Jiang Changsheng's courtyard also had four rooms, so accommodating the Devil Master and Hua Jian Xin was no difficulty. Dragon Arising Temple often had guests staying temporarily, so it was not a problem. Usually, only the two little ones, Wan Li and Ming Yue, came looking for him, making them easy to hide.
In any case, Taoist Priest Qingxu already knew that the Devil Master had been subdued by him. Having Taoist Priest Qingxu arrange an identity for him would not be difficult.
Hua Jian Xin also needed to tend to her wounds. Jiang Changsheng went inside to fetch medicine for her. Looking at the Devil Master in his Daoist robe, her expression was complicated, but she said nothing. Taking the medicine bottle, she headed for the room next door.
The Devil Master smiled. "This woman is quite remarkable, better than most men. The Devil Sect slaughtered people for several nights, yet she was the only one from the White-Clothed Guard who came."
The White-Clothed Guard had been established in the second year after the emperor founded the nation. They answered directly to the emperor, and no one knew their exact numbers. They handled intelligence, arrests, assassinations, escorts, and all manner of tasks. Over the past dozen years, the White-Clothed Guard had captured countless martial arts experts, including Ghost Eye Evil King, and thus gained fame throughout the martial world.
Great Jing's white-clad guardians, protecting the nation and its people!
Those words had inspired countless hot-blooded sons and daughters to join, but the White-Clothed Guard's examinations were exceptionally stringent. Those who stood out were at least First-Rate Experts.
Jiang Changsheng nodded slightly, then sat cross-legged in the room and cultivated.
He did not avoid suspicion, because it was impossible for the Devil Master to steal his Dao Follows Nature Skill merely by watching.
More than half of the Devil Sect had been lost, and with the Devil Master missing, the remaining disciples had fled the capital one after another. Of course, some unlucky fellows had been captured by the Imperial Guards. One crisis in the capital had finally passed; all that remained was the plague, and that would take time.
In this ancient world, the best way to deal with a plague was to imprison those who had fallen ill. Once they died, their clothes would be burned, and the plague would naturally end. Such were the limits of the era.
Though Jiang Changsheng had learned the Spring and Autumn Medical Canon, he did not possess a heart bent on saving the world. He did not want to descend the mountain.
He had wronged the emperor. He had originally thought this plague was man-made, but the Devil Master said otherwise. The plague had simply happened to erupt, and they had taken the opportunity to act.
That night, peace returned to the capital.
Early the next morning, Jiang Changsheng practiced in the courtyard, leading White Dragon in absorbing the essence of the sun and moon.
In the eighteenth year of Kaiyuan, the Devil Sect wreaked havoc in the capital. Relying on your own strength, you successfully survived this calamity and received a survival reward—spell 'Jade Purity Severing Meridian Needle'
Seeing this line, Jiang Changsheng smiled.
Once the plague ended, he should be able to obtain another reward.
He began inheriting the Jade Purity Severing Meridian Needle. This spell was not for healing; it was a needle for killing enemies. True Qi transformed into needles, and once they entered the body, they severed a person's meridians. It was exceedingly tyrannical.
Overall, this spell was not enough to make Jiang Changsheng undergo a complete rebirth.
Jiang Changsheng summed it up. The more dangerous a calamity was to him, the greater the reward. Just like the Dao Follows Nature Skill—when he had just been born, he possessed no strength at all. That had been his most dangerous time.
As he grew stronger, danger should become increasingly scarce. That was not bad either.
If he truly lived forever, then what he needed to pursue was absolute invincibility.
As long as he was invincible, he could do whatever he pleased!
For now, he still could not see through this world. Who was strongest in Great Jing was hard to say. According to the Devil Master, there were quite a few Martial Arts Grandmasters and Grandmasters, as well as later generations with heaven-defying talent. Jiang Changsheng still needed to work hard.
The invincibility he sought was not invincibility in a one-on-one fight. It was being able to blow up the entire world by himself if the whole world stood against him. That was true invincibility!
This world was not limited to the Great Jing Dynasty. Heaven and earth were vast, the martial path boundless—who knew how many powerful experts still existed!
Perhaps once he cultivated into an immortal, he would become invincible beneath heaven!
As Jiang Changsheng pondered this, he began cultivating the Jade Purity Severing Meridian Needle.
