Chapter 1141: A Place Contested by Military Strategists

Chapter 1141: A Place Contested by Military Strategists

Zheng Juzhong and Lu Chen were both recognized as figures with hope of reaching the fifteen realms. It was just unknown whether their next reunion would occur in the season of bleak autumn winds or in the climate of blooming spring warmth.

Lu Chen wasn't stupid. He understood the subtle implications from Zheng Juzhong's words alone, realizing that he could almost return to the human world. He no longer had to stare at this surnamed Zheng here with wide eyes. Chancellor Lu's heart was truly flustered.

Once back in the Green Obscurity World, arriving at the White Jade Capital, he would have to set off firecrackers to celebrate.

As for why Zheng Juzhong occasionally folded a few miniature colorful paper boats and cast them into the River of Time, Lu Chen was too lazy to investigate deeply. If he couldn't figure it out, he wouldn't bother.

Seeing that Zheng Juzhong had already stood up and seemed about to leave this place, Lu Chen suddenly spoke, intending to detain him. He looked up tentatively and said, "Brother Huaixian, this opportunity is rare. Why don't we chat a bit more?"

Zheng Juzhong of White Emperor City, styled Huaixian, seemed never to have had a Daoist honorific.

Zheng Juzhong smiled ambiguously. "What? With Jiang She shielding your White Jade Capital from disaster, Chancellor Lu still feels you've earned too little? I advise you to learn from a certain someone: stop at the right point, and be content with what you've gained."

Lu Chen quickly rose to his feet, his gaze sincere as he said, "The next time you and I meet, it will likely not be under such harmonious circumstances. Shouldn't I take this opportunity to say more?"

Zheng Juzhong extended his palm, casually scooping up a handful of flowing time water, and laughed. "I humbly await the sage's teachings."

Lu Chen waved his hand, chuckling. "Not at all, not at all. Mr. Zheng flatters this humble Daoist."

Zheng Juzhong took the first step, and Lu Chen wisely followed. The two walked side by side, chatting as they went. The heaven and earth were vast and boundless, so empty that it seemed there was no emptiness at all—that was presence.

Lu Chen took the initiative to say, "Before Jiang She, there are roughly three choices. The best strategy: Jiang She goes to the Barren Wasteland, raises a banner, and openly establishes a sect and claims patriarch status."

Zheng Juzhong said nothing. If he replied with a redundant remark, wouldn't that be even more redundant? Jiang She and Bai Ze—one of the Ten Heroes of the Ancient World, the other a candidate—both were anomalies among anomalies. Between the two worlds, great conflicts erupted, killing spread everywhere. Jiang She used this to nourish his cultivation through war, for the cultivation base of a military cultivator largely comes from times of chaos. The other seemed to be responsible for holding the bottom line for the Barren Wasteland World, ensuring it wouldn't collapse or be annihilated by the Righteous World. The more gruesome the war, the more Bai Ze, a qi refiner, would violate his Dao heart and be forced to enter the fifteen realms. Was there really such a wonderful thing under heaven...

Lu Chen continued, "Now the co-lord of the Barren Wasteland, the swordsman Fei Ran, is not overly ambitious and is relatively easy to negotiate with. Of course, the premise is a fair transaction where both sides profit." "Fei Ran is quite remarkable. He always reminds me of Zhang Fenghai of our White Jade Capital—both young and capable, with equally high spirits, and their Dao power matches their mental power. Fei Ran advocates for inner sagehood and outer kingship, blending kingly and hegemonic methods, clearly positioning himself as a 'holder of the Dao.' But Fei Ran's killing intent is not heavy; he is more pushed into his position by circumstances. If Jiang She were to take over the Barren Wasteland and share the world's authority, it would be a good compromise. It would give the Barren Wasteland a set of rules, yet not make the rules too strict. Both sides could accept this." "The timing is right. If it were earlier, the Barren Wasteland demons wouldn't have been thoroughly beaten by the Righteous World, so it wouldn't work—those unruly great demons only want complete freedom and wouldn't recognize this at all. If it were later, it wouldn't work either; once the situation is lost, even if Jiang She reaches the fifteen realms, it would be useless. In the Righteous World today, from the mountains to the common people, hearts and minds are too unified."

Zheng Juzhong finally spoke, "A wise man's good planning is not as good as seizing the time."

Lu Chen smiled and nodded, "A hegemon's words!"

Zheng Juzhong shifted the topic, "Jiang She won't go to the Barren Wasteland."

Lu Chen asked doubtfully, "Why?"

Zheng Juzhong said, "The reason Zhou Mi chose Fei Ran as the co-lord of the Barren Wasteland was simply to prevent his eldest disciple, Shou Chen, from suddenly attaining a high position and becoming a target for everyone. Choosing Fei Ran was a more stable buffer. But Shou Chen, whose killing intent is the heaviest, will surely replace him as the war progresses. Fei Ran, who is to become the dao partner of Gui Ke, will naturally go along with the flow, voluntarily yield to the worthy, become a strategist-type figure, retreat behind the scenes, patiently seek a path to the fifteen realms, and ensure he isn't targeted by figures like Zou Zi. Zhou Mi arranged for Shou Chen to be the next co-lord, so anyone who wants to contend for this position must pass Zhou Mi's test. Why did Jiang She send his true body to the Barren Wasteland? He wanted to personally verify some truths and confirm this matter—to see if what Chancellor Lu calls the best strategy might actually be Jiang She's worst strategy."

