The divine ability known as “Heavenly Mechanism” is said to require “obtaining a single thread of the Heavenly Mechanism.”

In the instant of myriad choices, it captures the most accurate, the most exquisite “hand of the divine.” Once the ability blossoms, it can even activate several “hands” consecutively, each step an optimal one. Relying on this divine ability, Chen Suan has few rivals within the same realm. He repeatedly slew powerful enemies in the Jing-Mu war, establishing his renown and laying the groundwork for his meritorious service.

Naturally, the ultimate principles of heaven and earth are inexhaustible. Even the “Heavenly Mechanism” divine ability has its limitations. Chen Suan cannot truly grasp the “most correct” choice under heaven. How could the “most correct” seen by Inner Mansion cultivators be the same as that seen by contemporary True Persons? So-called truth often shifts with different eras and environments. Thus, the “hand of the divine” obtained through the Heavenly Mechanism divine ability is merely the best choice under certain constraints. For instance, with his current Divine Arrival realm cultivation, this optimal “hand” would approximately match the perspective of a Cave True realm expert. To leverage a higher perspective against a lower one is, of course, always advantageous.

After witnessing the battle between Jiang Wang and Zhong Li Yan, Chen Suan continuously calculated thirteen times, resulting in seven wins and six losses. Strictly speaking, it was a slight advantage. But the problem lies in the fact that in today’s battle on Qing Ya Tai, despite completely suppressing his opponent, Jiang Wang absolutely did not display his peak strength, yet Chen Suan substituted his own peak strength into the calculation. The contrast between their true peak strengths… is only feared to be quite tragic.

Indeed, a real fight to the death holds countless possibilities, and divination cannot predict everything. But he understands one point more clearly – Jiang Wang is absolutely one of the most top-tier combat geniuses in the current world. In a true life-and-death struggle, his performance will only be better, not worse.

In a life-and-death struggle, performance will only be better, not worse. This is something he has personally witnessed and experienced. Thus, he sighed.

He is not a person blessed with good fortune. Or perhaps, “The Heavenly Mechanism does not respond, the human path often lacks.”

In the 39th year of the Dao Calendar, the Yellow River Assembly should have been his moment of fame. Yet, he inexplicably suffered and didn’t even have the opportunity to appear. All the glory for Jing Country was enjoyed solely by Tai Yu True Person, Li Yi. In the same year, the Star Moon Plain war occurred, where the heavenly prides of Jing and Qi contended. This was also an occasion for him to prove himself. But the Jade Balance Star changed hands, Jiang Wang arrived from outside the heavens, causing the Qi heavenly pride to defeat the Jing heavenly pride. He, Chen Suan, also became mere background. The East Heavenly Master later found the Jade Balance and warned the newly promoted Jade Balance Star Lord. But what use was that to him, Chen Suan?

One step slow, every step slow. He gained some honors in the Jing-Mu war, but compared to Jiang Wang, who was enfeoffed as a marquis with military merits on the Qi Xia battlefield, the difference was not just a little. Of course, this had much to do with the battlefield situation, so-called “time and fate,” but others would not think so. Others would only say that he, Chen Suan, was indeed far inferior to Jiang Wang. Losing in the Star Moon Plain initially was not unjust! This time, coming to the grassland, bringing with him the momentum of Jing Country’s great victory over Mu Country, he was here with the heart to prove himself. But this time, he truly couldn’t win…

By now, the crowds had dispersed. The large arena stood empty and vast, like the Heavenly Mechanism always seeking in the boundless void.

Chen Suan pondered for a moment, then silently took out a cloak and put it on. The great war between Jing and Mu had just ended, and especially as the envoy of the victorious side, invited to participate in this Divine Crown Priest successor ceremony, it was indeed quite awkward. Although no Mu Country official would target him, it was hard to guarantee the Mu Country common people… if he didn’t conceal himself a bit before going out, receiving a few rotten eggs and stinky potatoes might just be unsightly.

