Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

"What's more, what else?" Old Huang glanced indifferently at Wen Mou, who looked conflicted.

“Besides, there aren’t many elderly people left in the family. In recent years, my eldest uncle, fourth uncle, sixth uncle, and other elders have passed away one after another. Our Wen family can’t let the elderly go out and travel anymore; that would be unfilial.” Wen Mou’s expression was a little gloomy.

"It's alright, I won't cause any trouble. We're all getting old, and those who are destined to die are almost gone. Fifty is the age to know one's destiny. We're all so old, it'll be fine. Besides, we've seen all your contributions over the years, so don't worry." Old Huang couldn't help but sigh upon hearing this.

"And to be honest, I've been getting some feelings lately. I feel like I'm almost there too, so I'll spend as much time as I can with Long'er. Once I've taught him what I need to teach him, I'll feel at ease." Old Huang paused for a moment before saying this.

Chapter 1246 Good Fortune

"It's alright, I won't cause any trouble. We're all getting old, and those who are destined to die are almost gone. Fifty is the age to know one's destiny. We're all so old, it'll be fine. Besides, we've seen all your contributions over the years, so don't worry." Old Huang couldn't help but sigh upon hearing this.

"And to be honest, I've been getting some feelings lately. I feel like I'm almost there too, so I'll spend as much time as I can with Long'er. Once I've taught him what I need to teach him, I'll feel at ease." Old Huang paused for a moment before saying this.

"Uncle Huang, what nonsense are you talking about? You're so healthy, you haven't asked..." Wenmou was startled by Old Huang's words. In fact, over the years, Wenmou had long regarded Old Huang as his own father. So when Wenmou heard these words, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.

"Alright, I know my own body, stop talking. If my time is really coming, you must lead the Wen family well. Otherwise, when I get to the underworld, I'll have failed my elder brother." Wen Mou's words were interrupted by Old Huang waving his hand. An overwhelming sense of sorrow welled up in his heart.

"I, Huang Long, have no children, no grandchildren, and no worries in this life. It's good that I'm gone. I can be an ordinary person in the next life, which is not bad either. It's my blessing to have met you, my elder brother, in this life. If I may ask you something, after you passed away, I have long regarded you as my own son. So your grandson is also my own grandson." Old Huang paused here.

"Besides, Long'er grew up by my side since he was little, and now he's all grown up. I'll walk with him for as long as I can, and teach him whatever I can. This is my last contribution to the Wen family. Otherwise, what if my elder brother blames me when I get down here?" As Old Huang spoke, his eyes suddenly reddened, and two tears unconsciously rolled down his cheeks.

Although Lao Huang quickly wiped away his tears as if nothing was wrong, Wen Mou, who had been sitting opposite him, had seen it all. Wen Mou's heart tightened, and the bitter feeling intensified. Wen Mou sighed, turned his head, and casually wiped away the tears welling up in his own eyes.

Ever since his father brought Lao Huang home, Lao Huang had formed an indissoluble bond with the Wen family. But no one could have imagined that a century would pass in the blink of an eye.

"Okay, Uncle Huang, I'm entrusting Long'er to you. Please take good care of yourself. I'll be waiting for you to come back at home." After composing himself slightly, Wenmou turned around and forced a smile at Old Huang sitting opposite him.

Old Huang looked up and met Wenmou's gaze. He stared at Wenmou with a complicated expression for a long while. For a moment, neither of them spoke, just quietly looking at each other, unwilling to look away. Finally, Old Huang looked away, lowered his head, gently shook his head, stood up, and walked out.

Wenmou's gaze remained fixed on Lao Huang until Lao Huang disappeared from his sight. Suddenly, Wenmou stood up abruptly, losing his balance and nearly falling forward. He didn't have time to regain his footing, and stumbled forward, finally reaching his doorstep.

Wenmou gripped the doorframe tightly, his eyes fixed blankly on the gate. In the instant he arrived, Old Huang had already stepped out of the gate, leaving Wenmou with only his back turned. That usually imposing, strong figure, in that instant, appeared so helpless and frail.

As Lao Huang left, Wenmou suddenly felt as if something had been abruptly ripped from his heart. A profound emptiness filled him, a bittersweet feeling he couldn't quite describe. Wenmou wanted to shout to ease the pent-up emotions, but although his mouth opened, no sound came out.

