That Man Is Back!

"Divine intent! He has surely formed divine intent!" Ning Heyuan could hardly describe what he was feeling. Just a few days ago, he had told Huang Tian that he was still young and that it wouldn't matter if it took him years or even decades to comprehend divine intent. Who could have imagined that after merely a few days, his divine intent had already formed! With eyes full of envy, Yan Zhong said, "Once divine intent is formed, one only needs to polish his vital blood and true qi to perfection to break through to the realm of Celestial Being. Today, we have borne witness in advance to the birth of a mighty Celestial Being!!" Ji Fan let out a groan of disbelief. "Assistant Commissioner Huang is only at Rank Three, right? Has there ever been a precedent in the world of a Rank Three martial artist comprehending divine intent?" The two fell silent. Though neither spoke, silence in this moment was the best answer. Throughout history, there had never been a precedent of a martial artist comprehending divine intent at Rank Three; otherwise, the history books and chronicles of notable figures would certainly have recorded it. *Whoosh—* At this moment, seeing the three of them return to normal, the Fourth Prince finally felt at ease enough to fly down. In bewilderment, he asked, "May I ask what just happened? Why were you, Governor Ning, and the others..." "Assistant Commissioner Huang has comprehended divine intent." "Ah?!" The Fourth Prince stood dazed for a long while. "Is it the divine intent I'm thinking of?!" Ning Heyuan nodded. "Indeed. The greatest threshold dividing mortals from Celestial Beings has already been crossed by Assistant Commissioner Huang!" As he spoke, he sighed with emotion. "That divine intent was like the lofty heavens and firmament! Facing it felt truly like ten thousand blades piercing through one's body, or bearing the crushing weight of heaven itself—vast purple qi, majestic and boundless!" "Lofty heavens? Purple qi?" Ji Fan was stunned. "What I saw was clearly fire! An endless divine flame within a furnace, incinerating all things in the world, somewhat resembling the Chief Commander's Great Sun Patrolling the Heavens." Hearing the descriptions of the two, Yan Zhong was dumbfounded. "Did you feel correctly? What I clearly saw was a netherworld realm, seeming to have countless souls walking through it, along with a colossal halo of light. As the souls of all things passed through that halo, it was like undergoing reincarnation, with all manner of creation and destruction faintly visible." With those words spoken, all of them stared wide-eyed. "What is going on? Could it be we were not seeing the same divine intent?" Ning Heyuan asked, baffled. Ji Fan ventured a guess. "Perhaps Assistant Commissioner Huang's divine intent is too immense, so each of us only glimpsed a single layer?" Yan Zhong pondered. "It should be so. Just like a world, having high heavens, earth, lakes, and seas..." Hearing this, Ning Heyuan grew even more confused. "Is there anyone in this world whose divine intent could be as vast as heaven and earth? As far as I know, the Chief Commander's divine intent is a great sun hanging high in the sky, without simultaneously encompassing visions of rivers and earth. "And as for other Celestial Beings, their divine intent falls far short of even the great sun—some are snow-capped peaks, some towering divine trees, some vast deserts..." For Celestial Beings, the loftier and more magnificent the conception behind the manifestation of divine intent, the stronger it generally was. Of course, this also meant that comprehending such divine intent was correspondingly more difficult. Take Wan Shenyang's Great Sun Patrolling the Heavens, for example: it suppressed all darkness and evil spirits, standing among the topmost ranks of divine intent. It was precisely by virtue of this divine intent that upon breaking through, he was immediately able to overpower many veteran Celestial Beings. However, such divine intent was exceedingly difficult to comprehend; none dared attempt to coalesce it unless possessed of superhuman comprehension. In a sense, divine intent was like the Golden Core of the profound path: some formed inferior Golden Cores, while others formed superior Golden Cores. The Great Sun Patrolling the Heavens counted as superior! As for Huang Tian's... The three fell silent once more. Meanwhile, the Fourth Prince had still not recovered from his shock, his head buzzing. *Bang!