"Grandfather, I dragged you down!" Ye Xing's voice was filled with guilt. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms and leaving pale marks as the veins on the backs of his hands bulged.
"Ah! Don't talk nonsense." Ye Xiao roughly ruffled his hair. "Xing, your talent may be ordinary, but if you keep cultivating diligently, you'll eventually reap the rewards! Keep working hard!"
"Talent..." Ye Xing's eyes dimmed.
He lowered his head and looked at his hands, feeling the spiritual power inside him. Compared to Lin Yi, his meager talent did not amount to even a fraction of the other man's.
Ye Xiao naturally noticed the change in Ye Xing, but could only sigh inwardly.
Talent was an inherent limitation. He wanted to offer some words of comfort and opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing. With some things, no amount of words would help.
When Guzhi Pass came into view in the distance, Ye Xiao did not stop. He flew straight into the General's Residence at the center of the city.
The General's Residence had towering courtyard walls and ranks of armored soldiers. An air of iron and blood, grim with the promise of death, swept over them.
Just as Ye Xiao landed in the courtyard, a voice suddenly rang out.
"Ye Xiao, what happened?"
A middle-aged man emerged, clad in dark gold battle armor bearing the scars of war. His face had sharp, angular features, and several strands of frost-white hair marked his temples.
His eyes were as deep and still as an abyss. His imperial dao realm aura remained restrained, yet the iron-blooded authority of a great general swept toward them.
The sword at his waist was engraved with Mountains and Rivers Dao Patterns. Its scabbard was covered in blade scars, each one