Chapter 51: Future Prospects!

In the ninth heaven.

Gao Ziqi walked through the air, holding Xu Daoyan by the shoulder, breaking through the sky.

In the air, they moved swiftly, but not at an extreme speed, which was within the limits Xu Daoyan's physical body could endure. He swayed, and if Gao Ziqi let go, he would fall from the sky and be smashed to pieces.

However, this was something he had already experienced with the old beggar, so he was not afraid. Moreover, Gao Ziqi had come to save him, so Xu Daoyan was not worried at all.

"Kid, do you want to go back to Youzhou to thank our Young Master Tian, or go back to Shilong City first?" Gao Ziqi grinned, holding a wine gourd and taking a big sip.

"Of course, I should go back to Shilong City. Senior, please convey my thanks to Young Master Tian. As a soldier of Shilong City, I cannot leave my post. I will thank him in person when I have the chance!" Xu Daoyan covered his mouth to prevent the wind from blowing in, which was quite uncomfortable.

"Alright, since that's the case, I'll drop you off in Shilong City!" In a blink, they arrived at Shilong City. Before Xu Daoyan could react, Gao Ziqi left, like a dragon that shows its head but not its tail.

Xu Daoyan looked up at the sky, clenched his fists, and made a vow in his heart: "One day, I will become as powerful as this!"

What seemed like a long distance to him was just a moment for such a powerful person.

Not long ago, he thought he would never be able to return home because the journey was too long, especially since he was trapped among the Xiong people. Escaping was as difficult as ascending to the heavens. He had originally planned to infiltrate the Xiong army and attack the border of the Nine States Divine Dynasty, taking advantage of the chaos to decapitate a general.

However, the reinforcements sent by Tian Tian disrupted his plan.

Xu Daoyan ran all the way to the General's Mansion and showed his token.

Shi Yun had been depressed for days because Tian Tian had not given him any response. Had something happened?

Every day, he could only practice martial arts in the garden alone to vent his dissatisfaction. Xu Daoyan was originally someone he had recognized as a good seedling, but now he was gone.

Shi Yun had not sent people to Youzhou to gather information, but the waters were too deep, and he had not obtained any valuable information.

"Master Shi, I'm back!" Xu Daoyan was safe and sound, though his clothes were tattered and he smelled of sheep and goats. However, Shi Yun did not mind at all and was overjoyed!

"Good, good, Brother Daoyan, you're finally back safely. Someone, prepare a hot bath for Daoyan to wash and change clothes. Set up a banquet in the back garden; I want to welcome Daoyan back!" Shi Yun was very happy and patted Xu Daoyan on the shoulder.

"Yes." The maidservant, seeing Shi Yun's good mood, smiled and quickly went to make the arrangements.

"Thank you!" Xu Daoyan was deeply moved; Shi Yun truly treated him like a brother.

"What are you thanking me for? Come, tell me what happened recently?" Shi Yun was very curious.

"Um, it happened like this..." Xu Daoyan recounted the entire story from beginning to end without any concealment.

"Is that so?" Shi Yun held the token made of immortal iron that Su Wei had given him, his expression complex. After a moment, he sighed and said, "Brother Daoyan, you have a better future ahead of you and don't need to be confined to Shilong City!"

Xu Daoyan frowned, puzzled, "What do you mean?"

"Do you know that the person who saved you is named Gao Ziqi? Anyone whose name includes the character 'zi' is an extremely remarkable person in the Nine States Divine Dynasty. This name is not given lightly!" Shi Yun said seriously.

"First time I've heard of it..." Xu Daoyan was just a boy from a border village; how could he know such things!

"Anyway, just know that anyone whose name includes 'zi' is very remarkable, far surpassing my father. They are people whose knowledge can be a model for generations!" Shi Yun said earnestly.

"Is he that powerful?" Xu Daoyan knew Gao Ziqi was a powerful person, but he didn't expect him to be so powerful!

"Yes, Gao Ziqi is a famous grand musician in the Nine States Divine Dynasty. The master you recognized, Su Wei, is of the royal bloodline of Suzhou, the wife of the Evil Emperor, a descendant of the Murong Yi lineage, and a legitimate heir. The master he worships, Kong Ziyuan, is of high seniority in the Confucian school. He gave you this token to have you go to the Evil Emperor City to find his master!" Although Shi Yun wanted to cultivate Xu Daoyan, from the beginning, he realized that Xu Daoyan had a mentor behind him. Now, with such an opportunity, it was his destiny. Shi Yun did not want to hinder Xu Daoyan's future and spoke sincerely.

"So, I support you going to the Evil Emperor City. It is the highest holy city in the entire Nine States Divine Dynasty, the place that countless people aspire to. Only by going there will you have greater development. Find Kong Ziyuan; everything is there!"

