Edict of Peace 103
Chapter 103: Entering the Array, Meeting the Qilin
The military officer’s expression faltered slightly, a great relief washing over him. He hadn’t expected this young man sent by the Xue family to be so upright, saving him a lot of trouble. He hurriedly said, “Good, good, then I’ll write it that way.”
The martial artist’s son lying on the ground roared, “I don’t need your pity!”
The leader struggled to his feet, saying, “I’ll also go to the Qilin Pavilion!”
“I’ll bear my own guilt!”
These were the sons of martial families, after all; some were naturally defiant and spirited. With someone taking the lead, the rest gritted their teeth. Facing disgrace was preferable to guarding the cold and desolate imperial palaces; more importantly, they weren’t mere wastrels.
They were truly capable young military officers, only planning to come because of Yu Wen Lie’s words.
Li Guanyi suddenly spun around, delivering a powerful kick. The young man’s face changed, his arms crossing to block the blow. His martial arts were quite good, but he didn’t employ any internal energy, sword energy, or blade techniques.
Relying solely on his physical strength, he was no match for Li Guanyi in a single exchange.
He was sent flying back two zhang (approximately 6 meters), his hands trembling as he glared at the youth, gritting his teeth. Li Guanyi supported himself with one hand on his sword, his aunt’s teachings flowing through him. An air of noble pride graced his features as he calmly stated, “I will bear responsibility for my actions. You…”
“Humph.”
“Losers have no right to speak.”
“If you’re not satisfied, come again next month for another duel!”
The martial artist son caught his breath.
Even after being struck by Li Guanyi’s powerful kick, he managed to get back up.
Sitting upright, his eyes still defiant, but merely showing dissatisfaction, he said, “Good! This month, you win. Next month, we fight again. If I win, I’ll accept the punishment and guard the Qilin Palace!”
The faces of those around him changed. “This…Young General…”
The man looked only seventeen or eighteen years old. He waved a hand, silencing the others.
His gaze was fixed on his peer.
Li Guanyi knew he’d passed this test.
It wasn’t about being sent to the Qilin Palace; it was about these martial artist’s sons seeking trouble. By winning, he chose to accept the Jinwu Guard’s punishment and go to the Qilin Palace, making it seem natural and avoiding suspicion.
After all, most officials knew that Emperor Chen intended to use Li Guanyi as a whetstone to hone the martial artist sons, and Yu Wen Lie’s words were a kind of backhanded praise.
It was only natural for these martial artist sons to seek him out.
Li Guanyi turned, his hand resting on his sword, his back to the others. Then he extended his right hand, pointing at the young man, pausing before suddenly pointing downwards.
“Then…”
He replied, “I’ll wait for you to lose again!”
These martial artist sons were almost furious, but even as they gritted their teeth, they couldn’t help but shout “Good!” at his bearing.
The young martial artist steadied himself, shouting, “Li Guanyi!”
“Next time, we will guard the Qilin Palace!”
“Remember that!”
The military officer and the other Jinwu Guards, seasoned veterans who had spent years going through the motions, suddenly froze. Looking at these bruised and swollen youths shouting defiantly, their initial reaction was one of disbelief.
They felt a daze, a sense of absurdity. Why would these people willingly guard such a dull, unrewarding palace?
They looked at their bruised, swearing, yet spirited faces.
They subconsciously touched their own faces.
They only felt rough skin and a thick beard.
For some reason, a feeling of suffocation welled up within them.
They turned their heads and cursed, “They’re mad.”
“They actually want to compete for the post of guarding the Qilin Palace.”
But they understood that it wasn’t about the post; it was a matter of pride for these young men.
The military officer lowered his head, picking up the report. He recalled the faint tiger’s roar he’d sensed earlier. Though unseen, a genuine sense of fear lingered. He had originally planned to fabricate the events, but Li Guanyi was, after all, sent by Imperial Concubine Xue.
He honestly recorded everything.
Including the martial artist sons’ provocation.
And how Li Guanyi single-handedly defeated nine sons of martial families.
Among them were the eldest son of the Zhenwei General, the second son of the Longxiangwei General, the son of an imperial princess, and a distant nephew of the current emperor. The strongest among them was the son of the deputy commander of the Chen Kingdom’s Ye Chi Cavalry, the young man who had spoken first and was addressed as Young General.
The Ye Chi Cavalry was one of the nation’s strongest armies.
Along with the Tie Futou and Hu Man Cavalry, they were known as the three great iron cavalry of the land.
The commander of such an army was invariably a member of the imperial family, making the deputy commander the actual leader of the Ye Chi Cavalry.
They represented almost the cream of the crop of the younger generation of Chen Kingdom’s martial families.
Yet they were defeated by a youth from an outsider’s family.
The military officer faithfully recorded everything.
Including what his wife had told and asked him to do.
He dutifully submitted it to the higher-ups of the Jinwu Guard, only to be scoffed at by a Yulin Zhonglang General (a high-ranking officer of the imperial guard), who said that he was shrewd, wanting to offend no one. He understood that a mere military officer was often at the mercy of others. The report was tossed back with a scolding, “Go be a bridegroom! This matter ends here.”
