Chapter 1323: The Times Are Calm And Good, And The World Is As Before

“Why didn’t you have me kill him, imperial princess? It would be troublesome if he leaked the news of your survival.”

In the sky, a luxurious, mystifying horse carriage was journeying through the stars.

The coachman was none other than the Sacred Lord of West Kunlun, Jiang Yunlai himself.

“He’s a smart man. He wouldn’t do that.”

Xuanyuan Xin’s voice came from within the carriage. “Besides, we may not necessarily be able to kill him.”

“Why not?” Jiang Yunlai sounded puzzled. “Papersmith is hardly a match for either of us.”

“I’m not talking about Papersmith. There’s someone else.”

A sliver of gravity seeped into Xuanyuan Xin’s indifferent voice. “She is very strong. I do not think we can beat her even if you and I were to fight her together.”

“I see. This would mean that she is the real killer of Westwind’s Boss.”

Ye Qing hadn’t promoted the fact that he had killed the Boss of Westwind, but he couldn’t hide this from them. Although they were unclear about the details, it did not stop them from suspecting that he was protected by a powerful warrior. Not Papersmith, of course. They were talking about a true champion. Now, their suspicions were confirmed.

Before this, Jiang Yunlai thought that whoever this champion was, they could not be stronger than him. But now, he realized he was wrong. After all, he never sensed her presence for even a second. He wouldn’t even know she existed if the imperial princess hadn’t told him. This proved that this mysterious champion was stronger than him.

Jiang Yunlai wondered out loud with a grave expression, “How did a rootless duckweed like Ye Qing manage to find such a powerful backer?”

“Ye Qing is a man of grand fortune and destiny. He will surely make an impact in the upcoming great tribulation.”

Xuanyuan Xin sighed. “There are only two ways to handle such a person. Kill him before he has grown into his power, or befriend him. In his case, I believe it is better if we befriend him.”

Jiang Yunlai nodded. “You make sense, imperial princess!”

With that, the horse carriage vanished into the river of stars.

......

“Phew... I, Ye Qing, am back!”

It had been almost a year since he returned to Bei You. Ye Qing could not help but feel that he had returned as a different man.

He was just a Grandmaster when he first put Bei You behind him. Now, he was a Half-Sage.

He was just a nobody when he first set foot in the Four Seas. Now, he was a heaven-favored genius who was renowned throughout the world.

It wasn’t just him who had changed. The bigger picture had changed considerably as well.

For example, Chu felt like a tower that was about to collapse at any moment today.

He had passed through many Chu territories on the way, and his experience could be summed up in one sentence: rampant banditry, unchecked Strangers, and suffering people.

Although the local governments were still in control of their territories, their influence was much, much weaker than before. This was especially true for the remote areas. Realistically speaking, Chu had abandoned them already. They lived or died on their own terms.

Tian Liang, Northern Xinjiang and other border regions in particular gave him the distinct feeling that war was about to begin.

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

“The mountain rain is coming, the storm fills the building!” Ye Qing sighed.

The age of chaos was nigh, and the great tribulation was looming!

Despite himself, Ye Qing could not help but feel a bit of distress, sorrow, and powerlessness.

Even he was but a drop in the ocean before the wheel of change; a mayfly who dreamed of stopping what was to come, but knew in the bottom of his heart that he couldn’t. Not even a little. All he could do was to protect himself, grow his strength, and ensure those around him and those precious to him were safe from harm.

“What are you doing, Longxiang?”

Ye Qing had just passed through a crowded street and arrived at the Temple of Divination when suddenly, he saw Li Longxiang sitting on the stairs leading up to the entrance. He was propping his chin with his fist and staring intently at the distant street entrance.

Every time someone appeared at the street entrance, Li Longxiang would perk up and stare at their face with a hopeful expression. However, he would always sink back to his butt with a look of disappointment on his face.

“Ah... senior uncle! You’re back!”

Li Longxiang subconsciously looked up when he heard Ye Qing’s voice. When the young man saw his face clearly, he immediately jumped to his feet with an ecstatic expression.

“Mm. Long time no see. You’ve grown taller yet again.”

Ye Qing smiled at the young man who was an entire head taller than him now. Not only that, Li Longxiang was now thick and muscular like a wild bull.

Of course, appearance wasn’t the only thing that had changed about Li Longxiang. The young man was now a Spirit Master. Not only that, his vigor and body were now on par to that of some Truemen and Grandmasters.

“Hehehe...” Li Longxiang scratched his head with a dumb grin on his face.

Ye Qing felt much better after meeting Li Longxiang. He tried to pat the young man’s head but quickly realized that he couldn’t reach it. So, he could only pat Li Longxiang on the shoulder and asked, “Anyway, what are you doing here?”

Li Longxiang continued to grin dumbly. “Waiting for you, of course! Master said that you would be back in two days, and I’ve been waiting for just as long.”

“I see. I appreciate it,” Ye Qing said with warmth. “Say, where is your master?”

“Master went to buy some wine. He said it’s to celebrate with you after you came back.”

Suddenly, Li Longxiang saw Yi Pin walking over from the distance and waved at him frantically, “Master! Master! Senior uncle is back! He’s back!”

“Yes, yes, no need to shout my ears off. Now come help carry this stuff already.”

At the street entrance, a burdened Yi Pin yelled for his dumb, blind disciple to come help him.

“Oh! Coming!” Li Longxiang hurriedly ran over and took all the wine and meat Yi Pin bought. “I thought you’re only going to buy some wine, master? What’s with all this food?”

“To feed your blackhole of a stomach, of course!” Yi Pin side-eyed Li Longxiang. “If only you could grow your brain instead of your muscles.”

“Hehehe...” Li Longxiang let out a chuckle. Despite his master’s scathing remark, he wasn’t angry at all.

Yi Pin ignored his dumb disciple and walked up to Ye Qing. Then, he said in a casual voice, “You’re back.”

His voice was devoid of the excitement or delight of reuniting with a close friend who wasn’t expected to survive his tribulation. It was a perfectly simple and ordinary greeting.

Ye Qing nodded with a smile and answered just as casually, “I’m back.”

“Good.”

Yi Pin gave him a pat on the shoulder and cracked a smile of his own. “Come. Tonight, we’ll drink until we drop.”

It felt as if all the words one might want to say was condensed into a simple greeting; all the emotions raging inside one’s heart was transformed into a smile pat on the shoulder and a smile.

“Okay. We’ll drink until we drop!”

Ye Qing and Yi Pin exchanged a smile with each other before stepping into the Temple of Divination. Li Longxiang, still wearing a dumb grin on his face, followed behind them.

A moment later, the scent of wine and meat spread from the Temple of Divination, and the sounds of cheer and joy echoed across the streets and floated between the lamps.

For now at least, the times are calm and good, and the world is as before.

......

“It’s been a while since I slept so comfortably.”

The next day, when Ye Qing finally opened his eyes, the sky was already fully bright. The sunlight shining on his skin through the windows felt warm and comfortable.

After he was done refreshing himself, Ye Qing pushed upon the door of his room and looked around. Yi Pin was sitting on a rocking chair and sipping his tea, while Li Longxiang was practicing his fists at the courtyard.

Li Longxiang was practicing the simplest, most basic fist techniques, and yet the blasts of his vigor felt like the roars of a mighty beast, impressive and grand.

“You’re awake. How do you feel?” Yi Pin asked after seeing Ye Qing.

“Amazing. It’s been a long time since I slept so well.”

Ye Qing leaned against a nearby pillar and answered smilingly, “My head hit the pillow, and poof! It’s already the next day.”