Great Zhou Martial Immortal

Chapter 2 Insight
Name: Lu Chenyuan

【Age: 20】

[Cultivation Level: Late Stage of Second Realm]

[Techniques: Gengjin Technique (Mastered), Momentary Spear (Skilled), Lone Goose Shadow Step (Skilled)...]

[Miscellaneous skills: Physical training (proficient), culinary skills (skilled), first aid (skilled), acting (proficient), dance (skilled), fishing (skilled), musical instruments (proficient), painting (skilled), calligraphy (skilled)...]

A semi-transparent panel appeared in front of me.

Lu Chenyuan was stunned for a moment, then blinked. The panel was still there.

"elder brother?"

Seeing him in a daze, Lu Ke'er shook his sleeve and asked anxiously, "What's wrong? Has your injury flared up again? I'll go get Dad right away!"

She hurriedly tried to leave, but Lu Chenyuan grabbed her hand and said, "It's nothing, I'm just a little tired. I'll be fine after a rest. Help me back to my room."

Lu Ke'er was relieved and breathed a sigh of relief. She was too young, so she could only hug her arms to help support her body.

"Ke'er, go and get our family's 'Golden Palace Classic'."

"it is good."

Lu Ke'er obediently responded, helped her brother sit down, and ran out of the room to retrieve the secret manual from the old house.

Lu Chenyuan sat in the chair and studied the "Insightful Eye," quickly figuring it out.

Among the women he had been kept by in his previous life, there was one who loved vegetarianism and Buddhist chanting. In order to please her, Lu Chenyuan read Buddhist scriptures both in and out of bed.

Buddhist scriptures record that there are five kinds of eyes in the world: Buddha eye, heavenly eye, Dharma eye, wisdom eye, and physical eye.

Among them, the wisdom eye can see the true nature of reality and perceive all things in the world, whether visible or invisible, tangible or intangible.

Just like this moment.

Such things as "extraordinary talent" and "innate supernatural abilities" exist in this world.

Some people are born with the ability to understand bird language and use all the birds in the world as their eyes and ears; some are born with the strength of nine oxen and two tigers, and with a little training, they can become unparalleled warriors; and some are born with the ability to obtain information from the mysterious laws of nature, making accurate and infallible judgments, awakening a pair of discerning eyes, which is not surprising.

This panel is a highly conceptual product born from insightful observation.

A discerning eye is not just about eyes; it also represents wisdom that directly points to the true nature of things. It can help him organize what he has learned, identify gaps in his knowledge, and fill in any gaps. It is an excellent assistant for learning any skill, including martial arts manuals. The most direct manifestation of this is skill, experience points, and proficiency.

Practice makes perfect for any skill.

Cultivation is no exception.

This panel visualizes the process and results of practice, and with the aid of insightful observation, it enlightens and strengthens the mind, ensuring that efforts are rewarded and not wasted.

When experience reaches a certain level, it is the time when quantitative change leads to qualitative change.

Each skill has four levels: beginner, proficient, master, and grandmaster.

Taking the "Gengjin Formula" as an example, he has diligently studied it for more than ten years without interruption and has gained the deepest understanding of it.

[Beginner] requires 10 points, [Proficient] requires 100 points, [Master] requires 1000 points, and [Grandmaster] requires 10000 points.

He's stuck on the last floor right now.

When his experience points exceed 10,000, his understanding of this skill will rival that of its creator, and he may even be able to innovate and surpass his predecessor.

"nice one!"

Lu Chenyuan touched his eyes, secretly praising her. Soon, Ke'er ran over with an old secret manual. It was wrapped in blue cloth, the pages inside were yellowed, and the corners were curled, but it was very clean. It was clear that she had read it many times in the past and had carefully preserved it.

This secret manual is one of the few heirlooms in the Lu family, dating back to when the old master worked at the Prince of Qin's mansion.

After drinking, the old man declared that this book was a gift from the Celestial Master, and that it contained profound teachings. He said that if his descendants studied it, they would be invincible!
As a result, by the fourth generation, not only had they not mastered the technique, but they hadn't even been able to understand it.

