Chapter 69: There is a counterpart, but no absolute (4)

Before long, the presence of Lian Huozheng had vanished. He had completely left the place.

Until then, Murong Jun, who had been laughing heartily for a while, gradually stopped.

He calmly filled his own cup.

"Lianhua."

"Yes, Father."

"How did you see it?"

Murong Lianhua let out a soft sigh.

"To be honest, I can't gauge it."

"Hehe, that's understandable."

"There's one thing I'm sure of. He's much ruder than I thought."

"Without strength, one cannot even be rude."

"You seemed to be greatly impressed by Lian Huozheng."

"I don't know how to describe it."

Murong Jun recalled Lian Huozheng.

His eyes were so transparent that they made the observer feel a chill. His face was indifferent, showing neither ease nor urgency.

And he had the terrifying audacity to casually talk about eliminating the best family in the world.

The laughter he had tried to suppress leaked out involuntarily.

"He is a strong one. It's not about martial arts, strategy, or insight. I felt a natural strength from him."

"Is it that serious?"

"I can't even imagine what kind of life he has lived. He must have climbed out of countless hellish situations. Even a strong nature finds it hard to overcome the wisdom gained from experience. He has both."

Murong Lianhua's face stiffened.

She knew her father had highly evaluated Lian Huozheng, but she didn't expect it to be to this extent.

Murong Jun, who had been smiling while thinking of Lian Huozheng, gradually turned cold.

"Therefore... he is dangerous."

"Excuse me?"

"He is a dangerous person. I saw another version of myself in him."

Pususu.

The cup he was holding turned to powder.

It was an incredible display of inner strength. He had unconsciously released his inner power, turning the jade cup to dust. His mastery of inner strength was beyond imagination.

It was the result of the inner strength he had gained from practicing the Brain Calming Technique.

"Actually, I joked about it, but when I saw him, I momentarily felt a desire. I thought that if he were such a talented person, it would be fine to pair him with you."

Murong Lianhua's eyes wavered.

"But."

Murong Jun, who had brushed off the powder, looked out the window.

The moon had already risen, white and bright.

"He is just like me. He will never know satisfaction. Even if I were to marry him to you, he would always be eyeing the main family."

Murong Jun's eyes deepened.

"What a pity. If he had the surname of the main family, I would have made him the young master long ago."

Murong Lianhua clenched her fists without her father noticing.

Why? She felt inexplicably angry. Her father had always praised her, but he had never given such high praise to anyone else.

Murong Lianhua tried to speak calmly.

"If he is a talent that cannot be made part of the main family, he should be eliminated early, shouldn't he?"

"Of course."

Perhaps it was due to the moonlight.

Murong Jun's white smile was somehow eerie.

"I will rule the world. If I do, the world will become my garden. But he will not be a flower that blooms beautifully in my garden. It would be better to uproot him early."

After staring at the moon for a long time, Murong Jun stood up.

"Regardless of the reason, it was a meaningful meeting. We are also getting busy. Let's go."

"Yes."

* * *

"Huff."

In the dark forest.

He put down the axe on a rock where the cold moonlight was clearly visible.

Bang.

He tried to lean it against something, but it tilted and stuck into the ground. His hands were completely weak.

"It's tough."

Right after fighting the wolves to the death, he had a sharp exchange with Murong Jun. The mental strain was immense.

Woo.

He drew the Bi Lajin energy to gradually heal the internal injuries.

The damage was worse than expected. His blood vessels were torn, and his meridians were filled with turbid energy.

Lian Huozheng took a deep breath.

Whir!

The White Tiger energy opened, absorbing the dense natural energy.

Energy plays a role in healing the body. By absorbing abundant energy through the White Tiger energy, he actively treated himself and opened the Black Tortoise energy to expel the remaining turbid energy.

After practicing for more than half an hour, he finally felt better.

"Damn, I should have drunk a few cups of water. Why did I agree to drink alcohol?"

The internal injuries made his stomach churn. Adding a few glasses of strong liquor made him feel like vomiting.

This is why one should not be swayed by memories.

'Indeed, he was different when he was young.'

During his time as the leader of the martial arts alliance, Murong Jun was a seasoned politician and the leader of the righteous path, respected by all.

He did not hesitate to use any means to achieve his goals, but he took care of his own people. He was a respected ruler and a capable statesman to those within his domain.

'He drank a lot back then.'

The invasion of the Central Plains by the Three Fanatical Sects, specifically the Sanyin Sect, led to the first alliance between the righteous and the dark paths.

The leaders of the righteous and dark paths, who formed an alliance against the external invasion, had several drinking sessions even during the war.

Despite living a harsh life to reach that position, he was not without charm. That's why he was both wary and felt a sense of kinship with him.

However, the current Murong Jun was different.

He was an ambitious man, willing to plot and kill without hesitation to achieve his dreams.

'Besides, I didn't know then that the Murong family was one of the main forces behind the destruction of the main family.'

Lian Huozheng's eyes turned cold.

Memories are just memories. This drinking session was merely a farewell to a former comrade.

