The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 304 - 268. Martial Artist Attacks the Mountain

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Inside the private room.

Dressed in silk and satin, with a sweet smile and graceful manners that could serve as a template for a noblewoman, Xu Junling asked with a smile.

Her smooth little hand gently wiped the corner of her mouth with a silk handkerchief.

After bidding farewell to Zhao Douan, she came here for a meal and sent someone to keep an eye on the movements at the Imperial Court.

The last time Lv Shui came to report, the news was:

"All eight halls of the Imperial Court were defeated by Chai Keqiao, losing face."

Xu Junling eagerly awaited to see how the arrogant Yama Zhao would handle this tricky problem.

"Your... Your Highness... that Zhao person is fine."

After entering the room, the maid closed the door with a backward motion, then spoke with an odd expression.

"Oh? Did he really play the turtle? No... from the information I've gathered about him, he's not one to sulk and endure, so that means... Ma Yan has returned?

Indeed, Lord Ma Yan, as the chief officer of the Imperial Court, handling this is only natural," Xu Junling calmly analyzed.

"...Ma Yan hasn't returned early either."

The maid's expression became increasingly peculiar.

Seeing her mistress raise her eyebrows again, she hurriedly opened her mouth, pouring out the information like beans from a bamboo tube, to prevent her from imagining blindly:

"Your Highness, after Zhao Douan found out, he used his authority to deploy a large number of experts from the imperial guard, surrounded and attacked Chai Keqiao, captured him after injuring him, and tossed him into the Imperial Prison. It's said that from start to finish, he never showed up, only directing from behind the scenes."

Xu Junling was stunned, her delicate face expressionless for a moment.

This was a path she had not considered.

"How could he mobilize the various camps of the imperial guard..."

Xu Junling said halfway, then closed her mouth, sighing with a complicated look:

"I understand."

Her expression turned serious:

"It seems the gigolo my imperial sister keeps holds a heavier weight in the military than we imagined."

The maid couldn't help but say:

"Your Highness, this person is truly used to bullying with power. When he fought Master Lv, he used Mr. Hai's hand, captured Chai Keqiao, and then sent strong military figures. Indeed, he has the official air, and to think he's still a Martial Artist, without an ounce of the Martial Artist spirit. Seems his own abilities aren't much."

Yet Xu Junling shook her head, objectively commenting:

"As an official, one must assess the situation, with the brain first. Whether it's Master Lv or Chai Keqiao, neither is someone he can currently rival directly; using power to fight power is a form of strategy."

She paused and then smiled:

"However, though this person has brains and tactics, today it seems he's not a big threat."

"Oh?" Lv Shui was puzzled.

Xu Junling explained with a smile:

"Although this person has amazing abilities, from his record and actions, he has no ambition to rule the country as a civil official, nor any desire to enter the Privy Council and become a main general in the military.

What he excels at is doing errands for my imperial sister, and essentially never exceeds the scope of the 'White Horse Envoy.'

As for the path of cultivation, though he is a Martial Artist, he lacks the courageous and progressive spirit of one, being accustomed to using power against power; he cannot reach the heights on the path of martial arts."

After a pause, she commented:

"Not entering the civil service, not becoming a general on the battlefield, nor transcending the mundane cage as a cultivator... If these three paths are all unoccupied, no matter how incredibly talented he is, being an extraordinary strategist by my sister's side or temporarily joining the army might be his pinnacle—it's difficult to become someone who truly influences the situation of the world."

Having completed her analysis, Xu Junling believed she had seen through Zhao Douan's future achievements, putting her mind at ease. She then said:

"Instruct to stop monitoring him, turn instead to investigating Buddhist Tao and other sects."

This learned and elegant Princess Huaian looked out at the autumn wind outside the window and said:

"The contest between Buddhism and Taoism... Whoever wins or loses will have a much greater impact on this chess game of the world than a single Zhao Douan."

…

…

Zhao Douan rode his horse swiftly, returning home by afternoon.

Throwing the horse to the servants for feeding, he passed through the courtyard, leaving a single sentence:

"Do not disturb me if there's nothing urgent."

Then he went straight into his room.

Closing the door, Zhao Douan threw off his robe, sat cross-legged on the bed, and attempted to visualize the Martial God Map.

In a daze, his mind wavered, leaving the real house and arriving on a dilapidated road with green mountains and clear waters.

Zhao Douan propped himself up from the horseback, only to feel an exhaustion clouding his mind, half his face imprinted with a red mark.

"Clip-clop, clip-clop…"

The sound of hooves of the poor horse struck the muddy dirt road. A deep breath was taken, filling his nose with the rich, earthy scent.

Zhao Douan looked up, finding that in the "dream," it had also rained not long ago.

At this moment, he was riding on a horse, traveling the road toward the East Sea Martial Emperor City.

Ahead, leading with one hand on the reins, with disheveled hair and beard, and a gourd hanging at his waist, strode the Great Yu Grand Ancestor.

"You're awake."

Old Xu didn't turn around, but his voice drilled into Zhao Douan's ears.

Zhao Douan was taken aback, surprised that Old Xu took the initiative to speak to him today.

Ever since they left the snowy plains for the East Sea, each time he visualized, they were almost constantly traveling.

Compared with the hot desert and the snowbound plains with blizzards, one must admit, this journey southeast was his most comfortable.

"Mm."

Zhao Douan responded perfunctorily, starting to try perceiving himself, then became somewhat confused—

Something was wrong!

The feeling was gone!

The rush home was all because, after witnessing that fierce battle by Chai Keqiao, a sudden impulse to enter the Martial God Map arose in his heart.

He firmly believed this was the so-called breakthrough opportunity of the "Heart Realm."

Yet upon truly arriving, he found the impulse had vanished.

