Grinding Cultivation Toward Martial Saint

Yet if not... the path ahead is a dead end.

At this point, a sense of unwillingness suddenly arose within him.

By now, how could he not understand that the words of the Heir of Beicang King were reality.

Ji Mingyuan ascending the throne, to show his position, would inevitably fulfill his current promises.

By that time, the outcome would be the same.

He clenched his fists, his gaze turning to Shen Mengyun and Shen Xiao beside him.

At this moment, the Heir of Beicang King, who had just climbed up from the ground, seemed to have heard something, and a slight arc appeared at the corner of his mouth, as if he was smiling or feeling self-satisfied.

After a moment of silence, Ji Minghao slowly released his tightly clenched fists, his palms already pierced by his nails, allowing blood to drip onto the floor tiles.

At this moment, his eyes carried a nearly deathly calmness.

He looked at Shen Xiao, bowing deeply: "General Shen, Mengyun, thank you. But... let’s stop here."

"Your Highness!" Shen Mengyun exclaimed, instantly understanding Ji Minghao’s intention, tears welling up in her eyes.

Shen Xiao’s tiger eyes widened as he was about to speak.

Ji Minghao, however, raised a hand to stop him, turning to the Beicang King and Divine Might King on the palace walls, his voice hoarse but clear: "Uncle Kings, today’s events arose from my brothers’ struggle for the throne, implicating too many innocents. Victory belongs to the victor; Minghao... admits defeat."

He then looked at Ji Mingyuan, whose expression was complex, and smiled bitterly: "Brother, you’ve won. I only ask that you... treat Shiqi well; she is your sister after all. And the blood running through you is ultimately the Imperial bloodline; when you ascend the throne and claim emperorship, you must possess the majesty of a ruler, never bow down, never humble yourself! The Ji Clan bloodline only stands, never kneels to live."

In his words, Ji Minghao was filled with a resolution to die.

At this moment, anyone could feel the death wish blossoming within him.

Meanwhile, Ji Mingyuan felt a weight lifted off his heart, though showing a painful expression on his face: "Why say such things, Brother Eight, you and I are brothers..."

Ji Minghao no longer listened to his words, suddenly drawing his sword from his waist, the cold light reflecting his resolute face.

"Eighth Prince, don’t!" Shen Xiao shouted, moving forward.

Li Tianwen’s eyes flickered.

The words of Ji Minghao echoed in his mind.

The actions and methods of Ji Mingyuan also unfolded in his thoughts.

It was at this moment of lightning discovery.

"Hold for a moment."

A voice so calm it bordered on indifference seemed to come from a great distance, yet simultaneously echo directly in everyone’s heart, ringing from all directions, sweeping through everyone’s mind.

In the next moment, above Chengqian Palace, the winds and clouds suddenly changed.

A dazzling Tunneling Light intertwined with black and white, like a meteor from the heavens, tore through the sky, arriving in an instant!

As the light dissipated, a tall figure quietly stood on the eaves of Chengqian Palace.

The newcomer wore a black robe, his face handsome, with not a trace of aura escaping from his body, yet he seemed to merge with heaven and earth.

His gaze lowered, sweeping over the scene, and an invisible aura spread along with it.

It was none other than the one who had just swiftly traveled from Luoshui Lake, Jiang Ning.

He looked at Ji Minghao, about to slit his throat with the sword, and spoke faintly.

"Eighth Prince, why rush to seek death?"

Jiang Ning’s voice was calm like water, yet it seemed to contain a peculiar rhythm, penetrating the tense air within Chengqian Palace and clearly reaching everyone’s ears.

As the words fell, the entire scene descended into a strange silence.

Everyone’s gaze simultaneously fixed on the black-robed figure standing on the eaves of the palace.

He stood there casually, with the rising morning sun behind him, casting a faint golden edge around him, yet gently refracted by some invisible force, forming a halo.

"Dongling Marquis!"

"Jiang Ning!"

Several suppressed cries sounded from different directions.

Shen Xiao’s eyes flashed brilliantly, observing Jiang Ning, he vaguely sensed a different aura.

Divine Might King Li Tianwen’s pupils contracted sharply, his previously serene expression, in harmony with the heavens, showing the first obvious change.

His connection with the Heavenly Dao gave him a profound understanding of the heavens; he could sense that just Jiang Ning standing there felt as though he represented the heavens.

His gaze remained fixed on Jiang Ning, as if trying to penetrate the halo and see what changes had occurred within this young man.

