Important News

For the next half month, Zhao Hongming devoted himself wholeheartedly to cultivation.

He trained hard for at least eight hours every day.

Through his diligent cultivation, his realm had successfully broken through to Meridian Opening Seventh Grade.

Even "advancing a thousand miles in a day" was no longer enough to describe such monstrous progress.

Even so, Zhao Hongming still felt it was a little slow.

As he cultivated into the later stages, the progress required grew ever longer.

Had his Physique not improved somewhat before, his current progress would likely have been much slower.

During this time, Zhao Hongming noticed that in court, the Jian'an Emperor frequently summoned his ministers, and the atmosphere within the palace had become extremely tense.

He vaguely sensed that something major was about to happen.

Under such circumstances, Zhao Hongming did not dare slacken in the slightest.

Whenever time allowed, he would occasionally choose to cultivate a while longer.

Clear Breeze Pavilion, rear courtyard.

Zhao Hongming picked up the bow and arrows Chen Xuerong had given him earlier and stood in the courtyard.

Now that he was at Meridian Opening Seventh Grade, his body had undergone earth-shaking changes under the nourishment of Longevity True Qi.

The muscles all over his body bulged high. Standing there, he was like an ancient pine rooted firmly into the earth.

Zhao Hongming drew a feathered arrow, set it to the bowstring, and suddenly exerted force with both arms.

The Two Stone hard bow was drawn into a full moon.

Whoosh!

A sharp explosion tore through the air.

The long arrow left the string like a falling meteor, striking the red bullseye painted onto a stone wall fifty paces away.

The arrowhead sank into the wall.

But it was not over yet.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

Three arrows flew in rapid succession. Each one burst through the air with an explosive crack and struck the bullseye dead center.

He could now fire the Two Stone Bow in a continuous volley. In a sense, his strength was certainly above Two Stone.

The Eight Desolations Eternal Youth Technique truly deserved to be called an Immortal Martial Arts Technique.

Once one achieved even minor success in it, its enhancement of the physical body far surpassed other techniques.

Moreover, he no longer needed an Imperial Physician to examine him to know that his flesh and blood now brimmed with vital essence, his True Qi flowed through his entire body like liquid, and his lifespan had already increased somewhat. He would live longer than ordinary people.

Zhao Hongming could not help but look forward to the Eight Desolations Eternal Youth Technique even more.

At that moment, Wang Bao, the Eunuch standing guard outside Clear Breeze Pavilion, jogged in to deliver a message. "Your Highness, Miss Chen has arrived."

"Invite Miss Chen to the main hall. This Prince will change clothes and come over."

A few days earlier, Zhao Hongming had already received word that Chen Xuerong would enter the palace once each month from now on to teach him Martial Arts.

His earlier joking remark that he regarded Chen Xuerong as half a teacher was likely about to come true.

Before long, Zhao Hongming arrived in the main hall and saw Chen Xuerong sitting upright and properly composed.

She wore a pristine white gown, like a lotus rising from the water as she stood before him.

Her curving figure, full in front and rounded behind, truly made it difficult to look away.

Within the palace, princes were surrounded only by castrated Eunuchs and stalwart guards.

Palace maids with even a little beauty rarely appeared before a prince prior to his coming-of-age ceremony.

Thus, seeing Chen Xuerong put Zhao Hongming in a rare and considerably brighter mood.

Chen Xuerong cupped her fists. "Your Highness, it has been a long time."

"Miss Chen, it has indeed been a long time. Have you been well lately?"

"Thank you for Your Highness's concern. Everything has been well."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the two gradually got to the point.

"Has Your Highness encountered any bottlenecks or things you do not understand in your recent cultivation?"

Zhao Hongming hesitated briefly. "This Prince is currently cultivating the Meridian Opening Chapter of the Eternal Youth Technique. The entire chapter focuses on strengthening flesh and blood. This Prince has been wondering, does the Eternal Youth Technique not have even a single Martial Skill?"

