In this vast world, the myriad souls are as diverse as the stars in the night sky. Some possess the ability to embrace and then relinquish, while others may find it impossible to grasp, yet are capable of letting go. Mingguang Dage belonged precisely to the latter category.

To put it simply, at times, he would be seized by a peculiar notion, driven to pursue a course of action with fervent effort. Yet, upon encountering the slightest setback, he would abandon it without hesitation. Jiang Wang, of course, was guided by Chongxuan Sheng’s astute judgment and had long found Mingguang Dage a pleasing figure. Without him, how could Desheng Trading House have flourished with such remarkable speed?

In the words of Chongxuan Sheng, when one drinks from a well, one should not forget the well-digger.

Within the sprawling compound of the Wuan Marquisate, Jiang Wang was urging Chu Mo through his fist practice.

Lately, a certain matter had occupied his thoughts, a nagging question: should he bring Anan to the State of Qi?

He harbored no illusions of her abandoning the Lingxiao Pavilion entirely. Such a thought had long since faded. Jiang Anan had resided within the Lingxiao Pavilion for four years, developing a profound connection to it. It was impossible for her to sever those ties so readily. Moreover, her cultivation journey, from its very genesis, had been intricately woven into the Lingxiao Pavilion’s system, guided by the contemporary True Person, Ye Lingxiao herself. To alter course now would be tantamount to casting aside all her previous efforts.

Furthermore, no matter how many favors he called upon, no matter how formidable a master he secured for Jiang Anan, it was exceedingly difficult to surpass the guidance she currently received from Ye Lingxiao.

He was deeply grateful to the Lingxiao Pavilion for their care of Anan and felt a profound sense of ease regarding her life there.

Thus, his hesitation revolved around a different question: should he now allow Jiang Anan to share in his glory, to partake in the fruits of his arduous struggles, to share in all that he had reaped today? Should he allow the world to know that Jiang Wang, the Wuan Marquis of Great Qi, possessed a younger sister he cherished as his very life, a sister he held dear as a precious gem, whose name was Jiang Anan?

He was deeply willing to do so, yearning to share everything with his sister. Every time he achieved even a modest success, he longed to witness the admiration in her eyes.

But he was uncertain if he could afford such a gesture. Could he now safely allow his sister to walk under the harsh glare of the sun? Could he truly shield her from all potential harm?

He could never forget the day Fenglin City fell, the terror that gripped him, the agony he endured. That kind of pain had left him with a lingering fear of loss, a fear that persisted even now, despite his status as the youngest military merit Marquis in the State of Qi. Regarding those closest to him, he still felt a profound lack of security.

“Master! What are you pondering?”

Chu Mo, clad in black leather armor, was diligently practicing his fist forms, darting about like a black eel. This leather armor had been specially crafted by a skilled artisan, taking into account Chu Mo’s physical capabilities, ensuring he could practice with intensity without risking injury.

He weaved and circled, then suddenly turned to face Jiang Wang, head tilted back, asking with keen curiosity.

At that moment, Jiang Wang stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the western twilight, the fading glow reflected in his eyes. His eyebrows were clear and spirited, his gaze sparse and bright, gentle yet not devoid of sharpness, indifferent yet possessing dignity.

“Ah, I was thinking about your senior brother,” he replied.

“What kind of person is he?” Chu Mo inquired with great interest.

“He is a very qualified disciple. Just like this set of fist forms I just taught you, he would not dare speak a single word of nonsense to me before practicing it a full hundred times,” Jiang Wang said with a trace of melancholic humor.

Chu Mo silently resumed his practice, executing the movements and footwork, turning away.

Speaking of Tang Dun…

At the outset, he could not truly be considered a disciple. After all, at that time, Jiang Wang himself was still relatively weak. And Tang Dun was already quite advanced in age. Jiang Wang had simply recognized the young man’s sincerity and agreed to offer a few pointers in martial arts, aiding him in preparing for the outer disciples’ examination of the Fenglin City Daoist Academy.

Later, Jiang Anan had adopted the habit of referring to him as “Tang Dun junior brother,” and Tang Dun, in turn, addressed her as “Anan senior sister,” escorting her to and from school each day. And so, in a somewhat muddled fashion, their master-disciple relationship had been implicitly established.

Although Tang Dun’s aptitude was average, his origins humble, and he could hardly be considered cultured, after spending time with him, one could sense the purity of his heart. Honest yet not foolish, steady and also sober. He possessed his own modest ideals and was willing to pour boundless effort into them. He simply wished to cultivate some skills, to reach a point where he was “as powerful as Mr. Jiang,” and then return to Tangshe Town to serve as a bailiff, genuinely safeguarding the peace of his hometown, preventing the recurrence of the tragedies wrought by demonic creatures. He did not grasp the volatile nature of the world’s misfortunes, the capricious whims of those in high places who cared little for the lives of ants. The ravenous, ambitious few could always easily wield human lives as chips in their games. Even if he truly acquired some skills within the Fenglin City Daoist Academy, when greater dangers descended, he would be nothing more than a speck of dust.

He did not think so far ahead. And indeed, he had scattered like dust.

