Chapter 318 - 283: Spiritual Wisdom Spirit

Cleverness and wisdom are not the same.

Celestial Wisdom and Spiritual Wisdom, likewise, each refer to something different.

A clever person learns things with ease, masters them quickly, and can pick up even the most complex subjects in no time.

The Celestial Intent Technique is a prime example.

Once one masters the Celestial Intent Technique, nearly all Cultivation Techniques in the world are within their grasp.

Even the secret Methods of Other Sects can be replicated and performed after just a single glance from such an individual.

The Celestial Intent Sword Technique is even more abstruse and complex. Its tens of thousands of stances and force-application techniques would drive an ordinary person to despair. Only a Martial Saint who has opened their Celestial Impact Spirit can master such a complicated ultimate art.

Not only that,

The Celestial Intent Sect has collected numerous Martial Arts legacies from all across the Martial World, a collection rivaling that of the Imperial Palace.

And every generation of Celestial Intent Sect Leaders has been able to extract their essence, integrate them, and comprehend their own unique ultimate arts.

They could even change their identities and travel the Martial World as unconventional martial arts geniuses, avoiding unwanted attention.

For example:

Ouyang Chengxuan once disguised himself as the Patriarch of the Liu Family of West Shu, making a great name for himself with the Ten Thousand Swords Chaotic Heart Technique.

Therefore, connecting with the Celestial Impact Spirit greatly enhances memory, understanding, learning ability, and more...

Spiritual Wisdom, on the other hand, is even more special.

There are some Cultivation Techniques in the world that seem ordinary on the surface but contain profound mysteries within. Only those born with innate, penetrating wisdom can see through the facade to the core.

This is especially true for the legacies of the Buddhist Sect.

They emphasize one thing: ’Comprehension’.

The Cultivation Techniques are hidden within paintings, Buddhist Scriptures, and classic texts, graspable only by those with penetrating wisdom.

The Spiritual Wisdom Spirit.

It refers to one’s Comprehension.

The previous owner of the Tathagata Heart Spell was originally a mere sweeping Monk at the Great Compassion Temple. In his fifties, he was withered and gaunt, and had never practiced Martial Arts.

After obtaining the Tathagata Heart Spell, the decades he spent studying Buddhist Scriptures were transformed into his own Cultivation, allowing him to enter the Divine Treasure realm in a single day.

In seven days, he attained Vajra.

One year later, he achieved Sumeru.

The power of his Tathagata Divine Palm was terrifying. Had he not been uninterested in vying for supremacy in the Martial World, his name would have long since shaken the world.

Unfortunately,

Ever since that sweeping Monk passed away, no Monk from the Great Compassion Temple has been able to learn the Tathagata Heart Spell.

The legacy they were left with was incomplete.

...

「Second Month.」

The Third Prince, under the banner of "purging the court of treacherous officials and smiting the Demoness," led an army of several hundred thousand to besiege the Divine Capital.

The Duke, Qii Wanyan, led the troops to meet them.

「Third Month.」

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers clashed on the battlefield.

The Duke, Qii Wanyan, was outmatched and forced to retreat to the Divine Capital, relying on the towering city walls to mount a desperate defense.

「Fourth Month.」

The two sides clashed once more.

「Fifth Month.」

Marquis Zhenyuan, Marquis Jinghai, the Marquis of the West... the various Dukes received the imperial edict and marched to quell the Third Prince.

「In that same month.」

Over a dozen masters from the Martial World infiltrated the Third Prince’s military camp in an assassination attempt. Though they failed, they managed to severely wound the Third Prince.

...

「Tenth Month.」

The Third Prince was captured and executed.

The armies of the various Dukes withdrew.

The turmoil in Daqi had finally come to an end, for now.

*

*

*

「Divine Capital.」

Inside the Imperial Palace.

The Emperor of Daqi, Qii Wenlin, who had just turned seven, was dressed in a Kasaya, lying on the ground and amusing himself with a few ants.

"Your Majesty!"

Eunuch Gui scurried over and said in a low voice:

"The Duke wishes to see you."

He had practically watched the Nineteenth Prince, Qii Wenlin, grow up. How could he not have developed an affection for him?

When he thought of what was about to happen, an expression of pity appeared on his face.

’His Majesty is truly just an innocent, ignorant child!’

"Oh!"

Qii Wenlin clapped his hands together. Ignoring the dirt on his clothes, he skipped toward the great hall.

The great hall was empty.

The Duke, Qii Wanyan, was nowhere to be seen.

A handsome man wearing Bright Silver Armor with a Treasure Sword at his waist stood in the middle of the hall, his head bowed as he watched.

Seeing Qii Wenlin skipping along, the man’s expression soured.

"Your Majesty, you are the revered Emperor. How can you behave with such impropriety?"

"Oh, it’s General Liu!" Qii Wenlin looked up and pouted.

"I never wanted to be the Emperor in the first place. If Seventh Sister wants the job, I’d gladly give it to her."

"Besides, Seventh Sister is the one who makes all the decisions about decrees and everything anyway."

"Your Majesty, speak cautiously." Liu Shao lowered his gaze.

"You must not say such things."

"Why not?" Qii Wenlin tilted his head.

"I’m so little, I don’t understand anything. I can barely take care of myself, so how can I possibly handle the affairs of the entire realm?"

"It would be much better if Seventh Sister were the Emperor."

Liu Shao’s eyes flickered, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

"Does Your Majesty truly think so?"

"Yes!" Qii Wenlin nodded emphatically.

"I’ve always thought so."

"Very well." Liu Shao considered this for a moment, then pointed to the desk behind him.

"Why don’t Your Majesty write a decree, then? Abdicate the throne to a more worthy successor, the Duke. You are the Emperor; who would dare disobey you?"

"Okay!" Qii Wenlin’s eyes lit up. He went to the desk, grabbed the brush, and began to write in a crooked scrawl.

"I’ve wanted to write this for a long time, but Seventh Sister never let me. General Liu is so much nicer. You even prepared a draft for me."

"Should I just copy what’s written on here?"

Indeed, there was already an imperial edict on the desk, its contents detailing an abdication to a worthier successor.

In fact, even the Great Seal had already been affixed.

Liu Shao smiled, striding closer. He watched as Qii Wenlin finished writing the edict, then took it and gave it a shake.

"Good!"

"Very well done!"

The excitement in his voice was unmistakable.

"General Liu," Qii Wenlin said, looking up with a curious expression on his small face.

"I heard you’re going to marry Seventh Sister?"

"Hm?" Liu Shao’s expression shifted slightly.

"Who did Your Majesty hear that from?"

"I forgot," Qii Wenlin said, shaking his head.

"Seventh Sister is a good person, but she can be very strict sometimes. I don’t think she’s a good match for you, General Liu."

A flicker of disdain crossed Liu Shao’s face, but he didn’t say anything more, merely folding the imperial edict away carefully.

"Your Majesty..."

"No!"

"I should call you Nineteenth Prince now."

He looked down at him, his face turning cold.

"As the Emperor, you reigned for a year without a single thought for the matters of the Imperial Court, incurring the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people."