Lu Mingyuan fiddled with the small blood-colored figure for quite a while before finally figuring out how to use it.
First, it certainly couldn't help him with his cultivation for now. After all, the small figure had no meridians or Dantian. However, it could devour things and be controlled to walk around. Anything it ate would ultimately nourish his main body.
Its second function was that he could use the immature Blood Gluttonous Avatar as a mobile eye, just like a camera. He could see from the small figure's perspective and hear sounds.
However, its range was limited; it only worked within one li, which was about five hundred meters.
He was already controlling a Blood Gluttonous Avatar, which had arrived at a carved and jade-adorned building outside the Cold Palace.
From the courtyard, he could hear the merry laughter of consorts and the hushed discussions of palace maids coming and going, much of it being Harem gossip.
"The Imperial Guard at the entrance of Guanglong Palace is so well-built. I had such a good time with one last night around midnight."
"Really? But I passed by this morning. How come I didn't see him?"
"It seems he had some business and went to the barracks."
Listening from afar, Lu Mingyuan furrowed his brow. He hadn't expected these palace maids to be so indiscreet in their private lives.
But on second thought, he couldn't blame them. Locked away in the Harem for decades, some were bound to be unable to control their urges and seek to satisfy their physical needs.
He controlled the Blood Gluttonous Avatar and had it sneak toward other areas. It avoided the main roads for fear of being discovered. It was fine when no one was around, but when it encountered people, it had to hug the corners of the walls and inch along.
Soon, it arrived at a luxurious hall. A mournful voice drifted from a nearby window.
"The Holy Emperor hasn't visited me in over half a year. It's driving me mad!"
"Didn't you know, sister? For the past month, aside from visiting the Empress, the Holy Emperor has barely visited any other concubines."
"Could it be that the Holy Emperor is going to make the Eldest Prince the Crown Prince?"
"Shh, don't say such things..."
Lu Mingyuan, far away in Qingzhu Hall, clearly heard the conversation between a noble consort and a Talented Person from within the vermilion palace walls.
His eyes darted as he pondered.
'In the past month, state affairs have been demanding, so Father Emperor hasn't had time to waste in the Harem. And yet, the only place he visited was the Empress's chambers.'
'Is he really going to make the Eldest Prince the Crown Prince?'
Soon, two on-duty Imperial Guards passed by on a small path, chatting as they walked.
"There's another war starting. Brother Liu, are you thinking of joining the army?"
"I heard it's against some Eastern Island Country. We might be able to go and earn some merits."
"Our Great Yan Imperial Guard has never known defeat! With His Majesty personally leading the expedition this time, we will surely vanquish the enemy and return victorious!"
'Another military expedition? Could it be because of what happened at Changle Palace?'
Lu Mingyuan wondered, deeply puzzled.
'What has gotten into Father Emperor? Annihilating a mere Eastern Island Country, and he has to go himself? Great Yan's sixteen generals of the Yong'an Era are all at least Seventh Realm Martial Artists at the Grandmaster Realm. Among them are top-tier combatants of the Middle Fifth Grade who could serve as commanders.'
The Emperor of Great Yan had campaigned north and south for sixty years. During the Yong'an Era, Great Yan's Military General Group had expanded to an unprecedented size. There were as many as seven who were enfeoffed as Marquis, and astoundingly, a Prince Zhenbei had even emerged. One must understand that even his own nine sons only held the title of Commandery Prince. This showed just how important, and how inevitable, the appearance of this kingship was.
Lu Mingyuan recalled that this Prince Zhenbei had only one daughter, and she was married to the Eldest Prince. The Royal Family had arranged the marriage to stabilize their power, uniting the two families.
Perhaps it was because he had no male heirs that Father Emperor was willing to grant him the position of Marquis.
'Thinking about it this way, it's very possible the Eldest Prince will inherit the throne.'
Lu Mingyuan had no idea what Emperor Yong'an was up to.
Ever since last night, all talk of an investigation in the Imperial Palace had vanished. That guy Lu Mingkong was assassinated—was the matter just going to be dropped like that?
Lu Mingyuan spent the whole afternoon trying to gather information, but he didn't hear any more useful news.
Still, this eavesdropping ability was a great asset, allowing him to learn about events in the outside world periodically.
Practicing martial arts in the morning and spying on the Harem in the afternoon, Lu Mingyuan returned to the hall mentally and physically exhausted. He collapsed onto his bed, and as his mind relaxed, he fell into a deep sleep, losing all track of time.
