[Through the effect of fortune, you slew a wisp of the soul of an upper-realm Sea-Overturning Realm immortal and gained three traces of Invincible Intent!]
A notification appeared in Chen Xia's mind. He froze for a moment, then sank into his Divine Sense to look.
[Invincible Intent: when killing enemies above your realm, killing someone one realm above you grants one trace of Invincible Intent, which augments you and allows you to surpass others of your realm. Three thousand traces of Invincible Intent make an invincible person, opening the path of a Great Emperor and allowing you to ascend to the heavens.]
Chen Xia nodded, roughly understanding. He did not pay much attention to it. After all, he needed three thousand traces of Invincible Intent to open the emperor's path, and he only had three. He was a long way off.
[Through the effect of fortune, you defeated an upper-realm immortal and obtained his cultivation method, volume one of the Mystic Primordial Dao Chapters.]
Another notification popped up in his mind. Chen Xia quieted his Divine Sense and opened volume one of the Mystic Primordial Dao Chapters.
[Heaven and earth are mystic and primordial. Cultivate for countless years without dying. The three thousand Great Daos are all a single chapter.] [Only after learning Mystic Primordial Qi may you cultivate the Dao Chapters.]
Chen Xia skimmed through it. This was a cultivation method whose first volume supported cultivation up to the Nascent Soul Realm, the same ceiling as the Great Turtle Breathing Technique, though its specific effects differed.
The cultivation approach in volume one of the Mystic Primordial Dao Chapters required him to cultivate a trace of Mystic Primordial Qi within his body before using it to write Dao chapters inside himself. The more he wrote, the higher his realm and the greater his strength.
In the end, he could even attain the Body of the Great Dao.
That, however, was not part of the first volume. The specific cultivation methods only appeared in later volumes; the first merely offered a brief mention.
Chen Xia still did not give it much thought, treating it as nothing more than loot dropped from killing a monster. He stretched, beckoned to the remaining hundreds of thousands of barbarian cavalry, and said casually,
"Scram."
The barbarian cavalry dared not linger, much less argue with Chen Xia. They hurried back at once, riding toward the grasslands without stopping.
"The Qi Refining cultivators can stay," Chen Xia called out. He was quite worried that these Qi Refining cultivators would tip off those so-called upper-realm immortals.
The Qi Refining cultivators stiffened, then immediately knelt and kowtowed to Chen Xia.
"Please spare us, Immortal! We will live quietly in seclusion overseas from now on. We won't dare make any more trouble."
Chen Xia nodded. "I'd really like to spare you too, but everything you've done leaves me uneasy."
"Rest assured, Immortal! We absolutely will not contact the upper realm. Besides, an upper-realm immortal's descent requires a physique as strong as Tiemuwu's. There aren't that many exceptionally gifted people in this world. Please don't worry, Immortal!"
Chen Xia nodded, folding his arms. "You know I'm a good person, and I'm also rather lazy. Usually, if I can avoid taking action, I won't..."
"Yes, yes, you're a very good person!" the Qi Refining cultivators hurriedly agreed.
"Mm." Chen Xia nodded in agreement, then replied calmly, "But I'm not a complete fucking idiot. Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't want to live in fear."
"I'll kill you by the fastest means possible, so you won't suffer too much."
"So..."
Chen Xia rolled up his sleeves. Under the terrified gazes of the Qi Refining cultivators, he extended a hand in an inviting gesture and said,
"Please go to your deaths."
All fifty-six overseas Qi Refining cultivators present that day died outside the border city.
The whole thing took no more than ten breaths.
Chen Xia stood outside the city, invincibility written all over his face.
After the immortal crushed the barbarian cavalry, the Great Song Dynasty not only held the border but also reclaimed the hundred li of territory it had previously lost, without expending a single soldier.
The barbarian cavalry retreated to the grasslands and no longer dared invade Great Song's territory.
All of this was thanks to Great Song's immortal, now its National Preceptor of Great Song.
Stories of the Imperial Preceptor's deeds were circulating among the common people. They said he had casually stamped his foot and buried nearly ten thousand barbarian cavalrymen alive, then battered the barbarians' immortal to death before both armies, unrivaled in the world.
