"Even though Wan Jianyi is now ranked first on the Heavenly List, he might still be unable to harm Master Mingxin’s physical body even in a direct confrontation."
At this mont.
Jiang Ning was drinking his eight-treasure porridge while listening to the increasingly heated dispute between the two n.
"Gentlen, there’s no need for further debate! Don’t forget! Besides those two, there’s also Jiang Ning, currently fourth on the Heavenly List, who is likely to participate in this Martial Arts Examination."
"Him? He’s still too young right now, definitely not a match for Wan Jianyi of Bashu Sword Pavilion."
"Indeed, although Lord Jiang is extraordinary, a prodigy in martial arts, he is still too young, lacking in experience and foundation. How can he compare to Master Mingxin? Maybe in another two years, it would be different — that would be the era of Lord Jiang."
"..."
Upon hearing the conversation shift from Wan Jianyi and Mingxin to himself, Jiang Ning felt sowhat speechless.
He then picked up a piece of braised beef and tossed it into his mouth.
With one bite, the rich umami flavor filled his taste buds, bringing him imnse satisfaction.
Then, he drank the eight-treasure porridge in large gulps.
Thud, thud, thud —
Just then.
The sound of hurried footsteps ca from the wooden staircase leading to the second floor.
"Do you think the treatnt at the Third Prince’s Juxian Mansion is really that good?"
"It must be true! Nowadays, the Holy Emperor’s health is declining, but the successor is still undecided. Do you think the Third Prince wouldn’t prepare for this?"
"Then we three brothers should pledge ourselves to the Third Prince and take a big gamble. If the Third Prince succeeds, wouldn’t we rise to great heights?"
"No rush! No rush! With the strength of us three brothers, we’d be esteed guests wherever we go. We’ve just arrived in the Royal Capital; we can’t act too rashly. We must understand the situation first and consider carefully!"
At this point, Jiang Ning also stood up; the eight-treasure porridge and braised beef on the table were already in his stomach.
As Jiang Ning rose, the three burly n who had just arrived on the second floor glanced at him.
Seeing Jiang Ning’s unfamiliar and young face, they nonchalantly looked away.
At this mont, Jiang Ning also started walking upstairs.
The Jiuxiao Building in the Royal Capital offers both lodging and als.
Having eaten to his satisfaction, he needed to rest and recover before formally eting that important person.
And that person was the Martial Saint’s closed-door disciple, Xiao Wuque, as ntioned by Xiang Yuan.
Walking along the way, he couldn’t help but ponder the few pieces of information he had just heard.
Each one was worth his attention.
Fu Yuan Saint... True God of the Heavenly Court... Orthodox Divine Dao...
Wan Jianyi of Bashu Sword Pavilion... Mingxin, Buddha’s son from Vajra Temple...
And the aged Holy Emperor whose successor was yet undecided.
"It seems that in this period, if I et Ji Minghao, I mustn’t get too close to him!"
As he walked up the wooden staircase, this thought flashed in Jiang Ning’s mind.
He knew what it would an if he got too close to a Prince in such a situation.
The struggle for imperial power always cos with major purges.
If he got too close to Ji Minghao.
In the near future, should another Prince ascend to the throne, he would likely be seen as Ji Minghao’s associate and targeted.
He wasn’t afraid of it, but he didn’t want to invite unnecessary trouble.
As he pondered, he found himself at the door of his room.
Room number 7, Mystic Grade.
He glanced at the room number on the door to confirm.
In the Jiuxiao Building here, rooms are classified by the grades Heaven, Earth, Mystic, and Yellow.
The Sky Grade room is the most luxurious and the most expensive.
The Yellow Grade room is the most basic and the most value-for-money.
He chose to stay in a Mystic Grade room because he could only choose a Mystic Grade room.
It was also one of the few remaining rooms in the Jiuxiao Building.
He opened the door.
The lake breeze blew in.
It was an ordinary room at the back by the lakeside.
Afterward, he took a comfortable bath, washing away the dust from his body, and then fell asleep.
...
When Jiang Ning woke again, it was already noon.
The sun was high, shining directly outside the window.
He cast a glance outside the window and knew what ti it was now.
"Just in ti, I’ll have lunch first, then visit Xiao Wuque!" He silently decided, getting out of bed.
...
