Chapter 45: Gold, the Profound Gate, and Nan Liujing

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Chen Zhi’an had no idea what had happened in the Hanging Heaven Capital. He had returned to his daily cultivation, once again living as though he could hear nothing of the world beyond his window.

The third-grade arcane art known as the Treasured Manual of Furnace Body Tempering was quite extraordinary. After comprehending its essentials within the Kaiyang Gate, Chen Zhi’an specially gathered the medicinal ingredients required for its practice, boiled them into decoctions, and drank them every day.

When cultivating the Treasured Manual of Furnace Body Tempering, his wondrous True Essence Tree seemed to transform into a colossal furnace. The true essence within it burned like fire, then flowed out of this “furnace,” coursing through every bone, layer of skin, muscle, tendon, and membrane in his body, nourishing his physique at an astonishing rate.

His body seemed to undergo subtle changes every day. After accumulating for only a dozen or so days, Chen Zhi’an had actually grown several inches taller. His height had surpassed seven feet.

Chen Zhi’an had calculated that the Great Yu unit of measurement known as the “foot” was not far from the foot used during the Sui and Tang dynasties in his previous life—roughly twenty-six centimeters. A height of more than seven feet meant he stood over 1.8 meters tall. Among ordinary people, that was already exceptionally tall.

Yet Chen Zhi’an was still dissatisfied.

“This Furnace Body Tempering Manual is somewhat different from the body-tempering arts I imagined.”

At that moment, Chen Zhi’an had just finished cultivating. Feeling the increasing toughness of his flesh, muscles, tendons, and membranes, he sighed inwardly.

He had always thought that a body-tempering art should make a man as sturdy as an ox. Ideally, it would make him grow another foot taller and transform him completely into a rugged, imposing man.

Yet the Treasured Manual of the Furnace seemed intent on constantly expelling impurities from his body. It made his bones harder, his skin and flesh denser and more resilient, and his strength increasingly weighty.

Apart from growing several inches taller, his body had not become much bulkier. Instead, it had grown more proportionate: broad shoulders, a narrow waist, skin as fair as jade. Once he put on his sapphire-blue arcane robe, his complexion appeared even paler, making him resemble an elegant young nobleman.

Chen Zhi’an was rather dissatisfied with this transformation. He felt that such an appearance was too delicate and refined. He ought to look rougher, more powerful, and more martial.

“The Furnace Body Tempering Art has five levels in all.

“Upon mastering the first level, the major tendons stretch and the bones harden. When true essence flows through them, they ring like metal.

“Upon mastering the second level, the bones become like iron, while the condensed flesh becomes as firm as a shield.

“Upon mastering the third level, the bones become like refined steel, while the flesh becomes impervious to blades and spears…”

By the end of March, Chen Zhi’an had actually long since grasped the essence of the Furnace Body Tempering Art. However, unlike the Twelvefold Northern Departure of the Eight Capitals, which could be mastered through insight alone, this third-grade arcane art required the slow tempering of the flesh and body—a process that naturally took a long time.

After cultivating for more than ten days, Chen Zhi’an had barely reached the second level. This was already the result of having an ample supply of medicinal decoctions and what seemed to be exceptionally fine natural endowments.

Even so, Chen Zhi’an was extremely satisfied.

“When one cultivates true essence, the body is naturally washed by it as one’s cultivation deepens and one’s true essence grows more substantial, becoming stronger and stronger.

“Take Qi Tianchong, for example. As he himself said, with the precious true essence he possesses, after years of accumulation his body has already become astonishingly powerful.

“But with this third-grade body-tempering art, compared with cultivators of the same realm who have never specially practiced body tempering, my physique is far stronger.

“The White Jade Cicada Shedding Scripture makes my true essence slightly denser and my circulation slightly faster. The Twelvefold Northern Departure of the Eight Capitals gives my saber techniques more variations and makes them more mysterious. And this body-tempering art makes my physique somewhat stronger than that of ordinary cultivators.

“Once all these advantages are added together, the difference becomes considerable.”

Chen Zhi’an let out a long breath, returned to his room, and carefully counted the various medicinal decoctions he had left.

“The medicinal supplies required by the Treasured Manual of Furnace Body Tempering are being consumed far too quickly. I have to take six Furnace Quenching Pills every day. As for the Fire Powder used for external application, I don’t seem to need much. Applying it once every two days is enough. The dull pain in my bones and flesh isn’t nearly as severe as the manual claims.”

Thinking of this, Chen Zhi’an carefully counted the silver he had remaining. His expression immediately turned bitter.

“It seems I’ll have to ask Xu Xiyue for some more medicinal ingredients. I’m almost out of money.”

