Martial Arts: Starting with Creating a Genius Persona

Chapter 55 Lu Yuan, the Crown Prince of Nanzhao!

Sixteen years ago, the army of Daqian invaded the capital of Nanzhao.

Tie Qianshan's tone was very heavy.

"At that time, I was just a captain of the Imperial Guard, and I was deeply favored by the Emperor."

"On the night the city fell, a prince in the royal family was granted the surname Duan—you probably don't know this, but part of the Duan royal family were originally granted the surname Duan by meritorious officials from other families and their surnames were changed into the family genealogy."

"He betrayed us, opening the palace gates first and letting the Qian army into the palace. By the time I arrived with the Imperial Guards, everyone was dead. I found this token in the sea of ​​fire."

"But strangely, I searched the entire palace but never found the empress's body."

"The imperial concubine was pregnant at the time and was due to give birth in two months... Even if the body was damaged by the fire, it should have been easy to identify... It shouldn't have been completely destroyed."

Lu Yuan asked, "So... it's possible the Imperial Concubine isn't dead?"

Tie Qianshan nodded.

He looked at Lu Yuan.

That face, usually as cold and hard as iron, looked unusually tired at this moment.

"Who taught you these six meridians?"

Lu Yuan was silent for a moment, then looked up and answered decisively.

"My mother."

Tie Qianshan had clearly already given the answer to him.

Tie Qianshan leaned forward slightly: "Where's your mother?"

"He passed away unexpectedly three years ago."

The hall remained quiet for a long time.

Sunlight streamed in inch by inch through the cracks in the window.

The light fell on the ground between the two people, casting fine spots of light.

Tie Qianshan slowly sat back in the main seat, his voice deeper than before: "The Six Meridians martial art... can only be cultivated by those with true Duan family blood."

Lu Yuan didn't reply, but frowned almost imperceptibly, as if he were piecing these things together for the first time.

After a moment of silence, he asked, "Master, do you mean—I am a descendant of the Duan family?"

"It's not a doubt."

Tie Qianshan stood up and walked to Lu Yuan.

He was a head taller than Lu Yuan, and looking down at the young man, the weariness in his eyes was replaced by something more intense.

"It's you. Look at your eyebrows and eyes... exactly the same as your mother's back then."

Lu Yuan unconsciously avoided that gaze, his lips moved, and he uttered only two words: "Master..."

Seeing his helpless expression, Tie Qianshan smiled for the first time since Lu Yuan entered the hall.

It was a smile that suggested certain victory.

He pulled a yellowed booklet from his sleeve, with the words "Zhou Tian Tu Na Gong" written on the cover, and placed it in Lu Yuan's hand.

Then he took two steps back, straightened his clothes, and knelt down on one knee.

The knee of the peak Acquired Realm expert slammed into the ground with a dull thud.

"Your subject, Tie Qianshan, former commander of the Nanzhao Duan clan's imperial guards, begs Your Highness's forgiveness for my earlier offense!"

"Your Majesty, I only wish to confirm your identity, nothing more! In recent years, the Great Qian Dynasty has been increasingly relentless in its persecution of our former officials from Nanzhao, leaving me with no other choice but to resort to this tactic!"

Lu Yuan asked in confusion, "Me?...The Crown Prince of Nanzhao?"

Tie Qianshan did not rise, and continued to answer in an extremely respectful tone: "The late emperor had no other children besides you, therefore, you are the rightful crown prince of Nanzhao!"

.

"This old minister hereby swears that he will assist the Crown Prince in restoring the kingdom and will be at the Crown Prince's disposal."

Lu Yuan quickly stood up from the chair and reached out to help.

He kept saying it.

"I absolutely dare not accept such praise..."

"Master... get up quickly..."

......

Tie Qianshan acted as if he would rather die than get up if Lu Yuan didn't acknowledge this identity.

No matter how Lu Yuan tried to help him up, he wouldn't budge.

Lu Yuan had no choice but to agree.

Tie Qianshan was then helped up.

His smile deepened.

It was as if they could already see the great cause of restoring the country unfolding before their eyes.

