416 Mediocre Saints

"In fact, there are times when even I don't understand how I could beget suchan excellent child as Qiushan." The Qiushan clan head gazed out the window atMount Li which was still not too far away. "Just like how the entire continentdoesn't understand how a stupid thing like Xu Shiji somehow managed to givebirth to Xu Yourong." Saying these words, he paused, then said in a much heavier tone, "Of course,Xu Shiji is inferior to me." The Qiushan clan Guardian knew what he was speaking of and nodded his head."He's much more inferior than Clan Head." The Qiushan clan head's eyebrows flew up. He didn't seem at all like thattowering figure who so decisively struck out, just a proud and simple father.He said, "From the moment my son's blood awoke, I was doing my utmost tocultivate and study, willing to learn anything. I wanted to catch up to him,and not drag him down. It seems to me now that I've just barely accomplishedit." The smile on the Qiushan clan Guardian's face was very sincere, and one couldeven make out a sense of admiration—the Qiushan clan head had originally beenthe south's most famous dandy, so many years ago, when the old ancestor of theQiushan clan had decided to hand down the clan to the current clan head, he wassimilarly as uncomprehending as Qiushan Jun. It must be known that at the time,he was already an upper level Star Condensation expert. In addition, in termsof generations, he was an uncle. In every aspect, it should have been him thatwas put in charge of the Qiushan clan. Later on, when Qiushan Jun was born andhis true dragon blood was awakened, he believed that the old ancestor had madehis decision back then based on this and no longer became angry or thought itunfair. He still looked down upon the clan head at the time, thinking that hewas just a good-for-nothing that achieved success only because of his son.However, he had long since stopped holding this view. Because to everyone’ssurprise, after Qiushan Jun's blood awakened, the Qiushan clan head suddenlyseemed to become a different person. From that day on, he no longer went out tobrothels or horse riding, but rather began to energetically study and cultivate. At that time, the Qiushan clan head was already a middle-aged man. For a middle-aged man who had wasted half his life to suddenly begin workingwith diligence and drive, just what sort of willpower and determination didthat require? Just what sort of price needed to be paid? Without even asking,the answer was evident. But he really did manage to accomplish it. In thoseten-odd years where Qiushan Jun went from learning how to babble out his firstwords to learning the sword at the glorious Mount Li, he had also been silentlyprogressing from the initial level of Ethereal Opening to the upper level ofStar Condensation. Although it did not seem very equal on the face of it, inreality, it was much more difficult. What sort of reason had driven him to accomplish such an unimaginable feat?Just as he had said, he did not possess the talent or blood of Qiushan Jun andfound it impossible to keep up with his son's footsteps. However, he hoped toget as strong as he possibly could so that he would at least not impede hisson's footsteps. "Hopefully, Qiushan will be able to quickly understand the clan head's pains,”the Guardian looked at the edge of the window and said sincerely. The Qiushan clan head calmly replied, "Even if he never knows, so what?" The Guardian said, "But today's events will eventually have all sorts ofeffects." The Qiushan clan head looked out the window at that famous mountain of thesouth. After a long period of silence, he said, "Correct, today's actions atMount Li truly have produced quite a lot of problems. This was because I didnot think that Qiushan was actually this sort of child." The Guardian was also silent for a few moments, then asked, "Clan head, whatdid you originally think then?" This was something that he, and even all the trusted aides of the Qiushanclan, were truly very curious about. Because over the past few years, theQiushan clan had secretly done many things for Qiushan Jun's sake, things whichnot even Qiushan Jun necessarily knew about. "I originally thought that since he was my son, he would presumably be verysimilar to me. To view it from another angle, I originally thought that thisworld could not possibly have a person as perfect as my son, so his perfectionwas naturally faked." The Qiushan clan head gave an indescribable smile. "So I believed…my son was ahypocrite. Thus, I secretly did many things; to say that