The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1403 - 1403 683 Princess Returns (Two Updates)

Chapter 1403: 683 Princess Returns! (Two Updates) Chapter 1403: 683 Princess Returns! (Two Updates) Dusk enveloped everything, and a swathe of sunset clouds stretched across the sky and rivers.

In an old temple, a monk, a young man, and a little snake sat facing each other in a standoff.

The little snake attempted to escape several times but was caught by the young man each time. The young man flung the snake about until it was dizzy, and at last, the snake no longer ran, coiling obediently in place.

“Sigh,” the monk exhaled, “It’s not that I don’t want to teach you, but those few moves are simply beyond you. Even if you learned them, you’d only get the form, not the power.”

“You haven’t even taught me and you already know I can’t learn?”

“Do you have inner strength?”

“No.”

“Can you perform lightness skills?”

“No.”

“There you have it. That set of fist techniques can only exhibit its power when wielded by someone with deep inner strength.”

Gu Jiao picked up the little snake.

The monk’s expression changed and he reached out his hand, “Hold on! I haven’t finished speaking!”

Gu Jiao’s movement paused, and the little snake, hanging upside down in mid-air, obligingly stuck out its harmless forked tongue.

Gathering his thoughts, the monk glanced at the Red-Tasseled Spear next to the straw mat and said, “Your weapon is a spear, I’ll teach you a set of spear techniques.”

Hmm, the monk knew spear techniques as well.

The spear techniques Gu Jiao currently employed were taught by Old Marquis Hou, which amounted to just a few moves. As for fatal moves, she had only one.

It was chosen for her based on her condition at the time. In fact, as her strength recovered, that spear move really wasn’t sufficient anymore.

Standing up, the monk walked over to pick up the Red-Tasseled Spear leaning against the wall, then stepped outside into the open space of the temple grounds, “Watch closely.”

With the spear touching the ground, his gaze grew sharp and his breath suddenly shifted, as if invisible blades of wind were rampant, sweeping carelessly through this realm.

Gu Jiao distinctly felt the monk’s aura change. Indeed, upon reflection, this monk was quite a changeable figure.

From him, she couldn’t sense a trace that he knew any martial arts, which is why it hadn’t seemed strange when he first fell into a trap.

But the terrifying power he unleashed while killing the Heavenly Wolf made him seem like a completely different person.

Truthfully, if Gu Jiao were to describe him, she would struggle to find the right words.

Perhaps… like a Buddha who had fallen into the demonic path.

Yet now, absent either Buddha-like or demon-like air, he brandished the spear, standing amidst the cosmos, exuding a vast and righteous aura, even those peach blossom eyes of his appeared exceptionally earnest.

“What is this spear technique?” Gu Jiao murmured.

Having completed the final move, the monk tossed the spear to Gu Jiao, “Alright, your turn.”

The spear was heavy; how could he just toss it to her, not worrying whether she could catch it?

Whether by intention or not, the spear carried a trace of the monk’s own force. Gu Jiao almost couldn’t catch it. She steadied her stance and thrust the spear heavily into the ground, which kept her from being knocked down.

The monk raised an eyebrow slightly, “Oh, you caught it.”

“So you did that on purpose?”

“Just testing how well you’ve recovered. If you don’t have the strength, I can’t teach you the next few moves.”

What he said was “testing how well you’ve recovered,” not “testing the strength you originally had.” The difference of a few words carried an entirely different meaning.

He knew what she was like before her injury.

Could she then assume that five days ago, when she was battling the six Imperial Guards from the Crown Prince’s residence, he had been there all along?

He had been watching in secret, only stepping in when she could no longer manage.

“Why aren’t you starting? Didn’t remember it? Then I’ll perform it again for you to see.”

“No need.”

The spear technique Old Marquis Hou taught Gu Jiao had laid a very solid foundation for her, allowing her to understand most complex moves at a glance.

The only issue was that her injuries had not fully healed and she indeed lacked a bit of strength, but it wasn’t necessary for killing, only for practicing the spear techniques, which was enough.

The monk stood at the doorway, watching Gu Jiao intently, “First move.”

The first move was the simplest and not much different from the most crucial one Old Marquis Hou had taught Gu Jiao. But the tip of the spear was raised two inches higher, requiring more than twenty percent additional force when thrusting.

Gu Jiao withdrew the Red-Tasseled Spear, adjusted her breathing, and spoke to herself, “It looks simple, but it’s surprisingly exhausting.”

The monk took off his wine pouch, tilted his head to drink a large gulp, and watched Gu Jiao leisurely, saying, “Second move.”

The difficulty of the second move increased. Gu Jiao leaped up, thrusting her spear downward with force.

Her angle was precisely the same as that of the monk when he executed the strike.

Being able to mimic to such an extent after just one look was indeed somewhat surprising.

After executing these two moves, Gu Jiao had spent half her strength, and her wound began to hurt.