Chapter 1343: As If in Remembrance

"Interesting."

These same three words, spoken by Chong Xuan Sheng, carried a hint of ease and mockery.

Fourteen still followed silently, not uttering a word.

Li Longchuan walked beside him and casually responded, "Brother Chong Xuan, who are you referring to?"

Chong Xuan Sheng smiled faintly, "Everyone is interesting."

Li Longchuan shook his head and sighed, "Indeed, I did not expect Gao Zhe to pull such a stunt. Usually, when we drink and feast together, he doesn't seem like someone without proper measure."

"You haven't seen him in too long. You don't know what kind of life he lives in Jinghai Commandery. The perennial second-place has finally risen, naturally becoming overbearing."

After the War of Quieting the Sun concluded, Chong Xuan Zhu Liang distributed the spoils, granting the Gao family a position of镇抚使 (zhen fu shi -镇抚使 can be translated as Commander or Pacification Commissioner, depending on the specific historical context and rank. Given the context of a military campaign's aftermath, 'Commander' or 'Pacification Commander' seems appropriate), thus forging a connection between the two families. This is how Chong Xuan Sheng also came into contact with Gao Zhe, and it can be considered one of his maneuvers.

But speaking of the somewhat 'uncontrolled' Gao Zhe now, his tone remained very relaxed: "To display completely different facets in different positions, that is the true face of most people. How many can be as stubbornly foolish as Jiang Qingyang?"

"Hahaha," Li Longchuan laughed, "I can't guarantee Jiang Wang won't hear that."

"Heh, would I fear him?" Chong Xuan Sheng uttered a casual, tough retort, then naturally shifted the topic, "This Lin Xian is not simple."

"Indeed." Li Longchuan's expression also turned serious, "His strength has improved significantly compared to the time at Guanhe Platform."

Li Longchuan possessed the divine ability of Candle Reflection, so his judgment of Lin Xian's strength was naturally very accurate.

But this was not what Chong Xuan Sheng intended to say.

He shook his head, "Not just strength."

"Also," Li Longchuan's keen eyes moved slightly, "This person, after a single word from Gao Zhe, was able to quickly discern that Gao Zhe's friendship with Jiang Wang was not firm, and that a rift had appeared between him and us. He then decisively stepped on Gao Zhe to establish his prestige, sweeping away the suppressed posture he had endured since entering the Star-Moon Plain... His astuteness and decisiveness are extraordinary, not merely his surpassing strength."

"Ha, speaking with you is effortless," Chong Xuan Sheng laughed, "Much easier than speaking with Jiang Wang!"

Li Longchuan also chuckled, "Gossiping behind someone's back is momentarily enjoyable, but to silence me won't be cheap."

"This Lin Xian," Chong Xuan Sheng naturally steered the conversation back, "He unabashedly praises Jiang Wang, thus shedding the reputation of arrogance and lowering his sense of threat, showing clearheaded self-possession. He seizes the opportunity to reveal his sharpness, directly confronting Gao Zhe, demonstrating courage and confidence. In the current situation of the Star-Moon Plain, to maintain his prestige and national dignity, this man possesses the talent to hold a scepter (使节, shi jie - literally 'scepter' or 'credential,' used by envoys, hence signifying diplomatic talent)."

An envoy, when dispatched on a mission, must carry a scepter as proof of authority.

To be able to represent the Son of Heaven and embark on a mission to another country, one must be a talent of the highest order.

One must not violate the sovereign's decree domestically and must not lose national dignity abroad.

Chong Xuan Sheng's words were the highest praise.

And Li Longchuan merely nodded, not feeling anything was amiss. Lin Xian's performance was worthy of such praise.

The state of Rong had secretly cultivated inner mansion prodigies for many years, hoping to achieve fame at the Yellow River Gathering, yet they didn't even make it into the main tournament. Now they were forced to send their top prodigy onto the battlefield, enduring frustration from start to finish; it was impossible not to be looked down upon.

However, Lin Xian seized the opportunity presented by Gao Zhe's provocation to completely reverse this image. If anyone else were in the same circumstances, it would be very difficult to do better.

Perhaps...

