Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

"Don't worry, we won't attack you, nor are we accomplices of those mountain people as you imagine. I can assure you of that." Wenxiang didn't seem surprised by Li Xiuchen's reaction. He didn't respond with an attack, but continued to speak calmly, trying to dispel Li Xiuchen's doubts and the sudden increase in vigilance.

However, Li Xiuchen did not lower his guard. Instead, he remained as before, his eyes coldly fixed on Wenxiang and Wenchong not far away. On one hand, Li Xiuchen was assessing the distance between himself and Wenxiang and Wenchong, considering how to escape with minimal cost should a conflict occur. On the other hand, Li Xiuchen was also waiting, waiting for Wenxiang or Wenchong to provide a reason that would be more convincing to him.

Although the two had recently been honest with each other about some things, neither could guarantee that this alone would be enough to establish trust between Li Xiuchen and Wenxiang/Wenchong. Wenxiang smiled bitterly and nodded. He was also thinking about how to gain the trust of the young man in front of him.

“Xiu Chen, according to my seniority, I can call you Xiu Chen.” Wen Xiang first put effort into his form of address, using a tentative approach. His eyes softened considerably.

Indeed, both Wenxiang and Wenchong possessed the formidable strength to erase Li Xiuchen from this world, but doing so would bring them no benefit whatsoever. It was true that after eliminating Li Xiuchen, Panlong would reappear, but Panlong was not so easily subdued. Therefore, since Panlong had chosen this young man named Li Xiuchen, there must be a reason.

Wenxiang didn't want to lose a young man who could potentially become a powerful ally because of his impulsive actions. Indeed, Li Xiuchen's cultivation level was too low at the moment. Although he was a Dou Wang (Battle King), which was enough to dominate a small area, the martial arts world was vast, and there were far too many people at the Dou Wang level, or rather, they were as cheap and common as cabbages on the street.

However, even though he was only at the Dou Wang stage, Li Xiuchen had his advantages: he was still young. While many young people achieve early success and become top-tier experts at his age, this didn't mean Li Xiuchen was a useless person. Many others only begin cultivating in middle age and eventually reach the top tier—a fact no one could refute. Therefore, after much deliberation, Wen Xiang decided to take a gamble.

Listening to Wenxiang's words, Li Xiuchen, though not relaxing his guard in the slightest, still nodded slightly in agreement. Although Li Xiuchen and Wenxiang hadn't known each other for long and hadn't had much interaction, it was just a matter of calling each other by name, which wouldn't have any impact on him.

“I know you’re nervous and distrustful of us after hearing about our relationship with Shanren. So what I want to say is, if you don’t trust us, that’s fine. After all, there’s no such thing as a purely platonic relationship or a purely platonic trust in this world. So what I want to say is, keep your distrust, but at the same time, please share some of your trust with us.” Wenxiang looked into Li Xiuchen’s eyes and spoke slowly.

“And what I mean by asking you to share some of your trust is quite simple: we can form a mutually beneficial partnership. In other words…” Wenxiang’s words were interrupted by Li Xiuchen.

"So, we're partners, but we're very pragmatic partners with mutual interests, right?" Li Xiuchen interrupted Wen Xiang, having already guessed his intentions.

"Yes, that's right, that's exactly it. What do you think?" Wenxiang nodded slightly, thinking that Li Xiuchen did have some merits and he hoped that he hadn't made a wrong bet.

“That’s right, that’s right, but then the problem arises. What makes you think I would partner with you for mutual benefit? Or let’s be more open and direct. I’m not interested in what you can bring me; the important thing is what I can bring you.” Li Xiuchen asked Wen Xiang this question directly and incisively.

“I know you’ll have these questions, so let’s be more open and honest, as you suggested. If you tell me what book the mountain man gave you, I can give you guidance to greatly increase your cultivation in a short time. I can also help you, or rather, teach you how to conceal the problem of your whereabouts being exposed by Panlong.” Wenxiang paused here, waiting for Li Xiuchen’s reaction.

"Yes, that's good. Such conditions are indeed very tempting to me." Li Xiuchen nodded in agreement, because in essence, the conditions were indeed tempting enough.

"And my request of you is very simple. I only hope that when I am in trouble and I ask you for your help, you can lend a hand." Wenxiang smiled and nodded at Li Xiuchen.

