Chapter 39: My Son Possesses the Potential of a Martial Saint

"Your Highness, that smell just now... it seems to be from a body-tempering medicinal bath!"

"Yes, yes! That's why the scent was so familiar. It truly was a body-tempering bath!"

"Your Highness, you actually..."

"I didn't want to practice martial arts before because I was afraid you all would lose your livelihoods. In truth, I am a one-in-a-million martial arts prodigy. Understand?"

"Understood, understood!"

"Damn it, body tempering is truly painful!"

Whether it was some innate gift or otherwise, Liu Ji managed to get out of bed and walk the very next morning after sleeping through the night. His gait, however, was somewhat duck-like—waddling from side to side—which looked quite comical. He had also figured out that he had nearly died of sudden cardiac arrest the night before, and it was Xu Mu who had saved his life with the medicinal bath.

First thing in the morning, Liu Ji went to find Xu Mu to express his gratitude.

"To repay you for saving my life, I shall take you on as my number one underling. From now on, in Liangzhou City, if anyone bullies you, just drop my name." Liu Ji spoke with an air of seasoned authority, patting Xu Mu on the shoulder.

"You want me, Xu, to be your underling? In your next life, perhaps." Xu Mu pushed Liu Ji's hand away and gave his shoulder a light pat in return.

"What do you mean?" Liu Ji was puzzled. He was the Prince of the Liang King's estate; in the entire Liangzhou Province, his father held the highest status, and he was the second.

"If you want to be my underling, I might reluctantly consider it," Xu Mu said with a smile.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Liu Ji waved his hand, speaking with righteous indignation. "You want me, the Prince, to be your underling? What kind of joke is that? I’m leaving; you’d better think it over."

With that, Liu Ji flicked his sleeve and departed with his entourage.

Upon returning to the palace, Liu Ji happened to run into Liu Xun and the Drunkard walking side by side down a corridor. As soon as Liu Xun saw Liu Ji, he was reminded of the eight thousand taels of silver his son had squandered the day before.

"Father, let me tell you, I did something yesterday that will surely make you proud," Liu Ji said, hands on his hips, looking immensely pleased with himself.

"Oh?" As he spoke, Liu Xun reached behind his back and drew his riding crop.

"Father, the truth is, I am a one-in-a-million martial arts genius. From this day forward, I shall embark upon the path of martial arts and climb to its very peak. Tell me, Father, am I not your pride and joy?" Liu Ji asked triumphantly.

"Hmm."

Liu Xun nodded, instantly uncoiling the whip. He strode forward, ready to strike.

"Father, what are you doing? Why are you attacking without a word? Aren't you happy that I want to practice martial arts?" Seeing Liu Xun’s menacing aura, fear took hold, and Liu Ji instinctively backed away.

He had said such boastful things countless times before. Whenever he got into trouble, he would always try to appease Liu Xun with grand promises. His father was long since immune to them.

"Even if you mastered a peerless technique by tomorrow, I would still have to teach you a lesson today!"

*Crack!*

The whip lashed through the air with a sharp, crisp snap.

"My Lord!" The Drunkard suddenly stepped forward, blocking Liu Xun. He then hurried to Liu Ji, grabbed his hand, and firmly clamped his fingers around his wrist.

"This... this, this... how is this possible? Your Highness, did you really soak in a body-tempering bath last night?" the Drunkard asked in disbelief.

"Oh, I intended to keep a low profile and practice in silence so I could stun everyone later. I didn't expect a sharp old fox like you to notice. Fine, I admit it, I did soak in a body-tempering bath," Liu Ji replied.

Hearing this, Liu Xun’s eyes widened, his anger replaced by utter astonishment. His son had been terrified of pain since childhood. Ever since he had been forced to try a body-tempering bath eight years ago, he had vowed that he would rather die than practice martial arts. Yet, he had actually agreed to it?

However, that was not the point. The point was that after just one night of tempering, Liu Ji had purged half of the impurities accumulated in his body over the years. His Ren and Du meridians were now completely unobstructed!

Having cleared two meridians, Liu Ji now possessed scattered internal energy within his body. He had one foot in the Body Refining Realm. He only needed to learn how to guide that energy into his dantian to become a true practitioner.

But the Drunkard knew just how much of a wastrel Liu Ji was. Though Liu Xun appeared dignified and stern, he was incredibly indulgent toward his son; he had even taken Liu Ji to a brothel when the boy was only ten. At sixteen, Liu Ji’s body had long been hollowed out by wine and women. It was impossible for someone in his condition to reach the threshold of martial arts after just one bath.

"My Lord, the Prince is right—he truly is a heaven-sent prodigy!" The Drunkard was so excited he even considered taking Liu Ji as his disciple to teach him martial arts.

"Sarcasm?" Liu Xun was skeptical.

"My Lord, why not check the Prince's pulse yourself and see?"

Half-doubting, Liu Xun reached out to check Liu Ji's pulse. In that instant, he was nearly knocked off his feet by the turbulent energy within his son’s body. It wasn't that Liu Ji was powerful, but that Liu Xun was simply too stunned. Overnight, his son's physical constitution had been transformed.

"Could my son really be a martial arts genius?"

"That is the only possible explanation."

Neither Liu Xun nor the Drunkard knew that Liu Ji had nearly died the night before and was only saved by a thirty-fold concentration of the medicinal bath. They would never suspect such a thing, as a thirty-fold dose was far too extreme. Thus, they both concluded that Liu Ji was a one-in-a-million martial arts genius. There was simply no other way to explain it.

"Boy, you went to the Xu family yesterday, didn't you? How did you end up in a body-tempering bath?" Liu Xun asked suspiciously.

Liu Ji dared not admit he had nearly died—that would be too embarrassing. "Well, I just suddenly felt like practicing, so I took one. Any questions?"

Liu Xun and the Drunkard exchanged a glance. Liu Ji had spent eight thousand taels just to have dinner with Xu Shuangyi yesterday, a fact that had infuriated his father. But now, thinking about it, even if Liu Xun had paid eight thousand taels to have Xu Shuangyi help his son with the bath, as long as it succeeded, he would have felt it was worth every coin!

Though the Drunkard remained puzzled, he couldn't help but exclaim: "My Lord, the Prince has the potential of a Martial Saint!"

Liu Xun stroked his beard, beaming with pride. "Son, have you truly made up your mind to walk the path of martial arts?" he asked.

"Since Senior Drunkard says I have the potential of a Martial Saint, would it not be a waste not to practice?" Liu Ji replied, head held high, looking remarkably pleased.