Martial Cultivator-Chapter 697: Old Friends Falling Like Autumn Leaves

After chatting idly with his two disciples for a while, Chen Chao finally got down to properly instructing these two fellows in their cultivation.

Lately, he had been too occupied with other matters and had not taught these two disciples much. Their daily routine mainly consisted of tempering their bodies, and afterward, they would often seek guidance from Song Lian at the Right Guard. In fact, looking at it this way, Song Lian seemed more like their master than Chen Chao.

The two boys had even started calling Song Lian "Master Song" in private instead of "Lord Commander."

Chen Chao was perfectly fine with this and did not mind at all.

Now that he had made time, he carefully pointed out the issues the two had encountered in their cultivation and also passed on the saber manual given by the Great General.

The previous Great General had spent his life on the battlefield, and the techniques he created were not only practical but also exceptionally domineering. However, of the two disciples, the one with greater talent, livelier and sharper, Yu Qingfeng, simply could not grasp the techniques in the manual. Surprisingly, it was the seemingly ordinary junior disciple, He Liang, who was gradually mastering the basics despite learning slowly.

This caught Chen Chao a bit off guard, but he quickly came to terms with it. Everyone had their own opportunities, and whether one could learn something depended entirely on themselves.

As for passing on the saber manual, Chen Chao had no qualms about it. After all, the Great General's wish before his passing had been for martial artists, both old and new, to carry on the legacy unbroken.

Since He Liang had this opportunity, the Great General's spirit would surely be at peace.

That being said, Chen Chao did not neglect Yu Qingfeng either. He threw him a set of fist techniques manual he had taken from the imperial treasury; a top-tier one.

The finest martial artists in the world were in Great Liang. Among them, the top three martial artists of their time all had some connection to Chen Chao. However, none of them relied on the fist manuals or techniques passed down by their predecessors. While such teachings could guide them onto the path of cultivation and even help them join the ranks of the strongest in the world, achieving true greatness, becoming peerless martial artists, required forging their own path.

Chen Chao was the same. Though he had inherited the legacies of many senior martial artists, he was still walking his own road rather than merely following in their footsteps.

As for the white mist he had obtained from the Rongshan Sect, he passed down the first half of the secret technique. Before Nepenthe, the white mist had not seemed particularly remarkable, but its benefits were immeasurable. At the very least, it allowed its users to surpass most martial artists of the same realm in terms of physical tempering.

"A martial artist's foundation lies in their body. When you temper your bodies, you must push yourselves to the brink, temper until you can no longer endure. Only by advancing step by step in this way can you ensure that, no matter how far you go in life, you will always stand at the peak of your peers in the same realm."

Chen Chao looked at Yu Qingfeng and said earnestly, "You are quick-witted and sharp. You may find many shortcuts, but remember, cultivation requires a solid foundation. Spending extra effort on what may seem like foolish hard work will only benefit you in the long run."

Yu Qingfeng nodded seriously, saying, "I will remember Master's teachings."

Satisfied, Chen Chao then turned to He Liang, ruffling the boy’s hair with a smile. "You are steady, and as your master, I can see that. But don't bury yourself in training alone. There is much in this world worth seeing. Sometimes, just by looking around, you might come to a realization that will open new doors for you."

He Liang nodded and grinned brightly.

Finally, Chen Chao warned them, "The white mist technique is a closely guarded secret. Outside of us, do not pass it on or speak of it to anyone. Otherwise, you may bring disaster upon yourselves. I will not always be by your side, so you must be extremely cautious. Who knows how many eyes are already watching you?"

After saying all this, Chen Chao left the bamboo building and headed to the Right Guard. Now that he was leaving, many matters in the Divine Capital would fall to Song Lian to handle.

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However, long before this, Chen Chao had already entrusted almost all the affairs of the Lord Warden Commander’s office to Song Lian. Song Lian had done quite well. In fact, if it were possible to establish a Deputy Lord Warden Commander position, Song Lian would likely perform the role well.

But with His Majesty absent, many matters could only be handled in practice but without an official title.

When Chen Chao found Song Lian and stated his intentions, Song Lian naturally did not refuse. However, he was somewhat concerned and asked, “That Yin Li is so difficult to kill, are you confident?”

Chen Chao shook his head and smiled bitterly. “Do you think this is killing a pig? Where would I get so much confidence?”

Song Lian burst into laughter. “If it were really as easy as slaughtering a pig, you wouldn't be needed.”

Chen Chao smiled at this remark.

After leaving the Right Guard's office, Chen Chao hesitated for a moment. Instead of entering the palace, he walked into one of the duty rooms outside the palace.

The Premier had been buried in reports sent from various provinces. Upon hearing a report that Chen Chao had arrived, he finally lifted his head and dismissed the other officials, choosing to meet with Chen Chao alone.

When Chen Chao stepped into the duty room, the Premier slowly stood up and smiled. “What an honor to have Lord Warden Commander visit. Pardon me for not coming to greet you sooner.”

Chen Chao shook his head, signaling the veteran official who had served through several reigns not to bother with such formalities. Finding a seat at random, he got straight to the point. “The Grand Historian was your friend. What do you make of his death, Lord Premier?”

Over the past half-year, the Premier's white hair had grown noticeably more. Without His Majesty in the Divine Capital, he seemed far more exhausted than before.

His hair was now entirely gray.

The Premier said, “He died for the nation, but his integrity remains unbroken. As his friend, this official deeply admires him.”

Chen Chao asked, “If Lord Premier had been the one making the decision at the time, would you have given him a chance not to die?”

The Premier shook his head.

Given the situation that day, even the Premier had no solution. If he had truly been the one in power to handle those affairs, he would have had to proceed with extreme caution too.

