Qingying Sword trembled, shaking off a drop of blood, the blade returning to its autumn water-like appearance.
Chu Zhiyuan sheathed his sword, cupping his fist and smiling, "Mr. Gao, you yield."
It was impossible to hold back against a grandmaster. Avoiding vital points and stabbing his shoulder was the limit. He was seizing the chance for a quick strike. Any hesitation would have meant losing the opportunity to land those two strikes.
Gao Jiong lowered his head to look at his left shoulder.
Blood was still gushing from his shoulder.
Two strikes landed in the same spot, the wounds identical. It would have been fine if he had stood still, but to achieve such precision while he was moving was unbelievable, something he had never seen before.
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Especially since such exquisite swordsmanship came from someone at the Innate Realm. It was even more astonishing that an Innate Realm practitioner could break through his protective Qi.
No wonder the Emperor sent him to wear him down. A regular Innate Realm expert wouldn't have been effective.
Chu Mingxuan grinned, clapped, and laughed loudly, "Haha, as expected of fourth brother!"
"Fourth brother is amazing!"
"Those two strikes, tsk tsk!"
"Worthy of being called the number one in killing!"
"What great swordsmanship!"
"Hehe… fourth brother is indeed fourth brother!"
……
Everyone praised and cheered, elated.
Being defeated by Gao Jiong as if they were children being beaten by an adult had left them depressed and angry, yet powerless to retaliate due to the disparity in their realms.
Chu Zhiyuan's victory felt like their own, bringing them immense pleasure and releasing a long-held breath of resentment.
Chu Zhiyuan cupped his fist in a bow to the crowd.
Chu Mingxuan grinned as he stepped forward and patted Chu Zhiyuan's shoulder, chuckling, "When it counts, it still has to be fourth brother!"
Chu Zhiyuan said, "Eighteenth Uncle, to be honest, it was truly a fluke. If we were to fight all-out, I would definitely not be Mr. Gao's opponent."
Gao Jiong only wanted to defeat him and had no intention to kill, so the power of his moves was reduced by thirty to forty percent. In a life-or-death battle, he might not have been able to escape unscathed.
When those two strikes hit Gao Jiong's shoulder, the sword tip felt a strong resistance. If it weren't for the Cleansing Sword Art, Qingying Sword wouldn't have been able to break through his protective Qi.
Protective Qi is formed by condensing Qi through special cultivation techniques to create armor, usually only able to block the torso and limbs, not the head.
Protective Qi is invisible, formless yet substantial, real and not illusory, unless it's a divine weapon specifically designed to break Qi, otherwise even experts below the Grandmaster Realm wielding swords cannot break through it.
Qingying Sword is not a Qi-breaking divine weapon.
Chu Mingxuan widened his eyes in displeasure, "A win is a win, what's with the modesty!"
Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "It's still important to tell the truth, to avoid misleading everyone into thinking they can fight opponents beyond their realm… and I must thank Eighteenth Uncle for gifting me this treasured sword."
Upon hearing this, everyone assumed that Qingying Sword had the ability to break Qi.
They immediately looked over, revealing expressions of envy.
Qi-breaking divine weapons are not ordinary treasured swords, they are extremely precious, and every single one is recorded by the imperial court.
Of course, the court wouldn't investigate too closely if princes were to privately gift them.
Gao Jiong pressed a few points on his left shoulder to stop the bleeding, cupping his fist and saying, "Prince Zhiyuan is indeed well-deserved of his reputation… defeat is defeat, I am sincerely convinced!"
He was sincerely convinced not by his current cultivation, but by his swordsmanship and his aptitude. Being so powerful now, his future is boundless!
"Old Gao, that's the spirit!" Chu Mingxuan laughed.
Chu Qingfeng said, "Little Gao, go and treat your injuries."
"Yes, Your Highness, then I will take my leave." Gao Jiong solemnly cupped his fist in salute, then bowed to Chu Zhiyuan and the princes and princes, before turning and striding away.
