Edict of Peace 44
Chapter 44: A Chance for Entry, An Age of Great Strife
Li Guanyi had never seen such a shameless old man. In the middle of the street, the old man clung to his leg, refusing to let go, howling “Master! Master!” at the top of his lungs, attracting a crowd of onlookers. Li Guanyi was furious. Suddenly, the old man gently patted his leg. The young man’s breath instantly stagnated, his meridians even controlled.
The old man suddenly cried out: “Ah, Master, Master, what’s wrong with you?”
“Oh dear, I told you not to transform into a young child!”
“Look, you’ve fallen ill!”
“Don’t worry, disciple, I’ll see you to your final resting place!”
He scooped Li Guanyi up, hoisting him onto his shoulder with practiced ease. With legs like gnarled branches, he sprinted away, disappearing down a side street until he found a secluded spot. Only then did he put Li Guanyi down, sat heavily, and rushed towards the young man, examining him from head to toe.
“Good, good.”
The old man grinned, looking slightly flustered. Rubbing his hands, he said:
“I’ll undo the binding spell on you. Don’t move.”
Li Guanyi could see a transparent rope, formed from Qi (life energy), binding him. His White Tiger and Azure Dragon were furiously struggling and tearing at it. The old man gently flicked his finger, and the rope snapped, dissolving into intangible Qi and dissipating into the heavens.
Li Guanyi saw the profound depth of this technique and didn’t immediately try to escape.
He simply placed his hand on the Autumn Water Sword at his waist, saying:
“Senior… what exactly are you trying to do?”
The old man didn’t answer, only gazing intently at Li Guanyi. “You can see it?”
“How can you see it?”
“When did you start seeing it?!”
Li Guanyi carefully chose his words. “Since I was a child.”
The old man looked puzzled:
“Hmm? You haven’t eaten any special fruits, witnessed any unusual phenomena, or possessed any magical artifacts?”
Li Guanyi answered naturally:
“No, I was born this way.”
The old man scratched his head and looked at the Xuanwu (black tortoise) beside him. “Old friend, what do you think?”
The Xuanwu looked at Li Guanyi, its gaze seemingly penetrating the young man’s sincere expression. Li Guanyi even saw a hint of kind smile on the Xuanwu’s face, which was speckled with spots. The Xuanwu shook its head without speaking. The old man said: “You mean he’s a good child, no need to worry.”
Si Ming said, “Indeed, how he sees it is none of my concern.”
“The ability to see it is the key.”
The old man looked at Li Guanyi, raising his hand to his chest, his expression solemn and calm. “Old man Si Ming, one of the top three in the twelve leaders of the Yin and Yang School, is your teacher, or disciple, whichever you prefer.”
Li Guanyi twitched the corner of his mouth.
A deep voice answered: “He’s asking if you’re willing to join the Yin and Yang School.”
Li Guanyi stared at the Xuanwu in disbelief.
Influenced by his emotions, the White Tiger on his shoulder looked at Li Guanyi, then at the Xuanwu.
It also widened its eyes, looking at the Xuanwu in shock.
The latter calmly said: “Don’t look at me. Human language isn’t difficult; it’s easy to understand if you live long enough. Child, this generation’s Si Ming is quite playful. Don’t let his words affect you.”
Li Guanyi thought carefully, then bluntly asked:
“What are the benefits of joining the Yin and Yang School?”
The old man was stunned, then burst into laughter, pointing at Li Guanyi and saying to the Xuanwu: “Look, my disciple and I are destined! He’s just as shameless as I am!”
“But this directness is a good thing.”
“Our Yin and Yang School is one of the Nine Streams of Scholars, mastering the Yin and Yang Qi of Heaven and Earth, transforming the Five Elements. If you join us, you’ll have countless benefits, becoming renowned throughout the land, respected by dukes and kings.”
The Xuanwu slowly said:
“The Grand Master of the Yin and Yang School is a rare individual in this era who can preside over national sacrifices. Since seven hundred years ago, the world has been largely peaceful, with kings enfeoffed in the name of Heaven. To found a nation, to seize the throne, one must obtain the Mandate of Heaven. The Grand Master of the Yin and Yang School, who can interpret the Mandate of Heaven, will be highly valued by the emperor.”
“But once that emperor falls, the former Grand Master of the Yin and Yang School will also be replaced.”
“In one country, you’ll receive great honor; in another, you’ll be seen as a mere flatterer. More than a hundred years ago, the Purple Micro Palace burned down, and over a hundred people in the Imperial Astronomical Observatory were executed. There were Yin and Yang masters there too. In times of chaos, it’s not a prominent school of thought.”
The old friend undermined him, causing the old man to puff out his beard and glare.
But the Xuanwu didn’t care.
It slowly continued: “However, mastering the Five Elements Qi, the circulation of Yin and Yang, and ultimately comprehending the mystery of ‘One’ is a supreme inheritance. It allows you to understand the hints given by all things, avoid misfortune, practice geomancy and feng shui, and walk the path of Yin and Yang.”
