Armament Master in Service, Imperial Celestial Being

Whoosh~ The celestial phenomenon of rivers and oceans above Qinghui Garden gradually faded, and the sky once again turned clear and azure. Yet Wei Shen's heart clenched tight. Restless and on edge in the courtyard, he paced back and forth. "Did he comprehend something from the divine armament, or did he become the new armament master? No, the divine armament will only choose a new master after I die, so that should be impossible. Will he kill me outright when he comes out? What should I do? Stiffen my neck and die unyielding, or drop to my knees and beg for mercy? No, even if I die, I cannot submit! If he wants my life, so be it..." Just as his mind ran wild, a calm voice suddenly sounded by his ear: "Wei Shen." His body shuddered. Drawing a deep breath, he put on a look of someone facing death unflinchingly and turned toward Huang Tian, who was walking over with the Juntian Ocean-Subduing Ruler in hand. "If you want to kill—" Swoosh~ Before he could finish, Huang Tian gave a casual toss. The dark, heavy ruler sliced through the air and flew straight toward him. Instinctively raising a hand, Wei Shen caught the heavy ruler. In an instant, his mind went blank. "You... I... this..." He babbled incoherently. Only after quite a while did he gather his thoughts, asking in utter bewilderment, "The divine armament... you don't want it?" "Do *you* not want it?" Huang Tian countered. "I do! I do! I want it!" Wei Shen blurted out repeatedly, so agitated he nearly bowed down to Huang Tian on the spot. He stroked the icy-cold heavy ruler, his heart flooded with the joyous thrill of recovering what had been lost and the relief of escaping certain death. And yet... *Why does this ruler feel a bit off?* The heavy ruler hummed and trembled, seemingly trying to break free from his grasp and fly over to Huang Tian across from him. Its eagerness and longing were not disguised in the slightest! *What did he do to the divine ruler?* Wei Shen scratched his head, seized by an inexplicable feeling of being cuckolded. Clearing his throat, he hesitated. "Senior... Senior Huang, will you need to use it again in the future?" The ruler trembled even more violently, radiant luminescence blossoming from it, forcing Wei Shen to tighten his grip. Huang Tian shook his head. "It is of no use to me." Hearing this, Wei Shen completely put his worries to rest and let out a long sigh of relief. The heavy ruler, on the other hand, let out a wailing sound akin to a whimper. It ceased trembling, its precious glow faded, and it drooped like a wilted flower. Full of curiosity, Wei Shen wanted to ask a few more questions, but Huang Tian waved his hand. "The divine armament has been returned to you. If you wish to leave, you may leave." "Ah?!" Wei Shen's mouth fell open, and he stammered, "S-Senior, you mean... I can leave?" There was no answer, only a look as if beholding a fool. The words were already as clear as day; what else could there be to wonder about? Wei Shen blinked in a daze. "Then, Senior, this junior will truly be going. I take my leave?" Huang Tian flicked his sleeve. With a turn of Wei Shen's hand, the Juntian Ocean-Subduing Ruler was drawn into his body. Then, looking back every three steps, he walked toward the mansion gates. When he actually stepped outside the gates of Qinghui Garden, his heart was still filled with disbelief. *I just walked out like this? Senior Huang didn't keep the divine armament, nor did he kill me?* Standing at the entrance of the estate and watching the carriages and horses clustered along the lane, he froze on the spot. "Who is that person? He looks so familiar!" "Your memory is truly terrible! That's Wei Shen! The armament master of the Juntian Ocean-Subduing Ruler!" "Right, right, now I remember! He has been under house arrest—cough, cough, protected inside Qinghui Garden all this time." "Why did he come out? He looks like he's daydreaming. Could the divine armament have been taken from him? That shouldn't be possible. Doesn't legend say the divine armament only chooses its next master when the armament master dies? If he isn't dead, keeping the divine armament is useless to anyone else." "Who knows? Maybe he just came out to get some fresh air. What's so strange about that?" "..." Hearing the rustling chatter of the surrounding crowd, Wei Shen's heart skipped a beat. *Before, while I was inside Qinghui Garden, no one dared covet me or the divine armament. But if I leave...