fifth form

Chapter 3378 Breaking the Curse of the True Self
Whether a contract is effective depends on the prevailing social norms and the financial strength of the signatories.

The conflict beneath the cliffs has temporarily come to an end.

Daojun gained seven days to catch his breath, while the new emperor gained the help to break the Seven Arrows Book of Nailheads.

Zhang Xuezhou pondered for a few seconds, only to realize that he hadn't gained any benefits and had almost gotten himself into a lot of trouble.

Of course, it is indeed very important that the new emperor survives, as this relates to the fortune that Zhang Xuezhou is drawing upon, as well as the opportunities he may trigger.

Daojun's spells are known for their danger; once cast, no one is left alive.

Although Daojun's efforts in Mayi were insufficient and he did not kill Zhang Xuezhou and the others, this does not mean that Daojun's spells failed. The danger and threat of the opponent's spells are still considerable.

The Seven Arrows of Nailhead is such a dangerous and deadly curse.

This curse will slowly strip the victim of their life force until they are completely drained and die on the seventh day.

Talismans cannot stop the Seven Arrows of Nailhead from targeting a person, body-refining techniques cannot withstand the life-draining spells, and even a True Self Realm cultivator's Heaven and Earth Bridge Cycle will perish.

This curse is beyond saving. Its only weakness lies in the fact that the rank of the top-tier curse artifact, the Seven Arrows of Nailhead, has been lowered, making it difficult to target top-tier cultivators as it did before.

The only way for the new emperor to break free from this predicament is to become a top-tier cultivator and, after entering the True Self Realm, break free from the entanglement of the curse.

That's the situation!

After getting directions from the Holy Mother of Wudang at the cliff edge, Zhang Xuezhou returned to the spot where everyone had fought before, then asked the steward of the Baizhi Marquis's mansion, and finally rushed back to the palace.

The nine talismans could not withstand the Seven Arrows of Nailhead. After the talismans' precious light dissipated, the bright feathered arrows struck the center of the new emperor's forehead.

The arrow did not pierce the new emperor's head; instead, it vanished abruptly, yet seemed to permeate every part of his body.

Every so often, it felt as if insects and ants were gnawing at his bones, causing the new emperor great pain.

Inside the main hall of Weiyang Palace, imperial physicians came and went from time to time. The Empress Dowager had probably been scolding people for a while, and was now lying on a chair, panting.

Zhang Xuezhou's entry into the palace went relatively smoothly, and he quickly communicated with the new emperor.

"Seven days? The Realm of True Self!"

The new emperor propped himself up.

His body wasn't much weaker at the moment, but after being cursed, he immediately sought an uncursor. Unexpectedly, many people were helpless. It was only after Zhang Xuezhou pursued Daojun and reached an agreement that the new emperor knew how to break the deadlock.

He couldn't help but tremble a little, after all, the new emperor had tried to break through his cultivation level in the Dragon City ancestral land, and he was certain that he was not capable at the moment.

But if he doesn't break through the barrier and reach a higher realm, he will die.

Moreover, the new emperor has less than seven days left.

"My sword is still too slow!"

Recalling everything that had happened the night before, the new emperor only regretted that his sword had been a beat too slow, thus giving the Daoist Lord the opportunity to unleash his spell.

Or, as Zhang Xuezhou said, they lacked a pioneer.

If someone could consume all seven talismans of the Seven Arrows of Nailhead, things wouldn't be so passive.

He really lacks confidence now.

"The true self realm's aura circulates in perfect harmony. Your Majesty must listen to the aura of all things in order to discover the laws governing your own aura!"

Zhang Xuezhou and the new emperor did not hide their conversation. The Empress Dowager, half-reclining in a chair, breathed heavily as she shared her insights.

"The true self realm's blood and qi circulation is unified, how did it turn into mere aura?" the new emperor asked.

