Chapter 376: Restraining the Mind-Monkey, Tethering the Will-Horse, Thoughts Unobstructed (Combined)

"What a fine man!"

The sovereign clapped the railing and let out a startled exclamation.

Eight hundred li.

The bravest man in Wu State could barely reach six hundred li—Li Rui had just surpassed it by thirty percent!

The Grand Shaman squinted and spoke slowly: "Good."

He had intended to give Li Rui a slight shock, but never expected him to shatter a record outright.

This shock was no small thing.

The officials beside him could only gaze with envy.

Who in Wu State had ever earned praise from both the sovereign and the Grand Shaman?

Few!

Extremely few!

Further away, Wu State officials stared in stunned silence.

Even those officials who had supported Yu State's military intervention, hoping for Tu Xuan's defeat, were equally stunned.

A record held for a thousand years had just been broken by a man from Yu State.

How humiliating.

Li Rui glanced at his panel, paused for a moment, then walked on.

He returned quietly behind Wang Vice Minister and the other three, as if nothing had happened.

Wang Vice Minister's heart was bursting with joy.

But he was constrained by the altar's presence, surrounded as he was by Wu State officials.

Otherwise, he would have shown them what unrestrained revelry truly looked like.

He could barely hold back his laughter.

Li Rui's performance was so extraordinary that even Wu State officials who had prepared lavish praise chose silence.

Eight hundred li needed no embellishment.

To elevate a Yu State man too highly would border on national disgrace.

The sovereign and the Grand Shaman were watching.

They wanted Yu State to send troops to quell the rebellion—not to humiliate Wu State.

The atmosphere turned strange.

Almost all Wu State people chose to ignore it, as if nothing had just occurred.

The grand sacrifice ended.

Li Rui and the others returned to the Dianke Office.

Soon after.

Wang Vice Minister's unrestrained laughter filled the room.

"General Li, mighty indeed! You have truly raised the prestige of Great Yu!"

Nie Siming and Yuan Xiong also smiled: "Big Brother Li, impressive skill."

But Li Rui showed no trace of arrogance.

As if he had merely done something ordinary.

Wang Vice Minister clapped his hands: "General Li, you've just solved a major problem for me."

Wu State's military officers were proud and aloof.

Especially the young, ambitious ones—they loudly boasted in court.

He had been utterly exasperated.

But now, with Li Rui's fame established, those young officers' arrogance was utterly crushed.

In a few days, during the court assembly, his own confidence would be greatly strengthened.

With the sovereign pushing forward, perhaps the matter would finally be settled.

He could then return and report success.

Li Rui bowed: "To ease your burden is this minister's honor."

Seeing Li Rui's composure, Wang Vice Minister's admiration grew even more evident.

"General Li, rest assured—when we return to the capital, I will personally report your achievements to His Majesty. You shall be credited as the foremost contributor!"

Wang Vice Minister grew increasingly delighted.

He burst out laughing and left the room.

Nie Siming and Yuan Xiong offered their congratulations, then departed as well.

Soon after.

The room was left with only Li Rui alone.

Night deepened, silence settled.

Only now did Li Rui have time to reflect on today's gains.

The Emperor's Listening Drum was one of Wu State's twelve divine weapons—not made for contests, but to aid warriors in cultivation.

It purified the sinews and marrow, clarified the mind.

The former was direct—Li Rui felt his body had been reforged, gaining an extra twenty percent strength.

But the Emperor's Listening Drum was revered by primordial warriors for the latter.

"Clarify the mind" was no empty phrase.

The primordial realm's three trials—heart refinement was the second.

To return to primordial, merely restoring the body was insufficient; one needed unity of life and spirit, and a mind utterly pure.

"Refining the heart means restraining the mind-monkey, tethering the will-horse, unifying body and spirit, until thoughts flow unobstructed."

Warriors refined their hearts.

They sought unobstructed thoughts.

That is, what the common folk called sincerity of heart.

It did not require becoming emotionless like ascetics—otherwise, the Blood Shadow Ancestor, a great demon, would have been trapped by inner demons long ago, never reaching the third rank.

"Unobstructed thoughts" simply meant not resisting oneself—when you must kill, kill without hesitation.

Li Rui's mind had been tempered by the Emperor's Listening Drum, growing stronger and more resilient.

Heart refinement required mastering the ebb and flow of the mind, guided by will and aided by true qi.

Otherwise, it wouldn't be heart refinement—it would be mere heart nurturing.

The farther the drum's sound carried, the greater its refinement effect.

He had struck the drum for eight hundred li.

