Chapter 98: Dream

The bright moon hung in the sky, and ten thousand stars, like points in a formation, painted a vast star-chart across the heavens.

Lin Wanyi jolted awake, only to realize her boudoir had vanished, replaced by the moon and stars above, and an endless dark abyss all around.

Lin Wanyi froze, looked left and right, and discovered she was sitting atop a long, narrow stone stele, surrounded by boundless darkness, as if imprisoned within a black dungeon.

"Eh?"

Lin Wanyi was full of doubt. Glancing over, she saw Xie Jinhuan sitting at the other end of the stele, hands forming a seal and still chanting. She hurriedly crawled over and waved at him:

"Xie Jinhuan?"

"Mm?"

Xie Jinhuan opened his eyes, only to realize he seemed to have fallen under an illusion again.

But Wanyi didn't know it was the ghost bride causing mischief, so she put on a confident look and explained:

"We've successfully entered the dream. It's always been like this."

"Really?"

Lin Wanyi was only half-convinced. She lay at the edge of the stele and peered down, trying to see what this place was.

What she saw instead was a giant black stone stele, suspended within the abyss.

Far below in the distance, she could faintly make out a dragon-shaped mountain range coiled in the depths.

On the side of the black stele, some intricate ancient text was carved:

"What does this say?"

Xie Jinhuan lay beside Wanyi to study it. Relying on the miscellaneous knowledge he'd accumulated since childhood, he roughly deciphered:

"It looks like 'South of the South Sea, there is a mountain called Ming... beneath the mountain, a demon god is suppressed... by day it takes a dragon's form... by night it wears... wears...' I can't read the rest either."

"It's your dream, and you can't read it?"

"Things in dreams can't be taken seriously. No need to mind it."

Xie Jinhuan figured this was the ghost bride constructing an illusionary realm, improvising material on the spot. He looked around, then raised his head to gaze at the moon and stars above:

"Well, that is the Martial Path Divine Scripture."

"Mm?"

Lin Wanyi looked up at the moon and stars in the sky and saw that the dense starfield was not scattered at random, but formed a colossal human figure.

The star-chart used the bright moon as the dantian qi sea, with countless stars radiating from it as the core to the limbs and body. Their flickering brightness likely represented the direction of qi flow.

Seeing this, Lin Wanyi sat up and tried to circulate her cultivation according to the star-chart's guidance.

But the moment she began, she found this cultivation technique simply couldn't be practiced.

Just as the Princess of Changning had said, the Martial Path Divine Scripture was a teaching tool. Wu Zu had read through all the ancient martial cultivation techniques, recorded every possible circulation route, and compiled them into a single method as a universal textbook.

Because it had to cover everything, the cultivation technique was extremely bloated. The star-chart was strung together from thirty-six thousand stars, and there was no way to practice it directly. But anyone who looked at it could gain some insight from those trajectories.

Lin Wanyi wasn't a martial artist at all, nor had she entered Rank 3. Looking at this thing was like reading a book from the heavens.

Finding it completely unlearnable, Lin Wanyi's pretty face couldn't help turning bitter:

"Don't tell me I have to memorize all these stars?"

Xie Jinhuan, being a martial artist, could at least grasp the surface of this advanced textbook in his own field. He raised his hand and gestured:

"You don't have to. Just treat the star-chart as 'three hundred and sixty lines.' Memorize them one by one. It's not that hard."

Not that hard?

Lin Wanyi wasn't a martial arts practitioner. She felt that to memorize all of it, she'd probably need half a year.

But since she was already here, she couldn't exactly back out. She could only tilt her head back and try to memorize the star-chart.

The space atop the stele wasn't large. Tilting their heads back to look up was definitely uncomfortable. Xie Jinhuan thought for a moment, then lay flat on the stele, hands clasped behind his head:

"Let's lie down and look. Tilting your head back is so uncomfortable."

Lin Wanyi hesitated a little, but craning her neck really was inconvenient. After a moment's consideration, she crossed her arms over her chest and carefully lay down beside him. Only after confirming Xie Jinhuan wasn't taking advantage of the situation did she focus entirely on studying the starry sky.

Xie Jinhuan was quite interested in the Martial Path Divine Scripture. He didn't disturb the glasses-wearing girl's study at the moment, but studied the star-chart seriously himself. He soon discovered that this Martial Path Divine Scripture should actually be called—"The Three Hundred and Sixty Ways to Becoming a God through the Martial Path."

Although its methods were far too ancient and no longer suited the present age, it was all-embracing, containing every kind of ingenious idea. As long as one's comprehension was high enough, it was easy to distill from the hundred schools a new path of one's own.

Xie Jinhuan's cultivation was still shallow, and he couldn't yet practice it, but he still found things applicable to himself.

