Chapter 1503: Top Five Sights

The Yuánpò Pills of the Zuo clan were, of course, prepared for Zuo Guangshu and Jiang Wang's journey into the Mountain Sea Realm.Although they successfully left the realm and did not need this pill to replenish their divine souls, the value of the Yuánpò Pills remained immeasurable.

After Chu Yuzhi's failure in the Mountain Sea Realm, the difficulties he faced in the army were heard by Zuo Guangshu upon his return.Their banquet today, set by him and Qu Shunhua, was intended to not only send the Yuánpò Pills to help Chu Yuzhi mend his damaged divine soul but also to intervene and assist him in resolving his current predicament.

However, their origins were there; the families they represented behind them had stood in the Chu State for three thousand years.As long as Chu Yuzhi accepted this help, he would forever be unable to shed the mark of the noble clans. This point would not shift based on his personal will.Who would believe that a young man vigorously protected by the Zuo or Qu clans would genuinely strive for the interests of the common folk throughout his life?

He could have associated with Zuo Guangshu and Qu Shunhua as equals; he could have—had he not lost this time.Had he won in the Mountain Sea Realm, he would still be one of the most outstanding young men in Chu State, still seeing the distant light, just like Zuo Guangshu and Qu Shunhua.But he lost.He was no different from Xiao Shu of the Dan State. They both had only one chance to lose.

The world was never fair.Fairness was not merely drawing an identical finish line.Some rode horses, some drove carriages, some flew... some could only drag a瘸腿 and trudge barefoot.Some people's starting points were already on the finish line.

Therefore, his attendance at the banquet, his severance of ties, was precisely a form of honesty, a kind of resoluteness.He did not seek to equalize wealth and status, but to equalize opportunity.But if asked how he would do it, he honestly had no answer at present.Who could stand before a dominant state's millennium-long predicament and claim they could certainly produce the correct answer?Sometimes, the immense inertia of history would crush even the most astonishing talents.

He only knew that he must rely on himself to forge a path for the common folk.In the most difficult moments, he was more resolute than ever.Because he once again realized why his circumstances were so different from others.Hence, he must tear apart the facade of peaceful coexistence between the poor and the noble clans, even at the cost of personally severing the only friendships he had in Chu State, pushing away the possibly only two people who cared for him.He might fall into the mud, perhaps never able to rise again. But he still decided to do it.

He was certainly worthy of respect.However, understanding is one thing, but standing on one's ground is another.After today's parting, they were foes, not friends.

Although all of them were people of firm will, and had thoroughly considered the reasons. But with Chu Yuzhi's visit and departure, everyone was, after all, left without the mood for feasting. After a forced pretense of camaraderie, the gathering began to disperse.This table today was originally set to solve Chu Yuzhi's problem.Now, with the direct severance of ties, it could also be considered a kind of solution.

But Ye Lan'er's beautiful eyes swiveled, and she softly said, "I have some questions I wish to inquire of Young Master Jiang alone."Her gaze, like flowing water, swept over Qu Shunhua and Zuo Guangshu. "Borrowing your See-Me Tower, borrowing your Elder Brother Jiang, to meet a worthy person in this fine place... You won't mind, will you?"

"You'll have to ask Elder Brother Jiang himself if he has time," Zuo Guangshu said gently. "His time is quite tight. Later on, my grandfather still has to give him a cultivation lesson."Duke Huai personally giving Jiang Wang a cultivation lesson!This demonstrated a relationship of no ordinary kind.Although the friendship between Zuo Guangshu and Jiang Wang no longer needed verification, how could the weight of Duke Huai be compared to Zuo Guangshu's?

Ye Lan'er's eyes shifted slightly, only smiling as she looked at Jiang Wang: "Will Young Master Jiang grant me the honor?"Jiang Wang, who had already stood up, now sat back down, saying with a hint of helplessness, "Just a chat, I can't jump out the window now, can I?"At this, everyone laughed.

Since Jiang Wang himself had agreed, Qu Shunhua naturally had even less reason to mind. She gracefully took Zuo Guangshu's hand and departed.The two had just lost a mutual friend. Their hands clasped together, they could feel the warmth of the other even more strongly.Their backgrounds, talents, everything was in harmony... their hearts were aligned, and their aspirations were shared. Truly a rare destiny in the world.

The young couple walked and whispered to each other."Are you still afraid she'll eat your Elder Brother Jiang?""Yes," Zuo Guangshu nodded honestly. "She's in the Divine Proximity realm, Elder Brother Jiang can't defeat her.""She's only asking a few questions, what does that have to do with being able to defeat her or not?"

Zuo Guangshu said very seriously, "I just feel that if they are alone in a room, and Elder Brother Jiang loves to fight...""What are you saying!" Qu Shunhua playfully hit him."Saying what?" Zuo Guangshu was baffled. "Elder Brother Jiang really loves to fight, I'm not lying to you. In the Mountain Sea Realm, he even fought back and forth with Dou Zhao.""Oh, like that..."

