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    Edict of Peace 65

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    Chapter 65: A Phoenix’s Letter, a Small Climb Over the Wall

    In this library, over three hundred martial arts manuals of entry-level proficiency shone with flowing light, seemingly resonating with a divine aura, surrounding Li Guanyi. Xue Daoyong’s lips curled into a grin, almost unable to suppress his laughter. He patted the shoulder of the old servant beside him, saying, “Hahahaha, I won!”

    The old servant replied, “You guessed ten books, and none were correct.”

    Xue Daoyong laughed heartily, “But mine was closer!”

    He stepped forward and shouted, “Guanyi, for the first technique, seek the most compatible one. Don’t be greedy; take it step by step.”

    Li Guanyi responded in agreement.

    But there were too many cultivation techniques here. Each one was like a peacock displaying its plumage, striving to showcase its aura and brilliance, hoping to attract the young man’s attention. Among them were techniques from the Confucian, Mohism, Daoism, and Yin-Yang schools, representing various schools of thought.

    Opening each cover revealed descriptions of numerous variations and techniques, all seemingly incredibly powerful.

    Those placed here by Xue Daoyong were certainly not ordinary techniques circulating in the martial world. Ordinary, run-of-the-mill techniques had no place here.

    However, this made the selection process extremely difficult. Li Guanyi naturally understood the principle of not trying to do too much at once, so he flipped through them, looking for the books that emitted the clearest “qin music” (a type of melodious sound).

    *Jade Arm Divine Bow Manual*
    *Blue Wolf’s Journey*
    *Thunderfire Forging Golden Body*

    Just as he was about to search further, a sudden change occurred. Accompanied by a flowing light of spiritual energy, the Xuanwu Law Physique (玄龟法相 – a tortoise-like spiritual manifestation), which had remained motionless after being imprinted on the bronze tripod, slightly shifted. The dark-colored Xuanwu rested on Li Guanyi’s shoulder, still quite small, with golden patterns on its shell.

    The patterns resembled those on tortoise shells burned by diviners in flames, radiating different trajectories.

    Li Guanyi suddenly understood the guidance of the patterns on the shell.

    The advantage lay in the West.

    Li Guanyi released the *Jade Arm Divine Bow Manual*, and following the Xuanwu’s guidance, he went to a place where the Xue family enshrined their ancestor, the Xue Divine General. Before this shrine stood a large, ancient incense burner.

    Li Guanyi looked at the place, then at the Xuanwu.

    He twitched his mouth.

    No, it couldn’t be…

    The Xuanwu had already jumped from his shoulder and was lying motionless on the incense burner.

    It exhibited a sense of satisfaction at having finally found something good.

    The Xuanwu didn’t seem to be a combat-oriented Law Physique; it was better suited for divination and averting misfortune.

    Li Guanyi pondered for a moment, then turned over the incense burner in front of the Xue Divine General’s shrine. He felt it, and with a click, the heavy bronze burner opened, revealing a small copper scroll. Li Guanyi saw the words written on it:

    【Disrespectful Ancestral Technique】!

    It seemed furious.

    Turning it over revealed two words:

    【Great Benevolence】!

    Li Guanyi grinned, “That’s typical of you.”

    Unlike the image of the number one martial artist in the world held by the Xue Divine General and his descendants, this ancestor was unrestrained, unrestrained, and free-spirited. Li Guanyi took the copper scroll hidden inside the incense burner and read it. It contained the *Tiger’s Roar Bone Forging Manual*, a cultivation technique to assist in cultivation after reaching the entry level.

    It didn’t have the explosive power of the *Jade Arm Divine Bow Manual*.

    Nor the exceptional body techniques and continuous internal energy of *Blue Wolf’s Journey*.

    This technique only had one characteristic:

    【Elevates martial artist’s bone structure by one level, refines hidden injuries, and eliminates hidden poisons.】

    【Final stage requires assistance from the Donglu Stargazing School. If this opportunity is unavailable, abandon this practice.】

    It concerned Yao Guang…

    Li Guanyi realized that this might be one of the gifts prepared by the Divine General for a time of chaos. A cunning rabbit has three burrows—it was a basic quality of a commander. Li Guanyi didn’t know how many legacies the Xue Divine General had left for his descendants.

