Replacement

Chu Zhiyuan clasped his fists and smiled.

The best way to deal with Chu Zhiyao's blunt words was to brush them aside lightly, leaving them with nowhere to land.

Chu Mingxuan waved a hand. "Enough. Fourth Son has already gone to the Ministry of Rites; we can't transfer him halfway through... Third Brother, how long will you be staying now that you're back?"

As he spoke, he invited everyone to take their seats.

One exquisite dish after another was brought out, complete in color, fragrance, and flavor, enough to make mouths water. The moment that jar of medicinal wine was opened, its aroma spread through the room, the scent of wine interwoven with a strange medicinal fragrance.

At a single whiff of that medicinal fragrance, one's spirits were roused.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

This medicinal wine was immensely beneficial to the Dragon Transformation Technique, sparing him a great deal of hard work.

"This time... I'm afraid I'll have to rest for a while," Chu Zhiyao said, thumping the table. "Great Zhen is getting serious this time!"

"Third Brother, is Great Zhen really going to form a marriage alliance with us?" Chu Zhichuan asked with a frown.

"Yes."

Chu Mingxuan was puzzled. "How could Imperial Father possibly agree?"

"They'll join hands to deal with Great Meng first. Great Meng's new emperor has only recently ascended the throne and is bursting with ambition. Joining forces with Great Zhen would be just right for cleaning up Great Meng!"

"And we're not afraid Great Zhen will play tricks?"

"Great Zhen will naturally have to show sincerity."

"What sincerity?"

"A marriage alliance!"

"So who exactly is marrying whom? It won't do if we send one of our princesses over there!"

"That depends on each side's abilities..."

"What abilities?"

"Hard to say."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Third Brother, you returned early. You must have some assignment, right?"

Chu Zhiyao looked deeply unwilling, his face dark and gloomy. "Great Zhen's envoy mission will probably propose a contest. Their delegation will have Heir Apparents and princes."

"If there's a contest, it has to be between equals. Heir Apparents should compete against Heir Apparents." Chu Mingxuan understood this most basic rule, the principle of equality between states.

If the Heir Apparent in Great Zhen's envoy mission proposed a contest and sparring match, then Great Jing naturally had to send out an Heir Apparent as well.

Chu Zhiyao sneered. "Great Zhen has an Heir Apparent who is a martial arts prodigy—Cheng Tianfeng. He entered the Xiantian Realm at eighteen."

"He became Xiantian at eighteen? How old is he now?"

"Twenty-two." Chu Zhiyao spoke slowly. "Four years have passed. Who knows what level he's reached by now!"

"He hasn't become a grandmaster, has he?" Chu Zhiting asked.

Chu Zhiyao frowned and shook his head. "If he had truly become a grandmaster at twenty-two, his name would already be known throughout the world. There's no way they could keep it bottled up."

Becoming a grandmaster at twenty-two would be an achievement without precedent and without equal. How could they possibly let news like that pass unspread?

It would be an enormous boost to the prestige of the entire Great Zhen Imperial Clan, rallying military morale and popular support alike, with boundless benefits.

"Then Third Brother, train well and conserve your strength," Chu Mingxuan said. "Win us some face for Great Jing!"

They understood why Chu Zhiyao had returned.

Among Great Jing's Heir Apparents, there were currently only three in the Xiantian Realm. Chu Zhiyao had entered it first and had trained in the Military, making him stronger than Sixth Heir Chu Zhihua. Naturally, he was to answer the challenge from Great Zhen's Heir Apparent.

Chu Zhiyao examined Chu Zhiyuan. "Fourth Brother, compete in my place!... I'll report to Imperial Grandfather and have the candidate changed."

"Ah?... That won't do!" Chu Zhiyuan wore an astonished expression and hurriedly waved his hands.

"Why won't it do?!" Chu Zhiyao snorted. "You're stronger than me, so naturally you're more qualified to fight!"

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head. "I haven't weathered Military Formations for years like you, Third Brother. I lack experience and am too green to shoulder such a heavy responsibility."

"You're stronger than me. That alone is enough!" Chu Zhiyao snorted.

Chu Zhiyuan continued shaking his head.

