Chapter 1255: Jing Tian

Naturally, Jiang Wang wasn't heading to the capital city of Jing to plead his case before the Jing Emperor, nor was he tired of living.

The ambush was carried out by elite forces of Jing's Demon-Smiting Army. The one now pursuing him was the Jing realm's heaven's favorite, Zhao Xuanyang.

In such circumstances, no one would ever expect him to flee in the direction of Jing.

This was practically walking into a trap.

It was precisely for this reason that he decided to make this choice.

Of course, he wasn't actually going to enter Jing, but rather hug the border of Jing, traversing the Central Domain, seeking a chance at survival on the precipice.

From any angle, he stood no chance against Zhao Xuanyang.

One could say that the moment they met, this game of cat and mouse would be over. His only advantage lay in the fact that Zhao Xuanyang hadn't arrived yet, and he could still choose his escape route freely.

He had to make good use of this time.

After a swift flight, his escape strategy was complete. Jiang Wang then urgently entered the Tai Void Illusion Realm and wrote two letters. One for Zuo Guangshu, and one for Chong Xuan Sheng.

The letter to Zuo Guangshu simply stated: "Sudden matter, won't go to Chu for now, don't worry."

The letter to Chong Xuan Sheng was written thus: "At the midpoint of Yun and Song, Jing used the elite of the Demon-Smiting Army to apprehend me, I killed them in return. Now Zhao Xuanyang is personally out, accusing me of consorting with demons. My intention is to flee eastward through Jing."

In his opinion, Zuo Guangshu was still just a child and shouldn't be involved.

Chong Xuan Sheng was different. He trusted Chong Xuan Sheng's wisdom as much as he trusted his own sword. He used the most concise words to explain the situation, leaving the rest to see how Chong Xuan Sheng could cooperate with him.

Of course, human strength has its limits. Even with extraordinary wisdom, Chong Xuan Sheng might not have a good solution against a behemoth like Jing.

He was just doing his best, and there was really no need for formality with Chong Xuan Sheng.

After hastily sending the cranes, without waiting for a reply, Jiang Wang quickly left the Tai Void Illusion Realm and continued his rapid flight. Every second of free escape time was precious.

He did his utmost to erase his tracks, while also creating some misleading ones. Though heading east, it wasn't a straight line eastward.

Zhao Xuanyang claimed he would apprehend him personally in the name of the ancient Demon-Smiting Alliance, speaking with righteous indignation. But Jiang Wang didn't believe that he was already a sinner.

The current realm wasn't just Jing's current realm.

Although Jing declared him guilty, it wasn't a universally accepted verdict!

At the very least, Qi would never agree.

Otherwise, what was the necessity for those four Divine Inner Palace cultivators from the Demon-Smiting Army to hide their identities?

Jing's initial act of concealment clearly indicated their intention – to seize him quietly while he was away from Qi, then publicly conduct a trial, swiftly proclaiming his guilt, completely framing the entire incident, and leaving Qi no time to react.

As for why Jing didn't directly send cultivators of the Divine Entrance or higher levels for the initial apprehension, the reason was simple.

Firstly, the combined strength of these four Divine Inner Palace cultivators, in theory, was completely capable of suppressing Jiang Wang, making it unnecessary to mobilize higher-level combat power. No matter how renowned Jiang Wang was, he was still just an Inner Palace cultivator. While Jing was strong, it had many areas to attend to, and couldn't mobilize high-level combat power for every matter, requiring careful allocation of resources.

Secondly, cultivators at the Divine Entrance or higher levels belonged to high-level combat power, and almost all of them were closely monitored by other countries. Having them lead the pursuit would make it extremely easy to be detected in advance. The mutual infiltration of the six hegemonic nations had been going on for countless years, a well-known secret. Mobilizing high-level combat power for secret missions usually required some actions to cover up in order to achieve stealth.

Conversely, cultivators below the Divine Entrance level were less likely to attract attention, making secret missions easier to execute and enabling silent arrests. While everyone was still reacting, they could capture a renowned heaven's favorite like Jiang Wang and bring him back to Jing.

A team of four Divine Inner Palace cultivators, forming a military formation and having sufficient information about Jiang Wang, should have been a foolproof plan for capture.

But this foolproof plan was shattered by Jiang Wang's bravery.

Silent capture was no longer possible, so Zhao Xuanyang appeared.

For a Jing realm's heaven's favorite of Zhao Xuanyang's caliber to attack a Qi realm's heaven's favorite like Jiang Wang, there had to be a justifiable reason.

Otherwise, if he came to capture Jiang Wang today, Jiang Mengxiong could find an excuse to kill him tomorrow.

Therefore, Zhao Xuanyang directly accused him of consorting with demons, turning the clandestine capture into an open one. This was in the name of a righteous army, holding the banner of great justice.

