Ming Dynasty: Gain one supernatural power every day

The time was almost up. Zhu Gaoxi held his breath and sat motionless on the couch.

Ding! It's time to check in for tomorrow. Do you wish to claim today's special ability?

"receive!"

Ding! Sign-in successful! Congratulations, host, you have obtained a new supernatural power—Sword Control Technique.

A translucent, pale gold panel surfaced deep within my consciousness:

Host: Zhu Gaoxi

Age: 7 years old

Number of check-in days: 3

Acquired supernatural powers: Power of Creation, Immortal Body, Sword Control Technique

Sword Control Technique

Supernatural Power Effect: Controls the sword with intention; wherever the divine thought reaches, the sword follows. Multiple swords can be controlled, depending on the strength of the divine thought. Ordinary iron can be controlled but not for long; only divine weapons can be nurtured and cultivated within the dantian, achieving perfect unity between man and sword.

A sharp aura rose from his dantian, flowing through his meridians to his limbs. Zhu Gaoxi closed his eyes, and the mental formula for sword control naturally surfaced in his mind. He controlled the sword with his will; wherever his divine sense reached, the sword followed. He could wield any sword in the world, in unlimited numbers, entirely at his command. The stronger his divine sense, the more swords he could control, and the wider his reach.

In other words, as long as his divine sense is strong enough, he can control as many swords as he wants and fly as far as he wants.

Zhu Gaoxi tried to spread his divine sense outwards. With the blessing of his immortal body, his consciousness surged out like a tide.

He passed over the roof of Kunning Palace, over the palace walls, and over the moat. The entire city of Yingtianfu unfolded in his mind: the painted boats on the Qinhuai River, the slaughterhouses in the south of the city, the military camps in the north of the city—nothing escaped his perception.

He was immersed in the expansion of his divine sense when he suddenly remembered something—the sword control technique requires a sword.

Swords made of coarse iron are of mixed materials, so they can't fly fast or far, let alone be nurtured and absorbed into the body. He must find a good sword.

He extended his divine sense and found that his father was indeed still awake, reviewing memorials in the Wenyuan Pavilion. So he summoned the palace maids and eunuchs, got off the bed, put on his outer robe, and went out.

The lights in Wenyuan Pavilion were still on. Zhu Gaoxi pushed open the door and entered. Zhu Di looked up and saw it was his youngest son, his brows relaxing slightly: "Xi'er? It's so late, why aren't you asleep yet?"

"Father, I have something to report." Zhu Gaoxi glanced at those around him, "Please dismiss everyone."

Zhu Di waved his hand, and the serving eunuchs silently withdrew, the palace doors gently closing.

"Father, at Chenshi today, the Dao Ancestor bestowed upon me another divine ability—the Sword Control Technique. It allows me to fly on a sword, and wherever my divine sense reaches, the sword will follow. My divine sense can cover the entire city of Yingtian Prefecture."

Zhu Di's pupils contracted slightly: "Flying on a sword? You can fly?"

"Yes," Zhu Gaoxi nodded, "but we'll need a good sword. Ordinary iron swords are unusable; they're neither fast nor far. Father, do we have any excellent swords in our armory?"

Zhu Di stood up, walked to the window, and turned around after a moment:

"The armory is full of ordinary iron. However, there is another place in the imperial city that stores rare treasures collected from various dynasties. Perhaps you can find what you're looking for there."

Zhu Di led Zhu Gaoxi through numerous palace gates to a secluded courtyard. The gate opened, revealing a massive stone hall. Zhu Di took the lantern and handed it to him: "There are many things here; take your time choosing."

Zhu Gaoxi entered the stone hall, the room filled with a cold light. On the weapon rack were various swords and sabers, which he examined one by one, probing them with his divine sense, and found that the materials were all of inferior quality.

He continued walking in, reaching the deepest part of the stone hall, where he extended his divine sense with all his might.

In the corner, an ancient sword covered in dust lay quietly on a dilapidated wooden frame.

He walked over and reached out to wipe the dust off the scabbard. The scabbard was completely black, and the moment he gripped the hilt, a cool sensation flowed into his body through his palm, resonating with the immortal body within his dantian.

He drew the sword from its sheath. The blade was entirely black, with a dull metallic luster, and felt extremely heavy. Two lines of small characters were engraved on the blade: "Forged from celestial black iron, an ancient sword from the Warring States period, named 'Dragon Slayer'."

Zhu Gaoxi's heart skipped a beat—forged from black iron, no wonder it was so heavy. He probed the sword with his divine sense, and a vast power was faintly dormant within it, resonating slightly with his immortal body.