"How can one enter the Qi and blood if one cannot enter the gate of breath?" the Empress Dowager said. "When we shout, we stimulate the Qi and blood, but this shout is far from enough. I have heard that the Western religion has a six-syllable mantra, 'Om Mani Padme Hum,' for inhaling and exhaling. Unfortunately, the language and practice are quite different from ours. Over the years, I have studied it repeatedly and found that 'Xu, He, Hu, Xi, Chui, Xi' regulate the Qi and blood. When Your Majesty cannot enter the gate, you can recite it repeatedly to see if it can adjust your physical condition!"

“Hush, hoo, whoosh, si, blow, hiss?” The new emperor repeated the words.

Among countless languages, finding words that can mobilize qi and blood is extremely difficult.

Words do indeed possess a mysterious and wondrous power, such as Dong Zhongshu's art of the unity of heaven and man and the chapter on righteousness. The new emperor did not slack off at this time, constantly muttering to himself, trying his best to increase his chances of success.

"If Your Majesty can supplement and perfect your cultivation, perhaps you can cleanse your body and transform your tendons and bones, thus opening up your entire body from the inside out, and thus gaining the opportunity to step into your true self," the Empress Dowager said.

"I'll do my best... Hmph!"

The new emperor nodded in agreement, then couldn't help but groan, his body trembling like a leaf.

Even with a normal physical condition, breaking through to a higher realm is extremely difficult; with a curse on one's body, it's like walking through mountains of knives and seas of fire.

"Dongfang Shuo, you should protect His Majesty even better!"

Upon seeing the new emperor's physical condition, the Empress Dowager, who had just finished berating many people, couldn't help but mention Zhang Xuezhou.

“Alas, I am just a minor official in charge of repairing the mausoleum. My position is low and my abilities are limited, but I have done my best,” Zhang Xuezhou said with a sigh.

"Let's not talk about building the mausoleum now. The longer the construction of that mausoleum takes, the better. I don't want to lie in it in seven days!"

The new emperor stood up, trembling, and took a few more steps forward.

The atmosphere in the main hall of Weiyang Palace was tense. Not only was the Empress Dowager cursing, but the new emperor also had a bad temper. He calmed down and tried his best to find a way to break free from the curse.

The more pills prepared for another breakthrough, the better; the more relevant knowledge he has, the better; and his physical condition also needs to be as balanced as possible so that he can withstand the erosion of the spells when he breaks through to the next level.

"Can he really help us?"

After carefully considering all the circumstances, the new emperor sought confirmation again and again, attempting to fully analyze the actions of Daojun and Wudang Shengmu.

"It won't hurt to give it a try," Zhang Xuezhou said.

"Too!"

The new emperor nodded.

The new emperor knew very well that relying on the royal family's resources would make it difficult to reach the True Self Realm. If the royal family's elixirs were truly that effective, he wouldn't have attempted to break through to the mid and late stages of the True Self Realm in the Dragon City Ancestral Land.

When one's cultivation reaches this level, elixirs are more of an auxiliary medicine than a decisive tool for cultivation.

This also means that the way to seek one's true self is not limited to elixirs, but requires a suitable opportunity.

The new emperor felt it was unreliable to think about the possibility of meeting Dao Lords again and having to interact with powerful cultivators who were trying to break up fights.

But Zhang Xuezhou is right. It's worth trying this kind of thing, since he really has no other choice right now. Even the Empress Dowager can't spar with him, let alone break through to the True Self Realm.

"What about your uncle?" the Empress Dowager asked. "He was also hit by the Seven Arrows of Nailhead. He's only at the True Self Realm and hasn't recovered yet. Should we go check on him again?"

"He's just too shocked!"

The new emperor let out a sigh of relief.

Things become easier to judge when there is a comparison.

The seven arrows that struck the nailhead were not only aimed at the new emperor, but also involved Tian Fen.

Tian Fen, who was in the True Self Realm, did not experience the bone-deep pain that Tian Fen suffered from. Instead, he was simply overwhelmed by shock and suffered from the incompatibility between his Yang Soul and his body. His symptoms were completely different from those of the new emperor.

This also confirms that reaching the True Self Realm in cultivation will cause the Seven Arrows of Nailhead to become ineffective.

Once he enters into his true self, he will be freed from this deadly curse.