“In little more than ten days, I’ve consumed medicinal decoctions worth over thirty taels of gold. Just as Shen Haohao said, once one sets foot upon the path of cultivation, it truly is like entering a furnace that devours gold—or a prison of suffering.”

Chen Zhi’an sighed inwardly.

During these days, Kunlun Marsh had been entirely planted with the Strange Nanmu Leaves, Buddhist Armor Flowers, and Golden Filaments of Lanterns required by the Xu family. There was no room to grow any more medicinal herbs.

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Thus, the ingredients Chen Zhi’an needed for his cultivation could only be purchased himself.

What he did not know was that, for anyone else, taking one dose of medicinal decoction every three to five days would already be sufficient. It took that long to temper the body and digest the medicine. Only Chen Zhi’an consumed six Furnace Quenching Pills a day.

If anyone else heard of this, they would probably distance themselves from him at once, lest he suddenly explode and spray them with blood.

Yet Chen Zhi’an remained perfectly fine. His progress in body tempering only grew faster and faster. What would take others a year or even half a year to achieve, he had accomplished in little more than ten days.

The trouble was that Chen Zhi’an had no one to use as a reference. Although he vaguely knew that his cultivation speed was not slow, he had no idea it was this astonishingly fast.

Just as Chen Zhi’an was frowning over his predicament, a knock came from the door.

He went to open it and found Shen Haohao standing outside in a snow-white cape, her hair tied into two ponytails.

“Miss Haohao, how is it that you haven’t come here for a meal these past few days?”

Chen Zhi’an smiled and welcomed her inside.

Shen Haohao shook her head and sighed. “Ever since I arrived in Sunan Prefecture, I’ve become so absorbed in the delicacies of my homeland that I’ve neglected my cultivation.

“My teacher will be coming to Sunan Prefecture soon. If she sees that I’ve wasted my time and neglected my cultivation, she’ll inevitably be disappointed. So I’ve been forcing myself to work hard these past few days, hoping I can muddle through when the time comes.”

As she spoke, she took a banknote from her sleeve and handed it to Chen Zhi’an.

Chen Zhi’an accepted it and was immediately delighted.

“Great Yu’s Fan Family Bank!

“Redeemable for seven hundred and thirty-two taels of pure gold!”

More than seven hundred taels of gold? Chen Zhi’an looked at Shen Haohao in surprise and delight.

Shen Haohao gazed regretfully at the pear blossoms in the courtyard, which were gradually withering.

“On the day you fought Zhou Xiujing to the death, I took your seventy taels of gold to place a bet. That was when I discovered that the odds on Zhou Xiujing against you had already exceeded ten to one.”

She looked rather regretful, a trace of remorse showing between her brows.

“If I’d known, I would have wagered more. Unfortunately, I was short of money, so I combined your seventy taels of gold with what little I had and made it a full hundred. I only earned a little over three hundred taels of gold.”

Chen Zhi’an said with a hearty laugh, “I never would have guessed that Miss Shen had such courage. You actually took out money and bet that I would win.”

“I’ve been eating your cooking for so long. Naturally, I trust you.” Shen Haohao smiled sweetly.

She did not tell Chen Zhi’an that she had also wagered one hundred taels of gold on Zhou Xiujing.

“Still, seven hundred and thirty taels of gold would be enough even in the Hanging Heaven Capital to buy a residence anywhere outside the Southern City, hire several servants, and live extravagantly for two or three years.”

Shen Haohao glanced at the banknote in Chen Zhi’an’s hand as she spoke.

More than seven hundred taels of gold amounted to more than seven thousand taels of silver.

One should not be misled by the two hundred taels of gold Zhou Xiujing had casually given Chen Zhi’an at the prefectural government office that day, making it seem as though such a sum were nothing remarkable.

In truth, that night Zhou Xiujing had encountered Xu Xiyue at the government office. Combined with Chen Zhi’an’s sanctimonious insistence on his shabby principles, Zhou Xiujing had given so generously both to display his wealth before Xu Xiyue and to smash the irritating poverty-stricken rules Chen Zhi’an kept preaching.

Though he had appeared casual and magnanimous, Zhou Xiujing had most likely felt the loss keenly in private.

As for more than seven thousand taels of silver, that would be considered a vast fortune in any nation under heaven. It would even be enough to buy a hundred-forged weapon approaching the thousand-forged level, while ordinary hundred-forged weapons could be purchased several at a time.

Chen Zhi’an carefully put away the banknote, then gathered some ingredients and personally went into the kitchen.

His mood was excellent today. After all, Shen Haohao had not come empty-handed.

“This beef brisket is truly delicious.”

