Chapter 42 : Chapter 42
Chapter 42: To Accomplish Great Things, One Must Have the Spirit and Methods to Look Down Upon the World
"Li Xin, notify your fellow disciples. Have they not been clamoring to see me? Tell them to prepare themselves."
Zhao Yi set aside his satisfied expression and became solemn and steady. The elegant, unrestrained, and mercurial temperament of "The Eccentric" vanished in an instant.
In its place was the majesty and confidence unique to a high-ranking individual of immense power. One could not help but feel a sense of profound respect upon beholding him.
He was no longer the mysterious wanderer, The Eccentric Zhao Yi. He was now the man who had once held the world in his palm, a high-ranking minister who devised strategies within a command tent: Zhao Yi, the Grand Chancellor of Great Qian.
The masked man, Li Xin, was stunned for a moment before excitedly pulling off his mask. He revealed a remarkably handsome face.
If anyone serving in the Great Qian Imperial Court were to see this face, their jaw would surely drop in shock. Was this not Li Xin, the Minister of Personnel who had resigned eighteen years ago after the Calamity of the Lured Demons?
To think he had been serving by Zhao Yi’s side every day!
"Master Zhao, you have finally agreed to see them?"
During the great calamity years ago, when Zhao Yi was already overwhelmed with work, he learned that Zhao Xichun’s family had been targeted by Cheng Zhenjiang’s enemies, who took the opportunity to seek revenge. In a fit of rage, Zhao Yi had mobilized all his power to hunt down the mastermind.
As disciples trained by Zhao Yi in the court, Li Xin and the others had responded in unison to support him. They included numerous heavyweights from the military, the court, and the local prefectures. They represented nearly half of the Great Qian Imperial Court's strength.
Unfortunately, the forces involved behind their enemies were far too vast. With even their own people in the court stabbing them in the back, Zhao Yi and his followers were unable to withstand the pressure. Zhao Yi ended up heavily wounded, falling from the Grandmaster rank.
Disheartened, he chose to hang up his official seal and go into seclusion. Only Li Xin chose to resign his post to follow and serve him.
For over a decade, the other disciples had been unable to secure even a single meeting with Zhao Yi. They had not expected that he would now take the initiative to see them.
"I cannot bear to see the things we poured so much blood and heart into vanish into nothingness," Zhao Yi said with a sigh of lament, mourning the aspirations of the past.
"Your meaning is...?"
Li Xin’s face flushed with excitement, and his voice trembled slightly. He knew Zhao Yi intended to return to his former status to become Cheng Yu’s shield. But he had not expected that Zhao Yi also intended to continue their life’s work.
Trampling the Jianghu under hooves!
These four words were enough to make anyone in the Great Qian Court who harbored ideals tremble with excitement, willing even to die for the cause.
"Back then, I was disheartened. I felt that the general trend of the world was not something a single person could resist, and that we mortals could not reverse the tide."
"But now I realize that to accomplish great things and reverse the fate of the world, one must possess the spirit and methods to look down upon the world with disdain."
Cheng Yu had grown up in hardship and bitter cold. He had carved out a path of hope with his own hands, showing strength that rivaled any other. Even after the massive shock of learning the truth of his birth, his heart remained unshaken; he was still unyielding, neither servile nor overbearing.
What was even more precious was his extraordinary martial talent. Now, he was even capable of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Zhao Yi’s other grandson, Cheng Feng. Cheng Yu was not weaker in the slightest; in fact, he possessed a massive psychological and experiential advantage when it came to life-and-death combat.
One had to remember that Cheng Feng had been raised with all of Cheng Zhenjiang’s effort, using countless resources from the Cheng Family and the River-Severing Sect to reach his current level. Cheng Yu had relied entirely on himself; his talent was truly terrifying.
Li Xin’s eyes widened. "Are you speaking of... Cheng Yu?"
"It is he, my biological grandson!" Zhao Yi stroked his beard and laughed heroically. "When you were twenty years ago, whether in terms of mental maturity or martial strength, which aspect could you say was superior to his?"
"If my twenty-year-old self met him, I would certainly... surrender immediately."