When he woke again, the sun was already setting.
The evening Capital City was filled with the worldly scent of cooking fires. Smoke rose from the Imperial Kitchen as they began to prepare the evening meal.
Lu Mingyuan got out of bed, and as soon as he opened his eyes, he saw a beautiful woman by his side.
Yun Qinghe was sitting in a chair, her elbow propped on the table and her hand cupping her chin. She was engrossed in a book titled "Great Yan Atlas," her eyes filled with curiosity, her eyelashes fluttering from time to time.
"You're awake?"
Suddenly, Yun Qinghe closed the book, turned her head, and raised an eyebrow.
"Where's Zi Yun?"
Lu Mingyuan pinched the bridge of his nose, looking as if he were still half-asleep.
"She went to the Imperial Kitchen to queue for food. I heard you have a huge appetite. Ten meals in one, is it?" Yun Qinghe asked curiously, still cupping her jade-like chin.
Lu Mingyuan didn't answer her question. Instead, he said calmly:
"Miss Yun, how is your recovery going? When do you think you'll be leaving?"
Hearing this, Yun Qinghe's brow furrowed, and her expression darkened.
"I've only been here a day, and you're already trying to kick me out?"
Lu Mingyuan sighed. "Your prolonged stay could lead to trouble. Your presence here makes me uneasy."
'This woman may have long hair, but she seems to lack foresight. She's missing a worst-case plan for dealing with the dangers of the human heart.'
If the Six-Yao Turtle Shell hadn't remained silent, he would seriously suspect that a group of people might suddenly storm the Cold Palace one day to hack him to death. As a Daoist Disciple, Yun Qinghe would naturally be fine, but he truly felt no sense of security.
To this day, he still didn't understand what "convenience from the Taoist Sect" the trigrams had been referring to.
Yun Qinghe's tone was rather teasing. "Are you that afraid of dying?"
"It's not fear, it's caution," Lu Mingyuan said with a straight face.
But Yun Qinghe clearly knew something of the inside story. She smiled faintly and said:
"Don't worry. Even if I'm discovered, your Father Emperor won't do anything to you. Just as you don't hate Emperor Yong'an, aren't you curious why your Father Emperor hasn't taken any action against the Taoist Sect?"
Hearing this, Lu Mingyuan's brow knitted. "Why?"
Yun Qinghe took a step back, her tone leisurely. "That's a secret. I can't tell you."
Lu Mingyuan was rather speechless. He felt this Daoist Nun was sometimes like an immature child who loved to tease him for fun, and at other times, she loved to show off.
'Then again, aren't people who practice cultivation supposed to have calm dispositions, free of sorrow and joy?'
Seeing his frustrated expression, Yun Qinghe's lips curled into a smile. She then cleared her throat and said seriously:
"It's true that our standpoints are similar in some ways, but you are, after all, the son of the Emperor of Great Yan. On some matters, our positions are different. Naturally, I can't tell you everything. The reason you know this much is because I have nothing to fear. I hope you understand that."
Lu Mingyuan shook his head inwardly, feeling she was placing herself on too high a pedestal. He thought for a moment before responding, "I couldn't figure out why Father Emperor wasn't making a move against the Taoist Sect, but after your hint, I think I understand."
"Really?"
Yun Qinghe looked unconvinced.
Lu Mingyuan smiled faintly. "It's nothing more than a conflict of interest between Father Emperor and the Three Religions, especially your Taoist Sect. He simply doesn't dare to provoke you yet."
He combined this with the information from the previous divination: conflict among the Three Religions, suspicion from the Taoist Sect.
He seemed to have faintly guessed the truth.
It must be the pressure from the Taoist Sect that made Emperor Yong'an hesitant to act rashly for the time being.
'Connecting this to what I overheard during the day, that must be why he's taking his anger out on a small country.'
Hearing his explanation, Yun Qinghe was secretly alarmed.
She hadn't expected this Sixth Prince to be much more mentally agile than she had imagined.
After wandering the Imperial Palace for a day, she had learned that this Sixth Prince was a hedonistic rake obsessed with beautiful women, and his reputation in the palace was not good.
But now, that description didn't seem to fit.
'Perhaps being obsessed with beautiful women has nothing to do with how smart one is?'
In any case, the internal affairs of the Royal Family were none of her business. As long as she recovered from her injuries and completed her mission, it would be about time for her to return.
"Huh."
Yun Qinghe happened to notice a change in Lu Mingyuan's realm. A look of surprise crossed her face. "You broke through to the Third Realm, Washing Marrow? That was quite fast."
