Chapter 644: Secluded cultivation

The Chief Steward stayed at the manor for two days, chatting with him, trying to persuade him to marry and have children, to multiply descendants, and to add bricks and tiles to the growth of the Chen clan.

He also said that if he didn't like the daughters of official families, the daughters of meritorious noble families were his to choose from, all legitimate, with rich dowries, beautiful and virtuous. He guaranteed everything would be perfect.

Chen Guanlou was nagged until his forehead hurt; he didn't need to deliberately feign injury and illness, as the haggard complexion caused by the torture of being urged to marry automatically replaced the injury, and it looked like he was truly seriously injured.

The Chief Steward was very worried. "How long will you need to heal this time?"

"At least two or three years. However, I am different from others. Others heal their bodies by resting quietly, but I must find something to do; I cannot be idle. The more idle I am, the more irritable I become, and the more irritable I am, the more unfavorable it is for the recovery of my injuries."

The Chief Steward's mouth twitched twice. "Do you mean you intend to return to the Heavenly Prison?"

"Exactly."

"Returning in such a short time is not appropriate. I fear outsiders will have all kinds of guesses, which is unfavorable for your healing. This old man's meaning is that you should wait until after the New Year to return at the earliest."

Chen Guanlou raised an eyebrow slightly but didn't make a sound.

The Chief Steward hesitated for a moment but still said, "You fought Master Qi for two hundred moves without falling; many people are suspecting that you possess a secret treasure. Even Jixia Academy is secretly inquiring, and the palace is not quiet either. You still remember the Second Prince assassination case from the beginning of the year, right?"

"I remember, what about it? Could it be that they found the murderer? The Embroidered Uniform Guard still has some skills."

"The murderer wasn't found, but... it can basically be determined that the person who assassinated the Second Prince came from the martial arts world."

"How could people from the martial arts world run to assassinate a prince? They aren't cult bandits."

"The ins and outs of this are convoluted, and this old man isn't very clear either. It is rumored that it is related to a case from the early years of the late Emperor. The matter is too secret, and it is not convenient for the Heir to inquire too much."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"You guess, if the palace knows you possess a secret treasure and can withstand a peak Ninth Rank martial artist for two hundred moves without falling behind, are they curious? Do they want to obtain it?"

Innocent is the man, but guilty is the ring he wears!

Chen Guanlou bared his teeth!

His cultivation speed was truly too fast, too strange; it was inevitable that he would reveal traces and be targeted by others.

"If you return to the Heavenly Prison now, it is like saying 'there is no silver three hundred taels here'. Listen to this old man; wait until after the New Year to talk about returning. By then, with the Heir covering for you in the court, there will be fewer people paying attention to you."

"Fine, I'll listen to you!"

Next year it is!

He wasn't that anxious to return to duty either.

Finally sending away the "marriage-urging maniac" Chief Steward, Chen Guanlou instructed the servants, saying that he would be in seclusion next and that no one was to disturb him without his orders.

Afterward, he disguised himself, left the capital's domain, and strolled through the market. After being carefree for a while, he entered the deep mountains and old forests, cultivating and gaining insights between heaven and earth, not worrying about being disturbed by wild animals.

The later chapters of "Ascension Record" placed great importance on insights into heaven and man.

If the first four chapters were the foundation, mainly talking about techniques and methods, then starting from the fifth chapter, the content became increasingly mysterious, just like cultivation; it emphasized resonance with heaven and earth.

Sometimes he couldn't help but suspect that "Ascension Record" might be a cultivation art left behind by cultivators a thousand years ago, cultivating Daoist methods to become immortals. Mortals had no spiritual sense and no spiritual energy, so forced cultivation would surely lead to death.

Relying on the Xiao Changsheng Dao Fruit, he successfully passed one death-defying joint after another and entered the fifth chapter, finally starting daily meditation and insights.

Merely practicing blade techniques was already inferior.

