It came.

It finally came.

At the beginning of the maneuver, Li Tianlan surmised that Zhuang Huayang had known his identity. Now that Zhuang Huayang directly called out his grandfather’s name, he almost had a definite answer in his heart.

His heart was beating violently, while his expression remained exactly the same as before, like a rock, hard and cold.

“I’d like to know the details.”

He raised his head and looked at Zhuang Huayang in the eyes.

Zhuang Huayang squinted subconsciously and stared at Li Tianlan carefully for a while. He then suddenly said, “Tianlan, do you know that your behavior now, though appreciated, is hard for people to like.”

“You are too quiet. So quiet that no one can figure you out. If you already have built a base for yourself, such kind of behavior can be considered as a good thing. But now, you are only a young man with nothing. Even an old guy like me would find you deep and even unpredictable. This is too much. You should demonstrate your vitality and energy. At least you should let others understand your thought, even if what they see is not what you really want to express.”

The corner of Li Tianlan’s mouth moved a little. Still sitting on the bed, he bent his body forward slightly and said without changing his voice and expression, “Thank you for your advice, Mr. Principal.”

Zhuang Huayang couldn’t tell whether Li Tianlan had truly listened or not. This young man, he believed, was really out of his control. He shook his head, pulled over a chair and sat beside the bed, and then fished out a cigarette, “Do you care for one?”

Li Tianlan nodded, and lighted the cigarette with the lighter he received. He knew how to smoke. However, when he was in the border, the tobacco was so cheap that he seldom smoked and therefore had no craving for tobacco.

“Is this counted as a luxury in your place?”

Zhuang Huayang waved the cigarette in his hand and asked smilingly. But he noticed that Li Tianlan, as if he had heard nothing, didn’t change his expression at all and just smoked silently.

The old President laughed in self-mockery, and then cut to the chase, not caring if Li Tianlan was listening or not. “The Li family, represented by Li Honghe, was not called Li family before. Different from the Wang family of Beihai, they belong to a Martial Arts influence with a long inheritance, named Xuanyuantai of Kunlun.”

“Twenty years ago, Xuanyuantai was at its most glorious time. Since five hundred years ago, down to the generation of Li Kuangtu, there were nine Invincible Realm experts from the Xuanyuantai in succession, without any break. This kind of glory was only comparable by the Wang family of Beihai. Besides, the recent generations of Xuanyuantai were controlled by the Li family. Therefore, the Li family was also called the Ares Family of Zhongzhou State.”

“Simply put, in the recent several hundred years, every Invincible Realm expert from the Xuanyuantai of Kunlun became the top leader of the Special Warfare System in Zhongzhou State. Their status was like that of the current Kunlun City, but with a much higher prestige. What do you think about it? Isn’t it awesome?”

Finally, Li Tianlan was no longer calm this time. The muscle on his face twitched clearly. He took a deep drag of the cigarette.

“Twenty years ago, the Southeast Group, co-founded by the Wang family of Beihai and Xuanyuantai of Kunlun, was influential enough to blot out the sky and cover the sun…”

“Southeast Group?”

Li Tianlan raised his eyebrows in surprise, “What is that?”

“You can take it as a faction comprised of forces from different fields.”

Zhuang Huayang explained patiently, “This includes all the forces from politics, economy, military system, Special Warfare System, academic sector, public opinion and other fields. In short, the Southeast Group was a super faction made up of all the rich and powerful families in the southeast of Zhongzhou State.”

“Wuyue Province, Jiangzhe Province, Minnan Province, Jianghuai Province, Dongshan Province, Jiangnan Province, Beihai Province and some powerful apartments in the capital state Youzhou are all within the Southeast Group’s sphere of influence.”

Zhuang Huayang took a long drag on his cigarette, his emotions evidently in turmoil. “Including the place we are in right now. Five years ago, the entire Huating also fell into the backyard garden of Southeast Group,” he said.