After tidying himself, he went back to the second floor, which was now bustling.
Completely different from the morning.
With a sweep of his gaze, he noticed most of the guests were very young.
"No wonder the rooms are tight; looks like many martial arts students are staying at Jiuxiao Building too!" Jiang Ning thought to himself.
Then he found a table with no one around and sat down.
Soon, a little servant hurriedly ca to him.
"Sir, may I ask what you’d like to eat or drink?"
"Give a pot of Jadescent Nectar, and four or five specialty dishes!" Jiang Ning instructed.
"Alright, sir!" The servant bowed and hurried away.
At this mont, Jiang Ning pricked up his ears to listen.
If one wants a comprehensive understanding of the recent happenings in a city.
Restaurants and taverns are excellent places for that.
Currently, the Jiuxiao Building was undoubtedly such a place.
Subsequently, Jiang Ning tuned into so topics of interest.
The servant soon appeared before him with a pot of Jadescent Nectar and a dish of peanuts as well as so appetizers.
As he drank the wine, Jiang Ning heightened his senses, quietly listening to the conversations all around.
Most of the discussions revolved around the upcoming Martial Arts Examination in a few days.
He also discerned that many of the patrons were martial arts students participating in the examination.
Both their energetic deanor and young faces confird this.
Amid these discussions about the Martial Arts Examination, the most frequently ntioned were Wan Jianyi of Bashu Sword Pavilion and Mingxin, said to be the reincarnation of Buddha, from the Vajra Temple.
Besides these two, there was also quite so discussion about himself.
Until this mont, he realized he had unwittingly beco famous across the Thirty-six Prefectures of the Nine Provinces.
And what spread his fa most rapidly was none other than his achievent of ranking fourth on the Hidden Dragon List’s Heavenly List.
The three people ahead of him were Wan Jianyi of Bashu Sword Pavilion, who recently defeated He Shouchi, a successor from Qingxu Temple.
This led to He Shouchi dropping to third place.
Second place was Buddha’s son Mingxin from Vajra Temple.
And he was ranked fourth on the Heavenly List.
Hearing people discussing Mingxin made him recall his several encounters with Jin Chan.
And from what he knew, Jin Chan was also called the reincarnation of Buddha.
The twelve precept scars on Jin Chan’s head also indicated his lofty status.
The twelve precept scars are also known as the Bodhisattva Precepts.
In the entire Vajra Temple, even in the whole of Buddhism, there are very few who receive such precepts, barely more than a handful.
For soone as young as Jin Chan to receive such a high-level precept was very unusual.
At this ti, hearing people occasionally ntion him in their discussions, he couldn’t help feeling a bit strange.
Then, he cald the ripples in his heart, continuing to drink and attentively listen to the nearby conversations.
After a while, dish after dish was served to him.
He buried himself in devouring the food, enjoying the al while still keeping most of his attention on his surroundings.
The al took him a full hour.
"Satisfied!" Jiang Ning said as he set down his chopsticks, looking at the table wiped clean by his efforts, feeling very satisfied.
Not only did he eat to his heart’s content, but also listening to the discussions and conversations around him made him feel he had gained much, greatly enhancing his understanding of the Royal Capital.
Particularly regarding the details about the Fu Yuan Saint, he learned a lot more.
When Fu Yuan Saint initially walked the mortal world in his clay-molded body, battles did occur.
Many strong experts found such a being of great interest and thus made moves against Fu Yuan Saint.
But those who attacked, regardless of being in the top three grades or the middle three grades, all perished at the hands of Fu Yuan Saint, who could walk in a body of clay.
Eventually, the State Preceptor also made a move, but the outco of the battle remained unknown.
The public only knew that thanks to the State Preceptor’s intervention, the Fu Yuan Saint, who was originally in a rage, regained his calm, and the court no longer regarded Fu Yuan Saint as an Evil God like the Blood and Flesh God.
Fu Yuan Saint... State Preceptor...
The thought passed through his mind, an indistinct sense of danger lingering in his heart.
The scene he witnessed at the city gate that morning was unforgettable.
Especially the words spoken to him by Fu Yuan Saint, indicating that Fu Yuan Saint had noticed him.
In deep thought, he paid for his food and drinks and left Jiuxiao Building.
"Never mind, I’ll go et Xiao Wuque first!"
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