Chapter 187: Transformation
When Chu Zhiyuan left the An'guo Duke's residence and returned to his own, the moon was already high in the sky, and even at this hour, the distant sounds of revelry persisted.
The sounds from the tall taverns carried exceptionally far, especially at night, the sounds of stringed instruments and laughter drifting in the air, adding a touch of decadent extravagance to Yujing City.
Chu Zhiyuan returned to Listening Waves Courtyard, sat on the couch, first took out the Phoenix-patterned jade pendant to contemplate, and then collapsed to sleep after exhausting his energy.
He paid no attention to the sets of sword techniques that surged into his mind, allowing them to categorize themselves and reside within his mind.
He decided to sort them out carefully after a while, searching for sword techniques suitable for his practice, and temporarily ignoring them for now.
When he woke up at dawn, the first rays of morning light appeared, and he went to the Bright Martial Hall to practice the Ziyang True Scripture, then went to the Ministry of Rites to report for duty.
"Congratulations, Lord!"
"Congratulations, Lord!"
"Congratulations, Lord!"
As soon as he stepped into the Ministry of Rites, he was met with congratulations everywhere, and everyone he encountered thanked him.
The news of his promotion to Left Vice Minister had already spread.
Chu Zhiyuan returned each person's thanks with a cupped-fist salute, his face beaming with a smile, looking like a man refreshed by a joyous occasion.
When he arrived at his original office and saw Gao Lingfeng buried in processing documents, Chu Zhiyuan finally relaxed and regained his composure.
Gao Lingfeng heard the sound, looked up, and seeing Chu Zhiyuan lifting the curtain to enter, he quickly stood up and cupped his fist: "Lord."
Chu Zhiyuan nodded and sat down in his seat.
Gao Lingfeng smiled and said, "Congratulations, Lord."
Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand and said, "Lord Gao, are you willing to come with me to the Left Courtyard?"
"Go to the Left Courtyard..." Gao Lingfeng hesitated.
He naturally knew where the Left Courtyard was, the Left Vice Minister's courtyard.
Besides the Minister's main courtyard, there was also the Left Vice Minister's Left Courtyard and the Right Vice Minister's Right Courtyard.
The Emperor's orders were transmitted to the Minister's main courtyard, and the official documents from the Minister's main courtyard would be transmitted to the Left and Right Courtyards, and then the Left and Right Courtyards would transmit them to the five departments below.
This was the power structure of the Great Jing officialdom.
Their Zongwu Department was one of the five departments, belonging to the Left Courtyard.
Chu Zhiyuan's promotion was a leapfrog promotion.
One level above him was the Director.
His Yuanwailang was originally assisting the Director, and the Director was in charge of the Zongwu Department.
And his current position as Left Vice Minister was the Director's superior.
It was equivalent to jumping up two levels at once.
"Lord Gao is unwilling?" Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Do you think it's too tiring? Once you get to the Left Courtyard, Lord Gao will still be responsible for most of the mundane affairs in the court. I'm a lazy person."
"Thank you for your appreciation, Lord!" Gao Lingfeng gritted his teeth and slowly cupped his fist and bowed: "Your subordinate is willing to follow you and be your loyal supporter!"
Chu Zhiyuan clapped his hands and laughed: "Good, excellent!"
He stepped forward to help Gao Lingfeng up, patted him on the shoulder and smiled: "With Lord Gao as my assistant, I can be completely at ease!"
Gao Lingfeng said embarrassedly: "Lord, you flatter me."
Chu Zhiyuan knew that Gao Lingfeng's face was as calm as a lake, but his heart was extremely turbulent.
After all, he was a狀元 (top scholar), and after working hard for so many years, he was not as good as a prince's two months. The gap was too great.
Chu Zhiyuan didn't say much.
Gao Lingfeng was a狀元 (top scholar) with outstanding talent, extremely intelligent, and he understood some truths, but he just couldn't accept them for a while.
After some days, after tasting the taste of power, after tasting the taste of being able to display his lifelong wishes, he would feel that it was really good.
Chu Zhiyuan stood in front of a counter in the Tianbao Department, looking at the Second-Rank Merit Token handed out, his face unable to hide his disappointment.
In the end, after auditing, the merit was only Second-Rank, failing to reach First-Rank.
