Chapter 408

Yun Shu also suggests that Li Fei should restart his cultivation!

Inside the Imperial Study, Li Fei falls silent.

The Emperor speaks up: "State Preceptor, you say that to break the deadlock with force, he needs to cultivate both magic and martial arts, right?"

Yun Shu turns to nod at the Emperor: "Yes."

The Emperor glances at the silent Li Fei: "Since that is the case, why not seek guidance from the Heaven One Tower?"

When it comes to cultivating both magic and martial arts, no matter what, one cannot bypass that Heaven One Tower, nor can one bypass that 'Supreme' figure.

Yun Shu believes that even if Li Fei breaks through his magic arts to the True Spirit Realm, it will be very difficult for him to achieve dual cultivation of magic and martial arts afterward, integrating the power of magic into his Dao foundation to solve the problems with his Dao foundation.

But if Li Fei obtains the inheritance of the Heaven One Tower, or even receives guidance from that 'Supreme' figure, given Li Fei's talent, is it possible for him to create a miracle?

"Your Majesty..."

Yun Shu stops mid-sentence, wanting to say more.

Li Fei also realizes the situation and hurriedly says:

"Your Majesty, this time when I go to Tian Shui City, I have some friendship with Zhu Zhu Fenghua of the Heaven One Tower. I can write a letter to Zhu Zhu Fenghua and ask him to help sound out the situation."

He has heard the story between the previous Son of Heaven and that 'Supreme' figure.

Lin Lin Tianyi established the Heaven Tower at the peak of Yu Mountain and wrote down his own dual cultivation inheritance of magic and martial arts inside the tower, making it public to everyone in the world.

Anyone can enter the tower to learn these inheritances, with the prerequisite that for every floor one ascends, one must break one law; otherwise, one must remain forever to guard the tower, at the mercy of Lin Lin Tianyi.

Back then, the imperial court coveted Lin Lin Tianyi's inheritance and sent the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard, Zhao Xin, to Yu Mountain to ascend the Heaven Tower.

At that time, Zhao Xin was already a Martial Arts Grandmaster, and at only thirty-two years old, his talent was exceptional!

But after breaking through the first five floors, Zhao Xin was ultimately stuck on the sixth floor.

Afterward, the previous Son of Heaven personally wrote a letter to Lin Lin Tianyi, hoping to have Zhao Xin released. For this, he was willing to offer secret manuals from the Royal Library as an exchange.

As a result, after receiving the letter, Lin Lin Tianyi did not release the person, nor did he reply, showing absolutely no respect to that Supreme Ruler!

In such a situation, the previous Son of Heaven could only announce to the public that Zhao Xin's duties were relieved, fulfilling the other party's pursuit of martial arts, giving himself a way to step down.

Otherwise, what else could he do?

When the Son of Heaven is angry, he can certainly destroy the Heaven One Tower, or even raze the entire Yu Mountain.

But he might not be able to kill Lin Lin Tianyi.

Once he fails, the imperial court will gain an extremely terrifying enemy, and the losses will outweigh the gains.

The previous Son of Heaven was the current Emperor's father; if Lin Lin Tianyi didn't give the father face, would he give the son face now?

This is the reason why Yun Shu stopped mid-sentence.

Your father has already had his face slapped once; if you, as the son, get your face slapped again, I'm afraid it will become a 'fine story' in the history books in the future.

Li Fei also thought of this point, so he took the initiative to say that he would write the letter to Zhu Zhu Fenghua himself, letting the other party sound out the situation first.

This way, even if Lin Lin Tianyi refuses, it won't be too embarrassing.

The Emperor looks at Li Fei: "Good, then you write the letter. You can let the other party set conditions, and I will back you up!"

Li Fei bows: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Afterward, he took the initiative to withdraw, leaving only the Emperor and Yun Shu in the Imperial Study.

"State Preceptor, if the Heaven One Tower refuses to help, is there truly only the path of restarting cultivation?"

The Emperor asks.

Yun Shu looks at the Emperor: "Your Majesty, I just used the analysis of Dao principles to carefully examine Li Fei. His talent lies in his vitality, which far exceeds that of ordinary people, and his incredible recovery ability! In fact, the Tian Shui Soul Bone is continuously causing damage to his Dao foundation, but his recovery power is too strong, which is why the Dao foundation has not been damaged."

"Such talent is suitable for cultivating martial arts, but not necessarily for dual cultivation of magic and martial arts. If the Heaven One Tower refuses to help, I indeed recommend that Li Fei restart his cultivation. As long as his constitution is not damaged, with his talent, he has a chance to return to the peak."

