Why do I have so many masters?

Chapter 758: Chapter 56: The Immense Righteous Qi (10,000-word Mega Chapter, Also Taking Leave)

The conversation had just ended with two remarks from a warrior of the Xiahou Family’s Hidden Guard as he bowed his head in silence. Xiahou Xuan’s eyebrows were already tightly furrowed. Being by nature cautious, he particularly disliked any unpredicted changes.

Tricked by Zhang Zuosheng, who was also a Grandmaster, and having his Qi Mechanism disrupted, if he had been a Lower Third Rank and had used external martial skills for Foundation Establishment, he would still retain his strong physique.

However, for a warrior from the Confucian School who ascended by nurturing Qi, the reversal of Qi flow was as severe as crippling, rendering him unable to exert strength in his limbs; otherwise, excruciating pain would pervade throughout his veins, uncontrollable.

Despite facing such dire consequences, he still intended to head towards One-Leaf Pavilion.

Could it be that he thought by merely using words he could persuade the disciples of One-Leaf Pavilion at such a time?

Truly a pedant.

The corner of his mouth twitched habitually as he pulled a mocking curve, watching his deployed spy. He realized he had encountered a pedantic man who didn’t play by the usual rules. He always enjoyed adding a finishing touch, but this time he had stirred trouble. He understood the character of the woman behind him all too well, and knew clearly how she would act.

Xiahou Xuan sighed softly, suppressing the rising irritability within him.

Beside him, Jiang Lan closed his eyes and then opened them to soothe Wu Qiong, who had abruptly stood up. He then turned towards the many martial artists gathered behind, bowing deeply, and said:

“Throughout this journey, Lan is grateful for your honorable assistance.”

Situ Che wanted to say something, but remained silent instead.

All the martial artists were somewhat silent. Looking around and seeing no one speaking, he felt an intolerable restlessness in his heart. Looking ahead, the girl resembling a green lotus looked back at them, with the endless long path behind her and winds picking up on both sides, causing slight movements in her black hair at her temples.

Further ahead stood the towering gate of One-Leaf Pavilion. Being close, it looked like a colossal pillar reaching into the sky, making it impossible to see the lush green bamboos of other days, but instead presenting a dark mass as though it would topple down, making the girl look frail in comparison as if a gust of wind from the mountains could break her.

Jiang Lan’s expression remained calm. After completing the bow, he removed a jade pendant from his waist, its texture translucent and engraved with rivers and waves, which complemented its green hue, clearly of considerable value, and handed it to Situ Che, saying:

“The journey ahead is not far, Lan can manage on his own. Please everyone return home.”

“This jade pendant can be pawned for some silver taels as a token of thanks.”

Situ Che reflexively declined:

“How can this be possible, I, we, I…”

Jiang Lan spoke up, “I know that you, Hero Situ Che and the others, came out of righteous motives, but given the many losses incurred, in this world between Heaven and Earth, none of us are alone; we all have families with wives and children to care for.”

The air was gentle and quiet around them. Situ Che felt an indescribable suffocation as Jiang Lan slightly smiled, took his hand, and placed the highly valued jade pendant in his palm. The pendant was very light, yet it seemed to drag the heavy Kunlun Mountains with it. Situ, who practiced the vigorous external martial arts passed down by Fei Poyue, now found his hand trembling uncontrollably.

He wanted to speak, but his Adam’s apple moved up and down, only producing a muffled grunt, all while the increasingly enormous gate of One-Leaf Pavilion cast a growing shadow in his heart.

With every passing moment, his courage faded a bit more.

If he were still a youth, battling through Jianghu, he would naturally have faced knife wounds with exuberance. Over the past decade, he had established a family, married, and had children. He even brought his mother from the lower town in Fufeng County.

Peaceful days and family life had not diminished his bravery but had softened his disposition, not as rigid as before.

Just as Liu Ling said, the ripe green plums at home no longer carried the taste of wine; such words deeply stirred his heart. His fingers quivered, instinctively clutching the jade pendant tightly in his hand, then suddenly releasing it as if it burned him, struggling visible on his face.

Jiang Lan gave him no more chances to speak, turned around, and walked towards One-Leaf Pavilion, step by step, during which time, the resilience and fortitude uncommon in ordinary women were distinctly visible in the young girl.

Li Qidao smacked his lips and remarked:

“He is indeed a scholar.”

Xiahou Xuan said evenly:

“Your father is there, are you going? Are you willing to abandon the ancestral enterprise of One-Leaf Pavilion? Aren’t you afraid of betraying your ancestors?”

Jiang Lan opened his eyes and replied:

“One-Leaf Pavilion was originally just a place for scholars to reside together; it can hardly be called an ancestral enterprise. If there is an ancestral enterprise, it is the teachings of the Master passed down, not the lavish material things of mountains and forests.”

“If you want an ancestral enterprise, just go to a school. For merely ten Great Qin Tongbao, every word and line there represents the ancestral enterprise of One-Leaf Pavilion.”

Xiahou Xuan sneered:

“Then what principle are you seeking? Filial piety?”

Jiang Lan replied:

“I am merely looking for my father.”

Her voice paused slightly as she pursed her lips and added:

“But about such matters, a calculating and cold-hearted man like Young Master Xiahou probably wouldn’t understand.”

It was well-known that the Xiahou Family was large and wealthy but fraught with father-son conflicts. Her remark was a sharp jab at a known wound, cunning and cruel, even Wu Qiong felt it was a bit excessive.

Xiahou Xuan’s indistinct and squinting phoenix-eyes half-closed, gazing at the woman he had watched grow up never tiring of seeing her. He chuckled lightly, silently stepping back, then watched as Jiang Lan calmly mounted a fine horse and galloped away from the side.