This border wilderness hunt was, in truth, a rather anticlimactic affair.

Before setting out, Jiang Wang had yearned to test how far he could venture into the desolate frontier with naught but his lone sword. His heart had even entertained the notion of probing the edges of the forbidden zones, yet he was forced to turn back a mere two thousand seven hundred *li* shy, his ambitions thwarted.

He remained utterly oblivious to the seismic shifts that had already taken root in the border wilderness. Had he not pushed twenty-six hundred *li* deep, encountering eleven formidable cultivators of the Honored Divine Presence realm in swift succession, he might well have still believed the border wilderness to be a place of tranquility.

What, then, was the common perception of the border wilderness? It was the frontline where the human race clashed with the demon race, a perilous battlefield etched with countless tales of valor, guarded jointly by the great powers of Jing and Mu. Beyond that, for those who had never set foot there, its reality remained frustratingly distant.

Considering the sheer density of demon beasts he encountered this time, Jiang Wang found it almost impossible to envision the true horror of a full-blown demon tide. And how, he wondered, did his predecessors manage to break the tide of those catastrophic demon invasions that history recorded?

Judging by Tu Hu’s demeanor, the Kingdom of Mu was certainly privy to some of the changes unfolding in the border wilderness… but what exactly were they? Did the Kingdom of Qi possess knowledge of these current events?

The rampant presence of powerful demon combatants so close to the forbidden zones – was this a harbinger of a new wave of demon tides? Or perhaps, was some formidable demon lord on the cusp of emerging?

Why was Tu Hu, who should have been residing comfortably in the Min He Temple, overseeing the reception of foreign envoys, instead venturing into the border wilderness? And who was this ‘existence’ he claimed he was dealing with?

What connection, if any, did all these encounters have with the “Snap Finger Birth Extinction Illusion Demon Skill”?

Of the Eight Great Demon Skills, Jiang Wang now had knowledge of three: the “Exterminate Emotion Absolute Desire Blood Demon Skill,” the “Snap Finger Birth Extinction Illusion Demon Skill,” and the “Seven Hatreds Demon Skill.”

The first two, at a glance, appeared to be of the same lineage, while the latter seemed distinct. The reason for this discrepancy remained unclear. Perhaps the Eight Great Demon Skills themselves originated from different factions?

His journey to the border wilderness was intended to solidify his understanding of the ‘demon’ menace, yet it had only served to sow more seeds of doubt.

These questions he held tightly in his heart.

While the sudden peril he faced was unsettling, what troubled Jiang Wang more deeply was the news of Deng Yue’s demise. Deng Yue and the Director of Tai Country’s Prison Department dying simultaneously in the border wilderness was a fact that spoke volumes.

He finally understood why Zhao Ru Cheng, an exiled imperial descendant of Qin, had initially been willing to risk his life on Guan He Platform. It was for this young boy, who had long since given up, and fundamentally harbored no desire to sacrifice himself for the sake of past individuals or events…

He was forced to step forward, compelled to act in that manner to protect himself and to respond to the passing of Uncle Deng.

He knew, more clearly than anyone else, that Zhao Ru Cheng had long since abandoned everything, wishing only to live a simple life in obscurity. And yet, now he was killing demons in the border wilderness, fighting desperately on the battlefield, and cultivating in Er De Mi.

Why must this world constantly force those who wish not to fight, to fight?

Jiang Wang had no answer. Or perhaps, he was not yet qualified to provide one.

Beneath the dim, sunken sky, he departed the border wilderness alone.

He entered the border wilderness with one person, one sword, and one black camel. As he left, the black camel was gone, its bell’s chime buried in the wind and sand.

Yet, Yu Wen Duo was indeed waiting outside the line of life and death, accompanied by a detachment of patrolling cavalry.

Seeing Jiang Wang, he let out a sigh of relief: “Marquis has finally returned! I was afraid you’d get carried away with the killing and miss the succession ceremony.” The vibrant green of the grassland on this side of the life and death line allowed Jiang Wang’s taut heartstrings to slacken slightly. Casually, he handed over a storage box.

“Collected some heads of Yin demons.”

Yu Wen Duo laughed: “I’ll help you exchange them for Dao Yuan Stones later.”

“No need,” Jiang Wang said nonchalantly. “The meaning of a birth soul stone lies in the border wilderness. I don’t have much on me for this trip to the grassland. Consider these raw materials my personal congratulatory gift, a tribute to the great sacrifices made by the children of the grassland in resisting the demon race.”

Yu Wen Duo tightened his grip on the storage box, his voice solemn.

“In that case, on behalf of the soldiers of the border wilderness, I thank Marquis.”

Even disregarding this batch of Yin demon heads, Jiang Wang’s strength alone, fighting in the border wilderness for several days, pushing himself to the point of injury, had significantly alleviated the defensive pressure on the Mu Country army guarding the area. Yu Wen Duo’s thanks felt genuine.

Jiang Wang simply looked at his bulging hand, where veins stood out, and said: “Remember to give me back my storage box.”

