Starting with being handed over to the Imperial Concubine, building a family with a thousand-year hi

Although Zheng He's aptitude for martial arts was average and his comprehension wasn't particularly outstanding, he was very obedient and diligent. He listened attentively to every movement and technique taught by Su Mu and Xiao Anran, practicing repeatedly until he was drenched in sweat, never slacking off in the slightest. Fortunately, his physique was quite good; he was strong and looked very healthy, at least not malnourished, making his training easier than that of the average weak eunuch.

Time passed day by day, and in the blink of an eye, two days had gone by. Under the careful guidance of Su Mu and Xiao Anran, and with the nourishment of the Spirit Essence Pill and the Solidification Pill, Zheng He successfully guided Qi into his body by using the breathing techniques in the Martial Scripture, stepping into the Qi Induction Realm and officially becoming a cultivator.

Su Mu also received a system reward because Zheng He successfully entered the Qi Refining Realm. In addition, the system also rewarded him with a high-grade Xuan-level "Golden Vine Talisman". This talisman is extremely powerful and can summon golden vines to entangle enemies. It can be used for both defense and offense, making it extremely practical.

Looking at the golden vine talisman in his hand, Su Mu smiled with satisfaction. Zheng He had only just embarked on the path of martial arts, yet he had already brought him such a reward. It was no wonder that Su Mu's efforts had not been in vain. It should be noted that Zheng He's talent was mediocre. To be able to reach the Qi Refining Realm in just two days and also to receive a talisman reward was already quite remarkable.

Soon, it was January 16th. The weather was clear and cloudless that day. Within the imperial city, it remained a bustling and prosperous scene, with people and vehicles thronging the streets, a picture of peace and tranquility. But no one could have imagined that a sudden upheaval was about to shatter this peace.

At noon, just as the people in the imperial city were busy preparing lunch and the palace guards were performing their duties in an orderly manner, a deafening explosion suddenly came from the north of the imperial city. "Boom—" The loud noise shook the heavens and the earth, and even deep within the imperial palace, the loud noise could be clearly heard, and the ground trembled slightly.

"What is that sound? It's not thunder, nor is it firecrackers!" The palace guards stopped what they were doing, their faces showing a mixture of fear and confusion as they looked around, trying to find the source of the sound.

A moment later, the earth trembled slightly again. Although the tremor was not strong, it was enough for everyone to feel it. Su Mu and Xiao Anran were cultivating in the courtyard when they heard the loud noise and felt the ground tremble. They stopped what they were doing at the same time, their expressions changed slightly, and then they moved and soared into the sky, hovering in the air. Their eyes were fixed on the north of the imperial city, their expressions solemn.

The experts in the palace, as well as the palace guards and various stewards, all noticed the abnormality. They all took to the air and hovered there, their eyes all looking north, their faces full of shock and confusion, wondering what had happened in the north.

At this moment, throughout the entire imperial city, all martial arts masters capable of taking to the air hovered in the air, their gazes fixed intently on the north, their expressions varied—some shocked, some doubtful, some greedy, and some wary. Such a bizarre scene was truly rare in the imperial city.

Everyone stared intently, and saw a dazzling light shooting straight into the sky from the north of the imperial city. The light was so bright that it pierced the sky and illuminated the entire heavens. Even the sun's rays were somewhat overshadowed by this dazzling light. From a distance, it was extremely spectacular, yet it also carried a hint of eeriness and mystery.

Xiao Anran hovered in the air, his gaze fixed on the dazzling light. His expression was solemn, and his tone was thoughtful as he slowly spoke, "Elder Su, about two hundred miles outside the north gate of the imperial city lies Wild Wolf Ridge. That mountain range is not large, and the scenery is quite ordinary. Usually, only some hunters hunt and live there. Few cultivators go there, let alone cause such an earth-shattering commotion."

"Judging from this, it's most likely the ruins of an ancient sect have emerged. Perhaps, there's even an ancient treasure hidden there!" Jiang Chen said quickly, his tone filled with excitement and greed as he looked at the dazzling light.

A hint of excitement flashed in Xiao Anran's eyes. She quickly turned to Su Mu and urged, "Elder Su, this is an opportunity not to be missed! Since ancient relics and treasures have appeared, what are we waiting for? Let's go take a look! We might find some precious pills, magical artifacts, or even ancient martial arts manuals. This would be an incredible opportunity for us!"

Su Mu pondered for a moment, his gaze still fixed on the dazzling light. He said calmly and casually, "Alright, there's nothing important anyway, and it's not too far away. Let's go take a look and see what it is that can cause such a commotion."

Having said that, he didn't hesitate any longer. He immediately circulated his inner energy, and with a flash, he sped off to the north at incredible speed, instantly flying out of the palace's perimeter. Within the palace, flying on swords was always forbidden, as was the practice of cultivators freely soaring through the skies. However, given the urgency of the situation and the emergence of an ancient relic, this rule was no longer a significant factor for Su Mu.

"Elder Su, wait for me! Please, take me with you!" Upon seeing this, Xiao Anran hurriedly shouted at Su Mu's retreating figure, her tone urgent, wanting to catch up with Su Mu and head to Wild Wolf Ridge together. But Su Mu seemed not to hear her cries, continuing to speed northward on his own, his speed increasing until, in the blink of an eye, only a small figure remained, gradually disappearing into the horizon.

Xiao Anran knew that although experts at the Innate Realm could fly briefly in the air, their speed was extremely slow and they would consume a lot of true essence and internal energy. His cultivation was far inferior to Su Mu's, and he had no chance of catching up with him.

She landed slowly, a hint of reluctance flashing in her beautiful eyes, but it was quickly replaced by intense excitement. She murmured eagerly, "Ancient ruins, ancient treasures… perhaps I can find an opportunity to break through my cultivation level here!"

No one could understand the expectations in her heart; only she knew how much she longed to break through her cultivation level and possess great power. She suddenly remembered a tattered ancient book she had seen in the library before. That book seemed to contain scattered clues about ancient ruins. Thinking of this, she no longer hesitated, turned around, and strode quickly towards the library, wanting to find that tattered ancient book and search for more clues about the ancient ruins.

Meanwhile, within the imperial city, the martial arts masters suspended in the air could no longer contain their excitement and greed. They circulated their inner energy and sped towards Wild Wolf Ridge, eager to reach the ruins first and seize the treasures and opportunities within. For a time, the sky above the imperial city was filled with figures rushing past, creating a truly spectacular scene.