"What's wrong with you?" Zuo Guangshu looked at her.Qu Shunhua, however, only returned his gaze with affectionate eyes: "That's good."Zuo Guangshu couldn't resist and his eyes darted away. "Ho- how suddenly...""It's good that you protect your Elder Brother Jiang like that," Qu Shunhua's voice grew closer and closer. "I thought, if there was a need, you would protect me the same way, and that would be wonderful."

Although Zuo Guangshu was a little shy, he still gave a very firm "En."Immediately, he felt something soft and warm on his face, accompanied by breath like orchids.His mind went blank.It was as if a current of electricity shot up from the soles of his feet, coursing through his entire body, leaving a tingling, a numbness...And the kiss was already gone.

"Let's go, let's go, let's wait ahead."Zuo Guangshu let her hold his hand and followed, dumbfounded, in a quick trot. He only felt that his brain was heavy, but his body was very light.

"Why weren't you angry just now when Chu Yuzhi was talking nonsense to you?"Upstairs in the pavilion, Ye Lan'er began with this question: "You're not some noble clan descendant or famous family heir. You've worked very hard to get where you are... What you experienced in the Qi State, if it were him, he might not have survived. He really shouldn't have spoken so lightly."

She was truly a beauty difficult to find in the world.There was no need to elaborate on her features and appearance. Merely sitting there, looking at you with an understanding gaze.It was difficult for anyone to escape that gentle gaze like flowing water.Jiang Wang only smiled: "Miss Ye seems to know something about me."

He could completely distinguish between true hostility. Chu Yuzhi's straightforwardness in his actions was evident. The words spoken at the table just now were merely to emphasize Chu State's current predicament.Furthermore, Chu Yuzhi had always been in Chu State, so it was normal for him not to know him well. He would not take that as an offense at all.On the contrary, he greatly admired Chu Yuzhi's perseverance.Even after being set back in the Mountain Sea Realm and without his divine soul being mended, he could still be so certain of that difficult path... Perseverance may not necessarily lead to a good outcome, but those who can reach the farthest future certainly possess some extraordinary perseverance.In a way, they were the same kind of people.Therefore, he could completely understand Chu Yuzhi.

In contrast to this... Ye Lan'er, at this moment, showed an unusual understanding of him.This did not make him imagine things; it only made him vigilant.Their interactions were limited to being friends of Zuo Guangshu and Qu Shunhua. He truly couldn't fathom why the other party needed to know him so well.

Chong Xuanpang once said—"Any problem you can't figure out for a while is definitely a problem. When you encounter one, let it cool down first, don't rush to deal with it."Jiang Wang smiled lightly, politely, and distantly.He smiled in a way that made Ye Lan'er...Quite surprised.

There was no one in the world who was beautiful and unaware of it.Anyone born with extraordinary beauty, from the moment you started to remember, there were many people and many things that repeatedly emphasized your "beauty."Especially a peerless beauty like Ye Lan'er.What she was used to was pursuit, greed, inability to stop, those affections and restraints, wildness and desires... She was not quite used to this sense of distance.

She, instead, sat more elegantly.The furnishings of the Golden Millet Terrace were naturally top-notch.The dining chairs they sat on were actually not made of wood but cast from beaded flower copper.This type of copper was light, soft, beautiful, and generous, and was originally a material for war chariots. Later, that type of war chariot was eliminated by the era, and in new war chariots, this material was also replaced.Beaded flower copper thus lost its market. Later, some people used it to make tables, chairs, and bedding, which turned out to be very popular.Because the relevant mineral veins were depleted and it became increasingly rare in existence, it was already a symbol of status in the Chu land.

At this time, Ye Lan'er sat with her hands folded, her perfect figure needing no deliberate emphasis—from her eyebrows and hair ends to her silk socks and skirt hem. Everywhere was scenery, and everywhere moved the heart."Who can resist curiosity about the Yellow River's foremost?" Ye Lan'er said in a tone of appreciation yet reserve. "Across the nations of the world, in the past ten years, only a few have appeared."

"The Inner Mansion competition, the Outer Building competition, the unrestricted competition for those under thirty, each one more important than the last. Dou Zhao and Chong Xuanzun, who did not claim the foremost, are still far stronger than me. Compared to True Lord Tai Yu, I am but the light of a firefly... Those are the Yellow River foremost worthy of inquiry." Jiang Wang shook his head and then asked directly, "What questions does Miss Ye have for me?"This had a hint of urging.Even if Ye Lan'er had no intentions towards him, she could hardly accept this attitude of being pushed away.It was as if talking to the most beautiful woman in Great Chu was some great grievance for him!

Feeling slightly annoyed in her heart, she smiled on her face."Are you in a hurry? What are you... afraid of?"This smile was like a lotus blooming on water, like moonlight illuminating a willow branch.Truly an unspeakable, breathtaking beauty.

