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    Edict of Peace 121

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    Chapter 121: Martial Dao Legend, Immortal Invincible Skill

    Looking at the waterproof pouch, untouched, Li Guanyi yearned to open it immediately.

    Yet, he remained calm and controlled, carefully opening it. He stuffed the scroll into the gaps between his armor and clothes, placed the potions into a waterskin and hung it from his waist. He wrapped the pouch containing the stones and threw it into the well. Having finished all this, Li Guanyi lingered for a while, naturally relieving himself before returning.

    His timing was perfect; no one suspected anything.

    He spent the rest of his time discussing martial arts with Ye Buyi.

    But when it was time to change shifts, Li Guanyi saw Situ Deqing again.

    This individual, using the alias Si Qing and secretly working in the palace’s library, the tenth most skilled assassin in the land, was still dressed in his usual dark green official uniform. He habitually bowed, greeting Li Guanyi proactively. “It’s Sir Li. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

    Other sons of martial families had been to the library due to their fathers’ or brothers’ positions. Therefore, they recognized the librarian.

    Si Qing smiled gently, saying, “I have yet to see someone cultivate the *Wanyong Jin* (Vast Ocean Fist). I wonder if our Chen Kingdom’s secret *Wanyong Jin* can withstand Yu Qianfeng’s Crimson Dragon Fist. I also know a little medicine; may I take a look?”

    This was the second time. Li Guanyi’s heart stirred slightly; he extended his hand, “Then I would be grateful for your assistance.”

    Situ Deqing placed a hand on his wrist.

    He sensed that the Crimson Dragon Fist within the young man’s body was much calmer, but he didn’t detect the hidden inner force he had left behind. He hesitated, suppressing his instinctive urge to look at Li Guanyi, merely furrowing his brow in thought.

    Strange, strange, the inner force has disappeared…

    Could it be that the inner force left behind earlier was too weak?

    The attempt at concealment resulted in insufficient power.

    Was it perhaps refined and absorbed by the *Wanyong Jin*?

    A domineering martial artist would have already attacked, but Situ Deqing, a seasoned assassin, was naturally cautious. After considering, he opted for a more conservative approach, silently implanting ten times more inner energy into the young man’s body.

    He pondered for a moment, then transferred even more energy until he was on the verge of being discovered.

    Then he released his hand.

    A gentle and humble smile graced his face. “Sir Li’s cultivation has made significant progress.”

    “The Crimson Dragon Fist is much calmer, but I’d like to boldly remind you: ”

    “Remain vigilant.”

    Li Guanyi pretended to be unconcerned, “With such an extraordinary skill, what is the Crimson Dragon Fist?”

    Situ Deqing only offered a wry smile.

    The Imperial Guards dispersed, having shared food and drink, then returned to their respective homes. Li Guanyi did not drink, nor did he rush on horseback. Returning to his courtyard, he immediately ran to his own room and shut the door.

    He sat cross-legged, breathing deeply, and activated the *Six Emptinesses Four Harmonies Divine Skill*, absorbing the inner energy Situ Deqing had left behind. This surge of inner energy was far stronger than before, subtly refined and powerful. Li Guanyi spent a full hour before completely refining it.

    He cursed the old man a few times.

    He threw a punch, then paused slightly.

    He felt that the power behind his punch had increased by at least 20%.

    The characteristic of the *Six Emptinesses Four Harmonies Divine Skill* was to harness and refine foreign True Qi; it couldn’t transform this into his own cultivation base. However, all inner energy, in the end, is refined from pure celestial energy. The *Six Emptinesses Four Harmonies Divine Skill* strips away the unique properties.

    What remained was pure vital energy refined by a high-level martial artist.

    For Li Guanyi, it was akin to a powerful tonic.

    The pure energy from the tenth most skilled assassin in the land.

    At least it saved him a hundred days of cultivation.

    Li Guanyi clenched his fist and struck, feeling his second level of cultivation solidify directly. His inner energy was sufficient to impact his eye acupoint, or perhaps the first chakra. At this moment, Li Guanyi suddenly realized something.

