I Have 10 Equipment Slots

Chapter 393: Chapter 227: Cannot Wait Any Longer

「On Nameless Mountain, within the borderlands of the Jing and Yue Countries.」

Four of Gu Zheng’s illusory bodies stood guard in the four cardinal directions.

Gu Zheng himself sat cross-legged and unmoving, quietly contemplating the plum blossom tree.

According to Xiao Dongxuan, this plum blossom tree was what was known as an "Enlightenment Marvel."

Previously, Gu Zheng had assumed that any Marvel born within a Domain could be contemplated to aid in his breakthrough to the third stage of the King’s Body Realm.

In reality, however, most Marvels didn’t possess this ability; even if they did, the aid they provided was minimal. Xu Jianzhu probably hadn’t realized this in depth, as he had yet to reach the point of pushing for the third stage of the King’s Body Realm.

Of all the Marvels born in a Domain, only a small fraction—those that held a connection to the profound mysteries of the Great Dao—were of significant help.

These particular Marvels were thus known as "Enlightenment Marvels."

Enlightenment Marvels were rare.

Even someone of Xie Hongye’s standing only possessed a single plum blossom tree.

Of course, she might have already contemplated other Enlightenment Marvels before this, completely exhausting the Dao Rhyme they contained.

Yes, Dao Rhyme!

As Gu Zheng contemplated other Marvels and compared them to this plum blossom tree, he discovered the difference was a mystical rhythm—a pulsation containing the philosophy of the Great Dao.

This pulsation was not merely the Power of Rules, but something on a higher level—a more profound existence.

Comprehending this very pulsation—the Dao Rhyme—was the key to the third stage of the King’s Body Realm!

Moreover, Dao Rhyme was mutable. Or rather, it would dissipate on its own when exposed to external stimuli.

After deeply contemplating the plum blossom tree Xie Hongye had left behind, Gu Zheng discovered that at least half of its Dao Rhyme was gone.

Gu Zheng carefully immersed himself in what remained.

The mysteries of the Dao Rhyme were such that once immersed, one would forget the outside world and the passage of time.

Gu Zheng closed his eyes on the mountain, and when he opened them again, three days had passed.

He closed his eyes once more, and when he opened them, ten days had gone by.

As for the insights he gained from contemplating the Dao Rhyme within the plum blossom, there was a tiny bit, but if asked what he had truly comprehended, the answer was nothing. His gains were negligible.

Unlike breaking through to the King’s Body Realm and forming a Domain, which could be aided by rare treasures like the Void Divine Stone and Celestial Profound Crystal, pushing for the third stage was a different matter. Although Enlightenment Marvels provided assistance, this stage was a true test of one’s innate talent and comprehension. The required level of personal insight was so high that an ordinary person could probably meditate for a thousand years and still grasp nothing.

Without comprehension, there was no direction, and thus no way to break through.

Not to mention that pushing for the third stage of the King’s Body Realm also required a massive amount of resources to refine one’s physical form.

Although it was difficult and he still hadn’t found a direction, Gu Zheng wasn’t discouraged.

The Xiao Family seemed to have some of these Enlightenment Marvels as well; Xiao Dongxuan had said he would go look for them.

For now, the plum blossom tree Xie Hongye had left behind was enough to keep Gu Zheng occupied in his contemplation for over half a year.

He remained on the mountain for a full month.

During that month, no fourth-tier Evil God Avatars or incarnations appeared in Fengzhou, nor in Luozhou.

With no one calling for aid, Gu Zheng was spared the trouble and could remain quietly on the mountain, contemplating the Dao Rhyme of the plum blossom.

Until a telepathic message shattered the tranquility.

Zhang Meiyuan and Jia Shisan each sent Gu Zheng a telepathic message, informing him that several young noblemen had appeared in Qingshi County and had spent the last few days trying to get close to Gu Pan’Er and Gu Xue.

Upon investigation, they learned that these men were all scions of the Zhong Family: the Seventh Prince, the Tenth Prince, the Thirteenth Prince, the Heir of Gunshan King, the Heir of Kao Mountain King, and the son of Lianshan King!

’What is the Zhong Family trying to do?’

Gu Zheng stopped his contemplation, his brow furrowed slightly.

’Placing these princes and heirs in Qingshi County to get close to my eldest sister and Xue’Er... what are they plotting?’

In an instant, Gu Zheng understood their plot.

’It can only be that the speed of my breakthroughs has alarmed Zhong Yi and the rest of the Zhong Family.’

’Rescuing the Xiao Family and wiping out the Xie Family must have made them even more wary of me.’

’And that’s why they sent their princes and heirs to get close to my eldest sister and Xue’Er, hoping to turn them into royal consorts.’

As much as Gu Zheng disliked this overt scheme, he had no immediate way to resolve it.

’I can’t just kill all these princes and heirs, can I?’

’Driving them away would be easy, but that would only deepen the Zhong family’s wariness of me.’

’Turning these princes and heirs into Seal Slaves would also be simple. However, that would only prevent them from acting recklessly. They would still have to go through the motions of courting them, and Zhong Yi and Zhong Zhengqiong have undoubtedly planted agents to monitor their progress.’

’If they don’t see Gu Pan’Er and Gu Xue showing any signs of being won over, they’ll just send another batch of Zhong Family scions.’

’I can’t wait any longer.’

Gu Zheng took a deep breath, steadying his mind.

’I can’t wait any longer to go to the Zhong Family Ancestral Land and awaken the Divine Weapon!’

Originally, Gu Zheng had wanted to wait a while longer before revealing that he had perfected the Ten Thousand Blades Heaven Slaughter technique.

But now, it seemed if he waited any longer, the Zhong Family might forbid him from getting near the Divine Weapon, and he wouldn’t be able to enter the Zhong Family Ancestral Land either.

It wasn’t that Gu Zheng was absolutely determined to awaken the Divine Weapon. Rather, the recent crisis at the Xiao Family had already demonstrated just how much of an asset a true Divine Weapon could be.

If the Xiao Family hadn’t possessed the Thunder Shock Spear, Xie Tianyin would have struck long ago and wiped out most of them.

A true Divine Weapon could threaten even a King’s Body expert!

If the Zhong Family were to acquire a true Divine Weapon, their power would undoubtedly surge.

Conversely, if that Divine Weapon were to side with him, then the advantage would be his.

That’s right—Gu Zheng intended to ensnare the Divine Weapon Spirit!

He would take the initiative during the awakening process to communicate with the Divine Weapon Spirit and win it over.

’The best-case scenario would be to turn the Divine Weapon Spirit into a Seal Slave!’

’If humans could be subjugated with a Slave Seal, why not a Divine Weapon Spirit?’

When Gu Zheng was at the Heroic Body Realm, he wouldn’t have even entertained such a thought. Even if he had, he likely couldn’t have achieved it.

But now he was at the King’s Body Realm—the second stage, no less. His Spiritual and Mental Power were far beyond what they had been at the Heroic Body Realm.