Origin Paradise!

"Martial runes, the starting point of the body of an alchemical martial saint."

"The extraordinary spear technique that is predicted is equivalent to the collection of extraordinary knowledge in the entire ancient martial arts world."

"The upper limit of the extraordinary in this world is below the gold level. As the one who has mastered both, he can probably reach the ultimate level in both."

Jiang He calmed the surging energy within his body. If he could obtain the two expected gains, then this mission would not have been in vain, especially the extraordinary marksmanship, which would significantly enhance his lethality.

"Aya, a few more books."

"Ok."

Zhuang Ya handed over several secret manuals, then got up and went to the kitchen, bringing back a pot of dragon blood wine that had been prepared in advance. Because it was soaked in ice water, the surface of the silver pot shimmered slightly under the moonlight.

Jiang He drank wine and flipped through books. Even the experience left behind by a low-ranking martial artist could serve as a unique way of thinking. Different perspectives could expand one's thinking for understanding martial arts, just like the world's books, paintings, and music.

In the early morning, the sun rises.

Repeatedly repairing the brain caused the ultimate self-healing to deplete its energy value. Because the curse of the earth still lingered on her body, Jiang He chose to activate the final time ring to refresh the energy to full value.

By noon, the energy was depleted again.

After activating the time loop, Jiang He slightly controlled his reading speed. To ensure his own safety, he preferred to keep one refresh opportunity as a trump card to avoid any unexpected situations that could lead to disaster.

By evening, the energy level was depleted.

Jiang He's right hand was covered with over ten thousand martial runes, his palm and back of his hand. Countless martial arts essences echoed in his mind, causing him to show a rare look of exhaustion, his face turning deathly pale.

"I'm starting to feel the strain; I need to take a break."

Jiang He burned the copy in his hand, sat cross-legged, and began to practice the Solar Breathing Technique.

Ten hours passed, and the night deepened.

The final Knight's time loop count has been replenished.

After resting, Jiang He decisively launched another attack, picking up the martial arts manual once again.

……

In the blink of an eye, more than ten days have passed.

All 108,000 martial arts manuals turned to ashes. Jiang He's right arm was covered with mysterious and profound martial patterns. After the force dissipated, these patterns disappeared beneath his skin. He looked inward into his spiritual world and discovered that golden light was shimmering between the dark clouds and the sea.

The intense comprehension and learning have tempered my spirit like never before, and a golden will is being nurtured.

"Not only that."

Jiang He crossed his arms, and strands of internal energy swirled around his chest, vaguely forming a sphere of energy, though it was not yet refined enough, having form but no substance.

"The Golden Will and... Dan Jin have begun to show their prowess."

"To make the world thin while enriching oneself."

"But if I don't go to sleep soon, I feel like I'm going to die."

Jiang He closed his eyes from the bottom of his heart. Sleep was still an important means of recuperation for him, and most importantly, it was "good quality and inexpensive".

"We should study a sleeping technique."

Chapter 344 Wedding Ceremony

June 24th, the first year of the Jianyan era.

The border of Yizhou remains sealed off. The Anbei Governor's Office announced its opening to the public, granting it the same rank as the Three Excellencies, and declared that this move was made in accordance with a secret edict from the late emperor to repel the barbarians.

The news shocked the world.

Anyone with discerning eyes can see that this is a huge provocation to the central government. If it cannot be dealt with, the remaining authority of the central government will be completely destroyed, and all the heroes will rebel.

In response, the Regent Prince has obtained an imperial edict, ordering the mobilization of 30,000 elite Imperial Guards from the capital to join 90,000 Qingzhou troops heading north, led by the Grand Master Duke of Yan, with hundreds of Taoist priests from the Five Dou Taoist Palace accompanying them. The army is touted as a force of 600,000, preparing to attack Wangshu City, the southern gateway to Yizhou, and the proclamation to punish the rebels is being circulated throughout the nine provinces.

Soon after, the Marquis of Pingluan held a wedding ceremony.

……

The barbican where the Anbei Governor's Office was located.

Everywhere was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and red silk ribbons were hung high.

According to the rites of the "Great Ruler's Law", the wedding ceremony was held in the East Garden of the Wengcheng, which was originally a place where officials of the Governor's Office held large-scale sacrificial ceremonies, and the venue was of sufficient size.

The banquet was packed, with all the important figures of Yizhou in attendance.

At the left table, the Prince of Anbei looked at Du Chang across from him, feeling quite uneasy. To be fair, the other man was just an average person, and it would probably be beyond his ability to become a deputy commander-in-chief. However, due to a series of coincidences, he followed the right person and rose all the way to the position of a powerful general, being granted the titles of commander of Dangguan and Beifeng, and also serving as the prefect of Daming.

At the lower left table, a group of Dawn and Evil Guards sat upright. The boss wouldn't be there today, but Commander Wu, who was in charge of discipline, was hiding in the corner. Even Ah Er at the first table had toned down his attitude.

