Chapter 236 Day Six · Captive
Li Tianlan asked a seemingly ordinary but sensitive question, intentionally or unconsciously.
A vague question.
A clear answer.
Tribulation looked at Li Tianlan quietly, and his eyes looked bright and sharp.
Li Tianlan just walked forward quietly, seemed to be thinking, or hesitating.
“It was Dijiang who did this to you, w.a.n.g Tianzong’s first disciple. Saint saved you.”
Tribulation stayed quiet for a while, then said calmly, “What are you doubting?”
“Nothing.”
Li Tianlan shook his head and looked at Tribulation. “I saw it… During that period, I hadn’t completely lost conscious, and I saw Saint’s sword.”
“You didn’t expect that, did you?”
Tribulation suddenly laughed.
“I really didn’t expect that.”
Li Tianlan nodded. “I didn’t expect it would be him, how could it be him?”
He had never seen Saint’s sword before, but that sword intent was too bright. At the moment when the sword energy died out, and the sword intent broke out, Li Tianlan could be sure that it was Saint.
His reputation was as famous as his sword intent in the Dark World. Such a figure was actually willing to be the first Super Master of Samsara.
Being the first Super Master was comfortable enough, but it couldn’t compare to running a power group by himself.
“About this…”
Tribulation thought about it, then continued to say while laughing, “This is Samsara’s internal affair. If you’re interested, you can ask Saint yourself later. Boss Qin should know something about it. The Dark World is a chess game, and every big figure is a player. Once you enter the game, there’s no way out. Since you can’t quit this game, might as well make more preparation.”
Li Tianlan stayed quiet, didn’t say anything anymore.
He was well aware that, on the chessboard of the Dark World, the players naturally had ways out. The Li family was an example of leaving the game midway back then.
But of course they didn’t come to a good end.
“The Master of Samsara Palace…who the h.e.l.l is she?”
Li Tianlan mumbled to himself.
“You don’t trust her, I can feel it, you’re even guarding against her.”
Tribulation said. There wasn’t any extra emotion in his tone, as if he was stating a fact.
“How can I trust her when I don’t even know who she is? In Samsara, I only trust her.”
Her.
There was no need to ask who he meant by her.
“Martial Uncle, have you ever heard of the name Dongcheng Huangtu?”
Li Tianlan asked while staring at the front.
The farthest place he could see was a slightly high hill. There were lights behind the mountain. Due to the long distance, the lights seemed a bit blurry.
“Dongcheng Huangtu? Someone from the Dongcheng Clan? I have never heard of this name.”
Tribulation froze for a second, then shook his head. “Who’s this?”
Li Tianlan laughed and then said in a calm tone, “I’m also trying to find out.”
Dongcheng Huangtu.
From all aspects, this didn’t seemed like a person that really existed.
But Li Tianlan was sure that this person really existed, or used to exist.
Zhuang Huayang had never heard of this name.
Tribulation had never heard of this name.
Li Baitian, Ning Qiancheng, even Dongcheng Qiuchi and Dongcheng Yueshen who came from the Dongcheng Clan, none of them had heard of this name.
These were just a few simple people, but they could represent three eras.
Dongcheng Hanguang also said that he didn’t know about this.
But Li Tianlan knew very well that, the old master from the Dongcheng Clan didn’t tell him the truth.
At first, Li Tianlan was just curious about the name, but as things went on, especially the abnormal behaviors of Samsara Palace had made him realize the importance of this name.
Samsara Palace must have something to do with Dongcheng Huangtu.
Now it seemed that the Master of Samsara Palace was helping the Li family, but behind her behaviors, who could confirm whether she was really helping the Li family or not? Or was she help the Heavenly Son hiding from everyone?
Most importantly, in his memories that used to be repressed, he seemed to have heard this name from his grandpa.
The Li family, the Dongcheng Clan, Samsara Palace, there seemed to be a faint thread pulling these three superpowers together.
