Edict of Peace 16
Chapter 16: The Red Dragon’s Return
July 31, 2024
Chapter 16: The Red Dragon’s Return
The head of the crimson dragon, miniature and delicate, was formless and intangible, yet Li Guanyi could see it clearly.
It seemed angered by the White Tiger Law Physique.
The red dragon reacted violently, like a very grumpy kitten that hadn’t been weaned yet, opening its mouth and emitting a series of childish cries towards Li Guanyi.
This was…
Li Guanyi gently touched it with his palm. Only the head and part of the neck of the red dragon peeled off from the Bronze Tripod; the rest remained imprinted on the tripod’s wall, instinctively furious. A transparent claw stretched out, gripping Li Guanyi’s index finger.
Li Guanyi gently stroked it, sensing that the red dragon seemed to be able to seep into his body.
The inner qi of the *Po Jun* (a type of martial art) within his body seemed to subtly accelerate.
The flow of qi, suppressed and weakened by the poison, actually improved slightly.
A hint of surprise and delight flashed in Li Guanyi’s eyes.
Could it be that this red dragon, clearly obtained from Yu Qianfeng, could solve the poison’s suppression of his inner qi circulation?
The carriage driver saw Li Guanyi pause his movements, stopped the carriage, and looked back in confusion:
“What’s wrong, young Master Li?”
Li Guanyi knew this wasn’t the time to experiment. Remaining impassive, he shifted his gaze and replied, “I was just thinking… reaching the next level seems a distant prospect.”
While lamenting, he used his finger to play with the red dragon’s tender claw.
I poke!
I poke!
Huh? This little claw has a surprisingly firm grip. But, this kind of red dragon, a being like the white tiger, can actually be physically touched? Or is it something that can be freely gathered and dispersed?
What kind of realm did Yu Qianfeng and the Xue family’s patriarch possess?
The driver chuckled knowingly, “Thinking so far ahead already?”
“Martial arts cultivation is a gradual process. Young Master, you’re only thirteen, and you already possess such skill. Reaching the next level won’t be an obstacle for you. Come, come, let’s familiarize ourselves with the place. That large courtyard over there is the martial arts arena; they have things like stone locks and heavy swords. You can practice with them in your spare time.”
“This is the dining hall; meals are always available.”
“This is the pharmacy; various herbs are stocked. The Xue family can purchase them at cost, but you can’t sell them outside; if you’re caught, you’ll be heavily punished.”
“That’s the manager’s office.”
“And that’s the tailor shop.”
The Xue family’s estate was vast. Li Guanyi was taken on a tour for quite a while to familiarize himself with the different areas. Then, he was taken to the tailor shop to change clothes. The driver waited outside, took out a square, folded cloth from his bosom; inside was a handful of salted roasted peanuts.
Peanuts weren’t cheap, and salted roasting was a luxury.
But the taste lingered.
The driver picked one up, threw it into his mouth, and savored it for a long time.
While waiting, he ate, relishing the flavor.
For some reason, after the young master went inside, a woman’s surprised cry came from within, followed by continuous laughter. The burly driver didn’t understand. When they came to this tailor shop for clothes in the past, the seamstresses were never this happy.
Their attitudes weren’t bad, but it was just normal interaction.
Another laugh.
The driver looked up at the tailor shop’s sign, lowered his head, and mumbled, “It’s not like a chamber pot exploded in there, why all the commotion?” Then a burst of laughter. He looked up and saw the tailor shop’s door open, and several women walked out laughing. The driver’s eyes lit up.
The young man had changed his clothes.
Before, he was wearing a worn brown shirt, bleached white from repeated washings, with frayed edges. His shoes were the kind with multiple layers of cloth soles. His hair was simply tied up. One could tell at a glance that he came from a poor background, but his bearing was excellent, his eyes bright, making people feel good about him.
But the young man who emerged now…
He was wearing dark-colored boots, a neat blue robe with slanted lapels and a blue collar.
The collar and cuffs were edged with white.
A leather belt was around his waist; this was commonly used by martial artists, tightening the waist, giving him a heroic air.
His black hair was neatly tied up, his features handsome. While not dazzling, he could still be called handsome.
Among the Xue family, excluding the main family members, few possessed such extraordinary appearance and bearing.
The women in the tailor shop praised him without reservation, suddenly clapping and laughing, taking a common jade pendant and letting the young man tie it around his neck, saying, “Truly, this jade pendant, worth less than a tael of silver, looks like a hundred-tael jade on young master.”
“This jade is a gift for you, young master; it’s not worth much anyway.”
The driver was stunned, watching the tailor shop girls send the young man out, smiling. He watched Li Guanyi, whose appearance and bearing were different now, walk away. The driver looked him up and down like he was some kind of monster, unable to contain himself, saying:
“They’ve never given anyone anything before, Mr. Li, do you have some magic?”
