Chapter 92: A Sudden Awakening, the Pinnacle of the Mortal Realm! (Seeking Subscriptions)

In the early morning, the autumn wind carried in a thick veil of clouds and mist.

Cheng Guang pushed open his bedroom door. After a simple wash attended to by Qingluan, he walked out into the courtyard to practice.

His spiritual path cultivation had reached the Yang Spirit Realm. He was but a single step away from breaking through to the Out-of-Body Realm, yet the only ability he possessed was the "Charm Eye" awarded by the system. His arsenal was far too limited. There were two reasons for this: first, he lacked any techniques related to the spiritual path; second, his visualization of the deity was of such an extraordinarily high rank that he could not grasp any techniques from it to wield the divine power.

Even so, the visualization of the "True Sovereign of Qingyuan" had provided him with considerable help. If Cheng Guang wished to fully manifest the strength of his spiritual cultivation, relying solely on the mental image was insufficient. It was not that the visualization was weak—quite the contrary, it was too powerful for him to wield at his current level.

Learning some spiritual techniques would be better. However, constrained by his status as the heir to the Duke of Zhenguo, he could not expose his ability to cultivate the spiritual path. Cheng Guang mused that if an opportunity arose, perhaps he could have the Princess of Nanming acquire some spiritual techniques for him. After all, she was also a spiritual practitioner, and her cultivation realm was far superior to his own. If not for the fact that Heizai could suppress her with a single hand, Cheng Guang would never have dared to face her alone.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, the visualization in his consciousness faintly shimmered once more. Streams of light, like thousands of brilliant rays, transformed into a flowing radiance and merged into his mind. Although he could not utilize much of the deity's power at the Yang Spirit Realm, he could still attain some enlightenment. Cheng Guang contemplated the visualization deeply, observing the form of the deity as it was outlined stroke by stroke within his mind. His state of mind reached an unprecedented level of tranquility.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him.

In his mind, the towering, transcendent deity slowly opened its eyes, its gaze seemingly falling upon him. A golden radiance swept out from the deity's eyes, descending upon Cheng Guang's primordial spirit. Obscure information flowed into his heart like a river. Cheng Guang was stunned for a moment, followed by a surge of joy.

Had he truly comprehended a spiritual technique from the deity's image?

Cheng Guang focused his mind, carefully examining the technique he had just acquired: "Condensed Frost Sword Light."

"Cultivable at the Yang Spirit Realm; at the Out-of-Body Realm, one can command a flying sword to attack enemies. It contains the aura of moon-cold frost. In a single breath, the flying sword can travel one, two, or three miles."

"A technique and divine ability that can be cultivated at the third-grade Yang Spirit Realm. It is more lethal than the Charm Eye. By the time I reach the Out-of-Body Realm, I will be able to perfectly unleash the power of the Condensed Frost Sword Light."

Cheng Guang pondered, carefully reviewing the practice method for the "Condensed Frost Sword Light" he had derived from the visualization. He was in no rush to practice it immediately. Instead, he read it through word by word. The method was dense with complex, obscure terminology, and even Cheng Guang dared not practice it rashly. Only by understanding every nuance would he proceed; this was the safest path to avoid unnecessary detours.

"For now, the Condensed Frost Sword Light will keep me busy for many days. Once I master it and my spiritual cultivation breaks through to the Out-of-Body Realm, I will no longer be considered weak. Only then can I truly say I have the means to strike at an enemy."

After some thought, Cheng Guang slowly opened his eyes. His dark pupils, tinged with a hint of noble purple, seemed more resolute than before.

Cheng Guang did not waste his morning. He focused his primordial spirit and practiced his martial arts. After performing the "Divine Python Coiling Technique" in conjunction with the "Divine Emperor Practice Method" until he reached the limits of both his physical body and his spirit, he spent some time practicing the "Tiangang Constellation."

The Tiangang Constellation was the key to his future breakthrough into the Divine Ability Realm. Whether he could advance from the Purple Mansion Realm to the Divine Ability Realm depended entirely on whether his martial arts could condense into a "Divine Ability Mark." Once the Tiangang Constellation was condensed, every movement he made would be capable of evolving into countless, unimaginable manifestations. Only then could the true power of the Tiangang Constellation be unleashed.