If it weren't for the fact that the Taoist master's reputation was so great, this tattered book would have been thrown away long ago—a truly good book shouldn't be written on such ordinary paper, which is practically attracting mice. The Lu family has always been more skeptical of this book.

Lu Chenyuan decided to give it a try.

What if you win the lottery?

He picked up the ancient book, placed it in front of his eyes, and stared intently at it.

One second, two seconds...

As attention gradually focused, lines of text solidified, and another panel appeared.

[Technique: Golden Palace Scripture (not yet learned)]

【Progress: 0/10】

[Note: This is one of the three chapters of the peerless martial arts manual "The Golden Treasure Scroll" created by Gu Yunsheng, the Celestial Master of the Tang Dynasty. The chapter on eating gold is based on the principle that "the lungs are the commander of the five energies." When cultivating it, one must use the metal energy of the west as the pivot to govern the four energies of heart fire, kidney water, liver wood, and spleen earth. When cultivated to perfection, one can swallow gold to forge bones, create an unparalleled Dao body, transcend the three realms, and unite with the Dao.]

Damn it?

Lu Chenyuan was taken aback. He read the note again carefully. "To be in harmony with the Dao? That's an exaggeration..."

This "discerning eye" should only be an assessment, not a judgment; these words are mostly self-praise from the creator.

Just like the "Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill" I read in my previous life, which is said to be the supreme guardian skill of Tantric Buddhism. With each level mastered, the palm power increases by the strength of a dragon and an elephant. As a result, even when the Golden Wheel Monk mastered the tenth level, he still had a hard time defeating a mortal like Yang Guo.

Just take a look and that's enough.

That being said, it shouldn't be too bad.

Gu Yunsheng is a legendary figure known to everyone in the world, the first national advisor of the Tang Dynasty, and a legendary extraordinary person who helped Emperor Taizong conquer the world.

Rumors circulate that this person has transcended the mortal realm, broken through to immortality, and possesses unfathomable martial arts skills.

Even if the martial arts technique he created is not aptly named, it is still the world's top-tier martial arts.

The old man wasn't lying after all...

Lu Chenyuan opened the book and examined it closely. With the aid of his discerning eye, he was able to get straight to the heart of the matter this time. The vague and obscure descriptions in the book gradually became more tangible.

As he watched and pondered, he murmured, "The Venus hangs in the palace, refining the golden edge; the four elements converge and swirl in the sky; the fire of Li sinks into the abyss, melting the water of Kan; the wood of Yi contains brilliance, nourishing the palace of Wu..."

With a thought, Lu Chenyuan lightly raised his wrist in a sword-finger gesture, and the internal energy of the Gengjin Technique within his body instantly surged up, flowing from his dantian into the Lung Meridian of Hand Taiyin like a fire dragon!
Among the five internal organs, the lungs belong to metal, which is the lesser yin within yang. The "Tun Jin Bao Lu" mainly cultivates the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin and the Large Intestine Meridian of Hand-Yangming, which are internally and externally related to it.

This technique takes a unique approach, first refining the radiant Qi of the White Emperor into the lungs, then using the intense nature of metal to ignite the heart fire. Fire then refines metal, and metal generates water, ultimately creating a cycle of the five elements. Beginners hold a golden pill in their mouth to circulate Qi. Only when a white light, like a sword, appears in the lung orifices can the heart fire be activated to melt the metal into Qi, gradually opening the mysterious gates of the five internal organs. Upon mastery, one will possess "iron teeth and bronze teeth," able to chew divine weapons and transform the metal Qi of heaven and earth into one's own.

This is the real pay-to-win/pay-to-win technique!

This technique has nothing to do with aptitude; the more you consume, the stronger your metal energy becomes, and the stronger your combat power!

Lu Chenyuan has been cultivating the "Gengjin Technique" since childhood, which is a metal-element true qi. After more than ten years of hard work, he can skip the steps of holding a golden pill in his mouth and absorbing golden qi, and directly refine his lung palace.

