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    Edict of Peace 87

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    Chapter 87: Primal Chaos, Phoenix Approaching

    Xue Daoyong exerted considerable effort to maintain his composure. He placed a hand on Li Guanyi’s shoulder, feeling the incredibly pure inner energy. A martial artist at this level could unleash their qi from all eight meridians, theoretically allowing them to move freely without injury. Even if their limbs were restrained, they could explode with qi from their shoulders or back, killing their opponent.

    After his initial shock, Xue Daoyong’s first reaction was worry. He grabbed Li Guanyi’s wrist, infused him with inner energy, and frowned slightly. “This rapid breakthrough… weren’t you guided in some accelerated cultivation method?”

    In his youth, he had traveled extensively across the land. Back then, Ying Country was still known as Wei Country. He had also encountered demonic sects from the western border regions, each one rushing forward with exploding inner energy and flying blood and flesh. Some sects even consumed pills, filling their bodies with potent poisons. A sudden explosion from them could easily harm even stronger martial artists if they weren’t careful.

    He worried that Li Guanyi had been reckless, jeopardizing his foundation. But as the inner energy flowed, the old man sensed that the young man’s bones were strong, his qi was magnificent, and the condensed inner energy surging within him was unexpectedly pure. This wasn’t the product of hasty cultivation. This person had a solid foundation; among those Xue Daoyong had encountered in his century of travels, Li Guanyi ranked among the top ten. The others were legendary figures – one of the two innate Daoist masters, whom Xue Daoyong had met in his youth. Even then, Xue Daoyong had considered that person’s Taiji Gentle Cloud skill to have profound and deep roots, but now he felt Li Guanyi’s foundation was no weaker. Although, Li Guanyi was a few years older than that innate master when he was that age. That person was only ten years old at the time.

    Then Xue Daoyong suddenly realized the young man’s cultivation timeframe. From Body Forging to surpassing Qi Condensation, reaching Meridian Unblocking – less than ten days! That young Daoist back then had already been cultivating for six years.

    Xue Daoyong fell silent, rubbing his temples. “How did you do it?” he asked, looking at Li Guanyi.

    Li Guanyi had considered how to explain it beforehand. He had thought about mentioning the Xue Shenjiang secret realm, the Tiger Roar Bone Forging Technique, or even bringing up Elder Si Ming and claiming he had met a master. But after careful consideration, he dismissed these ideas. Loose lips sink ships. Xue Daoyong was an old hand at this. The more he said, the easier it would be to reveal hidden information. So Li Guanyi had only one choice. With a solemn expression, he replied, “I just cultivated, meditated. Yu Qianfeng’s elder brother taught me a Qi Condensation technique, and that’s it.”

    “Just cultivated?”

    “Just cultivated.”

    Xue Daoyong’s lips twitched. He felt his hundred years of life had been wasted.

    Li Guanyi paused, then said in a humble, earnest tone, “I think… maybe… I have a little bit of talent.”

    Xue Daoyong’s eyes went dark. The old man took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and calmed himself. Placing his hands behind his back, he nodded slightly, his expression unreadable. He chuckled and scolded, “What do you mean, ‘a little bit of talent’? This kind of aptitude is unparalleled! This old man has never seen anything like it!”

    “You can be proud.”

    “In my hundred years of traveling the world, I’ve seen many geniuses. Xiao Wuliang charged into battle at thirteen, and Taiping Gong led troops thousands of miles at twenty, beheading tens of thousands. These were extraordinary generals. Xiao Wuliang came from a prominent family, but Taiping Gong was from a peasant family, beginning his cultivation only after joining the army.”

    “I can confidently say, your aptitude is no worse than theirs!”

    Li Guanyi said, “Taiping Gong’s home was…”

    Xue Daoyong replied, “In the eighteenth prefecture of Jiangnan.”

    “I heard that when Taiping Gong was young, he had to roll up his trousers to plant rice and pick lotus seeds to eat. He was very poor, only having two thin clothes a year. One year, during a heavy snow in Jiangnan, he collapsed on the roadside, frozen. A girl supposedly gave him sweets and her cloak, which allowed him to survive the winter.”

    “If not for that, the world wouldn’t have such a valiant general.”

    “Despite his poverty, he achieved wealth and glory after becoming famous. Unfortunately, that fire ten years ago…”

    The old man said no more. Li Guanyi lowered his gaze.

    Xue Daoyong took Li Guanyi to the inner courtyard’s martial arts arena. “Since you’ve established such a foundation, I should explain your further cultivation. After entering the first realm, there are three major stages: Body Forging, Qi Condensation, and Meridian Unblocking.”

    “After that, the three merge into one, signifying ascension to the next level.”

    “The world is now in chaos, with frequent wars between countries. In the martial world, military ranks are often used to assess one’s realm. A martial artist who has entered the first realm can serve as a corporal at the border, commanding five recruits and enjoying meat in their meals; those who have reached the second realm can become junior officers, the highest being a seventh-rank military official.”

    “After retiring from the border, they can become a county magistrate.”

    “They are provided with housing and armor and are considered prominent figures within a city.”

