Chapter 484 A Story
In any era, even the real Chosen One could not occupy the light that could illuminate the entire Dark World alone.
The change from a student to a marshal, for Li Tianlan, was a skyrocketing rise based on his acc.u.mulated strength. The final maneuver of the two academies in Zhongzhou State helped Li Tianlan, but in one of the dullest maneuvers of the highest-quality in recent years, the losers also had their own light.
There was enmity between the Li family and the w.a.n.g family of Beihai. Facing an opponent who was already ahead of him, w.a.n.g Shengxiao, who dared to take the initiative to lower his realm, was undoubtedly the most dazzling young man apart from Li Tianlan.
After the final maneuver, w.a.n.g Shengxiao fell directly from the peak of the Thunder-shocking Realm into the Fire-flaming Realm. When his realm suffered a drastic decrease, the entire Zhongzhou State paid more attention to him—the heir of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai. Judging from w.a.n.g Shengxiao’s current performance, everyone agreed that his current strength had surpa.s.sed w.a.n.g Tianzong when he was young. In terms of potential, w.a.n.g Shengxiao with Wind and Thunder Veins went even farther than his father.
As for courage, the change of his realm from the peak of the Thunder-shocking Realm to the peak of the Fire-flaming Realm had proven it all.
In terms of hardworking property, w.a.n.g Shengxiao had reached such a level only at the age of 25 this year. If he didn’t work hard, he wouldn’t be able to reach this level even if he were given ten Wind and Thunder Veins.
Therefore, in the hearts of many people, even if Li Tianlan could be invincible in the Dark World and become the contemporary Chosen One in the next few decades, w.a.n.g Shengxiao’s final achievement may not be much worse than Li Tianlan’s. Now even many people agreed that w.a.n.g Shengxiao’s ultimate achievement would eventually surpa.s.s his father’s.
It was not blind speculation.
Instead, it followed the development law of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai.
Throughout the Dark World, the patriarch of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai was arguably the most dazzling position.
It was a great family that had been at the top for hundreds of years.
How strong a shoulder did it take to bear such glorious glory?
Everyone had something to shoulder. Mount Dibing and Beihai Province were the weight that always rested on the shoulders of the patriarch of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai.
Such a tremendous weight would make every heir of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai get stronger like crazy.
Their inner fear was as great as their outward glory.
So for hundreds of years, the patriarchs of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai of the past generations may not necessarily be men of outstanding ability, however, without exception, they were definitely the superiors at the peak.
Now, with the pa.s.sage of time, w.a.n.g Tianzong, who was more than 50, would soon be in his sixties. As the Sword Emperor, he was approaching the end of the peak state. Behind him was the w.a.n.g family of Beihai. The Li family had staged a comeback quietly, and the unmatched, 22-year-old Li Tianlan advanced triumphantly with great talent.
Under such circ.u.mstances, w.a.n.g Shengxiao absolutely felt suffocating pressure.
Under such tremendous pressure, it was not surprising that w.a.n.g Shengxiao finally reached any height.
Today, everyone recognized the strength and potential of Li Tianlan. Most people believed that in the future, Zhongzhou State and the Dark World would be the world of Li Tianlan and w.a.n.g Shengxiao.
In addition to the two, Gu Hanshan, the Young Master of Kunlun City, who possessed the Heavenly King Heart, was equally dazzling. Nonetheless, after the final maneuver, the light of the young Chosen One on his body continued to fade, while the other person became more and more important in everyone’s eyes, just like a shining rising star.
It was not Lin Youxian, the almost unknown Young Master of the Lin Clan.
It was a name that once stood high but had always been a step away from the t.i.tle “the young Chosen One”.
Jiang Shangyu.
Everyone knew that Jiang Shangyu was powerful.
But no one knew his strong point.
In the past few years, he had been silently walking behind several young Chosen Ones until the battle at the end of the maneuver, with inferior combat strength, worse progress, and few noteworthy military exploits.
Jiang Shangyu had determined his future path!
Jiang Shangyu would steadily entered the Invincible Realm in the future.
He would amaze the people with a single brilliant feat.
This path and this way of doing things were all too familiar. Perhaps no one said anything about them, but such a Jiang Shangyu struck hard the heart of every senior official in Zhongzhou State.
