Chapter 2208: See You Again, On the Road

Since Jing Taizu, Ji Yusu, established the Great Jing Dynasty, the great sects of the ancient world have seen their power and influence diminish with each passing day. The world is still the same world, but the scenery is no longer the same scenery.

But the tide of the era is such that whether one accepts it or not, one can only accept it. The era of sects has passed and is becoming history. All that was once prominent is now just an echo of history. Anyone who aspires to eternal existence must follow the era, renew themselves with history. The only end for those who stand still and seal themselves off is to decay into dust. This is true for individuals, and it is also true for sects, factions, and countries.

In the era of the various Saints, a hundred schools contended. How many great sects were there in the world! A hundred sources and a thousand flows, not just ten thousand families establishing sects! Where are they now? How many still remain?

Those that can still retain autonomy are all elites among the sects. Sects within the borders of various countries are all subjects and concubines of those countries. Looking around the world, only one Lingxiao Pavilion can be counted as an exception. But factually speaking, the Lingxiao Pavilion, which does not contend with the world, and Yun Country, which is under the commerce world, really pose no threat to speak of. They are usually not feared, and no one considers them unstable factors.

Looking back at the scene that just passed, in less than ten years, the Taixu Sect collectively sealed itself into the Taixu Illusion Realm, the Blood River Sect had its name removed, and the South Dipper Hall is about to be razed to the ground. Three of the world's great sects have been removed. This is indeed quite a shocking thing.

It is as if there is an invisible hand accelerating the iteration of sects. No, not iteration, but a generational break. The world's great sects that have already perished or are about to perish have no successors. This doesn't even include the Fishing Sea Tower, which was nearly wiped out in the Labyrinth World War, barely survived, and its momentum is nowhere near what it was before.

Today's disaster for the South Dipper Hall can be described with the saying "lips perish, teeth feel the cold." But how can a non-hegemonic country touch the sharp edge of Chu Heavenly Son's fury?

Ye Lingxiao said, "To find your people, what do you hope they will do?"

Bai Ge Xiao chuckled indifferently, "Nothing more than for me to come forward, advise against it once, protect Longsheng Jun's life once, and leave a lineage for South Dipper Hall. Let South Dipper Hall have an opportunity to compensate and apologize—Ye Zhenren, do I, Bai Ge Xiao, unexpectedly have such face?"

Ye Lingxiao nodded forcefully, "At least in my opinion, you are very esteemed!"

Qingya Mountain Master smiled, "It's a pity that Chu Country doesn't necessarily think so."

"There are Yu Mountain, Sword Pavilion, Evening Drum Academy, Three Punishments Palace, oh, and the Confucian Sect holy land, Book Mountain," Ye Lingxiao counted on his fingers, one by one. "There are so many great sects in the South Region, why would they want you to take the lead?"

"Perhaps because they are, after all, nearby. They can just lift a hand and slap!" Qingya Mountain Master laughed, "If Chu Country wants to teach me, Bai Ge Xiao, they still need to cross mountains and rivers and then ask Jing Country if they are willing to lend the way!"

The fact that South Dipper Hall dared to intervene in the Qi-Xia War initially was partly because of its geographical distance. If Xia Country won, South Dipper Hall would thus be a strong ally, and the pressure on Chu Country would be much lighter. Who knows, they might even take advantage of the situation to straighten their backs. If Xia Country failed, Qi Country would also be impossible to send troops to Du E Peak.

By analogy, the Qingya Academy, which is thousands of li away, can indeed discuss a few sentences with Chu Country.

Ye Lingxiao said, "Since you've come forward to deliver a message, it seems there's no big problem—what does Mountain Master think?"

Bai Ge Xiao dusted off his collar and said casually, "Let's drink tea!"

Ye Lingxiao then smiled, "At this time of 'lips perish,' doesn't Mountain Master see the teeth feeling cold?"

On this high cliff, Bai Ge Xiao raised a hand and pointed to the distant place where clouds drifted and mist dissipated. "Yang Country perished, Xia Country perished, Dan Country perished, Spring and Autumn saw several rises and falls! The rise and fall of various countries are all common affairs, why doesn't the hegemonic country worry? It's nothing more than this country perishing and that country rising, sects perishing, yet it's hard to find successors. I think this is also proof that the sect system lags behind the era? Since that's the case, why can't sects perish?"

