At the mountain gate, dozens of disciples and pilgrims had gathered around the small bridge. Before them stood a row of martial servant guards, led by Meng Qiuhe, once Dragon Arising Temple's foremost disciple.
After being away for many years, Meng Qiuhe had become more mature. He wore a luxurious purple robe, a green jade thumb ring on his finger, a flowing silk-and-jade belt around his waist, and cloud-curved sable-fur boots on his feet, every inch the powerful noble.
He stared expressionlessly at White Dragon before the bridge.
White Dragon was surrounded by so many people, yet it showed no fear. It was now three meters long, enough to count as a giant snake, but it was famously gentle. No one feared it; they even felt it posed no threat at all.
Meng Qiushuang pushed through the disciples and approached. Staring at Meng Qiuhe, she asked, "Second Brother, what do you mean by this?"
Toying with the thumb ring on his hand, Meng Qiuhe replied, "Nothing much. I only wanted to test Changsheng Taoist Priest's strength. Back at the temple, I had always wanted to spar with him, but he kept refusing. He should agree today, shouldn't he?"
Meng Qiushuang frowned. "If it is merely a spar, why bring so many people? Why threaten us?"
Meng Qiuhe drew a dagger from his waist. "Little Sister, stop asking. You and I are strangers now. Call Changsheng out. As long as he defeats me, I will not come to bother you again."
Behind him stood a handsome, refined youth who looked fifteen or sixteen, though his eyes carried deep calculation. He smiled and said, "Hurry up. This prince has been waiting impatiently."
Meng Qiuhe gritted his teeth and pointed the dagger at White Dragon, preparing to stab.
"I'm here."
A light, drifting voice came over. The disciples parted to make way, and Jiang Changsheng strolled forward. The pilgrims immediately cried out in surprise.
"So he is Changsheng Taoist Priest?"
"He is so handsome!"
"With such bearing, could he truly be some immortal god?"
"Even the whisk in his hand differs from those of other Taoists. It looks extraordinarily remarkable."
Jiang Changsheng's appearance was exceptionally outstanding. Especially after breaking through to the fifth level of the Dao Follows Nature Skill, his aura had nearly merged with heaven, earth, and nature, vast and righteous beneath the sky.
Meng Qiuhe withdrew his hand and looked at Jiang Changsheng, his gaze full of aggression.
The youth behind him was also carefully studying Jiang Changsheng.
The reason Jiang Changsheng had come out personally was this youth. He was astonishingly close to the Heaven Arrival Realm, and his True Qi was even more powerful than Hua Jian Xin's. Dragon Arising Temple's disciples were no match for him.
How old was he?
Jiang Changsheng even suspected that this youth was cultivating immortality.
Meng Qiuhe said, "Changsheng, come. Let me see your strength."
He assumed a stance, both hands clenched into fists like a vicious tiger opening its jaws, his legs spread wide and steady as Mount Tai.
Jiang Changsheng nodded faintly and thought, Senior Brother has actually become a Peerless Expert. It seems his fortunes have been considerable. Unfortunately, it is still only a three-legged cat's skill.
Meng Qiuhe lunged before Jiang Changsheng in a single step, so fast that the spectators' eyes could barely follow.
Bang!
His fist struck Jiang Changsheng squarely in the chest, yet Jiang Changsheng did not move in the slightest. Only his Taoist robe fluttered.
Meng Qiuhe's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief. Gritting his teeth, he poured all his True Qi into his right arm, trying to force Jiang Changsheng down, but it was still useless.
Just then, the youth suddenly moved.
"Changsheng Taoist Priest truly is formidable. You would not mind if I lend him a hand, would you?"
The youth came up behind Meng Qiuhe, wearing a teasing, provocative smile. He raised his right palm and pressed it against Meng Qiuhe's shoulder. Surging True Qi erupted, and Meng Qiuhe's spirit jolted.
The two men's True Qi struck Jiang Changsheng together, yet Jiang Changsheng's feet remained rooted as firmly as tree roots.
Both were shaken.
"How is this possible?!"
The youth was horrified inwardly. He knew his own strength well. Ordinary Peerless Experts could not last three moves against him. What he relied on was his powerful inner force.
Meng Qiuhe likewise knew the strength of the youth behind him. He had thought victory was assured once the youth acted, yet even the two of them together could do nothing.
Jiang Changsheng said calmly, "You two should go back and train properly."
