Linzi holds many memories.

Recalling the several years before Zhuang Gaoxian was beheaded, a time of rapid ascent, was almost entirely spent in this city.

Because here, he had friends, good wine, elders, and opponents.

After occasionally encountering Er Fengming upon leaving, Jiang Wang did not go to Huaying Palace, nor did he return to Bowang Hou Fu. Instead of gathering old friends for drinks and revelry, the place he went was a quiet residence in the east of the city.

This place was truly too quiet. Although located in a bustling street district, the gate was tightly shut, and passersby all detoured around it. There were no birds in the treetops, and carriages and horses were scarce in front of the door.

This was Qi Xiao’s residence.

It wasn’t that Qi Xiao suffered any repercussions because Jiang Wang left. Those former supporters of Wu’an Hou became even more fervent and dared to scold, but no matter what, they couldn’t touch the edge of a Ninth Rank Commander, even though she had retired.

The only reason for the desolation of this place was that she had lost her cultivation, the Xiashi Army, and any possibility of a comeback.

Even if people didn’t fawn over the powerful, they still had to consider the Donglai Qi family and the new Xiashi Commander… Qi Wen, whom she had suppressed for so many years.

Walking up to the gate, Jiang Wang released his perception, making himself visible and audible to others, then raised a finger and knocked on the door.

Knock knock knock.

The sound was clear and resolute.

There was a long silence with no response.

Knock knock knock.

Jiang Wang patiently continued to knock, sending the sound into the courtyard without prying into the house’s secrets.

After a while, the gate was pulled open. Standing behind the door was an old woman without any cultivation.

From her wrinkle-covered face, it was truly impossible to discern her former appearance.

Only one year had passed since the Illusion Realm War… she had aged excessively.

But when she saw Jiang Wang standing outside the door, her turbid eyes gently lifted. That deep, dangerous, and indifferent gaze was the only thing that made one feel she was still herself.

She was Qi Xiao.

Jiang Wang also noticed that she was wearing a military uniform. Although the sweat had been wiped away, and she tried not to appear tired, the faint circulation of blood in her body was still active.

Evidently, she had just been practicing.

A woman already aged to this extent, without a shred of cultivation, not even a hint of Dao Yuan within her, capable of breaking bones with a casual fall… yet still practicing.

The collapsed Five Palaces could not be rebuilt, the chaotic Four Seas could not be calmed, the withered Dao Meridians could not be reborn—it was impossible for her to reopen her meridians, there were no Dao Meridians to open, and her aged body wouldn’t allow it.

All the cultivation paths of the present world could not be reopened for her.

What was the point of this?

Since the Illusion Realm War, the two had not seen each other again.

Now, separated by a threshold, one inside the courtyard and one outside, each had undergone earth-shattering changes in their lives. One was the first True Monarch in history, the other was a lonely old person in a secluded courtyard.

Fate was like this!

Qi Xiao’s eyes remained unchanged, she simply stepped aside, opening half of the door.

Facing this silent invitation, Jiang Wang stepped inside.

The old woman turned and led the way, going around the screen wall towards the inner rooms.

Jiang Wang closed the door behind him.

According to Jiang Wang’s knowledge, Qi Xiao’s actual age was forty-nine, which was very young for a True Monarch, and couldn’t be considered “old” for an ordinary person. But she had aged so drastically that looking only at the wrinkles on her face, one would believe her to be seventy. The Illusion Realm War had left her with too much trauma.

But her posture was still straight, still like that commanding general, as if standing in a military formation. Looking only at her back, one couldn’t see the signs of age on her face.

“Someone asked me, ‘Living like this, what’s the point?'” the old woman said.

Jiang Wang walked two steps and came alongside her, walking side by side.

Qi Xiao’s voice continued, “I think living doesn’t need meaning. What do you think?”

Jiang Wang didn’t answer the question, only saying, “The person who asked you that question, you didn’t kill him?”

Qi Xiao’s ruthlessness was renowned among the world’s famous generals.