Among them was a rather interesting method called 'Qi Refinement and Breathing,' roughly following the order of the 'Five Elements Generating One Another.' It converted the qi of heaven and earth, allowing a martial artist in an area with extreme imbalance among the five-element qi to still refine a 'Balanced Single Qi' to restore their own qi sea.

This function, placed within the Martial Path Divine Scripture, was merely a minor method for replenishing resources.

But placed within 'Reverse-Poured Candle,' it was formidable!

Xie Jinhuan originally had to 'take one and discard four.' If he tweaked this method slightly to suit himself, it became 'first divide one into five, then merge five back into one.'

Thus achieving the ability to use a martial artist's true qi to unleash the full power of the Five Elements divine ability!

Wielding the Zhenglun Sword to cast thunder techniques, he could, as expected, kill a Rank 2 while at Rank 3.

But the Martial Path Divine Scripture's starting threshold was simply too high. His fine control over qi wasn't yet precise enough to support this method.

Moreover, his body was too fragile. Without meridians tougher than a flood dragon or qilin, and a qi-circulation speed smoother than Dove chocolate, this kind of complex short-duration operation of 'drawing, splitting, converting, and merging' could make him explode on the spot.

Even if he didn't explode, he'd need to channel for several minutes, and would long since have been hacked to pieces by his opponent.

But no matter how many problems there were, they couldn't obscure the potential of this idea.

Xie Jinhuan became absorbed in devising the cultivation technique, gradually entering a state of self-forgetfulness, forgetting where and when he was.

Lin Wanyi, lying beside him, had been a little nervous at first. Noticing that Xie Jinhuan wasn't secretly touching her, she slowly relaxed.

Then, just like reading a book from the heavens, her eyelids began to droop as drowsiness crept in.

Although Ye Hongshang was somewhat flashy, his actions had always been reliable. Realizing that Lin Wanyi, as a shrine maiden, couldn't understand martial cultivation techniques, he began to Shoubashou Sect her.

In her drowsy state, Lin Wanyi hadn't fully fallen asleep when she noticed movement above. The original star-chart had begun to change, slowly transforming into a human-shaped phantom.

The phantom drifted down from the sky and gradually merged with her form.

Then a force of divine soul, vast and boundless beyond measure, appeared within her body!

The originally ethereal meridians and Qi Sea manifested directly, even allowing one to 'see' the tiny flaws upon the meridians that were normally impossible to detect...

This is... internal vision?!

Lin Wanyi had only heard of such a realm in legends; seeing this, she instantly woke up and thought inwardly:

What is going on?

Could it be that I, your aunt, am a martial arts genius?

Thinking she was experiencing hallucinations, she attempted to peer into her own physique.

The result was that her divine sense truly roamed within the small world of her body; the originally weak meridians transformed into surging rivers before her eyes, and with a mere gesture, she could control the flow of every drop of water within those rivers.

This unparalleled sense of power made her extremely swollen with pride, even feeling she could kill the Imperial Preceptor Lu Wu Zhen with a single finger.

Wow...

After confirming this was not a hallucination, Lin Wanyi, filled with wonder, rolled over and shook the man beside her:

"Xie Jinhuan, I seem to be able to use internal vision; I've become incredibly powerful."

Xie Jinhuan was seriously deducing a cultivation technique; hearing this, he knew the ghost wife was helping from the shadows and casually said:

"Realizing the Dao in a dream is just like this; it means you have 'awakened.' Just follow the feeling."

Lin Wanyi also felt she had awakened; immediately turning her head to observe Xie Jinhuan's body, she saw his internal Qi surging like a tidal wave, circulating in a way she couldn't understand, and asked in confusion:

"What technique are you practicing? Why can't I understand it?"

"Taking turns pouring wax candles."

"Taking... taking turns?"

Lin Wanyi felt this term was not quite proper, but she dared not ask too much, continuing to circulate the technique according to the star chart's meridians.

With a mere thought, threads of Qi began to wander through her body, with a precision she had never dared to imagine in the past.

Lin Wanyi felt as if she were practicing the technique hand-in-hand with someone; the learning difficulty was almost non-existent, requiring only that she memorize the steps.

However, standing at a height not her own and viewing her entire body internally, she also discovered that her technique indeed had a major problem.

If she followed the existing path, the higher her cultivation, the heavier the pressure of the Yin-cold Qi would be; although not fatal, it might eventually transform her into a 'Supreme Yin Body.'

Such a physique is typically an excellent vessel for supreme evil demons; the problem is quite serious...

Although Lin Wanyi did not understand how to correct the technique, practicing both the Medical Dao and the Wu Sect path allowed her to see how to resolve the Yin-cold Qi.

According to her understanding, the accumulated Yin-cold Qi must be countered by Supreme Yang Qi; the most convenient method is to find a man heavy with Yang Qi and have him...

However, given her current level of accumulation, it would probably require over a hundred times...

Where could one find such a person...

