Edict of Peace 135
Chapter 135: The Hegemon’s Roar, the Chixiao Sword’s Cry!
In an instant, Li Guanyi felt a surge of brutal, frenzied killing intent. He immediately realized this was the lingering煞气 (malignant energy) from the final battle of a past hegemon—the remnant aura from dozens of cavalrymen breaking through ten thousand enemy soldiers, slaughtering hundreds of elite junior officers and generals in close combat. This divine weapon was forged by the hegemon himself; he was its original owner.
This killing intent, the last vestiges of the hegemon’s battle rage, exploded upon encountering the pure Red Dragon energy within Li Guanyi. Legend says that in his final battle, the hegemon fought towards the Red Emperor’s banner, still believing in his own bravery, in his courage to charge and slay. But that day, the Red Dragon, seen as weak in the eyes of the valiant hegemon, did not retreat a single step.
He was dazed. The person before him wasn’t the wanderer who initially needed his help for revenge. This was a hero of the land. He laughed, heartily and unreservedly, no longer desiring anything but to clash with that Red Dragon once. That battle had gathered the heroes of the entire land.
In the hegemon’s final moments, he only saw the sky that day turning ink-black. A large banner stood there, a crimson dragon roaring beneath it, while the assembled heroes were as numerous as fish leaping over a river. Why? Why were so many heroes gathered around that wanderer, who once wore simple clothes? Why were even his former friends under his command? Those heroes of the world had charged forward one after another. It took the combined effort of all the heroes of the Central Plains to slay the hegemon. He fought until he was exhausted, never seeing the familiar Red Dragon, never seeing the expression in those eyes.
This killing intent and resentment lingered within the divine weapon. And now, the Red Dragon had appeared. The Red Dragon appeared!
The war halberd’s shriek was almost a roar. The peaceful, righteous legacy of General Xue’s divine sense was completely overwhelmed by the hegemon’s aura.
Li Guanyi wanted to let go. But the “Howling Tiger Heaven-Shaking Halberd” felt glued to his hand. The surrounding environment began to distort. Li Guanyi felt a strong sensation in the ancestral aperture between his brows, an extreme discomfort as if someone was slowly approaching his forehead with a needle. He had experienced this before, knowing it would plunge him into a spiritual world.
With this momentum, the Howling Tiger Heaven-Shaking Halberd wouldn’t make a small commotion. Li Guanyi stopped trying to put down the halberd. He gripped it, and with a sudden sweep, the black killing intent on the halberd, though not striking anything, instantly withered the surrounding plants.
He walked forward step by step, the halberd held diagonally, its sharp edge against the ground. Po Jun, in a daze, seemed to see a general clad in heavy armor.
Li Guanyi, seated in his carriage, gritted his teeth and said word by word: “Go to the Eastern City Taoist temple, find Old Master Zu.” In Li Guanyi’s judgment, only the person currently recognized as the foremost expert in calculation in the world had the potential to conceal the hegemon’s lingering presence.
Po Jun reacted instantly. He lowered the carriage curtain and drove the carriage forward. This horse had claws, not hooves. Its sharp claws dug into the ground, and when angry, flames would rise. Once it unleashed its full speed, no thousand-mile steed could compare. Yet he wasn’t fast, even leisurely, stopping to buy some snacks. He seemed very relaxed, even chatting with a woman selling trinkets. But these things didn’t take much time. He reached the temple at a pace that wasn’t actually slow, dismounted, and was about to shout when the usually closed temple doors opened, and an old Taoist stood there quietly, smiling slightly: “You’ve arrived.”
Po Jun paused. He asked, “Old Master Zu?”
The old man nodded gently: “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”
???
A hint of apprehension instinctively appeared in Po Jun’s eyes, but he quickly explained the situation: “Senior, what should we do?”
Zu Wenyuan said, “Leave the city.”
“Leave the city?”
Zu Wenyuan softly said, “Our calculations are merely predictions. Within the city, it is extremely inauspicious. Leaving the city also has dangers, but there is a chance to turn danger into safety; that would be auspicious.”
He said, “Within the city, him wielding the Howling Tiger Heaven-Shaking Halberd cannot be hidden.”
“That’s not good.”
Po Jun nodded without hesitation, then hoisted the old man onto the carriage: “Excuse me, old man!”
When the young Taoist, Zhuyue, cried out, the young man had already flicked the reins, and the fire-breathing steed, a mystical beast, broke into a run. To those who hadn’t cultivated their eyes, it truly left a trail of afterimages as it raced forward.
Zu Wenyuan smiled gently: “You’re really just like him.”
“He forcibly became your disciple; you’ve forcibly taken me away.”
Po Jun laughed: “You are the foremost expert in calculation.”
“If you are the foremost expert in calculation, my actions must also be within your control.”
“Therefore, I am destined to take you away.”
“If you didn’t predict my actions,”
“Then it means your calculations aren’t refined enough, and you have the potential to improve further.”
“I congratulate you on reaching a higher level, becoming invincible in the world and heaven itself.”
Zu Wenyuan said gently: “Smooth-talking.”