Although she had no cultivation now, she had been a Ninth Rank Commander for so many years and had countless old acquaintances in the court and country. The Qi court would not forget her contributions.

This seemingly powerless old woman could still easily kill people.

“Oh,” Qi Xiao said without any change in tone, “that person is Qi Guang.”

Jiang Wang was silent for a moment.

Indeed, this person could not be killed.

The honest old Earl Qi Guang, the biological father of Qi Xiao and Qi Wen.

Traditionally, such hereditary titles were passed down only upon death. The Qi family was an exception because when Qi Wen and Qi Xiao were vying for the Xiashi position, Qi Guang had voluntarily retired his title and passed it to Qi Wen, simply to add weight to Qi Wen’s position.

And Qi Xiao, under such pressure and alone, had suppressed the entire Donglai Qi family and stepped into the Ministry of Military Affairs.

But Jiang Wang couldn’t help but think again. Was the reason he couldn’t kill Qi Guang because he was the old patriarch of the Donglai Qi clan, or because he was Qi Xiao’s father?

The two didn’t speak again, walking all the way into the main hall. Separated by a small table, they sat side by side.

They had originally had a good relationship, linked by Huaying Palace Master Jiang Wuyou, and opportunities for cooperation with the Emperor of Great Qi, who personally taught military strategy, and in the Illusion Realm War… but now they were two such estranged people.

The arrangement of this hall was quite unusual. There were exactly three walls, all covered with maps and no other decorations. The front wall displayed a map of the present world’s terrain, the left a strategic map of the Eastern Domain, and the right a map of the situation of the nearby islands.

Her life’s achievements were perhaps nothing more than these three maps.

She must have often gazed at these maps, her eyes lingering on every corner of these three huge maps for a long time.

But still, that question remained—what was the point?

It was impossible for her to command troops again.

Jiang Wang thought that Qi Xiao probably only ever did what she wanted and didn’t care what others thought, or how the world drew lines and defined so-called “meaning.” She didn’t care.

Qi Xiao raised her finger and pointed to the pot of tea: “There’s nothing else in this residence, just a pot of cold tea. Feel free to quench your thirst, help yourself.”

Her hands were also deeply wrinkled on the back; it was truly hard to imagine how this pair of hands had once dismembered powerful Sea Race creatures, fought and killed enemies, commanded a thousand competing ships, and controlled ten thousand li of waves.

Jiang Wang opened two teacups, picked up the teapot, and poured two cups.

Then he asked, “Why are there no servants in the mansion?”

The old woman said, “Who can endure me?”

When she was on Jueming Island, the Ninth Rank elites had to rotate frequently to maintain complete physical and mental states. The annual elimination rate of the Xiashi Army was quite astonishing, the highest among the Ninth Ranks. Ordinary people would indeed find it impossible to get along with her.

She picked up the teacup and took a sip, then said, “Someone comes at a fixed time every day to clean and cook, and they don’t interact with me.”

Jiang Wang had seemed to have a lot to say before coming, but after seeing her, he didn’t know what to say.

“They do a pretty good job, right?” He asked, “I mean the people who clean and cook.”

The old woman looked at him: “My meaning is—if you want to kill me, now is the time.”

Jiang Wang showed no change in expression: “Does Marshal Qi think I came here today to kill you?”

“Probably not,” Qi Xiao said, “But with old grudges and new hatreds surging, it’s hard to say. After all, you’re not someone who thinks twice before acting.”

Jiang Wang said, “I know you won’t regret it, but I still want to ask—do you regret it now?”

“Regret what?”

“Not regretting your current state, letting your younger brother seize back military power, letting your father mock you, and enduring all this despite being so strong, cold, hard, and full of killing intent.”

Qi Xiao said, “I won the war.”

“Not regretting sending me into danger, not regretting letting my subordinates die and suffer injuries, not regretting… making that request of me?”

Qi Xiao said, “I won the war. I could have won more. If you hadn’t violated military orders, the situation in the nearby sea wouldn’t be so complex now, and Great Qi would have already unified the sea borders.”