While Cheng Guang was busy cultivating, Qingluan went about her chores in the courtyard, watering flowers and preparing meals. Heizai, who had been running wild in the Wuxiang Garden, slammed on the brakes the moment it smelled the food, charging straight for the kitchen.

The meal Qingluan prepared today was rather light. Perhaps wishing to bolster Cheng Guang's constitution, she had added many precious and valuable ingredients: red dragon dates, fragrant city mushrooms, nine-colored lotus seeds, and the meat of rare exotic beasts.

After finishing a bowl, Cheng Guang prepared to leave for the Lamp-Bearer Bureau. The royal ceremony was drawing near. The Prince of Nanming—or rather, the Crown Prince Huainian—might arrive in the capital soon. If he were to expose the Prince's true identity at court, he needed to make certain arrangements.

He could tell Cheng Zhihai or the Emperor of Great Zhou about the Prince right now. After all, Cheng Guang was currently in a position to manipulate the Princess of Nanming, giving him a way to force the Prince to reveal his true form at any time. Even if others were skeptical, they would not dare ignore the word of the Duke of Zhenguo’s heir; they would be forced to investigate the Prince thoroughly. When the time came, Cheng Guang would produce the jade pendant from the Princess's neck, dragging the Prince—or rather, that old fox Crown Prince Huainian—out of the shadows and into the sunlight.

As he left the courtyard, Qingluan straightened the edges of his robe. She stood with her hands behind her back, smiling at him with narrowed eyes. In the morning light, Cheng Guang stood tall, looking even more handsome than when he had first arrived in this world. Beyond the natural air of nobility about him, there was a sense of indifference that comes from long-standing authority.

While Qingluan studied Cheng Guang, he studied her in return. He smiled warmly and said, "If you have free time, you should go out and walk around. You don't have to stay cooped up in this courtyard all day."

"Also, the estate is not short of money. You can buy yourself some new clothes; I've noticed you seem to wear the same few outfits year-round."

Qingluan smiled and nodded but said nothing, her beautiful eyes shimmering with amusement, though her thoughts remained hidden. Cheng Guang knew she likely didn't care about her clothing, nor did she have much interest in his suggestion to go out. She had been in the Duke’s estate since childhood and rarely left. Perhaps she was accustomed to the luxury within, or perhaps she simply had no interest in the outside world, or perhaps she just didn't want to go out alone. Regardless, if there was no necessity, she preferred to stay in the Wuxiang Garden, watering flowers and cooking. It was a quiet, leisurely life.

Cheng Guang turned to leave, and Qingluan waved at him. He waved back over his shoulder, thinking: *This girl is young, yet her composure is steadier than mine. If I were forced to stay in this courtyard alone, I’d go stir-crazy.*

With these thoughts, he made his way to the Lamp-Bearer Bureau and arrived at the main hall to find Cheng Zhihai.

Cheng Zhihai had been looking exhausted these past few days; his eyes were heavy with fatigue, and dark circles were clearly visible. The lock of dark hair on his forehead had turned white, as if frosted. He sat at his desk, holding a teacup in one hand while frantically flipping through intelligence reports sent by the bureau's various branches and secret agents, desperately trying to find a trace of Crown Prince Huainian.

When he noticed Cheng Guang’s arrival, a look of doting affection broke through his weary, authoritative expression. To Cheng Guang, however, the visible exhaustion on his father's face was striking. Cheng Zhihai was a ninth-grade Martial Emperor, just one step away from the Celestial Realm. For someone of his caliber, even going without sleep for dozens of days shouldn't have affected his mental state.

Yet, it had only been two or three days since he began investigating the Prince... and he was already this exhausted? How many documents had he read in those few days? The entire bureau was in an uproar over one man, and if the Bureau Chief himself looked like this, one could only imagine the state of his subordinates.

Cheng Guang’s mind raced.

"Guang'er, you're here. Sit for a moment," Cheng Zhihai said, rising with a smile to bring Cheng Guang a cup of tea. "I’ve finally gotten a lead on the Prince. This bureau is the foundation I intend to leave to you. Even if the Emperor wants to reclaim this power from our Duke’s estate, it won't be so easy." He spoke with a hint of pride.