"It's that simple?" Li Xiuchen was a little dumbfounded. He really didn't expect it to be so simple.

"I know you might not believe it, but that's the truth." Wenxiang nodded firmly, then continued,

“I know you want to say that your cultivation level is far below ours, but just like I said, I will give you some help when you encounter a bottleneck. In addition, besides teaching you how to hide the Panlong, I will also teach you how to use it. Just like I told you at the beginning. My son Wen Chong and I have already betrayed the Wen family. Under these circumstances, do you think I would still make enemies for myself?”

"It's better to have one more friend than one more enemy," Li Xiuchen said involuntarily as he listened to Wenxiang's words. Wenxiang's words were very similar to a phrase he often heard in his previous world.

“Yes, that’s exactly what you said. It’s better to have one more enemy than another.” Wenxiang nodded affirmatively, looking at the young man in front of him with a slightly appreciative gaze. Li Xiuchen was indeed impressive; he was able to express what he wanted to say in just a few words.

"But why are you so sure I'll agree to your request, and that I'll actually help you in the end?" Li Xiuchen narrowed his eyes as he looked at Wenxiang.

“You’re wrong. I’m not sure, and I’m not sure if you’ll actually help me in the end. I’m gambling.” Wenxiang met Li Xiuchen’s scrutinizing gaze calmly and said these words with unwavering certainty.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiuchen narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth, unsure whether he should agree to Wenxiang's offer. In reality, Wenxiang's terms were indeed very tempting. He was currently weak and alone, and venturing into the world alone would undoubtedly present many difficulties. If he agreed to Wenxiang's offer, regardless of anything else, the tangible benefits Wenxiang could provide would be more than enough.

"Holy Buddha, Holy Buddha, can you hear me?" Li Xiuchen thought for a long time before deciding to consult the Holy Buddha, since he wasn't alone anymore; there was another Holy Buddha within him. He should consult the Holy Buddha's opinion, no matter what, and couldn't let the Holy Buddha remain silent forever. Besides, that would be too unfair to the Holy Buddha.

“I can hear you, speak,” the Holy Buddha quickly replied to Li Xiuchen.

"Holy Buddha, what do you think?" Li Xiuchen wanted to hear the Holy Buddha's opinion. If the Holy Buddha said no, Li Xiuchen would immediately reject Wenxiang's seemingly tempting offer. Conversely, if the Holy Buddha nodded, Li Xiuchen would agree to Wenxiang's request.

"From the outside, Wenxiang's request is indeed very tempting. But I think you know something. That is, the book that Shanren gave you after he crippled your martial arts, you don't actually need to learn it. It will automatically unseal when you reach a certain level of cultivation, and you will gradually understand it when you circulate your battle qi." The Holy Buddha did not answer Li Xiuchen's question immediately, but instead told Li Xiuchen some things.

"Secondly, no one can erase the aura of the Panlong except the Martial Emperor, or perhaps the Hermit. But Wenxiang didn't lie to you; all he can do is suppress the Panlong's aura so that ordinary people can't detect it. Also, he can't teach you too many techniques for using the Panlong, but you can still handle ordinary tasks with ease." The Holy Buddha explained each of the conditions Wenxiang had given Li Xiuchen.

"So you mean I should just reject him directly?" Li Xiuchen asked the Holy Buddha tentatively after listening quietly to his words.

"No, I want you to agree to him." The Holy Buddha did not nod, but instead gave the opposite answer to Li Xiuchen.

“But if you say that, then agreeing to Wenxiang’s request wouldn’t benefit us at all. Although it’s better to have one more friend than one more enemy, wouldn’t that expose you?” Li Xiuchen suddenly didn’t understand the Holy Buddha’s thinking. He felt that he couldn’t figure out the Holy Buddha’s intentions.

"Didn't Wenxiang just tell you that Shanren has some connection with him, and both of them have already defected from the Wen family? It's worth noting that Shanren has also defected from the Wen family. So if you want what you want, you have to fight for it yourself. Nothing ventured, nothing gained." The Holy Buddha seemed to have figured something out.

"As for me, don't worry about me at all. The reason I concealed myself just now wasn't to avoid them, but because I was trying to sort out some things. Besides, you can't rely entirely on me to keep going; you're destined to face things on your own." The Holy Buddha's voice was calm and simple.

