At this moment, Jiang Wang was utterly unaware that the secret techniques he had just learned were, in truth, “stolen goods.”

Holding the Bitter Awareness old monk’s kindness in his heart, he merely gained a rudimentary understanding of the two secret arts before embarking on his journey back to Qi.

Within the vast expanse of the Eastern Domain, he no longer needed to conceal his tracks. He could cultivate these new techniques while soaring through the skies with reckless abandon, unconcerned whose territory he flew over or whose sensibilities he might offend. Such was the standing of Qi in the Eastern Domain, and such was the dignity he had earned through his arduous struggles within Qi itself.

Chong Xuan Sheng’s previous letter had spoken of a momentous affair.

It had stated that the Military Affairs Hall had formally submitted a petition requesting the mobilization of troops to attack Xia.

This petition for war had been personally drafted by the Grand Marshal of the Nation and bore the signatures of no fewer than five Nine Ranks Commanders.

And the Emperor of Qi… had personally approved it with his imperial brush, and the imperial seal had already been affixed!

This meant that as the war between Jing and Mu erupted in full force and reached its most intense phase, Qi, this war beast of a nation, had also bared its fangs. Its military might was now aimed directly at Xia, intending to complete the grand undertaking left unfinished during the Qi-Xia struggle for hegemony years ago.

Just as the Qi-Xia conflict had ended with Jing establishing Yi Tian Guan in Xia as a mark of the war’s conclusion, from the moment Qi’s prodigious talent won the Battle of Star-Moon Plain, forcing Jing to sign the Star-Moon Accord and dismantle Yi Tian Guan…

Everyone knew this war was inevitable, sooner or later.

This impending attack on Xia was vastly different from the previous raid by the Spring Death Army on Sword Edge Mountain.

The most significant difference, of course, lay in the objective.

The previous campaign had been a chaotic, disruptive act by the Emperor of Qi, a desire to teach Xia a lesson while simultaneously shattering the entire chessboard to force out the hidden forces of the Equality Country and divert internal contradictions within Qi.

Of course, in hindsight, that war could also be seen as a rehearsal for the current one, a grand exercise that almost completely frustrated Xia’s spirit.

This time, the Emperor of Qi was not merely content with just teaching Xia a lesson.

The war of yesteryear had established Qi’s qualification for hegemony, a military achievement he considered the greatest of his life, one that would allow him to stand alongside Qi Taizu and Qi Wudi in the ancestral temple.

But failing to completely swallow Xia in one fell swoop had been a blemish on the jade, an indelible regret in his heart.

At that time, Jing’s power was immense, and even he, Jiang Shu, had to avoid its edge.

Now, with over thirty years of accumulated national strength, he was firmly seated in the hegemonic position.

Looking outward, he aimed to thoroughly subdue the so-called Nine Nations of the Sunrise that inherited the legacy of the Old Yang Empire, either by destroying them or receiving their tribute. To dominate the Eastern Domain, uno one could resist.

Looking overseas, he had steadily established a foothold in the near-sea archipelago. In the Mirage Realm battlefield, the human race had become the absolute main force, making it difficult for the Fishing Sea Tower to survive. The Town Sea Alliance, so painstakingly formed, also had to cede power to Qi. A Sea Merit List was erected, with Qi’s talents dominating the rankings.

Internally, he had eradicated hidden troubles and suppressed various contradictions. The Emperor of Qi held both military and political power firmly in his grasp.

Looking at the world, when he declared war on Xia, he captured Sword Edge Mountain in one move. When he announced participation in the Yellow River Meeting, he claimed the top spot in Dao Li 3919.

After the Ten Thousand Demons Gate incident, the might of Qi’s Nine Ranks elite became known to all nations.

The reputation surrounding Qi’s prodigious talent, Jiang Wang, was also a hidden confrontation between Qi and Jing, simmering beneath the surface. The final outcome was Zhuang Country swallowing its own bitter fruit and the Three Punishments Palace clearing Qi’s prodigious talent’s name.

At Star-Moon Plain, he even defeated Jing’s prodigious talent!

Such a Qi… naturally possessed the qualification to harbor greater ambitions.

