Cultivation: I Can Traverse Otherworlds

Divine Capital.

Tianzhen Workshop.

A grand avenue here led directly to the Imperial City.

From the magnificent Zhengyang Gate, the road stretched for dozens of miles straight to Chaoyang Gate. It was paved with hard bluestone slabs, wide enough for eight horse-drawn carriages to travel side-by-side.

All sorts of buildings lined both sides of the street in dense rows—commercial towers and guild halls were everywhere, and naturally, there was no shortage of various taverns.

In an elegant private room upstairs.

Hai Pig Jiaoru, one of the Twelve Unscrupulous Marshals, lounged on a large, tiger-skin-draped chair. He toyed with two massive iron balls in his large hands, his gaze drifting thoughtfully toward the long street below.

”Daoist.”

The voice of one of his Unscrupulous People sounded from outside the door:

”Lord Jiao is inside.”

CREAK...

The door opened, and a Daoist holding a duster with a transcendent air walked in slowly. He casually picked a seat and sat down.

”How rare.”

Zhu Ju said with a smile:

”For Lord Jiao to actually offer to treat someone.”

Ever since entering the Divine Capital, Jiao Ru had kept an eye on Zhu Ju. After all, eight thousand taels of Gold was not a sum an ordinary Daoist could produce.

However, he found nothing unusual about Zhu Ju. Instead, through their interactions, they discovered they got along quite well.

Gradually, they became friends.

”You know my situation, Daoist. My daily eating and drinking is a bottomless pit. My entire stipend goes to filling my stomach.” Jiao Ru pointed at the food and wine on the table and said:

”This spread today is enough to last me for several days.”

”But...”

”Compared to what you gave me, Daoist, what does this amount to?”

”The Unscrupulous People act as the inspectors of the Divine Capital. As an Unscrupulous Marshal, if you wanted silver, I’m sure countless people would be scrambling to give it to you,” Zhu Ju said.

”Lord Jiao, you’re truly an honest official!”

”An honest official?” Jiao Ru snorted coldly.

”As the saying goes, water that is too clear has no fish. If I were an honest official, a good man, I’m afraid I would’ve been devoured without a trace long ago, not even bones left.”

”Sometimes, you have to do certain things.”

He shook his head lightly and changed the subject.

”The Cultivation Technique I practice is called the Heaven-Devouring Taotie. It was a heritage bestowed upon the Jiao Family by the previous Emperor. The more I eat, the greater my power becomes, until I can open my Divine Treasure and become a Martial Saint.”

Jiao Ru reached out, tore off a roasted leg of lamb, opened his mouth wide, and swallowed it in a few quick bites.

He didn’t even spare the bone.

His teeth were like millstones that could crush anything, and his stomach was like a Taotie that never knew satiety.

”Ever since achieving the Unity of Spirit and Body and stepping into the Third Grade, I can eat two whole oxen in one meal. I could devour a mountain of grain in half a month.”

”If I relied only on my stipend, I would’ve fucking starved to death long ago!”

”No wonder Lord Jiao was always freeloading off me.” Zhu Ju chuckled and raised his cup for a sip.

”Have you made any progress?”

”It’s incredible!” Jiao Ru stopped what he was doing, a strange light in his eyes.

”I never thought a Daoist Secret Technique could actually help open a Martial Arts Divine Treasure. I feel like my Cultivation, which has been stagnant for years, is finally progressing again.”

”’Divine Power condenses in the spine, strength penetrates the marrow; raise a hand to shake mountains, stomp the earth to quell demons...’”

”Daoist, what book is that from?”

”A fragment of a Daoist Scripture I found somewhere.” Zhu Ju rested his chin on his hand, looking thoughtful.

”It speaks of the methods for human reincarnation, ascension to immortality, and rebirth. It delves into the profound mysteries of the Soul. I only had a few minor insights, but it reminded me of the Method you mentioned before, so I had you give it a try. I didn’t expect it to actually work.”

”It’s useful!” Jiao Ru nodded emphatically.

”Extremely useful!”

”But as they say, True Inheritance can be a single sentence, while false teachings fill ten thousand scrolls. The so-called reincarnation and ascension are just the deluded fantasies of madmen. Only those few maxims within it are truly wondrous; they could serve as the core principles for my Cultivation Technique.”

Those few lines were like a sudden enlightenment, instantly making Jiao Ru understand the bottlenecks in his years of Cultivation.