Riding side-by-side on the road back to the supreme king court, the wind carried the scent of freedom. Yu Wen Duo couldn’t help but ask: “How deep into the border wilderness did Marquis venture, exactly? And how did you get injured?”

“Still not to the forbidden zone,” Jiang Wang said, intoxicated by the vitality of the grassland. “Surrounded by eight Divine Presence combatants.”

“Eight?!” Yu Wen Duo exclaimed in surprise. “Are you sure you didn’t enter the forbidden zone?”

“It was two thousand six hundred *li* from the life and death line, not quite two thousand seven hundred.” Jiang Wang answered, then turned the question: “Do you know anything about Jin Mian Cha Si, the host of the Min He Temple?”

“Tu Hu, Lord Tu?”

“Yes, I saw him this time.”

Yu Wen Duo fell silent instantly. After a long pause, he finally said: “That is not someone I can speak of.”

Jiang Wang’s surprise grew. What was the background of this Tu Hu? This fearless, reckless fellow, Yu Wen Feng, a true-blooded descendant of the Yu Wen clan, actually didn’t even dare to speak of him? The mere position of Jin Mian Si Si and the Tu clan’s family background were not enough to command such deference.

Yet, a smile remained on his face: “It seems this is a truly extraordinary character. I was perhaps a bit rude earlier.”

Yu Wen Duo said seriously: “After this time, it’s best Marquis doesn’t have too much contact with him. Otherwise, it will lead to a lot of unnecessary trouble.”

Jiang Wang was surprised that Yu Wen Feng would make such a judgment, and thus asked: “A character who brings a lot of trouble upon himself, yet is entrusted with such a diplomatically crucial post as hosting the Min He Temple?” If that were truly the case, then his employment by Mu Ting was deeply puzzling.

Whose diplomatic official was not the type to be smooth-talking, adept at navigating all sides? This important position, which to a certain extent reflected national will, should not, in any consideration, be held by a person who causes trouble.

But Yu Wen Duo said no more.

Jiang Wang had deliberately waited until after the Blessed Land challenges on June 15th before departing for the border wilderness. He could easily defeat his opponents in the Blessed Land challenges and did not need to boast about it. After dropping to the sixty-ninth ranked Yun Shan Blessed Land, he was already very close to the seventy-second ranked East Sea Mountain Blessed Land.

The main reason for starting from the lowest ranked Blessed Land was to establish a challenge trajectory truly his own, and secondly, not to miss any of the Blessed Lands’ unique outputs.

Beyond this… he was also attempting to construct another combat system, planning to use it to impact the Blessed Land rankings while concealing his illusion identity. It was not yet perfect, but defeating the lowest ranked Divine Presence cultivators in the Blessed Lands was already not a problem.

He departed on June 16th, fought in the border wilderness for five days, and returned to the supreme king court on June 22nd. There were still several days left before the God Death Great Cha Si succession ceremony began.

And envoys from various countries had also arrived in succession.

The majestic and vast Min He Temple, after the envoy teams from various countries had all taken up residence, became bustling with activity. Excellent diplomatic talents from different nations freely debated on such a stage. Envoys like Jiang Wang, who cultivated behind closed doors and then ran off alone to the border wilderness to fight, were truly a rare breed.

Yu Wen Duo hurried away as soon as he reached the king court, leaving Jiang Wang to wonder about the urgency of his business.

Jiang Wang returned alone to the courtyard where the Qi Country envoys resided. His injuries had all been properly treated by this point, leaving no lingering issues.

Qiao Lin eagerly rushed out to greet him, diligently taking his horse. He later learned of his own clumsy self-promotion that day and felt deeply regretful. He was single-minded in his desire to rebuild the trust between himself and the Marquis, only to find that the Marquis had turned around and gone to the grassland, leaving his carefully prepared flattery with nowhere to land. He was deeply disappointed.

“Marquis, in the past few days you weren’t here, quite a few people came looking for you!” he said with a mysterious tone.

“Oh?” Jiang Wang smiled clearly. “Among them, presumably, are people from the Kingdom of Chu.”

In fact, after learning that the Chu Country envoys this time to the grassland included Dou Lu, he had already anticipated this meeting. When he initially left the Chu capital, he and Dou Zhao had made an agreement in the presence of a divine being. If not for this meeting in the grassland, he himself would have made time to go to Chu.

Even the extent of his solitary hunt in the border wilderness this time was not without the intention of sharpening his sword in anticipation of Dou Zhao.

Facing an opponent like Dou Zhao, who dared to be negligent? And it was quite normal for Dou Zhao, who was skilled in battle, to come knocking first in an urgent rush.

“Marquis is wise!” Qiao Lin gave a thumbs-up, his face full of admiration. “Marquis truly predicts like a god! How did you know Zhong Li Yan would come looking for you? He really came over every three days, asking if you were in, if you were back.”

Zhong Li Yan? Why would he suddenly come? He wasn’t close with Jiang Wang. Were the Chu Country envoys not Dou Zhao? Had they temporarily changed personnel?

Jiang Wang was slightly taken aback, but this was not a time to show surprise. He simply vaguely hummed in response. Then he asked: “You said many people came looking for me. Besides the Chu people, who else?”

