Origin Paradise!

Jiang He reached out and took the bowl, picked it up and drank it all in one gulp. At present, it was just an abnormal state, and it wouldn't affect his combat power too much.

A surge of vibrant life force flowed into the body, withered veins transformed from decay to vitality, and the skin regained its radiance.

Jiang He was on high alert. According to the cultivation experience of the Daoist Ku Rong, at this critical juncture of turning from withered to flourishing, he had a chance to break through an entire main meridian in one go, skipping the stage of low-grade martial artist and directly reaching the level of early middle-grade martial artist.

Just a second before she was about to fully recover, Jiang He gathered the last trace of her withered energy and applied it to the Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian.

This is the limit of control over internal force. If it were replaced with external force, it could at least block six meridians.

[Hint: Your energy level +100]

[Energy Value: 1701/1701]

[Notification: You have been promoted to a mid-level martial artist]

[Hint: Energy Trait - Wither has been upgraded to Rare, dealing 3% additional Wither damage]

[Hint: Your constitution +1]

[Hint: Your charm +1]

[Constitution: 9+2→10+2]

[Charm: 7+1→8+1]

Jiang He clenched his fist. The increase in his physique was not out of control. When using the Sword Scale Snail Dragon Armor and the Hunting Engine, the percentage increase was far greater than it was now.

Immediately afterwards, he took out the cinnabar mirror. After the transformation of decay and prosperity, the face in the mirror had become much whiter, while the bone structure remained unchanged. It just had a slightly more approachable feel. Just as aesthetics differ across different eras and species, the greatest effect of charm does not lie in mere appearance.

"How did this figure keep up with the progress?"

Jiang He pondered, realizing he hadn't allocated any free attribute points to Charisma.

Zhuang Ya sat on the edge of the bed, gradually transforming into a small white snake, and skillfully crawled onto someone's neck.

Jiang He used his profound skill again, this time he devoured a Bloodstone. The second level of the Withering and Flourishing Heart Sutra, Rong, easily digested this life force, and the speed of the technique's operation was almost twice that of the initial state.

Several hours later, the second channel had been opened up to one-tenth of its original size, and the bloodstones that had been ingested were completely consumed.

"The price is high. I need more rare treasures that contain vitality, such as water carp or top-quality ginseng."

Jiang He swallowed the ginseng given to her by Granny Jiudu whole and continued to circulate her internal energy. This time, the speed of her cultivation technique only exceeded the initial state by 30%, and it could only be sustained for half an hour.

After finishing her cultivation, Jiang He stood up, a strong wave of dizziness washing over her, similar to the splitting headache she felt after sleeping too much.

"Does the mental strength stat limit the cultivation time?"

"A maximum of five hours a day."

Jiang He carefully estimated that a proper breakthrough would now give him 100 energy points, and his energy already contained three properties: corrosion, toxicity, and withering.

Early in the morning, Butler Wu came to knock on the door.

"My lord, it's almost time for roll call."

Jiang He opened the door. As a fourth-rank commander, he was required to go to the Northern Metropolitan Commandery during peacetime to be in charge of criminal cases and litigation.

Steward Wu looked to be close to sixty years old. At this moment, the maid beside him presented a set of scarlet official robes embroidered with tigers and leopards, as well as a four-beam court hat, a plain gold belt, a four-colored cloud and crane sash, an ivory tablet, and other accessories.

“My lord, this gold-patterned sword and official seal are extremely important. The former is custom-made by the Prince’s Palace. All military officers above the rank of 1,000 are equipped with swords that are unique to them. When you arrive at the Military Command’s Office, the official seal must be placed in the seal slot on the table. Losing it is a serious crime.”

Several pretty maids immediately came forward to help the Earl change his clothes.

"Understood. The manor is entirely dependent on Senior Wu. I have a personal maid. Please exchange this ambergris for silver notes."

Jiang He waved away the maids and took out a pale white stone from the sleeve of his ordinary clothes. It weighed 800 grams. The rare-grade item Whale Song Revolver could produce 100 grams of it every day, but it also needed ambergris as a gun oil for maintenance.

