Chapter 1356: Honor

After a long conversation in the military tent that night,Jiang Wang finally understood why Chong Xuan Sheng severed ties with Gao Zhe.

Regarding Gao Zhe, he actually held no strong emotions. Even when they played together in the past,they weren't particularly compatible. Some fundamental aspects couldn't be hidden,such as Gao Zhe's faint jealousy towards Yan Fu...

Perhaps this jealousy later shifted to him, Jiang Wang.

Since Chong Xuan Sheng had made his decision, so be it. Cutting ties is cutting ties.

Moreover, Chong Xuan Sheng's grasp of the Qi political landscape and understanding of human heartswere far beyond his own. Following Sheng Ge's choices rarely led him astray.

Some always think that only being smooth and adaptable constitutes social skill,unaware that temper is also a crucial aspect of interpersonal relationships.Towards whom to lose temper, under what circumstances, and how, is a great study.

It was only then that Chong Xuan Sheng learned Jiang Wang hadn't received his notification,but rather, by chance, stumbled into the Star-Moon Plain,just in time for this great battle.

He couldn't help but curl his lip: "I thought you deliberately brought the Demonic People hereto gain fame before the formation, but thinking about it, you don't seem like the typewho would come up with such a scheme... It truly was just a coincidence!"

Jiang Wang eyed him with a hint of danger in his gaze:"You don't seem to show much respect for the number one Inner Mansion of all time."

"Ah!" Chong Xuan Sheng affectionately slapped his arm: "I'm praising you for being simple and honest,modest and reserved! You wouldn't do something so ostentatious!"

Shi Si was right there, so Jiang Wang somewhat indulged the fat man, not dwelling too much on it.

He merely smiled: "Is that so? I think you're quite simple and honest too!"

"Of course!" Chong Xuan Sheng boasted shamelessly:"Otherwise, how could we be as close as real brothers? This is birds of a feather flocking together,the simple ones finding rapport with the simple ones!"

Jiang Wang was inclined to say, "It's not easy to find rapport with you."But he thought about how long it had been since they last met,and decided it was better to maintain some warmth. He went along and praised him:"Young Master Chong Xuan's righteousness is as vast as the clouds, who doesn't know that?"

Chong Xuan Sheng grinned: "Low-key, low-key, this young master dislikes ostentation.Unlike those with long faces who love to wear white clothes."

"Speaking of which, simple brother." Jiang Wang looked at him, half-smiling:"I heard that the peerless supreme-grade protective talisman I placed in my fiefdom,someone compensated me for it?"

An ordinary person would instinctively ask, "Who told you?",anxiously wanting to find the informant to settle the score, completely exposing themselves.

But who was Chong Xuan Pang?

Naturally, he slapped his forehead: "Look at my memory! If you hadn't mentioned it,I almost forgot! There was such a thing, your talisman had an accident...I helped you get the compensation back!"

Having said that, he solemnly took out a Dao coin and placed it in Jiang Wang's hand.

Jiang Wang looked at the Dao coin in his hand, then at Chong Xuan Sheng, and then at the Dao coin again.

"What's wrong?" Chong Xuan Sheng asked with a puzzled expression:"Didn't you buy it for one Dao coin?"

For a moment, Jiang Wang was speechless.

He simply took advantage of his strengths and avoided his weaknesses,politely looking at Shi Si: "Miss Shi Si, it's a beautiful night tonight,why don't you go outside and enjoy the moon..."

Shi Si ultimately couldn't enjoy the moon.

Because they were currently in the Star-Moon Plain, and there would be a great battle tomorrow,almost every prodigy was seizing the time to familiarize themselves with the army,understand the battlefield, and adjust their goals...

Only Chong Xuan Sheng, with a big heart, pulled Jiang Wang to chat for half the night.

After leaving Chong Xuan Sheng's tent, Jiang Wang went to find his Tenth Battalion.

The vast majority of the soldiers in the camp were ordinary people,only knowing some simple military martial arts. Except for the night watch teams,most had already fallen asleep.

Lin Xian, with two people, was diligently patrolling the camp.

When Jiang Wang arrived at the camp, he was chatting with a soldier on night watch.

Taking good care of subordinates in peacetime allows them to fight desperately in war...This is probably a quality essential for famous generals. In this regard, Lin Xian did quite well.

Seeing Jiang Wang from afar, he quickly came over, respectfully saying: "Lord Jiang."

Jiang Wang now knew that when he fought the four great Demonic People alone,Lin Xian was watching from the side. He also knew how Lin Xian defended him in front of everyone,saying things like "willing to be a dog at your door," seemingly his fervent follower...

He couldn't help but feel a little subtle.

"General Lin, you've worked hard. I chatted with Brother Chong Xuan for too long and delayed,leaving you to toil here alone."

"This is my duty, this subordinate does not feel it is hard work." Lin Xian's attitude was very humble:"Does the General have time now? This subordinate will report to you the specific situationof our battalion."