Li Longchuan mused. If the roles were reversed and it was Chong Xuan Sheng, perhaps Gao Zhe's actions today would have been pre-planned, and there might have been an even better outcome. If the roles were reversed and it was Jiang Wang, then the state of Rong would have already succeeded at the Yellow River Gathering...

From this perspective, while Lin Xian was a talent, he still had a long way to go.

"I am only curious now..."

Chong Xuan Sheng looked towards the distance, "What else did Jiang Wang do to make a talent like Lin Xian praise him to such an extent?"

With the start of the war, the Tai Xu Illusionary Realm had been blocked, so he couldn't contact Jiang Wang in time and didn't know Jiang Wang's recent situation. Before Lin Xian spoke today, he had assumed Jiang Wang was still hiding somewhere cultivating.

"Presumably..." Li Longchuan also gazed into the distance, "It is another time of converging forces!"

From the moment Jiang Wang accepted the mission to investigate the Huang Yixing case, he had faced continuous turmoil, from the state of Qi all the way to the state of Jing, from the reputation of selling out the country to the crime of colluding with demons, from the Equal Nation to Zhao Xuanyang... It can be said that every step was fraught with danger, and in the end, he stirred up the winds and clouds of the world.

Even this battle in the Star-Moon Plain was sparked by his disappearance.

As Jiang Wang's friend, and also originating from the Shi Clan of Shimen, the news of Jiang Wang's safety was not a secret to him. He was also very curious about what Jiang Wang had done to receive such high praise from Lin Xian.

He only regretted being on the battlefield and unable to immediately seek him out to ask.

A thousand people have a thousand thoughts. Jiang Wang did not know how people were discussing him in the Star-Moon Plain where the army was gathered.

Having bid farewell to Yu Beidou and left Broken Soul Gorge alone, he stood at the mouth of the gorge, listening to the wind that passed through the canyon behind him, and for a moment, pressed his sword, wanting to let out a cry.

Ultimately, he restrained himself.

The experience of narrowly escaping death was not pleasant, and the feeling of powerlessness within the situation was also very uncomfortable.

He glanced back at Broken Soul Gorge, and then raised his index finger. Smoke condensed into a blade of green grass, detaching from his fingertip and swaying gracefully.

The Art of Tracing Memories, which Yu Beidou helped him deduce, is claimed to be able to "detect the soul with every clash, lasting for three days without cessation, and tracing even ten thousand li."

It is based on the cognition of the target at the soul level, imprinted to form a soul-level sensation, thus making tracking possible.

To describe it simply from the perspective of practical use, it is to imprint the relevant characteristics of the target's soul on one's own soul level, thereby forming a connection similar to that between a "sub-body" and a "mother body."

From this perspective, the art is still named "Tracing Memories," deriving its meaning from a wanderer's longing for home, which is very fitting.

He used this art at this moment, of course, to track the Unveiled Human Demon.

Having killed three out of the four great human demons, it still felt incomplete.

As the saying goes, eradicate evil completely. Since his body had fully recovered, why not pursue and kill!

The Art of Tracing Memories was refined after the Swallow had fled, but before she fled, Jiang Wang had already prepared for a soul battle. His Dry Sun Eye had been activated, and he had a relatively clear understanding of her soul.

To "describe" it again at this moment was not difficult.

The only things that needed to be considered were time and distance.

Because everyone's soul is constantly changing, and this soul-level sensation is not stable, it can last for a maximum of three days and has a certain distance limit.

Currently, the distance limit depends on Jiang Wang's own soul power.

The Tracing Memory grass appeared at his fingertip, and on its leaves, the veins moved, vaguely forming a faint image of a woman.

One wouldn't notice it without a close look, but it was indeed a soul imprint that condensed the characteristics of the Unveiled Human Demon's soul.

The first step of Tracing Memories was complete. The next step was to see the connection between it and the "imitated" original soul body.

Too long a time could not succeed, too far a distance could not succeed.

The grass blades swayed for a moment, then gently fell, pointing to the southeast!

"The small grass bows its head, as if in thought. What is past can be chased, what is to come can be reached."

Jiang Wang soared upwards, piercing the clouds and soaring into the distance.

Only the sound of his cyan robe fluttering remained, as if echoing the sorrowful wind of Broken Soul Gorge, unchanged for thousands of years.