“Look how well I’m doing now! The number one Inner Palace in the world, number one!
I have a very large fiefdom in Qi, and the people in my fiefdom are very simple. In my fiefdom, there is also a very interesting building, with an ancient style, called the Hall of Rectification. You must come and sit there sometime.
I am now the Baron of Qingyang Town in Great Qi, and also a fourth-rank Azure Badge Constable.
The Azure Badge Constables of Qi, they’re like the Bureau of Investigation… ahaha, what does fourth-rank mean? Only Outer Mansion cultivators can step through that threshold, and I, your brother, got it ahead of time!
From the Near Sea Archipelago to Linzi in Qi, I, your brother, have friends everywhere, and I can handle anything.
Whether it’s a noble title or an official position, I’ll be promoted even further after winning this championship!”
Jiang Wang rambled on incoherently, not knowing what he was explaining.
But as he spoke, he finally couldn’t keep smiling.
Finally, he said, “Don’t talk about me, tell me about yourself. Have you been staying in the Shepherd Kingdom these past two years?”
“Ah, I’ve been in the border wilderness.” Zhao Rucheng shifted his gaze from the wine and looked up, smiling slightly. “I wasted too much time before, so I made a little effort. I didn’t expect that just a casual effort would make me the fourth-ranked Inner Palace in the world.”
“Border wilderness…”
Jiang Wang repeated, his gaze falling on Zhao Rucheng’s dull close-cropped hair, his eyes very soft. “Then how many Yin Demons have you killed?”
“How many Yin Demons I’ve killed…” Zhao Rucheng seemed to count, then smiled. “I’ve lost count. Yuwen Duo might have the answer.”
Seeing Jiang Wang’s puzzled expression, he explained, “That argumentative fellow, the one who almost fought with you on the Suan Ni Bridge that day.”
Jiang Wang naturally remembered this person. Later, on the martial arts stage, Yuwen Duo even rushed onto the stage and carried Zhao Rucheng away. He was a very loyal and impulsive fellow.
“You’re good friends,” he said with a smile.
“He’s a rather honest person,” Zhao Rucheng said. “I’m not doing badly in the Shepherd Kingdom either. I have friends if I want friends, and confidantes if I want confidantes.”
The two fell silent again.
They each hid their scars and walked this far.
They knew that in this world, perhaps only they could feel each other’s pain, but neither was willing to let the other feel it.
So they were silent.
Two cups of wine were poured, but neither drank a drop. The dishes on the table were all those they used to eat often in Fenglin City, but they didn’t touch them with their chopsticks.
“Speaking of which…” This time, Jiang Wang spoke first, looking at the dishes on the table as if he could discern some important clue. “Why isn’t Uncle Deng here?”
“Him?” Zhao Rucheng smiled. “He’s staying in the Shepherd Kingdom. Every day he drives several horses, carrying goods, selling everywhere. He’s living as a Five-Horse Guest, enjoying the world.”
This was indeed the life Deng Yue wanted. When he was disguised as a Five-Horse Guest, when he was bargaining with people, when he was being an ordinary person… he smiled most naturally.
The string in Jiang Wang’s heart that had been taut relaxed slightly. He nodded and said, “That’s good.”
“You know my identity now,” Zhao Rucheng said with a charming smile and a relaxed tone. “Uncle Deng is essentially my imperial bodyguard; he’s very powerful.”
“I really didn’t see it before,” Jiang Wang’s tone also relaxed a little. “I just felt that Uncle Deng was always nagging behind you every day, not like a master at all, just ‘It’s too late, young master, let’s go home’…”
“Hahahaha!” Zhao Rucheng laughed heartily. “He was really annoying back then.”
As he laughed, his eyes turned red.
He said, “When the incident happened, Uncle Deng took me to the Hall of Enlightenment as soon as possible, but… we didn’t see it. At that time, Uncle Deng thought it was people from Qin who were chasing us, so he was only focused on taking me to escape. It was only much later that we learned it was the evil cult causing trouble…”
His voice choked. “I’m sorry!”