One misstep, and it would have been eternal damnation.

Before Chen Chao could speak, the Premier sighed and said, “Even though Lord Warden Commander's handling of the matter preserved public trust, this official believes there were other ways to minimize the impact.”

Chen Chao remained indifferent, simply shaking his head. “This official came here today to make one thing clear to Lord Premier.”

The Premier was momentarily taken aback and asked seriously, “What does Lord Warden Commander wish to say?"

“The Great Liang Dynasty can no longer afford to take a single step back.”

Chen Chao looked at the Premier and said calmly, “Civil officials govern the nation, military generals defend it with their lives."

"Each has their duty, that's all. But even this official deeply admires the integrity of the Grand Historian. As his friend, this official hopes Lord Premier possesses the same resolve. If not for the empire that His Majesty left behind, then at least for the people. Do they wish to live on in humiliation, or with dignity?”

The Premier remained silent for a long moment before finally saying in a low voice, “This official understands.”

Chen Chao smiled. “His Majesty trusted Lord Premier and relied on you for so many years. Now, His Highness the Crown Prince depends on you even more. The same goes for this official. I hope Lord Premier will carefully consider every decision and not let His Majesty or the Crown Prince down.”

The Premier nodded without saying much.

Chen Chao had no intention of speaking further either. He had come merely to remind the Premier of something. Now that his message had been delivered, there was no reason to stay any longer.

But just as he left the office, a figure in black approached him on the side of a long street, whispered a few words into his ear, and then left.

Chen Chao furrowed his brows.

It was a little unexpected.

This news was truly surprising.

The First Prince, now titled Prince Ning, was gravely ill and had little time left.

This Prince Ning had always been in poor health, but no one had expected that he would not even make it through this year, that he would be dying during this autumn.

After some thought, Chen Chao decided to visit him.

He was his cousin, after all.

He had few relatives left in this world.

With these thoughts in mind, Chen Chao soon arrived at Prince Ning's manor.

Presenting his name plaque, the manor's main gates were flung open, showing the highest respect to this newly appointed Lord Warden Commander.

Led by the steward, Chen Chao entered the residence and stepped into a room thick with the scent of medicine. Lying on the sickbed, the First Prince asked weakly, “Is it Chen Chao?”

Chen Chao acknowledged softly. The First Prince nodded slightly and waved a hand to dismiss the other people before struggling to sit up.

Chen Chao looked at the now significantly thinner First Prince but did not speak immediately.

The First Prince gave a feeble smile and said, “This prince didn't think you would come to see me of your own accord.”

Chen Chao sat down on the chair in front of him without a word.

"Now that this prince's time is running out, I won't beat around the bush with you. Since you've come to see this prince, I want to know one thing, was it you who killed the Second Prince?"

The First Prince looked at Chen Chao, his eyes calm, like a pool of still water.

Chen Chao met his gaze, hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yes."

The First Prince let out a faint, self-deprecating laugh. "So it really was you. Imperial Father knew about this but didn't care. He even covered for you. Imperial Father's favorite was always you. In his eyes, we, his sons, were never as important as you."

Chen Chao said, "He tried to kill me first."

The First Prince nodded. "That's true. But tell me, how many people in this world can kill the emperor's son and still live peacefully?"

Chen Chao remained silent at this.

No matter how wrong the Second Prince was, he had still been His Majesty's son. That was something that could never change.

"But... this prince can understand Imperial Father now. Not one of us is capable of bearing the weight of Great Liang, let alone Imperial Father's vision for the empire. It's only natural that Imperial Father didn't like us."

The First Prince sighed. "But tell me, what son in this world doesn't long for his father's affection?"

"Chen Chao, sometimes, this prince envies you greatly. You're clearly not even Imperial Father's son, yet he cared for you so much. Meanwhile, we, his own flesh and blood..."

"Forget it. We brought this upon ourselves, it's not your fault. If this prince weren't already aware that my days were numbered, perhaps I, too, would have ended up as crazy as Second, willing to do anything for the throne."

The First Prince smiled faintly. "Had that happened, one of us would have had to die."

Chen Chao nodded and said, "I know."

The First Prince coughed a few times and said weakly, "If this prince were to ask you for a favor now, would you agree?"

Chen Chao nodded his head.

Seeing how readily Chen Chao agreed, the First Prince was a little surprised. "Why so quick to agree?"

"What you spoke of could have happened, but it never did. So, there's no issue. At the end of the day, you are Imperial Sister's younger brother, my elder brother, and Uncle's son. If it's a small matter, I can agree to it."

Chen Chao looked at him, very calm.

The First Prince smiled and said, "It won't be difficult for you. What this prince is entrusting to you is truly not a big deal."

Chen Chao looked at him, waiting for him to speak.

The First Prince said, "In this life, this prince has had no children. There is nothing much this prince cannot let go of after my passing, except for my consort..."

Hearing this, Chen Chao looked at the First Prince. This First Prince, perhaps in many ways, was different from His Majesty. But in this, he was exactly the same.

Even on his deathbed, the one he worried about the most was his consort.

Chen Chao looked at him and said, "This matter, I had already promised someone else that I would protect her."

Back then, before the Great General left the Divine Capital, he had entrusted this matter to Chen Chao.

In reality, given the current status of Consort Ning, even after the First Prince passed away, she would hardly be in any danger. The Great Liang had no reason to touch her.

The First Prince looked at Chen Chao, the look in his eyes complicated.

"In that case, I leave it to you."

……

……

Walking out of Prince Ning's manor, Chen Chao arrived on the long street. Just as a gust of autumn wind blew past, a few fallen leaves landed on his head.

Chen Chao reached out and took them down, placing them in his palm. He looked at them for a moment, his eyes carrying a hint of sorrow.