    Forced by the Princess to read many books, he now had an exceptional understanding of the cultivation methods from the second to third level.

    The Central Plains martial arts system’s upright Nine Aperture System strengthens the body, enhances perception and reflexes, dramatically improving killing efficiency and combat instincts; whereas the Western Regions’ Seven Chakra System grants unique abilities with each breakthrough.

    While they ultimately converge at the fourth level, the second and third levels have distinct combat characteristics.

    Central Plains martial arts emphasizes long-range vision, great strength, strong perception, rapid reflexes; even eating dirt sustains life, and immunity to most poisons is granted. Poisons that are fatal to ordinary people are merely a mild upset stomach for a third-level Central Plains martial artist;

    Western Regions martial arts is erratic and unpredictable. A punch can shift unexpectedly left or right, inner energy possessing burning heat. It can confuse the mind and offers water and fire control at the second level.

    Li Guanyi rubbed his temples. What would be the best first acupoint to strike?

    For a martial artist, the first step determines the path ahead. Eyes represent eyesight and reflexes, while the mouth and nose represent internal organs and blood. Li Guanyi pondered, feeling that he should seek another meeting with the Princess.

    Considering the advice of Princess Chen Qingyan, Elder Xue, and Chen Chengbi, he would proceed with this step.

    Seven chakras, nine apertures – could he have both?

    Li Guanyi hoped Situ Deqing would provide him with more refined energy, but he suspected Situ Deqing’s attitude would become increasingly aggressive. If a small amount of inner energy was ineffective, he would send a larger amount; once he discovered the inner energy couldn’t harm Li Guanyi, he would act personally.

    Li Guanyi considered all these things, then took out the objects hidden within his armor: several books, a letter, and many vials and jars. Though Li Guanyi knew some medicine, the alchemist Hou Zhongyu and Li Guanyi pursued different paths.

    He cautiously tested the contents of one vial.

    It took him about half an hour.

    Eventually, he understood most of it.

    Several vials contained a substance that could corrode rock and iron.

    Li Guanyi suspected it was an extremely potent acid; iron visibly bubbled, emitting a pungent white vapor. Even a martial artist’s tough skin couldn’t withstand this stuff on their face.

    Another was a potent poison. Li Guanyi tested it on a snake, and the snake immediately collapsed.

    A different powder, upon contact, dissolved flesh and bone into blood water within two breaths.

    Slowly, even the color drained, leaving only water behind.

    Li Guanyi twitched his eye.

    He recalled his battle with Hou Zhongyu, the alchemist constantly throwing vials from his belt. If Li Guanyi hadn’t been agile, he would have been hit. Armor melting to the skin, then being hit by that stuff – death would have been certain.

    There was also a vial of anesthetic. Li Guanyi closed the vial the moment he opened it; half his body went numb, taking several breaths to recover.

    There were also several vials of healing and Qi-restoring pills.

    Li Guanyi could tell from the scent alone that they contained top-grade ingredients fit for tribute. These pills were incredibly effective, but Li Guanyi knew he couldn’t take them. High-level cultivators have refined stomachs, livers, and kidneys, possessing strong abilities to absorb medicinal power and neutralize toxins.

    He would likely be poisoned instantly if he took them.

    They weren’t the level of the Eternal Moon Undying Medicine.

    Eighty years of refining removed the toxicity, but even so, without a body of jade-like muscle and bone and the battle-hardened training with Hou Zhongyu, the Tiger’s Roar Bone Forging Skill and the Four Images Sealing Spirit Array’s enhancement, Li Guanyi would have been slowed to a sluggish state by the medicinal power.

    Li Guanyi transferred the pills to new porcelain vials for carrying.

    The letter was yellowed, the writing elegant. Li Guanyi paused as he read; this wasn’t from Hou Zhongyu, but rather, from his teacher’s records – yet for some reason, Hou Zhongyu kept it.

    It was a letter from Hou Zhongyu’s teacher to a friend.