The Zhu family head, now the unsung hero of Yizhou's officialdom, and the Hong family head, representing the forces of grain transport workers, salt workers, and the martial arts world, both with white hair, are sitting at the right-hand table with the sect leader of Daming.

The wedding ceremony officially began. The Lady of Le'an County was tall and slender, followed by the voluptuous Lady Zhu and the petite Lady Hong. All three were previously unmarried beauties.

Wuhe stood atop a fierce knight, surveying the entire scene. He noticed that the three elders of the Gun King were absent, and his brow furrowed slightly.

Compared to the assassination plotted by a group of defeated soldiers, the attitude of this senior is the real problem.

Gun King San was a stubborn old man who was loyal to the emperor and the country. He spent his life guarding Dangguan City to resist the northern barbarians and was extremely loyal to the Great Qian Dynasty. However, due to the war with Longcheng, he had only a few years left to live.

Since the Marquis of Pingluan has already left Dangguan City and did not attend the wedding ceremony today, it means that he went towards Wangshu City.

Wuhe lowered his eyes. No matter who it was, as long as they stood in front of the boss, he had an obligation to eliminate them.

“You fool, there are some things you can’t do.” Old Hei approached at some point and whispered, “Gun King San taught Xiao He three gun techniques, which are of great significance. He would never support you in using underhanded tactics. I’m not familiar with this senior, and I don’t think it’s worth it if this causes any rift between you and Xiao He.”

Wuhe remained silent for a moment, then said helplessly, "Then let the boss handle it personally."

The wedding ceremony was successfully held.

The Marquis of Pingluan only made a brief appearance at the very end of the entire event, and then immediately returned to continue practicing his Solar Breathing Technique.

Old Black presided over the wedding ceremony in human form. He used the werewolf secret technique he obtained from the Ember World and further disguised himself with the Transformation Technique, making him look like a kind-hearted middle-aged man.

"...and so the marriage was arranged and the ceremony was completed."

……

late at night.

Jiang He read through the three thousand newly delivered martial arts manuals, practically devouring all the martial arts resources of the entire Yizhou.

Seeing that her cultivation for the day was over, Zhuang Ya took out a gold leaf from her sleeve and said in a crisp voice:

"Orochi, choose one of the three."

Jiang He understood that he needed to complete his voluntary labor tonight. The existence of the backyard was politically necessary, serving as a platform for expressing his stance. If he ordered a lady to be beaten to death, her family would face internal annihilation tomorrow.

In addition, if the family commits a mistake or even rebels, these ladies can only be buried with the deceased, otherwise other forces cannot accept the birth or growth of an heir who harbors hatred.

The backyard isn't absolutely necessary for the animal team, but the time gained from stabilizing the situation can greatly accelerate the collection of martial arts manuals. Most importantly, the team still needs to complete the main quest of unification within six months.

"Who is Consort Yuan?" Jiang He asked. Consort Yuan was the principal wife of the emperor and nobles in the Great Qian Dynasty.

"No," Zhuang Ya replied after thinking for a moment.

"Then you decide." Jiang He gently held the other's head. "From now on, the position of Grand Chancellor will be yours."

Zhuang Ya nodded, then turned and led someone to the main hall of the Governor's Mansion, which was the closest to this place.

The two walked through the thick wall made of gray bricks and stones, where the palace walls had upturned eaves and carved beams and painted rafters.

The main hall is tall and majestic, with rows of long golden nails embedded in the vermilion gate. A huge plaque with the words "Respect the King and Be Loyal to the Sovereign" hangs high above the door, the golden characters vigorous and powerful, showing its weight and importance.

Inside the hall, layers of curtains hung, and the elegant scent of sandalwood wafted through the air. Through the openwork carved screen, dappled lights shone. On one side of the bedroom stood a large rosewood table, piled high with various calligraphic works by famous people and a dozen or so decorative inkstones.

Jiang He met the Lady of Le'an County at her bedside.

As for the name, naturally I can't remember it.

"My husband is so handsome." Princess Le'an lowered her head shyly.

"Get to work, you should rest early so I can go back to cultivate." Jiang He took off his brocade red robe, drew the curtains, and walked closer to the bed. He had neither expectations nor aversion to this; it was just a routine matter.

The lights quickly began to flicker.

……

Outside the bedroom.

Zhuang Ya stood quietly and dozed off, the perfectly crafted, poison-like sword at her waist reflecting the candlelight.

The county princess's dowry maid was also petite. She leaned over and sneered, "This heroine, the matter of carrying a sword into the palace is a big deal or a small one. It's inappropriate for a vulgar woman to accompany a marquis every day. My young lady is kind-hearted, but I'm not easy to talk to. You're not from a noble family, so you might as well resign from your duties to avoid me finding a pretext to beat you to death later."

The maidservant squinted. In fact, she could tell that the other party was of high status, otherwise the Marquis would not have tacitly allowed her to bring her sword into the palace. However, the position of the Imperial Concubine had already been reserved by the County Princess. Any other woman in the inner court who had a chance to get her hands on the position was a rival. Moreover, the Marquis did not seem to have any requirements for his attendants, so she might be able to take his place.

