Chapter 71: The Armour Technique

Moments later, Wang Fu.

Xie Jinhuan, led by Housekeeper Hou, hurried through corridors and pavilions toward the Danwang Pavilion in the central area.

Housekeeper Hou looked exactly as always; though his height barely reached Xie Jinhuan's chin, his terrifying, awe-inspiring face made even Xie Jinhuan seem utterly ordinary, and now he sighed:

"New faces replace the old. Twenty years ago, I nursed the Prince from infancy to the throne. Now that I'm old, the rest of the journey is yours to take, boy."

Xie Jinhuan walked beside him, slightly puzzled:

"The Prince is already a Prince of Equal Rank—where else is there to go?"

Housekeeper Hou fanned himself with a tiny fan, his eyes darting slyly as he pondered:

"One more step beyond Prince… naturally leads to…"

"Hey hey hey?!"

Xie Jinhuan had only twenty days left—he had no intention of dying prematurely, and quickly cut off the suggestion.

After walking like this for a while, the seven-story Danwang Pavilion appeared before them.

Learning Xie Jinhuan had returned, the Danwang let out a long breath of relief and stood outside the door to greet him, accompanied by Zhu Wenyuan. Seeing Xie Jinhuan approach, he once again wore the expression of "the Emperor seeing Zhao Zilong," hurrying down the steps with arms outstretched:

"Jinhuan, you're injured—why did you go out alone? Even if you meant to slay demons, you should've brought some attendants…"

Xie Jinhuan stepped forward and bowed:

"Your Highness humbles this humble subject—I didn't expect you to come yesterday, forcing you to make this trip for nothing…"

"It's fine. As long as you're unharmed."

The Danwang had met countless people, but such a perfect young man as Xie Jinhuan was something he'd never dared dream of—and now he truly wanted to make him his son-in-law.

But his daughter thought it too hasty, so as a father, he couldn't force it—yet his gaze still looked at him like a future son-in-law:

"I just heard you're planning to go to Jingcheng to investigate a case? That won't do. Your body is your capital. No matter how useful you are, the imperial court can't use you until you're broken. Stay at Wang Fu these days to rest. Let your old uncle and nephew discuss calligraphy properly."

Xie Jinhuan could feel the Danwang genuinely liked him, but the task must be done—he politely declined:

"The Mingshen Sect strikes and kills hundreds at a time. Before I descended the mountain, my master taught me many skills. Going one day sooner might help the government office find clues earlier and prevent innocent lives from being lost. I'm fully mobile now, and traveling with the government office means I'll have protection. Your Highness needn't worry."

The brutality of the demon bandits Xie Jinhuan had cleaned up was visible to all of Danyang.

Though the Danwang grieved for his beloved general, the times were indeed turbulent, and he sighed softly:

"I originally planned for you to rest here for two days, then join Ling'er when she goes to Jingcheng to congratulate the Empress on her birthday."

"The 'demons, ghosts, and monsters' in Jingcheng are more numerous than you imagine. Once you go, it won't be just a day or two before you return."

Xie Jinhuan urgently needed to find allies and reclaim his lost family assets—he felt a stir within him:

"Does Your Highness have some task to assign?"

"Not exactly an assignment."

The Danwang clasped his hands behind his back and walked through the Wang Fu garden:

"According to records, the residual soul essence within a Hua Yao Dan fades quickly if not consumed soon."

"Tai Shu Dan manufactured Hua Yao Dan in Danyang—meaning the one who took it is near Danyang."

"Looking at the Tai Shu Dan case, these demon bandits always act one step ahead and know Wang Fu, Li Family, and others inside out—suggesting this person is likely in Jingcheng and holds high rank…"

Xie Jinhuan also sensed this ancient Mingshen Sect monster was no ordinary figure, and asked:

"Who does Your Highness suspect?"

The Danwang fell silent briefly, then replied:

"Anyone could be it."

Xie Jinhuan understood—the Emperor, Lu Wu Zhen, and others were all included.

This was indeed a massive task…

The Danwang walked ahead, continuing:

"The Mingshen Sect planted such a deep spy in Jingcheng—they must have a grand scheme."

"I want to dig this person out, but Jingcheng's court and underworld are tangled beyond measure. Everyone seems suspicious, yet I can't find any thread."

"You're young but exceptionally capable—you might uncover some clues. That's why I want you to accompany Ling'er to Jingcheng for a while."

"If you find a lead, good. If not, just keep Ling'er company, meet some nobles—it won't hurt your future."

Xie Jinhuan's attack three years ago was closely tied to the Mingshen Sect—he'd have sought them out anyway, and replied:

"The Mingshen Sect has committed countless atrocities. Even if Your Highness didn't say anything, I'd find a way to root them out."

"Heh…"

The Danwang nodded in approval, continuing:

"Ling'er has been clever since childhood—I trust her completely. I've entrusted this matter to her. You two discuss everything together."

"For convenience, I'll first appoint you as Palace Attendant with the Golden Mace for Princess Ling'er. If you uncover the spy, I'll make you Commandant of Danzhou."

