The “Heavenly Bath” was finally bathed in.

It’s expected that Emperor Qi’s promise was a reward, and not to bring a talent into the palace at the last moment.

That old Physician Wen was truly mischievous at heart, and Jiang Wang could only feel… some sympathy for Yan Fu.

He didn’t know what kind of person the Imperial Court Grandee Wen Yanyu was, but this third grandfather of Wen Tinglan was truly difficult to deal with.

Fortunately, it was Wen Tinglan herself who came knocking last time.

If it were this Physician Wen…

Just thinking about it gives one the creeps.

The effect of the “Heavenly Bath” was excellent. Specifically, it further strengthened the physique, which had been tempered by the Four Spirits Body Tempering Art and the Stone Gate Grass, by more than twenty percent.

In addition, the talent for the Five Elements Primordial Force also seemed to have improved somewhat, but not significantly. It was only through Jiang Wang’s current fine control over the Fire Element that he was able to detect a difference.

These effects were already the best that Jiang Wang’s current cultivation and physique could achieve, as the finest herbs from the national treasury were used, and it was tailor-made by experts from the Imperial Hospital. Of course, this excludes those rare and valuable heavenly treasures.

Qi was quite supportive of its national prodigies participating in the Yellow River Convention.

In Jiang Wang’s opinion, it is likely that before the imperial family members cultivate to the Divine Ascension realm and achieve the Golden Body Jade Marrow, they must all use the “Heavenly Bath” to lay a solid physical foundation.

In this regard, saying that the Divine Ascension is within reach after the Heavenly Bath is somewhat plausible.

When leaving the Hot Spring Palace, he didn’t see Ji Zhaonan or Chong Xuanzun, and he didn’t know if they were still soaking or had already left.

Stepping out of the palace, Jiang Wang felt his body full of power in the gentle breeze that met him.

This feeling of becoming increasingly powerful… was intoxicating.

He had always relied on his exceptional combat talent and powerful divine abilities to win battles. However, in terms of his foundation, there was still much that needed to be supplemented.

He cultivated diligently and did everything he could to the extreme. However, there were many areas that required resource support.

For example, this Heavenly Bath…

In short, the period before the Yellow River Convention was a process of Jiang Wang continuously supplementing his foundation and improving himself.

In two days, he would go to the Commander’s Platform for five days of cultivation, and he wondered which expert would guide him.

Jiang Wang thought for a moment and decided to choose the Imperial Secret Technique bestowed by the Emperor.

He would choose one that he could use and become familiar with it in these two days. If there were any issues with its cultivation, he could ask the expert sent by the Emperor for guidance. This was a reasonable use of resources.

The location of the national treasury was in the east of the city.

And it was near the north gate in the east.

This gate was also known as the Altar Gate. It was the first gate from north to south.

The Gate of Altars, along with the Gate of Grains, was one of the two most special gates among the 108 city gates of Linzi.

The Altar Gate represented the Earth God, and the Grain Gate represented the Grain God. All things are carried by the earth, and all people are sustained by grain.

Outside the Grain Gate was the Jixia Academy, a place for cultivating talents for the state.

Within the Altar Gate was the Great Qi National Treasury. It is not an exaggeration to say that it was a fundamental and important place for Qi.

In addition to having its own national treasury guards. The nine army corps on rotation in the capital region also kept a close watch on this place.

The Altar Gate was located in the east of Linzi, facing the sea.

The Great Qi National Treasury facing the sea also showed the determination to guard the maritime borders.

As Emperor Wu of Qi once said—

“But if the enemy comes from the sea, they must exhaust the national treasury before I die!”

Truly heroic words!

After leaving the Hot Spring Palace, Jiang Wang came to the national treasury alone.

This was almost a city within a city, with high walls and deep fortifications, impenetrable.

He conveyed the message to the guards at the gate and verified his identity.

He was then allowed to enter the first gate… and wait.

Yes, someone from the Directorate of Ceremonials had to arrive before he could be led into the “Technique Treasury”.

