Yang Feng went straight in, as chance encounters surpassed the guitar string;

Shadow and Yin collided, irregularly grinding against the grain.

Whenever the baby's voice cried out, each wail felt rushed;

Lifting the swaying feet, at times a fragrant breeze was sensed.

Indulging in emotions with sudden spurts of speed and slowness, looking down as well with a glance out and then in.

The woman's color changed, voice trembled, hairpin sagged and bun became messy, her glance swept sideways, and waves entered her temples, with the comb positioned low and the crescent moon nearing her shoulder.

...

Just as it's said, a topsy-turvy sleep eluded, and the rooster's crow shattered the pre-dawn sky.

Not until the East lightened and the cock heralded the dawn, with the distant faint sound of roosters crowing, did the great struggle rest.

"Wait, a rooster?" Jiang Li lay on the bed, his eyebrows raising.

Where would the Dinghu Sect have a rooster from?

Then, he remembered someone.

There were no crowing roosters in the Dinghu Sect, but there was someone good with the voice.

Thinking of old friends, Jiang Li couldn't help but smile, a Dream Butterfly flew out from between his brows, fluttering leisurely, leaving the palace and flying towards the direction of the crowing sound.

His own body, however, tightened the embrace of the beauty in his arms and closed his eyes to rest.

...

"Cock-a-doodle-doo—"

On the side of Qiao Mountain Island, not far from Tianxuan Hall, in the bamboo grove, Qi Changsheng cleared his throat and mimicked the crowing of a cock at dawn.

Not far in front of him, Elder Yun was leaning against a bamboo, occasionally throwing in a few pointers.

"Louder, if you're this feeble, how do you expect to draw Jiang Li here?" Elder Yun critiqued.

Qi Changsheng stopped and took a few breaths, said, "Elder, is this really working? My throat is almost hoarse, and no one's shown up."

To tell the truth, he was a little unsure.

He and Jiang Li had made acquaintance when they were both obscure, but now their statuses were so vastly apart. Since Jiang Li had returned to the Sect and hadn't sought anyone out, Qi Changsheng feared that Jiang Li, wallowing in his newfound wealth, would forget their past.

"How could that be? Jiang isn't that kind of person," Elder Yun immediately objected, "He's just taken up the position of Six Hall Elders, a time when he needs people the most. Your group is exactly what he needs. Even if he despises you, he can't possibly despise his own clan, right?"

Hearing this, Qi Changsheng looked behind and saw Jiang Luo, Jiang Yang, and Luu Wangji. Thinking it over, he felt there was some truth to it and was about to call out again.

"Stop calling."

A Blue Butterfly flew in, circled in the air and transformed into Jiang Li's figure, who said disgruntledly, "Have you ever seen anyone receiving guests at the crack of dawn?"

With the sky just beginning to lighten, and in the cold winter of the twelfth lunar month with short days and long nights, no household would receive guests at this time.

"This... Elder Yun said that Yaoguang Elder was able to achieve his success today not only because of his peerless talents but also his unremitting effort, so he must be using his sleep time for meditation and Breathing Control," Qi Changsheng awkwardly explained, "Besides, this is not very secretive."

He had his own scheming, knowing that Jiang Li not seeing anyone might have some other plans, so he followed Elder Yun's suggestion to use the crowing to lure Jiang Li over.

However, Qi Changsheng's cunning was clearly not as good as that of the sly Elder Yun.

Jiang Li glanced at Elder Yun, without having to think twice, he knew the other was getting back at him.

He had taken a Scroll of Inner Canon of Huangdi from him yesterday. That sly old man must think Jiang Li would surely practice the Inner Canon of Huangdi all night. With his physique, he should be up all night struggling, so he incited Qi Changsheng to come and disturb him.

'It's just that sister had exhausted her strength earlier, otherwise, they really would have interrupted me,' Jiang Li thought to himself.

A Cultivator's body naturally cannot be judged by common standards, especially since Jiang Li and Gongsun Qingyue both practiced the Form Tomb, battling all night was entirely no problem. But this time, sister was too playful, making Jiang Li unusually fierce, causing even Gongsun Qingyue to be overwhelmed and her strength to ebb early, thus thwarting Elder Yun's revenge.

"Privately, let's not call each other elder, we should just address each other as brothers as before."

While Jiang Li spoke, his gaze swept over Qi Changsheng and across the three of his kin. "As for why I am temporarily filling in for Yaoguang Elder, or rather whether Luu Tianpeng truly betrayed, I can tell you."

"Yes, he betrayed. Not only did he betray the Sect, but he also betrayed me, he was always an enemy; it's just that we never knew it."

Betrayalâ€"a heavy and unforgivable term, brief yet potent, rendered the three speechless simultaneously.

For the Jiang family, this was undoubtedly terrible news, indicating the betrayal of the only current fourth-rank member, but fortunately, Jiang Li was still there and had taken over Luu Tianpeng's position.

