Upon hearing the words "your mother," Yang Tiansheng immediately lowered his flags and silenced his drums, grudgingly responding, "All right, son will rest for two days."
While he said "rest for two days" out loud, he was still pondering in his heart, "What exactly is wrong?"
He had known Yang Ge since a very early time and could even be said to have been... the only witness and participant throughout Yang Ge’s journey.
Moreover, since Yang Ge had never concealed from him his insights into the martial path... although due to the complexity and particularity of idealism, Yang Ge had not fully explained his insight that "I am my own god" to Yang Tiansheng, he had still tried to explain some of it in terms that Yang Tiansheng could understand.
As a result, his understanding of Yang Ge’s martial skills... felt like he got it, but also didn’t quite get it.
Yet, based on this vague understanding, combined with his experiences with Yang Ge and several firsthand observations of Yang Ge’s use of the "Metallic Fury," he had managed to create the move Eight Swords as One!
Even more, he had faintly touched upon the threshold of "idealism"!
If Yang Ge had known his state at that moment, he would surely have given him a thumbs up and said, "This is the best state to be in!"
The power of idealism is different for everyone, unique to each individual.
Those who learn from me thrive, while those who imitate me perish!
No one knows a son better than his father. Seeing Yang Yinghao’s distracted behavior, Yang Tiansheng knew that his mind must still be on the breakthrough of "Eight Swords as One," and he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly at how the world had truly changed. Even his once disobedient and attention-seeking son was now focusing wholeheartedly on martial arts without stepping outside the door...
Indeed, he is a true son of the Yang Family!
While he was inwardly sighing with admiration, he casually took out a scroll from his bosom and handed it to Yang Tiansheng in a calm manner, "Lou Wai Lou has updated their ranking again!"
Yang Tiansheng looked at the scroll in his hand with bewilderment and muttered nonchalantly, "Dad, I don’t even want to move a fingertip right now, why don’t you read it to me."
Yang Yinghao withdrew the scroll with the back of his hand and said composedly, "There’s not much change in the update this time, the Twelve Gallants are still the Twelve Gallants, and the Seven Heroes are still the Seven Heroes..."
"Ah?"
Yang Tiansheng finally perked up and asked weakly, "What about Yang Ge? Has the Four Oldest become the Five Elders? That guy isn’t even old yet!"
Yang Yinghao replied, "That’s not it. It’s just that the Four Oldest have become the Five Unparalleled."
"Five Unparalleled?"
Yang Tiansheng pondered the new title and nodded thoughtfully, "Such an unmatched summit, an unparalleled demeanor... it’s so fitting, too fitting indeed!"
Yang Yinghao glanced at him, unfurled the scroll, and read out deliberately, "Western Fei Yun, Northern Wanderer, Southern Saint Peacock, Eastern Venerable Sun... Lord Zhongshen!"
"What?"
Yang Tiansheng dug at his ears, doubting he had heard correctly, "What did you just say?"
Yang Yinghao patiently repeated, emphasizing at the end, "Your good friend Yang Erlang has topped the Jianghu Heroes List, being the number one person in the world!"
Yang Tiansheng looked at his father in astonishment, "Yang Ge? The number one person in the world?"
In his gaze, Yang Yinghao nodded heavily.
"Hahaha..."
Yang Tiansheng suddenly burst into laughter, "Yang Ge, oh Yang Ge, you really did it!"
Listening to his hearty laughter, Yang Yinghao couldn’t help but sigh with emotion, "When I first met him, I knew he was no ordinary man... but I never expected him to be such an extraordinary figure!"
As he spoke, he also secretly rejoiced... His son’s judgment of people was sharper than his own!
If his son hadn’t steadfastly befriended Yang Erlang, standing by him through thick and thin, working together to make progress, how could the Yang Family have such a strong ally, and how could his son have become what he is today?
A thousand words were ultimately condensed into one sentence...
’Youth is truly wonderful!’
"Now you got it wrong!"
