Grinding Cultivation Toward Martial Saint-Chapter 1426 - 255: Riding Through the Royal Capital, Witnessing the Martial Saint’s True Form! (Part 2)
Upon hearing these words, Jiang Ning nodded immediately.
"So, Beicang King holds a very high status in Great Xia."
"Extremely high!" Vice Minister Zhang continued, "Among various Princes, there are differences in strength, and Beicang King stands among the strongest, having emerged from the military ranks, rising rapidly. Although he’s aged now, his strength is formidable, making him the premier powerhouse in the court, with a Heavenly Hero Army of a hundred thousand under his command."
Jiang Ning asked, "In the contest among the Princes, whom does he support now?"
Upon Jiang Ning’s candid inquiry, even Vice Minister Zhang, a Second Grade official in the court, couldn’t help but shudder in fear.
"Marquis, such matters shouldn’t be discussed, especially within the Imperial Palace! With so many ears around, what we say might end up in the Imperial Library anytime!"
Hearing Vice Minister Zhang’s heartbeat accelerating due to his question, Jiang Ning inwardly shook his head.
A Second Grade official, just one comment causing his heart to race and making him nervous.
At this moment, he was deeply touched.
Lacking sufficient strength and confidence leaves one without any composure.
Once the official rank is gone, nothing remains.
Thus, the fear of imperial power is like fear of a tiger.
He shook his head inwardly.
And no longer pursued the question.
Knowing that pressing further was meaningless.
...
Chongming Hall.
A ceremonial procession emerged from Chongming Hall.
Jiang Ning was riding a tall white horse, the horse draped in red silk, while he wore a red champion’s robe, with a golden great roc spreading its wings on his chest, and a gold seal hung at his waist.
In the morning sunlight, the great roc appeared even more divine.
"The new Martial Champion rides the street!"
A loud call rang out, the Imperial Guard arrayed on both sides, swords and spears like a forest, reflecting the golden morning light.
The Ministry of Rites official began the music, the sound of flutes, pipes, drums, and zithers echoed across the heavens.
Behind him were Mingxin, Wan Jianyi, and other Martial Examination graduates riding white horses, with attendants holding fans and ceremonial gear.
Wan Jianyi looked at the imposing figure ahead and felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness.
By now, he thoroughly understood that the gap between him and Jiang Ning wasn’t even in the same realm.
Dongling Marquis, appointed as the Zeshan State Patrol Envoy.
In every aspect, a figure at the pinnacle.
And Jiang Ning was much younger than him.
As time went by, as long as Jiang Ning didn’t fall prematurely, the gap between them would only widen infinitely.
At this moment, his pride was utterly lost.
He realized that, even in his generation, he might be the pinnacle genius.
But compared to Jiang Ning, a transcendent genius of a thousand years, he was like a mayfly beneath the vast sky.
...
The procession passed the imperial gate pathway, where clusters of flowers were laid out.
Officials from the Ministry of Personnel, Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of Rites, Ministry of War, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Industry lined the route to greet him.
"Scatter the flowers! Scatter the flowers!"
A Ministry of Rites official shouted, and suddenly, thousands of flower petals were thrown from the side buildings.
Peonies, crabapples, golden laurels rained down like showers, landing on Jiang Ning’s shoulders, before being swept into the long street by the wind.
The pathway transformed into a brocade river, horse hooves crushing the fallen petals, leaving a faint fragrance in the air.
Continuing forward, they headed towards Duan Gate, where a large crowd of lesser officials solemnly watched.
...
On this day, Jiang Ning rode through the Royal Capital, wherever he went, citizens swarmed like tides, heads buzzing to catch a glimpse of the new champion’s face.
...
Until noon.
Jiang Ning appeared at the Martial Saint Mansion.
"Master Xiao!" Seeing Xiao Wuque appear, Jiang Ning stood up and cupped his hands.
"I was about to look for you, but I didn’t expect Dongling Marquis to arrive first!" Xiao Wuque said.
"Having the chance to meet the Martial Saint, I couldn’t wait!" Jiang Ning replied.
"In that case, let’s move!" Xiao Wuque said, then added, "Are we having lunch?"
Jiang Ning shook his head, "No need!"
"Then – let’s go!" His voice echoed in the house, but Xiao Wuque’s figure had already vanished.
The next moment.
