Ye Wentao, Wang Hong, and their son Ye Rui, a family of three, arrived with reluctance and left with resentment and dissatisfaction.
After all, looking across the Dragon Country, given the family's identity and status, few people could make them proactively visit, and even fewer dared to refuse them entry.
"That scoundrel Jiang Wuming is going too far!" Ye Rui said angrily after leaving Villa No. 9 at Tan Gong.
"He may be jumping around now, but be careful, he'll settle the score later!" Wang Hong was also indignant.
At this moment, mother and son had forgotten how condescending and arrogant they were when Jiang Wuming first visited them! Back then, they only thought of Jiang Wuming, this poor relative, as a rotten apple that would spoil their Ye family's delicious soup.
"Alas… everything has a cause and effect. The fruit we bear today is largely the bitter fruit of our past actions." Although Ye Wentao was also angry, he understood that if his family of three had helped Jiang Wuming back then, or at least not been so arrogant and ruthlessly driven him away, their relationship would not have reached this point. However, he also knew that there were no ifs in this world. Now that the deed was done, his family of three could not change anything.
"What did we do? We didn't say he didn't deserve this!" Wang Hong retorted unhappily.
"Enough! This matter ends here! I want to remind you, no matter how uncomfortable you feel, once we return to the Ye family mansion, you must keep your mouths shut and not provoke him—even if you are unconvinced, you must admit that the current him is someone you cannot afford to provoke!" Ye Wentao frowned and reprimanded them.
Seeing Ye Wentao's anger, Wang Hong and Ye Rui dared not speak.
Meanwhile.
Jiang Wuming was unaware of all this. To be precise, after following Li Lianyi's suggestion and refusing entry to Ye Wentao's family, he hadn't thought about them anymore. Instead, he continued his video call with Li Lianyi.
At half-past eleven that night, Jiang Wuming ended his video call with Li Lianyi, then took a shower and got ready. After doing so, he did not sleep. Instead, he put on his pajamas and sat cross-legged on the bed, focusing his mind and entering the mysterious world.
Review, summarize, and reflect. This was something he had to do after every action and battle. For him, the battle at Donghai Martial Academy was the most difficult and dangerous he had encountered in his cultivation journey. Although the battle ultimately ended in victory, it came at a considerable cost and with a degree of luck. And the reason for all this was simple: insufficient strength! If he had the same martial realm as the man in the purple robe, he was confident he could have killed him with a single blow!
Upon entering the mysterious space, Jiang Wuming first meticulously recalled every detail of the battle at Donghai Martial Academy, summarizing the good experiences and reflecting on his shortcomings. After completing this, he circulated the Daoist sect's mysterious inner energy technique, absorbing the white light points in the mysterious space to recover from the battle's exhaustion and consolidate his realm.
The next morning, after finishing his cultivation, Jiang Wuming was called for a morning run by Chu Wansong.
"Wuming, are you really not staying a few more days?" Chu Wansong, dressed in sportswear, jogged along the roads of the Tan Gong affluent district with Jiang Wuming, without any bodyguards following them. Firstly, he and Jiang Wuming had things to discuss, making it unsuitable for outsiders to be present. Secondly, with Jiang Wuming around, having bodyguards follow them for protection would be superfluous.
"No, Uncle Chu. After I have breakfast with you all, I will lead the team to Jinling, and then fly from Jinling to Yanjing for a meeting." Jiang Wuming shook his head. He had already received a call from Qin Yuanzheng, informing him about the commendations and rewards from the War God Hall and the Martial Department, and even that Dragon Shengzhe would be attending the award ceremony. As the leader of the Eastern Region Army Corps of the Martial Department, Qin Yuanzheng would also be attending the Martial Department's commendation ceremony.
"Alright, you have important matters, so I won't keep you." Chu Wansong said, no longer insisting, and then pondered for a moment before adding, "Wuming, you have your own life plan and goals. Currently, your uncle cannot help you much, nor can he offer specific advice. But if one day you need your uncle to do anything, just ask."
