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    Edict of Peace 52

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    Chapter 52: Entering the Highest Realm (Fourth Update)
    2024-07-31
    Chapter 52: Entering the Highest Realm (Fourth Update)

    Si Ming and the seventh most powerful leader of the Mohist school waited at the side gate of Guanyi City.

    The fluctuations of the world’s vital energy were like waves crashing against the old man’s face. He stared at the distant sky, where golden wind and crimson flames constantly collided. Xue Daoyong’s martial arts countered Yue Qianfeng’s, but Yue Qianfeng’s Crimson Dragon Law Physique subtly countered Xue Daoyong’s Gengjin White Tiger (庚金白虎 – a reference to the White Tiger, one of the Four Symbols, imbued with the metallic element Gengjin).

    Both were top-tier martial artists in the world.

    Both also had their own reasons to fight, resulting in a fierce battle where neither could gain a decisive advantage.

    The Mohist leader said in a deep voice, “Si Ming, can you tell who will win?”

    The old man first glanced at Xuan Gui (玄龟 – Black Tortoise, one of the Four Symbols).

    Xuan Gui shook its head, indicating that it couldn’t tell.

    Then the old man rolled his eyes and said confidently, “Martial artists like these, their energy is like raging smoke, stirring heaven and earth, even suppressing the starlight. This old man’s cultivation isn’t high enough to filter out the interference from martial artists of this level.”

    The Mohist leader fell silent for a moment, then said, “With a dragon and tiger fighting, there will surely be casualties.”

    Si Ming also fell silent.

    The two watched the city gate. They were waiting for the world’s number one master of calculating strategies to arrive. Meanwhile, the high-ranking officials’ backup forces were at the other city gate, keeping a close eye on Yue Qianfeng and completely ignoring the calculating strategies master, Zu Wenyuan.

    For those high-ranking officials who valued their lives above all else, a crazed Yue Qianfeng was far more dangerous than this master of calculating strategies!

    The master of calculating strategies entering the court might only free Marshal Yue, resulting in losses to their own interests.

    They spoke with righteous indignation about Marshal Yue colluding with the nation’s enemies and endangering the state, and the high-ranking officials were willing to die to prove this point—a demonstration of their willingness to die for their cause.

    But the currently enraged Yue Qianfeng…

    could really enter the court and take their heads.

    Yue Qianfeng couldn’t single-handedly conquer Jiangzhou. Given Jiangzhou City’s defenses, this renowned general, without troops, divine weapons, or armor, would certainly die here. But before he died, how many high-ranking officials would die with him?

    No one wanted to gamble on whether they would be among the unlucky ones.

    Si Ming sighed, “A feint to the east, yet striking at the heart of the matter. Yue Qianfeng, Yue Qianfeng, one wouldn’t guess he’s self-taught.”

    The Mohist leader said, “Most renowned generals in the world are self-taught.”

    At that moment, there was a sudden commotion. There weren’t many civilians outside the city at this time; Yue Qianfeng had shouted warnings beforehand, and people had already taken shelter. Since Yue Qianfeng was at the west gate, this gate was opened to allow the citizens to enter the city.

    However, even with the threat of Yue Qianfeng, some wanted criminals still refused to directly attack the main gates. They bypassed the city and tried to enter through this only open gate, mixing with the citizens, even resorting to taking hostages.

    The junior officer guarding the city gritted his teeth and said, “Close the gate!”

    The other soldiers guarding the city were shocked. “But, what about the other citizens…?”

    The junior officer’s tone was irritable. “I said, close the gate!”

    “If we let these criminals into the city, who will take responsibility?!”

    This was the key point.

    Casualties among the citizens and criminals entering the city—the latter would have a much greater impact on his official career.

    The seventh Mohist leader calmly said, “It’s time for us to act.”

    “Chen Kingdom’s passes no longer have brave warriors.”

    The gate slowly closed. Zu Wenyuan’s figure was still outside. The Mohist leader and Si Ming had already seen their friend; they were about to stop the criminals and bring Zu Wenyuan in. At this moment, however, the sound of arrows piercing the air arose. Two arrows spun, piercing two criminals who were attempting to take hostages.

    Blood splattered, and the citizens panicked, rushing towards the city gate.

    Si Ming’s vital energy separated the citizens from the knife-wielding thugs, while the Mohist leader’s sword calmly swept out, clearing a path for the people to enter the city. The soldiers on the city walls watched the chaos below, gripping their spears and wanting to clear a path for the citizens, but the junior officer refused to take responsibility.

    The sound of horses’ hooves on the cobblestones was urgent.

    The flaring robe seemed to carry the wind.

    The Mohist leader sheathed his sword. As he turned, he saw a young man riding a fast horse, a sword at his waist, one hand holding a bow, the other a badge. He shouted:

    “Li Guanyi, a ninth-rank martial arts official of Chen Kingdom!”

    “Open the gate!”

    The soldier operating the city gate’s mechanism breathed a sigh of relief.

