Chapter 1778: Disciple

"My... home?"

Li Laide's expression was somewhat subtle.

"But, didn't you ask me to join the Dusk Society? For an outsider like me to enter the home base, no matter how you look at it, it isn't appropriate..."

"You, indeed haven't entered the Dusk Society..."

Chen Ling looked at Li Laide before him, his ruby-like eyes seemingly deeper than the starry sky. His voice paused, and in the quiet Alleyway, only the rustling sound of the dancing tree branches in the wind remained.

Not knowing how much time had passed, he spoke again:

"...Li Laide."

"What?" Li Laide frowned slightly, somewhat unable to understand what Chen Ling actually wanted to say.

After a brief silence, Chen Ling's voice sounded again:

Li Laide froze in place.

Rustle——

The breeze brushed past the tips of Li Laide's pitch-black hair, those deep blue pupils gently contracting.

This was a sentence he had never imagined... From the very beginning when Chen Ling tied him by his side, he had thought of all the worst-case scenarios once over. Even though Chen Ling never showed any malice towards him later on, he didn't slack off in the slightest, instead becoming even more vigilant.

He never believed that anyone would be good to him for no reason, except for his own mother.

But the various things that happened afterwards constantly changed his impression of Chen Ling. He found that Chen Ling really didn't seem to have any ulterior motives, and even after discovering the other party was also a Heretic, he instead had an unspeakable sense of identity.

Perhaps even Li Laide himself hadn't realized that, not knowing since when, he had really started to believe in Chen Ling, and accepted his goodwill towards himself.

The moment this sentence echoed beside Li Laide's ear, a large stone in Li Laide's heart seemed to fall silently to the ground.

All the goodwill, all the help, seemed to have a foundation at this moment. It turned out from the very beginning, he really thought highly of him, and wanted him to become his disciple... In this way, everything made sense.

For some unknown reason, Li Laide suddenly felt somewhat at ease. He didn't know where this peace of mind came from... Was it because from now on he no longer needed to live the days of being on the run in the Chengtian Domain? Was it because he finally found a powerful backer? Was it because he could finally accept Chen Ling's goodwill? Or was it...

Because he didn't need to worry about suddenly being thrown away by Chen Ling one day?

In this instant, countless thoughts flashed through Li Laide's mind, but his subconscious reacted in the first moment.

Thud——

He gently knelt in front of Chen Ling.

The dancing tree shadows swayed silently on the ground. Li Laide took a deep breath, kowtowing heavily to that figure in the Theatrical Robe:

"Disciple Li Laide..."

"Pays respects to Master."

...

Chengtian Domain.

Imperial Palace.

Under the cinnabar red walls, a figure rode a horse galloping along the straight palace road.

This road pierced through the Imperial Palace and the palace gates. Usually, besides the Emperor and the important ministers whose power tilted the court, other people could not easily step onto it, and could only enter and exit from the side gates.

It was like a sharp arrow nocked from the dragon throne, with the palaces on both sides as the string, the moat as the bow, the arrow tip pointing straight at the world.

And on horseback at this moment, black clothes rustled in the wind. He Jing's eyes narrowed slightly, his expression composed. But his originally mature gray hair was inexplicably covered in a layer of decayed color, and a few more aged ravines had appeared on his face, as if he had aged more than ten years overnight.

At this time, the group of ministers entering and exiting from the side gate saw someone actually dare to ride a horse and gallop along the main road, and immediately widened their eyes:

"Who is so bold?! Daring to ride a horse in the palace!!"

"Does he not want his life??"

"This person is provoking His Majesty's imperial prestige, I reckon it won't take long before his head falls to the ground... Don't know which family's stupid person it is."

"That person looks somewhat unfamiliar, doesn't seem like any official..."

"Have you guys seen him?"

"Haven't seen him..."

"I haven't seen him either."

"Hmm? Is he someone from the Taishi Division? I saw him beside Lord Chong before..."

"Where did this scoundrel come from, daring to cause trouble in the palace!? Hurry and stop him!"

"..."

Numerous figures took action at the same time, flying and sweeping towards that horse-riding figure. These officials were usually timid and cowering, but last night the Taishi Division was slaughtered entirely by the Calamity of Mockery, so there must be many official position vacancies. At this moment it was a great opportunity to show loyalty to His Majesty, how could they miss it?

Right at this moment, Eunuch Zuo stepped on flowing light, flying out behind He Jing!

At the same time, he opened a gleaming golden Imperial Decree in his hand. A Demigod Tier emperor's Oppressive Aura suddenly descended, forcefully suppressing everyone back to the earth!

Eunuch Zuo's highly penetrating voice leisurely resounded within the palace walls:

"The Emperor, who receives the Mandate of Heaven, decrees:"

"Yesterday, the Taishi Division tragically suffered annihilation by the Calamity of Mockery. On the same day, the former Chief of the Taishi Division died in the line of duty in the Gray World... The Taishi Division is the pillar of Chengtian, it cannot be without a master for a single day."

"Conferring He Jing as the new Chief of the Taishi Division, taking charge of the power of martial construction and transportation of the various domains, free to enter and exit the Imperial Palace, no person may obstruct."

"Respect this——"

As this sentence came out, the expressions of the ministers instantly changed drastically!

They looked at that back figure riding a horse out of the palace in disbelief. They never could have imagined that His Majesty would actually appoint He Jing as the new Chief of the Taishi Division... Didn't that mean the largest piece of fat meat had already been snatched away by someone?

If they wanted to snatch the remaining small pieces of meat, they still had to look at this new Chief's expression?

For a time, everyone's thoughts flew, their gazes looking in the direction He Jing left, not knowing what they were deliberating and calculating in their hearts again.

...

Imperial Study.

A figure slowly walked out from behind the bead curtain.

Ying Fu's figure was no longer as hunched as in the reflection before. Although he also looked somewhat aged, his posture was much straighter. His gaze looked at the two Dice on the gambling table; one was a three, and the other was a four.

The four landed in the direction Ying Fu had just sat.

He won.

Ying Fu took a deep breath, slowly exhaling. His eyes narrowed slightly, looking in the direction He Jing left... No one knew what he was thinking, his gaze was incomparably deep.

Ying Fu didn't lean on anything around him, walking to the edge of the study on his own, his gaze slowly looking onto the wall...

On the innermost wall of the Imperial Study hung a painting.

In the painting was a delicate and shy young girl. Although it wasn't a modern realistic painting method, and the technique couldn't be called extremely brilliant and rare, the vividness between the eyebrows and eyes seemed as if this figure would leap out from the paper...

"Aqian..."

Ying Fu stopped in front of this painting, looking at the young girl's figure in the painting, an unspeakable exhaustion and complexity surging in his eyes...

Under the sleeve robes, those palms with shallow wrinkles silently clenched. He muttered to himself:

"There's only the last ten years left until that star returns..."

"I..."

"Will definitely not let you down."