"I was just about to consult with General Lin..." Jiang Wang said: "Let's talk in our tent."

Entering the commander's tent, both parties took their seats. Lin Xian wasted no time,immediately saying: "Our battalion has a total of five thousand people,all of them strong men full of blood energy, sufficient to support ordinary blood energy formations.The battalion is further divided into five teams, each with a thousand people,and the five team leaders are all at the Through Heaven realm..."

For ordinary people, there is indeed a difference in innate physical strength between men and women.Generally speaking, men's blood energy is stronger.

Military formations use the mobilization of human blood energy to enable ordinary peopleto display extraordinary combat power.

"Gathering the strength of the multitude to surpass the extraordinary."

Therefore, most ordinary soldiers in the armies of various countries are men.

After becoming extraordinary, the difference in innate physical strength is eliminated.The strength of combat power is determined solely by each person's own cultivation.

Correspondingly, in the army, among the officers with extraordinary cultivation,there are no restrictions on gender, and both men and women are very common.

Jiang Wang quietly listened to Lin Xian's introduction and gained a general understandingof the Tenth Battalion he was in charge of.

There were a total of fifty extraordinary cultivators, meaning for every hundred soldiers,there was one extraordinary cultivator. For Xu Kingdom, this was indeed a genuine main force lineup.

These extraordinary cultivators were the core connecting various blood energy formations,while the other ordinary soldiers were the foundation of various blood energy formations.

If the army were entirely composed of extraordinary cultivators,they could naturally directly use various True Essence formations.Of course, this doesn't mean that True Essence formations are necessarily stronger than blood energy formations,it's just that extraordinary cultivators have more options after all.

"I understand roughly." Jiang Wang praised: "General Lin's organization is very clear...Born into a general's family?"

"I've studied some military tactics..." Lin Xian shook his head and said:"Allowing the Lord to laugh."

Although he didn't show much, he did more than just study some...

Rong Kingdom was truly cultivating Lin Xian as a future pillar,not just a thug with astonishing cultivation talent.

Jiang Wang thought for a moment and said: "I heard that at Broken Soul Gorge,when I was fighting the Ten Thousand Evils Demonic People, you were also present?"

"Yes, I relied on my Unrestricted divine ability to hide within the formation..."Lin Xian said with some shame: "I was fortunate to witness Lord Jiang create a legend in battle."

"I actually have a question..." Jiang Wang looked at him with a smile:"When I was very weak at one point, since you were watching from the side,why didn't you launch a sneak attack on me?"

Lin Xian was silent for a while, pursed his lips, and then said:"To be honest, the thought did flash through my mind. You are the prodigy of Qi, like a high mountain,压得我无法喘息 (pressing down on me making it hard to breathe). I did think... of moving you."

"But two factors influenced my choice."

"One is that when you first entered Broken Soul Gorge, you could have easily killed me,but you only asked me to keep it a secret and did nothing else. That scene kept flashing in my mind."

"One is my fear of you. Even in that state, I felt in my heart that you were invincible."

He knelt, hands on his knees, showing a sign of submission, and honestly confessed:"Frankly, I don't know if I respected you more or feared you more. In short, I hesitated for a long timeand couldn't draw my blade at that moment. I could only choose to leave quietly..."

After saying these words, Lin Xian bowed his head to Jiang Wang:"This is the feeling of someone as weak as me. If Lord Jiang minds,you can expel me from the camp now. I can also understand."

Jiang Wang burst into laughter: "General Lin is worrying too much!A gentleman judges deeds, not hearts; judging hearts, no one in the world is perfect.When I met you in Broken Soul Gorge, didn't the thought of killing you to silence you also flash through my mind?"

He said frankly: "My heart would also have such a voice telling me—'Perhaps killing this person is the best way to keep it a secret.'But at the same time, I would ask myself, what is this person's crime?Is there any reason why they must be killed? Although we belong to two different countries,we didn't meet on the battlefield, and we have no enmity towards each other.

I think. This person must also be bearing the expectations of many people,and must also be missed by many. If he dies, many people will be sad.

If I were to act and kill without any reason simply because I am stronger than this person,where would the difference between me and the Demonic People be?

Having asked myself this, I had no intention of acting."

"The ancients said 'a single heart has a thousand thoughts'. I think,human evil thoughts and good thoughts are constantly generated. Those fleeting thoughts,whether good or evil, cannot determine what kind of people we are.

What determines the foundation of our lives is the choice we ultimately make...

A person is determined by their choices. What you thought is irrelevant.What you chose is what you are."

Lin Xian looked at Jiang Wang seriously, and this time, he bowed deeply:"Listening to your words today is better than reading for ten years. Lin Xian has been enlightened!"

Jiang Wang quickly supported his arm, helping him up:"We are all of the same age, merely discussing life with each other.This great礼 (ceremony) from Brother Lin is unnecessary!"

Lin Xian couldn't bow down, so he straightened up, sighing:"I think I know why you could become the number one Inner Mansion in history."

