Chapter 1303: Fire at the City Gate

How exceeding this sentiment!

Upon receiving the news from Yin Guan, Jiang Wang was nearly provokedinto reporting him to the court of the State of Qu.

In the past, the State of Qu's border-guarding general was assassinatedby the Gate of Hell. Qu issued a warrant, vowing to annihilate the Gate of Hell.After failing to apprehend them, they quietly rescinded the warrant...

It should have ended there, as the Gate of Hell is a killing organization,only doing business and not deliberately targeting any state. But theirblatant appearance within the borders of Qu felt like repeatedly steppingon the face of the State of Qu.

Once the court of Qu learns that the Gate of Hell is currently in Jade Light City,one can imagine the fierce reaction...

Of course, that is only something to imagine.

With Yin Guan protecting him, capturing Yang Xuance was no longer possible,so Jiang Wang continued his journey.

After leaving the State of Qu and entering the territory of the State of Zheng,he heard a piece of news—

Due to the State of Xiang's unprovoked detention of a trade caravan from the State of Xu,friction arose between the two states. After several unsuccessful negotiations,Xu surprisingly launched a military expedition!

Currently, the large armies of Xiang and Xu are arrayed on the Star-Moon Plain,in a standoff.

The major movement that Chong Xuan Sheng spoke of... has arrived!

During this period, the State of Zheng has seen an influx of people,mostly small factions that previously mingled on the Star-Moon Plain.

With two states at war, and the Star-Moon Plain chosen as the battlefield,these makeshift groups, belonging to neither side, scattered like monkeys.

Regardless of how long they had operated there, how long they had lived there,or how deep their affections...

When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the pond either flee or perish.

How much more cruel are the affairs of the world?

The States of Xiang and Xu, who cleared the Star-Moon Plain by deployingtheir armies, appeared immensely powerful. Yet, they were merely two piecesin the hands of the overlord states.

What talk of detaining trade caravans, what talk of righteous campaigns for the people— what was being implemented was merely the will of the States of Jing and Qi.

Even if these two states had no desire for war, and found no benefit in this conflict,they were compelled to fight.

This battle between Xiang and Xu on the Star-Moon Plain can be seen asthe vanguard battle between the States of Jing and Qi.

From this journey circumventing the grasslands, Jiang Wang believed thata battle between Jing and Mu was unavoidable. Before he left the grasslands,the Iron Floating Pagoda, ranked sixth among the world's top ten cavalry forces,had already advanced to Li Yuan City. The State of Sheng, relying solely on itself,had no way to reclaim this strategically important border city.

And under such circumstances, the sudden outbreak of conflict betweenXiang and Xu on the Star-Moon Plain is sufficient to demonstrate Jing's arrogance.

Jing was unwilling to simultaneously wage war against two major overlord states,but at the same time, it was unwilling to let Qi seize too many benefits.Therefore, it sought to test the mettle of Qi on the Star-Moon Plain.

Of course, from the current situation, Jing's main force will not come to theStar-Moon Plain. This is also why Jiang Wang views this war on the Star-Moon Plainas a test.

The outcome of this battle will directly determine the attitude of the two major overlord states.

If the State of Xu, supported by Qi, is destroyed in one battle, Jing willhave no qualms about fighting on two fronts. Conversely, if striking Xiangproves easy, then Qi's subsequent invasion of the central domain is also alogical choice.

However, all of this is no longer relevant to him.

The State of Zheng is north of the Star-Moon Plain, and Hanging Templeis south of the Star-Moon Plain.

The States of Xiang and Xu are positioned to the east and west, in opposition.

After leaving the State of Zheng, Jiang Wang bypassed the Star-Moon Plain.As the State of Xu was preparing for war, he did not travel through Xu,but instead skirted its eastern border, traveling alone towards Hanging Temple.

This route was already very close to the State of Qi...

Although he did not enter the territory of Xu, one could still anticipatethat the atmosphere in Xu was not relaxed. For Qi and Jing, this war mightjust be a test; for Xu and Xiang, however, it was a battle of entire states,a genuine crisis of national annihilation!

The occasional people from Xu he encountered on the road — in short, thosetraveling to Qi under various pretexts, whom Jiang Wang happened to meet —all had very somber expressions.