Yi Tian Guan was a strategic-level military installation of the Dao Gate, capable of deploying high-end military forces at the fastest speed, even drawing upon the power of the Three Holy Lands of the Dao Gate. The moment Yi Tian Guan was built on Xia’s border that year, Qi’s troops immediately retreated!

Jing’s dismantling of Yi Tian Guan now was a complete abandonment of its interests in Xia, a way to avoid a two-front war with Qi and Mu.

The Star-Moon Plain war had already shown them Qi’s power and determination. Even the world’s strongest, Jing, had to approach the current world situation with sufficient caution.

The Emperor of Qi sending Cao Jie to the grasslands to help Mu seize Li Yuan City was for this very day.

Mu’s attack on Sheng Country had a primary strategic objective of defeating Jing and spreading the glory of the Cang Tu God beyond the grasslands. Its secondary strategic objective was to break the steel knife of the Dao Pulse’s primary vassal state and open the southern gate.

They were tired of shedding blood year after year alongside Sheng Country, of their horses’ hooves never being able to step out of the grasslands!

Qi, on the other hand, wanted to seize the opportunity presented by the great war between Jing and Mu, which left them no time to distract themselves, to expand southward and achieve further military merit.

Once this strategic concept was realized, Qi would immediately become a behemoth spanning the Eastern and Southern Domains, its future potential immeasurable.

All of this was on the surface, impossible for anyone to truly hide from each other.

The war between Xiang and Xu, instigated by both Qi and Jing at Star-Moon Plain, was a form of mutual wargaming, a probe of each other’s trump cards.

Qi had offered to abandon its alliance with Mu as a condition for Jing to abandon Xia.

While Jing, with the arrogance of the world’s strongest nation, even possessed the confidence for a two-front war, to give up Xia, they had to test Qi’s strength, thus the Star-Moon Plain war.

From the Emperor of Qi’s perspective, this probe was also what he desired. If Jing still maintained its posture of overlooking the world and its insightful grasp of various nations’ strengths, he could only temporarily abandon his ambition towards Xia.

If Jing proved to be strong on the outside but weak within, already in the state of a rotten giant tree, then perhaps he would have to join hands with the Emperor of Mu and first carve up the vast fertile land of the Central Domain.

Though Jing lost the Star-Moon Plain war, Jing’s prodigious talent did display his mettle, and no talent emerged to break the situation.

Thus, Jing’s abandonment of Xia and Qi’s attack on Xia became a natural progression.

A tacit understanding between the two sides had been reached even before the war began.

Even so, to prevent Jing from breaking its promise, Qi would postpone the war time and again, always extending it until the Jing-Mu war fully erupted.

The strategic objective of this attack on Xia was to completely extinguish the state and altar of Xia, to firmly establish a foothold in the Southern Domain.

Its scale was far greater than the previous attack on Ming and destruction of Yang.

To destroy a great nation was a feat not accomplished overnight or in haste.

The manpower and resources required were inestimable.

After the Star-Moon Plain war, Qi had already begun secret preparations. As the Jing-Mu war escalated to its most intense point, Qi began formally mobilizing the entire nation!

At this point, Jing could no longer withdraw.

The entire Eastern Domain and even the nearby archipelago were no longer a concern.

Qi only needed to deal with Xia alone.

This was such a momentous war. To say it was grand was to say it concerned Qi’s national destiny for the next hundred years! To say it was small was to say it concerned the changes in Qi’s domestic political landscape.

During that one Qi-Xia struggle for hegemony, how many families rose and fell? How many individuals ascended, how many plummeted?

The events of the past were not far, and later generations should learn from them.

Therefore, major families and renowned clans eagerly participated, even changing the principle of the previous war where too few direct descendants participated…

Marquis of Destroying City, Li Fengyao, Li Longchuan.

Earl of Shuo Fang, Bao Bozhao, Bao Zhongqing.

Even Marquis of Bo Wang, Chong Xuan Sheng, Chong Xuan Zun…

All confirmed their participation in the war!

From aristocratic young masters to common people, from princes and ministers to a lone spearmen, the people of Qi heard the call to war and felt no fear!

This was the flag the Emperor of Qi had erected for the people of Qi through one victory after another since his ascension to the throne.

Where the Purple Micro Midheaven Supreme Emperor Flag pointed, the blade of Qi’s people would follow.

Those who blocked it would be shattered.

