Achieving the Dao from the Hundred Schools of Thought

"Brother Zilu, thank you for your hard work on this journey!"

Zhuang Weiyang bowed to Zilu and sincerely thanked him.

Zilu waved his hand and went straight back to his room to rest.

When Zilu is on his journey, he must constantly observe his surroundings with his true nature. When he encounters mountains, forests, or rivers, he must also draw his sword to prevent evil spirits from hiding there and taking revenge on Zhuang Weiyang, who is possessed by the blood curse.

Even though Zilu was a second-level cultivator, he felt extremely tired.

Fortunately, after half a month of travel, the two finally left the whirlpool of Suzhou and returned safely to Zuili.

After traveling for half a month, Zhuang Weiyang worked day and night to digest the demon core and practice her magic.

【技能：风（7872/10000）、火（7020/10000）、山（7020/10000）、御（7980/10000）、势（3022/10000）、主政（1/10000）、水战（4216/10000）、心（易）不可提升】

[Supernatural Power: Blood and Qi Furnace]

[Current Progress: Strength as Great as an Ox (7076/10000), can increase the strength of "one ox" within the same realm.]

With the successful breakthrough to the seventh level of the Art of War, the application of the techniques became more skillful and the power greatly increased.

Zhuang Weiyang had no soldiers under his command, so he couldn't test the bonuses he could apply to his troops.

However, when he used it outside Zhuli City, it already showed a hint of supernatural power.

It can already alter celestial phenomena on a small scale!

Zhuang Weiyang understood that even if the Art of War was perfected, its power would not change qualitatively.

Above that lies the realm of supernatural powers.

Compared to magic techniques, the Supernatural Qi and Blood Furnace represents a greater advancement.

Take She Ya as an example. When he first arrived in Suzhou, his own blood and energy were already stronger than She Ya's.

Now, you can crush Sheya with your bare hands.

Thinking of this, Zhuang Weiyang reached out and clenched her fist tightly.

"Bang!"

Zhuang Weiyang withdrew her fist, looked at the throbbing veins on the back of her hand, and nodded in satisfaction.

"I wonder if I am capable of fighting against a second-realm demon now?"

The demon race has already broken through to the second realm, requiring a qualitative change in their qi and blood. But my current 'One Ox' power, I don't even know what breed of ox it is, its qi and blood are frighteningly abundant, already no weaker than some second-realm great demons.

Zhuang Weiyang guessed that with the near-perfected Military Saint Technique and the power of her blood and qi, she should be able to escape from a second-realm demon without any backing.

If they were to fight desperately, combining their three techniques and unleashing the Heavenly Collapse, they might be able to contend with a second-realm demon.

As for human cultivators at the second realm... that's not enough.

Human cultivators have too many tricks up their sleeves, especially the cultivators from the Hundred Schools of Thought today, whose methods are even more difficult to defend against.

Zhuang Weiyang withdrew her qi and blood, took the black jade sword, walked out of the courtyard, and turned to go to the young master's residence next door.

By handing over the black jade sword, I can consider my mission successfully completed.

Inside the young master's residence, Prince Di leisurely lay on a stone stool in the courtyard, watching the fish swimming in the pond, yawning incessantly.

Goldfish circled around several lotus flowers, forming concentric circles that made one feel sleepy just looking at them.

Zhuang Weiyang walked into the courtyard, a sense of surprise rising in her heart.

"Aren't ordinary fish supposed to lack intelligence? Why can the goldfish in this pond swim according to a set pattern?"

Zhuang Weiyang subconsciously felt a surge of excitement and began to observe the pond, hoping to find something mysterious.

Upon closer inspection, the answer became clear.

Zhuang Weiyang stepped forward with a helpless expression, bowed, and said:

"Second Young Master, Weiyang is on a long and arduous journey to Suzhou, and dares not delay for even a moment. But you, on the other hand, are here playing with fish."

Qing Jiu transformed into human form, squatted in the grass, and blew bubbles, giving instructions to the fish swimming in the pond.

She coaxed the prince to sleep.

This action lasted for an unknown amount of time, but it was clearly quite long—Qing Jiu's cheeks were puffed out and red, and she was still straining!

Prince Di was still sleepy, so he waved to Qing Jiu to stop, and then got up and went to the pond to wash his face with the water.

Qing Jiu dawdled over to Zhuang Weiyang's side and explained in a low voice.