"On the long road of cultivation, the Inner Mansion realm is just a small hill.Even if it is the number one since ancient times, it cannot withstand a single blow from Divine Arrival.Under that sky-tilting sword strike today, I was as powerless as an ant."Jiang Wang shook his head and said: "You don't need to praise me anymore.We are all travelers who have just set out, and we must all strive to look further."

Lin Xian said sincerely: "Lord Jiang's wise words today, Lin Xian will never forget.I only wish to strive hard for the rest of my life, so that I can follow closely behind Lord Jiang."

Jiang Wang was truly not an arrogant person. Except when deliberately irritating othersor competing for advantage in battle, he usually only boasted a few words in front of his sister.He was really uncomfortable with the constant fervent praise in Lin Xian's words and gestures.

Even... a little shy.

He quickly changed the subject: "This battle in the Star-Moon Plain, the opponent is not to be underestimated..."

Lin Xian said confidently: "I believe we will definitely achieve victory under your leadership!"

"..." Jiang Wang said: "What I want to say is, you be the commander, and I will be your deputy."

Lin Xian was startled, and quickly moved away from his seat: "Is Lord Jiang dissatisfied with Lin Xian?"

"No, no." Jiang Wang supported him, and said very seriously: "On the contrary!At the River Observing Platform, I greatly admired you. Please do not worry too much."

"I am sincerely proposing this to you. To be realistic,I know nothing about military tactics and really don't know how to lead an army to charge into formations.Fighting and killing enemy generals, I should bravely step forward,but commanding a large army, I have the will but not the ability!If I presumptuously assume the position of commander, how can I face anyone?

If it were an ordinary war, so be it. This time, our opponent is Jing Kingdom,the strongest in the world, with deep foundations. How can we afford to underestimate them?It is for the sake of the war's outcome that I ask you to be the commander."

He had planned this for a long time, but it was only after further understanding Lin Xianthat he made this decision.

It was by no means a hypocritical test, but a sincere yielding of the position.

Lin Xian stared at him for a while, confirming that he wasn't putting on a show,before letting out a long sigh: "Your realm makes me look up like a high mountain!"

"But I cannot agree!" he said.

"Why?" Jiang Wang asked.

"There are three reasons why this is not advisable," Lin Xian said seriously:"The commander is the courage of a million soldiers. Everyone in the world knows you,but I am completely unknown. If you are the commander, a thousand armies will give way;if I am the commander, people will be in a state of panic. This is a loss of courage,this is the first reason not to advise it."

"This is a place of chaotic battle, where isolated armies are easy to die.This formation is divided into ten battalions, and the commanders of the nine battalions are all Qi people.If you are the commander, everyone will assist you; if I am the commander, everyone will avoid me.This is a loss of momentum, this is the second reason not to advise it."

"As the saying goes, 'virtue does not match position, there will be disaster'.My virtue is inferior to yours, my strength is inferior to yours, my fame, rank,momentum, and courage are all inferior. How can I be above you? This is a loss of virtue,this is the third reason not to advise it."

Having said that, he sincerely said: "Please do not think this way!"

After listening, although Jiang Wang still didn't think he had sufficient military command ability,he was persuaded by Lin Xian. Especially the argument of "loss of momentum" was something he could completely foresee.Chong Xuan Sheng and others would certainly go all out to help him, but who was Lin Xian?

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile bitterly:"But I have indeed neither read military books nor experienced many wars.I fear I will endanger the lives of the soldiers under my command!"

"If you trust this subordinate, then let this subordinate take charge of the formation," Lin Xian said:"You are the banner, and this subordinate is the wings. Wherever the tip of the banner points,this subordinate will lead the army to charge straight there."

He had said so much, and Jiang Wang had no more room to refuse,only saying: "Then let's discuss it as we go. Whether we can fight or not, how to fight,you put in more effort. I am willing to be a long spearhead of this formation.Whoever you say to slay, I will slay them!"

In general, both parties reached an agreement. Jiang Wang remained the commander,as the banner of the Tenth Battalion. Lin Xian took charge of the military formation,as the core of the Tenth Battalion.

The two chatted happily, and the more they talked, the more they felt that the other was trustworthy.

They then discussed many situations on the battlefield and developed several contingency plans...

It wasn't until the night watch soldiers walked past the tent again that both of them realizeda lot of time had passed.

"This subordinate will take his leave first." Lin Xian stood up and said.

This time, Jiang Wang was no longer so polite to him, only smiling: "Then I won't see you out."

Lin Xian smiled: "Don't see me out, don't see me out."

He left his seat and walked out.

Before leaving the door, he suddenly turned back and deeply bowed to Jiang Wang:"Regardless of the outcome of this battle. To be able to work with you,and to be fellow comrades, is Lin Xian's honor!"

Having said that, without waiting for Jiang Wang's response, he turned around with large strides,lifted the curtain, and left.

The stars and moon outside the curtain were very low, seemingly within reach.