    He looked at the part about removing hidden poisons and pressed his chest.

    The Xuanwu’s guidance was not wrong.

    This was the most suitable cultivation technique for him.

    However, it involved Yao Guang. Li Guanyi only recorded the technique, put the copper scroll back, and then chose the *Jade Arm Divine Bow Manual*. This was the Xue family’s ancestral martial art. At the entry level, it could refine the arms, surpassing other techniques during body-building.

    As internal energy circulated, a lingering aftereffect would remain in the arms.

    With each complete cycle of internal energy circulation, it could accumulate enough energy to unleash an attack exceeding the limit.

    It perfectly matched the Xue family’s martial arts style: extremely powerful explosive force, but weak recovery speed. It prioritized short bursts of power, and even when facing close-range attacks with heavy weapons, its power remained formidable. Xue Daoyong was extremely satisfied with his choice and laughed heartily:

    “Excellent. Entering the entry level with our Xue family’s physique is enough.”

    “The power is strong enough, with only one weakness: insufficient recovery speed.”

    “That part is in the halberd techniques section.”

    “Its halberd techniques are continuous, not just relying on simple momentum to suppress the opponent. Combining the upper and lower parts creates a divinely powerful technique with unparalleled explosive power and rapid recovery speed—it’s comparable to the ten greatest martial arts techniques of the Central Plains.”

    He knew his family’s martial arts were powerful but had obvious weaknesses; therefore, while it was a superior cultivation technique, it wasn’t peerless. This was why the court was at ease. He said, “However, although this technique’s recovery is slow, most opponents can’t withstand the Divine Bow Manual’s explosive power.”

    “With the Divine Bow, maintaining a distance, enemies won’t survive long enough for you to need to recover.”

    “And if even our Divine Bow Manual’s explosive power can’t do the job, then even recovering your energy would be pointless.”

    “Guanyi, you’re quite lucky.”

    “When you travel the world in the future, you might be able to complete this technique,” the elder comforted Li Guanyi without taking the statement to heart.

    Li Guanyi held the *Divine Bow Manual*. The Xue family’s Xue Changqing and Miss Xue Shuangtao had both mastered the pre-entry level parts of this technique. Xue Daoyong personally taught Li Guanyi this internal energy. His physique was limited by the poison, but his comprehension ability wasn’t weakened, and he had access to top-tier martial arts inheritance.

    Within a few days, he had mastered the Divine Bow Manual.

    His *Breaking Formation Tune* internal energy, vast and mighty, was completely transformed into the *Divine Bow Manual*. The *Tiger’s Roar Bone Forging Manual* was also being slowly cultivated, and Li Guanyi could feel his internal energy circulation speed gradually improving. He could complete three cycles in the time of one incense stick, then four, and so on.

    Lately, he hadn’t been able to find Old Master Siming.

    Master Wang Tong hadn’t appeared either.

    Li Guanyi roughly understood that the calculating master had arrived here to oversee the first step of Yu Qianfeng’s plan. Master Wang Tong, Old Master Siming, and the leader of the Mohism were likely contacting high-ranking officials in Jiangzhou and the capital, attempting to complete the final step and enter the political arena of the capital.

    The competition between various forces had probably reached its peak in secret. Yu Qianfeng hadn’t returned either.

    However, this had nothing to do with Li Guanyi. Spring was approaching; flowers bloomed, and willow branches drooped. Many men and women were already out enjoying the spring weather. His birthday was approaching. Li Guanyi spent his days practicing archery, breathing exercises, and halberd techniques. His life was full and simple.

    However, Changsun Wuchou encountered some matters.

    Later, a Golden Winged Eagle delivered a letter, but unlike usual, it wasn’t just one letter.

    There were two.

    One was directly addressed to Li Guanyi.

    Changsun Wuchou was surprised to see that the second miss wanted him to deliver one letter to Li Guanyi. Usually, although the second miss asked him to keep an eye out for talented individuals throughout the land, she never wrote and interacted directly.

    After some thought, he used the excuse of tea and storytelling to invite Li Guanyi out, handed him the letter and said, “It’s from the second young master of the trading company I belong to. He was very interested in the poems composed by young master Li, so he wrote a letter specifically to have a chat with you.”