“With your aptitude, it’s a waste not to cultivate.”
Li Guanyi looked at the Xuanwu and suddenly understood.
The young man sat cross-legged, his hand leaving the sword hilt and resting on his knees. He smiled slightly and said:
“You are Si Ming.”
“Is that so?”
Both the Xuanwu and the old man showed a trace of surprise.
A gentle tone came from the Xuanwu: “…A clever child.”
“All things in Heaven and Earth are divided into Yin and Yang Qi. Living beings belong to Yang, while Law Physiques belong to Yin. Yin and Yang Qi circulate. As a human, being able to perceive Law Physiques is an ability only attainable by those who have cultivated to a certain level in the Yin and Yang School. Those who can perceive me can receive my inheritance and inherit the title of Si Ming.”
Li Guanyi felt that the Bronze Tripod could not obtain any Mountain Marrow from the aged Xuanwu.
It was as if the Xuanwu wasn’t emitting any Qi or aura.
Was it because the Bronze Tripod’s power was insufficient, or was his own realm inadequate, affecting the Bronze Tripod?
The Xuanwu said gently:
“Child, learning some Yin and Yang arts will not harm your destiny.”
Li Guanyi said: “Then, that technique you used to restrain me before?”
The Xuanwu explained: “That’s a method of condensing Qi. Unlike the acupoint striking of martial artists or the meridian suppression of Daoists, it’s more unique. Only those who can perceive Qi can see the difference, and only those with the power to determine Yin and Yang and the Five Elements can resolve it. Unfortunately, only after entering the realm, when Qi can leave the body, can you cultivate.”
Li Guanyi felt regret.
It was about ‘entering the realm’ again.
Before and after entering the realm held special significance in various schools and sects.
Considering this, the level at which one enters the realm is also crucial.
The Xuanwu looked at the old man, who puffed up his beard and glared, refusing to speak.
“You’re Si Ming, why are you looking at me?”
The Xuanwu nudged the old man.
Reluctantly, he picked up a straight twig and drew several lines on the ground, each leaving a trail of Qi.
Then, he tapped the twig in the center of the pattern, and the Qi circulated.
The earth suddenly thickened, then sprouts appeared. The sprouts grew, spread, and eventually transformed into a flowering tree. The tree blossomed with large winter plum blossoms. The plum blossoms fell into the young man’s palm, and then the plum tree instantly withered, turning into raging flames. The flames swirled and transformed into a stream of water, falling to the ground and returning to dust.
It was all like a dream.
But Li Guanyi looked at his palm, and the winter plum blossom was still there.
The old man threw away the twig, without explanation, and lifted his chin.
The Xuanwu said: “This is the power of our Yin and Yang School—the transformation of Yin and Yang, the birth and death of the Five Elements.”
“It’s a power that can explore the fundamental principles of Heaven and Earth. It’s very profound, but it’s not good at killing. Close-combat with a martial artist of the same level would basically mean death. Even if it’s not those martial artists, Daoists and monks with similar levels of Qi, we can’t beat them. We’re only slightly better than those who cultivate arithmetic.”
Li Guanyi said: “Confucians?”
The old man cursed: “Those Confucian scholars are uncouth, especially good at hitting people with bamboo slips!”
The Xuanwu said: “While not adept at killing, if you master this path, you can summon a great wind that covers rivers, use formations to interfere with celestial phenomena, create sandstorms, and change the battlefield.”
“Since ancient times, military strategists have all known this path.”
“In this chaotic world, Yin and Yang School strategists change the timing, advisors balance the situation, those skilled in calculation predict the national strength of various countries, and finally, on the battlefield, fierce generals charge and attack gates, fighting against countless enemies, the emperor sits high in the court, the people flow in the mortal world, just like the Five Elements.”
“Child, if you want to learn, come find me after you enter the realm.”
“Let’s not talk about master and disciple.”
The Xuanwu’s shell emitted power, actively dispersing some of its energy, and Li Guanyi felt the Bronze Tripod humming. This energy entered it, naturally transforming into a Xuanwu. He didn’t get Mountain Marrow, but the Xuanwu was imprinted on it.
This was the first time Li Guanyi had seen a Law Physique actively giving its Qi to him.
The Xuanwu said gently: “If we encounter such talent and don’t pass on our arts, then our predecessors will climb out of their graves.”
“After you enter the realm, I can use Yin and Yang techniques to teach you a Law Physique.”
The old man glared at his old friend.
Why did you start snatching it?! Giving a Law Physique in the Yin and Yang School is essentially separating a part of one’s own Qi and shaping it to give away. This is also the core inheritance method of the Yin and Yang School.
Li Guanyi sensed the changes in the Bronze Tripod, understood the Xuanwu’s intention, looked solemnly at the plum blossom in his hand, and accepted the inheritance. When he got up to leave, he asked:
“You are…?”
