Chapter 5

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Midnight…

The chilling wind howled.

A black figure scuttled out of Eternal Happiness Palace.

Zhao Mu disguised himself and left the hall.

His internal energy pulsed as he applied strength on his foot.

With just a few steps, he got up to the roof’s ridge and vaulted over the palace walls.

He was like an agile black cat, quickly moving through the dark corners.

Fortunately, no royal guards patrolled around the cold palace during that season. He would only occasionally run into a few eunuchs on duty.

Zhao Mu was able to quickly hide behind the decorative hills, or around a corner to stay out of sight.

There were surprises along the way, but he made it to Jingren Palace safely.

‘I can’t go any further.’

Zhao Mu’s brows twitched as he felt a foreboding feeling.

If he continued further, he would reach the Eastern Palace1, Queen’s Court, and other important areas of the inner court.

He knew that martial arts were celebrated in this world.

It had been 200 years since the founding of the Zhou Kingdom and three generations had passed.

There would definitely be no lack of expert guards and guest masters.

Trespassing into the inner court at a mere second Mortal Stage was no doubt courting death.

If not for Jingren Palace being nearby the cold palace and its security more relaxed than the important locations in the inner districts, Zhao Mu would never take such a risk.

“Jingren Palace is the residence of Consort Ning. Little Yuan had also stayed here for some time, but later moved to Eternal Harmony Palace.”

Zhao Mu was extremely careful. He remained hidden for some time and did not approach in a hurry.

He scouted the surroundings. After noticing nothing out of the ordinary, he shifted his gaze to a four-storey building nearby.

That was the private library shared by the princes. Kept within it were many classics of the six arts.

In ancient times, there were many educated officials and they debated.

A scholar suggested the ‘Gentleman Theory’.

He felt that students needed to study in six basic fields.

They were the fields of ethics, music, archery, riding, literacy, and mathematics.

One would only be considered a gentleman after learning all six arts.

Out of the six, archery and riding were not simple techniques in archery and steering a carriage.

They were instead compulsory courses to train one’s strength, courage, and nurtured Qi and blood circulation. 

“There are plenty of scriptures and records within the library. Should I go in and have a look?”

With him being only a dozen steps away, Zhao Mu felt the urge to go in.

If he only imprinted his Dao mark and acquired the foreign object, he might not get what he wanted.

The library surely had books of martial arts kept within it.

If he used his Perfect Memory ability to memorize a few books, he could then go through them in secret, cross-checking them with each other..

It would also help him grow his knowledge and improve his understanding over the subject.

“Forget it. I better be careful. I’ll just take a few more steps forward and leave after imprinting my Dao mark.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Zhao Mu forced down the urges and impatience within him.

His cultivation stage was too low. If he barged into the library and met an expert guarding the place, he would most likely be apprehended instantly.

He better err on the side of caution before reaching the Innate Grandmaster Stage.

One…two…three steps.

Zhao Mu crept closer. He felt the mysterious stone dial in his mind trembling more and more.

There were conditions to imprinting his Dao mark.

He must be nearby, and it required three breaths of time.

“Someone’s here!”

Before he could finish imprinting, the alert Zhao Mu heard a series of footsteps.

He saw a skinny figure running in the snow at full speed, crossing the expanse in an instant.

The other party did not take the main door and climbed in through the window directly. He stepped on the eaves and rolled into the library’s second floor.

The entire set of movements were smooth, seemingly well practiced.

“What’s Little Yuan doing?”

That person did not wear any disguise, nor did he masked his face. It was the Eleventh Prince, Zhao Yuan.

Zhao Mu had a fleeting moment of shock. He did not expect to run into his brother when visiting the library late in the night.

What was that all about?

Brother in arms?

However, Zhao Yuan was not forbidden from learning martial arts. Why did he need to sneak into the library in the middle of the night?

As long as it was not some secret art, the princes could learn any martial arts techniques within the imperial city’s inner district. Why the need for secrecy?

With doubts in his heart, Zhao Mu waited for a while before doing the same.

He nimbly pushed the window open and slipped into the building.

As a transmigrated soul from another world, Zhao Mu had never seen his parents, therefore felt nothing about it.

However, the same could not be said for his brother, Zhao Yuan.

The cold palace was surrounded heavily by cold air. Whenever Winter came, it would feel like an icy cave.

When Zhao Mu just transmigrated over, it was truly unbearable.

One year, he caught a serious cold.

There was no one to care for him in the palace. He almost froze to death on the bed.

Zhao Yuan secretly consulted the imperial doctor to prescribe some medicine and delivered them to him in secret along with fur coats. After that, he instructed the Imperial Household Department to get a heating stove, charcoal, and other necessities. If not for that, Zhao Mu would have died within the cold palace before the mysterious stone dial could be activated.

That was why he could not sit by and watch when it had to do with his brother, Zhao Yuan.

“Lucky me. There are no experts.”

Zhao Mu scanned the surroundings and celebrated internally.

It was empty inside. The lower floors had a few lamps. The eunuchs in charge of cleaning had huddled up together and were laying on the table fast asleep.

Beside their legs were several burning charcoal stoves used for keeping warm.

Thinking about it carefully, it made sense.

After all, it was just a personal library for the princes.

There was no need to go through the trouble of sending some experts over to guard it.

Within the library…

The first floor was historical records.

The second floor stored books regarding martial arts.

Meanwhile, the third floor were miscellaneous books and ancient books.

With a flash, Zhao Yuan went up to the third floor without pause.

Zhao Mu stepped lightly and followed closely from behind.

He hid between the two floors, suppressed his breathing and focused. He could hear his brother’s voice.

“Master, I’m here.”

While nobody was paying attention, Zhao Mu moved quickly and hid between the shelves, looking over.