"What's going on? Was it an illusion?"

Zhao Douan's cheek twitched, unwilling to accept this harsh reality.

"Good to be awake, we're almost there."

Old Xu's voice, though hoarse, carried a trace of excitement.

"Oh, I see... Wait, what?!" Zhao Douan was stunned.

The wild-looking Great Yu Grand Ancestor, unkempt like a savage from eating wind and drinking rain along the way, pointed ahead:

"We've reached the Martial Emperor City."

Zhao Douan suddenly looked up.

After the new rain on the empty mountain, the clouds ahead slowly dispersed, revealing a majestic green mountain rising abruptly at the end of the road.

That awe-inspiring green mountain was exceptionally grand, appearing abruptly, possibly due to some celestial phenomenon, causing a circle of clouds to hover at its towering midsection.

Within the sea of clouds, more than a dozen mushroom-shaped thick cloud pillars shot skyward, then slowly fell and diffused, turning into wisps of drifting clouds.

"Have we reached the East Sea? Where is the Martial Emperor City?"

Zhao Douan murmured.

The Great Yu Grand Ancestor said:

"The sea is behind the mountain, the city is at the foot of the mountain."

…

After traveling for months within the Martial God Map, Zhao Douan and the Great Yu Grand Ancestor finally entered the Martial Emperor City.

But what was referred to as the "city" differed slightly from his expectations.

Not only was it incomparable to the Capital, but it was also merely a relatively large town located at the mountain's foot.

"This isn't what I heard..."

Zhao Douan muttered to himself, leading his horse through Qingshan Town, following Old Xu.

After arriving here, Old Xu seemed to have a boost in "intelligence," saying:

"What's different?"

"Martial Emperor City... should be a city."

Zhao Douan awkwardly explained, contemplating how to express his disappointment.

Old Xu calmly said, "It will become a city."

Zhao Douan was stunned, immediately realizing that this map recorded Martial Emperor City from six hundred years ago.

Historical records showed that the name "Martial Emperor City" likely emerged around that time.

"So... in the current era, Martial Emperor City was still just a small town... Six hundred years later, it became a real city."

Zhao Douan smacked his lips, forming a logical conclusion. Then he asked:

"What next? Climb the mountain?"

Old Xu looked at the towering mountains ahead, saying:

"You stay in town, I'll go up the mountain."

…

Following that, the two stayed at an inn in town.

Indeed, Old Xu left Zhao Douan to mind the house, going out each morning and returning at nightfall.

Supposedly, he went up the mountain to challenge the experts of the Martial Emperor City lineage.

Zhao Douan had once wanted to follow him up the mountain, but Old Xu blocked him, the gist being:

Practice more if you're weak.

Zhao Douan suddenly had some realizations, understanding that this journey of traversing the world on foot was Old Xu's path of cultivation alone.

He was merely fortunate to follow along, journey after journey.

In the desert and on the snowy plains, he could experience them alongside Old Xu.

But now, after traveling thousands of miles together and reaching the end of the Martial God Map, it unfolded to its last.

Zhao Douan could no longer participate, only watch.

On the first day, Old Xu climbed a hundred feet without injury.

On the tenth day, he advanced further, returning to the inn covered in bruises.

On the thirtieth day, at sunset, Old Xu returned with a weary and bloodless body, collapsing and sleeping for two days at the inn.

On the fiftieth day, Old Xu left at dawn, and Zhao Douan waited until nightfall, but he didn't return.

Zhao Douan inquired of the martial artists descending at dusk—

In this town, there were many visiting Martial Artists who, like Old Xu, ascended the mountain to challenge.

During this period, though Zhao Douan had not stepped out, he had learned through these people's conversations that Old Xu had gained a great reputation.

He fought his way from the foot of the mountain to the midsection, defeating several direct disciples of the contemporary "Heavenly Person" Martial Emperor.

He had become hugely famous.

He also learned that atop the green mountain, there was a coastal cliff where every generation of the Martial Emperor lineage's "Heavenly Person" sat daily, watching the sea.

He thought that the Wu Xiankui from six hundred years later must also have been like this.

"It seems the Great Yu Grand Ancestor recorded in the Martial God Map, having just completed his cultivation journey, was far from entering the 'Heavenly Human Realm.'"

Zhao Douan made this assessment.

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He asked each returning Martial Artist about Old Xu, but none knew anything.

All said Old Xu's climbing altitude had far exceeded all of theirs, entering the clouds.

Just as Zhao Douan gritted his teeth, ready to climb the mountain by night to see if he could bring back Old Xu.

The blood-soaked Great Yu Grand Ancestor trudged back to the small town, stepping into the last gleam of sunset.

With a "thump," he collapsed to the ground.

Zhao Douan, head spinning, laboriously unscrewed the gourd, gave him some water, and asked:

"If you can't win, why insist on the fight? Isn't it better to trounce the green mountain when stronger?"

Old Xu lay on the ground, glanced at him, his eyes glinting with some light:

"Because if you can't win, you have to fight."

Zhao Douan was dumbfounded, pondering.

…

Zhao Mansion.

Inside the room, on the bed.

Zhao Douan ended his visualization, opening his eyes, feeling mentally exhausted.

Visualization cultivation inherently consumed energy, so daily practice couldn't exceed one or two hours before rest was required.

The room was dimly lit, faintly hearing the patter of fine rain outside.

Night had fallen.

A strong sensation of hunger growled in his stomach, interrupting Zhao Douan's thoughts.

He had a vague feeling that the final portion of the Martial God Map contained the key to advancing to the Divine Chapter.

"Knock, knock." The sound of knocking came, followed by You Jinhua's cautious voice:

"Da Lang..."

——————

Next comes the advancement plot, feeling that writing this part well requires more groundwork

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