The next day, Old Huang and Wen Long, one old and one young, set off with a horse and a bundle. Because they left early, no one from the Wen residence came to see them off. But as Old Huang and Wen Long's figures faded into the distance, the gates of the Wen residence opened again. Wen Mou slowly walked out, stood outside the gate, hands behind his back, staring intently into the distance, even after Old Huang and Wen Long had completely disappeared.

"Father, let's go back. The morning dew is heavy; be careful not to catch a cold." A middle-aged man walked out from behind Wenmou. He gently draped a coat over Wenmou's shoulders.

"Xiang'er, tell me, this time I released Old Huang, right?" Wen Mou didn't turn around, but asked the middle-aged man behind him in a calm, soft voice. The middle-aged man standing behind Wen Mou was Wen Xiang.

“Dad, there’s no right or wrong. Since Grandpa Huang came to see you personally, it means he has his own plans, and we shouldn’t interfere. It’s alright, Grandpa Huang knows what he’s doing.” Wenxiang thought for a moment and responded softly to Wenmou’s question.

"Your Grandpa Huang doesn't have much time left. I hope he'll be alright." Wenmou didn't say much, just gently shook his head. Hearing Wenmou's words, Wenxiang, who was standing behind Wenmou, couldn't help but feel a tightness in his heart, and his eyes widened instantly. It was clear that Wenxiang was also shocked when he heard the news.

"Grandpa Huang, he..." Wenxiang was momentarily speechless.

"How is Wen Chong doing lately?" Wen Mou didn't reply or explain further; he turned to look at Wen Xiang.

"Wenchong is still the same as always, always studying some strange and unusual things, or he's engrossed in cultivation." When Wenxiang mentioned Wenchong, his expression dimmed a little, and he gave a bitter smile.

"It's alright, you don't need to worry too much. Children and grandchildren have their own destinies, let's see what fate brings. If he really isn't interested in the position of family head, then we'll just have to hand it over to Wenlong." As he spoke, Wenmou turned around again and looked in the direction where Old Huang and Wenlong had walked away.

"Yes, I understand." Wenxiang nodded and turned his gaze back to the direction where Lao Huang and Wenlong had walked away.

Wenmou had two sons: Wenxiang, who is now the head of the Wen family, and Wenming. However, for some reason, despite Wenmou's decades-long tenure as head of the Wen family, his sons Wenxiang and Wenming showed absolutely no interest in the position. Wenxiang devoted himself to tea ceremony and martial arts, while Wenming focused on business, and both achieved considerable success in their respective fields. Therefore, Wenmou didn't interfere much in their lives.

This is why Wen Mou remained in power for decades without stepping down. Neither of his two sons wanted to take on the responsibility of leading the Wen family. Wen Mou wasn't the type to force others, especially not his own sons. Therefore, he persisted, waiting for his grandchildren to grow up.

Wen Chong, as the eldest grandson of Wen Mou in the Wen family, was also known for his composure, generosity, and methodical approach to tasks. Wen Mou had once considered pushing Wen Chong to the position of family head, against the prevailing opinion, so that Wen Chong could lead the Wen family. However, Wen Mou ultimately discovered that Wen Chong's heart wasn't in that role. Although disappointed, Wen Mou didn't force him.

The main reason Wen Mou assumed the position of family head was due to his father's will; his father wished him to lead the Wen family, and Wen Mou couldn't refuse. Therefore, even though Wen Mou's interests lay elsewhere, and he didn't have much attachment to the position, his sense of responsibility towards the Wen family prevented him from relinquishing it.

Because of this, Wenmou gave up his hobbies and the things he loved. This is why Wenmou ultimately decided that if his descendants could choose their own path, they should be able to pursue their own interests. Wenmou did not want his descendants to follow in his footsteps.

"Now, the Wen family's hopes rest on Wen Long. I hope Uncle Huang can carefully nurture Wen Long so that he can take over the Wen family's responsibilities. Otherwise, I really won't have the face to see my father after I leave." Wen Mou sighed deeply as he thought of this.

"Go back, and wish them a safe journey." Wenmou glanced deeply into the distance, then turned and walked back into the mansion. Wenxiang stepped aside, and after Wenmou entered the mansion, Wenxiang also looked up and gazed deeply into the distance.

"Take it!"

