Chapter 42

The two of them bought some elixirs and daily necessities on the way, stopping and going, until they arrived at the Prefectural Governor’s Mansion.

The Prefectural Governor’s Mansion was relatively less luxurious compared to other buildings, being low-key and restrained.

"We are here to participate in the Hundred Prefectures Competition," Jiang Pingan said to the guard.

On the surface, he appeared normal, but inside, he was in turmoil, as he had noticed that these two guards were Golden Core cultivators.

Golden Core cultivators were actually guarding the gate!

"Names," the guard asked indifferently.

"Jiang Pingan, Meng Jing," Jiang Pingan replied.

The guard picked up the jade slip from his waist, infused it with spiritual energy, and said,

"Lord Prefect, two people claim to be Jiang Pingan and Meng Jing. Are they to be sent to the back mountain?"

"No, bring them in," Xia Qing’s voice came from the jade slip.

Jiang Pingan curiously stared at the jade slip. Was this a voice-transmitting jade slip?

He had heard that voice-transmitting jade slips were very expensive, but they allowed communication with friends and family over long distances, making them more convenient than one-time voice-transmitting talismans.

"Yes, Lord Prefect."

The guard put down the jade slip and glanced at the two with surprise.

These two could actually be personally received by the Prefect. Were they some kind of super geniuses?

The guard did not dare to be negligent and led the two into the Prefectural Governor’s Mansion.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, Jiang Pingan felt an extremely rich spiritual energy.

Breathing in here was better than absorbing a spirit stone.

Adhering to the principle of not wasting, Jiang Pingan secretly took deep breaths.

"Are you not planning to give up on cultivation?" Meng Jing noticed Jiang Pingan’s behavior and asked quietly.

Jiang Pingan shook his head.

If it were before, he would definitely have given up on cultivation to save resources and time.

But the appearance of the Earth Accumulation Technique made him feel that he could continue to try cultivating.

"Idiot, you’re not a super genius," Meng Jing rolled her eyes at the man, thinking he was wasting time.

They passed through several corridors and finally arrived at a building.

"Lord Prefect, the people are here," the guard bowed and said humbly.

"You’ve worked hard, go back," Xia Qing’s voice came from inside, with a tone of authority.

"Yes, Lord Prefect."

The guard left, and Xia Qing’s voice continued, "You two come in."

The two pushed the door open and entered.

Today, Xia Qing was wearing a plain white long dress, elegant and dignified. The ornament in her hair swayed gently, like a snow lotus, making others feel inferior.

She was sitting at her desk, reviewing memorials.

Seeing the two, she put down the memorial and pen, lifted her head, and smiled at Meng Jing, saying, "Come here."

Meng Jing obediently walked to Xia Qing’s side.

Xia Qing patted Meng Jing’s little head, her smile growing wider.

"You’re about to break through to the Martial Master stage. It seems you’ve inherited your mother’s talent, even though it hasn’t fully awakened, you’ve grown so quickly."

Meng Jing’s body trembled, and she looked at Xia Qing with surprise, asking excitedly,

"Princess, do you know my mother? Where is she now?"

When she was five, her mother left and never appeared again. She had asked her father where her mother was, but he never answered. Each time she asked, her father would cry, so she stopped asking, afraid of making him sad.

This matter had been hidden in her heart, and she really wanted to find the answer, but didn’t know who to ask.

But from Princess’s words, it seemed she knew her mother.

Xia Qing smiled and said gently, "Of course I know her, she’s a very capable person, but your current strength isn’t enough to find her."

"If you can secure a top ten spot this time, I can try to help you contact her."

"Top ten?" Meng Jing’s face changed. With only five months left, she couldn’t catch up to those geniuses.

Xia Qing saw her worry and said with a smile, "Don’t worry, I’ve already found the materials to help you awaken your true talent. I’ll help you awaken it shortly."

"After awakening your talent, you’ll be a hundred or a thousand times stronger. As long as you work hard, securing a spot in five months isn’t difficult."

"Thank you, Princess!" Meng Jing, moved, hugged Xia Qing and said firmly, "I will definitely work hard!"

For her mother and father, she would definitely work hard. She really missed her mother.

"Sure."

Xia Qing smiled warmly and gently rubbed Meng Jing’s little head.

Lifting her eyes, she shifted her gaze to the young man in front.

Jiang Pingan could feel that although she was still smiling, it wasn’t with genuine enthusiasm.

"Jiang Pingan, isn’t the Dominant Body Technique very difficult?"

"Princess, it is indeed difficult, but..."

"Learning it isn’t necessary. I have three other techniques here."

Jiang Pingan’s words were cut off by Xia Qing, "These three techniques are the Unmoving Golden Bell, the Wuji Fist, and the Great Collapse Fist."

Jiang Pingan, who was about to say something, suddenly swallowed his words.

There were three more techniques to choose from? He had to choose.

The previous Jiang Pingan found it very difficult to learn the Dominant Body Technique, but due to an accident, his cultivation speed increased.

This accident was the Earth Accumulation Technique.

The Earth Accumulation Technique transferred spiritual energy into the blood, making the blood flow smoother.

Cultivating the Dominant Body Technique was just a matter of time.

Jiang Pingan wanted to say he could learn it, but seeing that there were techniques to receive, he swallowed his words.

Xia Qing seemed to be in a hurry and began explaining the three martial techniques.

"The Unmoving Golden Bell is a defensive technique. Once cultivated, it can resist water, fire, and weapons. It can only be damaged by mental attacks, making it extremely defensive. While not invincible, it’s rare for a peer to break through it after cultivation."

"The Wuji Fist is also a physical cultivation technique, but unlike others, it’s a passive fist technique. It focuses on neutralizing the opponent’s strength and using their force against them, mainly to wear down the opponent. The downside is the lack of active offensive capabilities."

"The last technique is the Great Collapse Fist. This technique follows a dominant path, with each punch stronger than the last. When stacked to a certain level, it can defeat opponents of higher ranks. The downside is that once used, there’s no turning back, and cultivation is very arduous."

"These three techniques are top-tier. I can only give you the first level, but it’s enough to use until the Golden Core stage."

"I personally suggest, if you’re good at offense, choose the Great Collapse Fist. If your defense is weak, choose the Unmoving Golden Bell."

"As for which one to choose, the decision is yours."

Jiang Pingan slowly digested Xia Qing’s words. To be honest, he wanted all three techniques.

They all sounded good.

But greed would lead to indigestion, and she wouldn’t give him all three.

Jiang Pingan quickly thought about his weaknesses and fighting style.

After a moment, he gave his answer, "I choose the Wuji Fist."

Xia Qing: "..."

She had given Jiang Pingan two suggestions: the Unmoving Golden Bell and the Great Collapse Fist.

But this kid completely ignored her advice.

Was he rebellious?

Jiang Pingan was certainly not rebellious; he believed he was very suitable for this technique.

He was someone who liked to instantly defeat opponents and wait for the right moment.

While the Wuji Fist lacked active offense, it was better suited for prolonging battles and finding the opponent’s weaknesses.

The Unmoving Golden Bell had strong defense but lacked offense.

The Great Collapse Fist was too aggressive, abandoning defense, which didn’t match his cautious and somewhat contradictory style.

Therefore, the Wuji Fist, which could defend, attack, and prolong battles, was what he preferred.

Xia Qing didn’t say much about Jiang Pingan not following her advice.

She casually threw a jade slip to him, "This is the Wuji Fist. Cultivate well, and I’ll have someone take you to rest."

She didn’t care what Jiang Pingan chose. With his strength, he had no chance of securing a spot in the competition. She cared about Meng Jing.