Zhuang Ya woke up, looked up, and gently furrowed her beautiful brows.

The maidservant pointed a slender finger at the other woman's shoulder and said in a slightly cold tone, "The Marquis's mansion is in charge of Yizhou, so it naturally needs the support of the Prince of Anbei. My lady is a blood relative of the Prince. It is against etiquette for you to enter the palace with a sword. Once I report this to the Marquis, even if he favors you, you will still get a beating."

Zhuang Ya frowned even more deeply. She was usually quiet but had no problem with comprehension, but at this moment she simply couldn't understand the other party's logic. How could the Great Serpent punish her for a mere archway?

"Oh, so you're planning to pretend you don't understand?"

"Kill you."

Whoosh!

With a swift stroke, Zhuang Ya beheaded the maid before her. The attack was so fast that only a faint gust of wind swept through the room, and the sound of the head hitting the carpet was barely audible, masked by the unrestrained singing in the bedroom. She sheathed the sword, closed her eyes, and continued to doze off.

Chapter 345 Gun King Three

The night was as dark as ink, and the waning moon was faintly visible.

Inside the main hall of the Anbei Governor's Mansion, behind layers of curtains, the blood gushing from the headless corpse soaked through the expensive carpet.

The Princess of Le'an County had tears in her eyes, her gaze dazed and confused, like a small boat rocking on the sea.

Amidst her intermittent babbling, Lilith yawned and left the mental world, lying on her side in mid-air on the bed. Hearing the county princess's vulgarities, she couldn't help but click her tongue twice.

"Tell you something."

"You really know how to pick your time." Jiang He's expression was a little strange.

Lilith said seriously, "The Red Moon Reincarnation Technique is more than halfway complete, but there is a problem that is neither too big nor too small. In the fields of alchemy and mystery, equivalent exchange is one of the basic principles. Since I intend to be reborn, then there must be something to die in my place."

"Is it related to this arrival?" Jiang He guessed. He owed the other party a lot of favors, but he was definitely not going to talk about sacrificing himself or his team members. Lilith must know this.

Lilith clasped her hands together and chuckled, “Every dynasty basically possesses national fortune. The Great Qian is about to decline, and a new dynasty will be established, with an estimated lifespan of several hundred years. As long as you are willing to die for this life, the new dynasty can barely serve as a sacrifice for perfecting the secret technique. After all, in my current state, the ‘weight’ of my soul is very light. Please, for the sake of our frequent cooperation, do me this favor.”

“Okay.” Jiang He nodded. He didn’t care how long the future dynasty would last. Becoming the emperor was only for the purpose of improving his strength, in addition to completing the main mission. The four goals of becoming a Martial Saint, extraordinary spear skills, golden will, and Dan Jin all required a well-ordered and functionally sound dynasty to provide nourishment.

"Then I'll thank you in advance." Lilith smiled, her eyes slightly lowered. "The size is good. Keep up the good work."

As soon as she finished speaking, her figure vanished.

Boo!

Jiang He withdrew, casually taking the brocade robe from the nearby clothes rack. The Princess of Le'an County had already fallen into a deep sleep.

A faint smell of blood filled the air.

Jiang He stepped out of the bedroom and immediately saw the headless corpse on the ground. Given the physical prowess of the Silver Elite, he naturally heard the sound of the sword being drawn and the head severed.

Zhuang Ya woke up from her nap and rubbed her eyes sleepily with her little hand.

"Transfer two hundred fierce knights to be in charge of the security of the backyard. You will personally oversee them. As for the palace maids, eunuchs, and daily expenses, find Wu He. The Prince of Anbei's residence should have them ready-made," Jiang He said. He planned to train the little guy's management skills, since there were quite a few cunning people in the backyard.

“Okay.” Zhuang Ya looked up and agreed. Although she wasn’t quite sure what she would be responsible for, she didn’t intend to refuse any of the person’s requests.

The two left the main hall, and the message was relayed to Wuhe by the bird. Wuhe then relayed the order through the intelligent channels among the Dawn People, and the evil knights stationed at the Anbei Governor's Mansion immediately mobilized two hundred men.

……

early morning.

Jiang He finished his cultivation in the courtyard, and Wuhefei landed on his shoulder to report the news.

"Boss, the Duke of Yan of the imperial court is leading 120,000 elite troops to approach Wangshu City. The remaining forces, led by the Lord of Yanyu Tower and the Hong family, are preparing to launch an assassination. In addition, the Gold and Silver Bureau has encountered some problems. If we want to maintain the current economic level of Yizhou, the results of diverting gold to make evil soldiers may not be satisfactory."

Jiang He pondered for a moment and said, "Send three thousand cavalry to Wangshu City, carrying my Blood Spear, and proceed slowly. Lady Hong will accompany them."

"As for the gold, I'll deal with it later. Once the mine site is marked, Zhuang Ya will cooperate with the mining. Her serpentine body is good at large-scale construction."

"Understood," Wuhe replied.

Jiang He left behind the final knight's blood spear, then spread his blood wings and soared into the sky.