Li Tianlan couldn’t say a word for a long while. At the sound of this, even a person like him might feel goosebumps rising in his scalp. The strength of this faction was totally beyond his imagination. But as soon as he heard the names of the seven Provinces, he could understand how much upheaval it could cause in Zhongzhou State with just a single fell swoop.

However, with the decline of Xuanyuantai of Kunlun or the Li family, the Wang family of Beihai had complete control over the faction now.

For the first time, Li Tianlan knew that his family used to be so glorious as to be comparable with the Wang family of Beihai. But when he heard this at this moment, he didn’t feel honored. Instead, he only felt bitterness.

“Very powerful.”

Li Tianlan uttered these words, his voice extremely dry and coarse.

“Not only very powerful! Twenty years ago, the Southeast Group was in power. If not for that case of treason, the Southeast Group should be even more fearsome today. How could there be any place for others to survive?”

Zhuang Huayang said this indifferently while smoking. Looking at Li Tianlan who was lost in his mind, he suddenly asked, “What do you think about your father’s treasonous act?”

This question meant directly putting Li Tianlan’s identity on the table. No supposition, no condition, and no story. Or rather, Zhuang Huayang’s question immediately involved Li Tianlan into this story.

“You’ve already said he is my father. Standing in my shoes, how can I have any thought about it? Should I be like all the others and believe that he betrayed his country?”

Li Tianlan showed no expression of astonishment, only staring at Zhuang Huayang with cold eyes.

Zhuang Huayang gave out a faint smile and said in an easy way, “I understand that you have resentment. But don’t take it on me. In fact, my old boss and I are the ones who have been insisting on the investigation of that case of treason. Were it not for our insistence, the case would have long been settled and closed once and for all.”

Li Tianlan had no clue about the rank of Zhuang Huayang’s old boss. However, undoubtedly, this should be the subject for today’s conversation.

Li Tianlan glanced over Zhuang Huayang thoughtfully, squinted his eyes and asked in a low voice, “Then should I ask about the background of Mr. President, or which group you come from?”

“Shall we continue the story?”

Zhuang Huayang didn’t give a direct answer, but looked at Li Tianlan and smiled.

Li Tianlan nodded and said, “All right.”

“Perhaps it’s hard for you to understand how mighty the Southeast Group was twenty years ago. Let’s have a look at the situation of Zhongzhou State. Whichever group is in power, it will become extremely powerful during its ruling period. It’s almost twenty years since the Southeast Group was in power last time, yet it is still one of the most powerful groups in Zhongzhou State. Even though it has left the highest position, and even though it has been affected by the case of treason, the Southeast Group is not completely defeated. From that you can see its tenacity and the rare gifts and bold strategy from the Patriarch of the Wang family of Beihai.”

Zhuang Huayang explained slowly, “Generally speaking, the power of the Southeast Group has been reduced in recent years. But at present, it has totally held its ground.”

“Ten years ago, the big boss of the Southeast Group retired and the Zhongzhou State was controlled by the Prince Group ever. Judging from the situation then, if the Wang family of Beihai and Xuanyuantai of Kunlun were at their height of power and splendors, the Prince Group, even though it came to power, couldn’t escape the fate of being only a puppet. Luckily, at that time, Xuanyuantai had become the past. Several years later, the turbulence caused by the case of treason came to an end and the curtain fell. Kunlun City began to rise in Zhongzhou State. After coming to power, the Prince Group maintained great relationship with the Kunlun City. Even to this day, the Prince Group has steadied its advantages and become a colossus which could stand side by side with the Southeast Group.”

“So?”

Li Tianlan had already formed his own conjecture in mind, but he couldn’t help asking it.

“So, the next topic will be sensitive. I can’t speak, even to you. What you have guessed in mind is basically the situation right now.”

Zhuang Huayang snickered. His words were already very obvious. Unless Li Tianlan was a fool, he could definitely understand his intention.

Li Tianlan also remained silent.

Zhuang Huayang’s remark was very clear, especially the word puppet, which was obviously a hint of something. Many years ago, the mighty Southeast Group and the uprising Prince Group must have quite a few conflicts. Especially for the Prince Group, being a puppet was definitely not what it wanted to see.

