Chapter 112: It’s Not That Fast (Bonus Chapter! Please Subscribe)

"Listen to the wind and rain on the small building all night; sell apricot blossoms in the deep alley tomorrow morning."

The Duke of Zhen’s Mansion.

In the early morning, the weather was gradually warming up. The flowers and plants in the courtyard began to bloom, sprouting new branches. In stark contrast to the bitter winter of Zhenbei City, Cheng Guang could not help but feel as if he were in another lifetime.

On this day, Cheng Guang rose early to practice martial arts. His performance last night was neither particularly good nor particularly bad. Cheng Guang considered his bout with Qin Yanqiu a draw—perhaps Qin Yanqiu had been a novice, giving him a slight advantage, but generally speaking, their strength was evenly matched.

Well.

One could also say that Qin Yanqiu had the slight upper hand.

At this thought, Cheng Guang’s face flushed, and he quickly shook his head.

Practice! Focus on practice!

During those few days in Zhenbei City, Cheng Guang hadn’t trained properly. Especially after obtaining the Demon-Transforming Armor, he realized that even without much effort to improve his cultivation, he was invincible—or at least undefeated—against anyone below the Heaven-Human Realm. His motivation had suddenly waned. But now, spurred by Qin Yanqiu’s challenge, Cheng Guang felt that martial arts training was still very necessary. The Demon-Transforming Armor was, after all, only a strange treasure; it could not make him truly powerful. He still had to rely on his own hard work.

After a few days of slacking off, Cheng Guang resumed his training. His cultivation speed did not drop but instead increased, as if he had finally found the right balance between work and rest.

In the center of the small courtyard, Cheng Guang moved with broad, sweeping gestures, practicing the Divine Python Entwining Technique to enhance the blood and qi within his body. Each movement was extremely complex and difficult, yet on Cheng Guang, they looked effortless. Perhaps it was also because he had consumed so much high-grade demon flesh and blood while in Zhenbei City, the essence of which had been stored within his body. Without training, there had been no room for that energy to be utilized. Now that he had resumed his practice, his blood and qi were visibly improving.

Cheng Guang could clearly feel every muscle, every inch of fascia, and every bone in his body vibrating and refining pure power during his practice. Between his bones, the sound of metal clashing rang out incessantly. It was as if every bone in his body had turned into tempered black iron, being forged a thousand times over.

After practicing the Divine Python Entwining Technique for a while, Cheng Guang felt his blood surging through his veins like a wild horse that had broken free from its reins. Within moments, he was drenched in sweat, but the heat radiating from his skin evaporated it instantly. Wisps of white steam spiraled from his body, giving him an extraordinary appearance.

After completing several cycles of the Divine Python Entwining Technique, Cheng Guang could feel that with every breath, vital energy was being trapped within his body by his powerful blood and qi, visibly strengthening his physique.

Next, Cheng Guang practiced his own martial arts, the "Heavenly Dipper Stars," a technique he had learned from Old Deng, which was truly exceptional. By perfecting the "Divine Seal" manifested from the Heavenly Dipper Stars to a certain degree, one could resonate with the vital energy of heaven and earth, thereby breaking through to the Spirit-Opening Realm.

If the fourth-grade Divine Ability Realm was a step in the martial path, then the fifth-grade Spirit-Opening Realm was a threshold. Once crossed, one could borrow the vital energy of heaven and earth, relying on the immense power of the universe to manifest divine abilities against enemies. Without crossing this threshold, one remained merely a martial artist relying on internal energy or raw brute force. Such a warrior, no matter how strong, would not be able to withstand a single blow from a cultivator in the Spirit-Opening Realm.

"After the consolidation over this period, I have actually already reached the martial level required to break through to the Spirit-Opening Realm," Cheng Guang mused. "When I completed Zhang Shunlong's task, the three-hour 'Martial Prosperity' buff allowed me to comprehend the Heavenly Dipper Stars directly to the level of 'Application.' With more practice today, I have a premonition that I will break through to the 'Entering the Hall' level."

"Once I reach the 'Entering the Hall' level, the benefits of breaking through to the Spirit-Opening Realm will be even greater, and I won't need to continue consolidating in that realm. If I can push the Heavenly Dipper Stars technique to perfection, I might even be able to break through to the Rebirth Realm in one fell swoop."

"In the Rebirth Realm, one uses the Divine Seal to imprint upon oneself. While it may not reach the level of regenerating from a drop of blood, injuries such as severed limbs can still be healed and regenerated. Such a realm reaches yet another height."