The Emperor does not speak, walking to the window and looking at the sky outside.

After a moment, he sighs:

"State Preceptor, do you think this is the evil consequence of the damage to the national fortune beginning to emerge?"

Yun Shu's expression remains unchanged, silently walking to the Emperor's side and looking at the sky with him:

"Your Majesty, heaven's will is hard to fathom. There are many manifestations after the national fortune is damaged; Li Fei's encounter might be related to this, or it might not."

The rebellion of True Person Qingxu caused the greatest damage to the Great Lan Dynasty, not the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, nor the fall of many experts, but the depletion of the national fortune.

Those few golden lotuses of fortune in the forbidden area of the Daluo Sect affect the fortune of the Daluo Sect for hundreds of years. It allows the Daluo Sect to have geniuses appear generation after generation, and every hundred years, a peerless genius like Ning Tang Chuan will appear!

Even every Sect Master of the Daluo Sect can reach the realm of a True Person, which also has a lot to do with those few golden lotuses of fortune.

By the same token, the national fortune of a country also affects every aspect of this country.

The appearance of talent, technological innovation, and the growth of national wealth are all influenced by the national fortune.

When the national fortune is prosperous, the country is peaceful and the people are secure.

When the national fortune is weak, various natural and man-made disasters occur constantly!

Nearly half a year has passed since the rebellion of True Person Qingxu. Over the past half year, although the imperial court has been doing its best to carry out various repair work, the backlash brought about by the damage to the national fortune has already begun to show signs.

The most obvious thing is the war currently happening in the Northern Territory.

The Northern Territory has not had a major war for nearly ten years, but now a war has suddenly broken out, and the scale of the war is intensifying!

Then there is the turn of events that happened to Li Fei.

Li Fei breaking historical records and creating a monument of cultivation can truly enhance the national fortune; it is a kind of existence similar to an 'auspicious omen'!

As a result, before the Emperor could be happy for too long, he was told that the first Dao foundation stage in history might be abolished.

This makes it impossible for him not to associate it with the backlash of the national fortune.

The white hair on the temples of this Son of Heaven is already very obvious. He stands by the window, looking up at the sky.

He stands there for a very, very long time.

Upon returning to the separate courtyard, Li Fei immediately retrieves the Dream Order and puts it back on himself.

Then he takes out paper and pen and sits in front of the desk, lost in thought.

He just said in the Imperial Study that he had some friendship with Zhu Zhu Fenghua.

But in reality, how could there be such a deep friendship?

If one speaks of favors, it was Zhu Zhu Fenghua who saved him from the collapsing Tomb of Tian Shui; it is he who owes the other party a favor.

In this situation, writing a letter to Zhu Zhu Fenghua to request Lin Lin Tianyi's guidance?

Li Fei does not feel that he has such great face.

But treating a dead horse as a living horse, perhaps Lin Lin Tianyi is willing to give some conditions for the sake of the imperial court?

After deliberating for a moment, Li Fei writes a letter.

He does not explicitly state the specific problems of his Dao foundation in the letter, only saying that he has encountered difficulties in cultivation that need to be solved by dual cultivation of magic and martial arts, asking Zhu Zhu Fenghua to help him ask Lin Lin Tianyi.

As long as Lin Lin Tianyi is willing to give guidance, any conditions can be set!

Li Fei then hands this letter to Feng Cheng.

The imperial court has special 'channels'. Some important letters cannot be sent by telegram, nor can they be made by phone, so they still have to adopt the most primitive way of transmission, such as carrier pigeons.

This world has farmed exotic beasts, and the imperial court raises a kind of third-grade exotic beast that can replace 'carrier pigeons', with a flight speed many times faster than pigeons.

Sending Li Fei's letter from Lanling City, after arriving at Yu Mountain, there will be an imperial messenger there to take this letter to the Heaven One Tower and hand it to Zhu Zhu Fenghua personally.

After sending the letter, in the following days, Li Fei stays in his room almost every day, without stepping out.

Because he needs to use the means of dual cultivation of magic and martial arts to solve the problems on his body, Li Fei has been studying dual cultivation of magic and martial arts these days.

He re-reads from beginning to end the notes of Lin Lin Tianyi that he exchanged from the Royal Library, as well as the secret manual that the Crown Prince specifically asked for him.

In the past, when he read these two secret manuals, he thought more about how to find means to enhance his combat power in time.

Now he is truly looking at these two secret manuals with the eyes of a cultivator ascending a mountain, and he has gained a few more understandings of dual cultivation of magic and martial arts:

Martial arts cultivation is 'internal cultivation', and magic arts cultivation is 'external seeking'.

