Imperial Scepter

The warm sunlight streamed through the rustic windows of my sister's courtyard, casting dappled golden rays onto the bluestone ground, while the air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and earth.

Gao Chun slowly stood up, supporting himself on the ground. His feet were firmly planted on the cool stone slabs, and his posture was not unsteady or sluggish at all.

He stretched out his arms, gently exerted his strength in his waist and abdomen, and leaped lightly several feet away. He landed silently, with only the sound of his clothes brushing against the ground.

The weakness and sluggishness that had been building up inside him for days had long since vanished. His meridians were clear, his internal energy was flowing freely, and his whole body was filled with inexhaustible strength.

"I, Gao Chun, am completely healed."

From being severely injured and bedridden, unable to move an inch, to now running freely and moving with ease, the exhilaration of regaining strength is like a parched wasteland receiving timely rain, instantly filled with vitality.

Gao Chun clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white, clearly sensing that his physical condition was excellent.

This is my sister's courtyard, and also where he stayed for a month while recovering from his injury.

He could never have recovered so quickly without the meticulous care of his sister's family.

The other four brothers in Gao Chun's team had less severe injuries and recovered earlier. They had visited him many times during his bed rest period.

Each visit was filled with genuine concern and words of advice, and the bond between the brothers deepened with each visit.

Now that Gao Chun has fully recovered, he can finally put his long-suppressed desire to cultivate into action.

He looked out the window, his gaze as firm as a sharp blade, the route he had already planned in his mind clearly emerging.

"I am currently at the fifth level of the Bronze Realm, which is the middle level of the Bronze Realm, just in time to cultivate a second technique."

"Having previously developed a bloodline supernatural power, he was eager to improve his cultivation level and immediately went to Li Family Village to find the Profound Vein Pearl. Now that it is inconvenient for him to leave the village at will, he can finally focus on cultivating his techniques."

"I have already chosen that extremely aggressive 'Finger Flicking Golden Sword'."

The "Finger Flicking Golden Sword" technique can condense five golden swords the size of water droplets between the five fingers, shaped like flying knives. It can be launched with a flick of the finger, catching the opponent off guard and having astonishing destructive power.

It perfectly compensates for its weakness of having a single spell, complementing the level 3 Lightning Shadow perfectly in terms of speed and attack.

Gao Chun muttered to himself.

He was excited, his eyes were fervent, and he could not suppress his eagerness. He walked quickly to his sister and brother-in-law, greeted them respectfully, and told them that he had recovered from his injuries and would soon return to his own courtyard to devote himself to cultivation.

Looking at the renewed sharpness in his eyes, his sister felt heartache but also offered her full support, only repeatedly reminding him to take care of his health and not to rush things.

Gao Chun nodded in agreement, turned and left his sister's courtyard, walking quickly toward his own courtyard not far away.

As soon as he stepped into the familiar courtyard, he closed the door behind him, completely shutting out the noise from the outside world.

The courtyard is quiet and peaceful, with neatly arranged stone tables and benches. The large locust tree in the courtyard is lush and green, and the air is filled with rich spiritual energy, making it an ideal place for cultivation.

Having made up his mind, Gao Chun didn't delay any longer and immediately returned to his room.

He immediately sat cross-legged, held his breath and concentrated, and officially began to attack the first acupoint of "Finger Flicking Golden Sword".

Take a deep breath, clear away all your chaotic thoughts, and completely immerse yourself in your body, focusing all your attention on the Jinfeng acupoint connected to your fingertips by meridians.

"Go! Go! Go!"

Gao Chun gritted his teeth and continued to urge his pale red Xuan power, frantically crashing into the barriers of his acupoints, again and again, like a warrior determined to break through a boulder, refusing to retreat even a little.

Each surge of Xuan power brought a stinging pain, as if countless fine needles were churning wildly in his meridians. The pain made him furrow his brows and beads of sweat instantly appear on his forehead.

He clenched his teeth tightly, not making a sound, but his eyes grew even more determined, like a sharp eagle staring intently at the tightly closed gate inside his body.

The room was eerily quiet, with only his slightly heavy breathing and the faint sound of his pale red Xuan Qi flowing through his meridians.

Sweat dripped down his chin, hitting the ground where he was meditating, spreading into a small water stain that evaporated in an instant, leaving only a faint trace.

