Chapter 27: Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Three Origins Unite, Challenging Heaven

Outside Jianmen Pass.

Wild winds howled, striking the face like knives, causing one to instinctively squint and feel pain.

Dou Changsheng sat on a bench at the tea stall, lifted a bowl of cold tea, drained it in one gulp, then spoke: “Since ancient times, no feast has ever lasted forever.”

“The military pay has been delivered to Jianmen Pass; the conflicts to come no longer concern us.”

“I hereby formally take my leave of you both.”

Black Eagle Elder raised a hand to signal patience, then slowly said: “Brother Dou, your heart is noble and righteous, unmatched in benevolence.”

“The world reveres you.”

“For the sake of the military pay, you have broken through countless enemies, entering Jianmen Pass twice.”

"The shogunate is deeply grateful and will reward you handsomely."

“Have you ever considered entering official service?”

"If you wish to serve, there are several options: first, join the shogunate as an official; given your merits, you may remain at the shogunate headquarters or take up a military post in the provinces."

"Second, the shogunate can recommend you directly for a provincial post."

“Several assistant magistrateships in the north are vacant—you may assume office immediately.”

“Third, you may leave the north and seek office elsewhere, but this is not advised; one is diminished when far from home—no matter how harsh the north, it is still your home.”

After listening carefully, Dou Changsheng simply shook his head: “Forget it.”

“I have no intention of entering official service.”

In this northern rebellion, the shogunate was the first to bear the brunt.

The shogunate, established by the Grand General of the North, was feared by the imperial court.

Had it not been for Grand General Yu Yun’s solitary journey to the capital, willingly entering prison, this would not have been a shogunate—it would have been a tyrannical regime.

Controlling the north, overseeing its military, clans, powerful families, sects, and commoners—what difference does this make from governing civil affairs?

It possesses the substance, but not the title.

Commander of All Military Affairs Across the Realm!

Grand General Yu Yun rose to power through resisting the Hu Ren; year after year, his influence grew dazzling, the shogunate’s reach surpassing the last, now swollen into a colossal force.

His nine adopted sons are all Grand Masters.

Three of them rank among the Earthly List, capable of breaching cities and toppling fortresses, unmatched in martial prowess.

Many other Grand Masters, like the invincible Yuan Lao Ye, further attest to the shogunate’s immense strength.

Every move Grand General Yu Yun makes can sway the fate of the realm.

Twenty thousand border troops, if they march south at once, can turn the land upside down.

The more Dou Changsheng learned of this Grand General, the more he sensed the man’s complexity—the shogunate must have seized power, or how else could it have grown into such a behemoth?

Yet, upon a single imperial edict and a golden token, he willingly journeyed alone to the capital and surrendered to prison.

A power-hungry minister could simply feign illness and refuse to come.

With the Four Great States locked in conflict and countless minor states vying, as long as he allied with Qin in the west or Qi in the east, the court would dare not act.

If he wished, the title of King of the North was guaranteed.

Unpleasant? Call it King of Zhao, King of Yan.

The north is too deep a pool; Dou Changsheng had no desire to be drawn in. Now that the military pay escort was complete, this was the perfect moment to withdraw.

Black Eagle Elder fell silent. Both the shogunate and he wanted Dou Changsheng to join the shogunate; such a man—deeply connected, gifted, and virtuous—was precisely what the shogunate craved most.

Dou Changsheng had refused. Black Eagle Elder wished to plead with him, but restrained himself. The north was in chaos—now was no time to join the shogunate. After rephrasing, he spoke:

“Brother Dou, you come from the wilds and know only a fragmentary text. What you most lack is systematic training.”

"Therefore, the shogunate has dispatched a powerful figure who is willing to personally instruct you for a time."

“This is a rare opportunity—please seize it well.”

After speaking, Black Eagle Elder slowly rose. Zhao Manren rose with him. Both bowed to Dou Changsheng once more, thanking him again for saving their lives, then departed together.

Dou Changsheng was just about to rise when a hand pressed down on his shoulder.

All strength vanished, leaving him as fragile as an infant.

Dou Changsheng was startled, then immediately knew: a shogunate master had arrived.

A hoarse voice spoke: “Your San Yuan Gui Qi Jue is remarkably pure and potent—but sadly, it flows spontaneously, with no sign of control.”

“This is incredible.”

An old man stood beside him.

Dou Changsheng looked at the man, his eyes slowly widening—but still, he could not make out the man’s face.

He could only discern that this was an elderly man; his features left no impression whatsoever, at most a medium stature.

The old man, hands clasped behind his back, calmly said: “Your spirit has not yet been cultivated—you cannot pierce illusions or perceive truth.”

“I do not wish to be seen; thus, no one sees me.”

“Flesh and blood cannot behold the sacred!”

The old man ignored Dou Changsheng’s changing expression and continued: “I have limited time and cannot remain long.”

“Whether you learn anything depends on your talent and insight.”

“The San Yuan Gui Qi Jue was passed down from antiquity, created by a Sage.”

“It advocates benevolence, loyalty, and courage.”

“When the Three Origins unite, one may contend with Heaven!”

“To enter, choose one path to cultivate.”

“Your innate qi is white—cultivate courage.”

“This is the most common and most chosen path.”

“Face adversity head-on, fear no hardship.”

“This is the Way of the martial cultivator.”

“Listen carefully to the ‘San Yuan Gui Qi Jue – Primordial Chapter’—I will speak it only once. Whether you remember it fully, whether any characters are missing, depends entirely on you.”

The Primordial Three Realms, over ten thousand characters, echoed in Dou Changsheng’s ears.

Each character seemed imbued with magic, like a demonic chant, repeating endlessly within his mind.

Dou Changsheng was numb.

Not only did he not need to memorize it—any fool could recite it backward, for each repetition etched the words into his heart; even if he forgot, recalling them brought them instantly to mind.

The old master’s profound, inscrutable image was gone.

A sharp tongue, a tender heart.

“Indeed, exceptional talent—I spoke once, and you already recite it backward.”

“The ‘San Yuan Gui Qi Jue – Miraculous Chapter’ is the secret of the Wang family of Xiangzhou, never passed on. I do not possess it now; if you wish to learn it, you must wait until you reach Xiangzhou in the future.”

“Your innate qi is thick as mountains, vast as oceans—you must have had a great encounter.”

“This is your fortune; do not waste it.”

“The Wu Liang Jian Jue suits you perfectly.”

“Yet, when you drew your sword from Jianmen Pass, though your sword qi seemed boundless, it was scattered and chaotic—like the warrior you slew outside Chen Family Fort, you have taken the wrong path.”

“It’s not that you have too many techniques—it’s that their quality is low.”

“Hero Sword was forged by the Tang family of Jiangdu; the Tangs are famed throughout the land for their sword-casting art.”

“Tang He, as the current heir, wielded this Hero Sword, forged with the utmost dedication of the master swordsmith Tang Fangxiong—it will surely ascend to a Treasure Weapon, and with fortune, may even transform into a Divine Weapon.”

“Perceive the Hero Sword, nurture its spirit, then fuse its sharpness into the Wu Liang Jian Jue.”

“Then, that pitiful Peacock’s Fan move from the Five Beauties Valley will not withstand even a casual slash from you.”

“Such opportunistic tricksters, climbing the Human List—this fills me with shame.”

What a pity.

Dou Changsheng cannot follow me to train for ten years before reemerging into the Jianghu.

Otherwise, at twenty-eight, he would unquestionably be the undisputed number one on the Human List.