“As expected, that’s your answer,” Jiang Wang said.

“You want to say that you are now the first True Monarch in history and are bound to become a Yan Dao. I don’t regret forcing you away?” Qi Xiao asked.

Jiang Wang didn’t speak.

Qi Xiao said, “Your Dao path, your cultivation, is inherently incompatible with the state system. Within the state system, you hold its power and bear its responsibilities, with absolutely no possibility of being willful. I was just the last person to make it clear; if not me, it would have been someone else—of course, if I had known this early on, I wouldn’t have forced you to choose so roughly.”

She paused slightly, then added, “I would have been a little more tactful… letting Marshal Cao come to force you.”

Jiang Wang said, “Qi Xiao is indeed Qi Xiao!”

Qi Xiao looked at him: “Do you hope I apologize?”

Jiang Wang shook his head, stood up, and walked out: “No need for that.”

Qi Xiao’s voice came from behind: “So you came here today just to see how miserable my current life is, how it’s worse than death?”

Jiang Wang didn’t speak.

Qi Xiao was still sitting there but took out a handwritten thin book and passed it forward, towards his back: “During this period of idleness, I wrote a military treatise. This is the only copy, consider it my heartfelt effort. If you go to Huaying Palace, just conveniently take it to His Highness. You can flip through it if you want, or if you want revenge on me, feel free to destroy it after you leave.”

Jiang Wang didn’t turn back, nor did he take the military treatise, but said, “To answer Marshal Qi’s initial question—I think living doesn’t need meaning, but the act of living on does. Not letting others live on… also requires it.”

He left just like that.

The old woman quietly held the book, her expressionless face putting it down.

She didn’t laugh, she hadn’t killed anyone for a long time. She just looked at the map of the nearby islands hanging on the wall and said to herself, “Everyone who died in the Illusion Realm, including me like this now, I think all produced meaning.”

“Hopefully so,” a voice said.

Qi Xiao looked up and saw Du Hou. He was just sitting beside her, in the position Jiang Wang had previously sat, also picking up that cup of cold tea and slowly drinking it.

“Does Du Hou think I was wrong?” Qi Xiao asked.

Cao Ji said, “In the Illusion Realm War, you were the main commander. I would not question the commander’s orders.”

“The Illusion Realm War is over. Looking back?”

Cao Ji put down the teacup: “Where is there any right or wrong in something like war? Is Qi Xiao feeling weak now?”

Qi Xiao slowly shook her head: “Just getting old, starting to constantly recall life.”

She asked again, “Did Du Hou come so quickly because you were afraid he would make a move and kill me?”

Cao Ji nodded honestly: “A little.”

Qi Xiao carefully put away the military treatise and said, “He won’t do anything to me. That person has too many scruples.”

Cao Ji said, “Sometimes he doesn’t seem to have any scruples at all.”

“Young, ah. Sometimes you can’t afford to care,” Qi Xiao picked up the tea, slowly took a sip, then said, “He just wanted to tell me I was wrong. He wanted to show me how he practices his principles.”

“Do you want to continue watching?” Cao Ji asked.

“Of course,” Qi Xiao replied.

She added, “Besides this, what else can I do now?”

Cao Ji looked at her: “Actually, I’m more worried that you wanted to borrow his hand to free yourself.”

“Joke!” Qi Xiao said coldly, “Those words are too ridiculous. If I, Qi Xiao, wanted to free myself, why would I borrow someone else’s knife?”

“Don’t laugh,” Cao Ji said without any change in expression, “I’m afraid of death.”

Jiang Wang told the Emperor of Qi that the country of Qi was his second hometown, and there was not a shred of exaggeration in those words.

His karma with the Zhuang country was already settled; in the underworld, no one could respond to his thoughts.

And in the country of Qi, he had made too many friends and left too many memories. There were flying eagles and fighting dogs, swaggering through the streets, acting tyrannically, and also being showered with honors.

Of course, there were also some enemies. But as he walked forward, walking and walking, there were just no more.

