Volume One: The Hidden Dragon in the Abyss Chapter 130: The Spectacle

“What exactly are you worried about? Surely the two of you can deal with it?” Xu Wei asked in bewilderment. “Are you afraid of the demons, or of Brother Chuan? If it is Brother Chuan, I can guarantee that I will persuade him to spare you—but you must fight for that chance yourself.”

“Wang Chuan?” Xu Qing thought for a moment. “How can you go this far for my sake? And yet, why did you not try to keep me before?”

“Perhaps I truly did make a mistake. I know you have your own thoughts, but I have my own choices as well, and Brother Chuan has things he wants to do. I was caught in the middle, hesitating all this time. If I could live through it once more, perhaps I really would have tried to keep you.” Xu Wei spoke to him with solemn sincerity. “If you still cannot trust me, I swear upon my child! So long as you help me, I will protect you before Brother Chuan.”

“You are actually willing to go that far.”

Xu Qing slowly extended a hand toward her swollen belly, as though gently stroking it, yet he never touched her. At last, he sighed. “It is a daughter, you know?”

“A daughter?” Xu Wei beamed with delight and touched her stomach. “Brother Chuan will like that, won’t he?”

“To be honest, I am not afraid of Wang Chuan. It is only that once we begin, it will be difficult to turn back. If we continue down that road, I fear it may last a very, very long time.” Xu Qing hesitated. “Very well. I agree to what you wish to do. But perhaps you do not understand—my existence will obstruct Wang Chuan’s path. When the time comes, it will truly be difficult for him to tolerate me.”

“You often speak of that path, that great way of yours. Is it really so formidable?” Xu Wei asked.

“It is not a question of whether it is formidable. It is something truly special, and truly arduous. Many people in this world have pursuits of their own—ordinary men chasing fame, fortune, rank, and wealth.” Xu Qing said, “What, then, is wrong with Wang Chuan and the others choosing to pursue the martial path?”

The martial path.

A long road indeed.

Xu Qing asked her to stay for a meal. The household was already making preparations, and he returned to the kitchen to lend a hand.

He had always liked staying in places such as this, and enjoyed helping to build the fire.

“Husband, go and keep the princess company. Stay outside,” Han Keru said hurriedly when she saw him enter.

“It is all right. We have finished talking, and she will not be in danger outside.” Xu Qing replied.

He was capable of handling that much himself.

It did not matter.

He bent down and embraced the little girl.

“Father, that older sister is so beautiful,” Yan Shuyi told him.

“Then go outside and talk with her. She likes children as well,” Xu Qing said.

“All right.” Yan Shuyi kissed his cheek and ran out happily.

“Let us cook. Our guest is still waiting.” Xu Qing glanced at her and relaxed. “If there is anything you want to ask, just ask. It is fine. There is nothing we need to hide from each other.”

That was how things were.

“When did you first meet Her Highness the Princess? Do you know His Highness Wang Chuan as well?” Han Keru asked.

“A very long time ago. Wang Chuan and I have a deep connection too.” Xu Qing thought for a moment before answering.

“I always felt that you were no ordinary man, Husband—that you were destined for greatness.” Han Keru nodded. “Has she come to ask you to return to the world? Are you going to leave?”

Crack—

Xu Qing snapped a long branch in two.

“It is possible that I truly will have to leave. But do not worry. We will not be separated, and staying by my side is the safest place for you. Wherever we go, I will find a way. There will always be room for us to maneuver.”

“People once said that when an avalanche comes, not a single snowflake is innocent. But perhaps it is more accurate to say that most are simply helpless. We will not meet with such a fate.”

“Will Her Highness the Princess be accustomed to eating such humble dishes?” Han Keru stopped and asked with concern.

“She will. Treat her as you would any ordinary guest.” Xu Qing smiled. “By the way, Yan Mo is in Sun City. He has entered the Imperial Academy, and everything is well. You need not worry.”

“Understood.” Han Keru nodded with a smile.

…

Yang Hao had already been waiting outside the palace gates for half a day. Since it was not yet late, he had thought that if he still had no news after another hour, he would return first.

