Chapter 7: Exposure Brings Rewards!
Along the corridor, neither Shi Feixuan nor Wanwan said a word.
For a brief moment, these two long-time rivals walked side by side like sisters in perfect harmony.
As they neared the end of the passage, Wanwan was the first to break the silence.
"Who do you think that eunuch could be?"
Shi Feixuan shook her head, a trace of solemnity flickering in her beautiful eyes.
"A Grandmaster-level expert is already among the absolute elite in the entire Great Zhou Dynasty.
Normally, such people are well-known. But we've never heard of the royal court harboring a Grandmaster."
"Looks like the Great Zhou court has been hiding their strength well. Who knows what else they're concealing..."
For a moment, both the saintess and the sorceress fell silent again.
Things seemed to be spiraling far beyond their expectations.
...
...
Meanwhile, Shen Hao finally gained a rough understanding of the world he was now in.
This world was four to five times larger than historical China.
A hundred years ago, the world underwent a drastic change.
The realms of martial cultivation suddenly surged to unimaginable heights.
Individual combat power skyrocketed. Top-tier martial artists could now take the head of a general amidst thousands of troops.
With power shifting into individual hands, the authority of the imperial court gradually declined.
Major sects and holy lands began to rise rapidly.
Backed by these powerful forces, the feudal lords grew bolder, and the imperial court of Great Zhou weakened day by day.
Though the Zhou Dynasty had once unified the realm through a feudal system,
its declining competence led to widespread power consolidation among the vassals.
Of what was once over a hundred states, only eight major vassal kingdoms now remained.
Including Great Zhou, the world was now divided into nine provinces.
Great Zhou occupied the central province—Zhongzhou, rich in resources and boasting over a million soldiers.
The remaining lands were split among the Eight Kings: Qin, Sui, Tang, Song, Liao, Yuan, Ming, and Qing.
Smaller states like Dali, Xia, and Tubo had long broken away from the court's control and pledged allegiance to one of the Eight Kings.
As for the martial world—it was in utter chaos.
The government had no power to deal with the roving martial sects.
These rogue martial artists now answered only to their respective holy lands.
And each feudal kingdom had at least one such powerful sect backing it.
Shen Hao also came to understand the martial cultivation system of this world.
He hadn't expected that Grandmaster wasn't even the highest level. There were still two realms above it.
Bone Tempering, Qi Induction, Postnatal, Prenatal, Master, Grandmaster, Three Flowers Converge, and Five Qi Toward the Origin—eight stages in total.
If one combined the five qi into one and attained harmony with nature, they could even shatter the void.
Unfortunately, no one had ever been known to achieve that level.
Generally, children began Bone Tempering by age six.
If they could reach Qi Induction by twelve, they were considered prodigies.
Some succeeded in a month, others took years.
Elite holy land disciples like Wanwan, Shi Feixuan, and Jiang Yuyan had all achieved Qi Induction on the very day they started.
From there, they broke through the eight meridians to reach Postnatal.
Once they opened the Ren and Du meridians, they stepped into Prenatal.
When true qi could be projected externally, one became a Master.
A Grandmaster could spiritually lock onto enemies, predicting their every move and killing Prenatal warriors with ease.
Above that was Three Flowers Converge, followed by Five Qi Toward the Origin.
Only a few in the world had ever reached those heights.
Shen Hao thought for a moment, then summoned Xuan Dezhi.
"Xuan Dezhi, do you know if there are any experts in the world at the level of Three Flowers Converge?"
Xuan Dezhi pondered before replying with a nod.
"Yes, Your Majesty. There's Zhang Sanfeng of Wudang, the Island Lords of Xia Ke Island—Long and Mu,
Sword Demon Dugu Qiubai, Ye Gucheng, Xiongba of the World Society, and Sword Sage Wuming.
It's said Shaolin Temple has one too, though we don't know if it's true."
"What about Heavenly Saber Song Que, Shi Zhixuan, and Ning Daoqi? Aren't they Three Flowers Converge too?" Shen Hao asked.
Xuan Dezhi shook his head.
"They're all just Grandmasters.
Breaking into Three Flowers Converge requires not just peerless talent but also great fortune—encountering rare treasures of heaven and earth.
As for martial legends—Gu Santong, the Immortal Kid; Zhu Wushi, son of Zhu Di; Wang Chongyang, Ximen Chuixue,
Qiao Feng of the Beggar Sect, Yang Dingtian of the Ming Cult...
Even some of the imperial concubines are said to have the potential to break through,
but lacking fortuitous encounters, it's unlikely in this lifetime."
Shen Hao asked with curiosity, "What about Dishi Tian?"
"Who's Dishi Tian?" Xuan Dezhi looked confused.
Shen Hao didn't explain. Clearly, Dishi Tian was still hiding in the shadows.
Since Xiongba existed in this world, Dishi Tian must too.
Though not highly talented, with the power of phoenix blood, Dishi Tian would definitely be formidable.
A clear picture was beginning to form in Shen Hao's mind.
He had thought Grandmasters were the pinnacle, but Three Flowers Converge and Five Qi Toward the Origin were even higher.
"Can someone at Three Flowers Converge instantly kill a Grandmaster?" Shen Hao asked.
Xuan Dezhi shook his head.
"Not necessarily. Three Flowers Converge is more of a spiritual cultivation state.
Three Grandmasters working together can still take down a single Three Flowers master—though the cost would be heavy.
No matter how powerful, they are still human... unless a miraculous encounter changes that."
Shen Hao nodded.
At the very least, they were still within the limits of human strength.
But just thinking about Xiongba being a Three Flowers-level threat—on his home turf in Zhongzhou—made Shen Hao uncomfortable.
How can such a monstrous figure be allowed to exist on my doorstep?
The Zhongzhou heartland must not tolerate such threats!
With that in mind, he instructed,
"Xuan Dezhi, spread this rumor: Success and downfall lie in Wind and Cloud. Tell Feng and Yun that the one who killed their fathers is none other than Xiongba."
Xuan Dezhi froze. How did His Majesty know such a secret?
But he dared not question the Emperor's orders.
"As you command, Your Majesty. I'll see to it immediately."
[Ding!
Congratulations, Host, for exposing a hidden truth of the martial world.
This has triggered internal strife within the World Society.
You have been rewarded: Wind God Legs and Cloud Dispelling Palm.
National Fortune +1
When National Fortune reaches 10, you may draw a reward.]
Shen Hao blinked in surprise.
So not only did defying ancestral traditions make him stronger, even exposing martial world secrets earned rewards?
Damn, this life might actually turn out great!