Chapter 1319: Mysterious Meeting! (1/2)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
The room was very large, but it was practically devoid of any furniture. An armchair had been placed in the center of the tranquil room. Across from the armchair, Wang Chong saw a curtain hanging down. A fire could be glimpsed behind the curtain, its light leaking through and silhouetting several muscular figures, all of them seated imposingly on what appeared to be armchairs as well.
Despite the fact that they were just seated motionless on the chairs, they exuded storms of energy that enveloped the entire room, appearing powerful, heroic, and dignified.
Wang Chong had experienced many gruesome battles, directed the large-scale meat grinders that were the war of the southwest and the Battle of Talas, and his body stank of iron and blood. But in the face of those figures silhouetted by the flickering light, he immediately seemed childish.
Wang Chong's energy was like a peerlessly sharp sword, able to slash and break through anything it was applied against. As for the figures behind the curtain, they were pieces of metal that had been forged and tempered countless times, making them tenacious from the inside to the outside.
They also possessed the sharpness of a sword, but they were also like majestic mountains that could block any beating or hammering.
Wang Chong's aura of iron and blood compared to theirs was like comparing the moon to the sun!
More importantly, even though the curtain obscured their faces, Wang Chong was already sure that those people were the most revered figures of his life, the ones he felt the greatest gratitude toward. At this moment, Wang Chong couldn't stop his eyes from getting a little moist.
”Haha, kid! I heard that you could kill people without blinking an eye and have even killed one million. Everyone outside calls you a Demon King of Slaughter, but what's this? How could a true man be weeping like a little girl!?”
A voice suddenly rang out—boorish, extremely old, and infused with an unconcealable boldness. It caused the entire room to rustle and shake.
”Old scoundrel, what did we say? Try not to scare this junior to death!”
Another voice came from behind the curtain, one suffused with wisdom that came from experiencing all the trials that life had to offer and a power that could comfort one's soul.
”It's fine. Venerable Senior was correct. It was Wang Chong's fault for losing control of himself.”
Wang Chong wiped his eyes and quickly regained his composure. Although he had been criticized for acting like a girl, Wang Chong did not care. Those familiar voices and familiar mocking only made a surge of warmth rush through his heart. To be able to see them again in this lifetime was Wang Chong's greatest blessing.
From their deaths until now, Wang Chong could no longer keep track of just how long it had been since he had last heard their lessons and critiques. One of Wang Chong's greatest regrets was that he had allowed them to leave with regret, had failed to let them see any hope for the Nine Provinces, had let down their expectations. Tears once more welled up to the edge of his eyes, but Wang Chong forced them back.
”Haha, kid, do you know why this old man wanted to see you?”
That boorish voice from before heartily laughed.
”I heard that you were wronged a little in the Imperial Court and the common people call you a Demon King of Slaughter. What, can't take it?”
”No.”
Wang Chong shook his head.
”Haha, then it's fine! This old man heard that you had suffered an injustice in the Great Tang, so I had that brat invite you here. And what does a true man care if they are wronged a little? That's just a minor itch! As for the people calling you a Demon King, back in this old man's day, I would have regarded it as high praise and celebrated for three days and three nights. In this old man's era, killing one man made you a murderer, killing ten thousand made you a hero, and killing one million made you a hero amongst heroes. The more you killed, the more the people of the world would respect you. If they say that you're a Demon King of Slaughter, what do you have to be unhappy about?!” the rough voice boldly declared. In his view, the world was hailing Wang Chong as a hero.
”Zhijie!”
The wise voice suddenly spoke, tinged with reprimand.
”It's fine if you're like this, but you can't misguide our junior. In the final years of the Great Sui, who didn't know about your reputation as a Great Demon King of the chaotic world? Child, don't listen to his nonsense! This old man has also heard about what happened to you. Just like you said yourself, a true man only needs to feel no regret for their actions. As for the praise or slander of others, that is unimportant. A true man decides whether to do something based on whether it's right or wrong. As for the opinions of others… even if everyone in the world misunderstands you, what does it matter? One day, the clouds will clear and the sun will shine. Everyone will understand the troubles you have gone through!”
This person had a mellow voice and spoke in an instructive tone. Like the spring rains, he silently nurtured Wang Chong's heart, soothing its wounds.
”Venerable Seniors are correct. It was Wang Chong that was wrong!”
Wang Chong's eyes were moist as he lowered his head. For a moment, he felt like he had returned back to that apocalyptic era, back to that hall where he listened to those familiar lessons. Back then, it was right when he had been depressed and dejected, having lost everything, that these seniors found him and took him to a mountain top. There, they passed onto him their martial arts and entrusted him with the world, making him the Grand Marshal.
Senior… Wang Chong internally muttered. Caught up in this wave of nostalgia, he felt like all the pains in his heart had been soothed.
It was true!
If that venerable senior had received the same treatment, no matter how great the misunderstanding or the pain, he would never have cared. Even the most major affair became irrelevant and unimportant in his mouth. Just as they had said, a true man decided to do something based on whether it was right or wrong. The rest was unimportant.