Chapter 320 Lin’an · A Toast to the Land (Part III)
When Lin Fengting went out of the Huating International Airport after a hard journey, the rain had stopped and the clouds had cleared over Huating.
The dying sun emitted the last light, painting the sky with a gorgeous red.
Lin Youxian went out of the airport by following his father’s slightly hasty footsteps, and subconsciously said, “Dad, do you want to eat something first?”
“No.”
Lin Fengting shook his head.
Perhaps because he went to Huating, he had relaxed a little, with a faint smile over his face. “We go directly to Lin’an. I’ll ask your Grandpa Li to make you some delicious food. He is good at cooking. My favorite food was his dishes when I was a kid.”
“When I was a kid…” Lin Youxian muttered to himself.
…
Lin Fengting whispered with a confused expression, “When I was a kid, the w.a.n.g family of Beihai, the Li family and the Lin Clan got along well with each other and kept frequently in touch. I was about 16 or 17 years old. I, Tianzong, and Kuangtu had learned swordsmanship from Senior Li for two years. At an earlier time, Senior w.a.n.g of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai had established a foundation for us. Later, we were taught by your grandfather in Switzerland for several years. There is a difference between the w.a.n.g family of Beihai and the Lin Clan in martial arts. And even the Li family’s 24 Moves of Sword is different from the Lin Clan’s. Besides enhancing the relationship of our younger generation, the three old men intended to train the strongest martial experts…”
His eyes wandered as if he thought of something happy. He said with a smile, “Those years were my most relaxing days.”
“Four people?” Lin Youxian asked.
…
He only heard that his father mentioned three people.
With a frigid smile, Lin Fengting turned pale but finally said nothing. He said slowly, “Let’s go. We’re going to Lin’an.”
Huating was not far from Lin’an, only two hundred kilometers away.
The father and son got into a taxi and said an address. After the taxi was on the airport expressway, it went straight to Lin’an.
Lin Fengting looked outside the window.
The scenery outside the window quickly flowed back.
The gorgeous sunset glow had darkened.
The night came and seemed to cover everything.
The road lights were turned on.
As the light shone on the window, Lin Fengting saw his face.
It was a peaceful and almost indifferent face.
Lin Fengting suddenly felt that it was a bit strange.
He was surprised at his calmness.
He thought of the Li family and the w.a.n.g family of Beihai again, with a calm mind that he had never had before.
…
He recalled w.a.n.g Tianzong’s peace of mind. He remembered the vigorous collapse of the Li family and the silence and inaction of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai in those years.
Lin Fengting did not understand why w.a.n.g Tianzong would abandon the Li family and the w.a.n.g family of Beihai, and why the Li family and the w.a.n.g family of Beihai had parted overnight.
Therefore, for many years, he was biased against w.a.n.g Tianzong’s conduct, and he was even wary of him.
He abandoned his friendship with the Li family, so he would cast aside his a.s.sociation with the Lin Clan like an old shoe.
The Lin Clan was outside the world.
Therefore, it was hard for Lin Fengting to imagine how indifferent and cruel w.a.n.g Tianzong was when he made a series of decisions.
However, until that moment, when he saw the strange face on the car window, Lin Fengting understood that w.a.n.g Tianzong was not indifferent and cruel.
The sunset had completely disappeared.
The night covered heaven and earth.
Lin Fengting looked at his face on the car window.
As the scenery outside the window retreated, the face was partly gloomy and partly splendid.
Only calmness was unchanged, as always.
Lin Fengting felt that he saw w.a.n.g Tianzong.
When he decided to stand by the Li family many years ago, his expression was supposed to be that calm.
Only calmness.
Those feelings were still there.
Those times were still warm.
The Li family had never done anything wrong.
Neither did the w.a.n.g family.
The Lin Clan had no reason to condemn anything.
When their friendship cultivated for safeguarding common interests was threatened by more critical interests or survival, betrayal, hostility, and indifference were so natural and calm.
Lin Fengting was surnamed Lin, Li Kuangtu was surnamed Li, and w.a.n.g Tianzong was surnamed w.a.n.g.
The biggest mistake was to have different surnames.
“Have I changed?”
He looked at his son sitting next to him and suddenly asked seriously.
Lin Youxian was stunned and immediately smiled, “Dad, you’ve never changed.”
Lin Fengting nodded and replied, “I haven’t changed. I’m the same as them.”
He gradually lightened his temper and completely calmed down.
At that moment, he fully understood w.a.n.g Tianzong, but that could not change his choice because he was the leader of the Lin Clan.
…
…
As Lin Youxian’s phone rang, a message came.
When he took out his mobile phone and looked at it, his face changed slightly. After he paused for a while, he said, “Dad, there is news from Switzerland. My youngest uncle’s legs were maimed, so he will probably rely on wheelchairs.”
Lin Fengting gently clenched his fist and nodded faintly.
