Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

"Yes, that's right, I'm trash. So, what do you want to do to this trash? I think you wouldn't have come looking for me if I didn't have something worth your trouble," Li Xiuchen replied calmly.

"Hmm, not bad, you're right. There are indeed some things about you that are worth my effort. That's why I came to this godforsaken place and spent so much time with trash like you, trash that I see no use for at least now." The mysterious figure answered Li Xiuchen's questioning gaze with a calm and collected demeanor, as if he had never regarded him as a threat, nor did he feel that Li Xiuchen would suddenly become violent and put pressure on him.

The mysterious figure's behavior left Li Xiuchen feeling somewhat frustrated. He didn't know what to do next and could only stare silently at the figure opposite him. Seeing that Li Xiuchen remained silent, the mysterious figure shook its head slightly and paid no further attention.

"So, can you tell me why you came to see me?" Time ticked by, and Li Xiuchen broke the awkward silence once again—or so he thought.

"Sigh, Li Xiuchen, I want to say something to you," the mysterious figure sighed, raising his head to look at Li Xiuchen helplessly, "Can't you see? I'm crippling your martial arts, can't you feel it?"

"I know." Although Li Xiuchen had his doubts, hearing it with his own ears was certainly different from his guess. Even though his heart was in turmoil, Li Xiuchen tried his best to hide his feelings and answered the mysterious figure calmly.

“But you know that’s not what I’m curious about. I’m just a Dou Wang. Even if I become some big shot in the future, it seems I’ll never be as senior as you. So I don’t understand why you went to all this trouble to cripple my power.” Li Xiuchen paused and spoke slowly.

"Hmm, not bad." The mysterious figure nodded slightly. "I'm not doing this for you, I'm doing it for Panlong."

"Also, my name is Shanren." The mysterious figure revealed a slight smile and told Li Xiuchen who he was.

"A hermit?" Upon hearing the mysterious figure's words, Li Xiuchen shook his head in confusion. "I don't know him."

"Hahaha, nonsense, of course you don't know me." Shanren couldn't help but burst into laughter upon hearing Li Xiuchen's honest answer and seeing his particularly innocent and bewildered face at this moment. "If you really knew me, then I'm afraid my purpose in coming to you today wouldn't just be to cripple your martial arts."

"Do you know that feeling of being unable to move, having your throat slowly torn apart, and having your life force drained away bit by bit, until you're completely drained?" As he spoke, Shanren waved his hand, releasing his hold on Li Xiuchen's body. He then moved behind Li Xiuchen, extending his arm from behind to slowly choke Li Xiuchen's neck. One hand, shaped like a knife, slowly sliced ​​across Li Xiuchen's neck.

Li Xiuchen felt the mountain man's fingers brush across his neck. Although he knew nothing would happen, the inexplicable pressure sent shivers down his spine, and a chill ran down his back. In an instant, Li Xiuchen felt his hands and feet freeze, becoming incredibly stiff.

"What's wrong? Scared?" The mountain man clearly sensed Li Xiuchen's change, and with a wicked smile, he lightly ran his fingers across Li Xiuchen's face. "So, is there anything else you want to say? Ask something... what you want to ask."

Li Xiuchen trembled, closed his eyes, and took a shaky deep breath. "So, you came to find me because of Panlong."

“That’s right, it’s for Panlong. What’s wrong? Do you have any objections?” Hearing Li Xiuchen ask him, Shanren released Li Xiuchen, slowly stood up, waved his hand indifferently, shrugged, and said casually.

"So, you're going to take it away." Li Xiuchen sighed, lowering his head as he asked the mountain man standing behind him. Li Xiuchen didn't want to look at the mountain man anymore. "Before you take it, can I ask you a question?" Li Xiuchen asked the mountain man standing behind him.

"Hahaha, Li Xiuchen, you're wrong." Shanren laughed heartily upon hearing Li Xiuchen's words. "I won't take this Panlong, nor will I make any changes to it. Don't worry, this Panlong will still be yours in the future. Are you satisfied with that answer?" Shanren slowly walked out from behind Li Xiuchen with his hands behind his back, answering Li Xiuchen's question nonchalantly.

"As for that Martial Emperor you mentioned, what does that have to do with me? Do you think, given your status, I'm telling you, you're worthy?" The hermit's eyes suddenly turned cold as he answered the second question, turning to stare directly at Li Xiuchen, who was still kneeling on the ground.

