Chapter 158: The Backer (7k5)

Chapter 158: The Backer (7k5)



After stepping down from the platform, Moguang calmly walked back to the arena.

The remaining four team members bowed slightly upon seeing him, but their expressions were unanimously subtle.

None expected this Holy Son to lose.

With this trip back...

Two of them exchanged glances, feeling the urge to challenge him on the spot and replace him as the Holy Son.

Leading the team to a defeat in the first battle, coupled with offending the Holy Daughter earlier, Moguang's return would undoubtedly face accountability. Even his position as the Holy Son might not be secure.

And it wasn't just them who realized this.

The middle-aged man, a follower of Moguang, approached with a heavy expression and quickened his steps.

Upon seeing him, Moguang subconsciously recalled his previous statement, and his face couldn't help but appear slightly unnatural as he turned to look at the Federation.

The middle-aged man walked forward with concern, "Your Highness, on this trip back, you should be prepared to face accountability."

"No problem. This mission was completed with a surplus. Even that crazy woman can't find a reason to hold me accountable."

Moguang's voice remained steady and composed, like a mountain that had withstood storms yet stood unyielding, once again exuding the calmness of having everything under control.

The middle-aged man was taken aback. Surplus completion?

He wanted to say that this wasn't funny, Your Highness. At least it wasn't as funny as your recent comparison of seeing you to seeing a mountain...

But rationality told him that their Holy Son, while occasionally having unique ideas beyond ordinary people, wasn't stupid.

On the contrary, in terms of comprehensive abilities, His Highness could be ranked among the top Holy Sons of this generation.

Surplus completion...? The middle-aged man suddenly thought of something and looked up in disbelief, gazing at Ji Jingqiu of the Federation.

Something's wrong!

This person with the surname Ji isn't named Mu, and he doesn't come from the six major families.

Moguang stared at Ji Jingqiu from afar, various thoughts swirling in his mind.

The main reason the Holy Temple had rejected the Federation and refused communication and interaction for thousands of years was largely due to one person.

—Mu Shitian, one of the Federation's Seven Great Generals.

This person's inherited legacy was listed as a taboo among taboos by the Temple of the Gods.

On this trip to the Federation, aside from fulfilling normal diplomatic duties, the Grand Bishop of the Temple of the Gods had also given him a special task—to collect as much information about the Mu family as possible.

Unfortunately, the Federation was completely indifferent to their envoy, and many of their pre-trip ideas were unfeasible, let alone visiting the Mu family.

The only information obtained from the Federation's network was about the younger generation of the Mu family...

Apparently, there wasn't anyone particularly outstanding.

But now...

Moguang stared at Ji Jingqiu's retreating figure on the platform, his heart filled with a nameless emotion.

The unique style displayed in the secret technique earlier—he was absolutely certain he hadn't misjudged it!

Even if this guy hadn't cultivated the Mu family's highest legacy, he must have practiced a related secret technique! The only problem was that his surname wasn't Mu. Returning and convincing those people would be troublesome...

Hmm, could this guy be an illegitimate child of the Mu family? Moguang secretly nodded in confirmation.

...

...

As Moguang conceded, this exchange match came to a satisfying conclusion.

Ji Jingqiu, who had single-handedly defeated the others, politely declined the invitation to the celebration banquet. After bidding farewell to Long Qingyang, he bought the fastest ship ticket and returned to Dong3 Huang Star.

However, he hadn't gone far when he encountered an unexpected acquaintance, who exclaimed in surprise, "Brother Blade!"

The figure standing not far away was none other than Leng Dao, whom he hadn't seen in several months.

Leng Dao stood by the road, his tall and robust figure rivaling the martial artists of Luofeng Ancient Kingdom. His face was rugged and unrestrained.

Upon seeing Ji Jingqiu, Leng Dao also smiled faintly, causing Yan Ruhuo, who was standing nearby, to be shocked beyond words.

This block of ice could smile?!

Ji Jingqiu hurriedly approached, and Leng Dao carefully examined Ji Jingqiu from head to toe, saying sincerely, "A Qiu, you've become stronger."