And the name Dongcheng Huangtu was the most crucial key point.
Figuring out this key point meant figuring out what role Samsara played in this scheme of Zhongzhou State, it even meant confirming the final ending of this Changdao final battle.
Was Samsara Palace the black hand that was controlling the situation on the chessboard in his instinct?
If it was Samsara Palace, then what was Qin Weibai, who could represent the willpower of the Master of Samsara Palace in most of the time, doing?
Li Tianlan didn’t dare, nor want to think about this question.
“What are you thinking about?”
Tribulation’s deep voice suddenly rang.
“Nothing.”
Li Tianlan regained his composure, then sighed softly. “I just think that I’m not strong enough…”
If he was strong enough, he could break through all the mist in front of him with force, and he could crush everything…
If he was strong enough…
“At your age, your accomplishments are pretty impressive. And you’re still rebuilding everything. Right now, your state relies on medicine, but if you’re in your peak state, you could become one of the forces that determine the battle. Even if you meet w.a.n.g Tianzong’s first disciple Dijiang, you could have fought him…Tianlan, sooner or later you will enter Invincible Realm if you want…”
Tribulation rarely talked this much. But before he could finish his sentence, Li Tianlan interrupted him suddenly.
“Invincible Realm? Martial Uncle, do you know when was the concept Invincible Realm first brought up?”
Tribulation suddenly stayed quiet; he seemed to be thinking or hesitating.
“This isn’t a secret.”
Li Tianlan answered his question. “Invincible Realm is the Martial Arts peak in the recent five hundred years. Martial Arts were divided into different realms for the first time. And according to history, the first superior of the Invincible Realm in five hundred years came from Star State, not Zhongzhou State. It was the War G.o.d of Star State more than four hundred years ago. He was also the one who officially brought up Four Realms of the concept of Martial Arts and Invincible Realm, which prevailed in the whole Dark World.”
Tribulation still stayed silent, at this moment, he seemed to realize what Li Tianlan was trying to say, but he was uncertain.
“Four Realms of Martial Arts…Invincible Realm…in the end, it’s all just one concept. Or it’s just one road. How big is the Martial Arts world? How can one road represent everything? The reason why the practice method of Four Realms of Martial Arts can prevail in the Dark World is that this kind of practice method can improve one’s combat capability faster and confirm one’s goal.”
“On the road of Martial Arts discovery, a clear goal means sufficient motivation. If there isn’t the concept of Four Realms of Martial Arts, when a person reaches the peak of Ice-condensing Realm, he or she doesn’t know the next realm is Fire-flaming Realm. How can a person continue to practice without a clear goal?”
“This kind of concept has good sides, but also has bad sides.”
Li Tianlan stopped for a second, looked at Tribulation and continued to say, “Martial Uncle, for your example, you only practice Qi-controlling Realm, but now you’re the most top-notch superior of Half-step Invincible Realm, you even have the combat capability of Invincible Realm, which can show that the concept of Four Realms of Martial Arts isn’t perfect.”
“At least, the breakthrough point between Qi-controlling Realm and Ice-condensing Realm isn’t exactly the true limit of Qi-controlling Realm. It’s just a goal. If you ignore the goal and continue the road in Qi-controlling Realm, you can also achieve Wudi.”
Tribulation finally said something, in a bland tone, “The concept of Martial Arts has never been perfect.”
“Indeed.”
Li Tianlan laughed. “So since I was little, I had been thinking about a question. In five hundred years, the ancestor from the w.a.n.g family of Beihai could be considered the only Heavenly Son. The Patriarch of our Xuanyuantai didn’t own the t.i.tle of the Heavenly Son, but he had the combat capability of a Heavenly Son. If they were born into this era and were compared to the so-called superior of Invincible Realm right now, who would be more powerful?”
Tribulation finally confirmed the speculation in his heart, let out a soft laugh and said, “You have the answer for that question, don’t you?”
