"The heir is indeed a rare genius of our time, with exceptional comprehension."
"...Just lucky," Li Hongzhao scoffed. "He might not be so lucky next time, and he will definitely be stuck at the Great Grandmaster Completion stage."
Su Qiuyan smiled without a word.
She really didn't want to pour cold water on him, but in the face of such extraordinary comprehension, past experience was not enough to rely on.
Others might be stuck, but he might not be.
It would be too presumptuous to say with certainty that he will be stuck.
"Mr. Su, having mastered the Severing Void Blade Technique, his saber skill is becoming more and more formidable," Li Hongzhao sighed. "Does it pose an even greater threat to Great Grandmasters?"
Su Qiuyan thought for a moment, "Limited by his realm, he probably still can't kill a Great Grandmaster."
"That's good," Li Hongzhao breathed a sigh of relief, shaking her head and saying, "If he could really kill a Great Grandmaster, the trouble would be immense."
"Indeed," Su Qiuyan slowly nodded, her expression serious.
Only Great Grandmasters know how troublesome a Grandmaster who can kill a Great Grandmaster truly is.
Great Grandmasters share a common secret: each person they kill taints them with a bit of Yin Energy.
The deceased person generates a peculiar substance that clings to the Great Grandmaster. This is known as Yin Energy.
This Yin Energy is an extremely strange power that cannot be erased or resolved once it clings to the body.
Yin Energy weakens the body, reduces lifespan, and affects the mind. In mild cases, it interferes with cultivation; in severe cases, it leads to cultivation deviation.
Therefore, Great Grandmasters avoid killing if possible. After tens of thousands of years of research, the ultimate conclusion of the Great Grandmasters is that this Yin Energy is likely the Yin Extreme Force of heaven and earth, a force that causes aging and death.
Everyone has this Yin Energy within them, which causes them to slowly age until death. Yin Energy dissipates upon death.
There are two ways for Yin Energy to dissipate: one is to be neutralized by lifespan.
The other is to be eliminated by the power of breakthrough when entering the Great Grandmaster realm.
Once a person dies violently, the Yin Energy within them, not neutralized by lifespan, will float out and drift toward the person who caused their death.
If this person already has their own Yin Energy, it will attack this new Yin Energy, preventing it from clinging to them.
But if this person does not have their own Yin Energy, they will be tainted by this Yin Energy.
The Yin Energy that clings to the body is not the original Yin Energy and does not have the ability to expel other Yin Energy.
Therefore, the more people a Great Grandmaster kills, the more and stronger the Yin Energy that adheres to them.
The greater the loss to their own lifespan, and the greater the interference to their own minds.
When Great Grandmasters kill, they would rather kill Great Grandmasters than kill others.
If a Grandmaster has the ability to kill Great Grandmasters, it means unrestrained slaughter.
Unlike Great Grandmasters who are bound by restrictions, wouldn't they be able to kill whoever they want?
Thinking of this, her expression turned solemn as she said, "He shouldn't be able to reach that stage."
Li Hongzhao said, "That's right, the Great Grandmaster realm is not something that can be easily crossed."
Realm is a fundamental qualitative change; spiritual power and Astral Qi are fundamentally different and cannot be surpassed.
As she said this, she was vaguely worried. Chu Zhiyuan exited the Da Meng embassy and saw a group of people walking out of the Da Zhen embassy across the street. The one at the head was Gao Jiuqu, so he cupped his fist and smiled, "Brother Gao."
Gao Jiuqu was dressed in a dark blue long robe, with a face like jade, sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, and was gentle and refined. Gao Jiuqu returned the greeting with a cupped fist, stepped forward, and smiled, "Heir, is this...?"
"I just met with the Ninth Princess. I wonder what brings Brother Gao here...?"
Gao Jiuqu smiled, "A messenger from the court is coming, and I'm going to welcome him."
Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "To the South City Gate? Then we'll go part of the way together. I'm going to the yamen. Let's go."
"Please," Gao Jiuqu smiled.
He didn't know what Shenjing had become, but he guessed it was similar to Yujing.
