Chapter 176

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Protagonist:

Xuan Ge

In the backyard of the Luofu Xian Zhou General's Mansion, ginkgo leaves carpet the blue stone path, a scene of leisurely tranquility.

Yet this peace is instantly shattered by Fu Xuan's puffed-up, indignant voice.

She stands with hands on hips, her pink hair swaying gently with the movement, glaring at Jing Yuan lounging on the reclining chair playing with a bird, then turns to Xuan Yao beside her to scold:

"Xuan Yao, just look at your good Master — he's practically turning into Qing Que, lazing around all day, not a shred of the Divine Strategy General's bearing left!"

Xuan Yao scratches his head, his fair cheeks flushing with embarrassment, stammering for a long while:

"Auntie~ Master he... he's just stealing a moment of leisure in the midst of busyness, resting after great toil and merit..."

The words reach his lips, but he truly cannot find a more fitting excuse.

After all, the Jing Yuan before him, sipping tea and playing with a bird in utter contentment, shows not a trace of weariness.

"Hmph, Jing Yuan, you've really learned bad habits from Xuan Ge now, striking this lazy pose all day, dumping all the government affairs on Xuan Yao — do you really think everyone is Ling Sha?"

Fu Xuan shoots Jing Yuan a white eye, then looks at Xuan Yao with heartache.

Since coming to the Luofu, this child has either been leading troops on campaign with Yan Qing or burying his head in sword practice and helping Jing Yuan process official business; moments to catch his breath are pitifully few.

Seeing his own Master scolded yet still at ease, not the slightest intention to rebut, Yan Qing immediately steps out to smooth things over.

Yan Qing clasps his hands toward Fu Xuan and speaks:

"Diviner Fu, your words miss the mark. The General has toiled with great merit, and with someone as capable as you — comparable to the Divine Warrior Ling Sha, Chief Strategist — assisting, the Luofu naturally thrives day by day, all matters smooth."

Fu Xuan glances at the youth before her, retorting coolly:

"Your bearing is passable, shame you're a bit short, and your words still lack some fire."

She knows perfectly well Yan Qing is protecting Jing Yuan, but she just feels heartache for Xuan Yao, so naturally she must seize the chance to "counterattack" a few lines.

Yan Qing doesn't mind, raises his eyebrows, and fires back a line straight to the heart:

"Diviner Fu's admiration for the Divine Might General has long been known to all; naturally you also know what the Divine Might General's preference is."

At these words, Xuan Yao instantly covers his forehead, so embarrassed his toes curl against the ground.

He dares not look at Fu Xuan's face flushing red in an instant.

He also feels inexplicable shame for his father's "special preference" known throughout the Huan Yu, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to burrow into right then.

Fu Xuan, stung into a hot face, turns to Xuan Yao in embarrassed rage, firing questions like a machine gun:

"Xuan Yao, why are you covering your face? What exactly is the relationship between you and Su Shang?"

"What, do you also take after your father, preferring older women?"

"Cough cough!" Jing Yuan on the reclining chair can keep up the act no longer, violently sitting up, waving his hands to mediate.

"Hey hey~ Fu Qing, you can't speak recklessly. Xuan Yao merely spars swordsmanship and discusses martial arts with Su Shang; Yan Qing often accompanies them too. You can't just single out Xuan Yao."

"Exactly exactly!" Yan Qing hurriedly pulls Xuan Yao back to Jing Yuan's side, hastily agreeing.

"Junior Brother and Su Shang are just ordinary friends who share interests, truly no other connection!"

"Yan Qing~" Jing Yuan calls softly, secretly shooting a meaningful look, signaling him not to spill everything.

Fu Xuan, seeing Xuan Yao's face plainly written with "Su Shang and I are not just ordinary friends," can't help a light laugh, and stops teasing further.

Seeing Fu Xuan relax, and knowing she truly spoke up for Xuan Yao out of sincerity, Jing Yuan collects his smile and speaks seriously:

"Yan Qing, Xuan Yao, you two go rest first. I have important matters to discuss with Diviner Fu."

"Yes, General." The two answer in unison, bowing and withdrawing from the backyard; footsteps on the blue stone road gradually fade away.

Once the two are far gone, the banter on Fu Xuan's face completely falls away, her charming little face full of seriousness, staring straight at Jing Yuan and saying in a deep voice:

"Jing Yuan, if you want to raise Xuan Yao into the next you, you're not helping him, you're harming him."

She truly doesn't understand — Jing Yuan clearly dotes on Xuan Yao, yet insists on pressing the entire massive burden onto his shoulders; today she must get to the bottom of it.

Jing Yuan just opens his mouth when Fu Xuan cuts him off directly: "Fu Qing, Xuan Yao is Xuan Ge's child..."

"That I naturally know; I'm his Aunt, after all!"

Fu Xuan's tone urgent, point-blank pressing: "I'm asking why you're making Xuan Yao this exhausted? He's only a few years old; he shouldn't have to bear these things!"

