Chapter Thirteen: The Grand General's Manor

"Is this really the residence of the Grand General Who Protects the Nation?" Wang Changsheng gazed at the house before him, surprise evident upon his face.

Only after searching for half an hour and making several inquiries did Wang Changsheng finally locate the residence of the Grand General Who Protects the Nation. As he had imagined, someone bearing such a title would not be a simple figure, and his abode should be grand and imposing.

Yet what lay before Wang Changsheng was nothing more than an ordinary little courtyard.

"Could it be that the Grand General holds no real status?" Doubt rose in Wang Changsheng's heart.

He knocked at the door. Before long, a middle-aged man, dressed as a servant, opened it and looked at Wang Changsheng with a puzzled expression. "May I ask, venerable sir, what brings you here?"

"Is this the residence of the Grand General Who Protects the Nation of the Yunfeng Empire?" Wang Changsheng inquired.

The man nodded.

"Is it possible for me to pay a visit to the Grand General?" Wang Changsheng asked immediately.

At Wang Changsheng’s words, the middle-aged man was momentarily taken aback, a look of uncertainty flashing across his face.

Realizing this, Wang Changsheng smiled and added, "I come at the behest of my elder. The Grand General will understand as soon as he sees me."

Only then did the man step aside and invite Wang Changsheng into the courtyard. Yet he remained puzzled—judging by Wang Changsheng’s appearance, he was not young, so what kind of elder could he have? How old must that elder be?

As soon as Wang Changsheng stepped into the yard, another middle-aged man in a gray long robe emerged from the house.

"General!" The servant saluted the newcomer with cupped fists.

Looking at the man addressed as General, Wang Changsheng asked, "Are you the Grand General Who Protects the Nation of the Yunfeng Empire?"

"Indeed, I am Fang," the man replied in a deep voice.

"May I ask, Daoist, what business brings you to me?" The Grand General regarded Wang Changsheng with evident confusion.

Without further ado, Wang Changsheng produced the letter left by his second uncle and handed it to the Grand General.

The Grand General opened it at once, reading carefully. As he finished, a smile gradually spread across his face.

"So you are Senior Brother Wang!" The General cupped his fists respectfully. "I am Fang Qing—a registered disciple of our master, who is also your second uncle!"

"I see," Wang Changsheng nodded.

He understood now why his second uncle had sent him here—after all, this was a disciple of his uncle.

"Junior Brother Fang, how is it that..." Wang Changsheng looked at Fang Qing with a questioning expression.

Fang Qing’s face darkened, his voice heavy. "I was ambushed, and so I have ended up like this."

The moment Wang Changsheng entered the courtyard, he had sensed something was amiss—the air was thick with the scent of medicinal herbs, and Fang Qing, when he came out, was pale and his vitality was weak; clearly, he was the one injured.

Fang Qing’s cultivation was by no means low; at the peak of the Qi Refinement stage, he might not be remarkable in the Shentian Realm, but here in the Chengtian Realm, he was certainly a force to be reckoned with.

"If not for the ambush, I would not be in such a state," Fang Qing said with a bitter tone.

"What cultivation did the assailant possess?" Wang Changsheng asked at once.

"I’m not sure," Fang Qing replied sombrely. "At the very least, they were at the peak of Qi Refinement, or perhaps at the pinnacle of the Innate stage. Otherwise, I could not have failed to notice."

Wang Changsheng nodded.

Fang Qing turned to the servant. "Prepare a room for my senior brother."

The servant bowed and left.

Then Fang Qing looked at Wang Changsheng, his voice growing weak. "Senior brother, fortune has not favored me of late. I cannot offer you proper hospitality and must trouble you to reside here for now."

Clearly, Fang Qing did not wish to reveal too much to Wang Changsheng. Even with their master’s letter, trust could not be established so swiftly.

"I appreciate your trouble," Wang Changsheng replied, saluting with his fists.

He followed the servant to a side room.

Once alone, Wang Changsheng’s face turned thoughtful. "This matter cannot be so simple."

Fang Qing, honored as the Grand General Who Protects the Nation of Yunfeng, would not be housed in such a modest courtyard—even if it suited his own tastes, the empire’s dignity would demand otherwise. As for his injuries, though he spoke lightly of them, his despondent gaze suggested otherwise.

"Never mind for now—cultivation is paramount," Wang Changsheng murmured. "If anything untoward happens, I’ll help if I can; if not, there’s nothing I can do."

Now that Wang Changsheng had reached the Open Meridian stage and entered the true path of cultivation, he no longer needed Fang Qing’s protection. His second uncle could not have foreseen that he would meet with danger and, at the brink of death, break through his cultivation.

Wang Changsheng ended up staying for over two months. During this time, he conversed often with Fang Qing, coming to understand the situation in Chengtian, and learning a fair bit about the Yunfeng Empire.

"So, the Yunfeng Empire is currently embroiled in a struggle for power," Wang Changsheng mused, realization dawning.

