Loyal Heart Roaming the Skies

Book 2: Chapter 3: A journey of ten thousand miles

At the beginning of the new year, a piece of news shocked the world.

The long-lost cult, White Bone Sect, revived in the Fenglin City of Qinghe County in Zhuangguo, opening the Ghost Gate and unleashing the ghosts to roam during the day. They used the Undying Formation to sacrifice the entire city and refine the White Bone True Pill.

This pill is known as the "Rebirth from the Underworld" and can transform one into a disciple of the White Bone Sect, achieving peak combat power and summoning the White Bone Demon God.

Dong Adong, the dean of the Daoist Academy in Fenglin City, was aware of this and thwarted the conspiracy of the White Bone Sect. He joined forces with Zhuangguo's Prime Minister Du Ruhui and seized the opportunity to snatch the White Bone True Pill from the White Bone Demon God, offering it to the Emperor of Zhuangguo.

At this time, the world finally realized that the Emperor of Zhuangguo had been secluded in the deep palace for many years, supposedly cultivating but actually nursing his injuries.

When the new emperor of Zhuangguo ascended the throne, Emperor Zhuang Gaoxian worked hard to govern the country, and the national power gradually rose.

The neighboring country of Yongguo repeatedly provoked and trespassed the border.

Originally, this was old news. Since the establishment of Zhuangguo, the conflicts with Yongguo had never ceased. Even the people living on the border between Zhuangguo and Yongguo had become accustomed to such matters. Of course, Zhuangguo always suffered losses.

But unexpectedly, Emperor Zhuang Gaoxian, who possessed great courage and strategy, shattered the dragon throne in the grand hall and personally led the troops to attack Yongguo with the strength of a small country. And they achieved a great victory! He even personally killed the general guarding the border of Yongguo.

This battle brought more than ten years of peace to the border between Zhuangguo and Yongguo.

After the war, Emperor Zhuang Gaoxian announced the closure of the country, and everyone thought that he was going to break through to the realm above the Divine Arrival.

The Zhuang family kept the secret so well that no one knew that he had been nursing his injuries in the deep palace for so many years.

Now that this news has become known to the world, it is no longer a problem.

Emperor Zhuang Gaoxian swallowed the White Bone True Pill, not only healing his injuries completely but also achieving the Profound Truth Realm! From then on, he could be called a true immortal in the world!

At that time, Zhuangguo was at war with the southern country of Moguo. Due to the absence of General Huangfu Duanming, Zhuangguo suffered three consecutive defeats.

But after breaking through, Emperor Zhuang Gaoxian personally arrived and easily killed the leader of Moguo's army. With the power of the Profound Truth Realm, he forced Moguo to cede ten cities.

The national prestige soared.

That year, Emperor Zhuang Gaoxian changed the era name to "Da Ding." The surrounding countries began to reorganize their military forces because of the ambition shown by this new era name.

Dong A, the dean of the Daoist Academy in Fenglin City, had made great contributions and was promoted to the position of Deputy Prime Minister of Zhuangguo. He became the right-hand man of Prime Minister Du Ruhui and held great power, overseeing criminal affairs.

His position was even higher than that of the Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department.

From being neglected and once excluded from the political center, Dong A rose to prominence and became the most sought-after official in the Zhuang family. His deeds inspired many people.

...

When Jiang Wang learned of this news, he had already left Yunguo and traveled a long, long way.

At that time, he was silently drinking in a tavern in a foreign country, but he was mainly eavesdropping on the conversations of the people in the tavern to get a general understanding of the current situation in the world.

He heard people enthusiastically discussing Zhuangguo and some even expressed their desire to go to Zhuangguo to seek opportunities.

Jiang Wang felt no sense of pride but rather a chill running through his body.

These news were half true and half false. For example, the opening of the Ghost Gate and the ghosts roaming during the day were events that happened in Xiaolin Town.

And Dong A thwarting the conspiracy of the White Bone Sect... It was clearly Jiang Wang who discovered the conspiracy of the White Bone Sect and reported it to Dong A, risking his life to protect his homeland. However, Dong A took advantage of the situation and sacrificed countless lives in the city to seize the White Bone True Pill for his own advancement.

Prime Minister Du Ruhui, General Huangfu Duanming, and even Emperor Zhuang Gaoxian were all accomplices.

Now they have gained fame and the admiration of the world, but who remembers the countless innocent souls in Fenglin City?

At first, one city was destroyed, and then three cities were captured.