    ‘Brother Zhou, upon receiving this letter…’

    ‘I have left my master and taken my master’s techniques with me. Upon reflection, only by entering the Chen royal family can I avoid being killed by my master. It is not that I betray my master’s grace; it is that my master, ever since that day he met that man in the green robe, has changed day and night, becoming increasingly mad.’

    ‘I heard the words of the man in the green robe. His words were about accumulating the power of the people to enhance an individual’s capabilities. It sounds terrifying, yet every word pointed to the Great Dao. When I occasionally woke up, I found my inner force moved as the man in green robe had said; I am terrified.’

    ‘My master’s actions have become increasingly strange, even to the point of drinking the blood of living people at noon to cultivate – something I have seen with my own eyes, greatly terrifying me. We alchemists are not members of the Three Sects, nor are we orthodox Daoist Xuanzong (Mysterious Lineage); we walk the middle ground between good and evil, with only one taboo.’

    ‘It is said: one must not overdo things; one must not overindulge in good, nor exhaust evil.’

    ‘Pure good is the Dao, pure evil is a tyrant.’

    ‘We merely seek a skill, know “stopping”, understand “sufficiency”.’

    ‘My master’s actions I can no longer tolerate. I stole his scriptures and classics while he was cultivating at midnight. When I opened them, I found that the techniques are unrestrained and wanton, and I became unconsciously addicted; yet I was terrified and afraid, sweating profusely. I wanted to burn them, but could not bring myself to do it.’

    ‘I hope that by hiding in the palace, I can dissipate the malevolence of this technique.’

    ‘That day, the man in the green robe only talked with my master for one night, but I would need at least sixty years to dispel this malevolence. Looking at the style, it is unrestrained and domineering; I’m afraid it is one of the three legendary martial arts figures in those elusive江湖 rumors.’

    ‘There were legends about this person when my father was young, and I am now thirty.’

    ‘Yet, he remains exactly as the legends describe?’

    ‘I see that he only has gray hair at the temples, yet his demeanor is unrestrained.’

    ‘Could it be that cultivation in this world can truly prolong life?’

    ‘Can one truly achieve immortality?’

    Li Guanyi saw the letter end abruptly. He suddenly understood Hou Zhongyu’s persistence and yearning, and the reason for keeping the letter. Li Guanyi scanned the letter, murmuring to himself: “Three legendary martial artists…”

    He thought of the *Huangji Scripture* he was cultivating. His ancestor had mentioned it being a martial arts legend, but his ancestor had spoken of four martial arts legends. It seemed this letter was several decades or even a century old.

    Martial arts legends…

    One who guided the current foremost expert in mathematics;

    One who terrified a cultivator of an immortality medicine so much that they fled during the night.

    Li Guanyi silently recorded the names of these two.

    Then he put away the letter and opened the books.

    One was Hou Zhongyu’s record. Li Guanyi found the ratios for the pills. Another was on breathing exercises and basic alchemical cultivation techniques; it did not contain the techniques Li Guanyi craved, but he didn’t mind.

    He knew that keeping these things was a hazard.

    He recorded the formulas and breathing exercises, then lit a fire and tossed the books into the flames, aiming for a clean sweep. White paper ignites easily; the flames shot up high. But then Li Guanyi noticed something was wrong.

    As the flames burned, the books did not completely incinerate. They glowed brightly in the firelight. Li Guanyi’s expression changed. He grabbed a nearby water basin and doused the fire. The books were no longer paper; they were made of an unknown metal.

    Li Guanyi was overjoyed. After they cooled, he picked up the books and scanned them.

    The words seemed to be engraved by needles. One was a technique, meticulously recorded. Li Guanyi read: “*Eternal Moon Undying Divine Physique*?” This was the technique Hou Zhongyu cultivated – the method his teacher spent sixty years refining to remove its maddening malevolence.

    It came from one of the legendary martial artists, the man in the green robe.

    Li Guanyi scanned it, finding it tightly bound to vitality, proposing the consumption of large quantities of meat, and pursuing Daoist refinement of essence into Qi. But in normal circumstances, martial artists’ cultivation of vital energy and absorption of medicinal power are either integrated into the body or expelled.