His Cultivation had advanced significantly, and he could now see the path to becoming a Divine Treasure Martial Saint.

Zhu Ju smiled without saying a word.

’Indeed!’

’The Divine Treasure spoken of in this world’s Martial Arts is the human Soul.’

’Or rather,’

’It mainly refers to the Seven Spirits.’

’According to the Cultivation Realm of the Main World, a person has Three Souls and Seven Spirits. The Three Souls are Heaven, Earth, and Life. The Seven Spirits are Celestial Impact, Spiritual Wisdom, Central Hub, Essence, Heroic, Qi, and Power.’

’Each Spirit is related to a great secret of the human body.’

’And whether it’s the Anger Battle Heart Technique, the Nine Mountains Skill, or the Heaven-Devouring Taotie that Jiao Ru cultivates, the Divine Treasure they open all refer to the Power Spirit.’

’Once the Power Spirit is opened,’

’one’s Divine Power becomes invincible!’

”As long as it’s useful.” Zhu Ju’s voice was tinged with emotion.

”So it’s actually real.”

’The Three Souls and Seven Spirits!’

’This is the key to advancing from the Golden Core to the Nascent Soul! To think that this world’s Martial Arts can directly control them.’

’Opening the Divine Treasure?’

’In the terms of the Main World, it should be called ’connecting with the Soul.’’

’If a Cultivator can connect with the Three Souls and Seven Spirits, it means they have the potential to condense a Nascent Soul.’

’If I could connect with the Seven Spirits, then forget a Dao Foundation Cultivator, even a Golden Core Grandmaster would probably be no match for me.’

”Haha...”

Jiao Ru laughed heartily.

”Come!”

”Let’s drink!”

”We’ll watch a good show later.”

”A good show?” Zhu Ju returned to his senses.

”What good show?”

”Oh!”

His eyebrows raised slightly, and he nodded.

”So it’s the birthday tribute.”

The current Emperor on the throne, Emperor Chong’an, was arrogant, extravagant, debaucherous, and loved grand displays of achievement. Every year on his birthday, he demanded gifts from all four corners of the land.

Every year, all sorts of strange and wonderful things from all over the country would be sent to the Divine Capital during these two months and put on display one by one.

”Mmm...” Jiao Ru leaned forward, his brow furrowed slightly. Apparently, the ”show” he was talking about wasn’t the birthday tribute being presented.

But the things on the street were still eye-catching.

ROAR!

A huge beast was locked in a massive iron cage—it had the head of a tiger, the tail of a crocodile, and the body of an elephant, and it roared incessantly.

The passersby on the street all retreated to the sides, pointing and talking about the monster in the iron cage.

”The Southern Barbarians’ ’Quadruped Beast’ breeding was actually a success! This is a legendary Divine Beast, a truly auspicious omen.”

”Why else would it be presented as a birthday gift to His Majesty?”

”Look, a piece of jade that big must be worth a fortune! If it could be carved into a Jade Disc, it would be even more valuable. It’s a pity the Southern Barbarians don’t have any master carvers.”

”That stone is so strange. It looks just like the Old God of Longevity offering a peach. Is it naturally like that?”

”...”

Dozens of horse-drawn carriages pulled cart after cart of goods down the long street, a continuous stream of Rare Treasures catching the eye.

”No wonder everyone wants to be the Emperor.”

Zhu Ju sighed softly.

”This is just the tribute from the lands of the Southern Barbarians. Who knows how much more will follow. Once you become Emperor, all the Rare Treasures in the world are yours for the taking!”

”Indeed,” Jiao Ru nodded.

”That’s why the struggle for the throne has always been perilous. It’s best not to get involved if you can help it.”

”Huh?”

”What is Lord Geng doing?”

At the end of the long street, a thin official dressed in the court robes of a Third-Grade Official blocked the path of the Southern Barbarians’ carriages.

Then, he knelt on the ground, facing the Imperial Gate.

”Your Majesty!”

The official knelt and roared:

”Your old servant observed the stars last night! The Emperor Star is dim and covered in dust, and the Evening Star trespasses upon the Dipper, pointing directly at the imperial throne—this is a sign of impending divine punishment!”

SHWISH!

Jiao Ru shot up from his seat, his corpulent body displaying an incredible flexibility at that moment.

”Why go this far?”

His face was filled with anxiety, his eyes showing worry.

”Lord Geng’s actions will only lead him to a dead end!”

Zhu Ju’s expression flickered.

