Free Web NovelChapter 1308: Chapter 5: Let’s Drink This Cup
"Look at me now, how great am I? The number one Inner Mansion in the world, the very top!
In Qi Country, I have a large sealed territory, where all the people are simple and honest. Within my territory, there’s an interesting building with a Near Ancient style, called Zheng Sheng Hall. You must come and sit there sometime.
Currently, I am the male of the Green sheep town in Daqi, and also a Fourth-Rank Green Badge Constable.
The Green Badge Constables of Qi Country are like... Ahaha, what does Grade-4 imply? Only Outer Tower Cultivators can step through that threshold, and here I am, having gotten it ahead of time!
From the Near Sea Archipelago to Linzi of Qi State, I have friends everywhere, and I can smooth over anything that comes up.
Whether it’s a noble rank or an official position, once I take the top spot this time and return, I’ll even get a promotion!"
Jiang Wang spoke incoherently, it wasn’t clear what he was trying to explain.
But as he spoke, he ultimately couldn’t continue laughing.
Finally, he said, "Enough about me, let’s talk about you. Have you been staying in Mugu these past two years?"
"Ah, I’ve been in the Border Wilderness." Zhao Rucheng shifted his gaze away from the drink, looked up, and smiled, "I wasted too much time before, so I put in a little effort. Unexpectedly, with such a casual effort, I’ve become the fourth-ranked Inner Mansion in the world."
"Border Wilderness..."
Jiang Wang repeated, his gaze softening as it fell on Zhao Rucheng’s lusterless cropped hair: "How many Yin Demons have you killed?"
"How many Yin Demons I’ve killed..." Zhao Rucheng seemed to be counting, then laughed: "I can’t keep count. Yuwen Ze might have the answer."
Seeing Jiang Wang’s puzzled expression, he explained, "That’s the hair-splitting guy, the one who almost got into a fight with you on Suan Ni Bridge that day."
Jiang Wang certainly remembered him, Yuwen Ze even rushed up to the Arena later to carry Zhao Rucheng away. A recklessly loyal fellow.
"You two seem to get along quite well." he said with a smile.
"He’s a fairly decent person," Zhao Rucheng put it this way: "I also had a good time in Mugu. Friends when I wanted them, beauties when I needed them."
The two of them fell silent again.
Both harboring scars, they had made it this far.
They both knew that in this world, perhaps only they could feel each other’s pain, yet neither wished to let the other experience it.
So they remained silent.
Two cups of wine were poured, but neither of them had taken a sip. The dishes on the table were all favorites from their time in Fenglin City, yet they hadn’t touched a single one.
"Speaking of which..." it was Jiang Wang who broke the silence this time, as if he could deduce some important clue from the dishes on the table: "Why haven’t we seen Uncle Deng?"
"Him?" Zhao Rucheng laughed: "He’s staying in Mugu. Every day he drives a few horses, carries goods, selling them everywhere. Living as a Five Horses Guest, wandering the Human World."
This indeed was the life that Deng Yue wanted. When he pretended to be a Five Horses Guest, bargaining with people, living like an ordinary person... that was when his smile was the most natural. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
Jiang Wang felt a tightness in his heart relax, he nodded and responded, "That’s good to hear."
"Now you also know my identity," Zhao Rucheng’s smiling eyes were enchanting, his tone lighthearted: "Uncle Deng is like my personal guard, he’s very impressive."
"I never would’ve guessed," Jiang Wang’s voice also relaxed a little: "It just seemed like Uncle Deng was fussing around you all day, not at all like a master, always like ’It’s late, young master, let’s go home’..."
"Hahaha!" Zhao Rucheng laughed loudly: "He really was so annoying back then."
Laughing until his eyes turned red.
He said, "When it happened, Uncle Deng brought me straight to Mingde Hall, but... we didn’t see anyone. At that moment, Uncle Deng thought it was people from Qing Country chasing us, so he did everything he could to save my life. It wasn’t until much later that we learned it was the Cult causing trouble..."
His voice choked: "I’m sorry!"
But perhaps only he himself knew, at this moment, this apology was not only for Jiang Wang.
"An’an is fine!" Jiang Wang reached out, resting his hand on Zhao Rucheng’s shoulder: "I took her with me when we fled back then!"
"You mean..." Zhao Rucheng suddenly looked up.
Not being able to save Jiang An’an when they fled Fenglin City was his deepest regret.
He had always thought that apart from himself, in the entire Maple Forest City Region, only Jiang Wang had fortuitously survived. So he didn’t even dare to mention An’an’s name, fearful that it would sadden Jiang Wang.
Jiang Wang gripped harder with his hand: "At that time, I had mastered a Secret Technique that was powered by sacrificing lifespan, and I only had one chance..."
Then and there, he narrated to Zhao Rucheng everything that had happened on the day of Fenglin City’s downfall.
Including his contact with the Bone Tao, including the choices he made on the day of the disaster. Then, he used his one chance to risk his life, leaving it for An’an, thus giving up on Ling He, Zhao Rucheng, Tang Dun...
Zhao Rucheng had always had only scattered clues and some private speculations about that catastrophe. Although he later deduced part of the truth based on Jiang Wang’s circumstances, it was his first time truly understanding the specific course of events during the fall of Fenglin City.
The scenes of the land sinking, the city collapsing, were vivid before his eyes.
Such anger, pain, and torment seemed like yesterday’s nightmare.
His handsome face turned cold, he gritted his teeth and vowed, "Lord Zhuang, the dog-thief, I will kill him!"
Jiang Wang patted Zhao Rucheng’s shoulder, then withdrew his hand: "That’s a matter for later."
