Chapter Five: And Drink This Cup
rom a small nation, bringing such shame upon himselfThe Gao family's connections were always the strongest within the Imperial Palace. Their influence in local areas had only begun to develop in recen..."Look at me now, how good am I The number one inner palace in the world, the best in the world!"
I am in the state of Qi. I have a large fiefdom, and the people there are very simple and honest. In my fiefdom, there is a building that has an ancient style, called Zhengsheng Hall. When you turn back, be sure to go sit there.
As for me, I am now a man from Qingyang Town, Daqi, and I am also a fourth-rank Green Badge Captain.
The chief inspector of Qi's state, he’s like a criminal hunter…ah ha! What do you mean by fourth rank That threshold is only crossed by outer courtyard cultivators, brother I got it beforehand!
From the nearby islands to Qi State's Linzi, my brother has friends everywhere and can handle anything.
>
Whether it's a title or an official position, this time winning the top spot, there's still room for promotion!
>
Jiang Wang rambled incoherently, it wasn't clear what he was trying to explain.
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But as he talked, he could no longer laugh.
And then he said, "Don't tell me about yourself, tell me about you. Have you been staying in the country for the past two years"
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“Ah, I am in the barren lands.” Zhao Ruicheng took his gaze from the liquor and lifted his head, smiling faintly. “I wasted too much time before, so I just put in a little effort. Unexpectedly, with such a casual effort, I became the fourth-ranked inner mansion in the world.”
"The desolate frontier..."
Jiang Wang repeated, his gaze falling on Zhao Ru's dull hair. His eyes were soft: "Then how many Yin Demons have you killed"
“How many Yin Demons have I slain…” Zhao Ruocheng seemed to count, then laughed. “I can’t remember. Perhaps Wen Duo has the answer.”
Seeing Jiang Wang's puzzled expression, he explained: "It's that guy who argued with you that day on Suanni Bridge."
Of course, Jiang Wang remembered this man. Later, at the martial arts arena, Yuwen Duo even rushed onto the stage to take Zhao Rucheng away. He was a very righteous and reckless man.
"You guys are good friends." he smiled.
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"He's a decent enough fellow," Zhao Rucheng said. "I'm doing alright in Mu Guo. I have friends, and I have beautiful women."
> The two people fell silent again.
They each carry their scars, all the way to here.
They all knew that in this world, perhaps only they could feel each other's pain, but none of them were willing to let the other feel it.
Thus, silence fell.
Two cups of wine were poured, but neither of them took a sip. The dishes on the table were all things they often ate in Maplewood City, but they didn't touch a single one.
"Speaking of which..." This time, it was Jiang Wang who spoke first. He looked at the dishes on the table, as if he could discern some important clues: "Where's Uncle Deng"
"As for him," Zhao Ruocheng laughed, "he's staying in Mu Guo. He drives a few horses every day, loaded with goods, selling them all over the place. He's like a traveling merchant, playing at life."
This was indeed the life Deng Yue desired. When he disguised himself as a commoner, haggling with people and living an ordinary life... he smiled most naturally.
Jiang Wang's tightly strung nerves relaxed a bit. He nodded and said, "That's very good."
>
"Now you know my identity," Zhao Ruocheng said with a charming smile and a light tone. "Uncle Deng is like my personal guard, he's very skilled."
"I never would have guessed that before." Jiang Wang's tone was a little lighter: "I just thought Uncle Deng followed you around like an old nagging woman every day, where there was any sign of a master. Every day it was 'It's getting late, young master, go home...' "
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“Haha!” Zhao Rucheng laughed loudly. “He was really annoying back then.”
Smiling and smiling, her eyes turned red.
He said, "When the incident happened, Uncle Deng immediately took me to Mingde Hall, but... we didn't see anything. At that time, Uncle Deng thought it was people from Qin who had come after us, so he just wanted to escape with me. It wasn't until a long time later that we knew it was a cult causing trouble..."
He choked out, "I'm sorry!"