Chong Xuan Sheng’s urgent letter for Jiang Wang to return was due to the importance of this war.

As for why Jiang Wang had traveled east, seeking challenges every step of the way, and why at this critical juncture he was still madly elevating himself, challenging the top-tier outer building cultivators of the world’s great sects one by one…

It was because he knew the direct competition between him and Chong Xuan Zun was already inevitable…

From the first time he came to Qi, he knew who Chong Xuan Sheng’s opponent was.

He had to help Chong Xuan Sheng!

“Little brat!”

As Jiang Wang flew rapidly through the air, he suddenly heard such a shout.

He looked down from the cloud-top and saw a pavilion standing on a mountaintop. Inside the pavilion, a table was laden with wine and meat.

A burly, dignified broad-faced man sat at the table, drinking wine and eating meat with unrestrained ease.

Jiang Wang naturally recognized him; it was none other than Zheng Country’s foremost expert, Gu Shi Yi, who had aided him during the pursuit and killing by the mysterious divinely-descended powerhouse in Equality Country!

This man had an excellent reputation, a true chivalrous figure of the first rank in the world. Originating from the Zheng royal family, he was not greedy for power or position, did not pursue official paths, but achieved the status of a contemporary True Person through his own efforts. He was known for his chivalry, often undertaking deeds to eradicate the strong and aid the weak, earning the reputation of a world-renowned chivalrous hero.

That one slap that cleared ten thousand li of rivers and mountains remained fresh in Jiang Wang’s memory even now.

A life-saving grace, naturally, he dared not forget.

Jiang Wang collected his thoughts and enthusiastically replied, “Senior Gu!”

Gu Shi Yi looked up at him and simply waved his hand: “Come down and drink wine!”

This was a barren mountain on the border of Zhao Country, with no villages or shops in sight. Why would a character like Gu Shi Yi be drinking wine in such a place?

With this doubt, Jiang Wang flew down.

He first bowed with clasped hands and said, “Since our last parting, Jiang has often recalled Senior’s demeanor. I did not expect to meet today in this place; it is truly a surprise!”

Gu Shi Yi wore a black and gold wind robe, sat there with a relaxed and uninhibited posture, and simply waved his hand: “No need for these trivial words!”

This person spoke quite directly.

Of course, Gu Shi Yi possessed the capital to be so uninhibited.

Jiang Wang smiled bitterly and then asked, “Why is Senior Gu here?”

Gu Shi Yi said, “I was drinking wine here with someone. That person left, but I hadn’t fully enjoyed myself yet. If you don’t mind the cold soup and leftovers, then accompany me and drink a few jars!”

Jiang Wang glanced at the table; indeed, it was already cleared, with scattered cups and plates.

In the seat opposite Gu Shi Yi, a set of used tableware was still placed, piled with gnawed bones, splashed with wine and water. The person was no longer there, and the seat had been cold for a while.

The wine, however, was fragrant. Several jars were still sealed with mud, their fragrance wafting out one after another.

“Accompanying Senior in drinking a few bowls is only right.” Jiang Wang sat down beside Gu Shi Yi, casually picked up a jar of wine, patted open the mud seal, took a clean porcelain bowl, and poured himself a full bowl.

“I shall first toast Senior three bowls to thank Senior for aiding me last time!”

He picked up the wine bowl, just about to drink it down.

But Gu Shi Yi reached out and blocked him, stopping him.

This person had already been drinking here for an unknown amount of time, his body thick with the scent of wine as if it were a palpable substance.

A dignified contemporary True Person, his eyes held a hint of intoxication.

He looked at Jiang Wang, his attitude clear: “This one has said it before, lending a hand is merely labor; there is no need for thanks. If you are doing this to thank me, then not drinking this wine is also fine. If it is to accompany me in enjoying, then this wine is yours to drink!”

“Then I shall not speak, but remember it in my heart.” Jiang Wang said, “However, Jiang Wang still has important matters to attend to and must return to the country urgently. Accompanying Senior in drinking a few bowls is no problem, but to drink to my heart’s content… perhaps not this time.”

Gu Shi Yi loosened his hand, his slightly intoxicated eyes looking at him: “Calling you to drink wine is met with all sorts of difficulties; this fellow doesn’t quite respect this one either, does he?”