The refinement effect was unmatched in Wu State.

Soon, he would break through again—reaching the same realm as Nie Siming and Yuan Xiong.

How terrifying the speed.

"Fate's gift."

Li Rui's lips curled slightly.

He had come to Wu State intending only a free trip and to handle some merchant affairs—never expecting such a windfall.

Yet he suspected this fortune was compensation from the Grand Shaman for services rendered.

Great men always act without showing their hand.

Like Gu Changsheng.

Even he didn't know when Gu Changsheng had concealed his aura.

That act had helped him immensely.

His breakthroughs came too fast; his secrets ran too deep.

He couldn't afford scrutiny from powerful figures.

With Gu Changsheng's intervention, even the Grand Shaman could not fully see through him—few in the world could.

Perhaps only the Lord of Donghai City and the Sword Emperor of Shu could.

Li Rui had almost no chance of encountering either.

"I hear opposition in Wu State's court has diminished significantly—the sovereign has already given his word."

Nie Siming said.

These past days,

the mission's progress had surged.

As the saying goes, a sovereign's word is final—once the sovereign spoke, the matter was sealed.

What followed would be mere formalities.

Yuan Xiong even teased: "Big Brother Li, you've done a great deed."

Li Rui smiled:

"Don't tease your elder brother, brothers—is this really my achievement?"

Not just him—Nie Siming and Yuan Xiong understood perfectly well.

Could a primordial-level contest influence a nation's decision?

Clearly, no.

The ruler of Wu State and the Grand Shaman merely needed a spectacle to suppress opposition voices in the court.

But this spectacle must not be underestimated.

Without this pretext, the young ruler and the Grand Shaman would find it difficult to force the matter through.

The matter would surely be shelved.

Once shelved, new complications might arise.

The idea of Yu State launching troops would be completely dashed.

Thus, Li Rui's great merit is not exaggerated.

Nie Siming: "Brother Li, don't be so modest."

Simply being able to strike the Eight-Hundred-Li Imperial Ear Drum is no feat any ordinary person could accomplish—even I and Yuan Xiong might not have the confidence to do it.

Li Rui's merit was earned by his own efforts.

"I've been in Wu Court so long, yet never had the chance to go out and stroll."

"Would you two younger brothers care to join me for a walk?"

Li Rui no longer refused and changed the subject.

Nie Siming and Yuan Xiong both shook their heads.

They had already visited Wu Court ten years ago; nothing here was novel to them.

Li Rui had merely asked out of curiosity.

Seeing neither showed any interest in going out, he didn't press it, and simply walked out with his hands behind his back, strolling leisurely.

Wu Court, as the most prosperous place in Wu State,

was naturally extraordinary.

While in Qinghe, Li Rui had already learned much about Wu Court—mostly from Xia Xiaotang.

Walking along the bustling street, no one could recognize him as a man from Yu State.

In the minds of Yu State people,

Wu State folk all wore animal pelts and lived like savages, eating raw meat and drinking blood—but in truth, the people of Wu Court all wore hemp and silk, no different from Yu State attire.

As he walked,

Li Rui occasionally overheard passersby discussing the Imperial Ear Drum's sound from yesterday.

"May the Beast God bless us—our Grand Shaman has produced another heavenly prodigy!"

"A heavenly prodigy?"

"You didn't hear? During yesterday's grand sacrifice, someone struck the Imperial Ear Drum—the sound reached nearly beyond the city walls, estimated at least five hundred li."

"Five hundred li?!"

"Truly extraordinary."

Li Rui listened quietly.

He had no desire to reveal himself.

On the day of the grand sacrifice, his feat had been deliberately suppressed by the Wu State court and had not spread among the people.

Those living in Wu Court had no idea the drum's sound had actually traveled eight hundred li.

Nor did they know the man who struck the Imperial Ear Drum was a man from Yu State.

Li Rui smiled faintly and walked in one direction.

On the second floor of a tavern beside the street,

a young woman was pouring tea for an old Daoist with utmost reverence.

The old Daoist lifted his teacup and took a sip.

Suddenly, his spiritual sense shifted.

His peripheral vision caught the scene outside the window.

On the crowded street, he saw an older man walking with his hands behind his back, blending with the crowd toward the eastern part of the city.

"What a fine vessel!"

The old Daoist's eyes lit up.

He had never seen such an excellent vessel—perfect for soul transference.

At least a mid-grade superior spiritual root.

Even better, unlike those tedious pretty young men, an older vessel appealed more to Master Sheng.

Far superior to his own inferior spiritual root vessel.