Under such circumstances, it was entirely reasonable for the Prince Group to strike back in advance at the end of the Southeast Group’s reign.

Besides, the result showed that the Prince Group must have used the original Xuanyuantai of Kunlun as the breakthrough of its counterattack.

All that Zhuang Huayang had said was almost as if to explicitly tell him that his father’s case of treason was a counterattack from the Prince Group because it was unwilling to become a puppet. Today’s Kunlun City had served as a accomplice.

Li Tianlan closed his eyes. He suddenly felt a little worn out. If all these were true, to investigate the case of treason at that time and bring the Li family back into the power structure of the Zhongzhou State, he had to go against not only the Wang family of Beihai, but also the Prince Group and the Kunlun City.

He took a deep breath. There seemed to be three invisible mountains pressing against his back, making it even harder to breath.

“If that is true, why not investigate it?”

Li Tianlan kept silent for a while and then asked again. If his father was framed by the Prince Group and the Kunlun City for treason, it would be possible to find something in the investigation at that time when there were still many clues. But when the case was put off till today, many clues should have been cut off.

“Who would carry out the investigation?”

Zhuang Huayang said meaningfully, “Tianlan, why wouldn’t your grandpa leave the border even now? Don’t you know the reason? My old boss has invited your grandpa in person not just once.”

Li Tianlan immediately thought about Ye Dongsheng from Youzhou, who went to the border to invite his grandpa in person not long ago. But obviously, Ye Dongsheng and Zhuang Huayang had nothing in common. This was because Li Honghe said clearly that the reason why Ye Dongsheng wanted to reverse the verdict for his son and welcomed him back to the capital was that the other party didn’t know that he had a grandson.

Now, Zhuang Huayang obviously didn’t mind his existence.

Li Tianlan thought for a while and laughed bitterly. Why wouldn’t his grandpa leave the border? Without a doubt, if they left, not only the Kunlun City and the Prince Group would pick on them like mad, even the Wang family of Beihai wouldn’t welcome them back.

The old boss supporting Zhuang Huayang must belong to another group. He might not have nothing in plan when inviting his grandpa. Similarly, Zhuang Huayang came to talk with him about this not necessarily because he saw they live a hard life and pitied them. The purpose of his talking about this and his old boss’ inviting his grandpa was to take advantage of the Li family.

The situation that the Li family faced here was indeed more dangerous than staying in the border.

Given this dynamic, the Wang family of Beihai, the Prince Group and the Kunlun City were all standing on the opposite side of the Li family. The Li family had declined, and none of the three forces would be interested in reinvestigating details of the case of treason then, because they all obtained what they had wanted.

Li Tianlan quickly calmed down. Different from his grandpa, he was alone in Huating. If he could get what he wanted, he wouldn’t mind being taken advantage of at all. Faced with Zhuang Huayang’s hint, he squinted and asked directly, “What do you want me to do?”

“Join us.”

Zhuang Huayang was straight and said with a smile.

“How can I join you when I’m not yet clear about your background?”

Li Tianlan chuckled in a low voice, his face easy and calm.

“Let me briefly enlighten you on the current situation of Zhongzhou State.”

Zhuang Huayang stood up, handed another cigarette to Li Tianlan and began, “There are six groups in Zhongzhou State now: the Southeast Group, the Prince Group and the Special Warfare Group represented by the Kunlun City, are already familiar to you. Besides that, there’re the Giant Group of Zhongzhou State represented by the East City family, the North Group based on the northern cities, and us, the last one. Since a lot of people among us have attended the Zhongzhou State College, we are jokingly called the Academics, also the current ruling group.”

The Southeast Group, the Prince Group, the Special Warfare Group, the Giant Group, the North Group and the Academics.

Li Tianlan quickly organized his thoughts and asked peacefully, “Why choose me?”

“Our original choice is your grandpa.”

Zhuang Huayang helplessly squeezed a bitter smile, “Even now, he is still our best choice. But clearly, he didn’t have much interest in this. To be content with the second best, we chose you.”

