Chapter 20: Our Realm

The final political debate was straightforward. Each individual would write a governance strategy for the nation and their household, then answer questions from the elders, and finally, the elder council would give a score.

This phase was the most transparent; all disciples could attend and listen to the questioning. However, it was also the most contentious. Some advocated for maintaining the status quo, others for aggressive expansion, and some preferred a balanced approach. The opinions were diverse, and gaining the approval of most elders required considerable skill.

Song Zining, on the other hand, found it much easier. He casually penned a political strategy, went through the questioning, and without waiting for the results, returned to his private residence to enjoy the tender moments. In the past few days, someone had gifted him two beautiful young women, rumored to be rare treasures of inner charm.

Qian Ye, however, refused to join Song Zining’s frivolous activities. He continued to spend his time browsing martial arts texts, now expanding his reading to include basic skills for various close combat weapons.

In the “Yunshen Hall” residence, Song Zining lounged with his two new beauties, while Qian Ye sat in the study, immersed in his books. The seventeen-year-old girl who had shared a night of passion with him silently attended to him, periodically changing his tea.

Suddenly, Qian Ye felt that such moments were indeed a pleasure—warm, tranquil, allowing him to focus entirely on advancing his martial path without worrying about worldly troubles.

At this moment, the study door opened, and Song Zining entered with a carefree smile. “Your little life isn’t too bad, is it?”

Qian Ye glanced up at him and said, “Don’t you fear neglecting your cultivation by doing this every day?”

From the time they arrived at the Song Clan until the end of the major examination, it had been over ten days, and Song Zining hadn’t been seen practicing. He was often out meeting friends, returning late with the scent of alcohol and perfume.

Song Zining settled into a spacious glass couch opposite the desk, reclining comfortably before speaking. “Living freely is also one of the great ways. Besides, I only do this when I return to the clan. Normally, I’m quite restrained.”

Qian Ye sighed. Since their days at the Netherworld Training Camp, it was hard to read any emotions on young Song Zining’s face. Back then, he had the cold and arrogant demeanor of a top student, with a fierce temper that brooked no insult. More trainees died at his hands than Qian Ye had ever killed.

Years later, when they met again, Song Zining seemed like a different person—polished and well-mannered, but it was merely a mask concealing his true feelings.

It was only after Qian Ye came to the Song Clan that he understood how this noble heir had become what he was. After the martial examination, Qian Ye wanted to talk to Song Zining, but being less articulate, he didn’t know how to start.

Qian Ye put down the jade slip and glanced at the girl, who promptly left the room and closed the door quietly.

Song Zining closed his eyes to rest, and there was a moment of silence in the study.

“Zining, are you going to have a lot of trouble ahead? Do you have any plans?”

Without opening his eyes, Song Zining nonchalantly replied, “After this major examination, my ranking as an heir might rise to the top three. How could that be a problem?”

“Would Song Zian and his senior willingly accept this loss?” Qian Ye believed that the patriarch, Song Zhongting, truly intended to kill him on the spot. The subsequent punishment from the Marchioness of Anguo would only deepen the hatred, making it irreconcilable.

Song Zining chuckled, covering his eyes with his hand, hiding all expressions. “What if they don’t? They have only a few cards. The Yin family, Yin Qiqi, still needs to work hard to take her place. The Wei family, Duke Bowa, won’t care about this. As for that boar, let’s see if he survives the battlefield first…”

Song Zining suddenly stopped, realizing he had spoken too much.

He lowered his hand, observing Qian Ye’s expression, and smiled. “Twenty days ago, the Wei family suffered a crushing defeat on the eastern front. It’s said that Wei Potian was also in the army. The situation there is tense, and it’s likely that by the time you return to Blackflow City, Wei Bonian will be recalled by the main family.”

Qian Ye was shocked. The Wei family, stationed in the eastern border, was constantly engaged in battles with the dark races.

For Qian Ye, the most critical part of Song Zining’s revelation wasn’t Wei Potian’s safety—he was surely protected. Instead, it was the fact that once Wei Bonian left, a new commander would be assigned to the expeditionary force.

However, with the incident involving Wu Zhengnan, whether the expeditionary force headquarters knew about Qian Ye’s involvement or not, the new commander would unlikely be on good terms with Qian Ye due to his close ties with the Wei family and Dark Flame Mercenary Corps.

But Qian Ye wasn’t distracted by this. “Even if you think Song Zian isn’t a threat, what about Song Ziqi? Wasn’t he the one who originally wanted to kill you?”

Song Zining’s lazy demeanor vanished, and he sat up straight, calmly saying, “There’s no need to worry. The ancestors won’t let them go too far within the clan. As for outside, I can handle them.”

“Why is that?”

