This news has sent shockwaves through the capital, and indeed, the entire nation.
The resignation of the Five-Star Heavenly King, does it signify the end of an era and the dawn of another?
In the days that followed, scions of prominent families in the capital announced their intention to enlist and make their mark in the military.
In truth, without Ye Longlin's presence, the entire military seemed to be revitalized. However, only Qin Hanlie and a select few high-ranking officials knew that the upcoming days would bring about considerable upheaval within the military.
Those promoted by Ye Longlin, as well as individuals who participated in the Dragon Pavilion selections, would face repercussions. Crucially, under this barrage of targeted actions, these individuals might even be forced to leave the military.
"If these people infiltrate the military, the situation will be even worse than we imagined. Didn't King Ye buy us all these years of time, precisely for this moment?
Now is the time to strengthen military management and thwart the schemes of various families. The military is not a place for their unfettered growth. I don't care how difficult this is; I want you to understand this: the military is Great Xia's first line of defense, and also its last.
If the military cannot maintain its original principles, what is the point of our existence? You should all be clear about the meaning of our existence!"
Qin Hanlie spoke slowly as he sat in the conference hall.
After Ye Longlin's departure, his workload increased, primarily to prevent the infiltration of various families into the military. If they all held influence in their respective regions, the Ye family would become a military clan, and Ye Longlin would have too much at stake to confront them.
Of course, this was not a primary concern, as becoming a military clan was not a simple matter, requiring at least a decade.
The reason they hadn't entered the military before was that Ye Longlin was a Heavenly King and would naturally target family disciples; this was a given. Now, without Ye Longlin, their ambitions were gradually coming to the fore.
Inner Courtyard.
Li Chengyao watched the direction of Sheng Long Lake, his eyes narrowed.
"Tomorrow is the day of the duel with Wu Ji. I wonder if he has a sure plan."
The Grand Elder sat beside him, proficiently taking out a can of tea from the room, smoke rising.
"Don't you know that kid? He never does anything he isn't sure of. You should be worried about the reactions from all sides after Wu Ji's death."
Behind Wu Ji stood various interest groups. Whether these interconnected interest groups would allow Wu Ji to die in this battle was also a question.
If they didn't want Wu Ji to die, they would surely have a contingency plan!
"Wu Ji might not die. For them, Wu Ji still has value. Besides, how many people are truly targeting Wu Ji, and how many joined the Martial Arts Association because of him? Once Wu Ji dies, the Martial Arts Association will lose its leverage, and the damage to it will be too great.
Even so, how someone like Wu Ji dies is a matter of expertise. If Wu Ji dies at the hands of someone else, the disciples of the Martial Arts Association will seek revenge. But if it were Ye Longlin, they truly wouldn't dare to seek revenge."
...
Centered around Sheng Long Lake.
An area of several dozen kilometers was enveloped in a powerful, deadly aura.
This battle, involving over a dozen key figures from the capital, was poised to be the strongest in decades.
At this moment, in the center of Sheng Long Lake, Wu Ji sat in a small boat, holding a fishing rod, wearing a straw hat, and fishing naturally.
However, after watching for a long time, countless onlookers realized he hadn't caught a single fish.
"Even the mighty President Wu Ji can't catch a fish?"
Someone asked curiously.
"Hahaha, kid, you're too young! President Wu Ji isn't fishing; he's fishing for the former master of the Dragon Pavilion!"
As the time drew nearer, the person Wu Ji had challenged two days ago was finally revealed.
The first master of the Dragon Pavilion, Ye Longlin!
He was also the number one on the God of War List!
As for the Investiture of the Gods, no one knew who the leader was; it was too mysterious.
"If Ye Longlin dares to show himself at Sheng Long Lake, our Zheng family will definitely take action to ensure he dies there!"
The Zheng family, one of the Ten Elder families, intervened!
This news completely ignited Sheng Long Lake, turning the nearly fifty thousand spectators into the center of a storm.
However, the crowd had not yet reached its peak. Tomorrow would be the climax of this strongest battle.
Astute observers had also discovered that the Zheng family had previously offended Ye Longlin, and one of their most favored juniors was killed on the spot within the Zheng family compound.
This was already considered a blood feud.
The Ten Elder families, the ten paramount families of the capital, even the slightest disturbance could shake the capital.
The involvement of super-families meant that this battle was destined not to be peaceful.
Meanwhile.
In a simple classroom in the most remote region of the south.
An elder in a moon-white robe stood on the podium. Without anyone knowing when, a letter appeared on the podium.
"Children, would you be willing to discuss this passage for ten minutes?"
The elder said kindly, a smile gracing his lips, full of affection.
Teaching in the most remote areas not only required experience but also a certain affinity; otherwise, how could one win over these "wild beasts"?
"Okay."
Only then did the elder open the letter and read its contents word by word. As he finished, his formerly smiling old face gradually turned grim.
"Mountains need not be high; they are famous if spirits reside. Waters need not be deep; they are divine if dragons dwell. This is a humble abode, yet its virtue shines..."
Recitations echoed through the classroom, causing the elder to pause slightly.
With a long sigh, he murmured, "Even hiding here, I cannot escape what is meant to come. It seems it is time for me to return."
He turned and left the classroom, entrusting all matters there to others. An extremely imposing aura emanated from him.
"Martial Arts Association, Zheng family?"
"How dare you bully my disciple? What kind of beings are you? Guo Hui is dead. It seems this was fated. I said years ago that this matter would cause a chain reaction, but I never expected it to happen so soon."
He stood beneath a bright red flag, a slight smile on his face, one hand supporting the sky, the other pointing to the ground.
The wind around him seemed visible, gusts beginning to sweep across the entire ground. Cracking sounds echoed from within his body.
"I, Master Chen, have broken through today, and I am here to support my disciple!"
"I would like to see who in this capital has the audacity to do such a thing!"