Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

"Hmm... I always feel... a bit unsafe." Han Hu nodded slightly, expressing his concerns.

"Given the current situation, there's no longer any question of safety; it all comes down to which side you choose to stand on. Whether it's safe or not, we'll only know at the very end. Until the very last moment, nobody knows." Wen Long looked up at the window, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

"But... judging from the current situation, Elder Wenxiang's side is in a precarious position. As of now, besides us, we don't know how many people in the Wen family still support Elder Wenxiang, which makes our path ahead very difficult." Han Hu frowned deeply; there were indeed too many uncontrollable factors in the disputes between aristocratic families.

"It's alright, don't worry. Since you don't know who supports Uncle Wenxiang right now, it means that even the other members of the Wen family who support Uncle Wenxiang won't know your stance. So we'll only know the outcome after the punishment. Don't worry too much, everything will be fine." Wenxiang understood Han Hu's concerns, so he gently comforted him.

"But speaking of which, Han Hu, why are you getting more and more timid? You weren't like this before. What's wrong with you?" Wen Long said with a smile, turning his head curiously to look at Han Hu and asking.

“It’s not that I’m cowardly, it’s that the burden on your shoulders is heavier. I can risk my life, but Your Highness is different. Your future includes the Wen family, and… her.” Seeing that Wen Long seemed to be mocking him, Han Hu couldn’t help but roll his eyes at Wen Long.

Upon hearing Han Hu's words, Wen Long's smile froze on his face, and the look in his eyes dimmed considerably. Wen Long turned his head away without a word, lowering his head deeply.

Seeing Wenlong's expression, Han Hu's heart skipped a beat. She wanted to slap herself a few times. Why did she have to bring up such a sensitive topic? Had she lost her mind? Was she just asking for trouble?

"Your Highness...I..." Han Hu was so anxious that he didn't know what to say. His mind was blank, and he seemed very incoherent.

"Alright, I understand, stop talking." Wen Long interrupted Han Hu directly, gently waving his hand to stop Han Hu's well-intentioned attempt to persuade him.

“There are some things that really need to be addressed. Keep running away from them isn’t a good thing. Just wait, when I’m a little stronger, everything should be dealt with properly.” Wen Long took a deep breath and then raised his head.

“We need to speed things up. We can’t keep going like this. Let’s find some time to deal with things properly and handle whatever needs to be done.” Wen Long glanced at Han Hu.

"Okay, I understand. I will intensify their training and help them achieve results as soon as possible." Han Hu nodded firmly at Wen Long, and for a moment, a hint of killing intent was revealed on Han Hu's body.

"How's the current finished product qualification rate?" When he said this, Wenlong's eyes regained their expression, and a glint of shrewdness appeared in them.

“There are quite a few qualified candidates now, but after such a long time, many have shown abilities beyond their current level, so I think we should let them train for a while longer.” Han Hu thought carefully.

"Okay, good. If anyone performs beyond the original plan, let them hone their skills further and try to get them to perform at their best. Also, test their loyalty again. Eliminate all those who fail, cripple their cultivation, and kick them out." Wen Long's eyes flashed with ruthlessness.

"Yes, I know. Ability doesn't matter, but character is essential. I've always kept that in mind, don't worry." Han Hu nodded firmly once again, indicating that he agreed with Wen Long's statement.

"Let's think about what else we need to prepare and verify," Wenlong nodded and said softly.

"For now, it seems there's nothing to worry about. If anything comes up, we can talk about it when we remember. There's no rush," Han Hu said, looking up at Wen Long after a moment's thought.

"Okay, let's leave it at that for now." Wen Long nodded in agreement with Han Hu's words.

"By the way, Your Highness, what did the old patriarch say?" Han Hu suddenly seemed to remember something.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Wen Long didn't react for a moment and seemed a little confused by Han Hu's sudden question.

"It's about our trip to Linghai City. Your Highness, you pretended to be anxious and vomit blood in front of the old patriarch this time. I don't think the old patriarch will let you go to Linghai City so easily." Han Hu scratched his chin and said slowly.

"Ah~ no, don't worry. This time, the old patriarch of the Wen family won't stop me from going to Linghai City. On the contrary, he will secretly mobilize some of his own forces or assassins to ensure my safety. Although our Wen family has its own assassins, as you know, they intend to groom me to be the future patriarch, so I know all of them." Wen Long paused here.

"Moreover, given my temperament, if the old patriarch were to send those people to follow me, I would definitely find them all one by one and drive them back to the Wen family. In that case, their duty to protect me would no longer exist. Therefore, to ensure that nothing goes wrong, the most effective way is to send his own bodyguards to follow me."

