A few days later, at the border of the Jiang Kingdom in the Star Luo Empire, a border guard held out his hand to stop a messenger. He ordered two other soldiers to search him.
The messenger spread his arms and submitted to the search. When one soldier opened the bag he carried his letters in, the messenger's expression changed dramatically, and he immediately reached out to snatch it back. As a result, more than twenty soldiers on the wall and over a dozen on the ground all turned to look.
Seeing this, the messenger quickly settled down and let them examine the letters inside. One soldier picked up an envelope addressed to the King of the Jiang Kingdom.
The soldier glanced at the messenger and asked sternly, "Who told you to deliver this?"
The messenger trembled at the question. "The post office in Nuoding City, in the Heaven Dou Empire, assigned this letter to me for delivery here."
The soldier saw no sign that he was lying, so he told the messenger to wait beneath the city wall. Then he mounted a horse and rode toward the Jiang King's residence.
As he rode, the soldier shouted, "A secret letter for the Jiang King's residence! Everyone, clear the way!"
The people in the street moved aside, opening a broad avenue. The soldier rode up to the Jiang King's residence, took out the letter, and knocked on the door.
A servant opened the door and asked, "Who is it?"
The soldier held the letter up over his head with both hands and replied respectfully, "This letter came from Nuoding City in the Heaven Dou Empire."
The servant asked, "Who sent it?"
"It was handed to the post office in Nuoding City by a man named Yu Xiaogang. I don't know anything else, sir," the soldier replied.
The servant took the letter. After glancing at the envelope, he handed it back to the soldier and told him that the king was at the training grounds. He instructed the soldier to go to the drill field and deliver it to the king.
The soldier put the letter away, turned, and mounted his horse. He flicked the reins and galloped toward the city gate.
Wuling Training Ground: one of the Star Luo Empire's five largest training grounds, ranked second in size. The officers who trained there could all command armies of tens of thousands or more.
Jiang Liuyu was training alongside the soldiers at the camp. Not a single general skipped training, except for those commanding the battalion stationed to guard the grounds.
Jiang Liuyu had waist-length hair. Believe it or not, this man's hair was even longer than a woman's.
The soldier carrying the letter returned to the city gate and told the messenger that he could leave. Then he spurred his horse toward the training grounds at full speed.
Guards were patrolling outside the drill field when they saw a horse galloping toward them. Their commanding officer raised a hand to stop it.
The soldier carrying the letter immediately pulled on the reins and halted. The guard commander asked, "Who are you?"
The soldier dismounted, held the reins, and cupped his hands. "I have a letter for the king."
The commander stepped forward to inspect the man. Then he escorted him into the place every military officer dreamed of entering.
Jiang Liuyu had just entered the command tent and was wiping the sweat from his face with a towel when the guard commander came in and saluted. "Your Majesty, someone outside requests an audience. He has brought a secret letter."
Jiang Liuyu wrung the water from the towel. "Let him in."
The soldier came forward, holding the letter in both hands. He raised it above his head and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I am a guard commander from Jingdu City. A messenger brought this letter from Nuoding City, in the southern part of the Heaven Dou Empire."
Jiang Liuyu sat in his command seat and said coolly, "A letter from Nuoding City in the southern part of the Heaven Dou Empire? What kind of letter is it? Hand it over."
The soldier gave the letter to the king. Jiang Liuyu placed it on the table and opened it. He froze as soon as he read the first line.
Jiang Liuyu picked up the letter and read it. It was signed by Yu Xiaogang, a man he didn't know, though he had heard some of the disgraceful things he'd done.
At the end of the letter were the two large characters "Jiang Huai." The letter slipped from Jiang Liuyu's hand and fell to the ground.
With a sudden whoosh, the king rushed out of the command tent. A fine horse was waiting outside. Jiang Liuyu leaped onto its back, flicked the reins, and galloped out of the drill field.
A few days later, Nuoding City.
Jiang Huai was training in the hills behind Notting Junior Academy. He had found a secluded spot behind several trees. Aside from Gu Yue and Tang San, no one else could find him.
Jiang Liuyu watched Jiang Huai train from the shadows. An ancient black-and-gold sword circled around Jiang Huai.
