Chapter 1549: Unfathomable Divine Will

This state of mind of Chong Xuan Sheng,Previously known only to Fourteen.Now, only one more, Jiang Wang.Fourteen rarely spoke before others. Thus, Jiang Wang opened his mouth:“In these days, we have not wasted a single one. Today is like yesterday, and tomorrow, I imagine, will be like today.”We strive today as we did yesterday,And tomorrow we shall strive as we do today.Thus, the success reaped yesterday,Shall be reaped again tomorrow.This is, of course, a beautiful aspiration.But it is also an affirmation of their journey,Of how far they and Chong Xuan Sheng have come.After all, many things they accomplished together,Were once deemed impossible by others!

Chong Xuan Sheng first let out a laugh:“I’ve grown thin from exhaustion!”Then he said: “What we desire shall all be realized. Tomorrow shall be as yesterday!”

“War is a great matter of the state, a place of life and death, a path of survival and ruin.”Chong Xuan Chu Liang spoke at this moment.“Do not think that war is a matter you can do with as you please. If you go to the battlefield with such a thought, I fear I can only collect your corpses!”Jiang Wang and Chong Xuan Sheng both became solemn.On the matter of war, Chong Xuan Chu Liang undoubtedly held the right to speak.This time, both Chong Xuan Sheng and Jiang Wang were to go to war.He had specifically brought Jiang Wang to the Marquis of Dingyuan’s mansion,To provide a pre-war crash course of training.He did not expect Jiang Wang to instantly become a master of military strategy,But at the very least, that he might grasp the commander’s intentions during the war.At this critical juncture before the great war,The entire state of Qi was training soldiers and sharpening horses,Everyone was honing their blades.Had Chong Xuan Chu Liang not been waiting for the Emperor’s final decision,He would not have had the time to attend to them.At this moment, Chong Xuan Chu Liang looked at the two young men across the desk.Of course, his words were primarily directed at his nephew,Who was too clever, and relied too much on his cleverness.“What kind of state do you think the State of Xia is?”“The Southern Domain is split in two, separated by the Book Mountain.Great Sects stand tall, Great States are numerous,For thousands and ten thousands of years, conflict has been frequent.How do you think the State of Xia fought its way out of the mire,Unified the eastern part of the Southern Domain,Destroyed Li and swallowed Liang,Its military might pointing towards the northeast?”The states of Li and Liang were both historically destroyed by the State of Xia.Of course, the states the State of Xia destroyed were far more than just these two…It is only because these two states later successfully revived,That this period of history is mentioned.In Chong Xuan Chu Liang’s gaze at this moment, there was a sense of historical weight.“Do you think invading Xia is a readily available achievement?”“Do you think the State of Xia is a soft persimmon like the State of Yang,Whose calendar and written script were already extinguished before the war began?”“Do you think the military pledge I submitted to the Emperor,Is because this matter is without danger, and thus I am brazenly seeking merit?”“What do you think I and the God of War, and Commander Cao, and Commander Xiu, are contending for?”“How dare you underestimate the State of Xia?”“Ah Sheng, Ah Sheng, you must understand.Before that war began, half the court advocated for peace!Many feared Xia like a tiger, the great battle had not even begun,Yet ten thousand families already wept in sorrow.Some soldiers broke their own legs,Just to avoid going to the front lines!”Chong Xuan Chu Liang said this,Paused, and then said:“You must know… that battle, was won with extreme difficulty!”

Chong Xuan Sheng, of course, knew what his unsaid words implied.There are those who cannot be spoken of,There are those who cannot bear to be spoken of.The former, such as the deposed Crown Prince Jiang Wu Liang.The latter, such as the deceased Chong Xuan Ming Tu, Chong Xuan Ming Shan,And even those who were equally renowned back then,But are now no longer remembered.Ten thousand families’ bones,Exchanged for one general’s success.A million corpses,Only then a hegemonic enterprise is born.In a great battle of this scale, even True Monarchs can fall,True Men might not be able to protect themselves,And God-Ascended cultivators might vanish in a single charge.So-called Chosen, so-called geniuses…What are they but floating dust?

Chong Xuan Sheng sat very upright.He said sincerely: “This nephew was arrogant.”Then he asked: “Uncle,In your view,In the State of Xia today,Who are the figures worth our attention?”