The profound energy within the dantian was rapidly depleted, but the barrier of the Golden Peak Acupoint remained as solid as a rock, without the slightest sign of weakening.

"Don't rush, take it slow," Gao Chun silently told himself.

He adjusted his breathing, transforming the pale red Xuan power into finer threads, which he carefully infiltrated the walls of his acupoints, much like embroidery.

This is an extremely mentally taxing process. The advancement of each strand of mysterious silk requires his full concentration to control. The slightest carelessness will result in the failure of all previous efforts.

Time passed little by little, from dawn to dusk, from midnight to daybreak, and from daybreak to afternoon.

A full day and a half has finally passed.

Gao Chun's face gradually turned pale, his lips lost their color, his internal energy was almost completely depleted, and a feeling of dizziness surged over him, causing his vision to go black in waves.

But he still didn't give up. He picked up a second-grade Xuan Dan with his fingertips and put it into his mouth without hesitation.

The replenishment of profound energy was like timely rain, instantly reviving his listless spirit.

"Open it!"

Just as his profound energy was about to reach its peak again, Gao Chun roared inwardly, unleashing all his profound energy, which transformed into a pale red wave that launched a final assault on the Golden Edge Aperture.

"Pop!"

A crisp, light sound exploded within me, like icicles shattering or spring buds breaking through the soil, exceptionally clear in the quiet room.

The first key to "The Golden Sword in a Flick of the Finger"—the Golden Edge Key—is now mastered!

Gao Chun suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes flashing with wild joy, and the corners of his mouth uncontrollably turned up.

His heart pounded wildly, like a thunderous drumbeat, his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white from the force, and even trembling slightly.

"It's done! The first acupoint is complete!"

The euphoria lasted only a moment before Gao Chun frowned, a deep sense of confusion and resentment rising in his heart.

"When I was cultivating the third level of Thunder Shadow, I could steadily break through one acupoint in a day, progressing extremely quickly. Why did it take me a day and a half to master the first acupoint of the 'Flick of the Finger Golden Sword'?"

"Does the difficulty of breaking through acupoints increase exponentially with each new technique one learns?"

He could clearly feel that when he attacked the acupoints of the "Flick of the Golden Sword," the walls of the acupoints were much harder than the first one, and the consumption of profound energy was even more terrifying. The stagnation and intense pain were something he had never experienced when cultivating the third level of Thunder Shadow.

Putting these doubts aside for the moment, Gao Chun was suddenly overcome by a strong feeling of hunger. His stomach was empty, and all the strength seemed to have been drained from his limbs. He felt weak and listless, and his spirit was extremely low.

He quickly got up, went to his kitchen, and prepared some simple food.

After filling his stomach and quickly washing up, he lay down on the bed and fell into a deep sleep.

The next day, when it was fully light, Gao Chun was still weak and sore all over, with pain throughout his body.

He knew that this was a normal aftereffect of practicing magic and opening acupoints.

"When I practiced the third-level Thunder Shadow technique before, opening one acupoint would result in a two-day fatigue period. I wonder if the fatigue period will be longer for this second technique?"

Gao Chun secretly worried that if the period of fatigue was prolonged, the time required to complete the entire technique would also increase significantly.

He dragged his weary body to his feet and went straight to his study.

He wanted to resolve the doubts left over from yesterday: why it took longer to cultivate the second technique than the first.

For the next two days, Gao Chun spent all his time in his study, his fingertips tracing the yellowed classics of mystic arts, his eyes carefully scanning the dense text, not missing a single sentence about the cultivation of magical arts.

The study was extremely quiet, with only the soft sound of turning pages. Sunlight streamed through the window cracks, casting long shadows on the floor, and time flowed slowly as the book was quietly turned.

Finally, he found the answer in an ancient book called "General Explanation of Mystic Arts".

The ancient texts clearly state: "For those who cultivate the profound, the first technique is the foundation. Once the acupoints are opened, the profound energy is easily drawn in, and the difficulty is minimal."

Starting with the second technique, the meridians and acupoints have been partially occupied by the first technique, the acupoint walls have been reinforced, and the difficulty of the attack has increased dramatically.

With each new spell you learn, the difficulty will increase again.

Upon learning the truth, Gao Chun couldn't help but sigh softly.

"It took me less than four months to master the first technique, the Level 3 Thunder Shadow, but the second technique, the Golden Sword with a Flick of the Finger, will take at least five months to complete."