* Suddenly, the courtyard door swung open, and Huang Tian walked out. He wore a faint smile, his eyes deep and fathomless, his entire being exuding a profoundly wondrous aura. "Brother Huang!" "Assistant Commissioner Huang!" The group hurriedly bowed in greeting. Then, Ning Heyuan tentatively asked, "Brother Huang, have you coalesced divine intent?" Huang Tian nodded slightly. "Yes." However, that wasn't entirely accurate. In truth, his divine intent was not considered complete—or rather, it was overly complete. The former was because his envisioned Cycle of the Five Elements had not yet reached total fruition, with only Lingxiao Heaven, Tushita Heaven, and Samsara Heaven having taken shape so far. The latter was because every single one of his forms had nurtured an exceptionally powerful divine intent, any of which could be used to breach the divide between mortals and Celestial Beings! *Hiss—* Even though they had already been practically certain that Huang Tian had nurtured divine intent, hearing him confirm it with his own lips still sent a shock through them. Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, Ning Heyuan smiled and said, "Once divine intent is formed, the gate to becoming a Celestial Being swings wide. I hereby congratulate Brother Huang in advance on the completion of your Grand Dao!" Ji Fan and Yan Zhong likewise offered their congratulations with faces full of envy, and the Fourth Prince finally snapped out of it, restraining his surging emotions as he heaped praise and felicitations upon him. Huang Tian glanced at the Fourth Prince. "And this is..." Ning Heyuan lightly slapped his own forehead. "I was so excited that I forgot to introduce you. This is His Highness, the Fourth Prince of our Great Gan." The Fourth Prince hastily said, "No need for titles like 'Your Highness.' My name is Shen Chuan. Assistant Commissioner Huang may simply address me by my name." Huang Tian thought for a moment. "How about I call you Brother Shen?" "Splendid! Splendid!" Shen Chuan said with delight. To be addressed as a friend by a future Celestial Being was a tremendous honor for him. After chuckling several times, he remembered his purpose and said, "I came this time on my Imperial Father's orders to deliver a promotion token to you, Brother Huang." He drew a purple token from his sleeve and handed it to Huang Tian. Huang Tian took it in hand. The token was lustrous and jade-like, with the character "Huang" inscribed at its center. "From this moment forth, Brother Huang, you are a Commander of the Qin Province Martial Restraint Guard!" Shen Chuan announced. Within a single province, there could exist two Commanders simultaneously. One held a nominal post, akin to an enshrinee or venerated elder of a great clan; under normal circumstances, they had no administrative duties and simply drew a stipend, stepping up only at critical junctures. The other was the actual governing official of the office, wielding immense power and prestige, but burdened with myriad administrative affairs. Huang Tian's appointment as Commander was similar to the former kind, merely holding the title nominally. Of course, if he wished to take up an active post, all he needed to do was send word to the Imperial Capital, and he would immediately receive substantive authority. Furthermore, Qin Province was currently in a very unique situation. The incumbent Commander had been dispatched to Yong Province to provide support and had yet to return; predictably, he would not be returning within the next month or two either. Therefore, at present, Huang Tian held the highest rank in the Qin Province Martial Restraint Guard. So long as he was willing, subordinate Vice Commanders, Assistant Commissioners, and the like would all have to obey his orders, making him no different from an official holding the actual post. "Speaking of which, Brother Huang, you have emerged from seclusion at just the right time. A major event just took place in Kunyun Commandery, and Brother Yan, Commander Ji, the Fourth Prince, and I were just discussing how to respond." Ning Heyuan swiftly recounted the appearance of the armament master in Kunyun Commandery. "Now that an armament master has appeared, martial artists from across the provinces will inevitably swarm in. Kunyun could indeed descend into great chaos." Huang Tian's brows arched slightly upon hearing the situation. "Brother Ning, since you cannot pull yourself away, I shall go. It just so happens that it's been some time since I last returned to the commandery seat." Ning Heyuan said joyfully, "With Brother Huang holding down the