Abnormal Eating Chapter: Consume all of creation to nourish and strengthen oneself. Outer-Refined Wood Embryo, inner transformation of mercury, Blood and Marrow Cleansing, Qi Blood Coalescence and Unity—all culminating in the cultivation of the Glazed Impermeable Body.
This wasn't about combat prowess or killing. It was solely for strengthening the body. You are what you eat. The better you ate, the faster your cultivation. Eating and drinking well could extend your lifespan.
'I love this cultivation technique. I can keep cultivating even if I just spend my days eating and lazing around.'
Lu Mingyuan was thrilled.
As the complete text of the Blood Glutton Celestial Fall Scripture flooded his mind, an image materialized in his consciousness: the true form of a Taotie, rendered in blood-red flames.
It stood like a god, unmoving and unshaken by the passage of time.
'The Ancient Fierce Beast, the Taotie... Legend says it's viciously gluttonous, capable of swallowing the heavens and devouring the earth—a symbol of pure avarice. And it's actually appeared in my mind.'
As he lost himself in thought, a sudden wave of hunger washed over him, making him dizzy. An inexplicable weakness spread through his body.
So hungry...
Starving to death!
'Damn it, why am I suddenly so hungry? I just had a few mung bean cakes half an hour ago.'
The gnawing emptiness in his stomach made Lu Mingyuan's limbs feel weak. He could barely keep his footing.
The hunger compelled Lu Mingyuan to leap out of bed and frantically search for anything to eat.
His eyes landed on the purple clay teapot on the desk.
He stared with a ravenous expression. Was he actually feeling an appetite for the polished purple clay teapot?
Even Lu Mingyuan himself thought it was absurd.
'I can't take it anymore. I don't have time to think... If I wait any longer, I feel like I'm going to starve to death.'
Lu Mingyuan dragged his weakened body to the desk, snatched the teapot, smashed it to pieces, and began to gnaw on the shards.
He expected the hard ceramic to be impossible to chew, but to his surprise, it was like eating candy. He popped a piece in his mouth and it let out a loud CRUNCH. It didn't taste bad or feel wrong in the slightest.
It tasted a bit earthy, and after he swallowed, it simply vanished, leaving no sense of fullness.
Not until the entire teapot was in his stomach did the interface before his eyes change.
「Life Master: Lu Mingyuan」
「Cultivation: None」
「Cultivation Technique: Blood Glutton Celestial Fall Scripture - Abnormal Eating Chapter (First Floor: 10/500)」
'This Abnormal Eating ability really isn't picky. It can even digest a teapot and turn it into strength for my flesh body. It's truly heaven-defying.'
Lu Mingyuan had learned from the blood-red text that the Abnormal Eating Chapter of the Blood Glutton Celestial Fall Scripture had seven floors in total, each corresponding to one of the Seven Martial Arts Realms.
In other words, if he wanted to break through to the First Realm, External Force, he had to eat more.
With that in mind, Lu Mingyuan didn't hesitate.
He walked straight out to the courtyard, stood under a large tree, and looked down at the flowers and dewy grass.
'Maybe I should just eat dirt and flowers.'
But when he stuffed a handful of colorful petals into his mouth, the progress bar for his Blood Glutton Celestial Fall Scripture didn't budge.
It only inched up by a single point after he stuffed in another handful.
Lu Mingyuan had a sudden realization.
'It seems things with no nutrients can't provide much energy to nourish my flesh body.'
'The purple clay teapot was made with exquisite refining techniques and contained many minerals, which must be why it provided ten points.'
'Eating well has actually become a matter of great importance for me.'
Lu Mingyuan rubbed his chin, lost in thought.
While he was pondering, Wang Zhaoyan returned.
Following behind her was a group of Miao Li Palace Maids, carrying bedding, oil lamps, clothes, baskets, and various other items.
"Yuan'Er, why did you come outside? It's cold out here. Go on back inside."
