104: Chapter 104 Information Leak

The inscriptions on the stone bed end here.

You straighten your body and let out a long breath.

"Thank you, Senior." You nod slightly toward the empty stone bed.

The next instant, the respect in your eyes vanishes, replaced by cold, sharp decisiveness.

You draw your sword, infusing it with True Qi. A fierce slash of Protective Aura descends, splitting the entire stone bed in half and reducing the inscriptions to dust. You immediately follow up with three more slashes, further cutting the rubble into fist-sized stones, indistinguishable from the debris on the floor of the Immortal Cave.

This information, the function of the red emperor heart pendant, and the requirements for the Pure Yang Physique must never be seen by another person.

As for the Daoist robe on the ground, you pick it up and check it one last time. Confirming there is nothing unusual, you fold it and tuck it into your bosom. What if it turns out to be some treasure you can't identify? Better to take it by mistake than to miss out.

You scan the area one last time, confirming the three stone platforms are completely empty. The source fruit is kept close to your body, the notes and jade book are hidden in the inner pocket of your lining, the red emperor heart pendant hangs around your neck, the inscriptions are destroyed, and the robe is collected.

You turn around, stride toward the cave entrance, and step out into the blinding sunlight.

Outside the entrance, Wei Feisen stands with his blade, like a vicious dog guarding the cave.

The moment he sees you emerge, a flash of gloom passes through his eyes, immediately covered by that familiar, almost ingratiating smile.

"Wanwan, how did it go?" He hurries over, his gaze eagerly searching your face for an answer.

You nod, your tone flat: "There is a way to Cultivate."

Wei Feisen's pupils contract sharply.

There is a way.

These four words crash into his mind, exploding with wild joy. He has dreamed of Cultivating; no, to be precise, he has dreamed of standing before that woman, using a cultivation level stronger than hers to make her realize she chose the wrong person thirty years ago.

Now, finally...

But after the joy, a deeper agitation surges from his chest.

Now that she can Cultivate, what about her promise?

She had said that if she could not Cultivate, she would be a Mortal couple with him.

Now that there is hope for Cultivation, what about him? Is she still willing to marry him?

Wei Feisen's knuckles turn white as he grips the hilt of his blade, but the smile on his face remains unmoved.

"Good," he says, his voice steady, even carrying a hint of tenderness, "Wanwan, go back and study it first. When you figure something out, tell me."

You glance at him, say nothing more, and turn to leave.

Behind you, several Black Tiger Division commanders watch you leave, their eyes filled with irrepressible fervor. The word "Cultivate" is a fatal temptation for any Martial Artist.

You do not look back.

Half an hour later, you return to the imperial palace.

The first thing you do upon returning to the imperial palace is issue a martial law order.

"Issue the decree: Effective immediately, martial law is declared within a five-mile radius of the imperial palace. Without my personal edict, no one is permitted to enter or exit."

"Summon the Linyuan City Garrison Commander of the Black Tiger Division. Mobilize three thousand armored guards to blockade the four gates of Linyuan City. All personnel entering and exiting must be checked one by one. Within half a month, not a single bird is allowed to fly out of the city."

"Further, notify the Imperial Secretariat that all administrative affairs of the imperial palace are to be suspended for three days. Non-urgent matters are to be backlogged, and urgent matters are to be reported for processing."

The female official accepts the order and leaves. Within half a day, Linyuan City becomes an iron bucket.

The city gates are tightly shut. Three thousand Black Tiger armored guards are stationed at the four gates, holding firearms and checking everyone entering or exiting. On the city walls, an archer is stationed every twenty paces. The perimeter of the imperial palace is even more secure, with a sentry every five paces and a guard every ten—not even a mouse could slip through.

You lock yourself in the Imperial Study, spread out the crimson jade book of the Burning Heaven True Art, and begin to memorize it word by word.

Without the assistance of the Eidetic Memory trait, you can only use the most foolish method: reading it section by section, repeating it over and over, until it is etched into your bones.

Three days.

Three full days without sleep or rest.

On the morning of the third day, you finally close the jade book and rub your eyes, which are so sore you can barely keep them open. With the physique of a Peak Great Grandmaster, going three days without sleep will not cause sudden death, but your brain is indeed feeling a bit numb.

But you are very excited.

The entire text of the Burning Heaven True Art is etched into your mind, word for word. This Cultivation Technique has a fire attribute and contains the entire path of cultivation from Aperture Opening to the Peak of Foundation Establishment. Although it is incomplete and cannot be used to reach a higher Realm, it is more than enough as a starting Cultivation Technique.

You have the Cultivation Technique, and you have the source fruit.

Now you only lack a Spiritual Root.

You touch the lukewarm red emperor heart pendant around your neck and sigh. This most critical link is the very one that is stuck.

You push open the door of the Imperial Study. Your eyes, which haven't seen sunlight for three days, squint slightly. The female official waiting outside immediately approaches, presenting a stack of backlogged memorials and documents with both hands.

You glance at the top few, and your brow immediately furrows. The top three are not memorials; they are state letters.

They come from the three nations of North Yan, West Liang, and Great Qing, respectively.

You flip open the first one. The wording of the North Yan sovereign is polite, writing three full pages, but the core meaning is just one sentence: "We heard that Great Li has discovered the ruins of an Immortal, and we wish to share this Opportunity with your esteemed country and exchange what we have for what we lack."

The second one, from West Liang, is more direct: "Matters of the Dao of Immortals concern the common people of the world and cannot be monopolized by a single nation. We hope Great Li will act with a heart that considers the world as public..."

The third one, from Great Qing, is the most shameless: "Our dynasty is willing to send three hundred elite Martial Artists to assist Great Li in researching the Immortal Legacy, and we expect a fifty-fifty split of the results."

You stack the three state letters together and look at the female official with an expressionless face.

"How did the news get out?"

The female official lowers her head, her voice trembling: "Replying to Your Majesty, it is... The Grand Commander of the Black Tiger Division has already investigated. The Deputy Commander of the West City Garrison, Zhao Kui, spoke out of turn while drunk, leaking the matter of the opening of the Immortal Cave at Daliang Mountain. The Grand Commander executed him on the spot last night and hung his head at the West City Gate."

You give an "Mm," and do not ask further.

You have always been assured of Wei Feisen's work. When it comes to silencing people, he is better at it than you, and he enjoys it more too.

"What about the envoys from the various countries?"

"They are all waiting for your decree at the relay station in Linyuan City, and have been waiting for two days."

"Summon them." You turn back to the Imperial Study and toss the three state letters onto the table. "Let them come together."

Half an hour later.

The main hall of the Imperial Study.

You have changed into a black, narrow-sleeved casual robe, your hair tied up in a high bun, and you wear no makeup. The vitality of a Peak Great Grandmaster makes your skin look as translucent and white as jade. Coupled with the passive bonus of Peerless Elegance, even though you are nearly thirty, you still look like a young woman in her early twenties.

But at this moment, there is not a shred of feminine softness about you.

You sit upright in the main seat, your back straight, your hands resting flat on your knees, your gaze sweeping calmly over the three envoys below the steps.