Li Tianlan’s departure was not an escape, but his best choice now.

He knew he needed to let go.

Being unable to let go was helplessness. So why didn’t he just let it go?

The general trend changed magnificently like a rising wind and scudding clouds. He thought he could not afford to play the game now and would rather take a step back than struggle on.

It was just like the words that the Nirvana Sword Master of Mount Shu asked Li Baitian to pass on to him.

Step back to enjoy a better view.

There were too many seemingly inspiring and tragic failures and elegies, but in the final analysis, in fact, they all stemmed from inappropriate persistence.

Li Tianlan decided to take a step back.

He was going to step back from the general trend and put aside the fetters, the grudges, the Li family, and even… Qin Weibai.

He must pursue the purest sword intent with the most concentrated mind.

The moment he had destroyed his Wind and Thunder Veins, he had seen his way.

The road to a new beginning.

No one asked Li Tianlan where he wanted to go.

Yu Donglai asked in a low voice, “When are you going to start?”

“Right now.”

Li Tianlan’s voice was as light as the clouds in the sky, with a kind of unreal feeling that would disappear at any time.

He could have started the night Wang Yuetong left.

He would be on his way if he hadn’t waited for his companions to return.

He stood up and looked at the young faces that represented limitless potential around him, saying softly, “I’ll hand the East Emperor Palace over to you temporarily.”

“I’ll go with you, young master.”

Xu Chu stood up. His serious and masculine face looked extremely determined.

He was the first disciple of Jade Pool. He came to the Sky Academy because Bai Qingqian asked him to follow Li Tianlan. After the battle of Changdao, his strength broke through again, and he was almost entirely in the Thunder-shocking Realm. Staying at the Sky Academy was neither necessary nor his job.

Li Tianlan shook his head and said with a chuckle, “It is my path. Stay here and guard my foundation for me.”

Xu Chu was going to say something but stopped on second thought.

Li Tianlan had laid his eyes on Ning Qiancheng and Li Baitian.

After a moment’s silence, Tribulation grasped the seal in his hand and said earnestly, “Thanks.”

…

“We are brothers.”

Ning Qiancheng’s tone was as plain as water, without any ups and downs.

Li Tianlan smiled and nodded.

Nothing else mattered.

We were brothers.

So we wouldn’t leave.

This sentence could already represent everything.

Li Tianlan glanced at Yu Donglai.

Yu Donglai nodded without speaking.

He didn’t need to say much to Li Tianlan.

No words were necessary between them.

Li Tianlan turned and went straight to the door.

His clothes were snow-white.

His sword was as red as blood.

Nobody saw him off.

Everyone watched Li Tianlan leave and walk out of the East Emperor Palace in silence.

The sky outside the window grew increasingly gloomy and oppressive.

As Li Tianlan walked past the artificial lake in front of the door, a slight sound rang out behind him.

His feet felt a trace of resistance.

The Golden Retriever, who had been lazily lying on the edge of the lake, ran over and nipped at his trousers.

Li Tianlan looked strangely at the Golden Retriever Wang Yuetong had given him.

The Golden Retriever’s name was Baby.

Whatever his name was, he was merely a dog.

He crouched down and touched the head of the Golden Retriever.

The Golden Retriever wagged its tail merrily and wanted to lick Li Tianlan’s hand.

“Go and play by yourself.”

Li Tianlan pointed to the lake behind him.

The Golden Retriever whimpered and circled around him. During his stay in the East Emperor Palace, whether he was sitting in front of the door in a daze, or taking a walk in the East Emperor Palace, the Golden Retriever was by his side most of the time.

“You wanna leave with me?” Li Tianlan asked.

…

The dog had intelligence.

It immediately stopped spinning and jumped up to lick Li Tianlan’s face.

Li Tianlan held it with both arms and said with a smile, “Well, with you and the sword, my journey is not lonely.”

…

The clouds were getting lower and lower.

A storm was about to break in the sky.

A black Volkswagen drove unhurriedly into an upscale neighborhood in the center of Huating under the gloomy sky.

The car stopped in front of a building unit on the edge of the residential neighborhood.

A thin figure, who was wrapped in a black cloak from head to toe, got out of the car unhurriedly, got into the elevator, and went straight up to the ninth floor.