Old Huang instinctively looked back, but instantly sensed something was wrong. Just as he was about to release his battle aura, he was horrified to discover that his battle aura had vanished in an instant. And countless arrows pierced his body in a flash.

Old Huang's body went limp, and he collapsed to his knees, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Just as the young master had predicted, there was indeed something wrong in the city. Old Huang struggled to pull out a cigarette, and with a pull, a plume of gray smoke shot straight into the sky.

Wenlong, who had been waiting for news from Lao Huang, kept looking up at the sun overhead. A long time had passed, but Lao Huang still hadn't sent any message, which only made Wenlong's mood worse. His unease grew stronger.

Just then, Wenlong, who was anxiously stamping his feet, suddenly heard a sound that ripped through the sky. Wenlong instinctively turned around. Gray smoke. Wenlong's mood instantly plummeted.

With only a slight hesitation, Wen Long immediately mounted his horse and spurred it towards Linghai City. After galloping for a while, Wen Long suddenly snapped to attention. His mind cleared considerably in that instant. Alert, Wen Long immediately pulled on the reins, and the horse came to a stop.

Wen Long rode his horse, staring blankly at Linghai City, which wasn't too far away. His mind went blank, his eyes vacant as he gazed at the distant city. For the first time, Wen Long felt a sense of despair, a desolation, and an indescribable emotion.

When Wenlong calmed down, all the emotions and negative influences suddenly swept over him, leaving him stunned and bewildered.

"Quick! Assemble immediately! Arrest them outside the city!" Wen Long, who was in a daze, suddenly heard something and raised his head, looking at Linghai City with a blank expression.

Since Wen Long is being groomed as the future head of the family, his cultivation cannot be neglected in the slightest. Although Wen Long's cultivation is not as profound as Wen Chong's, it is still not to be underestimated. Therefore, even though Wen Long is currently somewhat dazed, he still heard the sounds coming from Linghai City not far away.

"Hurry up! Get out of the city and capture them immediately!" Another order was given. Wen Long, who had been in a daze, finally snapped out of it, his spirits lifted, and he looked at the massive, seemingly impregnable city before him with a complex expression. For the first time, Wen Long felt a sense of powerlessness.

"Young master, you must remember, when I release gray smoke, run immediately. If I release red smoke, it means everything is fine, and you can ride over. Got it?"

Old Huang's parting words suddenly echoed in Wenlong's mind, causing him to shiver and his mind to clear considerably. Moreover, the chaotic sounds of city guards assembling and setting off could be heard not far away, each heavy footstep pounding on Wenlong's heart.

Wen Long's expression grew increasingly dark, so somber it seemed to drip water. Wen Long knew that Old Huang was still buying him time, and he couldn't let Old Huang down. So, after taking a deep look at Linghai City before him, Wen Long immediately spurred his horse, turned the reins, and galloped in the opposite direction from Linghai City.

"Old Huang, I'm sorry, Old Huang, I'm so sorry. We shouldn't have come here, we shouldn't have come here. Why couldn't I have stopped you? Why couldn't I have stopped you back then?" Wenlong urged his horse on, tears streaming down his face. Facing the wind, Wenlong seemed to understand what loss truly meant.

Chapter 1247 Fighting

Wen Long's expression grew increasingly dark, so somber it seemed to drip water. Wen Long knew that Old Huang was still buying him time, and he couldn't let Old Huang down. So, after taking a deep look at Linghai City before him, Wen Long immediately spurred his horse, turned the reins, and galloped in the opposite direction from Linghai City.

"Old Huang, I'm sorry, Old Huang, I'm so sorry. We shouldn't have come here, we shouldn't have come here. Why couldn't I have stopped you? Why couldn't I have stopped you back then?" Wenlong urged his horse on, tears streaming down his face. Facing the wind, Wenlong seemed to understand what loss truly meant.

"Quickly, chase after them! The young master of the Wen family is just ahead! Whoever can stop him will be rewarded with a thousand taels of silver!" In the brief moment that Wen Long was distracted, the city gate official who was leading the charge had already led his men out in pursuit.

No one in the world would turn down money, and upon hearing that a thousand taels of silver could be won, the cavalrymen following behind the city gate official's eyes lit up. In an instant, their faces flushed and necks bulging, they whipped their horses, each trying to outrun the others, afraid of falling behind and missing out on the opportunity. Sure enough, the saying "a great reward will surely bring forth brave men" proved to be very true.

