Edict of Peace 69
Chapter 69: Truth and Falsehood, Our Destiny
Perhaps it was a peculiarity of the Eastern Continent’s astrometry school. When Li Guanyi reached Yao Guang’s side, the turmoil in his internal energy, caused by the astrological phenomena, quickly subsided. Yao Guang’s gaze fell upon the baked bun; unsurprisingly, it was dry and hard. Dipped in honey, the taste was, to say the least, complex.
Yao Guang’s gaze moved away from the bun, sitting quietly. She used her large cloak to cover the honey pot and milk behind her. Her hands rested on her knees. Her voice was calm, undisturbed:
“Your breakthrough in cultivation arrived sooner than anticipated.”
Li Guanyi pretended not to notice her small actions. He sat cross-legged before the campfire. He relayed his conjectures and the letters he had written to Yao Guang. Yao Guang looked at Li Guanyi thoughtfully, saying, “You truly possess the bearing and actions of a White Tiger Grandmaster.”
“The earthly battles have affected the celestial constellations, and the constellations are linked to your Law Physique.”
“The White Tiger is immersed in a dream of slaughter, influencing the changes in your aura.”
“It’s alright. Please close your eyes. I will stay by your side until your aura stabilizes.” Yao Guang stood up, sat beside Li Guanyi, her hands clasped together. Her energy was long and steady, with wisps of starlight rising around her.
Li Guanyi closed his eyes and sat cross-legged. He dispersed the Azure Dragon and Black Tortoise controlling the White Tiger Law Physique. Unfettered, the White Tiger roared, its sound shaking the wilderness. The nocturnal beasts suddenly fell silent. The starlight surrounding Yao Guang fell upon the White Tiger Law Physique, calming its violent aura.
Li Guanyi quietly practiced his breathing techniques. The White Tiger Law Physique’s agitation and killing intent quieted under the starlight. The sound of a zither rose in Li Guanyi’s heart, assisting him in gaining the upper hand. He could freely control the circulation of his internal energy, circulating it according to the *Jade Arm Divine Bow Technique*, gradually permeating his body, strengthening his bones, muscles, and blood vessels. Each completed circulation brought a subtle improvement in his physical strength.
The changes in the Western Regions caused the celestial bodies to rotate, their radiance endless and inexhaustible. Purified with the aid of the Eastern Continent’s astrometry school, it was transported by Li Guanyi’s internal energy, constantly refining his body. After entering the realm, “Body Forging” is the first major hurdle for cultivators at this level. Ordinary martial artists only toughen their bodies with stone locks and heavy objects, combined with medicinal herbs.
Children of prominent families use secret cultivation techniques combined with unique spiritual herbs. Only those with the best opportunities can use the spiritual objects of Heaven and Earth. Even then, these spiritual objects are used sparingly, at the most critical moments of a breakthrough; never as continuously as Li Guanyi, whose fundamental body tempering and forging was assisted by starlight. Such extravagance would elicit a gasp of astonishment even from the children of the wealthiest families.
Under the refinement of starlight, Li Guanyi’s body refinement progressed rapidly. Internal energy circulated throughout his body, constantly refining his meridians using a special method, until his body could withstand the outburst of his current realm’s internal energy. This signaled the completion of the “Body Forging” stage, and the starlight continued flowing, beginning to advance the *Jade Arm Divine Bow Technique*.
The White Tiger roared, standing there, head held high, inhaling and exhaling towards the constellations. Starlight transformed into silver light, falling into its throat. The White Tiger’s fur bristled, each strand radiant, as if formed from starlight. The Azure Dragon, Black Tortoise, and Bronze Tripod acted without hesitation, assisting the White Tiger in devouring the starlight.
The Xue family’s secret technique, the *Jade Arm Divine Bow Technique*, renowned for its unparalleled explosive power, progressed at an astonishing speed. Vast starlight enveloped Li Guanyi. The youth’s breathing deepened, his consciousness becoming increasingly tranquil, as if merging with the White Tiger constellation. It was as if he had returned to the fetal stage; although he was refining his flesh, his breathing became gentler. Externally strong, internally soft; physique like a diamond, breathing like an infant. The Way of Yin and Yang. Slowly, even his consciousness sank into a dream, as if he had become the White Tiger constellation, following destiny, walking the path of conquest and slaughter to pacify the troubled world.