"Aren't you afraid that after I answer your question, my next move will be to kill you to silence you, then take Panlong away and find him a more suitable master?" The mountain man's smile seemed a little chilling at this moment. Li Xiuchen, who was meeting the mountain man's smile and cold eyes, couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

“But if you don’t take Panlong away, you’re going to cripple my martial arts. Wouldn’t that be like announcing to the world, ‘Hey! Come and see! There’s a divine artifact here! Its owner is a good-for-nothing! Let’s kill him and then steal the artifact and split it equally, shall we?’” Li Xiuchen looked at the mountain man for a while before suddenly saying.

“Although everyone knows that there is only one divine artifact and it cannot be divided equally, and that it is just a trap, there are still people who uncontrollably join their team because they think that if they kill me and then kill the last person left, they will be the ones who survive.” Li Xiuchen’s eyes also began to turn cold as he stared straight at the mountain man in front of him.

"Hahaha, not bad, not bad, you're right. I won't hand over Panlong, a divine artifact, to a piece of trash. Even if I'm ambitious, I'm not that ambitious, are I? Do you think I'm a fool?" The mountain man nodded in satisfaction, answering Li Xiuchen's question gently.

"So, you can have this book." As he spoke, the mountain man took out a book from his pocket and casually threw it to Li Xiuchen, who was still kneeling on the ground. Li Xiuchen did not catch it for a moment, letting the book hit his face, his eyes just staring fiercely at the seemingly high and mighty mountain man.

A faint smile graced the mountain man's face, but unlike before, it lacked any mockery. He simply watched Li Xiuchen's gaze quietly. A strange silence fell between them. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Li Xiuchen lowered his head, gently picked up the book that had fallen to the ground, lightly dusted it off, and stared intently at the mountain man standing before him. His pupils constricted instantly, and he looked up in disbelief at the mountain man standing before him. The mountain man smiled and nodded, his expression enigmatic.

"Hey, don't just stand there, what's wrong? Never seen a book before?" The mountain man teased the shocked Li Xiuchen. Li Xiuchen snapped out of his daze, no longer looking at the mountain man in front of him, and said calmly,

"But why did you give me this book? Who exactly are you?" Li Xiuchen remained composed. "You want me to be the nourishment pot for your dragon!" Li Xiuchen finally understood something, staring in shock at the mountain man opposite him. The mountain man's smile seemed even sweeter for some reason, giving Li Xiuchen a chilling feeling.

"Haha, that's right. Looks like you do have some brains. What's wrong, don't want to do it?" Shanren smiled as he looked at Li Xiuchen in front of him. "So you're going to refuse me."

“Yes, that’s right, I refuse.” Li Xiuchen pondered for a moment, then nodded firmly, placed the book at the mountain man’s feet, and said nothing more. The mountain man quietly looked at Li Xiuchen, gently shook his head, opened his mouth as if to say something, then squatted down, cupped Li Xiuchen’s face in his hands, and…

"I am Emperor Wu."

Chapter 1210 Untitled

"If you're not curious, that's fine, but I'm extremely curious! Isn't this strange? Hahaha." Vice Dean Wang paused, not giving Wenxiang a chance to continue, but instead continued speaking to himself, his eyes occasionally drifting to Wenxiang, whose expression was becoming increasingly unsettled and strange, and to Wen Chong, who was standing to the side with a bewildered look on his face. After a pause, Vice Dean Wang said...

"So, Wen Chong didn't know either."

Upon hearing this, Wenxiang's eyes instantly turned icy cold. He asked Vice Dean Wang across from him in a deep voice,

"Wang Lin, what exactly are you trying to do? I'm warning you, don't go too far."

"Haha, no, no, look at what you're saying. I was just curious about what happened ten years ago. Besides, you know, the fact that I was able to find you means that others can find you too. But aren't you curious about how I found you?" Wang Lin laughed and changed the subject.

"So you're telling me that in the coming days, many people will come looking for me and try to kill me, is that it?" Wenxiang stared intently at Wang Lin, who was smiling across from him. The cold light in his eyes was unbearable to look at, and a chilling feeling arose spontaneously.

"If you walk by the river often enough, you're bound to get your shoes wet, right?" Wang Lin didn't back down despite Wen Xiang's chilling gaze. He simply looked at him calmly, gently fiddling with a stone bead he'd produced from somewhere. "Wen Chong, do you want to know what happened ten years ago? If you want to know, I..."

