Scripture of Days Past

Through his observation, Chu Qiguang discovered that Zhong Shan'e seemed to be rather averse to the idea of traveling north to the border military bases.

"Why should I go and see them when they haven't even said anything?" Zhong Shan'e snapped. "That would be a sign of weakness, as if the imperial court is trying to appease them. I say they should be summoned to the capital to be tried as fugitives, and if they refuse to comply, then we capture them by force!"

"Right now, the empire is going through a tough period, so if we can resolve this matter peacefully, then we'd be taking a huge burden off His Majesty's shoulders," Bai Lingxuan said with a sullen expression. "If you really don't want to go to the border military bases, then how about you at least take over as the Spirit Province's provincial thousand man commander on a temporary basis?"

Before Zhong Shan'e had a chance to say anything, Bai Lingxuan continued, "There's been a lot of recent unrest in the Spirit Province as well. The northern fiends are constantly sending spies to infiltrate the Great Han Empire through the Spirit Province, and I've heard that the Ninghai Prince's fourteenth son, Golden Saber Prince Yi Siman, has already come down south.

“In fact, Shen Guhong of the Yong Province has already fallen to his blade. The state of the Spirit Province is only made even more perilous by the fact that it directly neighbors the Cloud Midst Military Base. Right now, more than ever, the Spirit Province needs someone of your status, power, and experience at the helm."

"I'll consider it," Zhong Shan'e finally relented.

He didn't want to speak to Bai Lingxuan any longer, but Bai Lingxuan didn't leave, and it seemed that he was determined to nag Zhong Shan'e until the latter complied with his request.

Zhong Shan'e merely ignored him and began instructing Chu Qiguang and Jiang Longyu.

Jiang Longyu is one of the Eight Han Resurgence Generals, so it's only right that Elder Zhong personally instructs him, but why is Chu Qiguang also receiving tutelage from Elder Zhong? Bai Lingxuan wondered to himself. Is it just because of the role that he played in defending the archive building?

"How has your cultivation been going of late?" Zhong Shan'e asked.

Jiang Longyu was already dying to break the news, and he immediately declared, "I've reached the first level of the Blood Activation Arts!"

"Very good," Zhong Shan'e praised with a pleased nod. "I can tell that you must've been working hard on the Blood Activation Arts to have reached the first level in just a month, particularly considering it's only been a side project for you."

Bai Lingxuan was also very impressed. It had taken him a month to reach the second level of the Blood Activation Arts, but back then, he had spent literally all of his time cultivating the Blood Activation Arts without any sleep or rest. The fact that Jiang Longyu was able to reach the first level in a month while keeping up with all of his endeavors was very impressive.

Right at this moment, Chu Qiguang declared, "I've reached the second level of the Blood Activation Arts."

Bai Lingxuan turned to him with a surprised expression.

Looks like this Chu Qiguang also possesses decent aptitude. I wonder how long he's been cultivating the Blood Activation Arts for.

"Is that true?" Zhong Shan'e asked with a hint of bewilderment in his voice, then sped over to Chu Qiguang in a flash before pinching his wrist to feel his pulse.

"Channel the Blood Activation Arts for me," he instructed.

Chu Qiguang did as he was told, and Zhong Shan'e could feel a drastic spike in his pulse and blood flow.

He looked up at Chu Qiguang with a stunned expression, clearly very much surprised by his progress.

"How long has he been cultivating the Blood Activation Arts for?" Bai Lingxuan asked out of curiosity.

"Only a month, and on top of that, he's been keeping up with his daily lessons and cultivation as well," Zhong Shan'e replied.

"Only a month?! How is that possible?" Bai Lingxuan exclaimed, clearly also astonished.

Zhong Shan'e was extremely pleased with Chu Qiguang's progress, and he praised, "Looks like your aptitude is even more exceptional than I imagined. Keep working on the Blood Activation Arts and make a push for the fifth state as soon as you can."

Meanwhile, Bai Lingxuan was still staring at Chu Qiguang with a stunned expression.

This kid's broken my record, and he's done so while cultivating the Blood Activation Arts as as side project! I was wondering why Elder Zhong was willing to personally instruct him; he's clearly some type of freakish prodigy!

Jiang Longyu was glowering at Chu Qiguang with a furious expression.

How does he outdo me every single time?! Their shock and praise should be mine! Mine!