"But Your Highness, there's always an exception. Are you really so sure that the old patriarch won't send the family's assassins but will send his own?" Han Hu was still a little uneasy.

“I’m sure that you, from the middle of the Wen family, have some understanding of the Wen family, but not a very deep one. I, on the other hand, grew up in the Wen family. The old patriarch and Old Huang watched me grow up, so they know me well enough, and I know them well enough.”

"But there's also something else: the Wen family of today is not the same as it used to be. Old Huang is no longer here, and I am no longer the same person I used to be. So the old patriarch's understanding of me is still based on the past, not the present."

"He used to be able to perfectly control me, but now he can't control me completely anymore. Moreover, after I discovered some things, the possibility of this happening has become even less obvious. Han Hu, you know, people always change."

"Who can guarantee that their closest confidant won't stab them in the back? Who can guarantee that their most trusted person won't speak ill of them behind their back or do shady things? Even those who are best friends can betray each other, let alone in a powerful family like this. Such a large family, such a vast business. Do you really think anyone wouldn't be envious? Of course not." As he spoke, Wen Long suddenly laughed.

"I think there probably will be, for example, the master, or Uncle Wenxiang. Aren't those two uninterested in this so-called power of the family head?" Han Hu tilted his head and thought for a moment before offering his opinion.

"No, that's because you don't know the real reason they don't intervene."

“No, that’s because you don’t know the real reason they don’t intervene.” Wen Long smiled and shook his head, denying Han Hu’s opinion.

Han Hu didn't respond. He knew it was best not to know too much about these things. Although he and Wen Long had a good relationship, he was ultimately just an outsider. There were some things he couldn't interfere with, couldn't fuss over, and certainly couldn't use his relationship to recklessly try to find out more.

There was nothing to say for a moment. Everything that needed to be said had been said, and everything that needed to be understood had been understood. After thinking for a moment, Han Hu stood up, said goodbye to Wen Long, and left Wen Long's bedroom.

Wenlong carefully lifted the vines covering the cave and peered inside. After a short while, he found nothing unusual. Then, he tiptoed into the cave and carefully checked it over before feeling relieved. There were no signs of animals living in the cave.

After carefully examining the cave entrance, Wenlong crawled out again and ran a long way to gather some grass and vines before returning to the cave entrance. He meticulously arranged the grass and vines, then nodded in satisfaction. Finally, he carefully cleaned up any traces of his footsteps.

After finishing everything, Wenlong crouched down and entered the cave, then turned around and carefully covered up all traces of activity at the cave entrance. He then meticulously laid out the things he had just gathered at the entrance, completely concealing it.

After everything was done, Wenlong carefully examined the area from several different angles before finally letting go of his anxiety. For the time being, Wenlong was safe and could finally have some peace and quiet. The day and night of commotion had left Wenlong utterly exhausted.

Although he didn't sleep very well that night, Wenlong, exhausted both physically and mentally, still slept relatively soundly and deeply. The next day arrived quickly, and Wenlong suddenly woke up from his dream, sat up abruptly, and stared blankly at the entrance of the cave where he was.

After a while, Wenlong finally came to his senses and became much more clear-headed. He shook his head, took a deep breath, and quietly climbed to the cave entrance. Just as he was about to pull back the covering placed at the entrance, he suddenly heard a rustling sound. Wenlong immediately stopped, held his breath, and waited quietly for what might happen next.

"Sir, last night we chased after Wenlong's horse. Just in case, in case that Wenlong uses a diversionary tactic, I also left our signal by the roadside. You should have seen it, right?" After carefully identifying the voice, Wenlong recognized it as the city gate officer who had been chasing him all day.

“I saw him. Alright, let’s leave him for now. He shouldn’t be able to get very far tonight. You take your men and go back first. I’ll handle the rest. By the way, I don’t want anyone to know about this. Do you understand?” The man addressed as “Sir” spoke, his voice deep and resonant.

"Yes, I understand, sir." The city gate official readily agreed upon hearing the man's words, appearing very sincere, and responded immediately.

"Well, go back and get some rest. I'll put in a good word for you with the city lord, and I think your career should improve..." The man didn't finish his sentence.

"Yes, yes, I understand, sir. Thank you, sir. I'll be going back now." Although the man didn't finish speaking, the city gate official, having been in officialdom for many years, immediately understood the man's implied meaning.

The man didn't speak further, simply gazing silently at the dense forest before him. The city gatekeeper, without further ado, quickly turned his horse around, left the man's side, and spurred his horse onto the main road, leading his men straight towards Linghai City, not daring to delay any longer.

