touchnovel Chapter 1 The Young Man from the Prince's Mansion
Chapter 1 The Young Man from the Prince's Mansion
The Great Zhou Dynasty, the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion.
The blazing sun hung high in the sky, baking this secluded courtyard deep within the Prince's Mansion like a steamer. The heat distorted the air, and even the cicadas in the corner seemed to be chirping weakly.
However, there was a figure in the courtyard, practicing boxing techniques again and again under the scorching heat.
Wang Dao was shirtless, his black hair cascading down his back, soaked with sweat and clinging to his broad back.
His bronze skin gleamed with a cold, metallic sheen under the blazing sun; every muscle seemed cast from steel, and with each movement, it contained explosive power.
His feet gripped the earth like the roots of an old tree, and as he twisted his waist, his spine rippled like a dragon turning over, making a crackling sound.
Each punch and each move, though unhurried, carried a powerful, overwhelming force, as if capable of moving mountains and filling seas.
This is the foundational fist technique of the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion—"Giant Spirit Carrying the Mountain Fist"!
"boom!"
Wang Dao threw a punch, and the air was instantly shattered, producing a muffled sonic boom.
This punch did not use any internal energy; it was purely an extreme burst of physical strength.
A terrifying surge of energy coursed through his body, and before his fist, it faintly coalesced into a blurry yet majestic phantom of a giant spirit.
The giant was over ten feet tall, with muscles bulging like a dragon, carrying a majestic divine mountain on its shoulders. Although its face was indistinct, the savage aura that came from the ancient primordial world caused the surrounding space to tremble.
Wang Dao turned his body again, his arms spreading out to the sides like a giant splitting a mountain.
"roar!"
His blood and energy flowed like a bursting dam, and a scorching red divine light burst forth from his pores.
The colossal phantom behind it roared to the sky, as if it wanted to completely overturn the divine mountain that had suppressed it for countless ages on its shoulder.
He has practiced this set of boxing techniques thousands of times since he awakened to its power.
Every movement, every muscle exertion, even the frequency of each breath, has reached a state of perfection, as if it were an instinct ingrained deep within his bones.
When the final move, Giant Spirit Suppresses the Prison, came to an end, the countless giant spirit phantoms and the vast blood energy instantly receded into the body like a whale sucking in water.
Wang Dao looked as if he had just been pulled out of the water, his whole body drenched in sweat, which rolled down his muscles and stirred up white mist on the scorching ground.
He rested his hands on his knees, his chest heaving as he gasped for breath.
Just as he was about to collapse from exhaustion, a clear, mechanical voice, audible only to himself, rang in his mind like heavenly music.
[Ding! You have completed a full rehearsal of the Giant Spirit Carrying Mountain Fist, your skill is close to the Dao, Source Points +1.]
This reminder was like a shot in the arm.
Wang Daona's face, which was slightly pale from overexertion, instantly blossomed into an extremely bright smile. His neat white teeth gleamed in the sunlight, exuding the unique vigor and wildness of a young man.
All fatigue vanished in that moment, replaced by a joy and satisfaction that came from the depths of my soul.
With a thought, the semi-transparent panel that only he could see appeared before his eyes.
Name: Wang Dao
[Realm Level]: Golden Membrane Realm (Perfect)
[Techniques]: Thousand Hammers and Hundred Refinements Technique (Perfected), Giant Spirit Carrying Mountain Fist (Mastered), Flowing Light and Illusory Dust Sword (Beginner)
【skill】:
Kendo lv1 (Special effect: Holding the sword - body and sword become one)
Kung Fu Level 1 (Special Effect: Integrated Power - Spine like a dragon, power generation is penetrating)
[Source Point]: 11
As he watched the numbers slowly increase on the panel, Wang Dao's smile gradually faded, replaced by a complex expression.
He wiped the sweat from his face, looked at his large, calloused hands that were full of power, and his thoughts drifted for a moment.
The grueling 996 work schedule of my past life seems like it was just yesterday.
Even across lifetimes, he could still vaguely smell the stench of cigarettes from that greasy middle-aged manager's breath, and still see the finger pointing at his nose, and that spittle-flecked roar:
"Why didn't you meet this quarter's KPIs?! I told you long ago, it's because of your poor execution! It's because of your bad attitude! Now that the project is off, you have to take all the blame! Go work overtime, and don't even think about leaving until you finish!"
Those were his last memories before his sudden death.
Wang Dao shook his head violently, as if trying to shake that disgusting memory out of his mind.
"call--"
He took a deep breath of the air, which carried the fragrance of earth and the heat of the day. He felt the powerful energy flowing through his body like magma, and the real sense of control over that power finally warmed his cold heart.
I have been in this world where everyone values martial arts for three whole years.
From the initial fear and confusion when he first awakened his memories to the calm and resilience he has now, Wang Dao's mindset has been honed to the point where he is as stubborn as a rock.