Jiang Wang walked into the long corridor. Having won so beautifully, he was naturally welcomed by the worshipful eyes of Qiao Lin and the other attendants. Especially Qiao Lin, whose flattery was like a surging tide. After Jiang Marquis listened patiently, he did not severely criticize General Qiao’s flattering behavior. He gave high-level guidance on guarding duties, emphasizing a pragmatic and truth-seeking attitude…

After wasting some time in this way, he finally waited for Huang Sheli to arrive. Upon seeing Jiang Wang, a smile immediately bloomed on Huang Sheli’s face, and she directly handed over a squirrel box: “Your share.”

Jiang Wang did not stand on ceremony, took it, and looked at it, surprised: “So much?”

Huang Sheli blinked: “Mainly because time was too tight and I didn’t have time to operate properly, otherwise it wouldn’t be this little.”

Fighting this battle, not even getting a scratch, and earning so many yuan stones, Jiang Wang felt a little uneasy: “You didn’t secretly give me more just to take care of me, did you?”

Huang Sheli laughed: “You can rest assured about this! We agreed on the amount beforehand, and even if you looked ten times better, it would be impossible to deduct an extra dao yuan stone from me.”

“It seems I still underestimated the wealth of the Mu Country people,” Jiang Wang sighed. “Spending so much money to watch others fight, what for?”

Huang Sheli laughed: “You underestimate your current fame. This thing is very valuable!”

Jiang Wang said: “Fame is the kind of thing that comes like piled earth and goes like a collapsing mountain. Lose once and it’s gone; it’s not valuable at all.”

“That may not be. Since ancient times, what is precious in fame and fortune? Fame is profit, fame is power, fame is a tool.” Huang Sheli looked at the Long Xiang Si in his hand: “Fame nourishes people the most, and fame also nourishes tools. Nourished into a great momentum, naturally nothing is not beneficial. Just like your famous sword, the greater its fame, the fuller its spirituality, so it can always match your cultivation and not become a burden. One day, it might even be truly engraved in history, it’s not impossible.”

Jiang Wang only said: “Although fame nourishes people, it also devours people’s time fiercely. If one day it loses to a weapon ranked lower than it, all the things added because of fame will be transferred out, becoming merely a wedding dress.”

Huang Sheli leaned on her chest, supporting her chin: “I didn’t expect the famous Jiang Qing Yang to be such a pessimistic person.”

“Perhaps I’m not pessimistic,” Jiang Wang smiled. “Everyone will lose.”

Huang Sheli thought for a moment, then added: “Right, without your permission, I recorded your battle with Zhong Li Yan. You can name a price and let me buy the recording rights. Or…” She took out a shadow stone and shook it in front of Jiang Wang: “Take it.” This uniquely styled Jing Country beauty very seriously added: “I guarantee this is the only copy.” She was such a brilliant person. When she spoke seriously, it was truly hard to shift your gaze from her beautiful eyes.

“You keep it,” Jiang Wang said casually. “If you have any thoughts on this battle, you’re welcome to discuss them with me anytime.”

“Okay!” Huang Sheli smiled happily. “I’ll come find you tonight for a chat.”

“…I have to meditate in the evening, how about we schedule it for tomorrow morning?”

“That’s fine too,” Huang Sheli’s smile didn’t change. “Morning, when the dew contains light, is very suitable for meeting you.”

Jiang Wang fled.

Bringing Qiao Lin and others out of the Cang Wolf fighting arena, not far away, two women hurriedly chased after them. Qiao Lin immediately blocked them, holding his sword horizontally: “Don’t be rude, this is Marquis Wu An of Great Qi! Who are you?”

At this moment, the sky was blue and the white clouds were idle. Two lovely young girls stood there, their vibrant, fresh youthfulness already a scene.

The young girl walking in front, not at all afraid, tiptoed and turned her head to bypass Qiao Lin’s block and shouted to Jiang Wang: “Little female Hu Er Lian Zhen Yi seeks to meet Marquis Wu An!”

Jiang Wang glanced at her, not recognizing her, but instead recognizing Wu Yan Lan Zhu standing beside her. They had debated scriptures before! He then waved his hand, signaling Qiao Lin to step aside, and laughed warmly: “Girl, why are you blocking me?”

