Chapter 51: Layered-Feather Throwing Daggers
During the next several days, Jiang Chen spent every day training in the Jiang Han manor, and consolidated the results of having trained to seven meridians true qi. He would never be careless in the area of strengthening meridians.
Compared to his peers, Jiang Chen placed much more of an importance on strengthening his meridians. Only by strengthening them to an unassailable stage, would he be on the safe side when vying for the next step.
As his cultivation continued to increase, it was inevitable that the difficulty in taking each step forward would markedly increase. The risks he would meet would also steadily increase.
If he greedily sought after speed and advanced rashly, it was very possible that his haste would not bring success.
With the aid of seven meridians true qi, Jiang Chen had quite a few breakthroughs on the two martial arts techniques.
There were seven forms in total for the “Vast Ocean Current Splitter”, and he had already successfully practiced the first two.
The first form “Wave Slash”, and the second form “Wave Breaker”, layered upon each other as they advanced, with each move stronger than the last. Not only had Jiang Chen practiced these two to the great perfection realm, but he’d also linked the two forms, thus doubling their power.
In terms of mysteries, the “Divine Aeons Fist” was many times greater than the “Vast Ocean Current Splitter”.
The “Vast Ocean Current Splitter” was a blade technique, devoting particular care to a dominance that pressed forward with indomitable will. Wherever the edge of the blade swept, all were laid prostrate, no matter friend or foe.
“Divine Aeons Fist” on the other hand, encompassed the theories of heaven and earth, fusing the way of the life and destruction of all creatures beneath the heavens. From one cycle of blooming and wilting, to nine cycles of blooming and wilting, there were the mysteries of nine rounds of reincarnation held within.
With each successful comprehension of the mysteries of each successive cycle of reincarnation, the power of the “Divine Aeons Fist” would double.
One had to say, the “Divine Aeons Fist” was practically tailored for Jiang Chen. The circle of life contained by the “Divine Aeons First” was precisely the way of destruction and growth encompassed by the wheel of life and death.
And Jiang Chen had reincarnated from the son of the Celestial Emperor to the common body of the son of a duke, literally undergoing the wheel of life and death.
Therefore, Jiang Chen’s comprehension of the “Divine Aeons Fist” was actually deeper and more extensive than the “Vast Ocean Current Splitter”.
If it was said that Jiang Chen had so far trained the “Vast Ocean Current Splitter” to the great perfection realm, then he would’ve trained the “Divine Aeons Fist” to the legendary realm. However, there were nine levels of mysteries in the cycle of life in the Divine Aeons Fist.
Jiang Chen had currently only grasped three levels.
“This ‘Divine Aeons Fist’ conforms so well with the trajectory of my destiny, that I’ve comprehended the mysteries of three cycles of blooming and wilting in just a mere few days. Given enough time, this ‘Divine Aeons Fist’ is sure to become an overbearing martial arts technique that I can use to vanquish my enemies. If I can train this ‘Divine Aeons Fist’ to seven or eight levels, then even if I am halted at seven meridians true qi, I would probably be able to fight against true qi masters. If I am able to comprehend the mysteries of nine cycles of blooming and wilting, then it’s not impossible that I would be able to resist those legendary spirit dao practitioners!”
Jiang Chen had a particular affixment to the “Divine Aeons Fist”. It was as if he had entrusted the spirit of his reincarnation to this martial arts technique.
Jiang Chen did not set a foot outside his door that day, and was practicing in the training field when Jiang Zheng hurriedly came to report that Princess Gouyu had arrived.
Princess Gouyu had kept quite a low profile during this time, apparently making her final preparations for breaking through to eleven meridians true qi. Her appearance now most likely meant that everything was in readiness.
“Looks like I must congratulate you in advance.” Jiang Chen discovered that Princess Gouyu’s spirit was soaring when he saw her, and that she gave off an unworldly feeling of revelling in the joy of the spring wind.1
Princess Gouyu was obviously in a very good mood. “Jiang Chen, I’ve especially come to thank you. Oh right, here are the items that were prepared for you.”