“You have both the Wind and Thunder Veins. As long as you do not slack off, you are sure to enter the Invincible Realm when you grow up. This kind of potential is worth of our investment.”

“Currently, we have little influence in the Special Warfare System – very little. I’m the only expert who can handle an extraordinary situation in the Academics. However, my condition is on the decline and I can’t hold on for too long. Among the experts from the younger generation, Qin Ke is fine. But she probably can’t make it into the Invincible Realm. So, we chose you, hoping that after entering into the Invincible Realm, you can help us get our influence in the Special Warfare System back.”

Li Tianlan took a few long drags on the cigarette. When the cigarette was about to be burnt out, he raised his head and looked at Zhuang Huayang seriously, “Is this the decision made by the entire Academics?”

“I’ve already talked with our chief on the phone.”

Zhuang Huayang said in a peaceful voice.

The Academics was the ruling group of Zhongzhou State. It was self-evident who the chief in Zhuang Huayang’s words indicated.

“How much time do I have?”

Li Tianlan asked again. This was a key question for him.

“Ten years.”

Zhuang Huayang’s words grew serious, “The chief will retire after probably the time of one term. Within ten years, the Academics will enjoy its peak stage. After this period, the situation will become difficult, which means our plan fails.”

A plan of ten years!

Li Tianlan blew a mouthful of smoke, got out of bed and came to the window.

Within his view, the vast sea was rising and falling with loud howls. The ups and downs of the tides never cease.

Li Tianlan clenched his fists and asked without even turning back his head, “What can I get from this?”

“Freedom.”

“Freedom?”

“Freedom.”

Zhuang Huayang said earnestly, “You won’t become our dependent. If you can get into the Invincible Realm within ten years, you will become the most reliable ally of the Academics! Within the next 10 years, so long as your performance satisfies us, likewise, our aid will please you as well.”

“These terms are unbelievably generous.”

Li Tianlan laughed as he looked toward the sea.

Zhuang Huayang wished to speak but stopped as he thought about something. Finally, he said, “There’re some other reasons which are inconvenient for me to say at the moment. You will know sooner or later.”

“It looks like I don’t have a reason to reject.”

Li Tianlan turned back and faced Zhuang Huayang.

“If that’s the case,”

Zhuang Huayang smiled and offered his hand, “Comrade Li Tianlan, from now on, we are from the same side.”

Comrade, instead of student.

Li Tianlan narrowed his eyes a little and offered his hand, having a firm handshake with Zhuang Huayang.

“Let me mention something coincidental.”

Zhuang Huayang suddenly laughed, “In the recent twenty years, there would be a big event in Zhongzhou State for every five years.”

“Twenty years ago, your father betrayed the country, and the Patriarch of the Wang family of Beihai died of an illness.”

“Fifteen years ago, the Patriarch of the Wang family of Beihai killed Tianling, an Invincible Realm expert of the Tianling Organization, with a shot from the fierce soldiers of Human Emperor.”

“Ten years ago, one of the four gods in Zhongzhou State, the hidden god of Situ Cangyue, killed Liu Tianqing, an Invincible Realm expert in Zhongzhou State.”

“Five years ago, the big elder of the Kunlun City, Gu Qianchuan, successfully entered the Invincible Realm. Huating was also blatantly taken by the Prince Group from the hands of the Wang family of Beihai.”

“Now another five years is coming. Who knows what will happen? We can skip these five years. Hopefully, in the next ten years, every big event we hear about will be related to you.”

He let go of Li Tianlan’s hand, patted his shoulder and walked directly to the door, “Have a good rest. I’ll take my leave.”

Li Tianlan stared at Zhuang Huayang’s back. The second the other’s body was about to go through the door, he suddenly asked, “Who’s the current Patriarch of the Wang family of Beihai?”

Zhuang Huayang’s body paused a little, and then he said calmly, “It was Wang Yuetong’s father, the master of Human Emperor, Wang Tianzong.”

He waited for a second and continued, “He is also the number one elite martial artist in Zhongzhou State.”