Lu Chenyuan closed his eyes and gently inhaled, using his Geng metal true qi to circulate through his meridians and acupoints. Strands of white qi spewed out, producing a metallic sound.

Lu Chenyuan practiced with great enthusiasm, which terrified Lu Ke'er.

She had already begun her cultivation, but she couldn't understand what her brother was doing. She thought he had gone mad and shouted "Father!" before rushing out in a panic.

Lu Yashan was drinking with customers in the shop.

The Lu family runs a general store called Langgan Pavilion, which mainly sells spices and jewelry from the Western Regions.

Logically, it was already late, the gates were closed, and a curfew was in effect, so there shouldn't be any guests. However, rules are always made for law-abiding citizens, and there are many people who are not subject to these rules, especially this person who came.

Lu Yashan, over forty years old, had a handsome face and a well-maintained physique, neither too thin nor too plump, and was agile and strong. At this moment, he looked worried and drank all he could. Opposite him was a burly middle-aged man with a large belly, wearing a dark blue silk shirt with a bag hanging at his waist. The bag was made of dark red silk with silver thread and a black tortoise embroidered in the center.

His name was Zhai Jun, a fifth-rank officer in the Imperial Guard, in charge of patrolling the city.

"Haha, what's there to worry about..."

People's joys and sorrows are not the same. Seeing Lu Yashan's worried face, Zhai Jun grinned from ear to ear, peeled a peanut and threw it into his mouth, saying, "If I had a son who could become a princess's male concubine, I'd be overjoyed, and maybe he could even help his old man out! These days, if you want to get ahead, there are only three paths: one, follow Zhou Xing's path, fabricate charges and become a cruel official; two, follow Hou Sizhi's path, spread rumors and slander, and play the informer; three, become a male concubine. That kid Shen Yuan rose to the top in one step and became Princess Taiping's male concubine, saving so much trouble!"

He spoke with envy and jealousy, only regretting that the princess didn't fancy him.

Lu Yashan had no time for nonsense. He sighed heavily, picked up his wine bowl, took a big gulp, and slammed it on the table. "If I had known this would happen, I would have let him join the Imperial Guard! I only wanted the princess's residence to be safe. Who would have thought this would turn out like this... He's the princess's husband, and the emperor's own nephew! Sigh!"

Lu Yashan shook his head repeatedly, feeling both regret and helplessness.

"Do not worry."

Zhai Jun remained nonchalant and laughed, "If you're worried about his safety, feel free to put it back in your stomach. Our prince consort doesn't have the guts to kill a princess. Didn't you see that even when he was beaten, he only suffered superficial injuries? That's a green hat, but he could only endure it. Not to mention him, even Wu Sansi and Wu Chengsi wouldn't have the guts."

Lu Yashan frowned: "If he's a real gigolo, and I can protect him, I'll accept it! Don't you think so?"

"So what if it's not?"

Zhai Jun didn't take it to heart: "The princess's attitude has already made it clear, whether it's true or not. To put it bluntly, even when beating a dog, you have to consider its owner."

Lu Yashan frowned even more deeply and snatched the wine pot away: "It really sounds awful, don't say it again!"

"..."

Zhai Jun smiled awkwardly as his wine jug was snatched away. He picked up a piece of food and thought that if it were anyone else who dared to steal his wine, he would be merciful if he broke one of their hands. However, the Zhai and Lu families had been close friends since their ancestors' generation, and they were even sworn brothers. Their relationship was naturally extraordinary, and even after Lu Yashan left the military camp, their friendship remained unchanged.

Zhai Jun said solemnly, "His Majesty has always said that the princess is like her. Like mother, like daughter. Just look at His Majesty's attitude towards her male favorites, and you'll know that the Wu family would never dare to kill Shen Yuan!"

Xue Huaiyi was just a medicine seller on the streets of Luoyang. After being tested by Princess Qianjin, he was recommended to Wu Zetian and has now been favored so much that he has become the Right Guard General, with the additional title of Assistant General of the State and Duke of E. Even Wu Sansi has to curry favor with him and even has to lead his horse, calling him "Master Xue".