With only one apartment on each floor, the house style greatly ensured the privacy of the apartment. The man, wrapped in a black cloak, stepped out of the elevator in silence and went straight into the luxuriously and exquisitely decorated home.

A young woman, perhaps 26 or 27 years old, was sitting in the living room and making tea.

The woman’s figure was plump and delicate. She was wearing a very tight skirt, which revealed her perfectly proportioned figure. She seemed to have dressed herself up, with light make-up. Her hair was still wet from the bath, and her pretty face looked all the more alluring in the dense mist that rose from the tea.

The man, covered in a black cloak, entered the living room.

The young woman, who had been quietly making tea, unconsciously stood up and whispered, “Master.”

The man under the cloak gave a low murmur and asked, “What’s the matter?”

“Gu Hanshan and Gu Fengbo will reach Huating tomorrow. He spoke to me on the phone not long ago. Three days ago, Gu Hanshan successfully broke through into the Thunder-shocking Realm. He may come to Huating this time to test Li Tianlan’s strength,” the woman whispered.

…

Silence.

The man under the cloak remained silent for a while. Then he smiled softly and said, “Is the intelligence crucial?”

He reached out his hand, pinched the woman’s chin, and admired her charming and troubled young face.

It was a face familiar to many students in the Sky Academy.

Liu Dongyu from the Liu family of Huating!

Everybody was aware that the Liu family was the main component of the peripheral force of Kunlun City. But very few people knew that the entire Liu family had sworn their loyalty to Li Tianlan because of the Imperial Jade Seal. And Li Tianlan wouldn’t know that Liu Dongyu, who was the first to surrender when he broke into the Liu family alone that night, had another backer.

Liu Dongyu had another backer.

What about the entire Liu family?

Liu Dongyu’s delicate body trembled, not because of fear. Since the man pinched her chin, she blushed with excitement written all over her face, indicating that she was driven by lust.

“I suppose you must be very worried about the safety of the Young Master Li, master, so I report the information to you.”

Liu Dongyu’s voice trembled.

“Oh?”

The voice of the man in the cloak sounded slightly playful. “So you know who I am?”

“I recognized you when I was in Changdao, master.”

Liu Dongyu’s voice trembled more seductively. “Your… Your Excellency Military Counselor.”

Military Counselor kept quiet.

After a long while, he let go of Liu Dongyu and directly sat on the sofa.

Liu Dongyu knelt before Military Counselor with a coquettish glance and unfastened his belt trembly.

“Kunlun City…”

Military Counselor murmured to himself. Then he added in a self-mocking way, “It still refuses to give up its evil designs.”

Without saying a word, Liu Dongyu directly lowered her pretty face with light make-up.

“I see.”

Military Counselor gently stroked Liu Dongyu’s hair and said blandly, “Since you know who I am, then you must understand that from today on, Tianlan is your master instead of me.”

Liu Dongyu’s movements stopped for a moment. Then she moved up and down with greater effort.

“Your skills are getting better and better. No wonder Gu Hanshan likes you,” Military Counselor said with a chuckle.

Then he continued, “And tell your grandfather for me that what I say to you is as effective for the whole Liu family as it is for you. He is old, and his head is not clear, for he actually wants me to snatch Tianlan’s Imperial Jade Seal. He must get a delusional disorder.”

“Grandpa doesn’t know who Your Excellency is.”

Liu Dongyu looked up, her eyes blurred.

Military Counselor pressed down Liu Dongyu’s head and said coldly, “It doesn’t matter. To be a dog, he has to be lovable, and loyal means lovable. He could put away all his evil thoughts. From today on, the Liu family only has one master, not me, but Li Tianlan.”

Liu Dongyu nodded, giving Military Counselor a more comfortable experience.

Military Counselor looked out of the window.

Beneath his cloak, his eyes were deep and calm.

No matter what would happen in the future, Samsara Palace would share everything with Li Tianlan.

However, what Li Tianlan did to the Liu family…

Military Counselor had a sudden headache. His plans were eventually disrupted, but he still had time to mend them.

He looked at the young woman who was kneeling at his feet to please him and thought it was no big deal to let the Liu family come out from the dark. It was not that big of a problem.