Li Guanyi thought for a moment and said, “I didn’t do anything.”
The driver was puzzled.
Li Guanyi said, “I just called them ‘sister’ a few times.”
The driver: “…”
For some reason, the salted roasted peanuts in his mouth suddenly didn’t taste as good.
Li Guanyi then went to the manager’s office and signed a contract.
“Monthly salary of thirty guan, plus fifty jin of rice and flour, and twenty jin of meat monthly.”
“Two sets of clothes.”
“Three meals a day, if you want, you can have them here.”
“In addition, come here every day to teach the young lady and young master arithmetic for one hour.”
One hour of work a day earned one guan.
Li Guanyi was pleased with the easy job. He remembered what the driver, Zhao Dabing, had said about being able to get things at cost from the Xue family’s business, so he bought a lot of things here and found a better house through a real estate agent in the Xue family.
Most of his money was quickly spent, yet he felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
It felt like his life was slowly improving.
Finally, Li Guanyi pointed in a direction and said:
“Please, add this jar of wine to my account as well.”
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away from Guan Yi City, on the desolate plain…
The roar of a raging blue dragon echoed, shaking the earth. More than ten men in black armor, armed to the teeth, were flung around like rags, crashing to the ground. Four steeds had their knees shattered, kneeling with blood gushing from their seven orifices, their skin intact but their internal organs turned to mush.
Inside the carriage, a white-haired old man closed his eyes and played the qin (a type of Chinese zither), the sound melodious.
A gruff voice sounded, “Facing an assassination attempt, he remains unfazed, his demeanor unchanged.”
“Master Zu, you truly are a renowned scholar of the land. Old Yue admires you!”
The old man’s qin music gradually ceased. He reached out and lifted the carriage curtain. A man in black armor, tall and slender, was having his head pressed down by a large hand, struggling violently. However, his immense true qi was utterly useless. Looking further, the owner of the large hand had wild hair and looked like a dormant tiger.
The giant man suddenly raised his right hand.
This assassin, ranked among the top hundred in the world, was thrown into the air.
With a flick of his hand, he punched.
A crimson dragon roared, turning the assassin into dust. The giant man clasped his fists and bowed slightly to the old man, his voice rough but his expression respectful: “Yue Qianfeng, four-rank Zhenwei General under Marshal Yue’s command, left army commander, former commander-in-chief of Chen Kingdom’s four-wing army.”
“Greetings, Master Zu.”
This old man was a renowned scholar throughout the land, skilled in the arts of astronomy, geography, and the Daoist school’s ways, but he had not cultivated martial arts. Now, to save Marshal Yue, he wished to go to the capital, but he was ambushed by a group of top assassins. If not for Yue Qianfeng’s sudden appearance, he would have died under this cliff.
After the old man thanked him, he curiously asked, “General Yue, how did you know I was here?”
Yue Qianfeng helped the old man out, saying, “It was pure coincidence. I waited for you in Guan Yi City as planned, but I was discovered by the Night Ride Cavalry. Normally I would have killed them all, but I was training a young man, so I left a scout alive. I searched the body and learned that you were ambushed.”
“So I came to save you. Fortunately, I made it in time.”
After a pause, Yue Qianfeng said slowly, “Master Zu, this journey is dangerous. Are you still going to the capital?”
Master Zu nodded, “The more they fear my going, the more I must go.”
“But before entering the capital, I must go to Guan Yi City.”
“This matter of Marshal Yue has stirred up the entire land. The Northern Dynasty, the border regions, and the Turkic all are involved. This matter will either result in great success or utter defeat; there are no other possibilities. I must consider my affairs after my death.”
“When I was young, I once had a good relationship with Guan Yi City. This time, I’ve released a rather interesting little problem. The large and small private schools in Guan Yi City should know about it.”
“Whoever can solve it, can come and solve my next few problems.”
“From among them, I will choose an extraordinary talent as my disciple.”
“I may die.”
“But my Daoist title, my legacy, and the position of one of the twenty-four Daoist masters of talismans, must have someone to inherit.”
“Guan Yi City…”
Yue Qianfeng suddenly thought of the young man he had parted with not long ago.
I wonder if he has mastered the first level by now?
With a hearty laugh, he clasped his hands and said, “Good.”
“I will escort you back, Master Zu.”
“And take a look at that stinky kid. I wonder what that kid is doing?”
Li Guanyi had no idea that Yue Qianfeng had mentioned him. He quickly returned home. His aunt was out for a walk, buying some vegetables. There was no one at home. Li Guanyi returned to his small, dilapidated bed, sat cross-legged, and held the Bronze Tripod.
The Bronze Tripod trembled, the young man’s eyes filled with curiosity.
“Alright, let me see what you really are.”
(End of Chapter)
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