Steward Wu reached out and took it. In his early years, he was a wandering martial artist who traveled all over the country. However, he was not very talented and only had the skills of a low-grade martial artist. After entering the Prince's Mansion, he took on the job of a Yellow-ranked servant. Over the years, he had seen quite a few rare treasures.

"Don't worry, my lord, this stuff will sell. I'll go to the merchant guild run by the Lady of the Prince's Mansion, and you'll get the silver notes when you return tonight."

"The Lady of the Prince's Mansion?" Jiang He was taken aback; the image of the Prince of Anbei seemed to have deviated slightly.

Butler Wu said in surprise, “You need to pay more attention to the Prince’s mansion. The Princess Consort passed away early, and the Prince now has twenty wives, forty-two concubines, and countless palace maids. Madam Chen Huan, who entered the mansion half a year ago, is the sister of General Chen. Recently, she has been the Prince’s favorite. Madam Chen has great poetic talent. She once recited three hundred poems in a restaurant, shaming a group of scholars from Jiangnan. She uses the aliases Chen Bai and Chen Fu. It is rumored that she has connections with martial arts heroes, the eldest son of the Yan family, and young wealthy merchants.”

Jiang He was speechless. What kind of genius was this? He could easily foresee the chaotic state of the inner quarters of the Prince's mansion.

"Madam Chen must be a player."

"If it's convenient, I'll have to find a way to kill it."

"But I'm not good at palace intrigue."

The unknown and entirely new territory made Jiang He frown.

Every winter, the Northern Barbarians migrate south, but this time the scale will be unprecedented. At this moment, Daming Prefecture is beset by internal and external troubles. The generals are ambitious, the Yan family is suspected of cooperating with the Northern Barbarians, the Jianchi Conference brings together heroes, and the Prince of Anbei is not as reliable as imagined.

"Daming Prefecture Pills"

Chapter 121 The Northern Military Commandery

Early morning hours.

Jiang He boarded the carriage prepared by Steward Wu and set off for the Northern Military Command to report for duty.

Daming Prefecture has four military commands in the east, west, south and north. The highest-ranking officer of each military command is the Embroidered-Robe Commander, who serves as the General Commander when leading troops into battle. Each of the four General Commanders has more than 30,000 elite troops under their command.

As we continued our journey, the twelve-story Demon-Suppressing Tower next to the Prince's Mansion receded into the distance. The streets were lined with restaurants and shops, and the Jian River flowed eastward. After the hustle and bustle of the night, the morning was quiet.

As they passed the entrance to the night market, Jiang He lifted the carriage curtain.

Four envoys dressed in embroidered uniforms gathered together, escorting a burly prisoner with a distinct air of江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world). He was about to face his first public beheading.

"You bunch of corrupt officials who embezzle public funds and break the law!"

"I didn't kill him, what evidence do you have to arrest me!"

An embroidered-robed messenger kicked the prisoner's knee hard, bending it. He had no liking for this group of Jianghu people. Ordinary people needed strict government procedures to leave their local villages and counties. If they went to other places without permission, they could be treated as fugitives and punished. But this group of Jianghu people roamed all over the country and had countless lives on their hands.

The embroidered-robed messenger, still seemingly unsatisfied, drew his gold-patterned sword from his waist and slashed the prisoner's face with the back of the blade. His sister had been violated by a passing martial arts master, lost her virginity, and committed suicide by drowning. To this day, the murderer has not been brought to justice, which is why he chose to become an embroidered-robed messenger.

As for this prisoner, he was naturally caught on the way. The Embroidered-Robed Envoy was a squad leader during the war. In other words, within Yizhou, the Anbei Army was the largest sect and had no fear of the Jianghu forces.

The prisoner struggled desperately, unwilling to be slaughtered, but his resistance was futile against four embroidered-robed messengers with low-level martial arts skills.

The prisoner was escorted to the execution platform at the entrance of the night market, where a large crowd had already gathered to watch.

"Good for him! Kill him!"

"Sir, my child is sick. The doctor said he needs to be treated with a steamed bun soaked in human blood. I'll just get a little blood on it and leave."

