May I seek good fortune and avoid misfortune, and live a long and prosperous life.

Inside the Poison Dragon Pool cave, Li Heng had already dissipated his power nine times.

Although the theory of the cultivation method states that the limit is to disperse one's internal energy nine times, Li Heng discovered when he was practicing the first level of the Dispersing Internal Energy Technique that the actual limit should be to disperse one's internal energy ten times.

Therefore, even when cultivating the second level of the Dispersing Power Technique, Li Heng still did not believe that dispersing power nine times was the limit. He wanted to continue dispersing power until he could no longer improve, only then could he feel at ease breaking through to the Grandmaster realm!

"Continue your training!"

……

Six months later.

The situation in the North and South is becoming increasingly dire.

Ningcheng had also fallen, and Emperor Jingwu had no choice but to gather his remaining troops again and retreat hastily to Yancheng.

But the barbarian army soon arrived at Yan City.

On that day, the barbarians sent two Grandmaster-level warriors to try to climb the city wall, but they were barely forced back by a Grandmaster-level warrior from Xin Chu and several other Grandmaster-level warriors.

……

The ancestral home of the Zhenwu School.

Today, all the disciples of the Zhenwu Sect knelt outside a secluded main hall and respectfully called out to those inside:

"The barbarians have invaded the pass and swept across the entire northern territory. Now, their icy army is poised to strike Yan City. The Chu Kingdom is on the brink of life and death. All the disciples of Zhenwu dare to request our Grandmaster to come out of the pass, uphold the nation, and resist the foreign invasion!"

The same thing happened at Leiyin Sect and Yuehua Sect.

These three sects are the major sects in the south that are closest to Yan City.

"Disciples of the Thunder Sound Sect, weeping with blood, humbly beseech our Grandmaster Uncle to emerge from seclusion, resist foreign invaders, and restore the land of our Chu Kingdom!"

"Disciples of the Moonflower Sect beseech our Grandmaster Uncle to emerge from seclusion! To save our nation and protect our land!"

On the same day, a Grandmaster-level energy fluctuation appeared in the sky above the Zhenwu Sect, Leiyin Sect, and Yuehua Sect.

The three grandmasters emerged from seclusion one after another and flew towards Yan City.

A day later, three loud voices rang out in succession over Yan City.

"Our Zhenwu Sect has received imperial favor for generations, and today I, Feng Xuanzi, have come to offer my assistance!"

"Our Leiyin Sect, having received provisions from Chu, is now facing a life-or-death crisis for the Chu Kingdom, and Zhao Guichen has come to offer his assistance!"

"Mo Ling Shuang of the Moonflower Sect has come to our aid, vowing to live and die with the Chu Kingdom!"

Three days later, the two sides officially launched the Grandmaster Battle.

"I, Feng Xuanzi, was nearing the end of my life, but now I have been able to rid the country of a great scourge. My life has been worthwhile! Hahaha!"

On the battlefield, Grandmaster Feng Xuanzi of the Zhenwu Sect pulled along an opposing Grandmaster and they self-destructed.

Five days later, the opponent launched another Grandmaster battle.

"Zhao Guichen of the Leiyin Sect will die for his country today. All of us righteous and patriotic people, remember not to surrender, but to hold on to the very last moment. I, Zhao, will go first!"

After saying this, Zhao Guichen perished together with one of the opponent's Grandmasters.

Three days later, the great battle resumed.

"Mo Ling Shuang of the Moonflower Sect has taken her leave first. We martial artists must strive to improve ourselves! The rise and fall of the nation is the responsibility of every citizen!"

Grandmaster Mo Ling Shuang of the Yuehua Sect dragged the opposing Grandmaster to their deaths together.

Thus, all three Grandmasters who came to provide support perished in Yan City.

That night, Emperor Jingwu wept bitterly and issued an edict to cremate the remains of the three Grandmasters and send them back to their respective sects for burial. He also posthumously conferred the titles of Marquis Dingguo on Feng Xuanzi, Marquis Zhenguo on Zhao Guichen, and Marquis Anguo on Mo Lingshuang, so that they might enjoy the incense offerings of the state forever.

……

Poison Dragon Pool Cave.

Li Heng opened his eyes.

He has just finished his eleventh time dispersing his internal energy!