Chong Xuan Chu Liang glanced at him faintly:“The figures worth the attention of you two,There are simply too many.”Jiang Wang listened honestly.“And the figures worth your attention?” Chong Xuan Sheng asked again.Chong Xuan Chu Liang was silent for a moment,Then said: “First and foremost, of course, is the Grand Empress Dowager of Xia!”“In the war of yesteryear, the Emperor of Xia died amidst ten thousand troops,His head taken by our Emperor.The Crown Prince of Xia, the Second Prince, the Fourth Prince,The Fifth Princess, all died!The Third Prince of Xia was personally slain by me…At that time, the Emperor of Xia, who could be called a formidable ruler,Left behind only a nine-year-old young son.Thus, the Empress oversaw the state.The moment she took power,She reached an alliance with the State of Jing, and secretly constructed the Observatory of Celestial Rites.At that time, she wore a phoenix coronet and robes of flowing clouds,Sitting atop the tower of the Xia capital,Looking out over the Eastern Lands, her body facing the military might of our Great Qi,She said: ‘If the Dragon Vein of Great Xia is to be severed, it shall begin with the mother of the nation.’Thus, she heavily bribed the neighbors,And negotiated peace with all directions,Proclaiming to the world to come to the aid of the throne.After the Emperor of Xia fell in battle, our army still encountered very tenacious resistance.By the time we finally reached the Xia capital…The Observatory of Celestial Rites had already been completed.We had no choice but to withdraw from the Southern Domain,Returning to the Eastern Lands, allowing the State of Xia to preserve its ancestral foundation.And so it is today, for she is the Grand Empress Dowager of Xia!”

Chong Xuan Sheng praised:“Some matters, read from books, are not particularly remarkable.Today, hearing Uncle’s narration, only now do I truly feelThat she is indeed a motherly figure for the world, a hero of theirs.”What Jiang Wang was more concerned about was the “Third Prince of Xia”That the Marquis of Dingyuan had mentioned so casually.Although mentioned casually, how could someone remembered by the Butcher of Men be simple?Chong Xuan Chu Liang had entered Xia alone back then, traversing a thousand li,Even today, it is regarded as a magnificent feat.The process was naturally extremely perilous.Opponents like the Third Prince of Xia, he undoubtedly encountered more than one within the borders of Xia.But in the end, he still managed to punch through the rear of the Xia army,Coming and going freely, as if entering an uninhabited land.That is why, Chong Xuan Chu Liang is the foremost God-Ascended of the Eastern Domain!

At this moment, Chong Xuan Chu Liang said:“Furthermore, the State of Xia still has two kings,Sharing glory with the state,Both are True Monarchs of this generation,Who dares to underestimate them?”Jiang Wang’s history lessons had not yet reached the State of Xia.Chong Xuan Sheng glanced at him, and helped him ask:“Although this nephew knows their names,I do not know where their power lies.How do they compare to our God of War?”

Chong Xuan Chu Liang said:“One is the King of Martial Might, Si-Xingming Jiao.Born of the Xia imperial family, tracing back nine generations from the current Emperor of Xia.He is the true pillar of strength for the State of Xia,Even in the great war of yesteryear, he once exchanged blows with our Emperor.”“The second, is the King of Min, Yu Liyang.Last time on Sword Peak Mountain, the one who led the people to besiege our Great Qi God of War,Was none other than him.”

The King of Martial Might, Si Jiao, is a veteran True Monarch,Having even exchanged blows with the Emperor of Qi, his strength would naturally not be weak.As for the King of Min, Yu Liyang, who had joined forces with five True MenTo jointly besiege the Great Qi God of War, Jiang Meng Xiong,The result was the instantaneous slaying of one True Man on the spot,Causing blood rain to fall from the heavens.The comparison of his strength with Jiang Meng Xiong, of course, needs no further explanation.The True Man who died at that time was none other than the renowned master of formations,True Man Tai Hua of the Tai Clan of the State of Xia.