Po Jun was laughing, but his eyes were extremely alert. This wasn’t for any other reason. The old man opened the door precisely when he arrived; when he took the old man away, the elder showed no surprise or astonishment. Obviously, it was all within his expectations.
In Li Guanyi’s eyes, Zu Wenyuan was a kind and amiable elder, like a neighborly teacher. But in the eyes of Po Jun, who understood temple calculations, he saw the old man like seeing dark clouds obscuring the moon, like a mountain range blocking the heavenly palace, profound and unfathomable, immensely pressured. Just being with him, even while laughing as usual, his hand holding the reins tightened slightly. This old man was also the foremost expert in temple calculations.
Zu Wenyuan gently pressed on Li Guanyi’s forehead: “However, you taking me away increases the danger.”
“Hm?”
The old man smiled slightly: “Many people in the city wish for my death. Taking me away like this, they won’t miss this opportunity. Killing me would also incite conflict between Chen Kingdom and the Turks; it’s a two-birds-with-one-stone strategy.”
Po Jun laughed: “But I don’t care!”
“Thank you, Lord.”
Zu Wenyuan nodded approvingly, his gaze quietly fixed on Li Guanyi.
Li Guanyi’s eyes were closed, he sat cross-legged, the halberd resting on his lap. The inky killing intent on the halberd was almost substantial, warping the void. His five senses had all changed. He didn’t see the old man’s face, but a battlefield, a bloody battlefield. Piles of corpses formed mountains, and a man stood atop them, wearing the lower half of armor, his upper body revealing a strong physique, shrouded in black clouds. He held a halberd. A gigantic White Tiger overlooked him from behind, its eyes crimson gold.
He noticed Li Guanyi. Then he noticed the Red Dragon behind Li Guanyi. He was enraged, his gaze icy as he looked at Li Guanyi, his voice like thunder:
“Why did you betray me!!!”
Li Guanyi lowered his head, seeing himself also holding a halberd, but encircled by a Red Dragon. He knew that in the hegemon’s eyes, he must be someone else, someone who had sought refuge in his weakness, who had become brothers in their prime, and who ultimately clashed on the battlefield.
Li Guanyi sighed. The true White Tiger Law Physique erupted. Afterimages flashed, and the hegemon appeared before him. Even after Xue’s guidance and despite his courage to wield any weapon, Li Guanyi felt immense pressure.
He raised his hand and held the weapon. The halberd cleaved down violently. Li Guanyi felt his blood surge in his chest. His White Tiger Law Physique was suppressed, completely immobile, but the Red Dragon seemed empowered. The dragon’s roar echoed across the battlefield, and Li Guanyi could actually withstand the attack. With a flick of his wrist, he suddenly reversed the halberd, stabbing at the hegemon with its point.
The next moment, Li Guanyi’s vision went black; he had been slain. If he had had a sufficient level of cultivation, he could have parried the hegemon’s first attack and counterattacked. By the third move, he would have been killed. Even so, eight hundred years ago, it would have been enough to make a name for himself, to become a famous general, only to be slain by the hegemon.
In reality, Li Guanyi’s eyes were closed, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Zu Wenyuan’s expression was serious as he calculated something, then placed several objects around Li Guanyi, lighting a bronze lamp. Li Guanyi’s spirit calmed, his furrowed brows slowly relaxing.
His consciousness reassembled. Li Guanyi clutched his forehead; a lamp appeared nearby. The light allowed Li Guanyi to maintain his composure, unaffected by the hegemon’s killing intent, preventing him from becoming frenzied and fearful. He held his weapon, looking at the hegemon standing again on the mountain of corpses, he exhaled and gripped the halberd with both hands.
The White Tiger Law Physique faded. The crimson dragon appeared beside him, the bronze tripod vibrating. The power of the five Law Physiques flowed, all pouring into the Red Dragon. The dragon suddenly expanded, its crimson scales clearly visible, with flames flowing on them. The dragon’s roar was low and murderous, twisting the surrounding air.
Li Guanyi’s divine weapon swept across, crimson flames coiling around the halberd’s edge.
The Red Dragon coiled around him, its head facing the White Tiger on the mountain of corpses, letting out a long roar. It was a contest of willpower affected by the weapon’s killing intent, with no difference in cultivation level. Moreover, he was only facing the hegemon’s lingering spirit. One step back in the heart meant ten thousand steps back. The Law Physique and state of mind would crack, then shatter like dust.
Li Guanyi charged forward, sweeping the halberd across. The Red Dragon’s roar and the White Tiger’s howl shook the heavens and earth. Outwardly, Li Guanyi’s expression was calm. Old Master Zu looked serenely at the young man, his fingers pressing down slightly to suppress the dragon’s roar. But the halberd’s excited shriek was incredibly clear.
The white-haired old man reached out, gently touching the divine weapon, feeling the killing intent. The inky halberd’s shaft shimmered with dark gold, its edge faintly whistling, a tiger’s head at the mouth, emitting a low growl. Zu Wenyuan softly said:
“Howling Tiger Heaven-Shaking Halberd…”
“The divine weapon the hegemon almost used to conquer the world eight hundred years ago. Divine weapons are sentient; they have their enemies and friends. But now that its initial ally is gone, perhaps only this remains to sense you in this world.”