Lu Chen frowned, "Shou Chen?"

Zheng Juzhong didn't explain a word, continuing on his own, "It's a pity Fei Ran was born in the wrong place. If he were in the Righteous World, his great Dao achievements would be limitless. If we look further ahead, not limited to seven or eight hundred years, Fei Ran from the Righteous World would have more staying power, perhaps becoming another Ritual Sage. It would be even more interesting if Fei Ran and Chen Ping'an swapped places."

Lu Chen took a stance of pursuing the matter to the bottom. "May I ask Mr. Zheng, why specifically Shou Chen?"

It seemed that in the Barren Wasteland, there was indeed a saying: 'Shou Chen in the south, Hidden Officer in the north.' Plus, Shou Chen was the senior disciple of Zhou Mi from Wenhai... But even so, Lu Chen felt the reason was insufficient.

Zheng Juzhong said, "On the night boat, Jiang She deliberately asked Chen Ping'an: 'The Dao can be borrowed, but human hearts?' The answer is simple: of course not. The saying 'when the time comes, heaven and earth lend their strength' includes one subtle aspect: the gathering of people's hearts. This is not borrowing; it is giving people's hearts to a single person, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea. Since you can take it for free without repayment, why borrow? So Jiang She was using military strategy on Chen Ping'an... hmm, indeed."

Lu Chen, while suddenly realizing, offered his own insight, "Not having to repay doesn't mean unable to repay; if one wishes, repayment is still possible."

Zheng Juzhong nodded. Heaven will rain.

Lu Chen smacked his lips, "I never thought this Patriarch of Military Strategists had such talent. On that night boat in Lingxin City, discussing the character 'heart'—wasn't he afraid Chen Ping'an would seize the key and, by a stroke of connected hearts, achieve enlightenment?"

But Lu Chen had another doubt, "In the Barren Wasteland, when it comes to the number of people's hearts recognized, does Shou Chen surpass Bai Ze?"

Zheng Juzhong said, "Shou Chen ranks second for now."

Lu Chen's expression turned odd.

Zheng Juzhong smiled slightly, "The Grand Chancellor of White Jade Capital disappeared for over a hundred years, causing many hearts to scatter. As a result, in the Green Obscurity World today, Chancellor Lu, who is a native of the Righteous World, has the most people's hearts."

Lu Chen said humbly, "I am unworthy, unworthy."

Zheng Juzhong said, "Even Wu Shuangjiang wouldn't miscalculate."

The implication: I, Zheng Juzhong, even more so would not.

Zheng Juzhong continued, "The only flaw is that neither you nor Bai Ze have opened too large a gap with the heroes behind you."

Lu Chen wiped his forehead, "Good, good, that's good."

Lu Chen asked quietly, "What about the Righteous World side?"

Zheng Juzhong teased, "Does Chancellor Lu want to take on both burdens and turn good fortune into double?"

Lu Chen said awkwardly, "This humble Daoist has thin arms and legs; I dare not contend with Brother Huaixian."

Zheng Juzhong said, "Are we done chatting?"

Lu Chen immediately returned to the main topic, "Jiang She could also open a gate in the Green Obscurity World, such as forming an alliance with White Jade Capital and joining hands with Senior Brother Yu Dou to pacify several states' internal rebellions with lightning speed."

Zheng Juzhong laughed, "Yu Dou might not agree."

Lu Chen said, "Senior Brother Yu Dou might not disagree."

Zheng Juzhong said, "Anyway, as long as Yu Dou doesn't agree, Jiang She will choose the opposite side of your White Jade Capital. Back then, the Daoist Zhang Jue of the Five Pecks of Rice rebelled; what they couldn't accomplish, Jiang She and his allies might."

Lu Chen said, "Might not accomplish, right?"

Zheng Juzhong said, "A scholar who has to care most about face—whether he is beaten until his nose is swollen and his face is bruised, or suffers internal injuries—the difference is not as big as Chancellor Lu thinks."

Lu Chen sighed heavily, changing the subject, "Jiang She could also go to the Variegated World and start fresh. There, spreading the Dao and evolving martial arts would be like mercury pouring into the ground. Jiang She would gain a great merit. Moreover, Jiang She has a deep bond with ancient swordsmen, and the young swordsmen of the Ascension City are naturally close to him. Besides, immortal opportunities are ultimately illusory; the threshold for mortals to become qi refiners is too high. But martial arts advancement only requires down-to-earth practice. Martial techniques can be practiced by anyone. Even if one's achievement isn't high, it won't be a futile effort. In the Variegated World, within a few hundred years, the land will be filled with dragons and snakes, martial arts will flourish, and together with sword Dao fortune, they will suppress all other traditions. Perhaps Jiang She's opportunity to enter the fifteen realms awaits him there. Does Mr. Zheng agree?"

Zheng Juzhong did not comment on this conclusion.

Lu Chen asked curiously, "Setting aside Mr. Zheng, what are the chances of victory there?"

Zheng Juzhong said, "No one dares to say they will definitely win; no one dares to guarantee the other will definitely die."

Lu Chen said helplessly, "This good friend of mine really surprises me more every few days."

