“Alright, go rest. I still have work to do!” Jiang Tian gently ruffled Zhao Xueqing’s hair and said.
“Are you making dinner? It’s a bit early for that. Why don’t you take a break?” Zhao Xueqing went to the bathroom, wet a towel, and tiptoed to carefully wipe the soot off Jiang Tian’s face.
“Not dinner. I’m refining a pill that will be good for your health,” Jiang Tian explained, enjoying the cool touch of the towel.
“Refining a pill? Do you need my help?” Zhao Xueqing was puzzled. She thought, The Jiang family is known for medicine, so maybe he’s making some kind of medicinal pill. But Jiang Tian has never been serious about anything. He probably just wants to play around. Still, she didn’t stop him. If it kept him occupied, at least he wouldn’t hit her.
“No need!” Jiang Tian felt a warmth in his heart and gently pushed her toward the bedroom. “Go lie down and rest. Don’t worry about me.”
“Husband, you’re working so hard!” Zhao Xueqing said softly, then blinked playfully. “Be careful not to blow yourself up again. And remember, we only have two pots left. If you break another one, we won’t have any!”
“Are you worried about me or the pot?” Jiang Tian rolled his eyes, completely speechless.
“Hehe…”
Starting over.
Zhao Xueqing’s bright smile seemed to give Jiang Tian endless motivation, lifting his spirits.
Jiang Tian carefully reflected on the lessons from his first failure. During the second attempt, he controlled the temperature with even greater precision, even infusing a bit of his true essence to subtly manage the heat.
It was a meticulous and mentally exhausting process, taking a full hour.
“Success!”
A relieved smile appeared on Jiang Tian’s face as he retrieved a pill from the iron pot.
The Minor Restoration Pill was about the size of a soybean, crystal clear like a high-quality ruby, and emitted a refreshing, fragrant aroma.
“Not bad! While it can’t compare to the pills I refined at my peak, crafting something like this on Earth, where spiritual energy is so scarce, is already a stroke of luck!”
Jiang Tian was overjoyed. He took out a prepared porcelain bottle and carefully placed the pill inside.
Following the same process, Jiang Tian refined two more pills and stored them in the bottle.
That evening, Jiang Tian cooked dinner, and they ate together.
Zhao Xueqing seemed to be in better spirits, but she couldn’t help thinking about the events of the previous night. She frowned and asked, “Jiang Tian, is Li Pengtao okay? Has he caused any trouble for you?”
“Don’t worry. He won’t be showing up at the company anymore. You don’t have to be afraid,” Jiang Tian replied with a smile.
“How did you manage that?” Zhao Xueqing looked confused.
“Don’t worry. I have my ways.”
“…” Zhao Xueqing still seemed skeptical and uneasy.
“Why don’t you believe me? If he wanted to cause trouble, he would’ve done it by now. He didn’t show up this morning, did he?”
“Oh… But next time, don’t hit anyone. It’s too scary!” Zhao Xueqing nodded, seemingly convinced.
“Do you think I look scary when I hit someone?” Jiang Tian asked.
“I know you were protecting me, and I’m really touched, but…” Zhao Xueqing hesitated, then lowered her head slightly. “But you’ve hit me before.”
Jiang Tian felt a pang of guilt and remorse. His nose tingled as he said hoarsely, “Xueqing, I was wrong before. I was confused. From now on, I won’t lay a finger on you. I’ll protect you for the rest of my life.”
“Should I believe you?” Zhao Xueqing whispered, her head still down.
Jiang Tian had made similar promises before, but nothing had changed. She had been deeply disappointed.
Slap!
Jiang Tian suddenly slapped himself hard across the face.
“Wah! Husband, don’t do that! You scared me! I believe you, okay? Does it hurt?” Zhao Xueqing was heartbroken. She reached out to touch Jiang Tian’s reddened cheek, tears streaming down her face.
“Don’t cry. I won’t scare you anymore,” Jiang Tian said gently, wiping away her tears.
Once Zhao Xueqing had calmed down, Jiang Tian suddenly said, “Wife, even though you’re a top student, I bet there’s a question you can’t answer.”
“Try me!” Zhao Xueqing lifted her chin proudly, giving Jiang Tian a playful glare.
“Why did Chang’e take a rabbit with her when she flew to the moon?” Jiang Tian asked with a mischievous grin.
“Because she was lonely and wanted company.”
“Nope!”
“Because she likes rabbits…”
Zhao Xueqing guessed five or six answers, but Jiang Tian kept shaking his head.
“Then why? Tell me!” Zhao Xueqing finally gave up.
“Because only by taking the rabbit could she reasonably bring carrots!” Jiang Tian said with a sly smile.
“Why would she bring carrots?” Zhao Xueqing blinked her big, watery eyes, looking utterly confused.
“Ahem, because…”
Jiang Tian leaned in and whispered something into Zhao Xueqing’s ear.
“Ah! Husband, you’re so bad! How can you say such things!” Zhao Xueqing’s face turned bright red. She playfully hit Jiang Tian’s arm with her small fists. “Ask me another one!”
…
The meal was filled with laughter and warmth.
Jiang Tian could sense that Zhao Xueqing’s wariness and fear of him were slowly fading.
Everything was moving in a positive direction.
After dinner, Jiang Tian took out a pill from the porcelain bottle and said with a smile, “Xueqing, I refined this Minor Restoration Pill for you. It will strengthen your body and improve your health. Take it now.”
“Oh, I see. I’ll take it before bed,” Zhao Xueqing replied with a smile.
She didn’t really believe Jiang Tian could refine some miraculous pill. She thought he was just playing around, and taking it might give her a stomachache. But she didn’t want to ruin the moment, so she went along with it.
Back in the bedroom, Zhao Xueqing casually placed the pill in a small medicine bottle and sat at her desk to continue working overtime.
