Edict of Peace 30
Chapter 30: Master Arrives
A white tiger roared, its sound unending. Xue Daoyong simultaneously intercepted the sound with his own immense vital energy. Outside the Listening Wind Pavilion, it remained calm, but subtle changes, impossible to completely block, still occurred.
It was March, springtime. The White Tiger asterism spanned the vast western night sky, and the Jimen (参宿, one of the seven mansions of the White Tiger constellation), was one of the brightest stars in the heavens, clearly visible to the naked eye.
“The White Tiger asterism’s light has suddenly increased by a stellar magnitude.”
A young voice spoke, filled with surprise and lighthearted curiosity.
The stellar magnitude he referred to was the faintest starlight visible to the naked eye in a clear night sky. The speaker was a hooded figure, short of stature, with a snow-white chin visible. Their features were androgynous—a pretty boy, or a spirited girl. It was only possible to confirm they were male.
Those who observe celestial secrets are always somewhat different.
Celestial secrets and the rules of the world are somewhat blurred around them.
This is a gift, but also a price.
The person looked up, holding a disc polished from high-purity East Sea crystal. This was an invention of the Mohists, allowing one to see extremely distant objects. But being able to observe a change in a star’s magnitude with the naked eye was incredibly unlikely.
The old man by the campfire was silent for a moment, then said:
“The Four Symbols of the heavens revolve around the mid-heaven, for an unimaginable length of time. Even during past imperial successions, the stars in the sky haven’t changed in the slightest.”
“Over a hundred years ago, the power of the Great Emperor of Central Plains was usurped. Wei Wugong spent the night in the Phoenix Pavilion where the Empress Dowager resided. The young emperor took his sword to avenge his father. That night, the Purple Forbidden Palace burned for three days and three nights. The Great Emperor and the palace turned to ashes, yet the North Star in the heavens remained bright.”
“The officials of the Imperial Observatory were subsequently executed by Lingchi (a slow and brutal form of execution).”
“How ridiculous! It was a human disaster, yet because they couldn’t dim the stars in the heavens, over a hundred people died violently. They didn’t understand the celestial phenomena, only wishing that all things would submit to them. How has the descendant of that wandering knight become so obtuse and stubborn?”
“The White Tiger asterism doesn’t easily change its brightness. The last time it brightened was five hundred years ago, but it wasn’t springtime then, nor was it in the west. Back then, it signified the settling of the world, with the White Tiger Star Monarch descending to the earth to suppress the Central Plains.”
The old man sketched a complex astrological chart on the ground with a branch, softly saying:
“Every event has its meaning. The movement of the stars often represents some omen in the human world, or rather, when something happens in the human world, the celestial bodies change accordingly. The brightening of the White Tiger asterism signifies that the Four Symbols of this generation have come to the mortal world—the celestial beings who command weaponry.”
“Look, Jimen (参宿) is the brightest. This means the claws of the fierce tiger have awakened ahead of time, unable to contain themselves any longer.”
“A time of chaos is coming.”
He pondered for a long time, then looked at the hooded disciple, saying:
“Yaoguang, you must find him.”
“Fulfill the duty of the East Continent Astrological School, maintain the peace of the mortal world, and do your best to prevent the true chaos from coming.”
The young man finally couldn’t contain his curiosity, saying:
“Master, can chaos be stopped?”
“If it can, why, throughout history, even during periods of peace, has chaos never truly ended?”
The old man remained silent for a long time, then sighed:
“The world has been in turmoil for too long. Chaos will always come. At that time, the heroes of the world will take up arms and enter this world, like stars passing through the Qilian and Taihang Mountains, rising into the night sky. The celestial phenomena already foreshadow that era, but we always hope to delay its arrival.”
The young man asked in confusion, “Why?”
The old man reached out and touched his disciple’s head, saying:
“In times of peace, a farmer supporting his family is also his own hero. But in times of chaos, do you know what constitutes the greatest hero?”
“What?”
The old man lowered his gaze, his eyes flashing with the bloodshed of over a hundred years ago, softly saying:
“The one who kills the most.”
The young man was startled.
“Because no matter what kind of hero…”
“Even if they harbor grand ambitions, once they are entangled in this chaos, they will inevitably leave behind a mountain of corpses, their swords dripping with blood. They raise their spears for a peaceful world, but beneath their horses’ hooves lies a field of corpses.”
“Some believe this is the price necessary to reform the world, and we always hope to pay less.”
“Go, Yaoguang.”
The old man stroked the young disciple’s hair with solemnity:
“Find the White Tiger Grand Master, who returns to the mortal realm after five hundred years.”
“Find him before the other faction within the Astrological School, the Po Jun faction, who yearns for chaos, does. Even if you cannot prevent the coming chaos, you must assist him and become a hero who determines the course of this era.”