"Thank you, Uncle Chu." Jiang Wuming expressed his gratitude.
"Why thank each other?" Chu Wansong glared at Jiang Wuming and said, "Also, if one day you get tired and don't want to struggle anymore, come back. Villa No. 9 at Tan Gong, Donghai, will always be your home!"
"Mm." Jiang Wuming nodded firmly. This time, he didn't say thank you; instead, he felt the warmth of kinship and home.
…
Hangzhou, War God Pharmaceutical Research Institute.
After waking up, Li Lianyi, as usual, simply washed up, ate breakfast, and headed to her office to work. However, before she could leave the villa, she received a call from her father, Li Yin Zhi: "Dad."
"Lianyi, you shouldn't have started working yet, right?" Li Yin Zhi asked.
"Dad, is something wrong?" Li Lianyi asked somewhat doubtfully. Her parents had always rarely interfered in her life and rarely contacted her.
"Lianyi, if you're not busy, Dad has a few words to say to you." Li Yin Zhi said.
"Okay." Li Lianyi's heart stirred, and she vaguely guessed something, but she did not refuse.
"Lianyi, I heard that because of Jiang Wuming and the Zhan Long team's excellent performance and great contributions in the two battles at the War God Pharmaceutical Research Institute and Donghai Martial Academy, the Martial Department has decided to commend him and the Zhan Long team. Grand Elder Long Shengzhe will also attend the commendation ceremony." Li Yin Zhi excitedly shared the news he received, and then said, "Lianyi, you should know that this matter is not simple. Many people speculate that this event will officially confirm Jiang Wuming as the next Marshal of the Dragon Country's Martial Department!"
Li Lianyi remained silent. She had also learned this news and had seriously thought about and analyzed it.
"Lianyi, it's you who has the discerning eye for heroes. Thinking back, how foolish we were to stop you from being with him." Li Yin Zhi reflected self-critically.
"Dad, did you call me just to say this?" Li Lianyi asked. Hearing her parents change their views and attitudes towards Jiang Wuming did not bring her joy; instead, she felt some disappointment.
"Lianyi, Dad wants to ask if you plan to get married after he officially takes charge of the Martial Department, or get married before that?" Li Yin Zhi asked.
"We'll talk about it after the war." Li Lianyi replied.
"What? You want to wait until the war is over? That would take ages! Moreover, who can guarantee that we will win this war?" Li Yin Zhi bombarded her with a series of questions.
"That is an agreement between him and me." Li Lianyi responded, then added, "Dad, if there's nothing else, I'll hang up now. I have work to do."
"Ah, okay." Li Yin Zhi was completely bewildered, unsure of what his daughter was thinking.
Li Lianyi directly hung up the phone, but she did not immediately start working. Instead, she pondered for a moment and dialed her grandfather, Li Guyi.
"Lianyi, why do you have time to call this old man today?" The call was quickly connected, and Li Guyi's voice sounded, with a slightly confused tone.
"Grandpa, I want to ask you a question." Li Lianyi stated the purpose of her call.
"What question?" Li Guyi's heart stirred, vaguely guessing that Li Lianyi's next words would likely be related to Jiang Wuming, but he did not bring it up proactively.
As expected, Li Lianyi got straight to the point: "Grandpa, what do you think about the Martial Department commending Jiang Wuming and the Zhan Long team, and Long Shengzhe attending the commendation ceremony?"
"Qi Wufu wants Jiang Wuming to lead the Martial Department in the future, and Long Shengzhe is going with the flow." Li Guyi provided the answer.
Li Lianyi was silent.
"Lianyi, logically speaking, you shouldn't care about Jiang Wuming's identity? Why are you suddenly asking about this?" Li Guyi was somewhat puzzled. In his opinion, his granddaughter was deeply devoted to Jiang Wuming, not like some people who leave during his low points and come flocking during his peak!
"Grandpa, I'm worried about history repeating itself." Li Lianyi revealed her true feelings, a hint of worry in her heart.