Divine Brilliance

Opposite the emperor robed old man sat one more person. He was roughly 30 odd years old. Even when he was within this palace, he wore heavy armor. His face was delicate and handsome, a long beard grew from his chin making him appear dignified.

“I know of this kid, I heard he is only 14 years old and his methods and schemes are no weaker than his dad. I originally thought that after Zong Weiran died, Gantian Mountain should weaken and fall. Who knew that this kid would shock all of us with his appearance, being so aggressive in Donglin Cloud Continent. I had analyzed the way he used troops and there was nothing special. There were only 2 points. One is that he is well versed and the other is that he is swift, often striking the crucial areas, hitting the weak spot of the enemy before they can even react. He doesn’t look like someone who had just started controlling troops and having power over an army, he is more like someone who had been through a hundred wars…”

“Oh? Supreme Military official has such high praise for this kid?”

The emperor robed old man’s white brows moved slightly following which he took a deep breath, “12 Provinces which means ten thousand miles of land from north to south. This Gantian Mountain can barely establish a country system. Maybe in the future, they might even have a possibility of unifying the Donglin Cloud Continent…”

The old man suddenly stood up, walking to a bookshelf at the side. He first took out a scroll there from the row marked as A and the 34th collum. Only to see the cover of the scroll marked the words Gantian Mountain Zong Weiran.

Then the emperor robbed old man casually used the brush to write down the name Zong Shou after Zong Weiran.

Following that, he thought about it and added the words, “formidable teen”.

“14 years old? I remember when I was 14 I only knew how to play with birds and walk the dog, doing nothing with my life. Whilst this Zong Shou is on the battlefield destroying armies of millions. If my son could be like this, why would I have to be so worried? Worry about the god-emperor situation…”

Giving out a self-mocking laugh, the old man shifted the place of the scroll to the 24th column.

Looking at the wooden shelf, his gaze was indistinct, “A strong enemy hasn’t been handled and a new one is added. I don’t know whether or not I should feel depressed or excited…”

The middle-aged man, that was called the supreme military official, body slightly trembled before he regained calmness. He had gotten used to the emperor behaving like that during the recent few years.

At the same time, in Donglin Continent tens of thousands of miles away, there was also a person who was standing by the city wall, carving Zong Shou’s name onto the walls.

This person was around 20 years old, his forehead was really wide, his features were surprisingly not ugly but had a unique quality. The people following him patrolled the city walls, at this moment they were standing quietly behind this teen.

“Gantian Mountain, Zong Shou!”

The teen carved the last stroke and then kept silent. His face was dark and sunken as he looked at the city behind him.

This was a huge city that was not worse than Gantian mountain, even a little better, The streets were prosperous and busy, people were packed and brushed by one another.

Only this teen was absent-minded. His brain just repeated the words, Zong Shou, over and over.

“6 battles 6 wins, mighty lords like Xiong Ba and Feng Nu were beaten so cleanly…”

In the end, all the worrying thoughts turn into a smile, “It’s okay. If I don’t have any opponents in my life wouldn’t it feel regretful?”

…

It was a whole other scene within Gantian Mountain city. The battle reports from the frontlines had spread back to here and all the streets hung banners and decorations. Everyone in the city was gaily dressed, dolling them up to the celebratory spirit.

On the 3rd day morning, numerous people gathered at the east city gate, surrounding the area such that not even water could flow past.

Hu Zhongyuan had long ago led the 20 thousand cavalry and arrived, he was ordered to maintain order in this area along with the east city army.

Looking at the situation around the city gates he was shocked. Even when Zong Weiran was alive, Gantian Mountain was never so bustling before.

He couldn’t help but feel impressed by his old man’s foresight. If they waited for the ruler to return on the carriage, they wouldn’t be able to move an inch here.

He didn’t show any courtesy at all as he ordered the hundreds of thousands of east city troops to wave sticks to forcefully split the crowd to the sides of the road.

At this point, he had already broken through to the Xuanwu ancestor realm. After he made a serious face, his aura was also really threatening. Along with the fact that he had killed on the battlefield these few days, slaying countless amounts of people, his body was filled with killing intent. When he scolded out, he gave off a really strong aura. Even when normal people looked at him, they would be unable to hold their gaze for long.

Those that didn’t listen, he viciously smacked them with the huge stick.

In just a short moment, be it by scolding or hitting, he cleared out a road towards the city center.

However, the people watching didn’t get annoyed, most of them were filled with excitement and were pumped up.

Hu Zhongyuan held the tiger king knife with one hand as he stood straight at the city gate, waiting solemnly and respectfully along with the east city guardian general.

He originally didn’t pay attention to those voices spreading out but a moment later he straightened his ears and listened closely.

“…It shouldn’t be bragging right? What kind of people are Yunxia Feng Nu and Blazing Flame Xiong Ba? The former spent so many years and was unable to clear them. How is it possible for them to lose so quickly? And each of them gave up half a province of land? In the past this city also had some rumors with 90% turned out to be false…”

“Scoff! How can that proper battle report be faked? In the future, if it was exposed wouldn’t one be humiliated? Although that Feng Nu and Xiong Ba are might lords of a generation, since Taoyun city lord Yue Guanyun have already died in the ruler’s hands, how is it surprising for these 2 to lose to the ruler?”