Cheng Guang felt quite pleased with these thoughts. His comprehension was high, and although the "Martial Prosperity" buff had only lasted three hours, it had accumulated a wealth of insight for him. Now, he only needed to practice step by step. Perhaps before long, he would be able to connect with the heavens and earth, step into the Spirit-Opening Realm, and even reach the level of imprinting divine abilities on his body, achieving rebirth in one go, shining like the brilliant sun.

After pondering for a while, Cheng Guang practiced the Divine Emperor Cultivation Method and meditated on the Divine Image in his mind. He discovered that as his cultivation increased, the appearance of the deity in his "Qingyuan Saint Lord" visualization image was gradually becoming clearer. Although it remained hazy and impossible to look at directly, the contours of the facial features were already discernible.

"Perhaps it won't be long before I can see the deity's face clearly," Cheng Guang thought to himself.

By noon, Qingluan had also risen. Having just returned from Zhenbei City yesterday, she had been busy organizing the Wuxiang Garden and dealing with the aftermath of their return. She had been exhausted and slept soundly, so she woke up a bit late today. Yawning, she saw that Cheng Guang had just finished his practice and quickly fetched water for him to wash up.

While splashing water on his face, Cheng Guang said to her, "Qingluan, go to the room in a while and help Qin Yanqiu wash up as well. We'll have a simple lunch, and then we'll set off for the Great Yan Dynasty."

Qingluan nodded slightly, then picked up a silk towel to gently wipe the water droplets from Cheng Guang's face. After he finished washing, she entered the bedroom to attend to Qin Yanqiu.

Moments later, Qin Yanqiu emerged. Her cold, beautiful face was as composed as ever. Although she tried her best to hide it, a trace of fatigue still lingered in her icy eyes. At the same time, her gait was slightly unnatural compared to yesterday. Seeing these changes, Cheng Guang smiled at the corner of his mouth. Their eyes met, and they both silently looked away, tacitly understanding.

Qingluan went to prepare lunch. Qin Yanqiu sat in the pavilion, one hand gently stroking her stomach, and looked at Cheng Guang.

"Young Master, do you think I can have a baby now?"

Cheng Guang was just raising his teacup to drink; hearing this, he nearly spat out the tea he had just taken into his mouth. The hand holding the cup trembled slightly. He swallowed the clear tea and looked at her.

"It doesn't happen that fast."

"?"

Qin Yanqiu looked puzzled, as if a question mark had appeared over her head. Her cold eyes fixed on him, blinking with slight innocence.

Cheng Guang sighed. "Logically speaking, whether you can have a child depends on luck. Sometimes, if you're lucky, you can conceive the first time. If you're unlucky, you might need to try many times."

Qin Yanqiu seemed dazed upon hearing this. She shifted her gaze away from him, which made Cheng Guang feel much less pressured. But the next moment, he was unsettled again. He saw her seemingly lost in thought, counting on her fingers.

"Once, twice, three times..."

"There were five times last night, that should be enough, right?"

Cheng Guang’s brow twitched slightly. *Is she implying that if it’s not enough, she wants to continue?* Worried about his own back, he didn't want to discuss this topic any further. He quickly called out to Qingluan in the side room: "Qingluan, is the food ready?"

Qingluan was still stoking the fire in the side room, her fair, jade-like face smudged with a bit of ash. She was puzzled by his call. Usually, no matter how hungry the Young Master was, he never urged her. Why was today different? *Could he be exhausted from last night?*

Thinking this, she replied, "Young Master, almost there. Just one more dish to stir-fry."

Cheng Guang breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Qin Yanqiu. "We'll eat soon, don't think too much about it. By the way, I'm going to the Great Yan Dynasty tomorrow. Are you coming?"

Qin Yanqiu looked at him, thought for a moment, and nodded slightly. "Yes."

Cheng Guang was stunned. He had assumed she wouldn't go, as she had never traveled far. Coming to the capital had already made her very uncomfortable. Leaving the Great Zhou Dynasty for the Great Yan Dynasty—wasn't that just asking for trouble?

Just as he was wondering, he heard her murmur while stroking her stomach: "You said it depends on luck, Young Master. If once isn't enough, we have to try more times. If you go to the Great Yan Dynasty for half a year, wouldn't I be wasting half a year?"

She glanced at him with her cold eyes, as if to say she wasn't stupid.

Cheng Guang’s mouth twitched. For some reason, he felt a bit afraid of her. He secretly rubbed his sore lower back, feeling mentally exhausted.

...

