Chapter 716: Save For A Rainy Day
Shangguan Lingxiu could be their support for now, but she could not possibly protect them forever. Similarly, Yun Yang could not change their destiny. What he could only do was to bring forward their destiny as much as he possibly could, for their fate to become safer and more secure, for them to start higher than the already high starting point they now enjoyed.
Moreover, he was to provide a certain sense of protection so that no one dared to provoke these young fellows.
Until this day, who in the empires of the continent in this world dared to offend Supreme Cloud? That would be seeking a quick death. Did they not see how Han Sanhe had died?
Bao'er was teary-eyed with regards to his separation from his young friends.
"You don't have to be envious or sad. When the war to take Dongxuan down comes, I'll let you go into the battlefield, no matter how young you still are. You can then fight alongside your young brothers!"
"Thank you, Uncle Yun." Bao'er's eyes radiated hearing Yun Yang's promise.
"Don't thank me yet. Right now, I'm very afraid of your dad and mum beating me up violently, which is a lot worse than just cursing and swearing at me. Ah, the fear..." Yun Yang answered seriously.
If Supreme Earth and Supreme Water were still here, they would definitely bruise Yun Yang up for this promise. Whether they thought that the promise was reasonable, and no matter how correct the decision was, it was certain that Yun Yang, who had made the decision, must be trashed.
However, Yun Yang would not change a thing about his decision.
As an emperor who would unify the world and lead it, he must have entered the battlefield and taken part in the decisive war. Only when he experienced the brutality of the battlefield and the sting of blood could he truly understand the value of his soldiers' sacrifice, the hardship of his militants and the challenge of the frontline. Otherwise, how would he be able to guard his empire?
The extinction of the past dynasties after a few generations was, to a certain extent, due to the emperors growing up in the palace since they were young. They knew nothing and understood nothing; everything that they had learned came from the teachings of the Grand Tutor and civil officials, the records of books and documentation, as well as the words of the servants and eunuchs beside them.
Growing up in such an environment, it was unavoidable that the emperors would subconsciously favor the civil side over the military side. They would also be intimidated by the chilling, killing intent of the military generals. No matter how these military men concealed their bloodlust, it was still a huge threat to someone who had never stepped foot onto the battlefield.
The so-called act of achieving merits higher than the ruler did not necessarily mean that the official had indeed contributed so much merit at times. It was just due to the overwhelming threat they posed to the ruler and when any ruler repeatedly felt the oppressive force from his subordinates, the extreme discomfort would grow a mind of its own and cause a subconscious bias.
When a nation began prioritizing the civil aspect over the military, it would be when the downfall began. Subsequently, its extinction would not be far away.
This had always been the case since the beginning of time!
...
Shangguan Lingxiu was stopped by Yun Yang, but the eight thousand guards of the Shangguan Family who initially belonged to her had gone along with the original plan and escorted the six young masters, setting off to the war.
The decision caused the western army's marshal, Wang Yunzhu, to flip the table and break the teacups in a rage.
"F*ck, do they think my place is a nursery? This is a war zone! A battlefield! A f*cking battleground! Sending six little things here, what do they want your father to do?"
"Are the heads of the Board of War's people filled with feces?"
He ordered his aide to compose a letter on the spot, requesting to send the six young fellows back home.
In spite of this, Wu Ying, who currently commanded the Board of War had known that it was Yun Yang's decision for the six children to participate in the war. How could he challenge Lord Supreme Cloud's meaningful action?
He immediately gave Wang Yunzhu an ultimatum, "Two choices - one, watch over the children and win the war; second, come back and let Qiu Jianhan lead the army representing you!"
Wang Yunzhu wilted instantly upon facing the two choices.
Honestly, it would be his greatest dream come true for his teacher, Qiu Jianhan, to come to the western line of defense and watch him lead the conquest. The premise of it was to watch him - not to represent him.
If he had to go back now because of the six children - his teacher had just forgiven him and he was fighting Yutang's first war for world domination - this was when he was at his prime, elated and in high spirits...
If he had to go back due to these six children and for his teacher to fight the war for him...
Wang Yunzhu could totally imagine his end - it would be the mildest thing for him if he were to be instantly chased out by his teacher again!
"I choose the first option. I'll watch the children well and win the war!"
Wang Yunzhu changed his stance swiftly. "Actually, I've been wanting to train a few upcoming talents long ago... I'm fond of these six Shangguan children just by looking at them. I'm only afraid that I lack the knowledge and talent, that my shallow legacy will not hold up for these children."
His military subordinates who watched their marshal write the corresponding letter in a pandering manner were dumbfounded. Mouths agape, their eyes were wide with disbelief.
Qiu Jianhan, who was in the capital city, slapped his table, cursing out loud after hearing the news. "That rascal! F*ck your ancestors to the eighteenth generation! Such a God-given chance and you actually refuse it - you know that you lack the knowledge, but you don't know enough to invite your father over?"
...
Yun Yang had been quiet during this period of time.
Other than training the mystical beasts, tormenting the four noble young masters and chatting about the military affairs with Shangguan Lingxiu, he practiced regularly with Ji Lingxi.
However, the last activity filled Yun Yang with hopeless fear.
During this time, not only had Emmie recovered and advanced, the degree of spiritual Qi it could now supply was terrifying, even to Yun Yang himself.
Furthermore, since Yun Yang had consumed the treasured resources of heaven and earth prepared by Yun Zuiyue, the insides of his body had undergone a constant state of energy release; there was no dissolution, the reservoir of nutrients turning into slivers of mystical Qi and melting into Yun Yang.
In addition, Yun Yang was cultivating the Endless Divine Art, a superb cultivation method that reigned superior in the continent. According to his understanding, the cultivation method was above the improvement speed of any other cultivation method in the world. Its absorption of spiritual Qi was even one to two times faster than usual.
It could be explained this way - the efficiency of Yun Yang cultivating for a day could compare to that of a month of an ordinary cultivating genius! Ten days of concentrated cultivation from him would equal to a year of arduous cultivation by others!
Such an advanced speed was unprecedented since Tianxuan's existence.
On the contrary, Ji Lingxi's cultivation method was one of the continent's pinnacle ranked methods - perhaps, it was already much faster in terms of cultivation efficiency than all other known cultivation methods in this world, but it was still much slower than the Endless Divine Art. A safe estimation still saw a difference; it was about one cycle slower.
Yet the advancement of Ji Lingxi's ability had still crushed Yun Yang without mercy!
What was worse was that the difference was growing day by day. It was a difference of three small levels today, but it could turn into four tomorrow!
Yun Yang cultivated stubbornly then, asking Emmie to deliver energy to him limitlessly. It sapped the cheer out of the creature, making it complain endlessly. He had made it into the seventh realm of Dao with much difficulty recently, and such progress, despite not being the one and only in history, was worthy of pride.
After he saw Ji Lingxi's progress, however, his pride turned into a sense of inferiority.