Princess Gouyu personally took two boxes from her retinue.
The boxes were opened. A set of soft armor was in the first box.
The nine throwing daggers were in the second box, made from the Layered-Feather Golden Crystal from that day. This Crystal had been an almost transparent crystal to begin with, and was now as thin and transparent as cicada wings after it had been forged into throwing daggers. When the sunlight hit it, it was like ice entering water and melting away into nothingness, thoroughly becoming one with the vacant void.
Princess Gouyu had to give it up to Jiang Chen’s eye for appraisal. Who would’ve thought that the Layered-Feather Golden Crystal would have this kind of effect when forged into throwing daggers?
“Jiang Chen, this soft armor was made from the skysilk fibers from barbarian territory in the western regions. It encompasses the skin of the large deepwater whale, and can withstand the blow from an ordinary true qi master!”
One had to say, there was indeed quite a lot of sincerity in Princess Gouyu’s gratitude. This soft armor even surprised Jiang Chen a little.
“The item is not bad, I’ll accept it.” Jiang Chen smiled and was in exceedingly good spirits.
Princess Gouyu heaved an easy sigh. She was afraid that Jiang Chen would strut around for a while. This would have made her feel that she’d suffered a setback. Seeing Jiang Chen happily accept, Princess Gouyu was even happier than if she’d received a treasure herself.
“Jiang Chen, there’s less than half a month left before the final examinations of the Hidden Dragon Trials start up. This is the final trial of strength, how are your preparations?” Princess Gouyu couldn’t resist the urge to assume the demeanor of the organizer of the Hidden Dragon Trials.
“Heh heh, what are your expectations of me?” Jiang Chen asked with a smirk.
“Do you want me to speak truthfully?”
“Do you have a habit of lying?” Jiang Chen blinked.
“Alright Jiang Chen, whether it’s me or little girl Zhiruo, we both hope to see you show your capabilities in the Hidden Dragon Trials!”
“Show my capabilities? You’re too vague, be more specific.”
Princess Gouyu paused and a light flashed through her phoenix eyes. “If you can defeat all your opponents and seize the championship of the Trials, we will both be happy for you.”
“Just be happy for me? Are there any rewards?” Jiang Chen laughed heartily.
“Yes!” Princess Gouyu didn’t mince words. “If you can defeat all your opponents, you can have whatever reward you wish!”
“Whatever reward I wish?” Jiang Chen raked a dirty gaze up and down Princess Gouyu’s entire body and wantonly looked all over her sexy body even more so.
“What are you looking at?” Princess Gouyu was a martial dao practitioner and didn’t believe in the nonsense of shyness from a girl. She stuck out her chest and said, “If you can suppress Long Juxue this one time, you can have whatever lewd fantasies you’re thinking of about me. Even if you wanted to take both me and little girl Zhiruo, that wouldn’t be out of the question either!”
Princess Gouyu broke into a laugh herself after these words. Her smile was quite true, very radiant, and utterly unassuming.
“Take both of you?” Jiang Chen discovered that he had underestimated Princess Gouyu’s bold fierceness, even though he knew that Princess Gouyu wasn’t entirely serious.
However, even if one knew that this was a joke, the mere thought of that kind of scene was enough to make an ordinary person’s heart race.
“Indeed, take both of us!” Princess Gouyu nodded her head very affirmatively. “In the world of martial dao, the strong are venerated. If you truly have this kind of ability, then you will soar into the skies with one move sooner or later. At that time, all the women in the kingdom will be lining up for you to take your pick, not just counting the two of us. Whichever girl you choose, she would absolutely be willing to bring her sisters as her dowry!”
Worshipping the strong, clinging to the strong, those were rules that were applicable to any world.
“This is to say that you truly wish for me to be the champion of the Hidden Dragon Trials?”
“If it was a month ago I wouldn’t have even thought that anyone could affect Long Juxue from being the champion. But now, if I must find hope in someone, I hope it’s you, and you’re the only one that I can think of.”