Li Guanyi continuously strengthened his absorption of the starlight. His consciousness, like a fish, followed the river of falling starlight, constantly swimming towards its source. Once this absorption reached a certain point, Li Guanyi suddenly felt a pull. He felt that the starlight that had naturally fallen upon him was suddenly diverted, falling in another direction, not his own.
Li Guanyi subconsciously “looked.”
A sudden clamor of swords and blades! The killing intent of weapons soared into the sky. The youth immersed in the starlight suddenly felt a surge of sharpness and chill, jolting him awake, breaking free from that mystical state. Before leaving this state, he saw an image. He “saw” the vast night, heard the thundering of warhorses, “saw” ten thousand iron cavalry surrounding a man. The man, appearing to be only thirty or forty years old, had sharp brows, wore black armor, and draped a black cloak adorned with a white tiger. As the warhorses galloped, the cloak stretched out, swaying slightly in the wind, like a white tiger’s nocturnal raid. Under the night, heavy cavalry marched in formation. The man held a heavy spear. The surging cavalry, like spilled mercury, moved in unison, only the sound of hooves striking the ground, like the rumbling thunder rolling across the heavens. In the quiet, there was an incredibly strong sense of oppression.
This man seemed to sense something. He looked up, his sword brows sharp, his eyes burning with intensity. In the sky, the White Tiger constellation shone brightly. A tiger’s roar seemed to echo through the air.
Li Guanyi groaned, as if pierced by a sharp sword, feeling a sharp pain. Then, he seemed to fall from the starlight, back into his body. He opened his eyes, the Bronze Tripod humming, its energy swirling in Li Guanyi’s eyes. He looked up at the starlight, as if watching the starlight fall to the earth; the light of the White Tiger constellation, in addition to falling on him, also fell on another direction.
And the feeling was that the man was also in the Western Regions? Another existence capable of attracting the starlight of the White Tiger constellation was truly causing trouble in the Western Regions, so the White Tiger constellation reacted so strongly?
Li Guanyi suddenly had an epiphany—
The world is so vast, heroes exist everywhere. It wasn’t just him who attracted the starlight of the White Tiger constellation.
The Yin-Yang School’s Si Ming had not told Li Guanyi that his destiny was not that of a White Tiger Grandmaster, but a dark vortex that devoured the starlight of a White Tiger Grandmaster. Even so, he immediately understood the situation.
After a moment of astonishment, what appeared in Li Guanyi’s mind was an instinctive repulsion, a strong possessiveness, unrelated to good or evil, but stemming from instinct. Like a tiger’s claim to its territory.
“The White Tiger Grandmaster…is not just one?”
Li Guanyi looked at the stars in the sky. A vague premonition arose in his heart. In the future, he would inevitably clash with this man. Both bathed in the light of the White Tiger constellation, following similar paths, possessing similar natures, if the world truly had destiny, then they were both heroes. The world wouldn’t tolerate two White Tigers stirring up chaos. As long as they continued to rise, crossing battlefield after battlefield, they would surely meet! And upon meeting, it would hardly be a friendly encounter.
After all, just now, when that man looked up, Li Guanyi clearly felt a terrifying killing intent, as if staring at a thief. What thief?! The anger in that gaze was as if the man himself *was* the White Tiger Grandmaster, staring at a rival who had stolen the starlight of the White Tiger Grandmaster.
Li Guanyi raised his hand to cover his forehead, pondering carefully. The other man’s strength seemed very strong; he absolutely couldn’t defeat him now.
Yao Guang opened her eyes, her voice calm:
“What’s wrong?”
Li Guanyi thought for a moment and asked, “Isn’t the destiny of the White Tiger Grandmaster more than one?”
Yao Guang seemed not to have considered this question. She thought for a moment, then shook her head, her voice calm, saying:
“I don’t know.”
Li Guanyi smiled: “You don’t know either?”
Yao Guang replied, “Mmm.”
“But the world is so vast, and the constellations are infinitely mysterious. Perhaps two people could share the same starlight, looking up at the same moon. So, I think, no matter how improbable, it could happen in the course of time, right?”
“What did you see just now?”
Li Guanyi recounted what he had seen, sighing, “His bearing was impressive; he seemed to command several thousand heavy cavalry, and his strength was greater than mine. Do you think he might be the true White Tiger Grandmaster?”
Li Guanyi asked with a smile, “What if you found the wrong person?”
Yao Guang looked at the young man before her.