Some in the martial world simply removed the "half" from Chen Xia's "half-invincible" and declared him invincible.
There were dissenting voices, however, saying that the immortal within Great Song's immortal sect had not emerged, and the two immortals had never truly fought one another, so Chen Xia could not count as truly invincible.
His strength remained a matter of debate, but in fame, Chen Xia was already indisputably first under heaven. Even Great Song's emperor could not compare.
The common people now spoke not of the emperor, but only of the immortal. Though they dared not weigh their merits in public, in private conversations at home, they would say scornfully,
"The emperor? Hah! The emperor isn't the greatest. Tell him to throw his weight around in front of the immortal Imperial Preceptor. Would he dare? Would he dare make the immortal Imperial Preceptor kneel?"
"I'd say he's the one who should kneel to the immortal!"
Such remarks were only made privately at home, never out in the open, for fear of being discovered and losing their heads.
But that was indeed the truth.
The martial world no longer spoke of the ten greatest experts under heaven or the world's two immortals.
There was only one immortal.
Chen Xia.
Because Chen Xia alone was enough to crush the entire martial world.
The title of the ten greatest experts under heaven truly seemed far too laughable before Chen Xia.
[Through the effect of fortune, you have gained the adoration of Great Song's people. Flood Dragon Qi: 50/100]
Chen Xia had been sleeping in his carriage, but that notification jolted him wide awake.
What the hell? It went straight up by forty-five?!
Only after taking a closer look did he realize he had gained the adoration of Great Song's people. He could not help nodding, feeling that he truly was someone who relied on ability.
Hearing the movement inside, the soldier escorting the carriage at the front hurriedly asked,
"Lord Imperial Preceptor, is anything making you uncomfortable? We'll change it right away."
Chen Xia shifted his reclining position and replied, "Nothing. How much longer until we reach the imperial capital?"
The soldier hurriedly replied, "At this pace, about three more days. His Majesty the emperor will be able to see you then."
His wording had the emperor seeing Chen Xia, rather than Chen Xia seeing the emperor, demonstrating that Chen Xia stood a head above the emperor.
"Mm." Chen Xia nodded, then added, "Wake me when we arrive. I'm going to rest."
"Yes, of course." The soldier hurriedly nodded in agreement.
Chen Xia went back to slacking off, thinking about his future path along the way.
That so-called upper-realm immortal had declared that if Chen Xia dared enter the myriad worlds of the heavens, he would hunt Chen Xia for countless years until he killed him for good.
So he could not go to those so-called myriad worlds of the heavens right now.
Besides, he had no way to get there.
That was good news.
All he needed to do now was stay in this world, where he was safe, and wait for his yearly attribute points while cultivating the Great Turtle Breathing Technique.
He would wait a few thousand or ten thousand years before going out. By then, who would be hunting whom was anyone's guess.
Chen Xia also wanted to cultivate volume one of the Mystic Primordial Dao Chapters. More skills were never a burden, and besides, this cultivation method looked much more normal than the Great Turtle Breathing Technique.
He stretched again, silently circulated the cultivation method, and waited to grow stronger.
What a dull and tedious cultivation process it really was.
For Chen Xia, growing stronger was precisely this boring a process.
Before Chen Xia reached the capital, his portrait was already circulating there.
Ordinary people aside, who would at most take a portrait to see what the immortal Imperial Preceptor looked like and broaden their horizons.
The officials could not think that way. Strict orders had come from above: anyone in the capital had to memorize the Imperial Preceptor's portrait, committing every feature to memory. There would even be an examination, and anyone who failed could forget about remaining an official.
The emperor had also personally issued an imperial decree: all serving officials, regardless of rank or occasion, had to kneel and bow upon seeing the Lord Imperial Preceptor. Any who disobeyed would be dismissed immediately!
What that meant was that even if you were relieving yourself in the privy, you would have to kneel and bow bare-bottomed if you saw Chen Xia.
Though encountering him in such circumstances was not particularly likely.
