Chapter 365 - 259: Spirit Refining and Dao Ascension, Shattering the Void

Several months passed in the blink of an eye.

Since the Empress of the Great Enterprise swept through the heartlands and reclaimed the realm, the world had been in turmoil. Experts from all walks of life emerged one after another, breathing life into a martial world that had long been silent.

But no matter how many new talents sprouted like mushrooms after a spring rain, the pinnacles of the martial world remained the Four Great Sacred Lands: the Abstruse Finger Temple, the Divine Vulture Palace, Skyscraping Cliff, and Great Snow Mountain.

Even the most astonishingly talented newcomers who made a name for themselves ultimately had to bow in submission to these Four Great Sacred Lands if they wished to glimpse the Twelve Changes of the Mortal Realm and reach for the Spirit Refinement Realm.

Rumor had it that the Empress of the Great Enterprise was the only person in millennia to break this convention. By observing the rise and fall of the tides on the Da Long River, she comprehended the ultimate martial principle: "Water has no constant form; nothing can contend with it."

This event was meticulously recorded by the court historians. They wrote that the Empress had once disguised herself and lived among the common folk. Forced to make a living as a fisher girl, she unexpectedly achieved enlightenment in the highest form of martial arts, leaping the Dragon Gate in a single bound to become the youngest Spirit Refinement Grandmaster of her era.

Inside Dasan Pass, on the upper floor of the Lion’s Tower, a man was holding forth:

"The Twelve Changes of the Mortal Realm culminate in the Spirit Refinement Realm. Only when one’s true form communes with heaven and earth, and one’s body is forged into a crucible of qi and blood, can one glimpse a sliver of heavenly will, perceive one’s true nature, and transcend the mundane... In all the world, the only martial arts that record these Essentials are those of the Four Great Sacred Lands.

This is precisely why the top ten masters newly ranked by the Martial Lecture Hall—such as Yan Fei of the Abstruse Finger Temple, Xuzhu of the Divine Vulture Palace, and Ascendant Liuyun of Skyscraping Cliff—can so firmly hold their positions."

The man spoke with great eloquence and breadth of knowledge. He recounted the histories and martial lineages of the world’s greatest grandmasters with casual ease, clearly no ordinary individual.

"Worthy of the name All Knowledge!"

A figure seated by a window in the Lion’s Tower clapped his hands in praise.

"However, storms are brewing both within and beyond the pass. It’s said that every Spirit Refinement Grandmaster of any repute is rushing toward Great Snow Mountain.

It’s likely their disciples and apprentices are right here in this tower. Some factions are one thing, but a few of them are notoriously ill-tempered. You should watch your words, All Knowledge."

The young scholar known as All Knowledge was dressed in a lake-blue, round-collared robe and a square scholar’s cap. A sharp light glinted in his eyes, a clear sign that his Power was considerable.

He looked toward the source of the voice, his gaze sweeping the room before he broke into a carefree smile.

"And here I was, wondering who possessed such an imposing air. If it isn’t the new Top Scholar of the Great Enterprise himself!"

An uproar instantly erupted in the Lion’s Tower.

The new Top Scholar of the Great Enterprise Dynasty had come to the borderlands in person?

’Could he also be here for the ’Spirit Refinement and Dao Attainment Assembly’ at Great Snow Mountain?’

The figure who was now the center of attention smiled faintly. His features were plain, yet his spirited expression gave him an extraordinary aura.

"I’ve yet to take my post at court, so there’s no talk of any ’imposing air.’ I am merely offering a kind word of advice. Since I am here, the Embroidered Guard is surely not far behind. I’m certain all of you are familiar with their methods."

All Knowledge, who occupied the most prominent spot in the tower, seemed to realize something. His expression shifted slightly as he cupped his hands in a salute.

"Thank you for the reminder, honored Top Scholar. We’ve all gathered at this border pass merely to witness the grandmasters in their glory. We also hope to see if we’re fortunate enough to glimpse the path to spirit refinement and ascension. We have no other intentions!"

All Knowledge’s words earned nods of agreement from the martial artists gathered in the tower.

It was common knowledge that the Embroidered Guard was the Empress’s personal army, its members hand-picked and promoted by her. Every one of them had a Cultivation at the Tenth Change of the Mortal Realm, and their martial skills were formidable.

Thirty years ago, the Empress had ordered Xiao Feibai, known as the "Black-Robed Regent," to train this personal army for the purpose of crushing the underground, purging the martial world, and enforcing a ban on private arms and fighting.

From that day forward, the Embroidered Guard’s fearsome reputation echoed across the land. Outlaws of the Green Forest and wandering martial artists alike paled at the mere mention of their name.

Thus, when the Top Scholar of the Great Enterprise uttered those two words, "Embroidered Guard," the lively, bustling atmosphere in the Lion’s Tower vanished. The crowd fell deathly silent.

"It seems I’ve dampened the mood. I won’t linger."

The figure set down his wine cup with a soft laugh. With a light tap of his feet, he rose like a soaring swan and vanished from sight in a few graceful bounds.

"Such exquisite lightness skill."

All Knowledge murmured in admiration. He immediately produced a small book from his robes, picked up his brush, and began to write:

"Zhou Muhan, new Top Scholar of the Great Enterprise. Suspected Cultivation at the Eleventh Change of the Mortal Realm. Master of lightness techniques—can tread on snow without a trace and walk on air as if it were solid ground. Possesses profound and sustained inner breath..."

After finishing his entry, this best-informed man in the martial world, All Knowledge, also made a hasty departure.

Zhou Muhan, the Top Scholar of the Great Enterprise, would never come to the borderlands without reason. The same was true for the Embroidered Guard.

’On the surface, Zhou Muhan warned me to be careful, to avoid giving the Embroidered Guard an excuse to act. But in reality...’

Stepping out of the Lion’s Tower, All Knowledge quickly altered his appearance, disguising himself as a street vendor and melting into the crowd.

’All the world’s masters at the Twelfth Change of the Mortal Realm have gone to Great Snow Mountain. The Empress of the Great Enterprise is surely no exception. Zhou Muhan and the Embroidered Guard must be part of her imperial entourage... Can it be? Will I truly witness someone shattering the void in my lifetime?’

...

...

「Beyond the pass, at the foot of Great Snow Mountain.」

For a hundred miles in every direction, the local herdsmen had been dispersed, leaving the area clear of any unauthorized personnel.

A giant eagle, immense in size, beat its wings, stirring up a gale that sent grass and dust flying. The surrounding horses and armored soldiers were nearly swept off their feet.

Zhou Muhan circulated his inner breath, projecting a three-foot wall of qi to block the powerful gust. He focused his voice into a single, thin line.

"Greetings, Director."

The one who had arrived on the eagle was none other than the head of the Embroidered Guard, the infamously fearsome "Blood-Robed Director," Fang Buying.

He was originally a jailer in the Imperial Prison, a post his family had held for generations. Somehow, he had caught the eye of the Black-Robed Regent, Xiao Feibai, who promoted him into the Embroidered Guard and personally taught him martial arts, making him a disciple in all but name.

The first of the so-called "Three Terrors of the Great Enterprise," as named by the martial world, was the Black-Robed Regent Xiao Feibai—one of the few Spirit Refinement Grandmasters of his generation to have reached the Twelfth Change of the Mortal Realm without training in one of the Four Great Sacred Lands, and the Empress’s most trusted official.