#297 - As long as you are still in Wu State, I care (4000 words)

"Come on, open your mouth."

"Your Highness, Princess, this isn't really appropriate."

"What's not appropriate? Why are you being so coy with me now? Hurry up, open your mouth!"

"Alright then... Ah..."

The Imperial Capital's Princess Residence in the State of Wu.

Xu Ming, wrapped like a mummy, lay on the bed, with only his mouth unwrapped. Wu Yanhan held a bowl of medicine and used a wooden spoon to scoop a spoonful for Xu Ming to drink.

To have the princess of Wu personally serve him medicine, Xu Ming was, in all honesty, a little embarrassed.

He figured he was probably the only one in the entire State of Wu to receive such treatment.

But in truth, he and Wu Yanhan had a bond forged in life-and-death situations, so this little thing really wasn't much. Moreover, there was no one else in the Princess Residence, no one to see, no gossip to be had, and no one who would dare to gossip.

Xu Ming opened his mouth and allowed Wu Yanhan to feed him the medicine.

Xu Ming didn't know what exactly was in this bowl of medicine, but whatever it was, Xu Ming would drink it down.

Xu Ming trusted that Wu Yanhan wouldn't harm him, just like he trusted that his own mother wouldn't harm him.

It's just that, well, this medicine was really bitter...

Xu Ming felt like his tongue was going numb.

"Sheng Sheng, wipe your Xu-gege's mouth." After finishing feeding the medicine, Wu Yanhan put down the bowl and stood up.

"Oh woo ~"

Shen Sheng Sheng happily walked forward, holding a handkerchief in her little hand, and wiped Xu Ming's mouth.

It was as if Sheng Sheng was undertaking a grand project, wiping his mouth with great focus.

"Let's go, Sheng Sheng, let your Xu-gege rest well. I'll take you to practice your boxing." After clearing away the dishes, Wu Yanhan said to Shen Sheng Sheng.

"En en ~" Shen Sheng Sheng nodded, then instructed Xu Ming, "Xu-gege must rest well, okay ~ Sheng Sheng is going to practice boxing ~ I'll come see Xu-gege later ~"

Xu Ming smiled: "Go on, go on."

"En en."

Shen Sheng Sheng grabbed Xu Ming's hand, placed it on her head, gently rubbed against it, and then gently put Xu-gege's little hand down, following Sister Yanhan to practice boxing.

The door closed, and Xu Ming lay alone on the bed. The system's voice echoed in Xu Ming's mind.

[Congratulations to the host for surviving the Ten Realms Tribulation. Lightning Resistance +500, Physical Self-Healing Ability +100, Spiritual Power Recovery Speed +100, Martial Artist True Qi Recovery Speed +100, Physical Resilience +200, Sword Intent Comprehension +100, Spiritual Power Density +100, Dao Comprehension +50, Skin Toughness...]

The system kept reciting in Xu Ming's mind, adding a total of more than twenty attributes, and each attribute was increased by no less than 50 points.

Generally speaking, the greater the difficulty Xu Ming faced, the more attribute points the system would give.

It was clear that this tribulation was a very big challenge for Xu Ming.

Xu Ming even felt that if the system had consciousness, it probably wouldn't have thought he could survive this ordeal!

And opportunity is proportional to risk. Now that he had survived, he would naturally have "wealth and glory."

After the system finished reciting a long list of attribute points, it wasn't over yet. The system still had substantive rewards.

[The host has achieved the 'Unprecedented Lightning Strike Survivor' achievement, rewarding the host with the 'Ten Lightning Heart Sutra']

[Ten Lightning Heart Sutra: Can suppress demons, exorcise evil, kill ghosts, and slay wickedness. Once fully mastered, it can imbue the power of Heavenly Lightning into longswords and boxing techniques, increasing power and adding Lightning attribute attacks. When the opponent is hit by lightning ten times, they will enter a Lightning Hibernation state, causing paralysis for one second to one minute (depending on the opponent's realm)]

[Detected that the host escaped death in this tribulation, rewarding the host with two Lightning Luck Beads.]

[Lightning Luck Bead: Contains Heavenly Dao Luck. Wearing it can grant a certain degree of Heavenly Dao Luck buff. Whether worn by cultivators or martial artists, it can increase cultivation efficiency to a certain extent.]

As the system's voice faded, the Ten Lightning Heart Sutra appeared in Xu Ming's mind.

Xu Ming's consciousness once again condensed into the form of a small person, constantly practicing the Ten Lightning Heart Sutra.

Immediately afterward, he felt himself rapidly mastering the contents of the Ten Lightning Heart Sutra.

In fact, Xu Ming felt that the Ten Lightning Heart Sutra was a very difficult and obscure heart sutra to master.

