“Really?” Liu Chuqing looked at him and asked with uncertainty. 

Li Qiye fixed some stray hair on her forehead and smiled: “Silly girl, you’re courageous with a strong dao heart. Your issue is being shy, that’s two different things. The only thing you need is more training.”

“Are you telling the truth?” She felt much better after hearing this but still asked for confirmation.

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t lie to you.” Li Qiye chuckled: “Without courage and a strong dao heart, you wouldn’t be standing here right now. You’re not the only one who has a marriage pact with me, there are four others but how many are here right now? Only you. It’s not because you’re foolishly lovable but because you are facing it head-on without denial. You could have avoided, refused, or did some scheming. The courage to do what you did is much greater, readily accepting and wanting to make the situation better.” 

He looked at her and continued: “Of course, this is a combination of you being stupid and having a strong dao heart.”

“I’m not stupid!” She coquettishly stomped her foot like a cute wife.

Li Qiye smiled and stared at the horizon: “These few things can be trained and polished.”

“How?” She wondered.

“No one is born with a resolute dao heart. They must be unfeeling or emotionless in that case, but it’s impossible anyway. A firm dao heart is the result of experiences, such as hesitation, fear, and other various emotions… yet the person still preserves. This is a process, not a gift from above. For example, courage is fighting against fear, allowing you to move forward.”

“Right.” She became immersed, thinking about how she wanted to run several times after coming here. However, courage still emerged at key moments and helped her.

“What you need is more training.” Li Qiye told her: “I just happen to have a mantra that is perfect for you. Though it won’t let you become invincible or add wind to your cultivation speed, it will give you courage and decisiveness.”

“There’s a merit law like that?” She was surprised.

“Why wouldn’t there be?” He said: “Why do mortals cultivate Buddhism? For Buddhist laws or to become Buddha? These laws are omnipotent, allowing one to gain great abilities. As for becoming a Buddha, it allows you to be untouchable by myriad laws with an eternal Buddhist heart. Which do you think is stronger? The laws or the heart?”

“Well…” She couldn’t answer right away.

“This goes back to the reason for cultivating the dao, is it to gain amazing abilities or to have an eternal dao heart?” Li Qiye continued.

She earnestly listened because this was a new and beneficial topic for her. No one has talked to her about this topic before.

“To become an invincible True Emperor isn’t hard, but to become one with an eternal dao heart is exceedingly difficult - the latter might not show up in an epoch.” Li Qiye continued: “With an indestructible dao heart, no laws can touch you. Even if the world were to collapse, you would still be fine during its destruction. So which is more crucial, having dao laws or a strong dao heart? The laws won’t make you eternal, but the dao heart can.”

Anyone else would be snorting right now, thinking that Li Qiye was spouting worthless nonsense. Liu Chuqing didn’t think so. She had a rather pure and intelligent heart. Her innate fortunes far exceeded other geniuses.

She was completely entranced by the relevant topic, leading her into a new domain.

“All of this is possible?” She said softly.

“Nothing is impossible for me.” Li Qiye said with a smile: “Listen up, I will pass the mantra down to you now. Carefully train and ask me if you have any questions.”

With that, he began chanting while she carefully listened and memorized every single word, not missing a single detail.

Keep in mind that as a princess of Waterfront Pavilion, she had access to its most profound merit laws, even one of the most coveted things in the system - the word, Lin.

On the other hand, Li Qiye was only famous as a useless and perverted tyrant with no cultivation to speak of! How could such a person comprehend some profound mantras? What a joke.

He was going to teach the genius of Waterfront a mental cultivation technique? One would laugh their teeth off after hearing this. What was more profound than one of the nine secrets in this system, and she had access to one!

He was simply displaying his slight skill before an expert, not knowing his own limitations.

Strangely enough, Chuqing was entirely immersed in the mantra.

As the saying goes - a woman in love is a fool. Li Qiye had occupied an important person in her mind. Even just a casual line would be memorized earnestly by her, let alone this wondrous and highly-coveted mantra.

A fool is blessed in other ways - or so people say. In fact, her pure and innocent heart was the reason why she obtained this great fortune and earned Li Qiye’s favor. Anyone else, regardless of how subservient, wouldn’t be taught this mantra.

Though she was bashful and lovably silly, her talents were incredible. She just didn’t put as much focus on training as others.

Because of this, she instantly memorized the entire mantra and began to research it. After a long while, her wits returned: “This mantra is incredibly profound, I can feel it coursing through me.”

“It’s because you have the halcyon bloodline. This cold and penetrating bloodline is helping you with the mantra.” He chuckled.

“You noticed?” Her mouth became agape, looking quite cute.

People only knew that she had a prestigious bloodline but not the exact one. Only a few ancestors from her sect had this knowledge yet Li Qiye could figure it out.

“Nothing can hide from my eyes as long as I will it so.” Li Qiye bragged.

She tilted her head and stared at this ordinary yet charismatic man. Perhaps she could never get tired of doing so.

“You’re so much different from the rumors.” She murmured.

“The world is full of illusions and hindrances, no one can see clearly.” He said: “It is a chess match, how can a piece see the entire board or the actual players? That’s why the majority of the world just listen and repeat blindly.”

“I see.” She didn’t want to think about the rationality behind this line and went back to focusing on her mantra.

She eventually had a question: “I feel a sense of familiarity as if I’ve seen it before, maybe not. What mantra is this?”

“You’ll find out later but this is only the beginning. Take your time and understand it then I’ll teach you another.” He said.

“Alright.” She nodded obediently just like a virtuous wife.

Li Qiye smiled, enjoying her demeanor. Others would find this impossible. The princess of Waterfront with boundless potential was willing to marry a useless king and follow him for the rest of her life.

Moreover, she even happily learned his mantra. People would think that she was insane and foolish beyond cure.

She didn’t care about these matters because the moment she came here, she was prepared for the worst. However, after actually spending time with him, reality didn't seem so bad. She actually found happiness and thought that just one lifetime with him was too short.

Others could think that she was stupid all they want; she didn’t mind at all. She enjoyed her time right now even if Li Qiye was actually a useless king like the rumors.