She sat idly on the high cliff, seemingly not at all concerned about the foundation of Qingya. "We scholars of this generation must respect the voice of the era. The will of each specific person, in the end, converges into the choice of the era. If it is said that sects should perish, then let them perish! What crime is it of Spring and Autumn? How can I, Bai Ge Xiao, obstruct the era?"

Whether intentional or unintentional, the current era is perishing the ancient. This ancient is not about age; the Taixu Sect is very young. The ancient is the sect system. This is perhaps not the thought of one person or several people, but the inevitability of the era.

Bai Ge Xiao's perspective is indeed above that of too many people.

Ye Lingxiao clapped his hands and praised, "Where in the human world is there a Bai Ge Xiao? Those fellows are merely called romantic talents in vain!"

"Where does a Ye Lingxiao come from in Heaven?" Bai Ge Xiao flicked his teacup. "Don't make noise and alarm the world!"

Qingya Mountain Master did not accept the flattery, and Ye Lingxiao then smiled and moved on. "South Dipper Hall gave others a handle; they deserve to be executed and are not wronged. Those who claim to be anxious like burning, yet dare not come forward, I don't know what they can rely on to block Chu Country's butcher knife. Do those people truly think that Chu Country lost the river valley and walked three points of Fragrance Building, and is therefore a paper tiger? A sick tiger is still dangerous! How can one not observe?"

Chu Country's momentum has indeed greatly declined in recent years, and since the river valley war, it has been repeatedly unsuccessful. It is far from being as prominent as Qin and Qi, which are like the sun at its zenith, in both name and reality.

But the Fallen Immortal Forest is still undisturbed, and strong countries like Wei Country and Song Country are still firmly suppressed. The discourse power of the entire South Region is still tightly held in Chu Country's hands, with no sign of half a division or shake. Does the strength or weakness of Chu Country still need others to weigh?

Not to mention, in the same South Region, where do strong countries like Wei and Song have a loud voice? What kind of heroic strategy does the current Wei Heavenly Son possess? If he truly had an opportunity, would he stay and sit in Wangjiang Tower?

The current Chu Country is precisely at a time when it needs to prove itself tough. The army surrounding Du E Peak, yet not exterminating it in one go, is precisely to let this matter ferment and become known to the whole world. In this situation, how can those who dare to block Chu Country's path not be hurt by Chu's edge?

Bai Ge Xiao raised her eyes to look at the Lingxiao Pavilion Master before her. "You, Ye Zhenren, see so thoroughly, and it seems you are quite concerned about this matter. Could it be that you have no ideas? If you can exert some force and make some influence in this matter, it would be very beneficial."

"You also said, Ye Zhenren!" Ye Lingxiao said without good grace, "I'm not like all of you who have already reached the limit of the present world and stand on the absolute peak of being superhuman. That Longsheng Jun also stands on the absolute peak, and what about him now?"

He sighed with great melancholy, "To think that I, 'Ten Thousand Ancient Humans' Most Heroic,' hid my light and cultivated obscurity for others! One step slow, step by step slow, and now it's hard to even manage that one mu and three fen of land in Yun Country!"

Qingya Mountain Master then said, "To be clear, is it that you can't manage the land, or can't manage the people?"

"If the words are too clear, there's less aftertaste," Ye Lingxiao glanced at her. "If you want to laugh, just laugh, don't hold it back and feel uncomfortable."

Qingya Mountain Master then laughed heartily, "You, Ye Lingxiao, have this day too!"

"Ai." Ye Lingxiao sighed for a long time, stretched out both hands, and compared them in front of him, "At that time, she was only this big, so fragile and pitiful. In the blink of an eye, she has also grown up into an adult. I still often feel that she is just a child, still at an age where she doesn't walk steadily, and I always want to support her—perhaps it's time for me to let go too."

"Let go?" Bai Ge Xiao asked.