Chu Zhiyuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
This victory was indeed a fluke.
If he hadn't seen his White Ape Dharma Image beforehand, he would have thought that he was on a path of unyielding force, and not fast enough.
He would have thought that the Great Avalanche Swordplay combined with the咫尺天涯步 would be able to win with one move.
In fact, Gao Jiong's forceful strength was only a facade, extremely deceptive, cultivating a White Ape-like martial arts technique, swift and agile.
If he had responded according to his forceful path, he would definitely have suffered a loss.
After seeing the White Ape Dharma Image, he knew that one sword would not be enough to succeed, he didn't use his full power in one strike and thought he could win, but instead planned a series of attacks.
Under super-perception, he saw Gao Jiong's previous movements in great detail, judged his movement habits, and vaguely predicted that his turning speed was slightly slower.
"Your Highness." The two cupped their fists at the same time.
Chu Zhiyuan returned the greeting, sizing up the middle-aged man beside Gao Jiong.
This thin middle-aged man had a baby face, clear eyebrows and bright eyes, looking very amiable.
"This subordinate, Sun Yancheng, greets Your Highness."
"Mr. Sun, you're too polite." Chu Zhiyuan smiled as he sized up the two: "From now on, the two of you will be members of our Prince's Mansion."
"Please guide us, Your Highness." The two cupped their fists and smiled.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "The rules in the mansion aren't as strict as in the imperial palace, the two of you can rest assured, let's go back."
"Yes."
Zou Fang had been following Chu Zhiyuan like a shadow, and Chu Zhiyuan was used to it. He would feel a little uncomfortable without Zou Fang by his side.
Guo Chi walked ahead to clear the way.
Gao Jiong and Sun Yanwu walked side by side with Chu Zhiyuan.
This occupied the four corners, faintly forming a formation.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled as he walked, "Mr. Gao, who is the other gentleman?"
Gao Jiong was stunned.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "The three of you wanted to ambush me earlier, besides Mr. Gao and Mr. Sun, there was another one."
"…Your Highness has sharp eyes." Gao Jiong said helplessly: "That's Old Ji, Ji Dongxiao, it's a pity he couldn't come with us."
"It's indeed a pity," Chu Zhiyuan said.
"Old Ji is the most careful, the two of us are not as good as him." Gao Jiong looked at the baby-faced Sun Yanwu: "Right, Old Sun?"
"Then he's more suitable to go to the Town Guard Division, or the Surveillance Division," Chu Zhiyuan said. "Then why didn't he join the Town Guard Division?"
Gao Jiong and Sun Yanwu exchanged glances.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "If it's inconvenient to say, then forget it."
Sun Yanwu said: "Actually, there's nothing that can't be said, Ji's wife didn't agree."
Chu Zhiyuan looked puzzled.
Sun Yanwu nodded: "Ji's wife thinks that the Surveillance Division and the Town Guard Division are too dangerous, and wouldn't let Old Ji go, either to be a palace guard, or stay in the Grandmaster's Mansion and receive a salary."
Chu Zhiyuan was stunned for a moment, and finally smiled and nodded: "Ji's wife is a wise person."
If there was no higher pursuit, and he didn't want to become a Great Grandmaster, Ji's wife's decision was fine, he would do the same.
As a Grandmaster, the most irresistible thing is the temptation to become a Great Grandmaster.
But it is extremely difficult to achieve Great Grandmaster, talent and opportunity are indispensable, if you know very well that your talent is not top-notch, can you give up?
Most people are unwilling to admit this, even if they understand, they will not give up the pursuit of Great Grandmaster, after all, it adds more than a hundred years of life.
And Ji's wife obviously let Old Ji give up on becoming a Great Grandmaster, no longer aiming too high, and living a down-to-earth life.
Gao Jiong disagreed: "Old Ji is too accommodating to his wife, holding her in the palm of his hand."