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Half an hour later, the two of them sat at the stone table and began their meal.

Shen Haohao had always eaten as though a gale were sweeping away the clouds, and soon her face was covered in grease.

Even while eating, she did not forget to mutter, “Chen Zhi’an, are you really planning to remain here in Sunan Prefecture forever? I’ll be setting out for the Hanging Heaven Capital soon. There happens to be a grand occasion there, and it should be extraordinarily lively. Why don’t you come with me?”

“Miss Haohao, are you looking for someone to cook for you?” Chen Zhi’an asked with a smile.

Shen Haohao naturally knew he was joking, but she suddenly set down her chopsticks. Her expression grew solemn as she asked, “Chen Zhi’an, I’m afraid I’m the only person beneath heaven who knows that you’ve actually been cultivating for less than two months.”

Chen Zhi’an thought to himself, “Your general grandfather probably knows as well.”

Shen Haohao continued, “If you go to the Hanging Heaven Capital, why not come to our Returning Clouds Lodge? My teacher is highly renowned. She is both an official of the imperial court and a master of the Mystic Sect. You’ve already achieved such astonishing results cultivating on your own. If you had my teacher’s guidance, you would surely advance by leaps and bounds and reach an even higher level.”

Chen Zhi’an asked curiously, “Miss Haohao, where does the Returning Clouds Lodge rank on the Mystic Sect Stele?”

“You know about the Mystic Sect Stele?” Shen Haohao raised her head proudly and said loudly, “The Returning Clouds Lodge ranks one hundred and sixty-sixth on the Mystic Sect Stele. Even within Great Yu, we rank among the top twenty. And with my teacher holding such a high position, the Returning Clouds Lodge naturally possesses profound prestige. If you come to our lodge, your talents certainly won’t be buried.”

Chen Zhi’an thought for a moment, then suddenly took a jade pendant from his waist.

The pendant was pure white and translucent. Carved into its base was a sword, whose blade even shimmered with a chill light.

“Someone gave me this jade pendant and told me to go to the Azure Firmament Sword Pavilion in Southern Mountain Province. Miss Haohao, if I truly wish to join a Mystic Sect, which would suit me better—the Returning Clouds Lodge or the Azure Firmament Sword Pavilion?”

“The Azure Firmament Summoning Sword Jade?” Shen Haohao was utterly astonished.

She even took the pendant from Chen Zhi’an’s hand and examined it carefully for quite some time before returning it to him.

Her expression became somewhat strange. Lowering her head, she said, “If you truly wish to join a Mystic Sect, then between the Returning Clouds Lodge and the Azure Firmament Sword Pavilion, naturally you should choose…the Azure Firmament Sword Pavilion.”

“The sword qi of the Azure Firmament Sword Pavilion pierces through the clouds and reaches the heavens. It can sever the celestial silks stretching ten miles across the sky, and its sharpness is unmatched! It is also a sacred land of the sword, ranked sixty-first on the Mystic Sect Stele. It is far stronger than the Returning Clouds Lodge.

“But…you spend all your days on Qihuang Street and have never left Sunan Prefecture. How did you come by this Summoning Sword Jade? Besides, the Azure Firmament Sword Pavilion only accepts cultivators with talent in the sword. Aren’t you a saber practitioner, Chen Zhi’an?”

Shen Haohao could not make sense of it no matter how hard she tried. Chen Zhi’an smiled and joked, “Perhaps the senior from the Azure Firmament Sword Pavilion saw that my bones were extraordinary and my natural endowments flawless. To someone like me, practicing the saber or the sword is probably much the same. That must be why he gave me this jade pendant.”

Chen Zhi’an was merely joking, but Shen Haohao tilted her head and pondered it. Then she slowly nodded.

“If anyone else said that, I would take it as a joke. But when you, Chen Zhi’an, say it, I’m inclined to believe you.”

—

Shen Haohao remained in the small courtyard chatting for quite some time before finally returning to the Iron-Arm General’s Residence. She said she would enter seclusion for several days.

Only after seeing the kindhearted young lady of the general’s residence off did Chen Zhi’an return to his room and sit cross-legged. The Heavenly Jade Capital Diagram within his mind slowly unfolded.

He went straight to the Kaiyang Gate and stood amid the increasingly dense violet qi and the Yellow Court.

Southern Flowing Radiance emitted wave after wave of brilliance. Chen Zhi’an felt as though he had received a summons from it, merging with that light as one.

Once again, he traveled through the primordial chaos, only to see several other points of light.

“My cultivation has advanced, and I can use Southern Flowing Radiance to roam throughout the world… Could Southern Flowing Radiance summon more newcomers to this White Jade Capital?”

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