* At the thought of previously being hunted down and besieged by multiple Rank One Great Grandmasters and numerous Rank Two and Three Grandmasters, his scalp tingled with numbness. *If word gets out that I left carrying the divine armament, they will never let me go...* The foot he had lifted abruptly pulled back. Turning around, he flashed an awkward smile at the two estate guards by the entrance and strode back into Qinghui Garden. At this moment, Huang Tian was still in the front courtyard. Putting on a flattering smile, Wei Shen walked over, rubbing his hands together like a fly, and asked with immense sheepishness, "Senior Huang, I wonder if... if this junior could continue staying in Qinghui Garden..." "You won't leave because you fear those Jianghu figures will stage a comeback and hunt you down?" Huang Tian asked bluntly. Wei Shen coughed twice, a flush rising to his cheeks. "Y-yes, that's it. This junior wishes to beg for Senior's protection for a time. I would never forget such great kindness as long as I live!" Huang Tian mused for a moment. "I will not remain in the estate indefinitely. In a few days, I will depart for the Imperial Capital." The final Earth-element technique had yet to take shape, requiring more sources of inspiration. Moreover, he had already browsed through all the martial techniques in Kunyun Commandery and the provincial capital. If he wanted to see more, he had no choice but to go elsewhere. In all of vast Great Gan, the place with the largest collection of martial techniques was without question the Imperial Capital—specifically, the imperial palace's Book Collection Pavilion. It was said to house tens of thousands of volumes of martial techniques across various disciplines, none of them crude or shallow, but rather collected only because they possessed some novelty or exceptional quality. If he could peruse them, the harvest would undoubtedly be substantial. Wei Shen hurriedly said, "I am willing to follow Senior to the Imperial Capital! I'll hold your reins and stirrups, doing whatever you command! If you point east, I will never go west; if you tell me to beat a dog, I won't chase a chicken!" Huang Tian could not help but chuckle. It seemed Wei Shen truly had been frightened half to death by the relentless pursuit; otherwise, he would never stoop to such lengths. Giving it a bit of thought, though Wei Shen's cultivation speed was far slower than his and his combat prowess could not compare, he was an armament master after all. Relying on the divine armament, there was a fair chance he might attain the Void Realm, which could prove useful in the future. Moreover, Huang Tian would not remain in this world for too long; leaving Wei Shen behind as a contingency before his departure would not be a bad idea. As for whether sheltering him for a period might attract danger—such as Celestial Being experts coming to seize the divine armament... Huang Tian only feared his opponents would not be strong enough. "Then you may remain at my side for the time being." "Thank you, Senior! Thank you, Senior!" Having obtained Huang Tian's permission, Wei Shen was overjoyed. He felt that nowhere in the world was safe right now; only staying with Huang Tian was truly safe. Huang Tian did not care about the Void Realm divine armament in the least, had let him leave freely, and harbored no designs against him—his character was impeccable! Though the Imperial Capital was a crouching tiger and hidden dragon sort of place, certainly far more dangerous than Kunyun, it was still infinitely better than facing the pursuit of countless martial artists alone. "Senior, are you thirsty? I'll pour you some water..." With thick brows and big eyes, Wei Shen leaned in like a fawning lackey. Huang Tian raised a hand to cut off his flattery. "Just focus on your own cultivation." Wei Shen gave an embarrassed smile, bobbed his head in several fawning bows, and returned to his quarters to cultivate. Huang Tian stood in place, thinking for a moment, then left the estate to find Fourth Prince Shen Chuan and asked to borrow his wind eagles. The latter readily agreed without hesitation, arranging to return to the Imperial Capital together the day after tomorrow. After Huang Tian left, Shen Chuan walked to the rear courtyard. Seeing Princess Jingning seated on a stone bench, he said, "The day after tomorrow, we will return to the Imperial Capital." Princess Jingning was taken