On the way back to the palace for lunch after leaving the Tianbao Department, he was thinking about a question, whether he should change the way to break through the realm.
Now it was through strengthening the meridians, so as to be able to accommodate more Dragon Binding Cords, and break through the barrier in one fell swoop.
Now that he had reached this realm, to this point, this path had obviously come to an end, and even if he could exchange for the Mortal Shedding Pill, it would only alleviate it a little.
In the end, he would still have to change to another path.
This path was purification and refinement, and most people took this path.
His Jade Lock Golden Gate Art could be combined with this.
In the Grandmaster Realm, he could practice the Sword Control Art.
The Sword Control Art was an advanced version of the Sword Washing Art, the Gang Qi was more pure, and the power was even stronger.
As he walked, he tried to run the Sword Control Art, causing the Gang Qi to shrink rapidly and purify, as if removing the excess impurities in the Gang Qi.
Once the original Gang Qi was run by the Sword Control Art, it turned into one-third of the Sword Gang.
The Sword Gang was then converted by the Dragon Binding Cord, causing it to lose its power and hide in the twelve meridians.
Subsequently, the twelve Sword Gangs were divided into three groups, attacking the fourth layer of the Bronze Tower continuously.
Four Sword Gangs were in a group, divided into three groups attacking continuously.
This would not put too much pressure on the meridians.
But the fourth layer of the Bronze Tower was unusually strong, and the Sword Gang stabbed on it, actually without any damage, seemingly able to be permanently strong and never be destroyed.
Chu Zhiyuan controlled the twelve Sword Gangs, and despair surged in his heart.
But even if he was desperate, he still kept attacking.
From the streets of Yujing City to the Listening Waves Courtyard of Qing Wang's Mansion, Chu Zhiyuan kept attacking, and when he was tired, he used the Tianyuan Art to replenish his spirit.
Attacking from night to morning, without sleeping all night, the fourth layer of the Jade Tower still had no damage, and was still unusually strong.
Chu Zhiyuan didn't give up and continued to attack.
He felt that he still had to take this path in the end, and the grand scene of breaking through the barrier in an instant was difficult to reproduce.
Times changed, and he had to seek progress in change.
Compared to the Grandmaster Path, the Acquired and Innate were too easy.
But this was also a process of tempering the mind.
The Mortal Shedding Pill had to be used, and this kind of soft grinding and hard soaking path also had to be used, walking on two legs could make the Grandmaster progress faster.
Great Jing Imperial Palace
West Palace
Inside a white jade hall, Xiao Ruoling and a woman as young and beautiful as her were comparing swords, the shadows of the wooden swords covering the sky and the earth.
After a while, the sword shadows suddenly disappeared.
Xiao Ruoling's wrist was hit by the sword, and the wooden sword flew out of her hand.
The stunningly beautiful woman opposite her stopped her sword and nodded in satisfaction: "Not bad, progressing extremely fast, it seems that you are a genius in sword practice, and you have a great talent in the way of the sword."
This stunningly beautiful woman had an oval face, almond-shaped eyes and peach cheeks, exquisite features, and a cold temperament that made people difficult to approach.
She was like a fairy in the clouds, unlike ordinary people.
Xiao Ruoling said embarrassedly: "It was Prince Chu who guided my sword skills."
"Chu Zhiyuan?" The stunningly beautiful woman, Consort Zeng Yuan of the West Palace, snorted: "His comprehension is outstanding, it is not a false rumor."
Xiao Ruoling nodded quickly.
She didn't mention the jade pendant, feeling that this was a secret within a secret, and it was not appropriate to tell even her master.
To avoid creating variables.
"Alright, let him help you practice swords." Zeng Yuan said: "With his help, the Holy Maiden is almost in your grasp."
She knew Chu Zhiyuan, the number one genius of the Great Jing Imperial Family.
Not only was his realm improving extremely fast, but his fighting and killing were also exceptionally talented.
She thought to herself that she was not as good.
With his help, this set of Flower Between Moon Shadows Sword would definitely improve rapidly, and with Xiao Ruoling's strength greatly increased, she would be able to steadily occupy the top spot and become the Holy Maiden.
Thinking of this, a trace of a smile appeared on her face, a faint trace.