fort, nothing will go wrong in Kunyun!" "Commander Ji and I are willing to travel alongside Brother Huang," Shen Chuan chimed in at an opportune moment. "I have two wind eagles. Riding atop them, they can cover ten thousand li in a single day. We can reach Kunyun Commandery City in little over two hours." Huang Tian nodded. "The sooner we reach the commandery city, the better." Yan Zhong said, "Since Brother Huang and Commander Ji are both heading to Kunyun, then Brother Ning and I shall remain to guard the provincial capital. However, I will dispatch another eight thousand soldiers of the Black Armor Army to Kunyun to help suppress the situation." Eight thousand elites of the Black Armor Army, coordinated by a Rank Two Grandmaster, could barely contend against a Rank One Grandmaster! In other words, Kunyun would have three Rank One combat forces stationed there—well, whether Huang Tian could be counted as a mere Rank One combat force was a matter of opinion... After deciding on reinforcing Kunyun, everyone set into action. Ning Heyuan sent men to dispatch messages by carrier eagle to the Imperial Capital to seek further reinforcements; Yan Zhong hurried back to the military camp to muster the troops; Huang Tian took stock of his medicinal pills. Meanwhile, Shen Chuan found Princess Jingning, his expression glowing with excitement. "Jingning, do you know what just happened?!" Surprised that her usually calm and steady fourth brother was so agitated, Princess Jingning shook her head. Shen Chuan recounted everything that had just occurred. "Assistant Commissioner Huang—no, Commander Huang—is even more talented than we ever imagined! To comprehend divine intent at Rank Three is something that has never happened throughout all of history! Even the Chief Commander couldn't accomplish that back then!" "He comprehended divine intent?!" Princess Jingning's almond eyes went wide. Born of the imperial family, she naturally knew that comprehending divine intent meant that so long as one didn't die prematurely, becoming a Celestial Being was all but guaranteed! "Indeed!" Shen Chuan marveled. "Rank Three, yet he has already comprehended divine intent, and extraordinary divine intent at that! Once he steps into the realm of Celestial Being, he will instantly become a titan among Celestial Beings—perhaps scarcely inferior to the Chief Commander himself!" With that, he sighed with regret. "Unfortunately, an armament master has appeared in Kunyun, and chaos looms on the horizon. Huang Tian must return to hold the line at Kunyun Commandery City, so you won't have much of a chance to spend time together." Princess Jingning replied, "I can go to Kunyun as well." Shen Chuan hesitated. "Kunyun will not know peace in the coming days. If you go..." "Why worry about my safety, Fourth Brother? Not only do I have all of you around, but I am, after all, a Rank Five martial artist. I still have the ability to protect myself." As a daughter of Emperor Gan, although Princess Jingning's talent was only average, she had never lacked martial resources. Consuming all manner of precious pills and spirit herbs from a young age, she had already entered Rank Five. Even if her combat experience was somewhat lacking, facing Rank Six or lower martial artists was still well within her abilities. Shen Chuan pondered for a moment. "Very well. You may come with us to Kunyun. But remember, you must not act rashly, nor may you leave the commandery city. If there is an urgent matter that truly requires you to leave the city, you must inform me beforehand so I can arrange guards for you." Princess Jingning smiled. "Don't worry, Fourth Brother. I am not some foolish maiden out of a storybook who rushes toward wherever danger lies." Shen Chuan chuckled wryly. Indeed, his sixth sister had always been intelligent, gentle, and measured in her actions. How could she possibly put herself in harm's way? "I was worrying over nothing. Go pack your things now; we depart immediately!" "Alright." About two quarters of an hour later, the four of them—Huang Tian, Ji Fan, Shen Chuan, and Princess Jingning—were seated across the two wind eagles. With a flap of their wings, the two wind eagles caught the wind and soared into the high sky, one following the other. Sitting on the leading wind eagle, Princess Jingning could not resist glancing back at Huang Tian. Seeing his dashing appearance and composed, steady gaze, she felt a surge of fondness mingled with a trace of inferiority. *Even if I accompany them to Kunyun and spend a little more time with him, would an exceptional figure like Huang Tian ever look favorably upon me?