Chapter 370

Liyang Dynasty, the Imperial Capital of Tai'an City.

Inside the heavily guarded Imperial Palace Hall, the atmosphere once again became solemn.

After listening to the report from the envoy previously sent to Northern Liang, which was full of embellishment, fear, and exaggeration, the young Liyang Emperor Zhao Dun...

... on that face which was already somewhat gloomy, was now covered with surging rage!

"Unbelievable! Simply unbelievable!"

Zhao Dun suddenly slammed his dragon throne and roared in anger: "That demonic dragon! How dare... how dare he despise me like this! Despise my Liyang Imperial House!"

"Not only did he refuse my investiture, but he also spoke arrogantly, wanting me... to be Emperor for only a few days?!"

"He... does he intend to rebel?!"

He never expected that, having already lowered his pride and made such huge concessions,

... the other party would still be so ungrateful, so... arrogant!

Below, Zhang Julu and the assembly of civil and military officials all fell silent as if frozen, daring not to speak.

They knew that Your Majesty was currently in a rage, and whoever dared to step forward and provoke him would surely have no good outcome.

After venting his anger, Zhao Dun gradually calmed down.

He knew that mere anger could solve no problems.

He looked down at Zhang Julu, the Chief Minister who was always full of wisdom, and asked in a deep voice:

"Zhang Aiqing, now, the Northern Barbarian's five hundred thousand troops have already arrived at the city walls, pointing directly at Northern Liang."

"And that demonic dragon is so unruly and difficult to control."

"In your opinion, I... what should be done next?"

Hearing this, Zhang Julu slowly stepped out from the ranks, bowed deeply to Zhao Dun, and said in a hoarse voice:

"Reporting to Your Majesty, this old subject believes that this is... a heaven-sent opportunity."

"Oh? How so?" Hearing this, a hint of confusion flashed in Zhao Dun's eyes.

In Zhang Julu's pair of dim eyes, a glint of cunning calculation flashed, and he slowly said:

"Your Majesty, whether it is the tiger and wolf armies of the Northern Barbarians or the mysterious sea dragon of the Eastern Sea, for our Liyang, they are all grave threats."

"Now, as these two tigers fight each other, one must be injured, or even... both will be severely damaged!"

"We need only sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight!"

"This old subject suggests that Your Majesty immediately issue an edict, ordering General-in-Chief Gu Jiantang to lead our Liyang's thirty thousand elite troops, station them at the border between Northern Liang and the Central Plains, and wait and see!"

"If the Northern Barbarian army wins, it will surely be a pyrrhic victory, with great loss of strength! At that time, our Liyang army can take advantage of the void to strike, crush them in one blow, and completely eliminate the threat of the Northern Barbarians!"

"If that Eastern Sea dragon wins, it must also have consumed great resources and suffered damage to its strength! At that time, our Liyang army can also seize the opportunity to act, recover the lost lands of Northern Liang in one blow, or even... suppress that demonic dragon as well!"

"In this way, no matter the outcome of this battle, the ultimate beneficiary will be our Liyang Dynasty!"

"This, is the way of the Emperor!"

After listening to Zhang Julu's sinister and vicious yet flawless strategy,

... the anger in his eyes gradually dissipated, replaced by deep... approval and excitement!

"Excellent! What a 'sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight'! What a 'drive the tiger to swallow the wolf'!"

Zhao Dun clapped his hands and laughed loudly: "Zhang Aiqing, you are truly my Zifang!"

"Let it be as you say! Transmit my edict! Order Gu Jiantang to mobilize troops immediately and station them at the border! For me... to watch a grand show!"

He seemed to have already seen the beautiful scene of the Northern Barbarians and the dragon being mutually damaged, while he reaped the benefits of the fisherman.

At the same time.

Mount Qingliang, inside the Listening Tide Pavilion.

Brother Ning Chuan, however, looked leisurely and content, as if the changing winds and clouds of the outside world had nothing to do with him.

At this moment, he was... teaching Li Hanyi to practice sword techniques.

It was seen that Li Hanyi, wearing a plain white long dress, holding the peerless famous sword named "Moon at Dusk, Flowers at Dawn," was slowly practicing a set of extremely profound Sword Technique on the open ground in front of the pavilion.

