“Master, what kind of person do you hope I become?” On the south-bound ox cart, Chu Yao had been gazing out the window for a long while before suddenly leaning back to ask.

They were currently en route to Jian Ge.

A contingent of Ti Qi rode ahead, clearing the path, while another guarded the rear of the carriage. Wu An Hou’s grand tour of the Southern Border would naturally not encounter any unforeseen complications. Even those with lingering sentiments for the old kingdom would not be so foolish as to provoke and offend a military merit Hou Ye of the Great Xia’s regular army.

Jiang Wang, withdrawing his mind from cultivation, smiled. “Why the sudden question?”

Chu Yao shook his head, swaying it back and forth. “I heard them talking about how Master Gong… you… are…” He stammered, unsure how to phrase it.

Jiang Wang prompted, “Like me, earning much money, like they said?”

Chu Yao’s eyes widened. “Yes! Earning much money, like issuing salaries to them. How can there be such great fear, Master? How do you earn so much money?” he asked excitedly.

Jiang Wang pondered for a moment, feeling it was best not to mislead the child. He then extended his index finger and tapped the boy’s forehead. “What are you thinking! Master is telling you, do not listen to those flattering sounds. Only after I die and a hundred years pass will the evaluation of me be truly counted. Now, their praise of me is for you to hear, but ultimately, it is meant for me to hear.”

Chu Yao rubbed his forehead. “Then are they very bad?”

“Why say so?” Jiang Wang asked with interest.

“Because they are not sincere at all, not truly speaking those words from the heart,” Chu Yao said. “Didn’t you say one should treat people sincerely?”

“Sincerity should be a requirement for oneself, not an obligation imposed on others,” Jiang Wang laughed. “They are working under the Hou Fu, they want to present themselves before me, they want to gain my recognition. These are all common human sentiments. How can one call that ‘bad’?”

“But lying is always wrong, isn’t it?” Chu Yao insisted.

Jiang Wang said slowly and deliberately, “For example, you have two little friends. One tells you every day how clever, lovely, and talented you are. Another tells you every day how dark and thin you are, like scorched wood. Which one would you prefer to play with?”

Chu Yao said very seriously, “My little friends would never scold me.”

Jiang Wang chuckled. “So, which one would you prefer to play with? That doesn’t prove anything.”

Chu Yao, like a small adult, touched his chin, as if thinking. “So, Master, you also like to hear good words, and that’s why they praise you like that, right?”

Jiang Wang burst into laughter. “This is called ‘those above have preferences, those below will follow suit.’ Chu Yao, you should take this as a warning.”

“Master,” Chu Yao asked seriously, “What kind of person do you hope I become? You have never told me.”

Perhaps out of gratitude, he wished to strive to become the person his Master wanted him to be, to satisfy his Master. Yet, his Master seemed to have never set any requirements for him. This was the second time he had asked this question.

Jiang Wang also thought seriously for a while before finally speaking. “…Truly, Master does not necessarily want you to become a certain kind of person. There is no goal or responsibility assigned to you. As long as you do not commit evil and crime, as long as you do not harm others, you can become any kind of person you wish.”

“But you are the Great Qi’s Wu An Hou!”

“So what?”

“You don’t wish for your disciple to lose face for you, do you?”

“How could you lose face for me?”

“For example, if I cannot defeat others, if I am not as intelligent as other disciples, if my methods are not as correct, if my talent is not as good…”

“If you feel these are things that lose face, then it is only your face that is lost, not Master’s face. Because you have your life, and I have my life. If you cannot defeat others, if you don’t strive as hard as others, that is your matter. What face would Master lose?”

Jiang Wang looked at him and said, “Master tells you, in what situations Master will feel he has lost face—if you commit evil and crime using Master’s banner. If you learn from Master, yet lose good morals. If you are injured by others, and Master cannot protect you… In these times, Master will feel he has lost face.”

Chu Yao said, “Master, you are different from all of them.”

“How am I different?” Jiang Wang asked.

Chu Yao said, “My mother told me I must work desperately, I must be very sensible, my words and actions must all be particularly careful, I cannot smear black on your face. Uncle Lian told me you are an extraordinary person, and since I have become your disciple, I cannot be too bad, otherwise, it would be losing your face.”

Jiang Wang said with serious words, “Your mother is a good mother, your Uncle Lian is a good friend, but your Master is not necessarily a good Master. Of course, we all hope you will be good, but you do not necessarily have to listen to everything we say. Because we are all very ordinary people, and we are not necessarily always correct.”

Chu Yao looked at him, seeming to understand and yet not understand.

Jiang Wang thought for a moment and then said, “When that aunt-in-law brought people to your doorstep to scold your mother, how did you feel?”

Chu Yao said, “I was very angry.”

“When you grow up, if you see a large group of people bullying a small child, how will you feel?”

Chu Yao thought for a while and said, “I will also be very angry.”

“And towards the child being bullied?”

“I feel he is very pitiful.”

“What would you do? I mean, if you cannot defeat those people.”

“I would secretly go report it to the officials.”

Jiang Wang laughed. “You are already the person Master hopes you become. To keep the courage to be angry, to not forget the feeling of pity, to do what you can and do good things… This is Master’s expectation for you.”

