"Hmm."

Li Zhiyuan had no intention of arguing with the others about the so-called "parenting wisdom," even though their extreme approach would likely be seen as too extreme even by the extremists.

"That's just the mindset of parents."

Li Zhiyuan took out a pack of cookies and offered it to him: "Want to try this?"

"No need, I'm not used to eating these."

"Oh." Li Zhiyuan didn't insist, he just wanted to interrupt what might have been a continuing conversation.

"Young brother, how much do you know about the Jianghu?"

"Not much."

"Though you are still young, by the time you really want to journey through the Jianghu, you should at least wait until you're an adult. However, it's good to know a bit beforehand.

Look at this lake in front of you; it looks like this now, but once you light up your lantern and look at it again, it'll be a different scene.

By then, even if you don't want to move forward, the water will push you ahead, and you won't have a choice."

"I've heard the elders at home say that you can light the lantern again, either to retreat into seclusion or find a pier to settle down."

"That would be conceding."

"Wouldn't you ever concede?"

Xiong Shan lowered his head, looking at the son in his arms: "Actually, I'm already tired, but I want to strive a little more for his sake."

"I understand."

"I know my mindset is wrong, that people who win big on the gambling table often end up losing everything."

"Can't you imagine that you might be the one who wins in the end?"

"Heh heh." Xiong Shan let out a dry laugh, "The Jianghu is so vast, I've met people who started with nothing and managed to impress even me.

Not to mention those from family sects, whose skills and techniques sometimes even I can't fathom.

And above them, there are the truly top-tier clans.

In the Jianghu, they are referred to as the Dragon King family.

These families have produced too many eventual winners throughout history, with an incredibly deep foundation.

Their offspring light their lanterns and it's not called wandering the Jianghu or adventuring, they call it—Zou Jiang.

Listen to that tone, and yet, they truly have the confidence to back it."

Li Zhiyuan quietly listened, pondering why Xiong Shan was telling him all this.

Thinking it over, he concluded that the other party didn't seem to have any specific intent against him, and it seemed to be a genuine sentiment?

Xiong Shan: "Do you think if I compete with these Zou Jiang people, I can win?"

Li Zhiyuan: "Success depends on the effort, wasn't the Dragon King family originally from the wilderness too?"

"Young brother, you can of course have such confidence, but I can't." Xiong Shan reached out and gently pinched his son's cheek, "If I hadn't met you today, I might not have had these sentiments."

"Hmm?"

"At such a young age, your mastery of arrays is extraordinary; you know that's quite intimidating."

"It's not that much."

"It's very much, because I don't believe that arrays are all you know and nothing else."

"It's alright."

"It's fortunate you haven't lit your lantern yet. I know I don't have to compete with you in the end, but I'm sure there's a young man as outstanding as you in some corner of the Jianghu who has already lit his lantern.

The thought that I'll ultimately have to fight to the death with such a person for that final spot.

It scares me."

Li Zhiyuan: "If you keep talking, aren't you afraid of affecting your own spirits?"

"It doesn't matter; seeing you, and then seeing my son, I actually feel hopeful, heh heh, didn't mean to take advantage of you, but just now when I was healing and looking at him on my knee, I was really thinking if I should step back.

Raise him well, and let him compete in the Jianghu in the future.

Once this tide has passed,

I will..."

Li Zhiyuan raised his hand: "It's better not to say such things, it's inauspicious."

"Hahahahaha!"

Xiong Shan burst into laughter.

At that moment, in multiple directions from afar, a series of black shadows appeared.

The Corpse Driving Team has returned.

"Lihua!" Xiong Shan called for his wife.

"This time I'll do it, Brother Run Sheng."

Run Sheng quickly set up a small table, and Li Zhiyuan rapidly completed the setup.

Xiong Shan seriously observed the young man's actions.

The previous "sincere emotional reflections" were past, and no one should take them seriously.

What truly sustains and ensures the cooperative relationship between both parties is strength.

This time, Li Zhiyuan directly lit the candles with Karmic Fire, a red and a white candle, burning with a black shimmering flame.

Since he doesn't believe I only know arrays and nothing else, let me prove it to him.

Xiong Shan nodded, licked his lips, and said: "A genuine and mellow righteousness."

The burnt yellow paper was handed out, one sheet per person.

After a few times, everyone became somewhat accustomed to it.

Xiong Shan: "Last night it was at this time that I mixed into their team, walking in step with their rhythm, without disrupting it.

The most important thing is not to look at the one in the middle."

"Hmm."

"You're not tall enough, just hold onto one person's clothes and follow along, and that'll do."

"Thank you, for being so considerate."

The teams converged here from all directions, and when they weren't so close, there was no rush to lower their heads; they could be observed.

Of course, the one in the middle, whose feet never touched the ground, always remained unclear.

On the way back, the number of people in each team seemed noticeably higher.

Evidently, they either "picked up" people midway, or the number and location of inns they visited varied, so in general, the teams returning didn't look as compact as those that left during the day, with varying distances between each team.

The first team, four people.

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