How Could the Heavens Give Birth to Such a Monster?!

"Greetings, Old Ancestor!" Facing Shen Dongming, Shen Chuan and Princess Jingning bowed respectfully, their hearts deeply shaken. Their imperial family's Old Ancestor—the towering pillar of the Great Gan imperial house, a powerhouse ranked among the top ten on the Celestial Being Ranking—had always lived in reclusion and spent long periods in seclusion. Even close junior kin like them rarely caught a glimpse of him. They hadn't expected him to personally come out to welcome Huang Tian today. On second thought, however, it made complete sense. A talent like Huang Tian, who possessed Celestial Being combat power at Rank Two and hailed from the imperial court's Martial Restraint Guard, certainly deserved Shen Dongming's solemn respect. "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Shen." Since the other party addressed him as a fellow daoist, Huang Tian returned the courtesy in kind. "Haha! Though I have long been in seclusion, I have already heard of Fellow Daoist Huang's renowned name. Seeing you today, you are indeed spirited, formidable, and extraordinary in bearing." Shen Dongming smiled and introduced an elderly man in crimson robes behind him. "This is my grandnephew, the current emperor of Great Gan, Shen Yujing. You may address him by name." Emperor Gan, Shen Yujing, did not mind in the slightest that Huang Tian was nominally still his subordinate; he took the initiative to bow in greeting. Huang Tian was not arrogant and returned the courtesy. Next, Shen Dongming did not introduce the identities of the crowd of men and women behind him one by one, merely remarking casually, "These are all my juniors." "Greetings, Senior Huang!" A flock of princes and princesses fell to their knees in unison, their bows exceedingly reverent, showing not a trace of imperial nobility's arrogance. "No need for such ceremony." Huang Tian waved his hand, bidding everyone rise. "I have arranged a banquet. Please follow me, Fellow Daoist Huang, to wash away the dust of travel." Shen Dongming shifted his gaze toward Wei Shen. "This must be the armament master of the Juntian Ocean-Subduing Ruler? Please join the feast as well." "Please." Everyone proceeded together toward a bright and elegant palace hall. Within the hall, over a hundred beautiful maids were serving dishes, pouring wine, and setting out fresh fruits. Huang Tian and Shen Dongming took their seats. Emperor Gan Shen Yujing, Wei Shen, Shen Chuan, Princess Jingning, and the others sat below them, separated by several zhang. "This is Hundred Spirits Wine, brewed from over a hundred varieties of spirit herbs and spirit fruits. Its flavor is exquisite; Fellow Daoist Huang, please have a taste." Shen Dongming personally poured Huang Tian a cup of amber wine. Huang Tian took a light sniff. A faint fragrance filled his nostrils. He raised the cup and took two sips; it was slightly sweet at first, then turned rich and sweet—an intensely aromatic scent, as though the fragrance of an entire garden of blossoms had been condensed together. As the wine slid down his throat, a mellow medicinal potency unfolded, spreading into his limbs and bones and bringing a wave of warmth. "Not bad," Huang Tian said with a nod. Receiving a favorable evaluation, Shen Dongming was so pleased that he stroked his beard continuously. Coupled with his broad, bear-like frame, it looked somewhat comical and endearing. "Patron Shen, Patron Huang has arrived in the Imperial Capital, yet you did not send anyone to inform this poor monk." A gentle voice drifted into the hall. Everyone looked up to see an old monk walking in. He was thin and slight, draped in an old, faded grayish-white kashaya, his complexion dark and his bone structure firm and unyielding. "Greetings, Master Longding!" At his arrival, Shen Yujing, Shen Chuan, and the others stood up in astonishment and hastily paid their respects. Shen Dongming let out a hearty laugh. "I thought you were in seclusion, old monk! Since you're here, drink with us!" Saying that, he introduced him to Huang Tian. "Master Longding, the twenty-sixth abbot of the State Protection Temple." In truth, even without his introduction, Huang Tian knew who this person was: the ninth rank on the Celestial Being Ranking, the Mountain-Carrying Arhat! Yes, the very Mountain-Carrying Arhat who, decades ago, had been pressed straight into the earth