Because many years ago, there was also a young man like today’s Jiang Shangyu. He was silent, gentle, low-key, and didn’t strive for anything. He walked silently behind several top talents, with slightly poor fighting power and progress.
But his footsteps were extremely stable, and he was so steady that he had never stopped.
Several of the top geniuses of his time had left the pinnacle of their time for various reasons. However, he was still walking forward step by step, stumbling, but with the power that made the world stand in awe.
His name was w.a.n.g Tianzong, and now he was the Sword Emperor of Zhongzhou State.
w.a.n.g Shengxiao was the son of w.a.n.g Tianzong.
But Jiang Shangyu’s path was so similar to w.a.n.g Tianzong’s.
His performance in the final maneuver completely suppressed Gu Hanshan’s. At least in the hearts of many people now, Jiang Shangyu’s future was more valued and worth looking forward to than Gu Hanshan’s.
Li Tianlan, w.a.n.g Shengxiao, Jiang Shangyu.
Now the three most popular and valued young men in Zhongzhou State ultimately chose two very different paths along with the end of the maneuver of both academies.
The chaos in Eastern Europe broke out.
Li Tianlan led the army North and stirred up the drastic change in Wulan State. In the Date of Death, he killed two Invincible Realm experts in a day and occupied Wulan State, which Zhongzhou State had coveted for two decades.
Li Tianlan’s name resounded through the Dark World, and he was like the sun at high noon.
Yet w.a.n.g Shengxiao and Jiang Shangyu were completely silent.
There was no news of w.a.n.g Shengxiao at all.
And Jiang Shangyu was said to have been healing his wounds in Beijiang, but except for Jiang Shan, his biological father, no one had seen any sign of him.
On the night of August 17 in Eastern Europe.
In the morning light of August 18th in Zhongzhou State, Jiang Shangyu actually appeared in a small manor of the Jiang family in Beijiang.
The sun in Beijiang was shining brightly.
The bright and warm sunshine shone on Jiang Shangyu’s body, and he seemed to have been gilded with gold.
Jiang Shangyu held his phone and looked at the flowers in the manor.
The colorful flowers were in full blossom, and the night had just pa.s.sed. In the early morning hours, there were misty dewdrops on the petals of each flower overflowing with vigor.
Jiang Shangyu, whose face was a little pale, looked at the flowers in front of him with a cheerful smile.
Jiang Shan, the top leader of Beijiang Province, came over from behind, looking at his son who was playing with flowers, and asked, “Whose call?”
Jiang Shangyu turned around and said, “Li Tianlan.”
Jiang Shan raised his eyebrows and seemed a little surprised.
Jiang Shangyu thought about his conversation with Li Tianlan just now and shook his head with a smile.
The conversation didn’t last long.
Li Tianlan just asked something about the Devil Troop.
Jiang Shangyu said that he had limited knowledge about it and had finished what he had to say, and now he could not give any clues.
Li Tianlan didn’t say much and simply hung up the phone.
He was straightforward instead of standing on ceremony or flying a kite.
It seemed that not long ago, the life-and-death fight on the final maneuver had gradually become traceless grudges.
Jiang Shangyu thought quietly and suddenly said, “Recchi City… might be lively tonight.”
Jiang Shan asked, “Do you have any news?”
Jiang Shangyu shook his head. “Li Tianlan asked me about the Devil Troop.”
The Devil Troop had always been a legend in the outside world.
The so-called legend was something that did not necessarily exist.
Li Tianlan wouldn’t have bothered to call him to ask about the Devil Troop in detail if he hadn’t really seen or encountered something because they were not familiar.
Moreover, Li Tianlan didn’t like to listen to stories.
Jiang Shan’s eyes focused, and a trace of dread flashed through his eyes.
The Jiang family was able to confirm the existence of the Devil Troop. The former Invincible Realm expert of the Jiang family died in the hands of the Devil Troop. Otherwise, the Jiang family today would be even more powerful and terrible.
Jiang Shan pondered for a while and then asked, “How is your injury?”
“Fine.”
