On the Eve of Departure

Translator: CinderTL

At the same time, in the grand and luxurious palace of Xiang Prefecture's capital, hundreds of dancers swayed gracefully to the rhythm, surrounded by civil and military officials who were merrily toasting and drinking.

At the head of the hall, seated on a gilded chair, a middle-aged man dressed in lavish robes leaned lazily against the backrest, his eyes slightly unfocused as he enjoyed the performance below. Beside him, a young scholar kept a close watch on the man's facial expressions.

The middle-aged man's eyes flickered slightly, and the scholar immediately followed his gaze, gesturing to a guard nearby and whispering, "Later, take that woman to His Highness's chambers."

The guard nodded, "Understood."

Prince Rui, having had his fill of entertainment, clapped his hands, and the music and dance immediately ceased. The performers exited in an orderly manner, and the guests straightened their postures, turning their attention to the prince.

"Hehe, I have three pieces of good news to announce. First, Bai Wuxia under my command has broken through to the Celestial Being Realm and will soon return to Xiang City."

The expressions of those below varied, but regardless of their thoughts, they all rose to offer their congratulations, "Congratulations, Your Highness, for gaining another formidable general."

"Hahaha..."

Prince Rui was in high spirits. He set down his wine cup and continued,

"Not just one, but two. Bai Wuxia found a gem in a remote town in the northwest. This young man, not yet twenty, has already reached the Celestial Being Realm. Such talent has fallen into my hands, a clear sign that Heaven favors our righteous cause, hahaha..."

The hall fell silent for a moment, and a single thought arose in everyone's minds:

A prodigy of Heaven!

The civil officials were less concerned, but the military generals were not so pleased. Prince Rui had over a hundred generals under his command, with only ten at the Celestial Being Realm. Now, with two more added, the pressure on them grew.

But they could not dampen the prince's mood and could only loudly cheer, "Heaven favors our righteous cause!"

The young lord seated to Prince Rui's left, first in line, had a flicker in his eyes, his mind clearly working on something.

Many civil and military officials wore varied expressions, their minds racing with calculations.

Prince Rui's eyelids twitched as he took in the expressions of those below.

"The third piece of news is that my third son, Yang Xinyou, achieved a great victory yesterday at Green Ox Mountain, slaying ten thousand enemies, capturing forty thousand, and seizing countless weapons and armor. With three joys at once, how can our great cause not succeed? Hahaha..."

"Congratulations, Your Highness, for having such a worthy successor," a middle-aged civil official loudly congratulated.

Prince Rui's eyes flicked toward the man, knowing he was undoubtedly aligned with the third son.

He had already named his heir, the eldest son, Yang Xinyi. For someone to speak such words at this occasion was undoubtedly with ulterior motives.

The young lord at the lower seat paused for a moment, then silently turned to look at the man. He was Yang Xinyi, the crown prince. If Prince Rui abdicates the throne, he would be the heir apparent!

Anyone who dared to covet this position would become his sworn enemy.

"Third brother!"

Yang Xinyi's heart was cold, but his face showed no trace of it, still wearing a smile.

Behind Yang Xinyi sat a woman dressed in a grand red robe, her expression calm. She raised her wine cup and drained it in one go, coldly observing everything unfolding before her.

Beneath the seemingly harmonious banquet, undercurrents surged, with everyone harboring their own hidden thoughts.

...

In Taian City,

Xu Sanyan sat cross-legged on his bed, swallowing four precious medicines he had obtained from Zhu Yong a few days prior.

Now, the precious medicines only served to increase the "Vitality" on his panel, with minimal effect on his cultivation.

With a thought, he opened his panel to check.

[Xu Sanyan]

[Age – 18/160]

[Realm – Initial Stage of the Celestial Being Realm]

[Cultivation Method – "Supreme Truth and Absolute Stillness Sutra" (Peak Stage)]

[Mystical Arts – "Blood Demon Corpse Refining Method" (Not Started)]

[Techniques – Perfect Circle Stance (Peak Stage). Three Tigers Subduing Dragon Saber (Peak Stage). Horse Appraisal Technique (Peak Stage). Excavator Maintenance & Repair (Initial Stage)...]

[Vitality – 10]

The biggest change after breaking through to the Celestial Being Realm was his lifespan, which had nearly doubled, reaching one hundred and sixty years!

Additionally, the Three Tigers Subduing Dragon Saber and Horse Appraisal Technique had naturally advanced to the Peak Stage.

He decided to save the remaining ten points of "Vitality" for future cultivation needs, as the higher his cultivation, the more "Vitality" he would require.

Breaking through to the Celestial Being Realm had already cost him over twenty points, and breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage would likely require even more.

Xu Sanyan turned to look out the window, noticing that the sky had already darkened. Madam Wu arrived right on time.

"Fourth Master, I'm here."

As the door creaked open, Madam Wu swayed her hips as she entered, then turned to close the door behind her. With a worried expression, she asked, "Fourth Master, are you planning to leave this place?"

Xu Sanyan smiled and nodded, not hiding the truth, "Don't worry, even if I leave, you'll be safe."

Madam Wu still seemed uneasy.

Xu Sanyan's eyes were filled with calm, "Because I've lived here. As long as I'm alive, you'll be safe."

Madam Wu relaxed slightly, then tilted her head up, her eyes filled with admiration as she gazed at him. She had watched Xu Sanyan grow from a young boy who was bullied in the village to being adopted by Wu Jue and rising to prominence, eventually becoming the fourth leader of the village.

After Wu Jue's death, Xu Sanyan came to Taian City and, within about a month, had risen to his current status. Even the most powerful county magistrate in the city had to tread carefully around him.

In Taian City, Xu Sanyan was undoubtedly one of the top figures, with only the leader of the White Horse Gang being his equal.

Madam Wu was not a martial artist and didn't understand the significance of the Celestial Being Realm. All she knew was that she had found a powerful protector, someone who could ensure the safety of her and her child.

Thinking of this, Madam Wu's eyes seemed to glisten with moisture as she leaned against Xu Sanyan's chest, "Fourth Master, you must take care of yourself. Nothing is more important than your safety."

Xu Sanyan grinned, his large hands boldly squeezing, "Don't worry."

As the night deepened, the room was filled with the sounds of heavy breathing...

Two days later.

Bai Wuxia arrived alone.

The two sat facing each other, and Bai Wuxia spoke first, "Brother Xu, I've come on someone's behalf to deliver a letter to you."

Xu Sanyan raised an eyebrow, "On someone's behalf? Who?"

"The eldest son," Bai Wuxia replied with a smile.

"I don't believe I've had any dealings with the eldest son..." Xu Sanyan said hesitantly.

Bai Wuxia slowly shook his head, "Hehe, you'll understand once you read the letter. Brother Xu, you may not yet realize your own importance. You are now a dazzling gem, even praised by His Highness in public."

In the Great Qi, there were millions of martial artists, with nearly a hundred thousand at the Inner Qi Realm. Yet, among so many, only a few hundred had reached the Celestial Being Realm, and of those, only a handful had broken through before the age of twenty.

A twenty-year-old at the Celestial Being Realm, a grassroots martial artist with no background or master, his talent was truly astonishing.

Many sought to draw him into their factions, and Bai Wuxia's master, the eldest son, was no exception.

(End of the Chapter)

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