…
“I can meet Mr. Tang today.”
The next morning, Jiang Tian used the landline to call Tang Linglong.
Tang Lao had invited him multiple times. It would be rude to keep refusing.
“Great! I’ll come pick you up right away!” Tang Linglong was overjoyed and didn’t delay. She immediately drove to the Times Mansion to pick up Jiang Tian.
The car left the city and stopped in front of a massive estate called the Hidden Dragon Villa in the western suburbs.
Jiang Tian glanced at the luxurious estate and chuckled. “Mr. Tang sure knows how to enjoy life!”
Tang Linglong quickly explained, “Mr. Jiang, don’t misunderstand. This isn’t my grandfather’s property. It belongs to my third uncle.”
She hesitated before adding, “Originally, my grandfather didn’t want to live here, but he couldn’t resist my third uncle’s pleas…”
“I see…” Jiang Tian nodded slightly and stepped into the villa.
He had heard a bit about the Tang family’s background.
Mr. Tang had three sons. The eldest was in the military, holding a mysterious position in the General Staff Department. He was the backbone of the Tang family’s second generation.
The second son, Tang Weimin, was the secretary of the Linzhou Municipal Party Committee. He had an impressive political record and was deeply loved by the people, with a promising future. Many believed he could rise even higher.
The third son, Tang Wannian, was the least successful. He couldn’t handle the discipline of the military and had no interest in politics. Instead, he used Mr. Tang’s name to make a fortune in business.
Although Mr. Tang disapproved and often scolded him, even threatening to cut ties, he couldn’t control his grown son.
With the help of Mr. Tang’s old friends and comrades, Tang Wannian’s business flourished, amassing a considerable fortune worth billions. This luxurious Hidden Dragon Villa was his property.
The estate was beautiful, with carefully arranged rock gardens, a serene lake dotted with lotus leaves, winding corridors, and pavilions. Towering trees provided ample shade.
“Something’s off…” However, the more Jiang Tian looked around, the more his frown deepened, and a hint of seriousness appeared on his face.
“Master Jiang, my savior, you’ve finally arrived!”
From a distance, Mr. Tang, accompanied by Xiao Wei and a middle-aged man, came forward to greet him. He bowed deeply, his face filled with respect.
The middle-aged man behind him, however, looked frivolous and uninterested. He chewed on a cigarette, glancing around without even acknowledging Jiang Tian.
“Mr. Tang, how have you been feeling these past few days?” Jiang Tian politely clasped his hands in greeting.
“Cough, cough…”
Mr. Tang coughed violently a few times before smiling. “I still feel a bit cold occasionally, but I’m much better overall!”
Jiang Tian nodded slightly and activated his celestial eye to scan Mr. Tang. His expression grew more serious.
“Thank you for saving my life. I…”
Mr. Tang took Jiang Tian’s hand and led him toward a grand hall, his face beaming with joy.
“Mr. Tang, there’s no need to be so polite. It was just a small effort,” Jiang Tian quickly interjected, walking alongside Mr. Tang into the hall.
They took their seats, and a servant served tea. After a few sips and some small talk, Mr. Tang said, “Mr. Jiang, you’re so young, yet you’re a martial arts master, a miraculous healer, and well-versed in the mystical arts. I truly admire you!”
“Martial arts master? Mystical arts expert? Mr. Tang, you overestimate me. I’m really not…” Jiang Tian shook his head gently.
“Haha, Mr. Jiang, you’re too modest!” Mr. Tang laughed, thinking Jiang Tian was just being humble.
“Mr. Tang, could you enlighten me about martial arts and mystical arts?” Jiang Tian asked with a frown.
“Mr. Jiang, you really don’t know…”
Mr. Tang was momentarily stunned. Seeing that Jiang Tian wasn’t pretending, he thought Jiang Tian must have his own unique cultivation system, different from traditional martial arts and mystical arts. He began to explain.
Although Mr. Tang wasn’t a martial arts or mystical arts expert, he had connections in both the martial arts and military worlds and knew quite a bit.
According to him, ancient martial arts and mystical arts originated during the pre-Qin period and had a long history. Ancient martial arts evolved from Taoist breathing techniques, which were later simplified and refined by martial artists into lethal combat skills.
This process branched into two paths: one focused on strengthening the body (martial arts), and the other on utilizing external forces (mystical arts).
Ancient martial arts were divided into four levels: Iron Body, Internal Strength, Transformation, and Divine Realm.
As the saying goes, “The poor study literature, the rich practice martial arts.” Martial artists often needed rare resources to cultivate, which required significant wealth. Thus, many martial arts masters were hidden in the secular world.
Mystical arts were even more mysterious and rarely seen in the secular world. Practitioners often secluded themselves in remote mountains, absorbing spiritual energy and comprehending the profound truths of the universe. They were generally divided into four levels: Sensing, Entering the Dao, Transcendence, and Dao Body.
Most secular martial arts were simplified versions of ancient martial arts, usually stopping at the Iron Body level and unable to progress further. Styles like Tan Tui, Eagle Claw, Bajiquan, and Wing Chun fell into this category.
Each of the four martial arts levels was further divided into four stages: Minor Achievement, Major Achievement, Perfection, and Peak.
Reaching the Internal Strength level was extremely rare. Mr. Tang had practiced for decades but only reached the Perfection stage of Iron Body, never attaining Internal Strength. In the entire Lingnan Province, there were only a handful of such masters.
“I see…” Jiang Tian nodded in satisfaction, gaining some clarity.
Originally, the three major families in Jinling had coexisted peacefully with the Jiang family, even maintaining good relations.
But when those three families suddenly rose up and joined forces against the Jiang family, there must have been martial artists and mystical arts experts behind them.
