Cultivation: I Can Traverse Otherworlds

The 36th Year of Yongguang.

The ninth day of the seventh month.

Yi Saber Soldiers.

「Night.」

”KILL!”

Outside the Imperial Palace’s Zhengyang Sect, thousands of Soldiers had gathered.

The lead general was a master of the Battle Array Method. The auras of several thousand men merged, forming the phantom of a colossal tiger.

The Profound Altar Black Tiger Killing Array!

Among the thousands of elite soldiers, every man was a Grade-Entering Martial Artist, and there was no shortage of Middle Grade or even Upper Three Grades experts.

The general in command of the entire army was a Martial Saint who had opened a Divine Treasure.

With the power of thousands focused as one, not even a Divine Treasure Martial Saint—let alone a being who had forged a Vajra Body—could withstand its edge.

”BOOM!”

The fine steel city gate, several meters thick, was shattered by an invisible Giant Power. The dozens of men behind it were torn to shreds.

”KILL!”

The Profound Altar Black Tiger charged through the gate, unleashing a massacre.

A horde of armored Soldiers, wreathed in the murderous aura of the battlefield, surged forward, instantly crashing through buildings one after another.

This was not an isolated scene.

The war cries around the Imperial City shook the heavens as tens of thousands of troops marched from their barracks, rushing toward the Imperial Palace.

The Divine Capital was in turmoil.

”Execute the fatuous ruler! Install a worthy king!”

”Slay the traitorous officials and restore peace to the realm!”

”KILL!”

”...”

The Crown Prince was rebelling!

No one could have predicted it. Just as the Third Prince had left to quell a rebellion, the Crown Prince suddenly led his own troops in revolt.

And he had seized control of the four major city gates in one fell swoop.

「Under the night sky.」

Four streams of torchlight, like four writhing Fire Dragons, advanced toward the Cultural Hall at astonishing speed.

”Insolence!”

「In the dead of night.」

A young general in white armor on a white horse spurred his mount into a charge, roaring:

”The Crown Prince has been deceived! To commit such insubordination is an act of disloyalty and filial impiety! All of you, cease at once and await judgment!”

”Liu Shao!” the rebel general bellowed.

”His Majesty is a fatuous incompetent who favors treacherous sycophants and executes loyal officials! Not a single day has been peaceful since his ascension. The drought that has plagued several provinces for years is a warning from the heavens themselves! Why won’t you submit to the Crown Prince and renounce the darkness for the light?”

”When the Crown Prince ascends the throne, the Liu Family will be granted great favor, just like us!”

”Insolence!” Liu Shao raged.

”My Liu Family has been loyal for generations, guarding the Capital City for hundreds of years! How could we be compared to traitorous scum like you?”

”KILL!”

His spear tore through the air.

Tens of thousands of spear-lights bloomed from its tip, blanketing the sky and crashing violently into the charging Profound Altar Black Tiger.

”The Greed Wolf Divine Spear!”

The Profound Altar Black Tiger roared.

”Liu Shao, you can actually wield this Exotic Treasure?”

As far as he knew, no one from the Liu Family had been able to master the Greed Wolf Divine Spear for a full three hundred years.

And the spear was indeed powerful, allowing someone who had just become a Divine Treasure Martial Saint to unleash the might of the Vajra Realm.

”That’s right.” Liu Shao paused, glancing back at the Imperial City’s Imperial Guard rushing in from all directions.

”Will you not surrender now?”

”Hmph!” the Black Tiger snorted.

”So what if you can wield the Greed Wolf Divine Spear? The Imperial Guard has grown lax. Without a proper Battle Array, they are ultimately no match for me.”

”KILL!”

”Winner becomes king, loser becomes outlaw! It all ends today!”

The Profound Altar Black Tiger let out a low roar and led its troops in a fierce charge.

「Meanwhile.」

At the northern gate of the Imperial City, dozens of figures appeared without a sound. The soldiers on the walls collapsed one after another as if overcome by a strange mist.

”The Divine Capital Imperial City... truly nostalgic,” a voice spoke, its pitch and gender shifting erratically.

”The last time I was here was thirty years ago.”

”Vice Sect Leader, where do we go next?” Li Ningxue shed her flirtatious demeanor and bowed respectfully to ask.

”Should we go capture the Emperor directly?”

”Ignorant!” the Vice Sect Leader of the Celestial Intent Sect, the Yin Yang Strange Elder who had opened two Divine Treasures, said coldly upon hearing her words.

”A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Besides, Daqi has only just begun to decline; its foundations remain.”

”This Imperial City...”

”...is hiding an old monster of the Sumeru Realm.”