Knock, knock, knock!

Just as Wang Changsheng was about to return to his room and cultivate, a knocking sounded at the door.

"Hmm?" Wang Changsheng’s brow furrowed. "This aura feels familiar..."

Fang Qing signaled to the servant, who promptly opened the door. Moments later, a young man in sumptuous attire was led inside.

"The Fourth Prince?"

Wang Changsheng, recognizing the young man, exclaimed, "No wonder you seemed familiar!"

The visitor was none other than the Fourth Prince whom Wang Changsheng had once saved—hence the sense of familiarity.

The prince, seeing Wang Changsheng, was momentarily stunned. Hesitantly, he asked, "Daoist?"

Wang Changsheng nodded.

No wonder the prince was uncertain; after his recent breakthrough, Wang Changsheng appeared younger, no longer bearing the signs of age from their first meeting.

"Thank you for saving my life, Daoist!" The Fourth Prince saluted him with grateful respect.

"It was nothing but a small favor," Wang Changsheng waved a hand. "No need for thanks."

At this, Fang Qing interjected, "So my senior brother and His Highness are acquainted?"

"We’ve met once before," Wang Changsheng replied with a smile.

Fang Qing did not believe it was so simple—a single meeting would not merit such gratitude from the Fourth Prince. Clearly, more had transpired.

The Fourth Prince, noticing Fang Qing’s expression, quickly explained, "Three years ago, when I returned as envoy from the Jingyu Dynasty, I was ambushed by the House of Assassins..."

He recounted the events, and Fang Qing finally understood.

"It seems fate has brought us together," Fang Qing remarked to the prince. "Your Highness, I suppose you have come with news regarding that incident?"

The prince nodded. "There are some clues. If my suspicions are correct, it was the House of Assassins..."

Fang Qing was not surprised by this, and his expression turned grim. "I only wonder which prince hired the House of Assassins. If I ever find out... hmph..."

"It may not have been any of my royal brothers..." the Fourth Prince said uncertainly.

This took Fang Qing aback. "Then who?"

The prince did not answer directly but raised his index finger, pointing upward.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Fang Qing’s face hardened, his body tensed as he spoke in a low, steely voice. "His Majesty would never do such a thing!"

"For the sake of balance..." the Fourth Prince murmured.

At this, Fang Qing was stunned. Then his body seemed to lose all strength, and a deep sadness filled his eyes.

Seeing this, Wang Changsheng smiled gently. "Junior brother, you must have already suspected as much."

Fang Qing did not reply, his gaze distant, muttering to himself.

"Junior brother... There is something I am not sure I ought to say," Wang Changsheng said quietly, observing Fang Qing’s state.

"Please speak, senior brother," Fang Qing replied, returning to himself and bowing respectfully.

Wang Changsheng regarded him with a gentle smile. "How much do you truly understand about cultivators, junior brother?"

Fang Qing was puzzled by the question but answered, "I have some knowledge, but not a deep understanding."

"When master came here, he took me as a registered disciple and taught me all my skills," Fang Qing continued. "But master would often mention things I did not understand. Over time, I picked up a few things."

"So your understanding of cultivators is limited to that," Wang Changsheng said with a smile. "The letter from our uncle—surely it was not only to have me look after you, was it?"

"Indeed," Fang Qing admitted, a hint of longing in his voice. "Master wrote that if I followed you, I might have the chance to see him again—and if I did, he would formally take me as a disciple."

"So that’s how it is," Wang Changsheng said, his expression one of understanding.

If his uncle’s only intention was to help him break through, Wang Changsheng believed that, with his uncle’s strength, he could have improved even in the Shentian Realm—he could have been buried in a hole there and the environment would still be better for cultivation than here.

Seeing Fang Qing, Wang Changsheng almost fully grasped his uncle’s intentions.

To have once stood atop the martial world as the foremost figure, at the pinnacle of the martial world, Wang Changsheng’s mind was certainly no simple thing.

He turned to Fang Qing and said, "Cultivators possess powers that reach the heavens. The so-called peak of Qi Refinement you have seen is not even the threshold of true cultivation."

"Since you have this opportunity, why concern yourself with a mortal kingdom?"

"Let alone the struggle for power—even its very survival, what of it?"

"The lifespan of a single cultivator exceeds the entire history of a mortal nation..."

Hearing this, Fang Qing could not help but smile bitterly. "Senior brother, I know all you say, but... but..." He trailed off, as if unable to finish.

"Since the general and the Daoist have matters to discuss, I shall take my leave," the Fourth Prince said, rising to go.

Fang Qing nodded. "Your Highness, rest assured—as long as I live, I will protect you."

The Fourth Prince bowed and departed.

"But what is it?" Wang Changsheng asked as soon as the prince had left.

"Senior brother, you may know more about cultivation than I," Fang Qing replied gravely. "But this Yunfeng Empire is not as simple as it seems..."