Martial artists continuously strengthen themselves by incorporating implants, eventually forming a martial arts domain, piecing together the prototype of Dao principles.

Sorcerers also start by incorporating implants to strengthen their own spiritual power, and then refine it into virtual thoughts.

Starting from the Attachment Period, the power of sorcerers is more reflected in external objects, that is, magic tools.

From the Attachment Period to the True Spirit Realm, a key point is to refine magic tools into life-bound magic tools, that is, to choose a magic tool to be connected with one's own life, thereby borrowing the power of this magic tool to turn the virtual into reality, refining true souls, true spirits, and true power.

To some extent, life-bound magic tools can be regarded as a kind of 'external Dao foundation', because life-bound magic tools will also have divine abilities.

Next, martial arts cultivation is to build a martial arts domain, while magic arts cultivation is to build a 'Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend' system.

Seventy-two Earthly Fiends, thirty-six Heavenly Gangs. When the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends are complete, the life-bound magic tool is only one step away from becoming a magic treasure.

A True Person who possesses a complete Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend magic tool is also regarded as a top-tier True Person, comparable to a Martial Arts Grandmaster.

And the final step of martial arts and magic arts becomes the same, both refining Dao principles.

It's just that one has Dao principles in the body, and the other has Dao principles in the magic treasure.

But in essence, whether it is a Martial Saint or a True Person, it is just a different way of using Dao principles.

Therefore, the path of dual cultivation of magic and martial arts, if viewed from top to bottom, actually grasped the essence of cultivation from the beginning!

The reason why Lin Lin Tianyi is 'Supreme' is that his use of Dao principles is closer to the essence than other peak experts.

It is a pity that the threshold for this kind of cultivation method that directly grasps the essence is too high. For thousands of years, only one 'Supreme' figure like Lin Lin Tianyi has appeared.

Li Fei used to think that he could definitely walk the path of dual cultivation of magic and martial arts because he relied on having the Ten Thousand Blood Pearl.

He felt that the biggest difficulty in dual cultivation of magic and martial arts lies in the conflict between martial arts implants and magic arts implants.

Others cannot solve it, but he can rely on the Ten Thousand Blood Pearl to carry it through.

But now, with a deeper understanding of dual cultivation of magic and martial arts, Li Fei knows that he thought too simply in the past.

Dual cultivation of magic and martial arts has two difficulties:

The first is the conflict between magic and martial arts, and the second is the integration of magic and martial arts.

For the former, Li Fei can rely on the Ten Thousand Blood Pearl to solve it.

But for the latter, the Ten Thousand Blood Pearl cannot help, because this only has to do with comprehension.

Li Fei knows that his first Dao foundation stage in history actually has little to do with comprehension...

On the seventh day after the letter was sent, Li Fei received a reply.

Feng Cheng personally delivered the letter to his hand, then did not leave, but waited outside the separate courtyard.

Li Fei opened the letter in his hand directly in front of Feng Cheng.

This letter is a reply from Zhu Zhu Fenghua to him. The handwriting of this 'Peerless Elegance' is very ordinary, looking as plain and unadorned as the person himself.

In the letter, Zhu Zhu Fenghua says that he told his master, Lin Lin Tianyi, Li Fei's request without changing a single word.

And Lin Lin Tianyi's reply to this is only four words:

Ascend the tower to see me.

Li Fei looks at these four words at the end of the letter, falls silent for a moment, and then gives a self-deprecating smile.

Lin Lin Tianyi's meaning is very clear: if you want to get his guidance, then follow the rules, break through the nine-story Heaven Tower, and ascend to the top of the Heaven Tower.

Li Fei must first be qualified to see Lin Lin Tianyi, and then he will be qualified to let Lin Lin Tianyi guide him.

But if you follow Lin Lin Tianyi's rules to ascend the Heaven Tower, once you stop on a certain floor and cannot go up, you must remain forever to guard the tower.

At that time, even if the current Son of Heaven writes a letter to ask for the person, the other party will definitely ignore it.

"Marquis of Jing'an, His Majesty is waiting for you to enter the palace."

Seeing Li Fei put down the letter in his hand, Feng Cheng says.

"Good, please lead the way, Eunuch Feng."

"Marquis of Jing'an, please this way."

More than an hour later, Li Fei walks out of the Imperial Study again.

This time he does not return to the separate courtyard, but under the leadership of Feng Cheng, heads toward the Royal Library.

Soon, Li Fei arrives again under the high tower located in the middle of the lake.