After the city gate official had left for a while, the person who had been standing there quietly suddenly spoke.

“Wenlong, I know you’re still here and haven’t gone far. My name is Li Longcheng. You’ll know who I am when you go back. I’m the general who led this operation. The order was given by the city lord of Linghai City. I hope you remember him. Also, don’t come back to Linghai City for the next ten years, because you’re not qualified yet.”

"Also, if you trust me, head towards the southeast corner immediately half an hour after I leave. That place is the Land of Heavenly Punishment, as I think you should know. Two hours later, I will lead people to seal off this entire area and then conduct a thorough search, so I hope you do it as soon as possible."

"After I finish saying these words and leave, I will start timing. I will leave some dry food here. Whether you eat it or not is up to you, I will not force you. Also, whether you believe me or not is up to you, I will not force you either. There is also something else I hope you can understand clearly."

"Next time you hide, be careful not to leave your scent when cleaning up your tracks. Also, don't choose a cave like the one you're hiding in now. It's not safe, and it's not convenient to escape. It might be enough to fool ordinary people, but for someone as experienced as me, these little tricks are far from enough."

"Alright, I've finished speaking. Now I'm leaving. I hope you'll keep track of the time." After saying this, the man indeed turned his horse around and galloped towards the main road. But halfway there, he suddenly stopped and said something that made Wenlong feel sad.

"By the way, Old Huang, he's dead. Remember, don't come back for ten years." A short while after saying this, the man had already driven away.

Wenlong, however, was stunned and stood there dumbfounded by Li Longcheng's words.

Although Wenlong remained hidden in the cave, his clothes were already completely soaked by the words of the man named Li Longcheng. While Wenlong was now somewhat confused about Li Longcheng's intentions and how much of his words could be trusted, he had no other choice.

After a night of reflection, Wenlong had guessed Lao Huang's situation, so he didn't feel any particular emotion about Lao Huang's ordeal. Of course, Wenlong also knew that it wasn't that he had overcome his grief over Lao Huang's passing, but rather that he had become numb to the present.

Wen Long knew that even if he went out to find Linghai City now, it wouldn't change anything. So, he could only forcefully suppress the pent-up emotions in his heart and force himself not to think about those things. Besides, Wen Long wasn't the kind of person who easily lost his temper; otherwise, he wouldn't have become a candidate for the next head of the Wen family.

Wenlong took a deep breath, gently lifted the covers covering the entrance to his cave, looked around at the surroundings, gritted his teeth, broke through the covers, and then crouched down and quickly slipped to the place where Li Longcheng had been.

As they approached the spot, Wenlong suddenly collapsed to the ground and slowly made his way there. Sure enough, where Li Longcheng had just been, there was a small package on the ground. Wenlong opened it and found several portions of dry rations inside, including flatbread and dried meat. Wenlong was stunned; these were the things Old Huang had always prepared for him.

Tears streamed down Wenlong's face instantly, but he also knew this wasn't the time to grieve. So, he wiped away his tears, grabbed his bundle, and ran towards the southeast corner. Although he didn't know whether he should believe Li Longcheng's words, he truly had no better option at the moment.

In terms of numbers, he couldn't outnumber those chasing him. As for cultivation level, while his own was decent, he might be able to put up a fight against some true masters, but that would be just a fight, and wouldn't significantly alter the outcome. Therefore, Wenlong made up his mind to take a gamble.

Although I don't know how things will turn out, it's still better than wandering around aimlessly like a headless fly. If that person really meant well, and I ended up getting caught because of my own stubbornness, then I can only say that I was too stupid, out of touch with reality, and couldn't even guarantee my own safety, let alone anything else.

Moreover, if Li Longcheng really is the Wen family's last pawn in Linghai City, then blindly rushing into him would truly make Old Huang's sacrifice go to waste. Although Wen Long is bold, he is not bold enough to pave the way for himself with the lives of others, especially since that is Old Huang, his closest relative who watched him grow up.

Wen Long steeled his resolve, no longer caring about anything else. He sprinted towards the southeast corner, munching on his dry rations as he went. As time passed, the time Li Longcheng had agreed upon was fast approaching, and Wen Long could vaguely see the edge of the Heavenly Punishment Land in the southeast corner.

"Hey, tell me, why did the adults send us to guard this place? This is the Land of Heavenly Punishment. No one would risk their life like that. The Land of Heavenly Punishment, you'll die without a burial place."

"Who knows about him? Let's just take a look and leave quickly. Although we have an agreement with the lord of the Land of Heavenly Punishment that we will not interfere with their world, and he will not interfere with our affairs, who can really guarantee that those brats won't come out? Let's get out of here, I don't want to die here."