Without the system's assistance, relying solely on his own cultivation, it would probably take a certain number of years to fully master it.

But with the help of the system, only two incense sticks' worth of time had passed, and Xu Ming had completely mastered the Ten Lightning Heart Sutra.

Unfortunately, Xu Ming's body was currently covered in injuries, otherwise Xu Ming would want to immediately unleash a punch and a sword strike to see what effects this Ten Lightning Heart Sutra actually had.

It was like getting a new item in a game, and you definitely want to try out the power of this new item, or else you'll always feel like something is missing.

But he still needed to wait, at least another half a month of recuperation.

Although he had experienced the baptism of the lightning tribulation, and the injuries all over his body had been repaired, and his flesh and blood had regenerated.

But his body was still in a state of recovery, otherwise, he wouldn't be wrapped up like a mummy and sent to the Princess Residence.

Under these bandages was the Black Jade Muscle Regeneration Ointment, specially prepared for Xu Ming by a medical cultivator specially invited by the Martial Emperor, which was conducive to the recovery of injuries.

It had to be said that the Martial Emperor was indeed quite good to him.

This "Black Jade Muscle Regeneration Ointment" required many rare and precious materials to make, some of which were rare even in the Four Great Holy Lands.

To make this kind of ointment, it could be said that the Martial Emperor had used the State of Wu's national treasury reserves.

The Martial Emperor was investing heavily in him.

Of course, the Martial Emperor's kindness to him definitely had a purpose, that went without saying.

He had experienced an unprecedented Ten Realms Tribulation, and as long as he developed well, his future could be described as bright.

Even if the Martial Emperor knew that he wouldn't be able to keep him in the future, he also knew that he had to build a good relationship with him.

Because no matter what, he was a person of Wu, and he definitely had a sense of belonging to his homeland.

If he really grew up in the future, he could at least protect the State of Wu for thousands of years.

Don't look at how each of the Ten Great Dynasties has an Ascension Realm Elder Guardian.

In reality, these Guardians are like nuclear deterrents, basically untouchable, and even if a real fight breaks out, who knows how much strength these Ascension Realm cultivators can contribute?

After all, your relationship with them is one of mutual benefit, without much deep emotion.

Xu Ming even heard that the Ascension Realm Guardians of the Ten Great Dynasties only agree to help three times, and after those three times, they will no longer help, and in order to get these three shots from the Ascension Realm, a dynasty doesn't know how many resources it has to give to the other party.

So no matter what, it's definitely not as reliable as having an Ascension Realm cultivator cultivated by your own dynasty.

"Forget it, this is good too."

Xu Ming closed his eyes again, nourishing his soul.

The Martial Emperor was treating him well, now protecting him and giving him resources. As a person of Wu, after he grew up, he should indeed protect the State of Wu and repay this favor.

Not to mention that Yanhan was very likely to become the Empress of Wu, and he would definitely not let anything happen to the State of Wu.

In other words, he would definitely not let anything happen to Yanhan.

Three days passed, and Xu Ming was still lying in bed.

Xu Ming could actually go back to the Xu Residence to recuperate.

But, seeing him in this state, his mother would probably worry and not be able to sleep day and night.

So Xu Ming only asked Wu Yanhan to go to the Xu Residence to bring good news, saying that he was safe and sound, only in seclusion, and would return in half a month.

And it was during this time.

Wu Yanhan and Sheng Sheng would brew medicine for Xu Ming every day, and several times when they carried the medicine bowls into the room, Xu Ming could smell the medicine and the charcoal from their bodies.

There was even a smear of charcoal ash on Yanhan's fair cheeks.

Xu Ming was really touched.

Ignoring Yanhan's identity.

A girl doesn't covet any of your possessions, and when you are at your weakest, she brews medicine for you, feeds you medicine, and constantly takes care of you by your bedside.

A virtuous wife could be nothing more than this.

If this were on Blue Star, this kind of extremely beautiful and virtuous girl, if not extinct, would be very difficult to encounter.

As for Sheng Sheng...

Sheng Sheng's emotions were simply those of a younger sister treating her older brother.

Thirteen days later, the Immortal Realm medical cultivator came to the Princess Residence again to diagnose Xu Ming, saying that Xu Ming could now remove the bandages.

Xu Ming removed the bandages and took a comfortable bath.

Even though Xu Ming was already in the Dragon Gate Realm, especially after experiencing the body tempering of the Profound Lightning Liquid, Xu Ming's body had very few impurities.

But, this ointment sticking to his body was really uncomfortable.

And he was used to taking baths, and if he didn't take a bath for a long time, even if your body wasn't dirty, you would still feel dirty.