Boom!
The youth and Meng Qiuhe spat blood as they were sent flying, crashing down before the mountain gate and nearly rolling down the stone steps.
Those servants hurriedly crowded around them, checking the youth's injuries.
One of them shouted furiously, "How dare you! You injured the Seventh Prince—you are courting death!"
The Seventh Prince!
The seventh imperial son?
The pilgrims erupted into an uproar, and the disciples were frightened as well.
Jiang Changsheng shook his head. "Before all these witnesses, are you trying to falsely accuse me of attempting to harm the Seventh Prince? This was originally a spar between Senior Brother Meng and me. The Seventh Prince was the one who took the initiative to intervene."
"You... It does not matter that you injured the Seventh Prince! It is a capital crime!"
The servant roared with a savage expression, yet he did not dare attack Jiang Changsheng at all.
At that moment, the Seventh Prince rose to his feet, walked before the servant, and slapped him across the face. Snorting coldly, he said, "You disgraceful thing, get out of this prince's sight!"
The servant was so terrified that he fled in a miserable scramble, no longer daring to act arrogantly.
The Seventh Prince wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and cupped his hands to Jiang Changsheng. "Changsheng Taoist Priest is indeed extraordinary. With such cultivation, there are likely few in the martial world today who can rival you. This prince accepts his defeat wholeheartedly. I will not send anyone to disturb you again. I only hope Taoist Priest will not bear a grudge against this prince. This prince greatly wishes to befriend you."
Jiang Changsheng chuckled. "It was merely a martial spar. If Your Highness wishes to come offer incense, Dragon Arising Temple will always welcome you."
The Seventh Prince smiled, then turned and left.
Meng Qiuhe got up, gave Jiang Changsheng a complicated look, and followed him down the mountain. The other servants hurried after them.
The disciples and pilgrims all crowded around Jiang Changsheng, cheering for him. Jiang Changsheng had not even attacked, yet he had fully displayed the bearing of a Grandmaster and Taoist Priest, effortlessly driving back powerful enemies.
Jiang Changsheng had actually guessed that the other party was an imperial son. The boy's True Qi was extremely similar to Jiang Yuan's; not even Jiang Yu, the Second Prince, possessed such True Qi.
True Dragon Qi!
After exchanging pleasantries with those around him, Jiang Changsheng left. White Dragon remained where it was, enjoying the pilgrims' affection.
Upon returning to the courtyard, a line of words appeared before Jiang Changsheng's eyes:
In the twenty-second year of Kaiyuan, the Seventh Prince brought Meng Qiuhe to cause trouble. You successfully drove them back and survived a calamity, obtaining the survival reward—spiritual item "Earth Spirit Tree."
A spiritual item?
This was the first time he had seen one.
Jiang Changsheng silently pondered this, then returned to his room to receive the memories related to the Earth Spirit Tree.
The Earth Spirit Tree was a type of tree seed that generated spiritual energy. Once it matured, it could develop spiritual intelligence and even defend its territory. It was indeed a very fine kind of tree.
Jiang Changsheng took it out. It was currently only a seed. He then left the room and buried it in the center of the courtyard.
Hua Jian Xin came out of the room and asked curiously, "What is that?"
Jiang Changsheng smiled. "While I was walking just now, a seed suddenly fell from the sky. Perhaps it is a gift from the heavens. Let us try it and see whether it can grow into a towering tree that reaches the Azure Sky."
Hua Jian Xin fell silent.
She had already grown accustomed to Jiang Changsheng's mysterious ramblings. She really wanted to ask when he planned to have a son.
Ever since Jiang Changsheng had mentioned it last year, she had been waiting. Yet after waiting an entire year, there had been no news at all. She even suspected that she had been dreaming at the time.
After burying the seed, Jiang Changsheng left behind a sentence and went inside. "Water it when you have time."
Watching Jiang Changsheng enter the room, Hua Jian Xin stood stunned for a while. Then she lightly stamped her foot. Though full of resentment, she still obediently went to scoop water from the water vat.
The Seventh Prince's disturbance did not worry Jiang Changsheng. Instead, it made him somewhat expectant.
More little troubles like this could come his way; they would help him farm survival rewards.
As long as the unknown Great Vehicle Dragon Tower did not act, anything could be handled.
When dealing with the Seventh Prince just now, Jiang Changsheng had deliberately restrained his spiritual power. He had only exerted the slightest force, perhaps one percent, afraid of shaking those two fellows to death.
