Chapter 516: Chapter 515: No Feast Lasts Forever
The affairs of the Twin Cities had caused quite a stir among the upper echelon sects of Xuanwu State.
Shi Xiaole learned from Ai WenXiang that including the martial arts sects of Kuanghai City, all the major sects had mobilized their experts, and were hunting down the Shadow Lord throughout the Martial World.
The Twin Cities serve as a cradle for the major sects to cultivate their disciples, a line that cannot be crossed. If the Shadow Lord is not punished severely this time, what will they do if another Lord does the same in the future?
Besides the Shadow Lord, the forces where Xiahou Jinlun, Yan Wuwei, Zhang Jingyi and Yuan Qiusheng belonged to, were involved too. It was said that they had each suffered a certain degree, and along with the execution of all four, this matter was finally resolved.
Only Bai Xixi is left out, as if everything about her has been deliberately concealed.
"After this incident, my hatred towards certain sects has deepened. But it doesn’t matter, even without this incident, they would not have let me go."
The saying goes, "When a person is infested with lice, they don’t bite." Counting it all, since coming to Xuanwu State, Shi Xiaole had successively offended the Tianyuan Association, Spring Night Hell, and Xiahou Clan, three major super first-class powers. And now he was adding Tianyan Sect, and even the Hell Gate behind Bai Xixi.
However, Shi Xiaole was not afraid. He believed that his actions were just and did not violate any morals, if these few significant forces wanted to take revenge, they were welcome to try.
After staying in Kuangyun City for several days, the calls to appoint Shi Xiaole as the fifth leader in the city were growing louder.
Ordinary disciples need to consistently achieve meritorious service to gradually improve their positions. It had never happened before that someone had just joined less than a month and was instantly promoted to lead.
However, this time was different. Shi Xiaole’s merits were simply too great, almost single-handedly overturning the balance of power in the Twin Cities. It was something that ordinary people couldn’t achieve in several lifetimes.
One day.
While Shi Xiaole was practicing swordsmanship, Yu He and other three leaders came in person, expressing the same idea.
Seeing Shi Xiaole undecided, Yu He smiled and said, "What, does my junior brother Shi think this position is unworthy? As long as you are willing, you can be the top leader of Kuangyun City."
Never underestimate the influence of the leader.
Disciples are the most fundamental forces for the development of sects, and those who stand out and perform well in the various sects, a considerable part of them came from Kuangyun City, and the leader is their Senior Brother.
So looking at the present, the leader’s influence may be limited to the Twin Cities, but after several decades, when these people grow into the upper echelons of their sects, it would be terrifying.
In the Martial World, there are always things that one cannot do on their own. If one were to have a network of various sects and everyone supports each other, it would undoubtedly benefit oneself and others.
Shi Xiaole was no fool. Of course, he saw through this, but still refused, saying: "I follow no school or sect, I am not considered a part of the Jianghu circle in Xuanwu State. And besides, I will not be staying here for long."
Ye Lanzhi stepped forward, her eyes filled with jest: "That can be solved. As long as Shi Bangshou is willing, Ye Lanzhi will report it to Tide Gate immediately and make you the best disciple."
"Leaf, Xiao Le is my brother. If he wants to join a clan, it would be the Ai Family. It’s definitely not your turn to meddle!"
Ai WenXiang coldly snorted, pushing Ye Lanzhi away with a hand.
Seeing that the two were about to start quarreling, Yu He intervened, "Junior Brother Shi is worried too much. With your relationship with the Ai Family, you are fully qualified for the position of leader. As for not staying here for long, each leader has their rest time. If it is not convenient for you, you just need to accept the position and do not need to carry out the duties."
Yu He is not being persistent or intentionally pleasing to Shi Xiaole, this is simply necessary.
Without him, all four of their leaders would have died, let alone counter-killed Xiahou Jinlun and the others, once resulting in Kuanghai City’s power being greatly reduced.
Remember only those under fifty, the younger generation, are eligible to represent their sects in the Twin Cities. And the elite under fifty, are few and far between in all the major super first-class forces. At least for the next ten years, Kuanghai City can’t compete with Kuangyun City.
All of this was because of Shi Xiaole.
Without placing him in the leading position. it would be hard to appease the crowd.
Faced with the four pairs of eyes fixed on him, Shi Xiaole pondered for a long time. Eventually, he said, "In that case, thank you all for your high regard. Shi Xiaole is willing to be the fifth leader."
He is not the type to feign modesty. Since they had already spoken to this extent, any further refusal would not be seen as polite, but rather as a refusal to give face. Moreover, there are many benefits of being a leader in Kuangyun City, so there is no reason to refuse.
