Chapter 610 - 117: Duke Dingnan Fang Funan
Chapter 610: Chapter 117: Duke Dingnan Fang Funan
Dong dong dong!
The citizens of the capital city of the Liang, upon hearing the twelve bell tolls, all became solemn.
The twelve bell tolls only resound when the Liang faces matters of life and death.
Several months ago, many citizens did not know about these twelve bell tolls, especially the younger generation. It wasn’t until recently, when the twelve bell tolls echoed, that they realized what they signified.
At that time, the Liang engaged in a full-scale war with the Demon Race at the Northern Border, and only then did the twelve bell tolls resound.
Why do they sound again now?
At the city gates, several riders dashed in.
"Good news!"
"Great good news!"
"The Northern Garrison Army has completely eradicated the Northern Border Demon Race, ensuring the eternal stability of our Liang’s Northern Border!"
"The Northern Garrison Army has completely eradicated the Northern Border Demon Race, ensuring the eternal stability of our Liang’s Northern Border!"
The city gate guards listened to the shouts and immediately cleared the way, and the citizens who were about to enter the city also made way, allowing the riders to gallop into the city while shouting.
"The Northern Border Demon Race has been exterminated?"
"Heaven bless our Liang. The Northern Border Demon Race has plagued our Liang for hundreds of years, and now they are finally destroyed."
Many citizens, upon hearing the riders’ voices, were initially stunned, but the next moment they became extremely excited. Even though most of them had never been to the Northern Border, it did not affect their hatred for the Northern Border Demon Race in the least.
Since the Liang and even the previous dynasty... the Northern Border Demon Race had always harassed the frontier, slaughtering the people.
Now, the Liang has finally rid itself of this menace.
There were also many Martial Artists who, at this moment, showed expressions of remembrance. They had been to the Northern Border; even if they hadn’t, there were brothers and friends who had, and many relatives and friends were buried there.
Now, those who perished can finally rest in peace.
On this day, the capital went completely mad.
In taverns, people who didn’t know each other could sit together, and in many mansions, incense smoke rose.
Never forget to inform your ancestors during family sacrifices!
...
...
At the same time, this news also began to spread to other routes of the Liang.
Direct Path, Xichuan Path, Jiangnan Dao...
The citizens were joyful upon hearing it, and the Martial Artists were exhilarated.
Linhu Village.
Lying on a lounge chair with eyes half-closed, Zhao Canghe immediately said, "Ancestral rites, arrange for ancestral rites."
"Village chief, this matter doesn’t really concern our village, does it? Why hold ancestral rites?"
"What do you know? Our village is also part of the Liang, and we are all citizens of the Liang. The Liang has exterminated the Northern Border Demon Race; isn’t this a grand occasion worthy of informing and offering sacrifices to our ancestors’ spirits in heaven?"
The villagers, hearing this, rolled their eyes. The ancestors of Linhu Village, going back five generations, were all fishermen. At that time, they didn’t even know about the existence of the Northern Border Demon Race.
"I told you to go, so go. Or can I no longer direct you?"
"No, we’re going now."
Watching a few young people from the village run off with reluctance, Zhao Canghe snorted lightly. It was indeed not inappropriate to hold ancestral rites for such a grand occasion. Moreover... recently, children from the village at Martial Hall were about to undergo Qi Cultivation. It was a time for spending money, and without ancestral rites, how could they invite those large families over, and how could they sell the cemetery plots?
"I wonder when that kid Lin Chen will return. Once Lin Chen comes back, those cemetery plots will sell well..."
...
...
Southern Liang.
Li Fire Path.
This is the southernmost path of the Liang.
A carriage arrived at the administrative office of Li Fire Path: Nanli Prefecture.
At the city gate, a middle-aged man, seeing the emblem on the carriage before him, smiled and quickly walked over.
"Is this Young Master Lin?"
"Yes, it is this junior."
The carriage curtain was pulled aside, and the figure of Lin Chen stepped out.
"Young Master Lin, the Duke is already waiting at the mansion and has specially sent me to welcome you."
"How could this junior be worthy of Duke Dingnan’s wait?"
Hearing this, Lin Chen quickly jumped off the carriage. He came to Li Fire Path because His Majesty informed him that Li Fire Path of the Liang contained fire-attribute energy among the innate energies.
For this reason, he traveled directly from the capital to Li Fire Path, taking seven days on the journey.
"Young Master Lin, you don’t need to get off the horse. The Duke takes great care of you juniors. Just follow me on the carriage. Not long ago, there was a group of young Martial Artists who came to Li Fire Path, and the Duke personally received them."