News of the Seventh Prince bringing the Martial Arts Champion to challenge Changsheng Taoist Priest swiftly spread throughout the capital, adding another brick and tile to Changsheng Taoist Priest's fame.
In the Imperial Garden, a group of imperial sons had gathered.
"Hahaha, Seventh Brother, you actually dared challenge Changsheng Taoist Priest? You simply refused to believe it. Did I not tell you about the Returning Yang Old Immortal's fate before?"
The Second Prince, Jiang Ming, laughed loudly. The Seventh Prince stood behind Jiang Qian, watching him play chess with the other brothers. Faced with Jiang Ming's mockery, he remained unmoved.
One imperial son stepped forward and said with a smile, "Seventh Brother is young and high-spirited. It is understandable. Changsheng Taoist Priest is a Taoist even Father Emperor favors—how could his martial arts possibly be weak?"
The other imperial sons joined in, comforting the Seventh Prince while also giving him a way out.
Jiang Ming curled his lip. Finding it dull, he said no more.
He asked Jiang Qian, "Where is Fourth Brother?"
Jiang Qian placed a chess piece. "Probably pestering Zong Tianwu to teach him martial arts."
Ever since being taught a lesson by Zong Tianwu, Jiang Yu had been pestering Zong Tianwu to teach him martial arts. He had not even gone to seek Jiang Changsheng.
In his eyes, Zong Tianwu was stronger. After all, Jiang Changsheng was only a Taoist, while Zong Tianwu was the Martial Arts Supreme, a legend in the hearts of martial artists.
Jiang Ming teased, "Eldest Brother, your Fourth Brother is not simple. Ever since returning, he has been currying favor with military power everywhere."
Jiang Qian said nothing and focused on the chessboard. The other imperial sons pretended not to hear.
Recently, the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, and the Fourth Prince had been openly and secretly fighting for power. They were all drawing in civil and military officials at court. This had already become common knowledge, while the emperor sat high upon the dragon throne, thinking every day about annexing Gu Han in the future.
Though Great Jing had repeatedly won its battles, Gu Han's territory was vast. After such long marches, Great Jing's soldiers were exhausted and simply could not attack all the way to Gu Han's royal capital.
The Seventh Prince suddenly spoke. "Speaking of which, what exactly does Father Emperor mean? Why has he still not allowed Eldest Brother to live in the Eastern Palace?"
The Eastern Palace was where the Crown Prince resided. As Crown Prince, if he did not live in the Eastern Palace, then his position as legitimate heir was unstable.
All the imperial sons looked toward Jiang Qian. Without changing expression, Jiang Qian said, "Father Emperor is still in his prime. Why is there any need to consider such matters?"
That was true.
Father Emperor still wanted immortality and eternal life.
The imperial sons shook their heads and laughed.
Jiang Ming suddenly asked, "Seventh Brother, did you meet any experts in the Great Vehicle Dragon Tower? Are there any stronger than Zong Tianwu?"
The Seventh Prince turned his head and replied, "Of course there are. The Great Vehicle Dragon Tower is the pillar of the Great Jing dynasty and an imperial secret. It is simply too low-profile. Otherwise, how could the position of Martial Arts Supreme be left to Zong Tianwu?"
Jiang Ming's eyes lit up. He immediately moved closer, slung an arm around the Seventh Prince's shoulders, and pulled him aside.
The other imperial sons did not interrupt. Either they had no ambitions, or they did but did not dare reveal them.
The Crown Prince, the Second Prince, and the Fourth Prince were fighting for power, and there was also the Seventh Prince, most favored by the emperor. Before these four, the other imperial sons had very little presence.
Spring passed into autumn, and another year brought fine autumn scenery.
In the twenty-third year of Kaiyuan, Jiang Changsheng remained busy cultivating. His cultivation steadily increased, but the sixth level of the Dao Follows Nature Skill was still far beyond reach. Hua Jian Xin had not entered the Heaven Arrival Realm either, remaining only one step from the threshold.
"Sigh, the Second Prince and the Crown Prince are now fighting so fiercely that they dare berate one another right in court. How outrageous. Yet His Majesty does not even discipline the Second Prince. I think he has begun growing muddleheaded again..."
Chen Li was pouring out his grievances to Jiang Changsheng, as unrestrained and bold as ever.
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