Chapter 53: The Dragon and Elephant Subdue the Prison

When will you head to the Imperial Capital?

Jiang Ming gestured at the numerous martial arts manuals. “Once I’ve finished absorbing these, I’ll go.”

“At your pace, I’d wager two or three months will suffice,” the Ninth Princess estimated, then continued, “Jiang, the foot of the mountain has been sealed off. The city garrison has been redeployed here—about five thousand men. In addition, there’s a thousand Black Banner cavalry—heavy armored riders. If we’re surrounded, it could become extremely troublesome.”

This was, in fact, her main reason for coming.

Jiang Ming smiled, a hint of bloodlust in his eyes.

The Ninth Princess couldn’t help but feel a chill run down her spine. She turned to leave. “I’ll be going then, Jiang.”

“So urgent?” Jiang Ming was surprised.

“I have no choice!” She paused, turned back, brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, and her voice softened, “Jiang, if I were to make an enemy of the entire world, would you help me?”

Her gaze was intense, tinged with hope.

“I’m already headed to the capital, am I not?” Jiang Ming grew somewhat embarrassed under her look.

“I’ll wait for you!” She left, her steps light and cheerful.

Chief Jin hurried after her.

“Jiang, it seems the young lady has fallen for you. Not just any lady either—a princess! The most gifted one, a grandmaster in her own right,” Lu Yuan said, his tone sour.

Jiang Ming fell silent.

Outside, in the pavilion.

The two women stopped. Chief Jin stood uncomfortably, head bowed.

“I know all about your journey here. I personally helped you reach the grandmaster realm. You must be getting close to warming my bed, aren’t you?” The Ninth Princess stood with hands behind her back, gazing into the distance, her voice calm.

“N-no, not at all, Your Highness…” Chief Jin grew flustered, all the more uneasy. “I only wish to grow stronger so I can be of greater help to you…”

“No need to explain. For someone as brash as you to have found attachment is rare indeed.” Her tone softened. “If we survive, then from now on, I’ll be your elder sister.”

With that, she leapt away, vanishing into the wind.

Only then did Chief Jin lift her head, her expression complicated.

Outside, the world was in turmoil, but Jiang Ming paid it no heed.

He immersed himself in the sea of martial texts, constantly consuming tonics to refine his body. Having perfected his body-tempering method by incorporating many secrets of the Great Forest Temple, he set about refining it anew.

“My physical potential seems boundless!” Even Jiang Ming was astonished.

“Is it the ‘Nirvana Rebirth’ talent, granting unimaginable vitality? Or is it that I’ve grasped so many levels of intent, and after being cleansed by the world’s essence, my potential has soared?”

He could not say.

But, all in all, it was a blessing.

“In this world, even the greatest power is the Grandmaster realm at best. In the primary world, that’s only quasi-fourth tier—limited vision, limited foundation. Even if I exhaust all martial arts here, it would be difficult to devise a truly peerless body-tempering art!”

Jiang Ming pondered, recalling the fantastic body-refining arts from the fantasy novels he’d read in his past life. The ones that left the deepest impression were the Divine Elephant Prison Suppression Strength and the Eight-Nine Arcane Technique.

The Divine Elephant Prison Suppression Strength was especially awe-inspiring.

“To guide the spirit with qi, to shape the form with spirit—one’s body is composed of eight hundred and forty million micro-particles. Should these be awakened, each particle would possess the strength of a giant elephant. The forms are myriad: from giant elephant to dragon elephant, then to primordial elephant, and ultimately to divine elephant—this is perfection.”

“Are these micro-particles akin to cells?”

“The human body, depending on height and other factors, has between forty and sixty trillion cells.”

Awaken the micro-particles?

Refine the cells?

That would require work on a microscopic level.

Jiang Ming shook his head. This was far beyond his current capabilities.

“One step at a time.”

Suppressing these thoughts, he continued to read, comprehend, and refine his body in tranquility.

In the blink of an eye, more than two months passed.

Morning sunlight warmed the world.

On one side of the cliff, Jiang Ming sat cross-legged, gazing at the eastern sun, lost in thought. “I’ve comprehended all nine types of Yang intent, each to the point of mastery, even fusing them into one at the initial stage. My core energy is surging—if not for the limits of this world, my true qi would have long since liquefied.”

But…

He still could not grasp the true essence of Yang.

“The union of nine Yangs is not true Yang. Then what, truly, is ‘True Yang’?”

Jiang Ming frowned in contemplation.

He had grasped both Yin and Yang, yet could not step through the gateway, leaving him rather disheartened.

He rose in a leap and returned to his quarters.

He had finished reading all the martial texts, and consumed all the elixirs and tonics to refine his blood and energy.

“It’s time to go!” With a little tidying, Jiang Ming set off.

“So soon?” Lu Yuan followed.

Chief Jin carried a small bundle on her back.

As for the martial texts? She had long since arranged to have them copied and sent quietly to Tianwu Villa. As for what would happen to this place after their departure? The authorities would naturally take over.

“Came as the mood took me, and leave the same way,” Jiang Ming said with a smile. “What, you want to stay and become a monk?”

“I think you could!” Chief Jin’s eyes lit up as she tempted, “Lu, with your strength, you could be abbot here, build this place up, found a sect of your own. With all these techniques, you could even start a new school. Lu, want to give it a try?”

She truly hoped he would stay—then the road ahead would be just her and Jiang Ming.

“You two are wicked,” Lu Yuan snorted. “You’d have me forsake the pleasures of the world, turn my back on beauties, wine, and fine food? Impossible. My heart is in the mortal realm, and so is my body. I want to leave my mark here, not fade away in some mountain retreat.”

Laughing and chatting, they soon reached the foot of the mountain, where a member of the Six Gates awaited, bowing low. “Mister Jiang, Chief Jin, Master Lu—the foot of the mountain is surrounded. There are archers, spearmen, blade formations. On the outskirts, a thousand heavy cavalry stand ready to charge at any moment.”

“Jiang!” Chief Jin was slightly nervous.

“They’re mostly innocent,” Lu Yuan remarked, but nervous? Not in the least.

Great Forest Temple was powerful, but look what became of it.

Even if they were outmatched by an army, leaving would be easy. He was well aware of Jiang Ming’s terrifying strength, as well as the resilience of his body. He’d felt the intense blood energy radiating from Jiang Ming during his body-tempering—close approach was impossible.

At the time, he’d even joked, “With that body of yours, you could pierce a mountain.”

Jiang Ming had only smiled.

At the foot of the mountain.

The army stood ready. The lead general sat atop a great warhorse, clad head to toe in heavy armor, only his eyes visible—clearly aware of Jiang Ming’s fearsome reputation. Watching the trio descend, he drew a deep breath and shouted, “Jiang Ming! You slaughtered the Great Forest Temple, left corpses piled high and rivers of blood flowing. Your crimes are monstrous and deserving of death. If you kneel and confess, you might yet live. Otherwise, in a rain of arrows, you will be executed where you stand!”

“Since you know who I am, you should also know my record,” Jiang Ming replied, his steps unhurried but his voice carrying to every soldier. “With just a few sword strikes, you’d all be gone. Leave now and I’ll pretend nothing happened. Otherwise, this day next year will be the anniversary of your deaths.”

“Arrogant!” The general was furious, yet withdrew into his lines, raising his long blade.

He held no fear of martial artists.

Before he could issue his order, Jiang Ming raised his hand, flicking his fingers—several sword auras howled forth. The general’s pupils shrank. Before he could react, a sharp pain split his forehead, and in the next instant, darkness consumed him. His last thought lingering in death: He truly is strong!