He dared not think any further. If he were to cultivate the third or fourth technique, wouldn't the time required be even longer?

Cultivation for those with profound knowledge is indeed the most time-consuming process.

The more techniques one acquires, the more terrifying the time required to cultivate them becomes. This is the same principle as comprehending the essence of a realm and breaking through to a higher realm: the higher the realm, the more difficult it is to comprehend the essence of a realm, and the time spent on it becomes immeasurable.

After a moment of reflection, Gao Chun immediately suppressed his distracting thoughts and buried himself back in the classic texts, continuing to peruse them...

Day and night alternate, the sun rises and the moon sets, and in the blink of an eye, a new day begins.

After a two-and-a-half-day rest, Gao Chun did not delay at all and immediately began to work on the second acupoint.

After another day and a half of focused and arduous practice, he steadily and completely opened this acupoint.

During the two and a half days of recovery that followed, he spent most of his time studying quietly in his study, occasionally chatting with his teammates, or going to his sister's house for a meal and a short visit...

He balances work and rest, maintaining a proper rhythm.

He always strictly adhered to the rule of "impacting one aperture and resting for two and a half days," a process that was tedious and monotonous, but his will was as strong as iron.

It took exactly four days for an acupoint to recover from the impact.

The progress may seem slow, but it has been steady and uninterrupted.

Time flies like sand slipping through our fingers, never waiting for us.

In this steady, day-to-day practice, five months passed quietly.

The vegetation in Gaojia Village has gone through a cycle of withering and flourishing. The new green shoots that sprouted on the branches have long since turned into dense shade that can cover the sky. When the wind blows, they rustle and whisper, as if silently witnessing the transformation of the young man.

It was a sunny afternoon.

Gao Chun, who was entrenched in the room, suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze flashing with a sharp light.

"Finally, we succeeded! The seed of the spell, the Golden Sword with a Flick of the Finger, has finally been formed!"

Within the dantian, a pale red seed of magic floated quietly, its light gentle yet concealing a sharp edge, echoing the three-colored Dao seed in the center of the dantian, their auras merging.

Beside him, the purple spell seed of the Level 3 Thunder Shadow flickered with light, and two halos, one purple and one red, illuminated his dantian in an exceptionally strange way.

"It was truly an incredibly difficult journey; it took me nearly five months to successfully master this technique!"

Gao Chun could not contain his excitement. An indescribable joy surged from the bottom of his heart to the top of his head, and his whole body trembled slightly with excitement.

Five months of tedious and arduous training, countless moments of exhaustion and perseverance, have all transformed into a substantial harvest at this moment.

At this moment, he was taller than before, and his face had lost some of its childishness, gaining a more upright and heroic air.

Before he knew it, he had turned thirteen.

Overjoyed, Gao Chun quickly noticed the unusual activity in his dantian, and a hint of doubt arose within him.

"Isn't it said that you can only condense one spell seed per rank? I'm at the mid-level Bronze Realm, so theoretically I should only be able to condense two spell seeds at most, but I clearly feel that my dantian can hold two more!"

He "introspected" his dantian and felt it very clearly. The five-colored Dao seeds, which had been sealed with two colors, were still slowly rotating, radiating a vast capacity for containment. There was no sign of saturation in his dantian.

After a moment of contemplation, Gao Chun quickly came up with the only possibility.

"It must be because of the Five-Colored Dao Seed. My father said that the Five-Colored Dao Seed is an unprecedented miracle in the cultivation world. It must be that it broke the norm and allowed me to bear more magical seeds."

Having figured this out, Gao Chun stopped delving into the reasons. His doubts were instantly replaced by extreme joy, and he was so excited that even his fingertips were trembling slightly.

"If I could learn two more spells, I would master a total of four spells at the mid-Bronze Realm! With four spells available simultaneously, my combat power would increase exponentially, making me invincible among those of the same realm!"

Gao Chun was overjoyed and couldn't wait to get up and find new magic manuals to continue his cultivation.

However, he also understood that a cultivator must maintain a balance between work and rest to go further in their practice; being too eager for quick results would only damage their foundation.

In the following days, Gao Chun temporarily put aside his cultivation, left his courtyard, and wandered around Gao Family Village at will.

After months of tension, I was finally able to relax completely.

