novelnext Chapter 926 Ji Minghao's Intentions!
Chapter 926 Ji Minghao's Intentions!
At the entrance of the Marquis's residence.
As the black and white rainbow light dissipated, Jiang Ning's figure landed.
The man leaning against the tree suddenly opened his eyes and looked up.
The man then trembled, quickly stepped forward, and bowed in respect.
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
Jiang Ning glanced at him sideways and, judging from the man's attire, he knew who the person waiting under the tree was: an imperial guard.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Your Highness, His Majesty arrived at the Lishui Palace this afternoon and has been waiting for you ever since."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning paused slightly, turning his gaze to the inner guards: "Is His Majesty waiting for me at the Lishui Palace?"
"Indeed." The guard nodded hurriedly. "His Majesty heard that the Prince had returned, so he ordered me to wait at the Dongling Marquis's residence and report to him as soon as he returned. His Majesty has been waiting at the Lishui Palace for most of the day. I hope that the Prince will move here now and not keep His Majesty waiting too long."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded slightly.
He glanced at the Marquis's residence in front of him and then said, "Wait a moment, I'm going back to my residence!"
"Your Highness, His Majesty has been waiting for a long time!" The guard bowed again, his tone respectful.
“I know!” Jiang Ning nodded.
The words fell.
He stepped forward, walked up the steps, and knocked on the gate of the Marquis's residence.
"Young Master!!" The moment Lüyi pushed open the gate of the Marquis's residence and saw Jiang Ning, her eyes lit up. "Young Master went to the Five Mountains Prefecture and returned so quickly!!"
Jiang Ning smiled and nodded, then carried the pastries he had bought from the Juntian City market and stepped across the threshold.
Behind him, the bowing guard slowly rose to his feet.
His eyes flickered as he watched Jiang Ning's retreating figure.
In less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea.
Jiang Ning reappeared before the guard.
“Let’s go!” he said.
"Your Highness, please get into the carriage!" the guard said, bowing.
"No need!" Jiang Ning shook his head. "There's no need to keep His Majesty waiting too long!"
As soon as he finished speaking, his figure blurred and transformed into a black and white rainbow.
In just a moment, the figure vanished without a trace from the guards' sight.
"Drive the carriage to the entrance of the Lishui Palace and wait there. I'll go ahead first!" The guard glanced in the direction Jiang Ning had disappeared, then turned to the coachman in the carriage and said.
As soon as he finished speaking, he sped off like a gust of wind, heading towards the Lishui Palace.
"Yes, sir!" The coachman's voice came from behind, carried on the wind.
Lishui Imperial Palace.
The palace was half destroyed in the battle two days prior.
Now it is undergoing expedited repairs, and from the outside it looks exactly the same as before, with no trace of the major damage it suffered.
When Jiang Ning landed at the entrance of the Lishui Imperial Palace.
Then they saw two rows of Golden Guards, dressed in golden armor and holding long halberds, standing solemnly on either side of the palace gate.
The moment Jiang Ning appeared, the two rows of Imperial Guards were slightly agitated, but quickly regained their composure.
The leading commander immediately stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and said loudly, "Greetings, Prince Luoshui! His Majesty has been waiting for you in the main hall of the palace for a long time. Please follow me inside, Your Highness."
Jiang Ning nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the Imperial Guards, and he nodded inwardly as well.
This group of Imperial Guards were all fourth-rank experts.
The one in the lead was a third-grade Grandmaster.
"Lead the way!" he said.
"Yes, Your Highness!" The leading commander stood up and replied, then led the way.
Jiang Ning then crossed the palace gate and, led by the commander of the imperial guards, walked in along the stone-paved path.
After crossing the threshold of the imperial palace, I walked a short distance.
He was also secretly surprised.
Just outside the palace gate, he noticed that the previously damaged palace structure had been repaired and looked brand new.
There was absolutely no indication that it had been affected by the major battle of the previous two days.
From the outside, it looks exactly the same as it did before.
Now, as he walked into the palace, he discovered that not only the exterior, but also the main internal structure had been largely restored, with only a few traces remaining.
However, along the way, craftsmen were making final repairs and polishing.
As he walked through the palace, the image of the Celestial Venerable from a few days ago couldn't help but surface in his mind.
Those two heavenly soldiers were the most powerful enemies he had ever encountered.
If it weren't for the environment, the peak combat power of the Heavenly Soldiers would not have lasted long, and he had no idea what the outcome would have been.
After all, at the peak of his Heavenly Soldier status, all his attacks were futile, leaving no trace.
The reason it was able to cause damage later was because the Heavenly Soldiers' condition had deteriorated significantly.
But he understood that was how he was back then.
He is different now.
Both heavenly soldiers, forged from mysterious metal, were devoured and refined by him.
This allowed his strength to improve by leaps and bounds in just two days.
If he were to encounter them again now, even if they were at their peak, he would have enough confidence and resources to confront them head-on, and it wouldn't be impossible for him to defeat them.