"Tunneling Light, Rainbow Technique!" He recalled Jiang Ning’s manner of arrival, inwardly shocked.

The Beicang King’s expression also slightly changed. As a supreme Martial Arts practitioner with broad experience.

Seeing Jiang Ning’s arrival method, how could he not comprehend its significance?

Though he instinctively disbelieved it, reality surpassed all denials.

Watching Jiang Ning, he felt an unprecedented pressure.

Not the overwhelming Martial Arts’ qi-blood pressure, nor the pressure of his aura.

But the possibility of the conjecture in his heart, bringing him immense pressure.

The Martial Arts mythology Jiang Ning once created seemed insignificant compared to the conjectures surging from his heart at this moment.

"Brother Jiang!" Ji Minghao’s sword-holding hand paused at his neck, his hands trembling slightly.

A flash of disbelief crossed his eyes, quickly transforming into intense joy and hope.

Just now, he knew that continued resistance and struggle against Ji Mingyuan held no meaning.

The only chance of victory was to leverage retreat to advance.

He understood that today’s Chengqian Palace was not limited to just the forces on the surface; behind it, numerous eyes were watching.

The Imperial Throne contention, the old folks within the Imperial Family, how could they not watch?

Whatever he did, or Ji Mingyuan did, could not be hidden from those veterans.

Especially the current Regent King, Ji Xuan.

His only hope lay in those eyes behind him.

In his view, the way Ji Mingyuan acted and spoke was extremely inadequate.

The ruler of Great Xia, an heir to the throne, how could he be coerced by an heir of a prince to marry off a princess as an exchange of interests.

Such matters can be dealt with in private, but cannot be brought to the surface.

Dealing in private is an active exchange of interests, the power strategy of those in power.

But bringing it to light is succumbing to ministerial coercion, an insult to the Ji Clan, and a trample on the throne.

He used retreat to advance, demonstrating his backbone and the courage a ruler must possess, seeking to sway the Divine Might King to his side, pushing Ji Xuan to step in, and drawing out those old monsters of the Ji Clan.

But at this moment, Jiang Ning’s appearance let him know he suddenly gained an extra chip.

Especially the timing and manner of Jiang Ning’s appearance revealed many things.

Compared to Ji Minghao’s face filled with joy, Ji Mingyuan’s grief instantly turned to a deep suspicion, quickly transforming into a sullen uncertainty.

He locked his gaze on Jiang Ning, rapidly reviewing all intelligence about this Dongling Marquis.

For eight hundred years, he was regarded as the greatest Martial Arts talent, the Martial Champion, Dongling Marquis, Zeshan State Patrol Envoy, favored by the Martial Saint, had deep connections with the State Preceptor, close relationships with Martial King Xiang Yuan and Inspection Office Deputy Mansion Master Xiao Wuque...

All these snippets flashed through his mind.

Yet until today, no one had ever said that Jiang Ning could appear in such a manner!

Rainbow Technique arrival!

That is not the method of a Martial Arts Grandmaster flying through the sky, but a technique belonging to the Immortal Dao, mastered upon reaching Primordial Spirit Realm.

He transformed Tunneling Light, traveling as a rainbow, covering hundreds of miles in an instant.

Jiang Ning’s gaze slowly swept across the scene, black and white hues briefly flicking in his eyes.

In that instant, Shen Xiao, Li Tianwen, and Beicang King simultaneously felt their hearts tighten, as though every thought, every qi-blood movement, even the secrets deep within their Spirit Platforms, were thoroughly penetrated by that gaze, leaving no place to hide!

In the blink of an eye, Jiang Ning discerned the ranking of the flesh and qi-blood intensity among the three.

Among them, Li Tianwen was the strongest, his body exuding the most intense energy.

Next was Shen Xiao.

The last was the Beicang King.

Of course, this order only considers the strength of the body and qi-blood.

It does not relate to the strength of the Martial Arts Skill, depth of cultivation, or the distance traveled on their own paths.

Actual strength is intimately connected with many aspects.

"General Shen! Divine Might King! Beicang King!" Jiang Ning greeted each in turn, nodding slightly, not allowing himself arrogance despite reaching Primordial Spirit Realm.

He understood that even though he had achieved the Primordial Spirit Realm, his Immortal Dao cultivation was nonexistent, the environment incompatible, and the strength he could exert far less than what was recorded in ancient texts.

Engaging in a real battle with true Martial Arts powerhouses, the victory remains uncertain.

And in any case, there is no need to unnecessarily create another enemy.