Jiang Wang could fully anticipate that news of his consorting with demons had likely spread by now, and the related "evidence" prepared by Zhuang Gaoxian and Du Ruohui might have already been publicized – these matters would be handled by Chong Xuan Sheng.

What he had to do was to flee further and longer under Zhao Xuanyang's pursuit, giving Chong Xuan Sheng as much reaction time as possible.

Although he didn't know what kind of methods could be used to clear his name against the so-called "criminal evidence" carefully concocted by Zhuang Gaoxian and his minister in such a hasty manner, he figured Chong Xuan Sheng would always find a way.

During the time he dominated the world at the River-Viewing Platform, and when he was bestowed titles before the Qi ancestral temple, Jiang Wang never would have imagined that after experiencing the most glorious moment of his life, he would immediately face a life-and-death pursuit.

And twice!

The ups and downs of life were truly like this.

Once right after leaving Qi, and again after leaving Yun.

This time, he had to flee towards the long river again. Previously, when pursued by Zhuang Gaoxian, he also fled all the way to the edge of the long river...

It seemed he was destined to be pursued.

To be honest, Jiang Wang had already gained considerable experience in the matter of being "pursued," although he might not necessarily want to.

Heading east into the Central Domain was an extremely dangerous choice, as it was, after all, within Jing's sphere of influence.

No matter how clever his chosen route was, or how good his stealth and concealment skills were, it was very likely that he might accidentally encounter a strong Jing realm expert and be captured on the spot.

But for Jiang Wang at this moment, this might perhaps be the only option with a chance of escape!

Jing implemented a prefecture system, with forty-nine prefectures nationwide, making it a well-deserved first empire in the Central Domain, looking down upon the world.

Jingtian Prefecture was the prefecture of Jing closest to the long river. One could even gaze upon the vast flow of the long river from the city tower of Jingtian Prefecture's administrative seat.

And the section of the Yellow River known to the world originated from the Wo Kingdom and ended in Jingtian Prefecture of Jing.

The status of this prefecture was very special within the entire Jing realm.

At this moment, in a certain Taoist temple within Jingtian Prefecture.

The main hall was spacious and ancient, empty on all sides, with no divine statues or even a single portrait.

Six futons were placed on the ground, forming a circle, without any distinction of seniority or importance.

The Taoist priests sitting on the futons were engaged in a heated debate, gesticulating and flushed, noisy as a marketplace.

"My Great Jing is a vast empire. Making such a fuss over a mere Inner Palace cultivator, I fear it will invite ridicule!" The speaker was a Taoist priest with the appearance of a crane's hair and a child's face, tall and imposing, with great presence.

"Elder Cangshen's words are improper," a Taoist priest with a strange, ancient face said, shaking his head.

Elder Cangshen glared at him: "Then what's your opinion?"

"I have no opinion," the Taoist priest with the strange, ancient face shrugged: "Whatever, it's all fine, you decide."

Elder Cangshen puffed out his beard: "A mere Inner Palace cultivator, and you want to waste time!"

"He is the foremost Inner Palace cultivator in the world," a female Taoist priest in a simple white robe reminded him.

"Hmph, Fuling, stop arguing with me. If it weren't for..." Elder Cangshen was clearly somewhat unconvinced.

"Enough," a Taoist priest in a black robe sitting opposite him interjected: "The one chosen before, even if nothing had happened, wouldn't necessarily have been a match for Qin Zhizhen, let alone compete with Jiang Wang. At the Inner Palace level, this young man is indeed the foremost in the world. There's nothing wrong with admitting that."

"Since he has such a promising future, and is currently in a difficult situation in Qi, plagued by suspicion. Wouldn't it be better for us to recruit him? Why should we stick our necks out for Zhuang and eliminate their hidden troubles for them?"

Elder Cangshen frowned: "Those surnamed Zhuang are not good people. At the River-Viewing Platform, they even brought shame to our Taoist lineage."

"We are not sticking our necks out for Zhuang," the black-robed Taoist priest frowned: "We are acting to uphold the ancient Demon-Smiting Alliance."

"Banxia, you can lie to others, but not to yourself." Elder Cangshen said with disdain: "No matter how real the evidence Zhuang Gaoxian provides, do you dare to believe it? He is a descendant of Zhuang Chengan, that ugly wretch!"

"Not so, not so," the Taoist priest with the strange, ancient face spoke again: "Evidence is evidence, it has nothing to do with who provides it."

Elder Cangshen looked at him: "Chenpi, are you bothered by my mentioning the word 'ugly,' or do you trust Zhuang Gaoxian very much?"

"Talking like this is meaningless," the Taoist priest known as 'Chenpi' spread his hands: "You believe when you want to believe, and disbelieve when you don't, suit yourselves."

