Chapter 2323: Unprecedented

Looking at Jiang Wang like that, Zuo Xiao, sitting behind the desk, for a moment didn't know whether to feel pity or annoyance. His gaze lingered on the complex curse seal, and he spoke in a tone that attempted normalcy, "Tell me, how did you end up like this?"

Jiang Wang grinned, a hint of cunning on his face. He raised a finger and pointed upwards, "I tried to trick it, and it's not easy to trick."

This kind of childlike cunning was almost never seen in him. He always demanded that he act like an adult. But the evolving sword form of the Yanfu Sword Prison, still held in his palm, was the unchanging part of him.

With every bit of intent, he exerted every bit of effort. With every bit of possibility, he strove for every bit of possibility. If there was no opportunity at all, then strengthening himself would never be wrong. This was the simple truth Jiang Wang had learned from his many years of rough experiences. And Huai Guogong's philosophy was: wear pants according to how big your buttocks are.

He originally felt pity in his heart, but at this moment he was angered into laughter. "If it were that little fatty from the Chongxuan family, and he said he wanted to 'bully heaven,' I could indeed expect something. Even if it were Dou Zhao, his madness is something people are used to. You want to 'bully heaven' too? What do you expect me to expect?"

"Ai." Jiang Wang didn't argue, only muttered, "That heavenly way isn't brainless, you know."

Zuo Xiao put down his book and looked at him. "As someone who has undergone two Heavenly Human proofs, your understanding of the heavenly way indeed surpasses many people's. But what you understand is 'heavenly way power,' not the 'heavenly way' itself. The 'heavenly way' you see is just a leaf on a tree, an angle of an iceberg exposed above water. A blind man touching an elephant at least knows he's a blind man. Do you know your eyesight isn't that good?"

Being scolded head-on by the old man, Jiang Wang could only offer a wry smile.

"Do you think you look very handsome smiling?" Zuo Xiao asked.

Jiang Wang immediately became serious.

Zuo Xiao suppressed his annoyance and spoke again. "The heavenly way indeed doesn't have a specific will; that's what you mean by 'no brain.' But this doesn't mean it's easier to deal with than something with a brain. A wise man's thousand considerations must have one oversight. When have you ever seen the heavenly way have an oversight? The heavenly way often manifests as the aggregation of worldly fundamental rules, but you cannot only treat it as the aggregation of worldly fundamental rules. Don't you know how many great sages the Human Race sacrificed, how huge a price was paid, just because of the four words 'Heavenly Mandate in Demon'? Are you, Jiang Wang, truly someone to whom the heavenly mandate belongs, free from all taboos?"

Jiang Wang of course knew the terror of the heavenly way. As early as in the Demon Realm, he had witnessed the majestic pressure of the so-called "heavenly intent." At that time, it was Xingnian Zen Master settling the fruit and Mingzu Bupian leaving behind residual thoughts. He was merely incidentally crushed by the heavenly intent and had already died and lived many times over. The present world, as the center of all heavens and myriad realms, has a heavenly way power far beyond what the Demon Realm's heavenly intent could compare to.

But having reached this point, Jiang Wang indeed possessed a confidence surpassing that of ancient and modern times. He was the creator of the historical limit in the Cave True Realm and naturally would pursue more possibilities. He had specifically controlled heavenly way power before, also felt the Demon Realm's heavenly intent, witnessed the will of the world origin in the Senhai Source Realm, and contacted Ji Huo Yuxiu, the heavenly intent incarnation in the Fulu world. In terms of theory, his understanding of the heavenly way wouldn't be worse than others'. This was also one of the bases for him attempting to "bully heaven."

But the fierceness of the heavenly way's counterattack still exceeded his control.

"Ai, Zuo Grandpa, I know I was wrong!" Jiang Wang gave up explaining and honestly admitted his mistake. "I overestimated myself, underestimated Mi Zhi Ben, and wasn't reverent enough towards the heavenly way."

This peerless prodigy, who had experienced hardships, now sat there so vulnerably, obediently facing his own mistake. Zuo Xiao then... couldn't continue scolding.

"No need to revere it." The old Guogong picked up the book again and averted his gaze. "But if you want to confront it, you need to understand why you are the challenger."

