Chapter 21 Reaching to the Sky

Chu Zhiyuan stood in front of a massive White Jade Palace.

This palace was constructed from white jade, spotless, and seamlessly integrated with the surrounding White Jade Square, forming a holy place.

The three large golden characters "Tongtian Pavilion" seemed as if ready to break free and soar into the sky, flying alongside the white cranes overhead.

The hundred-meter high White Jade Palace loomed majestically, as if directly connected to the heavenly courts.

He understood the origin of the name "Tongtian Pavilion", truly feeling like it reached the heavens, as if connecting with the Heavenly Palace.

He slowly stepped forward to the front of the grand hall, took out a waist token and handed it to the elderly man on a rocking chair at the base of the steps outside the hall.

The short and thin elder was dozing off.

Chu Zhiyuan helplessly coughed lightly twice.

The elder slowly opened his eyes, first stretching then yawning, took the waist token and returned it to Chu Zhiyuan: "New here?"

"Junior Minister of the Sect Martial Department, Chu Zhiyuan." Chu Zhiyuan cupped his fists and smiled: "Please, Elder Xu, help open the hall door."

Before he came, he had already heard his colleagues' advice that the guardian of Tongtian Pavilion, Xu Weibian, was an old grandmaster.

In his youth, he was an expert of the Inspection Department. After retiring armor, he worked as a minor official in the Ministry of Rites, guarding the Tongtian Pavilion for over fifty years.

There are four grandmasters guarding the Tongtian Pavilion. It neighbors the Heavenly Treasure Department, where a Great Grandmaster is stationed, capable of arriving instantly if needed.

Xu Weibian immediately understood and smiled: "So it's an esteemed person, please go ahead."

In the Da Jing Dynasty, there are no other families with the surname Chu, only the Imperial Family.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "Thank you."

Xu Weibian climbed the nine steps, took out a key, inserted it, and slowly pushed open the White Jade Gate.

Chu Zhiyuan stepped inside, while Xu Weibian mentioned one cannot destroy or take anything outside, and can only read within the pavilion, then retreated.

Chu Zhiyuan stood in the center of the grand hall, closing his eyes.

The entire grand hall was completely visualized in his mind, with the names and locations of all the books imprinted in his memory.

He could slowly peruse and choose carefully when he returned.

He first searched in his mind and directly went to a bookshelf on the third floor.

This shelf was filled with various writings.

From ancient times to the present, featuring bizarre scripts and records.

Chu Zhiyuan could hardly understand most, so he pulled them out one by one, searching for scripts similar to the two small characters hidden in the sword scabbard at his waist.

After going through half of the shelf, he smiled, finally finding those two small characters.

He continued flipping through, finishing the entire shelf.

Those two small characters were "Qingying".

He pressed on the longsword at his waist, slowly drawing it.

A thread of True Qi flowed from the Laogong point on his palm into the sword hilt, divided into two as it entered the blade, each permeating a rose-like strange pattern.

Immediately, a peculiar feeling surged into his heart.

His heart seemed to sink to the lake's bottom, becoming a fish swimming in the lake, serene and lively.

The longsword seemingly disappeared, light as nothing, becoming an extension of his palm.

He pondered, could this be the true unity of man and sword?

He tried channeling True Qi to activate the Great Snow Avalanche Sword Technique, the sword body vanished from its original position and appeared in mid-air the next moment.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded in satisfaction.

Previously, it was just fast; now it's twice as fast.

Sword after sword, soundless, swift as lightning.

Simultaneously, his mind entered a peculiar state of tranquility.

After attaining the Innate Realm, he had been practicing the Great Purple Sun Technique.

The aura of the Great Purple Sun Technique differs from the Minor Purple Sun Technique like warm and boiling water; True Qi circulating through the meridians gives a burning sensation.

This sensation, unknowingly, affects emotions and the mind, usually fine, but once engaging with others, can cause impatience and anger.

But this Qingying Sword perfectly tempered the influence of the Great Purple Sun Technique, keeping his mind calm at all times, truly marvelous.

After twenty-one strikes, his Dantian was emptied, prompting the Earth Origin Technique.

The Yongquan points on his feet, like whales drawing water, surged Qi upwards, circling around the waist and finally returning to the Dantian, already transformed into True Qi, instantly filling the Dantian.

