The Empress had just finished bathing. At this time, the Empress was still the Second Imperial Princess…
【PS: I’ve already written a book with 500,000 readers before, so you can trust my ability. Also, every female character will have an accompanying illustration, so brothers, feel free to dive in.】
…
In the 53rd year of deshuan, early March, in a side courtyard of the Zhendong Marquis Manor in Kyoto.
It was early spring, and the heavy snow that had covered Kyoto all winter had only recently melted. The sky was still bitterly cold.
Xia Chen, dressed in thin clothing, sweated profusely in the cold wind, ceaselessly practicing his blade.
His handsome and refined face was flushed, his vital energy surged continuously, and his eyes showed a tenacious resolve.
Xia Chen held a long blade, its body a fiery red, cutting ripples in the void as if to cleave the cold wind apart.
With each swing, a line of small text appeared within his field of vision.
【Successfully swung once, Basic Blade Skill proficiency +1】
【Successfully swung once, Basic Blade Skill proficiency +1】
【Successfully swung once, Basic Blade Skill proficiency +1】
…
【Basic Blade Skill perfected, you have comprehended an advanced blade skill from Basic Blade Skill—Shouyang Demon-Piercing Blade!】
【Your vital energy has reached the Peak of the Ninth-Rank Martial Artist. Do you wish to break through immediately?】
As these small words appeared, a look of joy appeared on Xia Chen’s handsome young face. The fiery red long blade in his hand also changed at this moment. The vital energy in his body seemed to be boiling and surging violently, and wisps of vital energy even passed through his body, condensing a fiery red great sun behind him.
This great sun was like Shouyang at the dawn of creation, cleaving through chaotic darkness, full of vitality and fierce heat.
Under the blessing of this great sun, Xia Chen trembled violently, his entire being like magma. His vital energy reached its Peak, as if it could burn rivers and boil seas!
This process did not last too long. Xia Chen’s gaze was sharp, and his still somewhat tender face showed seriousness. He swung his blade, and the entire courtyard seemed to shift from winter to early summer.
One blade, changing heaven and earth!
At the same time, with a crisp crack, a sound came from within Xia Chen’s body, as if an invisible shackle had broken. His boiling vital energy seemed to have found an outlet, flowing like the Yangtze River eastward to the sea, and at this moment, Xia Chen’s Aura reached its Peak.
Eighth-Rank Refinement Realm achieved!
Xia Chen slowly opened his eyes, and a bright light flickered within them. Faintly, it seemed as if two pupils merged into one, like Double Pupils.
But this anomaly was fleeting, and Xia Chen quickly returned to calmness, his Aura receding, transforming him into an ordinary young man.
“It’s been two months since I came to this world, and I’ve finally broken through to the Eighth-Rank Realm!”
A smile appeared on Xia Chen’s lips. Two months ago, he discovered that he had entered an early version of that mysterious game ahead of time.
In his previous life, it suddenly appeared on Earth, and no one knew the origin of this game, only that some lucky ones were chosen and could enter this seemingly real world.
At this time, it was the era of Emperor Wen of Great Wu. Xia Chen didn't know much about this period because he had entered the game early, and the official open beta of the game didn't begin until the Empress's era.
“Now is the period of the Two Dragons Contending for the Throne under Emperor Wen. Five years later, the Third Prince will stage a coup, lead troops into Kyoto, open the White Tiger Gate, and storm the Imperial Palace. The Crown Prince will die, and the Third Prince will go mad with killing, slaughtering all imperial Bloodlines. But the final victor will not be him!”
Xia Chen was clarifying the timeline, recalling the events of this period, but unfortunately, in his previous life, Xia Chen only entered this world during the first public beta, at which point the Empress had already been on the throne for six years.
Therefore, Xia Chen did not delve deeply into this past, only knowing a general outline.
The struggle during this period seemed to be a contention between two dragons, but in reality, there was a hidden dragon lurking in the shadows. Five years later, during the coup at the gates, the Second Imperial Princess descended like a miracle, holding the Tai Zu Sword, and led her cavalry into the White Tiger Gate.
That night, the entire Imperial Palace was filled with the sounds of battle, and blood stained the sky-high white snow crimson. Finally, the Second Imperial Princess quelled all the rebel forces.
However, Emperor Wen, the Crown Prince, the Third Prince, and all direct male imperial Bloodlines were slaughtered in this coup, dying on the spot.
Ultimately, Great Wu welcomed its first Empress, and a glorious era began…
“Is it because of this jade seal that I was able to enter this world eleven years early?!”
Xia Chen spread his palm, and a jade seal was imprinted on it, like a totem, but only he could see it.
