The First Lackey Under The Empress

“So, how far are you from that mountain?” the old eunuch in python robe asked.

Zhao Du’an hesitated for a moment, then said:

“Within a few miles, roughly, I can't be too sure.”

The truth was truly shocking, and for the sake of caution, he decided to play it safe.

“Within a few miles…” Hai gonggong seemed slightly surprised and praised:

“Very good, this is already above average talent.”

This is above average… Zhao Du’an felt he had been too cautious.

“Alright, get up. After the initial contemplation, the ‘Martial God Diagram’ has been imprinted in your mind. Afterwards, you can enter again by recalling it. Make steady progress day by day. When you step into the Divine Chapter realm, you can go to the second floor to observe the second mural,” Hai gonggong said.

Zhao Du’an got up, feeling an inexhaustible strength all over his body, probably due to the recent breakthrough, and asked curiously:

“So, the five-story pavilion, the five murals, correspond to the five major cultivation realms respectively?”

Hai gonggong nodded, then smiled:

“This old one knows what you're thinking. In his later years, the Emperor Taizu was infinitely close to the ‘Human Immortal’ realm, so the five murals depict Emperor Taizu's insights into breaking through to the Human Immortal realm…

However, this is too far away for you, don't even think about looking at it. Just a glance is enough to seriously injure you and make you faint. Even His Majesty is still trying to comprehend the fourth level.”

After speaking, the old eunuch took out a porcelain bottle from his sleeve and threw it to him:

“This is the remaining Nourishing Spirit Pill, about five or six pills, which can assist you in contemplating the picture scroll.”

Zhao Du’an took it, knowing that this pill was produced by the Celestial Master's Mansion and was quite expensive.

As expected of the royal family, they are very generous.

Next, the old eunuch led him back to the front yard to register, which was a standard procedure.

Finally, he handed him a small silver牌子 with the words “Royal Consecration” written on it, and said in a deep voice:

“This is your identity牌子, keep it safe, and remember, the process of seeing the murals today is strictly forbidden to be told to outsiders. Once found out, you will bear the consequences.”

Zhao Du’an's heart trembled, he held the token with both hands and put it into his inner pocket, giving his guarantee.

At this point, the entire process was completed.

Before leaving, Zhao Du’an asked curiously:

“Gonggong, may I ask what are in those houses we passed along the way?”

Hai gonggong said leisurely:

“This place is the Great Inner Armory, naturally displaying various magical artifacts, armor, talismans, elixirs, and precious cultivation items. Heh, your merits are still shallow now. When you accumulate enough merits, you can apply to come here to choose weapons.”

Magical artifacts? Like flying swords?

With one sword, taking a person's head from a thousand miles away… Zhao Du’an couldn't help but fantasize.

……

Watching Zhao Du’an leave, Hai gonggong was about to leave.

Suddenly, Empress Xu Zhenguan silently descended here.

“This servant greets Your Majesty!”

“You may dispense with the formalities,” Xu Zhenguan wore a white dress, her figure was graceful, and her black hair fluttered, her eyes shining brightly:

“How is that Zhao Du’an?”

Hai gonggong reported truthfully.

Above average talent? Xu Zhenguan was also slightly surprised.

Because Zhao Du’an had been stuck in the lower rank of mortal bodies for several years, she originally thought that this little侍卫 was mediocre in talent.

Now it seems that it was due to a lack of resources.

In addition, the primary consideration for the selection of royal consecrations is “loyalty”, followed by talent. Zhao Du’an being able to get an “above average rating” is already good.

“Very good, you may leave,朕 will go to the building to study for a while.” Xu Zhenguan drifted towards the depths.

Your Majesty actually came to inquire in person… Unknown to him, Hai gonggong was also quite surprised by this.

Consecrations are imperial guards, and Zhao Du’an was personally appointed by the Empress, obviously being cultivated as a direct descendant.

“The rumored male favorite has now become a direct descendant, strange, strange.”

Hai gonggong's curiosity arose, thinking that he should pay more attention to him.