If he didn't know, it would be one thing, but now that he knows, the Murong family is his sworn enemy. They are the same kind of people as the notorious families.

'Expect it, old man. I will sweep away everything you have built so far, leaving not a speck of dust.'

He was lost in thought for a while.

"Huff, why did a wounded man climb such a high mountain? I'm exhausted."

Lian Huozheng smiled.

"Why did you come all the way here?"

"Did you think I came because I wanted to? I also wanted to sit comfortably and handle the information coming in."

The person who appeared was Jia Deshang.

"What about the Dark Assassins?"

"Man, there are really no people around. We haven't seen each other in a long time, and you don't even say hello."

"You seem to have caught them well."

"Of course. I'm a man who finishes what he starts."

"You've worked hard."

Jia Deshang smiled.

"Prince Lian, you've worked hard too. Seeing you so injured, it must have been a tough opponent."

Lian Huozheng shook his head.

"Guys who reek of blood are all the same. It's not that he's strong, but he's so vicious. I had to push myself to take them down one by one."

"Still, it's impressive. How many people in the martial arts world can capture the Blue Wolf alone?"

"Plenty. They just haven't died yet."

"...Why do you always have to say things in such a cold way?"

"So, why did you come?"

"Hey? You must be quite injured, huh?"

"Huh?"

Jia Deshang pointed behind him with his thumb.

"Look."

Lian Huozheng looked at where he was pointing.

His eyes widened.

"I received a direct message from the family head. Actually, I was also curious about how you were holding up, so I came along as a guide."

The shadows revealed a hundred swordsmen, led by Shen Mo.

"Chang Ying Corps greets the Great Prince!"

"Great Prince, greetings!"

Their voices were so loud that the entire mountain echoed.

Lian Huozheng smacked his lips.

"Lower your voices. Do we need to spread the news?"

Jia Deshang snorted.

"Better to spread the news. It's better than looking like this."

Lian Huozheng chuckled.

"Still, how did you find me here?"

Shen Mo spoke in his characteristic low voice.

"The family head sent me personally. From now on, we will be responsible for the Great Prince's protection."

Father?

Lian Huozheng sighed.

"Even there, it must be busy. Why did he send them here?"

Jia Deshang scolded him.

"Hey, you. What kind of thing to say in front of people who ran hard enough to blister their feet? You should be grateful."

"Huh!"

Lian Huozheng got off the rock.

"Anyway, thanks for coming."

"No, it's nothing."

Lian Huozheng scratched his head, looking awkward.

"Still, where can I find an inn that can accommodate so many people? Can you help me, Jia Deshang?"

"Without me, you can't do anything, can you?"

"If you don't want to, don't."

"Ah, fine! I already found a decent estate nearby, so you can rest there. The noble families' eyes won't reach there."

"Thanks."

"Sure."

Jia Deshang asked casually.

"Still, how did your talk with the family head go? I still can't believe he came all the way to Henan."

"It went well."

"Is that it? Are you going to explain in more detail?"

Lian Huozheng chuckled. Indeed, talking to Jia Deshang was entertaining. It gave him a boost.

He detailed the conversation he had with the family head.

Jia Deshang's face showed interest.

"Authority... You mean the Grand Assembly Right?"

"Grand Assembly Right?"

"The masters of the Nine Great Sects and Seven Great Families have the Grand Assembly Right. They can gather the leaders of the righteous path to discuss important matters."

Lian Huozheng frowned, as he had never heard of it.

"Such a thing exists?"

"Yes. Of course, the Grand Assembly Right is rarely invoked. Gathering the leaders of the righteous path from all over the world is a big deal. If no resolution is reached, the proposer must bear the responsibility."

"Responsibility for calling a meeting for an important matter?"

"It means compensating for the losses each faction suffers due to the absence of their leaders. In other words, don't call a meeting for trivial matters."

What a peculiar right.

The dark path doesn't have such a system. The concept of a united force doesn't exist there. Lian Huozheng established the Black Emperor City and ruled alone because any alliance would end in betrayal.

"In other words, the family head is confident enough to do this."

"Exactly."

Lian Huozheng tilted his head.

"I understand what a temporary martial arts alliance means. But is it possible to gather the leaders of all factions in a month?"

"Some leaders may not be able to come due to circumstances. But if there are no such issues, they must come."

For Lian Huozheng, who was familiar with the dark path system, this was quite a shock.

"Anyway, since the talk went well, what are you going to do next?"

"Rest. For a while."

"So, you're not the type to rest without a plan."

Lian Huozheng's eyes sparkled.

"Jia Deshang, do you know that the noble families have secretly established a presence near Jiangsu Province?"

Jia Deshang smiled.

"I heard."

"A month is both long and short. Shouldn't we gradually tighten the noose around the noble families during this time?"

"Probably, I will act with my wife."

"Of course."

"I'll try to set the tone. I don't know if we can last a month, though."

"When the rumors die down, I will act."

Lian Huozheng's eyes gleamed.

"One must borrow others' fishing boats but do the fishing oneself."