……
Above the pond in the Listening Wind Pavilion, the water vapor that formed the white tiger roared. Finally, with the stillness of divine weapons, the water tiger dissipated, reforming into water and crashing down into the pond. There was a sound like the furious waves of the East Sea crashing against the shore, and the koi within had already turned into a pile of foul-smelling blood.
Xue Daoyong stared intently at the pond, then at the now-calm Breaking Cloud and Shaking Heaven Bow.
The old man sensed a change in the bow and arrow.
Who?
Who!!!
He abruptly turned and entered the Listening Wind Pavilion, unfolding white paper. He recalled everything that had happened in the past month, recording every detail meticulously. Then, with a cinnabar brush, he outlined all the events that might have triggered the Breaking Cloud and Shaking Heaven Bow’s anomaly.
The letter from the north.
The envoy from Ying Country.
The grand masters of the Jianghu (martial arts world).
And…
After listing names that would shake any region, the old man’s gaze fell on the last name. His eyes showed a strange light. Finally, he lifted the cinnabar brush, and forcefully circled that name.
【Li Guanyi】
The old man stared at the name.
It could be him, but it was also very likely not. He hadn’t entered the realm (of mastery) yet. Xue Daoyong himself had already entered the realm at this age. At eighteen, he already possessed considerable skill, excelling in archery and martial arts, capable of traveling thousands of miles alone, traversing warlord territories.
Was this a test?
The old man suddenly smiled.
Calm and heroic, like a hunting tiger.
He wrote with a flourish, adding text after the young man’s name:
【Li Guanyi, raise his status】
He paused.
Then he erased that line.
【Li Guanyi, Upper Academy Guest, may come daily for food and drink】.
With a flick of his wrist, he casually tossed down the brush, looking at the Breaking Cloud and Shaking Heaven Bow with a calm expression.
A test?
Unnecessary. Tests have the possibility of failure.
Even a one percent chance is enough.
Double down!
……
Li Guanyi opened his eyes and fell into thought.
He had learned that move, but this time was different. This time, Li Guanyi had understood the move first, then the Jade Liquid quickly poured in, increasing his proficiency. Even so, he had only mastered the move, not achieved perfection.
Li Guanyi had explored the characteristics of the Bronze Tripod.
The Jade Liquid within the tripod was most likely related to his own realm of cultivation. Since he hadn’t yet entered the realm, when practicing the incomplete Po Jun Eight Swords technique, he could instantly achieve mastery. However, the first move of the Xue family’s ultimate technique, a Law Physique technique, he could only barely grasp.
The prerequisite for mastery was for Li Guanyi to understand the essence of the move himself, to be able to perform it himself.
Then instantly maximize his proficiency.
He held the Su Ni bow gifted by Xue Shuangtao, feeling a familiar sensation, as if he had held this bow for a long time. The Xue family’s ultimate archery technique, “One Arrow, Cold Light”, could also be used casually, but Li Guanyi knew it was an illusion.
Law Physique techniques require a perfect Law Physique.
Li Guanyi’s two Law Physiques could only barely manifest, and often fought over which one would appear. The little white tiger was constantly being beaten up by the red dragon.
He needed to enter the realm, so his inner energy could leave his body, providing vital energy for his Law Physique.
Then he could truly master the martial arts.
The young man sighed, “Entering the realm…”
To leave Chen Kingdom safely, he needed to master a realm-entering technique. To master martial arts, he needed to enter the realm. Even to continue to benefit from the Breaking Cloud and Shaking Heaven Bow, he needed to enter the realm. But…
He had originally planned to leave Chen Kingdom directly, but looking at the Su Ni bow and the heavy blade,
A trace of hesitation arose in his heart.
Such great help…it was different.
But the pursuit of the Ye Chi cavalry and what his aunt had said about the imperial family, made Li Guanyi reaffirm his decision to leave Chen Kingdom. Still, he had to repay the Xue family’s kindness; one should repay a kindness tenfold.
Li Guanyi decided to ‘review’ the “Three-Level Treatise on Entering the Realm” in his mind.
Before, he had only ‘imprinted’ it.
At that moment, the White Tiger Law Physique on the Bronze Tripod suddenly bristled, roaring in anger. Because of the connection between Law Physiques, even though they were only barely manifesting, Li Guanyi’s perception instantly intensified.
Was this…an inherent characteristic of the Law Physique?
Li Guanyi had no time to think. His instinctive predatory awareness of danger had already caused him to raise the Su Ni bow, nock an arrow, and leave his room. With the bow drawn and arrow nocked, it seemed as if he already had years of experience.
Under the moonlight, an old man was scaling a wall.
An old man with white hair was climbing the wall, his target clear.
He went directly for the young man. His eyes were fixed on Li Guanyi’s room. He grinned, stroked his beard, and said:
“Old man Si Ming.”
“Young man, you and I… no…”
He paused, then said warmly:
“You and your master are destined to meet!!!”
(End of Chapter)
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