Wang Zhaoyan pulled Lu Mingyuan inside, instructing the Palace Maids as she went. "Go make the bed, and get the Warm Stove set up. And light the Silver Frost Charcoal from the basket."
Lu Mingyuan sat on the bed, watching the Palace Maids bustle about. His gaze was fixed on a lump of silvery, coal-like material.
"Mother, what is that?"
Wang Zhaoyan smiled and explained, "It's a specialty product from Jinzhou, in the Imperial Capital. It's called Silver Frost Charcoal."
"This charcoal looks like white frost. It's smokeless, difficult to light, and doesn't extinguish easily, making it the finest quality fuel. I prepared a few pieces for you ahead of time. The weather has already started to turn chilly, and winter will be here before you know it. It's best to be prepared, otherwise there will be another scramble for it in the palace. Trust your mother's experience."
Hearing her words, Lu Mingyuan felt something stir within his heart.
It wasn't that he didn't have parents in his past life, but they had mostly offered him suppression and disapproval.
"Mom, I don't want to take the exam again. Let's just forget it. I've been at home for three years."
"You were so close this time! Once you pass, everything will be fine. Nothing is better than a stable job. Why must you be so stubborn, child?"
Returning to the present, his eyes couldn't help but sting, but he suppressed the emotion.
"Mother, could you get some books for me?"
"What kind of books do you want?"
Wang Zhaoyan appeared nonchalant on the surface, but inwardly, she was quite surprised.
She knew her son better than anyone. He never read books or practiced martial arts, fearing hardship and exhaustion. He spent all his days in brothels and gambling dens.
"Anything on geography, atlases, or ancient texts related to the Great Yan Calendar would be fine."
Lu Mingyuan added casually, "It's mainly because I can't leave the palace and have nothing else to do. I figured I'd find some books to kill time."
"Alright. I'll have someone fetch them for you in a bit."
As Wang Zhaoyan turned her head, she let out a little "Huh?" and asked, puzzled, "Where did the teapot on the table go? I'm sure I just saw it. Or was I mistaken?"
...
Late at night, a biting wind howled, rattling the paper windows.
Inside Qingzhu Hall.
The faint yellow glow of an oil lamp illuminated a table laden with cured meats and pastries, its light reflecting on Lu Mingyuan's face.
Lu Mingyuan let out a breath and stretched, loosening his stiff muscles. He closed a copy of the Great Yan Atlas and placed it on the desk.
In just four hours, he had skimmed through the three hundred and sixty-seven years of Great Yan's history.
He already had a partial understanding from the original owner's memories, but the book allowed Lu Mingyuan to examine the history in much greater detail.
The Great Yan Dynasty was located in the central and southeastern coastal region of the Central Plains. It possessed the largest territory, the greatest among the Human Race.
The Grand Ancestor founded the nation under the reign title Qingzhi. He began his uprising from a Martial Cultivator Noble Family in the southern states and counties. Conquering the south before marching north, he governed diligently, suppressed the Northern Demon Country, and thwarted the Western Demon Race. It has been three hundred and sixty-seven years since.
In the present day, Great Yan was experiencing the decline common to many dynasties: constant internal strife, aggressive Alien Races, and suffering among the common people. The previous emperor had died young, allowing the powerful Great Yan official, Ao Guang, to seize control.
At that time, Emperor Yong'an was still young. A great plague broke out in the palace, and many princes died from illness. Only Emperor Yong'an survived, and so he ascended the throne. Empress Dowager Liu then ruled from behind the curtain for seven long years.
Later, at the age of sixteen, Emperor Yong'an began to show his heroic spirit. He launched a palace coup to eliminate Ao Guang, seized power, and initiated a series of reforms.
He quelled the Rebellion of the Three Kings internally, purged the Imperial Court, and cracked down on corruption.