But only he probably knows, at this moment, this apology wasn't just to Jiang Wang.
"An An is fine!" Jiang Wang reached out and patted Zhao RuCheng's shoulder: "I took her with me when we escaped at the time!"
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"You mean..." Zhao Rucheng suddenly raised his head.
The biggest thing he regretted was that when he escaped from Fenglin City, he couldn't save Jiang Anan.
He always thought that in the entire Fenglin City domain, besides him, only Jiang Wang had lived by chance. So he didn't even dare to mention An An's name, for fear that Jiang Wang would be heartbroken.
Jiang Wang's grip tightened: "At that time, I had mastered a secret technique that used lifespan as fuel, and I only had one chance..."
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At that moment, he recounted to Zhao Ruocheng everything that had happened the day Fenglin City was destroyed.
This includes his contact with the White Bone Dao, and the choices he made on the day of the disaster. Back then, he gave his only chance to fight for survival to An An. And because of that, he gave up on Ling He, Zhao Ru Cheng, Tang Dun...
As for that disaster, Zhao Rucheng had only scattered clues and some private speculation. Although later, combining Jiang Wang's situation, he roughly understood part of the truth, this was still the first time he truly understood the specific details of the fall of Fenglin City.
That scene of the city collapsing, it's like it's happening right in front of my eyes.
That anger, pain, and agony felt like a dream from yesterday.
His handsome face turned cold involuntarily, and he gritted his teeth and said, “Zhuang Jun, you scoundrel! I must kill you!”
Jiang Wang patted Zhao Ruicheng's shoulder and then withdrew his hand: "That's a matter for the future."
The hatred in his heart gnawed at him constantly. But seeking revenge against a ruler of a nation was by no means a simple matter, nor could it be rushed. Especially when the target was a living immortal, the very same one who had slain Emperor Han Yin of Yong Country!
Acting hastily is, in fact, a dereliction of duty to the innocent victims who perished within the borders of Fenglin City.
Because if they fail, then no one else will be able to avenge those from the Maple Forest Domain.
Zhao Ru Cheng opened his mouth, the murky memories of that day never leaving him. Today, he had so many things he wanted to say.
But in the end, he just said: "It's a pity I can't go see AnAn now."
His voice was very low: "I often dream of her."
“That’s all, that's all there is to it, such a tiny little thing.” His hands gestured back and forth, then finally dropped down onto his lap, with a kind of restless feeling of loss: “So cute, and so well-behaved.”
Having drawn the Sword of the Heavenly Emperor and revealed his lineage as an descendant of Emperor Qin, he was treated in any nation either as a bargaining chip for making friends with the state of Qin or as a weapon against it.
Before he was sufficiently powerful, the value he embodied was difficult to separate from his identity.
Therefore, exposing one's identity is an unwise choice.
But after Deng Yue sacrificed himself and the Qin Dynasty's Prison Guard Division caught up again, he had no other choice.
He needs time to grow, and more importantly, space to breathe.
Only by gaining fame on the Guanhe Terrace can one, in the current situation, utilize the status that follows Qin Emperor Huai to the fullest and struggle for a path, whether it leads to life or not, that allows for continued progress.
And all of this, he didn't want to tell Jiang Wang.
Even the greatest Inner Palace in the world, compared to Qin, is truly insignificant.
“An An is now apprenticing under Ling Xiao Pavilion. It's very safe there. The young master of Ling Xiao Pavilion and I are good friends.” Jiang Wang gestured with his hand in front of him: “She's about this tall now. She wrote me a letter the other day, saying she had successfully laid the foundation! She's very diligent.”
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"Laying the foundation is not necessarily better sooner. It needs to be properly adjusted and choose the most appropriate physical state..." Zhao Rucheng said with great care.
"Of course," Jiang Wang said, "She was personally taught by Lord Ye of the Lingxiao Pavilion. Qingyu also told me in her letter that An An has a very good foundation and meets the conditions for opening the meridians. It's just that she is too young, and it will inevitably take more time to polish the inner and outer cycles."