Zheng Juzhong said, "If I were you, back then I wouldn't have dragged things out. I would have either decisively killed him and run away, or knocked him out and taken him to White Jade Capital to practice Dao magic."

Lu Chen sighed and groaned, his expression gloomy. "That's why you are the master of White Emperor City, and I am the Chancellor Lu of White Jade Capital."

Zheng Juzhong laughed and said, "Each has his own selfish motives. I care about all the processes; you only pursue that one result."

Lu Chen smiled, "No wonder Mr. Zheng only likes to play Go. A chess master, once determined to play a draw, will make the process very boring."

After a moment of silence, Zheng Juzhong said something off-topic, "I remember back when Bai Ze helped Ritual Sage cast tripods and inscribe names on the mountain peak, recording all the spirits and monsters in heaven and earth, totaling 11,520 types."

Lu Chen instantly understood, "11,520 is a 'great number' that few people care about now."

Ten thousand years ago, during that meeting by the River of Time, the three patriarchs of the religions made a ten-thousand-year pact, and ten thousand years later, there was a dissolution of Dao.

This meant the next 1,520 years would determine all the grand situations and major events within the next 'great number' period.

Individual luck often cannot exceed a nation's fortune; a nation's fortune cannot exceed the vast fortunes of a world; the rise and fall of a world's fortunes cannot exceed the operation of the celestial Dao of the entire human world.

Zheng Juzhong said seriously, "The Literary Sage and Zou Zi both greatly admire your 'Essay on the Equality of Things,' but I alone am fond of your phrase: 'Dao techniques will fragment under heaven.'"

Lu Chen said lazily, "Perhaps this humble Daoist is learning from a certain disciple to worry about the sky falling."

Zheng Juzhong slowly said, "The rise and fall of a thousand ages are all in a single dream. May I ask, Southern Flower, who wrote 'Southern Flower,' which chapter of 'Southern Flower' are you reading now?"

Lu Chen immediately got a headache; whenever the word "dream" came up, Chancellor Lu inevitably felt apprehensive.

The two walked side by side, the scenery along the way utterly lifeless and dry. Here, seeing a living person was as hard as reaching heaven. Truly, an ancient road with no travelers.

If heaven and earth were an inn, then this room was too empty.

But Zheng Juzhong led the way and once again found that "future" fourteen-realm cultivator who had been hiding here. It was this person who, "for no reason," had struck from afar, repeatedly interrupting Chen Ping'an's secluded cultivation in his Fuyanglu Dao field.

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Lu Shen would never have guessed it was this person ambushing Chen Ping'an. But having seen it, Lu Shen suddenly understood, instantly figuring out the reason.

Lu Shen chuckled, "Haha, half a fellow villager meeting another—tears in both eyes. This Daoist friend must be carrying a remarkable secret treasure."

He remembered the sword immortal Bai Jing, now the second-ranked guest elder of the Falling Mountain, Lady Xie Gou (Miss Xie), had a similar divine ability with two innate flying swords.

Those two innate flying swords were named "Upstream" and "Downstream." The names sounded a bit vulgar, but any cultivator of the same realm as her wouldn't want to provoke bad luck.

For Bai Jing, so-called tempering of flying swords was merely lengthening the upstream and downstream river segments. At the same time, she could widen the riverbed and deepen the water level.

If Bai Jing successfully merged with the Dao and entered the fourteen realms, it was believed that within the next thousand years, most of the new fourteen-realm cultivators, even within their own Dao fields, would still be extremely wary.

Lu Shen wasn't afraid of that. This humble Daoist and Mountain Lord Chen were dear friends who would drink together and walk arm-in-arm whenever they met.

That fourteen-realm cultivator, drifting like a leaf in a whirlpool, said calmly, "I trust that given the identities of City Lord Zheng and Chancellor Lu, you wouldn't stoop to coveting treasures, right?"

Zheng Juzhong smiled and countered, "Huang Zhen, can you guess our thoughts?"

Lu Shen grinned, "City Lord Zheng might as well remove the word 'our.'"

Huang Zhen asked, "City Lord Zheng came here on a journey, willingly wearing down his own Dao base. Was it to try to swim upstream along the river of time and find a suitable opportunity to kill Chancellor Yu?"

Lu Shen's eyelids twitched slightly.

Zheng Juzhong shook his head, "Since one is already recorded in the annals of history, pasting yellow paper over it is meaningless."

Lu Shen breathed a sigh of relief.

Huang Zhen continued, "Then City Lord Zheng returned again—what exactly are you seeking? If you want to ask about future events, I'm sorry, I cannot comply. Divulging heavenly secrets would have unpredictable consequences."

Zheng Juzhong said, "I just wanted to find someone for Chancellor Lu to chat with."

On the road, one dare not meet Zheng.

Huang Zhen's expression was complex. In a few years, a new list of Ten Heroes of the World and reserve candidates would be freshly published. About half would be within expectation, half beyond.

Lu Shen asked casually, "Is this fellow similar to that Chen Ping'an who, as a child, took a candy skewer?"

Zheng Juzhong smiled, "More or less."

