At dusk at night.
The sunset glow slowly spread along the horizon and fell onto the lake, reflecting a golden glow. The lake surface was rippling, and between the distant mountains, half the sky was dyed red.
Falling on the Ruyi Tower, it is magnificent and splendid.
Inside the building.
Lin Hengzhong sat by the window, quietly gazing out at the scenery, silent for a long time. His silent, slightly weathered face seemed to have a heavy expression.
Across from him, sitting quietly was Mr. Li from the building. He was as calm as usual, his cloudy eyes revealing no thoughts.
On the table in front of the two men, there was a chessboard with an endgame, and on the other side, there was a jar of wine, and the aroma of wine filled the air.
The two seemed to fall into silence for a long time, and no one spoke first.
Only when the sunset glowed half the sky red and night gradually fell did Lin Hengzhong slowly withdraw his gaze. However, a hint of indescribable trance emerged in his expressionless face.
"Your Majesty, I mourn for you."
Mr. Li sighed lightly and wanted to say something, but in the end he said nothing.
Lin Hengzhong waved his hand, hiding the last trace of sadness in his eyes, and said, "This is his own choice. Although I guessed it, I can't stop it."
"This matter is all my fault..."
Having said that, Lin Hengzhong suddenly fell silent again.
Mr. Li didn't say anything either.
Although neither of them was very clear about that matter, they both guessed some answers.
Mr. Li did not say anything, but just gently picked up the liquor on the table, took a sip, and showed an expression of enjoyment on his face, as if he was savoring the taste.
It was not until a long time later that Lin Heng regained his composure. He sighed deeply, looked up at Elder Li in front of him, and suddenly spoke again: "Speaking of which, I have to thank Elder Li for his generous guidance to Jiang Nian during this period... Jiang Nian's ability to achieve such results in such a short period of time is all thanks to Elder Li's cultivation."
Elder Li shook his head slightly. "Since His Highness is interested in martial arts, I have only been able to give him some pointers. His Highness's achievements are all the result of his own diligent study and practice."
Lin Heng nodded emphatically. He had heard from Zhiyuan that Jiang Nian had indeed been diligent in his studies and training, practicing martial arts from morning till night, rain or shine. It was precisely because of this diligence that he had been able to reach the ninth rank in such a short period of time.
"Mr. Li may know the prediction of what Jiang Nian's future achievements will be?"
Lin Hengzhong suddenly asked.
A glimmer of brilliance seemed to flash across Elder Li's cloudy eyes: "Your Highness has inherited the prince's martial arts talent. His future in martial arts is indeed limitless."
Hearing this, Lin Hengzhong's face showed a little more relief: "Then in your opinion, can Jiang Nian surpass me in the future?"
Elder Li sighed, "Your Highness is a martial arts prodigy rarely seen in the world for a century. His current achievements are nothing short of a miracle. As for His Highness..."
Elder Li pondered for a moment, shook his head, and sighed, "It's hard for me to predict how great your highness's achievements will be in the future. However..."
After a pause, Elder Li slowly spoke, "If His Highness is willing to study hard and practice diligently, with the many resources His Highness has prepared for him, it's no surprise that within ten years, His Highness will be able to reach the pinnacle of the avenue!"
"ten years?"
Hearing this, Lin Hengzhong couldn't hide the smile on his slightly weathered face: "I didn't expect that you, Mr. Li, would have such a high opinion of Jiang Nian?!"
Elder Li shook his head slightly. "Your Highness has an outstanding talent for martial arts. He studies diligently and practices diligently. He also has the Prince's Xuanyang Heart Method to protect him. It would be surprising if he didn't achieve anything in the future..."
Lin Hengzhong thought about it and it was true. Any martial arts genius in the world relied on resources to achieve his goals.
These resources were essentially controlled by the major sects, aristocratic families, and the imperial court. Even the most gifted, without the guidance of a renowned teacher, supreme martial arts skills, and internal strength, and without the resources to build upon, one would ultimately be utterly lost in the crowd.
The gap between the two is like a chasm!
This is also the reason why it is becoming increasingly difficult for the world's common people to produce truly top masters. The vast majority of the world's masters come from major sects and families.
To be precise, it is not that these masters come from aristocratic families, but that these aristocratic families have great appeal to masters with martial arts talent.
This is also why Lin Hengzhong built Ruyi Tower to gather the world's treasure trove of martial arts resources. The existence of a treasure trove of resources like Ruyi Tower is enough to attract the world's masters to work hard for him!
"Then, how does it compare to the girl from the Li family in Beijing?"
Lin Hengzhong suddenly asked again: "How does Jiang Nian compare to her?"
