The night was as dark as ink, and the lamplight as sparse as beans.
The military's Eastern Region War Zone encampment was shrouded in silence and solemnity.
Villa No. 9 within the encampment was the residence of Wang Lin, the Chief Instructor of the Eastern Region War Zone.
Under the cover of night, Wang Lin, his son Wang Zhisheng, and Ye Rui gathered once again. After dinner, the three of them sat in the study, drinking tea and chatting.
"Heh... My dad said that the Martial Department and the East China Martial Arts Academy would probably give Jiang Wuming a chance out of respect for Jiang Zhan, but I never expected them to expel him outright."
Ye Rui was the first to speak, mentioning Jiang Wuming's resignation from the East China Martial Arts Academy.
Like many others, he believed that Jiang Wuming had been expelled – and that "resignation" was merely a face-saving term!
"Brother Ye, my dad always said that Jiang Wuming, that bastard, is associating with Chu Wansong, which is asking for trouble," Wang Zhisheng said, looking admiringly at his father, Wang Lin.
"Without the protection of being a teacher at the East China Martial Arts Academy, Jiang Wuming's life is in danger. Now, he's joined the Qing Gang's Qing character faction and is going to represent them in a match against a double-flower red stick from the Hong character faction. He's practically courting death!" Wang Lin sneered.
"Uncle, I heard that the Hong character faction's double-flower red stick, Taiger, is the strongest martial arts grandmaster in Long Country. Is that true?" Ye Rui's heart stirred.
"It's true. The Tai family is the foremost martial arts family in South Port. The elder of the Tai family is a Three-star War God and is currently in seclusion, attempting to break through to Four-star War God. The current head of the Tai family, Tai Shan, is a Two-star War God."
Wang Lin nodded, introducing the Tai family. "Tai Shan is the strongest successor of the Tai family's third generation. He is thirty-three years old and a rare martial arts grandmaster with spiritual power talent globally. Moreover, he has been a martial arts grandmaster for eight years!
Apart from the strongest successors of the Dragon Gate, Kunlun, and Buddhist Sect, this Tai Shan should be the strongest among the younger generation!"
"Dad, as far as I know, among the strongest successors of the three major martial arts forces, only Gu Tianlong of the Dragon Gate has broken through to the War God realm. Since that Tai Shan is hailed as the strongest martial arts grandmaster in Long Country, the strongest successors of Kunlun and the Buddhist Sect should not be his opponents, right?" Wang Zhisheng asked with some confusion.
"You don't understand. The Dragon Gate, Kunlun, and Buddhist Sect are representatives of Long Country's martial arts world, with long histories and profound foundations. The cultivation techniques inherited by these three sects possess extremely terrifying forbidden moves, with unparalleled power.
Even in battles between those of the same realm, if the strongest successors of the three sects unleash their forbidden moves, it will be difficult for Taiger to resist.
Moreover, it is said that the strongest successors of the three sects can break through to the War God realm at any time, but they have been suppressing and accumulating, wanting to reach the limit of a martial arts grandmaster before breaking through!
Generally speaking, the major rankings in Long Country's martial arts world do not include the strongest successors of the three sects," Wang Lin explained.
As the Chief Instructor of the Eastern Region War Zone, he himself was a War God and had a clear understanding of the martial arts world.
"So that's how it is," Wang Zhisheng said, suddenly enlightened.
"Regardless of whether Taiger or the strongest successors of those three sects are stronger, according to what you said, Uncle, does this fight for Jiang Wuming have no chance of winning?" Ye Rui asked again. He was not interested in how strong Taiger was, only whether Jiang Wuming would lose to Taiger, or even die at Taiger's hands.
"Not to mention that Jiang Wuming is only an Eight-star martial artist; even if he broke through to the Nine-star martial artist realm and became a martial arts grandmaster, he would be no match for that Taiger – this fight is a foregone conclusion!"
Wang Lin made his judgment with great confidence, as if he had already witnessed the outcome of the match.
...
Southwest, Medicine God Valley.
Li Lianyi, dressed in a white robe, sat in the study, engrossed in reading an ancient medical book.
Refining medicine, practicing medicine, and reading were the things Li Lianyi did most.
Not only was she knowledgeable in the field of medicine, but she also guided practice with theory, verified theory with practice, and simultaneously absorbed the strengths of foreign medicine to compensate for the shortcomings of traditional Chinese medicine, integrating them all to the point where she was surpassing her predecessors.
"Miss."
At nine o'clock, a voice sounded from outside the door.
"Come in."
Li Lianyi put down the ancient book she was holding and spoke slowly.
Immediately, the door was pushed open, and Yun Yan walked in.