    “Guanyi, do you know the difference between the second realm and the first?”

    Li Guanyi shook his head. He had killed second-realm martial artists, but the first was after Yu Qianfeng absorbed their vital energy with a punch, leaving them reliant on their bodies. Li Guanyi, with his Law Physique, prevailed. The second encounter involved swift killings, without a detailed observation of their techniques.

    Xue Daoyong smiled slightly. “When martial artists enter the realm, their inner energy leaves their body.”

    “After Qi Condensation, inner energy can be refined. To reach the second realm, you must harmonize Body Forging, Qi Condensation, and Meridian Unblocking, allowing the refined qi to naturally form a cycle throughout your body. You see, like this.”

    The old man’s robe billowed as a refined qi swirled around him. Li Guanyi reached out to touch it and felt a distinct repulsion, like putting his hand into a storm. Xue Daoyong said, “This is ‘Defense’. Inner energy circulates throughout the body, to a certain extent, allowing you to avoid most hidden weapons, deflecting arrows. It’s the foundation for Qi Condensation into Armor in the third realm.”

    “‘Attack’ is simpler.”

    Xue Daoyong held a wooden stick, and qi emanated from it. This was the sign of Qi Condensation. The old man moved his wrist, flicking the stick, and the qi exploded, transforming into a jet of energy that cut through the air, striking a nearby stone stele. The wooden stick disintegrated into dust, while the stele, which would normally require a full-strength strike from a first-realm martial artist to break, slid to one side. The break was clean. Sword Qi.

    Xue Daoyong said, “Defense involves the natural circulation of one’s qi, and in the second realm, you can unleash sword qi and kill from a distance. At this point, martial artists need new weapons – special materials that allow inner energy to circulate and withstand the wear and tear of explosive qi attacks, what we call ‘sharp weapons’.”

    “This is the second realm, encompassing seventh to ninth-rank military officials.”

    “Border junior officers, and the elite cavalry and infantry throughout the land, are all at this level. The one you killed was the same, but he probably hadn’t mastered the ability to unleash sword qi.”

    Xue Daoyong said, “If entering the first realm makes you a prominent figure in a small town, the second realm makes you one of the most influential figures in a small city. Furthermore, your abilities and the power of the Law Physique can only be truly utilized at this level.”

    Li Guanyi looked up, and saw the old man smile, casually extending his hand, qi erupting. He swept his sleeve, and the qi gathered into a tiger, rushing forward to pulverize the stone stele, leaving craters in the ground. Dust filled the air as the old man said,

    “Inner energy can carry the Law Physique; with inner energy leaving the body, you can perform such feats.”

    “However, when this old man possessed the power of the Law Physique, I was already beyond this realm. I never tasted the sweetness of overwhelming opponents in this second realm, haha.”

    Li Guanyi looked at the shattered remains, his eyes gleaming. He thought of the Ye Chi cavalry that pursued him ten years ago. They were all second-realm or higher martial artists.

    Li Guanyi grasped his weapon. “Xue Lao, if I reach this realm, how would I fare against elite troops like the Ye Chi cavalry?”

    The old man laughed loudly. “If you enter the second realm, one punch, a White Tiger roar – it’s far stronger than sword qi.”

    “When you face the Ye Chi cavalry,”

    “You will beat them like dogs.”

    “At that time, this old man will give you a treasured weapon from the martial world for self-defense. Weapons forged three hundred times are ultimately made of common iron, unable to withstand the scouring of vital energy; the more they are used, the more likely they are to disintegrate from within. Weapons that can carry inner energy are made of precious materials – sharp weapons.”

    “Above sharp weapons is a higher level: weapons that harmonize with the Law Physique, known as treasures – treasured swords and treasured blades. Although this term is commonplace, it’s not something to be casually used. Every treasured blade is worth a fortune.”

    Li Guanyi asked, “Above that are divine weapons?”

    The old man laughed, “Yes, but also no. Between divine weapons and treasured weapons lies another category. These weapons have not yet followed unparalleled heroes, achieving earth-shattering feats, and so their names are not widely known, they haven’t been forged in the cauldron of destiny, haven’t developed sentience, and thus are not considered divine weapons.”

    “But they are not comparable to ordinary treasured weapons. Their material is almost as good as divine weapons. A single collision, and any treasured sword or sharp weapon will be shattered before it, possessing many mysteries, each one different, these are known as ‘Mysterious Weapons’.”

    “Every Mysterious Weapon has the potential to become a divine weapon.”

    “Only Ying Country’s Sword Forging Valley and Jiangnan’s Divine Weapon Manor possess a large number of Mysterious Weapons.”

    “Two hundred years ago, the number one swordsman of Jiangnan swept across the land, conquering all the sword and knife sects of the Central Plains, collecting dozens of sect-guarding Mysterious Weapons. Incredibly arrogant, initially a member of a prominent family, he stepped into the martial world, creating his sect in Jiangnan – the Divine Weapon Manor of the Murong family.”

    “He has accumulated countless bloody debts, and possesses supreme fame.”

    “He is still alive, the grandmaster of the martial world.”