Lin Xu’s eyes were blind, and his hearing and language abilities had begun to decline. At the moment, he lost his legs as the backfire of the Divine Design.
Lin Xu was surnamed Lin, so he could make the sacrifice for the Lin Clan without regrets, like Lin Fengting’s own choice.
…
He spoke of the cause and effect.
Next, it was up to Lin Fengting’s performance.
The cause and effect was a circle.
However, Lin Xu’s causality was a straight line. He said everything in a clear and straightforward manner, not in a roundabout way.
Therefore, the backfire of the Divine Design was quite fierce, even horrifying.
If the Lin Clan wanted to keep thriving and be prosperous, they had to keep him alive.
The cause and effect of the Lin Clan and Qin Weibai originated from the Li family, or it came from Li Tianlan.
That was the most straightforward causality.
Those twists and turns were the mysterious mandates of heaven.
Lin Fengting had no choice.
When he went to the Zhongzhou State, his determination had been proven.
He could not give up the chance to let the Lin Clan continue its prosperity.
Therefore, he wanted to keep Qin Weibai alive. Meanwhile, he tried to keep the root of causality.
That was Li Tianlan.
To keep Li Tianlan, he had to keep Li Honghe alive.
That was cause and effect.
Lin Fengting knew what it meant.
It meant that if he wanted to retain the casualty, he had to fight, no matter who he faced, whether the w.a.n.g family of Beihai or w.a.n.g Tianzong.
There was no justice.
He did it for the Lin Clan, as w.a.n.g Tianzong let the Li family collapse for the w.a.n.g family’s sake.
…
When it was about himself, and he had no choice, all his reluctance and incapability would disappear.
He could only stay calm because he had no choice.
No matter what others thought or understood of that, he had to do it.
He had no choice, so he had a clear conscience.
w.a.n.g Tianzong was like that in those years.
So was Lin Fengting at the moment.
What was wrong with that?
Lin Fengting suddenly patted the driver’s seat in the front row. All his sadness, helplessness, and self-mockery completely disappeared and became insipid as his smile was revealed.
He took out notes and said simply, “Shifu, can you drive faster? I’m in a hurry.”
…
It was cold in Kunlun City.
w.a.n.g Tianzong and Gu Xingyun were drinking.
When the wine was poured into a crystal gla.s.s, it turned faint blue.
w.a.n.g Tianzong lifted the gla.s.s in front of him and took a sip, whispering, “It’s too strong.”
“It’s just right to have a drink before killing.”
Gu Xingyun gave a gentle and mellow smile.
The wind and snow were whistling in the cold Kunlun City. The War G.o.d of the Zhongzhou State wore a cyan gown and looked elegant and unrestrained like an innocent scholar.
“Right.”
w.a.n.g Tianzong nodded and drank off the wine in the gla.s.s.
“Your Majesty, have you already decided?” Gu Xingyun asked after he poured a gla.s.s of wine to w.a.n.g Tianzong again.
…
He called him Your Majesty in a natural tone.
…
…
w.a.n.g Tianzong’s words were highly esteemed and respected by all experts of the Invincible Realm, not to mention the w.a.n.g family of Beihai represented absolute strength.
“There’s nothing to decide.”
w.a.n.g Tianzong said lightly, “It’s something I have to do.”
He pointed to the TV on the wall.
Kunlun City was surrounded by wind and snow throughout the year. The internal settings were modern. Gu Xingyun’s residence was extravagant with remarkable details.
Pictures were showing on the huge TV set that occupied almost one-third of the wall.
The pictures showed Li Tianlan in different states, either moving or keeping quiet. It was so clear, as if he were close at hand.
No one knew how long it lasted.
They had no desire to see.
“This is a threat.”
Gu Xingyun glanced at the TV, “If he doesn’t die, I’ll feel uncomfortable.”
“Then let him die.”
w.a.n.g Tianzong said lightly, “When we arrive at Lin’an this time, I’ll kill people, and you’ll pin down the enemies.”
His tone was calm without fluctuation.
Gu Xingyun paused.
He raised his head and looked at w.a.n.g Tianzong’s eyes, “Do you want to kill him personally?”
w.a.n.g Tianzong was drinking quietly.
He showed his att.i.tude, so he did not want to talk any more.
The faint blue wine was so strong that he felt hot all over, and even his blood seethed.
There was a hint of killing intent in w.a.n.g Tianzong’s eyes, but it could destroy everything.
“Okay.”
Gu Xingyun laughed, “You kill Li Honghe, and I’ll kill Li Tianlan.”
w.a.n.g Tianzong nodded indifferently.
Gu Xingyun placed the wine jar beside w.a.n.g Tianzong.
When he thought about it, he asked, “With the three of us, will it be enough?”
Three people.
w.a.n.g Tianzong.
Gu Xingyun.
Gu Qianchuan.