Before Ji Jingqiu could respond, the robust man beside Leng Dao scoffed, "Of course he's strong. He single-handedly took on two Radiant Warriors from the Holy Temple and Luofeng Ancient Kingdom. How could he not be strong?"

"This is Yan Ruhuo, a member of the War Command Department. Your selection for the exchange match was arranged by him." Leng Dao briefly introduced.

"Senior Yan," Ji Jingqiu politely greeted.

"Haha, I didn't expect you to be so familiar with Leng Dao." Yan Ruhuo laughed heartily, "Remember to come and watch the match in a week!"

Ji Jingqiu's heart stirred, "Brother Blade, are you here for the exchange match too?"

A week later... Ji Jingqiu was tempted, but in the end, he declined.

"I can't this time. I need to rush back to Dong3 Huang Star and then prepare for Reversing Innate." Ji Jingqiu said regretfully.

Leng Dao nodded, unconcerned, "Reversing Innate is important. Besides, these exchange matches aren't that interesting. The High Court and the Holy Temple, they're all familiar faces this time."

Ji Jingqiu curiously asked, "Did the Federation have exchange matches with them before?"

Leng Dao shook his head, "Not exchange matches, but there are a few cosmic secret realms in the surrounding star domains. You'll have a chance to visit them once you break into the Divine Journey Realm."

Yan Ruhuo also spoke up, "We have very little interaction with the surrounding civilizations, or you could say no interaction at all. The only previous connection was through a few cosmic secret realms, which are far more interesting than platform matches."

Leng Dao said, "A Qiu, are you free now? If you are, could you wait for me for a bit? I want to take you to meet someone."

"Sure, I'm free." Ji Jingqiu readily agreed, and just then, he received a message from Long Qingyang.

After replying to the message, Leng Dao finished his business and parted ways with Yan Ruhuo. Then, he took Ji Jingqiu to the airport.

...

...

Yan Lu ended her call with Wan Cheng.

Wan Cheng's words of admiration still echoed in her ears, leaving her mind in a daze.

The company's upper management was aware of Wan Cheng's participation in the exchange match. They had planned to promote it, but the Federation suddenly changed their minds and prohibited its spread.

"Too fast..." Yan Lu murmured.

According to Wan Cheng, Ji Jingqiu single-handedly defeated two Radiant-level geniuses from the other three civilizations. His rise and growth speed were indeed too fast! As a professional manager, Yan Lu was well-versed in the growth histories of various famous geniuses throughout history.

Among them were many who were once unknown, later gaining fame in a single battle, but none could match Ji Jingqiu's consistently astonishing growth rate.

Even Ji Linyuan, when viewed from a comprehensive angle, would likely pale in comparison to him at this moment.

His growth was too rapid, so rapid that one couldn't help but believe he hadn't yet touched the limit of the True Seed Realm and would continue to grow!

Yao Heishan's thoughts turned to five months ago, the day Zhang Zhongba had a private conversation with him...

A complex emotion welled up within Yan Lu's heart.

She had missed out on a... truly unparalleled Celestial Warrior.

...

...

After the exchange competition, Yao Heishan returned to his encampment and entered a projection meeting through an encrypted channel.

In the center of the meeting was a middle-aged man in his forties, with a robust and dignified demeanor, exuding an extraordinary bearing.

Even through a layer of projection, Yao Heishan could still sense the president's powerful and overwhelming spiritual presence, proving that his Martial Arts God was extremely intense and likely to break through soon.

When he entered, several people in the meeting were conversing in low voices.

"The situation in the west has temporarily stabilized, but it's quite troublesome if we want to regain the lost territories. They have difficult conditions, and we can't agree to them." A four-star general from the Ministry of Defense spoke in a deep voice.

"The Ke Clan still won't back down?" Liu Zhong frowned slightly.

"It's normal. Their arrangements on the Heavenly Path still haven't taken effect."

Liu Zhong's eyes narrowed with cold severity, and he said, "The Ke Clan has gone too far this time. I'll talk to the other families later. This matter can't be dragged on any longer."

The four-star general replied with a smile, "It's best if you're willing to step in."

Liu Zhong shook his head, "It's not about whether I'm willing or not. The Ke Clan has been causing trouble for too long. The other families won't let them continue like this. If I step in now, it will give the other families an opportunity to take action.'

