Eternal Saber

Outside Langya Pavilion.

"Ye Xuan, how has the Old Pavilion Master been lately?"

"My uncle is well, thank you for your concern, Brother Wang."

"In recent years, the Profound Celestial Sect has grown increasingly rampant, and the Jianghu is also unstable. It seems the Shadow Tower is showing signs of revival. At the year-end Martial Arts Assembly, it’s said that a Martial Arts Alliance Leader will be chosen to rally the sects and forces of Jianghu to crusade against the Profound Celestial Sect. Doesn’t the Sword Pavilion plan to take charge of the situation?"

Ye Xuan remained silent.

After a moment, Ye Xuan’s sleeve flicked, and a handwritten letter fell into his palm, which he handed to Uncle Xiao Wang.

Uncle Xiao Wang merely raised an eyebrow but did not take it.

Ye Xuan said calmly, "This time when I came down the mountain, besides visiting Zhiwei at Langya Pavilion, I also have a task, which is to deliver a letter from my uncle to you."

Upon hearing that the letter was from the Old Pavilion Master, Uncle Xiao Wang finally accepted it.

Ye Xuan said, "Whatever you believe of the letter’s content, Brother Wang, please burn it after reading."

Uncle Xiao Wang felt a shiver run through his heart.

A letter penned by the Old Pavilion Master, and even having Ye Xuan personally descend the mountain to deliver it, must be of great significance!

In recent years, the Old Pavilion Master retired to East Mountain, leaving the affairs of Jianghu and the court aside. What matter could be important enough for him to write a letter himself?

The Old Pavilion Master rarely emerges from seclusion, only ever twice.

Once was during the Han Wen rebellion, and once during the Xiajiang battle.

Directly altering the landscape of Great Xia and the world!

Uncle Xiao Wang gently unfolded the letter, and in a short time, had finished reading its contents.

His palm trembled, his inner Qi surged.

The letter instantly turned to dust and was blown off the cliff by the wind, disappearing without a trace.

Uncle Xiao Wang’s expression was grave.

The content of the letter was shockingly astonishing, even with his knowledge, a storm raged in his heart just moments ago!

If it were anyone else telling him such a thing, he would have dismissed it as a great joke.

But this letter was from the Old Pavilion Master.

If it had been before today, even in the Old Pavilion Master’s handwriting, he would have had some doubts.

But combined with today’s news, what the letter described is likely true!

Uncle Xiao Wang pondered deeply for a long time before slowly saying, "I need to think about the Old Pavilion Master’s suggestion, and I’ll give you an answer once I’ve decided."

Ye Xuan said, "It must be before the year-end Martial Arts Assembly."

"I understand."

Uncle Xiao Wang took a deep breath, and after a long while, still hadn’t recovered from the matter just now.

"In your view, who could serve as the Commander of the Northern Expedition Army after me?"

After a pause, Uncle Xiao Wang changed the subject with an apparently casual question.

Ye Xuan said, "Brother Wang, you’re in your prime, deeply trusted by Your Majesty, there’s no need to consider this matter."

Uncle Xiao Wang, though already over sixty, was after all a Grandmaster. Even at eighty or ninety, he could still maintain his peak state.

At the level of a Grandmaster, the lifespan is up to one hundred and twenty years, and only after reaching a hundred does the state gradually decline, Qi and Blood wane, and one descends from the peak.

"Haha."

Uncle Xiao Wang chuckled and said, "That’s uncertain, lately Shen Guobao has been whispering in Your Majesty’s ear, seeking to strip me of authority. Moreover, regarding the Old Pavilion Master’s matter, success or failure, I’ll be risking life and limb, I must prepare for the Northern Expedition Army in advance."

"It won’t come to that, Brother Wang, you’re being pessimistic."

Ye Xuan’s tone remained indifferent, still not directly answering Uncle Xiao Wang’s question.

Seeing Ye Xuan consistently avoiding the topic, Uncle Xiao Wang straightforwardly asked, "What about Liu Daojian? You personally nurtured this valiant general, wise and brave, after following you for many years, you should know him quite well."

After a moment of silence, Ye Xuan finally said, "Fit to be a general, not a commander."

There were certain things he couldn’t explain too openly.

A conclusion of ’fit to be a general, not a commander’ implied that Liu Daojian was not suitable to become the Commander of the Northern Expedition Army, succeeding Uncle Xiao Wang’s position.

This person was only suitable for working under Uncle Xiao Wang’s leadership.

A smile appeared on Uncle Xiao Wang’s face as he asked again, "Of the ancient classifications of military talent, there are scholar generals, grand generals, capable generals, and war generals, which is Daojian?"

Ye Xuan said, "A war general."

"Hahahaha!"

Uncle Xiao Wang burst into laughter, unmoved.

While Liu Daojian was the second in command in the Northern Expedition Army, he had always been somewhat guarded towards him.

After all, he was a veteran of the Northern Expedition Army, once favored by Ye Xuan.

Only now did his doubts about Liu Daojian completely dissipate.

As for Ye Xuan’s evaluation of Liu Daojian, he didn’t care.

He trusted his own judgment.

Liu Daojian had seamlessly risen under his command, becoming a great general of the Northern Expedition Army, and had recently confronted Ye Xuan again in Langya Pavilion, tensions high.

Between the two, rifts had long since formed, and Ye Xuan’s low evaluation of him was only natural.

Hearing Uncle Xiao Wang’s laughter, Ye Xuan sighed inwardly, saying no more.

-----------------

Nightfall.

Chen Tang lay in bed, sleepless for a long time.

So much had happened in Langya Pavilion over the course of a day and night, it felt incredibly long.

Fortunately, it was resolved perfectly, though there were some twists, it ended without danger.

At this moment, Chen Tang sensed something, turning his eyes slightly toward a beam in the ceiling.

In the darkness above the beam, a pair of bright eyes were staring at him unblinkingly.

Chen Tang chuckled wryly and asked, "Ah Li, why aren’t you sleeping either?"

Often, even with two beds in the room, Ah Li would not stay put in bed.

Sometimes, she would retreat to a corner, leaning against the wall for a nap.

Sometimes, she would lie on the table.

Sometimes, like now, she climbed onto the ceiling, lying on a beam.

No matter how Chen Tang tried to persuade her, it didn’t work, so he eventually let her be.

Perhaps, with time, once realizing she wasn’t perpetually threatened, and gradually adapting to normal life, Ah Li would return to normal.

Ah Li didn’t speak, only blinked her eyes.

Since she had memory, she was always shrouded in darkness and cold, never feeling warmth.

Hence, she remembered in her heart even the slightest kindness from Chen Tang.

Perhaps it was an unintentional gesture of care, or brought food, each felt like a bit of sunlight dispelling the darkness and cold, allowing her to feel a trace of warmth.

Chen Tang felt a twinge of pity.

Originally a good child, kidnapped and taken to the Hermit Realm, tortured until she was neither human nor ghost.

Even rendered mute by her former master.

Chen Tang touched the Jade Pendant given to him by Su Li in his bosom.

According to Su Li, Ah Li’s condition had a chance of being cured.

Zhiwei was safe, and he had found family, which was a burden lifted off his mind.

After staying at Langya Pavilion for a few days to heal, he planned to take Ah Li and leave this place, heading to the Medical Hidden Hall in Yuezhou.