The Dao Follows Nature Skill was an immortal cultivation technique. Though the True Qi Jiang Changsheng had cultivated so far was also True Qi, the Dao followed nature; this skill emphasized becoming one with nature. Thus, ordinary martial artists could not peer into the aura of his True Qi. At most, they could sense that he possessed a faint wisp of True Qi.
Jiang Yuan looked at Jiang Changsheng, who was kneeling before the pavilion, and fell into a daze. He said with feeling, "I heard Chen Li mention you, little Daoist. At such a young age, you already possess outstanding martial arts. Your talent is clearly extraordinary. Great Jing needs geniuses like you."
Jiang Changsheng replied, "Thank you for Your Majesty's praise."
So Chen Li had spoken well of him. Chen Li had suggested more than once that he compete for Martial Arts Champion. Though he did not know how strong Jiang Changsheng truly was, twelve-year-old Jiang Changsheng had astonished him.
Jiang Yuan smiled and continued on his way.
Jiang Changsheng kept his head lowered. He felt an urge to rise and acknowledge his kinship, but reason told him that the time was not yet right. It was too dangerous.
After more than a decade apart, how was he supposed to acknowledge his kin? By a blood test?
Even if it succeeded, the palace was full of struggle. And once he revealed his true identity, Jiang Yuan's fury and the countless killings it caused would only bring him more enemies. If he returned to the palace, how could he possibly live there?
He would have to spend every day walking on eggshells. How could he cultivate then?
He first needed the strength to fear no danger before he could reveal his true identity!
Jiang Changsheng suddenly sensed someone's gaze. He did not need to look up to know that it belonged to that old eunuch.
There was a spy within Dragon Arising Temple, so naturally the old eunuch knew his identity.
The gaze did not linger for long. Only after they had gone far away did Jiang Changsheng and the others rise.
Meng Qiuhe said excitedly, "Not bad, Junior Brother Changsheng. Even His Majesty remembered you."
The other fellow disciples were also excited. The female disciples looked at him with shining eyes. At the age when flowers bloomed, young girls could hardly help harboring springtime longings, especially when Jiang Changsheng's handsome looks stood alone like a single branch in full bloom within Dragon Arising Temple.
Jiang Changsheng shook his head and smiled. "It's not much use. It might even bring trouble. I'll take my leave first. You all keep chatting."
With that, he left on his own.
Meng Qiuhe did not stop him. Instead, he began pondering a question.
How strong was Junior Brother Changsheng now?
He needed to find a chance to spar with him.
After returning to his room, Jiang Changsheng sat cross-legged on the bed and practiced. The Dao Follows Nature Skill was vast and profound. He did not know how many levels it had; only after mastering one level would the memories of the next be unlocked.
It was not until nightfall that Qing Ku returned.
Ever since experiencing the martial world, Qing Ku had become quiet and withdrawn. He immersed himself in martial arts every day, and his appearance and bearing seemed more mature than his actual age.
Qing Ku glanced at Jiang Changsheng without saying much, then likewise sat cross-legged on the bed to practice.
Several days later.
Chen Li came to visit Jiang Changsheng again.
Beside the Dao bell, Chen Li said excitedly, "Not bad, Changsheng. His Majesty actually praised you. At yesterday's morning court, His Majesty brought up Great Jing's martial path. He hoped to recruit people from the martial world to compete for Martial Arts Champion and enlist in the army. He even mentioned you specifically, saying that Dragon Arising Temple had a young Daoist who possessed the strength of a First-Rate Expert at fourteen."
"What do you say? Will you compete for Martial Arts Champion? With His Majesty's words, no one will dare play tricks on you. As long as your martial arts are strong enough, your path will be smooth and unobstructed."
Jiang Changsheng shook his head. "My martial arts are not strong enough yet, and I am still young. It is not suitable for me to enter the world too early."
Chen Li froze for a moment, then sighed. "Changsheng, at such a young age, you already possess such foresight and have seen through worldly dust. I almost suspect you are an immortal descended to earth."
He had never seen such a steady young man. Even when faced with heaven-shaking benefits, Jiang Changsheng remained unmoved.
He then changed the subject. "Your eldest senior brother has already made a name for himself in the martial world, but he has fallen into trouble. Taoist Priest Qingxu went down the mountain today."
Jiang Changsheng opened his eyes at those words.
Eldest Senior Brother Li Changqing was like the head of the family at Dragon Arising Temple. Though obsessed with martial arts, he was mild-tempered and took great care of the younger disciples. Jiang Changsheng also held him in high regard.
He asked curiously, "What kind of trouble?"
