203: I know your ambition, so I must cut it off!

He looked at Lu Jiuyuan, his eyes complex, finally turning into a soft sigh: "To forge a path out of the impossible, Internal Skill is the Foundation of everything.

Ascension! I originally thought it was an illusory delusion, the fantasy of a madman before death.

Now it seems, perhaps it is truly possible. Shen Lang... I am utterly convinced."

Wang Lianhua clutched his subtly aching chest, his wound frozen. He then quickly swallowed a few pills of the precious healing medicine he had refined.

At this moment, he also put away his folding fan and said flatteringly:

"To merge two violently opposing True Qi, extreme cold and extreme heat, within one's body, is impossible without great perseverance, great wisdom, and great Opportunity.

Gang Leader Lu, I, Wang, am also convinced."

Lu Jiuyuan nodded slightly, showing no trace of pride at the trio's acknowledgment, as if all of this were only natural.

His gaze swept over the three, finally resting on Shen Lang.

"Since that is the case, then it is settled. After I depart, Han Zhen will temporarily manage the mundane affairs of the World Society, and A Fei and You Longsheng will continue to enforce rewards for good and punishments for evil. As for you three,"

He paused, "you will take my place and project the image that I still suppress the Jianghu.

The ten-year agreement, I hope you all will strictly adhere to it.

As long as there is no definitive news of my death, I believe there will be no great chaos in the Jianghu."

"Rest assured," Shen Lang nodded. "Since I, Shen, have agreed, I will certainly do my best. A Fei, thanks to Chief's care, was able to become famous throughout the land.

My son, A Fei, and I had not seen each other for over twenty years, and we can now get along well. I still have Gang Leader Lu to thank for that."

"You two chat amongst yourselves. In three months, I will secretly Ascend."

Lu Jiuyuan left the small courtyard and walked leisurely towards another courtyard.

This was Shangguan Jinhong's residence.

In five years, the old fellow had fathered thirteen sons and eight daughters. Though only in his forties, his hair was already completely white.

"A Fei actually has time to come here? How rare!"

Shangguan Jinhong, who was lying on a chair in the courtyard sunbathing, saw Lu Jiuyuan enter and, without getting up, said lazily.

Jing Wuming stood behind him, holding his sword, silent and still, like a statue.

"I am about to leave this world!" Lu Jiuyuan said softly. "But the Jianghu situation I created cannot change. Old man, what do you think I should do?"

"My son, have you come to kill me?" Shangguan Jinhong sat up straight, looking at Lu Jiuyuan, his eyes grave.

Lu Jiuyuan did not speak, merely watched him quietly.

"Hahahaha!" Shangguan Jinhong threw his head back and laughed. His laughter echoed in the silent courtyard, carrying a hint of desolation and a touch of mockery.

"A Fei, you now stand in the clouds, looking down on all living beings.

This Jianghu is yours to mold as you please, to control at will.

Is this meager remaining power of mine, with a few sons and daughters, truly worth you making a special trip to deal with before your departure?"

He slowly rose from the lounge chair, his white hair particularly dazzling in the sunlight, yet his body remained ramrod straight, like a battle flag refusing to fall.

"You are afraid."

Shangguan Jinhong stared at Lu Jiuyuan, his tone calm, yet every word was like a knife. "You are not afraid of me, Shangguan Jinhong. My vitality diminishes daily, my white hair increases daily, and my strength is less than fifty percent of what it once was.

You are afraid that after you leave, the rules you set will fall into chaos. You are afraid that your five years of painstaking effort will be overturned."

"You pursue absolute control, unwilling to leave even a trace of potential risk. Therefore, you want to eliminate all possible instability."

His gaze swept over Jing Wuming behind him, "Especially... him."

Jing Wuming remained expressionless, holding his sword, as if the "him" Shangguan Jinhong spoke of had nothing to do with himself. Only his fingers, gripping the sword, tightened slightly.

"Yes," Lu Jiuyuan's answer was simple and direct.

The air in the courtyard instantly solidified, killing intent permeating like tangible ice.

The mockery on Shangguan Jinhong's face slowly faded, replaced by a deep solemnity.

Five years! He understood Lu Jiuyuan better than many others!

His gaze once again turned to Jing Wuming, the man who had followed him for most of his life, existing like a shadow.

Jing Wuming finally raised his head, his dead-gray eyes, for the first time, actively looked at Lu Jiuyuan, devoid of any emotion, as if looking at a target about to be severed.

"Wuming," Shangguan Jinhong spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse, "It seems that the path for you and me, master and servant, has finally reached its end."

Jing Wuming remained silent, only slowly, extremely slowly, adjusting the sword in his embrace to the most suitable angle for drawing.

This tiny action already conveyed his attitude.

Shangguan Jinhong watched Jing Wuming's subtle yet resolute movement, a flicker of extremely complex emotions crossing his eyes—pity, helplessness—finally transforming into a long sigh.

"A Fei, could you..."

Shangguan Jinhong's voice carried a hint of a request, almost imperceptible, but he stopped before finishing his sentence. He knew it was impossible.

Lu Jiuyuan shook his head.

"He must die."

Lu Jiuyuan's gaze fell on Jing Wuming. "It's not because of what he will do now, but because of what he 'might' do in the future.

What kind of person are you? I understand you better than you do yourself. With him here, you will always harbor a thought you shouldn't have.

When I am here, I can suppress everything. If I am not here, you will certainly harbor ambitions."

Shangguan Jinhong closed his eyes, the few wrinkles on his face seeming to deepen at this moment.

He knew that Lu Jiuyuan was speaking the truth.

As long as Lu Jiuyuan was not present, he would certainly be unable to suppress his ambition.

And Jing Wuming was the last and most lethal blade in his hand.

With the blade present, his heart would be difficult to calm.

"Enough, enough..." Shangguan Jinhong murmured, as if all his spirit and energy had been drained in an instant, his body slightly hunched. "Go ahead."

"Take out both swords. Two hands, two swords. Let me see Jing Wuming in his Peak state!" Lu Jiuyuan said, looking at Jing Wuming.

"Good!"

Jing Wuming nodded gently.

Peak state? That word was distant and unfamiliar to him.

His entire life, he had lived only for Shangguan Jinhong. His sword only displayed his left-hand sword; his right-hand sword had always been hidden. Even Shangguan Jinhong did not know that his right-hand sword was stronger than his left-hand sword.

As for the combined power of both swords, no one had ever seen it, not even the dead!

But at this moment, facing the personal request of this invincible man, facing this desperate situation where survival was impossible,

something that had been dormant for thirty years quietly awakened in the depths of his cold heart.

That was the instinct of a swordsman.

Note: The last chapter of this volume will be updated tonight, combined with tomorrow's explosive update!