In this atmosphere, Jiang Wang finally arrived at Hanging Temple.

But how to contact Jing Li?

He found it difficult.

Arriving like this, in a hemp robe and a cloak, he would surely be ignored.But precisely because he was in a state of being missing, it was inconvenientto reveal his identity.

Jiang Wang wandered around the land belonging to Hanging Temple for a long time.Finally, on the street, he found a seemingly clever young boy. He stopped him,just about to speak.

The young boy turned and ran.

Jiang Wang was stunned for a moment, then immediately realized that hisattire of a cloak, hemp robe, and dragon-head staff did not look like thatof a good person.

The inhabitants of the land belonging to Hanging Temple were all ordinary people;presumably, none of them would recognize him.

He therefore took off his cloak, put away his dragon-head staff, and searched for atarget again. He found a young boy with a clean and refined appearance andsaid in the gentlest possible tone, "Little friend, can you do me a favor?"

He took out a piece of broken silver, shaking it in his hand: "Run an errand,and this silver is yours."

This young boy actually clasped his hands together and bowed to him:"Please tell me if you need something; I do not want silver."

"Ah?" Jiang Wang was startled: "Why?"

The young boy's expression was very serious: "I wish to do one good deed daily."

Truly worthy of being the land belonging to Hanging Temple, the Eastern Buddhist Sacred Land!

Looking at the child's clear eyes, Jiang Wang actually felt ashamed.

As an "adult" who was about to reach his capping age, he had almostadapted to the so-called "reality" of considering problems with interest,but he had forgotten that life originally... did not require repayment foreverything done.

"It is I who am mundane, nearly polluting the purity of this little friend's heart."Jiang Wang clasped his hands in return and said gently, "Then, may I ask if youcan help me go to the mountain gate of Hanging Temple and find a monk whoseDharma name is Jing Li? Just say that I am waiting for him here."

"If he asks me who you are, what should I say?" the young boy asked.

Jiang Wang said, "Just say it is the person who made an appointmentto treat him to a meal on the ninth day of the eighth month."

The young boy nodded, then turned and began to jog.

As the Eastern Buddhist Sacred Land, the territory belonging to Hanging Templeis no smaller than states like Xiang or Xu.

However, the place where Jiang Wang asked for help was not far fromthe outer mountain gate of Hanging Temple.

About an hour later — likely mostly spent on the guest monk's request forinstructions — the shiny-headed Jing Li, holding the boy who had brought the message,flew swiftly to the spot.

"Little junior brother!" he cried out in surprise from afar: "You've come to see me!"

Jiang Wang quickly made a silencing gesture.

As he flew closer, the young boy in Jing Li's arms was a little surprised:"Big Brother, have you been waiting here all this time? Why didn't youfind a place to sit down?"

"We agreed to meet here, didn't we?" Jiang Wang smiled and handed overa paper bag: "You worked hard running the errand. I bought some pastriesand fruits; please eat them."

The young boy was about to wave his hand in refusal.

Jiang Wang added: "It's not a reward, you know, it's treating a friend to snacks.You ran an errand for me, and I'm treating you to something to eat.This is called reciprocating courtesy."

The young boy looked back at Jing Li. After all, he was a holy monk of Hanging Temple,which made him trust him more.

Jing Li, with a solemn face, smiled faintly: "This is also predestined affinity;there is no need to refuse."

Only then did the young boy accept the paper bag and say to Jiang Wang:"Thank you, Big Brother."

Jiang Wang returned the bow, watching the young boy walk away with light steps,holding the paper bag, and felt at ease.

Children are sometimes like mirrors. Looking into this mirror, you can easilydiscover the changes in yourself.

"Wuwuwu." Suddenly, a sound of weeping rang out nearby.

Jiang Wang turned his head. Jing Li, who moments ago had the appearance of anenlightened holy monk, was now sobbing uncontrollably: "Little... junior brother,we, we no longer have a master!"

Jiang Wang was greatly shocked, a pang in his heart, and he felt his nosebecome sore: "What happened to Master Ku Jue?"

Jing Li, tears streaming down his face, said: "Master... Master he... has left!"

"How did he leave?" Jiang Wang was startled and angry, sad and guilty:"Was it those thieves from the State of Jing!?"

"He... he has departed from the mountain gate!" Jing Li choked out.