The middle-aged man explained with a smile. In the northern and southern parts, a Marquis and a Duke both place great importance on the young generation of the Liang. The Duke has often said that the future of the Liang relies on the young people.
What he can do is support these young people for a few more years, providing shelter from the wind and rain.
The Duke and the Old Marquis of Northern Garrison have always been wholeheartedly dedicated to the Liang, without any personal agendas.
Unless there is an urgent military matter requiring the Duke’s attention, he will meet and encourage any young Martial Artist who comes to Li Fire Path.
Needless to say, Lin Chen, being the undisputed leader of the young generation on the Celestial List of the Hidden Dragon List, was awaited by the Duke after receiving word from the capital.
Ultimately, Lin Chen did not get on the horse but followed the middle-aged man walking into the city, heading towards the State Duke’s Mansion.
Presently, in the Liang, there is only one Duke, and that is Duke Dingnan. It’s not that the Old Marquis of Northern Garrison lacked merit; he refused the title of Duke offered by the Imperial Court back then.
"If the Undying Monster Race is not exterminated, how can one be called a Duke."
The Old Marquis of Northern Garrison directly refused with this statement, saying that if his descendants from the Xiao Family want to earn the title of Duke, they must first eliminate the Northern Border Demon Race. Otherwise, no amount of merit will suffice.
This is the Old Marquis of Northern Garrison’s incentive to his descendants to prevent them from resting on past laurels and losing their determination to eliminate the Northern Border Demon Race.
Duke Fang’s Mansion.
At the gate bearing an Imperial Plaque, Lin Chen followed the middle-aged man into the mansion, heading straight for the main hall.
But before Lin Chen could enter the hall, an elder appeared at the doorway, looking at him with a kind smile.
"Not bad, a young celestial pride of our Liang."
"Junior Lin Chen greets Duke Fang!"
Lin Chen saluted respectfully, and Fang Funan stepped forward, taking Lin Chen’s hand: "No need for formalities, come in with me."
Feeling the warmth of the elder’s hand, Lin Chen genuinely felt the care and attention Duke Fang had for the younger generation.
Given Duke Fang’s status, he could easily have been waiting in the hall, unnecessary to stand at the doorway and wait, much less personally step forward to shake hands, like a family elder.
"Back when you became a model student of the Martial Path in Jiangnan Dao and wrote the ’Gift to Junior Brothers of the Jiangnan,’ I read it the first opportunity I had. It was well written, and though not eloquent, it reflected genuine sincerity, with the heart of a child devoted to the Martial Path—truly rare."
Fang Funan held Lin Chen’s hand, his eyes showing satisfaction. Like Brother Xiao, he hoped to see an abundance of talent emerging among young Martial Artists of Liang.
Unfortunately, Brother Xiao left a bit early.
If Brother Xiao could see Pei Qingming reaching the Upper Grade, see Lin Chen taking the first place on the Celestial List of the Hidden Dragon List, and see the Liang wipe out the Northern Border Demon Race, he would truly have no regrets.
A trace of sadness flickered in Fang Funan’s eyes, but he soon smiled again: "When you became the model student of Martial Path in the Liang and left your name on Martial Arts Mountain seven times, my grandson watched me praise you daily, and he wasn’t convinced. He was eager to compete with you."
Hearing this, Lin Chen also smiled. The Old Duke referred to Fang Zhan.
"Junior Brother Fang’s strength is indeed strong."
"You don’t need to say these courteous words to me."
Fang Funan patted Lin Chen’s hand: "My grandson’s strength is decent among peers, but he’s still quite a distance away from you. I did it intentionally, praising you in front of him to arouse his spirit of competitiveness, hoping he would choose to go to Canglan Martial Arts Academy to truly understand what a real genius is."
Lin Chen smiled wryly; he understood why Junior Brother Fang had come to Canglan Martial Arts Academy, and it was all pushed by this elder behind the scenes.
"When my grandson returned over the last New Year, he praised you to no end. You are the first among his contemporaries to be so lauded by him. Now, anything you say to him might be more influential than what I, his grandfather, tell him."
"Duke, you’re flattering me. Junior Brother Fang simply respects me as his senior."
"Haha, as his grandfather, he might not take my words to heart, but anything his senior brother says, he certainly listens to."
Fang Funan burst out laughing, not continuing the topic, but changing the subject: "The purpose of your visit here, I’ve already been informed by the capital hither, but the position of that Earth Fire isn’t ideal. Tomorrow, I’ll personally take you there."