"Has he broken through?"
After Zhou Tieyi usurped the Divine Seed, opening his Dantian Qi Sea had been a matter of course. By the time Gongshu Sheng and Mother Zhou arrived at the training grounds, Zhou Tieyi had already gone off to wash away the impurities from his body.
"Are you certain?"
Mother Zhou’s eyes were fixed on Ada. It was not that she doubted the personal guard who had grown up alongside her son, but the news was simply too monumental—so massive that even she needed time to process it.
Nine days—no, wait, only six days of actual training. Six days to open the Dantian Qi Sea!
Gongshu Sheng also stood dazed for a moment before he suddenly muttered to himself, "Who held the record for opening the Dantian Qi Sea the fastest before this?"
"If I recall correctly, it was the Marquis of Champions, Xiao Yuanshan, of this dynasty. He took seventeen days."
Having said this, even with his mask blocking the view, the sheer ecstasy in Gongshu Sheng's eyes was unmistakable.
Ada also realized the gravity of the situation. This was not just a piece of good news; it was a major political event, especially at this critical juncture where the Empress was about to seize power.
Cold sweat trickled down his back. He looked toward Mother Zhou and said through gritted teeth, "The brothers who witnessed the young master’s breakthrough are all here. There are no outsiders."
Since the breakthrough had happened inside the military camp within the Zhou Mansion, keeping a lid on the news was possible, though it would come at a price.
Gongshu Sheng looked at Mother Zhou, appearing calm and collected.
Mother Zhou regained her usual indifferent demeanor and spoke to the surrounding, anxious soldiers, "You have not failed the Zhou family, and naturally, our Zhou family will not fail you."
Hearing Mother Zhou’s guarantee, the soldiers’ uneasy hearts settled considerably. Ada quickly cupped his hands and said, "We would not dare to withhold our loyalty even unto death!"
Mother Zhou, still worried about her son, said, "Steward Gongshu, you handle the matters here. I am going to see Tieyi."
The soldiers looked at Gongshu Sheng. Even with Mother Zhou’s assurance that their lives were safe, they knew they would likely be unable to have contact with the outside world for the rest of their lives.
Gongshu Sheng smiled. "Rest assured, everyone. Everything remains as it was."
He then turned to the trusted aide following him. "Go to the gatehouse and send out invitations to the martial nobility who are on good terms with the Zhou Mansion. Oh, and remember to send one to the Zhao Mansion in Azure Dragon City, the relatives of the Empress."
"What should I write on the invitations?"
"Write it in the name of the Second Young Master: 'Nine days of martial arts training, Dantian Qi Sea opened, celebration held to mark the occasion.'"
"Ah?"
The aide didn't react for a moment. Wasn't this supposed to be kept strictly confidential?
Gongshu Sheng said confidently, "If our Zhou Mansion dares to write it, do they dare to believe it?"
He then looked at the dozens of soldiers in front of him. "And as for you all, you are on leave today. Whatever happened here, go home and tell your families. Tell them exactly what you saw—the more detailed and the more realistic, the better."
...
Azure Dragon City, Zhao Mansion.
"Have they lost their minds? Who would believe such an absurd excuse? That 'Zhou the Barbarian' already had terrifying strength when we were at Linshui Pavilion. He failed at his literary studies, so he must have been secretly practicing martial arts all along and just kept it hidden!"
Zhao Taisui had been summoned by his father, and upon seeing the invitation, he blurted this out.
Since the invitation from the Zhou family’s Second Young Master had been sent to the Zhao Mansion, they certainly wouldn't send an elder to offer congratulations. At most, they would send someone of the same generation, like Zhao Fo'er.
Zhao Taisui’s father, Zhao Guanshan, was the Empress's own younger brother. Yet, unlike the rest of the Zhao family, who were arrogant and domineering, Zhao Guanshan was quite steady. He had studied Confucian classics diligently since childhood, ranked highly in the imperial examinations, and had been admitted as a student under the great scholar Wang Menglong.
The forty-something-year-old Zhao Guanshan, wearing a blue square cap, tapped the invitation before him. "Regardless of whether the Zhou family has gone mad or not, you will attend the banquet."
"I am not going!" Zhao Taisui shook his head firmly.
Zhao Guanshan looked toward the Monk Shenxiu standing beside his son.
Monk Shenxiu smiled. "It wouldn't hurt to go."
"Why go? To be insulted?"
Zhao Taisui retorted. When he was being stubborn, he was truly capable of ignoring his father's orders.
