While looking at Xu Tianwang’s rear figure, Xu Zhenyan entered a deep state of fear.

He understood his father’s nature extremely well, knowing that even though Xu Tianwang looked like an extremely gentle and refined person on the surface, he was actually an extremely callous person.

Only, he originally thought that Xu Tianwang was only cold towards outsiders, that he would naturally be much more tolerant towards his own children, no way it would be the same as when facing others. However, in their conversation today, Xu Tianwang only spoke the word ‘disappointed’, yet Xu Zhenyan already knew that he was wrong. He knew that in Xu Tianwang’s eyes, he was no different from just another person under him.

This was using the true threat of death to increase his strength. If his speed of cultivation couldn’t reach Xu Tianwang’s expectations, then in the future, Xu Tianwang might just use him randomly just like a chess piece, not feeling the slightest bit of pity.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

…

“Xu Tianwang understands what he himself can rely on extremely clearly… He knows that with Xu Family’s foundation, they don’t have an advantage in any other areas. He knows that Jiang Family has only attached importance to him because of his individual cultivation and callousness. During these years, he didn’t let himself be concerned with anything, only continuously walking down this path until it became dark. Because he is aware of this, Xu Tianwang will definitely soon become Judicial Sector’s Sector Head, he will definitely become a formidable opponent for you in the royal court, someone who will continue to rise higher.”

While Xu Zhenyan was looking at Xu Tianwang, his mind sinking into deep fear, knowing that the only way of preserving his life now was to frantically cultivate, within Dragon Snake Border Pass’ white mountains and black waters, two individuals were currently standing under a lightning stricken persimmon tree, also discussing Xu Tianwang.

The one talking was an elder with pure white hair and a beard, his figure meager, giving off a pure and aloof feeling. His green daoist robe fluttered about, giving off the feeling that he might just flutter away with the wind.

Next to him was a young high ranking military officer dressed in ordinary black armor, in his hands a black scabbard longsword. His facial features were extremely handsome, but his lips were even thinner than the imperial princess’. These lips, on this high ranking military officer, in this type of iron-blooded border frontier, looked like two small sharp swords, giving others an exceptionally solemn and cold feeling, his murderous aura exceptionally heavy.

“To deal with a new Green Luan Academy student, he actually went through such great twists and turns, does this means that he has already set his resolution to move against Green Luan Academy, or is he deliberately showing off how unfeeling he is?” The young military officer said with a sunken voice, “Even I myself am finding this hard to watch. According to Military Advisor’s intentions, since Xu Tianwang will become Sector Head if nothing strange happens, definitely become a rival above me, this time, I should help this Green Luan Academy freshman?”

“This Green Luan Academy freshman might similarly become your future rival.”

The elder this military officer called Military Advisor shook his head and said, “You still haven’t reached a position of competing against a Sector Head, nor do you have the ability to deal with Xu Tianwang, so you naturally have to do everything you can to eliminate this rival you still have many opportunities to kill.”

The young military officer frowned. “Apart from becoming a Windstalker, he still has other special areas?”

“You have to understand that this world under the sky is the game of some powerful individuals to begin with.” The elder narrowed his eyes, looking at him and saying, “Yunqin’s royal court is precisely a game between the Emperor, the nine Senators, and Green Luan Academy. Nurturing some people they care about, making preparations to take some higher level positions, this is precisely the game those nine Senators are best at and have no choice but to play.”

“One person’s ability alone, apart from being like Principal Zhang who is strong to the point of being able to defy the heavens, no matter how one person schemes and struggles, how can they compare to the meticulous promotions of those nine Senators?”

“Hu Piyi already reached major first rank in Thousand Sunset Border Army at the age of thirty-three… there is also Respected Cangyue, wasn’t it his Wenren Family’s old vice head who pushed him up there? It was just that he didn’t expect this young distant relative of his to be formidable to the point where not even he who sat behind those layers of curtains could control him.”

“Xu Tianwang is the successor Jiang Family has chosen, Hu Piyi is the successor Gao Family has chosen, Wen Xuanyu is Wen Family’s only son… these are all the true rivals you have to face in the future within Yunqin’s royal court. As for Lin Xi, according to the information I received, there is also a family who are already preparing to work hard to promote him. As long as he doesn’t die in Great Desolate Swamp and comes out with enough battle accomplishments, I am willing to bet that his speed of ascent at that time definitely wouldn’t be slower than yours.”

The young high ranking military officer nodded without any changes in expression. For him, just the last line was already enough for him to understand, he merely didn’t pay attention to this type of individual, didn’t receive this piece of intelligence. As for what the elder said before, he already understood it extremely well, so it was wasted words for him.

The elder gave him a look, also seeing through what he was thinking inside. He instead shook his head and said, “Apart from you not being aware of this piece of intelligence before, he himself also makes me feel abnormal danger.”