The meal Qingluan prepared was as delicious as ever. After eating, she packed Cheng Guang’s personal clothes and travel necessities. They walked out of the mansion with Qin Yanqiu and a group of people from the Lamp-Lighting Division.

In front of the Duke of Zhen’s Mansion, the scene was grand as usual. Members of the Lamp-Lighting Division were lined up in a dense formation. More than half of the division's constables had been mobilized. Looking out, there were many Gold-Lamp Constables, a sea of Silver-Lamp Constables, and countless Black-Lamp Constables. Outsourced members didn't even seem to have the qualifications to participate in this mission.

Cheng Zhihai stood to the side, conversing with Qian Siyuan and Li Zhengyang, the two Deputy Directors of the Lamp-Lighting Division. Traveling to the Great Yan Dynasty to find the "Remnant of Great Chu" would undoubtedly be fraught with difficulties and dangers. Cheng Zhihai couldn't go himself, so he had to provide as much security for Cheng Guang as possible. The most effective security, besides the constables, were these two Deputy Directors. The Lamp-Lighting Division had branches in the Great Yan Dynasty; with them leading the way and the local branch chief’s support, there shouldn't be any accidents. Even if the mission couldn't be completed, they would at least return safely.

Cheng Zhihai calculated this in his heart. He didn't care much about whether Cheng Guang completed the mission; he just wanted him safe. Furthermore, Cheng Zhihai was puzzled—news of the Great Chu Remnant had surfaced in the Great Yan Dynasty, but no one knew who had leaked it, or if it was even true. If it were a hoax, the royal families of the world who rushed there would look like fools. Yet, no one dared to deceive the royal families. This meant the news didn't come from an ordinary person. Most royal families knew who the source was and trusted them implicitly. If such a person truly existed, someone beyond Cheng Zhihai’s level, perhaps only the Emperors or those in the Heaven-Human Realm could contact them.

Noticing Cheng Guang leaving the mansion, Cheng Zhihai suppressed these thoughts. "Guang'er."

Cheng Guang stepped forward, bowed slightly to his father, and greeted Wu Yuemei, who stood nearby. Her beautiful face was tinged with worry.

"Guang'er, you just returned, and now you're leaving again. You haven't stayed home for more than a few days."

Cheng Guang smiled and comforted her: "Mother, this trip to the Great Yan Dynasty is just a bit far, so it will take more time, that’s all. There’s nothing else to worry about."

Wu Yuemei sighed, smoothed his collar, and patted his shoulder. "Just pay attention to your safety, and don't let your father and me worry. Also, since Yanqiu is not fit for the role of the primary wife, the Duke doesn't plan to interfere with your new marriage arrangements. He’s left it to me. If you have no objections, shall I pick for you?"

Cheng Guang had no issues with this. Arranged marriage was the norm in this era. He nodded slightly.

Wu Yuemei nodded back, her voice soft: "Fine. When you return from the Great Yan Dynasty, you shall marry. It would be a laughingstock if the heir to the Duke of Zhen didn't even have a primary wife. Actually, if not for this incident with Qin Beifeng, I would have been very satisfied with Yanqiu."

As she said this, she shot a sharp glare at Qin Beifeng, who was standing nearby in a daze. Qin Beifeng groaned inwardly. *Why was he being dragged into this again?* He already felt guilty about Qin Yanqiu, and Wu Yuemei kept rubbing salt into the wound.

Cheng Zhihai laughed and interrupted: "Enough, Brother Qin is already in this state. Fortunately, no disaster was caused, so it's a good thing." He turned his gaze to Cheng Guang. "Guang'er, set off now. The Great Yan Dynasty is over ten thousand miles away. If you travel on foot with your own beasts, it will be too slow. Take the Flying Boat."

"Flying Boat?" Cheng Guang was stunned. He had never heard of such a thing. What kind of new gadget was this?

Seeing the confusion on his face, Cheng Zhihai smiled faintly. "The Flying Boat is a high-grade strange treasure, but unlike ordinary ones, it has some human-made additions."

Cheng Guang still didn't quite understand. Cheng Zhihai reached into his robes, pulled out a small, exquisite boat, and tossed it gently. The palm-sized boat expanded in the wind, instantly becoming a giant vessel that could block out the sun.

Cheng Guang looked up. Beneath the giant boat, a distinct hexagonal dark-cyan stone was embedded, surrounded by runes that seemed to be absorbing the stone's energy. Pale cyan gas enveloped the boat.

Cheng Zhihai pointed at it and explained: "That is the strange treasure, the 'Floating Stone.' The entire boat is built around it. Floating Stones are extremely rare, so Flying Boats are not common in the various dynasties. If you weren't heading to the Great Yan Dynasty, I wouldn't have been willing to bring it out."