Whether it was because her current realm was too high, Lin Wanyi, with a mere thought, directed her divine sense toward Xie Jinhuan beside her.

At this moment, Xie Jinhuan was vigorously circulating his energy; a surging Qi centered on his Qi Sea, flowing through all the meridians of his body.

That Supreme Yang Qi hidden within his internal organs was as blinding as a sun hanging in the void!

Not to mention using it, even just tasting it would probably extend one's life...

Pfft, pfft, pfft...

What the hell am I thinking?!

Why are my thoughts wandering like I'm possessed...

Lin Wanyi's face flushed red; fearing Xie Jinhuan would also 'awaken' and discover her wild thoughts, she quietly rolled over, turning to lie on her side with the back of her head facing Xie Jinhuan, relying solely on her divine sense to view the star chart.

Rustle, rustle...

?

Xie Jinhuan glanced from the corner of his eye at her proud waist, discovering that Miss Zisu's evaluation of the aunt was very precise; indeed, it was large and round, and he asked:

"Why are you facing your butt at me?"

Splash~

Lin Wanyi hurriedly rolled back to lie properly, facing Xie Jinhuan with her profile, frowning and saying:

"Practicing; don't get distracted."

Was I the one who got distracted?

Xie Jinhuan silently shook his head and did not tease Wanyi further, whose 'wild thoughts' were written all over her face, continuing to ponder the technique's meridians...

—

On the other side, Li Fu.

Zhou Ming'an, the Prefect of the Dali Temple, sat beside the tea table, holding a teacup, with a look of three parts sorrow between his brows:

"Chen Ping, the Governor of Jingzhao, took the case files regarding the haunting at the palace today; without surprise, he intends to give them to Xie Jinhuan.

"Back then, I, your subordinate, exonerated Han Jingchuan on Li Gong's orders; the judgment was clearly unjust. As long as Xie Jinhuan sees the files, he will inevitably come after me.

"Han Jingchuan suddenly died today; I, your subordinate, am truly worried..."

Li Gongpu stood with one hand behind his back, pacing back and forth in the study:

"Three years ago, you accepted silver from Han Jingchuan to handle the matter; I merely introduced you. Do not push everything onto me."

"Yes."

Zhou Ming'an quickly bowed his head: "Previously, I, your subordinate, was bewitched; I fear this youth will play dirty tricks and come to assassinate me as well. I hope Li Gong..."

Li Gongpu raised his hand to cut off his words:

"I enjoy the favor of the Sage. That old servant Cao Fo'er has disliked me for a long time.

"If Xie Jinhuan comes to assassinate me, he might turn a blind eye; but if I send someone to kill Xie Jinhuan, he will immediately become 'Cao Qingtian.' To deal with this youth, we must still follow the rules."

"What does Li Gong mean?"

"Assassinating an imperial official is tantamount to treason. I let Han Jingchuan lure the enemy into a trap, but he couldn't hold back and lost his life in vain. Do not repeat the same mistake."

Li Gongpu looked at Zhou Ming'an:

"Take leave for the next few days and recuperate at Songhe Bay. Once Xie Jinhuan obtains the files from those years, if he dares come looking for you, he will not leave alive."

Zhou Ming'an was not foolish; he understood that while this seemed like 'luring the guest into the jar,' it was very likely 'Ming'an offering his own head.'

"Uh... this method is indeed quite perilous. If this fellow's cultivation is too high and he bypasses the ambush..."

Li Gongpu knew the situation very well in his heart.

If an official of some standing did not truly die, even if he caught Xie Jinhuan on the spot for attempted murder, the result would likely end as 'Xie Jinhuan was young and ignorant; the Pill King punishes himself with three cups.'

However, these broken matters certainly could not be spoken to his face. Li Gongpu sat on the tea couch and poured a cup of tea for Zhou Ming'an:

"This official will have Gongsun Duan from the Imperial Fist Hall bring men to watch from the side. Xie Jinhuan cannot bypass the ambush."

"Uh..."

Zhou Ming'an knew Li Gongpu's character and said in a low voice:

"If by any chance..."

*Smack*~

Li Gongpu slapped the teacup onto the table:

"How can one achieve great things without a shred of courage? Even if Xie Jinhuan luckily bypasses the ambush and you meet disaster, it becomes a major case of killing an official. This official will dig up the earth three feet deep to investigate and will surely find clues to punish him.

"If you lack this courage, then go back. This official merely offered an idea. If you look down on it, this official cannot help you either."

"..."

Zhou Ming'an was truly afraid that Li Gongpu was deliberately sending him to his death to lure and capture Xie Jinhuan.

But if Li Gongpu did not care for him, given Xie Jinhuan's current momentum, he might truly die with absolutely no value. After difficult deliberation for this reason, he still nodded:

"This subordinate understands."

——

Requesting monthly tickets or2!

(End of this chapter)