If one could not break through oneself, even the strongest blade technique could not be displayed. If one was strong enough, condensing Qi into a blade, who in the world could match it?

The fireworks of the capital were too heavy, the vulgar taste was too heavy; it was actually not a good place for cultivation.

He simply took the opportunity of healing his injuries to hide in the deep mountains and old forests, breaking through the fog step by step between heaven and earth.

He had no inner demons, so he naturally didn't worry about Qi deviation, and he didn't need others to help him.

He was broad-minded and open-minded. Although he missed his past life, he was not dissatisfied with this life. He had people he missed, but he wasn't obsessed.

What identity, what status, were all clouds and smoke. He had no obsession to be a person above others, only seeking a clear mind, free and easy.

This state of mind happened to fit the requirements after the fifth chapter of "Ascension Record". If one had too many obsessions, too much competitive spirit, paid too much attention to winning and losing, insisted on being a person above others—in short, people with too many desires—even with the Xiao Changsheng Dao Fruit, they would likely suffer Qi deviation, enter demonic barriers, and make no progress.

Cultivation is about techniques, about methods, about the heart, and even more about the realm! The realm of the spiritual state!

Free and clear, body and mind as one, whole body comfortable—only then could one seek the true scriptures after the fifth chapter of "Ascension Record".

Chen Guanlou, who had no sect, no inheritance, and no senior guidance, stumbled and fit the requirements of "Ascension Record", gaining insights between heaven and earth.

With this insight, winter passed and spring came; his surroundings became a small world of their own.

When he woke up in a daze, he realized that several months had passed. His stomach was extremely hungry.

He remembered that while in the insight, he had eaten, eating out of instinct. Each time he ate little, but the interval was long enough. However, he didn't remember the details. At that time, body and mind were one, immersed in heaven and earth, and hunting, cooking, and eating were all based on instinct.

Looking at the pile of animal bones, he had eaten quite a bit during this period, but he didn't remember the taste.

Now, thoroughly awake, he washed up, went down the mountain, and couldn't wait to find an eatery to solve his hunger.

Rushing back to the capital, only a few days were left before the Dragon Boat Festival.

The Chief Steward learned of his return and shouted and yelled, rushing into his house.

"You, you, you..."

Chen Guanlou didn't wait for the other to ask, saying first, "Not dead, not missing, went into seclusion. Returned safely, nothing happened. The reason I didn't inform you in advance was that I was worried about being disturbed. I was in seclusion for cultivation; if anyone disturbed me, regardless of friend or foe, I would kill them all. In short, I couldn't be seen."

"You should have at least said something. You suddenly went missing, and everyone was worried sick."

"I said I was going into seclusion before I left; didn't the people in the manor tell you?"

"We thought you were in seclusion in the backyard; who knew you would go missing." The Chief Steward was angry just thinking about it. Learning that Chen Guanlou had gone missing and his whereabouts were unknown, everyone in the manor suffered. The Heir personally gave instructions, sending people to search secretly; he really didn't dare to make a big scene. He was afraid the news would leak and cause trouble outside.

Even so, the manor wasn't peaceful. Every three days, there were always people who didn't fear death peeking.

Fortunately, Ninth Rank martial artists weren't cabbages on the street. Regarding the peepers, the Marquis Prefecture's armed forces were enough to solve them.

Having been on tenterhooks for several months, this person suddenly popped out, and nothing was wrong; he was just a bit thinner.

The Chief Steward was so angry he couldn't vent. He could only urge him to rest for two days and have time to attend the Dragon Boat Festival family banquet at the Marquis Prefecture.

"What am I going to the Marquis Prefecture's family banquet for? To be annoying?" Chen Guanlou looked like a scoundrel, not putting the Marquis Prefecture in his eyes at all, nor would he feel honored like others when invited by the Marquis Prefecture; he only felt it was troublesome and that he had to socialize again.

He just wanted to lie flat now and didn't want to socialize. ===== CHAPTER 645 =====