Cheng Guang’s eyes lit up. *Isn't this just an airplane from this era? I love it.*

"Get on. This is the compass to control the ship." Cheng Zhihai handed him a bronze-colored compass and waved his hand, starting to hurry them along without much sentimentality.

Cheng Guang bowed to his parents, bid them farewell, and boarded the boat with Qingluan, Qin Yanqiu, and the Lamp-Lighting Division. The boat could shrink and expand at will; the materials used to build it were clearly extraordinary. Cheng Guang didn't understand the craftsmanship, but he found it exquisite and ingenious. With himself, Qingluan, Qin Yanqiu, and dozens of constables, the boat didn't feel crowded at all. They even brought along several exotic beasts.

Once in the Great Yan Dynasty, such a flashy object should be used sparingly. Keeping a low profile was the theme of this trip.

After boarding, Cheng Guang checked the map, determined the direction of the Great Yan Dynasty, and used the compass to steer the boat. It climbed high, keeping above the sea of clouds, where he could see the rising sun breaking through—a sensation reminiscent of flying in his past life.

After admiring the view for a while, he lost interest. Above the clouds, everything looked the same. He returned to his cabin to rest.

The constables of the Lamp-Lighting Division, though not soldiers, were strictly disciplined. Even with dozens of people, they were silent. Qian Siyuan and Li Zhengyang were also quiet. As for Qin Beifeng, he didn't even sleep, just staring toward the Great Yan Dynasty, worrying about something.

Now that the news of the Great Chu Remnant was out, no one knew where she was. The Great Yan Dynasty was vast. Finding one person was like looking for a needle in a haystack. But Cheng Guang knew something they didn't. The system task prompt mentioned that the "Great Chu Remnant" was eventually surrounded and killed in the capital of the Great Yan Dynasty, "Skyfire City."

Cheng Guang reasoned that she hadn't been forced to the capital; she had likely been there all along. If she were hiding, she wouldn't choose a place where countless factions converged. *Unless the most dangerous place is the safest place,* he thought. But it was more likely she never left. With this logic, he felt confident. If she wasn't there now, she would eventually go there. He just needed to wait for the rabbit.

...

The journey proceeded without a hitch. Ten days passed. Cheng Guang felt a bit stifled, trapped on the boat, but having Qingluan and Qin Yanqiu there to keep him company made it bearable.

Skyfire City was located in the center of the Great Yan Dynasty. The dynasty was named "Yan" (Flame) not because of the royal surname or bloodline, but because of the geography. Active volcanoes were scattered throughout the region, occasionally spewing subterranean fire. Skyfire City was built next to one such volcano. Although it hadn't erupted in thousands of years, the subterranean fire still leaked out, which local craftsmen used to forge weapons. Because of this, the quality of weapons and armor in the Great Yan Dynasty was far superior to that of other dynasties.

Cheng Guang was shocked to see the city built almost on top of a volcano. *Luckily, this is a cultivation world,* he thought. *If a volcano erupted, a powerful cultivator could suppress it with one hand.*

As the boat approached Skyfire City, the air became dry and hot. Cheng Guang could feel his skin breaking into a light sweat and had to use his internal energy to stay cool. *How do ordinary people survive in this heat?* he wondered.

As they neared the city, soldiers on the walls noticed the Flying Boat and were visibly stunned. Most had never seen such a rare object. When they saw the crest of the Great Zhou Dynasty and the Duke of Zhen’s Mansion, they hurried to open the city gates with great respect.

"People from the Great Zhou Dynasty's Duke of Zhen’s Mansion are coming to Great Yan?"

"Well, it's normal. Lately, besides Great Zhou, Great Wei, Great Meng, and all the other dynasties have sent people. Not to mention the smaller countries."

"What’s going on? Why is everyone coming to our Great Yan?"

"What else? The rumor about the Great Chu Remnant. Everyone is sitting on pins and needles, scrambling to find her."

"Isn't it just a rumor? Why are they acting like it's true?"

"Who knows? But the royal families believe it, so it might as well be."

The soldiers on the walls gazed at the luxurious, sun-blocking boat with envy. Under their watchful eyes, Cheng Guang steered the boat into the city.

In the outer city, it was fine, but as they reached the inner city, Cheng Guang felt a sense of pressure.

"Young friend, don't be so flashy in the inner city. Please put the boat away." An old voice echoed in his ears.

