Chapter Thirteen: Prince Bei Jing (Part VIII)

Jingri Guming glanced at Chixue Guming with the look one reserves for a mentally challenged child, followed by a gaze of profound pity.

Even Canglang stared blankly at his royal uncle, utterly unable to believe that such words could come from him.

It was Chunfeng Wenhuang who could not bear to see his friend placed in such an awkward position, so he turned to Jingri Guming and asked:

"And what of those who reside on the advantageous side?"

"The strong always stand proudly upon the peak, waiting for others to challenge them!"

Jingri Guming cast a glance at Chunfeng Wenhuang, noting his sharp wit.

"As the saying goes: 'Remain still while the enemy moves, move first before the enemy stirs!'"

He then turned back to explain to Chixue Guming and Canglang:

"This is both a realm of martial arts and the realm of those in power: anticipating the enemy's moves beforehand, preventing trouble before it arises, and sealing off all the opponent's paths in advance!"

"When you are superior to your adversary, you can naturally discern their strategic and tactical intentions. Whether it is an advantage in martial prowess or an advantage in intelligence, both form the foundation for discovering the opponent's designs!"

"Therefore..."

"Therefore, this is precisely the realm of the current King of Miriang!"

Wenhuang gently twirled his folding fan, a gleam of intelligence flashing in his eyes. Canglang's dispatch here—what a brilliant stroke of chess!

Sending Canglang over demonstrated trust in the Prince of Bei, while secretly allowing him to investigate this faction called the Heaven and Earth Society.

A minor faction had just reared its head, yet the King of Miriang had already begun to guard against it. Truly, this was the realm of countering the enemy before their intentions manifested.

Wenhuang stared intently at the Prince of Bei, wishing to observe his reaction. However, Jingri Guming merely met his gaze with a faint, serene smile.

Between the two of them, an undercurrent of sharp, opposing tension quietly surged.

"Wen-zai, what are you doing?"

Noticing the tense atmosphere between them, Chixue Guming hurriedly stepped in between them.

"I invited you here to help examine my royal uncle's illness, not for you to lock horns with him in a battle of wits!"

Neither Canglang nor Chixue Guming understood the subtext of Wenhuang's words; they merely found the exchange baffling. Only Luobi looked thoughtful.

"Ah, silly Chixue, I shall have to leave you in the care of these two good friends!"

Jingri Guming smiled charmingly.

"Without the two of them, I fear he would be sold by someone and still happily help count the money!"

"Little Canglang, that is all for today. If you have any questions regarding martial arts, you may ask your royal uncle and his two friends."

"This prince is tired and will retire to rest first."

***

Jingri Guming held no particular prejudice against Chunfeng Wenhuang. Knowing everything about him, he held countless preemptive moves in his hands—how could Wenhuang possibly match him?

As for the Jinshenren Luobi, he was merely a tragic soul. Since he was Chixue's friend, he would leave him in Chixue's care.

During afternoon tea, Jingri Guming arrived at the rear garden of the prince's estate, where Chixue Guming was teaching young Canglang the Stellar Transformation.

Luobi and Wenhuang sat to one side, the former drinking wine while the latter sipped tea. Seeing the Prince of Bei approach, they quickly stood up to greet him.

"Prince Bei!" (x2)

"This prince's hospitality has been lacking; please forgive me."

Jingri Guming offered a slight bow, and the three of them sat down together.

"You are too modest, Your Highness! Ever since I met Chixue, I have constantly heard him speak of how clever Your Highness has been since childhood, a rare and wise scholar. Hearing Your Highness speak today, you truly surpass even Chixue's descriptions!"

Unhurried, dressed in flowing blue robes and wearing a matching hat, Wenhuang spoke with effortless composure.

"Ha..."

Jingri Guming chuckled softly.

"Little Chixue? I wager he only thought of this prince when he failed to win an argument against the two of you!"

"Haha..." (x2)

Wenhuang and Luobi burst into laughter, clearly recalling Chixue's flustered expressions when losing debates.

"Prince Bei, Chixue invited us here as guests, not only because we genuinely wished to meet the brilliant uncle of whom he speaks so often, but also upon Chixue's entrustment, to examine Your Highness's condition."