Jiang Shangyu smiled. “I took one step forward in preparation for the final maneuver. As for taking two steps back, that’s nothing serious. To be honest, in the final maneuver, I had intended to emulate w.a.n.g Shengxiao. If I had fallen to the Fire-flaming Realm from the Thunder-shocking Realm that day, my foundation might be more terrible now.”
“How is that possible?”
Jiang Shan shook his head.
Jiang Shangyu was four years older than Li Tianlan and one year older than w.a.n.g Shengxiao. He was already 26 years old this year.
He didn’t make much progress in Martial Arts, but at the age of 22, he had already entered the peak of the Fire-flaming Realm.
Jiang Shangyu had honed his Martial Arts for four years from the peak of the Flaming Fire Realm to the Thunder-shocking Realm!
He was truly well prepared.
He had an unimaginably solid foundation in the Fire-flaming Realm. Even if he had wanted to lower his realm, he could not have returned to the Fire-flaming Realm. In the final maneuver, he, too, chose to lower his realm. But compared to w.a.n.g Shengxiao, he only managed to take one step back as a means of stabling his foundation.
“You know, there is nothing impossible for Martial Arts. It’s just that we haven’t found the right way, or we haven’t had enough luck.”
Jiang Shangyu put away his phone and gazed silently at the undazzling sunshine on the horizon.
In the bright light, he stood there with a clear outline.
“Actually… there is no need to pursue perfection.”
Jiang Shan looked at Jiang Shangyu, the son he could not have been more satisfied with.
He knew his character and ability, and he was also aware of his ambition.
It was ridiculous to be ambitious without ability.
It was a sad thing to be a capable person without ambition.
It was a pity as someone capable and ambitious but without enough resources.
Jiang Shan had mixed feelings.
He reached out and patted his son on the shoulder, saying in a heavy tone, “You’re good. You’ve done really well.”
Jiang Shangyu reached out and firmly held Jiang Shan’s hand.
He chuckled softly and warmly. “Dad, that’s not what I want. I saw through the word ‘good’ a long time ago. It doesn’t make sense. The higher up we go, the fewer people feel good about themselves. I don’t pursue perfection. What I pursue is just to be as good as others.”
He paused and then continued to say with a smile, “I don’t want to be worse than anyone else.
“Li Tianlan, w.a.n.g Shengxiao, and Gu Hanshan.
“Why can’t I do what they can? Why? They can go up with resources, step by step. Our family doesn’t have so many resources, but when they only look at the road ahead, I can bend down or even kneel. I will dig out the resources I need little by little. I may walk slowly in this way, but I will not miss anything. I will reach the end one day. I am not worse than anybody. The Jiang family is no worse than any other family!”
“You are my son!”
Jiang Shan said in a low voice, “Of course you will not be worse than anyone. It is me—your father, who is incapable. If I…”
“Enough.”
Jiang Shangyu patted his father’s palm on his shoulder with a smile and said softly, “Really enough. Dad, do you know who I admire most in my life?”
Jiang Shan did not speak, but a few names that could turn the Dark World upside down flashed through his mind.
They were all strong men.
“I admire you the most.”
Jiang Shangyu whispered, “Your realm is not the Invincible Realm, and your status in the Decision Making Committee is also average, but you are my father. Our family does not have so many resources, but it has been on the rise, getting stronger and stronger. You lower your head, bend down, and act cautiously. You are actually a senior official, but you are humble. However, no one in the Jiang family has ever felt inferior, nor did I. Dad, seriously, you don’t have to give me too much because you have given me a lot. I have lived a stable life since I was a child. It is best to be stable.
“Maybe in your position, you can’t give me more things, but those are not what I need. You have done enough. The Jiang family and I owe it all to you. Though the Sword Emperor w.a.n.g Tianzong is invincible, the G.o.d of War Gu Xingyun is domineering, and Li Honghe from the Li family is selfless, I don’t envy them. In my heart, only my father is the greatest and the worthiest of my admiration.”
Jiang Shan felt the temperature on his son’s palm and closed his eyes slightly.
The sun shone upon his pale temples, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes quivered.
“Dad, next, hand the Jiang family over to me. Our family has experienced the process from having nothing to having something. We can have nothing, but the men in our family cannot feel guilty for our family and children. Since you can’t do it, I’ll do it. Even if I can’t, I’ll have a son. I hope I’ll be the one my son admires the most, too. I want him to shoulder my unfulfilled wish and keep doing it.”
