Jianghu Affairs, a Spy Within the Temple

"If Benefactor Chen truly wishes to, he could donate directly to Dragon Arising Temple. Why give it to me alone?"

Jiang Changsheng asked, his eyes fixed on Chen Li.

Chen Li was startled. Though he had already experienced how unusually mature this boy was, he was still taken aback. Shaking his head with a laugh, he said, "What standing does Dragon Arising Temple hold? How could I possibly form ties with it alone? It would be improper in etiquette and even less realistic in sentiment. I merely wish to befriend the young Daoist priest. At such a young age, the young Daoist priest already possesses such martial skill. One day, he will surely stand among the foremost of the martial world, perhaps even become the Martial Arts Champion and serve the imperial court."

He had earned the top rank in last year's examinations. His background had stirred much discussion among the common folk, but books were the foundation of inheritance and were largely controlled by aristocratic clans. How could commoners possibly outscore those clans? This year, the emperor had specifically instituted two top champions, one civil and one martial.

The cost of practicing martial arts was not high in this world. Countless sects accepted disciples throughout the land. Martial arts merely required talent, but studying required talent as well. Comparatively speaking, commoners found it easier to rise through martial arts.

Dragon Arising Temple was a Daoist temple personally decreed by the emperor. The Chen family did not dare directly form ties with Taoist Priest Qingxu, lest they invite the Holy One's suspicion.

Jiang Changsheng felt that his words made sense. In life, blindly avoiding everything could not keep one safe forever. Forming connections with some powerful nobles could instead bring benefits.

More importantly, although Jiang Changsheng had resigned himself to fate, he was fucking unwilling to accept it. He had to find a way to kill the fake Crown Prince, and the powerful nobles behind him could not be spared either.

He reviewed the memories of twelve years ago. Among the powerful nobles he had heard of, there truly had been no surname Chen.

Jiang Changsheng nodded. "Then I'll accept it. As a mere little Daoist priest, I can't slight the face of a top scholar like you."

Chen Li smiled, not feeling mocked in the slightest. As long as the other party accepted it, that was a good beginning.

The reason he was so enthusiastic was also due to the influence of his lineage. The Chen family desperately needed powerful martial artists. They had recruited quite a few martial men, but every one of them had been swayed by profit. Jiang Changsheng was different. He was still young; as long as they properly provided him with resources, sooner or later, his heart would turn toward the Chen family.

Chen Li began speaking of the murder case. It turned out Xue Hai had intended to assassinate him, but he had remained with Taoist Priest Qingxu, seeking the Dao. Xue Hai had then been spotted sneaking about furtively by the victim. With the mindset that officials stood above merchants, the victim had repeatedly interrogated Xue Hai. Annoyed, Xue Hai killed him. As for Jiang Changsheng, he had been framed entirely because Xue Hai had once seen him practicing leg techniques from afar at night.

Jiang Changsheng recalled it. He indeed had felt watched before, but the sensation had vanished in an instant. Since he had not truly seen the other party, he had not taken it to heart.

"I was also too inexperienced in worldly affairs. Xue Hai led me astray with just a few words, and I even thought myself clever, believing I had seen through the truth." Chen Li sighed, looking rather ashamed.

Seeing that he could admit his mistake, Jiang Changsheng's impression of him improved. He then asked curiously, "Why did Xue Hai want to kill you?"

Chen Li glanced at Qing Ku. Qing Ku froze for a moment, then sensibly withdrew and shut the door.

"This matter concerns the previous dynasty. My Chen family once served as officials under the previous dynasty, but later we returned from the lost path. Xue Hai was a remnant of the previous dynasty. By killing me, he merely wished to frame the present dynasty and make those aristocratic clans who had submitted realize that the court was not friendly toward families that had defected from the previous dynasty. Unfortunately, he failed." Chen Li spoke helplessly.

The Chen family truly had it rough. Things were awkward under the current dynasty, and they still had to face reprisals from the previous one.

Jiang Changsheng felt no sympathy. Who told you to become the first top scholar? The gun always shoots the bird that sticks its head out.

From Xue Hai's perspective, it was understandable too. Traitors were far more hateful than enemies.

Chen Li did not say much more about the disputes at court. Knowing Jiang Changsheng had never gone down the mountain, he instead spoke of amusing stories from the martial world.

