William Carter's current goal is to work hard to grow and hide his strength.

During the last murder case, he only showed his martial arts talent and that alone attracted the actions of spies. As for Divine Shadow Kick, Vajra Roar, and the Daoist Natural Arts, he must never reveal them.

Fortunately, he rarely shows off in daily life.

William Carter stood up and walked toward his own courtyard. Along the way, disciples greeted him, and he responded with a smile, all the while silently making judgments.

He had already refused to go down the mountain, so the spy should still be on the mountain.

Any of these people could be the one!

……

The autumn leaves in Longqi Temple were covered by white snow. After nearly a hundred cycles of sun and moon, the snow melted and spring arrived.

In the thirteenth year of Kaiyuan, William Carter was thirteen years old.

That year, the emperor went mad and began to pursue immortality, widely recruiting talented people from across the land to make elixirs for him.

“There are no immortals in this world. Those evil spirits are nothing more than transformed monsters. His Majesty has become so obsessed with immortality that he no longer cares about state affairs. Fortunately, the crown prince is naturally intelligent, well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics, and has already started helping with some government matters.”

David Brooks sighed, his words full of praise for the crown prince.

William Carter's expression did not change, but he felt a bit annoyed inside.

To be able to wield power at thirteen—this little brat is quite something.

William Carter asked curiously, “Is the crown prince really that outstanding? Can you tell me more about him?”

David Brooks smiled and said, “Of course. The crown prince's fate has been full of twists and turns. Before he was even born, His Majesty named him crown prince. To be crown prince before birth is unique in history. However, after the empress gave birth to the crown prince, she fell gravely ill and was in a coma for several months. When she woke up, she had lost her mind, claiming the crown prince was not her son. Without a mother's love, and with other princes being born, the crown prince experienced all the warmth and coldness of human relationships in the palace. Even His Majesty once neglected him. Fortunately, he is extremely gifted—he could recognize a thousand characters at three, compose poetry at five, and eventually regained His Majesty's favor.”

Hearing this, William Carter couldn't help but think of his mother in this life. Even in the womb, he often heard her talking to herself, saying how well she would treat him in the future, complaining about the emperor's reckless actions, and so on.

He felt a bit sour inside.

So, in this world, besides villains, there are also people who care about him.

William Carter asked curiously, “How is the empress now? Is she... still the empress?”

David Brooks glared at him and said, “Of course. His Majesty and the empress are deeply in love—heaven can attest to it. Now the empress has recovered her health, her relationship with the crown prince is restored, the country is prosperous and the people at peace, and this flourishing age owes something to the empress's contributions.”

William Carter was left speechless, but felt somewhat comforted inside.

No matter what, at least she is living well.

Chapter 4: The Killing Plot Returns, First Encounter with the True Dragon

David Brooks's visit this time was just to bring some gifts and chat with William Carter for two hours before leaving. He was already working in the capital, so it was not easy for him to find time to visit.

During the visit, David Brooks also asked about his martial arts progress. William Carter kept a low profile, saying he was still improving, without specifying how strong he was.

He couldn't be sure that David Brooks wasn't an enemy, so he was very cautious in his interactions.

Half a month after David Brooks left, the New Year arrived.

The Jing Dynasty also had New Year rituals, symbolizing the transition from old to new.

Longqi Temple was a place of Daoist cultivation, so the New Year was not lively.

After the New Year, Charles Foster returned with the disciples. Sixteen had left, but twenty returned, including three infants in swaddling clothes and five scruffy youths, meaning four disciples had been lost.

Stephen Reed had also lost an arm and was no longer as lively as before. When William Carter saw him, he was shocked and asked with concern, but Stephen Reed laughed it off, calmly recounting his adventures in the martial world.

“Senior brother, you were right after all. Life down the mountain isn't as good as up here. There may be no war, but people's hearts are unpredictable.”

Stephen Reed sighed. William Carter didn't know how to comfort him, so he just patted him on the shoulder.

The next day, Stephen Reed was up early practicing martial arts in the courtyard. The other disciples in the same courtyard already knew what he'd been through and didn't disturb him. After ringing the bell, William Carter practiced nearby.

He was used to practicing alone; it gave him a sense of security.

The return of this group of disciples shook Longqi Temple for quite some time, as even the second senior brother was injured. The dangers of the martial world far exceeded their imagination.

A whole month passed before talk of the martial world below the mountain finally faded away. Longqi Temple became more lively, thanks to the eight new disciples and three infants, who attracted the attention of the other disciples.

William Carter had already fully mastered Vajra Roar and Qi Finger, and was now focusing on the Daoist Natural Arts.

Martial arts place great importance on internal strength. With strong internal strength, practicing external martial arts becomes much easier. But William Carter was cultivating an immortal cultivation technique!

William Carter's senses had become extraordinarily sharp. He had felt it himself—the true energy of the three senior disciples was not even half as strong as his own. Even Reverend Mason's true energy was only about the same as his, which showed the gap between immortal cultivation techniques and martial arts techniques.

He was not arrogant, though. True energy was only one aspect; strength depended on other factors as well, and besides, his body was still growing.

David Brooks continued to visit every six months. Each time he saw him, William Carter could sense his exhaustion. The once high-spirited top scholar who had pointed out the murderer had now become a weary and burdened official.