Jiang Wang sat up straight, showing his proud backbone, but his tone was humble: “The mundane world is turbulent, and this body is truly difficult to free; I still hope Senior understands. If I promised lightly and then saw Senior wanting to drink for four or five days to enjoy, and then tried to find ways and excuses to leave, that would be disrespectful to Senior.”

“Hahaha ha.” Gu Shi Yi burst into laughter: “Little brat, sincere and lovely, a truly wonderful person!”

Don’t look at Gu Shi Yi’s appearance, which seemed to be only in his forties; his actual age was already over two hundred years. Calling Jiang Wang a little brat, he wasn’t awkward at all.

He simply picked up his bowl and said, “I toast Senior one bowl!”

The two clinked wine bowls and each drank it down.

Jiang Wang only felt a scorching hot current, burning from his throat straight to his heart; truly strong wine!

No wonder even a contemporary True Person like Gu Shi Yi was slightly intoxicated.

After the hot air burned through his lungs and viscera, it left only a kind of fiery, spicy pain and a refreshing sensation.

“Again?” Gu Shi Yi’s eyes held an expression that was difficult to describe.

Jiang Wang said nothing, picked up the wine jar again, first helped Gu Shi Yi fill his bowl, and then filled his own.

Thus, they clinked bowls again and drained them in one gulp.

With this bowl down, the air current that had previously sunk down unexpectedly surged up again. The two waves of wine clashed, instantly igniting a full-body, full-heart wine intent!

“Good! A straightforward person!” Gu Shi Yi casually wiped his mouth with his sleeve, personally picked up the wine jar, and intended to pour wine for Jiang Wang.

Jiang Wang quickly blocked him: “Senior, how can this be?”

“What can be or cannot be?” Gu Shi Yi pushed his hand away and straightforwardly filled two bowls, saying, “You also shouldn’t ‘Senior this’ and ‘Senior that.’ At the wine table, there are no ranks; just call me Gu brother!”

The wine was good wine, and quite intoxicating.

But “Gu brother”? Gu Shi Yi dared to listen, but how could Jiang Wang dare to call him that?

He couldn’t help but say with a bitter face, “Your age is high and your virtue deep; how dare I be without rank? Senior, please don’t be bothered by the title; let me say what comes naturally.”

“Don’t beat around the bush.” Gu Shi Yi waved his hand impatiently: “Thus, since this one is virtually a few years older than you, then you call this one Gu big brother, and this one calls you Jiang old brother!”

A difference of one or two hundred years, yet he called it “virtually a few years”?

“Ah?”

While Jiang Wang was still in a daze, Gu Shi Yi had already clinked his bowl: “Jiang old brother, come, drink!”

Thus, they clinked bowls and drank it down again.

This wine was a gulp drunk, a gulp returned. The fragrance of the wine accumulated, the wine intent intertwined. It made people more energetic the more they drank, more desirous to drink the more they drank.

After several bowls went down, Jiang Wang was already three points intoxicated and couldn’t help but ask: “Senior, what kind of wine is this?”

Gu Shi Yi squinted at him: “What did you call this one?”

The wine seemed to crash against his five viscera and six bowels, against his heart, against his mind sea.

In a haze, Jiang Wang blurted out: “Gu big brother!”

Relaying on the wine intent, this “Gu big brother” came out, and he instantly felt much more natural: “This wine is truly strong! I wonder what it is called?”

Gu Shi Yi slowly filled the wine to the brim, this time not clinking bowls with Jiang Wang.

He simply said: “Cang Sang.”

“Cang Sang of ‘Cang Hai Sang Tian,’ Cang Sang of ‘the correct path of the human world is Cang Sang’!”

He lifted his bowl and drained it.

His eyes held an expression that could not be articulated.

Such a character, originating from the direct lineage of a royal family, famous since youth, yet choosing to abandon country and position, not accepting the Dragon Court, roaming the world alone, his reputation filling various countries, until now, over two hundred years later.

His experiences and stories could be called legends.

His mood and memories, again, who could know?

In his chivalrous life roaming the world, there must have been many regrets, many unforgettable memories. Let him, at a moment like this, slowly reminisce.

And only reminisce.

Thank you to everyone who has always given me strength on this long journey.