Now, he actually hopes to have the same experience as two days ago again.
The two celestial soldiers could bring him over a thousand points of source points.
As he pondered, he had already passed through numerous buildings and flying eaves under the guidance of the commander.
Soon, the commander of the Imperial Guards stopped in front of a grand hall, stepped aside to make way, and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, His Majesty is waiting inside the hall."
Jiang Ning nodded, then stepped over the high threshold.
Upon entering the hall, he saw that there were signs of repairs inside.
The floor was relaid with dark tiles that gleamed faintly. Several bronze lamps stood in the corners of the hall, their flickering flames making the entire hall even brighter.
In the center of the hall, a man in plain clothes stood with his hands behind his back. On the wall in front of him hung a map of mountains and rivers, and beside him followed a dignified and elegant woman.
That was Shen Mengyun, the daughter of General Shen Xiao. Compared to when I first met her, Shen Mengyun now seemed more noble and dignified, perhaps because of her new status. However, this made her less attractive, as it clashed with her original temperament.
Hearing footsteps behind him, Ji Minghao turned around.
The moment he saw Jiang Ning's figure, his face lit up with joy.
"Brother Jiang, you're finally back." Ji Minghao hurried forward, his tone filled with obvious relief. "I've been waiting for you at the Lishui Palace for most of the day, thinking you weren't coming back today."
Jiang Ning bowed and said, "I was unaware that Your Majesty was waiting here. I have kept Your Majesty waiting. It was my oversight."
"Brother Jiang, there's no need for such formalities." Ji Minghao reached out and supported Jiang Ning's arm, his gaze falling on his face. After carefully examining him and confirming that he was not injured, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Although I was unable to attend the great battle a couple of days ago, I witnessed the imposing presence of those two heavenly soldiers from afar, and I was truly worried for Brother Jiang. Now that I see Brother Jiang return safely, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief."
Jiang Ning smiled slightly: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. They are just two ancient remains of celestial soldiers. Once their energy is depleted, they are no threat and pose no danger. After wandering around outside for a while, their energy was exhausted, and we escaped the pursuit of the celestial soldier."
"Not really dangerous?" Ji Minghao shook his head with a wry smile upon hearing this. "Those are heavenly soldiers, heavenly soldiers from myths and legends. Two heavenly soldiers are said to be able to fight immortals! Only Brother Jiang could say something like that!"
As he spoke, he led Jiang Ning to sit down, and then sat down in the main seat himself, waving to the servants to serve hot tea.
Shen Mengyun, who was standing to the side, did not say anything and sat quietly.
She knew how much Ji Minghao valued Jiang Ning.
She also knew that this was not the time for a woman like her to interrupt.
Inside the hall, as the aroma of tea rose gently, a moment of silence fell, leaving only the sound of the wind outside the window and the faint sounds of craftsmen repairing the structure in the distance.
“Brother Jiang, I arrived at the Lishui Palace at noon, intending to invite you to meet there, but I didn’t expect you to leave the city again this afternoon!” Ji Minghao picked up his teacup and asked casually, “I wonder where you went for a stroll just now.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning picked up his teacup, blew on the tea leaves floating on the surface, took a sip, and then said, "I first went to the Five Sacred Mountains Prefecture to repel the besieging army of the two Heavenly Kings of the Yellow Heaven Sect on behalf of Marquis Zhou Sheng in Purple Robes. Then I went to Xisha County on the way and met with Daoist Huang Tian, and had a brief exchange with him."
"What?!" Ji Minghao's hand holding the teacup suddenly stopped, and tea spilled on his body and the ground.
He stared wide-eyed at Jiang Ning, his eyes filled with disbelief. "Brother Jiang! You went to Xisha County? You met Huang Tian Daoist? And you even fought with him?"
"Hmm!" Jiang Ning nodded: "They only clashed a few times with their primordial spirits to test each other before retreating."
Ji Minghao put down his teacup, and Shen Mengyun, who was standing next to him, quickly took out her embroidered handkerchief to wipe the tea off his hands and clothes.
Ji Minghao, however, stared intently at Jiang Ning: "Brother Jiang, what was the outcome of your fight with Huang Tian Daoist?"
"A simple test resulted in a draw, with neither side gaining an advantage," Jiang Ning stated truthfully.
Hearing these words, Ji Minghao continued to stare intently at Jiang Ning.
"Brother Jiang, based on your probing, what are the chances of victory if we go all out?"
"Probably zero percent!" Jiang Ning said calmly.
"As expected!" Ji Minghao sighed softly, then said, "I heard that when the Imperial Uncle went to Xisha County, he returned injured. This Huang Tian Daoist is indeed terrifying! He is indeed a major threat! I once advised my father not to raise a tiger to cause trouble! My father did not take it seriously, and in the end, we have ended up in this situation!"
Looking at the disappointment and dejection on Ji Minghao's face.