Mr. Li seemed stunned. "Your Highness, are you referring to the eldest princess in the capital? Your Highness's fiancée?"
Lin Hengzhong glanced at him and said, "Come to think of it, it seems that Mr. Li is somewhat related to her?"
"It's just a thing of the past."
Mr. Li waved his hand and sighed.
"That girl's martial arts talent is the highest I've ever seen..."
Elder Li thought for a moment and shook his head gently, "I can't really say who's stronger between you and her, but it's true that you started learning martial arts a little late."
"That girl from the Li family should have entered the Tianxuan realm by now, right?"
Lin Heng nodded emphatically, feeling a little emotional: "There are indeed many geniuses in this world!"
"In terms of age, she is even younger than Your Highness. Now she has entered the second rank of Tianxuan. No one in the world today can match her!"
Elder Li narrowed his eyes and said, "With the unwavering support of the swordsmen, she will hopefully become a first-grade Grandmaster within three years, and within ten years..."
Mr. Li didn't continue speaking, Lin Hengzhong had already expected it.
"So, Jiang Nian can't catch up with her?"
"Why are you chasing?"
Elder Li glanced at Lin Hengzhong and shook his head slightly. "She is engaged to His Highness and will be your future daughter-in-law. If Your Highness marries her, the palace will have another Grandmaster in ten years."
"By then, the three great masters of the palace, and anyone in the world who wants to take action against the palace, will probably have to think twice!"
Lin Hengzhong was stunned for a moment, as if he thought of something, and then he laughed out loud twice.
“That makes sense!”
After laughing a few times, Lin Hengzhong put away the smile on his face, picked up the wine on the table and drank it all in one gulp.
His eyes lit up: "Good wine!"
Then he looked at Mr. Li in front of him and sighed, "Mr. Li has been in Ruyi Tower for almost twenty years, right?"
Mr. Li's eyes were cloudy: "Maybe it's coming soon?"
"You really don't want to go out and take a look again?"
"What are you going out for?"
Mr. Li shook his head slightly: "It's fine for me to stay here."
Lin Hengzhong was silent for a moment. "I know that Mr. Li was forced to do so by the circumstances back then. Now that so many years have passed, do you really not plan to go out and visit your old friends and relatives?"
"Twenty years!"
Mr. Li was silent for a moment, then shook his head gently. "After so many years, they must have forgotten an old man like me, right?"
Old Li muttered to himself, a strange expression on his face, and he sighed softly: "If it weren't for the prince saving me back then, I would have died long ago..."
"I can spend the rest of my life in Ruyi Tower, which has driven martial artists all over the world crazy, studying and cultivating my character. This can be considered as the fulfillment of my wish."
Lin Hengzhong remained silent, quietly looking at the old man in front of him.
No one could have imagined that this unknown old man sweeping the floor in Ruyi Tower was once a world-famous figure.
In the blink of an eye, twenty years have passed.
Lin Hengzhong sighed softly: "Since Mr. Li is unwilling to leave, I will not try to persuade him any further, but..."
After a pause, Lin Hengzhong slowly spoke again: "I have a few things that I hope Mr. Li can help with..."
“…”
At sunset, dim light shines into the room through the window.
Lin Jiangnian slowly awoke from his bed, his body aching and numb, with an inexplicable feeling of exhaustion. He opened his eyes and gazed at the pitch-black surroundings, memories slowly flooding back.
"Gone?"
Lin Jiangnian looked around and recognized the familiar scenes around him.
This is... Liu Su's room.
Last night, he stayed here overnight, and the two of them slept together after drinking too much. When they woke up in the morning, they were still together.
after……
Lin Jiangnian still remembers what happened.
What next?
Lin Jiangnian couldn't remember anything, he only remembered that after he finished, he suddenly felt dizzy and then seemed to fall asleep again.
When I opened my eyes again, it was already now.
Looking at the familiar dim and empty room around me, the air was still filled with a familiar fragrance that had not yet completely dissipated.
The furnishings in the room remained the same, and there were even traces of the previous mess on the bed.
Everything is so real and clear.
However, the person is no longer there!
Gone?
Leaving quietly?!
Lin Jiangnian sat up and realized something.
Maybe she did it on purpose?
The previous drowsiness was probably because she secretly drugged herself again.
At this moment, Lin Jiangnian felt an indescribable feeling of disappointment in his heart.
She left after all!
Sitting in the room, Lin Jiangnian quietly looked at the quiet environment around him, his eyes still calm.
"Want to leave?"
"You can't escape from this prince's palm!"
Lin Jiangnian's eyes were bright. Until now, he was not sure what position Liu Su held in his mind and what kind of feelings he had towards her.
But it doesn’t matter!