"Tiger Blade is a famous chivalrous man; I don't believe he would kill innocent people indiscriminately."

"Murder is a violation of the law, regardless of whether you are innocent or not."

The crowd of onlookers was three or four deep, and the discussions were extremely noisy, as the government and the underworld were like oil and water.

The executioner took his position, spat out a mouthful of saliva, and brought his broadsword down on the prisoner's nape.

Many onlookers stared wide-eyed, unwilling to miss a single detail. Some had been helped by martial arts masters, some had been bullied by them, and some even had relatives or friends who were martial arts masters. At this moment, they were all completely engrossed.

The broadsword fell, but the head did not hit the ground.

From the crowd, the sword-wielding youth stepped forward, and true essence sword light burst forth from the tip of the sword, instantly piercing the executioner's forehead. Although the true essence left his body and its power was somewhat weak, it was still the realm of a beginner mid-grade martial artist.

"Senior Tiger Blade, I'm here to help you!"

The prisoner nicknamed Tiger Blade laughed loudly: "Brother Yan, you are truly a chivalrous hero for your selfless courage. I, Tiger Blade, will remember this favor."

The four embroidered-robed envoys attacked together, surrounding the swordsman surnamed Yan, and for a moment, swords flashed and shadows danced.

During this time, the swordsman surnamed Yan cut the prisoners' shackles, and with two against four, the embroidered-robed envoys gradually fell into a disadvantageous position and could only maintain a stalemate.

Outside the night market, Jiang He looked out the window and could vaguely see the fighting taking place on the execution platform.

"What do you think."

The small white snake coiled around her neck paused slightly, its golden vertical pupils filled with doubt. How could she possibly see that?

"Great serpent, I'm hungry."

"I'll take you to the night market after we exchange the ambergris for money tonight."

Jiang He took out an alchemical bullet from his pouch, removed the bullet head, and held it between his two fingers.

In the Withered Heart Sutra, besides the methods of circulating internal energy and secret techniques, there are also several matching martial arts, similar to He Qianhu's Dragon-Capturing Claw and Tiger-Taming Fist.

The first layer comes with the Small Withered Sword Finger, which can infuse withered true energy into the target and detonate it at a set time. The maximum duration is one month. Its finger-flicking technique is quite unique, flicking the finger like an arrow.

The second layer is equipped with the Great Glory Fist Seal. When a punch is thrown, the withered true essence contained in the fist seal is endless. Once it hits the enemy, it can be used in conjunction with the small withered finger to detonate the withered power one by one, creating serious internal injuries.

Jiang He pinched the bullet, infusing it with energy containing the properties of corrosion, toxicity, and withering. The color changed from bluish-red to dark red, and a trace of energy flowed through the acupoints at his fingertips. The small withered sword finger kept the bullet intact under the energy.

The sword was flicked out, and the bullet flew out of the car window.

call out!

A barely perceptible streak of dark red light flashed through the air, but its aim was slightly off, grazing the cheek of the swordsman surnamed Yan.

The next second, all three traits erupted simultaneously.

The terrifying corrosive power melted away half of the swordsman surnamed Yan's face, and withering and deadly poison invaded his body.

The incredibly pitiful wails instantly drowned out the clamor and discussion of the onlookers.

"Judging by its size, it seems to be a carriage belonging to the Earl's mansion."

"The commander of the military headquarters must be the Duke who came to quell the rebellion yesterday."

The four embroidered-robed messengers looked at each other in bewilderment. The news of the martial arts battle at the Prince's mansion last night and the Prince's gift of a calligraphy scroll had spread at an astonishing speed.

"Take down these two first, and then pay a visit to thank Lord Earl another day."

Upon hearing this, the four embroidered-robed envoys launched a fierce attack. The heavily wounded swordsman surnamed Yan was killed on the spot. The prisoner Hu Dao made a move to escape, but an embroidered-robed golden-patterned sword pierced through his back.

In the distance, the carriage had already driven away.