He noticed that Zhao Yuan prostrated himself. From the lower shelf of the third book rack, he removed a thin booklet.

The young Eleventh Prince produced three sticks of incense and tried to lit them with folded paper.

The strands of smoke transformed and formed a blurrish face.

Following that, the air rumbled and a hoarse nightingale-like voice could be heard.

“It’s only been two months and you’ve reached the adept stage of the Form Shaping level! Excellent! As expected of my good disciple!”

A hint of respect appeared on Zhao Yuan’s handsome and feminine face.

Before he could speak, his master had already known his improvement in martial arts.

Just how profound was that!?

Just that insight and knowledge alone was already far beyond the royal guard instructor.

“My dear disciple, I’ll teach you a few more tricks! In terms of tempering your strength and bones, this Tiger Crane Fists that I created is a rare treasure!”

Within the book, that nightingale-like voice boasted proudly, “Even the Heavenly Dragon Temple’s baldy, Chaos Origin Path, Scarlet Manor, Dharma Mountain… None can compare!”

Lingering will in the book?

Tiger Crane Fists?

Zhao Mu, who was hiding in a corner, frowned.

That mind was able to imprint itself on an inanimate object and affect the physical world, shaking the air currents while creating voices.

That might be an expert at the Spiritual Transformation level!

When did his brother get acquainted with such a weird master?

On the third floor, that extremely odd lingering thought in the book started passing on its knowledge on martial arts.

Half an hour passed quickly. Following that, the rumbling of mental energy weakened.

The voice caused by the air currents grew softer as well.

“We’ll stop here today. You’re born in the imperial family and won’t be lacking in terms of supplementary materials like elixirs and salves. Go do your thing. Come back in a month!”

Zhao Yuan nodded respectfully, about to kowtow and take his leave.

It was a serendipitous encounter.

Who would have thought a mysticism book on Feng Shui named Geomancy of Eight Veins would be imprinted with the lingering will of an expert of the Spiritual Transformation level.

“Master, how long would it take for me to reach the Innate Grandmaster Stage?” Zhao Yuan asked in a solemn tone after hesitating for some time, before the book closed fully.

“Do you think Innate Grandmasters are like cabbages that you can find randomly in the market?”

That nightingale-like voice burst out laughing, feeling that its own disciple was being ignorant.

“My dear disciple! Even if you’re a natural born martial artist, had exceptional talent, learned martial arts at greater rate than others, and have no bottlenecks, I can only guarantee your arrival at Foundation Establishment, or Qi Refinement Stage! Any higher would require decades of training and hard work!

“As for the Innate Grandmaster Stage, it’s impossible to reach without some luck on your side!”

The lingering will within the book seemed rather excited.

There were many Spiritual Transformation Experts, but only so few Innate Grandmasters.

It was a qualitative transformation.

Those who succeed would dominate the world.

Those who fail would toil for the rest of their lives.

After hearing that, Zhao Yuan did not falter. He asked, “Master, you come from…Sacred Sect. Are there no shortcuts?”

“Get that crooked thought out of your head immediately!”

That hoarse voice suddenly turned stern.

“Our Six Sacred Sects were deemed as evil sects by the Three Orthodox Doctrines1 because we acted with impunity and went against traditions.

“However, in terms of martial arts cultivation, there aren’t many differences.

“I have traveled forty-nine provinces, but have yet to come across any shortcuts. Hehe, there are plenty of idiots that died quickly instead!

“If you want to take shortcuts, then you might as well give up practicing martial arts. Just jump off a cliff and see if you can run into some miracle cultivator to pass you his arts and send you to heaven instantly!”

Seeing his master’s anger, Zhao Yuan quickly lowered his head and kept quiet.

The reason he asked that was because he wished to save his brother from the cold palace as soon as he could.

Five, ten, twenty years…

He could wait, but could his brother wait?

“Kid, you’re too obstinate. If you have any longings, it would be easy to run into barriers in your martial arts cultivation! Yet somehow, you’re a great talent that’s suited to join our Sacred Sect.”

The lingering will in the book turned to laughter, seemingly out of satisfaction and admiration. 

“Those baldy and bandits are just fake gentlemen. They called us ‘demonic’, but what’s the definition of being demonic? Any obsession without realization is demonic!”

Zhao Yuan mulled over the meaning behind his master’s words. He closed the book after the lingering will dispersed, then headed back along the path he came from.

In just a few breaths, the third floor of the library returned to its quiet state.

Zhao Mu came out from his hiding spot. His eyes glowed faintly with a hesitant look on his face.

Logically speaking, his brother just had a fortuitous encounter.

He would be having great achievements in the path of martial arts in the future. It was a good thing.

However, when he thought about it in detail, that lingering will in the book was not someone of good character.

Otherwise, why would he bear such a condescending attitude to the Heavenly Dragon Temple, Chaos Origin Path, and the other great sects?

Furthermore, the tone of voice was filled with animosity and ridicule.

Most importantly, Sacred Sect?

That was the Demon Sect!

“Should I do something?”

Zhao Mu did not wish to ruin his brother’s fortuitous encounter, but he did not want to let Zhao Yuan take such risks.

If that lingering will in the book was a great demon…that would be bad.

Within the Divine Continent, apart from the Ten Great Sects, there were the Demon Sects. In fact, because of their ancient inheritance, they were listed as the Six Sacred Grounds.

According to rumors, those evil cultivators were the most mysterious and ruthless. They were existences that struck fear in the world of martial arts.

While Zhao Mu was hesitating, the mysterious stone dial in his mind started trembling and shaking violently.

‘You’ve arrived at the library. Acquired lingering will of the Spiritual Transformation Stage!’

‘Would you like to imprint?’

Zhao Mu raised his brows.

‘There’s such a function?’