Nangong Buliang sneered coldly upon hearing this, "How could I not know that this lad has ill intentions? But since he is coming for Ink Sea City, our Nangong Family naturally has to have a share."
Nangong Henliang furrowed his brows, "But big brother, there’s always been the shadow of a great power behind the Gui Family. Despite our investigations, we haven’t been able to find anything. Is it really wise to intervene rashly now?"
"Can’t wait any longer. This Pei Quan’an clearly represents the intentions of Wanghai Tower. If we don’t show some enthusiasm, we might not even get a sip of soup. Wouldn’t that mean we’ve been plotting in vain all these years?"
"Besides, even if a great power backs the Gui Family, so what? Could it possibly be greater than the Wanghai Tower of the Beyond the World Thirteen Sects?" Nangong Buliang said deeply.
Seeing his elder brother’s determination, Nangong Henliang naturally dared not voice any objections.
"You’re right, but it’s a pity that Yanran, that stubborn girl, refuses to marry Gui Xuanqing. Otherwise, would all these troubles have been necessary?"
The Nangong brothers had coveted the Gui Family’s wealth for a long time. They deliberately approached and even planned to betroth Nangong Yanran to Gui Xuanqing to uncover the Gui Family’s secrets and seize their wealth.
However, at a critical moment, Nangong Yanran rebelled, surprisingly joining Wanghai Tower and breaking all ties with Gui Xuanqing.
This matter nearly drove Nangong Buliang to rage.
If it weren’t for the fear of Wanghai Tower’s power, he would have climbed the mountain to fetch his disobedient daughter back.
But now, this turn of events was decent; through twists and turns, Wanghai Tower also set its sights on the Gui Family.
Though Wanghai Tower will take the lion’s share, at least they could drink some soup.
It’s better than just watching with envy and not daring to act.
-----------------
Azure Dragon Temple, Cliff Square.
The morning bell had just rung, and everyone had gathered here.
At this moment, all eyes focused on the young man in front of the Azure Dragon Map.
Zhao Ya surveyed the crowd and spoke slowly after a while.
"I know everyone is feeling bad right now; I’m feeling the same."
The crowd was silent, so quiet that the sound of the morning breeze brushing the treetops could be heard.
"Azure Dragon Temple has stood for a thousand years, even older than most sects of the Beyond the World Thirteen Sects, yet now it’s been delisted, reduced to a second-rate sect. I understand that this is hard to accept for everyone."
Upon hearing this, many bowed their heads, and some sensitive individuals even had reddened eyes.
"But... can feeling upset solve any problems?" Zhao Ya suddenly retorted.
"Sealing off the temple is only a temporary measure; if we continue to sink like this, Azure Dragon Temple may never rise again."
Zhao Ya didn’t use any words to stir emotions but calmly stated the truth.
"I know you’re indignant, thinking that the world is too opportunistic. But there’s one thing you should also know: from ancient times to the present, almost all sects that sealed themselves have declined, and those that rose from the ashes to reascend to the peak are extremely rare."
"So don’t blame the world for being superficial; sometimes, lost dignity can only be regained through personal effort."
"That’s all I’ll say; the rest is for you to comprehend on your own."
After saying this, Zhao Ya directly announced the adjournment.
But the people in the square lingered for a long time before gradually dispersing.
"Ya, do you think what you said just now is really effective?" Shen Yunshen appeared beside Zhao Ya, unable to help but ask.
"Whether it’s effective needs time to prove. Besides, how else do you think I should speak? With grandiose rhetoric and passionate appeals?"
"Isn’t it supposed to be?"
Zhao Ya smiled and shook his head, "It’s useless; it might motivate them temporarily, but the effect won’t last. After all, no one can consistently act purely out of passion."
"Only when they personally experience how their actions are tied to dignity will they make their own choices—knowing shame and then courage."
Shen Yunshen thought seriously about it and realized it made perfect sense. He couldn’t help but nod in admiration.
"You really think things through."
Zhao Ya smiled, "How are your injuries?"
"Hmm, much better now."
Recently, Shen Yunshen had rarely shown himself, hiding in the Sect Contribution Department to nurture his injuries.
Zhao Ya had visited him several times but never saw him, so his appearance this time was unexpected.
"Wanna grab a drink?" Zhao Ya smilingly invited.
Shen Yunshen’s eyes lit up, "Where to?"
"Of course, to my place."
"Okay, I’ll go grab some things."
Watching Shen Yunshen’s eager silhouette, Zhao Ya couldn’t help but feel sentimental.
After this battle, Shen Yunshen had unknowingly matured a lot.
Given today’s situation, had it been the previous Shen Yunshen, there would have been a great uproar.
Yet now, he was much calmer.
For this drinking session, Zhao Ya hadn’t invited anyone else—it was just him and Shen Yunshen.
