Chapter 6: Imperial Command from the Immortal Palace

Talent was a gift from the heavens. Some were born strong, others weak. Food and training in daily life could change some of it, slowing the weakening of one’s Innate Qi. Yet, breaking through that natural limit was impossible. Just like in his past life, most people could train until they almost died, yet never crack the ten-second barrier for a hundred meters. It was beyond possibility.

But now, this Celestial Merit Record could change that.

He spent three hundred Merit points, directly boosting Fang Cun’s Innate Qi by three li.

Those three li alone pushed him from over ten seconds, to under ten seconds.

…

“One hundred Merits can raise Innate Qi by one li…”

Fang Cun closed his eyes slightly, calculating slowly in his heart. “If I used all my Merits to boost Innate Qi…”

He still had two thousand seven hundred Merits. That meant he could raise his Innate Qi by twenty-seven li.

Therefore, his Innate Qi would become three inches and twenty-eight li. Even within the White Xiang Academy, that would count as top-tier.

Fang Cun took a deep breath, pushing the idea away.

He didn’t know what the outside world around the Fang Family was like right after his brother’s death. He didn’t dare improve too drastically, worried someone might notice he seemed like a whole new person overnight. So, he could only start training hard every day in the following times, refining his body through martial practice. During that process, he could slowly increase his Innate Qi, making it look like his physical recovery was responsible.

After all, as a young man, laziness and indulgence in wine and pleasure made Innate Qi wither.

But training the body and dropping bad habits could restore it to its original state.

To outsiders, this would seem completely normal… well, mostly normal!

Right now, the greater importance was the Celestial Merit Record’s miraculous function.

It could display the Merit he earned from slaying Demons. He could even borrow Merit to raise Innate Qi.

So, if he kept slaying Demons, could he obtain more Merit? Could he continuously raise his Innate Qi?

If his Innate Qi reached the ordinary person’s limit of three inches and thirty-three li, or even surpassed one foot, one zhang, or directly hit thirty-three zhang, three hundred and thirty zhang… what would become of him?

Some kind of Five-Virtue Youth from an alien star?

…

Fang Cun murmured to himself, suppressing the wild thought.

“Compared to that, I should pay more attention to another question…”

Judging by the Merits he could currently convert into Innate Qi, they all seemed to come from the Demons he had eliminated before. This meant, to earn more Merit, he had to keep killing the Demons plaguing the mortal world?

He blinked, slightly dumbfounded. Wouldn’t that mean he was walking the same path as his brother?

In a world that cannot tolerate good people, you want me to be a good person?

How is that different from forcing a man to be a fool?

That is so foul!

…

Longji Slope south of the city. The first son of the Fang family, the Great Xia’s Immortal Master Fang Chi, was being buried.

Seven days had passed since rumors of the death of the Fang family’s first son reached Willow Lake City. In those seven days, the news had spread throughout Willow Lake City, surrounding prefectures, and beyond. Speaking more broadly, perhaps beyond Willow Lake City, this news had already reached every corner of the Great Xia territory, even kingdoms outside Great Xia.

The old Master of the Fang Family didn’t know the scale of the impact. He only knew his child was gone. A white-haired person burying a dark-haired person. In his grief, he could only arrange the funeral. However, Fang Chi had fallen in the Eternal Night Wasteland. Not even his body remained. So, what they were burying in the Fang Family Tomb, was merely a set of clothes he wore as a child, and a wooden horse.

Fang Chi had left home young, spending little time there. There weren’t many of his possessions left anyway.

The Family Tomb had been bought by the Fang family a few years prior. It faced the sun, backed by the mountains – a good spot. At first, the old Fang Patriarch thought the first one buried here would be himself. He never imagined his capable eldest son would claim the spot first…

The weather was overcast. Soon, a light rain began to fall through the drizzle curtain. Spring thunder rumbled.

Even though it was just a cenotaph burial, countless people still came to mourn.

Not only the heads of influential families in the city, renowned rogue cultivators nearby, people who had received the Fang family’s kindness, even the White Xiang Academy sent its Academy Head, along with three of the Four Elder Mentors, and a dozen Instructors. The City Governor of Willow Lake City, along with several dozen of his aides, advisors, and spirit officers also came. They all crowded near the tomb mound, standing quietly in the rain, waiting to send the clothes into the tomb…

They had waited for half a shichen, yet the burial hadn’t started.

No one urged them. They were simply waiting obediently.

Because they were all waiting for the envoy from the Immortal Palace to come and pay respects to the Little Immortal Master Fang Chi.

By ancient custom, whenever an immortal talent fell, even Qi Refining elders detached from the world would bestow an imperial command expressing sympathy.

The Little Immortal Master Fang Chi had, while alive, become a study companion in the Seven Kings’ Immortal Palace. In the Great Xia Dynasty, that made him a figure standing beyond the mundane world. The Immortal Palace naturally ought to send an envoy to pay respects; even the Immortal Emperor might personally issue a command of condolence. Earlier, the Fang family had received news: an Immortal Envoy was indeed en route. Now, unable to welcome the envoy, naturally they dared not lower the coffin.

They waited a long time. Below, the mist-blurred mountain base remained empty.

…

“Seventh Prince, it’s time to set off…”

Ten li off the road, beside a roadside gazebo, a stately procession of nearly three hundred attendants stood waiting. Some held burial objects bestowed by the Immortal Emperor, others carried lanterns to guide souls, some bore white flowers, and some cradled Spirit Calming Incense. The pomp was immense, nearing that appropriate for a deceased king of a realm.

Despite being mere steps from the tomb, the entire procession paused here.