Cheng Guang felt a strange pang in his chest. *So, he’s pushing himself this hard just so I can safely inherit the bureau?*

He glanced at the tea Cheng Zhihai had handed him. The leaves had been steeped so many times the water was nearly clear. It was evident that Cheng Zhihai had been drinking tea all day to stay awake, and in his urgency, hadn't even found the time to change the leaves.

Cheng Guang took a sip, and just as he was about to speak, Cheng Zhihai sat back down and returned to his documents. "Guang'er, sit and play for a bit. I'll spend time with you once I'm finished."

"Father," Cheng Guang called out.

Cheng Zhihai looked up, puzzled. "What is it?"

Cheng Guang smiled. "I think I’ve found the location of Crown Prince Huainian."

Cheng Zhihai froze, then shook his head with a laugh. "You child, are you teasing your father? The bureau has turned all of Great Zhou upside down these past few days without finding a trace. How could you possibly have found him?" He looked at Cheng Guang with doting eyes. "Don't worry, Guang'er. Even if the sky falls, I'm here to hold it up. By the way, is it lunchtime? Have you eaten?" He moved to summon an official to prepare food for Cheng Guang.

"No need, I’ve already eaten," Cheng Guang shook his head, looking helpless. "Father, I really have found him."

Cheng Zhihai paused. Although he was skeptical, he saw the seriousness and absolute confidence in Cheng Guang’s expression. He knew his son wouldn't lie about something like this. Instinctively, he wanted to believe him, but his reason told him it was impossible. How could Cheng Guang have found him when thousands of agents had scoured the entire empire?

It felt absurd. Cheng Zhihai sighed, assuming it was just a child's prank, though his eyes remained filled with affection. "Fine, then tell me—where is this Prince?"

"Nanming Prefecture. The Prince of Nanming."

Cheng Zhihai started to say, "See, you can't say—" but stopped mid-sentence as the realization hit him. He looked up, a hint of bewilderment crossing his authoritative face. "Guang'er, what did you say?"

"Nanming Prefecture. The Prince of Nanming."

When Cheng Guang repeated the words, Cheng Zhihai could no longer sit still. He stood up, tapped Cheng Guang’s forehead with a sigh of helplessness. "You brat, don't talk nonsense. Are you saying the Prince of Nanming *is* Crown Prince Huainian? Then who is the real Prince of Nanming?"

Cheng Guang spoke directly: "No, the real Prince of Nanming is dead. The current Prince is a disguise worn by Crown Prince Huainian."

Cheng Zhihai frowned. His instinct told him this was unlikely, but he knew Cheng Guang wouldn't joke about a royal prince. If the Prince of Nanming was indeed a disguise, the implications were massive. They had been searching for years, and it turned out the target had been right under their noses the entire time.

The Emperor would be truly furious. Since ascending the throne, he had treated his only brother with great favor, granting him a wealthy fiefdom and even renaming the region after him. To be told that the brother he cherished was actually his old enemy would be a devastating blow. It would be as if he had been bankrolling his own assassin.

Cheng Zhihai realized the severity of the situation. He stared at Cheng Guang with intense, solemn eyes. "Guang'er, are you certain? Do you have evidence?"

Cheng Guang did not flinch. "I am certain. As for evidence..."

Cheng Zhihai’s heart skipped a beat. Without proof, they couldn't touch a royal prince, no matter how much they suspected him.

Cheng Guang’s tone remained light. "I have evidence, too."

Cheng Zhihai breathed a sigh of relief, his excitement causing him to grip Cheng Guang’s arm tightly. "You really do?"

Cheng Guang nodded slightly. Cheng Zhihai took a deep breath, his cold, rigid face softening, his eyes trembling. He didn't ask how Cheng Guang knew; it was enough that he did. He had always accepted that his son had his own secrets, and he wasn't surprised that he was smarter than others.

"What is it?"

"The Prince used an exotic artifact to disguise himself as the Prince of Nanming," Cheng Guang explained. "It’s called 'Sutong'."

