Others cultivate their skills through endless effort, but Duncan's power is forged through battles.
Whenever Duncan feels the world's resistance, he intentionally expends some of his power to avoid accidentally shattering the void.
He needs to leave some margin for himself.
With Duncan's current level of cultivation, if he wanted to forcibly enhance someone's strength, he could easily help them clear the Ren and Du Meridians. Entering the Dao Entrance Realm is out of reach, but the Innate Realm is worth a try.
"Go down and heal your injuries first."
Duncan looked at the woman in palace attire before him and said faintly, "Stay in the palace for now. I'll find a way to help you break into the Dao Entrance Realm another day."
The Xuanyin Sect has great use for him.
Because in one deduction of the Law of Cause and Effect, the Human Form relied on the Xuanyin Sect to cultivate the Yellow Emperor Secret Technique and ascended directly with the Grotto Heaven Blessed Land.
In the last few hundred years in this world, there has been only one person capable of lifting a residence to ascend—they say it's Celestial Master Xu Xun, who is rumored to have 'lifted a residence to ascend.'
If one person attains the Dao, even chickens and dogs can ascend to heaven.
Though Duncan is currently trapped in the Dao Entrance Realm, if he proves the Dao, even chickens and dogs ascending would be no problem.
Yinhua respectfully withdrew.
After her departure, Ji Shaojiang whispered, "Your Majesty."
"Shall I personally go and reclaim the imperial jade seal?"
Upon hearing this, Duncan faintly smiled.
Holding the fake jade seal in his hand, he gazed into the distant worldly hustle and bustle and said slowly, "Who told you this is fake?"
Could it be real?
No, it's not.
This imperial jade seal bears no supernatural power, so how could it be the real He Shi Bi?
The eerie woman in blood-like green attire was very puzzled.
"Follow me."
Duncan smiled casually, holding the fake imperial jade seal, and walked towards the outskirts of the imperial city, calmly saying, "If I say it's real, then it's real."
"However."
"We'll have to borrow some of the human world's fortune!"
Duncan's pace quickened.
Ji Shaojiang hesitated for a moment but hurriedly followed.
By this time, the Prince's Mansion had already restored its order and calmness, and the markets in Guocheng were lined across the streets, filled with densely populated commercial areas. Outside the palace, Duncan changed into commonplace attire and signaled Ji Shaojiang to do the same. Then the two of them strolled through the various markets, observing the bustling traders and hawkers.
"What does Your Majesty intend to do?" Ji Shaojiang was amazed.
The Prince's Mansion located in Renxiao City in the east and northern suburbs served as a barrier for the imperial city and was a residential area for officials and nobles, with a Great Salt Warehouse located in the eastern city.
The western urban area served as a commercial and residential district, with the inclusion of foreign markets. Merchants could set up shops or stalls in selected areas by paying a commercial tax. Thanks to the upcoming market day, merchants were bustling everywhere, with cries of hawkers attracting many passersby.
For some reason, the ordinary people around seemed oblivious to the pair—even as they passed by, they didn't draw attention.
——Merchants.
Duncan paused in an alley of a market, holding the fake imperial jade seal. True Yuan infused into his fingertips, he wrote the word 'merchants' in the air.
No wealth without merchants.
As Duncan made the final stroke, it seemed a trace of Spiritual Light appeared on the fake imperial jade seal in his hand. Under Ji Shaojiang's stunned gaze, an invisible thread of fortune was being absorbed into it, with even the surface of the jade seal flowing with a sheen of brilliance.
At a glance, the fake imperial jade seal now looked somewhat real.
Duncan smiled faintly.
He walked along the market to the street's end, where the Great Salt Warehouse was located in the eastern city. A few streets away stood the Prince's Mansion's academy. Although Duncan didn't possess the wealth to popularize education extensively, he could still transform the confiscated houses to initiate elementary education to some extent.
"The universe mysterious and vast, the cosmos ancient and grand. The sun and moon wax and wane, stars align in their spread.
Cold comes and heat goes, autumn harvests and winter stores. Leap year completes the year, laws and regulations harmonize the yang.
Clouds rise to bring rain, dew congeals into frost. Gold is born from beautiful waters, jade originates from Kunlun.
Swords boast the great Que, jewels proclaim the night light. Fruits like rare plums and apples, vegetables and mustard ginger are cherished.
......
Support the people, punish the guilty. Zhou established rituals at Yintintang's fall. Sitting to inquire of the Dao, overseeing the governance with ease.
......
Ahead of the pair was the sound of clear, youthful recitation, mostly children no older than eight or nine. The teacher at the propped table was an elderly man in his fifties, dressed in worn clothing, long beard waving as he nodded and guided a group of young students through the Thousand Character Classic.
Duncan watched everything from a distance with delight, faintly saying, "Support the people, punish the guilty."
"It should be so."
— Scholar.
His figure grasped forward, as if seizing some invisible fate. The cultural spirit of the academy gathered, swirling like mist, like a multicolored stream of light. At its center, strands of literary destiny from all over the Southern Han seeped in, resonating with the sound of countless people reading in his ears.