The grassland girl named Hu Er Lian Zhen Yi, who had been so bold and brave when trying to break through Qiao Lin’s block, suddenly blushed at Jiang Wang’s face-to-face question, and the blush spread all the way to her ear roots. She tightly clutched an incense pouch with both hands, stammered for a long time, closed her eyes, and extended her hand: “Please, you must accept it!”

Jiang Wang took it with both hands: “Thank you, girl. It just so happens that mosquitoes have been rampant recently. Hanging this in the room should put my mind at ease.”

Hu Er Lian Zhen Yi was completely dizzy, for a moment not knowing if she was in the clouds and mist, and subconsciously prepared to leave. Compared to her good sister, Wu Yan Lan Zhu’s courage was clearly much greater. She made an effort to look at Jiang Wang, still extended her palm, trying to cover the upper half of Jiang Wang’s face, wanting to use the outline of his chin in front of her to verify the one in her memory.

Hu Er Lian Zhen Yi suddenly realized, pulled her: “Don’t be rude!”

Jiang Wang only smiled warmly, then led his people away.

“Ah, what are you doing, how dare you lay hands on him!” Hu Er Lian Zhen Yi’s soul was unsettled; that romantic daze was completely scared away. She was born into the Hu Er Lian tribe, the direct daughter of the tribal leader. She was considered noble on the grassland and had seen too many big figures with perverse tempers. This time, she had watched the duel until her heart was stirred beyond measure, then mustered the courage to come and give an incense pouch. She absolutely dared not do anything offensive. She didn’t expect Wu Yan Lan Zhu, this girl, to be so lost in thought, actually daring to touch the face of Marquis Wu An of Qi Country. Did she treat him as a divine flower boy in a spring carriage? She nervously pulled her good sister’s hand, not daring to relax, and continuously complained: “What were you thinking, silly? Fortunately, Marquis Wu An has a good character and didn’t haggle with you, otherwise, if he got angry because of this, it wouldn’t just be your personal matter, the Tu Clan wouldn’t be able to protect you either.”

“He was originally a very good person,” Wu Yan Lan Zhu said. She suddenly fell silent.

She forgot which book it was that said, “Some people are destined for only a fleeting glance.” She didn’t remember the sentence before, nor the sentence after. Yet, she somehow remembered this one sentence. At this moment, she suddenly understood. Even if someone has a good temper, they won’t necessarily be tolerant of you, moreover, he is a Marquis who has killed his way out of battlefields. How do you know he won’t casually draw a sword…

Hu Er Lian Zhen Yi was still talking non-stop. Wu Yan Lan Zhu looked up at the sky, blue as washed, boundless at a glance. And that wandering cloud that looked like a steed earlier had already dispersed.

On the way back to the Chu Country envoy residence in Min He Temple, Zhong Li Yan always felt that the eyes of passersby were not quite right. There was a hint of disdain, three points of mockery, four points of coldness, five points of sympathy. As for why the sum of four points was more than ten, that was because beyond the passersby, there were also dogs on the road.

“Look what you’re looking at!” Zhong Li Yan lifted his palm and delivered a slap, sending the sheepdog that was sizing him up spinning on the spot, whimpering and tucking its tail to run away.

“Is that Zhong Li Yan?” Someone on the roadside whispered.

“Isn’t that the one who dueled with Marquis Jiang of Qi Country? Look at his unlucky appearance, did he lose?”

“Could he still win? Don’t look at who Jiang Wang is!”

“Lost and still so arrogant?”

“Shh, don’t say anything, this person is very narrow-minded. Didn’t you see even the dog got beaten?”

“Tsk tsk tsk, what kind of person is this!”

Scattered discussions, just like that, transmitted into his ears round after round. Zhong Li Yan was greatly enraged. Slander, these people were simply slandering nakedly! How is he, Zhong Li Yan, narrow-minded? If this were in Chu Country, he would exile all of them! But this was not Chu Country after all.

Returning to Min He Temple in a very unpleasant mood, Zhong Li Yan thought for a moment and turned towards the back door. He cautiously made his way to the area where the Chu Country envoy resided and quietly slipped into the courtyard. His luck had not been good these days, and he planned not to go out anymore, waiting until the successor ceremony began.