"But there are no brothers there!" Xu Daoyan knew that what Shi Yun said was true, but he had joined the army in Shilong City to protect his village and his mother.

Going to the Evil Emperor City would mean he couldn't protect his family. What would be the point? No matter what, he had to stay in Shilong City. At the very least, he couldn't let his mother continue to live in Lishi Village, even with Aunt Dumb's protection, it was still dangerous.

"Ha ha, good, you are worthy of being the brother I recognized. Although Shilong City is much smaller compared to the Evil Emperor City, it is enough for you to train for now. People aim high, and water flows low. When the time comes and this place is no longer suitable for you, I will send you away to have a better future. Who knows, maybe you will promote me then!" Shi Yun felt relieved, knowing that once a person knows they can reach a higher and better place, they will strive to reach it. However, Xu Daoyan valued emotions more, which made him even happier.

"I'll go take a bath and change clothes first. I have some matters that need your approval!" Xu Daoyan saw that the maidservant had already prepared hot water and went to a room in the back garden. Although he and Shi Yun were not as close as Wu Xiaobai, he could genuinely feel the other's sincerity and did not use too many formalities.

After a quarter of an hour, he came out of the room wearing the Lightning Armor and holding the Lightning Spear. The three months of archery practice had made Xu Daoyan's eyes more spirited and sharp.

In the back garden, on a stone pavilion.

A few small dishes and a pot of wine were set up, very simple.

Shi Yun looked at Xu Daoyan, whose current demeanor, though still slightly immature, already had the aura of a tiger or a leopard. He immediately said, "You mentioned that you need my approval for something. What is it?"

"It is now autumn. The border villages of Shilong City are likely to be attacked by the Xiong people. I want to lead my elite troops to defend them. What do you think, Master Shi?" Xu Daoyan knew that as a Shilong Guard, he had no authority to mobilize other troops, even his own escort.

"Ha ha, it's rare for you to have this heart. No problem, I can make this decision. Additionally, I can assign another thousand elite soldiers from the Wind Cavalry to you!" Shi Yun thought that the troops Xu Daoyan led were too few and feared they would not be able to deal with the Xiong people.

"No need, a hundred men are enough. I am not good at leading troops, and more men would make it harder to command. Consider it as a training opportunity for me!" Xu Daoyan knew his limits. Any soldier who went to war with him was putting their life in his hands. Without experience, he dared not be careless!

"Alright, the Xiong people may not invade. You can go on a patrol first and then adapt as needed!" Shi Yun felt that Xu Daoyan was very reliable and trusted him even more.

"Come, let's have a drink!" Xu Daoyan was in high spirits. He had joined the army to protect his village and his mother. Since Shi Yun agreed, he was naturally very happy.

After drinking a cup of wine, he thought of the dead Lifeng horse and said, "I want to go to General Shi to confess my fault!"

"Are you talking about the Lifeng horse?" Shi Yun saw that Xu Daoyan's expression was heavy and smiled to ease the tension.

"Yes, the Lifeng horse had a deep bond with General Shi, but I..." Xu Daoyan felt very guilty now. If he hadn't provoked the Heavenly Ghost Sect, none of this would have happened.

"The Heavenly Ghost Sect does evil deeds. You stood up for justice, which is your duty. This is all within the jurisdiction of Shilong City. You have contributed to us. On the battlefield, only the results matter, not personal feelings. The Lifeng horse died in battle, which is its destiny. Young Master Tian is safe and has completed his mission. As for you, not only are you not guilty, but you have also earned merit!" Shi Yun spoke clearly and firmly, but Xu Daoyan still felt uneasy.

"These words are not mine, but my father's. Don't take it to heart. As a soldier, my father has seen countless comrades die before him. It is precisely because of this that we must be more cautious in every war."

Shi Yun's words were deeply etched in Xu Daoyan's heart. At least for him, he must do everything to minimize the death rate of his comrades.

After drinking a pot of wine, the two went to the Shilong Chamber of Commerce.

It was now autumn, the best time to cultivate the lungs. Previously, due to the environment, he could not purchase high-quality gold spirit stones. Now that he was back in Shilong City, he would not miss the opportunity. If his lungs could also reach a flawless state, it would greatly increase his cultivation speed. He was eager to do so.

When they arrived at the Shilong Chamber of Commerce, the black-clothed man who had greeted them before personally led them inside, accompanied by Old Master Xue.

"Master Shi, Master Xu, it's been a while since you last came. I miss you very much!" Old Master Xue smiled brightly, paying special attention to Xu Daoyan's Lightning Armor. He was very curious about how this top-quality human-grade equipment would look if it were upgraded to the earth-grade level.

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