Jing Xiang, as the only heir in Jing Kindom who couldn't cultivate, was not only free from any disdain or ridicule but was also the most favored among all the princes, heirs, and princesses.
The current king of Jing Kindom was his father's elder brother.
However, since ascending the throne, the king had devoted his life to cultivation, never marrying or having descendants.
Thus, he doted on Jing Xiang excessively.
The other Jing family members of the same generation also maintained a harmonious relationship, showing mutual respect and avoiding conflict, with no signs of competing for the throne.
Of course, a significant reason for this was that the Jing family didn't care much about Jing Kindom.
Jing Kindom had only existed for a few thousand years and was insignificant in Xiyan Province.
Small countries like Jing Kindom were as numerous as grains of sand, too many to count. However, this was also because Jing Kindom would undergo a complete transformation every few thousand years.
From what Jing Xiang had learned recently, the throne of Jing Kindom had been reluctantly thrust upon his honest and simple-minded uncle after much reluctance from his father and others. No one had wanted to take on the role of the emperor.
After learning this, Jing Xiang was stunned for a long time before coming to his senses, feeling a sense of strangeness and absurdity in his heart.
He had never imagined that Jing Kindom had such a mysterious and unpredictable origin.
Initially skeptical of the sudden voice, he gradually began to believe it as many things the voice mentioned were confirmed one by one.
Now, Jing Xiang was increasingly convinced that he was merely under a curse that prevented him from cultivating.
If he could break the curse, he would be able to cultivate like everyone else.
"Come to think of it, it's been a while since my sister returned. I wonder how she's doing in the Imperial Immortal Palace?"
He should have stopped her back then and not let her go to the Imperial Immortal Palace. It's been so long, and she hasn't contacted the family at all.
However, he figured his father must have a plan; otherwise, he wouldn't have let Jing Xiao leave alone so confidently.
Jing Xiang looked up again at the blazing sun overhead, muttering to himself.
Only at noon each day could he hear the voice coming from within the sun.
During this time, Jing Xiang had been poring over some ancient texts at home and also visiting the royal palace's library to search for relevant records..
He speculated that there might be an invisible barrier formation or seal around the sun.
Only at noon would the barrier's formation patterns loosen, allowing him to hear the voice from within.
Over the past few days, Jing Xiang had also asked the voice about its identity. But every time this question came up, the voice would let out a disdainful laugh and refuse to explain.
This left Jing Xiang utterly confused, forcing him to investigate on his own.
Until he figured everything out, he didn't want to inform his parents because he had a feeling that the voice seemed to harbor disdain and hostility toward the Jing family.
Many of the secrets about the Jing Mansion were revealed to Jing Xiang through that voice.
"Heir, are you going to the palace again?"
Seeing Jing Xiang seemingly lost in thought for a while before heading out of the courtyard, the two maids quickly followed and asked.
These past few days, Jing Xiang had been going to the palace's scripture repository to browse through some ancient records, so they were used to it.
"You don't need to follow me."
Jing Xiang nodded. Although he had no cultivation, his steps were not slow, and he soon disappeared from the courtyard.
The two maids exchanged helpless glances, their faces showing regret and sorrow.
"It seems the heir still hasn't given up."
Even as maids, their cultivation was not weak, having been trained and taught by the Jing family since childhood. In ordinary sects, they could be considered prodigies.
Jing Xiang had always yearned to cultivate and never stopped poring over ancient records, searching for relevant information.
In their eyes, Jing Xiang's recent research into various ancient records was a sign of his unwillingness to give up, as he continued searching for a way to cultivate.
The two maids sighed, then turned to report this matter to Jing Xiang's parents.
Meanwhile, in a side courtyard of the Jing Mansion.
The current Lord, his Consort, and a middle-aged man in a dragon robe, tall and imposing, were sitting around a stone table, sipping tea and chatting.
The two maids soon arrived and whispered to the Consort about Jing Xiang's recent absent-mindedness.
"Xiang'er has been visiting the imperial palace frequently these days. It seems he is still troubled by his inability to cultivate."
Although King Jing had not met with Jing Xiang, he was well aware of his son's every move during this time.
Hearing this, he couldn't help but sigh softly.
The issue with Jing Xiang's body had been examined by several ancestors, but even they had no solution.
Unless Jing Xiang returned to the womb and reforged his physical body, even a Great Golden Immortal would be powerless.
It was a strange and incurable condition. It seemed that some eerie and mysterious force resided within Jing Xiang's body, constantly destroying his dantian. The moment spiritual energy appeared, it would immediately shatter his dantian again.
But even they didn't know what that force was, nor could they detect it.
So it wasn't that they couldn't repair Jing Xiang's dantian. With the Jing family's deep foundation, what kind of rare and precious treasures couldn't they obtain?
But it was this incurable condition of Jing Xiang's that left them completely helpless.
Even after being repaired, it would shatter again, repeating the cycle many times.
Helpless, they could only lie to Jing Xiang, saying his dantian had been repaired, but he had now become a flawless body, unable to absorb spiritual energy.
This condition was extremely rare, never seen before.
Even his good friend, the current Palace Master of the Imperial Immortal Palace, had examined him and shook his head, plainly stating that there was no solution.
"Poor Xiang'er. If he can't cultivate, living a life of wealth and luxury as an ordinary person isn't too bad either."
The Jing Consort also showed a look of pity, her tone filled with helplessness.
"If Xiang'er could cultivate, with his diligence and hard work, his current cultivation level would surely not be below Jing Xiao's."
The middle-aged man in the imperial robe also spoke, his voice deep and powerful. He was the Jing Prince's elder brother, the current king of Jing Kindom.