Chapter 118: Unnatural
As adepts who had achieved Petty Consummation of the Qi-Gathering, Xiang Donghua, the second elder of the Chu royal household, or Xue Meng, commander of the Chu city guard, had their own demon stead. Xiang Donghua rode a level-seven demon, "Lightning Leopard," which could run many times faster than a ferghana horse. Xue Meng's stead was a level-eight demon "Saber-toothed Tiger" which was even faster than the Lightning Leopard.
The distance from the Chu royal city and Yunfeng prefecture was shorter than that from the city to the Yunyang imperial city, so Xue Meng returned to the Chu royal city sooner.
"Your Highness." Xue Meng rushed to the Chu royal household once he returned to report his findings to Xiang Xiong. "I have investigated... everything is as what Shi Yu said. Zhou Donghuang was indeed born and raised in Yunfeng prefecture. He did not grow up in the Yunfeng prefecture capital, but in a small town. I went to that small town and asked many people, and they said they all saw Zhou Donghuang grow up with their own eyes. Just a year ago, in that town, Zhou Donghuang was known to be a martial invalid... he only began to show his martial arts power at the end of the year 1227 of the Ziyun Era. Since then, in just a few months' time, he became a hated figure of even the Yunfeng prefecture governor and even became famous in the prefecture!
"On April 1, 1228 of Ziyun Era, he left the inferior Yunfeng prefecture capital and headed to the city. A month later, he destroyed the entire Wu family of the governor's household of Guangling prefecture, which contained four level-six adepts. On September 9, 1228 of the Ziyun Era, he arrived at the royal city. Your Highness knows what happened next."
In two months, Zue Meng had traversed between Chu royal city and Yunfeng prefecture capital and dug out all of Zhou Donghuang's history.
Xiang Xiong was silent. After a moment, he then slowly asked, "A year ago, he was still a martial invalid? Was he faking it?"
"I don't think so," replied Xue Meng, shaking his head.
"Don't think?" Xiang Xiong frowned.
"Your Highness, with that young man's arrogant character... would he pretend to be powerless when he got bullied a year ago?" asked Xue Meng. "He was born and raised in that small town, where a lesser family disciple bullied him for years... a year and a half ago, he was always being bullied because he lacked qi, or rather, he could not train his qi. At the end of 1227, where that lesser family's disciple tried to humiliate him on the streets... that time, he struck out and paralyzed that man's arm! I looked for that man... he said Zhou Donghuang paralyzed him in December 1227, but just a month before that, he had bullied Zhou Donghuang, and Zhou Donghuang had no power to fight back. That shows that before December 1227, Zhou Donghuang was really a martial invalid."
...
Both Xue Meng and Xiang Xiong realized something terrifying: that young man Zhou Donghuang only began practicing in December 1227. In just ten days, he had the power to destroy a level-two adept. Three months later, he could defeat a level-four adept. Now, in less than two years since he began, he had already achieved Petty Consummation of the Qi-Gathering, even possibly Great Consummation.
"In less than two years, from zero to Petty Consummation or even Great Consummation of the Qi-Gathering?"
At this point, even Xiang Xiong, the most powerful man in the Western Chu Ridge, was shocked. After a while, he turned to Xue Meng, breathed deeply and asked, "Xue Meng, you think... what kind of miracle would allow a lad from such a poor background to reach such heights in less than two years? Such growth can even be said to be unnatural!"
"Your Highness, I think you know the answer," answered Xue Meng with a bitter smile. "Besides the legendary essence of a magnificent practitioner of the Primal Core stage, I can't think of any other way that the young man could achieve this in less than two years."
"The essence left behind by a magnificent practitioner of the Primal Core stage..." Xiang Xiong's eyes lit up, then he shook his head and said with a laugh, "Too bad we did not find out about his secret earlier. If we had found out before he grew up, we could easily have taken him down. But now, he is so strong that we can no longer defeat him. Hopefully, the imperial court will leave some goodies for us after they deal with him." Xiang Xiong sighed.
