Chapter 175: The God King's Filial Piety
Upon hearing these words, Tang San felt a surge of warmth instantly flood his entire body, moved beyond words.
The moment his Master learned of the assassination attempt, his first thought wasn't about how strong the enemy was or how valuable the spoils might be. Instead, he first inquired if Tang San was injured, then immediately began planning how to clean up the aftermath, fearing Tang San might leave behind any clues that could lead to retaliation.
This meticulous, heartfelt care made it impossible for Tang San, in his dazed state, to distinguish whether the person before him was the revered Master who imparted the Dao and knowledge, or the loving father who shielded him from wind and rain in the illusion!
A genuine, satisfied smile appeared at the corner of Tang San's mouth as he respectfully replied,
"Master, please rest assured. Your Disciple has always been cautious in his actions. I used a specially formulated bone-dissolving powder on that Shi Nian, completely reducing him to ashes. Not even a speck remains."
"Hmm, well done."
Jiang Li nodded slightly, then thoughtfully stood up, placing his hands behind his back. A mysterious light flickered in his deep eyes:
"However, Little San, today your Master will teach you another lesson — when cutting weeds, one must remove the roots."
"That Shi Nian from Canghui Academy dared to hunt and kill geniuses from other places so brazenly outside. Such dealings are definitely not his first time. Although he is dead, there are no walls in this world that wind cannot pass through."
"The remaining little wolf cubs at Canghui Academy, as beneficiaries, even if they didn't participate, must have been aware. If they were to connect Shi Nian's disappearance with you..."
Jiang Li's words stopped there, but the meaning was already clear.
The warmth instantly faded from Tang San's eyes, replaced by a chilling killing intent. He made a throat-slitting gesture:
"Master, you mean... we should exterminate them all? Your Disciple will make arrangements immediately. I'll send them down to accompany Shi Nian tonight!"
However, Jiang Li slowly shook his head, looking at Tang San with a hint of helplessness and doting that seemed to say 'this child is beyond teaching',
"Little San, you must remember, broaden your perspective."
"The future Tang Sect is destined to stand at the pinnacle of the continent as the leading force of the Righteous Path. Such dirty work—wiping out an entire Sect, easily leaving stains and evidence—must absolutely not be done by our own hands."
"Cherishing one's reputation is a compulsory lesson for those in high positions."
At this point, a meaningful arc curved at the corner of Jiang Li's mouth.
"Hasn't that Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire been wanting to show goodwill to our Tang Sect lately, struggling to find a suitable offering?"
"Canghui Academy harbors filth and plotted to harm the Empire's Genius Soul Masters... Such an opportunity to rectify the atmosphere of the Soul Master World, I believe our Crown Prince would be very willing to handle it on our behalf."
Hearing this, Tang San was momentarily stunned, then showed an expression of sudden realization.
Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!
It eliminates the hidden danger, preserves the Tang Sect's reputation, and incidentally gives Xue Qinghe a chance to prove himself, deepening the bond of mutual interests.
This kind of strategic maneuvering and decisive planning from afar, turning the situation with a mere flip of the hand, is simply awe-inspiring!
Tang San shamefully lowered his head, his admiration for Jiang Li rising yet another level in his heart.
"Master's lesson is correct. Your Disciple only thought of killing, neglecting the Sect's overall situation and reputation. In terms of strategy and perspective, your Disciple still has a long way to go compared to Master..."
Immediately after, Tang San's expression turned solemn as he carefully retrieved the trophy that had dropped from Shi Nian's corpse from his storage soul tool.
As Soul Power was infused, that palm-sized head Soul Bone instantly emitted a mesmerizing, iridescent halo, illuminating the entire room as if in a dream.
Even someone who knew nothing about such items could tell at a glance that this object was extraordinary.
"Master..."
Tang San held the Soul Bone with both hands, presenting it to Jiang Li. His eyes were filled with reverence and guilt.
"Your foolish Disciple, unworthy yet not abandoned by Master, has received your careful guidance for so many years, yet has never been able to repay Master in the slightest."
"This Illusionary Wisdom Head Bone from Shi Nian, though a spoil from such a despicable man, is unworthy of Master's noble status. But this is the most precious treasure your Disciple can currently offer."
"Please, Master... you must accept this token of your Disciple's filial piety."
Looking at this ten-thousand-year mental-attribute head bone lying quietly in Tang San's palm, emitting a tempting luster, Jiang Li couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions in his heart.
If he remembered correctly, in the original course of fate, this Soul Bone ultimately benefited Ning Rongrong, becoming a great asset for that little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
And now...
Jiang Li looked at the sincere, foolish Disciple before him, who seemed willing to give him his very heart, and couldn't help but give himself a mental thumbs-up.
Now this is what you call a top-tier educator! (Tactical leaning back)
To have trained that shrewd, calculating, profit-first 'Tang God King " into this grateful, selfless 'filial son'—this is nothing short of a miracle in the field of education!
The value of this Soul Bone itself might be merely the icing on the cake for him, but the sense of accomplishment brought by this 'result' was unparalleled.
"You have a thoughtful heart, child."
Jiang Li did not pretend to refuse. Instead, he reached out, gently stroked the halo-emanating Soul Bone, and then, under Tang San's expectant gaze, stored it away in his own storage soul tool.
"Since this is a token of your filial piety, Little San, if your Master didn't accept it, it would seem distant instead."
Seeing his Master accept the gift, the heavy stone in Tang San's heart finally settled. A relaxed, genuine smile appeared on his face, as if he were happier than if he had absorbed the Soul Bone himself.
"Alright, now that the loose ends are handled and your Master has accepted the gift, it's time to attend to proper business."
Jiang Li straightened his sleeves, resuming his usual inscrutable Grandmaster demeanor.
"Little San, go and freshen up briefly, wash away the scent of blood."
"Then... accompany your Master on a trip to the Heaven Dou Eastern Palace."
"Since someone wants to borrow our Tang Sect's influence, we must personally deliver this 'bloodless killing' blade and teach that Crown Prince how to use it properly."
Hearing this, a sharp light flashed in Tang San's eyes, and he immediately straightened his back.
"Yes! Your Disciple understands!"
After Tang San left, only Jiang Li remained in the room.
He summoned, after a long while, that deep blue panel visible only to him. On it was clearly written the progress bar for the latest achievement he needed to attain.
[Achievement Unlocked: Father of the God King (Progress 99%).]
"This shouldn't be. Given Little San's current reverence for me, this achievement point should be complete. But why is it stuck at this final step?"
Jiang Li was puzzled. Jiang Li was greatly shocked.
Seeing no clues emerging, Jiang Li simply decided not to dwell on it.
The cart will find its way around the hill when it gets there. Perhaps it will be completed sometime unexpectedly?
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