When the entire Fenglin City domain plunged into ruin, his heart’s desire to protect Tangshe Town naturally perished along with it.

On the day disaster struck Fenglin City, he happened to be with Jiang Wang. At that moment, they were making plans to gather their friends, find a good restaurant, and enjoy a lively year-end celebration.

The next moment, the earth cracked, and the city sank.

In the chasm of the earth, amidst the surging lava, his thoughts were of “Anan senior sister.” He urged Jiang Wang to save Jiang Anan.

Was Tang Dun a foolish person? He actually possessed a keen heart. He knew who treated him well, who was genuinely concerned for him, and he also discerned the hollow affection of others. For instance, he had once told Jiang Wang—”Brother Zhang, though very polite, does not feel close to people.” If Jiang Wang had only heeded those words at the time, perhaps he might have discovered Zhang Linchuan’s anomaly sooner.

Of course, even an earlier discovery of Zhang Linchuan’s deception would not have altered Fenglin City’s fate. For those who truly possessed the power and responsibility to change that outcome were instead anticipating the unfolding tragedy.

Jiang Wang recognized Tang Dun as his disciple. He would forever acknowledge that he had such a formidable eldest disciple. He was proud to have such a disciple, yet also ashamed that he had failed to protect him. This was one of the things he had told Chu Mo would bring him shame.

He had never recounted to Chu Mo in detail what kind of person his founding disciple was. He wished to wait until a certain day, when he could take Chu Mo to Fenglin City, and then slowly narrate Tang Dun’s story. He believed that day was not far off.

“Marquis!”

As Chu Mo panted with exhaustion, the butler, Xie Ping, entered the courtyard, holding a letter. “The letter has been returned again.”

Jiang Wang took it and frowned, saying, “What is the meaning of this?”

He had earlier dispatched a letter to Lin Youxie through the State of Qi’s channels, sending it to Tianxing Cliff. Unexpectedly, it had been returned with the original seal unbroken. As it was not a matter of extreme urgency, Xie Ping had not devised a way to contact him while he was in the Southern Border. Upon his return to Linzi this time, he had only just learned of this, unsure of the reason for the return, and had instructed Xie Ping to send it again. He had not anticipated that it would still be returned, a hidden unease stirring in his heart.

“This humble one specifically instructed the courier official to inquire this time,” Xie Ping explained. “The reply from the Three Criminal Palaces was that…”

“No such person?” Jiang Wang’s brows knitted into the character for “Sichuan.” “Lin Youxie went to the Three Criminal Palaces for study. How can there be no such person?”

“This, I do not know,” Xie Ping tentatively offered. “Could it be that Lord Lin, later changed her mind and did not go to the Three Criminal Palaces?”

“Confirm that it was delivered into the hands of a formal disciple of the Three Criminal Palaces and not intercepted outside Tianxing Cliff?” Jiang Wang pressed.

Xie Ping replied, “Marquis, what is your status, what is your identity? A letter from our mansion will not be disregarded by the courier official, nor will the Three Criminal Palaces casually dismiss it.”

“Then it is strange,” Jiang Wang’s unease deepened the more he thought about it. He had a profound understanding of the Three Criminal Palaces’ modus operandi from his time in the Blood River Sect. They would absolutely not simply find an excuse to return his letter. There was no reason for them to do so. And if Lin Youxie had no intention of going to the Three Criminal Palaces in the first place, what need was there to deceive him?

He pondered for a moment, then instructed, “Take my name card, go to the Capital Patrol Inspection Office, and ask them to help check on Lin Youxie’s whereabouts. In addition, in my name, have the Three Criminal Palaces confirm again: is there truly no person named Lin Youxie within the three law palaces, the Rule Heaven Palace, the Measure Earth Palace, and the Punish People Palace?”

Xie Ping immediately accepted the order and turned to depart.

“Wait,” Jiang Wang called out to him again. “I will go to the Capital Patrol Inspection Office myself. You just have the Three Criminal Palaces help confirm the news. Take some gold and have the courier official handle it urgently.”

“Understood. I will have a carriage prepared for you.”

The matter was swiftly decided.

On the other side, Chu Mo’s eyes suddenly brightened, and he looked over expectantly. “Master!” The Capital Patrol Inspection Office sounded like a very imposing yamen. He wanted to see it as well.

Jiang Wang simply extended a finger. “Stay at home and practice your fist forms.”

The little monkey then obediently lowered his gaze, assumed his stance, and vigorously resumed his practice.

It had been a long time since the Wuan Marquis had visited the Capital Patrol Inspection Office, but upon the arrival of his carriage, he was still received with genuine deference. This Marquis, who wore the third-rank green plaque at his waist, was truly the pride of the State of Qi’s green plaques. His spectacular ascent from a green plaque captain to a military merit Marquis had astonished countless individuals.