That Sword Technique was ethereal and agile, yet concealed killing intent; with every thrust, it seemed to draw upon the moonlight from the sky, carrying a trace of cold chill.

It was the unique supreme art of her Snow Moon City.

Brother Ning Chuan stood with his hands behind his back, watching quietly.

His eyebrows, however, were slightly furrowed.

"Incorrect." He slowly opened his mouth and said in a calm voice, "Your sword is too cold."

"The sword, although an instrument of killing, is also a thing with emotion."

"You blindly pursue a sword without emotion, severing the threads of feeling; while this can make your sword heart pure, it also... loses the spiritual resonance with heaven, earth, and all things."

"Your sword has only form, but lacks... spirit."

Hearing this, Li Hanyi's sword moves paused slightly, and on that face which was usually cold and beautiful, a hint of confusion and bewilderment appeared.

She did not understand why the supreme sword Dao she pursued was, in his eyes, worthless.

Seeing her bewildered look, Brother Ning Chuan smiled slightly and walked forward slowly.

He did not explain directly with words.

Instead, he reached out his hand and gently held Li Hanyi's soft hand that was gripping the sword hilt.

Unknowingly, he pulled Li Hanyi's delicate body into his embrace.

Then, using that magnetic voice, he whispered in her ear:

"Close your eyes and feel with your heart."

"Feel the flow of the wind, feel the gentleness of the water, feel the blooming of the peach blossoms, feel... my heartbeat."

"The sword Dao is not without emotion, but is... the utmost emotion."

"When you can merge all your emotions into your sword."

"Only then will your sword possess true... life."

Li Hanyi, caught off guard by Ning Chuan's sudden intimacy, felt her fair face flush red and her heart pound like a deer's.

She could clearly feel the strong, powerful heartbeat coming from Ning Chuan's broad chest, along with that reassuring warmth.

Her heart, frozen for many years, seemed... to melt at this very moment.

Instinctively, she closed her eyes and, following Ning Chuan's guidance, used her heart to sense everything around her.

The atmosphere, at this moment, became somewhat... ambiguous.

Jiang Ni, standing nearby, watched the two embracing like an immortal couple, and a faint trace of envy flashed through her beautiful eyes.

She too longed to receive such gentle instruction from her Master.

Ning Chuan also seemed to sense Jiang Ni's thoughts.

He released Li Hanyi from his embrace, turned his head, and spoke gently to Jiang Ni:

"Jiang Ni, come here too."

"You bear the bloodline of the Western Chu imperial family; by nature, you have an affinity with the Sword Dao and are a natural-born Sword Immortal seed."

"It is just that before, national vengeance and family hatred left you no chance to truly contact and cultivate the Sword Dao."

"Today, this Seat will personally teach you a supreme Sword Technique truly suited to you."

"Once mastered, you will advance a thousand li in a day; it will be no difficult matter."

Hearing this, Li Hanyi also looked at Jiang Ni with some surprise.

She never expected that this seemingly weak and pitiful fallen Princess would... also be a natural-born Sword Immortal?

And standing further away, Nangong Pushi, who was also observing, felt a mix of complex emotions in her heart as she watched the scene before her.

Watching Ning Chuan's manner of directing the world with ease and confidence, her heart was filled with endless admiration and awe.

But, (damn it), immediately, she thought of the approaching, unfathomably powerful Northern Liang God of War, Tuoba Pusa.

She could not help but sigh silently in her heart.

Can he... really defeat that enemy who stole one-quarter of her mother's fortune?

She did not know, nor did she dare to think about it.

A short while later.

Xu Weixiong, dressed in a white combat outfit with an increasingly capable and steady demeanor, hurriedly walked in from outside the pavilion.

She bowed respectfully to Ning Chuan and said with a heavy expression:

"Reporting to Master, according to the latest military intelligence returned from Jubeicheng."

"The Northern Liang's five hundred thousand troops have... have already arrived at the city gates, less than a hundred li from Jubeicheng!"

Hearing this, Ning Chuan merely nodded lightly, with no ripple on his face.