    Someone was taking responsibility, so he was no longer afraid. Then, he let go without hesitation, and the mechanism turned sharply, opening the gate. The previously anxious citizens rushed inside. Li Guanyi saw the criminals behind them; he didn’t know how these criminals, each burdened with the crimes of murdering innocents, rape, and robbery, appeared.

    A soldier mistook Li Guanyi’s purpose and shouted:

    “Sir, are you going out to intercept them?”

    “Mounted combat with a heavy blade is disadvantageous.”

    “Please accept this spear!”

    Seeing this young martial official charging into the fray, the city guards were stirred and tossed their spears. Li Guanyi caught the standard Chen Kingdom spear, and with the momentum of his horse’s charge, he threw it, the spear piercing a criminal with a scar on his cheek.

    This criminal was lunging towards a refined-looking old man.

    Eighteen years ago, this villain passed by a village and, seeing dried meat on a house’s wall, asked to stay the night. The family offered him their usual food, but the thug was displeased they hadn’t taken down the cured meat for him, so he got up at night and killed eighteen people, eating the cured meat before leaving.

    The spear was ruthless, nailing him to the ground.

    The refined old man’s eyes remained calm. The young man sped past the old man on horseback, saying softly, “Old sir, enter the city quickly!”

    As he passed the criminal nailed to the ground, he reached out and grabbed the spear, pulling it out smoothly with the momentum of his ride. The spearhead naturally tore a horrific wound in the criminal’s body.

    In the past, Li Guanyi didn’t quite understand the moves of the ancient powerhouses he faced. But now, on horseback, the techniques that felt awkward during foot combat flowed naturally and effortlessly, as if that’s how they should be.

    Throwing the spear, killing, charging wildly, pulling the spear, tearing the wound. Then, his mount charged forward, his arm raised. The criminals, who were so ruthless to ordinary people, were thrown off by the tremendous force.

    They crashed to the ground, clearly dead.

    The Mohist leader sheathed his sword, saying, “The mounted spear techniques of battlefield generals…”

    “Every time I see them, I find them domineering.”

    “Even if they’re riding an ordinary warhorse, not a mythical beast, their power surpasses martial artists of the same realm.”

    Si Ming was dumbfounded.

    Huh???

    No, this isn’t the time to think about that.

    He charged forward and grabbed the arm of the refined old man whom Li Guanyi had saved. “Young Master Zu, you’re finally here!”

    “We’ve been waiting for you!”

    The Mohist leader nodded slightly. His vital energy flowed, stopping his previous attack. He watched the young man charge out, shoot criminals, and watched the warhorse carry him past the city, past the old man named Zu Wenyuan, toward the distance. The Mohist leader said:

    “Fighting alone, Chen Kingdom still has brave warriors.”

    Si Ming, holding Zu Wenyuan’s arm, looked up at the young man’s departing figure and muttered helplessly, “I said…”

    “I really can’t understand his destiny.”

    Xuan Gui didn’t answer.

    Si Ming said, “But one thing I can be sure of is that this kid’s luck is at its peak. The vital energy of both martial arts and literature converges on him. He’ll be fine. Young Master Zu, come quickly. The great trends of the world, both the martial and literary worlds, are set before us. We just wait for you!”

    At the literary gathering, the young man’s charge left everyone speechless for a while.

    Xue Shuangtao clenched his fists, staring intently at the distance. His worry was now even greater than before.

    Wang Tong, who needed to maintain the literary energy, spoke. The others turned to him unconsciously. This scholar said:

    “Confucianism emphasizes self-cultivation, benevolence, righteousness, and courage, but these are acquired through practice; when facing major events, what one achieves is true benevolence, true righteousness, and true courage. Today’s discussion of benevolence and righteousness need not be further evaluated.”

    Therefore, the Confucians saw benevolence, the Mohists saw righteousness, and the brave saw courage.

    Thus, the literary energy reached its peak.

    Li Guanyi, holding the spear, charged on horseback. Yue Qianfeng, to divert attention, was fighting not far from Guanyi City, only a dozen miles away. This road led to the mountains outside the city, a familiar route for Li Guanyi. This warhorse was spirited, able to enter the Xue family’s stables, and naturally very fast.

    He raced along, the shadows of trees passing by. In the distance, beyond the trees and mountains,

    The roars of the White Tiger and the Crimson Dragon brought thunder and fire, illuminating the sky and distorting the reflections of the trees. The closer he got, the more violently Li Guanyi’s Bronze Tripod reacted. The literary energy had reached its peak, and now the martial energy was also rising, the literary and martial energies driving his Law Physique.

    Li Guanyi had plugged his warhorse’s ears and removed his headband, covering the horse’s eyes to prevent it from being frightened. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly paused. He saw another Law Physique behind the Dragon and Tiger Law Physiques!

    It was a giant owl.

    Its black wings were hidden in the moving clouds, coldly overlooking the battle between the dragon and tiger.

    A third party!