Li Xiuchen didn't press the matter further after hearing the Holy Buddha's words. He knew the timing wasn't right for him to chat with the Holy Buddha as if no one else was around; Wenxiang and Wenchong were still waiting for his answer. Li Xiuchen slowly nodded, but instead of directly answering Wenxiang's question, he said something that completely surprised Wenxiang and Wenchong.

"The strange bird reappeared in my illusion, its eyes filled with murderous intent."

Chapter 1227 indicates

Li Xiuchen didn't press the matter further after hearing the Holy Buddha's words. He knew the timing wasn't right for him to chat with the Holy Buddha as if no one else was around; Wenxiang and Wenchong were still waiting for his answer. Li Xiuchen slowly nodded, but instead of directly answering Wenxiang's question, he said something that completely surprised Wenxiang and Wenchong.

"The strange bird reappeared in my illusion, its eyes filled with murderous intent."

"You...you really?" Wenxiang's eyes widened suddenly when he heard Li Xiuchen say that. He stammered as he asked Li Xiuchen, wanting to make sure he hadn't misheard.

“Yes, that’s right. The strange bird has reappeared in my illusion, its eyes filled with murderous intent.” Li Xiuchen nodded affirmatively, looking firmly at Wenxiang and Wenchong in front of him, but he was not too surprised by their surprised and incredulous expressions.

"Quick, quick, let's go! Get out of here right now and head to Tianwu City!" Wenxiang was shocked when he heard Li Xiuchen's confirmation. It took him a while to recover, and he shouted for Wenchong and Li Xiuchen to leave the dark forest immediately.

Wen Chong and Li Xiuchen didn't say much after hearing Wen Xiang's words. They weren't idiots; knowing the inside story, they understood the perilous nature of the situation. So, without another word, the three of them quickly turned and ran towards Tianwu City.

"So, Grandpa, by revealing this matter from the beginning and informing everyone, you suppressed the unstable factors that had already emerged in the Wen family. This way, they couldn't find any fault with you, and things would be much easier to handle. Even if they eventually caught Third Uncle, I think the whole situation would be easier to manage. Especially since Wen Chong doesn't know anything about the whole thing, it would be even easier to resolve." Wen Long thought for a moment and calmly answered the question raised by the old patriarch.

"Hmm." After Wenlong finished speaking, the old patriarch nodded lightly.

"So what are you planning to do next?" The old patriarch pondered for a moment, then looked at Wen Long, who had a serious expression on his face, and asked in a deep voice.

"Next, I'm thinking of doing this..." Wenlong looked deeply at his grandfather in front of him, took a deep breath, and told the old man his plan.

"Hmm, not bad. Besides these, could you please work harder to refine our plan?" The old patriarch nodded, indicating his approval of Wenlong's plan. After a short pause, the old patriarch gave Wenlong a new task.

"Yes, patriarch, I understand. I will arrange everything as soon as possible." Wen Long stood up and said solemnly to the patriarch beside him.

"Alright, let's leave it at that for now." The old patriarch nodded gently, agreed to Wenlong's request, and closed his eyes.

"Then I'll take my leave, Patriarch. Please rest well." Seeing this, Wen Long didn't linger any longer. He bowed and clasped his hands in greeting to the Patriarch. Seeing the Patriarch nod slightly, Wen Long slowly took two steps back towards the door, but quickly stopped, turned around, and returned to the Patriarch's side. He pulled a thin blanket from the side and covered the Patriarch with it, gave the Patriarch a deep look, and then turned to leave, gently closing the stone door of the secret chamber.

After hearing the stone door of the secret chamber click shut by Wen Long, the old patriarch reopened his eyes. Silently, he pulled up the thin blanket covering him and stared at himself for a long time before a faint, almost imperceptible smile finally appeared on his lips. But he quickly concealed his expression, his face returning to its usual cold and stern expression.

A heavy, oppressive atmosphere fell over the entire chamber. The silence was eerily quiet, making everyone feel uneasy. After a long while, the old patriarch suddenly spoke.

"What do you think about Wenxiang leading Wenchong to betray the Wen family?" After the old patriarch finished speaking, it seemed no one would answer, and the atmosphere fell into an awkward silence. At this moment, the old patriarch seemed to be talking to himself, but unexpectedly, after a while, a voice suddenly emerged, sounding hoarse, cold, and devoid of any emotion.