Chu Zhiyao furrowed his brow, his face sinking. "Don't you want to win face and a breath of pride for our Great Jing Dynasty?"

"I'm afraid my lack of experience will make me lose face for Great Jing," Chu Zhiyuan said.

Chu Zhiyao stared at him closely and said in a deep voice, "If you can truly win, it'll be a great merit."

"Third Brother, how great is that merit?" Chu Zhiting asked curiously.

The three of them had not spoken until now.

Privately, they felt that Chu Zhiyuan truly was the best choice. Chu Zhiyuan's combat strength far surpassed the realm of his cultivation method.

But saying that outright would wound Chu Zhiyao's pride too badly.

"At least Seventh Grade Merit, I'd say?" Chu Mingxuan looked at Chu Zhiyao. "Isn't that right, Third Brother?"

Chu Zhiyao slowly nodded. "That's right. At least Seventh Grade Merit."

Chu Zhiting and Chu Zhichuan's eyes immediately lit up.

Seventh Grade Merit was something far beyond their reach. Not to mention the Postnatal Realm—even in the Xiantian Realm, it was nearly impossible to earn Seventh Grade Merit.

Eighth Grade Merit was already the limit for Xiantian Masters.

Seventh Grade Merit could not only be exchanged for more powerful Miraculous Pills and Elixirs and Divine Weapons and Sharp Blades; more importantly, it could earn one a promotion.

The higher one's position, the more opportunities one had to gain merit, and the greater the merit one could obtain.

Chu Zhiyuan merely shook his head, though inwardly he was certain.

Since he had already displayed crushing strength, the choice of candidate had been decided. Neither he nor Chu Zhiyao had the final say.

This matter carried high rewards, but also high risks.

Cheng Tianfeng had entered the Xiantian Realm four years ago. What if he was a prodigy like himself—or even a prodigy greater than himself?

Perhaps he had already reached Innate Perfection.

Once defeated, Chu Zhiyuan would disgrace Great Jing and become the target of ten thousand accusing fingers.

But that did not matter to him.

Prince Qing's Estate had only just begun to improve. Even if he lost, it would at worst return to how it had been before. The losses would not be too great. With his Super Sensation and talent, he would eventually rise again.

If he won, he would gain Seventh Grade Merit.

A single Seventh Grade Merit could be exchanged for at least dozens of Marrow Cleansing Pills, an immense aid to cultivation.

He could also gain tremendous prestige, vastly raising Prince Qing's Estate's standing.

Moreover, during the time before the contest, he might receive tremendous support.

The Emperor could hardly sit by and do nothing, refusing to use every means to raise his cultivation so that he could fight out Great Jing's majesty, could he?

This concerned Great Jing's honor, and perhaps even Great Jing's interests.

Thus, this was an exceedingly rare opportunity.

This opportunity was already almost in his grasp.

So why not put on an air of lofty reluctance?

Chu Mingxuan coughed twice and said solemnly, "If this Cheng Tianfeng is truly that formidable, Fourth Brother should go instead. This isn't something to be modest about."

The Great Avalanche Sword Art was invincible in the Xiantian Realm. No one could block it—it was simply too fast.

If others mastered the Great Avalanche Sword Art, they could only unleash one sword strike. Yet he could strike sword after sword, treating the Great Avalanche Sword Art like an ordinary sword technique.

Who could possibly withstand that?

Unless they were faster than him.

Even among grandmasters, not one of them was necessarily faster with the sword than he was.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head. "Third Brother came back from so far away..."

Chu Zhiyao snorted. "Whether I've suffered hardship or not is irrelevant. What matters is winning, bringing glory to the Great Jing Dynasty's imperial clan."

Chu Zhiyuan still smiled and shook his head.

Chu Zhiyao said, "I'll serve as a backup. If there are other Heir Apparents, I can take them on then. In any case, Great Zhen will certainly use this chance to make trouble so they can seize the upper hand in negotiations... But there are risks as well. If you lose, you'll become a sinner!"

Chu Zhiyuan continued shaking his head.

"Fourth Brother, you're scared, aren't you? Scared of losing and disgracing yourself?" Chu Zhiyao suddenly sneered.

