Chapter 841: The Night of the Full Moon, Atop the Forbidden Palace

It came as no surprise to anyone — Lü Bu arrived, without any disguise, charging straight ahead as if he had never learned how to write the two characters "turn a corner" during his childhood studies.

Like he was endorsing "the whole world will make way for you."

Upon receiving news of Lü Bu's barrier breach, the group at the Great Cauldron could all picture the scene: Lü Bu hearing the news, springing to his feet, and striding away in great steps under Chen Gong's helpless, resentful gaze.

At the thought of this martial arts madman clashing with Jia Rong, they all felt a tinge of excitement, even wanting to go observe for themselves.

But on second thought, forget it — Lü Bu was one thing.

At least everyone knew how to guide this wild bull so he wouldn't hurt his own side.

But Jia Rong — from start to finish, his actions exuded an elusive feeling, making it impossible to judge what he would do next.

Everyone thought he would return to court in triumph after his great victory over Lu Junyi, but he completely ignored the twelve imperial edicts and directly attacked Great Yin.

Everyone thought he would declare Great Yin finished after killing Song Jiang, possibly even proclaiming himself emperor on the spot, but instead he returned power to Cheng.

What on earth does he want to do?

Don't understand, really don't understand. Jia Rong's baffling behavior has been a "research topic" many people have been studying recently.

Zhuge Liang, Xun Yu, Guo Jia, Zhou Yu, Lu Xun, and other strategists and advisors all paid great attention to Jia Rong.

They collected his life deeds and conducted research.

The result: one look and they were even more baffled — this person... what is his deal?

A good-for-nothing for over twenty years, then an overnight rise, instantly stunning the world, soaring to the heavens in a single flight?

That doesn't add up!

Even Zhuge Liang, famed as a commoner, already had a reputation far and wide while farming in Nanyang — he merely delayed emerging because he wanted to find a "good boss," and later chose Liu Bei during the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

In the end, the two were "like fish in water."

What about Jia Rong? His "first half of life" wasn't a "Crouching Dragon" like Zhuge Liang who had yet to emerge.

He was a genuine good-for-nothing, the kind with zero reputation — what reputation he had was nothing but the terrible name of a dissolute young master.

The baffling Jia Rong.

Not only his behavior baffling, but his path to rise baffling as well.

Instead, the few fragmented words circulating about that so-called "Six Desires Apportioning Demon Chapter," a supreme demonic art, became the most reasonable explanation.

Causing quite a few people to take an interest in this martial art.

Also the "Great Strength Monkey King Fist" practiced by the Jia family women, which turned them from delicate women with no strength to truss a chicken into martial arts experts in a short time.

According to rumor, among the Jia family's Thirteen Guardians, the Tearless Death God Lin Daiyu and the Smiling Yama Xue Baochai have both entered the Spirit Refining realm — Grandmaster is within reach.

They're not even twenty yet, have practiced martial arts for less than a year, and before that at most knew some basic boxing and kicking.

Besides their own outstanding natural talent, there's one most important point: the martial arts they practice.

"Six Desires Apportioning Demon Chapter," "Great Strength Monkey King Fist."

These two martial arts are intimately connected to Jia Rong's transformation and rise.

To understand this person more deeply, one must see what kind of collision occurs between Lü Bu and Jia Rong this time.

In the Great Qian imperial capital, Emperor Kaiyuan Gu Ling, upon learning of Lü Bu's barrier breach and swaggering departure, furrowed his brows into a "chuan" character.

Although this matter gave Great Qian absolutely no face, the actual losses were minimal.

Just the frontier pass's city gate was smashed — repairable in a few days.

What troubled Gu Ling was what attitude he should adopt toward this matter.

Jia Rong "the general is outside" — he completely ignored twelve imperial edicts, making people suspect he wanted to establish himself after conquering Great Yin.

Gu Ling had even prepared to superficially reprimand but actually negotiate.

Because he discovered that if Jia Rong truly took control of Great Yin and founded a new state, it wouldn't be a bad thing for him at all.

Being an emperor is different from sparring and martial arts — it's far more complex.

Jia Rong couldn't possibly proclaim emperor today, send troops tomorrow, sweep the world the day after, and unify all under heaven the day after that.

If he truly became emperor, for the next several decades he could only focus on consolidation — occupying and annexing a country is no easy feat.

During his reign as Emperor Kaiyuan, the new state and Great Qian would certainly maintain a good ally relationship.

But Jia Rong just had to return power to Cheng — words spoken are like water spilled, impossible to take back.

So right now, Jia Rong is still Great Qian's man.

Lü Bu tramples Great Qian's soil to go find trouble with a Great Qian minister, and you, Emperor Kaiyuan, don't even let out a fart?

Where is the national prestige?

No choice — Emperor Kaiyuan could only send men to pursue Lü Bu, shouting on one hand "If you've got guts, don't run!" while praying in his heart "You must not stop, whatever you do!"

Fortunately, Lü Bu's focus was entirely on Tang Luo, and he had no interest in turning back to give Emperor Kaiyuan another slap.

Once inside Great Yin territory, Lü Bu and his hundred cavalry still charged recklessly, which relieved Emperor Kaiyuan considerably.

It also made Great Yin's ambitious men furious — first Jia Rong, now Lü Bu; what do you take Great Yin for? Your personal sparring arena?

You even have to clear out unrelated personnel before a fight?

And many Great Yin martial artists, mixed with anger, also felt excitement, and likewise headed for the imperial capital.

The might of Martial Arts Madman Lü Fengxian — for over a decade, everyone's ears have grown calluses from hearing about it.