Jiang Shangyu clenched his father’s palm and said softly, “It will be all right.”
“It is best to be stable,” Jiang Shan whispered.
Jiang Shangyu kept silent for a moment, then said with a smile, “It cannot be achieved if we don’t reach the peak.”
The peak was supreme.
Only the supreme ones could enjoy true peace and tranquility.
Peace was stability.
Jiang Shan took a deep breath, opened his eyes, looked at Jiang Shangyu in front of him, and said gently, “Don’t be in a rush.”
“Got it.”
Jiang Shangyu nodded with a smile. His eyes lost focus for a moment. He took his hand back, put it behind him, and laughed. “I just want to grab what I can.”
The sun gradually became dazzling.
The blazing light hid the glitter in his eyes.
Jiang Shangyu suddenly shouted softly, “Dad.”
“What?” Jiang Shan answered.
“Have you ever heard of heart cancer?” Jiang Shangyu asked.
Jiang Shan froze. “Heart cancer?”
Jiang Shangyu said, “An extremely rare tumor of the heart. There have been few cases in Zhongzhou State for nearly a hundred years. The few cases are all caused by special causes. It’s a disease that can’t happen without special circ.u.mstances.”
Jiang Shan shook his head. “I haven’t seen anyone suffering from it before.”
“Neither have I.”
Jiang Shangyu smiled. “I just remembered a story I heard a long time ago.”
“It is said that in a certain country, a paramount and powerful figure found that his status became more and more embarra.s.sing after the country’s situation changed and his influence was waning. In order to save himself and his family, he had to beg another rising young tyc.o.o.n for help. Unfortunately, the old man had long ago offended the young tyc.o.o.n. But to reverse his fate and that of his family, he decided to humble himself and apologize to the young tyc.o.o.n.
“The two met at a high-standard banquet. The old man coughed several times during the dinner because he caught a cold. Concerned, the young tyc.o.o.n called a doctor to diagnose the old man. The medicine of Zhongzhou State was extensive and profound. The doctor just felt the pulse for the old man and confirmed that he had heart cancer and needed immediate treatment.
“The old man knew that he had no heart cancer, but he thanked the young tyc.o.o.n for his kindness and seriously apologized.
“The other side was so generous that he made it very clear that it was just a misunderstanding, indicating that everything in the past will be written off after the banquet. But he made a requirement or a request to the old man.”
There was a sudden pause in Jiang Shangyu’s voice.
He pursed his lips tightly, his eyes as still as a pool of stagnant water.
“What happened later? What request did he make?” Jiang Shan asked.
“Then…”
Jiang Shangyu laughed. “The young tyc.o.o.n said that heart cancer was rare in the world and that a tumor couldn’t grow in the heart. He would like to see for himself what the so-called heart cancer looked like, and he hoped the old man would help him.”
Jiang Shan’s mouth twitched.
“Dad.”
Jiang Shangyu laughed in a weird tone. “Do you know what happened at last?”
Jiang Shan’s mouth moved, and he was speechless for a while.
“The old man agreed to the other party’s request at that banquet. He called his family and asked the young tyc.o.o.n for a dagger. He stabbed his chest and directly dug out his heart!”
It suddenly seemed to Jiang Shan that this midsummer morning was as cold as the depths of winter.
Jiang Shan had never heard of this story.
The truth of the story was not important.
What was important was that the content of this story was so cruel.
All men, n.o.ble or low, would eventually die.
But in the eyes of the superior, life and death could also be manipulated and played. The difference was whether they wanted you dead or not.
When they wanted you to die, they could just kill you as long as they had a reason.
When they wanted you to die, they could directly order you to commit suicide as long as they had influence.
When they wanted you to die, they could directly force you to die even if they had no reason or influence.
In the eyes of the superior, a cold was a cold when they wanted to keep you alive. But when they wanted you to die, a cold was heart cancer.
Extreme.
Cold-blooded.
Overbearing.
Cruel.
The story nakedly showed the differences between the superior and the inferior.
