Chapter 1784 - 146: Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers, Half-step Immortal!

He continued to speak: "Once that person truly passes away, Great Xia will certainly plunge into chaos, with forces from all sides swarming in, making the situation even more complicated!"

"Moreover, that person started as a mere martial artist, without Spiritual Wisdom or Immortal Root, yet reached this stage relying solely on a mortal body. This is highly worthy of study! We must take his corpse before he dies to see if we can uncover any secrets!"

"What you say is very true." The gray-robed Daoist nodded repeatedly in agreement.

His gaze also looked towards the distance, seemingly penetrating layers of cloud and sky, seeing through boundless void, and observing that majestic Royal Capital.

"Indeed, the corpse of that Martial Saint is worth investigating."

"A mere mortal body, without Immortal Root or Spiritual Wisdom, yet able to reach this stage with a body refined to such a degree — a great secret must lie within it. If we can decipher what constitutes a Martial Saint, unravelling the secrets of the Martial Saint would be an excellent discovery."

The Qingyi Daoist stood with his hands behind his back and spoke: "That is my intention! For eight hundred years, he suppressed the Immortal Grotto Heavens, the paths of demons and monsters, the heavens and all Evil Gods and Pure Qi, solely with a mortal body."

"He alone caused creatures like us to hide away, forced the Demon Country to hibernate in the Southern Ridge, and made the Barbarians retreat to the Northern Wilderness."

"If we can glean a hint of mystery from his corpse to confirm our path, perhaps it can open new possibilities for us!"

"Then how should we test him?" The gray-robed Daoist asked, then continued: "The power of that person is ultimately unfathomable. Even though he is now a dying arrow at the end of its flight, it’s consequence for us stepping out from the Grotto Heaven implies no retreat!"

"Naturally, we cannot test with our true bodies." The Qingyi Daoist stated calmly, "That person, though he can intimidate heaven and earth, has no understanding of that river; his level is ultimately too low. He cannot see me, but I can see him. Before his passing, he will certainly leave behind a backhand, and King Luoshui Jiang Ning is the chess piece he chose."

"What do you mean, my Dao brother?" The gray-robed Daoist asked, raising his tone slightly.

"Finding him is difficult, but locating King Luoshui Jiang Ning is easy! Based on previous variations, King Luoshui Jiang Ning encountering danger is likely to draw out the Martial Saint Spirit Body." The Qingyi Daoist explained.

"Do you mean we should send someone to act against King Luoshui Jiang Ning?"

"It’s not that simple!" The Qingyi Daoist shook his head and continued, "Jiang Ning, currently ranked second in the world of martial arts, ordinary people might not be his match! Even if Immortals walk out, they may not be King Luoshui Jiang Ning’s match! Among martial artists, who can surpass these mountains?"

"As for sending out a Heavenly Immortal." The Qingyi Daoist again shook his head, "That’s a needless death! The moment a Heavenly Immortal steps out, he will be detected by that Martial Saint, and the thunderous wrath would be unleashed, shocking the world!"

Upon hearing these words, the gray-robed Daoist’s tone hardened.

"With these words, how can there be another way? There is no way out!"

"Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers!" The blue-robed Daoist slowly spoke the four words.

"Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers?" The gray-robed Daoist’s expression shifted. "Those are treasures left behind by the Heavenly Court. Though they are ordinary heavenly soldiers, in this age they can rival a half-step Immortal. Do you intend to use them for testing?"

"Exactly." The Qingyi Daoist nodded, "These Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers are standard secret treasures of the Heavenly Court, equivalent to a half-step Immortal, focusing on strength and hardness, rather than relying on Daoist Divine Power like us! In this era, the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers can still unleash half-step Immortal combat power. Coupled with their sturdiness, they are difficult to destroy and even more troublesome, perfect for probing that person’s depths."

The gray-robed Daoist’s tone slightly condensed and asked, "You intend for these Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers to assault Jiang Ning and thus force the Martial Saint to intervene?"