The four-star general narrowed his eyes slightly, "I truly can't understand why the Ke Clan would go this far, just for a former Radiant Warrior... It's gotten so out of hand..."

Liu Zhong shook his head. He knew some secrets but didn't want to discuss this issue further. He glanced at Yao Heishan and smiled, "Master Yao has arrived. Is the exchange competition over?"

Liu Zhong suddenly thought of something and looked at the time, slightly surprised, "It ended so quickly? Did the War Command Department's selected talents give us an unexpected surprise?"

There was a hint of probing in his question because Yao Heishan's current expression was somewhat heavy and complex.

This didn't seem like the joy of victory...

Yao Heishan thought to himself that it was indeed a surprise.

Among the five people this time, the one who should have led the team was Yan Dongshun, who already possessed the Radiant Warrior's combat power from previous years.

As for Ji Jingqiu, he was the fifth nominee added after War Command's Yan Ruhuo visited the Four Guard Stars' Ning Grandmaster.

But they never expected that this young man, who was originally only a last-minute addition, would, in just one month, achieve a leap-like improvement and defeat the Radiant Warriors of the Holy Temple and Luofeng Ancient Kingdom with his strength alone.

Too fast...

This was Yao Heishan's only thought after browsing through Ji Jingqiu's past information.

This young man's progress was truly too fast!

So fast that it made one feel dizzy and uneasy, like the dazzling brilliance of this moment was merely a fleeting meteor.

After adjusting his emotions, Yao Heishan reported what had just happened to the president.

"Ji Jingqiu..."

Upon hearing that it was a victory, and an overwhelming one at that, Liu Zhong's expression immediately relaxed, revealing relief and admiration. He teased, "The Federation has produced another monstrous talent. This is a blessing for the Federation! Why does Master Yao look so unhappy? I thought we had lost unexpectedly."

Yao Heishan sighed lightly and relayed the public statement made by the Qin Clan's Grandmaster not long ago.

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhong paused in slight contemplation. This matter was indeed a bit tricky, but strictly speaking, it wasn't a big deal.

The Six Great Families had never been a united front, even during the Seven Heroes' era when internal conflicts were heavy. There was even less hope for their descendants.

For the Federation, their disputes were actually a good thing.

Compared to this, Liu Zhong paid more attention to the situation of this young man.

"What does Master Yao think of this young man named Ji Jingqiu?" Liu Zhong asked.

"He's very good," Yao Heishan replied without hesitation.

Because it was a fact, anyone who witnessed Ji Jingqiu's performance, as long as they didn't go against their conscience, wouldn't deny his excellence.

Liu Zhong raised his eyebrows, "Compared to those few?"

Yao Heishan understood that the president was asking about young people like Ji Anquan and Qin Qingjue.

He pondered for a moment, "If he were from one of the Six Great Families, I think he might be even better than those few."

Liu Zhong nodded slightly. This statement was implicit but also a fact.

The foundation of the Six Great Families was indeed too profound.

"What does Master Yao think is the probability of him attaining Supreme Completion of Primordial Greatness?"

Yao Heishan let out a bitter laugh, "No one can predict this, not even a Grandmaster. It all depends on him."

After saying this, he seemed to notice something and asked tentatively, "Does the president think that Ji Jingqiu is qualified to compete for the leader's position?"

Liu Zhong smiled, "We can't decide on that. It's up to the young people themselves. After all, the battlefield will be in the Nine Provinces, and we can't interfere."

Yao Heishan nodded thoughtfully.

He had already understood the president's intention.

"I never expected that the conflict between the Qin Clan and the Ji Clan had reached the point where they would rather nominate an outsider just to make the Ji Clan uncomfortable..."

Liu Zhong smiled and stopped there, as if he had just casually mentioned it. But the hidden meaning in his words made the other people in the room turn solemn.

"If you're talking about Ji Jingqiu, I actually have a different opinion." Lin Wenshan, the current Security Bureau Director, suddenly spoke up.

This Director Lin, sitting beside them, had an ordinary appearance and demeanor, and before he spoke, he seemed to have no presence among the crowd. But when he spoke, the others had to look at him and listen attentively.