The Xuanwu said: “Me?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“I am merely the old tortoise that once carried the Lo Shu (a legendary diagram).”
Li Guanyi left. The old man and the Xuanwu looked into the distance. The Xuanwu said: “Old friend Zu should be arriving soon. The Confucian scholar, Wang Tong (Wen Zhongzi), has also arrived, and the seventh giant of the Mohist school has infiltrated the city. The aura of war and the aura of culture have both soared.”
“What are you looking at?”
The old man said: “I’m looking at his stars.”
It was broad daylight, but the old man stared at the sky with wide eyes, his white hair fluttering slightly in the wind. The Xuanwu looked at this Si Ming, the most talented in a thousand years. Si Ming is the top rank in the Yin and Yang School, controlling the Mandate of Heaven.
In the realm of observing the celestial phenomena, no one could surpass him.
This old man had once presided over the ancestral sacrifices of a large country. The solemn scene, even the emperor knelt on the high platform. Incense smoke and huge flags fluttered, as if connected to the clouds in the sky. Si Ming, wearing elaborate and solemn clothing, sat cross-legged in front of a huge bronze tripod, solemnly and reverently reciting ancient sacrificial words.
Everyone said he was the most talented Grand Master of the Yin and Yang School.
Only the Xuanwu knew that the old man was drunk at that time, just nodding his head, his solemn expression merely because of the headache from the hangover. When using the tortoise shell for divination, he would carve secret patterns on the inside of the shell beforehand with a sharp file, then burn out the desired lines.
His lips moved slightly, and under the solemn music, the Xuanwu heard clearly.
“Damn it, it hurts like hell.”
He was the most talented Si Ming, but also the one who most despised the Mandate of Heaven in the eyes of the Yin and Yang School.
Now, he sighed: “So that’s it, he’s not the White Tiger Grand Master.”
The Xuanwu looked at its old friend.
The old man quietly said: “I can’t see that star, but the star representing his destiny is high in the sky, like a vortex in the East Sea. The stars around it, the starlight of the Four Symbols Grand Masters, are all being swallowed and swept away by it. But even so, his destiny star doesn’t emit any light.”
“It’s like a purely black vortex star that shouldn’t belong to the starry sky.”
“I, I can’t understand his destiny…”
“But destiny is only innate. Whether or not one achieves something depends on one’s capacity. This time in Guan Yi City, the aura of both literature and martial arts is converging: the Jianghu (martial arts world), the court, Ying Country, Chen Kingdom, prominent families, the regions beyond the pass, Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, military strategists, and wealthy merchants.”
“Various forces are entering the fray. It’s the perfect time and place for the White Tiger and Azure Dragon.”
“Like water churning into waves, fish take advantage of the good fortune of this age of great strife to soar, transforming into dragons. Taking advantage of the favorable time and place to enter the realm, one can reach the highest level of foundation.”
“How far he can go, whether he will be famous or nameless,”
“Will be determined this time.”
The Xuanwu was silent: “Why didn’t you tell him?”
The old man hesitated: “…Forgot.”
The one and the tortoise looked at each other, the old man jumped up and ran: “Disciple! Master! Wait for me!”
“Wait for me!”
Li Guanyi returned to the Xue family. He wanted to remind Old Master Xue of the changes in the city’s defenses, though the old man might already know, he couldn’t not mention it; he also needed to have his aunt move to the Xue family’s separate courtyard. At the gate, however, Li Guanyi saw a group of carriages arriving.
The appearance and demeanor of the people were different from those of Jiangnan. They possessed a strong and valiant bearing.
Li Guanyi was curious. The Xue family’s guards greeted him, calling him “guest minister,” causing a man in his thirties in the carriage to stop. He turned to the young man. His hair was meticulously arranged, bound with a jade hairpin, his face was clean and gentle, and he had a neatly trimmed mustache.
In Li Guanyi’s eyes, Qi circulated. A white fox appeared on the man’s shoulder.
Li Guanyi’s White Tiger paced beside him, the Azure Dragon coiled around him.
Law Physique?!
Something wrong. Such a thing only belonged to outstanding heroes. Li Guanyi hadn’t seen one for ten years, but in just one month, so many had gathered in Guan Yi City?! Li Guanyi instinctively felt something was wrong, thinking of the changes in the city’s defenses, sensing an oppressive atmosphere of impending storm.
The man slightly curled his lips, smiling: “Guest minister?”
“Such a young guest minister, the Xue family’s younger generation is indeed outstanding.”
Li Guanyi said: “Sir is also remarkably accomplished.”
“Hahaha, I’m just a humble merchant from Longxi Pass, unworthy of the title ‘sir’.”
The handsome man bowed slightly:
“From Longxi, my surname is Changsun, my given name is Wu Zhou.”
“Nice to meet you, young sir.”
(Chapter end)
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