"Whenever I ask you, you say 'suit yourself,' but whatever I say, you oppose." Elder Cangshen was extremely resentful: "I think you've ruined your brain refining demons!"

"See?" the Taoist priest with the strange, ancient face looked around: "He's getting angry again."

Elder Cangshen was furious: "I'll anger your mother's leg!"

"Alright, alright," a graceful Taoist priest next to them waved his hand: "Cangshen and Chenpi, both of you shut up. You're almost a thousand years old combined, yet you keep going on and on, isn't it childish!?"

He coughed and cleared his throat: "If you ask me, believing or not isn't important, as long as it makes sense. Anyway, it's just something to do on the side, and a good opportunity to warn Qi as well. But now..."

He asked: "Four Divine Inner Palace cultivators from the Demon-Smiting Army are dead. How do we compensate for this loss?"

"Naturally, we find Zhuang Gaoxian!" a female Taoist priest, who appeared the youngest and most beautiful but also had the most serious expression, said.

"Agreed," the graceful Taoist priest said.

"If Baizhu agrees, I agree too," the female Taoist priest named Fuling said.

The black-robed Taoist priest named 'Banxia' smiled: "Since it's Elder Gan Cao's opinion, this old Taoist naturally has no objection."

Elder Cangshen nodded: "Let's do it this way."

"I think it's inappropriate," the Taoist priest with the strange, ancient face, known as 'Chenpi,' once again flatly disagreed. Seeing the other Taoist priests turn back to look at him with unfriendly eyes, he pouted: "Then agree if you agree."

"Then who will go?" Elder Cangshen asked.

There was a moment of silence, then quickly a clamor erupted.

"Well, let me say a few words," Baizhu said: "Among us Six Friends of Jingtian, I have the most face, and I am the most imposing. For this task in the western region, I will not yield!"

"Give it up," Elder Cangshen rolled his eyes: "Withered cabbage sprinkled with clean water, pretending to be fresh all day long! If you ask me, this matter requires someone of high virtue and prestige to go, in order to suppress that surnamed Zhuang and collect the interest properly. Of course, I am indeed more suitable..."

"Inappropriate, inappropriate," Chenpi shook his head again, his ugly face contorted: "Villains fear power and do not cherish virtue. Of course, someone more authoritative must go."

Female Taoist priest Fuling quietly reminded him: "Looking scary doesn't mean having authority..."

"Oh dear, everyone, stop arguing, what's there to argue about a small matter? If word gets out, they'll think we Six Friends of Jingtian are not united!" Banxia, dressed in a black Taoist robe, quickly intervened and then shook his head, sighing: "Speaking of which, I actually had interactions with Zhuang Chengan back then. I also have some understanding of Zhuang."

"Haha, wasn't it because of you that you were completely fooled?" Elder Cangshen sneered: "You took the bait and still got away?"

"What did you say, old fellow!"

"You can do it but can't talk about it?"

They started arguing in an instant.

And it was a situation of you cursing me and I cursing him, revealing each other's secrets, arguing with great relish.

"Are you done discussing?" Zhao Xuanyang, leaning against the temple gate with a wooden sword in his arms, showed none of the domineering aura he had when talking to Jiang Wang, but rather a look of splitting headache.

After picking his ears, he lazily said: "If you're done discussing, I should set off."

Inside the Taoist temple, the few Taoist priests looked at each other.

After a while, they immediately spoke up all at once—

"You haven't left yet?"

"What if the person runs away?"

"Don't worry, before Xuanyang, he can't escape!"

"Was I talking to you?"

"The dog is talking to me!"

"I am talking to the dog!"

Zhao Xuanyang silently rolled his eyes.

He was the heaven's favorite jointly cultivated by these six Taoist priests, considered the only successor of the so-called Six Friends of Jingtian.

But from childhood to adulthood, what he heard the most were not Taoist classics or wondrous Taoist techniques, but these people's verbal disputes...

What a disaster!

Zhao Xuanyang sighed for himself in his heart, tipped his toes slightly, and disappeared within the Taoist temple. He no longer paid attention to the arguments behind him.

Although he didn't really care about this matter, since he had already spoken, if Jiang Wang truly escaped, he would lose face.

The only disciple, Zhao Xuanyang, had already departed.

However, the argument in the Taoist temple had not subsided.

"Look at you, you ugly wretch, how much you've annoyed my obedient disciple?"

"Wake up, you. Everything was fine without you! I told you to cultivate in seclusion properly, but you were restless like a monkey!"

"Let me say something fair... this matter is clearly both of your responsibilities. One is ugly, and one is noisy, it's just not right."

The clamor was clearly intense, yet it never spread outside the hall.

When a fallen leaf was carried in by the breeze and landed in the hall.

There were still six futons, but they were made of stone.

There were still six figures, but they were made of clay.

The fallen leaf drifted, and the hall was silent.

As if it had never been noisy.