Chapter 14: Dual Cultivation of Martial and Daoist Arts
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
“Divine General? Which Divine General?”
“The one returning triumphantly, of course. The Divine General of the Northern Garrison, Ye Sheng.”
As the soldier’s voice rang across the White Jade Terrace, the lively chatter of the crowd hushed into murmurs. Even Chu He, the young master of the Chu Clan, and Lu Qing Qiu of Yunzhou’s Lu Clan paused in their steps. Even Prince Chong couldn’t help narrowing his eyes.
It was said that Ye Sheng had recently achieved perfection in the Upper Five Realms on the battlefield, rivaling the masters of the Five Great Halls of the Heavenly Script Academy. The crowd’s gazes now turned to Ji You, astonishment flashing in their eyes.
Amid the watchful crowd, Ji You reached out and accepted the invitation slip without expression. He nodded curtly before leaving the terrace with an air of nonchalance, as if he had foreseen it all.
“Who is this Divine General of the Northern Garrison?”
“You don’t know? And yet you dared to accept the invitation?”
In the Elegant Garden by Azure Lake, Cao Jin Song stared wide-eyed at Ji You.
Ji You waved the slip lightly. “It would have been awkward to turn away with all those students staring. What else could I do?”
“What an extraordinary youth!”
Cao Jin Song raised both hands, pushing back his wide sleeves, and began explaining the significance of the Divine General of the Northern Garrison.
Great Xia boasted four renowned generals, among whom the Northern Divine General was the mightiest and most famous. Using martial arts to tread the Dao, Ye Sheng guarded the Northern Plains, standing as an anomaly in the Azure Clouds Dominion. Not being a disciple of the Seven Great Immortal Sects, he lacked a proper Daoist lineage, making it impossible for him to ascend to the Celestial Realm or achieve immortality. Yet, through years of bloody battles against the Mystic Wilding Tribes, his killing aura had honed him to a state of invincibility in the Upper Five Realms.
Furthermore, Ye Sheng was aligned with the pro-emperor faction in the Great Xia Court, reportedly elevated to his position by the late emperor himself. This placed him at odds with the pro-immortal faction led by figures such as Prince Chong and Minister Wei Xiang.
“Why would he invite me?”
“Recently, rumors have been circulating in the capital that the emperor intends to implement reforms, aiming to reclaim control of the Azure Clouds Dominion from our immortal sects. Ye Sheng has returned to serve as the emperor’s stalwart supporter.” Cao Jin Song pointed at the slip in Ji You’s hand. “He’s not targeting you personally. Rather, this is his way of announcing his return to Prince Chong and Minister Wei.”
Ji You chuckled. “So I’m just a messenger, huh?”
“Since you’ve accepted the invitation, you’d better make an appearance later. But remember, you are a follower of the immortal path, pursuing the ultimate Dao and striving for ascension. Do not get too entangled in court affairs.”
After offering this advice, Cao Jin Song turned and left the Elegant Garden, while Ji You gazed at the invitation, his thoughts stirring.
The phrase “using martial arts to tread the Dao” intrigued Ji You, as martial techniques were considered a minor path in the Azure Clouds Dominion. In the same realm, a martial arts expert might exhibit extraordinary combat strength, but their techniques could not bridge the gap between realms. Moreover, mastering martial arts required a significant investment of time.
For this reason, most disciples of the Seven Great Immortal Sects focused exclusively on Daoist cultivation, leveraging Heavenly Dao laws and comparing spiritual qi reservoirs rather than refining martial techniques. For example, even if a martial arts practitioner reached the pinnacle of their craft, an opponent just one realm higher could easily defeat them with a mere wave of the hand.
Only a rare few pursued dual cultivation of martial and Daoist arts, typically due to specific needs. Ji You had encountered such an individual before—Bao Yong Sheng, a guard at the Immortal Worship Mountain Manor. Despite Ji You’s vast spiritual qi reserves, Bao had overwhelmed him using only a fraction of his strength, owing to his rigorous martial training.
Ji You had resolved to pursue the path of dual cultivation for two reasons. First, his spiritual spring was anomalous, and conventional cultivation methods might prove ineffective or risky for him to rely on Daoist techniques alone. Second, his cultivation speed was remarkably fast, and he found himself bored without martial training.
On the way to the academy, Pei Ru Yi had shared her story to inspire the group. She explained how most disciples of the Heavenly Script Academy trained for six hours daily, whereas she trained for nine, earning her the title of Chief of the Outer Court. She encouraged Fang Ruo Yao by asserting that talent wasn’t everything and that diligence could triumph over natural gifts. This left Fang Ruo Yao feeling deeply motivated.
Ji You, however, had remained silent, refraining from mentioning that his two-hour daily regimen had already brought him to perfection in the Lower Three Realms.