with a single palm strike by Yin Fenghai when the latter had just broken through to the Celestial Being Realm. "Patron Huang." "Master Longding." After exchanging greetings, the two sat down again. Shen Dongming lifted the wine jar and joked, "Would the Master like a cup? Wine naturally dissolves a thousand sorrows." Master Longding said, "This poor monk has cultivated for two hundred years without touching a drop of wine. Why must Brother Shen tease me?" Shen Dongming chuckled and shook his head, pouring himself a cup and downing it in one gulp. "You monks have far too many rules. To not drink wine loses so much of life's pleasure." Master Longding did not pick up the banter, turning his head to speak with Huang Tian about the contest of divine intent between Huang Tian and Yin Fenghai. He sighed. "Decades have passed, and Yin Fenghai is yet one step closer to the Void Realm. Back when he had just broken through, this poor monk was already no match for him; now, the disparity has grown even wider." At the mention of Yin Fenghai, the smile on Shen Dongming's face faded considerably. "He is truly a talent blessed by Heaven. Ever since breaking through the barrier of the Celestial Being Realm, he has fought Fellow Daoist Wan, Fu Yunjue, Holy Monk Baojia, and Perfected Sanmiao in succession, defeating them all!" At this point, he remembered something and said, "Fellow Daoist Huang probably isn't very clear on the strength tiers of the figures on the Celestial Being Ranking, right?" Huang Tian shook his head. "I must trouble Fellow Daoist Shen to explain it to me." Shen Dongming said slowly, "There are forty-one Celestial Beings in the world. Of course, there may be a few hidden ones we aren't aware of, but there shouldn't be more than forty-five. Among these forty-odd people, the Celestial Being Ranking records only the top thirty. Between rank thirty and rank fifteen is one tier; from fifteen to sixth is another tier; and from fifth to first is yet another tier." Huang Tian understood roughly. This was similar to the division of early, middle, and late Golden Core in the profound dao system. Shen Dongming and Master Longding were ranked eighth and ninth, roughly equivalent to the middle Golden Core stage. And the four people Shen Dongming had just mentioned—Demonic Cult Leader Fu Yunjue ranked second, Wan Shenyang third, Holy Monk Baojia of the State of Mi fourth, and Perfected Sanmiao of the State of Yu fifth—should be roughly at the late Golden Core stage. Shen Dongming said solemnly, "In truth, when Yin Fenghai became capable of possessing others with his divine intent and trading blows with you across thousands or tens of thousands of li, Fellow Daoist Huang, he entered yet another tier entirely. Though that tier cannot compare to the Void Realm, it is certainly stronger than Fu Yunjue and the others—and by no small margin!" At the very least, he had never heard of Fu Yunjue, Wan Shenyang, or the others possessing someone with their divine intent. Master Longding said regretfully, "Hearing that Yin Fenghai's strength had advanced once more, Patron Wan went into seclusion. Otherwise, Patron Huang would have been able to meet him today." "Since I have come to the Imperial Capital, there will always be opportunities to meet." Huang Tian was not particularly regretful. He chuckled, looked toward Shen Dongming, and stated his purpose in coming: "In truth, my journey to the capital this time carries an audacious request." Shen Dongming feigned contemplation. "Allow me to guess. Fellow Daoist Huang, did you come for the martial arts techniques inside the imperial palace's Book Collection Pavilion?" Huang Tian smiled and nodded. Shen Dongming instantly broke into a pleased smile, waving his large hand. "Feel free to browse as you wish, Fellow Daoist Huang! We are all on the same side; what need is there to stand on ceremony?" Master Longding chimed in at the right moment: "My State Protection Temple also possesses several thousand volumes of first-rate martial arts. Patron may go and view them. If you gain any insights, we can sit and discuss the Dao together." "Then my thanks to Fellow Daoist Shen and the Master." Having accomplished his goal for coming to the Imperial Capital, Huang Tian was in an even better mood. He drank several cups of wine in succession, and Shen Dongming joined him, host and guests fully enjoying themselves. The banquet lasted