Beginning with the Five Animals Fist to Become a Saint

Chapter 881 The Death of the Crown Prince of Bei Cang!

King's capital.

In front of the Dongling Marquis's residence.

Jiang Ning stopped in his tracks, looked up at the plaque hanging high in the Marquis's residence, his thoughts still wandering.

Today's battle at Chengqian Palace may seem to have ended, but he knows that undercurrents are still swirling.

Ji Xuan was forced to close the door, and the King of Beicang left with his son, who was then injured by him.

He could also tell that the King of Northern Cang was not a magnanimous person.

He also noticed some problems with the King of Divine Might's attitude.

Although Ji Minghao was established as the new emperor, his foundation was weak, and only Shen Xiao, as the future empress, would provide him with support.

"Time..." Jiang Ning murmured to himself, then stepped forward and knocked on the gate of the mansion.

dong dong dong-

Three consecutive sounds carried far in the quiet morning.

After a while.

"Who is it!" A clear, girlish voice came from the doorway.

“It’s me!” Jiang Ning said.

"Yes, young master!!" The voice from behind the door suddenly turned joyful.

Jiang Ning recognized the voice; it was Lü Yi's voice.

After a brief silence, footsteps sounded at the door.

Then, the door bolt came down, and a girl in a green dress appeared in Jiang Ning's sight.

Bathed in the warm morning sun, the girl was enveloped in a soft, warm glow.

"It really is the young master!!" Green Ripple's eyes lit up when she saw the figure outside the door.

“Of course it’s me!” Jiang Ning smiled.

Then he stepped over the threshold and casually patted Luyi's head.

"Has anything happened at home these past few days?"

"No!" Green Ripple shook her head, then added, "Very good!"

"That's good!" Jiang Ning nodded.

He walked toward the front yard.

As always.

Green Ripple closed the door behind her and bolted it shut.

next moment.

A small figure came running.

"Uncle! It's Uncle!!"

Seeing that scurrying figure, Jiang Ning smiled and squatted down.

Then, the little dumpling jumped into his arms.

He picked him up and let the little dumpling sit on his right arm.

"Have you been behaving well these days?" Jiang Ning pinched her small nose with his left hand.

"Yes!" Little Bean nodded emphatically, then said, "He's especially well-behaved!"

"Not bad!" Jiang Ning nodded in approval.

"Uncle, is there anything you can give Little Bean as a reward?" Little Bean asked, looking at Jiang Ning with hopeful eyes.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning paused slightly, then smiled and playfully pinched his nose.

"Of course there is!"

The words fell.

At Li Ji Bakery on Zhuque Street, a pear blossom pastry is being automatically packaged.

The people who witnessed this scene were all stunned.

next moment.

The packaged pear blossom pastries vanished into thin air, replaced by a silver ingot.

Inside the residence of the Marquis of Dongling.

Jiang Ning opened his hand, and the packaged pear blossom pastry instantly appeared on his outstretched left palm, still slightly steaming and emitting a sweet aroma.

"Wow—!" Little Bean's eyes widened as he watched this magic trick unfold, clapping his hands in delight. "Uncle is so amazing!"

Jiang Ning had a thought, and the packaged pear blossom pastry automatically unfolded, slowly floating to the little red bean bun: "The reward I promised you."

The little bun reached out and took it, eagerly took a small bite, squinted its eyes in satisfaction, and said indistinctly, "Thank you, Uncle!"

Jiang Ning smiled, picked up the little bean bun, and walked forward.

Green Ripple followed behind him.

He stopped as he walked through the front yard and just past the corner.

"Ah Ning!!" Liu Wanwan looked at Jiang Ning with a surprised and delighted expression.

"Sister-in-law!" Jiang Ning greeted her with a smile.

Then, with a thought, just like before, the expensive fabrics in a cloth shop disappeared, replaced by a gold ingot.

"Sister-in-law, this is a gift for you!" Jiang Ning said.

A piece of shimmering, colorful brocade quietly appeared beside the pillar next to Liu Wanwan.

The brocade glowed with a soft, rosy hue in the morning light, its delicate patterns resembling interwoven clouds and water.

