With the Blade

"...Since you can ask this question, I’m afraid you’ve already realized that a firm will is the foundation of everything."

A voice echoed in Shan Bing’s mind.

This startled Shan Bing awake from his dreams.

It’s been several months since he returned from the northwest Dengzhou, yet that inexplicable teaching has only become clearer—the more so when facing enemies he could never defeat, the more so in the depths of despair. Those boring words of encouragement initially appeared increasingly useful to him.

Indeed, as long as he persisted, it would be fine. Although he didn’t know what use this persistence would have, as long as he could hold on, he could survive, and surviving was the only way to have a future.

Hence, a question arose.

What exactly did he realize back then?

This was the most confusing point for Shan Bing recently. When he first heard these words, he dismissed them as meaningless nonsense, so he didn’t notice anything strange. But after dreaming of the scene several times, he finally noticed that the conversation itself was extremely odd.

Originally, he thought the giant was just trying to brush him off. But if you add the premise of "you have realized something," it’s a completely different matter. Clearly, the giant noticed something special about him to say such things.

But what did he actually realize?

Is a firm will the foundation of everything? From the conversation, it seemed to be that sentence. But as for Shan Bing himself, he didn’t find anything particular about it—if a firm will is indeed the foundation of everything, does that mean that as long as his will is firm, he could achieve anything?

How could that be possible?

Does it mean that as long as he firmly believes he could become an emperor, he would indeed become one?

Absolutely impossible, this is pure nonsense. A firm will cannot change anything; at most, it allows one to feel at ease—like during the tempering by Evil Qi, maintaining a firm will prevents the Evil Qi from destroying one’s sanity. The so-called firmness of will has only this use.

Other than that, there’s nothing else.

Just like that old eunuch, who indeed had absolute loyalty to the royal family, but what use is such pure loyalty? No matter how loyal the old eunuch was, he still couldn’t defeat Huang Tian under that terrifying pressure, no one could. This is reality, a heavy thing that doesn’t change just because one or two people say "I don’t want it."

"Reality... ha."

Rubbing his somewhat dizzy head, Shan Bing abruptly got out of bed.

It was still dark outside, approximately the time of the fifth watch. Shan Bing hadn’t been resting well lately and had become accustomed to rising early—the first thing in the morning was, of course, morning exercises. Although he himself didn’t know the point of such practice, the familiar routine at least allowed him to feel some traces of the past.

Or perhaps, everything felt quite familiar. Although Huang Tian had already arrived at the capital city of Jiankang, after several months, nothing seemed to change much.

Except for more deaths.

Those were people who sought to challenge Huang Tian, either for various reasons or simply out of dislike for him. Consequently, Huang Tian engaged them in battle, killing all the challengers, leaving corpses and an unparalleled reputation.

Currently, even the top of the Hundred Weapons Chart had been replaced by Huang Tian, and no one dared to fight this terrifying monster. Even if one or two occasionally appeared, they were simply crushed like ants.

Just like what Shan Bing witnessed today.

"Who do you think you are! Daring to sit in that position!"

In the vast combat arena, an elderly man in a suit was staring intensely at Huang Tian, who sat on the high platform. The long-handled saber in his hand exuded Evil Qi, as if ready to devour life in the next moment.

"Huang Tian? Just you?"

"What abilities do you have?"

Sitting on the high platform, Huang Tian merely looked coldly down below.

"Let me see."

"Then... let me show you!"

With a shout, the elderly man holding the long-handled saber lunged out.

However, the old man did not lunge towards Huang Tian on the high platform.

Instead, towards the audience.

The saber swung, bringing forth a storm of blood and guts, and the literary and martial officials who had been summoned began to scatter and flee.

"Alas..."

Seeing this, Shan Bing sighed.

This kind of incident was not happening for the first time. It was increasingly frequent—at first, those who came to challenge Huang Tian would focus solely on him. But as time went by, more and more people realized that before the battle began, they might collect some Evil Qi first.

Although it might not necessarily help, any little increase in odds was a boon for these challengers.

Yet, the high and mighty Huang Tian never bothered with these matters.

Perhaps it could be said he managed it, but his method was to ensure that the audience would not miss the spectacle. Previously, a fourth-grade official feigned illness to avoid being slashed in the audience seats—back in the day, when the emperor’s words held sway, such matters were usually easily approved.