Chapter 512 - 421: Your Majesty, Afraid I’ll Eat You?
Chapter 512: Chapter 421: Your Majesty, Afraid I’ll Eat You?
After leaving the National Preceptor’s Mansion, Xiao Mo gave Wei Xun the Body Tempering Formula for the Heaven-Opening Fist and sent him to gather the herbs.
However, Xiao Mo added a few extra ingredients to the formula.
This wasn’t because Xiao Mo didn’t trust Wei Xun.
Rather, the Body Tempering Formula for the Heaven-Opening Fist was truly extraordinary, and the Imperial Palace was crawling with Yan Shanao’s spies.
Xiao Mo was worried he might expose something.
Soon enough, Wei Xun returned with the medicinal herbs.
"You three may leave. I’ll do this myself."
Xiao Mo said to the three palace maids who were about to help him bathe.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The three palace maids curtsied and left the room.
Xiao Mo placed the medicinal herbs into the bath one by one.
A rich medicinal fragrance filled the room.
Lying in the medicinal bath, Xiao Mo silently circulated the Spiritual Power in his body according to the tempering method, absorbing the essence of the herbs in the tub.
Xiao Mo could clearly feel his body absorbing the essence of the Spirit Medicines. His skin, muscles, and bones were being tempered, little by little.
An incense stick of time later, Xiao Mo was drenched in sweat, which was mixed with viscous impurities expelled from his body.
Xiao Mo then moved to another tub to rinse himself clean before changing into a comfortable sleeping robe.
’Not bad.’
Feeling the new resilience of his body, Xiao Mo was very satisfied.
Thanks to his "Martial Cultivator’s Physique" talent, he had absorbed the medicinal liquid completely, with almost no waste.
Leaving the Imperial Study, Xiao Mo returned to his bedchambers.
After sparring with Jiang Qingyi all day, Xiao Mo was extremely exhausted and quickly fell asleep.
What Xiao Mo didn’t know was that a mosquito was secretly watching him from the shadows.
"BZZZ..."
Just as Xiao Mo had fallen into a deep sleep, the Skyhorn Mosquito quietly flew toward him.
The Skyhorn Mosquito landed on the back of Xiao Mo’s hand. It rubbed its legs together a few times, then suddenly jabbed down.
But the next moment, the Skyhorn Mosquito froze.
’No matter how hard I try, I can’t pierce the back of this human’s hand.’
As a mosquito, the Skyhorn Mosquito felt insulted. It began jabbing at Xiao Mo rapidly and forcefully.
A short while later...
Exhausted, the Skyhorn Mosquito collapsed on the back of Xiao Mo’s hand.
It was as if its mind had shattered. It dazedly lifted its head, seeming to question its very purpose in life—a mosquito’s life.
...
"No more sleeping! Everyone get up!"
「The next morning.」
A Female Official walked into the room where Si Li was staying and shouted.
Si Li, accustomed to a life of leisure, was greatly displeased. Nevertheless, she suppressed her morning temper, got out of bed, and got dressed.
"Starting today, I will instruct you in palace etiquette and familiarize you with the inner palace. You are to learn, watch, and listen with the utmost diligence. If any of you make a mistake in the future, it will cost you your head! Is that understood?"
The Female Official addressed Si Li and the other new women who had just entered the palace.
"Yes, ma’am." The women all curtsied.
The Female Official nodded. "Very good. All of you, follow me."
Si Li and the others followed behind the Female Official, but her mind was preoccupied with the matter of the Skyhorn Mosquito collecting blood.
’I wonder if the Skyhorn Mosquito was successful.’
The day finally passed.
Deep in the night, after everyone was sound asleep, Si Li got out of bed and once again headed for the bedchambers of the Sovereign of Zhou.
Standing at the entrance to the bedchambers, Si Li summoned the Skyhorn Mosquito.
Feeling the summons, the Skyhorn Mosquito flew out of the room and landed in Si Li’s palm.
"Where’s the blood?" Si Li asked.
The Skyhorn Mosquito shook its head, looking quite aggrieved, and then began buzzing an explanation.
