Lord of the night.

Chapter 1492 A City of Hardships, A Path of Self-Examination [Part Two]

"Why haven't the five seniors come up the mountain yet?" Fang Che greeted them with a smile. "Senior Pan and Senior Meng look quite different. Please take care of your health."

The five white-clad guardians were none other than the five patriarchs of the six major families who were the masterminds behind the hunt for Fang Che.

Jin Wushang, Chu Yijiu, Pan Junyi, Luo Lutu, Meng Zhengyi.

After not seeing them for several days, the five people, who were already thin and frail, seemed to have become even thinner.

There seemed to be more gray hair on my head.

Pan Junyi and Meng Zhengyi, among others, were originally handsome middle-aged men who paid the most attention to their image.

However, now he looks almost no different from the other three who were originally unkempt.

That sense of vicissitude was almost stronger than that of the three people.

As veteran guardians who dedicated their lives to the mainland, the five of them were already feeling ashamed to death hundreds of times over for their descendants to commit such a shocking act of framing loyal officials.

Upon hearing Fang Che's greeting, Pan Junyi smiled and said, "We came here specifically to wait for President Fang to come up the mountain together. We felt uneasy not seeing you, but now that we see that President Fang is well and his cultivation has improved, we can finally put our minds at ease."

All five of them had smiles on their faces, and they all looked relieved.

What they feared most was seeing Fang Che back to his emaciated state as he had been when he first recovered; if that happened, they would probably be heartbroken again.

Seeing Fang Che fully recovered, full of energy and spirit, like a jade tree, and with his cultivation greatly improved, the five of them breathed a sigh of relief.

Even the smiles on their faces seemed more genuine.

Fang Che laughed and said, "What the five seniors said is..."

He pondered for a moment and said, "The matter of descendants... is sometimes hard to explain. Especially since we martial artists have long lifespans, our families naturally grow and prosper... After many generations, we won't even be able to recognize them, or rather, we won't be able to recognize them all. It's inevitable that there will be some good and bad among them."

He sighed and said, "Leaving aside the families of the five seniors, even for myself, Fang Che, I have no control over what my children and grandchildren will do if they have children and grandchildren in the future. Therefore, I understand the feelings of the five seniors and admire their achievements in this life. As for the so-called guilt... let's not talk about it."

"I am on friendly terms with many of the young people in the five major families, and we are very close friends. So the five seniors are also my elders. I feel uncomfortable if I keep holding a grudge like this."

Fang Che laughed and said, "If you guys keep doing this, I'll feel embarrassed to come over for drinks in the future."

Luo Lutu smiled and said, "Since Mr. Fang says so, we are even happier. Alright, let's put it aside for now. Mr. Fang, please, let's go up the mountain together to pay our respects to Ninth Master."

The other four all had smiles on their faces.

Everyone knows that although this matter is gradually fading away, it is definitely not a problem that can be easily forgotten for the five of them.

We can only wait for the passage of time to heal it.

But they were also very moved by what Fang Che said, because they could tell that Fang Che was speaking from the bottom of his heart, with genuine feelings.

The five people invited Fang Che to come forward, and then followed him side by side, even squeezing Mo Ganyun and the others behind them.

Clearly, it signifies protection.

Protection is unnecessary in the rugged city, but it serves as a gesture. It's not just for all the guardians to see, but also for their own descendants.

Everyone else followed behind, ready to climb the mountain together.

"wait for me."

came a voice.

A crescent moon appeared in the sky, and suddenly a figure in white fell from the sky.

Even before they landed, everyone felt a special atmosphere.

Desolate, bleak, and lonely.

The loneliness of this mortal world is indescribable.

"Hey, Lao Shen, what brings you here when this has nothing to do with you?" Jin Wushang joked.

The newcomer was none other than Shen Liang, the patriarch of the Shen family and originally ranked thirteenth on the Cloud Weapon Ranking. He wielded the Crescent Moon Blade.

A crescent moon hangs over the mortal world, reaching straight to the heavens and connecting with the stars; a single blade transforms into a cycle of reincarnation, another opens the gates of hell.