"Enough! Don't bother with what happened ten years ago. Wang Lin, if you're trying to blackmail me, or Wen Chong, by using that incident from ten years ago, I advise you to give up on that idea." Wen Xiang interrupted Wang Lin, his eyes still fixed on Wang Lin, but the hostility in his eyes had lessened considerably, replaced by a more nonchalant expression. Seeing the change in Wen Xiang's expression, Wang Lin's face hardened, and he frowned slightly. He couldn't quite understand the old man before him.

"Wang Lin, you've planned everything, but you still overlooked one thing." Wenxiang looked at Wang Lin across from him with a slightly mocking expression. "Since you said you could come to me, why don't you think about how many years I, Wenxiang, have been wandering the martial world? Although my strength isn't anything special, I shouldn't have fallen to the point where I know nothing and am at the mercy of others."

Listening to Wenxiang's words and observing Wenxiang's relaxed demeanor, Wang Lin fell into deep thought. He knew Wenxiang was right. In this martial world, Wenxiang's strength was indeed not particularly outstanding or formidable. In this era of rapid advancement in martial arts, while Wenxiang's strength was not weak, in the eyes of true masters, he was still far inferior.

However, there is another issue that cannot be ignored. Regardless of what Wenxiang did to the Wen family, or whether he actually betrayed them, the blood of the Wen family flows in his veins. Even though the Wen family's strength is not what it once was, they still have a foundation spanning hundreds or even thousands of years. To survive on this fiercely competitive continent, where countless powerful families rise and fall daily, and even reach the pinnacle, enduring countless setbacks and hardships, is not simply a matter of luck.

The same goes for Wenxiang. Even though he has now betrayed the Wen family with his son Wenchong and become an adversary to many people in the martial arts world, it is undeniable that Wenxiang's own foundation is already deep enough. Even if he only needs to exert half of his strength, it will be enough to give Wang Lin a good beating.

"So you're trying to tell me that your waiting for me here wasn't by chance, nor was it to hear me spout nonsense, but rather it's a warning you're giving me." Wang Lin frowned as he looked at Wen Xiang, whose expression had completely relaxed. For some reason, he felt a little uneasy deep down.

"Yes, that's right. I stopped to wait for you to give you a warning, to let you know that although I, Wenxiang, am no longer a member of the Wen family, it's unlikely you can do anything to me, or to me, Wenchong." Wenxiang sighed softly, speaking absentmindedly. He knew that he had completely taken control of the situation. Wang Lin of Tianwu Academy was good in every way, but his actions were too rigid and he lacked the courage to take drastic measures.

"Wenxiang, you're ruthless." Wang Lin stood quietly, watching Wenxiang for a long time, then slowly lowered his head. He truly admired Wenxiang. Although he didn't know if Wenxiang had anyone or anything lying in ambush here, he dared not gamble; he was afraid of the possibility of something going wrong. Perhaps to outsiders this seemed too cowardly, but those who truly understood the inner workings of Tianwu Academy wouldn't dare say such a thing.

Just as Wenxiang thought, Wang Lin's behavior was too rigid and hesitant to take drastic measures. However, he also overlooked Wang Lin's age. Logically speaking, given Wang Lin's seniority and experience, he was not qualified to shoulder the burden of the entire Tianwu Academy. But unexpectedly, Wang Lin not only became one of the leaders of Tianwu Academy, but also held a position second only to the academy's leadership. And he accomplished all of this at the young age of forty.

While this age is considered quite old in the general martial arts world, at Tianwu Academy, forty is considered the prime of youth. Furthermore, on this continent, the higher one's cultivation level, the longer one's lifespan. While immortality is impossible, living to two or three hundred years old and becoming a true master is not a difficult feat for most.

"So, you're trying to tell me, Wang Lin, you've crossed the line. Wang Lin, you should wake up. The situation in this world is beyond your imagination, isn't it?" Wang Lin said calmly, looking at Wen Xiang.

“I didn’t say that,” Wenxiang replied calmly.

"Wenchong, it's about time, we should go." Wenxiang turned his head and said casually to Wenchong, who was standing to the side, dumbfounded. "It's enough to catch up with old friends, we can't keep going on and on, don't you think?" As he said this, Wenxiang turned his head again and stared intently at Wang Lin, whose face was pale.

"Since Uncle Wenxiang has things to attend to, please forgive me for not seeing you off further. Take care on your journey." Wang Lin took a deep breath, trying to calm his unpleasant expression, and respectfully bowed with his hands clasped. A young man standing next to Wang Lin also quickly raised his hands in a bow.