Chen Li said helplessly, "Naturally, it is a matter of love between men and women. For some reason, he became involved with a woman from the Devil Sect and was captured by them. The Devil Sect announced that Taoist Priest Qingxu had to personally go and retrieve him."
Jiang Changsheng frowned.
His first thought was that it was a trap!
Could it be that certain nobles had colluded with the Devil Sect to lure Taoist Priest Qingxu away? Without an expert in Dragon Arising Temple, they could make their move against him.
The possibility could not be ruled out. Even if it were merely a coincidence, those people would not let such an opportunity pass.
Since Jiang Changsheng had come to Dragon Arising Temple, Taoist Priest Qingxu had never gone down the mountain. For those nobles, this trip was an opportunity that came once in a thousand years.
Jiang Changsheng did not panic. In terms of True Qi alone, he was already several times stronger than Taoist Priest Qingxu. He also knew martial arts, though he lacked practical combat experience. He merely needed to be careful. After all, this was the capital; his opponents likely would not dare make a grand spectacle of it.
Chen Li continued speaking about Li Changqing. Li Changqing had traveled the martial world with fellow disciples, righting wrongs and aiding the weak. By chance, he had saved a woman. She threw herself into his arms, and only afterward did he learn that she was a disciple of the Devil Sect, even the sect leader's daughter, of exceptional status. The woman swore she would marry Li Changqing. The matter had already spread throughout the martial world and had even reached the inns of the capital.
Dragon Arising Temple was the only sect established within the capital, and its status in the martial world was unique. Since the matter concerned Dragon Arising Temple, the young men of the martial world naturally found it fresh and exciting.
Chen Li spoke for half an hour before leaving behind a packet of medicinal ingredients and departing.
These ingredients were suitable for martial artists to consume. They were extremely precious, worth a fortune and difficult to obtain.
Jiang Changsheng watched his departing back and silently remembered this favor. Then he began considering how to face the enemy attack that might come next.
After Taoist Priest Qingxu left, Second Senior Brother Meng Qiuhe took charge. That night, Dragon Arising Temple was thrown into an uproar, welcoming a lively night not seen in more than a decade. The disciples celebrated and made a tremendous clamor.
Jiang Changsheng practiced in his room, his mind disturbed by the noise, yet he felt too embarrassed to go out and stop them.
Suddenly!
Jiang Changsheng opened his eyes. He narrowed them and thought, So impatient?
He sensed someone's presence on the roof. Not a sound had been made during the crawl. An ordinary martial artist might not have noticed at all.
Before long, a strange fragrance drifted down from above.
Sleeping incense!
Jiang Changsheng immediately held his breath. The Dao Follows Nature Skill was an immortal cultivation technique; he could hold his breath for half an hour, far beyond an ordinary person.
After the time it took for half an incense stick to burn, he pretended to collapse onto the bed.
A figure leaped in through the window. This assassin was actually a disciple of Dragon Arising Temple, just over twenty years old, with an ordinary and unremarkable face. He stared at Jiang Changsheng on the bed and thought, This fellow's internal strength is truly high. He held out for so long.
He drew a dagger from his sleeve and carefully approached the bed, then stabbed toward Jiang Changsheng's chest.
At that moment, Jiang Changsheng's legs suddenly rose and twisted around the assassin's arm. He flipped backward, using the momentum to fling the assassin up and smash him onto the bed.
The entire sequence was far too fast. Before the assassin could react, Jiang Changsheng was sitting atop him, having subdued him.
The assassin activated his True Qi, trying to knock Jiang Changsheng away, only to discover in horror that he could not budge him at all.
What terrifying internal strength! This boy is definitely above the First-Rate Expert level!
The assassin was shocked beyond measure, his eyes widening round.
Jiang Changsheng saw his true face clearly and said quietly, "Fifth Senior Brother, what are you doing?"
The assassin suddenly gritted his teeth. Blood spilled from his mouth as he took poison and killed himself.
Jiang Changsheng had no time to stop him, but he was not disappointed.
He searched the assassin's body, but found nothing. Then he shouted loudly, "Assassin!"
He shouted more than ten times. Qing Ku was the first to rush in, followed by the other disciples.
Jiang Changsheng slumped on the bed, panting heavily with an expression of lingering terror.
Meng Qiuhe pushed through the crowd and hurried forward. When he saw the dead man, his face changed dramatically. "Fifth Junior Brother!"
The other disciples were also greatly shocked.
Fifth Senior Brother did not have much presence, but he had never held grudges against the other disciples in ordinary times.