Lu Shen raised his hand, shook his Daoist robe sleeve, pretending to count on his fingers, and exclaimed in wonder, "First hatred: he hated that his own mother couldn't get the silver money from Ruan Xiu. As a youth, he thought it over but dared not hate that unattainable daughter of a military saint, so he counted it against his peer Chen Ping'an, envying the latter's sheer luck in rising rapidly, hateful that he could know a woman like Ruan Xiu. Second hatred: years later, after much scheming and achieving neither high nor low, the middle-aged man finally summoned the courage to go to the gate of Falling Mountain. But he was politely refused because of the twenty-year mountain closure, cutting off his path to ascend the mountain and cultivate immortality. On the way back to the city, his face burned with shame. He hated losing face and turned to hate everything and everyone in Falling Mountain even more. Third hatred: he hated that fellow villager surnamed Lu who was a dog for the Xu family of Qingfeng City, and even more, he hated that he himself had to become a dog's dog. Then came new hatreds and old grudges and various resentments... this humble Daoist can't calculate any further."

Lu Shen easily exposed his background, but Huang Zhen remained expressionless, only saying, "He himself admitted he survived by eating from a hundred families."

Zheng Juzhong said indifferently, "Revenge is the straightest path that makes a person most single-minded."

Lu Shen sighed emotionally. Looking at this man before him—at least a genuine fourteen-realm cultivator—he had meticulously plotted for years, even willing to trap himself here as a half-alive corpse guardian. Such a grudge against his fellow villager Mountain Lord Chen—how deep could it be?

They left this place and headed toward the territory of the Gatekeeper.

Huang Zhen gazed at the backs of the two cultivators, especially Lu Shen wearing that lotus crown. He murmured with a smile, "Honored to meet you."

Zheng Juzhong asked, "Back when Chancellor Lu saw most of the scrolls of the River of Time, do you still remember how many jin Chen Ping'an, of Mud Vase Alley, weighed at birth?"

Lu Shen rubbed his chin, thought for a moment, and said, "He seemed to be a chubby baby boy, about seven jin."

But the first time they met, the youth had already been tanned black as charcoal, thin as a bamboo pole.

Earlier, in that Law School temple, one of Chen Ping'an's avatars, before departing, had a question-and-answer session with the presiding monk.

"May I ask the patriarch's intention in coming west?" "How much is rice in other lands?"

"Dare I ask the monk, is gradual cultivation and sudden enlightenment one path or two?" "Benefactor, how many coins is one coin?"

The old monk asked the manuscript-copying scholar, "What is the family style at your mountain?" The middle-aged scholar replied, "If wrong, correct it; if not wrong, be vigilant. Not afraid of rising thoughts, only afraid of late awareness."

Finally, the scholar asked, "All laws return to one, where does the one return?" The old monk raised his arm, joined two fingers as if lifting something, and smiled, "Go collect the blue cloth shirt from Qingzhou, weighing seven jin."

Zheng Juzhong said, "Does Chancellor Lu know that back when he led those children on their journey of learning, and they rested at a fairy inn in Huangting Kingdom, Chen Ping'an said something half-true, half-false, fooling the old scholar he had just met?"

Lu Shen sighed helplessly, "How would this humble Daoist know such a thing?"

Zheng Juzhong smiled, "One copper coin."

Lu Shen asked, "Very critical?"

Zheng Juzhong shook his head, "Actually, it's irrelevant. I've just never been able to figure it out."

Lu Shen grew even more curious, "So attentive?"

Zheng Juzhong said, "I promised a transaction to Cui?."

Lu Shen couldn't help asking, "Brother Huaixian, what do you think? Among my Uncle-Master Bixiao, Brother Zhisi, and Bai Ye, who is the most skilled in fighting?"

Zheng Juzhong said, "The one who can ask such a question despite being half a fifteen-realm cultivator is even more skilled."

Lu Shen looked disgruntled.

Half a fifteen-realm? Traveling a hundred miles, half is at ninety.

Zheng Juzhong said, "Bixiao Cave Lord's harmonized Dao and human aspects are limited by the time and place of his own Great Dao. Having all three conditions actually becomes quite a burden for the Dao heart. But then again, Bixiao Cave Lord never aimed for high killing power anyway."

Lu Shen was startled—Uncle-Master Bixiao really could hide his light!

"Brother Zhisi must rely on the Hundred Thousand Mountains to suppress and overcome his own Dao base. One can imagine how profound his Dao power is. When this senior retrieves those two eyeballs, there will be a grand feat."

Hearing this, Lu Shen was even more shocked and eagerly asked, "Ah? Could it be that Bai Ye, acknowledged as the highest killing power with his immortal sword, is at the bottom?"

Zheng Juzhong lost patience and just gave Chancellor Lu a sidelong glance.

I've talked with you so much, and you're treating Lu Shen as a fool?

Lu Shen adjusted his lotus Dao crown and said with a dry laugh, "I just feel a bit sorry for Bai Ye. If I could get a few clear words from Mr. Zheng, I'd have more confidence when arguing with others later."

In ancient times, Jiang She had a good relationship with Bixiao Cave Lord, often drinking at Luobao Beach. Not long ago, Jiang She sent his true self to the Barren Wasteland for two things. One was naturally to see if it was suitable to become the ruler of the Barren Wasteland. The other was to go to the Hundred Thousand Mountains to see the old blind man, to see if he could get Brother Zhisi, with whom he had a similarly good early relationship, to change his mind.