He was a One-star War God and Li Lianyi's bodyguard. He had accompanied Li Lianyi to the Su family to celebrate the elder Mr. Su's birthday.
"Miss, I just heard the housekeeper say that you are going out of the valley to practice medicine tomorrow. Around what time will you be leaving?" Yun Yan asked Li Lianyi as he entered the room.
"At nine in the morning. We'll drive to Shu Chuan, and I'm going to treat a little girl," Li Lianyi said calmly.
"Alright, Miss."
Yun Yan nodded, then hesitated before saying, "Miss, do you think that Jiang Wuming has a screw loose? Why would he quit being a teacher at the East China Martial Arts Academy to join an underground force like the Qing Gang and become a double-flower red stick for the Qing character faction?"
"Uncle Yun, what makes you say that?" Li Lianyi asked with interest.
"Miss, I recall telling you that Jiang Zhan offended many people back then. Now that Jiang Zhan is dead, his old enemies will likely vent their anger on Jiang Wuming, and might even look for an opportunity to kill Jiang Wuming!
In this situation, the identity of a teacher at the East China Martial Arts Academy was a shield for Jiang Wuming – within Long Country, no martial arts force would dare to violate regulations and act against someone from the Martial Department!"
Yun Yan couldn't help but shake his head as he spoke, "As a result, that Jiang Wuming, to help that Chu Wansong, threw away such a shield. Don't you think he's foolish?"
"Perhaps he intentionally didn't want that shield?" Li Lianyi said.
"Impossible! Although the East China Martial Arts Academy's announcement stated that the kid voluntarily resigned, everyone knows that he represented the Qing character faction in a match against that Lei Bao, violated regulations, and was expelled by the East China Martial Arts Academy!"
Yun Yan said with certainty, then continued his rant, "Not only that, but the kid also doesn't know his place and is challenging the strongest martial arts grandmaster in Long Country, Taiger. Isn't this seeking humiliation? He might even lose his life in this match!"
This time, Li Lianyi did not speak.
Her usually placid face showed a rare hint of a smile.
Seeing this, Yun Yan thought Li Lianyi was not interested in hearing about Jiang Wuming and took his leave.
After Yun Yan left, Li Lianyi stood up, stretched her body, and then walked to the window, gazing at the bright crescent moon outside.
"I'm somewhat looking forward to that day."
As she looked, Li Lianyi couldn't help but ask herself in her heart, a hint of anticipation appearing on her delicate face.
...
Eastern Region Military Region Encampment, Martial Department.
Qin Yuanzheng, the Military Region Commander, after dinner, hesitated for a long time before finally dialing Qi Wufu's number.
"Marshal, I contacted Ren Xiaoyao. Wuming voluntarily resigned his position as a teacher at the East China Martial Arts Academy to become a double-flower red stick for the Qing Hong Qing character faction and represent the Qing character faction in battle," Qin Yuanzheng said after the call connected.
"I've already asked Ren Xiaoyao," Qi Wufu replied.
"Marshal, this goes against your plan. Should I and Ren Xiaoyao try to persuade him again?" Qin Yuanzheng suggested.
"No, let him be," Qi Wufu said.
"Alright."
Upon hearing this, Qin Yuanzheng was somewhat puzzled, not knowing what Qi Wufu was thinking, but he didn't dare to ask further. He carefully considered before speaking again,
"That Taiger, like Wuming, possesses spiritual power talent and is a rare martial arts prodigy. If he grows, he can achieve great things on the battlefield.
Should I remind Wuming to go easy on him and spare Taiger's life?"
"No need."
"Why?"
This time, Qin Yuanzheng couldn't help but ask.
"One hundred Level 1 War Gods are not as valuable as one Five-star War God," Qi Wufu said in a deep voice. "You should be very clear about the battle of gods back then. If Jiang Zhan hadn't fought to the death, everyone present would have died!
We don't know when the enemies from beyond the domain will descend again; we also don't know how strong the enemies will be when they next descend.
What we need now is to cultivate the next Jiang Zhan, or even a stronger expert than Jiang Zhan – someone who surpasses Five-star War God and breaks through to the legendary realm!
In the current era, Jiang Wuming is the one with the greatest hope!
Therefore, as long as it doesn't violate Long Country's laws and the Martial Department's regulations, I don't care who Jiang Wuming kills. I only care if he is willing to fight for Long Country and the world in the future!"
The legendary realm?
Qin Yuanzheng looked stunned.
Qi Wufu said no more and hung up the phone.
At this moment, he was sitting cross-legged on the roof of an ancient building in the Martial Department headquarters, bathed in moonlight.
Under the night sky, he looked up at the dark firmament, a figure appearing in his mind, and couldn't help but murmur,
"The world is a chessboard, and everyone is a chess piece. What grand ambition you possess!"