The Shen family no longer exists; only this lone patriarch remains.

However, Shen Liang's cultivation level was not affected at all, and even improved.

In the early stages of the Cloud Weapon Ranking, he moved up one place to become twelfth, and almost tied with Hengtian Shuo Ji Hong, who had fallen to eleventh place, but lost by a single move.

Shen Liang smiled and said, "I've come to thank President Fang. First, he helped me get rid of the Shen family, which relieved a worry of mine; second, he helped me break through my mental barriers and advance my martial arts cultivation."

Fang Che scratched his head: "This..."

He looked confused, and there was something... inexplicable in his expression: The patriarch of the Shen family thanked me for helping him get rid of the Shen family? This... sounds really weird.

When Chu Yijiu and the others saw Fang Che's expression, they couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Chu Yijiu said, "Old Shen, seeing how cheerful you are, it seems I can clear up this matter for President Fang?"

Shen Liang rolled his eyes at him and said, "Whatever."

Chu Yijiu said to Fang Che, "President Fang, you don't know this, but Shen Liang was also a martial arts genius back then. He had a brother, but his brother's martial arts were just average... Both of them had descendants. Shen Liang's descendants established the Shen family. But four thousand years ago, his brother's descendants launched a rebellion and killed all of Shen Liang's direct descendants."

"Then the Shen family became the family of Shen Liang's older brother, Shen Dong... with little relation to Shen Liang. Yet, they still enjoyed the privileges of a high-ranking guardian family on the continent thanks to Shen Liang's name. Shen Changtian of the Shen family, who orchestrated the framing of you and stirred up trouble, is Shen Dong's grandson... cough, it's like he launched a coup to seize power. Do you understand now? But Shen Liang couldn't just wipe out his entire family... after all, they are his brother's descendants..."

"So the old guy hasn't been home since then. He's been depressed and his martial arts have stagnated."

"Until recently, when the incident involving our six major families came to light, and the Shen family was the culprit... so they were exterminated. This old guy had been holding back his anger for four thousand years, and when he finally released it all, his cultivation level actually improved significantly."

Chu Yijiu stroked his beard and smiled, "So it's only right that he thanks you today."

Meng Zhengyi and the others all laughed.

Fang Che never expected there to be such a complicated story behind this, and couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement: "Senior Shen's... patience is... admirable."

Shen Liang gave a desolate laugh: "You admire this too... It leaves this old man speechless for a moment."

Fang Che said, "Although from my perspective, I don't agree with Senior Shen's four thousand years of forbearance, from the perspective of blood ties, Senior Shen has done right by his parents and his own brother. So I admire him."

Shen Liang sighed with regret, "I've only let down my children and grandchildren..."

He shook his head and said dejectedly, "Thank you, Mr. Fang. This matter... has avenged me greatly."

He actually stood up straight and bowed deeply.

Fang Che quickly dodged, making a face that was both funny and exasperated: "Senior Shen, this... I can't take it. I'm..." He pointed to his head: "...still confused."

Everyone laughed.

Shen Liang laughed and put his arm around Fang Che's shoulder: "Let's go, let's go... Wow, he's already mastered the initial stage of the Undying Bone technique?"

"lucky……"

"Only Saintly Monarchs of the third rank and above can condense a fraction of the Undying Bone. You've already fully recovered, and you still think you're lucky?"

Shen Liang pinched Fang Che's head all the way down to his buttocks with his large hands, clicking his tongue in amazement: "This little butt is quite perky."

Everyone burst into laughter, unable to breathe.

Fang Che looked furious but dared not speak out.

This expression made everyone laugh even harder.

Pan Junyi sighed, "Old Shen, you were the life of the party in our team back then, but it's been thousands of years since you've joked with anyone. Now it's great to see you've gotten back to your old self."

Shen Liang was also taken aback for a moment, then said, "Why is your hair all white? Who are you trying to impress by looking like this? Back then, you were so sullen and used to look in the mirror every day. Now that you're old, you don't even care anymore?"