    This technique can transform medicinal power and essence into “vitality.”

    Then a golden elixir condenses in the dantian.

    Like a great medicine within the body.

    It’s the body’s own source of refined energy and vitality; when injured, it can instantly restore injuries. Theoretically, if this golden elixir is fully refined, it’s possible to trade injury for death; it could achieve immortality.

    Li Guanyi finally understood why Hou Zhongyu was so hard to kill.

    The man had cultivated a golden elixir in his heart, accumulating countless years of vitality.

    Li Guanyi suddenly connected this to Hou Zhongyu’s teacher’s letter, and felt a sudden shock.

    “That legendary martial artist sought the path of ‘accumulating the power of the people into a single body.’ Coupled with Hou Zhongyu’s teacher’s account of his teacher drinking blood at midnight, this skill originally likely involved consuming flesh and blood to maintain existence.”

    “Bloody and cruel, yet directly targeting immortality.”

    “That’s why Hou Zhongyu’s teacher said he felt both fear and longing, unconsciously starting to cultivate it – because alchemists all have the desire for immortality.”

    “It seems, this legendary martial artist was a domineering and self-willed character.”

    But the alchemist spent sixty years transforming this technique, which required drinking the blood of living people and consuming their life force, into a technique that accumulates one’s own vitality for later use, likely incorporating elements of the immortality medicine.

    The alchemist had compassion and empathy.

    Alas, he is deceased.

    Li Guanyi looked at the book. His Azure Bird Law Physique appeared. The Azure Bird, which embodies the vitality of wood, seemed highly interested in the technique. It flew in the air, seemingly more sentient than Li Guanyi’s other Law Physique, actively fanning its wings to turn the pages.

    Li Guanyi was curious.

    It seemed each Law Physique had a corresponding divine skill.

    As one cultivates these divine skills, the corresponding Law Physique would change.

    The Crimson Dragon’s burning force, the White Tiger’s armor-breaking power, the Xuanwu’s (Black Tortoise) affinity for profound Daoist rhyme.

    Counting them, only the Azure Bird lacked a corresponding divine skill.

    It seemed this one completed the set. Li Guanyi wondered if cultivating this technique would bring about a change – a divine skill corresponding to each of the Four Symbols…

    Li Guanyi opened the other book – Hou Zhongyu’s records.

    ‘Failure, failure. The blood of the Fire Qilin (Fire Qilin) simply won’t work.’

    ‘I’ve decided to take a gamble. I am recording my legacy here. If I die, others might succeed me. I now know why the Fire Qilin couldn’t create the elixir of immortality. The flames are too violent, representing destruction within the Five Elements, not the auspicious Qilin, but a god of slaughter like the White Tiger.’

    ‘Using violent fire to seek immortality is like bathing in magma.’

    ‘The Chen ancestors were fools.’

    ‘Only earth is capable of bearing all things. Using its blood, one can attain immortality.’

    ‘I’ve found a marvelous method. If I can obtain Mountain Marrow, a spiritual treasure of the earth, and refine it, I can transform the Fire Qilin’s innate energy from fire into earth, creating an auspicious earth Qilin; then I can obtain true immortality!’

    ‘The Chen Emperor is cunning, constantly testing me. This old man, young in age yet with countless tricks, it’s no wonder he ages prematurely yet has such profound cultivation. I don’t know how. To whoever comes after me, if I die and you are fortunate enough to obtain this, don’t forget to look for the Qilin.’

    ‘If what I seek is achieved, please burn this letter for me.’

    ‘If this is successful, my death will be worthwhile!’

    The following pages contained detailed methods. Fearing that successors might not understand his research, Hou Zhongyu meticulously recorded every step. This was indeed typical of his personality.

    Li Guanyi finally understood why he demanded Mountain Marrow.

    But, changing fire into earth, fire and earth being mutually generative, the auspicious earth Qilin?

    Li Guanyi held Hou Zhongyu’s notes, his eyes gleaming slightly.

    He finally found it.

    A way to get the Qilin away in broad daylight, completely legitimately.

    (End of Chapter)

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