Chen Xuerong said, "Actually, the Eight Desolations Eternal Youth Technique has a corresponding Martial Skill in its Orifice Opening Chapter, called Eight Desolations Secret Travel. It is a Martial Skill focused on movement techniques and can be used to protect oneself and evade enemies."

At present, Zhao Hongming was focused on comprehending the Meridian Opening Chapter of the Eight Desolations Eternal Youth Technique. He had not yet studied the later portions, so he knew little about the Orifice Opening Chapter.

"Then again, Eight Desolations Secret Travel is the only Martial Skill in the entire Eight Desolations Eternal Youth Technique. There truly are not many techniques for attack and conquest. If Your Highness wishes to learn such things, I fear you will be disappointed."

Zhao Hongming was not surprised in the least upon hearing this. It was a longevity technique, after all. How could it be filled with so much fighting and killing?

"That is no matter. Once this Prince has achieved success in cultivation, I can go to the Martial Repository Pavilion and choose a superior Martial Skill. It is still too early to speak of such things now."

Chen Xuerong nodded. "Eternal Youth True Qi is All-Union True Qi and can work well with all kinds of Martial Skills. With the world in turmoil, if Your Highness truly wishes to learn, it would be best to learn something for self-defense sooner rather than later."

"The world is in turmoil? What has happened outside?"

"Does Your Highness not know?"

"This Prince does not. I hope Miss Chen will tell me."

"I only heard it from my father. Chu Country is currently actively exchanging envoys with the Han and Zhao Two Countries, and they are expected to deploy troops against Great Wei in the near future. Perhaps many Martial Warriors from the Chu, Zhao, and Han Three Countries will come to Daliang first to launch an attack. Daliang will likely not remain peaceful in the future."

"There are also rumors circulating among the common folk that Your Majesty is forging a God-Demon Weapon within the palace, and it is soon to be completed. So even the palace may not necessarily be safe."

"This..."

Hearing Chen Xuerong's news, Zhao Hongming's heart surged with towering waves.

Once several countries went to war, they would surely stop at nothing.

Every sort of scheme and stratagem would be brought into play.

If, as Chen Xuerong had said, the Jian'an Emperor was truly forging a God-Demon Weapon within the palace, then once war began, this would certainly become a target for the Enemy Countries.

After all, once a God-Demon Weapon was completed, even someone without Creation Realm cultivation could possess the power to destroy an entire city.

It was something that would set Martial Arts Forces across the world aflame with desire.

In order to seize the God-Demon Weapon, they would carve out a separate battlefield even within Great Wei's Imperial Palace.

Perhaps Martial Warriors of the Innate Realm, or even the Martial Courage Realm, would come to take a share of the spoils.

At that thought, Zhao Hongming's expression could not help turning solemn.

Before then, he had to find a way to raise his strength further and increase his means of self-preservation.

"Thank you, Miss Chen, for informing this Prince of this matter. Otherwise, this Prince would still be kept in the dark, muddleheaded and unaware."

Chen Xuerong did not take it seriously. "These are all news from outside the palace. Even if this humble daughter had not said anything, Your Highness would have learned of them eventually. It is only a matter of sooner or later."

"That is not quite right. Miss Chen does not know that although this Prince is a prince by status, confined within the palace walls, this Prince is truly not as well informed as you are. If you had not told this Prince, who knows when this Prince would have found out."

Zhao Hongming was not being modest. He truly did not have many channels for information.

He knew little about matters both inside and outside the palace.

That was precisely why he felt so insecure.

He had continuously cultivated hard, raising his own realm.

"Just as Miss Chen said, the world is in turmoil. This Prince wishes to go to the Martial Repository Pavilion and choose a Martial Skill. Does Miss Chen have any recommendations?"

Chen Xuerong pondered for a moment before asking, "Does Your Highness prefer Martial Skills for evading enemies, or Offensive Skills?"

This chapter was written a little hastily. When it was first posted, many sentences were awkward and unclear, so I revised it again afterward.