She wasn't overly shocked, just found it a bit strange. Her Spiritual Sense quickly swept over Lu Mingyuan as she asked:
"Your aptitude isn't that bad. Why didn't you pursue cultivation from a young age?"
"Why should I pursue cultivation?"
Lu Mingyuan retorted. He had read the "Great Yan Military Seven Realms Martial Technique" and had a basic understanding of the Seven Martial Arts Realms, but he truly knew nothing about the other paths.
Yun Qinghe gazed into his eyes and explained seriously, "There's a reason why Martial Cultivators in this world are as numerous as ox hairs. Compared to Daoist, Confucian, or Buddhist Cultivators, it's a path that is less dependent on aptitude. That's why so many people practice it. However, most of them don't reach high realms. A major reason for this is that the Martial Dao has a hard ceiling. Countless Martial Artists get stuck at the Dragon Tribulation, unable to take another step forward."
"What is the Dragon Tribulation?"
Lu Mingyuan looked puzzled.
Yun Qinghe held out her palm. A wisp of swirling cyan gas appeared, forming a scene of a sea of clouds and a Celestial Gate, with a golden fish swimming beneath the massive gate.
"The Dragon Tribulation's full name is 'Carp Leaping the Dragon Gate.' When Martial Artists of the world wish to break through to the Ninth Realm Dragon Gate, they must overcome this tribulation. The Spiritual Qi gathered during the Sea-Viewing Realm begins to condense and sublimate in the Dragon Gate Realm, which is part of the Middle Fifth Grade. This energy then starts to nourish the flesh body. The abundant Spiritual Qi settled in the Dantian eventually coalesces into a stream of essence that flows upstream inside the body, just like a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate. Success means transforming into a dragon; failure leaves one battered and broken.
"If a cultivator fails to break through, they will fall all the way back to the Sea Viewing Realm. If they succeed, the Martial Artist's lifespan will be extended. An ordinary Ninth Realm Martial Artist can live up to five hundred years, comparable to a Daoist Cultivator. However, as far as I know, ninety percent of Martial Artists get stuck at this realm. Only ten percent can break through their shackles and successfully leap the Dragon Gate.
"This is also why most Martial Cultivators have such short lifespans. If they cannot cross the Dragon Gate, then the subsequent Vajra Mighty Dominating Body, Crossing the Void with Feathered Wings, and Celestial Human Stopping Time are nothing but a dream."
Lu Mingyuan was only able to grasp some of it, but his heart spirit was deeply shaken.
The Sea-Viewing Realm, the Dragon Gate Realm, the Vajra Realm, the Feather Transformation Realm, and the Celestial Human Realm.
Every realm in the Middle Fifth Grade was like a heavenly chasm, completely different from the Lower Seven Realms.
Having explained so much, Yun Qinghe's mood seemed to improve considerably. Her tone suddenly shifted, and she gave a faint smile. "But Daoist Cultivators are different. They are naturally in tune with nature's spiritual energy and only need to pass a tribulation to form their Pill. Although it's not easy, the chances are at least greater than the ten percent for the Martial Dao."
"At your current age, you've already missed the best time to begin cultivation. It's too late to start now."
"I took a look around the Imperial Palace. Your Grand Commander of the Imperial Guard is an Eighth Realm Martial Cultivator in the Sea-Viewing Realm. He's a case of someone who failed to cross the Dragon Gate, so he'll probably remain at that level for the rest of his life."
Yun Qinghe suddenly recalled what happened at Changle Palace. Her smile vanished, and she said gravely, "However... your Imperial Palace does have some top-tier experts. That, I did not expect."
She didn't care whether Lu Mingyuan truly understood or not. Sitting upright in her chair, she glanced at him and said:
"Those are the basics of the Martial Arts Realms. In your situation, I feel that reaching the Grandmaster Realm is your likely ceiling. At the very most, you might reach the peak of that realm, but advancing any further will likely be very difficult."
"You haven't mentioned the Upper Three Grades."
Lu Mingyuan reminded her.
Yun Qinghe shook her head. "There's no point in saying more. The Upper Three Grades are called the Longevity Realm in the Taoist Sect. They are generally legendary figures like the Daoist Ancestor Buddha or Confucian Temple Saints, whose lifespans can reach thousands or even tens of thousands of years."
"But you don't need to be discouraged. Human power is ultimately limited, and even Saints are no exception. Living each day well is more important than anything else."
...