The alcohol was left by Zhao Ya before, and apart from a few fresh wild dishes picked from the back mountain, there was also a jar of chili sauce brought by Shen Yunshen.
"Hehe, there’s a mountain hollow at the back where a lot of wild chili peppers grow. They’re spicy and fragrant, perfect for making chili sauce. So over the years, I’ve made a jar every year, which is just perfect to go with alcohol," Shen Yunshen said with a smile.
Zhao Ya tasted it. It was indeed spicy and fragrant, very nice.
The drinks and dishes were laid out, and the two sat opposite each other, slowly starting to drink.
No one spoke much, just drank in silent muteness.
Only after three full bowls of wine did Shen Yunshen give a long sigh.
"During this period, I’ve been in seclusion, healing in the Sect Contribution Department, while recalling past events, and suddenly I felt like it was a lifetime ago."
"Oh? Why do you feel that way?" Zhao Ya asked.
"I, Shen Yunshen, was born into a poor family. My parents died when I was young, and afterward, I wandered around with no stable food or clothing. By chance, I met an elder from the Azure Dragon Temple who pitied my plight and brought me back."
This was the first time Zhao Ya heard Shen Yunshen recount his past, so he listened silently without interrupting.
"That was the first time I had a full meal and wore new clothes. Do you know how happy I was then? I even thought I was dreaming."
Speaking of this, Shen Yunshen showed a look of nostalgia. "That was the happiest time of my life."
"Every day, I ate well and then started practicing martial arts. The senior brothers took great care of me."
"Therefore, I practiced diligently just to earn a word of praise."
"Thus, my talents gradually emerged, gaining more and more attention from the elders. This situation continued for three years, until that day when the elder who picked me up brought back another child."
Zhao Ya’s heart trembled, having already guessed the identity of this child.
Indeed.
Shen Yunshen smiled and said to Zhao Ya: "I suppose you’ve already guessed it. Yes, that child is the Jingping Saint."
"But at that time, he wasn’t called by that name. He didn’t even have a name, only knowing his surname was Jing. The name ’Pingsheng’ was given to him later by the elder."
"After he arrived, he quickly showed a far superior talent than mine, rapidly gaining the attention of everyone in the temple."
"At that time, I was very unwilling. I wanted to surpass him, leading me to stay up all night, but the gap between us not only didn’t narrow but widened."
"Can you understand that kind of despair?"
Zhao Ya was speechless.
He couldn’t very well say that from the moment he started Martial Dao practice, he was the one causing others to feel despair, could he?
"Oh, look at my memory. Of course, you wouldn’t understand this feeling," Shen Yunshen said, taking a swig of wine and giving a bitter smile.
"Later, I gradually accepted my fate. After all, the disparity in talent can’t be remedied by postnatal efforts,"
"But I never expected this Jingping Saint to be so ambitious. In pursuit of greater power, he didn’t hesitate to turn against the Azure Dragon Temple that had nurtured him."
Saying this, Shen Yunshen’s eyes showed a pained expression, as if he was back in that tragic civil war.
"I watched those senior brothers and elders who had cared for me die before my eyes. This Jingping Saint didn’t even spare the elder who picked him up and killed him too."
"For this, I was severely hit, thinking of revenge every moment, but unexpectedly twenty years passed, and when we fought again, I was still not his match."
Seeing the dejected Shen Yunshen with his head down, Zhao Ya sighed inwardly, just about to comfort him.
Unexpectedly, Shen Yunshen already lifted his head and smiled at Zhao Ya.
"Don’t worry about me, I’m just sighing over a few words. Fortunately, this Jingping Saint is finally dead, and the knot in my heart is untied."
Shen Yunshen spoke very casually.
But Zhao Ya knew it wouldn’t be that simple.
However, such things can only be overcome by Shen Yunshen himself; others cannot help.
Zhao Ya could only raise his bowl and softly say, "It’s all in the past now. Come, here’s to the past."
"Alright, to the past."
The drinking session went on until late in the night before it finally ended, with Shen Yunshen drunk and ultimately escorted back by Zhao Ya.
After sending him back, Zhao Ya returned to his courtyard.
Despite his status being different now, Zhao Ya hadn’t moved from this small courtyard and still resided here.
At this moment, his mood was rather heavy, standing in the courtyard for a long time without being able to shake off these complicated thoughts.
In a fit of pique, Zhao Ya decided to practice the Eight Vajra Longevity Skill.
With each movement, Zhao Ya’s mood finally calmed down.
Moreover, whether moved by Shen Yunshen’s story today or not, Zhao Ya quickly entered a clear and serene state.
Through the meticulous execution of movements, every muscle in Zhao Ya’s body, including his Qi Blood, operated at a profound frequency.
Suddenly.
Zhao Ya’s body shuddered slightly, then he saw a line of golden text appear before his eyes.
[Eight Vajra Longevity Skill successfully upgraded]
[Current Level: Returning to the Essence]