He only needs to familiarize himself with the body of the Ninth Prince a little before he can fight as usual.
The sharp palm strike dispersed the darkness of the night.
Even the night wind was accompanied by a sharp whistling sound.
Using the force of that palm strike, Gu Tang flipped over and flew backward.
He estimated that with his current cultivation level, he wouldn't be able to defeat Qin Junche in a fight.
But escaping is always easy.
In an instant, Gu Tang stood on a large tree in the garden of the Imperial Preceptor's residence.
He looked down at Qin Junche.
He said calmly, "The Imperial Advisor's own inner demons are probably heavier than anyone else's."
Qin Junche did not chase after them.
He remained standing with his hands behind his back, looking up slightly at Gu Tang.
Now Gu Tang could see their positions more clearly.
The gentle and kind Qin Junche who just resembled his friend had completely vanished.
The man standing in front of him at this moment, although still wearing a green robe and black hair, seemed to have a touch of ruthlessness in his eyes, making him look evil.
"I never imagined that Ninth Prince's skills had become so good. He really is a hidden talent," Qin Junche said slowly.
"Since Your Highness is so capable, why worry?" A smile appeared on his lips.
The same smile from the Imperial Advisor was much more pleasant than the gentle warmth of his.
The current Qin Junche, however, only inspires fear and makes people tremble.
Gu Tang wasn't afraid of him.
But looking at the man in front of him, who exuded an evil aura and looked so much like Qin Junche...
He really is in a bit of a bind.
Is this task really that complicated?
First, there was Qin Junche.
Then Qin Junche can change his expression.
Thinking back to the moment when the other person twirled a strand of her hair, there was a subtle, ambiguous feeling about it.
Gu Tang was even more frustrated.
He always felt that his relationship with the imperial advisor was more than just what those around him said—that it was merely his one-sided pursuit.
Something must have happened between the two of them.
Unfortunately, Guan Yan did not go to the royal hunting grounds three years ago.
Gu Tang couldn't very well just go and ask the Imperial Advisor directly.
"Ninth Prince," Qin Junche said with a flick of his sleeve, "If you have something on your mind, you might as well speak frankly."
He seemed not to have heard what Gu Tang had just said at all, and suddenly smiled again: "No matter what, I am willing to share the burden and relieve the worries of His Highness the Ninth Prince."
Gu Tang: "..."
What the hell is this about sharing worries and relieving sorrows?
Would you be willing to have my baby?
Of course, he wouldn't say that to Qin Junche.
His body swayed gently with the treetops, and he stood there quietly for a moment to make sure that there were no deadly moves Qin Junche had laid out around the Imperial Preceptor's residence.
Gu Tang bowed to the other party again and said, "Farewell."
After he finished speaking, he leaped into the air and sped away towards the outside of the Imperial Preceptor's residence.
The young eunuch Guan Yan was still obediently waiting for Gu Tang at the door.
He had probably been waiting for too long, and he had fallen asleep in the carriage.
Its head bobs little by little, making it look adorable.
Gu Tang did not wake his eunuch.
He got into the carriage and brought Guanyan in with him.
The carriage quickly carried the two of them toward the Ninth Prince's residence.
They encountered no obstacles along the way.
Gu Tang only breathed a slight sigh of relief when the carriage stopped in front of the Ninth Prince's residence.
He couldn't discern the depth of the Grand Preceptor's cultivation; in fact, the two hadn't directly exchanged blows just now.
But based on what he learned about the level of cultivation among the powerful and wealthy people in the capital when he went to the banquet today.
Qin Junche's cultivation level is definitely above his.
Thinking of the man who was completely different before and after, Gu Tang couldn't help but frown slightly.
This Qin Junche doesn't seem entirely troubled by inner demons.
Besides, having cultivated to that level, what inner demons could possibly bind him?!
Gu Tang woke Guan Yan and told the little eunuch, who was so sleepy he could barely keep his eyes open, to go and rest.
He stood outside his bedroom for a moment, using the moonlight to sense the spiritual energy of the world.
Compared to his era, the world was already rich in spiritual energy.
However, he could not sense the existence of the laws of heaven and earth.
Perhaps his cultivation level is not high enough.
Or perhaps, the laws governing this world have not yet been fully formed.
After standing quietly in the courtyard for a while, Gu Tang tried to practice using his old techniques.
Abundant spiritual energy immediately surged into his body under the drive of the cultivation technique.
And obediently, under Gu Tang's guidance, he cleansed and strengthened his meridians.
Gu Tang breathed a slight sigh of relief.
He is still capable of spiritual cultivation.
—As long as he can still cultivate, he has nothing to worry about.
He should now seize the time to cultivate and improve his cultivation level.
Gu Tang felt uneasy about Qin Junche's sudden change of expression.
If his cultivation level surpasses that of his opponent, then he can at least guarantee that he will be invincible.
As for the children.
Gu Tang pursed his lips, deciding to put it off for now.
Whether it's the gentle and warm Qin Junche, or this Qin Junche who makes people feel dangerous.
He doesn't want to touch any of them!
After that night, Gu Tang immersed himself in sleepless and tireless cultivation.
Unbeknownst to him, on the third day after he secluded himself for cultivation and stopped bothering the Imperial Preceptor's residence, the same news spread throughout the entire capital—
The Ninth Prince suddenly realized his mistake and began to cultivate relentlessly.
Some people still think that he's just putting on an act.
After all, on the day of the Imperial Advisor Qin Junche's birthday, although Qin Junche helped him out of the predicament at the gate of the Imperial Advisor's mansion, Gu Tang still lost face.
Therefore, they all thought that His Highness could only last three or four days at most.
However, as time went by, the people in the capital went from waiting to see the joke unfold.
Slowly, it turned into surprise.
Gradually, the people passing by the Ninth Prince's residence stopped laughing at Gu Tang.
Looking at the gate that remained closed for an entire month, they all marveled at the boundless power of the Imperial Preceptor's teachings.
Even someone like Gu Tang could be completely transformed into a cultivation fanatic.
After the Ninth Prince's residence had been closed for two months, even jokes were no longer heard in the capital.
In this era, the strong are respected.
Although Gu Tang's spiritual root level is not high, his perseverance is admirable.
Even Qin Junche has repeatedly lamented that if the Ninth Prince could have awakened earlier, he might have been able to go further and higher on the path of cultivation.
Gu Tang has been confined to the Ninth Prince's residence for three whole months.
He was unaware that over the past three months, various rumors about him had been circulating in the capital.
He devoted himself to spiritual practice almost every day, neglecting sleep and meals.
Immersed in spiritual practice, he finally rediscovered that feeling of being at ease, just like a fish in water.
Even the breaths felt so warm and natural.
At this time, winter was approaching in the State of Chu.
Many years later, people still remember that day.
When the first snow fell in the capital of Chu, the Ninth Prince's residence, which had been closed for three whole months, was suddenly filled with strong winds.
Above the Ninth Prince's residence, all the snowflakes seemed to be drawn by the same force, fluttering down towards the residence.
The snowflakes did not melt immediately. When more and more snowflakes began to gather above the Ninth Prince's residence, the entire capital of Chu was alarmed.
In an instant, countless figures took flight in the sky.
They stood, sat, or rode on strange beasts.
But everyone's gaze was focused on the direction of Gu Tang's Ninth Prince's residence.