"Wenxiang will lead Wenchong to betray the Wen family, and you ask me what I think?" The voice paused noticeably. "Isn't this all part of our plan? What else can I say?" The voice sounded somewhat helpless.

"So what do you think of Wenlong? What choices do you think he will make in the future?" The old patriarch slowly opened his eyes, quietly looking at the closed stone door not far away, his hand gently stroking the thin blanket that Wenlong had covered him with.

"I think Wenlong is a bit too calculating. I don't know if you can understand him, but I have a feeling that Wenlong will be in danger in the future. Don't ask me why, because I can't explain it either, but it feels like he's even better at hiding himself than you were when you were young." A voice, seemingly coming from nowhere, slowly expressed its opinion. Although the voice couldn't be seen, it was clear that the speaker held a deep-seated admiration for Wenlong, as well as a sense of fear befitting an elder.

"Hahaha, hahahaha. It's really not easy to hear such words from you. What's wrong? Even someone as powerful as you feels fear?" The old patriarch couldn't help but laugh loudly upon hearing the mysterious man's words, and didn't forget to tease him at the end.

"Yes, you're right. I feel like we're falling behind the times. Don't you think so? We're slowly being pushed off the stage of history by these rising stars." The mysterious voice ignored the old patriarch's teasing and continued talking to itself.

Upon hearing the mysterious voice, the old patriarch fell into deep thought. After a long while, he sighed, slowly shook his head, and closed his eyes again. "Let's deal with tomorrow's matters tomorrow."

After gently closing the stone door to the secret chamber, Wen Long didn't leave immediately. Instead, he stood before the chamber, gazing at the closed door for a long while. Overwhelmed with emotion, he reached out to touch the weathered stone door, but stopped just before it touched him. With a complex expression, Wen Long stared intently at the door, finally withdrawing his hand, gritting his teeth, and turning to leave the chamber.

A moment later, Wenlong strode out of the main hall and into the courtyard, heading towards his own yard. As he walked, a person quickly appeared behind him, following closely without straying more than a meter away.

"Han Hu, come here." Wen Long stopped abruptly after walking quickly for a while, turned around and called out to the person who had been following him.

"Yes, Your Highness, what are your orders?" Han Hu hurriedly bowed and answered when he heard Wen Long calling him.

"Han Hu, lift your head, I have something for you to do." Wen Long looked at Han Hu, who was bent over in front of him, thought for a moment, and then took two steps forward to speak to Han Hu.

Upon hearing Wen Long's words, Han Hu immediately straightened up. Wen Long took a step forward and whispered in Han Hu's ear,

"Come back to the courtyard with me first, and when no one is paying attention to you, immediately go find him. Tell him that I have released him and the plan is proceeding as originally planned for now. Tell him to be careful. Also, tell him to pay close attention to the people around him. I will take care of the follow-up matters as soon as possible."

After speaking, Wen Long took a step back, his gaze returning to Han Hu. Han Hu looked at Wen Long and nodded slightly, indicating that he had remembered.

"Okay, then you must be careful and come back quickly, okay?" Wenlong nodded and instructed.

"If, if I encounter any obstacles, what should I do?" After listening to Wen Long's words, Han Hu pondered for a moment and asked a question that he was a little unsure about.

"If, if you encounter any obstacles, just kill them." Upon hearing Han Hu's question, Wen Long's pupils visibly contracted, his eyes revealing a chilling light that conveyed an irresistible force.

"Yes, I understand." Han Hu responded in a deep voice after receiving Wen Long's affirmative answer.

Wen Long nodded slightly, his eyes glancing inadvertently at a patch of low grass not far away. Then he let out a heavy hum, turned around, and continued walking towards his courtyard. Han Hu saw Wen Long leave and quickly followed behind him.

Han Hu was a seriously injured man whom Wen Long rescued by chance when he was traveling more than ten years ago. At that time, Wen Long didn't know why he felt particularly pleasing to the eye when he saw Han Hu, and he also felt that he would be a good match for him, so he took Han Hu with him when he returned to the Wen family.