"Young Master Wen! Stop right now! Don't make things difficult for us, or don't blame us for being rude!" Soon, someone spurred their horse and caught up to Wen Long not far behind. The fastest rider shouted at Wen Long, who was running happily ahead.

"You want to arrest me? Don't even think about it! Anyone who's not afraid of death is welcome to try!" There's a reason why Wen Long has become a key figure being groomed by the Wen family. Although Wen Long doesn't know much about Lao Huang's situation, and Lao Huang's fate is unknown, to think that Wen Long would surrender so easily would be to greatly underestimate the Wen family.

"You little brat, you won't listen to reason, so don't blame us for being ruthless!" Upon hearing Wen Long's firm reply, the leader was enraged and glared at Wen Long, cursing him viciously.

The soldiers at the front spurred their horses on, quickly catching up with Wen Long. Although Wen Long was fast enough, the horse he was riding was of poor quality and couldn't run very fast. Meanwhile, the men chasing behind him were riding warhorses. So it wasn't surprising that Wen Long was overtaken.

The soldier who had caught up reached to his waist and firmly grasped a long sword that gleamed coldly. Without hesitation, he used the sword as a knife and slashed horizontally at Wen Long, who was riding a horse right beside him.

Although Wen Long was young, his combat experience far surpassed that of ordinary soldiers. So, in the instant before the soldier could even swing his sword, Wen Long had already leaned back, narrowly disarming the incoming blade. Enraged by his failed attack, the soldier didn't immediately retract his strength, but instead hastily pulled back his sword and thrust it at Wen Long again.

Wenlong didn't rush to dodge. Instead, he reached for his waist, and a knife appeared in his hand in an instant. He then swung it at the soldiers on the other side of the world.

The instant Wen Long's swung blade clashed with the soldier's thrusting sword, sparks flew as they collided, creating countless tiny flashes. The soldier visibly froze for a moment, followed by a sharp pain in his hand. He lost his grip on the sword, which slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground.

Taking advantage of the soldier's momentary hesitation, Wen Long swung his knife, striking the soldier's body in one swift motion. The two men were already moving rapidly, and with the speed of Wen Long's blade, a dull thud was heard. The soldier's forearm was severed by Wen Long's blade.

In an instant, a piercing pain swept through the soldier's entire being. He instinctively reached out his other, unharmed hand to clutch his wound. He lost his balance and cried out as he fell from his horse. But his cries quickly faded into silence.

The riders following closely behind Wenlong and his soldiers saw the soldier who had been fighting with Wenlong fall from his horse, but it was clear that they didn't have time to slow down. One horse after another trod over the wounded soldier with heavy steps, and the soldier was quickly trampled into a pile of minced meat by the fast-moving horses, and the screams stopped.

"Idiot!" The crowd, who had been urging their horses over the bodies of the fallen soldiers, turned around and looked behind them, letting out a heart-wrenching roar, their eyes instantly turning red.

"You brat! I'll never forgive you! You just wait! Giddy up!" Seeing Ah Dai, who was usually inseparable from them and whom they treated like a younger brother, suddenly separated from them by death, the soldiers closely following Wen Long felt a pang of pain in their hearts.

"Ah!" Another man, brandishing his sword, galloped up to Wen Long's side, yelling as he spurred his horse. He swung his sword down fiercely at Wen Long. Wen Long was startled. From the sound of the blade cutting through the air, he could tell that this soldier was clearly not of the same caliber as the one he had just fought.

Wen Long dared not be careless, gripping his knife tightly. Although he came from a family of cultivators with a high status in the martial arts world, Wen Long didn't know why he had always felt blocked on the path of cultivation. No matter how hard he cultivated, he could never compare to his peers and always fell far behind.

Although Wenmou and Lao Huang had both investigated the problem, their conclusions were not entirely satisfactory. After some quiet reflection, Lao Huang privately spoke with Wenmou and shared his findings. The two then ceased their worries about Wenlong's situation.

"You brat, prepare to die! You bastard! Give me your life!" the soldier roared at Wenlong as he swung his sword.

Wenlong dared not be careless. Although his cultivation level was not very high, he had always believed that the martial arts he practiced were not just for show. So Wenlong held the reins in one hand and held the knife in front of him with the other, preparing to take the blow head-on.