A challenger should have the posture of a challenger: to respect the opponent's strength, to calmly review the gap between both sides, and to give the opponent the highest respect. Jiang Wang held the Yanfu Sword Prison in his palm, seemingly lost in thought.

Then, in a daze, another person appeared in the study room. Yu Guogong had a naturally good appearance, a majestic aura, and was dressed very simply. His smile was very affable, and he could change into a set of chef's clothes at any time without making people feel out of place.

As soon as he entered the study room, he said, "Wei Xuanche's state letter is truly beautifully written."

Zuo Xiao only lifted his eyes to look at him.

He continued, "The Great Wei martial troops receive benevolence from all directions, inherit the pioneering shade of the martial way, and are the world's divine edge. Their blade is not turned inward, and their first battle will not be against the Human Race. Hey! Listen to that, how wise!"

"They all say a fledgling phoenix sings its first song. Their first act, they sing it too beautifully." Qu Jin Kui said up to this point, then stopped and looked at Jiang Wang beside him. "Two Heavenly Human proofs?"

Jiang Wang had already put away the Yanfu Sword Prison and stood waiting at the side. He now bowed in salute, "Labor Duke, you trouble yourself."

Qu Jin Kui waved his hand, signaling him to rise. While taking his pulse, he said, "No trouble, no trouble. My sealing technique is not better than Huai Guogong's, just the direction of research is different. The earliest research on sealing techniques was for preserving ingredients at their best state. Later, it was mainly because of my useless son – really, I sealed up all the unclean things in his brain. All day it's just lewd words and vulgar tunes!"

Zuo Xiao coughed once. This old cook, he didn't need to say everything.

Qu Jin Kui turned around and said, "These are all our own people, what can't be said?" He turned back again and looked at Jiang Wang, "I'll just say it straight – I cannot solve this."

This was... too direct. Jiang Wang, however, felt no sadness or loss, but rather found it somewhat funny and tearful. How was he just talking about lewd words and vulgar tunes in the previous sentence, and in the next, announcing a death sentence?

"Did you see clearly?" Zuo Xiao stood up from behind the desk. "You just took his pulse and glanced at him for that moment."

Qu Jin Kui turned his head to look at him, very dissatisfied. "You are doubting a cook's judgment on the degree of doneness."

"You can't compare it like that," Zuo Xiao said slowly. "Your attainment in sealing technique is, after all, not as profound as in culinary arts. Want to take another look?"

"My old big brother, we all need to face the truth." Qu Jin Kui spoke frankly, "His situation is already very clear. Your South Dipper Longevity Town sealed his first Heavenly Human state. He proved Heavenly Human again within the seal, which means the Longevity Town cannot hold the death-seeking ghost."

"How to speak, full of glib sayings!" Zuo Xiao frowned tightly. No wonder people like Qu Yan Cheng spend all day listening to plays, watching plays, and writing lyrics. Isn't this a family tradition?

He threw the book in his hand onto the table. "Do you think achieving two Heavenly Human proofs is something you can do just by wanting to? This is the first case in history, a unique talent!"

"Yes, a unique predicament." Qu Jin Kui shrugged. "To seal the second Heavenly Human state, one must unveil or penetrate this layer of 'South Dipper Longevity Town.' But with Jiang Wang's current condition, even if 'South Dipper Longevity Town' only opens a gap or shakes a bit, the two states will immediately overlap and be strongly summoned by the heavenly way, leaving no room for resistance. This isn't a matter of cultivation level. He's already soaked in the deep sea of the heavenly way, already submerged up to his neck."

The four great enjoying-country families of Chu and the imperial family intermarried for generations, their generational relationships long unclear, all called each other their own. For example, Qu Jin Kui always called Zuo Xiao "old big brother," and they indeed had a good private friendship. Qu Jin Kui's judgment was actually consistent with Zuo Xiao's own understanding. Jiang Wang's current situation meant he couldn't even consider how to seal the second Heavenly Human state; he couldn't even touch it right now.

Zuo Xiao wanted to sigh but didn't, looking at Jiang Wang. "What do you think?"

Jiang Wang's lips curved up slightly, and he smiled. "I'll take another step forward and see."