The worst one was an ordinary expert of the Invincible Realm.
In consideration of nothing else but martial strength, the power was enough to suppress any forces in the Zhongzhou State, including the remaining Li family.
Gu Xingyun asked if their strength was enough.
“What are you worried about?” w.a.n.g Tianzong asked.
…
“Just in case.”
Gu Xingyun shook his head and said, “I don’t want any accidents.”
w.a.n.g Tianzong reached out his hand and tapped on the famous sword “Listen to the Sea” of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai beside him, “There won’t be any accidents.”
Under the sword “Listen to the Sea,” any accidents could be controlled.
Gu Xingyun looked at the ancient sword held by w.a.n.g Tianzong. He paused for a while and suddenly said, “Is there a fourth man?”
w.a.n.g Tianzong’s eyes flickered with a touch of apathy. He looked at Gu Xingyun and said nothing.
“This is why you hate Li Honghe?”
Gu Xingyun laughed.
It was well-known that there was little contact between the Sword Emperor and the War G.o.d of Zhongzhou State. After it replaced the Li family, Kunlun City was utterly isolated from the w.a.n.g family of Beihai. Even if there were conflicts on weekdays, the two parties had never expressed their att.i.tudes in public.
In short, they should be unfamiliar.
It was obvious that their actual relationship was not like that.
“Do you hate the Li family?”
Gu Xingyun said, “I think so. Otherwise, you wouldn’t do it by yourself only because of Li Tianlan… That is to say, has the injured one not yet healed in the war of that year? This is why you hate the Li family, so you want to kill Li Honghe personally…”
“After the Li family had an accident, an expert who broke through the Invincible Realm from the Jiang family entered Mount Dibing at night. Does this matter have something to do with Kunlun City? If everything is used with the word ‘hate,’ I also have a reason to hate Kunlun City.”
w.a.n.g Tianzong said with a grim and cold tone.
Gu Xingyun stayed calm and said with a smile, “We’re not friends. We’ve never been friends.”
His words were simple.
The Kunlun City and the w.a.n.g family of Beihai were not friends.
But at least in those years, the w.a.n.g family of Beihai and the Li family had been friends.
w.a.n.g Tianzong and Li Kuangtu were also friends.
“Don’t talk nonsense!”
w.a.n.g Tianzong said faintly, “Gu Qianchuan is too slow. It’s time that we start out.”
“It’s soon.”
Gu Xingyun looked at his watch and suddenly said, “What will we do after the Li family is completely destroyed?”
“Destroy the Samsara Palace,” w.a.n.g Tianzong said without hesitation.
…
The Samsara Palace worked closely with the Purgatory of Heaven Capital at the moment, so they needed to cooperate to destroy the Samsara Palace.
They took a united stance about destroying the Samsara Palace.
Gu Xingyun nodded and said again, “How about Sigh City?”
w.a.n.g Tianzong stopped drinking.
He paused for a while and glanced at Gu Xingyun, “We’ll see.”
Gu Xingyun looked at w.a.n.g Tianzong.
His eyes were a little bit cold, “It may not be a bad idea.”
The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat depressed.
The wine in the pot was poured into the gla.s.s and then the belly.
The wine was full of fragrance.
“Did I acted wrongly in those years?” w.a.n.g Tianzong drank the wine and asked without warning.
…
In those years.
He and Gu Xingyun had many of those years in their lives, but Gu Xingyun knew which one he was asking.
…
That question did not need to be answered.
Or, no matter who answered it, there would be only one answer.
Gu Xingyun thought for a moment and said with a smile, “Did you have a choice?”
w.a.n.g Tianzong joked, “No.”
Only when there was no choice, he would cooperate with people who were not his friends, such as Gu Xingyun.
…
When he made that decision, he was calm without room for regret.
Currently, they went to Lin’an.
…
That was the second cooperation between the w.a.n.g family of Beihai and Kunlun City.
Not long after their first cooperation, the collapse of the Li family and Li Kuangtu’s case of treason happened.
…
Then, the w.a.n.g family of Beihai’s silence and inaction, which embarra.s.sed countless people from the Southeast Group.
There was no Kunlun City in the Zhongzhou State then.
However, the first joining of w.a.n.g Tianzong and Gu Xingyun was also in the wind and snow.
The snowstorm was whistling outside the window. It seemed to have pa.s.sed through many years of solitude, with a familiar coldness.
Someone pushed the beautifully decorated door.
The First Elder of Kunlun City, Gu Qianchuan, appeared at the door.
He looked at w.a.n.g Tianzong and Gu Xingyun, saying mirthlessly, “The helicopter is ready. We can leave for Lin’an at any time.”
w.a.n.g Tianzong replied and lifted his cup. Looking at the gentle and elegant Gu Xingyun, he said the same words as he did 20 years ago.
“Cheers.”
He said with a flat tone, “A Toast to the land without the Li family.”