Meng Qiuhe noticed the dagger in the assassin's hand, and his expression darkened. He stepped forward to inspect him and swiftly reached a conclusion. "He took poison and killed himself."
He instantly realized the severity of the matter. If this had been a conflict between fellow disciples, why would he hide poison in his mouth?
He looked toward Jiang Changsheng, hoping Jiang Changsheng would say something.
Jiang Changsheng pretended to be shocked and furious, gritting his teeth as he said, "I do not know why Fifth Senior Brother attacked me either. He wanted to kill me, but I subdued him instead, and then he took poison and killed himself."
This was his room. He had every reason to stand firm.
Qing Ku followed up, "Senior Brother Changsheng usually practices alone and has no grudges against any other disciple. Even if there were a grudge, it would still be wrong for Fifth Senior Brother to come to our room and assassinate him. And he took poison and killed himself. It is obvious he had a guilty conscience and feared being questioned."
The other disciples nodded and voiced their opinions. Some also questioned Jiang Changsheng, for the dead deserved respect.
Meng Qiuhe took a deep breath. "Junior Brother Changsheng, from today onward, stay in your room. Qing Ku will be responsible for bringing your meals. Wait until Master returns. The disciples in the courtyard will take turns standing guard and protecting Junior Brother Changsheng."
Jiang Changsheng had no objections. It was called protection, but it also meant surveillance, since no one knew the truth.
Meng Qiuhe led people away with the assassin's corpse.
Qing Ku comforted him. "Senior Brother Changsheng, do not be afraid. I will guard outside the whole time."
Jiang Changsheng nodded and watched him leave.
The incident quieted Dragon Arising Temple's lively atmosphere, plunging it once again into its former silence.
Jiang Changsheng heard many disciples discussing the matter. They all found it strange: why had Fifth Senior Brother wanted to kill Jiang Changsheng?
Inside the room.
Jiang Changsheng sat cross-legged once more and began practicing.
He began calculating what kind of expert the other side would send next.
Kaiyuan Year 14: An assassin attacked you. You captured the assassin, who took poison and killed himself. You survived a deadly calamity and received a survival reward—martial art: 'Life and Death Seal.'
A line of text appeared before his eyes. While the disciples were still outside, he immediately accepted the inheritance of the Life and Death Seal.
The Life and Death Seal was a True Qi martial art. It could strike out a seal and imprint it upon an enemy's meridians and acupoints, making them wish for death while being unable to die. It was a torture-type martial art—not lethal, yet it hastened death.
This martial art was good. If he captured an enemy again, he could interrogate them.
However, Jiang Changsheng knew very well who his enemies were, so he had no use for it for now. Still, learning one more martial art would always prove useful in the future.
Over the next ten days, Jiang Changsheng encountered no attacks. Perhaps because disciples took turns guarding the courtyard, the enemy did not dare act rashly.
At noon that day.
A clamor arose in the courtyard.
"Bold! This prince wishes to see someone, and you dare refuse me?"
"We would not dare, we would not dare, it is only..."
"Only what?"
"Junior Brother Changsheng was attacked by an assassin earlier. We are protecting him..."
"Impudent! Are you tired of living? Do you think this prince intends to kill him?"
After the commotion, the room door was rudely shoved open. A richly dressed youth stormed in angrily. He appeared only eleven or twelve years old. Behind him stood two Purple-Clad Men, both burly and each holding a saber at his waist.
The youth's eyes lit up when he saw Jiang Changsheng. He immediately rushed forward and asked excitedly, "Are you Daoist Changsheng?"
Only Jiang Changsheng himself knew his surname. In daily life, he went by Changsheng.
Jiang Changsheng got down from the bed and cupped his hands. "May I ask who this benefactor is...?"
The youth smiled smugly. "I am the Fourth Prince. I have come specifically to take you as my master and learn martial arts."
Jiang Changsheng asked in surprise, "Why seek me out?"
The Fourth Prince glanced at the two guards behind him. They immediately retreated to the doorway. The Fourth Prince stepped closer, leaned toward Jiang Changsheng, and whispered, "Father Emperor said you are very formidable and told me to become your disciple. Have any other Imperial Sons come looking for you?"
Thanks to the great patron Everything Lover for the silver treasure chest. Thanks to Delan for the 3,000 Qidian Coins, Light of Yuci for the 1,500 Qidian Coins, Ultimate Happy Wind Man Beyond the Heavens for the 1,000 Qidian Coins, A Dream of Three Lives for the 500 Qidian Coins, and so on~~ During the new book period, there will be two updates daily, with more than three thousand words per chapter~~
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