Chen Yang took the handkerchief from Yang Hu, and while wiping the blood from his hands, he turned to gaze at the distant, Eight-Hundred-Li Hongzhi River.
This river was half naturally ford and half man-made, dug to divert water into a moat that surrounded Cangyun City. A stream of living water shimred as it flowed gently past.
His gaze swept over the Eight Hundred Li of the Hongzhi River and followed the Qingyuan River upstream to a massive structure. It resembled a primordial beast crouching upon the land, its silhouette clear against the bright sky. This was the Chen Family Ancestral Mansion, ho to one of the four great royal families.
Chen Yang had been inside once but was struck by a sword from a Pseudo-Saint, nearly severing his life force. At the sa ti, it had also brought him an opportunity.
Not only did it shatter his bottleneck, but the strand of Sword Qi trapped within his body allowed him to sense the aura of the Saint Realm ahead of ti. Over the past year, he had not deliberately focused on rebuilding his realm but had instead been in a state of contemplation. In addition to reflecting on the monts of his life over the years, he was also contemplating the grand Saint Realm. He had already been half a step into sainthood before, so starting over now was a breath of fresh air, and he had reaped significant rewards.
"Father, are there still people in the Chen Family who are on good terms with you?" Chen Yang finally broke the silence, his voice calm.
"There are a few," Chen Jinnan blurted out without much thought. "The bloodbath back then only targeted my direct kin. If they had killed everyone, the overall strength of the Chen Family would have been greatly diminished."
There's an old saying: when the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold. The four great royal families had always put on a harmonious front, but discord lay in their hearts. If any one of them showed weakness, they would undoubtedly be slaughtered and absorbed by the others.
"Make a list for ," Chen Yang said.
Hmm?
Chen Jinnan frowned, then his entire body trembled. He stared blankly at his son. "Chen Yang, you… you want to…"
"This feud should be completely settled." Chen Yang withdrew his gaze, letting it linger for a mont on Liu Xu's tombstone before turning to leave.
Chen Jinnan was left speechless.
Make a list for him? Was he going to storm the Chen Family and avenge the past in one fell swoop? But that's one of the four great royal families, the Chen Family, with Saints in residence! Although this boldness and decisive killing intent made his blood boil—after all, eradicating the Chen Family was sothing he had dread of for years—it was reckless, far too impulsive!
Chen Jinnan took a deep breath, but his roiling thoughts refused to calm. He turned to Yang Hu. "What exactly is Chen Yang's strength now?"
"I don't know." Yang Hu's own blood was pumping. He grinned as he watched Chen Yang's retreating figure. "But I know Boss never fights a battle he's not sure of winning."
"And…" Yang Hu's smile quickly vanished as he said in a low voice, "War is brewing outside Hanyun Valley, and this ti, it definitely won't be as easy to deal with as before."
"Although Boss has resigned his military post and beco a commoner, I know him. Once war breaks out again, no matter where we are or what our status is, none of us can stand idly by.
"If there's a war, we must return when called. That's not just an empty slogan. When our nation's borders are about to fall, we will all charge forward fearlessly, even without a summons. We would head to the frontlines even if we were empty-handed. We are not saints; we are flesh and blood, but we have sworn an oath.
"Once you join the Martial Departnt, you are forever a part of the Martial Departnt. The love for our holand and the responsibility on our shoulders is sothing we dare not, and will not, forget, no matter how much ti passes. Country and ho… without a country, how can one have a ho? This land that has nurtured us will never be trampled by the barbarians' iron hooves.
"So," Yang Hu continued, "the boss probably wants to settle this blood feud before the national war breaks out in full."
With that, Yang Hu strode forward to catch up with Chen Yang.
Chen Jinnan stood petrified. Beside him, Qin Qiu couldn't help but tremble violently.
Yang Hu's words may have been casual, but how could she fail to see the crisis at Hanyun Valley? National war… Were those words not heavier than a thousand pounds? Yang Hu was Chen Yang's deputy and the Vice Commander of the Hanyun Valley Martial Guard, which was publicly recognized as the strongest in the nation. If even he spoke like this, one could only imagine the severity of the situation.
「Three days passed in the blink of an eye.」
Luo Yunhai's appointnt as the Great Elder of the Elders' Court had been officially announced, and today, the court was hosting a grand feast to celebrate.
"You've all heard, haven't you? The Barbarians have a new Sovereign! He's a fearso man. In just one year as sovereign, he has personally led his Martial Guard on conquests, sweeping across ten nations without a single defeat."
"This is trouble. This New Sovereign Heiqi's ultimate goal must be this fertile land of ours. Once he regroups, a great battle is inevitable."
"It's a pity the Supre Martial Commander shed his military uniform, stored his weapons, and beca an ordinary man."
"Speaking of Chen Yang, I heard he was also invited to the Elders' Court banquet today. The situation doesn't look too optimistic for him."
The rise of the fierce Heiqi was known to all, setting off a torrent of heated discussion that naturally included the forr Supre Martial Commander, Chen Yang.
When Chen Yang guarded Hanyun Valley, the enemy's iron hooves had never crossed a single inch of the border. In fact, he had pushed the nation's boundaries outward by one hundred and eighty li and planted their battle flags in the Barbarians' capital. However, as the Barbarians staged a coback, the Supre Martial Commander was no longer there. Amidst the discussions, a palpable sense of unease and restlessness lingered.
Heiqi's ability to sweep across ten nations undefeated was proof of his ferocity and power. Given his usual approach, if he launched an assault on them, he would undoubtedly strike with his full force, leaving no blade of grass standing in his wake.
Does our side still have a warrior who can stand against him?
Chen Yang sat cross-legged. After a mont of ditation, he opened his eyes. He seed to have lost his sharp edge, appearing plainer and more unadorned than before.
Qin Qiu approached, handing him a cup of strong tea.
She gazed at the man before her. His countenance was warm, a light smile ever-present on his face, and his eyes sparkled like the blazing sun. She couldn't help but smile herself, feeling an inexplicable sense of peace.
"May I touch this spear?" she murmured subconsciously, eyeing the silver long spear standing beside Chen Yang.
Chen Yang rose to his feet, took the spear, and presented it to Qin Qiu. "It's quite heavy. Let help you."
Overjoyed, Qin Qiu stepped forward quickly. With Chen Yang's hand-over-hand guidance, she managed to perform several beautiful flourishes with the spear.
"Chen Yang, you're going back to the battlefield, aren't you?"
"Mhm." Chen Yang nodded, his gaze distant as he looked toward the heavens. "Actually, the battlefield has always been here. I never left."
Wherever I, Chen Yang, am, there is the battlefield. The world is vast, with its thousands of mountains and rivers; any place can beco a battlefield. Whether it's fighting the enemy army or annihilating the noble clans, I have always been fighting, never ceasing.
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