for about an hour before drawing to an end. Accompanied by Shen Dongming and Master Longding, Huang Tian arrived at the Book Collection Pavilion on the west side of the imperial palace. The Book Collection Pavilion stood three stories tall, exceptionally lofty and solemn. Entering the first floor, the interior was remarkably spacious, rising several zhang high. Looking up, hundreds of massive red sandalwood bookshelves stood like a forest, categorized and packed with books. A cursory glance was enough to know there were at least tens of thousands of martial techniques inside. Shen Dongming introduced, "The first floor holds about eighty thousand volumes of classic texts, of which fifty-six thousand are martial techniques. The remainder are history books and manuscripts left by predecessors. The second floor holds over three thousand volumes of martial techniques, and the third floor has around a hundred-odd volumes. Fellow Daoist Huang may stay in the Book Collection Pavilion as long as you like. Even if these books are damaged, it does not matter; the palace has backups." Huang Tian expressed his thanks once again. Then Shen Dongming and Master Longding took their leave of the Book Collection Pavilion, leaving him in peace. Outside, Master Longding did not linger and returned straight to the State Protection Temple. Shen Dongming, on the other hand, cheerfully pulled Wei Shen along to chat, calling him 'young friend' and the like, leaving Wei Shen thoroughly overwhelmed by the favor. This was the first time a Celestial Being powerhouse had treated him so politely! In the past, let alone Celestial Beings, the first thought grandmaster-level figures had upon seeing him was to kill him and seize the divine armament! Politeness? Simply nonexistent! Under Shen Dongming's warm hospitality, Wei Shen's face was soon covered with smiles, his head dizzy and his feet feeling light as air. Meanwhile, on the other side, Emperor Gan Shen Yujing led Shen Chuan and Princess Jingning to a side hall. "Chuan'er, Jingning, what gains did you make during your trip to Qin Province?" he inquired. The two exchanged a glance, both knowing full well what he meant by 'gains.' Shen Chuan said helplessly, "Imperial Father, Brother Huang... Senior Huang possesses the same temperament as the Chief Commander. He has no fondness for earthly pleasures and cares only for the martial path." He recounted everything that had transpired after their arrival in Qin Province. Shen Yujing sighed repeatedly upon hearing it. "Pity! What a pity!" With hands clasped behind his back, he paced the hall and lamented, "Huang Tian's talent and brilliance surpass even Brother Wan's. What's more, unlike Brother Wan, who received many favors from us during his rise and growth... If he could draw close to Jingning, the prestige of our imperial house and our Great Gan would soar tremendously. With him and Brother Wan present, why would we ever worry about stabilizing the realm?" A Celestial Being carried far too much weight, not to mention that anyone with discerning eyes could see that once Huang Tian attained the Celestial Being Realm, he would instantly become a powerhouse among Celestial Beings. If such a figure could be won over... Princess Jingning lowered her head in shame. "It is your daughter's incompetence." "I do not blame you. His temperament is simply like that; it cannot be forced. Just like Brother Wan—I offered him beautiful women many times, yet he declined them all." Shen Yujing waved his hand. "At least your trip was not entirely fruitless. You established some rapport with Huang Tian; otherwise, he wouldn't have taken the initiative to ask to borrow your wind eagles to travel to the Imperial Capital." The two nodded. "That alone is enough. Take it slowly. A person's heart is gathered and warmed over time." ... Inside the palace's Book Collection Pavilion, Huang Tian walked unhurriedly through the first floor. After sweeping an eye over all the bookshelves and getting a clear sense of the layout, he stopped before a sandalwood shelf, pulled out a martial technique manual, and quickly flipped through it. At the same time, he divided his mind, drawing in the spiritual qi between heaven and earth. The spiritual qi surged endlessly like a tide into his body, nourishing his blood and qi and true qi. Rustle, rustle~ The soft rustle of turning pages never ceased. One martial technique