"Let go or not let go... Ha!" Ye Lingxiao smiled nonchalantly, "Children grow up and have their own ideas. Old stubbornness always acts as a road-blocking tiger, and after a long time, it may just annoy people. I still hope that if I linger on a sickbed later, someone will still be willing to come and see me."

"To be able to make you, Ye Lingxiao, realize this point, is indeed as hard as reaching the absolute peak!" Qingya Mountain Master laughed, "It seems your cultivation has greatly progressed!"

Ye Lingxiao cupped his hands, indicating his plea for mercy and asking to be let go.

Bai Ge Xiao also stopped there and asked again, "How is Qing Yu recently? What is she busy with?"

They had been familiar for more than a year or two, and she had always been concerned about Ye Qing Yu's growth. Initially, when she was still young, she thought of sending Ye Qing Yu to study at Qingya Academy, but later Ye Lingxiao was reluctant and gave up.

Ye Lingxiao said, "Still those things—looking at the clouds, practicing the qin, drinking tea, cultivating the dao, performing arts, also learning to handle some sect matters, and then writing letters to her pen pals. Every day is leisurely and self-satisfied, content and happy."

Bai Ge Xiao was a little emotional, "Among the world's geniuses, they are either bravely advancing and walking the great dao alone, or a thousand sails are competing and a hundred boats are striving to flow. It's rare to see someone as clear and cold as her, so quiet. I don't know how you raised her temperament; it's completely different from her mother."

"In this great contending world, beacon fires do not rest. Sometimes I also think whether I should temper her with some fierceness in order to better face this world. I also intended to take her to the demon world battlefield and let her witness blood and fire, but she is completely incompatible with that kind of place; she is not a person who belongs on the battlefield. Even if her heart has emotions, her methods are also lukewarm."

Ye Lingxiao raised his eyes to look at the distance, his voice leisurely, "I took her to cultivate in Outer Heaven, and her interest in the flowers, grasses, and scenery of Outer Heaven was far greater than conquering alien races and exploring dangerous places. It's not that she is not diligent; she also cultivates very hard, and she masters dao arts and killing methods very quickly, but her heart is not sharp at all. When fighting with people, she cannot use even seven-tenths of her full strength."

The Lingxiao Pavilion Master sighed lightly, "The world is not peaceful, and with her temperament, I am uneasy."

Looking around the world, those dazzling geniuses all cultivate both dao and law. They use their own law to protect their own dao. They use their own sword to maintain their own reason. This law can be a knife, a sword, power, or momentum... It can change in ten thousand ways without leaving its sect; all are means of guarding the dao.

Ye Qing Yu's talent in cultivation is first-class. In terms of killing, it is hard to say she has talent. Those who only know fists and feet all know "one guts, two power, three skills." Without the determination to kill, even if they have ten thousand laws added to their body, they cannot use them in battle.

Those skilled in fighting like Jiang Wang, Dou Zhao, and Chong Xuan Zun can unleash twelve-tenths of their power with ten-tenths of their strength. Besides, those like Huang Sheli with Bodhi and Zhao Rucheng with spiritual rhinoceros can also borrow divine powers and perform to the end of their fighting talent, reaching the peak.

Geniuses like Qin Zhizhen also have excellent fighting talent, but it is not absolutely top-notch. When facing others, they can have momentum like dragons and tigers, but when facing opponents like Jiang Wang, they are inevitably suppressed everywhere, and can only unleash nine-tenths of their full strength.

For fighting talents like Ye Qing Yu, when it comes to truly fighting with people using law, they basically only rely on their realm, secret methods, and some external objects to suppress others. Ye Lingxiao, who has tempered his killing talent through countless life-and-death situations, hitting the West Extreme with his fist and kicking the East Sea with his foot, naturally has an extremely clear understanding of his precious daughter—at least in terms of strength, there will not be too big an error.

Qingya Mountain Master said seriously, "This child is clear and cold, elegant, and does not contend with the world. She is also a little foolish. She is destined to cultivate the dao rather than refine the law. It is very good to follow her nature; you may not correct what is wrong by overcorrecting."

