Renowned Far and Wide, Claiming the Heavenly Gang Saint Armor

Lin Changqing waved his hand.

"There is no need for anything for the time being. My cultivation resources are sufficient, and the mansion is already well-staffed."

He set down his teacup and looked toward Su Gan and the Sixth Ancestor.

"I have a general understanding of the situation His Majesty and the Sixth Ancestor just described. The scourge of the Demons cannot be resolved in a single day, but there is no need to be overly anxious. When soldiers come, we block; when water comes, we earth-cover."

"If there truly comes a time when I need to intervene, I will not stand idly by."

Su Gan and the Sixth Ancestor exchanged a glance, both seeing a glimmer of relief in the other's eyes.

With those words, the efforts they had poured into these past few days had not been in vain.

The three chatted for a while longer, and once Lin Changqing had gathered all the information he needed, he rose to take his leave.

Su Gan hurriedly stood up as well, smiling. "I shall have Wanqing escort the Saint Venerable."

"Oh, and the congratulatory gifts sent by the various sects and powers today—I have had them all sent to Prince Wu'an Mansion."

Lin Changqing glanced at Su Gan.

Over the past few days, he had clearly sensed that the Emperor seemed intent on playing matchmaker between him and Princess Yunshu.

Every time they met, the Emperor insisted the Princess escort him—sending her today, sending her tomorrow—creating every opportunity for them to spend time together.

He merely smiled, not refusing.

In his past life, he was an ordinary office worker who had never even had a girlfriend.

Now that he had transmigrated into this ancient high-martial world and possessed this invincible cultivation, he naturally intended to enjoy life to the fullest.

Besides.

Princess Yunshu was truly breathtakingly beautiful, and her personality was quite pleasant.

He had no reason to refuse.

Soon, Su Wanqing walked into the Imperial Study with a light, brisk step.

She had changed into a pale cyan palace gown, which made her look even more vibrant than the light purple dress she had worn at the luncheon.

Her eyes lit up when she saw Lin Changqing, and she performed a proper, respectful bow.

"Wanqing greets the Saint Venerable."

Lin Changqing nodded.

The two left the Imperial Study together and boarded the carriage arranged by the Emperor to depart the palace.

Behind the carriage followed a dozen carts laden with congratulatory gifts, rumbling in a grand procession toward Prince Wu'an Mansion.

At the entrance of the Imperial Study, Su Gan and the Sixth Ancestor stood side by side, watching the carriage pull away.

"Sixth Ancestor, do you think Wanqing can win over the Evergreen Saint Venerable?"

Su Gan asked in a low voice, his tone filled with both anticipation and apprehension.

The Sixth Ancestor stroked his beard and chuckled.

"Your Majesty need not worry too much."

"Wanqing is a girl of top-tier beauty and character. You saw her at the luncheon just now; her attitude toward the Evergreen Saint Venerable was like night and day compared to that evening."

"As long as she is willing, there is a chance."

Su Gan nodded, though his brow remained furrowed.

"I am not worried about Wanqing; I am worried that the Evergreen Saint Venerable's thoughts are hard to guess."

"A peerless prodigy of this caliber... his standards are likely exceptionally high. He may not necessarily take a fancy to Wanqing."

"That is precisely why Wanqing must spend more time with him."

The Sixth Ancestor pondered for a moment before continuing.

"However, this girl grew up in the palace. She is well-versed in the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but I fear she lacks experience in the ways of romance. Your Majesty might consider having the palace instructors who specialize in such matters guide her."

"Some things... always require a bit of guidance."

Su Gan nodded in deep agreement.

"The Sixth Ancestor is right. I will have Nanny Wang instruct Wanqing later. Nanny Wang has been in the palace for forty years; she has the most experience in these matters."

The two exchanged a few more words before turning back into the Imperial Study.

Inside the carriage.

Su Wanqing sat opposite Lin Changqing, resting her chin on her hands with a sweet smile on her face, chattering away incessantly.

"Did you know, Saint Venerable? The Capital has been so lively these past few days. Everyone is talking about your upcoming investiture, and the storytellers in the teahouses are already weaving tales about you!"

"And, and! The old man who sells candied haws on Vermilion Bird Street has created a new variety called 'Evergreen Saint Venerable Candied Haws.' He makes them with spirit fruits, and they sell for a tael of silver per skewer, yet they are still in short supply!"

"Oh, right! Yesterday I went to the Treasure Pavilion and saw they had a new shipment. There was an ancient sword that was supposedly dug up from some ancient ruin. The shopkeeper insisted it was fated to be yours and wanted to give it to you as a congratulatory gift."

"But after asking around, I found out the sword was just a replica—the shopkeeper had been swindled..."

She laughed at the absurdity of it, her crisp, clear laughter echoing inside the carriage.