But perhaps only he himself knew that this “I’m sorry” at this moment was not just to Jiang Wang.
“An An is fine!” Jiang Wang reached out and pressed his hand on Zhao Rucheng’s shoulder. “I took her and fled together back then!”
“You mean…” Zhao Rucheng suddenly looked up.
Not being able to save Jiang An An when they fled Fenglin City back then was the thing that made him feel most guilty.
He had always thought that, besides himself, only Jiang Wang had miraculously survived the entire Fenglin City region. Therefore, he didn’t even dare to mention An An’s name, for fear of making Jiang Wang sad.
Jiang Wang’s hand tightened. “At that time, I mastered a secret technique that consumed longevity, and I only had one chance…”
Immediately, he told Zhao Rucheng everything that happened on the day Fenglin City was destroyed.
Including his contact with the White Bone Path, including the choices he made on the day the disaster struck. At that time, he gave the only chance to fight with all his might to An An. And because of this, he gave up on Ling He, Zhao Rucheng, Tang Dun…
Regarding that disaster, Zhao Rucheng had only scattered clues and some private conjectures and analyses. Although later, combined with Jiang Wang’s situation, he also probably guessed part of the truth, this was the first time he truly understood the specific process of the destruction of Fenglin City.
The scene of the ground sinking and the city collapsing was as if it were before his eyes.
That kind of anger, pain, and torment was like a dream of yesterday.
His handsome face couldn’t help but turn cold, and he gritted his teeth and said, “Zhuang Jun, that dog thief, I will kill him!”
Jiang Wang patted Zhao Rucheng’s shoulder, then withdrew his hand. “That’s something for the future.”
The hatred in his heart was gnawing at him constantly. But taking revenge on the sovereign of a nation was definitely not a simple matter, and it could not be rushed. Especially when the other party was a true person of this era, a true person who had killed Han Yin, the Grand Emperor Emeritus of the Yong Kingdom!
Acting rashly would instead be irresponsible to those who died tragically in the Fenglin City region.
Because if they failed, no one would be able to avenge the people of the Fenglin City region anymore.
Zhao Rucheng opened his mouth. The dark memories of that day had never left, and today, he had many words he wanted to say.
But in the end, he just said, “It’s a pity I can’t go see An An now.”
His voice was very low. “I often dream of her.”
“Just this big, this big little one.” He gestured with his hands, gestured, and finally put them down on his lap, with a feeling of nowhere to place them. “Both cute and sensible.”
Having drawn the Emperor’s Sword and revealed his identity as a descendant of Emperor Huai of Qin, in any country, he would either be used as a bargaining chip to befriend Qin, or as a weapon to deal with Qin.
Before he was strong enough, the value he embodied was difficult to exist apart from his identity.
Therefore, revealing his identity was an unwise choice.
But after Deng Yue’s sacrifice and the Great Qin Town Guard Department catching up again, he had no other choice.
He needed time to grow, and even more space to stay.
Only by gaining fame on the Guanhe Platform could he make the most of his identity as a descendant of Emperor Huai of Qin in the current situation, and struggle to find a path that he didn’t know if he could survive, but could temporarily move forward on.
And he didn’t want to tell Jiang Wang any of this.
Even the number one Inner Palace in the world was really too insignificant compared to Qin.
“An An is now under the tutelage of the Lingxiao Pavilion, where it’s very safe. The Young Pavilion Master of the Lingxiao Pavilion is my good friend.” Jiang Wang gestured in front of him with his hand. “She’s about this tall now. A few days ago, she wrote to me saying she’s successfully laid her foundation! She’s very diligent.”
“Laying the foundation is not necessarily the earlier the better; it needs to be properly regulated, and choose the most appropriate physical state…” Zhao Rucheng said with concern.