"Are you saying you couldn’t pierce the Sovereign of Zhou’s skin?" Si Li asked in surprise.
"BZZZ..." The Skyhorn Mosquito quickly nodded, then rubbed its numb mouthparts.
...
Si Li was momentarily stunned.
’The Skyhorn Mosquito is only a Low-Tier Spirit Beast, but it’s a Spirit Beast nonetheless! How could it fail to pierce the skin of a mere mortal Emperor?’
"Forget it." Si Li waved her hand dismissively and took out a silver needle, one about the size of a mosquito’s leg.
"Take this, pierce his skin, and bring me his blood. Understood?" Si Li said sternly.
The Skyhorn Mosquito quickly nodded, then flew back inside, clutching the silver needle.
Before long, the Skyhorn Mosquito flew back out.
This time, it had finally managed to collect the blood.
Si Li dripped the Sovereign of Zhou’s fresh blood onto a Treasure Pearl.
The Treasure Pearl began to glow with a faint red light.
For several days in a row, Si Li came to collect blood every night.
Watching the Treasure Pearl in her hand grow an ever-deeper crimson, Si Li felt a faint nervousness growing in her heart.
’In just two more days, I’ll be able to confirm whether this Sovereign of Zhou is truly my master’s reincarnation.’
...
Six days had passed since the blood collection began.
「Wendao Platform.」
Xiao Mo sat cross-legged on the ground, honing his Sword Intent.
He was making the final preparations to break through to Foundation Establishment.
Jiang Qingyi stood beside Xiao Mo. She was acting as his guardian, preventing any cultivation deviation, while also sensing his Sword Intent and correcting his mistakes.
An entire day passed.
The Sword Intent surrounding Xiao Mo gradually subsided.
Finally, Xiao Mo took a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes.
"Acceptable."
Jiang Qingyi nodded, looking at Xiao Mo.
"The methods used by the Hundred Schools of Thought to reach the Foundation Establishment Realm vary greatly. You are focusing on Sword Technique, so you must use your Sword Intent as the foundation for your breakthrough.
A person’s Sword Intent is like an unformed blade. It must be hammered, tempered, and sharpened until it is finally forged into an incomparably sharp Immortal Soldier.
This process continues throughout one’s entire cultivation journey. Remember, you must not be hasty.
Better slow than wrong.
Does Your Majesty understand?"
"Thank you for your guidance, Fairy Jiang." Xiao Mo nodded.
"It was hardly guidance." Jiang Qingyi turned her head. "Speaking of which, where does Your Majesty plan to attempt Foundation Establishment? Don’t tell me you plan to do it here in the Imperial Palace."
"Of course not."
Xiao Mo shook his head.
"I have already had someone select a remote location with reasonably abundant Spiritual Power. Once my preparations are complete, I will go there."
"It would be best for Your Majesty to attempt Foundation Establishment in three months’ time," Jiang Qingyi said seriously.
"Three months?" Xiao Mo didn’t quite understand. "Is there some significance to attempting it in three months?"
"There’s no special reason. But if Your Majesty is serious about achieving Foundation Establishment, you’ll do as I say," Jiang Qingyi said coolly.
"Besides, I will accompany Your Majesty when the time comes. Or does Your Majesty think I would harm you?"
Xiao Mo chuckled. "If Fairy Jiang wanted to harm me, you would have done so long ago. Why wait until now? And you wouldn’t have given me the Condensed Light Longsword."
"As long as you know." Jiang Qingyi turned away, and beneath her veil, her lips seemed to curve into an extremely faint smile. "Let’s go. To Your Majesty’s bedchambers."
"Fairy Jiang, you’re going to my bedchambers?" Xiao Mo asked, confused.
"What? Is Your Majesty afraid I’m going to eat you alive?"
Jiang Qingyi sneered.
"Or is Your Majesty worried that if I visit your bedchambers at night, it will cause a misunderstanding with your two future Imperial Consorts should word get out?"
"Or perhaps..."
Jiang Qingyi turned, took a step forward, and stood right in front of Xiao Mo, looking up at him.
"Your Majesty has had designs on me for a while, and now that I’m going to your bedchambers, you’re secretly overjoyed?"