Jiang He lowered the carriage curtain. The antagonism between the government and the martial arts world was more serious than he had imagined. He had no opinion on either side; it mainly depended on his own stance. At present, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Pacification Commissioner and the Governor-General of Anbei, maintaining a consistent approach with the Commander and the Governor-General of Anbei was a basic matter of conduct.

The carriage arrived at the Dusi Mansion in the north of the city.

The commander, a third-rank official, and the deputy commander, a third-rank official, were both absent. Their military ranks were General and Assistant General, respectively. After the banquet last night, the Prince of Anbei ordered that more troops be sent to the border in the near future to prepare for the southward invasion of the barbarians.

The General of the Northern City has gone to the Ink Great Wall, while the Assistant General is leading his troops to Dangguan City in the northwest.

Within the entire Yizhou region, Daming Prefecture is the core, with the Ink Great Wall serving as a northern barrier. Dangguan City is equally important, situated in a canyon within the Jianchi Mountains, occupying a strategically important location.

Whether from Daming Prefecture or the Ink Great Wall, to reach Dangguan City, one has to take a half-day detour through the canyon entrance of the Jianchi Mountains, so it is necessary to set up defenses in advance.

Jiang He stepped off the carriage and entered the North City Commandery.

The deputy general Du Chang, the chariot officer, and the prefect Zhu were all present.

"My lord, I will set off immediately for the city we are responsible for guarding. I hope you will take good care of me in the future."

Deputy General Du Chang solemnly clasped his hands in greeting as he arrived at Daming Prefecture, resuming his service as the Earl's subordinate. Regardless of the truth, to outsiders, he was now inextricably linked to the Earl, their fates intertwined—one for the Earl, the other for the Earl.

"I'll do my best," Jiang He replied. Given the dire situation in Daming Prefecture, he wasn't in a position to make any guarantees.

Chapter 122 Sacred Iron External Skill

Deputy General Du Chang set off.

Prefect Zhu accompanied someone on a visit to the Northern Military Commandery.

“Lord, you currently hold the highest rank in the Military Command. The Prince has appointed me as the Dispatcher to handle daily affairs. The Military Command is operating normally without any problems, but recently many martial arts practitioners have emerged. If a troublesome expert appears, we will have to ask you to step in.”

Jiang He arrived at the entrance of the courtroom. The towering drum, as tall as a wall, was covered with withered vines and green creepers. Twenty embroidered-robed messengers stood on either side, holding iron spears. The interior of the hall was dimly lit.

"When does the Jianchi Mountain Sword Tournament begin?" Jiang He asked casually.

Prefect Zhu gestured for the Earl to sit in the main seat and replied with a smile, "It'll probably be another half month. The Sword Tournament at Jianchi Mountain is a grand event for the entire martial arts world of Kyushu, held once every twenty years, and the venue is the main peak of the Jianchi Mountain Range."

"My lord, you may not know this, but the sky above the Jianchi Mountains is known as the Shenling Heaven. It is said that Qi cultivators can see the accumulated Qi of heaven and earth in the sky. Because of this special landscape, the entire mountain range has an invisible pressure, just like an ordinary person lifting a cauldron. Not even a bird can fly over it, which has blocked the barbarian cavalry for thousands of years."

"Legend has it that three hundred years ago, the Grandmaster of Formations, Soul Daoist, lived on the summit of Jianchi Mountain. Before he died, he transformed the unique terrain into a formation, combining the Grandmaster's will with natural pressure. Not to mention barbarian cavalry, even barbarian warriors could not sneak across. They could only die in vain under the dark Great Wall."

"This Soul Daoist is a great hero passed down through generations in our Yizhou. His disciples left behind descendants to guard Jianchi Mountain, also known as the Mountain Guardians, who are dedicated to dealing with ghosts and demons within the territory of Yizhou."

“Every twenty years, Jianchi Mountain opens up once. It is exceptionally rich in resources, producing rare herbs and plants such as ginseng. The younger generation of martial arts practitioners usually take this opportunity to determine the number one young person.”

Prefect Zhu was very familiar with local anecdotes and history.

Jiang He took off his scarlet official robes and placed the official seal of the Assistant Commissioner in the seal slot on the table.