    “Relying on his weapons and swordsmanship, he entered the Central Plains Academy three times, forcing the innate Daoist masters to retreat, and fought against King Gongyang Su three times without defeat. He was originally a master swordsman but his arrogant nature made countless enemies. He fought three hundred times in his life but never lost.”

    “Sword Madman, Murong Longtu.”

    Li Guanyi silently recorded this name, subconsciously thinking of the Autumn Water Sword his aunt had given him. However, even if this short sword came from the Murong Manor, it wouldn’t be a Mysterious Weapon. Perhaps a treasure?

    The old man guided him on his path to ascension. This step is called “Primal Chaos”, the complete merging of Body Forging, Qi Condensation, and Meridian Unblocking, becoming second nature, requiring no conscious effort. However, Li Guanyi suddenly thought of his Four Symbols Law Physique.

    If he were to refine everything, unify the primal chaos… should these four Law Physiques be integrated into his next cultivation level? Currently, Li Guanyi only maintained balance through the Huangji Scripture. He could only use the power of the four Law Physiques one by one by mobilizing inner energy. Should he seek out his ancestor and learn the sixtieth volume of the Huangji Scripture to achieve greater strength?

    Li Guanyi silently memorized the method in the Jade Arm Divine Bow Scripture to break through to the second realm. He planned to break through after securing Jiangzhou City and meeting with his ancestor, Zu Wenyuan.

    Xue Daoyong said, “By the way, we leave for the capital in three days.”

    Li Guanyi said, “Three days? Isn’t it more than twenty days until the Grand Sacrifice?”

    Xue Daoyong scolded with a laugh, “You little rascal, do you mean we wait until the Grand Sacrifice to go? Then we might as well stay here and wait for the Emperor to personally carry us there on a sedan chair.”

    Li Guanyi mumbled, “That wouldn’t be bad.”

    Xue Daoyong kicked the boy’s behind, laughing and crying, “Kid,”

    “You’re quite arrogant.”

    “Because of that old geezer Yu Qianfeng’s actions, those martial nobles who attacked you have suffered, and you will likely encounter some trouble when you enter the capital.”

    The old man picked up a letter, saying calmly,

    “Guanyi, remember, once in the capital, you are a distant relative of my Xue family.”

    “Fifteen years old, having practiced martial arts since childhood. Remember?”

    Li Guanyi said, “Will they believe it?”

    Xue Daoyong said calmly, “Naturally not, but they will only think you are a hidden asset of my Xue family, never suspecting your true identity. And this second identity is their own guess; they won’t doubt it.”

    Li Guanyi softly said, “Xue Lao,”

    “I will repay your kindness in the future.”

    The old man sighed, “Don’t flatter me. Just rub my shoulders.”

    So Li Guanyi obediently stepped forward to massage his shoulders.

    The old man smugly said, “This event should be recorded for posterity. In the future, when famous generals recall their youth, they will remember that they once massaged the shoulders of this old man, hahaha, Guanyi, do it well. This old man may achieve fame because of this.”

    Li Guanyi chuckled wryly.

    The old man took out an item and reluctantly handed it to Li Guanyi. “Here, take this.”

    “What is this?”

    The old man sighed, “A letter from Shuangtao.”

    He waved his hand. “Go read it. Don’t bother me. Remember, in three days, put on your armor and follow my Xue family’s caravan to Jiangzhou City. Don’t be late, or you’re on your own.”

    “This old man isn’t waiting for you for such a big matter.”

    The old man waved his hand, and Li Guanyi returned to his room, opening the letter. A flower fell out. The letter contained simple words:

    “Brother Li Guanyi, I hope this letter finds you well.”

    The young lady initially wrote very seriously, but later her tone became much more relaxed, describing her experiences in the capital. She said the palace was boring, but people kept mentioning Li Guanyi’s name; some called him a tiger, others a wolf. There was a hint of displeasure in the young lady’s words, suggesting she had argued with them.

    The young lady seems gentle and elegant, but she is a skilled archer and horsewoman.

    She is certainly not used to the intrigues of the palace.

    Li Guanyi looked quietly. He flipped it over and saw the young lady write:

    ‘The Turkic people have arrived, they are very strong, and they brought a team of Tiefutus (heavily armored cavalry). It seems there will be a martial competition for entertainment before the Grand Sacrifice. The Ying royal family has not yet arrived, but the State Duke’s Mansion’s vanguard is already here, and the second young master seems to be arriving soon.’

    ‘The second young master of the State Duke’s Mansion seems to have been given a name by the Great Emperor of the Central Plains.’

    ‘It means “The Sun is Brightly Shining”.’

    ‘And then he was given another character. Just one word.’

    ‘It is: Wen.’

    ‘They seem to be arriving in Jiangzhou soon.’

    Li Guanyi narrowed his eyes.

    At that time, in the lands of Chen Kingdom.

    A girl separated from the main group looked up at the sky, a phoenix dancing on her shoulder, her eyes bright, she smiled softly.

    “Li Guanyi, Li Guanyi,”

    “We are finally going to meet.”
    (End of Chapter)

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