Chapter 1679: Chapter 39: To Chang
An entire squad of cavalry pulled their warhorses to a halt in sync with the leading young lieutenant’s command.
The thunderous sound of hooves came to an abrupt stop.
Ordered and imposing, its momentum was overwhelming.
The dust that had surged high into the air gently settled back down.
It was as if a piece of dance music had suddenly paused.
This was truly a rare elite force!
Which only served to highlight the commanding presence of the young leader at the front.
Jiang Wang’s eyes lit up, "Little Guang Shu!"
Although it was the first time he was seeing this child in the real world, and his appearance differed somewhat from that in the Taixu Illusion Realm, Jiang Wang recognized him at a glance.
That innate spiritual aura was unmistakably unique.
No sooner had he spoken, than a voice transmitted with barely concealed exasperation reached his ears, "Don’t add the ’Little’ prefix!"
Jiang Wang gave a faint smile, "First time meeting, please, General Zuo, take good care of me."
The young lieutenant perched high on horseback nodded proudly and said, "Brother Jiang, we meet again!"
Jiang Wang looked at him with interest, saying, "Meeting in the Taixu Illusion Realm doesn’t count."
Zuo Guangshu snorted softly, waved an upright palm, and a knight led over a noble steed with water-blue fur.
He lifted his chin with the demeanor of a general and said, "Let’s discuss on horseback."
The knight leading the horse softly reminded, "This horse is also the Young Master’s mount, brought specially for you. It has a bit of a temper, so sir, you might want to be gentle with it."
The horse had smooth, shiny fur with a tall and long physique. Its mane fell like a waterfall, and its entire body was covered in water-blue fur, like a cloak of ocean waves.
Its eyes were wary with a hint of menace, indicating its temper indeed wasn’t great.
Jiang Wang casually grabbed the reins and smoothly mounted the horse.
The horse slightly flared its nostrils, lifting a hoof, ready to teach this unfamiliar and rude intruder a lesson.
But a terrifying force suddenly descended upon it.
Its hoof was barely raised half an inch before it was heavily planted back on the ground, immobile like an old tree taking root.
The snort was cut off midway as well.
The horse’s head slightly bowed, its eye gaze softened, becoming exceedingly obedient.
Jiang Wang reached out to stroke the horse’s water-blue mane and heard Zuo Guangshu say, "It’s your first time seeing me, but I’ve seen you before. While you struggled fiercely on the Guanhe Platform, I was leisurely watching from below!"
The way he made not qualifying for the Yellow River Gathering sound so effortlessly charming!
Jiang Wang chuckled lightly, turning his horse alongside Zuo Guangshu, yet not asking why Zuo didn’t greet him then, simply saying, "Surely, my heroic presence left a lasting impression on you!"
Zuo Guangshu instinctively wanted to refute, but as the words reached his lips, he found Jiang Wang’s statement quite convincing, thus he merely snorted.
With reins in hand and a light kick of his boot, the steed underneath him leapt high and charged ahead.
Jiang Wang spurred his horse to keep pace with him.
The entire squad of cavalry, clad in flame-colored armor, also turned and followed closely.
The north and south gates of Linzi’s border city were wide open, the main artery of the city clear in anticipation.
This elite mounted force, with hoofbeats like drums, coursed straight through the border city.
Arriving with a roar, they departed with a roar.
"Who was that earlier? The Young Master came to welcome them personally?" The guards of the border city couldn’t help but discuss.
"Didn’t you hear his surname is Jiang?"
"What’s so special about the surname Jiang?"
"The Mountain and Sea Realm will open in February, just tell me, among the younger generation worthy of being welcomed by the Young Master outside the city, who else with the surname Jiang fits the bill?"
"Why, the Yellow River Leader, of course!"
"The one Yu Beidou mentioned as the first Inner Mansion in history?"
"It’s not just Yu Beidou’s mention; it’s someone with immortal battle records, slaying four great Human Demons with Inner Mansion cultivation!"
"He’s now in the Outer Building Environment though!"
"I wonder how he compares to Lord Dou Zhao now?"
"Hmph, are you crazy? How can someone just entering the Outer Building be compared with Lord Dou?"
"Why not have a match though? Didn’t he already defeat Chen Suan?"
"Who is Chen Suan?"
...
Their discussions, naturally, always followed behind the strong.
Sometimes it was a kind of embellishment, other times a form of mud and grime.
Jiang Wang and Zuo Guangshu galloped side by side, their presence like immortals, the horses resembling Jiao Dragons.
Riding together over the grand land of Xiong Chu, their hearts filled with indescribable exhilaration.
They were not just good rivals in the Taixu Illusion Realm, nor merely shared like minds and delightful conversations.
There was an unspeakable name, an invisible bond.
Making them feel even a touch closer to each other.
Jiang Wang held the reins and asked over the whistling wind, "Where are we heading now?"
"First to Huaichang," Zuo Guangshu said, "Usually you have two months to prepare for entering the Mountain and Sea Realm. If you had come last year, there’d be ample time, but it’s a bit late now, we need to hurry. Huaichang is where the Zuo family’s estate is, the family has made extensive preparations there, ample to help us prepare for the Mountain and Sea Realm in advance."
Jiang Wang smiled wryly, "I also wanted to come last year..."
At that time, he had a clear objective to participate in the Mountain and Sea Realm, but just as he left Yun Country, he was accused of communicating with demons and soon faced worldwide pursuit, trouble following one after another, truly a misfortune.
He had thought he had missed the Mountain and Sea Realm and already let Zuo Guangshu down. But with the swift conclusion of the nebulous affair in Linzi, requiring him to get away, and with Zuo Guangshu mentioning the Mountain and Sea Realm opening only in February of Dao Calendar 3920, he decided to come back to Chu.
Hearing Jiang Wang’s words, and recalling the thrilling experiences the other had recently been through, Zuo Guangshu’s hand holding the reins paused briefly, still gazing ahead, but his voice suddenly softened, "I don’t mean to blame you..."