This jade seal was carved with nine dragons, spewing chaotic energy, and primordial purple qi swirled around its body. Faintly, Xia Chen also saw the sun, moon, and stars circling this jade seal, and at the very center were the Sun, Moon, and Ziwei stars!
Xia Chen wanted to continue looking, but this jade seal completely dimmed, as if it could not be probed.
Xia Chen withdrew his gaze, exhaled a turbid breath, and calmed his heart. Regardless of the jade seal’s mystique, for now, improving his strength and influence was the most important thing.
Currently, during Emperor Wen’s reign, the government was chaotic, and banditry was rampant. Although overall it was still relatively stable, the country had already formed a situation of four-way division.
This was his opportunity; times create heroes. Only in turbulent times can one rise to power.
“I must seize the time. Once the Empress ascends the throne, resolves the Eight Kings’ Rebellion, and consolidates the national power of Great Wu, then it will enter an era of unification.”
Xia Chen felt that he must plan ahead!
Because while the era of unification offered high security, economic prosperity, and cultural flourishing, it also presented far fewer opportunities.
By then, the Great Wu Dynasty would be the sole hegemon, dominating the four seas and ruling the eight directions. Whether it was Buddhism, Taoism, or their so-called players, all would have to submit to the Empress.
Only later, when the spiritual energy recovery version begins and all heavens merge, will this world completely become real.
The ceiling of martial power will rise, the Empress will disappear, the Great Wu Dynasty will fall apart, and the Immortal Heroic Imperial Dynasty Hegemony version will begin, bringing new opportunities…
While thinking, Xia Chen drew water himself, picked up a towel, and began to wipe his body, which was already soaked with sweat.
In this life, his starting situation was quite good, as he was born into the Zhendong Marquis Manor.
Eight hundred years after the founding of Great Wu, 637 years ago, Emperor Ling favored eunuchs and heavily relied on external relatives, leading to the outbreak of the Rebellion of the Feudatory Lords and the fall of Kyoto.
Emperor Wu Zong, the eighth son of Emperor Ling, reorganized the land, marched north, returned to the old capital, and re-established The World, thereby creating the current nineteen provinces of Great Wu and extending Great Wu's destiny for another 600 years.
The first Zhendong Marquis, Xia Xuanzhen, had followed Emperor Wu Zong on the frontier, rising from a mere soldier to ultimately becoming a Divine General renowned throughout The World.
Emperor Wu Zong's Northern Expedition Army was divided into three routes, with Xia Xuanzhen as the commander of the eastern route. Just as the other two Northern Expedition Army routes were stalled and it seemed the Northern Expedition Army would be fruitless,
Xia Xuanzhen led five thousand cavalry on a thousand-mile rapid advance, reaching Kyoto, like a sharp sword piercing the enemy's belly. He broke through Kyoto, took the enemy's head, completely turned the tide of the battle, overturned the situation, and helped Emperor Wu Zong establish dominance over The World.
At the grand enfeoffment ceremony, Emperor Wu Zong even smiled in front of all the officials and said: “Outwardly resolute yet inwardly wise, his sharpness is the crown of The World!”
Therefore, Xia Xuanzhen's merits were paramount among all officials, and he was granted the title of Zhendong Marquis.
There were also rumors that Xia Xuanzhen's merits were sufficient for him to be ennobled as a king, but due to the ancestral rule that those of different surnames could not be granted kingship, he was only made Zhendong Marquis; otherwise, he should have been the King of Zhendong.
Currently, the Zhendong Marquis is already the 17th generation, and it has always prospered, never declining. Although it is still called the Zhendong Marquis Manor, it has long since achieved the status of three marquises in one family.
“Although I’m not valued in the Hou Mansion, it’s still an excellent start compared to some people.”
Xia Chen was already very satisfied with this beginning. As far as he knew, some players who entered the game during the internal beta in his previous life were nobodies, and some even started as beggars on the street, a hellish beginning.
According to the game's balance rules, the earlier one entered this game, the worse their starting identity would be. However, Xia Chen had now broken this rule, being born into a family of princes, marquises, generals, and ministers.
“Third Young Master, there’s a letter from Second Master!”
Just then, a hurried figure walked in. A young servant in green clothes was panting, his cheeks flushed, whether from the cold wind or from running all the way.
…
【“The Empress had exceptional comprehension and, in her youth, possessed an unyielding determination. She diligently practiced, never ceasing her arduous training, swinging her blade ten thousand times daily in the courtyard, honing her martial arts until she achieved mastery. One day, she initiated a technique in the courtyard, naming it Shouyang Demon-Piercing Blade.”
—Xia History, Volume 1, Annals of Taizu Huangdi】
PS: The world-view of this book is grand. The plot begins to take off after chapter ten. I guarantee it gets better the further you read. Please enjoy patiently, brothers ٩(๛ ˘ ³˘)۶♦
