Chapter 315: The Changes in Li Heng!
"Your Highness, your foundation is too weak from never having practiced martial arts in the past. Even though your deficiency has been resolved, your condition will not change immediately."
Wang Chong finally understood the reason behind this peculiarity.
Blood Reformation could alter a person's bloodline and talent, but it couldn't make a person grow strong abruptly.
In other words, if Li Heng was weak before, he would remain equally weak now. Naturally, he wouldn't feel any changes internally.
The Stone of Destiny didn't possess the ability to create a supreme expert out of nothing.
Under Wang Chong's reminder, the duo also understood what was going on. In that instant, a ray of hope emerged in Li Heng and Li Jingzhong's hearts.
"There's no need for it, I know a cultivation technique that can work!" Li Heng suddenly said. At this moment, he was even more excited than Wang Chong. For a very long time, he had desperately hoped for a change in his feeble constitution.
The reason why he could maintain his nonchalance wasn't because he didn't care, but the innumerable disappointments he had gone through had numbed him. If it was possible, he would still want to grasp immense strength.
It was always the lame that possessed the strongest desire to walk, and the blind that possessed the strongest craving for light.
Even though it was just an improvement in his complexion, this was the best thing that had happened to Li Heng in all his years.
As for martial arts, that was a secondary concern. The royal palace never lacked martial arts manuals or resources.
Also, there was a martial art that was inscribed deep in his bones.
Peng!
Before Wang Chong and Li Jingzhong's gazes, Li Heng's fist suddenly shot out. His punch was extremely fluid, possessing both force and spirit. It seemed like a punch that had been tempered over innumerable repetitions, instead of one from an amateur.
"Not bad!"
A hint of astonishment flashed across Wang Chong's eyes. Even with his current cultivation and keen discernment, he couldn't pick any flaws in Li Heng's punch.
Peng!
After the punch, Li Heng stepped forward. Peng! His footstep was incomparably heavy, and vaguely, the image of a dragon surfaced behind him.
This dragon was extremely small, only at the size of an arm. If one didn't take a closer look, one would think that it was just a snake. However, when Wang Chong saw the feet of the dragon, he suddenly froze.
"Five claws!"
Wang Chong raised his head to reassess Li Heng, this time with a very different feeling.
"It seems like the Sage Emperor has already made preparations!"
There was a common saying that "four claws mark a python dragon, five claws signify a true dragon, and six claws a flood dragon". It wasn't that the more claws there were, the more sacred a dragon would be.
The dragon image behind Li Heng seemed inconspicuous at first glance, and if Wang Chong didn't pay close attention, he would have neglected the sight.
Even among the royal palace, a technique with the symbol of a true dragon will not be passed down easily. What is going on? Wang Chong was astounded.
There was only a single person throughout the entire Great Tang who would dare to teach Li Heng a technique symbolized by a five-clawed true dragon. However, that person clearly knew that Li Heng wasn't capable of practicing martial arts, and he also lacked the ambitions and goals a ruler should possess. So, why would that person still choose to do so?
Is there some kind of secret hidden within this matter?, Wang Chong muttered silently under his breath.
However, Wang Chong didn't have much time to contemplate this question. This was because an unbelievable change was currently occurring on Li Heng.
Peng peng peng!
The sound of bones cracking suddenly echoed from Li Heng's body, and a powerful gale began to gather and rage around him.
"Origin Energy Tier 4!"
Wang Chong was astonished. In just an instant, Li Heng's body had made the metamorphosis from Origin Energy Tier 1 to Origin Energy Tier 4.
Only by infusing powerful energy into one's bones could such loud cracking sounds be heard. However, Li Heng's metamorphosis didn't just stop there.
Wang Chong could feel something heavy that had accumulated in Li Heng's body was slowly bubbling like a powerful volcano on the verge of eruption.
"Medicinal energy from the pills!"
Wang Chong suddenly understood what was going on. Throughout the years of treatment, all kinds of medicinal herbs, mystical artifacts, and even the internal energy of supreme experts had been left within Li Heng's body.
However, due to the latter's physical condition, he was unable to unleash this energy. Thus, they merely accumulated within the cells of his body.
However, this was not good news. The accumulation of these energies only became a burden to Li Heng and further worsened his condition.
It was not much different from a heavy mountain being placed upon the shoulders of an ordinary man.
It was under the constant pressure of those powerful energies that his face was that pale.
However, having resolved his innate problem, the immense burden was converted into his wealth and treasure.
Having come to this conclusion, Wang Chong could already imagine what was going to happen next.
Hong long long!
The gale gathering around Li Heng's body was growing more and more powerful, and even the tables and chairs in the room were swept off the floor. Boom! With a deafening explosion, they were crushed together and reduced to smithereens.
Meanwhile, Li Heng's cultivation broke through Origin Energy Tier 5, Tier 6, and eventually settled on Tier 7.
Even so, under the effect of those energies, his physical strength was comparable to an Origin Energy Tier 9 martial artist like Wang Chong.
As a member of the royal family, a son of the Sage Emperor, the resources he was entitled to were unimaginable to others.
