Chapter 855

"In my youth, my master taught me what it meant to indulge."

"As crown prince, born with a natural Dao body, I had whatever I desired—wind, rain, all things under heaven were mine for the taking; even if I wished for the moon in the sky, my clan's devotees forged for me a jade sphere hundreds of zhang in diameter as a magic artifact."

"Back then, a single glance from me would get someone killed; a mere frown would cost dozens their heads. No matter what I did, I bore no responsibility."

"Do you understand this feeling?"

"Then my master separated one of my souls and one of my spirits, sealed the memories of that body, and cast it daily among my servants and common folk. If 'I' killed it, it was reborn among another mortal—this went on for three years, and three thousand five hundred and ninety-one people died for me. I reincarnated eighty-one times."

"Finally, my master returned my soul and spirit to my body. That time I wept bitterly—because beyond the many quick deaths, nine times I had family, friends, even loved ones—and all of them were killed by 'me'!"

"I knew my master wanted me to understand that all people are but people."

"But my master shook his head and handed me over to my father. I asked him why he was so cruel, letting a child who didn't understand act without restraint. My father replied to me: This is the weight of the state!"

"As ruler, few people or things in the world can hinder you; few things remain beyond your grasp. Every action and movement is borne by the people of the realm. Freedom and joy belong to us; suffering belongs to others. This is the emperor, the sovereign, the supreme one!"

"Yet this is not true freedom—it is karma, a burden, a torment. To bear the stains of the state is to be its master; to bear the misfortunes of the realm is to be king of all under heaven!"

"The emperor's shoulders bear the weight of the state; every action and movement affects the people of the realm. Each of my reckless acts, each transgression, means someone in the state bears the cost for me. The emperor is the one person in this world who should never know freedom!"

"Most emperors can act recklessly precisely because the state bears all their consequences."

"The selfish can act without restraint, knowing others will bear the cost after death—but our Cao clan's position is shaky, perilously close to collapse; we can no longer afford a selfish ruler!"

As Cao Cao Xuanwei spoke these words, his mood grew somber.

"This is what my father sought to teach me—responsibility!"

"In years past, my grandfather failed to understand his duty. For his own freedom and whims, he killed his empress out of hatred, creating a deep rift between the Cao and Tuoba clans, leading to the deaths of hundreds of thousands and nearly toppling the state."

"When my father was young, palace chaos erupted; among more than ten imperial princes, only he survived."

"He witnessed the consequences of his grandfather's recklessness, and thus understood what it meant to bear the weight of the state. Since ascending the throne, he has trembled in fear, almost never failing to reflect upon himself each day."

"But I know only this: even the emperor is but a mortal, and never truly free."

"Li Zhong!" Cao Cao Xuanwei turned to him. "You and I are the same. Just as I would never thrust that spear, just as every move of mine carries immense weight, so too are you bound by the chains of this world. We are both mortals trudging through snow-mud, destined never to wield the blade that severs all ties."

Li Zhong understood Cao Cao Xuanwei's words.

If Li Er had come, he might have cut off Cao Cao Xuanwei's head without a second thought—for the wild goose flies beyond the sky, and all things on earth mean nothing to him.

But he could not do it.

Most people in this world must bear the consequences of their actions—that is what it means to be mortal. Hence, he called this blade: "As if a wild goose treads upon snow-mud."

A blade wielded by a free, unburdened soul, severing all attachments.

Such a free blade should belong to the skyborne wild goose—its voice echoes far and wide, each cut leaves no trace.

Just as if Li Er today drew his blade to kill Cao Cao Xuanwei—the Northern Wei would lose its crown prince, the Cao clan would be plunged into despair, the state would collapse—all of it would mean nothing to his brother. When he struck, his heart held no attachment, so nothing could cling to him.

But Li Zhong could not. He was no wild goose.

