Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

Chen Mo sat cross-legged in the corner of the inner hall, a large square golden seal floating before him. Strands of golden gas drifted from the golden seal, being absorbed by Chen Mo into his body.

Once the golden gas entered Chen Mo’s body, it was refined and traveled to the dantian, blending with the True Qi within. It was then further purified and condensed, making the True Qi in his dantian even more pure and refined.

However, in Wu Xin’Er’s eyes, she couldn’t see even a wisp of the golden gas floating from the golden seal. All she could see was the Heirloom Seal of the Realm floating in front of Chen Mo, gently rotating.

Chen Mo, during his seclusion, had told her that if Huangfu Hao returned to the capital, she should inform him.

Just as Wu Xin’Er raised her hand, trying to awaken Chen Mo.

Chen Mo seemed to sense some great horror, his heart suddenly felt as if it were being clenched hard, producing a sharp, stabbing pain.

In the next second, his body shook violently, his eyes opened wide, and he let out a roar. A surge of powerful Qi came rushing out from within him, sending Wu Xin’Er, who was close to him, flying across the room, crashing heavily onto the ground.

The Heirloom Seal of the Realm fell to the ground as well.

The sudden commotion startled Xiao Yunxi, who was dealing with memorials, and Xiao Qing’Er beside her. They both cried out in surprise and quickly got up to check on Wu Xin’Er.

Chen Mo was left in a daze, staring at his sea of consciousness.

The originally vast sea of consciousness was empty except for a spiritual seal formed with Xiao Jiu. But now, there was an unfolded golden scroll, hovering in the sea of consciousness, exuding a primitive and majestic aura. Above the golden scroll, there floated a dragon-eye-sized, droplet-like blue crystal.

”What is this?” Chen Mo looked puzzled. He remembered when he was almost done absorbing the Emperor’s Qi from the Heirloom Seal of the Realm; a loud bang erupted in his mind as if the sound of the Great Dao exploded within, followed by the appearance of this golden scroll and the blue crystal hovering above it in his sea of consciousness.

Just now, he tried to communicate with the golden scroll, whereupon a heart-piercing pain surged through him. Then a powerful aura rushed out from the golden scroll, leading to the scene where Wu Xin’Er was sent flying by the gust of Qi.

...

”I’m okay.” Wu Xin’Er, supported by Xiao Yunxi, shook her head and then looked in the direction of Chen Mo, hurriedly asking, ”Husband, are... are you okay?”

As she spoke, she walked towards Chen Mo.

Chen Mo, who had been contemplating the matter of the golden scroll, now finally registered what had happened. He quickly walked over and grasped Wu Xin’Er’s hand, urgently asking, ”Xin’Er, are you alright?”

At the moment of their physical contact, the blue crystal atop the golden scroll suddenly underwent a change, emitting a brilliant blue halo, and then flew from Chen Mo’s sea of consciousness straight into Wu Xin’Er’s crown.

This sudden change startled everyone. Before they could react, Wu Xin’Er’s eyes turned vacant, as if she had lost her soul.

In Wu Xin’Er’s eyes appeared many ancient characters. Although she did not recognize these characters, she understood their meaning.

After a long pause, she suddenly shuddered, realizing it seemed to be a cultivation technique.

”Xin’Er, your forehead...” Chen Mo suddenly pointed at Wu Xin’Er’s forehead, where a pattern began to slowly emerge, identical to the blue crystal.

But immediately afterward, the pattern began to fade away.

When Wu Xin’Er regained her senses and took a look with a copper mirror, there was no visible difference from before; the pattern had disappeared.

”Prince Zhen Nan, what was that?” Xiao Yunxi inquired out of curiosity, as it was a disturbance caused by Chen Mo.

Chen Mo himself couldn’t understand either, as there was no clue explaining the reason. But he knew it was related to the Emperor’s Divine Sealing Skill.

He assessed his current cultivation; although not yet at the Middle Stage Foundation Establishment, the progress was evident.

The Heirloom Seal of the Realm, having accumulated over two dynasties for several hundred years, contained a massive reservoir of Emperor’s Qi. In this period, he had absorbed scarcely thirty percent.

Not only that, he could now see thin wisps of white, smoke-like substance drifting out of the Heirloom Seal of the Realm, while the Emperor’s Qi within was gradually depleting.

This meant that if Chen Mo did not absorb it, the Emperor’s Qi within the Heirloom Seal of the Realm would eventually vanish over time.

”This should be related to the secret technique I’m cultivating,” Chen Mo replied subtly, choosing not to divulge more. He felt it was best for fewer people to know about this matter.

He glanced at Wu Xin’Er.

She said, ”Husband, I seem to have obtained a formidable cultivation technique.”

”What cultivation technique?” Chen Mo asked.

”I’m not sure of the specifics yet, but it seems related to water,” Wu Xin’Er replied.

”Then try cultivating it and see.”

Since the Emperor’s Divine Sealing Skill could bestow such an item, it should be of use, thought Chen Mo.

Wu Xin’Er nodded.

Xiao Yunxi knew Chen Mo was hiding something from her, but she wasn’t the type to pry insistently. If Chen Mo chose not to say, she understood he must have his reasons, so she refrained from asking further, instead saying, ”Have you finished your seclusion?”

Chen Mo shook his head; his goal was Middle Stage Foundation Establishment, which he had not yet achieved.

Wu Xin’Er intervened, ”Husband, General Huangfu has returned to the capital.”

...

Chen Mo, under the cover of night, quietly left Weiyang Palace and then informed Gao Zheng, setting up a celebration banquet at the Hongfu Tavern in the west of the city, and separately arranged a meeting with Huangfu Hao.

In the Tianzi suite of Hongfu Tavern, Chen Mo greeted with a smile, ”Brother, the arduous journey to the Wan Kingdom has been rewarding and exhausting. I toast to you, my brother.”

Chen Mo and Huangfu Hao had sworn brotherhood together, and to him, Chen Mo maintained great respect.

”The Prince is too kind. Without the Wan Kingdom map given by the Prince, this victory could not have been so smooth.” Although Chen Mo called him brother, Huangfu Hao dared not assume the airs of an elder brother given the disparity in their statuses.

The two sat facing each other.

As they drank lightly, Huangfu Hao narrated the specific battle steps taken in the Wan Kingdom. With the Ning clan now vanquished, as per the plan Chen Mo had initially devised, power was returned to the Han royal family while control over the Wan Kingdom’s military remained in their hands, allowing for free wartime deployment.

Therefore, upon Huangfu Hao’s return to court, he brought back five thousand Wan Kingdom troops.

Of course, one thousand Imperial Guards were left in the Wan Kingdom, with Zhang Mu and Wen Jieming in charge of command.

After all, relying solely on treaties would not ensure the Wan Kingdom’s compliance; military presence was essential to keep them obedient.

As they exchanged cups, Huangfu Hao, exhaling whiffs of alcohol, asked, ”When does the Prince plan to move against Jizhou?”