"Precisely." The Qingyi Daoist nodded slightly, "Jiang Ning is now King Luoshui and ranks second in the world; ordinary methods cannot kill him. But the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers are artifacts of the Ancient Heavenly Court, yielding extraordinary power. Even if Jiang Ning can withstand them, it would be perilous. At that time, given the Martial Saint’s regard for Jiang Ning, he will certainly extend saving hands. Thus, we could take the opportunity to observe his real state, to see if he indeed is a spent arrow at the end."

"If he reveals fatigue in saving Jiang Ning, it shows he has reached the end of his lifespan, then we can act, seizing the body first to uncover the Martial Saint’s secret!"

The gray-robed Daoist replied with a hint of amusement in his tone: "No wonder eight hundred years ago, you did not allow us to provoke heavenly troops to besiege the Martial Saint at that time."

"But provoking heavenly troops descended back then was meaningless!" The Qingyi Daoist shook his head.

He continued, "Now sending forth Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers is just right! Merely two Immortal Stones, plus two secret treasures!"

"Two secret treasures?" The gray-robed Daoist seemed slightly surprised.

The Qingyi Daoist nodded, "To ensure nothing goes wrong, we must dispatch two units! A unit is but the strength of a half-step Immortal, should Jiang Ning want to flee wholeheartedly, given his rank as world’s second, he might not be subdued! But with two units, it would be different, combined into a trap from heaven and earth, sufficient to capture."

The Qingyi Daoist then said, "Once we have two Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers, we also need someone going to the Royal Capital to see Jiang Ning and activate the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers."

"Leave it to me, I’ll arrange this!" The gray-robed Daoist said.

"No need!" The Qingyi Daoist shook his head, "I already have someone suitable in mind."

"Who is suitable?" The gray-robed Daoist asked.

"Duan Tianya." The robed Daoist calmly mentioned the name, "He entered the Grotto Heaven a hundred and twenty years ago, trustworthy and has left behind many descendants. His strength may not be first-grade, but as a Second-Grade Grandmaster, it suffices! In the worldly domains, he counts as a top adept!"

"With him carrying Silver Armored Heaven Soldiers into the Royal Capital, it won’t attract undue attention."

"Once in the Royal Capital, just see Jiang Ning, then activate the Soldiers to trouble Jiang Ning. Should Duan Tianya survive this, reward him with a Life Span Fruit and extend his life by another Jiazi. If he doesn’t survive, we will duly take care of his family and descendants."

The gray-robed Daoist nodded, "I recall Duan Tianya. He is meticulous and prudent, indeed the right choice. Even if sacrifices are made, he’s merely a pawn — having entered the Grotto Heaven for one hundred and twenty years, his potential is completely exhausted."

He then nodded, "My Dao brother, leave the rest to me, I will arrange it!"

"Hmm!" The Qingyi Daoist nodded.

...

Royal Capital.

Upon waking, Jiang Ning opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and his entire being imbued with an indescribable comfort.

The exhaustion rooted deep in his spirit had completely vanished after a night’s rest.

He sat up, stretching his muscles.

Crack crack—

His bones stretched, resounding crisply, with Qi-Blood surging inside like a river, filling him with immense strength.

"Good!" Feeling the state of his body, he smiled contentedly and clenched his fists.

Though last night’s immersion in the River of Time left him utterly weary, the insights he gained were enormous.

Not only was it an elevation of vision but also a leap in cosmic understanding.

As of now, these insights cannot be converted into tangible combat power, but he has faith, these acquisitions will someday wield incalculable effects.

Where one stands influences the sights they behold and thus shapes future pathways.

This is the impact of perspective, the influence of understanding.

Subsequently, he opened the door and stepped outside.

In the courtyard, dawn was breaking, flowers in bloom, birds chirping, the air fresh and pleasing.

From the direction of the distant kitchen drifted the enticing aroma of hearth-cooked food.