finished, two, ten, a hundred, a thousand... Immersed in the sea of books, time flew by. In the blink of an eye, half a month passed. During these two weeks, news of Huang Tian's arrival in the Imperial Capital spread far and wide. Many factions dispatched extra personnel to the capital, hoping to gather the latest intelligence on him. The martial artists in the capital were also immensely curious about Huang Tian. After all, he was the only one in all these years whom Yin Fenghai had praised and admitted inferiority to! Everyone wanted to see with their own eyes what this Huang Tian, hailed by the Celestial Being Ranking as the foremost talent in ten thousand years, looked like, what made him so special, and why he was so much stronger than themselves. Unfortunately, from the day he entered the Imperial Capital, Huang Tian never took a single step out of the imperial palace. More accurately, after entering the Book Collection Pavilion, he had never stepped outside, so those who wished to see him could only disperse dejectedly. Whoosh~ On this day, high above the towering Book Collection Pavilion in the imperial palace, spiritual qi suddenly surged like a roaring river, forming a colossal spiritual qi vortex that poured straight downward. Practicing inside his hall, Shen Dongming was startled. He flew out of the hall, cast his gaze upward, and monstrous waves immediately surged in his heart. "This disturbance... could Huang Tian be about to break through?!" Currently, only Huang Tian and some palace attendants were inside the Book Collection Pavilion. Even if those attendants broke through, they couldn't possibly cause such a massive disturbance, so it was definitely Huang Tian about to advance! "It's only been a little over a month since he stepped into Rank Two, so how can he be breaking through again so soon?!!" Even though he already knew Huang Tian cultivated fast, this was simply absurd! According to common sense, the higher one cultivated, the slower one would polish blood and qi, accumulate true qi, and break through bottlenecks. Yet this rule seemed entirely absent in Huang Tian. From start to finish, he had always been this fast! "No wonder Yin Fenghai felt inferior upon meeting him. Truly... how could the Heavens give birth to such a monster?!" While Shen Dongming was lamenting, Emperor Gan Shen Yujing, who was likewise alarmed, darted over. "Granduncle!" He looked toward the Book Collection Pavilion, full of shock and uncertainty. "Over there... is Huang Tian about to break through?" Shen Dongming nodded. "Apart from that, there is no other possibility. Pass down the order: no one is permitted to make noise, nor is anyone allowed near the Book Collection Pavilion, lest they disrupt Fellow Daoist Huang's breakthrough." "Yes!" Shen Yujing immediately went to convey the order. Once the command was issued, the imperial palace fell swiftly into silence. Everyone walked lightly, fearing to make any loud noise, occasionally glancing up at the spiritual qi coursing like a river across the sky with eyes full of longing and awe. Rumble~ The downpour of spiritual qi lasted for over a quarter of an hour before heaven and earth returned to tranquility. Shen Dongming had thought Huang Tian would step out of the Book Collection Pavilion to celebrate after crossing into Rank One, but after waiting in vain for two quarters of an hour, he didn't see him take a single step outside. "This... Fellow Daoist Huang truly is..." He hardly knew what to say. Shaking his head, he returned inside the hall and continued to immerse himself in his cultivation. Time flowed like water, and another month passed. Inside the Book Collection Pavilion, a mysterious and marvelous aura diffused in all directions. "Again?!" Awakened by the aura, Shen Dongming opened his eyes in bewilderment. The next second, his brow furrowed slightly. "No, this isn't a breakthrough!" Because from that aura, he felt 'divine intent'! He stepped out of the hall and looked into the distance. Sure enough, there were no spiritual qi ripples above the Book Collection Pavilion, showing no signs of a breakthrough. Yet in the void, an ethereal aura of divine intent lingered. "This divine intent... like a mountain, like the great earth. Utterly still, utterly heavy, utterly profound. The utmost stillness overcomes motion; the utmost weight needs no edge; the utmost profundity bears all things..."