Chapter 223 - I Love You Useless and Powerless

Jiang Wang hastily departed, while Hu Shuanzi and Xiaoxiao stood outside the courtyard, silent in each other’s presence.At that moment, the sunlight was quite gentle, warming their bodies and dispelling some of the chill in their hearts.

But there were some corners the sunlight could never reach.

Hu Shuanzi spoke first, “What do you think Master Dugu has gone to do?”

“How would I know the master’s affairs?”

Another stretch of silence.

Hu Shuanzi glanced at Xiaoxiao, took two steps towards her, then stopped again.

He said, “You…

you have suffered.”

The way he had kneeled before Hu Shaomeng, banging his head on the ground, Xiaoxiao remembered it.

Of course, she understood his intentions.

She had been moved before.

But…

“Hu Shuanzi,” Xiaoxiao said slowly, “we are both so ordinary, so mundane.

Neither of us can control our own destinies.”

As she spoke, she walked toward the pile of ashes in the courtyard.

“Forget me.

In this world, ordinary people have no future.”

“Xiaoxiao!” Hu Shuanzi called out bravely, but inexplicably, his momentum suddenly drained away.

In this courtyard, an innocent girl had jumped into a well.

Dozens of miners had surrounded her, yet none dared to mention Ge Heng’s name.

What made Hu Shuanzi think he could promise her a lifetime of safety?

Xiaoxiao was right.

The “future” of ordinary people is too fragile.

Mere “love” could at best lead to a bruised and bloody head, useless and powerless.

The words he wanted to say finally turned into a question, “What…

are you going to do?”

Xiaoxiao, much younger than Hu Shuanzi, perhaps because she had suffered more hardships, seemed to view the world with more detachment and clarity.

Thus, she showed little emotion.

“I will scatter his ashes.”

She turned suddenly and asked Hu Shuanzi, “Do you think, if I scatter them in the latrine, he will never find peace in the afterlife?”

Her voice was very soft, the hatred deep.

Hu Shuanzi was stunned for a moment, “It would…

it might.”

The exploration of the mine turned up nothing.

Jiang Wang’s expected reaction from Hu Shaomeng did not materialize.

It seemed as if the other party simply didn’t care what he did in the mining district.

Patience is a virtue, making an opponent more troublesome.

But Jiang Wang was not in a hurry, time was on his side.

Even if in the end there were no other secrets, and the truth was simply that the Xi Family had extended their reach to Qingyang Town, presenting this result to the Zhong Xuan Family would suffice, with no further losses.

For Jiang Wang, his own strength was the foundation.

In his continual cultivation, days passed in a blink.

“After opening the Heaven and Earth Gate and beginning to explore the Torso Sea, I already sensed the Divine Power Seed.

The location of the seed is exactly in the first Inner Mansion Realm.”

Inside the Taixu Illusion Realm, Zhongxuan Sheng spoke, “However, I’m not in a hurry now.

I want to completely explore the Torso Sea and maximize the development of my potential before I attempt to strike at the Inner Mansion.”

While Jiang Wang was dawdling in Yang Country, Zhongxuan Sheng had already opened the Heaven and Earth Gate.

The advantages of the Heavenly Abode Secret Land were now apparent; just starting the exploration of the Ascending Dragon Realm, he had already sensed the Divine Power Seed.

The Divine Power Seed itself also marked the location of the Inner Mansion.

This meant that, if Zhongxuan Sheng wished, he could already bypass the Ascending Dragon Realm and achieve the God’s Inner Mansion.

Of course, a person with unlimited prospects like Zhongxuan Sheng would not make such a choice.

This condition was very similar to Dou Yuemei’s.

However, pressured by the situations at Jade Balance Peak, Dou Yuemei was forced to break into the Inner Mansion early, even breaking five mansions at once to seize the divine skills, thereby severing her path.

She could only stop at the Inner Mansion Realm for life.

Zhongxuan Sheng, on the other hand, had ample leeway to comfortably explore the Torso Sea, laying a solid foundation for his future path.

Now was the time for the routine sparring between Jiang Wang and Zhongxuan Sheng, which took place every few days, with neither holding back since they chose to fight directly without matching, thus avoiding the issue of different realms.

To maximize the benefits of their efforts on the Discussion Platform, they would chat before the fight, sharing recent developments.

“My Heaven and Earth Gate is still in the manifestation process,” Jiang Wang said.

“Don’t worry.

The stronger the power, the harder it is to push the Heaven and Earth Gate.

I risked my life to break through so quickly; it was not Perfect.” Zhongxuan Sheng sighed, “But I had no choice.

I had to make compromises.”

Even though he was as busy as a spinning top, Zhongxuan Sheng still made time every day to fight matches in the Taixu Illusion Realm, using another set of fighting techniques that did not include the secret techniques of the Zhong Xuan Family.

He was well aware that strength was the key.

But there were too many family affairs, and not enough trustworthy people to delegate them to.

Their communication focused mainly on cultivation.

Zhongxuan Sheng did not inquire about Jiang Wang’s affairs in Yang Country.

Next was discussion on some help and advice for Lian Que, and a person adept at social grace like Zhongxuan Sheng would certainly not disregard Jiang Wang’s opinions.

After a taxing battle, Jiang Wang left the Taixu Illusion Realm.

By now, he had fought up to the seventy-eighth level of the Tai Xuhuan Realm Sky State in the matching battles, where the intensity of combat was much higher.

After the fight with Zhongxuan Sheng, he no longer had the energy to fight another round.

Having crossed a realm and facing a powerful opponent like Zhongxuan Sheng, even though he had just pushed open the Heaven and Earth Gate, Jiang Wang was completely no match for him.