Zheng Juzhong said, "Zhou Mi didn't think about killing Senior Zhisi. Otherwise, why would he have sent Shou Chen to accompany Zhong Guang to the Hundred Thousand Mountains, only to have that senior disciple lose an eyeball?"

That item was eventually scavenged and chewed by Tao Ting, who was acting as a watchdog.

At that time, not only was the Barren Wasteland Patriarch watching the situation, but in fact, Zhou Mi was standing by, ready to strike with full force at any moment.

But the Barren Wasteland Patriarch didn't want Zhou Mi to engage in a life-or-death battle with the old blind man, for both public and private reasons.

It must be known that Tuoyue Mountain itself was evolved from one of the Ascension Platforms falling to the ground. That Ascension Platform was a trophy from Zhisi's battle to ascend to heaven, where he opened a separate path. Later, Zhisi saw the internal strife as a mess of smoke and dust, became disheartened, and besides gouging out his own eyes and throwing them into the Righteous World and Green Obscurity World, he casually gifted that Ascension Platform to the demon leader who had said "chew the true body to supplement Dao power" before ascending—the first co-lord of the Barren Wasteland. Hence, the Tuoyue Mountain Patriarch owed the old blind man a huge favor. If not for Chen Qingdu teaming up with Guan Zhao and Long Jun, without warning, to cut through Tuoyue Mountain with swords, damaging the Barren Wasteland ancestor's Great Dao roots, the latter could have entered the fifteen realms. So whether Zhisi cut away that piece of Barren Wasteland territory from the Hundred Thousand Mountains or not, it didn't matter much to the Barren Wasteland Patriarch in the beginning.

The Barren Wasteland Patriarch advised Zhou Mi, "Just bypass the Hundred Thousand Mountains, and you'll be sure of victory. Why take risks now?"

Zhou Mi nodded and smiled, "Indeed, I'm not certain. Let's wait a bit more."

Once the Barren Wasteland demons successfully broke through the Sword Qi Great Wall, if the Righteous World's war stalemated and they couldn't advance like splitting bamboo, taking three continents and occupying Tongye, Fuyang, and Golden Armor continents, leaving a blurry-positioned old blind man behind the battlefield—that would be a major military taboo. Zhou Mi, who allowed no variables, would naturally regard Zhisi and the Hundred Thousand Mountains as a top-priority heart disease. Unless Zhisi was eliminated, the Barren Wasteland demons would always have a rear threat.

Why did the elder sword immortal take Ning Yao on a trip to the Hundred Thousand Mountains? Why didn't he meet the old blind man alone?

Why did he tell Ning Yao that just hearing the old blind man say "I won't help anyone" was enough?

We must know Chen Qingdu's usual temper.

Liu Cha, the bewhiskered hero who became friends with Ah Liang through a fight, and the foremost swordsman of the Barren Wasteland, had voluntarily helped the old blind man move mountains.

Those who could enter the old blind man's "Dharma eye" were, without exception, the exceedingly few heroes of the era.

As for the ambush and siege set against Bai Ye at Fuyang Continent, Bai Ye knew it was a trap but still went with his sword. At that time, almost the entire batch of old throne-level great demons from the Barren Wasteland had turned out.

The most crucial point: under the conditions of ideal time, place, and people, from start to finish, the siege and killing of that most conceited man in the world was personally orchestrated by Zhou Mi.

Before starting the war between the two worlds, Zhou Mi traveled alone in the Barren Wasteland. Whose help did he need?

Even Zheng Juzhong, when mentioning Bai Ye, couldn't help sighing, "To be so specifically targeted by Zhou Mi—only this one person."

Lu Shen nodded vigorously like a pecking chick, "This humble Daoist has a quite good relationship with Bai Ye."

Zheng Juzhong said out of nowhere, "At the territory of Hehuan Mountain, Chancellor Lu and that 'Bai Mao' got along very well?"

Lu Shen couldn't figure why Zheng Juzhong asked this. "Ah? Is there something to it?"

Zheng Juzhong said, "Sometimes, I truly envy Lu Chen's carefree wanderings."

Lu Shen smiled, "Actually, it's just laziness."

In the Treasure Vase Continent, inside the Pearly Pearl Cave Heaven, that black cat often appeared in Apricot Flower Alley and occasionally visited the Yang family shop. On the Tongye Continent, when Chen Ping'an took Pei Qian to leave the Lotus Flower Blessed Land, on their northern journey, at an inn in a small town, Pei Qian once saw a white cat at the window and poked it with her mountain-walking staff. The little charcoal girl was startled—the white cat could speak human language and called her a crazy little girl.

Lu Shen chuckled meaningfully, "Who could imagine that the yin spirit attached to Jiang She's true body in this incarnation is actually a woman?"

Once the ten-thousand-year sentence was up and Jiang She reappeared in the world, why did he seek out Chen Qingliu, the dragon-slayer? For those like Lu Shen who knew too many inside stories, it was relatively easy to understand.

It was absolutely not as the outside world imagined—that if Jiang She could ally with Chen Qingliu, he would have a connection with White Emperor City and Zheng Juzhong.

Rather, the location of Jiang She's yin spirit "true body" was Xie Shiji.

This involved a secret scheme to suppress the first ancestor of the military strategists.