"Sutong?" Cheng Zhihai frowned. He knew of the artifact, but he couldn't grasp how it could perfectly replicate someone so flawlessly that even the Emperor couldn't tell.

"The one who shares the ability with the Prince of Nanming is a member of the Demon Clan," Cheng Guang added. "They seem to possess such means."

"The Demon Clan... I see," Cheng Zhihai murmured, his brow smoothing. "So, there are demons within Great Zhou? If it’s the Sutong artifact, we can resolve this perfectly if we capture that demon. Do you know where they are?"

"You know them, Father," Cheng Guang said. "It’s the Princess of Nanming."

Cheng Zhihai’s mouth twitched. The Prince was the Crown Prince, and the Princess was a demon? He felt a sudden chill, realizing the Princess had visited their estate just the day before. "Did she do anything to you?" He grabbed Cheng Guang’s wrist, using his vital energy to check his son’s body. Finding nothing amiss, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"She tried to attack my primordial spirit, which is how I discovered her identity," Cheng Guang explained.

"She tried to attack you in the Duke's estate?" Cheng Zhihai’s eyes turned cold. "Do not worry, I will handle it. We must not alert them, or the Prince will escape."

"Actually, Father," Cheng Guang said with a strange expression, "she no longer poses much of a threat to me. You don't need to worry about my safety. Just focus on preventing her from leaving the capital."

Cheng Zhihai didn't press for details. After Cheng Guang left, he immediately summoned his top officials and mobilized all the elite agents. The capital, already a place of hidden currents, became even more unsettled. Families shuttered their doors, and nobles kept their children indoors, fearing that the sudden frenzy of the Lamp-Bearer Bureau might lead to their own houses being ransacked.

Cheng Guang walked slowly back to the Duke’s estate. Inside the Wuxiang Garden, Qingluan was reading in the pavilion, while Heizai was busy devouring something. The sunset cast a peaceful, reddish glow over the garden.

Qingluan took his outer robe and offered to prepare dinner, but Cheng Guang declined. After a wash, he lay on his bed, staring at the white jade canopy, feeling a strange sense of emptiness now that the Prince of Nanming's fate was largely sealed.

He sank his mind into his inner world, practicing the "Condensed Frost Sword Light." Suddenly, he felt a warm, jade-like touch against his chest.

"Master, tonight, would you like to..."

Cheng Guang opened his eyes to see a beautiful, flushed face peeking out from under the quilt. He laughed, responding with action. *It's not that I don't want to cultivate,* he thought, *it's that this little fairy is tempting me. I'll cultivate after I subdue her.*

...

Midnight arrived. A familiar, cold, emotionless voice echoed in his mind:

[August 21st, 34th year of Sheng, 45th day of becoming a Celestial-realm being. You have successfully latched onto the Princess of Nanming. Thanks to her, you can finally hold your head high in the Prince's presence.]

[However, you know you’ve become a man who eats soft rice. Though it tastes sweet, your pride won't allow it for long.]

[You recall the turmoil of your youth that shocked Great Zhou...]

[The Zhenyang Martial God, a slave by birth, achieved enlightenment in a single day, rising to become a Celestial within ten years. He sought to create a kingdom without nobles or aristocrats, but after conquering half of Great Zhou, he found that his own followers simply became the new ruling class. The cycle of power remained unchanged for the common people.]

[Disillusioned, he killed his most corrupt subordinates, returned the land to the Emperor, and vanished into seclusion.]

[You realize that if you could befriend this Zhenyang Martial God, you could truly establish your own dynasty.]

[Four-Star Mission: Befriend the Zhenyang Martial God (Zhang Shunlong)]

[Reward: Prosperous Martial Arts (Enlightenment effect for three hours)]

Cheng Guang narrowed his eyes. The Zhenyang Martial God was no simple figure. He was a man with noble ideals who ultimately failed, yet his attempt alone earned Cheng Guang’s deep respect.

He sighed, sat at his desk, and began to write. He wrote until dawn, pouring his thoughts onto paper. When the morning sun finally broke through the window, he looked at his work—a manifesto on equality and bravery—and felt a profound sense of fulfillment.

The night had passed, and a new day had begun. The world was different, but his path was clear.