Of course, fighting the current Zhongxuan Sheng also gave Jiang Wang more room for improvement.

Jiang Wang’s own Heaven and Earth Gate was still in the process of materializing, and by now it already had a rough shape.

It was an ancient-looking stone gate, tall and thick.

Vague inscriptions adorned the gate.

Jiang Wang had tried to charge at it, but the gate remained unmoved.

Everyone’s Heaven and Earth Gate could only be specifically seen by themselves; others could at most see a vague shadow.

The feedback from Heaven and Earth after opening the Heaven and Earth Gate is the foundation for cultivators to exist in the fog of ignorance.

The stronger the Heaven and Earth Lonely Island that materializes from this, the safer it is to explore the Sea of Trunks.

After meticulously cleansing the Heaven and Earth Gate with Path Origin, Jiang Wang temporarily ended his cultivation.

He heard the soft footsteps of the maid.

His heart stirred, and he pushed the door open to go outside.

The maid, Xiao Xiao, was about to knock when she saw Jiang Wang and reported, “Master, the young master of the Hu family has come and is asking to see you outside the courtyard.”

He’s quite patient to only come after so many days, Jiang Wang thought.

He said aloud, “I will go and welcome him.”

The courtyard was very small; he had hardly taken a few steps before Hu Shaomeng, who was outside, heard him and called from afar, “Has the envoy been comfortable these past few days?

If there’s anything inappropriate, please let Shaomeng know so I can improve.”

“I am of humble origin and am used to staying anywhere.”

Jiang Wang invited him into the courtyard: “Come in and have a seat.”

The two sat opposite each other in the hall, and the maid Xiao Xiao timely served them aromatic tea, then withdrew.

She had been busy sewing clothes recently and had already made two robes for Jiang Wang.

Hu Shaomeng glanced around the empty courtyard and asked with a smile, “Is this maid to your liking?

My family has just acquired a songstress from another land two days ago; how about I send her to the envoy’s place?”

Jiang Wang thought to himself with derision, That songstress, isn’t that just a stepmother your dad got for you…

His visitor was calling him ‘envoy’ with respect, yet Jiang Wang understood that, to some extent, this meant they were essentially only respecting the Zhong Xuan Family he represented.

“I appreciate your kindness, Young Master Hu.

However, I am used to being alone and am not accustomed to having too many people around,” Jiang Wang deflected the tedious topic and changed the subject: “As for you, isn’t the cultivation at Diao Hai Building demanding?

You have been staying in Qingyang Town for quite a while now.

Could it be that the climate of your hometown is particularly nurturing?”

“Hahaha, it’s not that pressing; as long as our realm keeps up, the Sect does not restrict us much,” Hu Shaomeng said, then shifted the topic: “By the way, since the envoy is so distinguished, you must be from a prestigious background.

May I ask which one?”

“Just a nameless loose cultivator, finding my own way.”

“The envoy is truly a genius with a gift from heaven!”

Hu Shaomeng seized the opportunity to flatter him, showing no embarrassment at all.

For some unknown reason, Jiang Wang felt slightly uneasy, as if there was something abnormal nearby, but when he carefully looked around, he couldn’t find the source.

Therefore, he could only offer a perfunctory smile and directly asked, “May I know why Young Master Hu has come to find me today?

Is there something you need?”

“That’s right,” Hu Shaomeng sighed with a sense of regret: “I heard that the envoy is the victor from the Heavenly Abode Secret Land, so I came to inquire.

Do you perhaps know my fellow disciple Zhu Suyao?

She is a genius cultivator from Diao Hai Building and also participated in the Heavenly Abode Secret Land.”

“Oh?” Jiang Wang didn’t show any urgency and followed his lead: “What distinguishes your fellow disciple?”

“My fellow disciple…” Hu Shaomeng’s face revealed a look of nostalgia: “She is a very gentle person.

When I first arrived at Diao Hai Building, she took good care of me.

Unfortunately, after an accident during a journey, she was left with a hidden illness that prevented her progress at the Heaven and Earth Gate.”

“Her temperament gradually became more extreme.

She went to great lengths to enter the reopened Heavenly Abode Secret Land this time, hoping to find a cure for her illness there.”

Hu Shaomeng’s voice lowered: “But unfortunately…”

Jiang Wang couldn’t remember anything about the Heavenly Abode Secret Land, nor did he have any impression of his fellow disciple.

He certainly didn’t know that the female cultivator who had been the earliest to die from the toxic death aura was Diao Hai Building’s Zhu Suyao.

“Your fellow disciple and you?”

Hu Shaomeng nodded: “We had an unspoken affection for each other previously but separated due to some misunderstandings.

In truth, I’ve been waiting for her, never expecting…”

Jiang Wang listened, puzzled about why he was suddenly sharing this with him.

He could only offer an insincere consolation: “My condolences.”

Just then, he suddenly felt a surge of Yuan force.

“Who’s there?”

With a flick of Jiang Wang’s finger, a flame flower scorched the space.

An ephemeral figure tumbled out, revealing a charming young girl.

Such powerful illusion!

She was actually hidden nearby, yet went undetected.

Jiang Wang finally realized the source of the earlier anomaly.

He rose swiftly, formed a hand seal, and was about to capture this person.

Suddenly, Hu Shaomeng lunged forward, standing between them: “Hold on!”

His eyes still lingered on previous sorrow; his face showed three parts shock, and in his voice, among the pain and surprise, there was also a hint of tenderness that was not very obvious: “Biqiong, why are you here?”

Despite not knowing the entire context, the revelation of this scene made Jiang Wang understand completely.

This kid is using my place as a stage!

Casting me in a supporting role for his play.

What a performance!