“Yeah.”
Li Tianlan also laughed. In the night sky, he didn’t laugh very loud, but his whole person was radiating with an inexplicable glory.
“Invincible Realm is the peak of Martial Arts right now, but maybe many people have forgotten that the first Invincible Realm in history, was a disgrace.”
“It was specifically written in the Map of G.o.d of War from Xuanyuantai, about thirty years after that ancestor from the w.a.n.g family of Beihai died, the Patriarch of our Xuanyuantai had reached old age. The first superior of Invincible Realm in history, the War G.o.d from Star State was born in this background.”
“He brought up the concept of Four Realms of Martial Arts, went East to Zhongzhou State after he achieved fully in Martial Arts, then challenged the Patriarch of our Xuanyuantai who never knew what Four Realms of Martial Arts was.”
In Li Tianlan’s bland words, Tribulation’s breathing became hasty.
This kind of emotion seemed to be excitement.
“The Patriarch of Xuanyuantai accept the challenge.”
Tribulation said.
This thing was written on the Map of G.o.d of War, but it wasn’t entirely a secret in the whole Dark World, just a few people knew about it.
“Yes.”
Li Tianlan said with a smile, “That battle back then, a face-to-face battle, the Patriarch just launched one sword move!”
That was the most fantastic sword move in hundreds of years, the glory of that sword move shone from then till now. Even after five hundred years, it was still a legend.
Tribulation’s eyes were full of yearning.
He knew what was the outcome of that sword move.
The so-called War G.o.d of Star State back then, the first superior of Invincible Realm was chopped straight into blood mist by that sword before he could do anything.
Invincible Realm.
Who was true Wudi?
“Recently, I realized something. Invincible Realm is just a goal, and Martial Arts are just the foundation, Four Realms of Martial Arts is just a road, and nothing more.”
“Invincible Realm is a realm, but Wudi isn’t.”
Li Tianlan said softly.
…
It was like a ghost town in the residential district, which was about to be demolished.
The heavy rain reached over from the East, the sound of the rain echoed around the place, the rain all over the sky had slowly reached the battlefield.
The sound of the thunder in the sky kept booming.
The heavy rain poured down hard.
The pale lightning cut across the sky quietly.
The residential district in the dark was suddenly lit up for a second.
Under the background in which the whole world was pale, the figure that had blended in with the dark and the void suddenly looked so clear.
In the heavy rain, the black shadow appeared in front of the worn building.
A figure in white clothes involuntarily followed the black shadow and landed on the ground.
The white clothes flew in the night wind and rain like a fairy.
She stood behind the black shadow quietly, there wasn’t any other expression on her perfect, dreamy face, but her bright eyes were shining with a clear, sharp light.
In the night rain, even when she was standing behind someone, she still had that magnificent aura, calm and smooth.
“I like it when it rains.”
That vague black shadow suddenly spoke, his voice was soft, it sounded faint and elegant. “Because the rain can wash away anything, it isn’t good for tracking someone, but it’s good for sneaking.”
Qin Weibai tilted her head.
Her bright eyes stared at the heavy rain while blinking, her red lips opened up slightly and showed a cold, mocking smile. “Are you afraid?”
“Right now I’m indeed afraid.”
The black shadow’s tone sounded smiling. “After all, to me, tonight was a surprise, but it was no big deal. Two days later, I’ll accompany you to the place you’re supposed to be. When you become my second sister-in-law, the kids of you and my second elder brother call me Third Uncle, ha, what else will I be afraid of?”
Qin Weibai stayed silent.
In the atmosphere that wasn’t so friendly, her face still looked calm, and even cold.
That was a face so exquisite that it would only appear in a dream, sharp, cold, breathtakingly charming.
“Do you really deserve that?”
Qin Weibai finally spoke, in a simple tone.
