“Talent? Hahaha…”
When Ruo Ximeng said she had poor talent, Su Chen suddenly burst out laughing.
His expression alone made it clear just how much he disdained the idea of aptitude being important.
“Ximeng, talent? What does it matter? Sure, talent and spiritual roots do influence cultivation, but they have nothing to do with whether one can become a peerless powerhouse of an era.”
“Talent… isn’t important?”
Ruo Ximeng stared at Su Chen, dumbfounded.
Her small mouth hung wide open, as if it could fit an entire goose egg.
If talent truly didn’t matter, then why had her royal brother gone to such lengths to steal her sacred bone?
Ruo Ximeng looked utterly confused, but at this moment, she wholeheartedly believed Su Chen’s words.
Since her master had said so, then talent clearly wasn’t that important in cultivation after all!
***
[Host! Talent doesn’t matter? Doesn’t your conscience hurt even a little? Be honest—does talent matter or not?!]
The tiny figure of the Imperial Master System, now in chibi form, glared at Su Chen with sheer disdain.
[This guy had the audacity to lie through his teeth like that! If talent really didn’t matter, then why would so many people go to such extremes just to improve theirs?]
‘You want a beating, don’t you? If you’re so capable, you teach her. If not, then shut up!’
Su Chen replied sharply to the system’s projection.
He was busy training his disciple here.
Since when did the system get a say?
“That’s right, Ximeng. Poor talent is no problem. Damaged roots? Also not a problem. What matters most… is that you have a great master!”
“Understand?”
“With me here, even if you accomplish absolutely nothing—your legacy is guaranteed.”
Ruo Ximeng nodded adorably, her head bobbing like a little dumpling.
“Oh… okay.”
“Also, most of what I teach is extremely profound and mysterious. Don’t worry if you can’t learn it right away, and there’s absolutely no need to try too hard!”
“Because with me as your master, even if your talent and roots are trash, one day—you will still become an Empress who crushes the ages beneath her feet!”
Su Chen spoke with a gentle tone, but his expression was serious.
And this wasn’t bragging—it was a solemn, unshakable truth.
With his strength, paving the way for his disciple to dominate all of history… was that really difficult?
He would personally clear every obstacle in her path—wouldn’t that make her the undisputed number one in the world?
Ruo Ximeng was deeply moved by Su Chen’s confident promise.
Her eyes shimmered with emotion, on the verge of tears.
She had already decided: she would never again worry about talent.
She would cultivate exactly as her master said, without doubt or hesitation!
At this moment, she felt the warmth and protection of a true teacher, and her heart overflowed with gratitude.
Seeing her determined little eyes, Su Chen felt utterly satisfied.
***
As for the Imperial Master System—if it weren’t afraid of being punched, it would have already started cursing out loud.
Was this really how you “teach” someone?
He’d completely bamboozled that clueless little girl!
Still, remembering Su Chen’s righteous iron fists, the system wisely kept its mouth shut.
And just then, Su Chen suddenly paused, a blank look on his face.
Ruo Ximeng didn’t know if it was because she was too touched or if her body still felt unwell, but her eyes shimmered with tears.
“Uh… Ximeng, what’s wrong? Are you still not feeling well?”
With Su Chen’s perceptiveness, he could naturally tell that Ruo Ximeng was physically fine now.
‘If that was the case, why was this girl tearing up out of nowhere?’
“Master, I’m fine! I’ll overcome all hardships and train diligently!”
Ruo Ximeng wiped away the glistening tears at the corner of her eyes and then spoke with great determination.
“Haha, cultivation isn’t as scary or difficult as you think.”
Su Chen let out a hearty laugh, then led Ruo Ximeng over to sit on a nearby bench.
“Ximeng, the human body is an immense reservoir of potential. On the path of cultivation, there are 48,000 different methods!”
“Techniques involving bloodlines, physiques, or spiritual roots are just one category out of those 48,000.”
“Inside your body, there are 360 star acupoints. Every time you awaken one, you gain a powerful new ability.”
“Originally, the Primordial Star Technique was too difficult to cultivate, and I shouldn’t have passed it to you.”
“However, given your current condition, it’s actually very suitable! As the saying goes, ‘Destruction brings rebirth—only after breaking down can one rebuild stronger.'”
Ruo Ximeng was getting a little dizzy from all of Su Chen’s explanations.
Some of his words sounded profound, while others completely went over her head.
Still, she listened intently, and made sure to remember everything he said.
“This is the Ancient Star Chart Scroll. Take it with you and study it at your own pace. There’s no need to rush. Cultivation must progress step by step. Just go with the flow and let it unfold naturally.”
With those words, Su Chen handed her a scroll.
This so-called Ancient Star Chart was, of course, a complete fabrication.
‘Where would Su Chen even get something like that?’
The scroll he handed her was nothing more than an ordinary stargazing chart.
After the lesson, Ruo Ximeng took the technique and obediently returned to her room to begin training.
***
Once Ruo Ximeng had left, the tiny figure formed by the Imperial Mentor System couldn’t help but speak up.
[Host, where did you even get this Primordial Star Technique from?]
The system’s miniature avatar had been with Su Chen all along, so it knew perfectly well that he had no such technique.
‘It’s fake. Just the most basic breathing and calming method.’
Su Chen answered with a straight face and a totally self-assured tone.
[And where did you get the Ancient Star Chart from, then?]
The system continued to question him.
‘That’s fake too. Where would I get a real ancient star chart from?’
Su Chen replied as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
[Host, isn’t this just scamming her?]
‘How is this scamming? I’m just letting her build a foundation and get her body in shape. Who knows? Maybe one day she’ll really become strong.’
Su Chen continued to spout nonsense with full confidence.
[Do you seriously believe that yourself?]
The Imperial Mentor System was beginning to feel like it had had enough of this man’s shamelessness.
‘Of course I believe it.’
Su Chen chuckled softly, completely unfazed.
In truth, both Su Chen and the system knew that the technique was just a basic breathing method and the star chart was a regular observational map.
So no matter how hard Ruo Ximeng trained, there shouldn’t be anything extraordinary to expect.
***
Meanwhile, after parting ways with Su Chen, Ruo Ximeng returned to her room and threw herself into training.
Her desire to become stronger had never been more resolute.
At first, she thought the technique Su Chen gave her would be incredibly difficult.
But to her surprise, once she began practicing, she found it unexpectedly simple.
The outermost part of the star chart depicted a figure seated in the ‘five hearts toward the sky’ posture.
Every meridian and star acupoint inside that figure’s body was clearly marked on the chart.
By repeatedly studying the diagram and fully understanding a single star acupoint, she could awaken its corresponding ability.
‘Could it be… I’m practicing this wrong?’
After running through the technique again and studying the chart carefully, Ruo Ximeng began to feel a little nervous.
But when she followed the cultivation path outlined in the method and completed a full cycle of energy circulation, it felt smoother and more natural than ever.
At that moment, a vision appeared before her eyes: a vast expanse of stars.
In that boundless, originless, endless starry void, a mystical golden vein ran across the heavens—connecting the stars like a celestial bridge.