Back at Xunyang Marquis Manor, Jiang Wang immediately took out the Golden Elixir his father had left behind. Its effects in healing injuries were especially remarkable.
After sending Xiaoyu back to her room to rest, Jiang Wang lay in the rattan chair in his own room, looking at the two remaining Golden Elixirs in his hand. "Does this thing have anything to do with the Golden Elixir you spat out? They look pretty alike."
The Night Roaming God sprawled limply across the table and said weakly, "How could a mere Monster's Golden Elixir possibly be mentioned in the same breath as mine?"
Jiang Wang was greatly surprised.
If these Golden Elixirs had belonged to Monsters, how had his old man obtained them?
He asked again, "Do all Monsters have Golden Elixirs?"
The Night Roaming God turned over, its feet pointing at the ceiling. It gave a scornful snort and said, "What are you thinking? You truly know nothing about this world. Only Monsters with considerable cultivation can condense Golden Elixirs. Even the weakest among them are far stronger than Wangliang and Luo Yong."
Jiang Wang said regretfully, "Then that Monster Ao Yin must have had a Golden Elixir too? Had I known, I should have dug around for it."
Although he still had not figured out exactly how formidable the Monster Luo Yong was, judging by how it had felt to face Ao Yin head-on, there ought to have been a vast gulf between them.
The two blue-robed cultivators had fought Wangliang in the ruined alley and exchanged blows with Ao Yin. Based on that alone, neither was something an ordinary martial artist could contend with.
Sun Qingya was the strongest in the Black Flame Army. Though Jiang Wang did not know his precise realm, he certainly was not among the Grandmasters. No matter how he thought about it, killing a Monster with profound cultivation and taking its Golden Elixir seemed impossible.
Unless his old man had been extremely powerful to begin with.
"Forget this world. I'm afraid I haven't even figured out what's going on with my own household."
Before coming of age, he had basically never stepped out of the manor. On the rare occasions he had, he had merely wandered around Qixia Street. He had never even left Hun City, so how could he truly understand this world?
Jiang Wang looked at the listless Night Roaming God lying on the table and asked curiously, "Didn't you say the Divine Kingdom drained your power, leaving you only as strong as Ao Yin? But Ao Yin's destructive power didn't seem nearly as exaggerated as yours just now."
The Night Roaming God said irritably, "The Divine Kingdom drains my power, but I can borrow a little of it back. I merely have to pay a price. Don't go running around outside these next few days. That might you displayed at the Du Family is temporarily gone."
Jiang Wang frowned. "Ao Yin's power should have been enough to deal with Feng Linghuai, right? Why did you make such a huge spectacle of it?"
The Night Roaming God fell silent for a moment, then snorted. "Because I wanted to. What's it to you?"
Jiang Wang seemed to understand something.
It was still upset deep down. It had merely taken the chance to vent.
Quite the tsundere little bird.
It was deep in the middle of the night.
The blue-robed cultivators and the White-robed Cultivator returned.
Shan Qiyu followed behind them as well.
They tossed Du Heng and Du Zicheng, father and son, directly before Jiang Wang.
"Mr. Jiang, Du Yanruo escaped."
They lowered their heads, thoroughly ashamed.
The two blue-robed cultivators felt that ever since they had begun doing things for Mr. Jiang, they had not managed a single task perfectly.
Especially one with such far-reaching implications.
Jiang Wang was rather open-minded about it. He waved a hand and said, "No matter. Let her run."
He was only worried that it might draw some great figure from the Qingxuan Bureau, though he was not overly afraid. The death of one Tan Lao Liu presumably would not make the Qingxuan Bureau mobilize in full force.
At worst, he could make the Night Roaming God pay another price. Keeping himself alive should not be a problem.
Had the Night Roaming God not been asleep in the Mirage at that moment, it surely would have jumped up and cursed furiously: I am a dignified deity, not some beast for you to use as you please!
"Young Marquis, you can't blame me for this! I'm an honest, law-abiding commoner!"
Du Heng wore a miserable expression. He could only blame himself for not running fast enough. How had he gotten caught?
Du Zicheng, on the other hand, was quite unyielding.
Du Yanruo had hidden herself in time, while Du Zicheng looked at his broken leg and knew he could not possibly escape. He did not even know why they were running, but seeing his father like this, he could roughly guess that Du Heng had stirred up some new mischief in secret.
This was his second visit, so Du Zicheng was quite practiced. Limping over, he picked up the teapot and poured himself a cup. "Kill me or carve me up, do as you please."
Jiang Wang said with a smile, "Your Du Family really does know how to cause trouble. Why don't you ever learn your lesson? Now you've even provoked the Qingxuan Bureau. Tell me, whose idea was this?"
Though Du Zicheng had no idea what the Qingxuan Bureau was, he still answered without hesitation, "I'm the only one in the entire Du Family capable of doing something like this. That question was unnecessary."
Du Heng's mouth hung slightly open, as though he wanted to speak but stopped himself.
Jiang Wang noticed and smiled. "Orange, you're the one in the Du Family I know best. You may be a little foolish and a little childish, but you're not truly an idiot. This time is different from last time. You'd better think it through carefully."
Du Zicheng continued as though facing death without flinching. "There's nothing to think about. If I did it, then I did it. Stop with all your nonsense. If you've got the ability, kill me. This young master has never known how to write the word fear!"
Jiang Wang shook his head and looked at Du Heng. "If you have nothing to say, the Du Family line will end here. You don't truly think Du Yanruo can escape the palm of my hand, do you?"
Cold sweat streamed down Du Heng's face.