* Had Huang Tian merely been a prodigy, no matter how dazzlingly brilliant, Princess Jingning would not have felt inadequate. But his current strength already qualified him as the strongest beneath the realm of Celestial Being, and the most difficult barrier between Rank One and Celestial Being—divine intent—had already been conquered by him. Becoming a Celestial Being was just around the corner! In Great Gan, a Celestial Being carried more weight than even the Emperor! And she was merely a princess; the disparity in their status and standing was simply too vast. *No, there is no need to overthink it. Just as Fourth Brother said, let everything take its natural course; nothing can be forced. My insistence on following them to Kunyun is already pressing my luck once. Going forward, I must keep my distance and maintain propriety, lest I earn his disdain...* With countless thoughts swirling in her mind, Princess Jingning withdrew her gaze, lowering her eyes as she resumed her usual serene composure. *Whoosh, whoosh—* After the wind eagles flew for just over two hours, a sprawling city came into view in the distance. Kunyun Commandery City, absent for three months, was finally reached. "Let's head straight into the Martial Restraint Guard government office," Huang Tian spoke up. "Very well." Shen Chuan and Ji Fan guided the wind eagles downward toward the Martial Restraint Guard government office in the city. "Look at the size of those two eagles!" "There seem to be people riding on the eagles' backs!" "There really are people! They're flying down! Flying toward the Martial Restraint Guard government office!" "I see clearly now—one of them is Assistant Commissioner Huang Tian! He actually came back!" "An armament master appeared in our Kunyun; how could he not return? Even if he doesn't vie for the divine armament, keeping the situation under control still requires him!" "Indeed! That armament master only appeared two days ago, and already the commandery city, outside the walls, and neighboring commanderies are all in utter chaos! Jianghu martial artists bearing sabers and swords are everywhere, unsettling everyone's peace!" "Heh, with Assistant Commissioner Huang holding the fort in the commandery city, let's see who dares act wild in the city! Rank Three? Rank Two? Even Rank Ones will get slaughtered!" "Now that Assistant Commissioner Huang is here, peaceful days are back!" "..." Within the commandery city, many commoners and low-rank martial artists possessed good self-awareness; they harbored no covetous desires toward the legendary Void Realm divine armament. Their only wish was for that armament master to leave Kunyun soon, lest it draw combative, lawless jianghu rogue practitioners to disrupt order in the city. Unfortunately, things did not go as hoped. In just two days, over a thousand jianghu martial artists had flooded into the city, sending the atmosphere taut with tension. Fortunately! That man was back! *Whoosh—* A gust of wind swept in all directions, kicking up a cloud of dust as the two wind eagles landed on a sizable open lot within the government office grounds. Huang Tian stepped down from the eagle's back and looked up. Yu Jingcheng, Bai Yuanfu, Xia Hong, Tie Qi, and others were all present. Catching sight of Huang Tian, each and every one of them was overjoyed. "Assistant Commissioner, you're finally back!" Tie Qi patted his shiny bald head, grinning broadly. Shen Chuan chuckled. "You shouldn't be calling him Assistant Commissioner anymore. You should address him as Commander." Everyone froze upon hearing this. It wasn't that they doubted Huang Tian could become Commander—with his strength, it was only a matter of time. They just hadn't expected this day to arrive so quickly! Huang Tian introduced the identities and origins of Shen Chuan, Princess Jingning, and Ji Fan. Once introductions were complete, Yu Jingcheng and the others hurried to salute them respectfully, then turned to salute Huang Tian with immense excitement, shouting in unison: "Greetings, Commander!!" "We are all old acquaintances; there is no need for such ceremony." Only then did they rise, each face wreathed in smiles, exuding warmth and a shared sense of pride. Soon, the news that Huang Tian had become a Commander of Qin Province spread throughout the commandery's Martial Restraint Guard government office and the Guard Academy. The place erupted in excitement, filled with laughter and cheerful chatter—a festive atmosphere all around!