Outside the Duchenghuang Temple, rain was drizzling down. After the black fog from the direction of Dasheng Pass dispersed, light rain began to fall within Nanjing City.
Li Yan had no choice but to borrow a covered ox cart from inside the temple to transport his unconscious younger brother ho.
And under the porch at the entrance of the temple, Xue Yunrou and Jiang Hanyun stood, one staring blankly, the other with a vacant look in their eyes, as they watched the ox cart receding into the rain-soaked distance.
"We should also head back."
Not until the cart disappeared from view did Jiang Hanyun withdraw her gaze: "Fortunately, my father is at ho; he can help you treat your injuries. With a wound as large as yours, no one else in Jinling City can assure that it will not leave any scars."
But Xue Yunrou turned around and said: "Cousin, do you also like Li Xuan? May I ask, what exactly have you two discussed?"
"How could I possibly like him?"
Jiang Hanyun reflexively argued: "We haven’t talked at all! If you an last ti at Duke Xuguo’s residence, that was just for show in front of my mother."
But before the words were finished, a sense of regret arose in her heart, making her feel like she had done sothing irrevocable.
Xue Yunrou was sowhat taken aback, but then she started laughing joyfully: "Since cousin you’ve said that, then you can’t bla for acting despicably and stealing love."
Jiang Hanyun imdiately frowned and asked: "What do you an, Yunrou?"
At this ti, she rembered that when Xue Yunrou asked her if she liked Li Xuan earlier, she used the word ’also’.
"I think I might have fallen for him." Xue Yunrou held on to her wound, suppressing her severe pain: "If in the future I must choose a husband for myself, he is the only one."
Jiang Hanyun was stunned for a mont: "You like him? Just because he saved your life this ti? Do you know what kind of person he was before?"
She thought this was too rash, and felt inexplicably irritated.
"Of course, I know. My aunt asked to investigate his character. He was indeed quite reckless in the past, but I think he is really good now. Since he was recognized by ’The Song of Integrity’, it shows that he has truly changed."
Xue Yunrou retorted: "Isn’t saving my life enough reason? Also, you’re right, unless you have been in a life-and-death situation like I was, you will never understand my feelings. He stood in front of , risking his life for . Tell , which girl in the world wouldn’t like a man like him?"
Jiang Hanyun was left speechless and shook her head after a long while: "I hope Yunrou, you won’t regret it in the future."
"Whether or not I’m going to regret it in the future, I don’t know, but at this mont, I am sure of my feelings."
Xue Yunrou sternly locked eyes with Jiang Hanyun: "Even if you, cousin, change your mind, I won’t give in."
Her deanor was battle-like, intimidating: "I am not like you, cousin. Since I have fallen in love with him, I will use every thod to capture him for myself!"
At this mont, the young girl’s spirit seed to have crossed a certain barrier. The rain within a hundred feet was held up by a force, suspended in mid-air, unable to fall.
Moreover, strands of electrical currents seeped into the ground from under the young girl’s feet, much like thick thunder serpents swirling in all directions.
※※※※
Just when the ox cart left Duchenghuang Temple, Li Yan was also looking at the two girls through the window of the cart.
Not until they were out of sight, did Li Yan ask Tingtian Ao, "Dare I ask General Tingtian, do both of them like my foolish younger brother?"
"Without my master’s permission, I cannot arbitrarily probe people’s hearts." Tingtian Ao dodged the question and then asked back: "What does the Princely Heir think?"
"I am not sure about the one nad ’Blood Hand Shura’ Jiang Xiaowei, but the other one, she must like him imnsely."
Thinking of Miss Xue’s lineage and wealth, Li Yan couldn’t help but feel a sense of envy: "I never thought my brother could be so lucky."
This Miss Xue was indeed the only direct relative of the world-renowned heavenly-level Wu cultivator, her maternal uncle was also a great master renowned throughout Jiangnan and was a world-renowned physician, moreover, she stood to inherit billions from her family.
It seed that his brother had a promising future of living off his wife’s family.
"That’s probably it then."
As Tingtian Ao was speaking, he suddenly sensed a shift and looked towards the carriage door. At so point, a person had arrived there. Despite his short and bent stature, he exuded an imposing presence.