“The Hegemon and the Red Emperor…”
The old man sighed, his gaze drifting to the distant horizon.
Central Plains, Taihe Hall.
The divine weapon Chixiao Sword, within this great hall, had let out a low shriek earlier, then fell silent. The Emperor, worried that the scholars and palace masters who knew the Chixiao Sword’s owner was no longer himself, fearing they would lead students into the world to create a new era, thus invited experts to handle the matter. This expert was already two hundred years old. He was said to have once glimpsed the secrets of longevity long ago, but was betrayed by his disciple, who stole his techniques, almost driving him mad. For thirty years he wandered, eating raw meat and drinking blood, his nails long and curved, his hair disheveled. One day, he reached a mountain and watched the sunrise, the plants growing, everything lovely. He suddenly awoke, tears streaming down his face, enlightened. He abandoned his pursuit of longevity through blood, predation, and plunder of life, and calmly lived off the wind and dew, yet he lived a long life.
The Emperor asked this expert to weave ropes with blood-red talismans, then took a scabbard from the Daoist Academy, sheathing the Chixiao Sword to contain its sharpness. Red threads densely bound the sword. Ancient copper coins hung from each turn. The Chixiao Sword then fell into slumber.
But at this moment, the Chixiao Sword, sealed within its scabbard, seemed to awaken. It seemed to sense a battle that should have happened, like a dream, feeling its familiar enemy’s energy once more. It yearned to participate in the slaughter; thus, it let out a low, vibrating shriek. But the talismans lit up layer by layer, locking the sword’s cry. It was not heard by the scholars outside Taihe Hall.
Although the Emperor tried to suppress the Chixiao Sword’s cry, he initially thought the sword’s revival was for him, so he didn’t immediately suppress the news. The scholars of the academy knew many methods to detect changes in the sword. They came to Taihe Hall to check on the Chixiao Sword’s status, but were stopped by the Emperor’s guards. A dispute erupted, the sounds of argument and clashing metal not insignificant. The Chixiao Sword shrieked within its scabbard, remaining undiscovered, before gradually quieting down.
Li Guanyi clashed with the hegemon’s killing intent repeatedly. Each time, the jade liquid corresponding to the White Tiger Law Physique within the bronze tripod would accumulate a trace. After countless clashes, he felt the lamp’s help was no longer important. Only the thought of battle remained—too high-frequency battles, too bloody battlefields, too strong an obsession.
Fight, fight, fight!
Just as Li Guanyi was immersed in the slaughter, Po Jun encountered trouble. He was out of the city but keenly sensed danger. A tremendous threat emerged in his heart. He couldn’t help but shout to the old man: “Old Master Zu, you said someone was trying to kill you? Who could it be?”
Zu Wenyuan said gently: “I don’t know.”
After a pause, he naturally added:
“Probably someone among the top ten in the world.”
?!!!
Po Jun cursed, flicked his wrist, and the carriage sped wildly. Po Jun’s perception was heightened to its limit. He sensed that the surroundings had changed at some point. Before the grand festival, the main road should have been bustling, crowded, and lively beyond compare. Now it was suddenly silent. Silent, soundless, with a bone-chilling coldness. Only the sound of hooves and wheels. Even these sounds were fading, like from another world.
!!!!
Po Jun made the carriage move in a special, zigzagging pattern, a strange purple tinge in his dark eyes. Word by word, he said:
“Tenth in the world, Situ Deqing.”
“Old Master Zu, do you have martial arts skills?”
The old man just stroked his beard and smiled gently: “No.”
Po Jun said: “Do you have any backup solutions?”
The old man shook his head, his smile gentle: “No.”
Po Jun grinned: “Alright, the master is asleep, we don’t have to hide it anymore. Old senior, you’re the foremost expert in calculation, you must have some plan, right?”
The old man looked at the young strategist, calmly smiling:
“It depends on luck.”
Po Jun: “…………”
He seemed helpless. But the corner of his mouth slightly curved up, and he laughed, the young strategist confident and carefree:
“Hahaha, if you say so, I’m relieved!”
Zu Wenyuan was surprised by the young man, then sighed and laughed: “Amazing young people.”
“Each generation has talents like you, making the world…”
“How can it not be in chaos?”
Si Qing stepped into the void. He was sent to deal with Zu Wenyuan. The killing intent in the air had transformed into a special array, isolating this place from the outside world. Killing this person wouldn’t be noticed. Quite annoyed by that young man, his killing intent was strong, and he didn’t bother to retrieve his divine weapon, the Chengying Sword. A mere Zu Wenyuan, unarmed, he drew a Xuan-class long sword, donned his black dragon armor, and placed something over his face.
It was the dark gold face mask of the Chen Kingdom’s Duke who had once swept across the battlefield, the Tai Ping Duke who had galloped through the Western Regions!
The chase begins!
(End of Chapter)
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