Palace Attendant with the Golden Mace, simply put, is the general standing beside the Danwang, holding the golden mace and axe to lend majesty—a role also called "Zhi Jin Wu" in Jingcheng.

And as Princess Ling'er's Palace Attendant, it naturally means the bodyguard of the landlord's wife…

This appointment looked unmistakably like matchmaking…

Xie Jinhuan needed a background to open doors in Jingcheng. Seeing how well the Danwang understood his needs, he bowed:

"Thank Your Highness for your great kindness."

"Heh…"

Having finished speaking, the Danwang didn't linger, waving his hand:

"I have official duties to attend to—excuse me for a moment. Old Hou, take Young Master Xie to Wenshu Pavilion to rest."

"Got it."

…

Moments later, Xie Jinhuan bid farewell to the Danwang and arrived at a pavilion within the Wang Fu garden.

The pavilion was where the Alchemy King usually wrote poetry and painted; the walls hung with many calligraphy and paintings, all done by the Alchemy King's own hand, though as for their quality…

Xie Jinhuan glanced once, unwilling to disrespect the Alchemy King, and made no judgment; he entered the elegant chamber where the peacock screen stood and sat down.

On the small table lay a tray holding the Wang Fu's waist token and a folded set of ice-silk garments, their luster extremely high, like metal, yet the fabric was remarkably soft and light.

The maid Duoduo had waited a long time; now, as before, she knelt beside him, her large, snowy-white flesh nearly brushing Xie Jinhuan's face, her eyes flickering with reverence:

"Young Master Xie~ the Princess will be here soon—what wine would you like today?"

Xie Jinhuan, constrained by being inside Wang Fu, kept his gaze straight and replied:

"I'm injured; drinking isn't advisable. I won't drink today."

"Oh~ Young Master, your wound is this severe? Does it hurt badly?"

Duoduo rose, moved behind Xie Jinhuan, and knelt there, then began massaging his shoulders:

"Let your maid rub them for you."

Xie Jinhuan straightened his waist and back slightly, glancing around:

"Miss Duoduo, isn't this inappropriate?"

"What's inappropriate about it?"

Duoduo leaned forward, her cheek passing over her shoulder to gaze at Xie Jinhuan's profile, her chest like two soft pillows:

"Do you find me unappealing? I've only ever massaged the Princess—never touched another man."

Huh?

Xie Jinhuan hadn't expected to be flirted with by a girl today, and with Wang Fu maids nearby, he couldn't play along—he could only say:

"How could I find you unappealing? If the Princess came in and thought I was flirting with a maid, I'd be dragged out and beheaded."

As he spoke, footsteps sounded outside the sliding door.

Tap-tap-tap…

Xie Jinhuan quickly waved his hand, signaling Duoduo to rise.

But Duoduo wasn't the least afraid; she merely sat up straighter, assuming a serious posture of massaging his shoulders and back.

Shhh~

Soon, the sliding door was pulled open by a maid.

Princess Changning entered, wearing a pale gold palace gown, her makeup and attire exquisitely refined, her aura still undeniably commanding.

"Princess."

Xie Jinhuan rose to bow, but found Duoduo still massaging him, preventing him from standing—he grew awkward.

Fortunately, Princess Changning didn't mind; she sat before the peacock screen:

"Let her continue. You defeated a formidable foe for me and rendered great service to Dan Yang—you deserve to be pampered."

"Er… thank you, Princess, for your kindness."

Seeing this, Xie Jinhuan could only accept Duoduo's minor massage. Honestly, her technique was quite skilled…

Princess Changning was also deeply concerned for Xie Jinhuan's safety, but her close friend and Physician Lin Da had gone mad with worry; as someone with a shallower connection, she hadn't dared intrude—now, for the first time, she carefully studied his complexion:

"How is your injury?"

Xie Jinhuan had been shot through the chest, but the wound was shallow; most of his suffering stemmed from the excessive strain of the Qi-Boosting Pill.

With top-tier alchemical medicine from the Alchemy Court and two days of rest to recover his strength, he now felt only general body aches.

With Duoduo's small hands kneading him, even the aches lessened considerably:

"It's no longer serious; in a couple days, I'll be completely fine."

"Good."

Princess Changning gestured to the items on the table:

"These were granted to you by Father—the 'Ice Scale Armor,' forged personally by Xu Hunli. It repels all attacks below Rank One and offers some protection against divine arts like lightning, fire, and poison."

"Also, Father ordered a spear for you, but such a weapon must be custom-made according to your cultivation technique and combat style—you'll need to specify your requirements now; it'll take some time to complete…"

Xu Hunli was Director of the Armory Bureau; his forging skill wasn't the absolute best, but among the entire Daqian Empire, he stood among the elite.

Weapons and armor crafted by such a man were beyond reproach in reliability—and equally staggering in value.

Xie Jinhuan picked up the soft armor and examined it: it resembled a sleeveless bodysuit, protecting the torso but leaving the head and limbs uncovered.

He had only ever handled magical garments; he'd never seen real soft armor. Now, holding it in his palm, he struck it with his sword finger—his qi penetrated, and the fabric instantly hardened, refusing to deform.

After the strike, it returned to softness, switching seamlessly without any lag.