There were many officials in the court with the surname Geng, but there seemed to be only one who was a Third-Grade Official.

Geng Wenyong!

A truly incorruptible official.

”Zhuozhou is suffering a drought so severe that people resort to cannibalism, yet Your Majesty is at Lutai, drinking iced beverages to cool off! The bandit armies in Mingzhou have already broken through three passes, yet Your Majesty has artisans melting Gold to cast beasts for your amusement...”

Geng Wenyong shouted:

”The founding ancestor established the nation through Martial Arts, yet was cautious in applying punishments and executions! He lightened taxes and levies to create a golden age! But now, Your Majesty emulates Emperor Mii of the previous dynasty, with his lakes of wine and forests of meat, and abuses your private army...”

”These are the signs of a dynasty’s fall!”

”Your Majesty must prioritize the state and the common people! You cannot continue to act so wantonly and employ corrupt and sycophantic officials!”

”Silence!” An angry roar echoed from the walls of the Imperial City, and two figures descended with ghostly speed.

Each man grabbed one of his arms, forcing Lord Geng to the ground while silencing him.

”Geng Wenyong, how audacious of you to slander His Majesty,” a person standing on the city wall shouted.

”Spreading lies to confuse the masses is a crime punishable by death.”

”Take him to the Celestial Prison!”

”Yes, sir.” The two men below responded, then lifted Lord Geng and headed toward the Celestial Prison.

The farce ended abruptly. The carriages carrying the birthday tribute continued forward, but the earlier festive atmosphere was gone.

For a moment, it was as if some invisible force had sealed everyone’s mouths and noses. A deathly silence filled the long street.

”Lord Geng is an honest official, but he’s by no means pedantic.” Hai Pig Jiaoru’s brow furrowed, his face showing confusion.

”He must know that this remonstrance will have no effect and will only land him in prison. Why was he so insistent?”

”Sigh!”

”Forget it, forget it. The world is full of troubles. We shouldn’t worry about them. Let’s just eat and drink as we should.”

But it seemed like troubles were piling up today. Before one wave had settled, another rose.

BANG!

A figure leaped out from a nearby tavern and landed in the middle of the long street, blocking someone’s path.

”Saber Madman Wuh Luo!”

The newcomer shouted:

”Do you dare to fight me today?”

”Cui Xiu,” Saber Madman Wuh Luo frowned.

”Must you insist on fighting me?”

”That’s right!” Cui Xiu nodded.

”We will determine not only victory and defeat, but also life and death!”

”Daoist,” Jiao Ru pointed to the two men below and said,

”Those two, one is known as the Saber Madman, the other the Saber Ghost. Both are famous First-Grade Grandmasters.”

”Saber Madman Wuh Luo is from the Absolute Saber Sect. His Proud World Saber Technique is world-shaking, and he’s hailed as the expert from the Absolute Saber Sect most likely to become a Divine Treasure Martial Saint in the last few decades.”

”Saber Ghost Cui Xiu was originally a nobody in the Martial World. After offending a disciple of the Absolute Saber Sect, his entire family of seventeen was slaughtered. Although he was lucky enough to escape, his right arm was severed.”

”But by a stroke of luck, Cui Xiu was taught by a mysterious master and learned the Left-Handed Saber. He became famous overnight. Because he uses a left-handed reverse-grip saber and his technique is strange and sinister, he earned the moniker ’Saber Ghost’.”

”Oh!” Zhu Ju nodded.

”And then what happened?”

”Later...” Jiao Ru said with a smile,

”After Saber Ghost Cui Xiu mastered his skills, he sought out his enemy. The Absolute Saber Sect didn’t bully him with their power; instead, they investigated the truth and handed over the culprit.”

”But how could the grudge for the annihilation of his family be settled by killing just one person?”

”From then on, the Saber Ghost has targeted the Saber Madman. He wants to kill the Saber Madman in a duel to make the Absolute Saber Sect regret ever provoking him. He’s chased him all the way to the Divine Capital.”

”This is the good show I was talking about.”

Saber Madman!

Saber Ghost!

These two were no ordinary First-Grade Grandmasters. They were top-tier experts in the world, with the potential to open their Divine Treasure.

Even among the Twelve Unscrupulous Marshals, they would be considered formidable experts.

”Fine!”

Saber Madman Wuh Luo also seemed to know that there was no point in hiding any longer; in fact, his avoidance might become a Heart Demon.

So, he simply nodded in agreement.

”We’ll go to the martial arena and sign a death waiver!”