Wenxiang looked at Wang Lin and snorted heavily. He then turned and, with Wen Chong who had slightly regained his senses, ran away. After a long while, Wang Lin finally raised his head, clenched his fists tightly, and gritted his teeth as he looked in the direction where Wenxiang and Wen Chong had disappeared.

"Master, this..." The young man standing beside Wang Lin finally spoke, but he looked into the distance with a complicated expression, unsure of what to say. After pondering for a moment, the young man continued, "Master, shouldn't we tell him about that?"

“No need, I guess he probably already knows about that.” Wang Lin closed his eyes and took a deep breath after hearing his disciple’s words. “You heard it too. After I threw out the bait, I kept going around in circles and making threats, but he never looked directly at the question I wanted to ask. That means he knew about our operation a long time ago.”

"Or perhaps, our arrival was part of a scheme he set up. The fact that we know his whereabouts is because he specifically told us." Wang Lin paused, then turned to look at his disciple beside him. The young man beside Wang Lin saw Wang Lin's eyes suddenly become incredibly deep, and for some reason, his own nerves seemed to be subjected to an inexplicable shock.

"Then Master, what do you mean..." A bead of cold sweat appeared on the young man's forehead as he looked at his master's serious expression and asked tentatively. "We have Wenxiang's people in our academy."

“It’s not surprising who’s on our side in our academy. Our academy is a melting pot; we have forces from all over the world and factions from all over the world. That’s not what I meant.” Wang Lin turned his head away, no longer looking at his disciple beside him. “What I meant was, someone wants to harm Wenxiang and then try to frame us.”

“If Wenxiang hadn’t taken this path today, even if he had changed direction and left this dark forest, I think it wouldn’t be long before my Tianwu Academy would face a great calamity, just like the Wen family ten years ago. There are countless eyes watching us right now in that forest behind you.” Wang Lin paused halfway through his sentence, pointing to the path in front of him as he spoke calmly.

"Don't look back. You know, some people don't want anyone to know where they are, even if you don't know at all." Wang Lin stopped his disciple from turning around to look at what was in the forest after hearing his words.

"But Master, what should we do next?" The young man was taken aback, quickly turned his head, and after a while, asked his master in a low voice what they should do next.

“Let’s go back the way we came and return to our Tianwu Academy to await further developments,” Wang Lin said to his disciple beside him, glancing deeply at the path Wen Xiang and Wen Chong had taken.

After speaking, Wang Lin led his disciple and ran back the way he came, leaving this place of trouble. Wang Lin still didn't know where Wen Xiang got such courage. He knew that there were one or two people sent by the Wen family among his students. Although they were still students, Wang Lin knew perfectly well that they were informants sent to Tianwu by the Wen family head.

But those two men were from the old patriarch of the Wen family. No matter how you look at it, they wouldn't do anything for Wen Xiang, who had already betrayed the Wen family. Besides, Wen Xiang wouldn't be so foolish as to seek them out. For Wen Xiang and Wen Chong, doing so would be like walking into a trap. Just how deeply rooted the Wen family was in this martial arts world, how much hidden strength they possessed, how many were their lackeys, and how many were their allies—even Wen Xiang himself probably couldn't say for sure.

Although the catastrophe ten years ago caused heavy losses to the Wen family, and many of their allies emerged during that time, these were merely factions openly acknowledged and understood by all. Perhaps the most unforgettable figure was that who appeared for only a fleeting moment, yet possessed terrifying, almost supernatural power. No one saw who he was, nor where he came from; all that was known was that his appearance allowed the Wen family to survive that horrific moment, preventing the complete annihilation of their open allies.

Why did Wenxiang decide to sever ties with the Wen family? What had Wenxiang discovered? What kind of entity was the Wen family? Was the Wen family truly invincible? Who was that terrifyingly powerful person who appeared at the Wen family's residence? How many secrets did the Wen family still hold? These questions bombarded Wang Lin's mind, but even someone as intelligent as him struggled to fathom the true nature of the Wen family.

"Father, why did we betray the Wen family? Father, why was Shanren expelled from the Wen family? Father, what are we doing? What should we do next? Father, who is Wang Lin? Father, who is the person behind you? Father, aren't you afraid of the Wen family's retaliation?" Wen Chong asked Wen Xiang as he ran, one question after another bursting from his mouth. Wen Xiang's brows furrowed slowly. After a long while, Wen Xiang sighed deeply, gritted his teeth, and as if he had made a decision, turned to look at Wen Chong beside him and softly said one sentence...

