# Chapter 178: The Victor
Lian Que carefully put away his Life Token. He had nothing else to say, simply asking, "What weapon do you use?"
Jiang Wang didn't know how he had lost his longsword in the Heavenly Treasury Secret Realm. His hands were empty, and besides, the Lian clan of Chiyang Commandery sounded quite impressive when it came to forging weapons.
So he didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "A sword."
Lian Que nodded. "I'll go back first to prepare the materials. Whenever you have time, come to Nanyao City, and I'll forge a sword for you."
With that, he turned and left, remarkably decisive.
In truth, he could have left as soon as he emerged from the Heavenly Treasury Secret Realm, but he had realized his Life Token was missing, so he had waited by the Full Moon Pool.
Lian Que had barely left when Wang Yiwu stepped out of the Moon Gate.
In fact, most of the people who hadn't left yet were waiting for his news.
Including Lian Que and Shisi, eight people had survived out of the fifty who participated in the Heavenly Treasury Secret Realm.
Some rejoiced, others grieved.
The Moon Gate fell back into the water and vanished.
The night sky was now bright with moonlight but sparse with stars, though the surface of the Full Moon Pool no longer reflected the moon's image.
Wang Yiwu stepped out of the Moon Gate and walked straight to Chongxuan Sheng. "You were lucky."
"So were you," Chongxuan Sheng replied with a smile. "Otherwise, how could you have seized the same divine-power opportunity as me?"
Listening to his tone, Jiang Wang suddenly thought of a phrase—hiding a dagger behind a smile.
Chongxuan Sheng might not be able to defeat Wang Yiwu in combat, but when it came to verbal sparring, he unquestionably held an overwhelming advantage.
Wang Yiwu's gaze shifted, sweeping over Jiang Wang, Li Longchuan, and Xu Xiangqian one by one.
"You did well. I'll remember that."
As for Zhang Yong, who had only displayed Zhou Heavenly Circulation cultivation, Wang Yiwu ignored him entirely.
In fact, Zhang Yong's success had given many people new thoughts about the dangers of the Heavenly Treasury Secret Realm. Some believed that perhaps in this secret realm, luck was more important than strength.
Xu Xiangqian scratched his head in confusion. "If you're sick, go to Eastern King Valley for treatment. What does that have to do with me?"
He was from the Qingya Academy, not even a citizen of Qi, so he feared Wang Yiwu not at all. He also lacked reverence for the War God of Great Qi behind him.
"He thinks..." At this moment, if Chongxuan Sheng didn't step forward to explain, it would be a waste of his eloquence. "Although none of us remember what happened, if the four of us hadn't joined forces in the Heavenly Treasury Secret Realm, I never could have seized the opportunity in front of him. In fact, I might not have come out alive."
Although Wang Yiwu indeed harbored such thoughts, some things were better left unsaid to maintain peace. Once spoken, they inevitably sparked conflict.
Because some cultivators didn't just represent themselves—they also represented the honor of the families behind them.
Li Longchuan said coldly, "Wang Yiwu, you're too arrogant!"
Wang Yiwu didn't explain. He had always meant exactly that. The slight displeasure of these people was nothing he couldn't handle.
He only said to Chongxuan Sheng, "Chongxuan Sheng, you'd better quit while you're ahead. Know that in truth, even a divine-power Inner Prefecture isn't all that special."
"Brother Wang, this is already the second time you've advised me. It's not good to keep doing futile things." Chongxuan Sheng remained smiling, looking perfectly harmless. "Otherwise, go back and try advising my elder brother instead? Perhaps he'll listen to you."
The elder brother Chongxuan Sheng referred to was, naturally, Chongxuan Zun.
Wang Yiwu said no more and turned to leave.
He realized that while he could probably blast this fat man to pieces ten times over with a single punch, he would never be his match in a battle of words.
But the other party was a direct-line heir of the Chongxuan clan—not someone he could simply blast apart at will.
...
Once Wang Yiwu left, Chongxuan Sheng immediately climbed the ladder, clasping his hands to the others. "Thank you all for your help in the Heavenly Treasury Secret Realm!"
He seemed to have completely forgotten how wary he had been of Li Longchuan before entering the secret realm.
He was far more mindful of personal connections than Wang Yiwu, and he didn't forget to thank Zhang Yong either.
No one knew what had happened in the Heavenly Treasury Secret Realm, but making friends never hurt. Especially when these "friends" were all on the verge of obtaining divine powers.