When he was granted the title of Marquis of Qingyang Town, he was also bestowed with a first-grade low-level national treasury secret technique “Jealousy Fire”, which was quite extraordinary. Of course, it is no longer suitable for Jiang Wang’s combat level…

However, the techniques named as Imperial Secret Techniques were also top-tier existences among the national treasury secret techniques.

A large part of the national treasury’s secret transmissions were obtained by Qi through its conquests, including those confiscated from sects, tributes from various parties, and, of course, more from plunder.

Among these various gains, naturally, only those obtained from destroying a nation could be listed under the name of Imperial Secret Techniques.

Of course, the secret techniques accumulated and preserved by generations of Qi cultivators were also the core.

Han Ling said to find him when he had made up his mind, and that he would be waiting with incense burning.

But those were just polite words, just listen and forget about them.

How could Han Ling, the Grand Supervisor of the Directorate of Ceremonials and the head of the inner officials, personally accompany them to choose secret techniques?

So Jiang Wang waited here for a eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonials who was qualified to lead the way into the national treasury. After verifying each other’s identities, that would be it.

Even though the present Jiang Wang was a national prodigy, a fourth-rank Green Plate, and the Marquis of Qingyang Town, he still had to wait if he was supposed to wait.

And there wasn’t even a place to sit, he could only wait in the space between the first and second gates.

It was even less likely for the national treasury guards to speak to him with any familiarity. Each one was like a stone body with an iron face, not even making eye contact.

Fortunately, Jiang Wang was already accustomed to cultivating anytime and anywhere. It was good that no one bothered him. He just found a spot to stand and continued to deduce the Art of the Fire Domain.

After leaving the Hot Spring Palace, Chong Xuanzun got into the large sedan chair waiting outside the palace gate.

He actually preferred to walk on the streets with his wide sleeves fluttering, unrestrained and carefree.

However, the battle at the Master’s Ceremony gained him too much fame, and now wherever he went, a crowd of people would gather around him.

The effect of the Heavenly Bath on him was not as good as he had imagined.

During the Heavenly Abode Five Luminaries, what needed to be strengthened had already been strengthened. To make further progress, he could only rely on the Star Body Tempering of the Star Light Sacred Tower.

As for the so-called Imperial Secret Techniques and the Emperor’s Inner Treasury Magical Artifacts, they were indeed of little significance to him. His five divine abilities were already sufficiently developed, and he himself possessed top-tier secret techniques, so he did not need to be distracted by other secret techniques. As for magical artifacts, those in the Emperor’s Inner Treasury were not in his eyes. The magical artifacts in the Emperor’s Secret Treasury would be more suitable… but that was also impossible to imagine.

So he simply took the initiative to lower his standards and, according to his father’s needs, chose two items for the Inner Mansion realm, which his father could take to show off.

Speaking of which, this time, with his Heavenly Abode cultivation breaking through the realm and suppressing Linzi in the Outer Building realm, it was indeed as he had envisioned, without a single mistake.

But the actual gains were not as much as he had imagined…

The most important point was that his cousin’s close friend, Jiang Qingyang, with his Three Abode cultivation, forcefully stole a lot of the spotlight at the Master’s Ceremony.

His imagined scenario of overwhelming everyone upon appearing and easily forcing his fat brother to move with a flick of his finger… did not exist.

Many people seemed to think that Chong Xuansheng, with Jiang Qingyang’s support, could compete with him.

Of course, what surprised him the most was that Wang Yi’wu lost so miserably. Almost as soon as he entered the academy, Wang Yi’wu lost all his family fortune, and he himself was so miserable that the God of War had to come to his rescue…

Oh, he shouldn’t say he lost everything.

As his old father said: “Fortunately, I helped you look after it.”

Yes…

Chong Xuan Mingguang did preserve some industries, but those were Chong Xuanzun’s core industries that could not be plundered. All the responsible persons were loyal to Chong Xuanzun and would never defect to the opponent.

And Chong Xuansheng, with a wave of his hand, assigned them to Chong Xuan Mingguang.

His son’s industries, taken over by Grand Uncle Chong Xuan personally, were legitimate. Therefore, now, he has almost lost…

Thinking of these things.

Even Chong Xuanzun, who was known for the beauty of Linzi’s style, couldn’t help but press his forehead, feeling a headache.