Then she finally arrived.

The carriage came to a stop. Xu Wei pushed aside the curtain and asked, “What is it? Have you been waiting long?”

“Your Highness.” Yang Hao straightened and spoke concisely. “We are all somewhat worried. If possible, we would like to return to Sun City.”

“Who else?” Xu Wei asked in surprise. “It does not matter what we lose now. Once Brother Chuan returns, everything will come back to us. The Lord of Jin is no longer the man he once was. Why do you wish to return to Sun City?”

“The realm is about to descend into chaos, and we wish to do our part. Uncle Zhong thinks the same. Since Your Highness has yet to return, there is still much we can accomplish.” Yang Hao spoke earnestly. “If we remain here, we will not be able to help much.”

“Have you lost confidence as well?” Xu Wei asked. “Are you trying to make the worst possible plans instead of making the fullest preparations?”

“Your Highness.” Yang Hao fell to his knees. “You understand as well as we do that the Lord of Jin is waiting for His Highness Wang Chuan to return. But his patience is limited; he cannot wait forever. Once the iron cavalry tramples across the mountains and rivers, nothing will ever be repaired. Everything will become meaningless.”

“We want to wait for His Highness to return more than anyone. We are the most desperate of all.”

“I understand.” Xu Wei nodded and gazed toward the horizon, where the lingering sunset was slowly sinking. “I once heard that the darkness before dawn is the hardest to endure. Many people break at that moment. Many cannot hold on, because they can no longer see the future.”

“Brother Chuan will return before the Lord of Jin sends his armies into battle.”

After saying this, Xu Wei returned to the palace. The last trace of sunlight had already disappeared.

Yang Hao could not help feeling dispirited, perhaps because his emotions had been so unsettled lately.

Even his cultivation had become difficult to focus on.

…

Perhaps no one in the world understood him anymore. The Lord of Jin knew that well.

Once, there had been people who supposedly understood the emperor’s heart.

But if such a person truly existed, they would never reveal it. Anyone who truly understood him would naturally know that the Lord of Jin would never permit such a person to exist. Wang Chuan had once told him about a man named Yang Xiu. This was the fate that awaited those who presumed to understand him.

And the demons—did they really think that such a small concession would make him yield? What they wanted had never been an ally. They wanted a puppet. He had always understood that.

The Lord of Jin sat cross-legged in meditation, traversing space and moving freely between places.

Moreover, with his keen spiritual perception and cultivation, there were no illusions capable of deceiving him anymore.

For all these years, everyone under heaven had known that the Lord of Jin had never been renowned for his cultivation.

He had once possessed a wife who stood at the summit of the martial world, and later gained a son who also stood at the summit of the martial world.

As for himself, he was known throughout the realm as the ruler of a nation, renowned for his political vision.

Under his many years of governance, the Kingdom of Jin had begun its march toward conquering the world. Compared with the other rulers, he was also known for his unpredictable temper, extraordinary talent, and vast ambition.

That was the impression others had of him.

Yet ever since he had begun cooperating with the demons, his cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds, reaching an unprecedented height.

Even though everyone knew the reason, and even though he had paid certain shameful prices for it.

In the blink of an eye, he could cross ten thousand miles. Not a speck of dust was disturbed; the clouds remained tranquil, the breeze light.

Having reached this realm, the Lord of Jin had already transcended the mortal world.

Compared with Wang Chuan, he possessed an even greater advantage. Having comprehended its profound principles and made use of the spatial coordinates shared by the Demon Realm, he could travel freely among the three realms. Wherever his mind went, his body followed. Space could no longer constrain him.

The countless methods of martial artists ultimately came down to the manipulation of vital energy. All paths led to the same destination. Wang Chuan probably understood this better than he did.

The Lord of Jin appeared in the Demon Realm in an instant.

“Where is Wang Chuan?”

He asked the question directly.

“He has gone back.”

The person who answered him seemed to step forth from the void, standing beyond the laws of heaven and earth.

Neither yin nor yang could contain him.

“Why did I not see him?” the Lord of Jin asked.