Returning after 10000 Years Cultivation - Chapter 165

Jiang Tian waved for everyone to leave, but Old Master Tang stayed behind. He bowed respectfully with his hands clasped and said, “Grandmaster Jiang, this old man has an impertinent request. I must still beg you to condescend and honor us by providing some guidance to the War Dragon team.”

“As far as I know, the War Dragon team is under the General Staff Department, and their base should be in Yanjing, right?” Jiang Tian peeled an orange for Qing’er and fed it to her, then asked with a furrowed brow.

“Correct!”

“That makes it difficult!” Jiang Tian clicked his tongue, shaking his head with a bitter smile. “To be honest, I wouldn’t mind offering some guidance to War Dragon. But you know, Qing’er can’t bear to be apart from me for even a single day! Linzhou and Yanjing are so far apart; Qing’er wouldn’t be able to handle the longing!”

“Jiang Tian, don’t use me as your excuse if you just want to be lazy!” Zhao Xueqing’s beautiful face was a mix of amusement and exasperation.

Under Old Master Tang’s amused gaze, a blush like rouge gradually spread across her delicate cheeks. She pinched the muscle on Jiang Tian’s waist and scolded, “Stop joking around. This is an important matter; how can you treat it so lightly? Hurry up and agree to Old Master Tang’s request!”

Qing’er actually hoped Jiang Tian would accept Old Master Tang’s invitation. An old saying goes, “Regret telling one’s husband to seek a title,” meaning that when men achieve great success, they often grow tired of the old and favor the new, abandoning their wives of humble origins. But Qing’er wasn’t the least bit worried about that. She trusted Jiang Tian completely now and didn’t want to hinder his career. This was, after all, the position of Chief Instructor for the War Dragon team.

Besides, the Tang family had been immensely supportive of them as a couple. Especially the 20-billion-yuan military order, which had directly elevated Zhao’s Pharmaceuticals to an unimaginable level.

“Yanjing… I can’t go there at this time…” A barely perceptible cold gleam flashed in Jiang Tian’s eyes. He stroked his chin and said, “At least, not right now.”

He recalled the girl from his previous life who had torn up their marriage agreement. Back then, she was as unattainable as a star in the sky, looking down on him from a great height. She had done everything possible to humiliate him, bringing shame upon the entire Jiang family.

To be fair, Jiang Tian wasn’t some stubborn traditionalist. He didn’t strongly believe in arranged marriages based solely on parents’ wishes, nor did he feel he absolutely had to marry a girl he had only met a few times. But no matter what, she shouldn’t have publicly called off the engagement at a major gathering of powerful families in Jinling!

This wasn’t just about Jiang Tian losing face; it brought shame upon the entire Jiang family, making them a laughingstock in Jinling. If it were only a matter of pride, it might have been bearable. But the repercussions of that event were far-reaching. In fact, when the three great families of Jinling later attacked the Jiang family, a significant reason was their belief that the Jiang family had offended powerful influences and thus was an easy target.

So, it could be said that family, and that broken engagement incident, were indirect causes of the collective attacks the Jiang family suffered.

From the day Jiang Tian returned, he had sworn to himself that one day, he would crush that Yanjing family and return the humiliation they had inflicted a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand times over.

Jiang Tian feared that if he went to Yanjing now, he might not be able to control his emotions and would simply wipe out that entire family. But he didn’t want to resort directly to indiscriminate slaughter. After all, the most painful slap is the silent one, the one that leaves your face swollen.

“In that case, I can have Hongtu communicate with War Dragon and have them set up a training base within the Lingnan Military Region!” Old Master Tang pondered for a moment, then suddenly clapped his hands. “If Grandmaster Jiang is willing to instruct them, what difficulty is there in that?”

“Alright, that works.” Jiang Tian smiled slightly. “However, there’s one condition: I will not hold any official position within War Dragon. I will only participate as an external consultant.”

“Ah, Grandmaster Jiang, do you really despise the system that much?” Tang Guozhu was momentarily stunned, unsure whether to admire Jiang Tian’s character or to sigh with concern.