That's it.

Zhu Gaoxi walked out of the stone hall carrying a sword. Zhu Di took the sword, drew it from its sheath, and examined it for a moment:

"This sword... I've seen it before. It's said to be forged from black iron, incredibly heavy, and no ordinary person could lift it. It seems you have a deep connection with it."

Zhu Gaoxi nodded.

Zhu Di returned the sword to him and suddenly asked, "What are your plans for tomorrow's morning court?"

Zhu Gaoxi raised his head and said earnestly, "Tomorrow morning at court, I will wait in the palace. Father, please tell them first who cured Mother. If they do not believe me, Father, summon me again, and I will fly to the main hall on my sword."

Zhu Di was silent for a moment, then a slight smile appeared on his lips: "Alright. Tomorrow then. I want to see who dares to gossip. Also, Fourth Prince, don't forget to take your father on a flight."

Zhu Di thought to himself, "After tomorrow, everyone in the Ming Dynasty will know that my son is the successor of the Daoist patriarch. Who will dare to say that my fourth son's ascension to the throne was illegitimate, and that I am the chosen one? Hahahaha..."

Zhu Gaoxi looked at his father's expression, somewhat bewildered, and said with a smile, "It's too dark today, we won't be able to see anything if we fly up. Tomorrow I'll take Father on a tour of the whole city, so they can admire Father's majesty."

He patted Zhu Gaoxi on the shoulder: "Go back and diligently cultivate your supernatural powers. Tomorrow, I will take you to court."

Zhu Gaoxi nodded. Zhu Di called out to the door, and four Imperial Guards entered in response.

Zhu Di pointed to the Dragon-Slaying Sword on the table: "Take it up and go back with Prince Rui." Then he strode out of the palace gate.

Four Imperial Guards stepped forward together. Two lifted the sword by the blade, and two held the scabbard, gritting their teeth as they lifted the heavy ancient sword. Huang Yan watched from the side, secretly marveling at how heavy the sword must have been, weighing at least a hundred pounds.

Zhu Gaoxi walked in front, followed by four Imperial Guards carrying swords. The group passed through many palace gates and headed towards the east side room of Kunning Palace. On the way, they encountered a night patrolling eunuch. Upon seeing this procession, the eunuch was so frightened that he immediately knelt down by the roadside, not daring to raise his head.

Upon reaching the door of the east side room, the Imperial Guards gently placed their swords on the long table in front of the couch, bowed in unison, and withdrew. Only Zhu Gaoxi remained in the hall.

He sat down on the couch and placed the Dragon-Slaying Sword across his lap. The heavy blade pressed down on his thighs as he held it, but with the blessing of his immortal body, he held it firmly.

He closed his eyes and slowly probed his divine sense into the sword. The power within the sword was still dormant, but a faint connection had already been established between it and his immortal body.

He tried to guide it with his mind, and the sword trembled slightly, emitting a low ringing sound.

He needs to draw the sword into his dantian and nurture it day and night in order to achieve perfect harmony between man and sword.

Zhu Gaoxi took a deep breath and poured all his divine sense into the sword. The sword vibrated more and more violently, and dark red patterns faintly appeared on the black blade.

He gritted his teeth and guided the sword with his mind. The sword transformed into a streak of black light, entering his body from his palm and hovering steadily in his dantian.

It became.

He let out a long breath, sweat rolling down his forehead, but his mouth stretched into a wide grin.

Within his dantian, the Dragon-Slaying Sword floated silently, slowly merging with the immortal body within him. With each breath, pure yang energy surged into his dantian, nourishing the slumbering ancient sword.

Within his dantian, the Dragon-Slaying Sword floated silently, slowly merging with the immortal body within him. With each breath, pure yang energy surged into his dantian, nourishing the slumbering ancient sword.

Zhu Gaoxi opened his eyes, a thought flashing through his mind. The Dragon-Slaying Sword flew from his palm, hovering before him. He stretched out his hand, and the hilt automatically fell into his palm, its weight perfectly controlled and seamless.

With another thought, the sword grew longer, three feet, five feet, ten feet, and finally became more than ten feet long and more than three feet wide, lying horizontally in front of the bed, like a black boat.

Zhu Gaoxi stood up and stepped onto the platform, standing firmly and without moving an inch. He silently counted in his mind that there was more than enough room for four or five people to stand on.

With another thought, the sword shrank back three feet, deftly circled its tip, and transformed into a streak of black light that disappeared into the dantian.