Wenhuang gently waved his feathered fan, speaking with cultured grace.

Luobi nodded in agreement. Though masked, an aura of steadfast and unyielding presence radiated from him.

Jingri Guming extended his arm, signaling Wenhuang to check his pulse.

Without hesitation, Wenhuang placed his fingers on the prince's wrist, followed by a prolonged silence.

"How is it?"

Seeing this, Luobi spoke up.

Although Wenhuang kept his eyes closed to mask his inner astonishment, it was not because of anything he discovered through the pulse itself. Rather, the moment his fingers touched the Prince of Bei's pulse, the Gu worm within his own body had surged with agitation—a manifestation of sheer terror.

While human senses could detect nothing out of the ordinary, the microscopic Gu worm could acutely perceive the terrifying resonance of Jingri Guming's bloodline.

"Judging by His Highness's pulse, the heart meridian is indeed damaged. Recently, you must still..."

Before Wenhuang could finish, Jingri Guming already understood. It was nothing more than advice to exercise restraint, the same cliché the imperial physicians invariably recited.

His expression unchanged, Jingri Guming smiled faintly:

"This prince knows his own body best. I must thank Wenhuang for your trouble."

Wenhuang nodded. Although the pulse indicated that the Prince of Bei's heart meridian was indeed damaged and his vitality weak, the abnormal agitation of the Gu worm still suggested that the Prince of Bei was far from ordinary.

Perhaps the prince possessed some life-saving technique that provoked the Gu worm's reaction, but Wenhuang had already resolved in his heart to thoroughly investigate the Prince of Bei's past upon his return.

***

While Chixue Guming was taking Luobi and Wenhuang as guests to the Prince of Bei's residence, the royal palace of Miriang also received newly gathered intelligence.

"Does this Heaven and Earth Society truly have a connection to my royal uncle? Or is the Heaven and Earth Society intentionally diverting my attention toward him?"

With the four halls of Wind, Cloud, Frost, and Rain suddenly disappearing from the pugilistic world, Haoqiong Guming found it difficult to determine their true intentions, nor could he tell if they were tied to the Prince of Bei.

As for why he suspected the Prince of Bei, perhaps it was merely the inherent paranoia of a monarch. Yet, without concrete evidence, he was almost willing to believe this was indeed the Prince of Bei's hidden force.

"Very well, let little Canglang continue his studies under his royal uncle for a while longer. When the year turns, I shall go visit as well. It has been far too long since I last saw my royal uncle and Chixue together."

***

After staying at the Prince of Bei's estate for two days, Luobi and Wenhuang departed, while Chixue Guming remained behind to tutor Canglang.

Following that, the days of the Prince of Bei settled into a quiet routine. Every morning, he accompanied young Canglang in reading; every afternoon, he watched Chixue instruct Canglang in the martial arts of the Stellar Transformation Codex.

Yet, there are some people whom, even if you do not seek them out, will inevitably find their way to you.

Perhaps due to karma, perhaps destiny, Chixue had learned medicine and met Wenhuang, through whom he entered the Wanzhi Medical Association.

Ultimately, he encountered the Miraculous Physician and invited him to visit the Prince of Bei's estate—once again, purely out of concern for the prince's ailment.

As it happened, the Miraculous Physician was touring the Nine Realms alongside his close friend, the Grandmaster of the Mo Clan, and their journey had brought them precisely to Miriang.

Thus, without the prologue of the golden stele, Jingri Guming still met Mo Cangli, the Grandmaster of the Mo Clan—albeit several years later than originally fated.

"You are the Prince of Bei?"

The Miraculous Physician asked with uncharacteristic directness, while Mo Cangli stood quietly to the side.

Having just quelled the turmoil in Daoyu, Mo Cangli silently observed the Prince of Bei.

Armed with the Mo Clan's comprehensive intelligence network, Mo Cangli had a firm grasp of all developments within Miriang.

The suspicions and motives of the King of Miriang, as well as the palace coup from over a decade ago—Mo Cangli was aware of them all.

Yet, in this lifetime, Jingri Guming had kept an excessively low profile—so low that even the Mo Clan had failed to uncover his depths.

And yet, Mo Cangli had come nonetheless.