Jiang Liuyu stared at the sword for a long time. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen it somewhere before.
In truth, when the Jiang Family's first ancestor became the Sword God, that very sword had been the Jinxu Longyuan Sword. Angel God had given it its name.
In Yu Xiaogang's office, he was brewing tea. A man in the battle armor of the Jiang Kingdom of the Star Luo Empire sat in his usual seat.
Two soldiers stood guard outside the office. Inside, Yu Xiaogang brought the freshly brewed tea to Jiang Liuyu.
Yu Xiaogang was surprised that Jiang Liuyu had come in person. Jiang Liuyu smelled the tea and said, "I've met my son. He's a fine young man. I won't disturb his life as it is now, either. But when he grows up and goes to an advanced Soul Master Academy, tell him who he is after he competes in the Spirit Master Tournament. I'll be waiting for him in the Jiang Kingdom. Also..."
Jiang Liuyu took out the token he carried with him and set it on the table. After taking a sip of tea, he said, "Yu Xiaogang, you can come to my Jiang Kingdom anytime. Jiang Huai will become the heir to my kingdom—in other words, the crown prince."
Yu Xiaogang asked in surprise, "Your Majesty, are you really so certain he's your son?"
"The aura of his bloodline proves his identity. Tomorrow, I'll send someone to bring you the sword techniques of our family. Teach them to him. And tell him that his parents are still alive, and that he has an older sister."
Yu Xiaogang nodded. "Understood, Your Majesty."
"Isn't it a little early to call me that?"
Yu Xiaogang smiled. "Your Majesty trusts me enough to send me your family's sword techniques for your son. That means you trust me. So why shouldn't I call you Your Majesty?"
"You're quick on the uptake. I'll arrange for the person secretly protecting my son to meet with you. You mustn't let Huai know who it is."
A few days later, Jiang Liuyu led his troops back to the Jiang Kingdom. As soon as he returned, he went straight to the capital. He entered the queen's quarters in the palace and told the queen that their son hadn't died. He was still alive.
Not long afterward, a woman walked out of the Royal Academy in the Jiang Kingdom. She mounted a horse and left the kingdom, then the Star Luo Empire.
In Yu Xiaogang's office at Notting Junior Academy in Nuoding City, the woman met with him. As soon as she appeared, Yu Xiaogang recognized her.
The woman was Jiang Yi, the eldest daughter of Jiang Liuyu, ruler of the Jiang Kingdom. Her Soul Power had reached the Soul Sage realm at level seventy-eight.
Jiang Yi's Soul Power surpassed that of both Flender and Liu Erlong. Though Yu Xiaogang was confident that the Golden Iron Triangle could stand against her,
sword Soul Masters were among the most revered Soul Masters on the whole continent. Even the shoddiest sword could let its wielder defeat a stronger opponent.
And Jiang Yi had learned the secret techniques of her family. It was said that one of the continent's Titled Douluo had once been defeated by Jiang Yi.
The opponent had even been a level-ninety-five Titled Douluo from Spirit Hall. Jiang Yi had been only level seventy-five at the time.
Yu Xiaogang couldn't help thinking, The Blade of Sword Practice is terrifying indeed.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had studied under Jiang Qingfeng. Jiang Qingfeng was said to wield great influence throughout the Star Luo Empire.
Even Jiang Liuyu bowed to Jiang Qingfeng in greeting. Chen Xin had once used a skill he learned from the Jiang Family to kill a level-ninety-seven Titled Douluo with a single strike.
That Titled Douluo had also been from Spirit Hall. At the time, Qian Xunji was Spirit Hall's pope. Qian Daoliu had feared Jiang Qingfeng, and in the end had suppressed his anger.
But Chen Xin had only just entered the Titled Douluo realm. One could imagine that once someone mastered the Jiang Family's secret techniques, they could take on a Peerless Douluo alone at level ninety-five.
That was mainly because the Sword God had left behind a complete inheritance. The Jiang Family also possessed a piece of Soul Tool Technology that had yet to be developed. It was said to be a major project intended for the next Jiang King to carry out.
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