However, whenever he thought of the body's predecessor, he couldn't help but want to curse.
That was a complete and utter waste.
Born with blocked meridians and no sense of qi, in this world where martial arts are respected and the strong prey on the weak, he is simply a walking joke, an indelible stain of shame on the magnificent gate of the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion.
Wang Dao looked around and saw that, compared to the splendor and throngs of servants in other parts of the palace, this place was as desolate as a forgotten tomb.
"I, the seventh young master of the Prince's Mansion, am really living a rather pathetic life."
In this world that places extreme importance on bloodline and talent, he, a son of a concubine whose birth mother had long since disappeared and who had not shown any extraordinary talent, was nothing more than a dispensable, invisible person in the royal palace.
His gaze finally settled on the illusory panel that only he could see.
This was his only reliance, his only hope to defy fate.
"Skill is close to the Way."
As long as he can be 100% focused and complete any task without distraction, whether it is practicing boxing, forging, or sculpting, he can obtain 1 Source Point.
Source points can be used to improve the level of a cultivation technique, from beginner, minor success, major success, to perfection. Each step of improvement requires a full 100 source points.
Over the past three years, it was through this almost self-torturing asceticism that he honed the "Thousand Hammers and Hundred Refinements Method" and practiced the "Giant Spirit Carrying the Mountain Fist" day after day, thus polishing his physical body to the point of perfect golden membrane and pushing his fist technique to its ultimate level.
Just as Wang Dao was about to go to the well to fetch water to wash himself, a slightly impatient voice broke the tranquility of the courtyard.
"Seventh Young Master, this old servant has brought you this month's cultivation resources."
The courtyard gate was pushed open at some point, and Li Fu, dressed in a brand-new gray brocade robe, stood there with his hands behind his back, his chin slightly raised, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.
Li Fu seemed to enjoy this feeling of being superior. He casually pulled a shrunken brocade pouch from his sleeve and tossed it lightly on the ground, as if he were giving something away to a beggar on the street.
"Clatter".
The brocade pouch landed, rolled twice, covered in mud and dust, and came to rest right in front of Wang Dao.
Wang Dao did not bend down to pick it up immediately.
He simply looked at Li Fu calmly with his dark, inky eyes, a calmness that made Li Fu feel inexplicably uncomfortable.
"What? You think it's not enough?"
Li Fu sneered, his eyes revealing undisguised mockery and disdain.
"Seventh Young Master, one should know one's place. The war in the northern frontier is intense, and everyone in the Prince's Mansion is tightening their belts."
"Your body, which is incapable of cultivation, still receives a monthly allowance. That is all thanks to Her Highness the Princess, who is kind and benevolent."
When he mentioned the title "Princess Consort," he deliberately cupped his hands towards the depths of the Prince's Mansion, his expression devout and respectful. But when he turned to face Wang Dao, he instantly reverted to his arrogant and condescending demeanor.
"Besides, giving you this Body Tempering Pill would be a waste, like a cow chewing on a peony, it's completely useless."
"Therefore, this old servant has taken the liberty of making the decision for you. The pills have been exchanged for a few taels of silver. Please use this to buy some good meat to nourish your body. It is a token of this old servant's good intentions."
"Manager Li."
Wang Dao finally spoke.
His voice wasn't loud, and even carried the naivety unique to young people, but when it reached Li Fu's ears, it inexplicably carried a chilling aura that made one's heart tremble.
"I remember that according to the third rule of the Prince's Mansion: if a servant embezzles his master's property, his hands and feet shall be cut off and he shall be expelled from the mansion."
"Anyone who disobeys or insults their master shall be killed on the spot."
Li Fu was stunned, then looked as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.
"Family rules? Hahahaha!"
His fat face jiggled violently with his laughter, and his eyes were filled with unbridled mockery.
"Seventh Young Master, have you lost your mind from practicing martial arts? In this dilapidated courtyard, this old servant's words are the rule!"
He suddenly took a step forward, unleashing his full power as a master of the Golden Membrane Realm, attempting to crush the arrogant youth before him with his aura.
"Don't tell me this old servant didn't embezzle. Even if I openly stole it, what can you do? Go to the Prince to report me? Or go to the Princess Consort to intervene?"
Li Fu leaned close to Wang Dao, his greasy face almost touching Wang Dao's, and lowered his voice, his tone extremely sinister:
"Seventh Young Master, accept your fate! You're like a worm in the mud, destined to rot and stink in that dark, damp corner your whole life. No matter how much you struggle, you'll never become a dragon!"
Wang Dao's lips curled up slightly, revealing a set of gleaming white teeth.
"Insects in the mud?"
"Manager Li, you've made two mistakes."
He held up two fingers and waved them gently in front of Li Fu.
"First, I am not an insect, I am your master."
"second……"
Before he could finish speaking, a cold glint flashed in Wang Dao's eyes!
"This rule needs to be changed today!"