Jiang Ning couldn't help but recall Ji Minghao's past assistance to him, as well as the changes in the palace he had just arrived at.
Knowing that Ji Minghao had put in a lot of effort to renovate the Lishui Palace, Ji Minghao understood the importance of this project.
In addition, Ji Minghao had been waiting for him all afternoon.
He hesitated for a moment, then offered words of comfort.
"Your Majesty need not worry! The reason I said there was zero chance of victory is because it was on Huang Tian Dao Ren's territory, where a Bagua formation was set up in the valley, giving him a geographical advantage. According to him, even if a Martial Saint were to come in person, he would have to pay a price to kill him!"
"Even a Martial Saint has to pay a price, so naturally I have zero chance of winning!"
When it came to the last sentence, Jiang Ning smiled dismissively.
"I see!" Ji Minghao breathed a long sigh of relief upon hearing Jiang Ning's words.
Then he looked at Jiang Ning, his expression filled with joy.
"Brother Jiang's words reveal your confidence, which is enough to show that you truly possess the strength of the second strongest in the world! Even if it were the Imperial Uncle, you couldn't do this! This is enough to prove that Brother Jiang's strength has surpassed that of the Imperial Uncle, which is truly a great joy!"
Seeing the change in Ji Minghao's expression after hearing his words, Jiang Ning smiled and said nothing more.
Just then.
Ji Minghao composed himself and looked at Jiang Ning seriously.
"Brother Jiang, we are close friends and soon we will be family! Tell me the truth, are you confident that you can reach the level of a Martial Saint?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning shook his head.
"Nothing is certain!"
At that moment, some rumors he had heard in the past surfaced in his mind.
"Brother Jiang, you've reached this level at such a young age. Calling you invincible below the level of an immortal wouldn't be an exaggeration! In the world today, apart from that one person, there's practically no one else who can truly surpass you! If even you, Brother Jiang, with your achievements, are no match for me, then who else in the world can? As your brother, you can't lie to me!!"
As he finished speaking, Ji Minghao looked at Jiang Ning with a serious expression.
Jiang Ning smiled and said, "Your Majesty thinks too highly of me!"
Upon hearing this, Ji Minghao remained silent for a moment, then smiled.
"Let's change the subject. Brother Jiang, do you think there's a solution to the problem of the Yellow Heaven Cult?"
Jiang Ning shook his head: "There's no solution for now. Although Huang Tian Daoist acts radically, he has his own blueprint and beliefs. I've spoken with him, and he can't be swayed in just a few words. Moreover, the real chaos isn't just within the Huang Tian Sect, but also exists in places that even His Majesty knows about!"
“I understand!” Ji Minghao nodded, indicating that he understood.
"I wonder what brings Your Majesty here to see me today?" Jiang Ning asked.
"This morning, after the court assembly, I received a request for assistance from the Five Sacred Mountains Prefecture. I wanted to discuss this with Brother Jiang and also invite him to tomorrow's court assembly! I originally planned to bring this up at the court assembly to see which minister was willing to lead troops to the Five Sacred Mountains Prefecture to ease the situation there!"
"I have only recently ascended the throne and assumed the throne. I fear that if I bring this matter up, no one will respond. Therefore, I would like to ask Brother Jiang to take on this responsibility!"
At this point, Ji Minghao's expression turned emotional.
"Unexpectedly, Brother Jiang has already resolved this matter!"
"In the afternoon, I went to the Five Sacred Mountains Prefecture alone and managed to make the Yellow Heaven Sect's Guardian King of the Sacred Mountains and the Overturning King of the Seas retreat!"
"Not only that, but it also gave me a big surprise."
"After fighting Huangtian Daoist at the Huangtian Sect's stronghold in Xisha County, I escaped unscathed!"
"This move is enough to deter the Yellow Heaven Sect and prevent them from making any rash moves in the short term."
At this point, Ji Minghao suddenly bowed solemnly to Jiang Ning: "Brother Jiang, the peace that Wuyue Prefecture has achieved this time is entirely due to your efforts. On behalf of the thousands of people of Wuyue Prefecture, I thank you for your help!"
Jiang Ning stood up: "Your Majesty is too kind. It was just something I did on the spur of the moment, nothing to boast about."
“No, this is a great achievement.” Ji Minghao looked at him seriously, then shook his head firmly. “If the Five Mountains Prefecture falls, it will not only bring disaster to millions of people, but also strengthen the foundation of the Yellow Heaven Sect. At that time, the whole world will probably be engulfed in this war!”
As soon as he finished speaking, Ji Minghao looked at him, his eyes flashing with a mixture of gratitude, admiration, and a complex expression.
"Your Majesty is too kind!"
"It's not just politeness!" Ji Minghao shook his head. "Having Brother Jiang as a friend is a blessing for Great Xia, and even more so for me."
Jiang Ning smiled but didn't reply, nor did he bother with any more pleasantries. (End of Chapter)