“Those who can become Green Luan Academy’s heaven’s choice and receive their Windstalker inheritance are definitely much smarter than normal people. He will naturally understand that these military orders are purposely directed against him, yet he still chose to carry them out. Even those who are not smart will try to think of some methods to shrink back… Doing things like this can only prove that he wishes to play this game himself. To play with Xu Family, play this type of game with the current emperor… his ambitions are extremely high. He might not rise up, but if he does, he will be much more difficult to deal with than Hu Piyi or Xu Tianwang, these types of opponents.”

“Then I will complete this task a bit more thoroughly.”

This extremely thin lipped, lips like two thin small swords young military officer nodded seriously. “If others cannot kill him… then at that time, I will choose an opportunity to do the job myself.”

“Not letting this type of potential opponent live is only second priority. Your number one priority, the task that you need to complete, is to capture that female cultivator from behind Great Desolate Swamp.” The elder said sternly. “This is, in this battle, the greatest accomplishment.”

…

“This game is called ‘let’s see if you will die or not’. I am a cultivator, if I am scared of everything, not daring to do anything, then I really can only hide in my cave and spend my years there, I don’t want to do that. Moreover, I also want to see those people’s disappointment and frustration… Only, to make them feel disappointment and frustration, purely receiving their arrangements won’t do.”

Lin Xi held that military map while chewing a greenish yellow wild fruit in his mouth. He slowly moved through a muddy region filled with reed shaped plants while saying this to Xin Weigai and Kang Qianjue at his side.

“Our Patrol Army previously carried out every single military order and then we accepted this military order as well, so the stance we have assumed is precisely to let them believe that I will accept any military order they give me. If this is what they believe, then they are mistaken.”

“There are cave barbarians in Great Desolate Swamp, there are endless dangers, but it also has many things precious to cultivators, precisely a cultivation paradise. This is the reason why the empire wanted to seize it in the beginning.”

Xin Weigai and Kang Qianjue went from their initial confusion to shock. “Sir Lin, your intention is that you don’t wish to receive the orders from higher up, not going to head to Traveler’s Root Forest?”

Lin Xi smiled and said, “Of course I have to go. However, for a small troop like us, encountering cave barbarians, being forced to change our path of advance, being lost and other things that cause us to be a bit delayed, this is also something unavoidable. As long as we can prove that we have always been marching with everything we have, there is no way the higher ups can use this to accuse us of guilt, no way for them to strip us of the glory we deserve.”

“The current situation is already extremely clear. This battle is precisely to encircle a cave barbarian important figure or an enemy country's powerful cultivator.” After a slight pause, Lin Xi muttered to himself, “We can arrive later, but there is no way the opponent will always wait in one area. As long as we make the plans of those who are playing this game fail, then we will miss out on the greatest danger.”

Xin Weigai forcefully swallowed his saliva. If it was another commander who told him this, he would definitely suspect him of being greedy for life, afraid of death, but after experiencing the last two great battles, everyone in their Patrol Army already understood what kind of person Lin Xi was extremely well. “Sir Lin, then how are you planning to make a detour?” He looked at Lin Xi, unable to remain calm as he asked.

“By heading along Golden Maple Valley?” Lin Xi pointed at the military map in his hands, saying this while looking at Xin Weigai and Kang Qianjue.

Xin Weigai and Kang Qianjue’s expressions immediately changed. “Golden Maple Valley?”

Golden Maple Valley is a valley that exceeds twenty li. It received its name because many of the plants there grew golden leaves. However, apart from the large amounts of sludge, the most important thing was that there were Lightning Pythons inside.

Lightning Pythons were not only like the giant man-eating lizards, strength extremely terrifying, they were also like cultivators among beast species, also able to gather soul force-like power within them. Yunqin classified all of these as fiend beasts.

In Yunqin’s military map, it was also clearly marked out that Golden Maple Valley was a land of death.

“You all don’t need to make your way through Golden Maple Valley, it’s enough as long as you pass by from the hills to the side of Golden Maple Valley.” Lin Xi drew out a line on the military map, seriously explaining to Xin Weigai and Kang Qianjue, “Golden Maple Valley, even though for the military, it is a danger spot, there are Golden Wind Grass inside that are extremely beneficial to cultivators. Also, if Lightning Python Eggs can be obtained, then it would be even better. There will be great benefits for my future cultivation.”

…

“What does he want to do?”

In the muddy earth full of weeds, when she noticed there were changes in Lin Xi and the Patrol Army’s itinerary, the red-clothed female zither master also stopped, producing a military map, a shocked expression on her face. After just a quick scan, she understood Lin Xi’s intentions, releasing a sigh, “Worthy of being your direct disciple… he is actually treating this game between great figures like an instance of cultivation, actually already thinking about the cultivation matters of merging a soul at the State Knight level…”

The only one at the female zither master’s side was that thin and weak female student who was wrapped within that eternal darkness-like black robe, Tong Wei nowhere to be seen. After this sigh was released, there was no reply, but she knew that this powerful Windstalker definitely heard her.

1. Wenren usually means famous person, so I didn’t realize this could be a surname, instead thought that it was a title. I will continue to leave him as Respected Cangyue, but do note that he is from Wenren Family, and Wenren was translated into respected here.