“Otherwise, I won’t agree.” Jiang Tian’s face was calm and relaxed. He contentedly ate a piece of chilled watermelon, looking utterly at ease.

“Fine, I won’t press you further, Grandmaster Jiang. I’ll discuss this matter with Hongtu.” Old Master Tang finally nodded in agreement.

Jiang Tian hadn’t expected War Dragon to prepare so quickly. Just a few days later, Old Master Tang arrived excitedly with Tang Linglong in tow.

“Master! War Dragon has fully agreed to your proposal. They’ve already built a new training base in the Lingnan Military Region! All the team members have been transferred there. They’re just waiting for you to go and provide guidance!” Tang Linglong bounded over, hugged Jiang Tian’s arm, and said coquettishly, “Master, please take me with you!”

“You’re not a member of War Dragon. Why would you go?” Jiang Tian patted the young girl’s head, then gently pushed her away to create some distance.

Linzhou was a coastal city. Even in early winter, there was no hint of chill in the air. The young woman was wearing a black, pure cotton, long-sleeved T-shirt with a slightly fitted, waist-cinching design that accentuated her slender waist and well-developed chest, even revealing a daring glimpse of fair skin. Below, she wore beige casual pants that hugged her hips, outlining a graceful, curvaceous silhouette.

The girl was already twenty years old, a blooming age, becoming more and more mature. Even though they had a master-disciple relationship and Jiang Tian himself had a tranquil heart, unmoved by such thoughts, he didn’t want Qing’er to see and potentially feel uncomfortable.

“Of course I’m going! Hmph, this time I’m going to beat those instructors so badly their noses are crooked!” Tang Linglong, oblivious to his thoughts, waved her delicate fist, wrinkled her nose, gritted her teeth, and put on a fierce expression.

“Heh, Linglong, don’t be so reckless!” Old Master Tang shot Tang Linglong a glare, then explained to Jiang Tian, “Linglong was formerly a member of the ‘Fierce Tigers’ and once participated in War Dragon’s selection process, but she was eliminated. She was so angry she quit the military. But all these years, she’s been holding a grudge.”

“Oh, I see…” Jiang Tian said with a faint smile.

Back then, Tang Linglong was only at the early Iron Body stage, not even a true martial artist. How could she compare to War Dragon? Her level at the time truly fell short.

“Grandmaster Jiang, then you should set off as soon as possible?” Old Master Tang urged with a smile.

“Alright. I’ve already made lunch for Qing’er. We can leave.” Jiang Tian glanced fondly at the familiar plants and scenery of his home, then stood up cheerfully. After finishing the meal preparations, they set off for Yangcheng.

That afternoon, Jiang Tian and Tang Linglong arrived in Yangcheng and checked into a five-star hotel.

“Linglong, weren’t we supposed to go directly to the camp? Why are we staying at a hotel?” Jiang Tian was also puzzled by this.

“Ugh, don’t even mention it. My… my grandfather has an old comrade-in-arms, and that comrade has a grandson… I have to go on a blind date with him!” Mentioning this matter, Tang Linglong was utterly frustrated. Her face flushed red with embarrassment, and she pouted, stomping her foot in irritation.

She had always had a free-spirited, unrestrained personality and hated things like blind dates, feeling they were too restrictive. Especially after becoming Jiang Tian’s disciple, she felt all the men in the world were vulgar and unremarkable, not even worth one of her master’s leg hairs.

But this old comrade-in-arms had fought alongside Old Master Tang, had even taken a bullet for him. The two families were extremely close, and this marriage arrangement had been decided when she was just a child. Now, Old Master Tang couldn’t bring himself to refuse and insisted that Tang Linglong meet the other party. Whether it worked out or not, they needed a clear answer.

“Oh, I see. Linglong is all grown up now, about to get married!” Jiang Tian wore a kindly expression, looking at her almost like a daughter.