Xie Jinhuan's eyes brightened slightly—he realized this was truly a life-saving artifact.

After all, his "Pan Dragon Horizontal Ridge" ignored blunt force; this armor ignored piercing strikes—combined, they amounted to near-immunity to physical damage, enough to carry him straight to Super Rank.

But having accepted such lavish rewards, he felt too embarrassed to ask for anything else; after brief consideration, he set down the Ice Scale Armor:

"These are far too precious. Er… I'm very interested in the Alchemy King's collection of the 'Dragon Soaring Response Scripture'—if I might borrow it…"

Princess Changning replied generously: "Father rewards merit—you keep these. As for the Dragon Soaring Response Scripture, I can lend it to you, but you're not yet ready to begin its practice."

Xie Jinhuan only needed to memorize it to repay Wan Yi's debt; he replied:

"I'm merely curious, just want to see what such a divine technique looks like—if it's inconvenient, we can speak of it later."

Princess Changning didn't hesitate; she raised an eyebrow slightly.

Duoduo immediately understood, raising her hand to cover Xie Jinhuan's eyes.

"Huh?"

Xie Jinhuan was puzzled; the next instant, a soft rustling sound came from across from him.

The sound suggested the hostess was reaching into the peacock's chest garment, groping inside her cleavage…

?

Xie Jinhuan pretended not to hear anything; after a moment's wait, the hand covering his eyes lifted.

Princess Changning held her pose from earlier, her right hand supporting a cloud-white jade tablet, and handed it to Xie Jinhuan:

"Here."

Xie Jinhuan looked at the jade tablet that smelled of milk, a little hesitant to take it:

"What is this?"

"The Martial Dao Divine Scripture."

"Is that so?"

To get to the bottom of it, Xie Jinhuan took the jade tablet that carried Grandmother's warmth, channeled his qi into it, and tried to probe it.

The jade tablet immediately sent back a response; he could sense the rough outline of a human figure, and even the flow of qi channels — as expected, it was a meridian map of a cultivation technique.

But the human figure was far too minute, and his cultivation was shallow; he simply couldn't make out the details.

Princess Changning had known Xie Jinhuan would frown, and explained:

"The path to immortality left behind by Wu Zu for later generations starts at Super Rank; as for the practice methods from Rank 9 to Rank 1, in Wu Zu's eyes they were entry-level skills, not worth wasting ink on.

"You've just stepped into the Divine Qi realm, your divine sense is like a guttering candle or firefly light — you simply can't make out the specific meridians, and your control over qi hasn't reached the threshold for learning this scripture either."

Xie Jinhuan tried carefully once more, found that he really couldn't make it out, and had no choice but to give up, turning instead to ask:

"Super Rank is only the starting point?"

Princess Changning knew that most people had no way to learn about the world above Super Rank, and explained seriously:

"The five great Xiuxingliu Sects of today were actually divided into seven realms in ancient times. For the Martial Dao, they were — Body Tempering, Flexibility, Divine Qi, Sha-Breaking, Dragon Soar, Fu-Ying, and Dark Silence.

"But the spiritual energy of heaven and earth has grown increasingly scarce, and cultivators find it very hard to rise above the fourth realm.

"The various schools and hundred philosophies, not wanting practitioners to feel their future was hopeless and lose confidence, readjusted the divisions — they set the fourth realm as the ultimate goal for cultivators, 'Super Rank,' and subdivided the first three realms into 'Nine Ranks.'

"The 'Long Xiang Fu Ying Jue' is the 'textbook' Wu Zu compiled after reading through all the ancient cultivation techniques — it's exhaustive and detailed, but it's not meant for people to learn from directly; rather, it's meant for later generations to stand on the shoulders of countless ancient forebears and forge their own Martial Dao…"

Xie Jinhuan listened quietly to the end, nodded thoughtfully, and felt the situation seemed to exceed his expectations.

According to the entry requirements of the Martial Dao Divine Scripture, unless he reached Rank 1, he couldn't even understand it, let alone practice it.

If he wanted to teach it to Lin Wanyi, his cultivation would need to be even higher, and he'd have to wait until Lin Wanyi also reached Rank 1.

Otherwise, no matter how he taught by word and example, Lin Wanyi simply couldn't learn it clearly.

"I've learned much. Then once I have a Rank 1 foundation, I'll come to the Princess again for guidance."

"With your talent, it shouldn't take long."

Princess Changning said this, thought for a moment, then added:

"Father has already given me instructions. I'm entering the capital under the pretext of celebrating the Empress's birthday, and I still need to prepare some things — I won't set out until the day after tomorrow. You're this Princess's personal bodyguard now — aren't you coming along?"

Xie Jinhuan only had twenty-one days, and really couldn't afford to delay two or three days; otherwise, he'd definitely be going along with his landlady in comfort:

"There's an important case in Jingcheng. I'll go ahead first to take a look and try to wrap things up in two days. When the Princess enters the capital then, I'll accompany you around, and you won't be troubled by trivial matters."

"You really never tire of hard work. Fine then — in a few days when this Princess arrives in Jingcheng, I'll reward you properly…"

……

——

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(End of chapter)