The Martial Arts Grandmaster fought the Eight Great Sects alone, shaking the martial world with his might.

The Divine Monk was wounded while subduing demons, then tragically poisoned to death by a waiter at the Black Inn.

The holy maiden of Profound Sound Pavilion had her boudoir infiltrated by the Theft Saint, who stole her valuables.

Ghost Eye Evil King was captured by the imperial court and thrown into the Heavenly Prison.

Stories like these kept Jiang Changsheng utterly engrossed.

Chen Li also explained the ranks of martial artists to him. From low to high, they were third-rate, second-rate, first-rate, and the True Origin Realm. Once one could use the True Qi within one's body to attack enemies through martial techniques, one had entered the True Origin Realm. Xue Hai had been a True Origin Realm expert and had practiced martial arts for nearly twenty years.

Jiang Changsheng compared himself against that standard. He felt killing Xue Hai would not have been difficult, thanks to the Dao Follows Nature Skill. Though he had only cultivated it to the second level, the True Qi in his body was already enough for him to lavishly employ Shadow Leg and Nine Seeking Heavenly Dragon Steps.

Immortal cultivation really was powerful.

A full half hour passed before Chen Li finally departed.

Jiang Changsheng gazed at the martial manual on the table and fell into thought.

Could this manual be poisoned?

Spring passed and autumn came. Several months had gone by since Chen Li's departure. The leaves atop Dragon Arising Temple gradually yellowed, and Jiang Changsheng's life returned to normal. The disciples no longer found him curious, while Qing Ku, his junior brother and roommate, rarely disturbed him either, because Qing Ku had also become so engrossed in martial arts that he could not pull himself free.

If there was any change, the greatest was that Jiang Changsheng could now practice openly during the day. His True Qi continued to grow, and he had initially mastered Vajra Howl. As for Qi Finger, he had yet to cultivate it.

He wanted to fully master Vajra Howl first, then practice Qi Finger.

Chen Li never came again. After the murder case, Taoist Priest Qingxu had not met Jiang Changsheng alone either.

One day.

Jiang Changsheng finally reached the third level of the Dao Follows Nature Skill. His senses improved enormously. He could even hear mosquitoes a hundred zhang away, and he could clearly hear the breathing of the other disciples. The sensation was incomparably wondrous.

His True Qi itself had not increased, but he could clearly sense it undergoing subtle changes, perhaps tending toward a transformation into spiritual energy.

Several hours later, he arrived in the courtyard. The disciples had yet to return; they were still listening to the Dao in the Daoist hall. He began cultivating Vajra Howl.

Cultivating Vajra Howl did not require him to throw back his head and roar at full volume. He only needed to open the hidden meridians in his throat. When his True Qi resonated, he could judge the power that would erupt from his roar. In the past, those invisible meridians had been difficult to activate. After his cultivation method broke through, he found that the process of pouring True Qi into those invisible meridians had become smooth, and the pain from before was gone as well.

Jiang Changsheng was delighted. Sure enough, cultivation methods were the foundation. In the future, he would still have to spend most of his time on them.

At dusk, Qing Ku returned to the room.

"Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother plans to take fifteen disciples down the mountain for training. He specifically asked me to ask you—are you willing to go?" Qing Ku asked excitedly.

Nearly all of these disciples were orphans. Every expedition would bring back a batch of new disciples.

Since coming up the mountain, Qing Ku had never gone down it. He was curious about everything below. From visiting guests, he had heard that a flourishing age was about to arrive and that war could no longer be seen among the people.

Jiang Changsheng shook his head. "I won't be going."

Qing Ku tried to persuade him a few more times, but he simply would not go. Qing Ku could only give up.

Go down the mountain?

Impossible!

Unless his own martial strength had become invincible beneath the heavens, Jiang Changsheng would never go down the mountain. Dragon Arising Temple stood within the capital, and those powerful nobles watching him must still have their eyes fixed on him.

After all, if his identity were exposed, his head would be chopped off. When the true dragon flew into rage, even the highest officials would have to dismount.

Over these years, the emperor had purged factions. No one knew how many meritorious founders of the dynasty had died.

The next morning, Second Senior Brother Meng Qiuhe led a group of disciples down the mountain, including Qing Ku. Jiang Changsheng did not see them off. Instead, he practiced before the Dao Bell Tower, facing the blazing sun.