"Hahaha, this is martial arts! I can practice martial arts! I can finally practice martial arts!..."
An excited and joyful voice filled the entire Deflecting Blade Manor. Li Heng's eyes were shining with an unprecedented radiance reminiscent of the sun.
The current Li Heng was a completely different man from before. Confident, positive, and most important of all, ambitious.
"This is great! Your Highness, you can finally practice martial arts!"
Li Jingzhong's body trembled in agitation. He was so delighted that he almost broke into a dance on the spot. He had been waiting so many years for this breakthrough!
Everything happened so quickly that it was hard to believe, but without a doubt, this was certainly real.
This must be what others call a miracle!
"Wonderful, this is truly wonderful! Wang gongzi, thank you! Thank you very much! In the future, regardless of what Wang gongzi asks of me, I'll surely accomplish it. My life belongs to both His Highness and you now!"
Li Jingzhong suddenly hugged Wang Chong excitedly, his emotions in joyous turmoil.
"I'll take your word for it." Wang Chong glanced at the feverish Li Jingzhong, and he couldn't help but find this situation farcical. If Li Jingzhong had known that he would gain sufficient power to dominate the royal court in the future, he would surely regret saying these words.
But of course, the current Li Jingzhong was still unaccomplished, and it was natural that he couldn't predict how far he could have gone in the future.
And Wang Chong would never allow him to transform into that corrupted minister Li Fuguo, either.
As long as this fellow showed the slightest tendency to do so, Wang Chong would eliminate him personally.
"Of course, of course! The heavens can bear testimony to my words!" Li Jingzhong raised his fingers and swore.
To him, Wang Chong was truly a star of fortune that had descended upon them. There was no one in this world who was more respectable, adorable, and beloved to him then Wang Chong at this very moment.
And despite the bizarreness of one’s own servant vowing their life to another, Li Heng didn't seem to think too much about it.
"Wang Chong, I am truly grateful to you. I'll remember this favor!" Li Heng grabbed Wang Chong's hands, his face flushed with agitation. It was as if a long nightmare had suddenly come to an end. In his entire life, he had never felt as happy as he did at this very moment.
Which man wouldn't crave supreme power?
With this, Li Heng gained the qualification to pursue it as well!
Even though the both of them had just barely met, Li Heng already viewed Wang Chong as a precious friend of his.
"Your Highness is being polite. It is my honor to be of help to Your Highness,” Wang Chong said in relief.
Li Heng seemed much more lively and confident than a moment ago. This was a good sign.
Power can change one's character, making them more decisive and charismatic.
As soon as Li Heng gained the ability to grasp strength in his hands, his path had already diverged from his previous life.
Li Heng possessed compassion, sympathy, and the desire and ambition to bring greatness back to Great Tang. And through his own methods, Wang Chong had delivered him a hope to realize the grand blueprint he had crafted.
---
Night set in, and Li Heng didn't stay in the Deflecting Blade Manor for too long. Having just obtained power, he couldn't wait to test his newfound strength in his own room.
Wang Chong also understood his excitement, so he didn't try to keep the other party here. He walked the duo down the mountain, and on the road, Li Heng and Li Jingzhong kept thanking Wang Chong profusely.
"Gongzi!"
When Li Heng finally left, Zhao Jingdian walked up with a grim expression.
"When you weren't around, we received several letters. Some of them are from the princes, some of them are from the princesses, and some of them are even from the royal consorts. In fact, a few of them even visited the Deflecting Blade Manor personally while you weren't around."
Zhao Jingdian passed a stack of letters over. As the Fifth Prince was around a moment ago, he chose to delay this matter until now.
Zhao Jingdian had already expected this after the matter with Princess Ni Huang in the day. What he was worried about was another matter.
After a moment of hesitation, Zhao Jingdian said, "As long as this matter isn't resolved, we will never have peace in our hands. There will likely be even more princes and princesses visiting tomorrow. Gongzi, you might be able to escape for a day, but you can't possibly hide for your entire life. Besides... does gongzi think that Madam and the others will be able to hide as well?"
Wang Chong might be able to hide in the depths of the mountain, but this course of action wasn't open to Wang Chong's mother. Furthermore, if the royal consorts were to summon her into the royal palace, what was she to do?
Unlike Wang Chong, she couldn't possibly defy the edict and run away.
Wang Chong's complexion also darkened. It was one thing to deal with the princes and princesses, but to think that even the royal consorts would get involved in this matter as well? Clearly, the royal offspring were trying to exert pressure on him, forcing him to make a decision.
He might be able to hide from the princes and princesses, but it wouldn't be that easy to deal with the royal consorts.
On this matter, Zhao Jingdian's worry wasn't unfounded.
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TL Notes:
Just an additional note, python dragons are basically lesser dragons.
Only very high-ranked officials (presumably the prime minister and some grade-1 officials) will gain the right to wear something called a mangpao (python robe) which has python dragons woven into it, and it is a symbol of power and prestige. Of course, only emperors are allowed to wear robes with five-clawed dragons woven into them.