Chapter 75: Fourth Layer Of The Mysterious Pass!

Chapter 75: The Fourth Gate of the Mystic Barrier!

Zhao Changhe finally managed to steady his breath, took the elixir, and asked, "What is this?"

"A treasure that thoroughly transforms one's bone structure and purges the marrow to wash the sinews—such things are not found at will. No matter how great your power, you cannot simply have everything; even the imperial house may lack it. Yet not every clan scion is born with fine bone structure, so families always seek ways to improve it. This is one example—it strengthens the resilience of the meridians and enhances tolerance."

It sounded reliable. Zhao Changhe asked, "What's the difference between widening the meridians and strengthening their resilience?"

"Your meridians are like a small stream, able to hold only so much flow. If widened, they can accommodate a surging river. But a river also needs sturdy embankments, lest it burst. The distinction is not hard to grasp."

Zhao Changhe nodded. "Understood. That is to say, though my little stream cannot be widened, I can still build up its banks, allowing it to bear a flow beyond its natural capacity."

"Exactly. And even if you later widen your meridians, this resilience will still serve you. Indeed, if your meridians lack resilience, you might hesitate before a chance to widen them, fearing their fragility. You will inevitably need this sooner or later. Do you still think I have nothing to give you?"

"Ah, I never said that..."

Cui Wenjing did not call him out on it. He said coolly, "Of course, this is not a perfect cure for your current condition—only a slight improvement. The root remedy requires fate, and we will also keep an eye out for news."

"I am already deeply grateful." Zhao Changhe took the elixir from Cui Wenjing and swallowed it without a second word.

Seeing him gulp it down so hastily, Cui Yuanyang grew anxious again. "This man, why so impatient? Swallowing it like that—could something go wrong?"

Cui Wenjing chuckled dryly. "Don't be so jumpy. With your father here, what could go wrong? I gave it to him for him to take. He knows far better than you. If he didn't take it while I'm here to protect him, would he wait for you to do it? If trouble really came, what could you do but cry?"

Cui Yuanyang's face felt slapped by her own father. She pouted and ate her meal in silence.

Cui Wenjing looked at her with disappointment. "Now you can't even serve as an advisor in these matters. Do you realize how foolish it was to waste those ten-odd years? If you were knowledgeable, you could help him. Why would he have to set aside that proud face of his and smile at me?"

"I know..." Cui Yuanyang muttered. "I've started training now."

A glimmer of satisfaction appeared in Cui Wenjing's eyes.

Cui Yuanyang's talent was acknowledged by the entire clan—she could learn almost anything at a glance, but she never applied herself seriously. Yet she had laid a foundation since childhood, unlike Zhao Changhe's struggles. If this could truly make her devote herself to martial arts, her achievements would be boundless. When the time came, she could dominate the world herself—why would she need a husband?

To be honest, he didn't really believe Zhao Changhe could do it in three years, even if he poured all the Cui family's resources into him. Making it onto the Human Roll in three years was impossible. The so-called help now was merely an investment, something to keep his daughter happy. If by some chance it succeeded, it would be a huge gain.

But what he truly hoped for was to awaken Cui Yuanyang herself—that would be worth more than anything.

Then Cui Yuanyang suddenly lowered her voice. "Father..."

"Hmm?"

"The emperor bestowed that blade. Can it not be given to another? Would that be considered treason? Not that we're all that afraid of that sovereign..."

"Watch your tongue."

Cui Yuanyang grumbled and fell silent.

"Do you truly believe that Xia Longyuan is old and senile, unable to control the situation, that the realm is seething with undercurrents, and that Tang Wanzhuang, frail as she is, props up the empire alone? Are you reading storybooks?" Cui Wenjing said coldly. "The number one on the Heavenly Roll is beyond your comprehension. This is not something you should meddle with. Stop your wild thoughts."

Cui Yuanyang drooped her head in defeat.

Brother Zhao had paid such a heavy price this time, only to end up bearing others' gossip and leaving with nothing. The young girl truly felt for him, wishing she could give him everything, even herself—but she found she had nothing to give. She couldn't even take him to her boudoir...

Cui Wenjing glanced at her and suddenly understood why she had asked about the blade. His expression turned somewhat odd. He looked at Zhao Changhe, who sat with eyes closed, absorbing the medicine to strengthen his meridians, and stroked his beard as he murmured, "An emperor's bestowed blade cannot, of course, be casually given to another—that is great disrespect. But some people may not be bound by this restriction..."

Cui Yuanyang blinked. "Even if he is... he can't just give it away on his own authority, can he? Isn't that still overstepping?"

