Lu Mingyuan stared at the prompt—a string of text formed from searing, fiery symbols—and froze for a moment.
Then, he understood.
'It seems this is my golden finger.'
'From what I can tell, it's divided into upper, middle, and lower lines. For now, I can interpret them as the best, middling, and worst courses of action. Of the four hexagrams, only the first one seems foolproof, with almost no risk to speak of.'
'The only ones I don't see are the Upper Trigram of Bad Fortune and the Middle Trigram of Good Fortune. This means there are six lines in total, each corresponding to a different outcome—good, bad, fortunate, or disastrous.'
'Next, the things worth noting are the two Fate Grids: [Trapped Dragon in the Abyss] and [Exiled Emperor].'
In his previous life, Lu Mingyuan had heard a fortune teller explain the concept of a Fate Grid. To put it simply, it was something that profoundly influenced a person's entire life, determining their destiny—whether they could rise through the ranks to become a marquis or a minister, amass great wealth, or whether their personal destiny would be full or lacking. Everything, to some extent, was tied to one's Fate Grid.
'In other words, as long as I follow the results of the Six Trigrams Turtle Shell Divination, I'll receive the corresponding outcome and even acquire a Fate Grid?' he murmured to himself.
In his last life, he was the kind of child other parents always compared theirs to. After growing up, he had fought tooth and nail to pass the civil service exams and secure a stable job, hoping to change his fate. But people just called him a "small-town top student"—someone with no background and no connections. For over a decade, he had run himself ragged, forcing smiles and playing nice, but he remained nothing more than a speck of dust in the grand scheme of things.
On nights when he'd drunk himself sick, he would often ask himself, 'Is this really the life I want?'
But for the sake of tomorrow, he could only swallow his pride and endure it all over again.
But in this new world, where the Martial Dao was supreme and the Three Religions stood in a delicate balance, he had been born into an imperial family. His starting point was already far above most people. As long as he could survive and stay clear of the vicious struggle for the throne, he could rely on the Six-Yao Turtle Trigram to turn peril into fortune and forge the life he truly wanted.
At this thought, Lu Mingyuan's hesitation vanished, replaced by a spark of determination in his eyes. 'As long as I follow the path of the Upper Trigram, I will definitely survive.'
The Upper Trigram of Good Fortune was the perfect hexagram, utterly foolproof. The other option, the Lower Trigram, was also auspicious, but not nearly as safe.
Revealing the matter of the Witchcraft was the way to break this deadly predicament.
But he had to think carefully about his own survival—whether to stay or go.
Choosing to leave the capital would also save him, but he would inevitably be blamed for letting the Demoness escape. He'd be exiled to some desolate, frigid land and likely face countless dangers on the road.
Most importantly, he would lose his mother's protection.
If he could remain in the Harem, even if confined to the Cold Palace, he could live a peaceful life under his mother's wing.
The only tricky part now was how to tell his mother about the Witchcraft.
'The original owner of this body wasn't this shrewd. I can't just foolishly lay out my entire analysis for her.'
"Yuan'Er, what's wrong..."
Seeing Lu Mingyuan suddenly freeze, Wang Zhaoyan couldn't help but grow worried again.
Lu Mingyuan's eyes darted around. He glanced at the red marks on his wrist, and with a flash of inspiration, he pretended to stumble and fall.
"Mother, I'm about to faint from hunger..."
"I'll have someone prepare some food right away."
"Someone! Go prepare some pastries and tea, and see if the kitchen has any meat left over."
After giving the order, Wang Zhaoyan immediately steadied him to keep him from falling, her face etched with pain for him. In the process, Lu Mingyuan intentionally let the ligature marks on his wrist show.
"Yuan'Er, your hands are so cold. Should we get you a few more layers of clothing?"
As Wang Zhaoyan spoke, she suddenly caught sight of the marks on Lu Mingyuan's wrist.
She froze, and her eyes narrowed.
"Yuan'Er, Mother has a question for you. When you were taken to the dungeon, were you bound with ropes?"
"No, I just woke up in the cell. It was so dark and gloomy in there."
Lu Mingyuan shook his head honestly, looking completely innocent.
"Does anywhere on your body feel uncomfortable?"
Wang Zhaoyan continued, her expression grave.
"My limbs were a little sore when I got up. Oh, right, I think I was holding a handful of dried grass."
A murderous glint flashed in Wang Zhaoyan's eyes, gone in an instant. She then smiled at Lu Mingyuan.
"Yuan'Er, you wait for me here. The food will be here shortly. Don't leave Yaoguang Palace."
Lu Mingyuan feigned surprise. "Mother, are you going out?"
"Yes, just for a little while."
"Mother, I don't want you to go."
"Silly boy. I'll be back before you know it."
A smile touched Lu Mingyuan's lips as he watched Wang Zhaoyan's retreating figure.
'Good. The plan is working.'
At that exact moment, wisps of light emerged from the Six-Yao Turtle Shell in his mind and flowed into his body.
He felt a warm current spread through him, and a sense of comfort washed over his entire being.