Cheng Guang looked toward the depths of the city, toward the Imperial Palace, where a gaze seemed to be fixed on him. It might be the Emperor of Great Yan or someone else. He didn't know, but he decided not to push his luck.

He stopped the boat, and the Lamp-Lighting Division members jumped off. Their appearance caused a stir, but the locals, having seen many such arrivals lately, soon went back to their business. Cheng Guang shrunk the boat and stored it in his ring.

He observed that the news of the Great Chu Remnant was merely a carnival for the royal families; it had nothing to do with the common folk. Most people only cared about their daily bread.

Qian Siyuan stepped off and said respectfully, "Young Master, let’s go to the Lamp-Lighting Division branch. We’ve gathered a lot of intelligence there. Perhaps there is news of the Remnant."

Cheng Guang nodded. "Lead the way."

They walked through the bustling market. The Great Yan market had a distinct flavor, filled with high-quality weapons forged by local craftsmen. Cheng Guang didn't plan to buy anything.

They soon arrived at the branch. It was just an ordinary teahouse. Cheng Guang had expected something more flamboyant, like a brothel or a singing house, but it seemed the division kept a professional facade here.

Inside, the manager, Zhang Rui, recognized the guards and hurried forward. Upon seeing Qian Siyuan and Li Zhengyang, his expression turned respectful. "Master Qian, Master Li."

Qian Siyuan nodded and introduced Cheng Guang: "Zhang Rui, this is the Young Master."

Zhang Rui, a tall man with a sturdy build, bowed low. "Greetings, Young Master."

Cheng Guang noticed the man's strength. Qian Siyuan whispered: "Young Master, Zhang Rui is our official here. He’s in the seventh-grade Spirit-Communication Realm. If he goes all out, he can even fight us, who are in the eighth-grade King Realm."

Zhang Rui blushed. "Master Qian, you flatter me. Just small tricks, small tricks. Young Master, you must be tired from the journey. Sit, I’ll fetch some tea."

As Zhang Rui left, Qian Siyuan explained, "All the servers in this teahouse are our people. The rest are hidden elsewhere gathering intelligence. This teahouse is just for communication. We have such teahouses in every major location of every dynasty."

Cheng Guang’s eyes narrowed. *The scope of the Lamp-Lighting Division is much larger than I thought.*

Soon, Zhang Rui returned with tea. Cheng Guang took a sip and asked, "You know why we’re here, right?"

"Yes, Young Master," Zhang Rui replied. "I’ve already sent people to investigate the Great Chu Remnant. As long as she hasn't been captured by another royal family or hidden in the Great Yan Imperial Palace, we will find her sooner or later."

"How much intelligence have you gathered so far?"

Zhang Rui hesitated. "Young Master, the news has only been out for a few days. Finding her is like looking for a needle in a haystack, so..."

Cheng Guang didn't change his expression, just tapped the table. "So, you haven't found anything yet?"

Zhang Rui turned pale, cold sweat beading on his forehead. "Young Master, investigating takes time. Other factions are also searching; it’s incredibly difficult..."

Cheng Guang waved him off. "Which areas have you searched?"

"The main prefectures and cities of the Great Yan Dynasty," Zhang Rui replied.

Cheng Guang nodded. "Stop searching those places. Focus all your efforts on Skyfire City. Search Skyfire City thoroughly. Understood?"

Zhang Rui was stunned. "Ah? Young Master, only Skyfire City? The city is currently under the gaze of every major power in the world, and there are many Heaven-Human Realm experts here. The Great Chu Remnant wouldn't be stupid enough to hide in Skyfire City, would she?"

Cheng Guang waved his hand again. "Just search Skyfire City. Forget the rest."

Zhang Rui was desperate. He looked at Qian Siyuan and Li Zhengyang, hoping they would advise the Young Master. But to his shock, the two Deputy Directors didn't object. They were silent, as if pondering the hidden meaning behind the Young Master's words, treating his orders as absolute truth.

*Why?* Zhang Rui was confused, but he had no choice.

After Cheng Guang ignored him, Zhang Rui pulled Qian Siyuan and Li Zhengyang aside, asking for the "deep meaning" behind the order.

Qian Siyuan and Li Zhengyang looked at him like he was an idiot. "Just do as the Young Master says. Stop talking nonsense. The Young Master’s orders always have deep meaning. The demon incursion, the Crown Prince’s incident—all those were solved by the Young Master. Just trust him."

Zhang Rui was dumbfounded. He hadn't realized that the person behind those major investigations was the Young Master himself. His face flushed with embarrassment. *My useless worrying... in front of the Young Master, it was truly superfluous.*

(End of chapter)