"Qingyu"
“Oh, it’s Young Master Ye.”
Zhao Ruzheng pondered for a moment: "Do you write to each other often"
"I guess so..." Jiang Wang asked, "What's wrong"
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"It is generally understood that the Cloud Nation has always adhered to a principle of neutrality, not favoring any particular side, right"
Jiang Wang sighed and nodded: "Yes, I owe Lingxiao Pavilion a great favor for this. So after winning the championship this time, I plan to take An'an to Qi country."
"Inappropriate."
Zhao Ru-cheng shook his head directly and said, “You won the championship this time, it seems that you are going to rise quickly, but it is precisely at the moment when you are on the cusp of a storm, it is better than before. This time back to Qi State, if there is trouble, it will definitely not be the same as before. This is one. Second, An'an was personally taught by Ye Zhenren, so she is the direct disciple of Lingxiao Pavilion, and Lingxiao Pavilion will definitely protect her. Putting aside safety issues first, you take An'an to Qi State, but where can you find another master for her Your current talent and strength make it easy to become a disciple of a real person, but becoming a disciple is not a buy one get one free offer.”
"I have no intention of taking on a master..." Jiang Wang frowned and said, "But I can't keep relying on Lingxiao Pavilion to take care of An An, either"
Zhao Ru Cheng gave him a glance: “You are so unwilling to owe anyone, aren’t you Letting An An enter the Ling Xiao Pavilion is your favor to them. After An An enters the Ling Xiao Pavilion, it will be her and the Ling Xiao Pavilion's sect bond. Whether you take An An away or not doesn't matter. Just wait until you return to Qi Guo and stabilize this harvest before considering it!”
Jiang Wang had to admit, what Zhao Ru Cheng said did make more sense.
"No wonder Big Brother always says you…"
Jiang Wang paused at this point.
Because he once again realized that they no longer had an older brother.
>
Zhao Ru Cheng did not shy away from the memory of that figure, seriously accepting this sentence: "We must avenge elder brother."
"I have never forgotten." Jiang Wang said.
The two brothers hadn't had such a heartfelt conversation in ages. Sometimes they spoke of love, sometimes of hatred. Memories and reality intertwined, their words tumbling here and there.
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For both of them, it was a rare and irrational moment.
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After all, the tragedy in Fenglin City was a shared wound they had experienced together. No one else could understand them.
"Brother Hu," Zhao Rucheng said, "Uncle Deng... went to see Brother Hu for me. He seems unaware of the truth about Fenglin City. He's in a crucial position within the army, and Zhuang Gaoxian has already become a real person. Uncle Deng couldn't show himself..."
“I also asked Ye Daoist to see him and tell him the truth, hoping to take him away from Zhuang Guo…” Jiang Wang said, “But he refused.”
He didn't say anything about Du Yexi scolding him to the point where he was covered in dog blood, because he didn't believe that was Du Yexi's true attitude. A hot-headed and impulsive tiger, once it starts gathering its claws, must have a target it wants to devour with all its might.
>
Zhao Ruocheng thought for a moment, and said, "He probably has his own ideas."
They hadn't seen To no Tora for a long time, but none of them doubted that the man with prematurely gray hair was him.
“I suppose so,” Jiang Wang said. “There’s nothing left for us in Zhuang Guo anyway. There are no living people left in the Fenglin City domain, and no one knows about our relationship.”
At this moment, he remembered Li Jianqiu.
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On that night in Xin'an City, Dong Axian made an excuse to lead Li Jianqiu away and then faced him in a life-or-death struggle.
A master's protection of his disciple is something he once thought he also possessed.
However, all that he had once hoped for crumbled with the fall of Fenglin City.
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Li Jianqiu should know about their Maple Forest Five Heroes, but judging from Du Yecho's current state, he either didn't say anything or said something that had no effect.
