Time flies like an arrow, and days pass like a weaver's shuttle.
In the blink of an eye, several days had passed.
With every autumn rain comes a touch of cold; the summer heat in Chang'an City had finally subsided completely.
A refreshing autumn breeze blew, dispersing the gloom of previous days.
Yet it could not blow away the curling blue smoke hovering over the Imperial City.
Ever since the Golden Body returned to its place.
The incense in Chang'an City had grown more prosperous by the day.
Before dawn, the area in front of the True Lord Temple in the eastern city was already bustling with people, crowded shoulder to shoulder.
Whether they were high-ranking officials or common peddlers, all held tall incense sticks in their hands, their expressions devout, just to compete for the first stick of incense of the day to seek peace of mind and good fortune.
Even the land outside the temple gates had become worth its weight in gold.
Take, for instance, Old Man Wang, who sold "Gold and Silver Sandwiches."
He was truly riding high now.
After only a few days.
His originally greasy little shop had been replaced by a two-story building. A large plaque with a black background and gold lettering hung over the lintel, bearing four large characters: "The True Lord Once Ate Here."
Every day, the long queue of people buying sesame cakes stretched from the beginning of the street to the end of the alley.
While chewing on the crispy meat pies, the commoners talked animatedly about the grand occasion of that day.
There were even storytellers in the teahouses who would strike their gavels.
They told the tale of the Black-Robed True Lord Suppressing Demons Across the Nine Heavens, standing alone to dictate the ages.
The audience below the stage listened with rapt attention, breaking into thunderous applause.
Chang'an City seemed to have regained its former prosperity.
It was even more bustling than before.
But beneath this bustling surface.
Inside a certain side hall within the Imperial Palace.
The atmosphere was somewhat heavy, even gloomy.
"Sigh..."
A long sigh escaped from Zhao Zhongliu's lips.
This Deputy Commander of the Demon Suppression Division, who usually remained unfazed even if Mount Tai collapsed before him.
At this moment, he had a worried look on his face, picking up his teacup only to set it down again, repeatedly.
"Old Zhao, please stop sighing."
The young Emperor rubbed his aching forehead and said with a bitter smile, "My ears are about to grow callouses."
"Your Majesty, it's not that this Old Minister wishes to sigh."
Zhao Zhongliu wore a bitter expression on his old face and spread his hands. "It's just... it's just that this matter is truly difficult to handle!"
Jiang Yuechu, sitting to the side, was peeling an orange with a calm expression.
She popped a segment of orange, meticulously cleaned of its pith, into her mouth and asked nonchalantly, "What is it? Is the incense Power Of Will insufficient?"
"No."
Lu Changfeng chimed in from the side, "The abundance of incense Power Of Will far exceeds our expectations. Even if everyone in the Demon Suppression Headquarters switched to practicing the Incense Path, there would be more than enough."
"Then why is that?"
Zhao Zhongliu glanced at Jiang Yuechu, hesitating to speak.
"Feel free to speak."
"Yes."
Zhao Zhongliu took a deep breath and said in a heavy voice, "Your Highness, over the past few days, according to your instructions, the Demon Suppression Division has selected a group of promising talents with excellent Aptitude and resilient Heart-Nature to attempt practicing the Golden Body Technique."
"Reports of success have come in from the other eight locations in the Capital Region."
"Some have mastered the 'Five Dragons Governing Heaven' method, while others have grasped the 'Four Perils Manifestation' technique. Although progress is slow, they have at least entered the threshold. With time and effort, they will surely achieve great things."
At this point, Zhao Zhongliu paused, a look on his face that was uglier than crying.
"Except... except for this Chang'an City."
"What's wrong?"
The Emperor's heart skipped a beat. "Did something go wrong?"
"Nothing went wrong, per se."
Zhao Zhongliu sighed, "It's just that in the grand city of Chang'an... out of three thousand people, only three have barely managed to enter the threshold."
"Only three?" The Emperor's eyes widened.
"Only three."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuechu was also slightly stunned.
She knew that this True Form Golden Body must have some intricacies.
After all, it was the culmination of the essence of everything she had learned.
But she hadn't expected it to be this difficult.
One in a thousand?
Is this some kind of breeding pig selection?
"Which three?" Jiang Yuechu asked.
"One is Commander Bai, White Jade Tower."
A hint of admiration flashed in Zhao Zhongliu's eyes. "Although Commander Bai's constitution has not yet fully recovered, he was once a person of brilliant talent. After contemplating for just one night, he said'So that's how it is' the next morning and could faintly sense the incense Power Of Will..."
"The other two are You Wujiang and Gu Wanlan."
The two were once the two most Prodigy young Prodigies of the Great Tang in the current era.
Although they faced some difficulties.
They were still barely able to enter the threshold... Speaking of this, Zhao Zhongliu sighed again.
"Aside from these three, everyone else has made no progress whatsoever."
"Even... even Lü Qinghou."
At the mention of this name, everyone's expression shifted.
Lü Qinghou.
The Left Demon Suppression Envoy of the Demon Suppression Division, the Senior Brother of You Wujiang and Gu Wanlan.
"What happened to Lü Qinghou?" the Emperor asked.
"Seeing that his Junior Sister and Junior Brother had both entered the threshold, he went into seclusion for five consecutive days without stopping..."
Zhao Zhongliu shook his head with a tone of regret. "In the end... he spat out three pints of blood, said only 'This path is not for mortals,' and then fainted. He hasn't woken up since."
"..."
A dead silence filled the hall.
Even a figure like Lü Qinghou had returned in defeat and was even forced to spit blood.
This showed just how obscure the technique was.
The Emperor rubbed his nose somewhat awkwardly.
Back when the Golden Body was being chosen.
He was the one who overrode all objections, insisting on keeping the most pleasing-looking Golden Body in Chang'an.
Who would have thought?
This was like saving the hardest bone for his own teeth.
Great.
Chang'an, as the capital of the Great Tang, now has the slowest progress... If word got out, wouldn't it be incredibly embarrassing?
"Lonely Moon..."
The Emperor looked sheepishly at his sister, his eyes filled with a plea for help. "Look at this matter... can you show some leniency?"
"For example... give them some extra help? Or modify the technique to make it simpler?"
Jiang Yuechu set down the orange peel and shook her head helplessly.
"Imperial Brother."
"This method was formed by the Golden Body itself; it wasn't created by me. The Great Dao principles within it are profound and mysterious. If modified carelessly..."
At this point.
She gave everyone a meaningful look.
But in her heart, she was grumbling.
Leniency?
How could she show leniency?
She herself was completely in the dark; how the hell could she change it?!
"Then... then there's no other way?" Zhao Zhongliu looked unwilling to give up.
"No way."
Jiang Yuechu spread her hands and spoke the truth, "You can only endure it."
"Or... change people."
"There are always some eccentrics in this world who might not be suited for orthodox martial arts but happen to have an affinity for the Incense Path."
"Cast a wide net to catch more fish; you'll eventually find a few."
Hearing this, everyone could only nod helplessly.
Things had come to this, and there was no other choice.
They could only hope that in the vast and resource-rich Great Tang, a few more freaks would emerge.
With the official business finished.
Lu Changfeng, who had been silent, suddenly stood up.
He straightened his clothes and bowed respectfully to Jiang Yuechu and the Emperor.
"Your Highness, Your Majesty."
"Now that the matter of the incense is settled and the Golden Body has returned to its place."
"I, Lu, have been away from home for a long time, and my clan may be worried. Today... I have come specifically to take my leave of you both."