"His Majesty has an edict: within three months, the Marquis of Jing'an can read any secret manual in the Royal Library."

Feng Cheng says to the official in charge of managing the Royal Library at the entrance.

"I accept the edict."

This official suppresses the shock in his heart, bows his head, and salutes.

"If the Marquis of Jing'an has any needs, just let someone know."

Feng Cheng turns to look at Li Fei and says with a smile.

"Thank you, Eunuch Feng."

Li Fei returns the salute, and then he steps into this high tower.

The first floor still displays that stone carving of the Great Ancestor, but this time Li Fei does not go to 'fleece the sheep'.

He walks directly upstairs.

"Marquis, we meet again."

The official who just accepted the edict is all smiles, coming to Li Fei's side.

His name is Ji Huang Qian, and the last time Li Fei entered the tower, he was also accompanied by him.

Ji Huang Qian is a third-class official. He is responsible for managing this Royal Library. It looks noble, but in reality, he is just a 'librarian', and it cannot be said that he has any real power.

He manages this Royal Library, but does not have the power to read the secret manuals inside at will.

Although his daily work is easy, there is no chance of promotion.

So, having finally come into contact with Li Fei, this hot legendary figure, Ji Huang Qian does not want to miss this precious opportunity:

"I wonder what needs the Marquis has for entering the tower this time?"

"Besides that notebook of Lin Lin Tianyi, how many other secret manuals related to dual cultivation of magic and martial arts are there in this tower?"

Li Fei asks.

Ji Huang Qian is energized and hurriedly says: "Every dynasty has people who specialize in dual cultivation of magic and martial arts. Although only Lin Lin Tianyi, this 'Supreme' figure, truly walked this path through, there have been no lack of people who have made achievements in dual cultivation of magic and martial arts over the past few hundred years."

"Among them, there are no secret manuals for dual cultivation of magic and martial arts below the sixth floor. There are sixty-one in the seventh floor, twenty-five in the eighth floor, thirteen in the ninth floor, seven in the tenth floor, three in the eleventh floor, and only one in the twelfth floor, which is the notebook of Lin Lin Tianyi that the Marquis chose before."

A thousand years ago, Martial Saint Gongsun Yan first proposed the concept of 'dual cultivation of magic and martial arts'.

Since then, countless predecessors and sages have racked their brains for this great path. Although they did not succeed, they also left behind their thoughts and creations.

These things have become secret manuals, most of which have been preserved in this Royal Library.

With the Emperor's special permission, Li Fei can directly read these 'treasures' left behind by thousands of people.

He says to Ji Huang Qian: "Then I will trouble Official Ji to help me find all these secret manuals. I want to read them all."

Ji Huang Qian is happy to hear this and hurriedly says: "It is my honor to do things for the Marquis. Please wait a moment, Marquis, I will go and select the secret manuals for you."

Afterward, Li Fei first goes up to the seventh floor, intending to finish reading all the secret manuals on the seventh floor first.

Lin Lin Tianyi did not agree to guide him directly, and he is not surprised by this.

But he does not intend to ascend the Heaven Tower.

The Heaven Tower set up by Lin Lin Tianyi does not test pure cultivation realm, but more of technique, adaptability, and comprehension.

The other party sets up corresponding clones on each floor. The higher the realm of the person fighting, the higher the realm of the clone will rise, until it reaches the limit of that floor.

Starting from the fifth floor, the limit of the clone's cultivation is Martial Arts Grandmaster and True Person.

Li Fei can fight across realms mainly because his blood is thick. He is not sure whether Lin Lin Tianyi's clone will recognize this way of passing, so he does not intend to impulsively ascend the Heaven Tower.

If he is left behind, there will be no freedom to speak of.

So he intends to try relying on himself first, studying dual cultivation of magic and martial arts in the Royal Library.

If he can find a feasible path, then he will try it.

If it doesn't work, then restart cultivation!

"How long do you intend to try?"

"Three months."

"Oh?"

"I only give myself three months. If I cannot find a solution within three months, I will choose to restart cultivation."

"... Good, do you have any needs?"

"I want to read all the secret manuals in the Royal Library related to dual cultivation of magic and martial arts."

"Granted."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

This is the conversation between Li Fei and the Emperor in the Imperial Study.

Three months of time, browsing any secret manual in the Royal Library at will, such treatment can be described as unprecedented!

Now, Li Fei begins to 'ascend the tower'.

Since others cannot be relied upon, then he will break out a path himself!

He wants to start from the seventh floor of the Royal Library and go all the way to the twelfth floor, finish reading all the relevant secret manuals, and find a path for himself.

