Chapter 39: Giving Gouyu Pointers, Returning Her Favor
With Princess Gouyu’s proud nature, if Jiang Chen had said anything else, she would’ve flatly not turned back again.
But, Jiang Chen had happened to hit on currently her most sensitive, followed most closely, and most worrisome matter!
Yes, she had halted at ten meridians true qi for a good three years. When she was 18, a Princess Gouyu in her prime had shaken off the shackles and broken through nine meridians true qi with one stroke, ascending to ten meridians true qi, becoming the kingdom’s youngest true qi master.
In that moment, Princess Gouyu had resolutely affirmed that her life’s faith lay in practicing martial dao.
She’d labored all the time during these three years and had pretty much completely thrown all the missions that her royal brother Eastern Lu had handed to her over to Du Ruhai to control.
This was also why Du Ruhai could command the wind and rain in the Hidden Dragon Trials. It really was because she had given him too much power.
But in these three years, no matter how hard she’d tried, ventured out to train, traveled from north to south, she’d been unable to find opportunity needed to breakthrough to eleven meridians true qi.
That moment of ascension dragged its feet and had failed to arrive.
In these three years, she had tried, fought bravely, acted crazily, and even cried silently in the dark of the night when no one else was around.
But it was as if locks had been placed onto her path of martial dao. She had never been able to enter the halls of eleven meridians true qi.
She almost suspected that she had overestimated herself.
Was ten meridians true qi the upper limit of her potential?
During the time that she had returned to the capital, that was also one of the most downcast, dejected periods of her life.
That cold expression on her forehead spread out lightly, and subtle hints of emotion flashed visibly through her limpid eyes. However, this appearance only appeared for a brief flash.
Princess Gouyu reassumed her cold demeanor afterwards.
“You are young, do not guess wildly at issues of martial dao.”
“Is it really guessing randomly?” Jiang Chen smiled as he sat and waited. “You probably don’t even know that the anxiety you feel at being unable to breakthrough to eleven meridians true qi is written all over your face.
What probably has occurred to you even less is that at this rate, not only will you be unable to breakthrough, but you’re not far off from a cultivation deviation that will backfire on you.
You also have to admit that whenever the sun sets, your emotions become agitated and irritable, as if numerous raging fires are burning crazily in your chest, seeking to reduce you to ashes.
You can deny it, but I still have to say it. Treat it as me returning your favor. As for whether or not you’ll listen, that’s up to you.”
Jiang Chen displayed a kind smile. The smile of a fifteen or sixteen year old youth was the most brilliant and filled with sunshine, and also one to most easily dispel a gloomy haze.
Indeed, this kind smile caused the headstrong Princess Gouyu to surprisingly refrain from kicking up her heels and leaving, refuting Jiang Chen, but rather to look at him with a complicated gaze.
To look at a youth she understood less and less.
“Your potential, the method that you’re training in, all are all enough for you to breakthrough to the eleventh current of true qi. Your body embodies even the potential to try for spirit dao.
But unfortunately, you’re too bent on victory. Your headstrong personality has affected your state of mind.”
“So what?” Princess Gouyu was a bit dissatisfied but still wished Jiang Chen to quickly continue speaking.
“Very simple, one word – tranquility.” Jiang Chen smiled faintly. “The fire in you burns too hotly, resulting in an overabundance of yang qi within your body and causing an imbalance in your yin and yang. This affects the circulation of your meridians. Add to that your impatient nature, and it further weakens your control over your meridians.”
“That it?” Princess Gouyu didn’t seem to quite believe him.
“If you say it’s simple, then it’s that simple. But if you say it’s not simple, it’s also not that simple. Training in martial dao is not merely reading books and theory, but one must cultivate a state of tranquility and banish the demons of the heart. How is that simple? With your personality, I feel that the difficulty will be high. Have you not discovered that you’re walking closer and closer to a cultivation deviation?”
Princess Gouyu was moved. A trace of low spirits flashed across the unparalleled beauty of her face. She really didn’t want to admit it, but instinct told her that the truth was such.
Suddenly, her slightly frowning eyebrows lifted lightly and she blurted out a question, “Jiang Chen, do you have any ways to resolve this?”
Princess Gouyu had almost used up all her strength in asking this question. She even felt that she was truly weak. Why was she so childish as to ask him for answers? If he said he didn’t know, how ugly would that be?
Gouyu’s emotions were extremely complex in the span of a moment and she didn’t even have the courage to meet Jiang Chen’s eyes. The look from this youth seemed like it would pierce through metallic rocks and directly breach her inner mind.
“I said that I owe you one.” Jiang Chen smiled. “I’m going to go see Princess Zhiruo, would you like to come?”
Princess Gouyu stamped her foot, but cowardly her feet still betrayed her into following him.
Princess Zhiruo was overjoyed to see Jiang Chen. Her entire being seemed like it would fly up in her elation as looks of incomparably happiness shot out from her eyes.
“Brother Jiang Chen, didn’t you say you would come once a month? Is today’s visit because you missed Zhiruo?” The little girl was young and naturally had few reservations when she talked.
“How could I be at ease if I didn’t look in on you. What if they tortured you and didn’t follow my instructions? If anything happens to you, then my head will be chopped off to accompany you.” Jiang Chen was equally relaxed and casual around Princess Zhiruo.
The two laughed and talked without any trace of estrangement.
The newly arrived Princess Gouyu witnessed this scene and felt a bit odd in her heart. She rather envied the fact that they could chat so intimately.