"Wenchong, in a couple of days, all of this will be answered."

Chapter 1211 Telling

"Since none of the elders have any other opinions, how about Wenlong says a few more words about what we should do next?" Wenlong paused for a moment before continuing.

"Of course, of course." Everyone present nodded in agreement upon hearing Wenlong's words, their faces full of respect, even though Wenlong was the youngest among them. "Wenlong, just tell us what you want us to do, no need to be so polite."

Wenlong smiled and continued, "Alright then, regarding the remaining members of my third uncle's faction..."

After a period of discussion and task assignment, Wenlong assigned each person their assigned task.

"Alright, everyone should have received their assigned tasks. Now, I hope that all the uncles, elders, and senior members present will do their utmost to complete these tasks. Here, on behalf of the former patriarch of the Wen family, I would like to express my gratitude for everyone's efforts in upholding the reputation and honor of the Wen family. I believe that with the efforts of all the uncles, elders, and senior members, and under the leadership of the former patriarch, our Wen family will regain its former glory and status." After speaking, Wen Long bowed and clasped his hands in a gesture of respect to the senior members present.

"Wenlong, you're too kind. Punishing the traitor and upholding the reputation of the Wen family is the responsibility of every member of the Wen family. Please convey to the old patriarch that we will do our utmost. Please rest assured, old patriarch." Seeing Wenlong bow to them, everyone present stood up to return the greeting. The leading elder, as a representative, expressed everyone's confidence in accomplishing this task.

"In any case, Wenlong thanks everyone for their cooperation. If there are no further questions, please get started." Wenlong looked at the group of people opposite him and said softly with a smile.

"Alright, then we'll take our leave." The elder nodded slightly after hearing Wen Long's words and turned to leave the main hall. Everyone else followed the elder and took their leave one by one. Soon, only Wen Long remained in the main hall.

Wen Long looked around, silently surveyed the main hall, sighed softly, nodded slightly, turned, and walked behind the screen in the main hall before leaving. With Wen Long's departure, the Wen family's main hall fell into an endless silence once more.

"Patriarch, all the instructions have been given." After a while, Wen Long appeared in a secret room. After entering, he turned around and gently closed the door. Then, Wen Long turned back, bowed to the old patriarch who had his back to him, and spoke softly.

After Wenlong finished speaking, the old patriarch did not turn around or say a word. He simply stood with his hands behind his back, facing away from Wenlong. After a long while, the old patriarch slowly spoke.

"Wenlong, tell me, is the fate of my Wen family really going to be forgotten?" The old patriarch's voice had lost its majesty and coldness in the main hall, replaced only by endless desolation and sorrow.

"Patriarch, Wenlong thinks..." Upon hearing the old patriarch's question, Wenlong hurriedly responded, but before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by the old patriarch, who had been facing away from him.

“There are no outsiders here, so call me Grandpa,” the old patriarch said with a self-deprecating laugh, gently shaking his head. “Grandpa, it’s been so long since I’ve heard you call me Grandpa.”

"Grandpa...Grandpa, Wenlong doesn't think so. My Wen family has stood tall in the martial world for hundreds and thousands of years. I don't think such a small disturbance will have any impact on my Wen family. Grandpa, you're overthinking it." Wenlong sighed silently when he heard the old patriarch's surprised look.

"But tell me, why did Wenxiang betray my Wen family?" The old patriarch raised his head, looked at the hard stone above him, and sighed deeply.

"I..." Wen Long was somewhat at a loss, unsure how to answer the old patriarch's question. For a moment, the secret room fell into a deathly silence once again.

"Come and sit down." After a long while, the old patriarch shook his head with mixed feelings, turned around and sat on the couch in front of him, and said to Wenlong in a low voice.

Wenlong looked up at the old patriarch sitting on the couch. For some reason, the old patriarch, who always appeared very tough in public, seemed to have lost his soul at that moment, his expression gloomy. Wenlong gritted his teeth, stepped forward and sat down next to the old patriarch, picked up the teapot on the table between them and poured a cup of tea for the old patriarch opposite him.

"I never imagined that two or three decades would have passed in the blink of an eye," the old patriarch said softly, taking a small sip from the teacup that was already full of water, looking at the teacup in his hand.

"Back when you and Wen Chong were just kids, you were always around me, calling me 'Grandpa' all the time. You two were so close back then. I never imagined so many years would pass by like this." The old patriarch seemed lost in memories.