If there is a Supreme Grandmaster in the world, then it must be Lü Bu.

If not, Lü Bu is the one closest to a Supreme Grandmaster.

The later comer is Jia Rong — different from Lü Bu with his illustrious battle record and towering reputation.

Jia Rong has only acted twice.

First, when two armies faced off, he sat in his carriage and waved his hand casually — Lu Junyi, Li Kui, Suo Chao, and all the other famous names among the 108 Stars were heavily wounded to the brink of death, directly clearing a large open space in the army formation.

The second time was outside the Great Yin imperial capital — holding Hu Sanniang in one hand, he shattered the city with a single punch.

Later, underground rumors spread that at that time Wu Yong had also prepared a poisonous scheme — feigning injury to administer poison, even at the cost of the imperial capital commoners' lives — to block Jia Rong's advance.

The result was that the other party shattered it with a single punch.

Lü Bu, Jia Rong — in the end, who is stronger? Who is the Supreme Grandmaster, or who is closer to the Supreme Grandmaster?

This is the answer every martial artist wants to know in their heart.

There are even some martial artists with a romantic streak who feel both are merely close to the Supreme Grandmaster realm.

Then the two fight, and perhaps someone will directly advance to the Supreme Grandmaster realm, and ultimately ascend in broad daylight.

What, why ascend in broad daylight?

If they don't ascend in broad daylight, with a Mount Tai like this pressing down on their heads, what are other martial artists supposed to do?

Ascending in broad daylight is the best outcome; at worst, a mutually destructive draw.

And the people of the Cheng clan, the former royal family of Great Yin, were also mixed among the many groups surging toward the imperial capital, planning to observe the situation.

"Thud-thud-thud-thud!"

On the level official road, no thick smoke rose, only a bit of dust.

Clearly just a hundred cavalry, yet they galloped with the momentum of ten thousand armies.

This troop's "Lü" character banner fluttered, without the Great Ding's "Ding" character, only "Lü".

The other three kings are the same; their banners have always been only "Wei, Shu, Wu", that "Ding" has always been ignored.

At the head of the troop, a crimson tall horse, its build a full one and a half times that of a normal horse.

The martial artist riding the horse bore the ferocious weapon Sky-Piercing Halberd on his back, clad in red-black armor, wearing a red-tasseled helmet, sword brows beneath which his eyes emitted a soul-stirring radiance.

Martial Dao Heavenly Madman, Lü Bu!

On both sides of the official road, quite a few martial artists had already gathered; when Lü Bu passed with his cavalry, they all felt a wave of heart-pounding alarm.

Feeling that what passed was not a cavalry troop, but a pack of ferocious beasts.

Soon, the Great Yin imperial capital's walls loomed in the distance; one could see that huge gap, like a wound squatting on the Great Yin nation, unable to scab over.

No horse neighs; the heavy hoofbeats stopped almost at the same time.

Lü Bu silently looked at the person above the gap.

That person was not Jia Rong.

But Jiao Da; according to the spies' intelligence, this person is suspected to be a Grandmaster.

"Greetings, Marquis Wen." Zhu Bajie smiled amiably and cupped his fists toward Lü Bu.

"Where is Jia Rong? I came to fight him." Lü Bu said.

"My lord has already learned of Marquis Wen's intent." Zhu Bajie smiled, "So he specially ordered me to wait here."

"Tonight, the night of the full moon, atop the Forbidden Palace, my lord will fight Marquis Wen." Zhu Bajie paused, looking at the crowd gathered nearby, "You all may also come watch, but one thing — don't cause trouble, follow the rules."

"Hmph, this is Great Yin, not your Great Qian——"

Someone coldly snorted, hiding in the crowd wanting to incite.

Zhu Bajie grabbed through the air.

The crowd involuntarily parted, exposing that person.

Zhu Bajie flicked his hand; that person flew up, smashed into the city wall, directly embedded inside, unable to move.

"Follow the rules." Zhu Bajie still wore a smile, smilingly emphasizing it once more.

At this moment, no one dared to underestimate this old man anymore.

Lü Bu looked at Zhu Bajie and praised: "You're not bad, any interest in joining me?"

"Many thanks for Marquis Wen's high regard, but I'm old, I like peace." Zhu Bajie said, performing the image of a loyal old servant perfectly.

Speaking of acting, among the master and disciples, only Sha Wujing is weak; even Sun Wukong can play people around in circles when needed.

Oh, Tang Luo is also a bit lopsided in this regard; in "making others think he's weak" he's emperor-of-acting tier.

The rest are just grandmasters — at least, whatever he says, others will believe.

"Night of the full moon, atop the Forbidden Palace..." The rejected Lü Bu wasn't angry either, "Good, tonight at the hour of the Rat a duel; hope Jia Rong doesn't disappoint me."

Zhu Bajie cupped his fists, turned and left.

Lü Bu and his men did not enter the city, but dismounted to rest; even resting, they merely stood beside their warhorses, formation unchanged.

Exuding the aura of an iron-blooded army.

Some say this cavalry meticulously built by Lü Bu, under his leadership, can pierce through a hundred thousand troops, crisscrossing back and forth several times.

Some also say, Lü Bu alone is enough.

Lü Bu and his cavalry not entering the city, others then entered the Great Yin imperial capital one after another, and went early to outside the imperial palace walls to secure good viewing positions.

The Great Yin imperial palace is named "Forbidden City"; the tall gate tower is the Forbidden Palace's peak.

Night of the full moon, atop the Forbidden Palace!

Tonight, will decide the current world's number one martial arts expert!