He shook his head.

Despite the miraculous effect of the Earth Origin Technique, the root problem is missing cultivation strength, insufficient depth of True Qi in the Dantian.

However, since breaking through the First Layer, True Qi already shows the ability to expand the Dantian, which is slowly enlarging.

——

At noon, when he returned to the Prince Mansion for lunch, he found Bai Ningshuang and Chu Yi wearing peculiar smiles.

Chu Zhiyuan touched his own face.

Chu Yi laughed: "Brother, someone has come to propose marriage again."

Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow.

"Hee hee, brother, you've become popular!" Chu Yi laughed happily, "Besides Duke An, now there's also Marquis Ningyuan—this Marquis Ningyuan is currently a favored person, wielding immense power."

Chu Zhiyuan frowned: "Favored person?"

Chu Yi nodded vigorously: "This Marquis Ningyuan is deputy general of the Northern Territory, with prospects of becoming a general."

Bai Ningshuang smiled and said nothing, joy emanating from her eyebrows.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head: "Forget about Marquis Ningyuan."

"Why, brother?" Chu Yi was curious.

Chu Zhiyuan said: "When a person is in the limelight, disputes abound; it's better to stay away."

When someone is hugely popular, their mental state inevitably swells; it's human nature and makes them prone to mistakes.

As a marquis and deputy general, seemingly promising future, yet with shallow foundations. Joining hands with Prince Qing Mansion is clearly to eliminate this and deepen ties with the Imperial Family, much less stable than the hereditary Duke An's side.

"Brother, do you want to marry that great beauty from Duke An Mansion?" Chu Yi tilted her head and teased, "After all, she's the first beauty of Yujing! What man wouldn't be moved?"

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and shook his head.

Zou Fang had already inquired into Duke An Mansion.

This generation's Duke An has mediocre aptitude, diligent yet lacking talent, serving as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, considered his superior.

The Emperor is always lenient with such noble families.

Though not entrusted with great responsibilities, they're not treated harshly either. The Left Vice Minister being a Second Grade position is sufficient to establish oneself within the court.

Miss Xiao Ruoling of Duke An Mansion is reputed as the first beauty of Yujing.

Upon hearing this title, he initially thought she was sociable and fond of public appearances, yet this Miss of Duke An Mansion seldom appears outside, mostly residing in deep seclusion, seen by few.

Despite this, she earned the title of first beauty of Yujing, evidently extraordinarily beautiful.

Bai Ningshuang said: "I've inquired; Duke An's wife passed away ten years ago, this Miss Xiao lost her mother before turning ten, she's a pitiable person."

"It's indeed pitiable without a mother." Chu Yi nodded firmly.

Though Prince Qing Mansion had been sealed, both parents were alive, a complete family, harmonious and intimate, never feeling discomfort.

If the mother wasn't around, truly unimaginable how desolate it would be.

Bai Ningshuang said: "Duke An is also a devoted person; he hasn't remarried, nor sought another lady as mistress, while the young master of the mansion is only twelve, Miss Xiao manages the household."

"That's impressive!" Chu Yi exclaimed: "If brother marries her, mother you'll have peace of mind! Hee hee, mother won't you be reluctant to let go?"

Bai Ningshuang snorted: "I'd be eager for someone to manage things for me, always worrying, it's too exhausting."

"Then brother will marry her?"

"No hurry." Chu Zhiyuan smiled, shifting the topic.

At this time, most marriages were blindly arranged by parents, the parties often not having met, made into couples by parental decision.

As a Princely Heir, he naturally didn't want to be this hasty.

A man unavoidably faces challenges with an unvirtuous wife or unfilial children, but since he aspired to become a Great Grandmaster, he didn't wish to be distracted by too many other matters, needing a stable and non-troublesome household, with a virtuous assistant.

At this point, beauty was not paramount.

For marriage, virtue was preferred; as Princely Heir, lack of beauty wasn't an issue, with Mo Yi and the other three already being rare beauties, all destined to be taken as concubines in the future.

Thus, without knowing this Xiao Ruoling well, he didn't want to make a decision.

He would find an opportunity to observe this Xiao Ruoling before deciding whether to marry her.