And his gaze was fixed on Li Xuan.
"Father!"
"Earl Chengyi!"
Li Yan and Tingtian Ao blurted out simultaneously. However, Li Chengji ignored them. He walked straight to Li Xuan’s side and began feeling his pulse to assess his condition.
After a while, Li Chengji finally asked Tingtian Ao, "Is everything you said about my son true?"
Earlier, Li Yan had sent a ssage about Li Xuan’s coma due to his injuries.
"Absolutely true, without any exaggeration!"
Tingtian Ao answered with a steadfast tone and candid expression, "He indeed manifested ’The Song of Integrity’ as a battle armor, and truly fought a demon for a long ti, almost single-handedly breaking through the array of Taishan Prefecture Lord’s Sacrifice. Even the formidable Yuan Zhou failed to make him submit. You should be able to feel the abundant righteousness within him, his will remains unbroken even in unconsciousness."
He sighed afterwards, "I need to apologize. I didn’t anticipate this when he first got involved."
"Why the apology?" Li Chengji waved off the comnt magnanimously, then patted Li Xuan’s shoulder. Bursting into joyous laughter, he exclaid, "My son makes proud! As expected of my seed! I knew that one day, Xuan would make proud!"
"I can feel his unyielding and prideful spirit."
At this mont, Qiu Qianqiu also ca in. He too, watched Li Xuan with an approving and satisfied gaze. "He is truly Shiyu’s child. This righteousness alone would be enough to comfort his maternal grandfather in the afterlife."
※※※※
At the sa ti, within the Guozi Bureau in Nanjing at the foot of Jilong Mountain, Cheng of Guozi Bureau was nervously walking in excitent. He swiftly entered a supervisor’s house located to the east of the vast academic monastery.
A middle-aged man in scholarly attire was kneeling in front of a lamp, engrossed in reading a scroll. Only when Shen Jiang approached did the man furrow his brow and put down the book. "What? Couldn’t Dasheng Pass hold them off?"
Before he could finish, the scholar realized that Shen Jiang was not showing signs of panic. His rapid breathing was due to another reason.
"They held them off. Before the two Siye could arrive, Dasheng Pass had already been cald. A powerful individual summoned by Duchenghuang suppressed the 300,000 ghost soldiers of the Han dynasty. It is said that Duchenghuang made use of this opportunity, even sealing off that area that connects the Yin and Yang realms."
While speaking, the Cheng of Guozi Bureau put a copy of "The Song of Integrity" on the desk in front of the middle-aged scholar, "I ca here for another matter. Jijiu, have a look at this copy of ’The Song of Integrity’."
"Hmm?"
The man in scholarly attire had already sensed the oddity of the scroll. As he unrolled it slowly, he saw the script within was now embossed in silvery patterns; touching it, he could feel a certain temperature.
This caused the scholar to be taken aback, "When did this happen?"
"It was discovered a mont ago. The staff at the book collection building imdiately inford . At that ti, the characters were a pale gold and were hot to the touch."
Cheng Shen Jiang’s voice trembled, struggling to contain his excitent, "This is great news! The original ’The Song of Integrity’ by Zhonglie Duke Wen, which has been lost for several centuries, has reappeared! This is a grand event for our literary circle in Nanjing! I believe that our Guozi Bureau should bring this original version of ’The Song of Integrity’ back."
After giving him a glance, the scholar didn’t respond, instead continuing to examine the characters. After a long while, a smile appeared in his eyes, "’The Song of Integrity’s’ rightful place has already been arranged by Zhonglie Duke Wen, so what do you want with it? On the other hand, I’m quite interested in the one who embodies Zhonglie Duke Wen’s broad and righteous intent, who brought ’The Song of Integrity’ out from the netherworld."
Shen Jiang was taken aback and replied sowhat confused, "What do you an, Jijiu?"
"This person’s righteousness is grand and upright, unyieldingly vigorous. It aligns with Zhonglie Duke Wen’s teaching but is not from the lineage of Confucianism."
The scholar pointed at ’The Song of Integrity’: "Such a talent, how can we allow him to stay outside the realm of the Confucian school? If we could guide him, teach him carefully, Confucianism will indeed have a successor in the future. That’s indeed what we should focus on."
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