“You don’t need me to be like you later, seizing the first place in the Yellow River, becoming the world’s number one?”

Jiang Wang shook his head.

“You don’t need me to be like you, being enfeoffed as Hou and worshipped as Prime Minister?”

Jiang Wang shook his head.

Chu Yao blinked his eyes. “A few days ago, I read in a book about ‘sacrificing life for righteousness.’ The book said that is a sage and wise behavior. Why do you only teach me to do what I can?”

Jiang Wang said seriously, “‘Sacrificing life for righteousness’ is of course very great. I admire such people. But I will not require you to become such a person. I will not require anyone to become such a person. That kind of great spirit should come from inner awakening, not from others’ discipline.”

Chu Yao said again, “I heard them say that when you blocked the floodwaters, you sacrificed life for righteousness and did a very great thing.”

“Whether it was great is still debatable. At that time, I fundamentally didn’t think too much. Even if I were to do it again, I might not necessarily dare to do so. Master is alive and also bears the concerns of many people; I cannot easily throw my life away. What Master wants to tell you is, if you have the highest moral standards in your heart, that should only be used to demand of yourself. A predecessor once told Master, ‘To demand of others with your standards is already harsh. To demand of the world with your standards means you are evil and do not know it, you are a demon among demons.’ Master often reflects on this himself and passes this sentence to you as well.”

When teaching a disciple, Jiang Wang did not have a strong purpose. He merely did his best to take care of Chu Mi’s family.

He never felt he was an absolutely correct person, and he was even unsure if he could be a good Master.

He absolutely did not plan to use himself as a template to mold Chu Yao. Apart from cultivation, he usually only told Chu Yao what “should not be done,” and rarely told him what “must be done.”

He did not think he was someone who thoroughly understood worldly affairs and the principles of life; he himself was only twenty-one years old. His unique arts and techniques were verified through countless killings. He felt he could teach lessons but could not impart the Dao. Therefore, when discussing life with Chu Yao, he would treat it with great caution.

However, as these dialogues with Chu Yao unfolded, he clearly felt that the Four Star Towers he stood upon in the distant star domain became clearer, and more vivid.

In the Big Dipper star domain, his Jiang Wang’s starlight flowed.

In his dialogue with Chu Yao, the Holy Tower of Starlight also guided his path toward the main universe.

The Dao is also the way of cultivation.

The process of conveying and inducing the Dao back into the universe was also a sorting out of the journey of the past Dao.

While teaching Chu Yao, was he not also examining himself…?

The smooth, unobstructed path south was interrupted by a sudden stop in the village.

Guarding this place was the Great Liang’s first-rank Duke, the old general Huang De Wu.

In that year, when Kang Shao raised the banner of restoration, he was Kang Shao’s most powerful supporter. With the great merit of restoration, he received the honor of being on par with the country.

Of course, in a small country like Liang, the weight of a Duke and Marquis could not compare to that in Great Xia. Although Huang De Wu was enfeoffed as Duke, his cultivation stopped at the Divine Probing realm and could not break through to a higher realm. State power could help cultivators break through realms, but it didn’t necessarily mean it could allow cultivators to break through. No matter how good the system, it still needed outstanding talents to support it.

Thus, Great Qi, which already possessed the Thunder Sound Domain, still needed to widely embrace all rivers and seas.

Speaking of past intersections, Jiang Wang and Huang De Wu’s only encounter was probably when Huang De Wu’s direct grandson, Huang Su, participated in the Dao Li Three Nine One Nine Year’s Yellow River Meeting.

“Hou Ye.” The leader of the Ti Qi clearing the way at this time returned on horseback and reported in front of the ox cart, “The people of Liang Country say they will not permit our army to pass. If you wish to go to Jian Ge, you must go alone… Look, shouldn’t we force our way through the barrier?”

The driver lifted the curtain of the carriage.

Jiang Wang looked at the Qi general’s eager expression outside, somewhat amused. “How is this ‘just’ forcing our way through? I brought you all here to attack cities and seize land.”

Jiang Wang’s so-called old army department had initially all followed him in overthrowing the hundred and eighty waste and ten thousand heart cultivators after the fall of the Dragon City, you all sighed about seizing land and rice.

The Qi general scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. “Mainly, these small Liang people are too insensible. Even your ceremonial guard dares to cut off. A guard team of two hundred people also counts as an army, how can they guard against it like this?”

“Alright.” Jiang Wang waved his hand. “You all go to the Ming Kong Han Mountain station. I will go to Jian Ge myself.”

“Hou Ye, how can you go without several attendants?” The Qi general said urgently. “This humble general will go and negotiate with them again. I don’t believe they have eaten leopard gall!”

“When entering a village, follow its customs. Since this place is already Liang land, guarding their rules is also not harmful…” Jiang Wang calmly looked at him. “Go back.”

So-called “lord insults, minister dies,” he was naturally angry that Jiang Wang was being targeted, but even more so, he dared not disobey Jiang Wang’s command. He could only hatefully pull the horse’s head, wave his arm, and lead the team, preparing to go to Ming Kong Han Mountain.