Even if it's just the emperor's plaything, it's not something that others can disregard.

Even if you despise someone, you can't do it openly.

Xue Huaiyi was a barometer of Wu Zetian's control over her officials; he was essentially testing their obedience.

I'm going to keep male concubines, and these male concubines will be riding on your heads. Anyone who looks down on them is disobeying me. Zhou Xing and Lai Junchen, immediately arrange for another set of ten cruel tortures in the private room of Lijing Prison. If you're not convinced, try it!
"..."

Lu Yashan's mind raced, and he began to understand: "You mean, regardless of whether it's true or not, the princess won't allow anyone to harm her people? Just like Xue Huaiyi to Empress Wu? And Wu Youji..."

"He's only good because of his special status; anyone else would be dead and mutilated by now!"

Zhai Jun said disdainfully, "So, you don't need to worry about Shen Yuan. What you need to do now is to reassure him. The only one who dares to hit him is Wu Youji, and he wouldn't dare to go too far. He still has to go to the princess's residence to work. It's better for everyone if this matter isn't made clear. The princess won't mistreat him. Just don't wait for her to summon him personally, or things won't look good."

When it's useful, she'll definitely just go through the motions.

If it's truly useless, then there's no need to protect it.

Lu Yashan understood, shook his head repeatedly, and said with a wry smile, "This is the first time I've felt any gratitude towards these cruel officials. If it weren't for them, the Wu family might not be so obedient... What kind of world is this! Sigh."

He first poured a bowl for Zhai Jun, then filled his own cup, and drank it all in one gulp.

Zhai Jun did not answer. He gently tapped the chopstick holder with his chopsticks, channeling his inner energy into the sound, which was deep and resonant like a drum.

Boom, boom, boom, boom...

The deep drumbeats approached from afar, like muffled thunder rolling across the sky, or like horses' hooves striking the frozen earth, evoking a sense of grandeur and magnificence!

Zhai Jun gazed towards Chang'an, his eyes filled with longing, and softly sang in rhythm: "Receiving the decree from the emperor, we march together to punish the rebellious minister, singing the 'Breaking the Enemy's Formation Music,' and enjoying the peace of the people..."

His voice was rough, but his expression was solemn, and there was a sense of dread in his songs.

Lu Yashan's eyes were glazed over. Hearing the song, a surge of passion seemed to rise in his chest. He followed along, muttering to himself: "The imperial winds spread across the four seas, the virtuous waters have been clear for a thousand years; no more military uniforms are needed, today we announce our victory... What a passionate and magnificent 'Qin King's Battle Song'! Alas, all of this is gone."

From the time Empress Wu began to rule as regent, the legacy of the Zhenguan era was completely abandoned, cruel officials seized control of the government, and the practice of informing on others became rampant. Those who came after her were in for a world of trouble.

Lu Yashan sighed softly, and Zhai Jun remained silent as the two drank their wine in silence.

The more villains are in power, the more we cherish the memory of heroes.

"father!"

Suddenly a shout broke the silence, and Lu Ke'er rushed in, her face pale: "Go and see my brother quickly, he's gone mad!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yashan's expression changed drastically. He flashed into the backyard with his ghostly footwork.

Zhai Jun nodded secretly; this guy hadn't neglected his martial arts skills after all, and followed him over.

Lu Yashan was the fastest. When he rushed into the room and looked at Lu Chenyuan, Lu Chenyuan had already completely transformed the Gengjin True Qi he had cultivated for more than ten years into his lung palace and broken through the first Xuan Gate.

At this moment.

Each of his breaths carried a cold, metallic glint, his lungs bulged like bellows, and when he exhaled, a sliver of white light, resembling a short sword, shot out from his nose.

Lu Yashan was stunned by this sight, unable to tell whether he was pleasantly surprised or shocked: "The Golden Palace Scripture?!"

(End of this chapter)