aback. "Why so soon?" In the days since arriving in the commandery city, she had spoken fewer than ten sentences to Huang Tian in total. Let alone cultivating affection, they were not even properly acquainted. Yet she could hardly be blamed for a lack of initiative; Huang Tian had been in seclusion for an entire month, and she had not even been able to see him. Shen Chuan sighed and explained Huang Tian's request to borrow the wind eagles to fly to the Imperial Capital. "He likely intends to borrow and peruse martial techniques in the imperial palace's Book Collection Pavilion. For a figure like him, what do fine women, fine wine, royal power, and riches matter? Only the martial path is his eternal pursuit." Princess Jingning bit her lip gently. "It was I who indulged in foolish delusions." Shen Chuan consoled her, "It matters not. Matters of affinity are ordained by Heaven and cannot be forced. At the very least, coming here on this trip has allowed us to establish a friendly rapport with him. That alone is enough." What else could Princess Jingning say? She could only nod with a crestfallen expression. On the other side, after settling the matter of traveling to the Imperial Capital, Huang Tian summoned Aunt Qin. "In two days, I will depart for the Imperial Capital. I may not return for several months, perhaps even longer. You will make the decisions regarding affairs within the estate. If you encounter troubles that cannot be resolved, go to the government office and consult Assistant Commissioner Yu, Pacification Commissioner Bai, and Xia Hong. "Furthermore, I recall the estate still holds some medicinal pills and herbs from the Feihong Sect treasury?" Aunt Qin replied, "There are indeed some left, all stored in the warehouse." "After I leave, those items will be at your disposal. Heng'er has begun practicing martial arts, so if she can make use of them, allocate some to her and nurture her." To Huang Tian, those things were already completely useless, and selling them for gold or silver was equally meaningless; mundane wealth differed little from dirt. Just as Aunt Qin was about to nod, she suddenly felt that these words sounded rather like settling affairs before departing for good. A worried look surfaced on her face. "Young Master, you... will there be any danger in your trip to the Imperial Capital?" Huang Tian smiled. "What danger could there be for me? Even a Celestial Being can do nothing to me." With his current strength, he did not dare claim to be supreme among Celestial Beings, but even if he could not defeat an opponent, few could catch him if he chose to flee. Furthermore, before long he would break through once more and achieve Rank One; by then, he would be as immovable as a mountain. Aunt Qin reflected and realized he was right. In all of vast Great Gan, her young master stood nearly at the very summit. What need was there to worry? After Aunt Qin left, Huang Tian walked over to an open space in the courtyard, where he saw Heng'er, dressed in a green dress with her hair styled in twin topknots, practicing stake stance under the guidance of a tall woman. Perhaps from practicing for a long time, her small face was slightly flushed, and her body swayed faintly. "Sink your qi," Huang Tian spoke up at the right moment. Hearing his voice, Heng'er glanced in his direction, her eyes curving into crescent smiles. The tall woman beside her—the only female guard in the estate—bowed in greeting to Huang Tian, then said to Heng'er, "You must focus while practicing." Heng'er gave a soft hum of acknowledgment, adjusting her breathing. Sinking her qi and slightly tilting her head upward, her posture straightened considerably, resembling a swallow perched upon a slender twig—swaying gently with the wind yet never falling. After the time it took two incense sticks to burn: "That's enough. Take a rest." Only then did Heng'er let out a breath of relief. Bending down to massage her sore, slender legs, she lifted her small head and said with eyes full of adoration, "Practicing martial arts is so hard. Silang, you're amazing." Huang Tian chuckled. "In the martial path, perseverance is what matters most. Though it is difficult, if you keep at it, you will gradually grow used to it." Heng'er nodded and then chattered about many things: her martial arts practice, her studies in poetry and literature, and amusing happenings around the estate and the city. Huang Tian did not interrupt her, listening quietly. It