    A trading company’s second young master?

    Was this the second young master of the State Duke’s Mansion outside the Longxi Pass of Ying Country? Or was he really just a merchant’s second young master?

    Changsun Wuchou sipped tea and listened to the singing, smiling slyly, like a fox.

    Li Guanyi opened the letter. After a simple and unpretentious greeting, it expressed admiration for the young man’s actions and poems, and mentioned having seen Li Guanyi’s views on the Western Regions. However, it also inquired about his perspective on the entire world.

    Li Guanyi looked at the bold calligraphy, then looked up at Changsun Wuchou.

    Then he looked back at the letter, observing how the mention of the world was akin to mentioning jade on the table.

    Changsun Wuchou smiled and said, “What’s wrong?”

    Li Guanyi carefully chose his words and said, “He’s very ambitious. To discuss such matters on our first correspondence…”

    Changsun Wuchou said, “That’s because the second young master genuinely believes Guanyi is talented.”

    “I’m a businessman; if there is a rare item, I would naturally pay a high price to acquire it.”

    “If you’re willing, you can respond. If you’re not interested, you can also refuse politely.”

    The second young master of the Ying Country State Duke’s Mansion.

    He was a powerful figure in Ying Country, which controlled a vast territory including the Central Plains and was the most powerful nation in the world. After Li Guanyi and his aunt left Chen Kingdom, it wouldn’t hurt to establish good relations with Ying Country’s top nobility.

    In fact, Li Guanyi hoped to have a better life in the future.

    So, how should one respond to a person of such influence, at his age, with such audacity? How to respond positively, while also avoiding giving away any advantage?

    Li Guanyi ground the ink, and finally had an idea. He picked up his pen and wrote a line on the white paper. Changsun Wuchou, in the private room, watched the young man write. The words were as calm as a mountain, unhurried.

    【The grand trend of the world: unification inevitably leads to division, division inevitably leads to unification.】

    Li Guanyi put down his pen.

    He folded the letter and gave it to Changsun Wuchou without further words.

    Changsun Wuchou’s eye twitched; he sighed inwardly. He knew that, considering the second miss’s temperament, the weight of these twelve characters was far greater than a hundred beautiful poems. It was more likely to capture her attention.

    Are the heroes of the world so young now?

    Sure enough, the Golden Winged Eagle returned the next day.

    The returning eagle was larger than ordinary eagles, with full plumage. Crimson marks were visible on its golden feathers. This was the most outstanding eagle, or rather, it was no longer an eagle; it was a golden-winged roc.

    A mythical beast capable of traveling thousands of miles a day, its claws were like iron, able to crush a horse’s skull as easily as tofu. It could circle above the desert, snatch up a fully armored warrior, and throw him off a cliff to his death. The Turkic Khan had offered ten thousand taels of gold and one hundred thousand cattle and sheep, but had failed to acquire one.

    Using a golden-winged roc for messaging was too extravagant, representing just how highly the second miss valued this communication.

    Changsun Wuchou sighed.

    He felt like he was becoming the intermediary for their correspondence. This talented merchant had no choice but to stay at the Xue family. After giving Li Guanyi the letter, the second young master began discussing specific matters with Li Guanyi.

    It was not about conflict, but about historical heroes and battle formations.

    Li Guanyi raised his eyebrows.

    After leaving the tutelage of Xue Divine General, was he now required to have supplemental lessons?

    However, the insights of the distant young man were extremely sharp, possessing a natural sharpness that even surprised Li Guanyi. The knowledge passed down by the Xue Divine General was increasingly understood and even developed by Li Guanyi through this exchange.

    Another day, another letter arrived. Li Guanyi put down his halberd and saw the contents of the letter.

    “Chen Kingdom’s military forces are restrained, encircling Yu Qianfeng. Tuyuhun is restless, preparing to invade southern Chen. The front line is stretched. The Xixia and Tuyuhun have a bloody feud. Following your strategy, what should be done at this moment?”

    Changsun Wuchou’s pupils constricted as he read the letter.

    This exchange was no longer a hypothetical scenario.

    This was the current situation in the Western Regions!