Inside the gazebo, a youth wearing a golden crown and yellow robe, a white mourning ribbon tied around his arm, lounged on a stone stool. A table laden with fresh fruit stood before him. A maid fed him pieces lazily as he amused himself teasing her.

Beside him, a plump, blue-robed Elder Eunuch urged softly, “Your Highness carries an imperial edict from the Immortal Emperor to pay final respects to the Little Immortal Master Fang Chi. You shouldn’t delay time. Though it’s a mere cenotaph, it represents the Immortal Palace’s stance. This is our chance to show the Fang Family, Willow Lake, and the world the dignity of the Immortal Palace, our appreciation of talent…”

“What’s the rush? Can’t you see the rain? Aren’t you afraid it might dampen me?”

The youth twisted his head, glaring impatiently at the portly eunuch.

The eunuch glanced outside the gazebo at the misty, fine drizzle. Inwardly helpless, he bowed lower. “Your Highness’s immortal body is precious, naturally untouchable by rain. This old servant can help by scattering these gloomy clouds…”

“Shifting clouds and dispersing rain belongs to the natural order! How bold are you, old slave, to meddle recklessly?” The youth glared fiercely instead. “This prince is in no hurry. We wait it out!”

The eunuch’s expression grew awkward. After a slight, troubled pause, he ventured, “Your Highness… Immortal Master Fang Chi awaits…”

Crash!

The youth suddenly flared up, sweeping the table clean of fruit in one violent motion. Within the gazebo, everyone startled, dropping hastily to their knees.

“Then let him WAIT!”

The youth’s face twisted with ferocious gloom. “Alive, I dared not keep him waiting? When dead, must I suddenly obey HIS schedule?!?”

The eunuch hunched deeper, not daring to answer.

“Though dead, don’t think THIS Prince forgot how he treated me…”

Deep hatred surfaced on the youth’s face. His words were nearly ground between his teeth. “A dog raised by my Immortal Palace! Yet always loving to tell his masters how to act! Born mere wild grass sprung from Willow Lake’s rotten mud! Yet posturing like some bringer of heavenly rain and mercy to the world! He SHOULD have been the one most loyal to ME, serving me! Instead… he only knew how to SCOLD ME…!”

“Serves him right! Dying in some Eternal Night Wasteland! Serves him right becoming a joke for all beneath heaven!”

But… He was Your Highness’s teacher after all…

Peering timidly at the youth’s face twisted near out of shape by rage, the eunuch cautiously offered, “Then… what of the reward for the Fang Family…”

“You mean that ‘Nine Qi Nine Revolutions Great Dao Miraculous Pill’? The one my imperial father brought down from Beyond the Heavens? Bestowed specifically to the bereaved Fang clan?”

The youth turned to face the eunuch, starting to giggle wildly. “After hearing HE died, His Imperial Majesty rushed back specially from Beyond the Heavens! Left pressing armies of sky Demons unattended! Swore to plumb the Desolate Wasteland seeking his corpse! After hearing HE died, the Female Sovereign of the Path of Ascension raged to the point she smashed three Demon-infested mountains! After hearing HE died, my Eldest Brother charged right into a Demon Pit slaughtering wildly… Heh heh… Truly… Deep down not ONE of them liked the man! Yet all pretended agony beyond compare! As though this single damned stray dog’s death CRACKED the very Heaven of Great Xia…!”

A shocked silence fell. No one dared respond.

As he spoke, the youth’s look darkened further. Suddenly he snarled, “BRING IT!”

Attendants and guards exchanged nervous glances. After a hesitant moment, one walked toward the center of the procession. He approached a bronze cauldron resting on a violet-gold traveling platform. Removing the lid, he extracted a small, delicately crafted purple case. Holding it with both hands, he presented it mutely.

The youth snatched the case, flipped it open. Inside lay a pill, red-tinged yet brilliantly white.

Heavenly fragrance exploded outward. Grass and trees near the pavilion instantly breathed greener, seeming flush with vibrant life.

Gazes locked onto the pill. Hidden flickers of avarice stirred beneath lowered eyelids.

“Our imperial princes must render outstanding service to earn such a Great Dao Miraculous Pill! And this… simply bestowed… to HIS kin?!”

The youth gently plucked the pill onto his palm. Fingers played idly with it. A cold, amused smirk slowly stretched his lips. Suddenly – “Aiyeee?” A feigned gasp escaped him. FIVE fingers sprang wide open!

The priceless pill dropped… Plop!

Rolling… coating itself thickly in muddy filth.

Everyone gasped! Hands twitched reflexively towards the ground… froze… Did not dare move.

At that precise instant!

The fluffy lap dog nestled within the arm of a maidservant beside the youth suddenly sniffed. Its eyes snapped into bulging roundness! Struggling free, it leaped from her embrace! Shot across the ground! And swallowed the muddy pill whole in one greedy gulp! Gulp!

“This…!”

The Elder Eunuch… The guards… The entire retinue… gaped in shock! Immediately, all faces snapped downward, pretending blindness.

“He served as MY teacher! Spent every day OPPOSING ME! And now expects ME…? To gift HIS family THIS pill…?!”

Watching the dog gulp, the youth burst into sudden, roaring laughter. Wild, gleeful echoes rolled out. “Better fed to a DOG than wasted on HIM!”

Despair slowly filled the eunuch’s face. He ceased all attempts at persuading.

…

And so, shrouded within that misting veil of rain, everyone waited.

Including the dead Fang Chi. For the Immortal Palace’s imperial decree had yet to arrive. He too could not yet rest beneath the earth.