Chapter 499: Youthful vigor, youthful pride, undiminished from years past

I never thought I would have to leave Da Ning.

The Ning Emperor smiled, without any regret, instead feeling a tinge of wistfulness.

"I will guard Da Ning and wait for you to come home," he knew, these people were all going to leave.

They needed to bring Ying Ying home; Ying Ying had been afraid of the dark since childhood, and whenever she went out at night, she would always bring two senior brothers.

Yet she was locked in a dungeon—how terrified she must have been!

Jiang Yun Chu looked at the Ning Emperor, suddenly stood up, and then embraced his uncle.

Was his uncle unwilling to go? Besides being his uncle, besides being Kang Ying's senior brother, he was also the emperor of Da Ning; he could be selfish, but he could not ignore his subjects.

"Uncle, we will definitely bring Mother back."

The little girl, soft and delicate, the Ning Emperor patted her back; though he reeked of blood, it made him feel a pang of pity.

A woman in her twenties should have been tending to her husband and children, should have been living a good life.

But she could not.

"Mother, I will go too."

At that moment, twelve figures stepped up the stairs, one step at a time.

At this moment they wore no masks; each person carried a special aura.

"This is..."

"Spiritual power?"

Jiang Wen Fu suddenly lifted his head, looking toward Jiang Yun Chu—how could this be?

They are in Da Ning!

It is not that Da Ning cannot cultivate spiritual power, but that spiritual power is scarce, making progress extremely difficult.

Moreover, due to the difference in time flow, the people of Zhongzhou grow ever stronger, while these small worlds of ours grow ever weaker.

One's gain is another's loss.

"General." Ning Hanmo gave a slight salute.

Youthful vigor, youthful pride, undiminished from years past.

Jiang Yun Chu looked at the few children, slowly rose from the mat, and gazed at those twelve people.

"We're back."

Just three simple words, and those twelve children's eyes quietly reddened.

"Dean, we're back."

At this moment, the children spoke in unison.

"Just coming back is enough."

She didn't care how they grew, nor what they learned; she only wanted them to return safely, and that was enough.

"Father Emperor, I want this realm of Da Ning."

Suddenly——

A clear youthful voice rang out from the crowd, and Ning Qiancheng stepped forward, his eyes filled with determination.

He could finally stand before the Father Emperor and boldly voice his demand.

Seven years……

He spent seven years growing from a bullied person into independence, little by little.

For over four years outside, he voluntarily applied to leave the unit and ventured out alone.

Because he knew his identity would eventually cause his companions to hesitate.

Thus, he left.

Each time they regrouped, Ning Qiancheng made astonishing progress.

"Ning Qiancheng, do you know what you are saying?"

"Look at this imperial palace, like ruins, look at Da Ning's realm, swaying, it could collapse at any moment."

"Such a Da Ning, do you still want it?"

The Ning Emperor gazed at Ning Qiancheng, his eyes sharp, as if sizing him up, yet also wanting to know his innermost true thoughts.

His abdication edict was simply to pass the throne to Ning Qiancheng.

But when the day truly came, he could not hand over Da Ning merely because Ning Qiancheng was his son and Yun Chu's student.

"The people of Da Ning suffer, and Da Ning's realm sways unsteadily."

"Father, our royal family owes the people an explanation."

"No matter what Da Ning becomes, the son must take it up, responsibility unavoidable."

Formerly, Da Ning was a delectable morsel everyone wanted a bite of; but what of Da Ning now?

After war, after internal strife, it had long been reduced to ruins.

"Good!"

"No wonder he is my son." The Ning Emperor looked at that child, like a clear wind and bright moon, and finally burst into laughter.

Jiang Yun Chu saw their filial father and son, merely raising his eyebrows.

"I'm tired, going to sleep." She stood up, then glanced toward Ning Chengyan at the side.

Ning Chengyan rose as well, standing beside her.

Jiang Zeyang looked at Ning Chengyan's appearance, feeling uneasy inside, yet also thinking it ought to be so.

"I'm heading back to the manor; I don't yet know what chaos awaits there." Jiang Wen Fu swayed as he also left.

The twelve people also parted ways here.

They all worried about their own homes; only Jia Chuan and Zhang Cunwen followed behind Ning Hanmo at this moment.

Jia Chuan doesn't even know where his parents are now; after all these years, there's been no word from them.

As for Zhang Cunwen of the Yong Bo Marquis Manor, he has already severed ties; he doesn't want to go back and disturb the peace they've maintained.

When he was young, he always wanted to stand up for his mother, but she always blamed him for being senseless, not as obedient or hardworking as his brother.

Even, the resentment stems from him, which is why his father never returns to her room.

At that time, he would blame himself and had also silently striven, but no matter how hard he tried, in his mother's eyes he could never measure up to his brother.

Only now does he see clearly: a person's heart is inherently biased; a favored child ought to receive everything.

As for the abandoned one, who could care what he thinks?

"You really won't go back to have a look?" Ning Hanmo asked him softly.

Zhang Cunwen shook his head. "No, I possess wealth that the Yong Bo Marquis Manor can only hope for; I fear they'd develop other thoughts."

He just had another half-sentence left unsaid.

"When the time comes, I'm afraid I won't be able to bring myself to do it……"

Over these years of wandering outside, with the Dean's help he received silver, and throughout Da Ning as well as the original Xijiang many new shops have sprung up, covering a wide range of businesses.

And the nickname "Three Shopkeeper" has gradually become known.

Back when he was young and reckless, he said his title was Three Shopkeeper.

If his mother could remember, following the Yong Bo Marquis Manor's style, she would naturally start with him.

If his mother couldn't remember, then……

He gave a bitter smile and shook his head; the matters of those years have long been settled, and what comes after ends here.

"You still have your companions," Jia Chuan said, patting his shoulder to comfort him.

Zhang Cunwen lifted his head, nodded, and said, "Yes, I still have my companions."

"It's rare to relax; today let's not sober up until we're drunk, I'll treat the drinks." Zhang Cunwen, no longer tangled in family affairs, has completely relaxed.

"Let's go!" Jia Chuan also nodded, then turned his gaze to Ning Hanmo.

Ning Hanmo thought, his mother had been busy for days; now the matter is finally settled, she surely needs to rest a while.

"It's chaotic out there; let's drink at my courtyard."

"Let's go!"

The three of them directly returned to the Regent Prince's Manor.

"Yun chu, your spiritual power……"

Ning Chengyan looked at Jiang Yun Chu, feeling his shattered dantian slowly being repaired; the emerald‑green spiritual power continually washed over his meridians, even widening them.

The realm that previously required a trip to Zhongzhou to advance can no longer be suppressed.