…

Instead of going to the Sky Academy, Li Tianlan asked Tribulation to meet in a park near the academy.

Pale-faced, Tribulation arrived as promised. Looking at the long sword on Li Tianlan’s back and the Golden Retriever lying at his feet, he raised his eyebrows slightly and seemed puzzled.

Li Tianlan looked at Tribulation and asked straightforwardly, “How are your injuries, martial uncle?”

…

Tribulation narrowed his eyes and remained silent for a moment. Then he said in a self-mocking tone, “Not very optimistic.”

“Your body has been under a lot of strain?”

Li Tianlan frowned. He was the Young Governor of Sigh City, and if he were to achieve something in the future, he could not turn Sigh City as the appendage of the Li family, but that didn’t mean it was unimportant to him. At least till now, Sigh City remained his most reliable protection. The state of Tribulation and Situ Cangyue was directly related to his interests and the foundation of his future survival.

He took out the Imperial Jade Seal he had prepared and handed it over to Tribulation, saying softly, “It should work, but you have to figure out how. “To tell you the truth, I’ve come back from the dead by fate, but I’m not quite sure what good does it do.”

Tribulation took the seal and had a look at it. He raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise and said, “Martial Arts Stone?”

“It’s the Imperial Jade Seal,” Li Tianlan explained.

…

Tribulation’s breathing suddenly became heavy. He knew that it was also called the Imperial Jade Seal, but the ancient jade in front of him was, however, the most precious Martial Arts Stone for martial artists. If he had got it in advance, how could his breakthrough make him suffer so much?

After a moment’s silence, Tribulation grasped the seal in his hand and said earnestly, “Thanks.”

…

“Hope it works for you.”

Li Tianlan waved his hand and smiled. “I am going to leave Huating and walk around. I’m afraid I won’t see you again for some time, so I’ve come to say goodbye.”

Tribulation glanced at Li Tianlan and frowned, saying, “Temporarily?”

He nodded again, without waiting for Li Tianlan to speak. “It is good to take a step back for the time being. The Special Warfare System will carry out a pilot scheme in the southeast region of Zhongzhou State, and the Southeast Special Warfare Headquarter will be established.”

Li Tianlan nodded and unconsciously asked, “Who is the minister?”

Although he knew it was unlikely to be Tribulation, he wanted a different answer.

But his answer was as he had expected.

“If there is no accident, it should be Zhang Qi.”

Zhang Qi.

The Director of Wuyue Special Operations Bureau.

Wuyue was the core domain of the Southeast Group, and Zhang Qi’s strength was a little bit higher, compared with that of the directors in the surrounding Special Operations Bureaus. He was a real expert of the Half-step Invincible Realm. He had enough strength and experience to take the position.

Nevertheless…

It was the Southeast Group that got the opportunity to carry out this pilot scheme.

Why was the Wang family of Beihai so anxious to be on the front line against him?

“He is merely a transitional figure.”

Tribulation added, “The Southeast Group is sure to make a deal with Kunlun City soon after it gets this position. But no matter how they trade, it’s hard for us to get our turn. It’s good to take a step back temporarily.”

Li Tianlan nodded and stood up, saying, “After I leave, if you are still in Huating, please take care of the East Emperor Palace for me should anything happens.”

“Rest assured.”

Tribulation nodded and continued, “Even if I leave here, Sigh City will send someone else here to take care of it.”

He looked at Li Tianlan and asked directly, “Where are you going?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

Li Tianlan shook his head. “I want to go all the way south or north. Maybe one day I’ll go straight to Mount Taibai.”

A stiff smile crossed Tribulation’s pale face. “If you need anything, just go there. Sigh City will arrange everything for you.”

Li Tianlan said yes and turned to leave.

The Golden Retriever followed behind him joyfully.

They walked past the grass and the flower beds.

Standing at the gate of the park, Li Tianlan turned and looked back.

Tribulation remained where he was, watching him quietly.

Li Tianlan waved to him and turned to walk.

It thundered.

The autumn rain, which had been brewing for a long time, began to fall.

Li Tianlan went further and further away, and his figure grew more and more blurred in the rain.

A person, a sword, a dog.

He left Huating and also went out of the chessboard of Zhongzhou State.