But she also vaguely felt that this wasn’t quite appropriate.
But she said nothing in the end.
“Auntie, you’ve come to see me. How wonderful, Zhiruo has seen two of her most beloved people in the span of a second today. What joy!”
“Zhiruo, go fetch brush and paper, I’m going to write something down for your aunt.” Jiang Chen held an attitude of I’m-the-boss. He was also the only person who dared ordered Eastern Zhiruo around like this in the entire kingdom.
Even Eastern Lu was too tender hearted to order his daughter around like a maid.
But, this little girl was eating this up and ran off happily, as if an adult had given a candy to a child, full of energy.
She seemed to be honored to do something for Jiang Chen.
After receiving the brush and paper, Jiang Chen mused silently for a moment as he held the brush, and then began to write.
Two forms were quickly written.
“The first form is a set of incantations to smooth your qi. Take it back for some study, it will absolutely be of use to you in seeking tranquility. As for the second form, it’s a prescription. You can take it to prescribe medication for yourself.” Jiang Chen stuffed those two items into Princess Gouyu’s hands with a fluid motion.
She accepted them with robotic movements.
“You must be thinking, you’re just a silly brat, you’re bamming me with these things?” Jiang Chen smiled merrily. “You can choose to believe, or you can choose to not believe. Either way, I’ve returned the favor.
Oh right, if you truly don’t believe me, then you can take the prescription and auction it off at the Hall of Healing. Perhaps it can bring in three or five million silver for you.”
Jiang Chen started wandering around Princess Zhiruo’s quarters after he’d left those instructions.
The crouching yang stone had been placed according to his instructions. But for the time being, these crouching yang stones were still dead items that were not communicating with each other and had yet to form a matrix effect.
However, this was the most that he could do at this moment. With his current level of training, it would be a bit unrealistic to manipulate a matrix.
Temporarily speaking, it was more form than function. It would be quite decent if it could expand a tenth of its power.
“Alright, you two have a lovely chat, I’ve still things to do and need to go. Don’t be mischievous little one, don’t forget the things I told you.”
Jiang Chen felt that the scene’s atmosphere was a bit odd and decided to take his leave.
Eastern Zhiruo was a bit depressed. “Brother Jiang Chen, leaving when you’ve just arrived? Don’t worry, Zhiruo will live healthily for Brother Jiang Chen, and won’t drag you down with me.”
Jiang Chen was speechless after hearing those words and took his leave.
Princess Gouyu glared at Jiang Chen’s retreating figure and muttered, “This person loves to boast cockily.”
“Heh heh, Auntie, it’s not kind to say bad things about someone behind their back.” The little girl laughed mischievously. “Not to mention that someone had just benefited from that cocky person.”
“Alright you little brat, you’re biased towards outsiders and forget about your own family?” Princess Gouyu was quite close with this niece, and they acted more like sisters usually.
The sounds of laughter, giggling and play chasing sounded. Sounds of joy filled the entire yard in that moment.
Jiang Chen’s mind had finally calmed down when he left the palace, and he was summarizing the gains and losses of the day when a crowd of men and horses came up the street.
The leader was clad heavily in body armor. It was the leader of the Jiang family Iron Guard, Jiang Ying.
“Young duke, Duke Jiang has ordered me to come aid you.” Jiang Ying jumped down from his horse with smooth, practiced movement. His eyes were filled with wariness and they observed the vicinity in between his words.
“Uncle Ying, what are you doing here?” Jiang Chen’s thoughts raced as he seemed to immediately understand something.
“Let’s discuss after we’ve escorted the young duke back to the manor.” The contingent of Iron Guard had already surrounded Jiang Chen in the protective care of their core as Jiang Ying spoke.
“Has something happened?” Jiang Chen asked lowly.
“When His Lordship was leaving just now, he was ambushed at the door of the manor. The situation is quite chaotic in the capital, thus His Lordship has ordered me to come aid the young duke.”
“What? Was my father hurt?” Jiang Chen’s face darkened. It seemed like he’d underestimated the chaotic situation in the capital.
“Just some light injuries, he will be fine with a few days’ rest.” Jiang Ying’s eyes constantly patrolled the area like a hawk as he responded. His level of wariness was quite high.
“Who did it? Do we have any clues?” Jiang Chen relaxed slightly upon hearing that his father was seriously incapacitated. To be honest, the first person that he had identified with upon arriving on this world was that adorable father of his.
“I haven’t had the time to investigate.” Jiang Ying responded simply.
“Hmph. Looks like they were unable to take our Jiang land with the spirit vein through wit, so now they’re prepared to use force.” Jiang Chen could use merely his toes to figure out that this must be another hand that the duke of Soaring Dragon, Long Zhaofeng, had played.
Du Ruhai played the role of a striker in blocking Jiang Chen in the three foundational exams. Now add to that the attack on his father at the front door — this was obviously a string of interconnected attacks.
Jiang Chen was enraged, truly enraged from the bottom of his heart.
The provocation that he’d been greeted with since coming to this world were all small interludes of minor fights and scuffles in Jiang Chen’s eyes. He had always viewed them with a detached attitude.
But now, a bloody truth was in front of him. This wasn’t a minor scuffle, but a bloodthirsty fight to the death.
“Long Zhaofeng…” Jiang Chen silently repeated this name in his heart, a strong urge to kill rushing to the forefront for the first time.