My Cultivation Starting from Archery

A military exercise.

Also, amidst earth-shaking shouts, was declared finished.

The soldiers were still cheering.

Chen Sansi, however, retracted his silver spear and followed his master out of the barracks, making their way to the Immortal Crane Tower and up to a room on the top floor.

"Ah, Supervisor Sun has arrived."

The waiter led the way with a beaming smile, "Your guests have all arrived."

"Good."

Sun Xiangzong said as he pushed open the door.

Inside,

sitting around the dining table in the room, were a dozen or so people dressed luxuriously.

They were not in official attire,

yet Chen Sansi could still recognize that these people were officials from the varying levels of the nineteen bureaus of Liangzhou City.

Of course, he could tell it was only a part of them, not all.

Some of them even had ancestors who were ennobled.

There were even hereditary marquises.

'Why has Master invited all these people here?'

'...'

"Supervisor Sun!"

"After many years, you are well, I trust!"

"The one behind you must be General Chen Sansi, right?"

"Indeed, just meeting you today, one can see you are impressive!"

"Remarkable, truly remarkable!"

"Sealing Langju Xu!"

"This is a first!"

"I myself used to be in the military, and I must drink a few more cups with General Chen later!"

"..."

"Shanshi."

Sun Xiangzong leaned slightly and said, "Hurry and greet all the dignitaries."

"I am honored to meet all the dignitaries."

Everyone took their seats.

After three rounds of drinks, the officials spoke up.

"Supervisor Sun, rest assured!"

"Once we return, we will petition the Capital City, requesting His Majesty to bestow upon Mr. Chen the appointment as the new Beiliang Governor."

"Though we are not in the Cabinet,"

"We are still the governor of a state, and to some extent, we must listen to the opinions of the local officials."

"This is also for the good of Beiliang."

"Before, it was Supervisor Sun."

"In the future, with General Chen here, Liangzhou will be without worry!"

"..."

The banquet lasted until near midnight before it ended.

Sun Xiangzong had people arrange for them to stay within the Governor Mansion, to stay for the wedding that was soon to follow.

Soon, only the master and disciple remained in the room.

"Boy."

Sun Xiangzong, stroking his teacup, spoke up: "Do you know why I did what I did today?"

"Please..."

Chen Sansi hesitated: "Master, I await your instruction."

"Since you chose to stay, you must aim higher, and only by ascending can you secure your stance in court and possess the power to be unconstrained by others."

Sun Xiangzong explained unhurriedly: "The position of governor, it's not that I insist you take it, but rather you must take it."

"Especially after your contributions become substantial, you will need this position even more."

"Before this, you know what the Beiliang Army went through, and the state your Hongze Camp is in; only with this position can you act with proper authority in whatever you do in the future."

"Master's words are true."

Chen Sansi understood his master's meaning.

After expanding his camp,

in name he was the Main General of the Beiliang Army's Hongze Camp, but from Deputy General to Assistant General, all were from the Capital City, and while they followed his orders in battle, they would certainly not go against the court's commands.

In other words,

if one day he displeased the Capital City,

just a single transfer order could wipe clean all the foundations he had fought so hard for over the years.

This was something he absolutely could not accept.

One's destiny must always be in one's own hands.

"Master has considered everything."

Chen Sansi said: "But, will the Capital City agree?"

"Heh, you naive boy, do you really think I can appoint you to however high a position I claim? First off, it's about whether your own merits are fitting."

Sun Xiangzong said: "Sealing Langju Xu—such a great feat has never been achieved by me in all my life. Let alone a governor, if you were bold enough to petition for the title of State Duke, they might even agree.

"A governor, after all,

"is really just a title without substance."

"What I can give you is just this superficial title."

"Whether you truly become a governor or not will depend on you."

"I will bear it in mind, Master."

Chen Sansi said.

"Take this."

A jade scroll suddenly appeared in Sun Xiangzong's hand.

Chen Sansi took the jade scroll and examined it closely.

"A True Power Realm cultivation technique."

Sun Xiangzong explained: "Or as they often say in the Cultivation World, above the Martial Saint."

"In the Cultivation World,

"Cultivators say: To absorb the spiritual elements of the heavens and the earth, to cultivate the very root of all techniques, to create one's own transformation, to transcend mortality, and ascend, that is the Heavenly Way, the true Immortal Path."

"But in reality,"

"They don't know that the human body itself is the greatest treasure."

"At the dawn of the ancient chaos, Divine Beasts dominated, demons roamed freely, but only the Human Race seized the heavens and earth's creation, born amidst Spirit Essence, and could pass on through generations till this day. How could the human body possibly be weak?

"Some people lack a Spirit Root and cannot cultivate the Dan Tian Technique, so they give up in despair, believing that in this life, they can no longer touch the supernatural, nor ever stand shoulder to shoulder with so-called Immortals."

"Little do they know, the human body itself has hidden secrets!"

"The difference between a True Power Warrior and one who has Transcended Mortality lies in transforming True Qi into True Power."

"And to achieve this step, one needs to utilize Spiritual Power to refine the body once again."

"In the True Power Realm cultivation technique, the human body is divided into—"

"Three parts, eight scenic gods, twenty-four truths."

"Before this, you will need a treasure of heaven and earth to officially activate the secret within the human body."

"Afterward, you can begin to refine your body."

"Upper, middle, and lower three parts, corresponding to the eight scenic gods and twenty-four truths, once all are thoroughly refined, you then enter the realm of Great Perfection in the True Power Realm."

"Three parts, eight scenic gods, twenty-four truths..."

Chen Sansi inquired: "Then Master, what lies beyond the True Power Realm?"

"In the Cultivation World, the cultivation techniques beyond the True Power Realm are forbidden, and aside from a few special sects and cultivators, no one is to cultivate them privately, and I also do not possess such techniques. You'll have to explore that on your own."