He continued until nightfall, just as Jiang Changsheng was about to rise.

In the twelfth year of Kaiyuan, a spy persuaded Second Senior Brother in an attempt to lure you down the mountain. You refused, thereby escaping a deadly calamity. You have obtained a survival reward—miscellaneous art: 'Alchemy.'

Seeing this notification, Jiang Changsheng froze, nearly blurting out a curse.

A spy?

There was a spy within Dragon Arising Temple?

First, he ruled out Second Senior Brother Meng Qiuhe. When Jiang Changsheng had been two, he had nearly been accidentally killed by his martial-practicing Eldest Senior Brother. Meng Qiuhe had saved him, and this time, Meng Qiuhe had been persuaded by someone else.

Wait!

Could it be Eldest Senior Brother?

That incident when he was two had not been an accident, but deliberate?

Jiang Changsheng began considering whose gaze toward him had seemed wrong in daily life, who might be the culprit. He even suspected Qing Ku.

After thinking for a long time, he still could not figure it out.

But one thing was certain: going down the mountain meant danger. Within the Daoist temple, as long as Taoist Priest Qingxu remained, the traitor would not dare act recklessly.

What Jiang Changsheng needed to do now was grow diligently and hide his strength.

During the previous murder case, merely displaying his talent for martial arts had drawn the spy into action. He absolutely could not reveal Shadow Leg, Vajra Howl, or the Dao Follows Nature Skill.

Fortunately, he rarely showed off in daily life.

Jiang Changsheng rose and walked toward his courtyard. Along the way, disciples greeted him. He smiled and returned every greeting, all while silently judging them.

He had already refused to go down the mountain, so the spy should still be on the mountain.

Any of these people could be the one!

The autumn leaves within Dragon Arising Temple were covered by white snow. After nearly a hundred cycles of sun and moon, the snow melted and spring arrived.

In the thirteenth year of Kaiyuan, Jiang Changsheng was thirteen years old.

That year, the emperor developed madness and began pursuing immortal arts, widely recruiting capable people and strange individuals from across the land to refine pills for him.

"There are no immortals in this world. Those evil spirits are merely transformed monsters. For the sake of immortal arts, His Majesty has even neglected state affairs. Fortunately, His Highness the Crown Prince was born intelligent, well-read in the Four Books and Five Classics, and has already begun helping handle part of the government affairs."

Chen Li spoke with feeling, his words full of praise for the Crown Prince.

Jiang Changsheng's expression did not change, but he felt somewhat displeased inside.

He could wield power at thirteen? This little brat had some ability.

Jiang Changsheng asked curiously, "Is His Highness the Crown Prince truly so exceptional? Can you tell me about him?"

Chen Li smiled. "Of course. Speaking of it, His Highness the Crown Prince can be considered a man of twists and turns in fate. Before he was born, His Majesty had already designated him Crown Prince. He was Crown Prince before even leaving the womb; looking through history, he alone had such a distinction. Yet after the Empress gave birth to him, she fell gravely ill and did not awaken for several months. After waking, she lost her mind, claiming His Highness the Crown Prince was not her son. Without a mother's love, and with other Imperial Sons being born, His Highness the Crown Prince had tasted all the warmth and coldness of human feeling within the palace. Even His Majesty once treated him coldly. Fortunately, he was extraordinarily gifted. He recognized a thousand characters at three and could compose poetry based on a scene at five, winning back His Majesty's favor."

Hearing this, Jiang Changsheng could not help thinking of his mother in this life. While he had still been in her womb, he often heard her talking to herself, saying how she would treat him well in the future and complaining about how recklessly the emperor acted.

His heart felt sour.

So aside from evil people, there had also been someone in this world who thought of him.

Jiang Changsheng asked curiously, "How is the Empress now? She still... remains the Empress?"

Chen Li glared at him. "Naturally. His Majesty and the Empress were deeply in love. Heaven takes pity—now the Empress has recovered her health, and her relationship with His Highness the Crown Prince has also been restored. The nation is at peace, the people live in safety, and a flourishing age has arrived. The Empress deserves a share of the credit for all this."

Jiang Changsheng had no reply, though he felt slightly comforted inside.

No matter what, she was at least living quite well.