Keep the Regret . . .
Ling Wuxie clutched the jade bottle tightly in his hand. Even after double-checking that they were, indeed, Nine Turns Heart Dan, he remained utterly dumbfounded. His mouth hung agape, unable to utter a word.
It was nothing short of a miracle!
"How could I have ever anticipated such a significant windfall in the Land of Han-Yang?" he mused.
"I have my share too! Two, in fact! One more than Bai Chen! Does it mean... Feng Monarch holds me in higher regard?"
His surprise knew no bounds.
"Oh my god! The heavens do indeed favor those with kind hearts."
"I was genuinely helpful, coming down to assist Bai Chen and inform him about the happenings above. My benevolence is clearly rewarded!"
He grinned from ear to ear, laughter bubbling from within. He rolled the jade bottle containing the precious dan beads between his fingers, laughing uncontrollably. It was only when he noticed Master Bai's eyes fixated on the dan beads that he thought to put them away. Clutching the bottle tightly, he declared, "These are mine!"
Master Bai found himself speechless. "I won't take them from you, you good-for-nothing."
"Only fools would believe you! Being good-for-nothing is far better than having nothing!" Ling Wuxie, still quite delighted, continued, "I won't even allow you to look at these. They are mine."
Master Bai could only shake his head.
Before they departed, Master Bai stood before Cha Eun Xiao and sighed, "You know, Feng Monarch, my intention was to assist you in becoming stronger. Yet, it turns out you are the one helping me. Life takes unexpected turns, and one can never predict the will of heaven."
"Though the world may have its limits, the future remains boundless. The stronger you become..." Cha Eun Xiao smiled, "the more satisfaction I will derive when I eventually defeat you."
Bai Chen was taken aback, then burst into hearty laughter. "You know, there is one thing in this world I regret."
"Oh?" Cha Eun Xiao inquired.
"It's that I've never seen your true face even to this day," Master Bai stated, gazing at Cha Eun Xiao's countenance. "This isn't your real face."
"No," Cha Eun Xiao agreed with a smile. "But I don't think you want to know the truth."
Bai Chen grinned and nodded. "You're absolutely right. I don't want to see it. I'd rather leave the mystery for the future. We can unravel it when we meet in the Human Realm Upon Heavens. I'm curious to see if my speculation is correct."
"Very well! Let's save that revelation for another day!" Cha Eun Xiao replied.
With that, two imposing figures departed from the scene.
Cha Eun Xiao's voice echoed from inside the room, "Master Bai, please forgive my verbosity. Before you depart from this world, you must do something for those who perished during the last nine thousand years."
Master Bai halted in his tracks and spoke with solemnity, "I understand. I am fully prepared to undertake that responsibility."
In a low voice, Cha Eun Xiao continued, "Whether good or bad, if you simply leave, it will be a regret."
Master Bai remained silent for a moment before responding, "You are right."
Ling Wuxie's voice chimed in, "Feng Monarch, you are my friend. When you venture to the Human Realm Upon Heavens, I will do whatever I can to assist. I might even beat Bai Chen to a pulp!"
Cha Eun Xiao expressed his gratitude to him, but deep down, he sighed.
"You will never stand by my side when the battle between him and me begins."
"Never."
The two men had evidently departed.
A voice echoed from a distance, "The tunnel will be sealed off in half a year! Feng Monarch, are you prepared?" It was none other than Master Bai.
In the blink of an eye, he had gone from being within arm's reach to disappearing from sight. His true strength was far beyond Cha Eun Xiao's comprehension, but he knew it was undoubtedly formidable. However, what truly took him aback were Master Bai's words. "Half a year? That soon."
...
Back in the bamboo forest, Ling Wuxie started to stir up some trouble.
"Give me half of your Heaven Seizing Supreme Dan beads!"
"Get lost! Why don't you give me one of your Nine Turns Heart Dan beads?"
"Scram! Fine. Can't you just give me two of the Yin Yang Soul Dan beads?"
"I won't give you a damn thing!"
"Fine! Just wait and see! Humph..."
"Humph your fat ass! A deal is a deal. That shop in the Human Realm Upon Heavens is mine now!"
"You're a monster, Bai Chen! Ahhhhh..."
Then they tussled and tussled, rolling on the ground...
– Puff! Puff! Puff! –
"Give it to me!"
– Puff! Puff! Puff! –
"No way! Give me yours!"
"I won't back down... I won't give you anything! I mean it..."
...
On the same day, in the northern battle, Cha Nantian finally got the fine weather he had yearned for.
The Grassland Wolf was also ready to execute their plan.
"Humph! If it weren't for the earlier rainstorms, the southern troops would have been defeated soundly without Cha Nantian's leadership. Those southerners are truly fortunate! However, today marks the end of their good fortune. Without Cha Nantian, they are nothing!"
"Indeed! According to reports, Cha Nantian is supposedly still in Chen-Xing City. All the assassins in the world have gathered in the Kingdom of Chen's capital, creating chaos in the city. Their hapless king is in deep trouble and urgently needs Cha Nantian's support to restore peace."
"I heard that the Second Prince's family has been wiped out, the Crown Prince has committed treason, and the king has lost two sons. He must be gravely ill. He won't allow Cha Nantian to leave. Hahahaha... May the gods be with us! The southerners are foolish. There are even those among them who chose to commit treason at this time... It's a great boon for us."
"Absolutely! Wolf King, please issue the order! Let us march and penetrate the north! Crush their Northern Army and head straight for the south! If we break their forces now, not even Cha Nantian will be able to stop us upon his return. It's an incredible opportunity!"
"Indeed! Give us the order, my Wolf King! Once we cross the border, we can capture many of their women and eliminate countless men... We will conquer this world!"
"Right! The gold mountains of the Kingdom of Chen await us. I can hardly wait..."
"Then, at midnight tonight, let's set out! Let's obliterate them!"
"AHH! AHH! AHH!"
The cheers reverberated through the grassland tents.