    Li Guanyi urged his horse onward, his heart shaken. He had assumed that the owner of this Law Physique would join forces with Xue Daoyong to kill Yue Qianfeng, but after seeing the owl’s position, he felt a chill in his heart.

    The owl’s Law Physique was behind the White Tiger, its icy gaze locked on the White Tiger.

    Li Guanyi had been taught by General Xue.

    He almost instinctively made a judgment—

    The owner of this owl Law Physique was not allied with Xue Daoyong; rather, its target was the old man.

    Once their goal was achieved, it would appear that Xue Daoyong had died at the hands of Yue Qianfeng. Given the Xue family’s reputation, the death of the Emperor’s consort’s father at the hands of Marshal Yue’s subordinate would implicate the Marshal, leading to his death; and with Xue Daoyong’s death, the Xue family’s vast commercial power would be leaderless, like a piece of fat meat waiting to be devoured.

    In terms of profit…

    even if they were both on Chen Kingdom’s side…

    Allying with Xue Daoyong to defeat Yue Qianfeng was not as beneficial as secretly eliminating Xue Daoyong. This was a scheme to kill two birds with one stone, using a knife to kill someone.

    Li Guanyi’s mind instantly made the judgment; he suddenly understood the ruthlessness of those high-ranking officials. He instinctively wanted to warn the two, and he raised his Su Ni bow (素霓弓). The White Tiger circulated, and the golden storm raged, but this arrow, though cold, couldn’t reach that far.

    Not enough.

    Li Guanyi closed his eyes slightly, gritted his teeth, and the Crimson Dragon and White Tiger Law Physiques appeared simultaneously behind him. Then, he channeled these two Law Physiques. The Bronze Tripod vibrated violently, and the literary and martial energies were mobilized. Everything about Li Guanyi seemed to be infused into this arrow.

    Spirit, energy, and essence!

    Converging!

    Finally, the White Tiger’s power gathered on the bow.

    The Crimson Dragon, like a giant coiling pillar, slowly wrapped around the arrow.

    Li Guanyi raised his bow. The Su Ni bow let out its strongest whistle yet.

    Crimson Dragon, White Tiger.

    The dragon and tiger merged, and without Li Guanyi realizing it, a pure force was generated. He released the bowstring. The string vibrated like a dragon’s roar, the arrow spun and tore through the air, aiming directly at the owl Law Physique!

    This arrow was impossible to injure the owl’s owner.

    He didn’t even move his hand to easily disperse the arrow’s power, but he hadn’t expected that a mere youth could possess the power of the dragon and tiger; furthermore, due to the conflict between the dragon and tiger in the sky, he overlooked the arrow’s peculiarity.

    The Crimson Dragon’s power on the arrow compressed and exploded in a burst of flame. The dragon’s roar and tiger’s howl erupted.

    Yue Qianfeng and Xue Daoyong’s pupils constricted, and they simultaneously retracted their attacks and turned, seeing the young man on horseback and the location where the arrow exploded—

    Both of them had a moment of stunned thought.

    The old man felt a touch of disbelief.

    Then, his emotions turned complex. He sighed, feeling a sense of relief:

    “He’s trying to help me?! Good child…”

    Yue Qianfeng recognized the young man on horseback and the abundant array-breaking energy around him. He suddenly burst into laughter, a hearty, unrestrained laugh. When he had given up everything and was fighting alone, someone he had taught in the past came to help. How exhilarating? How refreshing!

    Hahaha! Good!

    What a worthy comrade!!

    Both instinctively assumed that the youth was risking his life to save them.

    Li Guanyi raised his war bow, pointing towards the owl, and said:

    “Be careful!!!”

    The owl’s owner’s aura was revealed, and the killing intent and hostility between the two fighters paused simultaneously with the intervention of this third party. They were both seasoned veterans of the world, immediately understanding what the sudden appearance of a hidden expert meant.

    Xue Daoyong said as usual, “Traitor, die!”

    The White Tiger howled, and Yue Qianfeng also howled, launching an attack. The Crimson Dragon soared, attacking the other.

    However, just as they were about to strike each other, they suddenly turned, the dragon and tiger combining their forces in a counter-attack, simultaneously targeting the owl.

    The deadly situation was broken.

    Their killing intent now fell upon the third party who had attempted to harm them both.

    Li Guanyi realized this.

    His full-power arrow had exhausted his strength, just like his first battle in the secret realm. His hand trembled from overexertion, and he breathed heavily while on horseback, yet he laughed.

    Wonderful, wonderful!

    Entering the fray with such spirit.

    His heart was refreshed, like the clear moon in the sky, without a trace of dust.

    Thus, the dragon and tiger merged, and literature and martial arts flowed together.

    Finally, they converged within him, beginning to transform into a new force, his body beginning to break through. This breakthrough happened naturally, not even requiring the aid of cultivation techniques.

    A bright heart, no more words need be spoken!

    Entering.

    The highest realm!
    (End of Chapter)

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