And at that time, Cao Ci and his senior sister Dou Fenxia, who were riding the wind over the sea to reach the Barren Wasteland through Guixu, saw Jiang She fishing among the clouds. Beside Jiang She was Zhang Tiaoxia, whose Daoist name was Dragon Earl.

The existence of Zhang Tiaoxia involved another scheme of the second ancestor of the military strategists.

Back then, when Cui? split his soul into two and entered the "white-clothed youth" of the Pearly Pearl Cave Heaven, he still called himself Cui?. He was responsible for playing chess with Junior Brother Qi Jingchun—ostensibly a dangerous Great Dao struggle, senior and junior brothers turning against each other. It seemed he wanted to compete with Qi Jingchun for the traditional lineage of the literary path, thereby elevating his realm and helping the Great Li Kingdom complete its southern conquest.

At the time, Cui Dongshan had a conversation with Wu Yuan, the first county magistrate of Huai Huang County, divulging some heavenly secrets. He gave two examples to prove how deeply the struggles for supreme Dao were planned with utmost subtlety and long-term calculation.

Besides being stripped of his martial fortune in a collective decapitation, leaving only a Yang spirit external body to house his soul, Jiang She's yin spirit was placed in a blessed land, continuously reincarnating, gradually wearing away his spirit. As for that second ancestor of the military strategists, his fault was lesser than Jiang She's, his sentence shorter. He was allowed to keep only one po occupying his flesh, maintaining a clear mind. But his remaining three souls and six po were separated and placed into nine blessed lands across the Righteous World and Green Obscurity World. Some cultivated Dao, some practiced martial arts—whether qi refiners dying and reincarnating, or martial arts masters dying naturally, each person's achievements in each life were not low. And none of those nine knew their true "previous lives" or Dao roots.

Lu Shen said, "Regarding the 'avatars' of the second military ancestor, I still can't guess two of them."

Zheng Juzhong said, "Every change in heavenly timing brings considerable variables, allowing them to slip through the net and leave the sages' sight. It's normal that Chancellor Lu, who wasn't really paying attention, couldn't guess all."

Among the nine continents of the Righteous World, only the smallest Treasure Vase Continent had two ancestral court of military strategists—not without reason.

It was because Treasure Vase Continent once imprisoned two avatars of the second military ancestor. One was Gao Jianfu of Divine Edict Sect, who together with He Xiaoliang, a direct disciple of Chancellor Lu, were called a golden boy and jade girl. The other was a northern scholar who traveled far to study at Guanhu Academy in central Treasure Vase Continent. He was a Great Li scholar with lofty aspirations, hoping to earn a Confucian academy's gentleman title through true talent. Later, this scholar's subsequent reincarnation, as a Great Li official holding a lantern, met that "Lady Chu," bride-clothed female ghost.

On Tongye Continent, there was Lu Fang, a swordsman who had gone to the Lotus Flower Blessed Land for training.

On Fuyang Continent, a certain mortal monarch wearing the Great Frost Armor was now in the Variegated World. But his previous life was a qi refiner from the Golden Armor Continent blessed land.

In the Central Earth Divine Continent, there was Zhang Tiaoxia, the former number one martial artist in the world.

The last avatar in the Righteous World was Hao Su, the Penal Officer.

In the Green Obscurity World, there was a Daoist whose real name was Zhu Dazhuang. He had many Daoist titles, such as "Green Duckweed," and was now the foremost on Mount Ruzhou.

Zheng Juzhong stopped walking and laughed, "Huang Zhen was waiting for his prey. His ambition is huge. He's not just trying to spite Chen Ping'an; he also wants to try to kill Chancellor Lu."

Some people in the world, having suffered hardship, want to devour others.

It's a pity Huang Zhen was still too timid. When an opportunity presented itself, he didn't dare seize it. His Dao heart was suspicious, afraid that Zheng Juzhong wanted to play the part of the mantis stalking the cicada, with the oriole behind.

Not surprising, really. If Huang Zhen had always been bold, he probably wouldn't have been able to see both him and Lu Chen.

Lu Shen was completely nonchalant. He took a book from his sleeve, tore out a page, and quickly folded it into a lotus-shaped paper lantern.

Holding the lotus lantern in his hand, Lu Shen suddenly asked, "According to Cui?'s plan, if Jiang She is killed, who will take charge of the military strategists in the future?"

Zheng Juzhong smiled slightly, "Since Lu Shen is too lazy, why bother asking for the answer?"

Lu Shen gently breathed onto the flower lantern.

One word "jue," two pronunciations. Heaven and earth apart? Different sounds but same meaning?

Lu Shen's gaze blurred for a moment as he stood in the River of Time.

He gave a gentle push, as if setting a river lantern adrift.

Our lives in this world are like a lantern.

––––

Jiang She was forcibly dragged to a place—a boundless ancient battlefield site.

The green of the azure sky seemed about to drip onto the earth.

Visible was a towering Ascension Platform that once allowed male earth immortals to attain divine status. Besides that, far in the northwest, a heavenly pillar that used to connect with clouds and soil appeared tilted, but without any sense of decline—its aura still majestic. Layers of cloud seas looked like various seal scripts, and bursts of muffled thunder echoed and reverberated. In ancient times, heavenly gods and earth spirits were arrayed in clear ranks, Dao techniques flowed cyclically without end, and humans inhabited the midst.