"...Sigh! Since that's the case, I'll give it a try." Chu Zhiyuan looked at Chu Mingxuan and shook his head. "Eighteenth Uncle, I shouldn't have come tonight."

Chu Mingxuan chuckled sheepishly. "Fourth Brother, you'll be fine!"

Chu Zhiyao's sneer turned into a smile. He slapped Chu Zhiyuan hard on the shoulder. "Now that's a son of the Chu clan!"

His expression promptly turned solemn. "Make your preparations. Great Zhen's envoy mission will arrive within the next few days."

Chu Zhiyuan slowly nodded.

Chu Mingxuan raised his wine cup and called out, "Come, come! Let us first wish Fourth Brother victory at the first stroke, a great triumph over Great Zhen's Heir Apparent, and the spreading of Great Jing's might!"

"Right, a great victory!"

Everyone raised their cups and drank deeply.

Then they began eating and talking idly.

Chu Zhiting inquired about affairs in the Military.

He desperately wanted to join the Military, but could not because of his father. Thus, he yearned for it and was intensely curious about it.

Chu Zhichuan was also very curious about conditions in the Military.

Chu Zhiyao asked where the two of them planned to go. Upon hearing that they intended to join the Town Martial Division, he repeatedly shook his head. "Take my advice—don't go to the Town Martial Division. Go to the Military!"

The two hesitated.

He looked at Chu Zhiting. "Ninth Son, just don't serve under Tenth Uncle."

"Father won't allow it," Chu Zhiting said helplessly.

"...Then there truly is no way around it." Chu Zhiyao said regretfully, "Earning merit in the Military is far too easy, especially at the border. A small battle every three days, a large battle every ten—fighting without end."

Chu Zhiyuan listened with a thoughtful expression.

Chu Zhiyao said, "I've already earned Ninth Grade Merit ten times. How could that be possible anywhere else?... Fourth Brother, what about you? How is the Ministry of Rites?"

Chu Zhiyuan nodded. "The Ministry of Rites truly is a clean and idle office. There aren't many chances to earn merit."

"There are plenty of chances to earn merit in the Town Martial Division too," Chu Zhichuan said. "Third Brother, we asked around. The Town Martial Division fights and kills from dawn to dusk as well."

"That's far more dangerous than the Military." Chu Zhiyao said, "In the Military, you'd at least be a Guerrilla General. You wouldn't need to charge at the very front."

Chu Zhichuan blinked, not expecting to hear such words from Chu Zhiyao. He found it rather strange.

He had originally thought Chu Zhiyao was the kind to lead from the front, but it turned out he hid in the rear and claimed the merit.

Chu Zhiyao saw through his thoughts and snorted. "Don't think a Guerrilla General does nothing but claim merit. You have to command troops. If your command errors cause soldiers to be lost, you'll be caned or even lose your head."

Chu Zhiting hurriedly agreed. "That's right. Being a commander is very difficult. If command errors lead to your subordinates' deaths and injuries, not only will you be punished, your heart will ache too, and you'll never find peace."

He often heard his father say that compassion could not command an army. When softhearted people became generals, they would often weep bitterly in the dead of night, and might not even be able to sleep soundly.

Thinking of those soldiers who wholeheartedly supported and trusted them, only to lose their lives because of their mistakes, would fill them with guilt and pain that they could never let go of for the rest of their lives.

Therefore, those whose hearts were not ruthless enough should not join the Military.

And his nature was inherently gentle and weak, making him utterly unsuited to the Military.

Therefore, preventing him from joining the Military was both to avoid suspicion and because it did not suit his nature. The Town Martial Division was the place most suitable for him.

Slaying demons and exterminating devils was righteous and justified, fitting his nature perfectly.

Once it aligned with one's nature, it would also aid cultivation.

If it went against one's nature, then no matter how much merit one earned in the Military or how many Miraculous Pills and Elixirs one possessed, cultivation would be difficult to accomplish. Crossing into the grandmaster realm would be nearly impossible, let alone becoming a great grandmaster.

Chu Zhiyuan brought the subject back to Cheng Tianfeng, wanting to learn as much as possible about his true capabilities.