Just on the day he began to 'ascend the tower', Bai Yan, the Deputy Pavilion Master of the Zhige Pavilion, returned to Lanling City with Ye Zhao.

April 22nd.

The third day Li Fei entered the Royal Library.

Feng Province capital, Lu Mansion.

"Li Fei is reading secret manuals related to dual cultivation of magic and martial arts in the Royal Library."

Inside the room, Lu Lu Wenzheng says to Xu Jing.

Since vomiting blood suddenly last time, Xu Jing has been in seclusion for more than half a month to stabilize his martial arts domain.

"Secret manuals for dual cultivation of magic and martial arts?"

Xu Jing narrows his eyes, "Can you be sure?"

Lu Lu Wenzheng nods: "Yes."

In order to get this intelligence, the Lu family used many connections and dark lines hidden for many years.

Those dark lines buried in the palace, after being used this time, I am afraid they will not be able to be used again in the future.

"Now it can basically be determined that something has gone wrong with Li Fei."

Lu Lu Wenzheng asserts, "He must have paid a price for killing You Ming in the Tomb of Tian Shui!"

"What kind of problem, that even the Grand Marshal and the State Preceptor cannot solve, and he has to specifically ask Lin Lin Tianyi?"

Xu Jing's eyes keep changing.

Lu Lu Wenzheng: "It can only be determined that it is related to dual cultivation of magic and martial arts."

"That is a problem in cultivation, encountering a bottleneck or an insurmountable obstacle."

Xu Jing states his judgment.

A smile appears on Lu Lu Wenzheng's face: "If that is really the case, then it is heaven helping us!"

April 28th.

Rumors about Li Fei began to spread in the outside world.

One of the most widely spread claims is: Although Marquis of Jing'an Li Fei killed that martial arts master with dual divine abilities, he himself was also seriously injured and left with an incurable root of illness.

Regarding such rumors, the grassroots people and Jianghu figures are half-believing, after all, it wasn't long ago that 'Under Heaven' publicly admitted that Li Fei was the first Dao foundation stage in history.

How long has it been since then, how could it suddenly be said that Li Fei is no good?

But many upper-class people in Lanling City are more inclined to believe that Li Fei really has a problem, because they each have their own news channels and know many secrets that the outside world does not know.

Inner City, headquarters of the Supervision Pavilion.

"Master, do you think the Marquis of Jing'an really has some problem?"

Yuan Yuan Mengfei asks He Situ Jian.

The old man is still meticulously organizing various documents and does not answer the female disciple's question.

After a moment, after he finishes organizing all the documents in his hand, he looks up at Yuan Yuan Mengfei:

"Do your own work well. Even if he really has some problem, can you help him?"

Yuan Yuan Mengfei bites her lip, a little angry, but knows that the old man is right.

She is just an ordinary investigator of the Supervision Pavilion, a level 10 official. If Li Fei really has a problem, what can she do?

He Situ Jian glances at the frustrated female disciple, hesitates for a moment, and says:

"We focus on handling the assassination case at the Altar of Heaven, interrogating Ye Zhao, and finding out the truth about the Anshen Sect, which is the best help for him, because he also needs to find out the secrets behind this and know who is targeting him behind the scenes."

Yuan Yuan Mengfei looks at the old man and nods forcefully:

"I understand, Master!"

Just as the two intend to continue working, a man suddenly rushes into the room:

"Master, it's bad!"

The person who came is also in He Situ Jian's group, and is his disciple.

"What's wrong?"

He Situ Jian looks up abruptly.

"Ye Zhao is dead!"

"What did you say?"

He Situ Jian's eyes change color instantly, like a pair of eagle eyes, staring fixedly at the person who came.

"Just a few minutes ago, Ye Zhao died suddenly in the prison of the Zhengfa Pavilion!"

"How could that be? Isn't there an expert from the Zhige Pavilion guarding him at all times?"

Yuan Yuan Mengfei is incredulous.

After Ye Zhao was escorted back to Lanling City, he was transferred from the Zhige Pavilion to the Zhengfa Pavilion, because the people of the Zhengfa Pavilion needed to take action to lift the oath magic arts on Ye Zhao.

This process cannot be achieved overnight.

For the past few days, Ye Zhao has been locked in the prison of the Zhengfa Pavilion, with a True Person of the Zhengfa Pavilion taking action to cast spells on him every day.

And besides the guards of the Zhengfa Pavilion itself, the Zhige Pavilion also specially sent people to guard Ye Zhao in shifts 24 hours a day.

In this situation, Ye Zhao died suddenly.

(End of chapter)