After bathing, Xu Ming changed into a set of clothes and walked out of the bathroom.

Wu Yanhan and Sheng Sheng were already waiting at the door.

"Xu-gege ~ ~ ~" Sheng Sheng happily ran forward when she saw Xu Ming come out.

Wu Yanhan also brightened her eyes when she looked at Xu Ming.

Xu Ming picked up Sheng Sheng.

Sheng Sheng hugged Xu Ming's neck: "Xu-gege, there's a smell of medicine, but Xu-gege is more handsome than before ~"

Xu Ming smiled and rubbed Sheng Sheng's head: "After being marinated by that ointment for more than ten days, no matter what, it's flavorful."

"Speaking of which, am I more handsome than before?" Xu Ming asked Wu Yanhan half-jokingly.

Children don't lie, if Sheng Sheng thinks he's become more handsome, then he must have become more handsome.

"Just so-so." Wu Yanhan snorted and turned her head away, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, a faint blush on her cheeks.

In truth, Wu Yanhan hadn't expected that Xu Ming would actually look a bit better after undergoing a tribulation of lightning.

Of course.

Just a bit, that's all.

"How does your body feel?" Wu Yanhan asked.

Xu Ming nodded: "I feel alright, I've basically recovered about seventy or eighty percent."

Actually, Xu Ming had something else he didn't say, which was that after this improvement in his realm, the martial artist's true qi and spiritual power within his body had begun to clash again.

As expected, this problem still exists. If I want to solve it, I probably really have to go to the Western Regions and have a good chat with Mozhu'er about how exactly she can help me completely resolve it.

If the price is too high, then I'll just give up on one path.

"If you're alright, then come with me to the palace," Wu Yanhan said.

"The Emperor summons me?" Xu Ming asked.

Wu Yanhan nodded: "Father also knows you're fine, and you just went through ten heavenly lightning strikes, so he definitely wants to see you, probably to bestow some rewards on you again."

As she spoke, a hint of guilt flashed across Wu Yanhan's face: "I'm sorry, almost everyone in the imperial capital knows about you passing through ten lightning tribulations, and now it's spreading rapidly throughout the world."

"It's fine, I understand," Xu Ming didn't take this matter to heart.

Xu Ming naturally knew that the Martial Emperor was the one pushing things behind the scenes to spread the news so quickly.

The Martial Emperor's purpose in doing so was undoubtedly to promote the reputation of the Wu Kingdom.

After all, compared to the other nine major dynasties of the human race, the Wu Kingdom was established for too short a time and needed to establish a certain reputation internationally to gain a firm foothold.

Otherwise, ordinary people would only know that someone was undergoing tribulation that day and that there were many lightning strikes, but who would know who was undergoing the tribulation?

However, even if the Martial Emperor didn't spread the word, the fact that I had undergone ten lightning tribulations would gradually become known to the world.

The commotion I made was too great. I'm afraid the lightning tribulation could be seen within a radius of a thousand miles.

And after other dynasties investigate and deduce, they will be able to investigate me.

If someone wants to kill me and nip me in the bud, it doesn't matter whether the Martial Emperor spreads the word or not, those people will eventually know.

On the contrary, the Martial Emperor's blatant publicity has a feeling of "Whoever dares to touch the future of my Wu Kingdom is an enemy of my Wu Kingdom."

Although the Wu Kingdom has a bad image and is seen as a "barbarian" in the eyes of other dynasties, the barbarian doesn't reason with you when something happens, they will directly fight you to the death.

"Why don't you go home and see Aunt Chen first? I'll tell my father, there's no need to rush to see him," Wu Yanhan said.

"It's alright," Xu Ming shook his head, "Since it's your father who summoned me, then let's go. Otherwise, your father will think I'm not giving him face, and in the future, the officials might attack me, and I might even be accused of disrespecting the monarch."

Wu Yanhan smiled: "You're already a celestial being, do you still care about this?"

Xu Ming nodded: "Of course, as long as you're still in the Wu Kingdom, then I care."

"What are you saying!" Wu Yanhan stepped forward and kicked Xu Ming, then turned and left, "Hurry up if you want to go!"

"This girl is getting shy," Xu Ming smiled and followed.

At the same time, in the Wu Kingdom's imperial palace, the Martial Emperor had already prepared a banquet, with dishes placed on the table one after another.

The Martial Emperor sat in the main seat, waiting for Xu Ming and his daughter to arrive.

"Your Majesty..." Wei Xun came to the Martial Emperor, took out a few bags of medicine, "The Spring Breeze Pill has already been ground into powder."

The Martial Emperor nodded: "Pour it into the wine."

Wei Xun: "Yes."