Li Guanyi sometimes felt that his personality was contradictory. Sometimes he was confident, believing he could accomplish great things, believing there were no insurmountable obstacles ahead. Yet sometimes he doubted himself, wondering if his current success was merely a case of “no tigers in the mountains, so the monkeys become kings.” These two emotions, confidence and self-doubt, swirled in his heart without resolving themselves. Seeing the general’s imposing manner, feeling his strength, and sensing the favor of the starlight upon him, he naturally sighed.
Yao Guang looked at him, her voice calm:
“Do you understand destiny?”
“It’s not that those favored by the White Tiger constellation will necessarily pacify the world.”
“It only selects the person who most embodies the spirit of the White Tiger constellation, and then sends him into the chaos, to meet enemies, rivals, and friends, to be broken in the crucible of chaos, or to display his sharp edge, ultimately reaching his predetermined end.”
“Besides him, isn’t there anyone else more suitable for the path of the White Tiger Grandmaster?”
Li Guanyi pondered, “You mean, it’s not that those chosen by the White Tiger constellation become White Tiger Grandmasters and pacify the world; but that those who accomplish the feat of pacifying the world are favored by the White Tiger constellation, becoming White Tiger Grandmasters.”
“It’s not that they’re chosen to be heroes who pacify the world.”
“But because they pacified the world, they are favored by the starlight?”
Yao Guang seemed surprised by Li Guanyi’s ability to make connections. She tilted her head and thought for a moment. Her expression remained calm. She stood up, moved closer to Li Guanyi, and knelt down. She reached out and untied her hood. Her silver hair fell to her waist, reflecting the light of the campfire. The girl’s voice was calm:
“Could you please give me your hand? Don’t worry, it won’t take long.”
Li Guanyi was familiar with the girl’s habits. He extended his hand and asked with a smile, “Another secret prayer?”
“No.”
“Just an answer.”
The girl clasped Li Guanyi’s hand in hers. Her voice was peaceful: “What you said wasn’t what I meant. The destiny I spoke of isn’t a forced association giving legendary status to the final outcome, but this—”
She looked up, her expression peaceful and sacred, at the young man before her, her voice calm:
“Even if the stars in the sky don’t favor just one person, even if there is more than one hero who follows the destiny of the White Tiger, I met you.”
“And you found me.”
“There can be two raindrops on the same petal. Who can say that’s just a coincidence?”
A strand of silver hair by the girl’s temple fluttered.
She said, “The moment you and I met, our destiny began.”
“Even if there are countless heroes in the world, even if the starlight of the White Tiger constellation doesn’t only favor one person, the one who belongs to me is already before me.”
“That’s what I mean by destiny.”
Then she smiled faintly. Under the moonlight, that beautiful face, which didn’t seem to belong to a mortal, bloomed with a smile for the first time, saying, “Are you a little more at ease now?”
Li Guanyi opened and closed his mouth.
“…Yao Guang, you’re very clever.”
The girl released his hand, stood up, and withdrew her jade-like hand from his palm. Her hands were in front of her, her voice calm, “Have you perfected your cultivation technique?”
Li Guanyi clenched his fist. The *Jade Arm Divine Bow Technique* had reached a minor level of mastery. Having completed the first stage of cultivation, “Body Forging,” an achievement that usually takes three years, he nodded. Yao Guang put her hood back on. She pointed to the stream ahead, “In that case, please come with me to find the secret realm left behind by the world’s greatest Divine General and the Yao Guang of five hundred years ago.”
“It’s what they left behind, a chance that might change the world.”
Li Guanyi looked at the stream. What Xue Shenjiang had painstakingly left behind was surely not just to cultivate an entry-level martial artist. What the greatest in the world had painstakingly left behind… A secret realm that could only be entered after reaching this cultivation level and with the presence of an astrometry expert like Yao Guang. Just what was it?
He exhaled, “Alright.”
Yao Guang looked at the water, turning to look at Li Guanyi. She thought for a moment, and then extended her right hand, “I can part the water flow with starlight, and we can enter the secret realm together. Please follow me.”
Li Guanyi extended his hand, and Yao Guang grasped his sleeve. Then, they walked together into the stream leading to the secret realm. The water parted under the starlight, leading them to the power left behind by the greatest of five hundred years ago, power capable of changing the world. Li Guanyi wondered, what exactly was it?
(End of Chapter)
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