「Emperor Orange Fate Grid - Trapped Dragon in the Abyss acquired. Refinement Level: 1%」
「Life Chart Trait - Dragon Raising Its Head unlocked.」
「Dragon Raising Its Head (Basic Level): Each time you survive a disaster, you have a chance to obtain one blue Opportunity.」
'So this Emperor Orange Life Chart, Trapped Dragon in the Abyss, is my Fate Grid? It's only at one percent right now. How do I raise it faster?' Lu Mingyuan muttered under his breath, his mind full of questions.
'Survive a disaster and obtain one blue Opportunity.'
'So where's the Opportunity?'
'Where is it?'
Lu Mingyuan studied the text again. With a slight shift of his focus, the display changed.
「Life Master: Lu Mingyuan」
「Cultivation: None」
「Cultivation Technique: None」
「Fate Grid: Trapped Dragon in the Abyss (Refinement Level 1%)」
「Emperor Orange Life Chart (Trapped Dragon in the Abyss): A great sovereign of his generation, destined for grand ambitions and hegemony. A dragon stranded in shallow waters, yet not forsaken by the heavens. If you can accumulate Dragon Fortune and bide your time, the Hidden Dragon will one day raise its head. A dragon hidden in the abyss will one day soar to the Nine Heavens.」
「Awakened Trait: Dragon Raising Its Head (Basic Level).」
「Opportunity: None」
'It seems this crisis isn't over yet. The threat of the Witchcraft affair is still hanging over me.'
After reading the description, Lu Mingyuan finally understood. He hadn't truly weathered the current crisis. Everything depended on what news his mother brought back.
'Accumulate Dragon Fortune, huh... Sounds pretty esoteric.'
His eyes darted about before landing on the lovely palace maid who had brought the pastries. He picked a piece of mung bean cake from the tray and popped it into his mouth.
It was flaky and crisp with a fine, crumbly texture. Not bad at all.
As he ate, Lu Mingyuan's gaze swept over the windows and pillars of Yaoguang Palace. It seemed his mother was truly favored in the Harem to have been granted such a large residence.
His gaze finally settled on the palace maid in the high-waisted long dress, the one with the plain features and indifferent expression.
He wasn't blind. The apprehension he had seen in the eyes of the Imperial Guard earlier told him that this palace maid's power was anything but ordinary.
"You're my mother's personal maid?" Lu Mingyuan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I am."
The palace maid replied coolly, her face a mask of indifference, as if she were incapable of joy or sorrow.
"What's your realm?"
"Replying to Your Highness, the Seventh Realm."
"A Great Grandmaster... truly impressive."
Lu Mingyuan sighed. Having absorbed the original owner's memories, he had a decent understanding of how a Cultivator's strength was categorized in this world.
Martial Cultivation was revered, and the Three Religions stood in a delicate balance.
The Three Religions were the Daoist Ancestor Court, the Saint Confucian Temple, and the Buddhist Heaven. They checked and balanced one another, and while each had its own Cultivation Techniques and names for its Realms, they all generally followed the same structure: the Lower Seven Realms, the Middle Five Grades, and the Upper Three Grades.
There were fifteen realms in total.
The Martial Dao was no exception. A Martial Cultivator's Lower Seven Realms were: External Force, Inner Refining, Bone Marrow Cleansing, Rebirth, Furnace-Forging, Grandmaster, and Great Grandmaster. Each of these realms was further divided into early, middle, and late sub-realms.
Reaching the Inner Refining Realm was considered the true start of the Martial Dao, qualifying one to join the army. At the Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm, one could enter the Imperial Guard and hold an important post. The Furnace-Forging Realm signified Minor Achievement in the Martial Dao; within the Great Yan Dynasty, someone at that level could easily secure a position as an officer.
If one managed to cultivate to the Great Grandmaster realm, they would be considered a true expert, free to roam the Jianghu and the lands as they pleased. After all, the Imperial Commander of the palace was merely at the Grandmaster Realm.
Lu Mingyuan hadn't forgotten how he'd been captured and thrown into the Great Prison; he had witnessed the Imperial Commander's abilities firsthand.
As for the Middle Five Grades, they were: Sea-Viewing, Dragon Gate, Vajra, Feathered Transformation, and Celestial Human.
Each one of them was a powerhouse who had undergone Transcendence, truly a top-tier existence in the world. A single cultivator at the Sea-Viewing Realm could be appointed as a marquis or general in the Great Yan Army, commanding thousands of soldiers and horses—enough to oversee an entire province.
He never would have imagined that a mere maid at his mother's side was actually a Great Grandmaster.
"Reporting to the Sixth Prince! The Holy Emperor summons you to Qianyuan Palace at once. You must not delay."
As he was lost in thought, a shrill voice called out from outside Yaoguang Palace.
Lu Mingyuan glanced out the window and saw a eunuch standing by the door. He wore a black gauze cap and blue robes, and his face was pale and beardless.
'The Holy Emperor wants to see me?'
A look of surprise crossed his features, quickly followed by a flicker of delight.
...