Yang Tiansheng, gasping with laughter, corrected his father, "That guy never intended to be an extraordinary figure, nor did he ever think of being the number one in the world. I’d even bet that upon hearing this news, he would only comment ’Boring’ and then dismiss it from his mind!"
"Oh?"
Yang Yinghao was intrigued by his words, "How do you figure?"
Yang Tiansheng explained through bouts of laughter, "Because that guy never cared for what we call Jianghu or the martial arts world. To be frank, he didn’t even have any respect for our Jianghu, for all the fame and fortune that we martial artists dream of and strive for with all our might. In his eyes, it’s probably just a fart!"
"No, it’s probably even less than a fart!"
He seemed to recall something amusing and laughed even louder, with his chest beginning to ache, "Just think about those big events in our eyes that he was involved in. Which of those was done for fame or fortune? When doing those things, he wouldn’t even bother leaving his real name behind. Everyone only knows him as Yang Erlang, but how many people know his first name is Ge, as in ’Ge who stops wars with a swing of his spear!’"
That was a bit of a blow to his self-esteem.
Yang Yinghao tried to argue several times, but each time he opened his mouth, he couldn’t produce a complete sentence.
He didn’t want to admit at all that the Jianghu, where their martial arts families had been lurking for generations, was less than nothing in others’ eyes.
But he truly couldn’t find the words to argue.
Just think, if it had been someone else who accomplished the great feats that Yang Erlang did, what would they have done?
They would have made a lot of friends!
They would have created an imposing presence and sought dominance!
They would have aspired to the position of the Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch...
And Yang Erlang?
He abandoned the great foundation in Jiangzhe, returned alone to Lu Ting, and resumed his role as the little innkeeper.
Before Yang Yinghao could snap out of his deep thoughts, Yang Tiansheng suddenly clapped his hands loudly and exclaimed, "Indeed, where the heart goes, the steps follow; where the Dao lies, though millions block the way, I shall pass!"
"The rest..."
"is but passing clouds and smoke!"
"is but dreams and illusions!"
"The Dao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Dao!"
"I seek my own Dao!"
"My Dao is eternal!"
"My Dao is unique!"
"Sincere to the Dao!"
"Utmost in the Dao!"
"Words are the Dao!"
"Actions are the Dao!"
"Spirit is the Dao!"
This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.
"Heart is the Dao!"
"I am my Dao!"
"Hahaha, the young master has realized, the young master has realized!"
He was like a mad mathematician, endlessly deriving the next result from one equation after another.
Then, laughing heartily, he slapped the artificial mountain he sat upon, shot into the sky, and performed a feat of strength as if it were nothing, attracting the enormous energy of heaven and earth to swarm towards him.
"Sword out!"
he shouted.
In an instant, eight precious swords shot out from the bottom of Lotus Pond Lake, hovering and circling around him ceaselessly.
"Gather!"
He pointed to the sky with one hand and called out loudly.
The eight precious swords immediately responded, merging into one in a smooth and elegant motion, as if a maidservant were picking flowers!
"Combine!"
He opened his five fingers and gently grasped at the eight precious swords.
Eight strands of Sword Qi shot up into the sky, smoothly merging from eight to four, from four to two, and from two to... one!
Yang Tiansheng, laughing, stretched out his hand towards the terrifying strand of Sword Qi and grasped it in the air, eager to chop at something.
Seeing this from below, Yang Yinghao was shaken to his core and shouted hysterically, "My boy’s mother, come quick and see your old son!"
In the high skies, falling into a profound and inscrutable trance, Yang Tiansheng’s eyelid twitched, and he instantly regained his senses, reversing his hand to direct the Sword Qi he held towards the sky!
"Bang."
The dazzling Sword Qi soared, exploding like a splendid firework in mid-air, with red ripples spreading far and wide, stirring up a gale that swept across the entire Zhuang.
Yang Yinghao, with tingling scalp, gazed at the ripples, a tremendous question arising in his heart: "Is this really my seed? Was I ever this outstanding?"