“Master, please don’t bring this up, okay?” Tang Linglong’s eyes reddened, and she suddenly felt a sourness in her heart.

She thought wistfully, It’s a pity my parents had me a few years too late. If I were the same age as Sister Qing’er, I would have been the one to go on a blind date with Jiang Tian. Back then, he was unloved by his uncles and aunts, considered crazy and foolish, so naturally, no one wanted him. But I, with my discerning eye, would have seen his extraordinary nature. I would have married him, taken care of his daily life, and loved him dearly. If one day he met Sister Qing’er and she also liked him, he would only say, ‘You are very good, but my heart belongs to my wife, Linglong! I can only take you as my disciple.’ Then, I would also care for her deeply and call her ‘Little Sister Qing’er.’

“Okay, I won’t mention it. I won’t say anymore.” Not knowing what had touched the girl’s heart, Jiang Tian quickly raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, his gaze full of affection. Then he added, in an older, more experienced tone, “I won’t interfere in you young people’s affairs.”

After Jiang Tian had meditated and cultivated for a while in the hotel room, Tang Linglong came over from the neighboring room, looking somewhat embarrassed. “Master, he’s here. He’s waiting in the restaurant downstairs.”

“Oh, then you should go,” Jiang Tian said indifferently.

“Master, come with me!”

“It’s your blind date. Why would I tag along as a third wheel?” Jiang Tian frowned.

“A teacher for a day is a father for a lifetime. Since my dad isn’t here, you have to screen him for me!” Tang Linglong insisted, unwilling to take no for an answer.

“Alright then, but I’m going to make sure I eat my fill at his expense!” Jiang Tian could only smile helplessly and stand up.

He figured that girls probably felt nervous on their first blind date and wanted a familiar face nearby for a sense of security.

When they arrived at the restaurant downstairs, a tall, rather handsome young man stood up to greet them. He was holding a bouquet of bright red roses and said with a smile, “Linglong, these are for you.”

Tang Linglong gave an awkward smile but accepted them anyway. “Mingfei, you’re too kind.”

Seeing Tang Linglong holding Jiang Tian’s arm in a familiar manner, a cold glint flashed deep in Tie Mingfei’s eyes, but he forced a smile and asked, “Linglong, and who is this?”

Jiang Tian, wanting to avoid any misunderstanding that might affect their interaction, quickly introduced himself. “Oh, I’m Linglong’s master, surnamed Jiang. I provide her with some guidance in martial arts.”

Tie Mingfei was skeptical. He’s so young, how can he be Tang Linglong’s master? And they’re so familiar… Could he be her… boytoy?

Despite his thoughts, his face remained neutral. He proactively extended his hand and said with a smile, “Instructor Jiang, pleased to meet you.”

“Likewise.” Jiang Tian smiled faintly and shook his hand.

At that moment, Tie Mingfei suddenly exerted force, gripping Jiang Tian’s hand tightly, intending to teach him a lesson. He was a member of the Fierce Tigers, renowned as a ‘King of Soldiers,’ with cultivation at the peak of the Iron Body stage. If an ordinary person received such a grip, their bones would likely fracture or snap.

Sensing the force, Jiang Tian used a technique akin to the ‘Melting Palm,’ instantly making his hand as soft as mud. He also cooperatively let out a cry of surprise, “Ow!”

Tie Mingfei lightly released his grip and said with a proud smile, “Instructor Jiang, it seems your hand techniques are somewhat lacking!”

Jiang Tian rubbed his hand for a moment and sat down. He couldn’t be bothered to argue, simply saying meaningfully, “Mingfei, you are truly impressive. I finally understand the saying, ‘Beyond the mountains, there are higher mountains; beyond the skies, there are higher skies.'”

Tang Linglong, clever and perceptive, immediately realized Tie Mingfei had been testing Jiang Tian’s strength. She flared up in anger, threw the roses on the ground, and shouted sharply, “Tie Mingfei, that’s enough! Your strength isn’t even one ten-thousandth of my Master’s! If you continue to be this disrespectful, get out of here!”