At this moment, Chen Ping'an was using his own method against Jiang She: he had set up a low-lying vortex in the River of Time that spun back rapidly. To the night boat still sailing the Righteous World, it seemed as thin as paper in distance, but in reality, the journey between the two places was unimaginably vast, no longer measurable in billions of miles.

The starting battlefield of the conflict between water and fire.

Jiang She heavily thrust the long spear "Break Formation" in his hand into the ground, using it to test the reality of this heaven and earth. The result was very clear: it could not be more real. Good! Excellent, exactly what I wanted! Jiang She was forced into this place, and a familiar thick ancient aura enveloped his mind, further confirming that this place was not fake or some illusion. Without a trace of fear, his fighting spirit only grew. This battle-hardened first ancestor of the military strategists still unconsciously felt his heartstrings tighten, not daring to underestimate the situation. Since the other side had put up such a grand display and triggered the phenomenon of heaven's change, Jiang She, deep down, for the first time regarded that surnamed Chen kid as an opponent who could determine victory or defeat.

But Jiang She soon couldn't help recalling many stories and old acquaintances. Seeing that the host was still slowly descending the steps, as if not intending to act for a while, Jiang She didn't restrain his random thoughts either. He let his mind wander for a moment. When he came back to his senses, Jiang She slowly crouched down, pinched some soil between two fingers.

Clouds return to the emperor's homeland; the blue sea becomes dust. A thousand years pass like yesterday's flash.

Jiang She raised his gaze slightly, looking into the distance at the man about to reach the bottom of the divine path steps. What a boundless realm, an immaculate golden body, a supreme divine position... finally satiated? Finally becoming more and more like half of one.

A pair of pure golden indifferent eyes, a slender figure in blue robes, hands tucked in sleeves, vast Dao aura, spirit complete and abundant. He remained silent for a long time, meeting Jiang She's gaze.

Jiang She took a deep breath, stood up, and clapped his hands. As he looked around, a simple clap caused several earth dragons to rise around him, sweeping outward aggressively. Dust flew, and each land tornado soared thousands of feet high. Yet compared to this realm, they were still as small as weeds—which showed how vast the heaven and earth were, how wide the battlefield. Jiang She's mind expanded. He laughed, "The host's hospitality is thorough. Truly a fine place to throw fists and stretch legs."

Neither side was in a hurry to act. The reason was simple: each had their own objectives.

This sudden battle was destined to have profound consequences. Enemies meeting on a narrow path, competitors contending on the road—neither side was willing to have any slip-ups.

Suddenly, the heavens and earth split open. A magnificent golden rainbow descended from the sky, breaking through the barrier, and in an instant landed on the divine path steps. The entire world shook violently. The tall, white-robed woman with flowing sleeves appeared beside Chen Ping'an. However, her position was one step lower, but their height was similar. She squinted at Jiang She, who was as small as a mustard seed in the distance, and smiled at Chen Ping'an, "Master."

Chen Ping'an, expressionless, stepped down one step and nodded. "The century-long covenant has to be brought forward."

The arrival of the Sword Bearer triggered an increasingly intense celestial disturbance, like throwing a giant mountain into a lake, causing a blast of time-flowing air to scatter in all directions. Jiang She stood still, unmoving, letting that energy sweep across him. The two land tornadoes that happened to be in the way shattered instantly upon impact with the river current. Jiang She squinted, feeling an infinite sword intent rushing toward him. He didn't even bother to draw the long spear standing upright beside him. He let the sword intent wash over him, his sleeves rustling, fine tearing sounds of silk. But Jiang She's sturdy form remained as immovable as a rock, like a pillar in the middle of a torrent, splitting a surging river.

After a moment, Jiang She's expression returned to normal. He just raised his arm, casually flicked a few times, dispersing the remaining sword energy around him. The boundless golden light around him flickered unsteadily. "If the Sword Bearer hadn't fought the Armor Bearer outside the sky, I might have actually been intimidated a bit by you—this pair of dogs and bitches."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ping'an was devoid of any thought, his heart calm like still water. To be precise, ancient gods had no hearts. Hence later Dao masters believed that, in a certain sense, cultivators gradually abandoned the seven emotions and six desires, finally attaining the immortality and everlasting life they had dreamed of at the start of cultivation. It was like being in a temple: both infinite freedom and an eternal cage. Later, many mountains and rivers gods who received official canonization from the court, and those who built their own shrines and licentious temples, no matter how high their statues stood or how pure their golden bodies were, still retained more or less a trace of obsession—some intention, some grand vow recognized by heaven, earth, and humanity, or a thread of thought that could cross the boundary of light and darkness and align with the Dao. All such things were like a golden lotus pavilion standing gracefully in the River of Time. Born as travelers, with heaven and earth as an inn, even qi refiners seeking immortality could not escape it. Only gods who enjoyed human offerings were not like duckweed drifting with the current.

When he was young in the back courtyard of the Yang family shop, a severely wounded Chen Ping'an slept like a "little death." Old Man Yang once asked Ning Yao a strange question: whose voice is a thought in the heart?

In Chen Ping'an's mind-lake, old memories and new thoughts had no distinction between before and after, fast or slow. They were all like a book already written and engraved, fixed on pages as words.

