So he was the one—the Supre Martial Commander. The man promoted by the Zhennan Prince to beco the War God of the State, the one who planted the war banner in the Barbarian Capital, purged the interest groups with blood, and provoked a desperate counterattack from the nobles that nearly caused widespread turmoil.
Yes, he was that young and that ruthless. Otherwise, why would a man of his stature, the Family Head of the Xuanse Sect's Gan Family, prostrate himself so readily in terror?
Just a short while ago, hadn't the Gan Family sided with the royal clan? Hadn't they publicly condemned the Supre Martial Commander for nurous supposed cris? Didn't they demand that Chen Yang take his own life in public, vowing that even if the royal family forgave him, the Gan Family would not rest? Heh… It seed they had lifted a rock only to drop it on their own feet.
Chen Yang glanced down, gave a dismissive wave, and left without hesitation. Across the vast venue, pupils contracted and hairs stood on end. Yang Hu stepped forward, blade in hand. Chen Yang ascended the steps, a silhouette against the light, his figure receding into the distance. His posture was ramrod straight and his pace unhurried. With his back to the crowd, he exuded an air of disdain for all heroes, of being the sole, unrivaled authority.
「Two days later.」
With Xie Jie's introduction, Chen Yang successfully found the last of the mandrake flowers. The Pill Dragon King imdiately began refining the Pill dicine at the Xie Family's residence in dicine Capital, completing it that day. The following day, Chen Yang rushed back to Cangyun City.
During Chen Yang's absence, the Great Elder, who had previously awoken, had slipped back into a coma. After he was given the Pill dicine, it took three full days for him to slowly regain consciousness. Compared to before, his spirit and vitality were significantly improved. Chen Yang only breathed a true sigh of relief when the Pill Dragon King confird that the man's severed heart ridian had been reconnected.
Outside, rumors continued to fly that the Southern Imperial Clan was about to intervene. They intended to enter the mortal realm to slay Chen Yang.
The mortal realm. Everyone lives under the sa blue sky, survives by breathing the sa air, and eats the sa grains. Yet this group, these self-proclaid royals, always acted as if they were above all other living beings. Their re arrival in Cangyun City was treated like the descent of gods. Were people supposed to kneel and worship them for the rest of their lives? They took themselves far too seriously.
「In the sickroom.」
The Great Elder smiled. "You were just a boy when Ren Tong threw you into the Military Camp. For more than a decade since, you have stood guard over Hanyun Valley. You've never had the chance to travel through these beautiful lands you've spent your life protecting."
This magnificent land was truly vast and beautiful.
Chen Yang understood the aning behind the Great Elder's seemingly random lant. He wanted him to leave Cangyun City, this land of conflict. He wanted him to travel the mountains and rivers, and eventually find a quiet place to live in seclusion.
"I'm still young, am I not?" Chen Yang chuckled. "On the contrary, you're the one who should be looking for a place to retire."
"You dare lecture now?" The Great Elder's eyes widened in a mock glare before he shook his head with a sigh. "I rember a ti when you wouldn't have dared to speak to like that. The world really has changed."
Indeed, it had changed long ago. It had beco impetuous, obsessed with power, and selfish. In a world like this, how many people could truly hold on to their principles?
"Since I've already started down this path and taken the first step, I must see it through to the end. Otherwise, all the sacrifices made will have been for nothing."
Chen Yang's words hit the nail on the head. He had fought so hard to tear open this breach. If he retreated now, it wouldn't be long before everything reverted to the old ways—or perhaps, sothing even worse.
With that, the discussion was over. The Great Elder shook his head and said no more. He had known all along that he couldn't dissuade Chen Yang, but he couldn't stop himself from trying.
"Chen Yang," the Great Elder began again after a long silence, his expression full of sorrow. "I know your character better than anyone, and that is why I have always supported you. But you must recognize how truly powerful your enemies are this ti! With the various royal families now getting involved one after another, can you really hold out against them? You've stirred up such a huge storm, and while the higher-ups have remained silent, there's no guarantee they won't sacrifice you as a bargaining chip to protect their own interests."
Finally, the Great Elder shook his head and sighed again. "In a year, I am due to retire, and I have no idea who will take my place. I'm an old man, but you... you still have so much ti ahead of you. You have already given more than enough for this country. It's ti you started thinking about yourself."
Chen Yang's strength was truly formidable. But as the saying goes, there is always soone stronger. If a real fight broke out, even an expert as mighty as Chen Yang would face grim odds. To put it bluntly, his chances of survival were slim. The unspoken ssage was clear: while there was still a path of retreat, it would be better to leave the treacherous grounds of Cangyun City. The world was vast—was there anywhere he couldn't go? There was no need to fight this battle to the bitter end.
"If I can't see my convictions through to the end, then living is just a aningless struggle," Chen Yang said with a faint smile. "To live without peace of mind is to not live at all."
The country was vast and its landscapes beautiful, but if he truly fled, he knew there would be no place left for him. So things, once begun, cannot be abandoned halfway. He thought back on the montous years of his past. He had never once made a decision he regretted, and this would be no exception. Even if it ant death, he would die with dignity. A pitiful existence, groveling to survive? What was the point of that?
Although he had expected this answer, the Great Elder couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow.
"By the way, do you know of a man nad Murong Fei?" the Great Elder asked, suddenly changing the topic.
Chen Yang raised an eyebrow. "I've heard the na. They say he's a peerless master?"
"Peerless is an understatent. In his ti, he was invincible," the Great Elder said thoughtfully. "Much like you are today. So many years have passed... who knows what realm he has reached by now. I've received word that he has been seen in Cangyun City."
"What for?" Chen Yang asked curiously.
"I don't know. Regardless, you must be extrely careful of him."
Chen Yang nodded to show he understood.
Half an hour later, Chen Yang left the Elders' Court. Simultaneously, a piece of news broke that caused a tidal wave of shock. Chen Yang had directly challenged the threat from the royal family, proclaiming that they could co at him with all they had—he was determined to fight a battle that would shake the heavens and the earth.
"The man is all alone now, why is he still so defiant? Wouldn't it be better for him to just lay low?"
"He's courting death... what a sha."
To challenge the royal family? To wage a world-shaking war against them? And to think, a figure like Tang Yunfeng was nothing more than a speck of dust to the royal family as a whole. It was sheer madness.
The news spread like lightning to every corner of the land. Countless people were left dumbfounded, all of them convinced that the forr Commander had gone completely insane. Looking back through the great annals of history, no one had ever dared to single-handedly challenge the might of the royal family.
「In a humble teahouse on the outskirts of Cangyun City.」
An old man in a white robe sat alone at a square table. A hawk was perched on his shoulder, its sharp eyes scanning the area and causing many of the other patrons to shrink back in fear.
After downing a cup of strong tea, the old man gazed into the distance. "Pushing the border out one hundred and eighty li to plant the war banner in the Barbarian Capital... Not bad at all," he murmured. "And to stand against the interest groups, to willingly cast off his military uniform and face the royal family all alone... Even better."
He listened as those around him mocked Chen Yang, calling him delusional and saying he was on a path to self-destruction.
"This royal family," the old man chuckled softly, "has placed itself far too high. That won't do. They wish to trample upon this world without restraint? Have they asked my war blade for permission? As long as I still live, that boy, Chen Yang, is not alone."
I am Murong Fei.
After forty years of a carefree, wandering life, I shall once again step into this boundless mortal world.
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