"Senior brother, I wish to go to Liangzhou Province and join the campaign against the Taiping rebellion."

After a brief silence, Luu Wangji suddenly spoke up, requesting.

"I and the rest of us feel the same," the other two also added.

Participating in the war would undoubtedly help the evolution of their Dao Fruits because they were all of Divine Attributes, and leaned towards the combat type. Moreover, Jiang Li would have a reason to promote them after joining the war, allowing them to obtain more resources within the Sect.

"Count me in as well," Qi Changsheng also said.

He took out something familiar from his storage bag, gave it a pat, and said, "The crafting of this Revolver has been perfected and can now be mass-produced for the battlefield, which should certainly help you quell the chaos sooner."

This was an item Qi Changsheng had used when following Jiang Li to Yong Province; at that time, it had killed several Transformation Snakes and was, without a doubt, created for slaughter.

For high-Grade individuals, the Revolver might not be a threat, but at low-grades, it could be a significant weapon. Moreover, with the physical strength of a Martial Cultivator, they would not fear the recoil of the Revolver.

Once this item was applied on a large scale, the scenes would undoubtedly be thrilling.

"Thank you," Jiang Li expressed his gratitude.

Qi Changsheng was an Artifact Refiner, spending most of his time on Artifact Refining, not adept at fighting. By his degree of fear, his willingness to go to Liangzhou Province was undoubtedly to assist Jiang Li.

Of course, it couldn't be ruled out that he wanted to stay close to someone powerful, lest he be left behind.

Regardless of which it was, it wasn't important. Jiang Li cared about actions. Qi Changsheng was willing to help, and Jiang Li would remember this favor.

'In view of Qi Changsheng's goodwill, I won't hold today's grudge,' thought Jiang Li gratefully, not forgetting to glance at Elder Yun.

Any slight annoyance from being disturbed early in the morning dissipated, and Jiang Li intended to reminisce with these old friends.

Yet just at that moment, a voice came from afar outside Dinghu.

"Zhu Hui'an of Yangzhou, having offended your Sect the day before, especially comes today to tender an apology and also to congratulate your new Yaoguang Elder."

It was not yet fully light, and Zhu Hui'an had already come to apologize, his voice reaching the Sect.

Coming so early in the morning, one could not help but wonder if he had been waiting outside since last night. This sincerity was truly substantial.

It meant trouble for Jiang Li.

With Zhu Hui'an coming to apologize, Jiang Li's physical presence was necessary.

'It's a good thing it ended early.'

Jiang Li sighed quietly, then carefully removed the soft arm from his body and got up.

...

...

On the twenty-third of the twelfth lunar month, in the year of 1995, the Yichou month, the Bingshen day, Northern Small Year.

Zhu Hui'an, the Family Head of the renowned Zhu Family from Yangzhou, personally went to the Dinghu Sect to apologize and also to congratulate their new Yaoguang Elder.

For a time, across the Nine Provinces, one could see figures dashing at lightning speed. Those were Messengers conveying news.

One of these messages was from the Divine Travel Grand Protector, which went straight to the Divine Capital, delivered to the Southern Heavenly Department, and also incidentally reached the great families of the Divine Capital along the way.

Outside the Divine Capital, in the Imperial College, inside the Lakefront Book Tower.

A middle-aged Confucian Scholar entered the tower and reported to the four-eyed elder reading a book, "Teacher, there's news from the Dinghu Sect again. Senior Brother Zhu visited Dinghu early in the morning to apologize."

Hearing this, the elder's gaze shifted slightly, put down the scroll in his hand, and let out a light sigh, "Hui'an seems to have found the candidate he deems appropriate."

The Sacrificial Officer who once taught Zhu Hui'an undoubtedly understood his ideal and temperament; unless it was for an ideal, Zhu Hui'an would never have cast aside his pride to pave the way for someone else.

"Teacher, the child of the Jiang family now has strength comparable to a fourth-rank, and with the assistance of Senior Brother Zhu amidst the chaos, might they..." the middle-aged Scholar paused for a moment, lowering his voice, "Should we consider intervening?"

"Intervening would be exactly what Hui'an wants," the elder shook his head, "Being so high-profile already shows the intent to push himself forward. Intervening actively would only make Jiang Li see hostility, which might push him to the opposite side."

"However, letting things go completely unchecked isn't the solution either. Here's what you'll do: you and Shen Xiu will go to Liangzhou Province. Shen Xiu has recently been promoted to fifth-rank and should also plan his next step. At the same time, check if Jiang Li has such intentions."

"Yes," the Confucian Scholar replied, leaving the book tower.

After he left, the Sacrificial Officer picked up the scroll again, but this time, he closed it, looking at the two ancient characters on the bamboo slip.

—Spring and Autumn Annals.

"Whether you can truly inherit this Dao Fruit depends on your fate, Shen Xiu."

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