Return to the Imperial Capital

Jiang Mingyang sat beside the campfire, studying the gleaming Imperial Jade Seal in his hands with excitement. He prepared to put it into the Space Soul Tool at his waist.

To his surprise, the Imperial Jade Seal would not go in.

Then delight surged through him. He remembered that Tang San's Sea God Trident could not be placed in a Space Soul Tool either. That meant this Imperial Jade Seal was of extraordinary quality!

But where had the Bracelet Soul Tool come from? If it could produce an Imperial Jade Seal of this caliber, how could the Bracelet Soul Tool be ordinary?

Jiang Mingyang decided to ask Qian Renxue when he returned to the Imperial Capital.

Suddenly, the Imperial Jade Seal dissolved into golden light, entered his mind, and formed a space there.

Jiang Mingyang was alarmed. He had gone to such trouble to obtain it—surely it had not just run away?

He soon discovered that he could enter the space with his consciousness and summon the Imperial Jade Seal whenever he wished.

After the Imperial Jade Seal entered his mind, the Soul Power around the campfire began flowing into him on its own.

Even when Jiang Mingyang made no effort to absorb Soul Power, it entered his body automatically. In other words, he was cultivating every moment.

Of course, this was far slower than absorbing it through active meditation—roughly a third as fast.

Still, Jiang Mingyang was overjoyed. However slow the absorption, it never stopped. Day after day, it would add up to something remarkable! Something was better than nothing!

Reluctantly, Jiang Mingyang withdrew from the space in his mind. He sat with Ma Hongjun beside the fire in the forest, eating corn.

That night, Jiang Mingyang badly wanted to sleep and kept his eyes closed, but his mind raced too fast for him to drift off.

Dawn soon began to break, and Jiang Mingyang and Ma Hongjun resumed their journey. Both were unusually excited.

Heaven Dou Imperial Capital

Jiang Mingyang soon brought Ma Hongjun to the gates of the Loyal Tranquil Marquis's residence.

Ma Hongjun gazed at the glittering gold characters on the plaque above the gate, his heart full of envy. This was what a man should aspire to!

The servants at the gate hurried to bow when they saw Jiang Mingyang. He smiled and strode into the residence with Ma Hongjun.

Seeing the envy in Ma Hongjun's eyes, Jiang Mingyang said slowly, "I owe this residence and my title of Marquis to my adoptive father, Jiang Tian. A man should rely on his own abilities to win deeds that echo through the ages and secure honor for his descendants.

"I didn't earn this place through my own efforts. It can only be a temporary refuge. One day..."

The steward had been watching their expressions from nearby. As soon as Jiang Mingyang finished speaking, he stepped forward to pay his respects.

Jiang Mingyang told him, "This is my friend Ma Hongjun. He'll be living here from now on. See that everything is arranged, and don't neglect him."

The steward hurriedly bowed to Jiang Mingyang and Ma Hongjun, then withdrew to arrange the best room. A friend, then...

Once the steward had gone to make arrangements, Jiang Mingyang said, "Hongjun, stay here at my residence from now on. It'll also be easier to find someone to suppress your Evil Fire when needed.

"If you need anything day to day, just tell the steward. And... don't make yourself suffer." He handed Ma Hongjun a golden coin card.

Ma Hongjun nodded happily. "Thanks, Boss Jiang."

Jiang Mingyang smiled. Not a bad name to be called...

Jiang Mingyang valued Ma Hongjun greatly. After all, Ma Hongjun had been the first person to show him goodwill.

After settling Ma Hongjun in, Jiang Mingyang went to see Qian Renxue at the first light of dawn the next day.

One of Qian Renxue's trusted attendants told him that Crown Prince "Xue Qinghe" was still resting and asked him to wait. He would be informed as soon as "Xue Qinghe" woke. Jiang Mingyang readily agreed.

Jiang Mingyang waited idly in Qian Renxue's residence. Before long, Crown Prince "Xue Qinghe" came out to receive the Loyal Tranquil Marquis.

Qian Renxue was delighted to see Jiang Mingyang. With a wave of her hand, she dismissed the servants.

Once they had gone, "Xue Qinghe's" face slowly became Qian Renxue's. She stepped forward and embraced Jiang Mingyang excitedly.

Jiang Mingyang gently wrapped his arms around her in return.

He sat down and laid Qian Renxue's legs across his lap, resting his right hand lightly against her back. She nestled her head against his chest.

Looking at the beautiful, tender woman in his arms, Jiang Mingyang smiled and voiced his question. "Qianqian, that Bracelet Soul Tool you gave me... after my blood touched it, it turned into an Imperial Jade Seal..."

He recounted how the Imperial Jade Seal had formed, taking his time. Meanwhile, his right hand quietly slipped through a gap in Qian Renxue's clothes.

Qian Renxue smiled and gave him a sidelong glance but did not stop him. Pretending not to notice, she blushed and listened quietly to his account.

As he spoke, Jiang Mingyang summoned the Imperial Jade Seal from his mind and used his consciousness to guide it gently into Qian Renxue's hand.

It was not that he did not want to use his hands. He simply had none to spare...

The more Qian Renxue heard, the more astonished and excited she became.

When Jiang Mingyang produced the Imperial Jade Seal, she took it and examined it curiously. She had seen the Imperial Jade Seal in the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, but never one that had formed naturally.

Qian Renxue stroked the Imperial Jade Seal. It felt pleasing to the touch, seemingly made of jade.

The golden-glowing seal was beautifully shaped, too. The dragon's head on its upper half looked particularly majestic and imposing.

Then Qian Renxue saw the eight characters carved into its base: "Mandated by Heaven, may it endure and prosper forever." Her excitement grew.

Her hesitation vanished as well. At last, she made up her mind—that plan seemed rather promising...

Qian Renxue looked at Jiang Mingyang with bright, resolute eyes, a smile slowly forming on her lips.

Jiang Mingyang watched her vivid red lips move as she smiled happily. A shrewd gleam shone in her eyes, tempered by a hint of playfulness, and her Crown Prince's robes lent her an unmistakable air of nobility.

The sight of those robes instantly stirred his desire as a man to conquer her. He slowly leaned in to kiss Qian Renxue. She closed her eyes slightly and waited for him...

The air grew increasingly intimate. Jiang Mingyang promptly scooped Qian Renxue up and carried her to bed...

As the saying went, what stabbed someone from behind was not necessarily a knife, what rested on one's shoulders was not necessarily responsibility, and a heart-rending cry was not necessarily born of pain. [wicked grin]

A happy day began with...

The Grand Ancestor Emperor had a friend who lived so long ago that his name was little known. He had countless women. Legend held that he created the Art of Seducing Women, and everyone repeated the tale. I alone doubted it. Could this friend not have been the Grand Ancestor Emperor himself?

"On the Scientific Spirit of Skepticism"