At that moment, the door to the room beside him opened, and Hua Jian Xin emerged. She had changed into a Daoist robe, her long hair draping loose behind her. Her face was delicately beautiful—not enough to topple a kingdom, perhaps, but still of the highest grade.
Her left arm was wrapped in cloth, and it would be difficult for it to heal anytime soon.
When she saw Jiang Changsheng, she fell slightly into a daze.
This was the first time she had seriously observed Jiang Changsheng in broad daylight.
The first time she met Jiang Changsheng, she had already been struck by his appearance. But now, he carried the unworldly temperament of an enlightened master. Beneath the sunlight, he seemed as though he might ascend into immortality at any moment.
Hua Jian Xin suddenly spotted a white snake on Jiang Changsheng's shoulder. The white snake seemed to sense her gaze and actually slithered down his body, crawling toward her.
At the sight of the snake, goosebumps rose all over Hua Jian Xin. Snakes were what she feared most in her life.
"White Dragon, do not go near her from now on."
Jiang Changsheng's voice rang out. He had sensed Hua Jian Xin's fear.
Upon hearing this, White Dragon could only turn around. Yet it occasionally twisted its head back to look at Hua Jian Xin, making her feel that the situation was absurd.
This snake understood human nature?
Without opening his eyes, Jiang Changsheng said, "Focus on recovering first. Once you are healed, I will teach you how to become stronger."
Hua Jian Xin nodded respectfully.
The sky was azure and stretched without a cloud for ten thousand miles. A great river flowed through the mountains, and a massive ship sailed upon it, followed by dozens of wooden boats carrying White-Clothed Guards and Imperial Guards.
Jiang Yuan, clad in a dragon robe, stood at the prow. The river wind stirred his grizzled temples. A White-Clothed Guard leaped onto the deck, hurried behind him, knelt on one knee, and presented a rolled letter with both hands.
Jiang Yuan raised a hand. With his back to the White-Clothed Guard, he drew the letter through the air into his palm and began reading it.
After reading it, he gathered True Qi in his palms and ground the letter to pieces. Paper scraps fluttered into the great river.
Jiang Yuan clasped his hands behind his back, yet said nothing.
The White-Clothed Guard waited for a while before quietly withdrawing.
Soon after, Crown Prince Jiang Qian and Second imperial son Jiang Ming approached and bowed behind Jiang Yuan.
"Father Emperor, Second Brother and I made a wager. He said the Martial Recruitment Order you issued could attract a Martial Arts Grandmaster. Your son wagered that it could not, that at most it would attract several Peerless Experts."
Jiang Qian said with a cheerful smile, clearly in an excellent mood.
Jiang Yuan turned halfway around and looked at him from the side, smiling as he asked, "Oh? You think I am not worthy of a Martial Arts Grandmaster's regard?"
Jiang Qian shook his head. "Of course not. It is simply that if someone at the level of a Martial Arts Grandmaster entered official service, the martial world would surely reject them. Compared to fame, rank, and salary, they care more about their standing in the martial world."
Jiang Ming snorted disdainfully. "The Great Jing Dynasty is not the Chu Dynasty. We possess the ambition to swallow the world whole. This is only the beginning. Once Great Jing annexes the other dynasties, Great Jing's martial world will likewise expand its territory. Those who join us early will hold greater status in the future."
Jiang Qian replied, "That is an ideal state. Looking at the present, looking at reality, few would dare to gamble on it."
Seeing the two brothers about to start bickering again, Jiang Yuan said helplessly, "Enough. Your quarrelling is giving me a headache."
The two brothers immediately fell silent, not daring to say more.
Jiang Yuan stared at them and said, "One of you is rational and clear-headed, yet underestimates the power of martial artists. The other values martial prowess, yet is too arrogant and indulgent. If your strengths could be gathered into one person, that would be ideal."
Jiang Qian smiled. "Father Emperor's lesson is correct. Speaking of which, Seventh Brother has gathered both our strengths. Though he is young, he practices martial arts in the sacred land. When he returned last year, he had matured considerably."
Jiang Ming frowned, not knowing what he was thinking.
Jiang Yuan turned and gazed ahead. "Little Seven is good, but he is too young. There is no way the throne could fall to him."
Jiang Qian could no longer smile. He did not understand what his father meant by those words.
