CHAPTER 533: 275. EUNUCH? IMPERIAL BODYGUARDS?_2

The Wu Fang Instructor glanced at the group of Imperial Bodyguards.

After speaking, he rolled up his sleeves, mobilized his True Qi, and the muscles on his arms rapidly bulged, becoming as thick as thighs.

BOOM! BOOM!

His fists, carrying strong gusts of wind, left a series of knuckle prints on the wooden training dummies.

"This is the fist manual. Each of you can look at it for a quarter of an hour. After a quarter of an hour, it will be collected. How much you remember is your own concern."

The Head Instructor took out a stack of silk cloths inscribed with the fist manual and had the eunuchs in the Martial Arts Room distribute them to the guards inside.

「Half a day later」

The Head Instructor stood near the wooden dummy where Cao Xing was practicing the Bloodline Fist. He stared intently at Cao Xing’s True Qi circulation path for a long time before speaking in a deep voice, "Your memory is quite good, and the Bloodline Fist you execute is more than a notch above the others."

Practicing martial arts required both aptitude and comprehension.

Among this new batch of Imperial Bodyguards, Cao Xing’s aptitude, in his view, was truly outstanding.

"Thank you for your praise, Head Instructor," Cao Xing said, stunned.

He remembered that in the past, he was merely of average ability, often scolded by his teacher in the academy. But after entering the palace, it was as if his mind had suddenly opened up. Whatever he learned, he did so more than twice as fast as before.

* * *

"This Imperial Court of Da Jing seems to be just a mundane one. With my [Wenchang] Destiny alone, it’s enough for my ’other self’ to thrive..."

In the Main World, Xu Xing watched this scene with a smile playing on his lips.

It seemed his [Wenchang] Destiny was unremarkable among the Red Fates and various Immortal Fates, but in reality, this Destiny was a significant enhancement for mortals. With this Destiny, it wasn’t difficult for ordinary students to pass the examinations to become Scholars or Juren. If their aptitude was good, even passing the Jinshi examination would not be difficult.

"In a little while, once his martial arts training shows some achievement, I’ll try to fix the [Longevity Body] Destiny onto Cao Xing,"

Xu Xing mused.

Only by fixing Destinies like the [Bright King Body] and [Longevity Body] could Xu Xing’s incarnation in the Instance World (Cao Xing) gain the aptitude for cultivating immortality and embark on that path...

"My cultivation of the Xuan Yellow One Qi Controlling Crane Hand is almost complete; further significant progress in a short time will be difficult."

"The cultivation of the Nirvana Technique should also be prioritized, advancing from ’Bones and Flesh Birth’ to ’Blood Dripping Birth’..."

Thinking this, Xu Xing retrieved a three-zhang-tall stone slab from his storage bag. He levitated it in the air and began to use his Divine Sense to comprehend the Dao runes on its surface.

This stone slab was the original of the Evil Warding Sacred Skill from the Tiger Country Secret Realm.

As his Magic Power activated it, the stone slab gradually revealed a divine strangeness. A phoenix, bathed in fire, was undergoing Nirvana within a sea of flames, endlessly cycling through life and death.

The Dao Principle of Life, representing vitality, and the Dao Principle of Death, representing mortality, transformed into one another, constituting unique Dao runes that formed this Nirvana Technique.

Years pass unknowingly in the mountains. The cold and heat come and go.

「In the blink of an eye」

Another spring and autumn passed.

"Fix the [Longevity Body]."

Xu Xing glanced at his counterpart in the Decaying Axe World, noting that Cao Xing’s physical strength had nearly reached the Innate Realm. With a turn of his thoughts, he began to use a Dao Fruit to fix the Immortal Green Fate [Longevity Body].

「Next moment」

The Qi within Cao Xing’s body began to be consumed at a frenzied pace. His robust physique rapidly withered, leaving him looking like a consumptive wraith.

"Old Master?" Yue Gui exclaimed. "What... what’s wrong with you?"

At the Cao Mansion, Yue Gui pushed open the door to the master bedroom, intending to help Cao Xing dress. However, when she was still about five steps away, she felt an astonishing heat radiating from him, as if he were a massive furnace.

Seeing Cao Xing’s bizarre transformation, Yue Gui immediately panicked.

"It’s nothing..." Xu Xing, having regained control of his ’other self,’ waved his hand at Yue Gui, signaling her to withdraw.

"Yes, Old Master."

Though startled by Cao Xing’s change, Yue Gui, as a long-serving attendant, knew what questions were appropriate and what were not.

Now, ten years had passed. The Old Master had risen from a Third Rank Guard to his current position as a First Rank Guard, stationed at the Zi Chen Hall. He had become a trusted aide to the Emperor.

「A moment later」

Cao Xing awoke as if from a nightmare, looking at the changes in his body with astonishment.

At this time, although his body seemed much weaker than before, the vitality within him was more potent than ever.