Lin Wenshan said directly, "Someone told me that this young man is a Vicious Poison Syndrome patient. The reason he hasn't reversed his innate nature is probably related to this. If he wants to reverse his innate nature, he'll have to pass a life-and-death test."

Yao Heshan frowned and said, "What is this life and death gate?"

Lin Wenshan apologized, "This involves an X-level permission secret. With your current permission, Elder Yao, you can’t access it for now."

Liu Zhong raised an eyebrow, an X-level permission secret?

He didn’t rush to ask what it was, but instead pointedly said, "Old Lin, why do I feel like you don’t have high hopes for this young man?"

Lin Wenshan's expression was calm, "In fact, the Security Bureau had previously considered recruiting him, but later we found out that this young man had likely already been recruited by the Management Bureau beforehand."

Hearing this news, Liu Zhong suddenly recalled something.

It was a meeting a few months ago. When discussing the need for true martial arts geniuses, the old director of the Management Bureau, who attended the meeting via projection, even specially stood up to speak on behalf of Ji Jingqiu.

At the time, it didn’t seem to matter much.

After all, given the old director’s tone back then, it was hard to say he wasn’t being sarcastic. Even if he wasn’t, the old director was no stranger to being a ‘stirrer’…

But now, it seemed Lin Wenshan’s words might be true.

No wonder, the conflict between the Security Bureau and the Management Bureau had been going on for a long time.

Liu Zhong’s eyes twinkled, "Old Lin, don’t be biased. Putting aside the Management Bureau, Ji Jingqiu himself is indeed very outstanding."

Lin Wenshan shook his head, "If you’re interested, you can look into the secrets related to the Vicious Poison syndrome. It’s not that I’m biased, but for him to reverse his innate, it’s really difficult."

Just then, Lin Wenshan suddenly received a message. He glanced down, his expression trembling.

He looked at the other few people, his gaze finally settling on Liu Zhong. His expression was solemn as he nodded slightly.

Liu Zhong immediately understood and found an excuse to end the meeting.

After the others left the meeting room, Lin Wenshan then said in a low voice, "The latest intelligence, according to our informant, Ji Linyuan seems to have appeared."

Liu Zhong’s expression turned grave, "He appeared on the Heavenly Path? What’s the current situation? Has the third of the Ke Clan taken action?"

Lin Wenshan shook his head, "He didn’t appear on the Heavenly Path, but instead sought out the Dharma King of the Supreme Buddha Sect."

Liu Zhong’s brows knitted.

Supreme Buddha Sect? Why the Supreme Buddha Sect?

Ji Jingqiu and Leng Dao boarded a private spacecraft, spending half a day to reach Ta wei star, which was not far from the North Seventh Crane Star and one of the four core planets in the central region.

Unlike the Four Guard Stars, Ta wei star was a legitimate residential planet.

Landing on ta wei star, it was already evening.

As soon as they exited the airport, a car was waiting at the entrance.

"Brother Dao, who are we going to see? Brother Ba?" Ji Jingqiu couldn’t help but be curious.

"Brother Ba is still on a mission in the west. I was temporarily called back," Leng Dao shook his head and suddenly smiled, "By the way, have you met Qin Laosan?"

"Qin Laosan? No."

"He’s real name is Qin Jing, a collateral lineage descendant of the Qin Clan, and also the head of the third department of our Management Bureau." Leng Dao introduced and smiled, "In a previous communication, he talked about you and said you’re really good."

Ji Jingqiu thought to himself, he had never met this person.

On the Four Guard Stars, the only person from the Management Bureau he had met was Zhou Zhongda.

The flying car stopped below a hotel.

On the way, Ji Jingqiu had already noticed this hotel. Just in terms of height, it could match the White Jade Capital. Looking up from the ground, it was impossible to see the top.

"Let’s go," Leng Dao said.

The young woman standing at the elevator entrance was dressed elegantly, but her eyes were red-rimmed and somewhat haggard.

In her arms was a sleeping, adorable baby girl. Her long lashes were like two small fans, gently trembling with each even breath.