Sun Yanwu said: "It's also good like this, the two of them are like honey mixed with oil, still like young people."
Chu Zhiyuan became more and more interested in this Ji Dongxiao: "Then let Mr. Ji come over, the three of you can also form a group, and have a companion."
Grandmasters have great freedom, being in the Grandmaster's Mansion, you can decide what errands to take, you can go to the forbidden palace to be a guard, or you can go to the Prince's Mansion.
Of course, most people choose to go to the forbidden palace, after all, the treatment is different, and the status is also different.
Also as a guard, how can guarding a prince compare to guarding the emperor?
"This…" Sun Yanwu hesitated.
Gao Jiong smiled: "You can try, it is estimated that Old Ji can be seduced over."
"If it really succeeds, then it will be a great achievement." Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "I will record a great achievement for the two of you."
"Okay, I will find Old Ji tomorrow." Gao Jiong said.
The group returned to the Qing Prince's Mansion, Gao Jiong and Sun Yanwu naturally received a warm welcome, Chu Minghou and Bai Ning Shuang decided to hold a banquet tomorrow night to specially welcome the two.
Tonight won't work, it's the Xuan Prince's birthday.
Chu Zhiyuan urged the two of them to act quickly, and strive to welcome the three of them to join the Qing Prince's Mansion at the same time tomorrow night.
——
When the lights were lit, Chu Zhiyuan's family of four left the Qing Prince's Mansion and headed to the Xuan Prince's Mansion.
Qing Prince's Mansion Street and Xuan Prince's Mansion Street are adjacent, one in front and one behind, Qing Prince's Mansion Street is in the south, and Xuan Prince's Mansion Street is in the north.
One is the Third Prince, and the other is the Fourth Prince, it is normal for the Prince's Mansions to be adjacent.
The Xuan Prince's Mansion was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and it was very lively.
The wide street was already crowded with precious horse-drawn carriages and purple palanquins.
These rosewood carriages and purple palanquins carved with floral branches and cloud patterns are not something ordinary people are qualified to ride in.
Either princes, or dukes, earls, and marquises.
More of them are court officials, even if these officials are wearing casual clothes, you can tell that none of them are below the third rank.
Those of the third rank and above are qualified to ride in purple palanquins.
The brightly lit Xuan Prince's Mansion Street was filled with an atmosphere of wealth and nobility.
Even though it was close, Chu Zhiyuan and the others still took a carriage over.
The carriage was pulled by four horses, snow-white without a trace of color, only the hooves were black.
The carriage was made of sandalwood, carved with four flying dragons that only princes can carve, plus cloud patterns everywhere, it was extremely luxurious.
Four Grandmasters were dispatched, and the remaining Grandmasters stayed in the mansion to guard it.
Surrounded by more than 20 guards, Chu Zhiyuan and his group of four arrived in front of the Xuan Prince's Mansion.
Next to a stone lion, they got out of the carriage, and the two purple palanquins in front had just been lifted up and moved forward to park.
Two brocade-robed old men stepped out of the palanquins, calm and composed, and were greeted inside by the Xuan Prince's Mansion's internal and external stewards with smiling faces.
Bai Ning Shuang turned her head to look at Chu Zhiyuan.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "Mother, don't worry, our Qing Prince's Mansion will be like this in the future."
He saw Bai Ning Shuang's disappointment at a glance.
Looking at the Xuan Prince's Mansion's bustling entrance, and then looking at his own Prince's Mansion's deserted entrance, the contrast was too great, and it was naturally uncomfortable.
Feng Xi had already stepped forward in advance.
To avoid the gatekeepers not recognizing the prince and princess, and having the prince and princess wait, it would be too embarrassing.
Just as they arrived at the main entrance, Chu Zhiyao came out in a hurry with a group of people, cupping his fists in salute from afar on the steps, and warmly calling out to Third Uncle and Third Aunt.
Chu Zhiyuan and Chu Yi smiled and called out to Third Brother.