When Wenlong vaguely heard these sounds, he quickly concealed himself, quietly lying prone in a low spot and waiting for the two people to leave. After hearing their voices fade away, Wenlong immediately scrambled to his feet and ran non-stop towards the southeast corner.

Although Wen Long was getting closer and closer to that place, he dared not delay. Gritting his teeth, Wen Long immediately used his cultivation to increase his speed, sprinting rapidly in that direction. Just as he crossed the border, Wen Long heard a cry of alarm from not far away.

"Hurry! He's really over there! Quick! Notify the general and the others immediately!"

"My God! Is he really courting death?!"

"Never mind him, quick, quickly notify the general and the others!"

The two men who had spoken earlier were running away, pulling out signal flares from their pockets and quickly pulling them into the sky. Wen Long glanced back instinctively, and a plume of red smoke immediately dissipated in the air.

Wenlong looked at the plume of red smoke and couldn't help but smile bitterly, but he didn't dare to stop and ran straight into the Heavenly Punishment Land.

Shortly after Wen Long's figure disappeared into the Land of Heavenly Punishment, Li Longcheng and his men, having received the signal, rode to the spot where Wen Long had just left. The two soldiers responsible for that area stood to the side, not daring to raise their heads. Wen Long's escape was their responsibility, and they didn't know how to explain it to Li Longcheng.

"Whoever is in charge of this area, bring them to me immediately." Li Longcheng looked at the deep, dark land of divine punishment, his face so gloomy it seemed as if water could drip from it at any moment.

"Sir...this area...this area is our responsibility..." The two soldiers who had been standing not far from Li Longcheng couldn't help but exclaim in their hearts when they heard Li Longcheng's words.

But in the end, the two men steeled themselves and approached Li Longcheng, speaking tremblingly. They dared not look Li Longcheng in the eye, a deep sense of fear hanging over them. They were prepared to face military law; now, they only hoped that Li Longcheng would spare their families.

"You're in charge of this area, right?" Li Longcheng coldly glanced at the two soldiers standing beside him who were trembling incessantly.

"Yes, sir. Sir... sir, we..." Upon hearing Li Longcheng's voice, the two soldiers were so frightened that they knelt down on the ground, their voices trembling as they spoke, but their words were incoherent and they could not utter a coherent sentence for a long time.

"You two, stand up!" Seeing the two soldiers kneeling on the ground, their bodies trembling violently, Li Longcheng frowned and roared at them.

"Yes, yes, yes..." Upon hearing Li Longcheng's voice, the two soldiers trembled violently and hurriedly agreed. They then struggled to stand up, but due to fear, they were too weak to stand up. After struggling several times, they finally stood up, but still dared not raise their heads.

"You two, raise your heads! Look at yourselves, do you even look like soldiers anymore!" Li Longcheng's face grew increasingly grim as he looked at the two soldiers, and he couldn't help but point at them and yell at them.

The two soldiers were startled by Li Longcheng's roar, but they still obediently suppressed their fear and raised their heads, their trembling bodies resisting as they looked directly at Li Longcheng.

“You two should know the consequences of failing to complete the mission,” Li Longcheng said coldly, looking at them.

"Reporting to the general! We understand!" The two soldiers gritted their teeth, looked directly into Li Longcheng's eyes, and answered his question loudly. According to military law, failure to perform duties was punishable by law.

“Very well, according to military law, you two should be executed by beheading and displayed to the public. However, considering that your strength is not equal to that of the enemy and the location you are guarding is dangerous, the death penalty will be temporarily waived. But military law is military law; the death penalty may be waived, but punishment is still unavoidable. After you return to the city, each of you will be given forty strokes of the cane. Do you two have any objections?” Li Longcheng coldly looked at the two soldiers and said the following words.

"Reporting to the general! Your subordinates dare not! We will follow your orders!" When the two soldiers heard about Li Longcheng's punishment for them, although the caning was indeed cruel, they were relieved and happy that they were spared the death penalty.

"Alright, you can leave now." Li Longcheng stopped looking at the two soldiers and casually waved his hand, signaling them to leave. Upon seeing Li Longcheng's gesture, the two soldiers immediately gave a proper military salute and quickly retreated to the back of the line.

"General, what do you think we should do about this? The city lord has ordered that we must bring back Wen Long, the eldest son of the Wen family, but Wen Long has already escaped into this Land of Heavenly Punishment. If we go back... how will we report back?" After the two soldiers left, a lieutenant who had been standing next to him looked at Li Longcheng.