“You also go back.” Jiang Wang smiled and patted the driver.

The driver was a capable person who heard the words and said…

Jiang Wang’s smile was warm. “They said not to bring soldiers, so we won’t bring soldiers.”

The driver could only loosen the rope, leap onto the back of a Ti Qi’s horse, and return. Only then did Jiang Wang say, “Chu Yao, can you drive the cart?”

Chu Yao said loudly, “Of course I can! The white ox is very clever, I don’t even need to drive it!”

“Very good, Master’s pomp all relies on you.” Jiang Wang touched the back of his head. “Go drive the cart. Follow the map. You won’t get lost, will you?”

“Rest assured, Master!” Chu Yao excitedly drilled out of the ox cart and settled into the driver’s position.

The ox cart moved forward along the dry road.

This road, which formerly connected Shao Kang and Jin An prefectures, was now cut off. A checkpoint was set up at the border of Jin An, guarded by fully armed soldiers.

The people of Liang Country also knew whose carriage this was. Seeing only a nine-year-old child driving the cart, they no longer blocked the way.

The checkpoint was already open.

But the soldiers on both sides of the dry road each held their spears slanted. Thus, the path they passed through became a small road lined with spears.

Cold light flickered, and indeed, killing aura suddenly erupted.

Chu Yao drove the cart here, his excitement about driving already gone. He nervously turned his head and glanced back, only to find that Master had already closed his eyes and was resting.

“Master’s pomp all relies on you.”

He, small and thin, thought this sentence in his heart and conveniently helped Master pull down the curtain of the carriage.

“Brother Ox, oh Brother Ox.” He said softly, “You must not flinch. Don’t lose face for my Master!”

This white ox was a top-grade spirit beast even in the grasslands. If it truly went mad, it would be very difficult for even ordinary cultivators in the Inner Mansion realm to control it. Of course, it would not fear these guarding soldiers.

It proudly let out a “Moo,” its black head taking six steps at a time.

Chu Yao also sat up straight, his eyes looking straight ahead, recalling in his mind the scene of Master inspecting the iron cavalry of Lao Shan, imagining himself also reviewing troops.

Thinking this way, he wasn’t nervous at all.

He could even glance left and right, casting glances of praise or criticism.

Those soldiers, some cold, some fierce, were involuntarily surprised in their hearts. They only thought that those from the Wu An Hou Fu were indeed extraordinary, even a child possessed great courage. It was good to display military might, and good to show attitude.

The road of soldiers, each with a jade foot and a hundred paces, did not take long with the company of the white ox.

Soon, the ox cart formally entered Jin An Prefecture, leaving several checkpoints far behind.

There was no need for Master to say anything. Chu Yao flipped out the map, recognized it, and advanced steadily with the white ox.

The scenery of late summer and early autumn along the way was imprinted in the child’s slender eyes.

This southern tour was indeed free. Not long after, an armored general leading a cavalry team of several hundred people rolled up dust and smoke from a distance and charged straight towards the ox cart.

Chu Yao was somewhat nervous but did not make a sound.

The white ox stopped its hooves, lowered its horns, and let out a threatening long snort.

“Hush!”

The general leading the cavalry pulled the reins, and his steed stood up, stopping abruptly on the spot, displaying good military discipline. The cavalry behind him all followed suit.

This posture was indeed intimidating.

At least, Chu Yao was momentarily stunned.

The general in bright helmet and bright armor cupped his hands towards the carriage and said in a loud voice, “Great Liang Xiu Ping Fu Vice General Kang Wen Hao seeks to see Qi Country Wu An Hou!”

Xiu Ping Fu was the new name Liang Country had given to Jin An Prefecture; they changed names quite quickly.

And this cavalry general who came over was still young, capable of being the vice general of Yang Ping Fu.

But he paid his respects here.

Yet, there was no sound from inside the ox cart.

Kang Wen Hao also waited there, not speaking.

Several hundred cavalrymen were silent.

Chu Yao couldn’t help but turn his head back and said in a low voice, “Master, someone is seeking to see you. He seems to be a high official!”

The silence continued for a while, and then the same answer came from inside the carriage.

“Chu Yao, haven’t I told you I don’t need you to do anything else?”

Although the words carried a hint of criticism, Chu Yao felt empowered by them.

With his small hand, he shook the reins. “Move aside! My Master doesn’t want to see you!”

The white ox also moved forward on its own, seemingly not seeing anyone blocking the road.

Kang Wen Hao’s expression was not good. The cavalry team he brought this time, although only three hundred strong, were drawn from the most elite army of Liang Country.

So-called “carrying a sharp blade on one’s body, the killing intent naturally rises.” He held a strong army in his hand and found it very difficult to maintain a good temper. And as the fifth son of the current Liang Emperor, when had he ever been ignored like this?

But after a long silence, he could only turn his horse’s head and clear the path ahead.

A person’s name, a tree’s shadow… The famous Wu An Hou had left his ceremonial guard and cavalry team outside Jin An Prefecture; this was his willingness to cooperate. If he was unwilling to cooperate…

From here to Bian City, the capital of Liang, who in such a large Liang Country would dare to block him?