"I'm not in the mood to pay attention to that."

Pan Junyi shook his head: "Let's go, let's go up the mountain."

They were all seasoned veterans, and as they escorted Fang Che up the mountain, they greeted and introduced themselves to Feng Yuxue's four disciples and Mo Ganyun and others.

"Snowy, you're still so slow? Your personality must have worried your mother to death since you were little, right? I heard that you used to take off your pants in slow motion when you were a child?"

"Song in the Rain, isn't that the Yu family's treasure-hunting rat?"

"The wind blows east... Your name sounds like 'eastward, eastward,' why not 'westward'?"

"Qiu Yunshang, from the Qiu family... um, back then your ancestor Qiu Fengshan called me Grandpa Jin, so what do you think you should call me?"

"Tsk tsk, Mo Ganyun... this physique, tsk tsk, damn it, the Mo family eats and drinks so well? Don't stand next to me, let me tell you, if you fall and kill me, your family can't afford to pay for it..."

"This young lady is..."

Then the six old men all focused their attention on Jin Xiao, glanced at him, and then shut up at the same time.

I didn't even dare to joke around.

Because when they stared at Jin Xiao, Jin Xiao also stared back with his big eyes.

A powerful soul pressure, which only high-level experts could sense, suddenly descended.

All six of them immediately fell silent, looking utterly bewildered: Are young girls these days really this fierce?
"And who is this young lady?" Shen Liang asked cautiously.

Because he felt he might not be able to beat this girl.

"This is Jin Xiao, whom I met on the road... Speaking of which, she shares the same surname as you, Senior Jin."

Fang Chedao.

Jin Wushang looked on with envy: "If only this were my family's... Unfortunately... our family doesn't have that kind of luck."

Although the six old men didn't dare to joke with Jin Xiao, their eyes kept darting back and forth between Mo Ganyun and Jin Xiao.

The look in his eyes made Jin Xiao both embarrassed and angry, but he couldn't lash out: after all, the other person hadn't said anything.

Everyone walked very slowly up the mountain.

As they climbed the mountain, more and more people came from all directions. Almost none of them flew directly up the mountain; instead, they all landed at the foot of the mountain.

Fang Che noticed that almost everyone did the same thing: they walked up the mountain, holding onto the smooth, almost completely patinated large stones on both sides of the road.

Clearly, each of these people is a master who can instantly fly to the top of the mountain.

But at this moment, they were all holding onto the stones and walking step by step.

Fang Che finally understood how these stones became so smooth: it turned out that these people had polished the entire mountain with a patina over the years...

Why are we all feeling our way along the stones?

Fang Che asked curiously.

"That's customary."

Shen Liang's expression was very solemn: "Back then... when the Guardians established their headquarters, it was said that every day, martial arts masters would come to cause trouble, but only the masters of our righteous sects came to disrupt things..."

"At that time, this mountain was known as the Pillar of Heaven in the northwest, a place of great feng shui."

"It's not just the Guardians who want to be here... other forces also want to be here. When Ninth Master was choosing a territory, he immediately set his sights on this mountain."

"Through twists and turns, reinforced by the power of the stars, and rich in spiritual energy, it can serve as a foundation for all ages!"

"The original name was Tianzhu Mountain. After Ninth Master occupied this place, he renamed it Kanke Mountain. A city was built on the mountain and at its foot, which became Kanke City."

“Every inch of the mountain, from the foot of the mountain, was under Ninth Master’s command, including the steps… Back then, everyone worked day and night, clearing, opening roads, building the city, reinforcing, diverting water, and gathering spiritual energy…”

"Of course, there were also continuous battles. Over the course of several hundred years, there were no fewer than ten thousand major battles in Kanke City."

"Later, the Guardians finally established their foundation. Ninth Master and several other masters paid tribute to the fallen heroes at the foot of the mountain. Everyone said the same thing: every stone in this mountain and this city, especially the stones on both sides of the road, was stained with countless drops of blood. Ninth Master said that touching these stones as he went up and down the mountain was like touching the brothers who died in battle over the years, still together, still standing by his side to protect him."