Seeing Qian Ye’s determination to get an answer, Song Zining said, “Perhaps because I was initially chosen for a marriage alliance with a scholarly family. Oh, and my talent rating had something to do with it too.”

Qian Ye couldn’t help but take a deep breath. Even though he had guessed some of it, hearing Song Zining speak so indifferently about the truth was still painful.

Back then, Song Zining’s talent rating was clearly manipulated, and many resources that should have been his went to others. This was an inevitable part of internal family struggles, but it still felt unfair.

Song Zining smiled, but his eyes were cold. “But I’ve made up my mind. I won’t fight for the clan leadership anymore. This land is already decaying, and it’s better to carve out a new territory myself.”

Qian Ye gave a wry smile. If Song Zining truly had such a carefree attitude, he wouldn’t have been so restless these days. “If that’s the case, what’s bothering you?”

Song Zining paused, then sighed. “It’s terrible. You always seem to see through me.” He then confessed, “I regret it, Qian Ye. I shouldn’t have dragged you into this.”

Qian Ye smiled. “I’ve gained a lot from this.”

He wasn’t just comforting Song Zining. The Sky-level cultivation chamber, the heavy sword Dongyue, three silver bullets, a reinforced company’s worth of equipment, and an entire battalion of heavy trucks—these were riches that a typical mercenary leader couldn’t accumulate in a lifetime. The greatest help, however, came from the Song Clan’s collection of martial arts, filling in the last gap in his foundational skills, ready to be integrated over time.

Since they were open, Song Zining didn’t hide his feelings. “I misjudged the situation. You didn’t need to fight to the death on the stage.”

“Zining, you’re overthinking it. Whether it’s on the battlefield or the stage, a life-or-death battle is the same,” Qian Ye said, knowing that Song Zining hadn’t taken the exam seriously and hadn’t taken Song Ziqi’s death threat to heart.

In fact, Song Zining never intended to kill Song Zian or Song Ziqi. Despite his strategic acumen, he had a soft spot for his blood relatives, even if he didn’t realize it. But the events surrounding the exam made him see a harsh reality: avoiding conflict didn’t guarantee peace unless he was willing to be mediocre for life.

“Qian Ye.”

“Hmm?”

“Let’s go to Evernight together. Conquer a kingdom, one built according to our ideals.”

“…Okay.”

At this moment, in the “Wendao Manor,” in the “Lianxin Pavilion” where the Marchioness of Anguo resided, a conversation was taking place about the two of them.

This pavilion, vast in size and including an artificial lake, was hosting a banquet in the main hall. There was only one table, with five guests, each of whom was significant.

The Marchioness of Anguo sat at the head, beside a middle-aged man with a refined appearance. Song Zhongnian, the head of the Song Clan, Lu Lao, and another supreme elder of the Song Clan accompanied them. The presence of Lu Lao suggested that his identity was more than what it seemed.

The Marchioness of Anguo began, “Prince Rui, you’ve worked hard these past few days. The juniors’ performance was lackluster, but at least it provided some entertainment.”

The middle-aged man was none other than Prince Rui, the Emperor’s nephew. Though he wasn’t the most powerful figure in court, his status was exceedingly high. Only a few in the Song Clan knew that a member of the imperial family had come to watch the ten-year examination.

Prince Rui smiled. “Your Excellency, you flatter me. This generation of young disciples has several promising talents. Lack of combat experience is no matter. They will naturally hone their skills on the battlefield, and we needn’t worry about it now.”

“What does Your Highness think of An Renyi, who came in first in the martial arts exam?” Lu Lao asked.

Prince Rui also remembered Qian Ye, who had won the first place. “That child’s talent is exceptional, like an unpolished gem. His unique talent showed the ‘Dawn Illumination’ sign, but instead of a star carried by the morning light, it turned into a sky full of flames, finally forming wings of light. I’ve never heard of such a talent.”

The others discussed briefly, but no one had an answer. The Marchioness of Anguo had noticed the dark origin power entwined around the sword when Dongyue clashed with Chuyue. Qian Ye’s dawn origin power was rich and pure, able to trigger the natural origin power at level eight, indicating his exceptional talent.

Prince Rui, somewhat regretfully, said, “But he’s not from a noble family, and he missed the foundation-building period. If I’m not mistaken, his origin power method is Bingfa Jue. A warrior king at level nine has too many physical risks. Even if he becomes a war general, his future depends on luck.”

Bingfa Jue was the fastest cultivation method for humans, but its greatest risk was the damage it caused to the practitioner’s body. At level nine, Qian Ye was near his limit. Continuing would lead to his body’s collapse by age thirty. Even if he changed methods, he would likely suffer from underlying injuries, affecting his future as a war general.

Prince Rui refrained from saying more to save the Song Clan’s face.