Chen Zheng frowned slightly: "According to Mr. Xu, if I don't make it into the top ten, Xuanlin Academy won't protect me?"
Xu Hanliang smiled bitterly: "It's not a question of whether they can protect you, but whether it's worth it, whether they should protect you!"
He said in a deep voice: "Young Lord, when Marquis Chiye was alive, he left many favors in the Imperial Capital, but why has no one come to Yan City to see you all these years? It's not because everyone is heartless and ungrateful, but because of one person..."
Chen Zheng raised an eyebrow: "Who?"
"Marquis Wuji! Tian Wuji of the Tian Family!" Xu Hanliang's eyes were filled with helplessness and a hint of fear: "Young Lord, you might not understand, but once you reach the Imperial City, you will realize what it means to be second only to one person, and above tens of thousands!"
Chen Zheng asked, puzzled: "The Da Yuan Royal Family can tolerate such an overbearing fellow?"
Xu Hanliang shook his head and explained: "The Da Yuan Royal Family doesn't 'tolerate' him, they 'have' to tolerate him! When Marquis Chiye was alive, he could still check Marquis Wuji, but now that Marquis Chiye's life and death are unknown, the Da Yuan Kingdom truly cannot afford to lose another Marquis Wuji..."
Chen Zheng fell silent.
Marquis Wuji, Tian Wuji, like his father Marquis Chiye, rose to their current positions through outstanding military achievements and countless bloody battles, becoming two of the Da Yuan Kingdom's recognized pillars!
With him, the Western Regions could remain stable!
Now that Marquis Chiye was gone, the only one the Da Yuan Kingdom could rely on was Tian Wuji.
Between the two, choosing the Son of Marquis Chiye or the renowned Marquis Wuji was a no-brainer... If Tian Wuji wanted to deal with him, Xuanlin Academy, out of concern for its reputation, wouldn't ignore it, but it definitely wouldn't protect him to the death!
Unless... Chen Zheng could demonstrate corresponding value!
Now that Emperor Yuan was selecting a Young General and causing such a stir, if Chen Zheng could truly win first place, the Da Yuan Imperial Dynasty would not possibly just watch him be killed by Tian Wuji!
Otherwise, what face would Emperor Yuan have left?
"I understand!"
Chen Zheng took a deep breath. His previous thoughts were too naive, and he hadn't realized that Tian Wuji's power had grown to such an extent.
Xu Hanliang took out a porcelain bottle and threw it to Chen Zheng, his face full of guilt: "Here is a drop of top-grade Body Tempering Liquid. Marquis Chiye saved my life, but this is all I can do. Please don't blame me, Young Lord!"
Chen Zheng took the porcelain bottle, his face serious: "Mr. Xu, what are you saying? I am already very grateful that you risked coming to Yan City to warn me! I will never forget the kindness you've shown today!"
He was not an ungrateful person.
Not to mention Xu Hanliang's special trip to warn him this time, just this one drop of top-grade Body Tempering Liquid was extremely valuable and likely cost him many favors.
"Young Lord, take care. We will meet again in two days!"
Xu Hanliang said no more, cupped his fists, and vanished in a flash.
Chen Zheng turned to Chen Hongying: "Hongying Jie, what do you think?"
Chen Hongying still maintained her cold demeanor.
"Your subordinate has no thoughts, but Young Lord, rest assured, if anyone dares to harm the Young Lord, they will first have to step over your subordinate's corpse!"
Under the moonlight, Chen Hongying's heroic and pretty face was filled with determination.
Chen Zheng's gaze softened: "Good! With you, Hongying Jie, even if it's a mountain of swords and a sea of fire, I won't fear going through it!"
Although the situation seemed extremely unfavorable to him at the moment, Chen Zheng also had a trump card!
That was his father, Marquis Chiye!
Others thought Chen Yu's life and death were unknown, but Chen Zheng had already confirmed with Chen Hongying that his father was merely fishing!
"Hongying Jie, you should go rest first."
Chen Zheng sent Chen Hongying away, then turned to open the mechanism in the small courtyard, arriving at the secret Cultivation room behind the large rock.
After learning these tidbits of information from Xu Hanliang, Chen Zheng had an even more urgent desire to improve his strength.