"As we grew older, countless brothers shed their blood on the continent, but everyone's graves are scattered all over the continent. If we want to visit each grave and burn incense, we have to circle the continent several times... Every time I come to Kanke City, touching the stones as I go up and down the mountain, it feels like my brothers from back then are still walking arm in arm with me."

Shen Liang's voice was filled with sighs as he addressed Fang Che and the other young men: "To us, these... are not stones, but... our unyielding brothers and comrades." "Only by overcoming obstacles can one reach the great path; without obstacles, one cannot achieve greatness!"

"The 'hardships' in 'Hardship City' refers to the hardships of this mortal world, the hardships of everyone's life, and the hardships of people's hearts in this world."

"The purpose of Ninth Master in establishing the City of Trials and Tribulations is to ensure that there will be no more hardships in this mortal world. Let us, the guardians, overcome all the hardships and tribulations, and restore a bright and clear sky to the world!"

"So every time we come... we feel our way up the mountain through these stones. It's like meeting an old friend."

Shen Liang and the others lovingly touched the stones by the roadside, not missing a single one, and laughed, "This side up the mountain, that side down the mountain... it's great. It feels very fulfilling. Touching these stones, it's like so many brothers are still beside us. We're all here, so we're not afraid of anything!"

Luo Lutu smiled and said, "No one usually asks. If someone does ask, we'll explain. If no one asks, we're too lazy to say anything. People who don't touch the stones when climbing the mountain are either young people who haven't experienced much and can't understand life and death, but they'll understand sooner or later. Or... they're traitors. Hahaha..."

This remark elicited a knowing smile from everyone.

Meng Zhengyi smiled and said, "It is said that for a period of time, people who were innocent secretly guarded the roadside as guards. They could tell whether people were touching the stones or not, or their expressions when they touched the stones. They actually caught quite a few spies, and there were basically no innocent people."

Everyone laughed.

Fang Che smiled and followed suit, feeling his way up the mountain along the stones. He found them smooth and warm to the touch, like jade. He said, "It's really good. After all, touching these stones represents a bond of life and death and a longing for the past. A traitor could never have such a mindset. When everyone's mindset is similar, but a few appear unnatural and insincere... of course, they are traitors. This method is truly excellent."

"But now that more people know, it's become harder to catch spies here. But everyone's used to it..."

With a nostalgic smile, Jin Wushang pointed to a sword mark on a roadside stone and said, "That sword mark... was left by my father... He passed away when I was six. It wasn't until I was sixty... that I understood that this sword mark meant my father was watching over me every day. Hehe..."

A soft chuckle, filled with endless complex emotions.

He said with a sigh, "I've disappointed the old man. The Jin family has quite a few unworthy descendants... quite a few indeed."

As Jin Wushang brought up the topic, everyone's mood grew heavier and heavier, and the lighthearted atmosphere gradually faded away.

Silently feeling our way up the mountain.

As Fang Che felt his way up the mountain, faces kept flashing through his mind: the old man, Tang Zheng, Zuo Guanglie, the Feng family disciples who fought alongside him in the secret realm... and so on. One face after another floated before his eyes.

I couldn't help but feel a strange sadness in my heart, a sense of longing...

For a moment, it felt as if I had relived the experiences of the past few years. It was indescribably dreamlike, yet indescribably real.

Shen Liang and the others sensed Fang Che's state of mind and exchanged glances, their eyes filled with endless emotion: They were certain he was one of their own! No one could imitate such a state of mind... Their own descendants had truly committed an utterly despicable and absurd act!
It gradually rose higher and higher, eventually entering the misty clouds.

Fang Che looked back and saw that apart from the Life and Death Squad and some law enforcement officers who were all wearing black robes, everyone on the mountain was dressed in white, as white as snow.

The few individuals dressed in black were completely submerged.

As far as the eye could see, there was a blanket of white clouds stretching all the way down the mountain, while countless guardians in white robes continued to arrive from all directions, converging into this expanse of white.

Flawless, pure.

