Having existed for over a millennium, Zhao Country is situated between Chu Country and Qi Country, and its capital, Haiyuan City, has witnessed the nation's history of struggle. The people of Zhao Country are remarkably courageous; most of them practice martial arts from a young age to withstand beast tides, honing their combat skills and cultivating resilient wills and robust physiques. At the same time, the royal family and literati of Zhao Country place great emphasis on the education of their youth, and the imperial court selects officials from among these young talents. The court's system is similar to that of the ancient Jin Dynasty in Zhao Yi's Earth.
The architectural style of Haiyuan City blends elements of martial prowess and culture. The tall, sturdy city walls demonstrate the defense strength of Zhao Country, while the buildings within the city are both magnificent and elegant, featuring resplendent palaces and pavilions alongside academies fragrant with the scent of ink.
The martial spirit of Zhao Country drives its people forward fearlessly during beast tides, while its tradition of valuing literature provides a continuous source of wisdom and creativity for the nation's development. Blending martial might with culture, the country radiates a unique charm, becoming a land full of vitality and hope.
In the eastern part of the inner imperial palace in Haiyuan City, there is a compound consisting of three successive courtyards. The main gate bears no plaque, but everyone in the capital knows this is the residence of the honored guests of Zhao Country. The surroundings are heavily guarded, and ordinary people are strictly forbidden to approach. From the emperor down to high-ranking officials, anyone with business must report in advance; unauthorized intruders are executed on the spot with no one to seek justice for them. The Sacrificial Hall is divided into three small courtyards: front, middle, and back. The front courtyard is the largest, with some areas designated for servants to live and work, while the majority consists of rockeries, lakes, and a small martial arts training ground. The middle courtyard is smaller, serving as a place for the honored guests to handle affairs and receive visitors. The back courtyard is also relatively large, divided into east and west wing rooms, where two honored guests reside. Each side features a bedroom, a cultivation room, and spaces for crafting talismans and refining pills. Although it appears neat, orderly, and extremely luxurious from the outside, the interior of the compound is simply decorated. Aside from the guards standing watch at the front and back gates, there are only three or five maidservants inside, mainly responsible for the daily care of the masters and the cleanliness of the courtyards. The innermost courtyard is where Zhao Yi lives and cultivates, and maidservants are forbidden to enter it without his permission. Since it is his living and cultivation space, the third courtyard is equipped with a simple Spirit-Gathering Array and warning defense formations, making it impossible for ordinary people to intrude.
Zhao Yi stepped out of the cultivation room and deactivated the Spirit-Gathering Array. He cast a Dust-Removal Spell to cleanse his body, changed into a fresh set of clothes, opened the door of the third courtyard, and walked into the middle courtyard.
The middle courtyard serves as a reception area for guests. Hanging high on the front wall is a framed piece of calligraphy bearing the three characters "Liu Xian Ju", presumably written personally by some founding ancestor and passed down to this day. Every generation of honored guests knows that this is actually a defensive Talisman Array capable of withstanding an attack from the late Golden Core stage. Those with lower cultivation dare not look directly at the characters, as a sword seems to thrust straight toward them, making them instinctively want to flee. Mortals feel nothing of the sort, sensing only a profound artistic conception and thinking it is well-written, though they can never quite articulate why. On the left and right walls hang four paintings, each depicting a woman dancing with a sword in different postures; these were supposedly also hung by that same ancestor. Below "Liu Xian Ju" stands an Eight Immortals table. To the left of the table is the master's seat, while the seat to the right is reserved exclusively for the emperor in person, with three chairs on each side. The small reception hall is permeated by a solemn atmosphere, and even the maidservants dare not linger when cleaning, as the pressure is simply too great.
Zhao Yi walked into the "Liu Xian Ju" reception hall, looked around, and then glanced at the large characters of "Liu Xian Ju." His heart skipped a beat and a wave of dizziness washed over him, causing him to hurriedly look away. Every time, Zhao Yi only dared to take a single glance; the very first time, he had passed out directly and only woke up after a long while. Yet this time, why did he feel a slight restlessness in the spiritual energy within the newly added meridians in his body? Puzzled, Zhao Yi looked at the characters again. The profound artistic conception once more made him dizzy, and he saw a sword thrusting toward his eyes, accompanied by an overwhelming pressure bearing down directly upon him. Just as Zhao Yi was about to dodge, the spiritual energy within his Mutant Meridian surged, flowing rapidly through the meridians. A trace of coolness rose from within his body and rushed straight to his head, noticeably lessening the dizziness in his mind and mitigating some of the overwhelming pressure.
Could these newly developed meridians cope with high-level pressure? This discovery thrilled Zhao Yi beyond measure. During moments of pressure, one's circulation is obstructed and even breathing becomes difficult; in severe cases, it can cause individuals of lower rank to burst and die. Being able to resist pressure would be a tremendous asset in battle.
Zhao Yi shifted his gaze, suppressing the spiritual energy within the Mutant Meridian with a wave of joy in his heart. He walked over to the master's seat, sat down, and picked up a teacup to take a sip.
"Someone come," he called out to the outside. His voice was not loud, yet it carried quite a distance, easily reaching the maidservants in the front courtyard. He then picked up the calling card on the table and began to read.