It all happened in an instant. The soldier's blade, swung towards Wen Long, quickly reached him. Wen Long steeled his resolve, his hand gripping the blade forward to deflect the soldier's heavy blow. Simultaneously, he twisted his wrist, flicking the incoming blade away, dissipating most of its force. He then sidestepped the blade, the tip grazing just short of Wen Long's throat.

Wen Long dared not breathe. Taking advantage of the instant the soldier's blade grazed him, he flipped his own blade upwards, slashing at the soldier. The soldier, caught off guard, was pulled forward by the blade, and it was precisely because of this sudden movement that Wen Long's blade appeared before him.

In an instant, blood gushed out, and the soldier, clutching his slashed throat, fell from his horse. Just then, Wen Long felt a whooshing sound behind him. Without turning around, Wen Long leaned forward, turned back, and swung his sword heavily at the soldier behind him.

In an instant, the soldier was cut down from his horse by Wen Long. Wen Long, however, was stabbed in the abdomen by a blade coming from the other side. Although the blade wasn't very powerful because it was a thrust, Wen Long was still wounded. Fortunately, the wound wasn't large and wouldn't cause much harm.

Wenlong yanked the reins hard, and his horse struggled forward a couple of steps, widening the gap between Wenlong and the soldiers behind him. Wenlong touched his injured abdomen, but quickly relaxed, the wound was nothing to worry about. Wenlong couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Wen Long frowned and glanced back at the soldiers relentlessly pursuing him. He quickly raised the reins, urging his horse to speed up. The soldiers behind him, seeing this, immediately increased their own pace, fearing Wen Long might escape their sight and attack range.

But at that moment, Wenlong suddenly tugged on the reins. The horse beneath him, startled, came to a sudden stop, its hind legs flying off the ground before crashing down due to the uneven weight distribution. Wenlong slid off the horse and gently caught it as it was about to fall. The horse, propelled forward, landed firmly on the ground once more.

Wen Long didn't get up. Instead, he rolled forward twice, grabbed his sword with both hands, and slashed fiercely at the hooves of the soldiers who had caught up. Soon, Wen Long's sword severed the hooves. The soldiers on horseback were thrown forward by their horses and crashed heavily to the ground.

Without hesitation, Wen Long turned and swung his sword, instantly felling the soldier who hadn't yet stood up. Blood splattered everywhere. Wen Long moved in and out several times, his figure constantly weaving between the horses and the fallen soldiers. Before long, Wen Long had cut down the several soldiers who had been following him. Looking around, those soldiers were barely breathing, on the verge of death.

Wen Long didn't have time to check on the soldiers he had slashed; he put his hand to his mouth and whistled sharply. The horse that had just run away quickly returned to Wen Long's side. Wen Long mounted the horse and hurriedly urged it to gallop away. Only then did Wen Long notice that he had several more cuts, some small and some large, on his body.

Wenlong spurred his horse forward, glancing down to examine his wound. Fortunately, it wasn't too serious. Relieved, Wenlong glanced back. No one was chasing him yet, but he dared not let his guard down and continued urging his horse forward.

Not long after Wen Long left, the city gate officer, along with the remaining men, spurred their horses to the spot where Wen Long had just fought the soldiers. The city gate officer saw the corpses scattered everywhere, the horses' hooves shattered, and the horses barely alive. He quickly jumped off his horse, ran a few steps, and rushed to the soldiers.

The city gate officer reached out and checked his breath; there was no movement. The officer's face instantly darkened, becoming ashen and inky as ink. He looked up at the others. His soldiers had already examined the wounded soldiers. They all stared at the officer with grim faces and furrowed brows, shaking their heads.

Seeing this, the city gate official's face darkened even more. He slowly stood up from the ground, his face grim as he looked in the direction Wen Long had left.

"Get on your horses and give chase immediately! Xiao Li, go back and report the situation here to the general. Everyone else, get on your horses and give chase!" After a moment's thought, the city gate officer immediately issued the order.

The soldiers dared not delay, immediately running ahead of their horses and mounting them. Except for Xiao Li, who had returned to the city to report to the general, everyone followed closely behind the city gate official, urging their horses forward as fast as they could. Not a single one dared to be negligent.

"Wenlong, Young Master Wen! You've killed so many of my brothers! If I can't catch you, how can I face those brothers you killed?" The city gate officer roared inwardly as he urged his horse forward with a grim face.