"This is... Cloud and Water Brocade!" Liu Wanwan exclaimed in disbelief, her expression stunned.

“Not bad!” Jiang Ning nodded. “I guess my sister-in-law will like it! She works hard taking care of the household chores, and this piece of fabric is just right for making a new dress.”

"Ah Ning, thank you!" Liu Wanwan said, her expression somewhat touched.

"You're too kind, sister-in-law!" Jiang Ning said.

"Ah Ning, what happened at the palace just now?" Liu Wanwan asked hesitantly.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning calmly replied, "It's alright. It's just that the struggle for the throne has been settled, and each of the princes has their own destiny."

He then briefly recounted the events at Chengqian Palace, informing Liu Wanwan that the battle for the throne was now settled, and that only Ji Minghao and Ji Mingyuan remained among the princes of the royal family. He did not mention the bloody details of the events.

After he finished his overview.

pat-

Tears fell to the ground, followed by a soft, shattering sound.

Jiang Ning turned his head.

Ji Mingyue stood at the corner of the corridor, her expression sorrowful, tears welling in her eyes.

"My brother and the others really are all..." Ji Mingyue met Jiang Ning's gaze, her expression becoming even more sorrowful.

Jiang Ning nodded.

He knew he would have to tell Ji Mingyue about this sooner or later.

Telling someone unintentionally is also a way.

"Is it really only... Eighth Brother... and Fifth Brother left?" she asked again, unable to believe her ears, wanting to get a negative answer from Jiang Ning, even if it was just a lie.

Jiang Ning looked at Ji Mingyue's tear-streaked face and sighed inwardly.

He then stepped forward and patted her on the head.

"A tragedy occurred in the palace last night, and several princes tragically perished. Now, His Highness the Eighth Prince has been personally confirmed by the Martial Saint to inherit the throne. The Fifth Prince, Ji Mingyuan, has acted improperly and will be imprisoned."

When Ji Mingyue heard that the "Eighth Prince" would ascend the throne, her eyes flickered slightly, a hint of relief flashing across them.

But then, this relief was instantly overwhelmed by an even greater surge of grief.

She thought of her brothers whom she would never see again, and the warmth of blood ties that had bound them together since childhood, even though they weren't particularly close.

An overwhelming sadness overwhelmed her.

Tears streamed down her face like rain. "Were all those brothers because of Fifth Brother?"

Jiang Ning hesitated for a moment, recalling what he had just learned: Shen Mengyun had previously been working as Ji Minghao's mole, following behind Ji Mingyuan.

He understood that although the deaths of these princes were Ji Mingyuan's doing, Ji Minghao must also be involved.

After a moment's hesitation, he slowly nodded.

Ji Mingyue swayed, almost losing her balance, tears blurring her vision.

She bit her lower lip hard to keep from letting out a sob.

Jiang Ning reached out and held her shoulder, his voice softening: "Little Seventeen, things are unpredictable, and the struggle for imperial power has always been like this."

"I know, I've thought this day would come, but they're all brothers!! How could Fifth Brother be so cruel!" Ji Mingyue recalled the palace banquet when she was young, where her brothers had drunk together at the same table. Although they weren't close, they were still chatting and laughing.

Now, overnight, they are separated by death, all because of the actions of that usually gentle and refined fifth brother.

Jiang Ning patted Ji Mingyue on the shoulder and said nothing more.

Ji Mingyue swayed slightly, then looked up at Jiang Ning.

"Brother Jiang Ning, I want to rest for a bit!"

Jiang Ning nodded, then watched as Liu Wanwan helped Ji Mingyue to rest.

As he watched Ji Mingyue's retreating figure, he thought about everything that had just happened.

Under the influence of his primordial spirit, he could see every subtle movement in the expressions of everyone, whether it was Ji Minghao, Divine Might King Li Tianwen, or General Shen Xiao.

He intercepted all of their clandestine communications.

He knew that Ji Minghao was not as kind and benevolent as he appeared.

Ji Minghao secretly guided Ji Mingyuan's actions.

