Chapter 222: Heroic Spirit Soaring to the Skies

Chapter 222: Bold and Unrestrained

Li Jun’s composure at this moment was not merely due to hearing Le Chong’s name from Yan Bahaung’s mouth and thus letting his guard down so easily. After all, he had witnessed the prowess of the "Grand Case Method" on Zou Sijiu’s yellow millet and mouse, and understood the era’s incredible manipulation of information. As Zou Sijiu once said, deducing the general outline of events from countless intelligence reports was merely the basic application of the Grand Case Method. Those who truly mastered it could even achieve "eight characters determining a lifetime," calculating one’s entire life trajectory with precision. Gaining insight into a small part to infer the whole, Yan Bahaung discerning the connection between Le Chong and himself was no difficult feat. Moreover, if he lied, Li Jun could not discern the truth in a short time. Thus, what truly caused Li Jun to lower his defenses was the goodwill consistently shown by the Chongqing Mansion’s Imperial Guards since their initial contact, and the glimpse of strength beyond the seventh rank that Yan Bahaung inadvertently revealed. If the Chongqing Mansion’s Imperial Guards truly intended to kill him, there would be no need for such elaborate schemes. Since his escape into Chongqing Mansion, they could have openly and legitimately pursued him. Li Jun had just lain down when a scalding hot towel was placed on his face. Under the heat’s wash, he could even feel his facial pores stretching in contentment. Then, a chill at his neck, as a cold, sharp blade began sliding from his jawline. "During that 'Great Court Debate' on the imperial court, the Legalists were utterly defeated. First, they served as hounds, and finally, they were stewed and eaten." "Many Legalists lost their minds and committed acts violating the Great Ming Code. When you fled Chengdu Mansion, someone saw the Imperial Guards under Yu Canghai producing the Legalist official’s token, moving wood." "This implies that someone in the Censorate provided convenience to the Qingcheng Group. Their purpose was likely to join hands in resisting the Confucian sect in the future." "This is something many do not wish to see, for the Daoist sect might use this opportunity to unify the empire’s southwestern mainland." "Hence, this time in Chongqing Mansion, someone intervened to restrict the number of people from Longhu Mountain. It was to allow the Buddhist and Daoist sequences to reassert their influence and maintain a delicate balance." Yan Bahaung’s voice was like thunder lurking in dark clouds before rain, heavy with unspoken power. "I tell you this because you are now a participant, seeing only the immediate square inches. This turmoil is not merely a clash of pride, but a struggle of interests." Li Jun listened in silence, his breathing suddenly heavy. "Jin Sheng Huo’s actions this time were not instructed by the Hongya Mountain Master, but someone was using the tiger’s might to intimidate." Yan Bahaung’s tone abruptly shifted, from the clouds to the ground, from the grand to the minute. These words, when spoken, made Li Jun, though unable to see with his eyes, clearly sense the complexity of Yan Bahaung’s expression. "Are you worried I might burn down Hongya Mountain?" "Nonsense, a mere lone warrior could pierce the sky?" Yan Bahaung laughed and scolded, "Old man fears you’ll keep stumbling blindly, losing your life in the end without knowing why." A razor, an inch long, flowed through his fingers, leaving only a clean, white trail where its cold gleam passed. "Your Martial Way sequence is dwindling. Though a few old-timers still cling to the Nine Streams’ reputation, most rarely show themselves. This isn’t because they’ve been cowed by the Three Teachings, but because they sharpen their blades in the shadows, adopting a stance of fighting to the death with anyone who dares provoke them. Yet even so, they can only block open attacks, not hidden arrows." "Due to the Martial Way gene’s limitations, your sequence’s practitioners are born unable to implant brain-machine wisdom. Missing the second imperial revolution after the 'Revival of the Hundred Schools,' they were completely barred from the yellow millet dream." "Thus, a single misstep in the ritual path caused many promising seeds of Martial Way genes to wither in their infancy." Li Jun’s tone was indifferent: "I’ve seen many hidden arrows, but none have stepped forward to block open attacks." "The heart is willing, but the strength is lacking." Yan Bahaung said gravely, "The Martial Way sequence is now at its weakest, having lost its base population. Even gene transmission has nearly stagnated, with the likelihood of a demonic genius emerging being pitifully small." "They’ve exhausted their efforts just to let the world know that the Nine Streams still include 'Martial.' They have no remaining strength to protect wild Martial Way practitioners like you, forced to hide their names and act in obscurity." Wild! Li Jun couldn’t help but sneer. Though these words were harsh, they were damnably accurate! "However, once you ascend to a higher sequence, you’ll naturally enter their sight." Li Jun let out a cold laugh, "What then? Make me acknowledge my ancestors and become a hired thug, or use me as a test subject for gene refinement?" "Don’t be so extreme. There are good people among the remaining Martial Way sects," Yan Bahaung paused, "though few." "I’m not lucky enough to meet good people." Li Jun grinned, "As for temper, that’s even worse. If I do, I’d teach them to be decent, but acknowledging ancestors? Forget it." "So you’re determined to be a lone warrior?" "Genes decide, and I have no choice." Yan Bahaung sighed, "Your wild Martial Way practitioners’ path is aptly named." Li Jun suddenly asked, "You didn’t just chat with me today for no reason?" "Am I such a boring person?" Yan Bahaung spoke plainly, "Old man laid out the situation and weighed the pros and cons to tell you: if you refuse to join the Martial Way sects in the future, following me is your best choice." "If you agree to rejoin the Chongqing Mansion’s Imperial Guards, old man won’t force you into the revival faction’s actions. You may use your principles to judge the world, killing those who deserve death and saving those who deserve to live." Li Jun’s lips trembled, and after a long pause, he squeezed out a sentence, "You trust me that much?" "It’s not that I trust you—it’s the Great Ming Code. Since you can wield Le Chong’s legal scale, it proves that, by the Great Ming Code’s measure, your righteousness remains unscathed." Li Jun’s mouth twitched, his exposed lower face showing a puzzled expression. "In the eyes of the world, I’m a murderous brute beyond reproach. Is that still within the Great Ming Code’s tolerance? Can it still be called unscathed righteousness?" Yan Bahaung spoke clearly, "The empire is declining, villains abound—what’s wrong with killing? The Imperial Guards execute first and report later, with imperial authority—who can’t kill?!" Open and unguarded, bold and unrestrained. Thus, benevolence reaches its limit. Li Jun suddenly stood up from the hairpin chair, tore off the towel covering his eyes, and rubbed his face fiercely. "If I don’t die this time, the Chongqing Mansion’s Imperial Guards’ chief position—you’d better reserve it for me." Yan Bahaung naturally caught the implication in Li Jun’s words, puzzled, "For your few friends?" "Exactly. I won’t rest easy unless I pull them out of this mess." Li Jun spoke bluntly.