Jing Yuan sighs lightly, lifts his teacup and strokes the rim, telling the truth:

"If I don't force him to grow, don't make him shoulder this heavy burden, later he'll have to face his father Xuan Ge directly, and Xuan Xing who leads troops to the Luofu every few days."

Fu Xuan's face full of confusion, she frowns and counters: "Xuan Yao and Xuan Xing are half-brothers..."

"... Could it be they'll still fight each other, vie for the Heir position? That trick is too low-level."

"Such low-level infighting naturally won't happen in the Divine Warrior."

Jing Yuan first denies her guess, then slowly relates the hidden details.

"What Xuan Yao fears has never been Xuan Ge the person, but the token at his waist symbolizing the Divine Warrior's authority."

"Xuan Xing is the Destruction Prince, his Path destined; he fundamentally cannot wield the Divine Warrior;

But Xuan Yao is different. His mother is Yao Guang, a proper Xianzhou person; Xuan Ge is likewise a Xianzhou Heavenly General. He is the publicly recognized heir of the Divine Warrior across the Huan Yu — that is the root of his pressure."

"Then why doesn't he just not take on the Divine Warrior?" Fu Xuan blurts out.

Jing Yuan shakes his head, sips a mouthful of clear tea and says deeply: "That's not for us to decide; it depends on what Xuan Yao himself thinks."

"I once asked him if he feared Xuan Ge. His answer was yes."

"I initially thought he feared Xuan Ge's towering achievements, too hard to surpass. But he said he feared disappointing his father."

He sets down the teacup, gazes at the ancient ginkgo tree in the courtyard, his tone growing even graver:

"The Divine Warrior has been silent for years. On the surface trade proceeds as normal, communications unimpeded, yet every major power in the Huan Yu trembles in fear, dreading becoming the Divine Warrior's next conquest target."

"The reason Shen Wu has held its troops unmoving is precisely because of Xuan Yao and Xuan Xing."

"Xuan Ge dares not let Shen Wu set sail lightly; the moment Shen Wu moves, that meager strength of Xuan Yao and Xuan Xing will be instantly crushed beneath Shen Wu's giant wheel, never to rise again."

In the end, Jing Yuan sighed: "So what if he is the Destruction Prince? What of the dual envoys of the Hunt and Erudition? Before Xuan Ge, all of these are like an ant shaking a tree."

Fu Xuan suddenly realized, murmuring softly: "So Xuan Yao knows this is the opportunity his father gave him, which is why he strives with all his might, wanting to stand firm on his own?"

She looked at Jing Yuan's still lazy expression, unable to resist poking through his little scheme: "But I somehow feel you're secretly plotting your own retirement arrangements?"

Jing Yuan first froze, then burst into loud laughter, frankly admitting: "What I can give Xuan Yao is truly too little."

"My Divine Lord? But he is already the Hunt Envoy; passing it to him would only make his moves more handsome, with no substantial use at all."

Jing Yuan stroked his chin, the corner of his mouth hooking upward: "As for this Luofu General position, if Xuan Yao truly likes it here, what harm in my stepping down and yielding to the worthy?"

Fu Xuan pouted, but in the end did not rebut further.

Having a father like Xuan Ge who shakes the universe is a lucky thing;

But the father's halo is too dazzling, becoming an original sin that cannot be escaped.

Jing Yuan looked at Fu Xuan's reddened ear roots, suddenly grinning wickedly as he added:

"Oh right, Fu Qing, your master Jing Tian has always wanted to come to Luofu to visit his disciple."

"Hehe, if you want to see Xuan Ge, I can help arrange it~"

"Hmph! I... I'm not going!"

Fu Xuan's face instantly reddened, her tone stammering, panic-stricken as she tried to cover up:

"Of course, a master's command cannot be disobeyed; since Master wants to see Xuan Yao, I naturally agree."

As her words fell, she could stay no longer, turning and striding quickly out of the General's Mansion, heading straight for her own residence.

Watching Fu Xuan's fleeing back, Jing Yuan collected his smile, quietly watching the falling ginkgo leaves.

After a long silence, he finally murmured in a low voice, his tone full of suspicion: "Xuan Ge... just what are you scheming?"

Shen Wu is now everything as normal, yet this very silence is abnormal;

Xuan Ge has hidden in the dark for many years, never showing himself easily, which is even more weird.

He appears to be paving the way for his two sons, but in truth has been pressuring the entire universe all along.

Jing Yuan knows clearly in his heart that his earlier words about Xuan Ge enduring for his offspring were merely the surface.

The Xianzhou Marshal and all the Heavenly Generals except Fei Xiao have long been unable to fathom Xuan Ge's thoughts.

If Xuan Ge's target is the Order Twins... wanting to bring about the Order God Descent...

If...

If it truly is like that, the universe's great chaos is likely imminent.