In recent months, several personnel changes within the Qi court had captured Jiang Wang’s attention. One was the relinquishment of the Spring Death Army commander position by Duke Du Cao Ji, replaced by the Army God, who would now act on the Emperor’s behalf to command the Heaven Covering Army. Nominally speaking, Jiang Mengxiong no longer commanded a formidable army, but this did not signify a loss of power. He still held the position of head of the Military Affairs Hall and was the Grand Marshal of Great Qi. And the new commander of the Spring Death Army was none other than Chen Zeqing, the Army God’s eldest disciple. While this change in military positions undoubtedly involved some political exchange, in Jiang Wang’s view, the more significant implication lay with the Army God himself.

He speculated that the Army God, Jiang Mengxiong, might be advancing to another realm. Just as Yan Ping, after resigning as Prime Minister, had reclaimed great power for himself and then truly achieved the level of Yan Dao True Monarch, what realm would the Army God reach after relinquishing all military authority?

Another notable change was the resignation of the original North Yamen Commandant, Zheng Shi. Having suppressed his cultivation for a long time, he had effortlessly achieved the Divine Arrival realm and was then parachuted into the Zhan Yu Army to take office, ranking first among the eight generals. This clearly signaled his ambition for the vacant position of Zhan Yu Army commander.

Following Ge Tu’s death, the position of Zhan Yu Army commander had become a huge and desirable vacancy. If Tian Anping’s troops had not suffered such heavy casualties in the war with Qi Xia, and if the soldiers’ morale had not been so disheartened, with his earned merits and cultivation sufficient to rival a Nine Armies commander, this position would likely have been his. If the Tian clan could control a formidable Nine Armies force, their momentum would undoubtedly surge. Alas, Tian Anping was such a source of unease.

Zheng Shi had controlled the North Yamen for many years, possessing ample merit and qualifications, though his cultivation was somewhat insufficient, making it difficult for him to command a Nine Armies force and convince the masses. However, from the current perspective, that position seemed already within his grasp. Although not every North Yamen Commandant rose to high prominence, and death with an unfortunate end was not uncommon in this position, one who could sit in the role for a long and steady period was invariably a trusted confidant of the Emperor and possessed sufficient capability.

It remained to be seen what kind of person the new Capital Patrol Inspection Office Patrol Commandant, Yang Weitong, would be. Indeed, the two individuals who had initially attracted public attention and actively vied for the North Yamen Commandant position, Jiang Wang, who had voluntarily resigned, and Zhang Weiyu, a disciple of Chen Fu, had both failed to achieve their desired outcome.

Ultimately, the one who ascended to this position was Yang Weitong, a disciple of Yi Xingchen, who had always maintained a low profile. The original Deputy Patrol Inspector, Yang Weitong, was a figure specifically cultivated by Yi Xingchen to carry on his political agenda, and his ability was undoubtedly excellent. Jiang Wang had interacted with him before and had a very good initial impression. However, that was merely a preliminary impression. After Yi Xingchen adopted Shisi as his daughter, their interactions had become more frequent.

His visit to the North Yamen this time was unannounced, yet he coincidentally encountered Zheng Shangming.

“Marquis!” Zheng Shangming appeared very surprised, striding closer with large steps. “What brings you here today?” As the son of the former North Yamen Commandant, he had not, as Jiang Wang had initially expected, been directly appointed to a Deputy Patrol Inspector position. He still wore the fifth-rank green plaque at his waist. Upon reflection, this was a wiser choice. By rising step by step, the resistance he would face in eventually reclaiming the North Yamen Commandant position would be significantly reduced.

“Brother Shangming,” Jiang Wang said with a faint smile. “Address me as before. I am not accustomed to being called that by you.” Some people he had known in Linzi had later drifted apart as their paths diverged. He and Chongxuan Sheng shared honor and hardship, rowing the same boat. With Yan Fu and Li Longchuan, they sought common ground while reserving differences, treating each other with sincerity. With Gao Zhe, their paths diverged, their aspirations differed, and they maintained only superficial courtesy, entangled by interests. With Zheng Shangming, their paths similarly diverged, each pursuing their own ambitions. They could not become close friends but maintained a degree of cordiality. Now, due to the connection through Yi Xingchen, they could become slightly closer. The relationships between people were influenced by countless factors. It was precisely this myriad of threads that wove together the tumultuous red dust. Jiang Wang was always moving forward and always observing.

“Wherever you go now, you are the Marquis. I am afraid that if I suddenly call you ‘Brother Jiang,’ you might be the one who feels unaccustomed,” Zheng Shangming said with a smile, taking over the conversation, then added naturally, “How is it, have you come to inspect our work today, or perhaps, in your benevolent heart, you wish to personally handle a few cases?” His versatile demeanor was completely different from before.

“It’s nothing so grand,” Jiang Wang said directly. “It’s just that a friend of mine has been out of contact recently, and I was hoping to borrow the channels of the green plaques to help ascertain her whereabouts.”

“Our yamen is very skilled at finding people,” Zheng Shangming said, having heard the matter. He agreed at once, then asked, “Your friend is?”

“Lin Youxie,” Jiang Wang said, watching Zheng Shangming’s eyes as he spoke.

Zheng Shangming’s eyes contracted for a moment, and his brows furrowed slightly, but he quickly smoothed them. “Captain Lin has lost contact?” he said. “I will immediately instruct my subordinates to conduct a thorough investigation into this matter.”