Da Jing and Da Zhen were not only similar in national strength, but also in prosperity and customs.
Seeing Yujing was like seeing Shenjing.
So he felt very comfortable, as if he had returned to his hometown.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "Brother Gao, will you take over as the Cliff Master of Wentian Cliff after you step into the Great Grandmaster realm?"
Gao Jiuqu shook his head, "It's not that easy. There are still many tests to become the Cliff Master."
The two walked out of Sifangguan Street and onto the bustling main road.
The guards shielded the surroundings, preventing the noisy crowd from disturbing their conversation.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "Are there still competitors? It seems that no one has a higher cultivation or stronger aptitude than Brother Gao, right?"
Gao Jiuqu: "There are no competitors, but if I don't pass the tests, I still won't be able to take over as the Cliff Master."
"Does that mean your teacher will have to continue being the Cliff Master?"
"Yes." Gao Jiuqu shook his head and smiled wryly, "If I don't live up to expectations, my master won't be able to be free."
"Being the Cliff Master is a difficult task, right?" Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "But it's something countless people dream of."
"Before, I actually dreamed of it too," Gao Jiuqu said, "At that time, I didn't know the hardship of being the Cliff Master of Wentian Cliff."
"Deducing heavenly secrets must be very exhausting, right?"
"And it also shortens lifespan, right?"
"...Yes." Gao Jiuqu smiled, "How does the heir know so much?"
Chu Zhiyuan said, "I'm just speculating randomly. The Asking Heaven Secret Art can see the future, but the future is constantly changing, and you have to painstakingly look again and again. How can it not be exhausting? And how can understanding heavenly secrets not shorten lifespan?"
"That's right." Gao Jiuqu nodded solemnly, "So the Cliff Master doesn't pry into the future unless he has to."
His master was only eighty years old, but he was already old and decaying, about to enter the Five Signs of Decay of Heaven and Man.
If he didn't live up to expectations and step into the Great Grandmaster realm quickly, his master would really be exhausted.
Unfortunately, the more anxious he was, the less he could get his wish, and his realm was stuck.
That was how cruel and ruthless the world was.
"Not pry into the future? It's hard to resist," Chu Zhiyuan smiled.
If it were him, being able to pry into the future, how could he resist not looking?
People are curious, especially about the future, which is endless.
Gao Jiuqu looked at Chu Zhiyuan helplessly.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "I guessed right, didn't I?"
"It's really hard to resist," Gao Jiuqu sighed, "So being the Cliff Master is indeed a difficult task, both oppressive and painful."
"But for the sake of your teacher, you still have to take on this burden without hesitation?" Gao Jiuqu slowly said, "If I don't take over, my master will never be free."
"Wentian Cliff ah..." Chu Zhiyuan sighed, "The Asking Heaven Secret Art is both a blessing and a curse."
Gao Jiuqu looked at Chu Zhiyuan with shining eyes.
No one had ever understood Wentian Cliff so deeply.
Everyone who mentioned Wentian Cliff felt it was unattainable, mysterious and powerful, filled with awe or admiration.
People only knew the strength of Wentian Cliff, but they didn't know the suffering of Wentian Cliff.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "The strength of Wentian Cliff is accompanied by its suffering... If you want to live comfortably, it's actually simple."
Gao Jiuqu showed a wry smile.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "You are also being forced to move forward, right?"
"Alas..." Gao Jiuqu sighed.
He felt that Chu Zhiyuan really understood Wentian Cliff too well and understood him too well.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "Brother Gao, Da Jing and Da Zhen can actually unite permanently."
Gao Jiuqu smiled wryly.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "If Da Jing and Da Zhen always unite, Wentian Cliff wouldn't have to work so hard."
"It's too difficult," Gao Jiuqu shook his head.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "If you want to solve the problem permanently, you have to do it no matter how difficult it is, and push in that direction."
Gao Jiuqu took a deep look at him.
If Chu Zhiyuan was the emperor of Da Jing, these words would be useful, and he would also push in this direction.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "We will have many more interactions in the future, so there's no need to rush this matter... I'll take my leave first."
The two parted ways at the intersection heading south.