The young woman noticed the old Daoist's odd behavior.

She followed his gaze out the window.

Her heart suddenly trembled. "Li Rui?!"

"This man's physical foundation is truly exceptional—I'm delighted to see him."

Master Sheng grinned.

His eyes gleamed with excitement.

Zhu Yun couldn't help speaking: "Elder, this man's name is Li Rui—he's a Yu State official."

"Li Rui?"

Hearing the name, Master Sheng was startled.

He had once heard the name Li Rui from Si Feng.

It seemed the fleshly body had once been karmically tied to Li Rui, but after Si Feng's transformation, the karmic bond was severed, and he had abandoned any thought of removing it.

Yet he hadn't expected—

!

This spiritual root was also so outstanding.

For some reason, Zhu Yun recalled the scene of her unfortunate deceased senior brother before his death, and spoke again:

"Elder, this Li Rui has deep ties to Gu Changsheng and Yuan Dingting—be careful if you act."

Hearing the names Gu Changsheng and Yuan Dingting,

the gleam in Master Sheng's eyes dimmed slightly.

Though he had only come to this world for about a year,

mostly spending time in seclusion, he still knew how formidable those two were.

Master Sheng felt a pang of regret:

"What a pity."

The powerful ones in this world were far stronger than he'd imagined—the top-tier warriors on the Martial Rankings, even he had to take seriously.

Not to mention he was currently in a flawed body.

He needed to think carefully before choosing a new vessel—plan thoroughly before acting.

"Hmm?"

Walking down the street, Li Rui suddenly felt a chill down his back.

Where had this cold wind come from?

He grew alert at once.

He deliberately took several detours, confirmed no one was following, then arrived at a shop tucked away in a secluded alley.

"Customer."

The shop clerk, squatting listlessly by the threshold, spotted a customer and was about to flash his professional smile.

The smile froze instantly.

He saw the old man pull out an iron plaque inscribed with the words "Spring Breeze."

The clerk could hardly believe it: "Are you Master Li?"

Li Rui nodded.

Hearing Li Rui confirm it, the clerk's mouth dropped open.

He had worked at the shop for nearly eight years and had never seen the true owner—how could he not be thrilled?

"Master, please come in quickly."

The clerk immediately led Li Rui into the shop.

Li Rui asked: "Where's your shopkeeper?"

"The shopkeeper is here—I'll go call him."

As he spoke, he led Li Rui to a quiet, elegant courtyard in the back of the shop, then bowed and withdrew with a smile.

Not long after,

a burly man with a square face entered the courtyard.

He bowed to Li Rui.

"Master Li."

Li Rui also stood up: "Master Feng, we finally meet."

The man before him was Feng Jing.

He was the shopkeeper of a branch of the Spring Breeze Hall in Wu State.

Though technically under Li Rui's command, he was not subject to Li Rui's direct authority.

Li Rui smiled lightly: "Master He has kept me in the dark for a long time—I only just learned that Master Feng was also a covert agent."

Feng Jing laughed heartily: "Lord Li, it wasn't my intention to conceal anything—it was all arranged by Commander Yang. Even Elder He didn't know."

Indeed.

On the surface, he's just the shopkeeper of a minor merchant guild, but in truth, he's an undercover agent of the Dark Guard, the Dingshan Envoy.

Just like Li Rui.

He's merely using the guild's name to conceal his identity.

His real purpose is to track down a fallen immortal.

Li Rui wasn't truly visiting the Wu Court—he came specifically to meet Feng Jing.

This mission.

Fulfilling the official task is one thing; the other is assisting Feng Jing in finding that fallen immortal.

Li Rui: "I've come here strictly under Elder He's orders, to check on Lord Feng. If there's anything I can help with, just say so."

Feng Jing shook his head:

"Lord Li, merely arranging this identity for me has already been a great help."

"That fallen immortal is hidden too deeply—I've had not a single lead so far."

A hint of helplessness curled at his lips.

This was exactly what Li Rui had expected.

What manner of being is a fallen immortal? How easily could one be spied upon?

If there had been any clue,

it would have been reported to the imperial court long ago—why would they need him to come here unnecessarily?

Elder He sent him only to see if he could offer any aid, and to make his face known.

Feng Jing was surprisingly straightforward.

He immediately shared all the intelligence he possessed with Li Rui.

"Lord Li, my infiltration into the Wu Court is to investigate the suspicious death of the late emperor. The late emperor did not die of illness—he was killed by an immortal calamity."

Li Rui narrowed his eyes slightly.

He had already learned of this from Jiang Lin.

