EFB Chapter 14: Extra points, breakthrough!
Chapter 14: Extra points, breakthrough!
Meanwhile, inside a luxurious warm pavilion in the West Garden.
The second wife, Liu Mei, leaned lazily against the chaise longue, her elegant pink dress outlining her still alluring and graceful figure.
Hearing the news brought back by her trusted maid, she paused slightly as she was pruning the flowers, and her delicate eyebrows furrowed involuntarily.
"A special imperial decree, the prince delivers medicine..."
She murmured softly, casually cutting off a branch of crabapple blossoms in full bloom, her gaze deep and thoughtful.
Although she coveted the position of the principal wife and was often domineering in the household, this did not mean that she was a brainless fool.
On the contrary, the fact that she could stand firm in the deep waters of the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion and give birth to a prodigy like Wang Ming shows that her thoughts are far more profound than others imagine.
"This wind direction is a bit off."
She threw the cut flowers on the ground and gently crushed them with her toes.
"A human emperor and a prince have suddenly started paying attention to a good-for-nothing illegitimate son who has been dormant for more than ten years... There must be some kind of game behind this that I, the lady, cannot see through."
Thinking of this, a hint of apprehension flashed in her eyes, but she did not panic.
As long as her eldest son, Wang Ming, remains at the height of his power in the Taihao Sword Sect, the sky over this royal mansion will never fall.
……
Meanwhile, in the guest hall of Tingtao Pavilion on the other side, the atmosphere was extremely oppressive.
"Bang!"
A precious white jade teacup was slammed to the ground and shattered into pieces.
Wang Long, dressed in a purple brocade robe with python patterns, sat on a grand chair. His once handsome face was now distorted by extreme jealousy, and his face was so ashen that it looked like it could drip water.
"Great! Excellent!"
Wang Long gritted his teeth, his chest heaving violently.
"My father, who rarely concern himself with household affairs, has actually sent Pang Long back to deliver medicine specifically for that seventh prince!"
"The heart's blood of the ancient savage elephant... that's a treatment I never received even when I broke through to the next level!"
"And that one from the capital even came to join the fun, bestowing upon me a purple dragon-patterned pendant..."
The stark contrast fueled Wang Long's jealousy, which grew wildly like weeds.
"On what grounds?"
He was clearly the third young master with decent talent, while the seventh young master was just a useless person who had barely begun to cultivate.
Just because someone is considered a late bloomer, can they take away the attention and resources that originally belonged to him?
"Third Young Master, watch your words."
The old servant beside him whispered a reminder:
"Now that the Seventh Young Master has received the Emperor's reward and has just gained the Prince's attention, this is an invisible talisman."
"If I were to do anything now, I'm afraid I'd anger the person above me..."
"Of course I know!"
Wang Long suddenly turned his head, his gaze as cold as a venomous snake, and said:
"With the Emperor's skin on my back, I really can't touch him now."
"Otherwise, it wouldn't just be a family matter, but a matter of disobeying an imperial decree."
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the rage in his heart. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and a chilling smirk curled at the corner of his lips:
"However, the road ahead is still long. This talisman can protect him for a while, but not forever."
"The grand competition at the Prince's Palace is in a few days. Fist and kickers will fly, and if anything unexpected happens, who can say anything?"
"Let you be smug for a few more days, you piece of trash."
Wang Long picked up the teapot and gulped down a mouthful of cold tea. The killing intent in his eyes only intensified under the influence of the tea.
……
Nanyuan, Qianlong Pavilion.
This mansion, personally selected by Zheng Wanqing, is backed by an artificial hill and a spiritual spring, and faces a quiet bamboo forest. Not only is its spiritual energy three times richer than other places, but it also carries the auspicious meaning of "a dragon hidden in the abyss, destined to soar to the heavens".
Standing atop the pavilion, overlooking the tranquil and elegant courtyard, Wang Dao had to admit the princess's thoughtfulness.
"The princess is truly impeccable in both her methods and her magnanimity."
"But this vast palace, seemingly magnificent and prosperous, is actually fraught with danger at every turn."
"Here, you can't trust anyone but these fists."
Wang Dao withdrew his gaze, the tenderness in his eyes instantly replaced by a cold determination. He touched the nine Yuan Yang Pills he had left in his pocket, turned around and walked off the training ground.
For the next nine days, the Hidden Dragon Pavilion seemed to transform into a secluded furnace, where Wang Dao completely embarked on a frenzied, secluded cultivation mode.
At dawn, as the first wisp of purple mist rose from the east, he swallowed a Yuan Yang Pill.
The surging medicinal power exploded in his abdomen like magma, transforming into a pure heat that washed over his limbs and bones.
For an ordinary person, it would take half a day of sitting cross-legged to refine it, but the King's Way never stops for even a moment.
"boom!"
On the training ground, he was shirtless, his muscles bulging like dragons, each muscle seemingly containing explosive power.
Giant Spirit Mountain-Carrying Fist!
This powerful and expansive boxing style was perfected to its fullest extent in his hands.
With each punch he threw, a muffled whooshing sound filled the air, and his spine trembled, emitting a buzzing sound like a taut bowstring.
The bluestone slabs under his feet were covered with spiderweb-like cracks under his stomping. The sweat that had just seeped out of his body was instantly evaporated by the intense heat surging within him, turning into a white mist that swirled around him.
"Practice the fist technique once, Source Points +1."
"Practice the fist technique once, Source Points +1."
……
It's tedious and repetitive, yet it's filled with a captivating sense of growth and empowerment.
This kind of mechanical, arduous training would be difficult for an ordinary person to endure without the constant feedback from the control panel, but Wang Dao found joy in it. Every system notification sound was like heavenly music.
At first, the servants and maids passing by just looked on curiously, their eyes carrying a hint of disdain for the useless Seventh Young Master.
But as time went on, until the third day, the fifth day, the ninth day...
Looking at that tireless figure under the scorching sun, like a steel machine that knows no pain, the scornful glances gradually turned into shock, and finally into deep awe.
"Seventh Young Master... has he gone mad?"
"Even a body of iron couldn't withstand this kind of training, right? But look at his aura, it's getting more and more terrifying every day!"
"Who would dare to say that the Seventh Young Master is a good-for-nothing? Few of the gentlemen in the Prince's Mansion can match his perseverance."
Public opinion shifted quietly under the influence of hard work.
In this world where strength reigns supreme, hard work and ability are always the only keys to earning respect.
On the ninth day at dusk, the setting sun was like blood.
"boom!"
As Wang Dao finished the last round of "Giant Spirit Carrying Mountain Fist," he stood still and exhaled a white wisp of air like a sharp arrow, which shot out more than three feet and struck the artificial mountain in front of him, producing a crisp "crack" sound.
At this moment, his entire body was as red as a branding iron, and his original aura of the Golden Membrane Realm Perfection had expanded to the critical point, like a volcano about to erupt.
Wang Dao glanced at the panel in his field of vision.
[Source Point]: 111
"Finally... I've collected them all. This number is kind of awkward. I don't want to be single forever."
A sinister smile crept across Wang Dao's lips. He casually grabbed a long robe that had been prepared beforehand and draped it over his shoulders. Ignoring the awe-inspiring gazes of the servants in the distance, he strode towards the secret chamber deep within the pavilion.
The heavy stone door slammed shut, shutting out all the noise from the outside world.
"It's time for a breakthrough!"