Jiang Ming, however, became excited. "Father Emperor, since the founding of the nation, the martial world has revived. Those hidden sects have opened their mountains one after another to take in disciples. Next month, at Gathering Pine Lake in South of the River, they will determine the Martial Arts Supreme. Would Father Emperor be willing to go watch?"
Jiang Qian frowned. "That would be unwise. Martial arts experts will gather there; it is far too dangerous!"
Jiang Yuan stroked his beard and laughed. "I am the Son of Heaven, the Great Emperor Kaiyuan who united the Thirteen Provinces. How could I fear people of the martial world? Then we shall go to Gathering Pine Lake!"
Upon hearing that, Jiang Ming smiled even more smugly.
Two months passed, and the season where autumn met winter was about to arrive.
The plague in the capital had completely disappeared as well.
In the eighteenth year of Kaiyuan, a plague erupted in the capital. You remained on the mountain for a long time and escaped this calamity, receiving a survival reward—miscellaneous art 'Talismans and Incantations'
A line suddenly appeared before Jiang Changsheng's eyes. Without giving it much thought, he immediately began inheriting the Talismans and Incantations.
Talismans and Incantations could imprint spells into talisman paper and incantations. This was quite a fine technique. In the future, he could make spell talismans and give them to his subordinates, allowing them to preserve their lives as well.
Not bad, not bad!
After inheriting the memories of Talismans and Incantations, Jiang Changsheng rose to his feet, left his room, and entered the courtyard.
The Devil Master was practicing beneath a tree, while Hua Jian Xin practiced swordsmanship nearby. Their injuries had nearly healed, thanks to Jiang Changsheng's medicinal pills.
Seeing Jiang Changsheng appear, Hua Jian Xin sheathed her sword, quickly approached him, and bowed at the waist.
The Devil Master opened his eyes as well and hurried over to bow.
His eyes were full of anticipation. After living together for two months, although he had not learned anything, he could sense that Jiang Changsheng was truly extraordinary. Even the snake he kept understood human nature.
Jiang Changsheng said, "Since your injuries have healed, starting today, I will teach each of you one ultimate art."
The two were delighted and bowed in thanks.
Jiang Changsheng decided to teach the Mystic Inner Overlord Body to the Devil Master and the Jade Purity Severing Meridian Needle to Hua Jian Xin. As for cultivation techniques for becoming an immortal, there was no chance he would pass those on for now.
He would never do something like teach the disciple and starve the master.
Seven days later, Jiang Changsheng had finished teaching them. The rest depended on their own efforts, while he needed to devote his time to his own cultivation.
Building up a force was only his second goal. His first goal had to be improving his own cultivation.
The fifth level of the Dao Follows Nature Skill was imperative. He could not delay!
With only the power of the fourth level, he could already easily defeat experts who reached the heavens, but he would not slacken.
Another half a month passed.
Chen Li came to visit. Jiang Changsheng had the Devil Master hide in his own room and forbade him from showing himself.
Jiang Changsheng, Hua Jian Xin, and Chen Li gathered inside the room.
Chen Li looked weak. Seeing that Hua Jian Xin had recovered from her injuries, he could not help smiling, though the smile was strained.
"His Majesty will soon return to the capital. In recent years, His Majesty has been somewhat absurd, but the might of a true dragon remains. This journey to South of the River was not only to inspect the people's conditions and pursue immortality... His Majesty actually won over the newly appointed Martial Arts Supreme. The Martial Arts Supreme will return to the capital with His Majesty, so there will be no need to worry about another Devil Sect attack."
When he mentioned the Martial Arts Supreme, Chen Li was extremely excited. The Devil Sect's strength had deeply shaken him. If not for the Chen family's protection during this time, he would have died long ago.
Jiang Changsheng asked curiously, "Martial Arts Supreme? Is he very strong? How many moves could the Devil Master withstand against him?"
"How many moves? The Martial Arts Supreme is naturally stronger than the Devil Master, but saying only a few moves is far too humiliating to the Devil Master."
Chen Li said helplessly as he looked toward Hua Jian Xin.
Hua Jian Xin nodded. "The Devil Master truly is powerful. It is only natural that Changsheng Taoist Priest would not know, since he never descends the mountain."
Over the next week, chapter comments and reviews for all books on Qidian will temporarily be locked. Of course, you can still post chapter comments—I can see them in the author backend. The comments you post now will be released after one week, so everyone need not keep posting them repeatedly. You are not lagging; it is a special period~~
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