The fake prince was exposed at the beginning, and I took office as emperor on the spot

Chapter 188 Merging Body with Sword (Three-in-One)

Cao Tianzhou had been isolated from the world for three whole years. As a pure martial artist, he used to focus on his cultivation. If he hadn't suddenly encountered a great calamity, he wouldn't even have been able to distinguish between the different aristocratic families.

Such a person naturally did not know Gu Fangchen.

But at this moment, he was nearing the end of his life. Even if Gu Fangchen didn't come, he could only hold on for about six months at most.

Moreover, he might not even survive these six months.

The evil spirits in the Demon-Suppressing Prison no longer dared to provoke him, but all his thoughts were now focused on the single strike nurtured by his hatred and resentment.

Over the years, he has survived only by devouring the flesh and blood of evil spirits. His physical body has long since lost its vitality and has been replaced by the resentment of these evil spirits.

They've practically become zombies.

It was no different from being dead; he himself didn't know if he could survive the rest of the time.

For him, Gu Fangchen's appearance was perhaps a kind of liberation...

Cao Tianzhou raised his head, his skull-like face shrouded in the sunlight, except for his eyes, which shone with a sharp, blade-like light, a deep blue-green that was even more terrifying than the vengeful ghosts of the Netherworld.

The sword intent in those eyes had reached its limit, truly reaching the realm of "Tao".

Cao Tianzhou, the "Sword Sect Master," possessed a cultivation level at the peak of the fourth rank.

Although his physical body could not break through after being imprisoned in the Demon Suppression Prison for so many years, the hatred in his heart became the best whetstone, sharpening him to the third rank of sword intent.

A knife is a weapon of violence, its essence being to kill; hatred is the best intent behind a knife.

All methods of killing and conquest boil down to one word: "hatred".

Only when hatred reaches its extreme can it generate the most terrifying aura and realm.

From this perspective, the same applies to the Martial Courage Realm.

Only when your hatred reaches the point where you are certain you can kill the other person can you truly feel confident.

When Gu Fangchen saw those eyes, she felt a real shock.

I couldn't help but recall what Old Ding had said when he taught him martial arts.

"The first thing I'll teach you is the essence of martial arts."

"The essence of martial arts is never about letting go, but about picking up. Not only do you have to pick it up, but you also have to hold it firmly in your hands."

"If you had to sum up that dominant thought in one word, it would be 'hatred'."

"A person with a calm mind cannot cultivate martial arts. If your mind is not at peace, how can your blood and qi surge, and how can you kill your enemy with a single punch? Therefore, most martial artists are eccentric, either mad, arrogant, crazy, or obsessed. Those who appear respectable are all more perverted than anyone else inside."

The words may be rough, but the principle is sound; Gu Fangchen felt this made a lot of sense.

Gu Yuye also practices martial arts. He usually has the demeanor of a scholar-general, and is refined and elegant. In fact, he can be considered one of the most abnormal characters in the entire "Mirror in the Dust".

Then Ding Xingfeng explained what "hatred" meant.

“Hate is not just hatred towards life. When you are at war with someone, every move you make should be filled with ‘hate’.”

“When you raise your hand, it is ‘hating that the earth has no ring’, hating that the earth does not grow a ring so that you can grab it and uproot the entire earth.”

"When you put your hand down, it's like 'hating that the sky has no handle,' wishing that the sky didn't grow a handle so you could pull down the vast sky, and no matter what gods or Buddhas are in the sky, they will all fall down with it!"

At this moment, seeing Cao Tianzhou's eyes, Gu Fangchen finally had a vague understanding of the essence of martial arts that Ding Xingfeng had spoken of.

He used to view martial arts from a player's perspective, seeing only individual skills.

Using skills is simply a matter of clicking the mouse; naturally, it's impossible for it to evoke any emotions.

Therefore, he became known as a blockhead in Ding Xingfeng's eyes.

If Gu Fangchen were to demonstrate the moves and counter them, he would be an absolute professional, able to explain every single move in great detail.

However, if he were to do it himself, he would only grasp the form, not the essence.