Lin Changqing listened to these trivial matters, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

These past few days, he had either been slaying demons or traveling, dealing only with major events.

Hearing these snippets of market gossip occasionally felt quite relaxing.

"And then?"

"Then the shopkeeper was so angry his mustache went crooked, and he chased that swindler for three streets, but unfortunately, he didn't catch him."

Su Wanqing laughed even more joyfully.

The half-hour journey ended quickly.

The carriage stopped at the entrance of Prince Wu'an Mansion, and the guards moved all the congratulatory gifts from the dozen carriages into the estate.

Su Wanqing stood at the gate, not leaving immediately.

She hesitated for a moment, twisting the hem of her skirt with her fingers, her cheeks flushing slightly.

"Saint Venerable, that... three days from now is the Capital City's annual Flower Deity Festival."

"Every year on this day, the people of the capital enjoy the flowers and tour the gardens in the Imperial Garden and throughout the city, lighting lanterns to pray for blessings; it's very lively."

She paused, stole a glance at Lin Changqing, and then quickly lowered her head.

"The royal family sends members out of the palace every year to celebrate with the people, and this year, my father the Emperor left this opportunity to me."

"I heard that this year's Flower Deity Festival is being held on a larger scale than in previous years, and there will even be a fleet of lantern boats on Xuanwu Lake."

"That... will the Saint Venerable be free then? If you have time, would you like to go and see it together?"

Lin Changqing looked at her nervous appearance, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

"We shall see when the time comes. If I have nothing else to do, I can go for a stroll."

Su Wanqing's eyes lit up instantly.

Although Lin Changqing did not agree directly, he had not refused either.

That meant there was a chance!

She nodded hurriedly, "Then Wanqing will wait for the Saint Venerable's news!"

She then gave a reluctant bow and turned to board her carriage.

As the carriage slowly drove away, she leaned out of the window and waved at Lin Changqing, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she smiled.

Lin Changqing watched the carriage depart before turning to walk into the mansion.

The congratulatory gifts had already been moved into the front hall, with boxes of all sizes piling up to fill half the room.

Lin Changqing swept a glance over them, and with a single thought, he stored them all into his Infinite Storage Space.

There were spiritual herbs from the Myriad Laws Sect, meteorite iron from the Heavenly Sword Sect, medicinal pills from Medicine God Valley, and various rare treasures sent by various second-rate factions.

Whether he would use these things was another matter, but keeping them in his storage space took up no room and they would not "spoil," so they would always be useful.

For the next two days, Lin Changqing spent his time in rare leisure.

During the day, he cultivated the Heavenly Saint Profound Art and the Primordial Indestructible Golden Body within the mansion, occasionally visiting the royal Scripture Library to flip through ancient texts.

Su Wanqing came by every day.

Sometimes she brought snacks freshly made by the Imperial Kitchen, and other times she brought strange little trinkets, never staying for more than half an hour before taking her leave.

Lin Changqing did not find it bothersome.

Having a lively and adorable young girl chattering by his side actually added a bit of vitality to this vast Prince's mansion.

News of the investiture ceremony was also spreading across the Great Yu Dynasty at an astonishing speed.

Official government notices were plastered on the city gates of every province and county.

The Demon Suppressing Division used carrier falcons to send the news to every branch across the fourteen provinces and one hundred and twenty-six counties.

Storytellers in teahouses turned the deeds of the Evergreen Saint Venerable into skits, performing them one after another.

"So, that Evergreen Saint Venerable, he slew an eighth-tier Demon Emperor with a single sword and wiped out an army of tens of thousands of demons with a snap of his fingers! And guess what? The man is only twenty years old this year!"

"Twenty years old? You're blowing smoke, storyteller!"

"Blowing smoke? It's written right there on the notice! This is an official government document, how could it be fake?"

"My heavens... a peak Martial Saint at twenty? Is he even human?"

In just two short days.

The names Evergreen Saint Venerable and Lin Changqing, along with his legendary feat of reaching the peak of the Martial Saint realm at twenty, had completely spread throughout the entire Great Yu Dynasty.

The people of Green Province heard the news and celebrated with gongs and drums.

"I told you the Saint Venerable looked young! I saw him enter the city with my own eyes and thought he was just some young master from a noble family! I never expected him to be only twenty!"

"Bullshit, you clearly said back then that the Saint Venerable had lived for at least a thousand years and that he was just using his cultivation to maintain his youthful appearance!"

"When did I say that? You remembered it wrong!"

Ma Yuanzhong, the Governor of Green Province, heard the news and drank three cups in a row at home.

"Master, what has you so happy?"

"A Saint has emerged from our Green Province! Evergreen Saint Venerable has been enfeoffed as Prince Wu'an! Chengye, remember this: your life was saved by Prince Wu'an. When you achieve success in your cultivation, you must repay this debt of gratitude!"