If Ji Mingyuan hadn't unexpectedly won over both the Northern Cang King and the Divine Might King Li Tianwen, Ji Minghao could have seized the throne on his own without Ji Mingyuan's intervention.

Think for a moment.

"Forget it!" Jiang Ning shook his head: "No one is perfect! Without some cunning and resourcefulness, he wouldn't be able to stay in this position!"

at the same time.

Outside the capital city.

Along the official road, several old willows sprout tender buds in early spring.

The King of Northern Cang stood beside the carriage with a gloomy expression, holding the unconscious crown prince in his arms. Several close attendants stood silently, looking somewhat lonely.

Divine King Li Tianwen walked slowly from the direction of the city gate, his black robes fluttering slightly in the wind.

"Brother Beicang, may you have a safe journey," Li Tianwen said, cupping his hands in a calm tone.

The King of Northern Cang reluctantly returned the greeting: "Thank you for your farewell, Divine Might King. I'm sorry to have made you laugh today."

"Not at all." Li Tianwen shook his head, his gaze falling on the Crown Prince. "How is the Crown Prince? Just now in Chengqian Palace, the Marquis of Dongling's seemingly casual gesture contained a hidden meaning. Would you like me to take a look?"

Upon hearing this, the King of Northern Cang's heart stirred.

Although he had roughly checked his son's condition and confirmed that he was only suffering from a spiritual injury and had fallen into a coma.

However, the Divine Might King possessed profound cultivation, having been apprenticed to the Martial Saint and having a connection with the Heavenly Dao, allowing him to perceive things more subtly.

After hesitating for a moment, he carefully handed the prince over, saying, "Then I will trouble Your Highness."

Li Tianwen reached out and placed his hand on the prince's wrist, quietly transferring a wisp of pure true essence into it.

His eyes were slightly closed, his expression focused. After a moment, his brows slowly furrowed, and a strange light flashed in his eyes.

"No!!!" he suddenly said in a low voice, his tone suddenly becoming serious.

The King of Northern Cang's heart skipped a beat: "Your Highness, what's wrong?"

Li Tianwen did not answer immediately, but the flow of true energy at his fingertips became even faster.

A few breaths later, he suddenly opened his eyes, an expression of disbelief on his face: "How can the young master's bodily functions be deteriorating so rapidly?!"

"What?!" The Northern Cang King's pupils shrank, and he grabbed his son's wrist, pouring his powerful true essence into him.

Upon closer inspection, his face turned deathly pale.

Just as the Divine Might King said, the Crown Prince's vital energy and vitality are dissipating at an alarming rate!

It was as if some gate within his body had been quietly opened, and the essence of life surged out like a burst dam, no matter how much he tried to use his true energy to block and nourish it, it was all in vain!

"How could this be?! Just now, it was clearly only his soul that was injured!" The Northern Cang King's voice trembled, and veins bulged on his forehead.

He frantically circulated his cultivation technique, even at the cost of depleting his own essence, forcibly pouring his boundless vitality into his son's body. However, the flow of life force did not diminish at all; on the contrary, it surged even more violently with his intervention!

Li Tianwen said in a deep voice from the side, "Brother Bei Cang, don't waste your energy. This is no ordinary injury. It must be that the Marquis of Dongling's finger strike just now secretly planted some kind of extremely insidious contingency plan! On the surface, it only seems to have injured the soul, but in reality, it has locked away the life force. When the time comes, or when it is triggered by a force, it will silently take his life!"

"Jiang Ning—!!" The Northern Cang King suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot, and his killing intent burst forth as if it were a tangible force, raising dust within a radius of ten feet.

He stared intently in Jiang Ning's direction, his teeth grinding together: "I will never let you live under the same sky!!"

Just as he roared, the prince in his arms trembled slightly, and his last glimmer of life, like a candle flickering in the wind, quietly vanished.

The chest that had been still breathing faintly returned to complete stillness.

The Northern Cang King stood frozen in place.

He slowly lowered his head, looking at his son's face, which was rapidly turning ashen, and feeling his body grow cold and light.

This young man, who was just moments ago so vibrant, is now lifeless.