    Thousands of miles away from Guan Yi City, where people were enjoying the cool breeze, the Tuyuhun were preparing for war, intending to invade Chen Kingdom’s fertile plains, transforming the granaries into their pastures. The Xixia people, with their fierce resentment, were on the verge of unleashing their wrath.

    Ying Country’s famed generals were containing the Turks.

    However, the seven Turkic kings suddenly left the heart of the grasslands and disappeared without a trace.

    The Central Plains were enjoying peace and prosperity, but the Western Regions were brimming with hidden dangers.

    In another letter addressed to Changsun Wuchou, the second young master had already written his own strategies, dividing them into superior and inferior plans, and requested Changsun Wuchou to observe Li Guanyi’s response. Changsun Wuchou looked at Li Guanyi, finding him unusually calm, and turned to him, saying:

    “Is the Western Regions in such chaos now?”

    Changsun Wuchou was startled.

    He could tell?!

    He worried that the young man might be from Chen Kingdom, loyal to the Chen Emperor, and would angrily throw down his pen.

    But he saw Li Guanyi pick up his pen and start writing.

    “At this time, we can’t stay inactive. As before, taking advantage of Tuyuhun’s mobilization, when they are held back by Chen and Xixia, the strategy of sending elite troops to cut off their supply lines and army has some shortcomings. If it were me…”

    He paused and said, “If it were me now, I would consider that the opponent also has capable generals.”

    “They will prevent their supply lines and army from being cut off.”

    “There will be generals leading troops to protect the army.”

    “Therefore, we should feign an attack to distract their guards. Secretly, a general will lead eight hundred light cavalry, not attacking the enemy army directly, but taking a shortcut, striking directly at the Tuyuhun’s royal camp. Their hearts are set on invasion, but they fear their own army might revolt. If they have ambition, then take the royal camp!”

    Changsun Wuchou’s tense heart relaxed.

    This was the second young master’s superior strategy—extremely risky, yet bold and decisive.

    Then he saw Li Guanyi didn’t stop. He continued to write, and what he wrote was different from the fourteen-year-old second young master’s strategy.

    “Then execute the king and princes, but don’t seize their land.”

    “Seize all their cattle, horses, food, gold, silver, iron, and people, and return.”

    “Announce defeat to the outside world.”

    “Do not seek fame without seizing land.”

    “Accumulate grain, postpone claiming fame, the world’s situation has deteriorated to this point; wait for the change, this is…”

    Li Guanyi stopped writing, put down his pen, pointed at the previous strategy and said:

    “This last sentence is my superior strategy.”

    Changsun Wuchou froze. He stared at the words “accumulate grain, postpone claiming fame, wait for the change,” as if he saw the world turning upside down. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead. He then looked up at the thirteen-year-old boy, vaguely sensing a terrifying strategist behind him.

    His gaze was cold, seeing through the great trends of the world.

    This was not a strategist who planned battles, but a strategist who planned the fate of nations!

    Had he ever seen such strategies before?

    No, there was no such war record in history. That is… himself?

    Changsun Wuchou held the letter in both hands, as if holding something heavy and said:

    “Thank you, I am enlightened.”

    Li Guanyi let out a breath. His past knowledge gave him a natural strategic perspective in certain situations. There is nothing new under the sun. Leaving Chen Country might also be helpful.

    At this moment, the young man simply wanted to establish a good relationship with the second miss for the benefit of himself and his aunt.

    That night, the large golden-winged roc took flight, and in the sky…

    As Li Guanyi practiced halberd techniques at night, he suddenly felt a change in the atmosphere. He looked up and saw the White Tiger Seven Mansions slightly brighter than usual, and his White Tiger Law Physique suddenly appeared, proudly gazing at the peaceful night sky.

    It seemed that some inexplicable existence had descended from the night sky and was being absorbed by the White Tiger.

    “Hmm? Who?!”

    Li Guanyi suddenly sensed an aura. His eyes sharpened, and he turned, wielding his halberd, towards—

    The corner of the wall.

    Another head appeared on the wall.

    Siming?

    No!

    Li Guanyi’s eyes widened as he saw a head emerge from the high wall like a radish, wearing a hood, with silver hair slightly raised at the temples. It tilted its head.

    Answering Li Guanyi’s question:

    “Me.”
    (End of Chapter)

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