"Yes, Father!"

In the Imperial Palace of the Capital City.

Emperor Su Gan listened to the reports arriving from across the land, unable to hide the smile on his face.

"How is that girl Wanqing preparing?"

"Replying to His Majesty, Nanny Wang has been instructing the Princess these past few days. The Princess is studying very diligently, saying that on the day of the Flower Deity Festival, she must make the Saint Venerable look at her with new eyes."

"Good. Tell her that I await her good news."

The evening of the third day.

Lin Changqing had just finished dinner and was debating whether to head to the Scripture Library to flip through some ancient texts or take a stroll through the Capital City to digest his meal.

Suddenly, a system notification chimed in his mind.

["Ding! Random mission complete: Renowned throughout the Great Yu Dynasty, the host's prestige now echoes across the entire Great Yu Dynasty (1/1)."]

["Mission reward: Ninth-tier Supreme Grade defensive treasure—Heavenly Gang Saint Armor."]

["Does the host wish to claim it immediately?"]

Lin Changqing was stunned for a moment, then a look of joy appeared on his face.

It was finally here!

After waiting for several days, the mission was finally complete.

"Claim."

As the words fell, a simple, antique silver ring appeared out of thin air within his Infinite Storage Space.

The ring was entirely silver-white, its surface engraved with intricate spiritual patterns, with faint light flowing within them.

With a thought, Lin Changqing retrieved the ring from his storage space and slid it onto the index finger of his left hand.

The ring fit his skin perfectly—neither too tight nor too loose.

This was the initial form of the Heavenly Gang Saint Armor.

He injected a trace of Spiritual Power, and with a single thought, the ring emitted a soft hum.

Silver light surged from the ring, spreading up his finger and instantly covering his entire palm.

Then it moved to his forearm, upper arm, shoulders, and chest; the silver radiance moved across his body as if it had a life of its own.

Wherever it passed, a suit of armor, exquisite to the extreme, condensed out of thin air.

The armor was entirely silver-white, each scale as thin as a cicada's wing, yet it radiated an indestructible texture.

From the gaps between the scales, a faint purple gold light shone through—a phenomenon caused by the resonance between the Heavenly Gang Saint Armor and the cultivation technique within his body.

The helmet covered only his forehead and the sides of his cheeks, leaving his eyes and chin exposed.

Wearing the full set of armor, he felt no sense of bulk; instead, it fit as comfortably as a second skin.

Lin Changqing moved his arms and clenched his fists.

His movements were flexible and free, without a hint of resistance.

Feeling the defensive boost provided by the Heavenly Gang Saint Armor, he marveled inwardly.

Attacks below the level of a Martial Saint were completely nullified, and even attacks from a peak Martial Saint could be easily blocked.

Combined with the physical defense of his Primordial Indestructible Golden Body and his soul's Golden Bell Shield, even if he stood still and took a full-force blow from a peak Martial Saint, they likely wouldn't be able to break his defense.

"Not bad. It truly lives up to being a Ninth-tier Supreme Grade defensive treasure."

Lin Changqing nodded in satisfaction.

With another thought, the armor instantly dissolved into countless specks of light and vanished into the air.

It hadn't disappeared.

It had transformed into an invisible protective Saint Gang.

It was invisible to the naked eye, yet its defensive power remained undiminished.

Lin Changqing looked down at his clothes; he was still wearing his ordinary black robe.

No one would ever guess that beneath this seemingly plain garment lay the most top-tier defensive treasure in the entire Heavenly Martial Continent.

In high spirits, he decided to take a walk through the Capital City.

Since transmigrating, he hadn't truly taken the time to see the most prosperous city in the Great Yu Dynasty.

The last time he entered the city, he had been inside the dragon carriage, seeing only the dense crowds on either side.

Since he had nothing to do this evening, he might as well go out for a stroll.

Before Lin Changqing could even reach the manor gate, the old steward, Uncle Liu, spotted him with sharp eyes.

He hurried over with a trot.

"Is Your Highness heading out? This old servant will have the sedan prepared at once and dispatch a few guards..."

"No need."

Lin Changqing waved his hand.

"I'm just going for a casual stroll; there's no need to make a fuss."

Uncle Liu wanted to say more, but he remembered that his master was at the peak of the Martial Saint realm, and there was likely no one in the entire Capital City who could harm him.

He opened his mouth, then swallowed the words that had reached his lips.

"Then take care, Your Highness, and return early."

Lin Changqing stepped out of the Prince Wu'an Mansion and walked north along Vermilion Bird Street.

Night had just begun to fall, and the lanterns were being lit.

There was no curfew in the Capital City, and the nightlife was only just beginning.