He would occasionally go to the village's children's classroom to act as a tutor; he would also take his little niece Gao Chengyao to play freely in the fields; more often, he would gather with his four brothers in the team to discuss tactics and devise strategies. When the mood struck, they would directly practice and spar in the arena, full of fighting spirit.

That day, Gao Chun returned from the training ground covered in sweat, his gaze suddenly sharpening.

Standing prominently in front of the courtyard gate was the figure he had been thinking about day and night.

It's Old Man Gao.

My father, who had been missing for half a year, has finally returned.

He remained dressed in white, his demeanor gentle yet possessing an air of unfathomable depth. His face bore no trace of the hardships of his journey, his clothes were spotless, and his bearing remained as elegant as ever.

Seeing his father standing safely before him, Gao Chun finally felt relieved after being anxious for half a year.

That evening, the whole family gathered at the sister's house and had a lively reunion dinner.

The aroma of food filled the air, laughter echoed, and a long-lost warmth filled my heart.

After the meal, the father and son returned to Gao Chun's courtyard together.

Silence reigned all around; there was no one else around.

Gao Chun had countless words in his heart, and at this moment he only wanted to tell them all to his father.

Even though we hadn't seen each other for more than half a year, the innate closeness and trust remained as strong as ever.

Gao Chun spoke first, recounting in detail his cultivation, encounters, and growth during the period his father was away.

"Father, I have been born with a bloodline supernatural power. On that very day, the headless shepherd reappeared, and I suddenly felt something strange in my heart, and then my bloodline supernatural power was born..."

"This supernatural ability can accelerate my cultivation speed. As long as I have enough bloodline elixirs, my cultivation level can increase rapidly without limit..."

Gao Chun shared information about his bloodline supernatural abilities, but did not reveal everything.

This was the teaching he received from his father, Old Man Gao, which he had long since memorized and put into practice.

With a gentle smile, Old Man Gao listened quietly to Gao Chun's endless narration, patiently appreciating the joy and growth in his son's words.

Even upon hearing that Gao Chun had developed such a heaven-defying bloodline ability, he showed no surprise whatsoever, as if everything had been expected.

As Gao Chun spoke, he became more and more relaxed, pouring out all the details of his life and his progress in cultivation over the past few days.

Before he knew it, he had told his father the whole story of how he and his team of five went to Lijia Village.

After venting his feelings, Gao Chun felt completely refreshed.

He also hoped that his father could offer a clear-headed perspective as an outsider, commenting on the rights and wrongs, gains and losses of his trip, so as to accumulate experience for future adventures.

"Father, was my action this time right or wrong? What aspects are worth learning from? Could it... bring annihilation to Gaojia Village?"

They are the powerful Li family, a prominent clan in Zhenhao, and there's also the even more formidable Puppet Sect.

Gao Chun looked at his father expectantly, eager to receive his guidance and learn from his mistakes so that he could be more secure when he went out into the world in the future.

Old Man Gao remained calm and composed, his wise eyes as deep as the ocean, and his aura as restrained as an abyss.

Although it is so close, it feels as if one is facing a mountain that has been silent for thousands of years, unassuming yet exuding an undeniable majesty.

His expression was calm and composed, showing neither anger nor approval. He simply looked up at Gao Chun, his voice not loud, but clear and distinct, piercing the silence of the room and reaching Gao Chun's ears like a morning bell or evening drum.

"Chun'er, now that you have stepped into the Xuandao (mysterious path) and become a Xuanzhe (mysterious practitioner), you should understand a fundamental principle: in this world, no one else can determine right or wrong for you."

"Right and wrong, merit and demerit, all reside in your heart; choices of advancement and retreat all depend on your heart. You are a mystic, not a mortal child to be manipulated by others. You must have your own pursuits, your own judgments, and above all, your own opinions."

"If you believe in your heart that it is right to do something, then do it without hesitation or fear. If you later examine your conscience and realize that you have made a mistake, then calmly reflect on it, summarize your gains and losses, and correct yourself so that you will not make the same mistake again."

"The path of the mystic is forged through countless choices and responsibilities; no one can walk it for you."

When the safety of Gaojia Village was mentioned, Old Man Gao's lips curled up slightly, revealing a calm and confident smile. His tone carried the composure and indifference of looking down on small forces, as if the Li family was nothing more than dust that could be easily brushed away in his eyes.

"As for your concern that the Li family might retaliate and endanger Gaojia Village, you can rest assured."