The capital was exceptionally busy over these days. Not only did they have to memorize Chen Xia's portrait.
They also had to decorate the capital, putting up banners reading "Welcome, Lord Imperial Preceptor" wherever there were bustling crowds.
The emperor even ordered statues of the Imperial Preceptor built in many of the capital's bustling districts.
A huge statue of Chen Xia was also to be erected outside the imperial city gates, along the path where the ministers climbed the steps to attend court.
One minister raised an objection. "Your Majesty, if the crown prince succeeds to the throne in the future, might these actions damage his image?"
"Which crown prince's image would they damage? The Imperial Preceptor saved our Great Song. As long as he doesn't object, I am willing to build statues of him throughout the nation. Wherever there are people in Great Song, there will be a statue of the Imperial Preceptor!"
The emperor waved a hand and rebuked the minister.
The minister hurriedly lowered his head, knowing he had misspoken, and dared say no more.
Looking at him, the emperor sighed heavily and cursed, "You really do have a head made of elmwood. I must seriously consider whether you're suited to such a high position!"
The minister bowed his head and nodded humbly. "Your Majesty is right to reprimand me. Your humble servant is slow-witted."
The emperor drew a breath, still frustrated that iron would not turn to steel. These ministers were loyal enough, but their minds simply could not turn the corner.
Now that they had an immortal's thigh to cling to, they should shamelessly rush over and embrace it.
Even if they had to press their warm faces against a cold backside, they had to do it properly.
Otherwise, who should be emperor and who should rule the world were still matters the immortal could decide with a single word.
If they served the immortal comfortably and he saw that they knew how to behave, wouldn't he let their Great Song keep ruling the world?
Otherwise, if the immortal found them displeasing, he could simply slap them dead and establish an obedient dynasty instead.
"Leave." The emperor waved impatiently, telling the minister to get lost.
The minister hurriedly withdrew.
The emperor paced through the hall, repeatedly exhaling, feeling somewhat nervous.
At their current pace, the immortal would reach the capital in two days. What could he do to satisfy him?
The emperor racked his brains, deeply troubled.
Inside the carriage, Chen Xia lay sprawled at odd angles, a comfortable position he had finally managed to find.
A woman's clear voice suddenly sounded outside.
"Lord Imperial Preceptor, may I come in?"
It was Great Song's eldest princess asking.
"Mm," Chen Xia replied lazily.
The carriage door opened, and the eldest princess entered in luxurious robes. She knelt respectfully to one side and asked with a smile,
"I wonder whether you're satisfied with this journey, Imperial Preceptor?"
"It's all right." Chen Xia nodded indifferently. "I don't know where to go anyway."
The woman smiled, her hands resting on her knees, her back straight, her body displaying graceful curves as she replied,
"This trip to the capital certainly won't disappoint you, Imperial Preceptor."
"I certainly won't be disappointed." Chen Xia nodded and explained, "Because I have no expectations at all."
He had no fantasies about this capital. He was going there simply because he wanted to ride in a carriage.
The smile on the woman's face stiffened. She did not know how to respond.
"What's your name?" Chen Xia suddenly asked.
"Song Qian," the woman hurriedly replied.
"Mm, all right." Chen Xia nodded, idly gazing out the window.
"Imperial Preceptor, what are your thoughts on the Great Song Dynasty?" Song Qian suddenly asked, her hands tightly clutching the fabric over her knees, her heart uneasy.
"My thoughts..." Chen Xia looked out the window and replied calmly.
"I don't have any particular thoughts. It's just like any other dynasty: one emperor, a few hundred ministers, and over a hundred million common people."
"As long as there's no famine or war, things are actually quite good this way, aren't they?"
"But the times are always moving forward. Perhaps you'll become a page in a history book. Who can say for sure?"
Song Qian could not help protesting, "But you're the National Preceptor of Great Song."
"I could also be Great Tang's, Great Chen's, or Great Xia's Imperial Preceptor," Chen Xia replied calmly. Then he raised his head from the window, looked at Song Qian, and smiled.
"And I won't appear in history books. Never."