"Jiang!" Du Zicheng smashed his teacup heavily onto the table. "I was the one who found the Jianli. The purpose was to kill you. What happened now was also my doing. A man bears the consequences of his own actions. Don't drag others into it!"
Jiang Wang suddenly felt as though he were some villain, while Du Zicheng was the embodiment of absolute righteousness.
"Who truly did it isn't all that important. Since you're protecting each other, Du Yanruo will surely come to save you at all costs. All I need to do is wait patiently."
Jiang Wang beckoned to Shan Qiyu. "Take them to the Black Flame Army camp. Make sure they receive a proper welcome. And notify Uncle Tong. Tell him to come back."
Shan Qiyu bowed in acknowledgment.
Just after the Hour of the Tiger arrived, Hun City was already bustling with activity.
Every household had someone heading out with offerings.
When they met, they exchanged a few pleasantries, or simply joined one another on the road.
Constables from the Garrison Headquarters maintained order.
But the Garrison Headquarters also had to spare manpower to investigate the large-scale destruction in South City Alley. An incident on the eve of the City God Festival had left the Garrison Commander so overwhelmed that he began cursing before even getting out of bed.
Jiang Wang, still sleeping soundly, suddenly sneezed and woke with a start.
He lay dazed on the bed for a moment, then turned over and went back to sleep.
A knock sounded at the door just then.
The Old Butler's voice came from outside. "Young Master, today is the City God Festival. In the past, the Marquis went to pay his respects in person. Later, I went in his place. Does Young Master intend to go offer worship this time?"
Jiang Wang lay facedown on the bed, his eyes barely open. He recalled what that bird had said the night before. If he encountered any danger at the City God Temple, he was afraid he would not return alive.
Though the Night Roaming God, even without borrowing the Divine Kingdom's power, possessed strength comparable to Ao Yin's, it had paid a price to borrow that power and was likely terribly weakened. At a time like this, it was unwise to put himself in danger.
He said lazily, "Uncle Tong can go himself, or take Zhao Si with him."
The Old Butler had returned the previous night intending to ask about Feng Linghuai, but Jiang Wang had already gone to sleep, so he had not disturbed him. Now that Jiang Wang did not wish to go to the City God Temple either, the Old Butler could only offer a brief reminder before turning and leaving.
At this moment, Jiang Wang had completely forgotten about South City Alley.
While the Garrison Headquarters was investigating, they quickly discovered that the Du Family residence was empty, save for one little girl. There were also traces of destruction throughout the manor, especially in the kitchen, which was simply too ghastly to look at.
With their investigation yielding nothing, they could only temporarily bring the little girl back to the headquarters.
The most important thing today was still ensuring that the City God Festival proceeded normally.
On the fifth day of the ninth month, in the Fourteenth Year of Changping under Sui, a sea of people packed the area before the City God Temple.
The Garrison Commander personally presided over the event and delivered a string of ceremonial pleasantries, after which the common people began their worship.
It began at the second quarter of the Hour of the Tiger and continued until noon.
The people returned home to tidy themselves up. By evening, the City God Temple Fair would begin. Lanterns would fill the entire city, turning night into day. The people could then revel to their hearts' content, displaying the magnificent spectacle of the Sui Kingdom's greatest temple fair.
Jiang Wang woke at the Hour of the Dragon and continued sprawling in his rattan chair.
Xiaoyu, whose injuries had mostly healed, practiced her swordsmanship diligently.
Watching Xiaoyu swing her sword again and again, Jiang Wang wondered whether he ought to invite Sun Qingya to guide her. Otherwise, her talent would be wasted for nothing. Even now, Xiaoyu had not noticed anything wrong with that peerless manual.
"Bird, does Xiaoyu have the aptitude for cultivation?" Jiang Wang asked the Night Roaming God in his mind.
The Night Roaming God said in great embarrassment and anger, "Not the slightest!"
Jiang Wang naturally understood why it spoke in that tone and selectively ignored it. He asked again, "Then how high is Xiaoyu's aptitude for martial arts?"
The Night Roaming God composed itself and said, "I did indeed meet some martial artists before. Of course, I mean martial artists from a thousand years ago. There was such a group of martial artists then: a sword stroke could reach twenty thousand li, a fist could shatter mountains and rivers, and when they stood in one place, even cultivators could not pass them."
"To find martial artists like that in this age would be harder than climbing to the heavens. Xiaoyu's aptitude may not rival theirs, but it should be among the greatest in the present age."
Jiang Wang was appalled.
He immediately shouted toward Xiaoyu, "Stop practicing your sword!"
The Night Roaming God said, "I don't know how to teach martial artists."
Jiang Wang replied, "I wasn't counting on you. One day, I'll find the greatest martial artist in the world to teach Xiaoyu."
Xiaoyu walked over to Jiang Wang, confused. "Does Young Master need something?"
Jiang Wang cupped Xiaoyu's little face. "A good martial artist needs a fine teacher. If you want revenge, you naturally need to become strong as quickly as possible. Starting today, I'll have Sun Qingya teach you."
With Tan Lao Liu as precedent, Xiaoyu's enemies were surely no ordinary people. If he kept deceiving Xiaoyu into practicing a fake secret manual, then should another incident like Tan Lao Liu's happen in the future, it would be too late for regret.
Xiaoyu had indeed reached a bottleneck. Hearing this, she was deeply moved. Young Master was truly far too good to her!
She felt she could no longer hide certain matters.
The affair with Tan Lao Liu had already dragged Young Master into it. At the very least, she had to let him understand the reason, so he could be prepared.
As Xiaoyu spoke, Jiang Wang's eyes gradually widened.
He stared at his little maidservant in shock. "You're a County Princess? Princess Qingping?"
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