"Who knows... who the imperial court will send this time." Xue Meng's eyes flashed with curiosity.
...
Chuxiu Inn, second guest courtyard.
In the largest master bedroom, the young man stood cross-legged on the mattress. "Progress has been pretty good recently... I'll reach Great Consummation of the Qi-Gathering within three months."
Since his return from Tianxiu City, two full months had passed. It was now March 19, 1229 of the Ziyun Era.
Freezing Wind, Zhou Han and Zhou Feng were all still with him, staying in the second guestroom so that they could practice together with him. In the past, he had wanted the three of them to extend their power outside because he did not expect his own power to rise so quickly. With his current strength, the three of them had no need to head out to increase their power, but rather stayed with him and practice faithfully.
"Young Master, Lady Jiapei is here to look for you." Suddenly, Fu's voice came from outside the door.
Zhou Donghuang was surprised. "Lady Ren?"
Since the end of 1228, when he had gone with Ren Jiapei to the Wei household to attend the gathering there, he had not seen her since they left. Even at the Tang family banquet two months ago, he had only seen the Ren family head elder, Ren Qiong, and the man who seemed like Ren Jiapei's father, the Ren family chief.
"Ren... Lady Ren?" Jumping off the mattress, Zhou Donghuang finally saw Ren Jiapei again after he pushed open the door. At a glance, the girl before him was unrecognizable.
Ren Jiapei was as pale as paper, her eyes listless and her body was skinny. She had none of her former grace and beauty.
"Brother Zhou, can you stop calling me that? If you can call Sister Zixi by her name, can't you call me by 'Jiapei?'" Hearing Zhou Donghuang's greeting, a sadness seemed to flash across her eyes as she smiled.
"Sure... Jiapei." The appearance of the young girl caused Zhou Donghuang to lose any thought of rejecting her. Furthermore, he had always thought highly of her. But now, from her gaze, he realized something else. He suddenly thought: he could be the reason why they had not met in more than three months.
First Zixi, now Jiapei... this is a real headache.
Now, from the girl's eyes, Zhou Donghuang could tell that she still had feelings for him, because that was the same look in Yang Zixi's eyes when she looked at him.
"Lady... Jiapei, I haven't seen you in so long, are you looking for me?" Zhou Donghuang avoided her eyes as he asked with a smile.
Hearing this, Ren Jiapei's expression turned serious. "Brother Zhou, I came today to tell you something. Today, the tycoon Tang family chief, Tang Liunian, suddenly came to my house. When my father welcomed him, he asked me to join them. Then, in front of me, he told Father about how the Chu royal household has done nothing to you yet. He said that perhaps the Chu royal household does not dare to touch you. But they will definitely not let the matter rest and will send someone to inform the Yunyang imperial court. He even said that if the imperial court sends someone, the person will definitely be confident of defeating you."
Ren Jiapei's face was fraught with worry. "Brother Zhou, maybe you should leave the Chu royal city and lay low outside? With the speed of those golden-crowned eagles, you can surely hide somewhere safe well before the people from the imperial court arrive." Ren Jiapei tried to persuade Zhou Donghuang to leave.
"That Tang Liunian is really interesting... he doesn't dare to come tell me, but went to the Ren family to get you to relay the message." Zhou Donghuang shook his head and laughed.
"Brother Zhou, did you hear what I said?" Ren Jiapei said seriously, "If the imperial court sends someone, it will definitely be someone confident of defeating your two golden-crowned eagles. You may not be afraid of the Chu royal household... but the Yunyang imperial court, as the ruler of the country, is far more powerful. Although they say that the strongest in the imperial court is just a Great Consummate adept... but the same rumor says that the strongest person in the Chu royal household is just a Petty Consummate adept. But in reality, the Chu royal household has a Great Consummate adept!"