Shenxiu proposed a reason Zhao Taisui could not refuse. "Didn't you agree to a wager before? This is the perfect chance to go and deliver the challenge."
White Tiger City, Yuchi Mansion.
Yuchi Pojun, the First-Rank Right General of Daxia and the leader of the martial nobility, had naturally received an invitation from the Zhou family.
Having already broken through to Rank Three and now over eighty years old, Yuchi Pojun had long since stopped leading armies in the field and was instead enjoying his twilight years surrounded by children and grandchildren.
Ordinarily, an invitation at the level of the Zhou family's second son wouldn't reach Yuchi Pojun, but because the content was so astonishing, Yuchi Changfeng had passed it to his father.
"Hahaha, interesting! It has been a long time since the capital was this lively!"
Yuchi Pojun slapped his thigh and laughed heartily. His hair and beard were thick, jet-black, and wild, making him look like a prime, majestic lion. His features were broad and powerful, his skin taut.
Once a martial artist reaches Rank Six, their Qi and Blood undergo a transformation. Unless they suffer a severe injury or are nearing the end of their lifespan, they will maintain their peak physical state until death.
"What do you make of it?"
After his laughter subsided, Yuchi Pojun looked at his eldest son.
Yuchi Changfeng practiced the way of the Confucianists, which made him appear older than his father. After careful consideration, he said, "The Zhou Mansion is trying to build momentum, creating a 'heaven-sent talent' as a bargaining chip for a marriage alliance, hoping to rally us martial nobles to oppose the Empress’s Zhao family."
"Wouldn't that be a bit too fake?" asked Yuchi Jing, Yuchi Changfeng's third son.
"The Zhou family just needs an excuse to gather the martial nobility. Who would truly care about the reason itself? Especially since it’s impossible to verify when someone actually started practicing martial arts."
Yuchi Pojun nodded in satisfaction. He then said to his grandson, Yuchi Jing, "You go to the banquet. And take a drop of Kirin essence blood from the treasury as a wedding gift."
The "Kirin essence blood" Yuchi Pojun spoke of was not the blood of common beasts with Kirin lineage, but the true blood of a Rank Three Kirin. Back then, Yuchi Pojun had slain a Kirin that was attempting to achieve godhood, and he had only obtained nine drops of that essence blood.
Yuchi Jing’s lips trembled. In the end, he did not dare to challenge Yuchi Pojun’s decision, for Yuchi Pojun was the sky that held up the Yuchi family.
Seeing his grandson's reaction, Yuchi Pojun scolded him with his characteristic temper. "Speak if you have something to say! The Yuchi family will have to rely on you all in the future—don't act like you know things when you don't!"
Yuchi Jing quickly said, "Isn't that too precious?"
If the Zhou boy truly had opened his Dantian in nine days, giving a drop of essence blood would be fine, but this was clearly a lie!
Yuchi Pojun looked at his son, Yuchi Changfeng.
Yuchi Changfeng understood his father was testing him. "Father is planning to make a fake into reality."
As long as Zhou Tieyi’s natural talent wasn't too dull, a drop of Kirin essence blood for Spirit Planting would be enough to turn a person of mediocre talent into a true genius!
Yuchi Pojun nodded with satisfaction. "You haven't wasted your years of reading."
He then lectured his grandson: "The Zhou family wants a genius to rally us against the relatives of the Empress, so we will give them a genius. Then, no one can say we didn't help!"
Yuchi Changfeng’s eyes lit up. Given the current political climate, the Zhou family was in the line of fire. As the leaders of the martial nobility, the Yuchi family could not sit by and watch their subordinates be bullied by the Empress's clan. However, directly confronting the Zhao family would only benefit the Zhou family, and the price would be too high.
"Besides, this drop of blood isn't given for nothing. Consider it a gift for young Zhou Qinlong’s promotion to Rank Three."
Yuchi Pojun wore the smile of an old fox. One gift, two favors—he wasn't losing anything on this deal!
Yuchi Changfeng’s expression grew grave. "Father, is this settled?"
Although Zhou Qinlong had the potential to promote to Rank Three, no one could be certain if there would be variables until he actually succeeded.
Yuchi Pojun stroked his beard. "I, myself, am not certain."
"Then why did you just say it was a gift for the Tiger-Awe General..."
Yuchi Jing was left completely confused by his grandfather.
"You fool. I am not certain, but I know that His Majesty has promoted Zhou Tiege to Deputy Commander of the Imperial Feather Guard!"
Yuchi Pojun cupped his hands toward the palace. "His Majesty is wise and clear-sighted; he never does business at a loss!"