"Hahaha..."
Ai Wenxiang laughed heartily, extremely excited.
Yu He also nodded secretly; this time, he looked at Shi Xiaole with admiration.
He deliberately stated that he was to be the fifth leader, making it clear that he did not want to compete for the first place. A person of great strength who also knew when to advance or retreat, truly a generation of outstanding heroes!
He stayed in Kuangyun City for another month. During this period, Shi Xiaole, as the leader, led the army several times to grab valuable resources.
Of course, he was basically just going through the motions and acting as a deterrent. Who else in the Twin Cities could be his opponent now?
Time flies, and the second month passes by.
One day, Shi Xiaole suddenly decided to leave. In Twin Cities, there was no longer a challenge, and continuing to stay would hinder his cultivation.
"Brother Shi, why are you in such a hurry to leave? I haven’t had a chance to learn swordsmanship from you yet."
Ai Wenhong looked distressed. His injuries had recovered half a month ago, and he had benefited greatly from studying with Shi Xiaole these days.
And it wasn’t just him, Ai Wenqian also used this opportunity to seek advice on many issues from Shi Xiaole.
The other party was completely open, every time making her feel like a veil had been lifted. She felt that his explanations were clearer than many of the Elders in the Ai Family, and she had already developed a deep admiration for him.
Upon suddenly hearing that he was leaving, her icy and aloof heart felt an unprecedented sense of sorrow and reluctance to part.
"All banquets must end, everyone has their own path to follow. Wen Hong, Wen Qian, the next time we meet, we must have a good drink together."
Shi Xiaole laughed.
"Brother Shi..."
Ai Wenhong hesitated.
After spending many days together, he had already understood that Shi Xiaole was a man who was gentle on the outside but tough on the inside. No one could change his decisions.
He wanted to journey through the Martial World with his best friend, living a life of swords and songs. But as a direct descendant of the Ai Family, he had to stay at least one year in Kuangyun City, unable to break this custom.
Ai Wenqian laughed lightly, her voice was softer than she had realized: "When are you leaving?"
"Right now."
The cold fragrant breeze drifted, when Ai Wenqian returned, she held a newly opened jar of wine in her hand, saying, "What happens next time is for next time, Shi, Xiaole, thank you for your guidance and care over this period."
She lifted the jar, tilted back her head and took a sip, her actions a stark contrast to her usual delicate and graceful nature. Moments later, she handed the jar to Shi Xiaole.
"Miss, no need to be so formal."
Imitating her actions, Shi Xiaole also took a sip. Before he could say anything, Ai Wenhong had already snatched the jar from his hand and drank straight from the jar.
With a faint smile, Shi Xiaole turned his head and stepped away.
When Ai Wenhong put down the jar, Shi Xiaole had already left the courtyard. Turning around and looking at his surroundings, Ai Wenhong was momentarily stunned before suddenly launching himself into the sky.
On Whitehead Peak, he saw a fleeting glimpse of him.
At the Linjiang Immortal Meeting, he had stood up for him, not fearing the consequences of clashing with the Xiahou Clan.
On a moonlit night at the mine, he had led away the powerful enemies alone. Ten days later, he returned in green robes, single-handedly reversing the crisis in Kuangyun City.
These past scenes vividly surfaced in his mind. The golden rays of the setting sun cast a melancholic light, just as the figure in the green robe gradually became a tiny dot in the distance, Ai Wenhong’s eyes welled up with tears as he shouted, "Brother Shi!"
The echo of his voice disturbed the silence.
In the tower, Ai Wenqian stood quietly.
Her favorite scene was the sunset at twilight. But today, the tranquility and beauty of twilight seemed to have been taken away along with him, forcing her to lose interest.
"Your lonely figure on the road makes people feel both lonely and pitiful, but the occasional smile is so heartwarming. What kind of person are you?"
Her vaguely resentful sigh floated gently into the void.
Downstairs, Ai Wenxiang withdrew his gaze and shook his head.
Some people were once-in-a-lifetime. Shi Xiaole had such a quality about him. He was like an unpredictable cloud, arousing many thoughts but nobody truly knew where he belonged.
"Will there be a day when my Ai family needs his help?"
An unexpected thought emerged, causing Ai Wenxiang to give a rueful smile and continue his practice.
"He left?"
In the tower, Yu He heard Ai Wenhong’s shout and quickly stood up, coming to the window. He stood there for a long time, murmuring to himself, "I wonder, how will you look like if we meet again next time?"