After recapturing the three cities, they even took ten more cities. It seemed like a great profit, and Emperor Zhuang Gaoxian was hailed as wise and martial, with many strategies.

But is gain and loss just a simple matter of numbers?

What about those innocent people who died, those citizens who trusted their country, the court, and their monarch? How innocent were they?

Who remembers their so-called "sacrifice"?

"Teacher, do you really want to return to Xin'an City so much?"

Jiang Wang stood up and returned to his room.

After a while, the waiter came to clean the table but only saw a pile of fine porcelain powder on the table.

...

In the Illusory Realm of Tai Xu, in the Donggong Mountain Paradise.

Jiang Wang waited quietly for a while before receiving a slightly fat paper crane from Zhen Wudi.

Unfolding the letter, it said: March 7th, Lihai County, Qiguo.

The information was unusually concise because during this period, Zhen Wudi had been forced by his family to cultivate madly. Even drinking a glass of water had a designated time, making it difficult to find any free time.

For Jiang Wang now, he had things he must do and firm goals and plans.

He wanted to make those responsible for the downfall of Fenglin City pay the price!

But all of this depended on his strength.

And the first thing Jiang Wang thought of was the Tianfu Secret Realm that Zhen Wudi had mentioned.

After leaving Fenglin City, he had sent a letter to Zhen Wudi, expressing his desire to participate in the exploration of the Tianfu Secret Realm and inquiring if there were any spots available. Zhen Wudi readily agreed, and today's letter informed him that the opening time for this session of the Tianfu Secret Realm had been determined. He had to arrive in Lihai County, Qiguo, before March 7th.

He still didn't know the specific situation of the Tianfu Secret Realm, but being valued by someone like Zhen Wudi, who came from a prestigious family, there must be unexpected gains. Of course, the dangers would not be few.

That's why Jiang Wang sent Jiang An'an to Lingxiao Pavilion.

Qiguo was one of the powerful countries in the world, located near the East Sea. From Yunguo to Qiguo, he would have to pass through seventeen countries and three sect territories.In this great era, the world was filled with rising powers, each with its own unique political structure.

There were countries like Zhuang, where the Daoist sect was the state religion, and there were neutral countries like Yun, which existed under the protection of Lingxiao Pavilion. Some countries were inclusive, with various sects within their borders competing against each other. Some had powerful governments that controlled all the sects within their borders, issuing orders and prohibitions. In some places, no country was established, and the powerful sects each acted as a country of their own...

Traveling from Yun to Qi, covering thousands of miles, the scenery and customs varied greatly.

Ye Qingyu gave Jiang Wang a cloud crane. Since his address was not fixed, the cloud crane could find its master through an innate connection, but it did not have the ability to find others anywhere in the world. Therefore, only he could take the initiative to write to An An, and An An would reply after receiving the letter.

Everywhere Jiang Wang went, he would record the local scenery and customs and share them with An An and Ye Qingyu in his letters.

An An would also talk about her life in Lingxiao Pavilion.

However, as the journey got longer, the speed of the cloud crane's return messages became slower and slower.

Jiang Wang did not rush on his journey, but practiced cultivation and experienced the world along the way.

At this point, he had honed himself enough and no longer needed to suppress his cultivation level.

The first small cycle he established was the sun, moon, and stars, representing his passion and ideals.

Now that he had come this far, he had established the second small cycle. It was the mountains and rivers, the road under his feet, the passage of time, and the scenery along the way.

For the third small cycle, he began to reflect on himself. He thought about the roads he had traveled, the people he had met, and the experiences he had had. He asked himself where he came from and where he was going.

For Jiang Wang, this was not only his journey but also his cultivation.

He had to participate in the Heavenly Mansion Secret Realm in the most complete state.

...

Not long after exiting the Taixu Illusion Realm, Jiang Wang suddenly felt the entire room seem to shake.

Then he heard, bang! bang! bang!

A deep and distant muffled sound.

He finally confirmed that it was not an illusion.

Because with this sound, the entire room, no, the entire ground was faintly shaking.

Jiang Wang leaped out of the window, jumped to the rooftop of the tavern, and then saw:

A gigantic turtle-like beast, raising its head, taking one step at a time, each step causing the entire earth to tremble.

How big was this beast?

Its thick and short legs alone were taller than the city walls of the city where Jiang Wang was.

And on its shell, Jiang Wang saw...

Pavilions, bustling crowds... a gigantic city!