Elder Xue heard about Li Guanyi’s handling of the situation and laughed heartily while drinking, not angry at all. He merely patted Li Guanyi on the shoulder and said cheerfully, “Next time, keep beating them. These guys are like that—only when you beat them do they respect you.”
“You have to beat them into submission before they’ll listen to reason.”
“But the Qilin Palace, you really want to guard it?”
Li Guanyi said, “I’ll take responsibility for my own actions.”
“A promise once made, cannot be broken.”
Xue Daoyong nodded. “The Qilin Palace…is the most complex of the seven forbidden palaces in the imperial palace. It’s said that the emperor gathered sorcerers from all over the land, paying them handsomely to come to Chen Kingdom, after which these sorcerers disappeared. If they’re not dead, they must be in the Qilin Palace.”
“These sorcerers, each possessed their own skills, combining physical prowess and sorcery.”
“There are many taboos. You must be careful while serving in the Qilin Palace.”
Li Guanyi nodded.
Afterward, a strange quiet fell upon the various martial families. Those martial artist sons, originally planning to beat Li Guanyi thoroughly before returning to the Ye Chi Cavalry, now remained in the Jinwu Guard, undergoing rigorous training.
They were simmering with anger, eager for another fight with Li Guanyi.
During a banquet held for them, a martial artist son flatteringly remarked:
“I hear that the son of that Xue family outsider dared to challenge several Young Generals, and was sent to suffer in the Qilin Palace. What a foolhardy frog! An insignificant outsider dares to challenge those who have rendered illustrious service to our great Chen Kingdom!”
The martial artist who had been beaten earlier was drinking and, upon hearing this, hurled a wine jar, shouting:
“Who are you calling a frog?!”
The one who was beaten stammered, “I, I was talking about him.”
The memory of the beating spurred the young man to anger. He instinctively picked up a nearby stool and hurled it. Fights among martial artist sons in the capital were nothing new, but this time, the scale was significant.
They were at a banquet with their own group, so they could still control themselves.
But another group of nobles from the neighbouring table started to taunt them saying, “You’ve trained since you were young, yet you’re no match for your peers. Did you hone your martial arts in brothels?” The nine men, enraged, lacking their swords, grabbed the stools and took down over thirty men before regaining confidence in their fighting prowess.
The son of the Ye Chi Cavalry’s deputy commander raised his wine jar and drank deeply.
The one who habitually hurled stools, Zhou Liuyin, continued to rage:
“Damn it, he beat us.”
“He’s a frog, what are we?”
“What are we?”
“Are you saying we’re not even as good as frog dung?!”
The martial family noble stammered, “I didn’t say frog dung…”
“You dare talk back!”
With a backhand swing, another stool flew, knocking the man unconscious.
Zhou Liuyin suddenly found this readily available weapon intensely satisfying.
The son of the Ye Chi Cavalry’s deputy commander put down his wine jar and looked at the other martial artists who had joined the ranks of Chancellor Dantái Xiànmíng’s faction. He said:
“Remember this.”
“Next month, we’ll challenge that Li Guanyi again!”
“Before that, I don’t want to hear anyone speak ill of him!”
“If there is, I, Ye Buyí, don’t mind having a good fight with them!”
This seventeen or eighteen-year-old was tall and had a calm gaze. He wielded a long horizontal sword with ease, could perform acrobatic feats on horseback, was skilled in archery, could shoot accurately within a hundred paces, could ride a fast horse, and could cleave through triple-layered armor in high-speed chases. He was considered an outstanding young martial artist of Chen.
If not for Yu Wen Lie’s words that day, igniting his pride, he wouldn’t have come to the Jinwu Guard.
But Li Guanyi’s strength was incredibly great.
It was like those recorded in history books—a fierce general capable of leading the charge.
Fights in the palace were forbidden, and using internal energy was even worse. Nine men couldn’t subdue one; it was truly frustrating.
He leaned against a window of the restaurant drinking when he saw a young man in blue, a sword at his waist, riding a枣红色(dark reddish-brown) horse passing by. Ye Buyí sneered, hesitated, and then said, “Li Guanyi!”
He raised his wine jar, awkwardly saying, “The scenery and wine here are excellent.”
“It’s just that I don’t have anyone to drink with.”
“Would you like to share a jar?”
Li Guanyi raised his whip, pointing ahead, saying, “I’m going to the Taoist temple to read.”
Ye Buyí sneered, believing the man who had single-handedly defeated nine of them was lying.
Li Guanyi thought for a moment and said, “However, if you have sweet, but not overly sweet, pastries…”
“Please give me one.”
So Ye Buyí sat by the window, cursing, “Sweet, but not too sweet?”
“Why are your requirements so high?”
Then he turned and shouted, “Didn’t you hear me?! Go get it!”