Jiang Ning moved, disappearing from the room as well.
...
Above the Royal Capital.
Two figures broke through the air, moving as fast as shooting stars, comfortably reaching supersonic speeds without any turbulence.
Seeing Jiang Ning move like a shadow, Xiao Wuque couldn’t help but glance at Jiang Ning twice.
Yet his heart wasn’t surprised.
Because during yesterday’s Martial Arts Examination, when Jiang Ning displayed his swordsmanship seeking to break through Mingxin’s defenses, he saw that Jiang Ning’s swordsmanship proficiency was extremely profound.
It had long touched the essence of space.
Such proficiency not only made the swordsmanship mysterious but had a great effect on movement techniques as well.
Jiang Ning followed behind.
Until thirty minutes later, the two stopped atop a peak resembling the tip of a sword.
"Is this the place?" Jiang Ning paused at the summit and asked.
"Almost!" Xiao Wuque nodded, continued, "Now, my teacher is inside a sealed Grotto Heaven. To meet him, he needs to willingly draw us in."
The next moment.
Xiao Wuque raised his head.
"Teacher!!"
He called aloud.
The voice seemed to be gathered by an invisible force, heading straight to the sky above, rather than dispersing in all directions.
Three breaths later. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮
Jiang Ning’s gaze sharpened.
He sensed an invisible fluctuation descending from the sky.
In an instant, the fluctuation enveloped the two.
Soon, the surrounding void began to distort.
This feeling reminded Jiang Ning of entering Shangyang Cave Heaven.
Soon after, a momentary blur, and when he reopened his eyes.
He saw the two had arrived in front of a grass hut.
"Let’s go! The teacher should be inside!" Xiao Wuque urged.
As he spoke, he took two steps forward and pushed open the half-open wooden gate.
"Teacher!!" He immediately adopted a respectful tone.
Hearing this title, Jiang Ning couldn’t help but become curious.
He took two steps forward, and as his view cleared.
At once, he saw an elderly man with bent waist and hair all white sitting on a marble stool.
Though seated on the marble stool, as soon as he saw the old man, he could tell the elder wasn’t tall.
He was momentarily stunned.
"Young friend seems a bit disappointed!!" The elder raised his head to look at Jiang Ning, chuckling.
"Not at all! I’m merely in awe at seeing the face of the Martial Saint!" Jiang Ning responded.
"Not very honest!" The elder slowly poured tea into the cup ahead, then said, "Your sophistry is too shallow, and you’ve come to my domain, how could you hide."
"Teacher!! Your domain!!! Have you succeeded??!" Xiao Wuque’s eyes widened.
"Just an idle remark! There’s no success for me!" the elder shook his head and continued, "Now it’s merely by relying on the trait of the Cave Heaven Blessed Land to eke out a few more days!"
"Teacher, even with your capabilities, you didn’t succeed?" Xiao Wuque asked in disbelief.
"Sit and talk!" The elder gestured with his hand, indicating the two to sit down.
Jiang Ning seated himself, and his gaze fell on the cup before him.
He saw a thin green leaf floating on the clear tea water, resembling a small boat.
Xiao Wuque sat down as well.
"In the presence of the river of time, no one can truly withstand its mighty power! Even though I have achieved invincibility this lifetime, against such power, all I can do now is become a bent old man!" the elder said.
Then slowly lifted the cup and took a sip, his brows relaxed.
"You should try it! It’s a good thing!"
Hearing this, Jiang Ning focused his attention once more on the tea.
Then picked up the tea and slowly had a sip.
As the tea went down, he immediately envisioned ice melting, saw plants growing rapidly, and witnessed all things competing fiercely.
His eyes remained shut, next to him Xiao Wuque exclaimed.
"Teacher, this tea actually contains such potent Life Source Energy!"
Jiang Ning opened his eyes to see Xiao Wuque’s face full of astonishment.
"This tea is good stuff. Drinking it, you both will extend your lives by three to five years at least!" the elder said.
"Then why don’t you...?" Xiao Wuque asked.
The elder shook his head, "I’m different from you. I’ve already reached the limit of life, reached the cap, no matter how potent the Life Source Energy, it’s hard to prolong my life."
"It helps a bit that I’m still eking out a living now." he spoke and then took another sip, his brows relaxing more, the wrinkles on his face seemed to lessen at this moment.