“Of course,” Jiang Wang said. “It was True Person Ye, the Pavilion Master of the Lingxiao Pavilion, who personally taught her. Qingyu also told me in his letter that An An’s foundation is very solid and meets the conditions for opening her脉. It’s just that she’s too young, and the later greater and lesser cycles will inevitably take more time to refine.”
“Qingyu?”
“Oh, that’s Young Pavilion Master Ye.”
Zhao Rucheng thought for a moment. “You write letters often?”
“Sort of…” Jiang Wang asked, “What’s wrong?”
“The Cloud Kingdom has always upheld the principle of neutrality, not leaning towards either side, right?”
Jiang Wang sighed and nodded. “Yes, I owe the Lingxiao Pavilion a great debt for this matter. So after winning this championship, I plan to take An An to Qi.”
“Inappropriate.”
Zhao Rucheng shook his head directly. “Your victory in this championship seems to be a straight rise to power, but it’s also when you’re at the cusp of the storm. Instead of being more peaceful than before, this time when you return to Qi, if a storm arises, it will not be the same as before. This is the first point. Second, since An An is personally taught by True Person Ye, she is a direct descendant and true传 of the Lingxiao Pavilion, and the Lingxiao Pavilion will definitely protect her safety. Leaving aside the safety issue for now, where else can you find a True Person master for her if you take An An to Qi? Your current talent and strength make it not difficult to become a disciple of a True Person, but there’s no such thing as buy one get one free when it comes to becoming a master.”
“I don’t have any plans to become a disciple myself…” Jiang Wang frowned. “But I can’t keep letting the Lingxiao Pavilion help take care of An An, can I?”
Zhao Rucheng glanced at him. “How much do you dislike being indebted to others? Letting An An enter the Lingxiao Pavilion is you owing the Lingxiao Pavilion a favor. After An An enters the Lingxiao Pavilion, it will be her and the sect’s friendship with the Lingxiao Pavilion. It doesn’t matter whether you take An An away or not. Just wait until you return to Qi and stabilize the gains from this time before you consider it!”
Jiang Wang had to admit that what Zhao Rucheng said was indeed more reasonable.
“No wonder Big Brother always said you…”
Jiang Wang stopped here.
Because he once again realized that they no longer had a Big Brother.
Zhao Rucheng, however, did not avoid the figure in his memory and seriously caught the sentence. “We must avenge Big Brother.”
“I’ve never forgotten,” Jiang Wang said.
The two brothers had not had such a conversation in a long time. Sometimes they talked about love, sometimes about hate. Memory and reality were mixed, and their words shifted back and forth.
For both of them, it was a rare moment when they couldn’t maintain their rationality.
After all, the tragic scene in Fenglin City was a wound they had both experienced. No one else could understand them.
“Brother Hu,” Zhao Rucheng said, “Uncle Deng… went to see Brother Hu for me. He doesn’t seem to know the truth about Fenglin City. He’s in a military stronghold, and Zhuang Gaoxian has become a True Person, so Uncle Deng is not convenient to show his face…”
“I also asked Fellow Daoist Ye to see him, tell him the truth, and wanted to take him to escape from Zhuang Kingdom…” Jiang Wang said, “But he refused.”
He didn’t mention how Du Yehu had cursed him out, because he didn’t believe that was Du Yehu’s true attitude. The irritable and impulsive Tiger, once he starts lurking with his claws and teeth, must have a target he wants to devour with all his might.
Zhao Rucheng thought for a moment and said, “He should have his own ideas.”
They hadn’t seen Du Yehu in a long time, but they didn’t doubt the rough and ready man who had aged prematurely.
“I thought so too,” Jiang Wang said. “It’s okay to stay in Zhuang Kingdom. There are no more living people in the Fenglin City region, and no one knows our relationship anymore.”
At this point, he remembered Li Jianqiu.
On that night in Xin’an City, Dong A had sent Li Jianqiu away on some pretext before facing him in a life-or-death struggle.
The protection a teacher gives to a disciple was something he once thought he also possessed.
However, everything he had hoped for had collapsed with Fenglin City.