"I am indeed in a hurry." Jiang Wang nodded honestly. "I have some doubts in my cultivation that I've been thinking about for a long time and still haven't figured out. I was just about to go back and ask for guidance."Well then.So that was what this genius from Qi State was doing, spacing out before Chu Yuzhi arrived.Turns out he was cultivating!Sitting next to the most beautiful woman in Great Chu, while spacing out, he was actually pondering cultivation!Are you normal?He strongly suppressed this question in his heart.

Ye Lan'er, in a seemingly unintentional manner, lightly brushed a strand of hair from her temple, softened her tone, and slowly said, "That Tai Yin from the Xia State, after leaving the Mountain Sea Realm, rushed back to the Xia State overnight. It must be because... you left a very deep impression on him.""Oh?" Jiang Wang remained impassive.The True Words from Emperor Wu of Qi were indeed wondrous. The benefits of reading, those who read knew.Ye Lan'er smiled reservedly: "He ran as if afraid of being ambushed. Besides you, I can't think of anyone else who would have this motive."

"Hmm. There are some conflicts between Qi State and Xia State. We did have some things happen in the Mountain Sea Realm..." Jiang Wang said up to this point, then asked back, "Does Miss Ye have a past connection with him?"Ye Lan'er said as if intentionally or unintentionally, "Even if I have a past connection, between you and him, everyone knows how to choose..."She looked at Jiang Wang's calm eyes and covered her mouth with a smile: "Of course, I'm not familiar with Tai Yin. I just happen to know that someone intercepted him on the road, and they talked for a long time."She slightly raised her chin, revealing the beautiful curve of her neck, and asked with a smile, "Aren't you curious?"

"I'm not curious." Jiang Wang smiled softly. "It's nothing more than Yi Shengfeng of the Southern Dipper Hall."Putting everything else aside, this feeling of having a grasp of the situation was truly wonderful, no wonder Chong Xuanpang was always so cheerful.Ye Lan'er's smile disappeared, because in her understanding of intelligence, Jiang Qingyang was not known for his strategic wisdom. She asked in surprise, "How did you know?"

"I just know Yi Shengfeng very well," Jiang Wang said calmly.He had no particular affection or ill will towards this foremost beauty of Great Chu, but he was somewhat unable to accept her deliberately mysterious demeanor.To use Chong Xuanpang's logic, it was clearly a trap.He didn't want to jump into the trap, nor was he bothered to engage in a battle of wits, so he directly said, "If Miss Ye has nothing else, I will leave now."

"Is Young Master Jiang really in such a hurry?" Ye Lan'er asked.In the eyes of this peerless beauty, there was even a hint of fragile sadness, a lament of 'my heart is like iron, what wrong have I done,' making it difficult for one to bear.

Jiang Wang stood up without any hesitation: "The path of cultivation is long, I dare not delay even a single day."The hand that suddenly pressed down on his shoulder was slender and boneless, flawless.But it brought a powerful force that was difficult to resist, instantly breaking through the instinctive defenses of his body and will, and forcefully pressed him back into the seat!Ye Lan'er pressed Jiang Wang's left shoulder with her right hand, her upper body slightly bent, the deep ravine subtly visible, a faint fragrance drifting up.Looking down at him with a condescending posture: "I originally had some important matters to discuss with you, but now I've completely forgotten! Now I just want to ask you—"She said each word clearly: "Am I not beautiful?"

"Calm down."At the Divine Proximity level against the Outer Building level, Ye Lan'er even resorted to sneak attack. Jiang Wang couldn't react at all before he was pressed tightly against the chair, so he could only say helplessly, "You and Shunhua are good friends, Shunhua and Guangshu are family, and we've eaten together a few times... There's nothing we can't talk about! Why don't you sit back down, and we can talk slowly."Ye Lan'er reached out and pinched his chin: "Answer the question!"The situation was beyond his control, so Jiang Wang had to answer truthfully: "Quite beautiful.""How beautiful?"Jiang Wang hesitated for a moment.Ye Lan'er used force on her hand: "Hmm?""Top five among those I've seen in my life!"

It was well known that 'top five' meant fifth.Who among those who had seen her would say she was not the number one beauty in the world?Ye Lan'er was originally planning to follow up with the question—"Then how dare you act like you're trying to keep your distance from me?"But all of that was now thrown out the window.For a moment, all emotions were on her face, utterly furious. Her exquisite face leaned closer: "Exactly how high? Look carefully again!"

Just at this moment, a violent sound came from within Jiang Wang's body, like a river flowing backward into the sea, like the Heavenly River surging.That was the terrifying, instantaneously expanding extraordinary power!Under the concealment of the Huo Dou Seal, in front of Ye Lan'er, he completed the mobilization of his Dao Yuan, gathering his vital energy and divine soul.Between his chest and abdomen, five fiery light sources illuminated one after another.A piercingly sharp sword qi erupted, going straight to his brow, causing Ye Lan'er to instinctively lean back.

The chair fell over.Lord Jiang had already performed a graceful flip and leaped out of the window.