This form was obtained through the talent of the "Night Watchman".

And now, for the first time, Gu Fangchen felt the existence of "intention"...

However, this feeling only lingered in my mind, still like clouds and mist, as if there was still something between us.

Cao Tianzhou tossed the knife in his hand upwards, his voice extremely hoarse and calm as he said:

"Dugu Yue, kill him, and I'll give you my knife."

"Snapped!"

Gu Fangchen caught the knife and her eyes lit up.

Although it looks unremarkable, covered in rust, and looks like it might break at any moment.

But in the game, this knife is also a god-tier item.

This knife is called the "Murder Knife".

After Cao Tianzhou fulfills his wish, his own sword intent will attach to this sword, producing two effects.

The first effect is very simple: it increases attack power by 250% against humanoid creatures, and by 50% if the creature is only in your inventory.

However, when you carry it, you have to go through a willpower test, and you have to keep going through it. Once your willpower drops below a certain value, you will lose your rationality and start attacking indiscriminately.

It's more like a "magic blade".

However, since over 90% of the bosses in "Mirror in the Dust" are humanoid, this sword is of great significance.

The fact that it works even when not used directly, but simply kept in your backpack, is incredibly convenient!

Getting something for free is a huge win!
The second effect is even more practical: life steal, which also takes effect as long as it's on your person.

Each attack restores 3% of the damage dealt as health.

If you add a technique that can increase attack speed, that would be incredible.

As long as you recover enough health, you can even kill the enemy by scraping them with a gua sha technique!

The boss battles in "Mirror in the Dust" are generally quite difficult, so increasing the margin for error is essential. Sometimes there's simply no chance to use a healing potion, and if you're just a little short, you have to start all over again, which can be incredibly frustrating...

Two effects, one increases damage, the other heals; both are god-tier skills.

However, this side quest is quite hidden. There is only one sentence about Cao Tianzhou in the entire game, and Dugu Yue is even more secretive, only being revealed much later in the game.

The person who uncovered this subplot was none other than Gu Fangchen herself.

Gu Fangchen took two steps back, and the little dragon above her fell vertically to the ground with a "chirp," its original form being suppressed by the great formation of the Demon Suppression Prison.

It transformed back into the shape of that ancient wooden and stone sword.

The righteous energy accumulated over a thousand years by the Preaching Stele within the Wenwu Pagoda is enough to rival the precious sword forged from the dragon vein.

A near-first-class rank is ultimately not a true first-class rank.

Lu Mingyuan above wasn't really incompetent; he used most of his spiritual power to activate and enhance the great formation.

Otherwise, with his peak second-grade cultivation level and the strength to serve as acting dean, he wouldn't be in such a sorry state...

As a result, he was unwilling to let go of the sword in his hand and wanted to confront the Grandmaster head-on. He was beaten like a grandson and had no power to fight back, so his defense was broken directly.

Gu Fangchen put the [Murder Blade] into her cave ring, caught the sword, and was then forced to kneel on one knee by the pressure that came from above.

"puff!"

He coughed up a mouthful of blood, his face turned pale, he took a deep breath, and forced himself to sit cross-legged, using his spiritual power to barely resist.

But how could a mere fifth-rank cultivator like him withstand the full power of the Demon Suppression Prison?

Even the Seventy-Two Peaks Towering Sword knelt down, let alone him.

Gu Fangchen looked up and saw that Xu Fu was concentrating on casting a spell, and sweat was on his face.

The Starry Sky Water Mirror operated at full power, scattering rays of light to protect Xu Fu.

Clearly, confronting the "Six Star Lords" is no easy task.

The Imperial Preceptor, who was remotely possessing Xuexiang's body, was also too busy taking care of himself to look after little Karami.

"Click...click...click..."

Above, the stunning woman in the green dress turned her head and looked at Gu Fangchen again, her sword finger instantly landing on the great formation.

With a light tap of the fingertip, cracks appeared on the great formation, which groaned as if it were about to collapse under the strain.

But in the blink of an eye.

Gu Fangchen's skin was completely ruptured, and blood was flowing freely, turning her into a blood-soaked figure.