On the divine path steps, she was even more unperturbed, saying calmly, "What a big former ant."

Jiang She's eyes sparkled. He laughed loudly, looking into the golden eyes of that supreme god. He twisted his wrist, shook his arm, and said, "Don't forget, before ascending to heaven, the first person on the human road to kill a god, breaking the golden body with bare fists, is surnamed Jiang, named She!"

Chen Ping'an slightly raised his eyebrows, looking at the first patriarch of the military strategists. He moved his mind. This was the first time he had heard this anecdote. No wonder after the collective decapitation, Jiang She's body was imprisoned on the ancient star Mars, enduring a ten-thousand-year sentence. Although his martial fortune was divided along with his body, the handling of his soul and spirit seemed to have given the three religious patriarchs quite a headache. Was this the so-called "a centipede dies but never stiffens"?

If he were still that young Hidden Officer who spent all year on the city wall in the northwest wind, he would have probably used some innate technique and uttered a strange remark: "Senior, with such good luck, you happened to be the same name as Jiang She?"

In those years, though a bit lonely, he could speak freely. Alone, finding joy in hardship, he was free and at ease.

The Sword Bearer's killing power was high, no doubt about it. But unfortunately, she had been injured earlier while killing the Armor Bearer of equal divine rank. So now, the Sword Bearer was far from the state of divine perfection. During the previous encounter at the strange mountain peak, in the Mars Dao field, Jiang She deliberately provoked her with words, got what he wanted, and took a few sword strikes. After some careful deduction, Jiang She had a rough idea of the Sword Bearer's current killing power. As for Jiang She's calculations, Chen Ping'an and the Sword Bearer were probably both fully aware. But one didn't stop the "sword servant" from acting, and the other didn't bother to hide anything.

Jiang She snorted derisively, "If the Armor Bearer hadn't fought Little Master first, and the Armor Bearer probably had his own plans, you might not have been able to pick up that easy kill and behead him after stripping his armor."

It had only been a few days since the Middle Earth Confucian Temple council by the River of Time. For this god, it was like a pure martial artist in the human world hadn't had time to exchange a breath of pure true qi.

How nice it would be if that old almanac recording the names and divine duties of millions of gods were completely turned to a new page, making the human world clean and tidy. Why do you, the Sword Bearer, have to be sneaky, hanging around like a lingering ghost?

Jiang She shook his head, a pitying look in his eyes. "Your lofty era has long been smashed to pieces. Why force it? Why prolong your miserable existence and refuse to admit defeat?"

The ancient heavenly court had five supreme gods and twelve high-ranked gods. Green Youth Heavenly Lord, to ensure the incense of the divine path did not perish; the male earth immortal ancestor who trapped himself for ten thousand years; the one who spent remaining divine energy to restart the Ascension Platform for Zhou Mi, Ruan Xiu, and those ascenders; then Ma Kuxuan, who couldn't match his peer Chen Ping'an and had his front-part Great Dao roots chopped off—Ma Kuxuan also cut ties with the former Thunder Department.

Now only the Sword Bearer remained, "still" standing alone.

Jiang She formed a fist, lightly stretched his muscles and bones, and looked at Chen Ping'an. The "person" before him, though not real, was not bad either.

None of them were any worldly reincarnation in the ordinary sense. Zhou Mi, who had returned to the old heavenly court and raised the banner of the divine path again, was not—neither Jia Sheng of the Righteous World nor Wenhai of the Barren Wasteland; Zhou Mi is Zhou Mi.

Chen Ping'an, who still stayed in the Falling Mountain of the human world, born ordinary, was also not. He was just a hard-lived person who won all the bets on the table, sweeping the board.

Each of their "halves of one" became inheritors through their own Dao power and mental power. This was probably the so-called "self-seeking blessings, the self-helping helped by heaven."

Finally, they jointly created today's pattern: one side overlooking from on high, gazing down at the human earth; the other standing firmly on the ground, looking up in confrontation with heaven.

The three religious patriarchs jointly dissolved their Daos, besieging the old heavenly court ruins—not just targeting Zhou Mi, but limiting all divine paths, making this pattern more solid.

Jiang She had to admit that an orphan from a poor alley with no special previous life, who had come this far, was indeed not easy.

Jiang She sneered, "You bookish types, when you deliberately scheme against people, step by step, link by link—you're really dirty."

Chen Ping'an smiled, "Since we are fellow travelers, Fellow Daoist Jiang, why belittle yourself?"

At this moment, Jiang She was not feeling well. In total, five portions of martial fortune: two in Green Obscurity, three in Righteous. An internal conflict within his own body stirred up the human aura with earth-shaking upheaval, mountains and rivers inside him shaking violently—like two armies facing off, two fighting three.

Jiang She inwardly mocked himself: indeed, haste makes waste.

Chen Ping'an smiled slightly, "Drinking fast wine makes you drunk easily."

Jiang She laughed, "Since things have come to this, don't hide anything. Where are the other reinforcements?"

Bring them all on—I, Jiang, will accept them all.

When Jiang She's knees bent slightly, in an instant, with him as the center, the earth for ten thousand miles cracked into countless ravines and gullies.

Chen Ping'an remembered a saying Senior Brother Cui once said: Young people should have the demeanor of young people.