was not until fifteen minutes later, when stance training resumed, that Heng'er stopped chatting and conscientiously assumed her stake stance. After watching for a while, Huang Tian departed and toured the Martial Restraint Guard government office and the Guard Academy. His presence caused quite a sensation. Head Instructor Liu, Instructor Xu, and the others greeted him warmly, while martial students both new and old gazed at him with boundless veneration. As an "outstanding alumnus," Huang Tian delivered a few words of encouragement to bolster their spirits, leaving each of them flushed with excitement and whooping with fervor. Thus passed a day, with Huang Tian meeting all his old acquaintances. On the following day, he calmed his mind, regulated his breathing, and nourished his spirit. The next morning. Daylight was bright, the sun rose in the east, and clouds drifted apart as two massive wind eagles landed on an open clearing in the rear courtyard of Qinghui Garden. Upon the eagles' backs stood Shen Chuan, Princess Jingning, Ji Fan, and another companion, four in total. "Brother Huang, everything on our end is ready. We can depart at any time," Shen Chuan said. "Then let us set off directly." Huang Tian stepped onto an eagle's back. Carrying a bundle on his back, Wei Shen followed closely behind him, drawing frequent glances from Shen Chuan and the others. "Young Master, please take good care of yourself," Aunt Qin said. Heng'er was reluctant to see him go. "Have a safe journey, Silang." Nodding slightly to the two, Huang Tian spoke: "Let us depart." With the command given, Shen Chuan and Ji Fan urged the wind eagles to flap their wings. Gale winds churned, and in a flash they soared high into the sky, flying toward the horizon. Huang Tian looked down from afar. Heng'er held a handkerchief embroidered with lotus flowers, waving to him from the distance, her eyes rimmed with red. Whoosh~ Fierce winds howled. The wind eagles shot straight into the clouds, letting out shrill cries as they trailed long ribbons of white airflow, flying at blistering speed. In the blink of an eye, they had flown beyond Kunyun Commandery City. Huang Tian looked down no longer. Sitting cross-legged on the eagle's back, he quietly regulated his breathing and cultivated, absorbing spiritual qi from the world. Wei Shen thought for a moment and followed his lead, sitting down with closed eyes to cultivate. Princess Jingning had originally wanted to strike up a conversation with Huang Tian, but seeing this, she had no choice but to remain silent. Nothing of note occurred along the way. In the blink of an eye, nearly ten days passed. Over these ten days, the flight was not completely ceaseless; no matter how immense the wind eagles' stamina was, it was impossible for them not to feed and rest. Thus, the journey proceeded in intervals of flying and resting. "Up ahead must be the Imperial Capital..." Standing on the eagle and facing the buffet of fierce winds, Wei Shen looked down at the dark, looming city as tall as a mountain and could not help but voice his awe. Though an armament master who had experienced things over these past few months that ordinary people would never encounter in a lifetime, this was the first time he had seen a city of such sheer scale. Shen Chuan felt a hint of pride and told Wei Shen about how difficult the construction of the Imperial Capital had been, as well as the height and thickness of its walls. After a dozen exchanges, the wind eagles flew into the capital, circling several times in the airspace near the vast and magnificent Imperial City, drawing the attention of many people below. "What is that? It looks like an eagle!" "Those are wind eagles! It must be the Fourth Prince and his party returning!" "Quick, someone report to His Majesty!" "..." Amidst the murmurs of discussion, the wind eagles swooped down onto a wide open ground within the Imperial City, kicking up a large plume of dust upon landing. By this time, dozens of men and women of extraordinary bearing were already standing there waiting. When the dust settled and Huang Tian and the others stepped off the eagles' backs, a burly middle-aged man with long arms and a slender waist stepped forward two paces, bowing to Huang Tian with a face full of smiles. "Shen Dongming greets Daoist Friend Huang!" Shen Dongming—the Celestial Being ancestor of the Great Gan imperial family, an expert ranked eighth on the Celestial Being Ranking!