Additionally, Ji You needed to find an opportunity to consult some records.
Concerning the two divine statues from before his transmigration, the meaning of Heaven’s Doom, the glowing orb within his body, and most crucially, the shattered spiritual spring within him—these were mysteries that Ji You needed to unravel.
After considering these matters, Ji You rose from his courtyard and decided to attend the banquet at the Northern Divine General’s Residence.
The hour was nearing dusk. Within the capital of Shengjing, the grand palace with its sweeping eaves and towering corners appeared both desolate and majestic under the setting sun. The massive crimson sun and its bloody red streaks painted the skyline with an awe-inspiring hue.
Turning from Everpeace Avenue into Spring Blossom Alley, the previously lively main street had grown silent. Yet, an originally quiet side street had become bustling with activity.
From the upper floors of the Spring Blossom Pavilion, scantily clad women waved embroidered handkerchiefs toward the passersby. Any man adorned in fine attire who walked by inevitably stepped inside, becoming yet another frivolous playboy.
“?”
“Truly, people’s hearts are filled with yellow desires,” Ji You murmured. He watched for a long moment, standing still even as one of the girls cast her handkerchief toward him, its fragrance of powder and rouge wafting heavily in the air. However, Ji You remained unmoved.
[My poverty makes me virtuous.]
After lingering for some time, Ji You finally passed through the alley. With steps that spanned ten zhang at a time, he soon reached the Northern Divine General’s Residence.
Ye Sheng, the Northern Divine General, had an age and appearance that were both ambiguous, seemingly in his forties. Contrary to Ji You’s expectations of a hulking figure, Ye Sheng bore an air more akin to a scholar. Yet, the overwhelming vigor radiating from his still form made it clear he was a peerless warrior, exuding killing intent with every movement.
But Ji You was not intimidated. For though Ye Sheng was a peerless general, Ji You was a peerless bandit.
“Ye has just returned from the Northern Plains and could only prepare some simple fare. I hope Young Master Ji will not take offense,” Ye Sheng said with a slight bow.
“You’re too kind, General. Thank you for your hospitality.” Ji You took his seat, picking up the chopsticks and gazing at the table.
The “simple fare” was clearly an understatement. The table was laden with delicacies, with meats from all five livestock represented. It was an extravagant spread, excessive for just two people.
Cao Jin Song had not been wrong in his prediction. Ye Sheng had little interest in Ji You and used the banquet as a means to announce his return to court while irking Prince Chong and Minister Wei. Hence, during the entire dinner, Ye Sheng only engaged Ji You in superficial talk about the customs and scenery of Shengjing.
In truth, Ye Sheng knew little about Ji You. His sudden return from the battlefield of the Northern Plains left him no time for detailed inquiries. It coincided with the Heavenly Script Academy’s disciple selection, and Ye Sheng acted accordingly. His perspective aligned with the majority: a young man from a humble background would find it nearly impossible to reach the higher stages of cultivation without an abundance of immortal elixirs and resources.
Thus, there was no need to rope Ji You in. A Lower Three Stages cultivator, even at their peak, was of no use to him. The ones truly valuable were individuals like Chu He and Lu Qing Qiu. However, as heirs to Immortal Sect lineages, they held no loyalty to the country or its people.
Meanwhile, a stark contrast emerged at the bustling and raucous banquet in Prince Chong’s Mansion. Chu He, Lu Qing Qiu, and three students who had reached the Essence Refinement Stage were all present. To host them, Prince Chong even brought out five disciples from the inner court, whom he proudly claimed to have personally supported. He declared that they would mentor the guests in their cultivation, adopting the air of an academic overlord.
“The inner court’s quota for next year will likely come down to Young Master Chu and Miss Lu,” he speculated aloud.
Chu He clasped his hands respectfully. “Your Highness, if anyone is to enter the inner court next year, it will undoubtedly be me.”
Lu Qing Qiu responded with a cold laugh. “Brother Chu, don’t let your tongue be blown away by the wind.”
“If I dare to claim so, it is because I have confidence,” Chu He retorted. “Miss Lu, if you disagree, why not test your mettle against mine?”
Their exchange drew a curious comment from Ban Yang Shu, an inner court student: “Your Highness, I’ve heard that the outer court accepted a young cultivator under twenty this year, one who has already achieved the peak of the Lower Three Stages. Is this merely a rumor?”
Prince Chong raised his wine cup. “I didn’t invite him. Instead, General Ye took him away.”
“He was taken? Why does Your Highness still seem pleased?”
“He’s a talented rogue cultivator from the countryside with no family or background. Losing him is unfortunate, but such people, even if they scrape into the higher stages, rarely make significant progress.”
“Ah, I see…”
“Come,” Prince Chong declared with a grin. “Tonight, none shall leave sober!”