“That’s right! Close to a year has passed since the former ruler has gone missing. Today we are all able to feel proud and happy. Not only were we able to regain our old land but we are even able to expand tens of thousands of miles. The ruler is truly the son of the former ruler! Weren’t those 3 cities so arrogant the past period? Now the merchants within the city don’t even dare to make a sound, how pleasing is that…”

“I heard the ruler won 6 in 6 battles, forcing that Xiong Ba and Feng Nu to cut off their hands to have peace. I don’t know if that was true or not? The ruler is truly valiant. Hey, who was the one who said Zong Shi could be up to the task and inherit the throne. I think that person can’t even be compared to one of the ruler’s fingers!”

“Why are we talking about that rebellious scum? Only those Zong family direct disciples saw him as a treasure. Oh right speaking of which our Gantian Mountain has several rising talents! Zong Yuan, Heli, Hu Zhongyuan, Xuanling, Chai Zhou…”

Hu Zhongyuan was originally listening with a lot of focus, now hearing these people talk about him, he couldn’t help but become even more focused in it, sneaking a smile.

“As expected from that unparalleled general seed purple lightning spear Zong Yuan, leading the army to charge into formations and he had won them all, consecutively breaking many enemy formations. Heli used one fire to burn down that Gushan City, I heard that he was a crucial person in making Xiong Ba and Feng Nu cut their arms. But Hu Zhongyuan doesn’t deserve the fame, it is like he didn’t do anything?”

“Hehe! You all don’t know, this Hu Zhongyuan might not be as good as the purple lightning spear but he is a fierce general. In Dongping Province he split up 40 thousand cavalry to take down 12 cities in a row, slaying no less than hundred thousand. It was said that not long ago he had broken through to Xuanwu ancestor and in the days he could become a famous general. Speaking of which our old generation of people is strong. The young generation seems to be better, all comparable to their parents. We can all expect prosperity for our Gantian Mountain…”

Hu Zhongyuan held the tiger king knife tightly in his hand, raging. It was okay if he wasn’t better than Zong Yuan, but Heli was stronger than him? That person was at the most just luckier than him.

An instant later, he laughed to himself. Hearing people talk about his stellar war results it made him feel comfortable.

It was simply too honorable, too honorable. He couldn’t accept it. How could he not feel embarrassed…

Unfortunately the discussions behind went off-topic.

“Days ago my brother borrowed many beast crystals from the bank. He said it was to buy pills to charge for the mythic master rank. How is that possible? So much money how can he pay it in the future?”

“What are you afraid of? The interest isn’t high anyway. It is the ruler’s righteous and caring strategy. He knew that the people have it tough and couldn’t purchase the pills to charge to the next realm which was why he set those policies. It would be tough to return if he couldn’t break through but if he did then he would be sought after in the future. Didn’t you see all the people from surrounding cities being so envious? They were all fighting to enter our Gantian Mountain registry. Hehe, how is it so easy to get in? As for me, I care more about that pension bank. Tossing in money now for the future, who knows if that is true?”

“It is! I heard that some injured and handicapped people have started to obtain a monthly income from the bank. The prime minister Ren has also sent numerous beast crystals over. Our Gantian Mountain is rich now so how will it be untrustable? The old being cared for, the ruler is a morally upright person…”

“Unfortunately the brothels and whorehouses in Shili Ling Xiangding have been forcefully shut down. We can’t even drink and find girls in such a joyous time. We can only go to the citadel 20 miles away, how inconvenient.”

Again and again, it was regarding loaning money to cultivate and also the pension bank. It caused Hu Zhongyuan who only wanted to hear people talk about him to feel bored. Speaking about Shili Ling Xiangding, he felt distressed in his heart. The ruler was great at everything but moving the brothels out of the city was the worst policy since Gantian Mountain was built! It simply destroyed human nature.

It also spoiled his reputation amongst all his drinking buddies. Recently he was like a rat, not daring to show his face in front of all of them.

However, he never dared to say these words in front of Zong Shou. He also heard some rumors that the reason why Zong Shou was so furious was because of the words he said some night at the brothel.

To take the initiative to find him to persuade him about this matter was he asking to die?

Just as many random thoughts entered his head, the sounds of horse hooves rumbling entered his ears. A huge army was galloping towards the city gate.

The one leading was Zong Yuan. He was wearing blood-red armor, his hand holding onto the purple lightning spear. His face was still that ten thousand year ice mountain face.

Since knowing about his true past this person was like that, not smiling like he had a huge debt with everyone.

Behind him was close to ten thousand elite cavalry selected from the huge army. The cavalry soldiers within even if they weren’t strong but at least they were washed in war. They were all elites of the elites, guarding the huge carriage in the middle as they slowly drove into the city.

Hu Zhongyuan’s brows shook. Before he was able to bow, he heard numerous people behind him kneel. Hundreds of thousands of people voices in unison.

“People of Gantian congratulates the ruler for returning to the city!”