"Cheng'er... Cheng'er!!" The King of Northern Cang let out a low growl like a wild beast, his whole body trembling, tears streaming down his face.

He held his son's gradually stiffening body tightly, his knuckles turning white from gripping it.

Li Tianwen stepped forward at the opportune moment, placed his hand on the shoulder of the Northern Cang King, and said in a low voice, "Brother Northern Cang! Calm down!"

"Calm down?! How can I calm down?!" The King of Northern Cang abruptly turned his head, his eyes bloodshot. "That's my most beloved son, my youngest son. Before his mother passed away, she instructed me, word by word, to take good care of him! I... I..."

"I know!" Li Tianwen's voice suddenly rose, "But if you rush back now, what can you do but die?!"

The Northern Cang King shuddered.

Li Tianwen pressed on, speaking rapidly: "Today in Chengqian Palace, Jiang Ning clashed head-on with Princess Ji Xuan and did not suffer a defeat! That is the strength to rival the second strongest in the world! Although you and I are at the peak of the first rank and are known as the strongest, how do we compare to Ji Xuan? How do we compare to Jiang Ning, who revealed his primordial spirit today and possessed the power of the Yin and Yang?"

With each question he asked, the King of Northern Cang's face paled a little more.

"Moreover, the Martial Saint's attitude has been made clear today; he stands with Jiang Ning! He personally intervened to set the tone for the throne, reprimanding Ji Xuan and ordering him to reflect on his actions behind closed doors. What does this mean? It means that in this Great Xia, anyone who touches Jiang Ning now is defying the Martial Saint's will!" Li Tianwen's voice was low, but every word was like a hammer blow: "If you were to return to the capital now, let alone whether you could defeat that Marquis of Dongling, even if you could, with the Martial Saint's protection, not only would your life be in danger, but the entire Beicang Royal Palace and the foundation of the Northern Territory would also be destroyed!"

The Northern King breathed heavily, his chest heaving violently, his eyes filled with a frenzied mix of rage and pain, but ultimately the cold reality gradually suppressed his anger.

Seeing this, Li Tianwen softened his tone, adding a touch of consolation and shared hatred: "Brother Beicang, I deeply sympathize with your pain of losing your son. But a small act of impatience can ruin a great plan! Jiang Ning is too ambitious and will surely make many enemies. If he dares to lay a hand on your heir today, who knows if he won't do the same to others in the future? For now, endure this pain, lie low in the northern border, and accumulate strength. When the time is right, there may be a day when we settle our scores!"

The King of Northern Cang gritted his teeth, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

He slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the raging anger had been forcibly suppressed, turning into a bottomless abyss of coldness and resentment.

He gently placed his son's body back into the carriage, carefully covering it with a cloak, his movements slow and heavy.

"Divine Might King!" King Bei Cang turned around and bowed deeply to Li Tianwen: "I will remember your guidance today. If there is an opportunity in the future..."

“Brother Beicang, there’s no need for further words.” Li Tianwen helped him up and said solemnly, “I also cannot stand Jiang Ning’s ruthless actions. There’s plenty of time in the future, let’s wait and see.”

The King of Northern Cang said no more, nodded emphatically, and mounted his horse.

He glanced one last time in the direction of the capital, his gaze as cold as an abyss, then suddenly yanked the reins: "Let's go!"

The sound of horses' hooves rose, and the imperial carriage and its entourage sped toward the official road to the north, kicking up a trail of dust.

Li Tianwen stood alone by the roadside, watching the group of figures disappear on the distant horizon.

A spring breeze swept by, ruffling his robes.

The solemn and indignant look on his face gradually faded, returning to his usual calm.

A fleeting glimmer of satisfaction flashed quickly in the depths of his eyes.

He then looked down at the palm of his right hand.

When I was investigating the Crown Prince just now, the unique true essence that had quietly entered had already dissipated without a trace.

The death of the Crown Prince of Beicang was caused by him, not by Jiang Ning.

"The connection with the King of Northern Cang is now firmly established," Li Tianwen murmured indifferently to himself, turning and walking towards the city gate.

His figure gradually blended into the towering shadows of the royal capital. (End of Chapter)