Fang Che's eyes turned serious. He suddenly realized that this time... it was probably not just a matter of holding a large meeting, but rather the Guardians flexing their muscles.

An unprecedented gathering of high-ranking guardians!

Thunder rumbled in the sky, and clouds surged from all directions. One after another, white-clad figures, carrying overwhelming momentum, rushed in from all directions, merging into the crowd and transforming into a raging torrent.

The crowd was as large as a tide, and everyone was of one mind.

They are all pillars supporting the heavens, and all are golden beams spanning the sea!
The concentration of energy and spirit caused the Guardian Headquarters to rise into the sky with overwhelming power.

Fang Che couldn't help but feel his heart surging with excitement, a surge of boundless pride welling up within him. This feeling of being part of a vast, surging army... was intoxicating; and, moreover, it filled him with fearlessness!

Jin Xiao didn't feel that way, but walking up the mountain road and seeing this scene, seeing the almost identical expressions on everyone's faces, feeling the increasingly united spirit, he felt a deep sense of emotion and admiration.

This chief strategist of the Guardians is truly a remarkable talent!

He has transformed an ordinary mountain path into a path of self-reflection for the guardian!
The journey up and down the mountain is a complete cleansing and purification of the soul.

This kind of operation, subtle and pervasive, is the best way to unite people's hearts and minds! Therefore, the more guardians who walk this path, the more steadfast their beliefs will become.

This road is like a stone for sharpening a sword, and a cold path for the plum blossoms to bloom.

This road, however, is beyond praise in the words "divine craftsmanship".

This is the heart of a master craftsman!

Jin Xiao couldn't help but think that if his adoptive father had such a chief strategist, such a talent who could manage anything, wouldn't the Heavenly Centipede God have been a meal long ago?
Thinking of this, I let out a sigh.

Jin Xiao transmitted his voice to Mo Ganyun and said, "This strategist from the East is truly remarkable."

Mo Ganyun, unaware of the reason, naturally grinned, revealing two rows of large, door-like teeth, and proudly said, "Of course!"

"Silly boy!" Jin Xiao sighed and turned back.

My shoulders feel a little sore for no reason.

Looking at Mo Ganyun's large hands, he said, "After I settle in, could you give me a shoulder massage?"

Mo Ganyun was overjoyed and said, "Sure, sure, sure! I'd be happy to help! Not just the shoulders, I can massage other places too. Let me tell you, my massage skills are excellent..."

Jin Xiao smiled.

Do you think I don't know if you're skilled or not?

When they arrived at a square, the crowd began to disperse.

"Mr. Fang, would you like to have a seat with us?"

Jin Wushang and the others warmly invited, saying, "Ninth Master is quite generous to have us old guys here. He's given us a large house with a living room, a tea room, and separate bedrooms. Let's go have some drinks."

Fang Che smiled and said, "No need, no need, I have a house here... Ninth Master arranged it for me, he said he gave me the house of the leader of the Only Righteous Sect... It's too big and too spacious for just the two of us..."

Jin Wushang: "..."

Luo Lutu burst into laughter, clutching his stomach: "Old Jin, you really tried to show off but ended up getting... hahaha..."

Jin Wushang twisted his face and said, "How was I supposed to know that this kid also had a house in Shangfang Yayuan in Kanke City? And it was given to him personally by Ninth Master? This treatment... this treatment is really..."

I shook my head. You can't compare people.

The room of the leader of the Righteous Sect has always been just for show: when the enemy leader is captured, he is placed here.

But did they manage to capture you?

The existence of these courtyards is merely a demonstration of the guardians' confidence and slogans.

Unexpectedly, Fang Che was given a courtyard house directly!
Everyone present knew how awesome those courtyards were.
Suddenly, everyone's teeth started to ache.

"What the hell..."

Shen Liang clicked his tongue and said, "I've never felt so bitter in my life... Sigh, I want a courtyard too."

"you?"

Jin Wushang sneered mercilessly: "Go live in your Shen family mansion! If you want a courtyard in Shangfang Yayuan in Kanke City, you'll have to wait until your next life!"