Leaving Qi Xiao’s residence, he went towards Huaying Palace.

At Huaying Palace, there was no one who made him wait. Upon entering the palace gate, people were already waiting, leading him all the way towards the martial arts field.

Jiang Wuyou, of course, knew Jiang Wang’s whereabouts.

At this time, she was still practicing martial arts in the palace.

She practiced martial arts almost every day, mastering divine skills with all eighteen types of weapons.

And among the three palace masters qualified to contend for the throne. Jiang Wuhua was unassuming, Jiang Wuxie was quite like Wu Zu, his romantic affairs widely known. Only Jiang Wuyou, besides her national power, still displayed the demeanor of a master.

Already a self-opened Dao martial artist, she had created a precedent. If she could walk this path unimpeded, she was bound to become a master of her generation.

Jiang Wang walked to the familiar training ground and saw a Fangtian Guishen Ji tumbling in the air, roaring like a silver dragon.

Just as Jiang Wang arrived, this dragon transformed into its true form!

Real silver scales and silver horns, accompanied by wind and thunder, its body over ten zhang long, pounced forward. Suppressing the five elements, the dragon roared through the sky: “Spar with me!”

The entire training ground was enveloped in killing intent.

Standing on the side of the field was the old woman who was always by Jiang Wuyou’s side, holding her ji. Jiang Wang had once been unable to perceive her true strength, but now he could clearly see that she was also a True Monarch.

Under Jiang Wuyou’s magnificent momentum, he leisurely surveyed his surroundings, then lightly smiled and stepped into the field. With just a reach of his hand—

He had already grasped the silver-white dragon horn.

Thus, the wind and thunder stopped, the thick clouds dispersed, the dragon horn turned into the sharp, snow-bright edge of the ji. Jiang Wuyou held the pole with both hands, her blood and qi surging!

Eight Dao characters appeared outside her body, circling like heavenly symbols. Their light was brilliant, as if casting a layer of silver armor over her, causing her momentum to rise infinitely.

The characters said: Dao, Lin, Jue, Dian, Tian, Xia, Li, Wu.

Each character had its unique charm, like a knife, a spear, a sword, or a ji.

With just a casual sweep of his eyes, Jiang Wang caused a spark of fire to appear on these eight Dao characters almost simultaneously—bang! They immediately decomposed, exploding into eight fiery flowers.

Pressing down with the hand grasping the ji edge, Jiang Wuyou was then pressed to the ground, her boots breaking the ground bricks!

Jiang Wang let go, a smile on his face. Jiang Wuyou pointed the ji at the ground and panted violently.

Although this was only a spar, Jiang Wang didn’t hold back.

He understood Jiang Wuyou very well. He knew that Jiang Wuyou had her pride, and Jiang Wuyou didn’t need him to hold back.

“Jiang Qingyang!”

He heard this cold shout.

He looked over with a smile, his face full of the joy of reuniting with an old friend: “What?”

The Huaying Palace Master casually threw the Fangtian Guishen Ji behind her and said with a cold face: “What do you mean by this?!”

(The last two days, we can maintain the best results since Red Heart opened the book, in this single action. Begging.)

(I’m still writing.)

(There will be an extra update at 8 p.m. tonight!)

Thank you, book friend “Hug Hug Demon,” for becoming the alliance master of this book, making it the 598th alliance of Red Heart Patrol Heaven!

Thank you, book friend “Jiang Five,” for becoming the alliance master of this book, making it the 599th alliance of Red Heart Patrol Heaven!

Thank you, book friend “20201023004238573,” for becoming the alliance master of this book, making it the 600th alliance of Red Heart Patrol Heaven!

Thank you, book friend “Jiang Yue He Zeng Zui Mei,” for becoming the alliance master of this book, making it the 601st alliance of Red Heart Patrol Heaven!

Thank you, book friend “Tempestas,” for becoming the alliance master of this book, making it the 602nd alliance of Red Heart Patrol Heaven!

()

Please visit: wap.ishuquge.la