They all said the heavenly way was heartless, supreme, eternal, but in Jiang Wang's view, this so-called "heavenly way" was still not so easy to swallow him. He could still struggle for a period of time. So he would just keep walking. Zuo Xiao had no solution, Qu Jin Kui had no solution; these were all the judgments of these elders. He himself had no solution either; he only felt that he was not strong enough. He never believed there was no path to walk in this world; he only suspected he hadn't done enough.

"He is an ambitious one." Qu Jin Kui looked at him admiringly. "This kind of heart nature, not learning to cook with me, is really a pity."

Jiang Wang then said, "Junior has also studied the culinary way a little and has long wanted to ask you for advice."

"Sealing from the outside in is not feasible... how about from the inside out?" Zuo Xiao asked. He used his voice to interrupt the boring conversation between Jiang Wang and Qu Jin Kui. Talking about cooking and whatnot was truly a form of pre-death solace and self-excuse, which he didn't like. He didn't need emotions; he just wanted a method to solve the problem.

"You mean... let him seal the Heavenly Human state himself? That could indeed bypass the problem of the first Heavenly Human state. However," Qu Jin Kui turned to ask Jiang Wang, "What research do you have on sealing technique? What foundation?"

"I've seen it!" Jiang Wang said.

Qu Jin Kui waved both hands dismissively.

"Don't waste time." Zuo Xiao concluded directly. "Quickly think properly. Do you have any quick methods for sealing technique on your side?"

Qu Jin Kui felt quite helpless. "All profound knowledge and attainments from ancient times to the present are without exception built with sweat. Even cooking requires three years of chopping vegetables! Where in the world is there any quick method? Only some evil arts that consume life and damage origins, with more losses than gains. Furthermore, with Jiang Wang's current condition, even if he quickly establishes some foundation, how can he reach the level of self-sealing the Heavenly Human state?"

Zuo Xiao didn't care, only looking at Jiang Wang. "Jiang Wang, do you want to learn sealing technique? I mean, starting from now."

That gaze was calm, yet so heavy – no one else could save you now; you could only save yourself. Qu Jin Kui also looked over, his expression complex. To start learning sealing technique from scratch and learn it to the point of self-sealing the Heavenly Human state was fundamentally not something that could be done in three to five years. No matter how talented, one still needed the tempering of time. And Jiang Wang's current condition... the heavenly way already had him by the neck, ready to suffocate and drown him at any time. It was impossible to hold out until he succeeded in learning.

"Of course I want to learn!" Jiang Wang said very directly, without any hesitation. "If it really comes to that time, and I cannot hold out and fall into the deep sea of the heavenly way, at least in the last moment of falling, I will still be myself."

Since this was a feasible path, what reason did he have not to walk it? No time! No time... No time was another problem. The problem now was "is there a path"!

Zuo Xiao was extremely straightforward, directly throwing that copy of "Mixed World Eight Seals Detailed Explanation" over. "You sit here and wait a bit, and flip through this book too." Then he flicked his robe sleeve, dragged Qu Jin Kui, and left.

Jiang Wang didn't delay either, immediately sitting down and painstakingly "gnawing" on this thick book word by word. It was indeed "gnawing." Beginning with a sealing method of the level of "Mixed World Eight Seals," he was simply reading a heavenly book. He relied entirely on the realm of the Cave World Truth, backtracking from the fundamental manifestations of sealing techniques, and could only slightly grasp one or two things. Every complex diagram seal was like a maze, trapping his divine thoughts within, leaving him in a daze for a while, not knowing where he was. In the primordial spirit sea, his primordial spirit sat high on the throne, wearing the Donghuang God Illumination Robe, holding the Immortal Thought Star River... even with such divine abilities, he unexpectedly experienced the pain of Jiang Anan doing homework, scratching his ears and cheeks.

Just as he gnawed to the second page, Huai Guogong returned. Along with him came several stacks of books piled in the room, and bamboo slips and jade slips covering the desk. They were all secret canons related to various sealing techniques.

"I went to the national treasury." Zuo Xiao pulled open the chair and sat down, casually opening a bamboo slip to look at, his tone casual. "From today onwards, you'll just live here. It just so happens I have nothing to do either. Learning has no end; we'll learn together."