As for Han Hu's background, Wen Long had been curious, but Han Hu didn't say anything, so Wen Long didn't ask again. Their relationship evolved from savior to friend, and now to master and servant. Although Wen Long didn't know Han Hu very well, he inexplicably trusted him immensely, and Han Hu was exceptionally loyal to Wen Long.

However, Wen Long's trust in Han Hu was clearly not enough for Han Hu to gain a foothold in the deeply entrenched Wen family. The Wen family had sent countless people to search for Han Hu's whereabouts, but to no avail. Out of concern for the Wen family and Wen Long, the Wen family once considered expelling Han Hu from their household.

However, thanks to Wen Long's utmost protection, Han Hu was ultimately allowed to stay, at the cost of Wen Long having to perform many highly dangerous missions. The plan was that the pressure from these missions would eventually force Wen Long to relent, allowing them to expel Han Hu from the Wen family. But to everyone's surprise, Wen Long not only completed each mission flawlessly, but in some aspects, he even exceeded expectations.

Han Hu could have stayed at the Wen family instead of following Wen Long to complete those tasks, and simply waited for the final result. However, no matter how much Wen Long objected, Han Hu followed behind Wen Long time and time again. On many occasions, Wen Long escaped death thanks to Han Hu's fearless spirit, which carved a bloody path for Wen Long and eventually brought the dying Wen Long back to the Wen family. In the end, Han Hu would faint and die.

Whether it was fate or something else, Han Hu eventually woke up. With each mission completed, Wen Long's position in the Wen family not only didn't suffer because of Han Hu, but he steadily climbed higher and higher, eventually standing at the top of the Wen family. Han Hu, on the other hand, rarely spoke a word except when Wen Long spoke to him; he didn't participate in any activities, didn't attend any of Wen Long's meetings, and didn't inquire about anything related to the Wen family.

Even the smallest gossip within the Wen family didn't bother Han Hu; he simply repeated his mechanical life day after day. As time went on, the Wen family became familiar with Han Hu's presence, and their ostracism towards him lessened and faded. Gradually, everyone got used to having a silent man always following behind Wen Long, neither too far nor too close, always maintaining that unchanging one-meter distance.

As for who Han Hu really is and where he came from, no one can say for sure, and no one knows. If Han Hu's appearance were inevitable, or some kind of preordained event, probably no one would believe it. Because Wen Long's encounter with Han Hu was entirely due to his own impulsive decision to change his course; in the end, Wen Long himself didn't know where he wanted to go before he met the severely injured Han Hu.

"Perhaps this is a force from the unseen world." This was a sentiment that Wen Long himself uttered back then.

Chapter 1228 Untitled

As for who Han Hu really is and where he came from, no one can say for sure, and no one knows. If Han Hu's appearance were inevitable, or some kind of preordained event, probably no one would believe it. Because Wen Long's encounter with Han Hu was entirely due to his own impulsive decision to change his course; in the end, Wen Long himself didn't know where he wanted to go before he met the severely injured Han Hu.

"Perhaps this is a force from the unseen world." This was a sentiment that Wen Long himself uttered back then.

"Young master, young master. Where are you going? Our destination is Linghai City. The old patriarch hasn't finished the task he assigned us." An old servant followed closely behind a young man on horseback, constantly urging the young man, who was riding around aimlessly, to stop.

"Oh, it's just going to Linghai City. You can handle that yourself, right? Why do you need me to go?" The young man on horseback turned around to look at the old servant, who was walking but hadn't slowed down at all.

"That's true, but the old patriarch wants you to gain more experience. After all, the Wen family's great foundation will eventually belong to you and Wen Chong. Wen Chong has already stated that he will not participate in the struggle for control of the future. If you don't work harder, who will inherit the Wen family's legacy in the end, right?" The old servant continued to persuade the young man on horseback.

"I know, Lao Huang, but I'm still young, can't you let me enjoy myself for a couple more days? Why do I have to learn to take on these responsibilities so early?" The young man on horseback was clearly Wen Long, and he was also slowly persuading the old servant following behind him not to rush things.

“I know you still want to play, young master. When I was your age, I also loved to play and wanted to play too. But I’m all alone, and you’re not, right? So I think you should listen to the old master more and participate in these things. It’s not a bad thing to get to know people sooner.” The old servant tried to persuade the unruly Wen Long with reason and emotion.