Finally, Ye Buyí threw a silk-wrapped package downstairs, Li Guanyi caught it and hung it on the side of the dark reddish-brown horse. He waved to the upstairs without saying anything and rode away. Ye Buyí didn’t say anything either, just drank his wine.
That was their interaction for that period.
And Ye Buyí called them friends.
Li Guanyi pondered and then agreed.
Though friends, they would still fight.
After entering the Qilin Palace, Li Guanyi initially fulfilled his duties quietly and diligently. He would stand guard during the day, and in his free time, he would go to the Taoist temple to study formations with Zu Wenyuan, never causing trouble.
The guards under the Jinwu Guard who were stationed at the Qilin Palace all knew that this new Jinwu Guard was sent there after fighting with the other guards. They thought he had a bad temper and were on edge for days, only slowly discovering that he was simply quiet and didn’t talk much. While on guard duty, he usually practiced in his room and didn’t like to be disturbed.
He had lost his temper once.
So the guards did not bother him. Fortunately, he was very easy to get along with otherwise.
One day, Li Guanyi reported for duty, performing his routine tasks of guarding the Qilin Palace. He went to the quiet garden to practice, the other guards scattering, not daring to disturb him. Li Guanyi closed his eyes for a long time, sensing the absence of anyone approaching, he exhaled.
He opened his eyes.
The time had come.
He had bided his time for several days, waiting for everyone to accept his personality and habits. At this point, all the guards would think he was cultivating and would not come near; while the Jinwu Guards would think he was a proud young master.
Li Guanyi could determine, through the changes in the Four Images Sealing Spirit Array, that the person guarding the eye of the array was absent.
Every day, he would leave at this time, returning an hour later.
This period was his opportunity.
A subtle energy emanated from Li Guanyi’s eyes, able to perceive changes in Qi. The Four Images Sealing Spirit Array unfolded in his perception. He was no longer the confused and bewildered youth who first encountered this array.
He found his way.
Then he found the eye of the array, the momentary change in the array’s trajectory brushing against his temple.
This was a variant developed by Yao Guang and him.
This array involved Yin and Yang, Five Elements, astrology, and mathematical principles. Li Guanyi could see the remnants of those who had attempted the array in the past, even some bones. These seemed to be traces left by those who had challenged the array over the past ten years; because of the array’s danger, even the palace maids dared not enter to clean it.
However, to Li Guanyi, this dangerous array was like a leisurely stroll.
He walked through the outer garden and pavilions.
Then he entered the palace, avoiding a deadly spot where thunder would strike due to the flow of Yin and Yang and Five Elements. Then he held his breath, taking a step forward, stepping onto that very deadly spot. The moment his foot landed, that deadly spot transformed into life, while the rest became deadly.
Finally, Li Guanyi reached the inner part of the array.
It only took him the time it takes to brew a cup of tea.
The Qilin had been trapped for ten years.
Li Guanyi raised his hand, gently placing it on the large red carved wooden door, pausing before slowly pushing it open. A scorching energy rushed towards him, momentarily blinding him. Slowly, he adapted to the brightness and was then stunned.
The Four Symbols formed the array.
But inside, the Five Elements were also circulating, and at the innermost part, a Yin and Yang diagram was constantly revolving.
There were eight massive pillars.
Bronze pillars requiring three people to embrace, positioned according to the Bagua (eight trigrams), each engraved with runes. The palace floor was dug out into a downward depression.
The Qilin was locked in the middle.
However, it was different from Li Guanyi’s expectations. In his impression, the Qilin was a majestic and powerful divine beast, but what he saw now was a dilapidated creature, its body entangled in chains. One of the Qilin’s horns was broken, and its scales were enveloped in flames.
But when the flames flowed, one could see countless sword marks on the Qilin’s scales.
Only its eyes, a pair of crimson-gold eyes, still held divine majesty.
Its voice was low, “Jinwu Guards…”
“Humph, are you finally sending troops to kill me?”
The chains clanged as the Qilin struggled to stand, its gaze icy.
Then it saw the Jinwu Guard wearing a helmet and face mask, who sat down before it. The guard placed his sword aside, and the array began to loosen gradually.
The Qilin’s killing intent suddenly paused.
It saw the Jinwu Guard extend a hand, touching the golden face mask.
Then the mask was lifted, revealing a tear mole at the corner of the eye, and a somewhat familiar face.
‘Hey, it’s me, I’m called Li Wanli.’
The Qilin froze, its eyes widening. In a daze, it seemed to see, from that time, the youth who had taken off his mask, smiling triumphantly, reaching out to it. In the sunlight, that face gradually blurred, gradually transforming into the youth before it. Li Guanyi sat in front of the Qilin, putting the mask back down.
In its most desperate moment, it encountered the son of an old friend.
The Qilin was lost, it vaguely felt as if a great dream was about to end, as if that person was still alive, would smile and speak to it. The present and past intertwined.
The boy softly spoke, and it felt as if he heard a familiar voice from the past.
‘Hey, Qilin!’
“I’m here.”
(End of Chapter)
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