Then he saw… Dou Zhao.

The famous young master of the Dou family was eating honey melon, eating until the juice splattered, it was truly fragrant. He looked up and saw him, still waving his hand broadly: “Come, taste a mouthful. The emerald honey melon of the grassland is a must, its price is comparable to gold!”

Zhong Li Yan’s face turned black: “What are you doing in my courtyard?”

Dou Zhao paused for a moment, looked at him, and said: “I thought about it. To wait for your good news, I should still wait in your courtyard. Otherwise, it’s easy to miss it. How is it? Looking at you so arrogant, did you think you would definitely win?”

Zhong Li Yan rolled his eyes: “What business is it of yours?”

“Ha!” Dou Zhao’s tone had a distinct rise: “You lost!”

Zhong Li Yan retorted loudly, saying things like “heroes are not judged by success or failure,” “who says it’s accurate,” “the ground was too slippery,” and so on.

Dou Zhao smiled brightly: “Speaking of which, Jiang Wang and I also have a war appointment.” He slanted his eyes at Zhong Li Yan: “Only, however, Jiang Wang felt that he had just returned from hunting demons on the grassland and was not in a good enough state to fight me, so he asked for a few days of rest. I didn’t expect you to be so anxious to lose face. Here, the letter is still here. Do you want to see it?”

Zhong Li Yan’s eyes shot fire.

“Wrong?” Dou someone’s face was perplexed, he didn’t understand, confused: “Didn’t he say he wanted to rest? How did he still find a gap to fight you? Could it be that he looks down on you so much that he just treats you as an extra?”

Zhong Li Yan was furious, but for a moment, he couldn’t tell whether Jiang Wang was more hateful or Dou Zhao was more hateful, so he simply hated them both together. Two dog thieves!

Dou Zhao completely ignored Zhong Li Yan’s mood, shaking his head and swinging his brain, poking him in the heart with one sentence after another, throwing them in his face. Zhong Li Yan indignantly retorted, but defeat was the naked reality, and he had no room to parry at all, being scolded until his face turned green and then white.

Dou Zhao himself was very clear. Zhong Li Yan was completely suppressed by him too fiercely, which is why he lost confidence in the orthodox cultivation path and turned to developing martial arts. Abandoning techniques to cultivate martial arts, it sounds very grand. Zhong Li Yan indeed has excellent talent and a figure of great perseverance. He can also indeed bring him some pressure. But so far, it’s only limited to “some pressure”… No matter how much he acts unconvinced, how he repeatedly defeats and repeatedly fights, how he is defeated but not discouraged, Zhong Li Yan in the deepest part of his heart has a recognition of that gap, even some fear. Otherwise, how would he give up the accumulation of so many years in the orthodox cultivation path? This fear will forever block his path, until the day he defeats it.

And this is not Zhong Li Yan’s fault. Anyone who has the ambition to be the strongest person and lives in the same era as him, Dou Zhao, will have their confidence continuously destroyed. Some people can rebuild, some cannot. Zhong Li Yan is already considered rare.

No matter what, this guy is a very good sparring partner. Dou Zhao thinks it is still necessary to help guide him one or two. It’s not good if he collapses like this. Compared to Wu Ling and the others, Zhong Li Yan is still capable of putting up a fight.

Thinking of this, Dou Zhao slightly restrained himself and changed to a long sigh: “Actually, you can’t blame yourself. If it weren’t for you always being unable to beat me, having to give up your previous accumulation and switch to cultivating martial arts, you might not have been able to hold out for a few more rounds today.”

These words made Zhong Li Yan’s brow furrow tightly.

“To be born in the same era as me is your greatest misfortune. But are you the only unfortunate one in the world, Zhong Li Yan?” Dou Zhao, with a look of ‘I understand you very well,’ said leisurely: “I personally suggest you still need to be a little more open-minded.”

Zhong Li Yan suddenly became greatly enraged: “You count as a feather!”

The Great Chu Divine Sin Army elites guarding outside the courtyard only heard a sudden boom sound from inside the courtyard, followed by ping ping pang pang, which lasted for a long time.