Jiang Shan remained silent for a long time before whispering, “It’s a story after all.”
“Yeah.”
Jiang Shangyu laughed. “I just thought of it and couldn’t help sharing it with you.”
The sun continued to rise, illuminating the entire city.
Jiang Shangyu smiled gently and calmly. It was as if he had not just remembered that he had spoken of the coldness and cruelty of the Dark World.
His hand was still behind him, and it was clenched into a fist.
His nails pierced the flesh, and blood trickled down his palm, staining the ground. The redness was almost dazzling.
Jiang Shan seemed to want to say something.
But his cell phone suddenly rang.
Jiang Shan glanced down at the number, his face slightly frozen.
“Who is it?” Jiang Shangyu asked calmly.
Jiang Shan glanced at him and said calmly, “Gu Xingyun.”
Jiang Shangyu narrowed his eyes and didn’t speak.
The maneuver of the two academies in Huating was drawing to a close, which indicated that it had not officially ended.
However, because the content of the first day’s maneuver was too shocking, the battle between young experts with the strength of the Invincible Realm and at the peak of the Thunder-shocking Realm almost overshadowed the rest of the maneuver. The East Emperor Palace had long been determined as the first place, so the whole maneuver went on dully.
Fewer and fewer heavyweight guests went to attend the maneuver in the Sky Academy.
But Gu Xingyun, as the G.o.d of War of Zhongzhou State, should be present at any event of the Special Warfare System.
Even though he was severely injured now, he would have to spend most of his time there before the maneuver was over.
“What does he mean by calling me out of the blue?” Jiang Shan thought.
He slowly put the call through.
He had no reason not to answer the phone.
The Jiang family was originally a member of the Prince Group. However, in recent years, the Prince Group made it clear that it wanted Jiang Shan to leave the base camp in Beijiang. When the two sides went further and further apart, Jiang Shan was gradually drawn over to the Special Warfare Group’s side. From this perspective, Gu Xingyun was now the boss behind the Jiang family.
“Good morning, Your Highness.”
Jiang Shan answered the phone, and in the blink of an eye, he put on a gentle but not flattering smile.
Gu Xingyun asked, “Brother Jiang, have you heard what happened in Recchi City?”
There were not so many rules in the Special Warfare Group, and Gu Xingyun addressed Jiang Shan in a casual and intimate way.
“Recchi City?”
Jiang Shan froze. He didn’t play dumb for he really didn’t receive any news.
“It’s something that happened recently.”
Gu Xingyun’s tone was solemn and complicated.
What happened in Recchi City was just over.
The time was short.
But it was enough to let the higher-ups in Zhongzhou State know the exact news. “Chen Qingluan was killed by Li Tianlan.”
“What?!”
Jiang Shan was shocked and said subconsciously, “How about the Sword Emperor…”
“Humph!”
Gu Xingyun snorted, “w.a.n.g Tianzong miscalculated and was trapped by Li Tianlan. Now Chen Qingluan was killed, and even w.a.n.g Tianzong has been imprisoned by Li Tianlan covertly.”
Jiang Shan didn’t speak for a long time.
The impact of this news was indeed too powerful.
Gu Xingyun softened his tone and said, “I just spoke to w.a.n.g Qinglei on the phone.”
Jiang Shan answered off the top of his head, and his mind suddenly became a little confused.
“Now it seems difficult for the w.a.n.g family of Beihai to do anything. Even if they want to take action, they won’t do anything until they can contact w.a.n.g Tianzong. But we can’t give the Snowdance Corps to Li Tianlan for nothing. In my opinion, how about we choose someone to replace Chen Qingluan this time?”
Gu Xingyun added, “I talked to w.a.n.g Qinglei about it, and he agreed to it in principle.”
To choose someone from the Special Warfare Group as the vice marshal of the Snowdance Corps?
Jiang Shan suddenly felt that something was wrong.
“It’s okay, but…”
“No more buts.”
Gu Xingyun smiled and interrupted Jiang Shan. “It is a rare opportunity to control part of the power of the Snowdance Corps. I just weighed it and found the most suitable person.”
Jiang Shan’s heart sank gradually.
As expected, Gu Xingyun said calmly, “I think Jiang Shangyu is not bad.”