Immediately following this was the disintegration of flesh and blood.

At this moment, the entire Demon Suppression Prison Formation is both a cage to crush and kill him, and a defensive formation to protect him.

Compared to being stabbed to death by the Ancestral Master's sword, the Demon Suppression Prison has done a great service.

Subsequently, the [Seventy-Two Peaks Towering Sword] on the ground, being the main target of the great formation's suppression, shattered into countless fragments with a "crack".

The mountains and rivers took on different shapes, like a wisp of mist, drifting out from within and surrounding Gu Fangchen, emitting a deep dragon's roar.

It seemed as if it were wailing and crying.

"Hahahaha—Gu Fangchen, prepare to die!"

Above, Lu Mingyuan, seeing this scene, finally burst into laughter, his blood-covered face contorted with rage.

The original Confucian demeanor of a virtuous man has been completely lost.

At this moment, just seeing Gu Fangchen die on the spot would probably make him a hundred times happier than when he passed the imperial examination in his youth.

But Gu Fangchen did not panic or fall into despair as he had imagined.

Instead, she grinned at him with her eyes, which were almost submerged in blood, and made a hand seal—

"Refine magic!"
On Gu Fangchen's body, on the verge of disintegration, golden threads faintly appeared, and one hundred and eight demon-suppressing nails emerged from them. Blood threads, like a demon's nest, spread out, completely covering his normal body on the surface.

The current time falls within the [daytime] range, which can trigger the [Wait for the Time to Fly] effect.

[Daytime: Your Qi and blood are abundant, and your physical strength has greatly increased.]

The sun, like a furnace within his chest, gradually boiled and grew brighter and hotter as his body was constantly damaged and repaired, becoming just like the real sun.

But that's not enough!

His physical strength was too low; the brief balance was quickly broken, and the body began to disintegrate again...

Gu Fangchen opened her eyes again, having already entered a state of astral projection and control of the puppet.

But at this moment, his soul was also being crushed by the great formation. The pain was not reduced but increased. His soul was also flickering and peeling off piece by piece, revealing the hidden golden wheel. Even the causal threads that bound it were about to be knocked out.

However, his expression remained unchanged, and he narrowed his eyes as he said:
“Prajna Lotus Moon, if you don’t help me, no one in the world will ever know the whereabouts of the ‘Lotus in the Womb’ again.”

No one responded.

Gu Fangchen wasn't in a hurry and waited for about ten more seconds.

Behind him, a pale, enormous Dharma image appeared. This Dharma image constantly changed, and could be seen differently from any angle or by any different person.

There are twenty-one forms in total, which are the twenty manifestations of Tara.

The Dharma form had twenty-one countenances, twenty-one shapes, and twenty-one voices, all merging into one, emitting a rebuke like thunder from the heavens: "Gu Fangchen, do you really think I can't do anything to you? You've offended me, do you expect me to come and save you?"

She sneered:

"What if I'm just going to watch you die? If you change your mind and beg me now, you might have a chance to live."

Gu Fangchen shrugged:

"Then you can just stand by and watch someone die. I didn't force you. I just shouted to see if anyone would answer."

"Who knew you'd just come out on your own..."

"you!"

Princess Prajna was so angry that her Dharma image almost turned green, but after gritting her teeth for a long time, she really couldn't bear to watch Gu Fangchen die like that.

Although Gu Fangchen's words were infuriating, they truly had her under control.

If he dies, her plan will be all for naught.

Otherwise, why would she come along?

However... it's good to see him in such a disheveled state.

"Hmph, since you're so stubborn, I'll just watch and see how long you can hold out."

Princess Prajna snorted coldly, seemingly determined to observe from the sidelines.

Gu Fangchen's expression remained unchanged. She formed another hand seal and uttered a low shout:
"rise!"

The wood and stone fragments on the ground trembled and floated in mid-air.

"broken!"

The fragments instantly turned into countless powders, merging with the surrounding illusory mountains and rivers, swirling around Gu Fangchen.

Gu Fangchen took a deep breath, her expression serious.