When he dispersed his power for the eleventh time, he found that his foundation and internal strength had not improved at all.

This made him realize that the limit of the second level of the Dispersing Power Technique was only ten times; if he continued to disperse power, there would be no further improvement.

"Now, my foundation and the quality of my internal energy can be said to have reached the limit of the Grandmaster realm. In this world, there is no martial artist in the Grandmaster realm with a stronger foundation and more refined and profound internal energy than me. I now represent the pinnacle of the Grandmaster realm!"

"Now, as long as I can cultivate back to the peak of the Grandmaster realm, I can learn the second level of the Nine Tribulations Nirvana Technique and then break through to the Grandmaster realm!" Li Heng's eyes were full of confidence.

……

The new Chu court.

The seeds that Li Heng sowed back then have now taken root, sprouted, and grown into towering trees.

Ye Zhou became the most powerful general under Emperor Jingwu and was appointed as the General of the Flying Cavalry.

Li Hui was promoted by Emperor Jingwu to the position of Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, in charge of the education of official schools in the court.

Both sides are contributing their talents and efforts to the new Chu dynasty in their respective fields!

If Li Heng knew, he would be happy about his unintentional act back then.

A month later.

The situation took another sharp turn for the worse. Yan City could no longer be defended, and Emperor Jingwu had no choice but to retreat to his stronghold in Yun City.

At this moment, Yuncheng once again became the turning point in the situation.

Yuncheng is the only gateway to the northwest and a hub connecting north and south.

If Yuncheng falls, not only will the south be in danger, but even Emperor Jingwu's stronghold, the four provinces, will be in danger!

"We can't retreat any further, or we'll be defeated!"

With the support of his civil and military officials, Emperor Jingwu stood on the city wall of Yuncheng, his eyes filled with tears and his fingers clenched so tightly they were red!

……

Poison Dragon Pool Cave.

At this moment, a loud sound came from inside the cave.

"Finally, I've succeeded! I've once again reached the peak of the Grandmaster realm!"

"Now we can begin cultivating the second level of the Nine Tribulations Nirvana Technique!"

A few days later, the entire cave was filled with huge energy fluctuations.

Li Heng officially stepped out of the cave; he had successfully advanced to the Grandmaster realm!

His current strength is beyond what he could have imagined before he went into seclusion; even he himself doesn't know where his limits are!

The world is a place you can go anywhere.

This retreat lasted for more than five years, during which I dispersed my energy eleven times and restarted my cultivation eleven times. The hardships I endured are beyond what outsiders can understand!

However, it was all worth it, and he took another steady step forward.

It all stemmed from that one sentence he said back then:

Time is on my side; if I don't die, I'll eventually succeed.

After leaving the Poison Dragon Pool, Li Heng immediately went to Maple City, found the largest teahouse, sat down, and inquired about news.

When he heard that the northern barbarians had breached the pass, the capital had fallen, Emperor Xiangqing had committed suicide, the third prince had ascended the throne, and the barbarians were advancing south and were now at the gates of Yuncheng, his heart was shaken once again.

"The Third Prince has also declared himself emperor, but his ascension is a blessing for the Chu Kingdom!"

"Alas, these are truly turbulent times. The rebellion of the traitor Chen has just been quelled, and now the northern barbarians are invading from the south. This turmoil is even greater than the rebellion of the traitor Chen. After all, the traitor Chen was still one of our people, but the northern barbarians are a different race. As our ancestors said, those who are not of our kind will surely have different hearts. This could very well lead to the destruction of the world!" Li Heng sighed, holding a teacup in his hand.

After drinking half a cup of tea, Li Heng left a few pieces of silver and quietly left the teahouse.

Our objective this time is to head to Yun City and support Emperor Jingwu!

Li Heng activated high-speed mode and rushed towards Yuncheng at full speed.

……

The next day in the afternoon, a fierce battle between Grandmasters and Great Grandmasters had already begun in the skies above Cloud City.

The once azure sky is now drenched in a continuous rain of blood.

The bloodshed involved both barbarians and the newly emerged Chu, making the battle incredibly fierce.

Meanwhile, the barbarian army was constantly trying to climb the city walls, but they were all shot into pincushions by the defending soldiers, smashed into mincemeat by countless boulders, or scalded into "cooked" bodies by boiling oil!