Window light poured into the study room, filling the desk into a river of light. Jiang Wang sat firmly on the opposite bank of the river, his head down looking at the book, only making an "um" sound.

"Li Yiluo Di Yiluo""Spring mountains once full of three months' dew, spring tide with rain, a song at the boat's head.""Li Yiluo Di Yiluo""Winter time, not frost, flower letters have arrived, short branches knotted with cold unlike the last..."

On the vast, boundless sea, a small boat followed the waves, swaying back and forth. Chu Jiang Wang, wearing her Yanluo mask, sat on the edge of the boat, one finger tracing the water, occasionally leaving behind pieces of thin ice. On the thin ice were yin-engraved patterns, complex and not very clear ice patterns. The sound of the song, however, emanated from beneath her mask.

It could not be described as pleasant or unpleasant – this singing voice contained some Dao intent, very mysterious and distant. Qin Guang Wang, with black hair over his shoulders, sat cross-legged at the bow of the boat, holding an ancient book and reading quite seriously. He made an "wu" sound. "You sing 'Yiluo' as 'Ye', and the word 'Luo' you sing extremely like 'Luo'... is it sung incorrectly?"

Chu Jiang Wang's singing voice abruptly stopped. She hooked her long hair, covering her ear, which held some anticipation. She slowly breathed once, then said, "In ancient times, the pronunciation of 'Yiluo' was 'Ye Luo' – the ancient music score you found in the Wanxian Palace ruins, to activate Dao rhyme clues with song, must use ancient pronunciation."

"You know more." Qin Guang Wang praised. "Truly worthy of being the most knowledgeable Yanluo. Everyone outside praises you like this."

Chu Jiang Wang vaguely remembered that people spread stories about "snake-scorpion poisonous woman Chu Jiang Wang," "rarely makes a move," and "most cunning and insidious." But she only asked, "Then what is Bian Cheng Wang the most Yanluo? The best fighter?"

"He's already been expelled!" Qin Guang Wang grabbed the ancient book and waved it, as if shooing away flies. "Since you even know its ancient sound, does this 'Yiluo' have any special meaning?"

"Why don't you make voodoo dolls anymore?" Chu Jiang Wang asked.

Qin Guang Wang said, "Skin's too thick, can't pierce it. Forget it."

Chu Jiang Wang then lectured, "In the ancient era, the East Sea wasn't so wide then, and the coastline was much further forward. According to the comparison of ancient maps, it's probably this place." She reached out and drew a virtual line, and an ice line condensed on the sea surface. "Here there was a river called the Yiluo River."

She narrated, "Near the Yiluo River lived a human tribe, simply called the 'Yiluo Tribe.' The people of this tribe were not prosperous and were very closed off, but extremely united. If I didn't guess wrong, this folk song is a song passed down orally by the Yiluo Tribe."

Qin Guang Wang's handsome eyebrows raised slightly. He had no impression at all of this "Yiluo Tribe."

Chu Jiang Wang continued, "The people of the Yiluo Tribe had to experience two Yiluo Rivers in their lifetime."

"One was birth. Pregnant Yiluo Tribe women would, at the time of childbirth, walk into the Yiluo River and give birth to their child in the Yiluo River. Only when the child left the water was it considered a newborn. This was called 'Li Yiluo.'"

"One was death. No matter where the people of the Yiluo Tribe were, or how far they had walked, after death they had to return to their hometown. Before burial, they had to use the Yiluo River water to bathe the body. Bathed in Yiluo River water, the soul could rest. This is 'Di Yiluo.'"

"Heh." Qin Guang Wang flipped through the pages of the book, saying absentmindedly, "This Yiluo Tribe, did it produce any fierce characters? Any relatively famous ones?"

Chu Jiang Wang pondered, "There is indeed one person who is quite famous, but I don't know if, by your standards, they count as fierce."

"Who?" Qin Guang Wang asked.

"His original name no longer exists. People all call Him—" Chu Jiang Wang's index finger lightly pointed, breaking the firm ice floating on the sea. The crack in the ice surface opened into a "卍" character.