See! I told you not to worry!"
Kan Luotang: "..."
'I think I was the one telling *you* not to worry.'
Wait!
She suddenly noticed that her grandfather's expression was off and quickly pressed, "Grandfather, what exactly did you say was settled?"
Still giddy with excitement, Zhu Li put her hands on her hips and said, "Grandmaster Kan, go on, tell her! What's been settled!"
The corner of Kan Tianji's mouth twitched. "The marriage between Luotang and Zhao Ci has been settled."
Kan Luotang: "..."
Zhu Li: "???"
~~~~~~~~
During this new book's initial release period, all chapters will be large, with a daily minimum of 5,000 Chinese characters!
I hope all you dear readers won't stockpile chapters.
I stockpiled 100,000 characters before even publishing, so I implore you all to help boost the new book's stats so it can go premium sooner and I can start mass-releasing chapters!
Mwah! (づ￣ 3￣)づ