Tian Shao didn't even know what kind of overwhelming excitement he was feeling as he left. Throughout the entire journey, he didn't utter a single word, yet inside his heart, a storm of emotion was raging.
Once back in the Royal Capital, he dismissed all of the Dragon Tooth Guard and said to Tang Long, "Tang Long, come with me for a moment."
Tang Long had always been promoted under Tian Shao's patronage, so naturally he obeyed every word. He followed Tian Shao toward a secret chamber within the Dragon Tooth Guard headquarters.
Seeing Tian Shao's so solemn expression, Tang Long felt a vague sense of unease. He knew that having destroyed the Pursuit of Fate Dark Gate, they could no longer survive in the Tiangui Kingdom.
Retirement was the only path left to them.
Once the chamber door was shut, Tian Shao looked around carefully before setting up a sound-isolation barrier. Then, using a voice-transmission technique, he said to Tang Long, "Xiao Tang, do you remember how you made it to where you are today?"
Tang Long was taken aback, then nodded. "It was because I was patrolling the border and met Chen Shao, that great benefactor. Later, with your promotion, Steward, I was able to reach this point."
Tian Shao smiled bitterly. "How I got here is really the same — all because of Chen Shao."
Tang Long fell silent. It wasn't his place to comment on his superior's affairs. But seeing Tian Shao so grave, actually using voice transmission, he sensed something unusual.
"Steward, what exactly happened?"
Tian Shao took out that Storage Ring and began pulling out enormous quantities of treasures, one after another.
"Is… is this from that lord for the Steward?"
"Yes. It's for the two of us." Tian Shao looked more carefully and realized everything had been divided into two portions — clearly one for him and one for Tang Long.
These were all things Jiang Chen no longer had any use for. But for Tang Long and Tian Shao, every single one was a priceless treasure.
Pills, Wood Spirit Spring essence, the blood of the Scarlet-Scaled Fire Lizard, its bones, all manner of weapons and equipment, talismans, and over a hundred million Origin Spirit Stones…
It was practically a treasure vault.
"How can there be so much? And there's a share for me too?" Tang Long's face was full of disbelief.
Tian Shao smiled bitterly. "Xiao Tang, do you know who that lord is?"
Tang Long froze, but didn't answer. A strange light flickered in his eyes. Connecting it to Tian Shao's earlier question, something suddenly clicked in his mind. "It's Chen Shao?"
Seeing that Tang Long had figured it out, Tian Shao nodded with a smile. "That's right. It's Chen Shao. He told me everything via voice transmission. He said these things are to be split between us."
Tang Long's eyes reddened instantly. "Chen Shao… Chen Shao! Wonderful, Chen Shao is really okay! I knew it — I said Chen Shao is a genius, there was absolutely no way something happened to him. This is the best news I've heard in years. Chen Shao… he's already a Saint-level genius!"
"Probably even more than just Saint level. Chen Shao also said he's going to destroy the Pursuit of Fate Dark Gate."
"What? Destroy the Pursuit of Fate Dark Gate?" Tang Long stammered. "Chen Shao… by himself? Against the entire Dark Gate?"
Tian Shao also found it hard to believe, but he'd thought it through more carefully than Tang Long. "Ever since Chen Shao first stepped onto the stage, has there ever been a single thing he's done without being certain of success?"
That did remind Tang Long. After thinking it over carefully, it really was true.
"Chen Shao also told us to be patient — as long as we're alive, there's always hope. It seems Chen Shao's ambitions are vast. Perhaps one day he'll restore the Myriad Phenomena Region and drive all these damn bandits out." Tian Shao's voice was thick with emotion.
Tang Long's face was beaming with joy. "That day will definitely come. Chen Shao's talent is unparalleled. The Undying Heavenly Capital has been hunting him for ages and hasn't even touched a single hair on his head. I believe Chen Shao will definitely make his comeback."
"Mm. Chen Shao gave us all these treasures to make us stronger, so we can be ready to welcome that day."
Tian Shao's tone grew passionate. "Everything we have today is because of Chen Shao. So we must keep his secret — even if it costs us our lives, we can never leak anything about him. Xiao Tang, you must remember this."
Tang Long nodded solemnly. "Don't worry. Even if I were about to die this very moment, I would never betray Chen Shao. Oh — should we tell His Majesty about this?"
Tian Shao sighed softly and shook his head. "Chen Shao probably doesn't want His Majesty to know yet. The Tiangui Kingdom still needs His Majesty to hold it together. Standing in His Majesty's position, he can't leave, couldn't leave even if he wanted to, and wouldn't leave regardless."
Tang Long nodded. "But if we leave, won't His Majesty be even more alone?"
"We have to leave. If we don't, we might even drag His Majesty down. His Majesty has endured so much humiliation over the years — perhaps this is also a test from Chen Shao." Tian Shao thought more deeply about it than Tang Long.
The mind of a ruler — even Tian Shao couldn't be sure. Though Chen Shao and His Majesty had once been as close as brothers, after everything that had happened, whether His Majesty still felt the same way toward Chen Shao, Tian Shao simply couldn't say.
So it was better not to tell His Majesty about Chen Shao.
"Xiao Tang, make your preparations. We'll go take our leave from His Majesty shortly," Tian Shao instructed.
"Will His Majesty agree?" Tang Long didn't really want to serve anymore either. All these years, the reason he'd stayed wasn't out of loyalty to His Majesty — it was out of loyalty to Tian Shao.
Since Tian Shao was leaving, Tang Long would naturally follow him.