"Once I take half a step, I will..."

Shen Liang gritted his teeth and became fierce.

"And then just sit there doing nothing, squatting on the snow-capped mountain? What an idiot."

Jin Wushang and the others showed no mercy to Shen Liang. Although this guy's cultivation and combat power were much higher than theirs, he still dared to hit them. "Do you believe I'll go and cry in front of Ninth Master?"

Fang Che warmly invited, "Seniors, please come to my place for a visit. My place is spacious, and most importantly, it's my own home, not a guest room. It's safe and secure, and you can make a fuss as much as you want without any problems. There's also a protective barrier, a spiritual spring, and spiritual plants..."

"Hehehe..."

The old men chuckled and rolled their eyes as they walked away.

I'm not going!

Damn it, look at you showing off... your smug face is practically reaching for the heavens. Do you expect me to just follow you around and let you show off like that? That would be so pathetic.

Jin Wushang and the others muttered to themselves, but ultimately didn't dare to curse aloud.

Shen Liang directly cursed Fang Che with two words: "Bitch!"

He turned and walked away.

Upon hearing these two words, Jin Wushang and the others, who hadn't gone far, felt a surge of relief from head to toe: That was a really good curse!

Fang Che rubbed his nose: "What about you guys? With me..."

“Okay, let’s go to Old Master Fang’s compound…” Mo Ganyun said excitedly.

Before he could finish speaking, Xue slowly dragged him away: "You idiot... It's been so long since the boss and his wife have seen each other, and you're still trying to get close to them... I've never seen such a fool as you..."

"Wow, sister-in-law! Hello, sister-in-law!"

Fang Che turned around and saw Ye Meng, dressed in simple white, standing not far away, smiling at him.

"Hello, sister-in-law. Goodbye, sister-in-law. We'll come back to bring you gifts again tomorrow or the day after..."

The brothers laughed and joked, and before Ye Meng could reply, they took Jin Xiao and sped off to their respective guest rooms to check in.

Fang Che turned to look at Ye Meng.

Ye Meng, her beautiful eyes sparkling, walked over with a pout, and said with a playful smile, "These guys are getting more and more disrespectful. They disappeared before I even said a word..."

"It's alright, I haven't left yet, have I?"

"Try walking one step at a time. Where do you think you're going?"

"Of course I'm heading home."

Fang Che laughed heartily.

Then, walking side by side with Ye Meng, the couple returned home together.

People kept greeting us along the way, but it only quieted down when we finally entered the Shangfang residential area.

"There are so many people this time."

Fang Che sighed, "Ninth Master must have activated a spatial array, right? Otherwise, there wouldn't be enough room for him to stay."

Although we've entered a quiet place, it's still not as private as home, so we should try not to call him "Uncle."

“I heard from my master that it has opened.”

Ye Meng smiled, her beautiful eyes glancing sideways at Fang Che's face, a happy and peaceful smile on her lips, but she said, "Mr. Fang, you are so lucky to be willing to go home, this humble concubine is quite surprised."

"Look at you, talking in such a sarcastic tone."

Fang Che raised an eyebrow: "You wait until tonight, I'll make you pay!"

Ye Meng's face was flushed, but she pouted and said, "You have someone else outside, so you come home and scold your wife. Mr. Fang, you really are fickle."

"You'll find out tonight whether you're fickle or not." Fang Che put his arm around Ye Meng's slender waist, opened the gate of his courtyard and entered. He snorted, patted her plump buttocks, and said, "Men who don't know how to serve when they come home, go, go and fetch water for me to wash my feet."

Ye Meng snorted and said, "Lord Fang, it's no longer possible for me to prepare water for you to wash your feet."

She held up her communication device and said, "My uncle just messaged me, saying: Tell your man to get over here right now!"

Fang Che was taken aback: "I don't believe my uncle would say such rude things."

He took a look at the communication jade and was speechless.

The above is certainly not Ye Meng's retelling of this sentence, but the meaning is almost the same.

"Tell Fang Che to get over here and see me right now!"

(End of this chapter)