Li Jianqiu should know about their Fenglin Five Heroes, but from Du Yehu’s current situation, either he didn’t say anything, or what he said had no effect.
“Even if someone else knows, Brother Hu is in the military and has gained trust through military achievements,” Jiang Wang continued. “Fang Pengju and I have already faced life and death, so in the eyes of others, the relationship between us Fenglin Five Heroes may not be that strong.”
Zhao Rucheng twitched the corner of his mouth. This sad humor made him want to laugh and play along, but he couldn’t.
He could only say, “Brother Hu just has a bad temper and is too lazy to use his brain, but he’s not stupid. Since he refused to leave, he must have made his own choice. And…”
He sighed. “Who can change Du Yehu’s decision?”
“Yes, he’s always been like this,” Jiang Wang also sighed.
And aren’t you the same? Zhao Rucheng thought to himself.
He would always remember the figure who often practiced swordsmanship until late at night when he was living a confused life.
He would always remember that time when they frantically went to Xishan to find Jiang Wang, but only saw a figure covered in blood, walking down the mountain alone.
He would always remember that after Jiang Wang disappeared that time, he asked Uncle Deng to search Xishan thoroughly, even went to the Qichang Mountain Range, but couldn’t find any trace. He once thought Jiang Wang had died and was buried in some unknown place. But on that morning, Jiang Wang walked into the Daoist courtyard so firmly.
He would also never forget that two years later, when he saw Jiang Wang again, this young man from a small town had already stood on the Guanhe Platform and reached the position of the number one Inner Palace in the world.
Always appearing before him when he was confused, when he was desperate.
So determined, so dazzling.
Zhao Rucheng considered himself a peerless genius, but he admitted that he was inferior to Jiang Wang by three parts.
“Come, Third Brother!” Zhao Rucheng raised his wine cup. “I toast you. This first cup, to your victory in the championship!”
Jiang Wang raised his cup in response, and both drank it down.
Zhao Rucheng picked up the silver pot, filled the cups again, and raised his cup again. “The second cup, I toast you for coming all this way, never flinching, never stopping, never looking back!”
“The third cup, I toast you for bearing the weight of a mountain, yet embarking on a journey of thousands of miles, your heart like the bright moon, known to heaven and earth!”
After toasting three cups of wine in a row, he put down the empty cup and said, “Third Brother, I should go. Yuwen Duo and the others are already waiting for me.”
Jiang Wang was silent for a moment. “So soon?”
Zhao Rucheng said in a relaxed tone, “Who told me I only got a spot in the top four? Na Liang even stopped in the top eight, and Cang Ming didn’t even get to make a move. The Shepherd Kingdom’s performance this time was too poor, they couldn’t stay here any longer.”
Jiang Wang reached out and took the wine pot from his hand, filled his own cup, and said, “Third Brother also toasts you three cups of wine.”
“This first cup, to your being alive.”
He drank it down, and then filled it again. “The second cup, to my being able to see you again.”
He filled and drank consecutively, filling the last cup. “The third cup, thank you for still being in this world, so that we brothers can still walk together.”
He looked at Zhao Rucheng so seriously, as if he wanted to remember this scene forever, then put the wine cup on the table, got up, and walked out. “I’m leaving!”
There was no word “please,” but every sentence was a plea.
A brother’s plea to his younger brother.
Please live!
Zhao Rucheng had revealed his identity as a descendant of Emperor Huai of Qin, but he had never mentioned it to Jiang Wang, naturally unwilling to involve him.
However, the Jiang Wang of today, who had left that small city region and experienced so much, how could he not think of these things?
He knew that he was insignificant and powerless now, and could do nothing but swing his sword on the stage of the world. So he could only plead with Zhao Rucheng to live well!
To wait for the future!
As he was about to walk out of the courtyard gate, Zhao Rucheng’s voice came from behind—
“Third Brother, walk faster!”
Jiang Wang didn’t look back, but only raised his fist above his head.
He walked away with long strides, holding his fist like that.