Chong Xuan Sheng thought of this, and suddenly said:“That True Man Tai Hua who died,He has a grand-nephew named Tai Yin, right?He participated in the View of the River Platform, didn’t he?”He looked at Jiang Wang:“Did Brother Wang exchange blows with him in the Mountain Sea Realm?”“Yes.” Jiang Wang said calmly:“At that time, I faced him and Xiang Bei.”He did not mention the outcome, for the outcome was self-evident.Tai Yin was beaten on the View of the River Platform by Chong Xuan Zun,Without any ability to retaliate.Today’s Tai Yin is certainly far stronger than the Tai Yin of that day.What Five Dragon Seal Heaven Technique, what God Prison Six Paths Array,All were learned later, turning shame into courage,Ascending to a higher level.But today’s Chong Xuan Zun,Is even less comparable to the Chong Xuan Zun of that day.He has brought renown to the Bewildering Boundary,Possessing the aura of an unrivaled cultivator of the Outer Chamber realm.This invincibility is not the invincibility among young prodigies on the View of the River Platform,But encompasses all cultivators who have not broken through to the God-Ascended realm,All those who have accumulated at the Outer Chamber level.If Jiang Wang couldn’t even defeat Tai Yin,Then there is truly no possibility of contending with Chong Xuan Zun now.

Therefore, Chong Xuan Sheng merely asked:“Was it a difficult victory?”Jiang Wang said truthfully:“Not easy, they even managed to pierce my lower back!”“Is that so…”

Chong Xuan Sheng was not disappointed by this answer.From the beginning, he and Jiang Wang have been in the role of pursuers.He rapidly grew from a mere facade used to intimidate and prod Chong Xuan Zun,Into a family heir who could stand in opposition to Chong Xuan Zun.And when Jiang Wang first arrived in the land of Qi, he hadn’t even opened the Heaven and Earth Gate.Later, he also suppressed Wang Yiwu within the same realm.Jiang Wang has grown very quickly,It is indeed not appropriate to put too much pressure on him anymore.However, given that Jiang Wang has not yet caught up with Chong Xuan Zun,In the upcoming war against Xia,He will have to do a bit more thinking…

Having known Chong Xuan Sheng for so long,Jiang Wang naturally knew what Chong Xuan Sheng was thinking at this moment.Even the胖子’s mention of Tai Yin, was merely to gauge his current strength,While also not wanting to put the pressure of directly facing Chong Xuan Zun on him.After thinking for a moment, Jiang Wang said calmly:“If it were at the Yellow River Meeting, facing Tai Yin, the outcome would be difficult to predict.In the Mountain Sea Realm, if Tai Yin hadn’t launched a sneak attack,If Xiang Bei hadn’t been there, and I faced him alone,I could kill him without injury.As for now… he and Xiang Bei combined, cannot even harm me in the slightest.”

He did not utter any bold pronouncements,But merely calmly listed the comparison of his strength with Tai YinAt different periods.The Yellow River Meeting, the Mountain Sea Realm, now.However, this comparison so intuitively and clearlyOutlined his growth trajectory.Using a figure like Tai Yin, a genius of the State of Xia who has also been rapidly improving, as a comparison,One can see how astonishing his growth rate is!Jiang Wang did not say how he would fare against Chong Xuan Zun now,But his confidence was unspoken.It was also validated in the long road he had walked with composure.

Chong Xuan Sheng, of course, understood.So he merely grinned amidst his full face of flesh,And said to Chong Xuan Chu Liang:“Are there no contemporary True Men in the State of XiaWho are worthy of your attention?”

When the eunuch messenger Qiu Ji entered the Jiang mansion in Yaoguang Fang,The sky had not yet brightened.Jiang Wang truly had not anticipated it.At the crucial moment of preparing for the invasion of Xia,The Emperor of Qi, who was using the world as a chessboard,Would summon a young man like him,Who held no real power.Moreover, he had only been back in Linzi for two days,And the Emperor of Qi had already found time.Even… with a sense of urgency.Such a hegemonic ruler standing at the pinnacle of the contemporary world.Furthermore, using mountains and rivers as the board, states as the pieces,The dragon coiling around the six directions, the sword pointing towards the world!The pieces the Emperor of Qi was moving at this timeWere either Grand Counselors of the Ministry of State AffairsOr Commanders of the Nine Legions of the Ministry of Military Affairs.He was affecting the wind and clouds of the present world,Moving the mountains and rivers of the human realm…Using him, Jiang Wang, truly could not have any impact on the overall situation.So why was he summoned at this time?No matter how he thought, he couldn’t find a reason.Could it be that it was truly just for idle conversation?