Li Longchuan had no desire to interfere in the Chongxuan clan's internal power struggles. He just smiled at the words but said nothing.
Zhang Yong seemed quite reserved and unaccustomed to such scenes. He merely stammered, "What help could I have been? I probably relied entirely on all of you."
"Easy, easy." Xu Xiangqian had no idea whether he had helped or not, but he was shamelessly thick-skinned.
As long as there was thanks, praise, or flattery, he accepted it all.
Jiang Wang stood nearby, saying nothing. But he knew he must have taken action in the Heavenly Treasury Secret Realm, because his sword was no longer with him.
Through a thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers, his sword had never left his hand—and it wouldn't have in the Heavenly Treasury Secret Realm either.
Through traveling ten thousand miles, he had comprehended three rudimentary sword forms: the Sword of Sun, Moon, and Stars; the Sword of Mountains and Rivers; and the Sword of the Vast Sea of People.
Only at the moment of striking would they reach perfection.
This was his greatest trump card now.
Unfortunately, his body's memories had also been erased. He didn't know which sword he had used.
The Heavenly Treasury Secret Realm had concluded its curtain call. After a few casual words, everyone dispersed.
The Heavenly Treasury Secret Realm's grand gathering, held once every twelve years, had now ended.
Chongxuan Sheng turned to look. "Shisi, let's go!"
Shisi, clad in armor, silently followed behind him.
Jiang Wang walked alongside them. He had never heard Shisi say a single word, yet he inexplicably felt that the two of them shared an incredibly harmonious aura.
"We grew up together in split-crotch trousers!" Noticing Jiang Wang's gaze, Chongxuan Sheng laughed.
No wonder he didn't treat Shisi as a mere bodyguard.
Two companions who grew up together—one became the noble young master of a prestigious family, the other became a personal bodyguard. It was hard not to sigh at the whims of fate.
But wasn't that precisely how fate worked?
Leaving the Full Moon Pool, they were surprised to see Zhang Yong surrounded by a crowd of people, talking animatedly and looking quite flustered.
Chongxuan Sheng smiled and explained, "They're fighting over talent."
Although Wang Yiwu had said earlier that even a divine-power Inner Prefecture wasn't all that special—and perhaps he truly had the arrogance to say so—the truth was that a future divine-power Inner Prefecture powerhouse was enough to make every faction scramble to recruit him.
The reason everyone surrounded Zhang Yong wasn't that they weren't interested in the others, but because they knew their limits.
Xu Xiangqian belonged to the Qingya Academy. Li Longchuan was born into the Shimen Li clan. Wang Yiwu was the War God's disciple. Chongxuan Sheng was a Chongxuan clan member. Jiang Wang had been his invited helper and was naturally assumed to belong to the Chongxuan clan.
None of them could be poached.
Only Zhang Yong—though his ancestors had been distinguished, the Fengxian Zhang clan had fallen into obscurity long ago. There was still a significant chance to recruit him.
Watching the man fumble helplessly, Jiang Wang called out, "Zhang Yong! Still waiting for us?"
Chongxuan Sheng, ever the shrewd operator, immediately配合 by stepping forward and draping an arm over Zhang Yong's shoulder. "I told you to wait inside, but you had to come out and wait. Come on, let's go—the food and wine will get cold!"
Zhang Yong was thus dazedly "rescued" from the crowd by them.
Walking along the streets of Heavenly Treasury City for a while, Zhang Yong spoke hesitantly, "That... I don't want to join any other family..."
Before he could finish, he lowered his head, looking very apologetic.
Chongxuan Sheng laughed heartily. Perhaps because he himself was so shameless, he greatly appreciated people who still had a sense of propriety. "We were intimate comrades-in-arms in the Heavenly Treasury Secret Realm. Do you think our relationship is limited to recruitment?"
"No, that's not what I meant..."
"All right, I won't keep you for drinks." Chongxuan Sheng knew when to stop. He patted Zhang Yong's shoulder. "Go on back. Your people at home must be waiting for you to return in glory!"
Zhang Yong was still stammering.
Jiang Wang teased, "Hurry up and go, or those people will come after you again!"
Zhang Yong heard this and didn't even bother with farewell words. He darted away in a flash.
It was precisely because there were so many shameless people in this world that shy, introverted people sometimes appeared especially endearing.
But for some reason, watching Zhang Yong's retreating figure, Jiang Wang suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity.
He just couldn't find where that feeling came from.