"collapse!"

This time, it wasn't the sword that broke, but his physical body that completely disintegrated under the immense pressure, leaving only the central sun and moon wheels and the body frame held in place by the 108 demon-suppressing nails.

In the past, he would have been dead at this moment.

The soul and the physical body are not independent. Before the sixth rank of the Divine Path, the soul is based on the physical body. If the physical body is on the verge of death, the soul will also dissipate directly.

However, once you enter a state of mastery, the connection between your soul and your physical body becomes less strong.

A momentary near-death experience of the physical body is nothing to worry about.

As long as they can be saved before their soul dissipates...

Only those who reach the fifth level of the Freedom Realm can exist for a relatively long time after the death of their physical body. Furthermore, if they learn the secret technique of body seizure, they can seize the bodies of others for their own use.

But such a physical body also needs to be compatible.

If the fit is too poor, the physical body will gradually rot, and eventually, the body will have to be replaced repeatedly, which is very troublesome.

Gu Fangchen is not committing suicide at this moment.

He intends to use the earth veins along with the [Seventy-Two Peaks Towering Sword] as refining materials, directly fusing them into his puppet's body!
Since we can't throw it away, we might as well make it work for us!
Using the immense pain and pressure on his body caused by the Demon-Suppressing Prison Formation, he reshaped the puppet body of "Refining Magic," broke through the third level of "Refining Magic," and entered the fourth rank!
But this pain... is simply unbearable for a human being!
If it's normal magic practice, what does the pain suffered by the puppet have to do with the original body?

But now, Gu Fangchen is both the master and the puppet, so he has no choice but to bear it himself.

"Congeal!"

Gu Fangchen gritted her teeth and let out a low shout.

It lasted only a second before its body and soul began to disintegrate, tearing apart into a blurry mess.

Prajna Lotus Moon was originally sneering, determined to make him suffer more, but in the blink of an eye, she realized that Gu Fangchen was courting death and torturing himself.

She was startled and immediately reached out and placed her hand on the back of Gu Fangchen's soul.

Gu Fangchen turned her head and grinned:
"Hehe... What did I tell you? Your Highness, you still have to beg me not to die."

This was exactly what he said to Prajna Lotus Moon when they first met.

Just kidding. From the moment Qing Jian returned, Gu Fangchen knew that Banruo Lian Yue couldn't possibly have just disappeared; she must have been following her around.

It's just that they're too proud to show themselves directly.

After all, showing up would be tantamount to completely bowing down and surrendering to him.

However, when it came to the crucial moment, Prajna Lotus Moon still had to step in...

The pain of the third level and above of "Refining Magic" is beyond the reach of a Xiyin Attendant of Qingjian's level, as the amount that can be transferred is limited.

In this world, who can compare to the holy woman of the Tara religion in terms of the efficiency of transferring suffering?

This time, Prajna Lotus Moon did not argue with him.

Her expression was momentarily dazed and inexplicable.

At this moment, the way Gu Fangchen turned her head to talk to her, with her back to her, vaguely resembled the person in her dream...

Gu Fangchen's appearance used to be somewhat listless and wicked due to the influence of the original owner, but now, that wickedness has almost completely disappeared.

At this moment, it wasn't just the resemblance in their eyes and brows, but also in their expressions...

Prajna Lotus Moon came to her senses, and her face instantly turned cold.

What is she thinking?!

How could this guy possibly be the person in her dream?
Five hundred years have passed, and Garuda has become nothing but dust. How could the person she couldn't find suddenly appear here?

Faxiang's empty eyes lowered his eyelashes, and countless hands materialized, closing like flower petals to embrace Gu Fangchen.

The overwhelming, painful sounds of heaven were transferred entirely to Prajna Lotus Moon.

Gu Fangchen breathed a sigh of relief and began the next step of the refining process.

……

On the banks of the Jiangling River.

Amidst the rolling waves, the crowd cried out in alarm as several pleasure boats were brought ashore by the monks.

The ladies and wives of prominent families, still shaken, were escorted to safety.