It was precisely because of this that the Holy Emperor of Yu had resolved to suppress fallen immortals walking among mortals.

Feng Jing took a deep breath: "Five years ago, one of our Dark Guard elders obtained intelligence suggesting the previous ruler of Wu may have met the same fate—killed by a fallen immortal—and we suspect it was the same one who sparked the immortal calamity years ago."

Upon hearing this,

Li Rui's heart jolted.

The sudden chaos in Wu traced back to the sudden death of its former ruler.

He was young and vigorous, yet died without warning.

He hadn't even named a successor, nearly causing Wu to collapse into civil war.

According to Dark Guard records,

that former Wu emperor had also vigorously pursued the suppression of fallen immortals during his reign.

How strikingly similar to the late emperor of Yu.

Feng Jing's gaze grew grave: "Lord Li, I suspect this matter is deeply tied to the Purple Gold Palace. After you return to Qinghe, you might begin your investigation there."

Li Rui nodded: "Thank you, Lord Feng."

Feng Jing sighed softly.

"We're colleagues—no need for such formalities."

Then his smile returned: "Lord Li, your performance at the Grand Sacrifice yesterday was truly astonishing. Who knows? In a few years, you might become a Earth Immortal—and then you could personally oversee this investigation."

Li Rui smiled.

Yet inwardly, he held Feng Jing in higher regard.

The Grand Sacrifice wasn't a secret, yet Feng Jing, a man from Yu, had learned the Wu court's details so quickly—that was no small feat.

"It was merely the ruler's way of using me to assert authority."

Feng Jing shook his head: "Lord Li, you broke the record—that's no ordinary skill. I'd give anything to learn it."

The two chatted for a full hour.

Only then did Li Rui leave.

When he returned to the Dianke Office,

he happened to see Minister Wang chatting with Nie Siming and Yuan Xiong.

Minister Wang spotted Li Rui,

and immediately waved him over.

"Lord Li, you're back—come, sit down."

No sooner had Li Rui sat than Minister Wang blurted: "Lord Li, the Wu ruler has issued an imperial decree in court, joining forces with our Great Yu to crush the rebels."

"Congratulations, Minister Wang."

Minister Wang beamed: "Lord Li, this victory is all thanks to you."

Li Rui had assumed Minister Wang was going to bring up yesterday's events again.

But unexpectedly,

Minister Wang said: "I never imagined you had ties with the Grand Shaman. Had he not thrown his full support behind you, this would've dragged on for at least ten or fifteen days. He even told me himself."

"Yu has a prodigy like Li Rui—I rest easy."

Minister Wang deliberately mimicked the Grand Shaman's tone.

Li Rui's lips twitched.

'Is this performance overkill?'

He guessed this was another part of the Grand Shaman's reward.

This favor was substantial.

As a military officer now, its value isn't yet apparent—but if he ever switches to civil service, just those words alone could secure him a third-rank sinecure.

A future others dream of.

One he could grasp effortlessly.

'The Grand Shaman is truly someone worth dealing with.'

Three days passed in a flash.

That day,

the smallest of the three Spring Hall branches in the Wu Court stood empty, its doors nearly deserted.

The shop assistant, as usual, yawned and prepared to close up.

Just as the door was about to shut,

a withered, bony hand firmly gripped the doorframe—no matter how hard the assistant pushed, it didn't budge an inch.

The assistant grew angry.

He was about to shout,

when he saw an old Daoist enter, followed by a stunningly beautiful young woman.

Such an odd pair stunned the assistant.

He was about to speak,

when the old Daoist smiled at him gently.

One glance—and the assistant died.

Master Sheng chuckled as he led Zhu Yun toward the back courtyard.

Soon,

they saw Feng Jing standing there.

Feng Jing sensed the disturbance behind him and whirled around. The moment he saw Master Sheng, every hair on his body stood on end, and sweat nearly soaked his back.

His eyes saw the old Daoist—but he felt absolutely no presence from him.

Such a person was powerful.

Extremely powerful!

Feng Jing forced a smile, about to speak—

Suddenly!

Master Sheng appeared before him in an instant.

Feng Jing's pupils shrank sharply.

Spatial Shortening!

Master Sheng calmly seized the hand hidden in Feng Jing's sleeve, his withered face splitting into a grin: "Little one, do you really think you can trick me?"

A sharp crack echoed.

The Dark Guard jade token hidden in Feng Jing's sleeve shattered.

His face twisted into utter terror.

Master Sheng bared yellowed teeth, his voice dry and rasping:

"Enough."

(End of Chapter)