……

Fourth floor of the pavilion.

Xu Zhenguan moved her lotus steps lightly, already outside the door.

From her sleeve slipped out ten slender fingers, as white as jade, with just one push, the door fan with a history of six hundred years opened with a “creak”.

Inside, the layout was similar to the first floor, with only one stone wall, and in front of it was placed a蒲团 and an incense burner.

Xu Zhenguan sat on the蒲团, holding the incense burner with both hands, the green smoke curled up, and a jade seal mark flickered between her eyebrows.

She began the countless attempt to contemplate the mural.

As the old consecration said, although Xu Zhenguan has the reality of the “Heaven and Human Realm”, she relies on the filling of dragon energy. Her true realm is still one step away from “Heaven and Human”.

It is this step that makes her want to live and die.

Therefore, Xu Zhenguan often comes to comprehend the Taizu murals, trying to truly cross that step, but she fails again and again.

It's not that Xu Zhenguan's talent is not enough.

In fact, this fourth mural, since the death of Emperor Taizu.

During the six hundred years of the Dayu Dynasty, countless royal bloodlines, and even consecrations with outstanding talents, have not been able to comprehend this fourth mural.

In history, there was an emperor who, in despair, boldly invited the Celestial Master's Mansion掌教 of that generation, a genuine “Heaven and Human Realm” sorcerer, to enter the palace to observe, but even he could not comprehend it.

The fourth painting is already so obscure and difficult to understand, as for the mural on the fifth floor, no one has been able to “contemplate” successfully in six hundred years since Taizu.

Yes!

Even just entering it is impossible!

“Emperor Taizu, where is this ‘Human World’ you depicted, and how can it be solved?” Xu Zhenguan smiled bitterly.

Xu Zhenguan is both extremely familiar and extremely unfamiliar with the painting in front of her.

Familiar because she has seen it countless times.

Unfamiliar in that the picture scroll depicts an extremely strange “strange world” that she cannot understand, cannot comprehend, and therefore cannot fully comprehend.

In a daze, she contemplated again.

In her beautiful eyes, the scene in the mural gradually reflected:

Under the night, the dense steel jungle-like modern city is full of colorful lights, skyscrapers stand tall, traffic flows endlessly on the overpasses, and the inner ring is like a flowing ribbon.

The Empress's beautiful eyes were extremely puzzled:

“What… are these?”

……

……

“It's finally over!”

Outside the palace city, when Zhao Du’an walked out of the deep gate洞, he felt his whole body warmed by the afternoon sun.

The experience of this half day was really exciting.

First, he responded to the defense and reversed the situation, then he dined with the Empress and explained the change in character, and then he was granted the title of consecration, obtained the royal family's unique cultivation inheritance, and also broke through a small realm.

“Well, I should be considered a direct descendant of the Empress now, right?” Zhao Du’an pondered.

The Empress has only been enthroned for two years. Although she has taken over the power of the late emperor and the crown prince, there are still too few “direct descendants”, and there are even fewer talented people among the direct descendants.

Zhao Du’an showed his ability through a series of operations, and also expressed his loyalty.

Although the guillotine of “capturing Zhuang Xiaocheng” is still hanging high above his head, at least the survival crisis has been temporarily resolved…

Well, just temporarily… I can't float, floating will definitely lead to violent death, this is an important experience from the previous life.

“Where to go next?”

Zhao Du’an stood alone at the palace gate, feeling a little lost.

It seems that it's time to go back to this identity's “home” to take a look.

Zhao Du’an hasn't been home for these three days. By digging into his memory, how should I put it…

It can only be said that Zhao Du’an's family situation is also quite complicated.

“Giddy up!”

Just at this moment, suddenly, a carriage galloped from the front, and the one waving the whip was actually Zhu Kui.

When Lao Zhu saw Zhao Du’an, his eyes lit up, he quickly and fiercely reined in the horse, grabbed the whip and ran out of the car, shouting:

“Envoy! Something bad happened, something happened at home!!”