Her small mouth was slightly pouting, as if she were having a sweet dream.

"Sis, I’ve brought Ah Qiu to see Little Chan," L eng Dao said softly.

The young woman looked at the boy in front of her with a dazed expression, as if she were seeing her daughter who had grown up strong after sixteen years.

Leng Dao gently took the baby from her arms, his gaze filled with tenderness.

His sister stepped forward, gently holding Ji Jingqiu’s hands, examining the boy from head to toe, her eyes filled with affection and her body trembling slightly.

She was thinking, how had this child managed to survive until now?

Could her own child also grow up healthy and strong like this?

Ji Jingqiu’s expression was calm, and he gently squeezed the woman’s hand, as if to give her confidence.

The young woman couldn’t hold back and gently embraced the boy in front of her.

Feeling the warmth, Ji Jingqiu slowly closed his eyes, as if he were receiving a long-lost mother’s embrace.

After a long while.

Ji Jingqiu took the baby from Leng Dao. It might have been the way he held her, but the moment he took her, the baby’s long lashes trembled, and her clear eyes slowly opened, staring at him with curiosity.

The woman beside them looked pleasantly surprised.

Her daughter, who had always been very shy, didn’t cry or struggle today, just quietly looking at the Ji Jingqiu in front of her.

Then, she slowly stretched out her white, delicate little hand.

Firmly grasping Ji Jing qiu’s finger.

Looking at the baby, Ji Jingqiu’s thoughts drifted, thinking about his own childhood.

He gently leaned down, his forehead lightly touching the baby’s forehead.

It will get better.

Once he breaks through these restraints, it will be fine.

As long as…

Just wait a little longer.

At 5:50 AM.

Ji Jingqiu stood on a glass terrace, the floor below also made of special glass, allowing him to see the surging cloud sea below.

It was like a small house in the clouds, an aerial garden.

The feeling of treading on clouds inevitably gave a sense of conquering nature.

He had checked the hotel’s rates yesterday, which were exorbitantly high. The glass terrace he was on was not open to the public, not even available to those with money, only for VIPs.

Hmm, I am a VIP here.

The wind up high was cool, and Ji Jingqiu looked down at the sea of clouds below, slowly undulating and surging. His mind was calm and serene.

Leng Dao had woken up at some point and made his way to the glass terrace, standing by Ji Jingqiu's side.

"What's up? Can't sleep?"

"I don't really sleep much these days. I mostly use meditation instead."

"Hmm... Sometimes, it's good not to rush things. In martial arts, and in life," Leng Dao paused, "you can try slowing down occasionally. For example, you could sleep in for a long time and wake up naturally."

He advised, "Especially when you enter the Divine Journey Realm, remember to maintain a sense of satisfaction in the little things in life. This will help you mitigate the instability caused by your divine nature."

Ji Jingqiu nodded. It had been a while since he had a good meal.

"A Qiu."

Leng Dao looked deeply into Ji Jingqiu's eyes and suddenly said, "Today, sixteen years later, have you waited for this day to break free from your confines?"

Ji Jingqiu's eyes narrowed slightly, and he said softly, "It's almost here. I'm just one step away."

"Is it the step of reversing the innate?"

Ji Jingqiu nodded. "I've already sensed the opportunity. Once I break through this barrier, I'll be free from my cage."

Leng Dao hesitated for a moment but still spoke. "There's a great opportunity on Dong3 Huang Star. You can go there and look around. Maybe you'll catch the attention of that person, but remember not to be too attached. Keep in mind the two words 'go with the flow'."

Ji Jingqiu was surprised. "Are you talking about He Shuai?"

Leng Dao was also taken aback. "You've heard of him too?"

Ji Jingqiu nodded and said calmly, "I heard about it by accident, but I don't think the chances are high."

Speaking of which, he had previously used this news to exchange some intelligence with the Wild Doctrine Sect.

"Things you actively seek often remain elusive. The coming and going of things in this world have their own time," Ji Jingqiu shrugged.

Leng Dao felt that this statement made a lot of sense.

The two of them leaned against the glass terrace and chatted for a long time.