"Is this... an immortal scripture?"

Cao Xing walked to his bedside and stared at a book titled *The Eternal Green Dao Sutra*, lost in thought.

"I am the reincarnation of an immortal. I have just awakened a portion of my past memories. This is my own writing," he muttered to himself.

He rationalized the situation according to the memories surfacing in his mind.

* * *

「Main World.」

Xu Xing withdrew his consciousness from his ’other self’ in the Decaying Axe World. He rose from the Jade Seat, took out several voice transmission talismans from his sleeve, and sent them out.

"Master Xu..."

"Xu Daoist..."

Upon receiving the messages from the voice transmission talismans, the six Dao Lords of the Butian Sect did not delay. They rose from their seclusion outside the gate and came to the living room to meet Xu Xing.

"During this period of secluded cultivation, I have devised a method to deal with Zhongtai Dao Monarch," Xu Xing announced. "I hope you will all lend me your strength when I attempt to break the array."

Xu Xing bowed slightly and expressed his gratitude.

This time, Zhongtai Dao Monarch had invited not only him to break the array but all the Dao Lords of the Butian Sect.

Of the six Dao Lords before him, aside from Buxu Zi, to whom he had rendered a life-saving service, the others were merely ordinary acquaintances. Their willingness to help this time was mostly driven by mutual interests.

"What are you saying, Xu Daoist? Since we joined the Butian Sect, Flying Feather Immortal Palace has long regarded us as thorns in their side..." a Dao Lord from Heyang Viewpoint said, stroking his beard with a smile. "Even if we were to beg for surrender now, it’s not certain Flying Feather Immortal Palace would accept."

Having cultivated to their age, even if they were unversed in worldly affairs, they had become shrewd.

By helping Xu Xing, they could earn a reputation for upholding the Righteous Path. Then, if Flying Feather Immortal Palace held them accountable in the future, Fellow Daoists would assist them. Even if they faced death, they could leave behind an honorable name.

However, if they abandoned Xu Xing for Flying Feather Immortal Palace, it wasn’t certain the Immortal Palace would accept them, especially given their current absolute advantage. The stigma alone of fleeing mid-battle and disregarding kindness was unbearable to them.

"Well said!"

"Indeed!"

"..."

The other Dao Lords, hearing this, all saluted and voiced their approval.

"With the help of my Fellow Daoists, my chances have improved somewhat..." Xu Xing laughed heartily upon hearing this.

「Next」

He wasted no time. Leading the six Dao Lords of the Butian Sect, he went to the Spring and Autumn Hall. After bidding farewell to the Zuoqiu Clan Chief, he headed straight to Zhongtai Dao Monarch’s array site.

As the Butian Sect’s rainbow light descended from the Cloud Head, the various sects of the Righteous Path, who had been waiting by the array banners for a long time, began to buzz with discussion about the impending battle between the two factions.

"I wonder if Master Xu can break the array this time... Ever since joining the Nanhua Sect, Master Xu has always seemed to have everything under control. It must be the same this time. If he weren’t confident, Master Xu would never have come so readily to break the array..."

"Flying Feather Immortal Palace has thirteen Dao Lords and has set up the Nine Suns Fire Pillar Array, while the Butian Sect has only seven Dao Lords, all scraped together from various places..." some cultivators voiced their concerns.

Even if cultivators within the same sect practiced different Cultivation Methods, they could still form a battle array, concentrating all their power.

But the Dao Lords of the Butian Sect were not from the same lineage. In a major battle, it would be an achievement if they didn’t injure their own allies, let alone have the spare capacity to form a battle array.

The power wielded by the thirteen Dao Lords of Flying Feather Immortal Palace would be far greater than the sum of thirteen individual Dao Lords.

Conversely, the strength displayed by the seven Dao Lords of the Butian Sect would likely be less than that of seven individual Dao Lords.

That was the difference!

"Let’s observe first..."

"Perhaps the Butian Sect has another plan."

The cultivators discussed amongst themselves.

"Xu Xing, you are an eloquent man, so I won’t waste words..." Zhongtai Dao Monarch gave Xu Xing a profound look, then stepped into the array. Holding a crimson array banner, he spoke. "Today, everything will be decided within this array!"

"I must ask Sect Master Ding to preside over this grand event..." he then said, looking at Ding Jifeng outside the array.

This time, the array was established within the Nanhua Sect’s territory. Regardless of anything else, they couldn’t afford to ignore the Nanhua Sect, their host. Flying Feather Immortal Palace did not wish to offend the Nanhua Sect too greatly.

"Very well," Ding Jifeng nodded slightly, not refusing.

"Activate the array!" Zhongtai Dao Monarch shouted upon seeing this.

「Next moment」

A burst of crimson brilliance erupted from beneath his feet and those of the twelve Dao Lords from Flying Feather Immortal Palace. This brilliance transformed into colossal pillars that seemed to support the heavens.

There were nine such pillars in total.