"My Physical Body has already reached Perfection. Before reaching the Imperial City, breaking through to Houtian Great Perfection shouldn't be a problem either!"
Chen Zheng mused inwardly, looking at the porcelain bottle containing the top-grade Body Tempering Liquid in his hand. After some thought, he put it away.
Although Xu Hanliang didn't seem to have any ill intentions.
It's always good to be wary of others!
Moreover, with the golden liquid inside the chaos divine cauldron, the Body Tempering Liquid was dispensable to him.
He took out a drop of golden liquid from the divine cauldron and consumed it.
In an instant, Chen Zheng felt his entire body's blood Qi surge like boiling water, strengthening his Meridians while his cultivation slowly increased.
He gripped his long saber and strode towards the projection room.
"Cultivate!"
Two days passed in a flash.
During this time, he only went out once, to visit Ai Linna and entrust his mother to her, asking her to take Yang Su and the others to the Imperial Capital. Chen Hongying would also accompany them.
With two Kai Mai Realm Peak experts, his mother's safety should be guaranteed.
As for Chen Zheng, he would set off with Xu Hanliang and the other nineteen selected Yan City Prodigies.
Inside the projection room.
Chen Zheng was locked in a bitter struggle!
Initially, Chen Zheng chose the difficult mode, and the mirror projection simulated opponents ranging from Houtian Eighth Stage to Houtian Great Perfection level for him.
But for the current Chen Zheng, battles of this level posed no difficulty in clearing. They only served to familiarize him with the Wind and Thunder Saber Technique and as a warm-up.
As the Wind and Thunder Saber Technique gradually became proficient, Chen Zheng activated the demon mode!
The projections in demon mode had no beasts!
His first enemy was a black-clad man at Kai Mai Realm First Stage, wielding a giant hammer!
With one hammer blow!
Chen Zheng raised his saber to block, instantly sliding back several meters!
But he had endured it after all! He wasn't as helpless as he was when facing Tian Lie.
The maximum strength of an ordinary Kai Mai Realm First Stage Martial Artist was around 25,000 jin, and Chen Zheng, after reaching Houtian Ninth Stage Physical Body Great Perfection, had roughly the same strength.
In terms of Mental Energy, as Chen Zheng's cultivation improved, it also saw some growth, barely enough to be on par with a Kai Mai Realm Second Stage Martial Artist.
His only current deficiency was experience in fighting Kai Mai Realm Martial Artists!
Just as Chen Zheng was full of confidence, in the twentieth move of his battle with the mirror projection, he was struck in the head by the giant hammer and forcibly ejected from the mirror.
Chen Zheng was not discouraged. He fought again, then lasted thirty moves, then forty moves, then fifty moves... Finally, after a day and over thirty battles, he reached a stalemate with the mirror projection.
Neither could defeat the other.
The only difference was that the mirror projection didn't get tired, but Chen Zheng did!
So ultimately, Chen Zheng still ended up losing!
At this point, Chen Zheng realized that to win, he either needed to advance further in cultivation, reaching Houtian Realm Great Perfection, or make progress in his saber technique, reaching the Minor Achievement Realm.
But he was just a little short on both of these!
In another battle, Chen Zheng was blasted by a hammer after a hundred moves!
At this point, Chen Zheng realized his mindset was problematic. He directly exited the Cultivation room and had a good night's sleep.
The next day was the day of departure.
Chen Zheng woke up half an hour early. After breakfast, Chen Zheng went to the secret Cultivation room, preparing for his final battle before leaving Yan City.
After a night's rest, Chen Zheng felt an unprecedented sense of ease in both body and mind.
After two hundred moves, Chen Zheng and the projection were once again locked in a stalemate, only this time, Chen Zheng was no longer anxious, his long saber striking one blow after another!
His aura became increasingly stable, and his long saber moved faster and faster!
Finally!
After three hundred moves, Chen Zheng seized that fleeting opportunity in his mind!
Swish!
The saber was like lightning! The sound like thunder!
Only a flash of purple light was seen!
Before the giant hammer in the mirror projection's hand could fall, its head had already soared into the sky!
Wind and Thunder Saber Technique, Minor Achievement!
Immediately after, the Qi and blood in his body surged like a tide! Breaking through the last Martial Meridian in his body!
Houtian Great Perfection! Achieved!