Lin Jiangnian was now the true prince of Lin Wang, and she naturally couldn't escape.
Thinking of this, Lin Jiangnian's eyes lit up with a hint of amusement. He slowly stood up and left the room.
…
Ruyi Tower!
In the quiet Ruyi Building, Lin Jiangnian slowly appeared in the building and met Mr. Li in the familiar window seat.
When Lin Jiangnian approached, he saw the decorations on the table.
Has anyone else been here?
There was an unfinished game on the table and an empty wine glass beside it, indicating that someone had been there before.
Who has come to see Mr. Li?
Lin Hengzhong?
Or a kite?
"Mr. Li?"
"Your Highness."
Old Li slowly raised his head, looked at Lin Jiangnian who appeared in his sight, and nodded slightly.
"Mr. Li, this is..."
Lin Jiangnian thought of something: "My father has been here?"
Old Li glanced at something not far behind him, and Lin Jiangnian followed his gaze, which happened to fall on the stairs. Going up further, it was the seventh floor of Ruyi Building.
"My dad is on the seventh floor?"
Elder Li nodded: "Your Highness, do you want to go and take a look?"
Lin Jiangnian hesitated for a moment and shook his head gently: "Let's go later... I came to see Senior Li today. There is something I want to ask him about."
"What is the matter, Your Highness?"
Lin Jiangnian thought for a moment and asked, "Senior Li, do you...know anything about the Celestial God Cult?"
“…”
Ruyi Tower.
Seventh floor.
Lin Hengzhong stood in the dimly lit room, looking around with a nostalgic look. Looking at the familiar surroundings, he recalled some distant memories.
He walked slowly to the side of the wall, where hung several sets of uniforms, a few longbows, and some other small gadgets.
Lin Hengzhong's hand slowly passed over them, his eyes filled with longing. Finally, he stopped at a table on the other side. On the table lay an open notebook. Lin Hengzhong quietly looked at it, his eyes dazed.
Until the sound of footsteps behind him broke the brief silence.
Lin Hengzhong turned around and saw Lin Jiangnian appear at the door.
"Jiang Nian?"
"father."
Lin Jiangnian looked at the majestic figure not far away and spoke softly.
"Come in."
Lin Hengzhong nodded slightly.
Lin Jiangnian then slowly stepped into the room and came to Lin Hengzhong's side. He saw that he was holding an open book in his hand. Lin Jiangnian had seen the contents of the book before. It was a diary-like record of Princess Lin's life left behind in the past.
Lin Hengzhong slowly put the book in his hand back on the table and said softly, "Why are you here?"
"I just went to see Mr. Li and learned that my father was here. I asked Mr. Li a question, and Mr. Li asked me to come to my father to answer my doubts." Lin Jiangnian said.
Lin Hengzhong nodded slightly, as if a little surprised: "What's the problem?"
Lin Jiangnian hesitated: "Dad, do you know the details of the Heavenly God Cult?"
Lin Hengzhong slowly turned around, looked at Lin Jiangnian, and suddenly asked, "She's gone?"
"Dad knows?"
"I guessed it."
Lin Hengzhong nodded gently, his eyes calm, "She is the Holy Maiden of the Celestial God Cult. It's normal that you can't keep her."
Lin Jiangnian was a little surprised: "Dad knows her identity and origin?!"
"I guess so." Lin Hengzhong said.
Lin Jiangnian hesitated to speak, feeling slightly shocked.
It seems that Lin Hengzhong actually knew Liu Su's identity a long time ago.
That……
For some reason, Lin Jiangnian felt a little uneasy.
"how?"
Lin Hengzhong seemed to see through his thoughts: "Can't bear to part with her?"
Lin Jiangnian did not deny it and nodded.
Lin Hengzhong just smiled and didn't ask any more questions. He just changed his mind and said, "Do you know why Dad let her go before?"
Lin Jiangnian's eyes narrowed: "Is there any other reason?"
"Jiang Nian, it's one thing for you to like her, but the real reason that made Dad decide to let her go is another!"
Lin Hengzhong said slowly: "She looks a lot like an old friend of Dad's."
"Old friend?!"
Lin Jiangnian was a little surprised. Could it be that Liu Su's parents knew Lin Hengzhong? Just as he was about to ask something, he saw Lin Hengzhong glance back at the notebook on the table: "Have you read what your mother wrote?"
Lin Jiangnian was puzzled, but nodded anyway.
"Then, aren't you curious about Zhiyuan's identity and origins?"
"The origin of the kite?"
Lin Jiangnian was confused. Wasn’t he talking about Liu Su?
Why did you suddenly mention kites?
etc……
Lin Jiangnian suddenly remembered something and his expression froze.
…