“Human Qi.” A term oft heard, yet elusive when sought in truth, seemingly ephemeral, yet verily it exists.

When the Qi Emperor questioned his court, Jiang Wuxie spoke: “Human Qi is insufficient, and Primordial Qi insufficient. In the system of a nation, Human Qi is furthermore the origin and flow of official Qi. This, in times of warring states, is the very foundation of seizing populations.”

The former sentence speaks of Human Qi as the influence of living beings upon the Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth. The latter, then, describes the connection between Human Qi and the national system.

The spirit shrine of the Nine Returns Marquis was precisely a place devoid of significant Human Qi. Though enshrined within the Protectorate Hall, and frequently visited for sweeping and sprinkling, it still held an air of profound solitude.

Jiang Wang stepped into the shrine.

It was still early morning.

In most corners of Linzi city, the clamor had already begun. Only here, a sense of solemn tranquility prevailed. A faint, cool morning light, whence it came, could not be discerned, yet it bathed a figure who stood with his back to Jiang Wang.

This was a familiar form.

Perhaps hearing the sound of footsteps, he slowly turned, his gaze falling upon Jiang Wang. Upon seeing him, he showed no surprise, merely turning back to insert the stick of Heaven’s Mandate Incense he held into the censer. Then, he fully turned, facing Jiang Wang directly.

“Long time no see, Jiang Qingyang,” he said.

The Heaven’s Mandate Incense was green, like a curtain entwining the azure sky. A faint, almost imperceptible, yet undeniably present wisp of smoke rose vaguely behind him. The smoke drifted past him, lingering before the venerable, towering statue of the first generation Nine Returns Marquis.

This was a life-sized effigy, some eight feet tall, its build not particularly robust. The statue wore armor upon its upper body, bearing numerous scars. The reason for its appearance was the half-draped purple robe it bore. In the past, the Nine Returns Marquis, after nine battles and nine returns, exhausted his strength and perished. The Wu Emperor had removed his own robe and draped it over the Marquis’s corpse. Enshrining the statue in this manner was likely in commemoration of this event.

And to be able to enter the Ancestral Temple Protectorate Hall unimpeded and offer sacrifice to the Nine Returns Marquis here, could naturally only be the sole surviving bloodline of the Fengxian Zhang clan, Zhang Yong.

Or perhaps, a person who was very likely not Zhang Yong.

Jiang Wang subconsciously recalled Chongxuan Sheng’s reminder from the previous day—“You might encounter trouble.” Alertness rose in his heart, yet his face betrayed nothing: “It has been some time.”

Since that battle on Cloud Mist Mountain, they had not been in contact again. Even when they occasionally saw each other, it was but a fleeting glance. Of the few who had emerged from the Heaven’s Treasury secret realm together, his friendship with Xu Xianggan and Li Longchuan had deepened, while his contact with Zhang Yong, after those initial encounters, had become like that of strangers.

“Come to sacrifice to my Zhang clan ancestors, have you?” Zhang Yong said lightly. “You have a thoughtful heart.” Saying thus, he stepped aside, allowing Jiang Wang access to the sacrificial position.

The Nine Returns Marquis was indeed a hero; Jiang Wang had intended to pay his respects upon entering, and originally planned to offer sacrifice once. At this moment, he said little, walking to the altar, taking three sticks of Heaven’s Mandate Incense, lighting them together, and after a proper and respectful ritual, inserted the incense into the censer. He bowed once more.

Zhang Yong had stood at the side the entire time, waiting until Jiang Wang had completed this set of actions, then asked: “Why are you not even a little perfunctory? You do not know him, nor are you a native-born Qi person. The current Fengxian Zhang clan is even less likely to bring you any benefit… how can you be so serious?”

The Zhang Yong of this moment was unlike any Zhang Yong Jiang Wang had ever seen. The Zhang Yong before entering the Heaven’s Treasury secret realm possessed a hint of childish timidity amidst his courage. The Zhang Yong after exiting the Heaven’s Treasury secret realm was restrained and introverted, and noticeably more confident. That Zhang Yong on Cloud Mist Mountain, following the Eleventh Prince Jiang Wuqi, was eager to stand out, eager to establish merit, his eyes filled with ambition. This was a complete portrait of character growth.

And the Zhang Yong in the overlapping layers of the Dao Technique solitary tree forest and Dao Technique flower sea, his eyes revealing a plea, complex and mysterious.

But no matter which Zhang Yong, none would be like today, speaking so much, so actively initiating conversation.

“Why do you not speak?” he asked again.

“I do not feel your question is a question. Must all matters in the world forcefully demand a ‘why’?” Jiang Wang said. “The Nine Returns Marquis is a person worthy of respect, thus I respect him. It is that simple.”

“You are very sincere, truly, you are very sincere.” Zhang Yong looked at Jiang Wang, then turned his head to gaze at the statue of the Nine Returns Marquis. He sighed: “Pity I cannot do so.”

Jiang Wang subtly took a step back: “So?”

Zhang Yong seemed to suddenly come to his senses, comforting: “You need not be nervous, we are not enemies. I personally harbor no hatred towards you. Moreover…” He smiled: “I am not your opponent, am I?”

Jiang Wang, of course, would not relax his vigilance based on his words. His hand rested on the sword hilt: “Who exactly are you?”

“You can ask me this question a thousand, ten thousand times, and I will have only one answer.” He slightly lowered his eyes and said: “I am the descendant of the Nine Returns Marquis, the sole surviving bloodline of the Fengxian Zhang clan, Zhang Yong.”

“Very strange.” Jiang Wang stared at him and said: “Now that I think about it, I find it very strange. On Cloud Mist Mountain that time, I actually chose silence, not exposing your doubts. And for so long since, I have not thought of this matter again.”

Zhang Yong chuckled: “There is nothing strange about this. You are inherently kind-hearted, you know how to understand and sympathize. On Cloud Mist Mountain, you simply succumbed to your inherent nature.”

“That time I was affected by your pupil technique?” Jiang Wang asked.

“Jiang Qingyang, that is not important,” Zhang Yong said. “What is important is your kind-heartedness.”

Jiang Wang thought for a moment, then slowly drew out his long sword. The beautiful body of the Longxiangsi sword, bathed in the morning light, was even clearer than the light itself.

“I think it is simply because…” He said: “At that time, I still had no intention of settling in Qi, nor was I yet a Green Card holder.”

Zhang Yong was still laughing, and he laughed as he asked Jiang Wang: “Duty dictates?”

“Then what of your compassion?” he pressed. “Your kind-heartedness, your sympathy, your pity?”

Jiang Wang calmly looked at him: “My compassion will not be given to assassins, nor to scheming and evasive people.”

Since Cloud Mist Mountain, Zhang Yong had always circled around Jiang Wang, avoiding face-to-face encounters at all costs. Such a person, why would he reveal himself today, his words no longer guarded? Jiang Wang could only think of one reason: he could no longer thoroughly hide.

Why did he suddenly become unable to hide? Jiang Wang could only associate this with the case of Cui Zhu assassinating the lord. This Zhang Yong and Cui Zhu, there must be some kind of connection!

“Ah.” Zhang Yong sighed with a smile: “There are too many clever people in this world. You expose a single hair, and they can dig up your ancestors for eighteen generations…”

He suddenly raised his head, taking a step forward: “Come, take me!”