"No matter what, Xiao Jin is dead, and the Imperial Court's Northern Frontier defenses have been left vacant."
"Cloud Province is safe for now."
Wang Yuan turned to Ji Mie Arhat and sighed.
"As for the alliance you proposed between the Temple of Boundless Beings and my Yuan Alliance, Master, I agree."
"If you are willing to join forces with our allied army, then we are allies."
Ji Mie Arhat slowly rose, his withered fingers resting on the Bamboo Staff, and bowed slightly to Wang Yuan.
"Then, on behalf of the Temple of Boundless Beings' tens of thousands of warrior monks, this old monk thanks you, Alliance Master."
He raised his head. The glimmer in his deep-set eyes lingered on Wang Yuan's face for a moment before he suddenly spoke.
"But this old monk has one more thing to ask."
"Please, Master."
"What did Xiao Jin say to you before he died?"
Wang Yuan looked into those deep-set eyes and remained silent for two breaths.
The words Xiao Jin had spoken before his death.
The Heavenly Sword Sect, Miss Shen, the power of the sects and the worthlessness of frontier soldiers' lives, and that final remark, "You suffer more than I do," all surged through his mind for an instant.
"He said he'd hated them for twenty years."
Wang Yuan spoke in an even tone.
"He said that in this world, the sects held power, while frontier soldiers' lives were worth nothing."
"Xiao Jin said he would spend his life dragging those lofty things down from the heavens, one by one."
After hearing this, Ji Mie Arhat fell silent for a long time.
His withered fingers tapped the Bamboo Staff twice, and an extraordinarily complicated expression surfaced on his gaunt face.
"Yes. That sounds very much like Xiao Jin."
He