Evil spirits roam freely, battling against the cultivators.

Fortunately, the Demon-Suppressing Prison Formation was activated in time, preventing too many evil spirits from escaping from below, and the crowd quickly calmed down.

The public continued to discuss the unusual phenomenon of the dragon vein.

"Could this dragon vein truly be a place where a chosen one of destiny will be born?"

"Why did the Wenwu Pagoda suddenly crack? And where did these evil spirits come from...? It looks a bit like the Demon Suppression Prison... Could it be that the Demon Suppression Prison is actually located beneath the Wenwu Pagoda?"

"Judging from the strange phenomenon in the sky, it must be the work of a great Confucian scholar. Everything will be alright!"

Suddenly, someone pointed towards the shore.

"Look, there's an army!"

"Ah! Could it be that the rebels are trying to cause trouble amidst the chaos?"

"No, that's the banner of the Xuanhuang Army!"

The Xuanhuang Army shouted:

"Do not panic, everyone! The rebel army has been completely wiped out! They have all submitted to the Prince of Zhenbei!"

Upon hearing this, some people breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that their recent anxiety had indeed turned out to be a false alarm.

But another part of me suddenly felt a jolt in my heart.

What does it mean to "be under the command of the Prince of Zhenbei"?
Given Emperor Yong'an's temperament, generally speaking, if the rebel army were to fail, they would only face certain death.

He will not let any of those who covet the fate of the nation escape.

But now, the Prince of Zhenbei has brought the rebel army under his command. What does this mean?
But the Xuanhuang Army came with overwhelming force and quickly formed ranks on both banks, their flags fluttering like dense clouds. Under such circumstances, anyone who wanted to question them could only keep quiet.

Then, Prince Gu Yuye of Zhenbei stepped out from among the banners, wearing a golden suit of armor!

Everyone's pupils constricted, and they were instantly horrified.

This is an act of utter treason!

But upon closer inspection, everyone discovered that the armor itself was still black, but it was covered with a layer of golden scales and radiant light, making it appear golden.

The source of this rosy glow is self-evident.

The crowd exchanged bewildered glances. Some looked up at the sunset glow in the sky, and now they truly dared not utter a sound…

While the many prominent families remained silent...

Dugu Xia, the head of the Dugu family, greeted him with a smile and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect:
"Congratulations, Your Highness, on your triumphant return!"

Gu Yuye smiled slightly and said calmly:
"It's just to protect this country and its people, nothing more."

Dugu Xia quickly said:

"Not at all! Now that the country is in ruins, Your Highness is doing your best to turn the tide. This is the hope of so many people!"

He turned his head and looked at the heads of several prominent families from Jiangnan behind him, and said:

Do you all feel the same way?

The meaning behind Dugu Xia's question is self-evident!
The faces of the several patriarchs changed, turning pale and then purple. After hesitating for a moment, one of them stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said:
"What Patriarch Dugu said is absolutely right. What we all think is indeed so!"

Once one person takes the first step, the rest naturally follow suit.

However, one of the family heads secretly took out a communication stone, took two steps back, and turned to run away.

Unfortunately, he only took two steps before Gu Yuye spotted him, snorted coldly, and pointed directly at him, piercing through him in mid-air!
"what!"

The head of the family fell down and fell silent.

The others, trembling with fear, knelt down in unison before Gu Yuye.

Only one person remained standing on the painted boat by the river, looking at Gu Yuye.

……

Gu Yuye arrived at the Jiangling River in no time.

Not only was he worried and wanted to watch Gu Fangchen die before his eyes, he also wanted to do something else.

Gu Yuye raised his head and looked at the beautiful woman in front of him, who was wearing a long ink-wash dress and a light red shawl. He reached out his hand to her.

"Caiyong, I'm giving you one last chance."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

P.S.: I accidentally ate gossip for too long, and as a result, there was more and more gossip to eat, and the more I dug, the more there was. I couldn't finish it all... Today, I'll only write 6,000 words in a three-in-one format, so I'm behind on the update (2/7).

Asking for a monthly ticket!
(End of this chapter)