”Hm?” Li Ningxue was stunned. ”The Sumeru Realm is said to be the realm of living Human Immortals,” she said, astonished. ”If that’s the case, isn’t the Crown Prince’s plot doomed to fail?”

”Not necessarily,” the Yin Yang Strange Elder sneered.

”That old monster is different. As long as the Emperor’s surname is Qii, he won’t intervene even if the heavens are turned upside down.”

”When a father and son fight for the throne, it ultimately won’t benefit an outsider. The throne simply goes to whoever is more capable.”

”But if we get involved and happen to draw him out, things could get ugly.”

The Celestial Intent Sect had made it their mission to overthrow Daqi, after all.

Sumeru!

The divine mountain of legend, known as the king of all mountains, the center of the world, the place where all Spirituality converges.

It was called Sumeru Mountain.

Those who reached this realm could fly through the heavens and burrow into the earth—they were omnipotent.

The Yin Yang Strange Elder was exceptionally powerful and did not fear a Vajra-level Martial Saint, but knew he was absolutely no match for an expert of the Sumeru Realm.

’Unless...’

’If the Sect Leader came in person, perhaps there would be a chance of victory.’

”Vice Sect Leader.”

Li Ningxue asked for instructions again.

”Then what should we do?”

”Intercept the Monks from the Great Compassion Temple.” The Yin Yang Strange Elder’s gaze shifted, looking toward a temple to the west.

”Those bald donkeys are Emperor Chong’an’s loyal dogs. They certainly won’t stand by and do nothing. Our job is to stop them.”

”Oh?”

”They’re fast!”

As he spoke, a beam of golden light shot out from the direction of the Great Compassion Temple, heading straight for Emperor Chong’an’s location.

”Huineng, you bald donkey!”

The Yin Yang Strange Elder teleported in front of the golden light. A light clap of his hands forced the figure within to halt.

”An old friend has come to visit. Aren’t you going to stay and catch up?”

”It’s you?” The kind-faced Huineng put his palms together.

”Amitabha Buddha. To think the Demon Sect would also get involved in the struggle for the throne. It seems the rumors of the Crown Prince colluding with the Demon Sect were true.”

”True or not, it all depends on who wins in the end.” The Yin Yang Strange Elder cackled strangely and lunged forward.

”It’s been years. Let me see if your Tathagata Eight Forms have improved, you old bald donkey.”

”You lot!”

”Stop the other bald donkeys!”

”Yes, sir.” The disciples of the Celestial Intent Sect responded in unison, charging toward the Monks rushing from the Great Compassion Temple.

The members of the Celestial Intent Sect on this mission were all experts. The weakest among them was a Second-Grade Grandmaster, and there were even several Martial Saints.

Although the Great Compassion Temple was highly regarded by the Daqi Royal Family and had many experts of its own, they couldn’t hope to break through the defensive line in a short amount of time.

Chaos.

The Imperial City was in utter disarray.

*

*

*

”Out of the way!”

”Scram!”

”...”

Crown Prince Qii Xian, Longsword in hand, cut down several guards who rushed at him while surrounded by his own men.

He then sent a eunuch blocking his path flying dozens of feet with a single kick.

”BOOM!”

The doors to the grand hall were smashed apart by a Giant Power. A fierce wind swept through, and father and son met once again in the flickering candlelight.

But it was different from before.

This time, the Crown Prince was not the one kneeling on the floor, and the Emperor on his throne had lost his air of total control.

”Good!”

Emperor Chong’an sat on the dragon throne, his deeply wrinkled face twitching slightly. He looked down at the Crown Prince, who pointed a sword right at him.

Surprisingly, there wasn’t much anger in his eyes. Instead, he nodded with a hint of gratification.

”You are of the Qii Family’s bloodline, after all. Even after being influenced by those scholars since childhood, you can still pick up a sword.”

”You haven’t lost your spirit!”

”Father Emperor,” Qii Xian began.

”Issue the edict!”

”Abdicate the throne to me and go to the Great Compassion Temple to be tonsured as a Monk. I won’t kill you, and I can even gain a reputation for filial piety.”

”Heh heh...” Emperor Chong’an chuckled lowly.

”Even now, you’re still so naive?”

”Reputation?”

”What use is reputation?”

”Our ancestor pacified the realm with his fists. The number of enemies he killed is unknown, and the lives he took could fill an ocean. Wasn’t he still hailed as an enlightened monarch of his generation?”

”Times have changed,” Qii Xian said, shaking his head.

”Harsh punishments are needed in chaotic times. Our ancestor had no choice but to commit great slaughter to pacify the land, but things are different now.”

