The complete annihilation of the Xu family in Lofty Mountain City was neither a monumental event nor a trivial one. In the vast Kingdom of Heavenly Wind, it counted as a minor affair. Yet within Lofty Mountain City itself, it was earth-shattering.

  Lofty Mountain City lay far from the Su family of Green Stone City. For the Green Stone Su family to have orchestrated the destruction raised eyebrows across the region.

  Then, more than twenty years later, the truth finally leaked out: the founder of the original Su family in Lofty Mountain City—the one massacred by the Xu clan—was none other than Su Chen, blood brother to Su Xuehe of the Green Stone Su family. Only then did the pieces fall into place.

  "What ruthless patience Su Xuehe showed," people marveled. "He endured in silence for decades, then struck once and wiped the entire Xu clan from existence in a single night!"

  Everyone praised Su Xuehe's meticulous planning and cold-blooded resolve. The prestige of the Green Stone Su family soared to unprecedented heights.

  Within just a few years, the Su family produced yet another Spirit Vein Realm cultivator. Everything was moving in an upward direction.

  Meanwhile, the true architect of it all—Su Chen—sat in Northwind City, watching his chattering little daughter cling to him. A faint smile curved his lips.

  In this life, his daughter was named Jiang Mingyue. He still planned to have a son with Wang Bailu and name him Jiang Hao.

  Since the Jiang surname did not belong to one of the four great protagonist clans, he would have to compensate with sheer momentum in the name. He now had descendants; he had left his mark on this world.

  But fame remained insufficient. Over the years, new geniuses had risen one after another. The incident between him and Nangong Meng had already faded into history more than a decade ago.

  Su Chen began to seriously consider how he could live this life in a far more spectacular fashion.

  Ever since the destruction of the Xu family, the cultivation resources invested by Soaring Clouds Martial Mansion had run dry. Without resources, his progress slowed dramatically. Four years had passed, and he had only just broken through to the Spirit Vein Realm Fourth Layer.

  Worth noting: he had deciphered one-quarter of the inheritance obtained from the Xu family. It was not, as everyone assumed, a legacy left by a Spirit Sea Realm powerhouse. It belonged to a far greater figure: Spirit Communion King Li Zhen. A Profound Connection Realm king's inheritance!

  Unfortunately, only the first volume survived.

  No one knew how the Xu family had stumbled upon such a fortune. Had they been granted even a few more years to fully unlock it, Su Chen's revenge in this life would have been impossible. Even with only a third of the inheritance, the Xu family would have risen to dominate their region.

  "What caution the Xu family showed! What foresight Xu Ba possessed! What secrecy Xu Changzhi maintained!"

  Su Chen finally understood why, after the death of Xu Changzhi's most cherished son Xu Shengsi, the Xu family had conducted no loud investigation and issued no public outcry. They had simply buried the matter.

  This colossal secret—if not for a reincarnated man like himself—would truly have allowed the Xu family to ascend.

  Now the secret belonged to Su Chen alone. He only dared to decipher the Spirit Communion King's inheritance in secret, under the pretext of closed-door cultivation. He never breathed a word of it. The moment he emerged, he buried any trace.

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  Should word ever spread that he held a Profound Connection Realm inheritance, the Jiang family of this life would likely suffer a fate no better than the Xu family's.

  At the dinner table, little Jiang Mingyue gnawed happily on a chicken leg, babbling all the while.

  Jiang's father and mother helped look after the child.

  Wang Bailu gazed across the table at her husband, whose thoughts seemed far away, and spoke softly. "Husband, have you been troubled by something lately?"

  After twelve years together, how could she fail to notice that something had been weighing heavily on him these past few days?

  Su Chen let out a quiet sigh. "War has broken out in the south again. The Azure Wave Kingdom has launched an invasion against the Heavenly Wind Kingdom and has already captured several cities in succession."

  Jiang's father and mother exchanged surprised glances. Since when did their son-in-law start paying attention to national affairs?

  Wang Bailu gave a gentle laugh. "Husband must be tempted by the royal family's offer of resources for those who render distinguished service, right?"

  Su Chen still had the backing of Soaring Clouds Martial Mansion, but a martial mansion could not nurture a single individual indefinitely. In a few more years, without fresh cultivation resources, this "genius" facade of his would begin to crack.

  Su Chen nodded. "This time they are also granting noble titles to those who achieve outstanding military merit… I want to enlist."

  Chaos breeds heroes.

  Su Chen sought not only cultivation resources but also the chance to forge a resounding reputation—to etch an even deeper mark into this world and secure better cultivation conditions for the Jiang family of this life.

  Wang Bailu's voice was firm and decisive.

  "If that is what Husband wishes to do, then go and do it."

  Su Chen was genuinely surprised. He had fully expected Wang Bailu to try to stop him.

  Sensing the astonishment in his gaze, Wang Bailu smiled. "Husband, did you really think I would stand in your way?"

  She gave a playful grin, wrapped her arms around his, tilted her head up, and spoke softly. "Have you forgotten that I, Wang Bailu, come from the Spirit Sword Sect? I am not a burden to you. I am your virtuous helpmate. The madman Jiang Chen should not remain buried forever in a small place like Northwind City."

  A thousand emotions surged through Su Chen. He felt deeply moved. In the end, he resolved to enlist. For cultivation resources. For the Jiang family to have a higher starting point on the path of martial dao. And for the next life, to accumulate even more points.

  Once the decision was made, he encountered quite a few familiar faces. Most notably, Li Ming, whom he had not seen in years. Since the wedding, a full seven years had passed without them meeting. Li Ming had taken over management of the Li family and carried a noticeably rounder frame.

  Su Chen had to confirm his identity several times, which left Li Ming sulking and pouring out a stream of grievances.

  Li Ming had his own troubles. Among his generation in the Li family, his talent was mediocre at best. He was the youngest and the most idle. His eccentric father had dumped the entire family business on him before running off to roam the world in carefree leisure.

  None of his older brothers or sisters had been willing to shoulder the responsibility. Only poor Li Ming had drawn the short straw.

  "Brother Chen, I really miss those days back at the martial mansion. That was the happiest time of my life. We drank, we ate, we had no worries. When we got tired, we just wandered the…"

  Li Ming was about to continue reminiscing when a palm landed squarely on the back of his head. He yelped in pain and turned to demand why Su Chen had hit him—only to notice Wang Bailu standing nearby, ears perked and listening intently.

  Li Ming shivered from head to toe. He silently thanked his lucky stars.

  Seeing that Li Ming had finally caught on, Su Chen let out a relieved breath. The fool had nearly gotten himself killed.

  This idiot really would say anything.

  "When we got tired, we just wandered the streets," Li Ming finished with an awkward, dry laugh.

  "Brother Chen, you have to make a name for yourself out there!"

  Li Ming offered no dissuasion. Instead, he simply produced a small bottle of pills and pressed it into Su Chen's hand along with his best wishes.

  Inside the bottle were five third-grade pills.

  Su Chen was deeply touched. The money this guy had probably embezzled from managing the Li family must have gone entirely toward purchasing these five pills.

  "Good brother. If we achieve wealth and honor, we won't forget each other!"

  If Su Chen one day became a grand marshal of the army, then Li Ming would be his soaring great general!

  Su Chen left.

  No one noticed that in the distance, a woman in purple robes stood quietly, watching the entire scene.

  "Jiang Chen… you bastard!"