Princess Gouyu was very honest. “I don’t wish for Long Juxue to be the champion.”
“Because of the strife between the royal family and the duke of Soaring Dragon?” There was a shadow of a smile on Jiang Chen’s face.
“Yes!” Princess Gouyu gritted her silver teeth and candidly didn’t deny it.
“You can offer yourself up for the royal family – for the profit of the Eastern family clan?” Jiang Chen’s tone was cold.
“Jiang Chen, are you belittling me?” Princess Gouyu’s expression changed, but her heart suddenly felt beyond bleak and desolate. She was such a proud person and couldn’t spare even a glance for any of her pursuers. How could she be someone who offered herself up for profit?
Jiang Chen, ah Jiang Chen. Don’t you know that I, Gouyu, am this way in order to encourage you, and provide additional impetus for you?
“Alright, I will also answer you directly. I will use all of my power to block Long Juxue because of the disgusting, dirty things that the duke of Soaring Dragon has committed against my Jiang family!”
Jiang Chen’s tone was also suffused with a sense of confidence that showed no doubt.
Jiang Chen felt an increased sense of urgency from the Hidden Dragon Trials after Princess Gouyu had left.
Jiang Chen decided to make a trip to the Hall of Healing before the Trials began. He wanted to make even more complete preparations for the Trials that were about to begin.
During this time, the Hall of Healing had been quite busy with trade. Guests visiting the Hall of Healing came to and fro in constant streams from morning to night, almost flattening the Hall’s door threshold.
“Hallmaster Qiao, congratulations.” Jiang Chen immediately said to Qiao Baishi who was shining with happiness after entering through the door.
“Ah, hon…. young duke.” Qiao Baishi almost blurted out the two words of “honored master”. If it wasn’t for his quick reaction, he probably would have actually done so.
“Young duke, honored guest. Please come this way, this way.” Qiao Baishi was naturally overjoyed to see Jiang Chen.
He had been busy with business during this time, and hadn’t had time to visit and pay his respect to his honored master. He had also been worried if his honored master might’ve become irate.
It wasn’t a matter of Jiang Chen worrying that Qiao Baishi wouldn’t listen to him anymore, but of Qiao Baishi worrying that Jiang Chen would turn his nose up at Qiao Baishi, and leave him out in the cold.
To Qiao Baishi, although the business of the Hall of Healing was quite important, when compared with the matter of acknowledging Jiang Chen as his master… the former was just an issue of minor importance.
If it was said that Qiao Baishi placed great significance on his status as the successor to the Hall of Healing before, then his worldview and thoughts had greatly changed after acknowledging Jiang Chen as his master.
He had cared very much for his position as the successor to the Hall previously, but now it seemed a little trivial. It didn’t seem like a big thing if he wasn’t the successor to the Hall.
If he was able to follow his master and pursue knowledge and direction, gaining great ability, he would have a stage in the future that was more expansive than the Hall of Healing by tenfold, or even a hundredfold. Why would he then worry about lacking scope for his abilities?
His honored master’s random three pill recipes had been enough to upend the pill markets of the neighboring sixteen countries, to speak nothing of anything else.
These days, there had been a steady flow of customers placing orders at the Hall of Healing.
The orders that the Hall had received were already waiting in line for next year’s supply. Even so, the people placing orders still had astonishing interest and pleasure, not minding a longer wait at all.
The Hall of Healing didn’t wish to take deposits, but their customers wouldn’t take no for an answer, and insisted on advance payments.
This kind of trade caused every associate in the Hall of Healing to feel free of mind and happy of heart. This wasn’t doing business, this was practically opening a gold mine and having money flow in when one just sat there!
As for the man who had personally created this scene, the events of these days had caused Qiao Baishi to internally contemplate quite a bit. He had realized that his previous worldview had still been too narrow.
He had also become conscious that what his honored master, Jiang Chen, had brought him, would truly change his destiny.
1. Chinese saying indicating someone’s joy after experiencing the tutelage of a wise teacher