"My second uncle sells the fish! This young master allowed us to come to this pond to play with the fish!"

"Didn't I give you rice?"

After washing his face and regaining his senses, Prince Di mumbled a defense and waved for Qing Jiu to leave.

Qing Jiu hesitated, then slowly walked to the corner of the gallery, unable to find her way out.

"Alright, I'll put it in the tab today and settle the accounts with you tomorrow!"

"You said it!"

Prince Di looked amused as he watched Qing Jiu leave, then noticed Zhuang Weiyang's distressed expression and offered words of comfort:

"Alright, everything's fine now that you're back. Our ancestors appeared during the summer planting season, and everything in the public fields is peaceful."

The Zhong family held military power, and the demon race made no move.

"I, as the young master, am taking a break from my busy schedule, and you, Wei Yang, are complaining! Alright, alright, let me see what treasure Father has given me in return!"

Zhuang Weiyang presented the black jade sword from her waist, and Prince Di accepted the sword with an excited expression on his face.

Prince Di was also a military cultivator. He didn't care much about cultivation, but he was very interested in weapons and armor.

"Zzzzt—!"

Prince Di drew the Black Jade Sword. The black blade and scabbard rubbed together, producing a crisp sword sound. Prince Di looked at the Black Jade Sword, his expression of fondness growing stronger.

"What a fine sword! My father was truly a great ruler!"

Zhuang Weiyang: "..."

I hope that when you see your father's eager expression, you will praise him in the same way.

"Weiyang, tell me quickly, what did you see in Suzhou? Did the Zhao family cause you any trouble?"

Zhuang Weiyang sat down and began to recount her experiences in Suzhou.

"The Zhao family didn't show up, but the Qi envoy..."

Just as Zhuang Weiyang was reporting, Fan Li, far away in Gusu, was also secretly talking to Goujian.

Outside Suzhou city, in a remote stone cave.

The cave was damp and dark, with an unpleasant, bitter smell in the air.

Fan Li and Goujian seemed to have lost their sense of smell, completely indifferent to the smell.

Compared to the suffering of Yue's defeat, what is a mere stench?

Fan Li bowed and performed the most standard courtier's salute.

Under Fan Li's respectful guidance, Goujian's disheveled appearance gained a touch of majesty.

"Your Majesty, why have you summoned me so urgently?"

Goujian pondered for a moment and asked:

"Is this place safe? Did the coachman make arrangements?"

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty! Bo Pi is hosting a banquet today, and Ma Gu is among the invitees; your official purpose for coming out today is to find the freshest fodder, and everything is arranged!"

Goujian nodded in satisfaction.

Even a king, a servant of a man, dares not be careless in the slightest.

"You...go back to Yue and find Gan Jiang's wife, Mo Xie. I suspect the real 'Bu Guang' is definitely in Yue!"

If I could find the King's Sword and present it to Fuchai, perhaps I could return to the Kingdom of Yue!

Fan Li was puzzled and couldn't help but ask:

"Why is Your Majesty so certain? What if he isn't in Yue...?"

The Yue Kingdom's treasury was empty, and most of its ministers had abandoned their king, who had been treated like a slave.

Among the scholar-officials at the top of power, only Fan Li and Wen Zhong remained loyal.

If Goujian's guess was wrong, Fan Li's situation in Yue would become even more difficult.

"There's no mistake! I've been the King of Yue for so many years!"

"I cannot misjudge the eyes of my subjects!"

Goujian's face showed a smug look, as if the king had returned to the days when he fought against the State of Wu in the Kuaiji Mountains.

"Those are eyes of loyalty! Those are eyes that would die for me!"

He will certainly not only hide in the Yue Kingdom!

Fan Li bowed and accepted the order.

The move to elevate the King of Yue from a slave to a hegemon was a gamble of epic proportions!

Fan Li's cultivation had reached the peak of the second realm, and his nature had been honed to its limit. He only needed the support of his inner fire to achieve the third realm of political cultivation.

Fan Li planned to accomplish this step by assisting the King of Yue.

He combined his ambition to endure hardship and humiliation with his desire to govern the country and his nature as a commoner minister!

If successful, one's name will be recorded in history, and one will be promoted to the Great Cultivation Realm of the Third Realm!

If they were to fail, it would merely be a waste of time, and the Yue Kingdom would perish.

For Fan Li, there was no loss.

Without Fan Li, the Yue Kingdom was destined to perish!