He established the Qilin Iron Cavalry to defend against the Northern Realm's Demon Country, allied with the Buddhist Heaven, and jointly attacked the Western Wilderness Demon Race, thus ushering in the Era of Yong'an.
That's right. This world didn't just have the Demon Race; it also had the Demon Dao.
At first, Lu Mingyuan was curious about what kind of beings the people from the Demon Country were. Only after reading the ancient texts did he realize they were also part of the Human Race, just a nation with different ideals and ideologies.
For example, under the rule of Great Yan, the Three Religions—Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism—formed a stable triumvirate. The teachings of Confucianism's Saints were widespread. The Daoist Ancestor Court had three founding masters, and everyone believed in the Dao to resist the invasion of the Demon Barrier. Meanwhile, the Buddhist Heaven, watched over by the Buddhas of the four directions, was a land where nearly everyone was a Monk or a believer, suppressing the centuries-long rampant rise of the Demon Race in the western lands.
Within the Great Yan Dynasty, many Great Scholars held honorary positions, receiving tribute from local Academies, while matters of incense and worship were managed by the Confucian Temples.
And what about the Demon Country? They were a bunch of heretics who walked an evil path. They didn't believe in the Confucians' code of "rites, benevolence, and righteousness," nor did they care for the quiet cultivation, inaction, and karma of the Taoists and Buddhists.
In the Northern Lands, the Demon Barrier was pervasive and strange things thrived. They followed the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak. People were born as slaves, many of whom had fallen into the Demon Barrier. Evil cultivators ran rampant, alongside the various sects of the Witchcraft Sect and ghosts of the Netherworld—all managed by a power called the Underworld.
These so-called Immortal Influences would constantly deal with the Dynasty Government Offices, bartering in various ways for beautiful lands rich in Spiritual Qi. They would then transform these places into Blessed Lands—such as Cloud Sea Islands, Aerial Pavilions, and Immortal Peaks and Seas—where they would recruit disciples, ensuring their grace would last for centuries.
This was, by and large, the basic situation of this world.
Lu Mingyuan rubbed his temples at the desk and began to think.
'In any case, I probably won't be able to get out of here for the next thirty years.'
'Not unless my cultivation reaches an extremely high realm and I can just fight my way out.'
'Staying in the Cold Palace is relatively safe, I suppose. After all, I've completely lost the right to fight for the throne and have no capital to compete with.'
'Compared to the throne, my own life is far more important.'
He grabbed a piece of cured meat from the table and tore off a bite. Glancing around the empty hall, he felt a profound sense of cold and desolation.
'He recalled his mother's words before she left: "Since you're no longer living in the Prince's Mansion, I've dismissed all those miscellaneous palace maids for you. The Palace Bureau has already assigned all of its maids, so we'll need to select new ones to serve you. For the next few days, you'll have to rely on yourself."'
'Being alone is better anyway. It's much more peaceful.'
Seeing the interface before him change once more, he sped up his eating.
「Cultivation Technique: Blood Glutton Celestial Fall Scripture - Abnormal Eating Chapter (First Floor: 100/500)」
'If all goes according to plan, I should be able to step into the First Realm of Martial Arts, External Force, within seven days.'
Lu Mingyuan chuckled to himself.
'In his view, practicing martial arts was the proper path. With the Blood Glutton Celestial Fall Scripture, it was easy and saved a lot of trouble. Why bother with the path of a scholar?'
'Besides, how long had it been since he'd last memorized any of the poems and texts of the Confucian Dao? He couldn't remember them completely anymore.'
'He only remembered a line or two from a few of them and had forgotten the titles. With the beginnings and endings missing, he couldn't even plagiarize them if he wanted to.'
'As for the Taoist Sect and Buddhism, he hadn't even considered them.'
'The asceticism they required would be even more difficult for him. He admitted to being a man of worldly desires, not cut out for all that profound and unfathomable stuff.'
And so, time passed bit by bit.
Lu Mingyuan spent his first night in this new world in Qingzhu Hall.