"If anyone else knew, Tiger Brother gained trust in the army through his military achievements." Jiang Wang continued, "Fang Peng and I have shared life and death, and the relationship between our Five Heroes of Maple Forest might not seem very solid to outsiders."
Zhao Ruocheng twitched the corner of his mouth. This awkward humor made him want to laugh and applaud, but he couldn't bring himself to smile.
"I can only say that Tiger Brother might have a hot temper and is not very good at thinking things through, but he's not stupid. Since he refuses to leave, he must have made his decision. And..."
He sighed: "Who could change Du Yexiao's decision"
"Yes, he always does that." Jiang Wangyi sighed.
And you are no different, Zhao Ruocheng thought to himself.
He would always remember, during his days of listlessness, that figure who often practiced swordsmanship until late at night.
He would always remember that time when they rushed to Xishan to look for Jiang Wang, but all they saw was a bloody figure walking down the mountain alone.
He would never forget that after Jiang Wang had disappeared once, he had asked Deng Shu to search the Xishan thoroughly, even going to the Qichang Mountains, but he still couldn't find any trace of her. He once thought that Jiang Wang was already dead and buried in some nameless place. But on that morning, Jiang Wang walked into the Dao Courtyard just as firmly as before.
>
He would never forget, two years later, seeing Jiang Wang again. The young man from a small town had stood tall on the Guanhe Terrace, reaching the position of the number one inner court in the world.
It always appears before him when he is lost and desperate.
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So sure, so brilliant.
He, Zhao Ruocheng, boasted of being a genius at the top, yet he believed that he was inferior to Jiang Wang by three points.
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"Come, Third Brother!" Zhao Rucheng raised his cup: "I toast you. This first cup is to celebrate your winning the top spot!"
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Jiang Wang raised his cup in response, and the two drank it down.
Zhao Ruocheng raised the silver pitcher and filled another cup. He then raised his glass and said, "This second cup, I toast to you for your journey thus far. You have never retreated, never stopped, never looked back!"
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“To the third cup, I raise this to you. You bear the weight of mountains, yet embark on a journey of ten thousand miles. Your heart is as clear as the moon, and heaven and earth can see it!”
After three cups, he put down his empty cup and said, "Third Brother, I have to go. Yuwen Tuo is waiting for me."
Jiang Wang was silent for a moment: "So urgent"
Zhao Rucheng said in a light tone: "Who made me only get a top four spot Liang stopped even earlier, at the top eight, and Cangming didn't even get to play. The Mu Guo team performed poorly this time and couldn't wait to leave."
Jiang Wang reached out and took the wine jug from his hand, pouring a full cup for himself. "Third Brother, I'll toast you three cups," he said.
"This first one, to you for still being alive."
He drank it down in one gulp and refilled his cup. "The second glass, to me still being able to see you."
He poured and drank, filling the last cup: “The third cup, thanks for still being in this world. We brothers can still walk together.”
He looked so intently at Zhao Ruocheng, as if he wanted to memorize this scene forever. Then he placed his cup on the table, got up and walked out. "I'm leaving!"
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There are no characters asking for something, but every sentence is a plea.
A sibling's plea to their brother.
>
Please live!
Zhao Rucheng exposed Qin Huai Emperor's identity after him, but he never spoke a word to Jiang Wang about it, naturally unwilling to implicate him.
However, today's Jiang Wang, having left that small town and gone through so many experiences, how could he not have thought of these things
He knew that he was powerless now, and besides displaying his swordsmanship on the grand stage, he couldn't do anything else. So he could only implore Zhao Rugeng to help him live a good life!
Until we meet again!
Just as he was about to step out of the courtyard, a voice called out behind him: –Zhao Ruocheng's.
"Third Brother, hurry up!"
Jiang Wang did not turn back, only extending his fist and raising it over his head.
He just stood there, fist clenched, and walked away.ow them around"I ask you, do you now know which direction to go""I don't know."“But they obviously knew,” Jiang Wang said, already turning away."Oh!" Zuo Guangshu followed behind: "But they are going...