Having been a disciple for over thirty years and serving Zhao Yi for nearly twenty, Li Xin had a somewhat peculiar temperament. However, he and Zhao Yi were like father and son; he felt only joy for Cheng Yu’s strength, without a hint of jealousy. He felt like an uncle to the boy.
In his heart, he was also excited for Cheng Yu’s future. His master’s decision to summon the other disciples meant he intended to use all his influence to provide Cheng Yu with assistance. Those men were all high-ranking court officials or powerful military generals. Each of them possessed strength in the Upper Three Ranks at the very least.
If they all rallied to support Cheng Yu, it would be an incredibly formidable force. With just a few words, Zhao Yi had essentially altered the future course of the Great Qian Court and the Jianghu.
Cheng Yu, you must prove yourself worthy of Master Zhao’s support and trust!
Zhao Yi continued to give instructions. "Also, tell Tianji Tower in my name that if they still want to compile rankings of experts without fearing that they will draw fire upon themselves, they should be more impartial. Those who possess the strength should be on the list. Snobbery is a fatal taboo."
Li Xin nodded repeatedly. Tianji Tower had been established for a hundred years. Named "Heavenly Mystery," it ranked the experts of the Jianghu. They certainly had the confidence to offend people.
But in truth, they were just a bunch of mystical, rambbling fellows. For twenty years, in order to compromise with certain great figures of the martial world, they had refused to place people from the Imperial Court on the rankings to avoid overshadowing certain "Great Heroes."
Now that Zhao Yi had spoken, with his former status as Grand Chancellor and his vast resources, it would not be impossible to make life unbearable for Tianji Tower. It seemed the Heaven, Earth, and Human Rankings were about to undergo a massive upheaval!
The court possessed experts capable of entering the Earth and Heaven Rankings; even if they weren't ranked, they were still famous. However, the competition on the Human Ranking was different and much fiercer. Given Cheng Yu’s current strength, he was likely capable of breaking into the top forty. He was about to become truly famous throughout the world.
***
While Zhao Yi and Li Xin were deciding the future of Great Qian in a few short sentences, the drunken Cheng Yu ran into some unexpected people as he walked downstairs.
Just as he stepped out of the Dragon Abyss Tavern's gates, he saw two graceful and beautiful figures approaching together. They were none other than the sisters, Cheng Yue and Cheng Si.
They were accompanied by a group of young martial artists dressed in white robes with swords at their waists. The gold-patterned jade plaques hanging from their belts confirmed their identity: disciples of the greatest sect in Dragon Abyss, the Sword-Forging Manor.
"Fair Heroines of the Cheng Family, ahead is the most famous tavern in our Dragon Abyss Path. Many of Great Qian’s most renowned heroes have enjoyed fine wine within its walls."
"Sword-Forging Manor has a permanent private box inside. We should take this opportunity to properly fulfill our duties as hosts!" The leader of the Sword-Forging Manor disciples, a tall and thin youth with bright eyes and well-defined brows, spoke gallantly to the Cheng sisters.
"Senior Brother Gao Yun is right! We hope you will do us the honor!" The others joined in with enthusiasm.
The two women before them were the daughters of the world-famous Great Hero Cheng. If they could strike up a friendship and become familiar faces, it would be a tremendous boost to their reputation, if nothing else.
"The host has extended an invitation; we as guests naturally obey! We shall trouble you then!" As the Senior Sister of the River-Severing Sect, Cheng Yue clasped her fists politely to express her thanks.
"Sister..." Cheng Si, however, frowned with an expression of displeasure.
The two sisters had just come down from the Sword-Forging Manor and had not expected to be hounded by a group of disciples led by Gao Yun who were desperate to befriend them. Having lost the chance to run off to Qingjiang Prefecture to find Cheng Yu, she was very unhappy.
She was just wondering how to shake these guys off when she found her eldest sister had agreed to eat with them. Now, there would be no chance to leave at all.
"Little sister, be good. When we are away from home, do not lose face for father!" Cheng Yue whispered into Cheng Si’s ear as the girl resisted.
As she turned her head to whisper, her eyes suddenly landed on an unexpected face. It was a face carved like a blade, with a steady aura carrying a hint of majestic, murderous intent.
He was wearing a jet-black and ink-blue Flying Fish Uniform. Who could it be but her biological brother, Cheng Yu?