Chapter 365: Chapter 157: Duke Tongye’s Unbroken Hereditary Succession, Zuo Shanhe’s Human World Demonstration Dao, Luo Fuyao... Ascends the Mountain!
The world’s five states, Tongye State.
Granted by Great Yin personally, once held the position of ’Second-Grade Duke’, which could be said to surpass the State Mansion, governing a region, at the residence of Duke Tongye, Li Shen Yao.
The snowy night was slightly chilly, with corridors atop the beams connecting the front and back courtyards, almost every few steps, there were burning embers crackling.
The figures of maids and servants busily hustling through, their heads crowded, listening to the directions of the nobles inside, fetching fire, adding wood, lighting lamps, changing clothes... occasionally whispers could be heard:
"Lord Duke rests early usually, why is it today that even at this late hour, the courtyard is still brightly lit..."
"Moreover, he called back two sons from the state governance and military command, and closed the room tightly, even servants can’t approach..."
"Hey, do you think it might be because of the Divine Capital?"
"I heard this lineage of Lord Duke has four offspring, except for the eldest son Li Qiankun, and the second son Li Xuanzong, there is an even more outstanding young son, said to have ’Innate Double Pupils’, staying at the mansion in the Divine Capital, but rarely coming to our fiefdom."
"Currently, the news of Lord Duke establishing independence is leaked, if..."
Two little servants hiding in the corner, stealing leisure amidst busyness, usually responsible for cleaning and attending to the daily life of Duke Tongye, Li Shen Yao, this time received an interdiction, not to approach the inner room, gaining some idleness.
Thus, they started whispering.
However, barely had they said a couple of sentences, when they were overheard by the passing chief steward of Tongye Duke’s Mansion, ’Li Gengnian’, who immediately scowled and rebuked:
"Do you two think you have another life? Dare to discuss private affairs of those in power during this turbulent time, truly feel you’ve lived enough?"
Li Gengnian’s appearance made the two gossiping servants turn pale and speechless, after the reprimand, they scattered like birds and beasts.
Afterwards,
He recalled the message received today, his eyes unintentionally showing some concern:
"That child Li Shentong, with Innate Double Pupils, his Divine Blood aptitude surpassing even the ’Six Pillars of the Royal Court’, was thought to be the hope for the Li Family’s revival, yet didn’t expect..."
...
At this moment, inner residence, Li Shen Yao’s quarters.
Only seeing, the rows of bookshelves on both sides were filled with bamboo scrolls recording ’Military Books and Scrolls’, various and numerous, numbering in the hundreds.
On the wall in the center, a map as wide as several feet was hanging.
On it, detailing ’the world’s five states’, every state, every mansion, the stationed forces in various places, and Jianghu and wilderness’s sixteen major sects... and so on, all meticulously listed, one glance reveals the owner’s ambitions are not small.
The map determines the vision and strategic level of a power, the more detailed, the deeper the accumulation.
Looking at the ancient sword with a sheath full of battle marks and permeated with a sense of wear and tear hanging beside the map, it is clear how many battles the owner has experienced.
Li Shen Yao, with hands behind his back, silently observing the map in the darkness lit by candlelight.
Behind him.
In Prefect’s Robe, looking scholarly and amiable Li Qiankun, along with the originally around twenty, with an armored, but naturally possessing a brave and bold atmosphere, Li Xuanzong, both remaining silent.
"Father, about the Divine Capital... what should be done?"
"Third brother, died on the way escaping from the "Divine Capital."
"Primordial Pill Level’s Personal Guard Commander, Li Qing successfully broke through with him, but... before being discovered by ’Princess Fu Yao’s’ Personal Guard, died in Mountain God Temple."
"Alive among the companions, only... the half-brother ’Li Shunfan’."
"According to intelligence, Shen Tong’s death has nothing to do with Great Yin."
"Then... those capable of acting, can only be the Demon members of ’Wuwei Sect’."
"After all, half-brother is not skilled with fists and feet, unfamiliar with Martial Dao, if claiming he uncovered the previously hidden ’backup plan’ in the mansion and executed a counter-kill, the probability is too low."
"But, if it were those lawless, uninhibited Wuwei Sect members, especially their Sect Leader, then it would make sense."
"The Wuwei Sect Leader Feng Zizai, after assassinating King Yin, rushed to Tongye State, joined Life and Death Mountain and River Sect, no one knows what happened on the mountain, however..."
"Nearly breakthrough True Master Mountain and River Sect Leader, handing his lifelong inheritance to him when going downhill, then disbanded the ’World’s First Mysterious Sect’, is also an undeniable fact."
"Such a person, under heaven, no one can control, King Yin’s wrath is overwhelming, surely his hatred for him is equal to us."
"Unfortunately, if it weren’t that he is likely the murderer of Shen Tong, under united enemy hatred, we might have borrowed Wuwei Sect’s influence to resist Great Yin’s oppression, which is better than being a pawn for Demon Ancestral Court in the northwest."
Li Qiankun analyzed today’s messages, his tone slow, articulating his insights gradually.
Li Xuanzong remained silent, slightly nodding, after a moment, he added:
"Eldest brother is reasonable, but,"
"These days... is our half-brother still our previous half-brother?"
"In a day and night, able to hitch a ride with Wuwei Sect Leader’s tailwind, from Ming Huang State Divine Capital, directly reaching Tongye State Life and Death Mountain and River Sect, and... gaining favor of ’Mountain and River Immortal’, even if he disbanded the sect, still keeping him teaching beside."
"If he could obtain Mountain and River Immortal’s true teachings, perhaps, he could get the secret of why ’Life and Death Mountain and River Sect’ disbanded, even... the secret to proving Dao True Master."
"If I recall correctly, half-brother has already reached ’sixteen’, right?"