”The people need to rest and recuperate. The officials of the Imperial Court need a stable ruler, not a capricious tyrant.”

”Ignorant!” Emperor Chong’an’s eyes narrowed, his voice laced with rage.

”You ignorant child!”

”Do you really believe the principles those scholars preach are correct?”

”An era of peace and prosperity, a world of great harmony—it’s nothing but a fantasy!”

”Ever since Martial Arts came into existence, this world has been ruled by the law of the jungle—the weak are prey to the strong. Don’t you even understand that?”

”Forget a Divine Treasure Martial Saint—even an Upper Three Grades Martial Artist is an invincible existence to an ordinary person! If a town has a single Middle Third-Grade Martial Artist, everyone else must serve him obediently. If a county has an Upper Three Grades expert, that family’s word is law. There has never been such a thing as fairness!”

”As long as the laws are strict and properly enforced, even if some people abuse their power and commit violence, they will be in the minority,” Qii Xian replied, unmoved.

”Besides...”

”I will also educate the people, so they understand what is right and what is wrong, what it means to be an official and what it means to have virtue. When everyone in the world understands reason, they will naturally know how to act, and the realm will be at peace.”

”BOOM!”

The table in front of the dragon throne exploded into splinters.

Emperor Chong’an shot to his feet, furious.

”Bastard!”

”What fantastical nonsense!”

”You think you’ve grasped the heavenly principles, but you don’t realize that in everyone else’s eyes, you’re just a fool!”

”A good-for-nothing!”

”Father Emperor.” Qii Xian slowly raised his Longsword and said deliberately,

”I will not argue with you. In all these years, neither of us has ever convinced the other. So now, I will speak your language.”

”Life or death.”

”Choose.”

...

「Princess’s Mansion.」

Musician Courtesans played their instruments while Dancing Girls twirled gracefully.

The Seventh Princess, Qii Wanyan, dressed in palace attire, reclined on a soft couch, her jade-like hand propping up her cheek as she watched the banquet before her.

She seemed lost in thought, her gaze distant.

Scholars, poets, and the heirs of marquises...

The guests toasted one another, engrossed in conversation, their gazes occasionally drifting toward the Seventh Princess.

”His Majesty will be bestowing her hand in marriage soon. I wonder which young master will win the princess’s favor?”

”Heh...” one person whispered.

”Have any of you noticed anything different about the princess’s attire today?”

”What’s different?”

”She’s as beautiful as a flower, as always.”

”Her hairpin,” the man said in a low voice.

”It’s an artifact from the Daoist Sect. The princess’s handmaiden said she has been frequently visiting Buddhist Temples and Daoist Temples these past few days.”

”It’s... a sign she intends to become a nun.”

”What?”

”Ah!”

The guests’ faces paled at the news. The Heir of Marquis Jinghai, Wang Yutang, who was also in attendance, couldn’t stop himself from wanting to rise and inquire further.

Just then, someone noticed something amiss and looked toward the Imperial City’s gates.

”Huh?”

”Is that a fire?”

”No!”

”Over there... it’s a military uprising!”

”A report!”

A servant rushed in to announce:

”Your Highness, the Crown Prince, along with the city-guarding Generals Li and Yuan, the Inner Guard, and the Military Supervisor, have suddenly stormed the Imperial City! They are heading straight for His Majesty’s residence!”

”The Crown Prince has committed treason!”

”What?!”

”...”

The hall erupted in an uproar.

”CLANG!”

The Seventh Princess, Qii Wanyan, shot up from her soft couch. She extended a slender hand, and the Longsword hanging on a nearby jade pillar flew from its scabbard into her grasp.

With the sword in her hand, her face took on an icy, murderous aura. Her beautiful eyes stared toward the Imperial City as she commanded:

”Father Emperor is in peril! All of you, follow me to save him!”

As she spoke, her figure leaped high into the air, soaring across the sky like a bird. She had revealed the Cultivation of a Divine Treasure Martial Saint.

「Imperial Palace.」

”BOOM!”

A colossal Golden Man, nearly a hundred feet tall, reached its arm through the hall, its hands closing around Emperor Chong’an to protect him.

”Did you really think I was living in wanton luxury?”

”All these years, I’ve been collecting countless Heavenly and Earthly Treasures, all to refine these twelve Golden Men.”

Emperor Chong’an was lifted up by the Golden Man’s massive hand. He sat cross-legged upon it and spoke slowly.

”Each of these twelve Golden Men is comparable to a Martial Saint of the Vajra Realm. This is the true foundation of Daqi’s thousand-year-long reign.”

”You good-for-nothing!”

”The very things I exhausted my efforts to create... and the first time I use them, it’s against my own son!”