"Still trying to trick your father into talking..." Cui Wenjing chuckled. "I told you, the number one on the Heavenly Roll is beyond your understanding. The blade he gave—ordinary people cannot wield it; it will strongly reject them. If someone can be in harmony with it, and the Cui family presents it as a matter of course, what is that called? It's called catering to the sovereign's will."

Cui Yuanyang's eyes sparkled, and she looked eager to try. Cui Wenjing glanced sidelong at his daughter and said coolly, "But I advise you not to go looking for trouble."

Cui Yuanyang forced a smile. "No, I was just asking."

"Don't give me that..." Cui Wenjing said flatly. "His suspicious identity now—even if he denies it himself—is a great asset. Because as long as it's not confirmed, people can only guess, uncertain how to treat him. If you go and try that broken blade and it turns out he's not in harmony... though it wouldn't prove he isn't, the odds drop sharply, and he loses that capital himself. Do you think I never openly brought up this identity matter with him? That's one of the reasons."

Cui Yuanyang paused, and her idea of stealing the blade for her lover vanished.

Some things—the adults had many considerations, and she truly couldn't meddle carelessly.

"But..." Cui Wenjing murmured to himself, "if we secretly test and it turns out he is... that would be interesting..."

Cui Yuanyang's eyes lit up again. Secret test—if I steal it and give it to him to test, that's a secret test, isn't it? If it rejects, put it back, nothing happens. If it's in harmony...

Cui Wenjing said, "This morning I interrogated your third brother again, no results yet. Tonight, Yuan Yong is also back. There will be a final interrogation at the ancestral shrine. Do you want to attend? Perhaps it's better for you to confront them yourself."

Cui Yuanyang lowered her head. "I... I'd rather not... Can't we just let this go?"

"Nonsense! You think your life doesn't matter, but the Cui family thinks rooting out the traitor is more important! Let it go?" Cui Wenjing said coldly. "This time, we may have to use the Qinghe Sword."

Cui Yuanyang was taken aback.

Just as Zhao Changhe had wondered why they kept the sword hidden and unused—because the Qinghe Divine Sword, righteous and grand, brings peace to rivers and seas, and exposes all treacherous villains. But the divine sword has a spirit; when drawn, it must taste blood. Cui Wenjing's strength was enough to control the sword, but it was hard to keep it docile when his mind was elsewhere.

In this world, how many are truly upright? Even Cui Wenjing himself didn't qualify. What if, in a moment of carelessness, the sword went around cutting people, even slitting throats? How could Cui Wenjing face himself?

But when used deliberately, there was no problem.

Had this matter become so troublesome that it couldn't be investigated without the Qinghe Sword?

Cui Wenjing's mood clearly soured at this thought. He waved his sleeve and said, "Enough. Zhao Changhe's absorption is going smoothly; he'll wake soon. Take him to rest. I have other matters."

Zhao Changhe indeed opened his eyes at that moment, a flash of ferocious red in his gaze.

Cui Wenjing paused mid-motion, startled, and turned to look at him. "You... Blood Fiend Art, fourth level? I gave you a medicine for internal energy and meridians—how did you silently break through the external gate?"

Zhao Changhe smiled sheepishly. "My internal energy is a bit special—it can merge and boost the blood and qi of external techniques. Before, it wasn't strong enough; my little-stream meridians couldn't support much true qi. After taking this medicine, I found the true qi surging much more... These days of wandering the jianghu, I've accumulated enough blood fiend energy from external practice, and the medicine Yuanyang fed me before also helped greatly with blood and qi. I thought I might try to use the current true qi intensity to break through, so I gave it a shot..."

Cui Wenjing twitched the corner of his mouth.

He made it sound so simple, like eating a meal.

Last time Zhao Changhe left Beimang, the words on the Book of Chaos were still fresh: "Zhao Changhe has practiced martial arts for four months, broken through three gates." Now it's only been a little over five months, and he's at the fourth gate.

Though still somewhat unbalanced—his external technique is at the fourth level, internal at the third, only used as a booster for external—strictly speaking, it's not true internal-external cultivation. But the efficiency is already absurd. Cui Wenjing searched his memory and couldn't find a faster precedent.

When he was young, just five months into training, he hadn't even broken through the first gate...

Of course, circumstances differ; his family's mystical internal arts emphasized laying a solid foundation step by step. But it still showed that Zhao Changhe's physique, bone structure, and comprehension were one in ten thousand. His only flaw was starting martial arts too late, with fixed meridians. If that problem could be solved, his achievements...

Cui Wenjing remained expressionless, hands clasped behind his back as he strolled away. "Not bad. Decisive action... but still not particularly efficient. Far inferior to me in my youth. Do not be arrogant; there is room for improvement."