At this moment, Lu Yuan's mind was already racing with calculations.

That old fox acted much more convincingly than he actually was.

He didn't believe that a guard commander could endure sixteen years of hardship and humiliation in the Iron Bone Mountains.

They've all become the heads of their respective sects.

Yet he still kept the affairs of the previous dynasty in mind.

He immediately proclaimed himself a young man under twenty as his master.

If Nanzhao truly had so many loyal ministers, it wouldn't have been so easily destroyed by the Daqian Dynasty.

Tie Qianshan's actions were not out of loyalty; he had ulterior motives.

But he didn't expose it, as his own strength was currently weak.

The advantages of being a descendant of the Duan family outweigh the disadvantages.

"I wonder what Your Highness's plans are going to be..."

Lu Yuan cupped his hands and said, "It's entirely up to Master to decide..."

When Tie Qianshan addressed him as "Master," he did not feign refusal.

Instead, he stroked his beard with satisfaction.

"You've just broken through to the Blood Condensation Realm; you can't rely on reckless actions anymore on the path ahead."

Tie Qianshan pointed to the booklet in his hand.

"My Iron Bone Sect has too shallow a foundation and is ultimately not a great sect... This 'Zhou Tian Tu Na Gong' is just a refined-level mental cultivation method. It's presentable in the area around Qingzhou, but it's not enough in the scope of Wu Yun County."

"Every breakthrough after the Blood Condensation Realm requires the assistance of a cultivation technique; you need something stronger."

"Elite level?" Lu Yuan asked curiously.

He was unaware of the levels of cultivation techniques in this world.

"The cultivation techniques in this world are divided into Mortal Rank, Refined Rank, Extraordinary Rank, Supreme Rank, Earth Rank, and Heaven Rank."

"Your Rock-Shattering Palm and Gentle Breeze Step techniques... are only at the mortal level!"

Lu Yuan nodded thoughtfully and continued, "What about the Six Meridians?"

"A complete set of six meridians is at the Earth Rank! ...However, if you only have three meridians, it can only be considered at the Extraordinary Rank!"

"However, even if it is a rare-level technique, it is still higher than all the techniques of the Iron Bone Sect."

At this point, Tie Qianshan lowered his voice slightly.

"Your Highness, I know where to find a suitable cultivation method for your Six Meridians!"

Is it suitable for cultivating the Six Meridians Divine Sword?

That would at least be a rare rank.

"Where?" Lu Yuan asked.

"In Wuyun County City! The prize for first place on the Yellow Ranking Arena is a rare-grade cultivation technique—the Seven Star Technique!"

"This internal energy cultivation method is pure and in harmony with the Big Dipper, making it perfect for use in conjunction with the Six Meridians Divine Sword."

"Moreover, the Seven Star Technique is a rare level, far superior to the Zhou Tian Breathing Technique. Only by obtaining it can your foundation truly be worthy of your status as a descendant of the Duan family."

Lu Yuan asked, "I'm ranked first on the yellow list... how do I participate in the competition?"

"Leave the registration to me."

"Your Highness should first cultivate the 'Zhou Tian Tu Na Gong' to the mid-stage of Blood Condensation, and then go down the mountain to the Yellow List Arena in the county city after you break through."

"With your current strength, making it into the top thirty shouldn't be a problem, but if you want to take first place..." Tie Qianshan paused, "you'll have to give it your all."

"Can the Seven Star Technique be combined with the Six Meridians?" Lu Yuan asked.

"The Six Meridians use sword energy to pierce the air, while the Seven Stars operate with pure internal energy. The two complement each other and are a natural pair."

"Moreover, the person who takes first place on the Yellow List will be noticed by the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion... and will have the opportunity to study there." His tone rarely carried a hint of undisguised longing.

"With the backing of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, the possibility of restoring the kingdom has increased considerably!"

"Tianji Pavilion? What is that?" In this world, Lu Yuan had heard of various sects and factions to some extent.

This was the first time Lu Yuan had ever heard of the name "Tianji Pavilion".