Ye Lingxiao shook his head, smiling dotingly, "How could I be reluctant? If she cannot hold her own path and execute outer evils herself, then I, as a father, will protect her dao."

"It is very good that you can think this way," Qingya Mountain Master's tone was very solemn. "Ultimately, the dao is the foundation, and the law is just a means. Whether this road is bloody wind and rain or light wind and light clouds, after walking to a high place, the scenery you see is the same. With you watching by her side, her dao will not be affected, and she can still walk towards the mountain."

Ye Lingxiao understood the hidden meaning in her words and no longer laughed. He stroked the teacup in his hand, and there was a hint of seriousness in his eyes. "I will cherish it."

"The jianghu road is long; please take good care of yourself."

This is just an ordinary farewell phrase. Yet it was the last words Zhongshan Weisun heard from his good friend. The last time he said goodbye to him was in Wuling. This time he said goodbye to him was in Long Bo Ji.

Everyone was a youth with a great future, and each of them had a brilliant life. They all believed that the other party would live a good life, never thinking that one separation would become forever. Wait until the wind rises and clouds surge, then you will know the impermanence of worldly affairs.

Eagle Yang Guard Great General Zhongshan Yanwen's heart was firm as iron, Taixu Pavilion Member Huang Sheli was scattered yet very clear-headed, and the world's number one, Jiang Wang, didn't say much, but he understood everything in his heart. Only he, Zhongshan Weisun, this time did not know his weight. This is the only time in his thirty-one years of life that he has not known his weight so far. He let go of his face, disregarded his reputation, did not understand the general situation, and acted as a villain in vain!

He knew that he could no longer persuade his grandfather, who held the Eagle Yang Mansion; he knew that even if Huang Sheli was good friends with him, it would be impossible for him to intervene in Chu Country's affairs; he knew that Jiang Wang had no reason whatsoever to help him save Long Bo Ji. He thought of bringing these two people over and then saying, borrowing their reputation once, pulling a tiger skin, and going to talk to Chu Country about ransom. Of course, it would be best if he could ask them to speak, but if he really couldn't move them, he would just put Zhongshan Weisun himself, and that bit of favor accumulated in the past, on the scale. His ugly state in the mud was also one of his bargaining chips.

Now, he can barely say that his wish has been fulfilled. Jiang Wang was unwilling to pay attention to him again and would be strangers from now on. Although Huang Sheli was greatly angry and beat him, he tacitly approved of his borrowing his name this time.

But was he satisfied? He didn't know either. Huang Sheli scolded him for not recognizing his own weight, but he actually recognized it very clearly. The weight of Zhongshan Weisun was just like this—it was to the extent that after the matter of borrowing names had already happened, Huang Sheli would not publicly sing a different tune in front of his desolate and useless state. For Huang Sheli, who always separated public and private matters, this was already very rare. For him, Zhongshan Weisun, this was the most useful external force he could borrow in the shortest time under the situation where he did not receive any support from the Eagle Yang Mansion.

"Hu..."

Zhongshan Weisun exhaled a long breath, put his face on the ground, and just lay there, quietly for a while. The mud, wet with fresh blood, had a taste that made people feel at ease. He really wanted to lie down forever, it was too painful and too tired. His nasal bridge was caved in, his facial bones were badly crooked, and many parts of his body had bone fractures—but the pain was not just these.

He really wanted to lie on the ground and sleep for a while, not wanting to think about anything. What family, country, friendship... But he did not forget his purpose in coming to the South Region, so after just a slight closing of his eyes, he opened them. A moment later, he climbed up.

He used dao arts to clean off the dust, remove the mud, wipe away the bloodstains, change into a different set of clothes, and re-pin his hair. He was again that warm and moist young master of the Zhongshan clan of Jing Country. Among the four strong ones in the Outer Tower Field of the Yellow River Meeting, there was also Zhongshan Weisun of the Eagle Yang Mansion of the Great Jing Empire. He and Huang Sheli came together to travel, wanting to save a friend named Long Bo Ji in the South Region. He had prepared a lot of sincerity.

Thank you, book friend "White Face Hippopotamus," for becoming the alliance master of this book. This is for the 710th alliance of Red Heart Patrol Heaven!