“Zhi Country also came to visit you!” Qiao Lin boasted loudly: “Lord Hou’s prestige has spread throughout the world, his reputation is awe-inspiring! Who wouldn’t want the opportunity to see the true face? If I weren’t a Qi person, if I didn’t have a place under your command, I would definitely try to find a way to visit you!”

Murong Long Xu? But… Jiang Wang automatically ignored Qiao Lin’s low-level flattery. He couldn’t understand what connection he had with Murong Long Xu that would prompt the other side to visit. He temporarily interpreted it as diplomatic behavior by the Jing Country.

But… the Emperor hadn’t given him any diplomatic instructions before his departure, had he? If they truly wanted to discuss cooperation and alliances, he had absolutely no high-level attitude on his side. How could he even discuss it? He needed to find a way to vaguely brush it off…

As he was pondering, a clear shout suddenly came from outside the courtyard: “Jiang Qing Yang!”

It was a female voice.

“The Jing Country person is here again!” Qiao Lin whispered a reminder.

Jiang Wang had already recognized the comer. He turned and saw a healthy and beautiful woman with ancient bronze skin walking in with great strides. She wore armor over her robe, her walk was imposing, bringing wind and thunder with her. But her face was full of smiles: “Ah, no, it should be Jiang Wu An!”

Jiang Wang also smiled: “Qing Yang is fine, Wu An is fine, they are all me, Jiang Wang. Any way Miss Huang calls me is fine.”

Huang She Li then laughed: “Good, Jiang Fairy!”

“…Uh.” Jiang Wang choked.

Huang She Li’s laughter became even more brilliant. Her features were deep, possessing a beauty rarely seen in the East Domain. Her smile held an innate infectious power, making people unconsciously open their mouths and their moods brighten.

Like sunlight piercing through layers of clouds, she walked into the courtyard, naturally taking Jiang Wang’s hand: “Long time no see!”

Recalling their meeting by the Huang River, it truly felt like they had been separated by worlds. Jiang Wang couldn’t help but sigh: “Yes, in the blink of an eye, two years have passed.”

Huang She Li held his hand for a moment, then let go, laughing: “Time flies, and Brother Jiang’s demeanor is even better than before. I, on the other hand, want to quickly jump to ten or twenty years from now, to see what kind of appearance Jiang Qing Yang will have then!”

As Jiang Wang invited her into the hall, he replied: “If one day Miss Huang can control such a long period of time, please be merciful. Whether it is ten years or ten days, I wish to experience it carefully and am unwilling to skip it.”

“Reasonable, reasonable.” Huang She Li nodded repeatedly: “We need to experience it carefully, that’s right.”

Jiang Wang always felt that they were talking about different things.

After they were seated, he asked again: “I remember your esteemed country’s envoy this time seems to be General Murong?”

“Yes, I came along with him.” Huang She Li looked at him, her smiling eyes full. “Surprised or not surprised? Unexpected or not unexpected?”

Beauty Zhao is in seclusion, Beauty Zhong Xuan is not coming, only Beauty Jiang is in front of me, I should look more closely. Otherwise, wouldn’t this trip to the grassland be in vain?

“Both,” Jiang Wang smiled, then pondered for a moment. “I see that Miss Huang’s energy is full and round. Are you already on the verge of becoming a Divine Presence?”

Huang She Li, who possessed an absolute peak divine ability, should be a powerful opponent once she reached the Divine Presence realm. What kind of brilliant splendor her Bloom Reversal would possess, Jiang Wang greatly anticipated.

“Still a little short, not perfect enough,” Huang She Li mumbled. “Otherwise, this time I would just kick him down and come alone. Managing this and that, it’s so annoying.”

Jiang Wang was slightly amused: “How does General Murong manage you?”

“He lectures me from morning till night!” Huang She Li seemed to have been dissatisfied for many days. “I came to see an old friend, what’s wrong with that?”

“Marquis! Marquis!” Qiao Lin ran over in a small hurry. “The Chu person has sent a letter!”

He panted a little and added: “A letter of challenge! Dou Zhao sent someone to deliver it!”

Huang She Li’s beautiful eyes beside him gleamed. If not for some remaining restraint, she would have simply danced a set of the Great Subjugate Demon Pestle on the spot. Dou Zhao against Jiang Wang! What an absolutely beautiful scene! Fortunately, she hadn’t listened to that zombie face’s words. If she hadn’t come today and missed this battle, wouldn’t it be a lifelong regret?

Jiang Wang was too lazy to ponder whether the Chu person was Zhong Li Yan or Dou Zhao. Hearing it was Dou Zhao’s challenge, he simply extended his hand: “Send it here!”

Qiao Lin respectfully handed over the letter of challenge.

Jiang Wang unfolded it and looked. The main text contained only one line: “The agreement in the Chu capital, do you remember?” The handwriting was not very neat, but it was arrogant and unrestrained, as if it wanted to break out of the paper and slash him in the face.

He closed the letter of challenge, raised his eyes to look at Qiao Lin, and laughed loudly: “The Chu person sent a letter, and it’s well written!”