When the conversation turned to Leng Dao's niece, Ji Jingqiu expressed, "Having a powerful backer gives you the motivation to live through life's hardships, no matter how difficult it gets."

"You too?" Leng Dao asked.

"Of course," Ji Jingqiu replied earnestly. "My previous backers were my parents and my grandfather."

"And from now on, I'll become my own backer, as well as the backer for others!"

Listening to Ji Jingqiu's words, Leng Dao didn't find it laughable because he believed that Ji Jingqiu could indeed achieve it.

He looked down, and the sea of clouds below was sometimes surging and sometimes calm, with golden light radiating from beneath, like countless shining gold.

During their conversation, Leng Dao suddenly noticed that Ji Jingqiu's forehead was covered in fine sweat.

It was then that he realized Ji Jingqiu's appearance at this time wasn't just to enjoy the scenery.

It was the time for his Vicious Poison Syndrome to act up...

Leng Dao didn't speak further, and concern appeared in his eyes.

He had never witnessed Ji Jingqiu's episodes before.

According to Ji Jingqiu's instructions when he provided the remedy, this remedy could stabilize the onset of symptoms but would also cause the pain to increase gradually until it surpassed the limits of human endurance.

How much pain had Ji Jingqiu endured so far?

Leng Dao remained silent.

However, to his surprise, Ji Jingqiu had maintained remarkable calmness throughout.

Especially his eyes.

They were like the sky dyed by the sun, clear, gentle, and warm.

...

...

Huang Fusheng was in a somber mood, grinding his teeth in anger.

Just now, he had received news from his teacher.

The New Law Sect had sensed something unusual and was searching for the source.

He had to inform Ji Jingqiu as soon as possible... and tell him to stay hidden! Under no circumstances should he enter the Divine Kingdom in the near future, let alone the Four Guard Stars!

If the New Law Sect discovered his existence, they would do everything in their power to bring Ji Jingqiu back!

...

Supreme Buddha Sect.

"Dharma King, we've found some clues. For example, the young man with the surname Huang only sold one Bodhimanda Fruit to the Divine Might Corporation but received double the market price."

A middle-aged man reported in a deep voice.

"Oh?" The old man responded, his face deeply wrinkled like the ravines formed by river water on a plain. He lifted his eyelids slightly and said, "Have you found the whereabouts of the other Bodhimanda Fruit?"

"We're on it. We'll have leads soon," the middle-aged man replied promptly. "This guy is cunning. He didn't use internal resources, but I've found clues, and I'll trace them back to the source soon."

The old man nodded in satisfaction. "Handle it quickly, and then bring the talents they've hidden to me. I want to see what kind of person has made the Ancient Law Sect place such high hopes in them."

"Understood!" The middle-aged man replied respectfully.

Just then, the middle-aged man looked up and suddenly discovered that the Dharma King, the strongest in the Supreme Buddha Sect, had his face distorted.

What was happening?

How many things in this world could make their Dharma King change his expression like this?

This was his last thought.

The next moment, he was crushed into dust under a vast and mighty fist intent, as immense as the ocean, with divine might like a prison, suppressing the starry sky to the extreme.

"Ji... Lin Yuan?" Left Qiu recognized this iconic and unmistakably arrogant fist intent.

Someone walked over slowly.

The overwhelming fist intent was scorching and surging, defying the flow and dominating the heavens and earth.

He was no longer young, but his arrogance filled the world.

It was as if time had turned back for him, yet the wild and unrestrained aura in his chest remained undiminished.

Sensing this fist intent that could suppress the starry sky, Left Qiu was as if facing a formidable enemy, his eyes wide with anger. He couldn't understand why this brazen junior would cause trouble for him instead of seeking revenge on Ke Clan. Moreover...

Such fist intent... Such fist intent...

This person was clearly just a junior a hundred years ago!!!

Today, this person had come for one thing.

To ask the one who was once known as the closest to the Grandmaster a hundred years ago, whether his Buddhist power was higher or his fist was heavier.

As for the reason, it was nothing more than what had happened on Dong3 Huang Star a hundred years ago. The old man had witnessed most of it, but since the other person didn't speak, he wouldn't either.

Although the old man didn't speak, he always wanted to...

Do something.

...

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end