The Li family, a powerful clan in Jiuyang Town, may indeed be considered local tyrants, but in the entire cultivation world, they are nothing more than a speck of dust.

They were oppressed by the county gentry, above whom stood the prestigious clans of the prefecture, and above that, the powerful clans of the state, the powerful clans of the nation, and the ten sects and twenty-one religions—each mountain higher than the last.

"The Li family's power is far from enough to control everything, and they certainly wouldn't dare to easily launch a major attack on Gaojia Village. If things really get critical, I have my own plans, so you don't need to worry."

When Old Man Gao spoke, his expression remained calm and even, without the slightest fluctuation, yet it sent a jolt through Gao Chun's heart.

He had long known that Old Man Gao was unfathomable, and that the Silver Realm strength he displayed was definitely a concealment. After all, even his own cultivation level was suppressed and hidden by Old Man Gao using the Bagua Seal.

But Gao Chun realized that his father's hidden strength was far deeper, stronger, and more terrifying than he had imagined, given his father's composure and demeanor.

"Could my father be a reclusive top expert? Then wouldn't I be a second-generation...?"

Gao Chun felt incredibly proud of his father, and couldn't help but imagine his own identity.

Old Man Gao was fully aware of Gao Chun's emotional changes, but he ignored them and continued speaking.

"The Human Puppet Sect was once the undisputed number one overlord of Yunzhou, especially their acquired supernatural power: the Human Puppet Technique, which was extremely domineering among all the ten sects and twenty-one schools."

"Now they live in seclusion in the Southern Wilderness Forest, and each core disciple goes to the Nine Provinces Continent to train and find materials for human puppets."

"Your brother-in-law is right. Generally, protectors don't act easily. They only protect in secret and will never show themselves unless it's a matter of life and death. Otherwise, it would lose the meaning of letting geniuses train."

"None of the ten sects and twenty-one schools are benevolent; each has its own unique secret techniques and supernatural powers. They genuinely nurture their disciples and subject them to real life-or-death trials."

"It's not like what's written in those brainless novels, where all the scions of big families and sects are dullards who mock the protagonist for no reason and then get slapped in the face by him. In reality, the bigger the family or sect, the more mature their system for educating their scions, and their core disciples are all extremely outstanding."

Gao Chun listened to his father's calm and powerful words, which were like a morning bell and evening drum. He was amazed by his father's broad knowledge and it also broadened his own horizons.

After Old Man Gao's teachings, he suddenly understood. He realized that as a cultivator, he had to rely on himself for all choices.

He was also sincerely grateful to his father, who was reasonable and could distinguish right from wrong. He never made choices for him or lectured him, but simply led by example and guided him step by step to make independent judgments and grow autonomously.

My father has always been like this since I was a child; this is what a true master of education is.

"I have the greatest father." Gao Chun's heart was filled with gratitude and warmth.

Seeing Gao Chun lost in thought, Old Man Gao did not disturb him. He simply sat quietly to the side, gazing at the starry sky, as if that dark, flowing galaxy was his goal and his destination.

After digesting his father's teachings, Gao Chun smiled brightly, and his eyes became more determined and confident.

His original intention to protect his family, friends, and brothers will never change.

He would never give up his ambition to become a high-ranking official.

His bloodline supernatural power requires a large number of Xuanmai Pearls to upgrade his realm, and only by becoming a high-ranking official can he easily obtain a continuous supply of Xuanmai Pearls by virtue of his official status.

The Eastern Chen Empire is the ruler of the Nine Provinces Continent. As long as he can enter the officialdom and hold a position of power, he will no longer be just a commoner, but someone who can represent the entire Eastern Chen Empire.

He absolutely did not believe that after he became a high-ranking official, the Puppet Sect would dare to easily touch him, nor would the Ten Sects and Twenty-One Faculties dare to easily provoke him.

He alone is not frightening, but the entire Dongchen Empire behind him is enough to make all forces wary, especially the unfathomable Dongchen Emperor, the strongest in the world, who is the nightmare of the ten sects and twenty-one schools.

Having figured all this out, Gao Chun's belief in "becoming a high-ranking official" became even stronger.

He was determined to become a high-ranking official, and to do so, he had to break the empire's current aristocratic and caste system.

A firm and fervent light shone in Gao Chun's eyes.

He was determined to become a high-ranking official, to break the empire's caste system, and to forge his own path as a mystic.