“Do we deserve it or not, you will find out when you come to our house. So what if you don’t want this? My second elder brother is dying to marry you. When you come to our house, I think he will be okay to force you into the things he wants. Things are gonna be interesting.”
The black shadow spoke while laughing out loud.
“Nothing is settled until your second elder brother comes back alive from Zhongzhou State.”
Qin Weibai let out a cold laugh. In front of the only a.s.sa.s.sin of Invincible Realm in the Dark World, her figure looked so small and vulnerable, but her momentum was sharp and aggressive.
The black shadow’s laughter stopped.
He stayed silent for a short while, then said blandly, “It looks like my second sister-in-law already knows who I am?”
“Jiang Qianxie, your code name is Evil, the first a.s.sa.s.sin in the Dark World, the Third Master of the Jiang family of South America. Your second elder brother, should be Jiang Qiannian? It’s easy to guess.”
Another dull thunder echoed in the sky.
Then came the pale lightning.
In the light and shadow that flashed away, Qin Weibai could clearly see that Evil squinted his eyes.
“The intelligence from Samsara Palace…is indeed surprising.”
Evil stared at Qin Weibai in front of him and sighed softly.
Qin Weibai took a side look at him and walked straight ahead without saying anything.
She wasn’t planning to escape, that would be asking for humiliation. Ever since Military Counselor brought Human Emperor to Li Tianlan and Evil appeared instantly, she was well aware that in this situation, running away had become a joke.
She walked straight into the stairs, said without turning her head, “Which floor?”
A trace of astonishment flashed through Evil’s eyes.
No wonder his second elder brother would fall for her so hard. At least from the moment, she was captured, she was elegant and proud, different from ordinary women.
“On the first floor, on your left.”
Evil said with an interesting tone.
Qin Weibai instantly knocked on the door without saying anything.
A woman with an average face but a kind of intoxicating charm in her whole being gently opened the room door. Looking at Qin Weibai at the door, she froze for a brief second, then pressed her lips and put on a faint smile.
“Boss Qin, welcome. I’m Rose.”
She said with a soft voice, then made way for her.
Qin Weibai walked into the room with a calm face.
The residential district that was about to be demolished was naturally old and worn, the room was already half empty, there were only a few candles lighting up the room.
There was a tea table that was worn enough to be considered as trash in the living room. There was a chessboard on the tea table.
When Rose went to open the door, the other woman sitting on the other side of the chessboard stayed still, just staring at the chess board attentively.
In the night rain, the two women seemed to be playing chess.
“Make me a cup of tea.”
Qin Weibai casually sat across the chessboard and ordered in a bland tone.
Rose felt a little astounded.
And the woman, sitting in front of the chessboard, also seemed to freeze for a second. Then, she squinted her eyes and looked at Qin Weibai.
“You go.”
Qin Weibai didn’t look at Rose but the arrogant woman in front of her, and gave an order in a cold tone.
“Moonlight, go make Second Madam a cup of tea.”
Evil walked out from behind and ordered in a cold tone.
Moonlight let out a cold snort, gave Qin Weibai a hard glare and then got up unwillingly.
“The place is a little worn, and it will be very condescending of my second sister-in-law to stay here. When you arrive in South America, the Jiang family will do everything we can to serve you.”
Evil sat across Qin Weibai, looked at the chess game in front of him and said with a smile.
“I hate to repeat myself, but Jiang Qiannian doesn’t deserve me, the Jiang family of South America doesn’t deserve me. I can go back with you, but if you’re willing to stay here and waste time, then the Jiang family of South America will be wiped out in the battle of Changdao.”
“Ha…the battle of Changdao?”
Evil suddenly let out a loud laugh, squinted his eyes and looked at Qin Weibai, then said softly, “What is that? Just some dump power groups trying to get benefits. The goal of the Jiang family of South America has never been the battle of Changdao, nor East Island.”
“You still don’t understand, do you? I came here for the one and only goal, which are you and Samsara Palace, my dear second sister-in-law.”