Chu Qiguang scratched his head in a bashful manner and explained, "I don't really know how I did it; I just suddenly made a breakthrough to the second level yesterday."

"There's no way you don't know how you did it!" Jiang Longyu yelled in a furious voice. "You're just saying that to gloat!"

Chu Qiguang smiled and offered no response, while Zhong Shan'e stepped in as mediator to calm the incensed Jiang Longyu.

From there, the lesson continued, and it quickly became very apparent to Chu Qiguang that Zhon Shan'e had become more patient and meticulous in his guidance of him.

***

Sixteenth year of the Yong'an Era, early November.

Looks like there's a diminishing returns effect from reading Buddhist scriptures. At this point, each Buddhist scripture that I read only takes ten hours off the countdown timer. I'm going to find some other way to make progress.

There were thirty Qi Enhancement Pills placed on the table in front of Chu Qiguang, and he took them one after another as if they were pieces of candy.

Chu Qiguang had saved up all of the Qi Enhancement Pills that he had recently received so that he could take them all at once and see if that would help him in his cultivation of the Sumeru King Scripture.

As the name suggested, Qi Enhancement Pills had the effect of enhancing the consumer's qi and blood, and he had taken many of these pills back when he was progressing from the third state to the fourth.

The next day, he left the mountain to inspect the Sumeru King Scripture, only to discover that the thirty Qi Enhancement Pills had only taken half an hour off the countdown timer.

Assuming there's no diminishing returns effect, I'm going to need over six million more Qi Enhancement Pills to reduce the countdown timer to zero. Setting aside whether there are even six million Qi Enhancement Pills in the entire Heavenly Master Religion, even if there were, with these pills going at a market price of eighty taels of silver per pill, even the emperor wouldn't be able to afford so many!

With that in mind, Chu Qiguang could only give up on the idea for now.

***

Sixteenth year of the Yong'an Era, early November.

The rewards from the capital finally arrived, and Jiang Longyu rushed out excitedly to greet the convoy, only to discover that there were no rewards for him.

Instead, Chu Qiguang had been given ten Demon Vanquishing Pills and a demonslaying saber, much to Jiang Longyu's envy and frustration.

According to the eunuch who had delivered the rewards, Demon Vanquishing Pills could be taken to increase one's resistance to demonification, but excessive usage of these pills could alter the consumer's personality, so it was advised that they only be taken at crucial junctures to save one from the cusp of demonification.

***

Sixteenth year of the Yong'an Era, mid-November.

Chu Qiguang received a letter from Yang Ling.

He informed Chu Qiguang that he had made some connections in the capital and followed Chu Qiguang's instructions in giving two thousand taels of silver to a eunuch by the name of Yang Jinzhong.

However, in the letter, Yang Ling made no secret of his dissatisfaction. Yang Jinzhong was only an ordinary eunuch, and he felt like this money would've been much better spent as a bribe on Chen Zhong, who was the emperor's most trusted eunuch.

Chu Qiguang didn't bother to explain himself. He had only heard of Yang Jinzhong from Qiao Zhi.

According to Qiao Zhi, Chen Zhong had become far too complacent and brazen as the chief eunuch, and he was about to suffer a catastrophic fall from grace once all of his transgressions caught up to him.

In just a year or two, Yang Jinzhong would be promoted to take this place, becoming the new chief eunuch.

***

Throughout the rest of November, Chu Qiguang continued to study, read, and cultivate.

The beginning of December brought the first bout of snow on Jade Face Mountain, but the arrival of winter didn't sway Chu Qiguang from his daily regimen.

It was a steady and boring process, but perseverance was key, and Chu Qiguang was constantly laying down a sturdier and sturdier foundation in preparation for an eventual evolution.

***

Sixteenth year of the Yong'an Era, end of December.

After completing his year-long training on Jade Face Mountain, Chu Qiguang set off for the Shu Province, where he would assume his official post.

Thanks to the connections that Yang Ling had made in the capital, he had secured himself a hundred man commander position in the Shu Province.

The reason why he wanted to go to the Shu Province was very simple: the Shu Province was home to the headquarters of the Hunter Hand Faction, and he wanted to obtained the Vajra Laws, the Steel Tendon Iron Bone Arts, and their special bodily refinement pills.

On top of that, he wanted to fine the ruins of the Vajra Monastery. That was his path to the Dao Comprehension state.

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