they were completelyunscrupulous would not be inaccurate. It was all so that I could give him asolid foundation to match with his reputation in the world, all for that oneday in the future when he finally makes his appearance before the populace andbares his true ambitions." "Such as that time where you went to the capital to propose?" "Correct. I originally thought that since he wanted to marry Xu Yourong butalso didn't want to bear any bad reputation from forcing her, he purposelycalculated the time and went to steal the key to the Garden of Zhou from thedemons. I'm his father, so it's only natural that I help him settle thismatter." The Qiushan clan head continued, "Another example is this time. I believedthat he was faking his injuries so as to not be involved. Simultaneously, hegave my Qiushan clan the opportunity to raise a few difficult questions. Thisscheme could be considered perfect. Who could have imagined that it wasactually I that thought wrong." "I believed my son to be a hypocrite. I didn't think that he would actually bea true hero." He looked out the window at Mount Li and smiled. "Only, is there a father thatdoesn't hope for their son to be a true hero? It's just that it's easy to diewhen you're a hero. Then it's fine that this father continues to commitunspeakable deeds, continues to play the part of the hypocrite, in order toensure that this hero lives. Some day in the future when the entire continentlearns of my vile actions, he is required to put justice before family, and Ithen die at his hands…you see, this is such a perfect story." After listening to these words, a boundless sorrow bloomed in the Guardian'sheart. He thought to himself,the clan head really is the world's mostextraordinary father. His love towards Qiushan Jun was so selfless that it wasactually selfish, so fierce that it inspired fear in others. Anyone that wouldblock Qiushan Jun, that would prevent his progress along this most magnificentriver of stars, would be eliminated by the Qiushan clan head. And everyone knewthat the only person on the continent who had barely enough qualifications tobe discussed on the same level as Qiushan Jun was called Chen Changsheng. The Guardian began to sympathize with Chen Changsheng's future miserablesufferings. Of course, that young Principal of the Orthodox Academy would first have tosurvive and leave Xunyang City. "With one of the Eight Storms taking action, Su Li will absolutely die, butChen Changsheng will inevitably survive." The Qiushan clan head continued, "That youth's background is too deep and hisorigins somewhat mysterious. Not even the Holy Maiden Peak could completelyclear it up. The Divine Empress has still not said anything and Zhou Tong hasnot moved. Naturally, I will not take the initiative." Mount Li was an extraordinary place. Liang Xiaoxiao had used his own death tokill others. On the other hand, his Eldest Brother Qiushan Jun had used his ownlife to save others. It was often the case that this sort of person did noteasily die. Chen Changsheng was also this way because he had always been saving others.The rain pouring down over Xunyang City was so cold. Perhaps for this reason,his face was somewhat pale. His drenched clothes were pockmarked with holespunched by a sword, but there was not much blood because the rain had washed itall away. Liu Qing possessed an ordinary and unremarkable face, an ordinary andunremarkable sword, and used an ordinary and unremarkable sword technique. Buthe possessed the unimaginable cultivation of the upper level of StarCondensation. As the world's third-ranked assassin, every one of his blows was as cold asice. Chen Changsheng had bathed in dragon blood, but he still could not block thiscold sword. In this brief span of time, he had used the Yeshi Step together with the lastmove of the Mount Li Sword Style to block six consecutive blows of Liu Qing'ssword, simultaneously obtaining six bloody holes on his body. The sword did not pierce too deep, but it was very painful. Thankfully, theblood that flowed out had no scent. Just like this battle, it was completelytasteless. If Liu Qing's movement techniques were even more strange, his sword wouldstill find it impossible to stab into Su Li, only able to pierce into ChenChangsheng's body. Because Chen Changsheng's sword was very resolute, very desperate, and so veryfast. Just like that sword that Qiushan Jun had stabbed into his own abdomen at thepeak of Mount Li. He looked at Liu Qing, his face pale, and with seriousness in each word,declared, "I will not let you pass."