Jiang Wang looked at Qiu Ji with inexplicable anxiety.This eunuch who had always been friendly to him,This time, however, kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart,Not even giving him a glance.This made Jiang Wang even more anxious.But the Emperor’s summons did not give him a chance to calm down.Let alone burning incense and bathing,Without even a clear word spoken, Qiu Ji ordered to depart.A large sedan chair, which had arrived with Qiu Ji,Blocked Chong Xuan Sheng’s thoughtful gaze,And shut in the bewildered Jiang Qing Yang.It went towards the deep palace.Qiu Ji walked ahead of the sedan chair, his steps silent.With him leading the way, it was naturally unimpeded.The sedan chair only stopped in front of the Donghua Pavilion.The eunuch who wrote documents stopped, standing in front of the sedan chair,And said calmly: “Lord Jiang, we have arrived.”

Jiang Wang awakened from his contemplation of the Avalokitesvara Ear.He bent down and stepped out of the large sedan chair.He subconsciously glanced at Qiu Ji. Qiu Ji’s face was still expressionless.As if all their previous interactions never existed, like strangers.But then he thought, perhaps Qiu Ji’s lack of any expression was precisely a form of safe expression.Regardless, the Emperor using the familiar Qiu Ji to convey the orderShould itself be a manifestation of a friendly attitude,Not something to be anxious about…Thus, he cut off extraneous thoughts, and followed behind Qiu Ji,Walking unhurriedly towards the pavilion.

The last time he came to the Donghua Pavilion, it was with Chong Xuan Sheng.At that time, Chong Xuan Sheng had “bared his body,”Allowing the Emperor to bestow upon him a purple robe.That time was also when he truly realized the authority of the Emperor of Qi…

The Donghua Pavilion is not far from the front of the Ziji Hall.Before the morning court, the Emperor habitually takes a brief rest here,Either for morning reading or to receive some information about the court proceedings in advance.Generally, this time would not be very long.Therefore, audiences in the Donghua Pavilion were always brief.But today, the Emperor had arrived relatively early,Even before the hour of Yin.The sky was dark and heavy,The lamps in the Donghua Pavilion were also very soft.Qiu Ji stood outside the door, and Jiang Wang walked in alone.

In the brilliant yellow lamplight, the Emperor of Qi sat on a soft couch,Holding a scroll of books in his hand, reading leisurely.The person standing beside him was precisely Li Yu Shu,Who had been whispering something to the Emperor before.He had stopped speaking before Jiang Wang entered.Jiang Wang could faintly hear the movement from afar,But he wisely did not try to listen to the content of the voices.At this moment, walking into the pavilion,He merely bowed respectfully:“Your subject Jiang Wang, by imperial decree, seeks audience!”

Speaking of which, this was the second time he had come to the Donghua Pavilion,And only now did he dare to slightly examine the layout of the room where the Emperor was.Unlike the grand and majestic, high and mighty Ziji Hall,The Donghua Pavilion had a somewhat warm and intimate atmosphere.

The Emperor did not speak for a moment.Jiang Wang therefore remained bowed without rising.Thus, an invisible pressure fell.The pavilion was very quiet. For a long time,There was only the sound of turning pages.In the midst of it all, it was as if there was a kind of fated resonance.The last time he came to the Donghua Pavilion, it was a crucial move for Chong Xuan Sheng to change his destiny,And Li Yu Shu, who was almost tied to the title of “Scholar of Donghua,” was waiting beside him.Now, it had reached the critical moment of the struggle between Chong Xuan Sheng and Chong Xuan Zun.And he had come here again.However, last time, with Chong Xuan Sheng holding the intelligence in his grasp,Apart from stripping naked to expose his many scars, he had nothing else to do.This time, however, he had to face it alone.In this difficult silence, where every drop of the clepsydra felt long,He couldn’t help but remember the Marquis of Dingyuan’s words—“The Emperor’s heart is difficult to fathom!”