He was merely the wild goose that landed, stepping into the mire of this world, leaving a footprint. The wild goose had once been entangled, leaving a claw mark, then soared high again, gazing down upon all beings sunk in suffering.

What blocked the White Tiger Carrying the Corpse blade—the blade that severed all attachments, the Four Spirits style—was his own heart.

All the ties, all the hesitations of this world.

They always clung to the blade—even the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow, though razor-sharp, could not cut through everything.

This is why Cao Cao Xuanwei paid such close attention to his brother Li Er—because his burden was too heavy, and he always longed for the free-flying beings of the heavens.

"Your brother's blade is different from yours!"

Cao Cao Xuanwei said calmly: "If you strike that blade, you are merely controlled by the blade, fallen into demonic obsession. Both you and I are bound by ties, trapped in snow-mud. You know my spear will not pierce you; I know your blade will not kill me. Because we are both mortals! We know the consequences."

"If you let that blade control you and kill me, it is like a wild rabbit on the ground snatched up by a wild goose and carried into the sky."

"Do you think you are free? But you have no wings!"

Cao Cao Xuanwei sighed: "So, is that a complete defeat?"

"A rabbit without wings, carried into the sky by a wild goose..." Li Zhong felt Cao Cao Xuanwei's description was perfect—once he struck that blade, he could never again be himself!

"So, Brother, do you know all this?" Li Zhong suddenly fell into thought.

The Four Spirits style was truly sinister!

It did not merely cut enemies—it severed all one's attachments, entanglements, karmic ties. It killed the very foundation of one's existence, forging a demonic blade without restraint, cutting through void, cutting through form, cutting through all existence!

Li Zhong sighed faintly, sensing that his hesitation in wielding the blade seemed to draw some unseen attachment, settling upon his soul like a veil of dust.

The Heaven's Filth Scripture suddenly activated on its own, transforming the dust that had sealed his five viscera, six bowels, limbs, and bones into a heavy burden.

He staggered. Cao Cao Xuanwei merely watched, amused: "Exhausted, are you?"

Li Zhong turned sharply, but Cao Cao Xuanwei spoke softly: "Since you've bested me, a gentleman's word is final—four horses cannot catch it. The Select Vanguard Camp is yours now. The situation in Wuchuan is unstable, as if a storm is gathering. Once you select a hundred elite Xuanjia soldiers, help me break this crisis. What do you say?"

Li Zhong hesitated slightly, then saw Cao Cao Xuanwei extend his hand.

"We are both mortals, struggling through snow-mud, swinging our life-or-death blades against the blizzard. Now, the blizzard has truly come!"

He hesitated only an instant, then grasped Cao Cao Xuanwei's hand, shouldered against him briefly, then pulled away.

"My coming to Wuchuan has two purposes: first, to arm the six frontier garrisons' troops with a thousand Imperial Guard Xuanjia, to break this crisis."

Cao Cao Xuanwei said: "Indeed, I was assassinated, and realized they sought to draw me into the Zhangshui Tongque Terrace, so I grew wary."

"Only after gathering intelligence from all sources did I realize the greatest threat lay in the Northern Frontier Array of the Liuzhen. That's why I came here, stepping into the scheme myself—making this crown prince of Northern Wei the most crucial pawn in shaping the outcome!"

"If I'm not mistaken, the one scheming against the Liuzhen may be the Great Heavenly Demon Little Murong Chui!"

Li Zhong nodded: "If the goal is to break the Liuzhen, Wuchuan is indeed the key. If your thousand Xuanjia can truly form a crack force, it could truly shift the entire balance."

"These thousand Xuanjia already have a hundred under your command..."

Cao Cao Xuanwei said: "A hundred Xuanjia have already been given to Tuoba the Old Slave. He appears steadfast, but is in truth fickle. Whether he can bring his hundred elite cavalry under your command remains uncertain."

"Though the He Ba Du father and son are loyal, the Liuzhen are their homeland. They may fight to the death for them—but if overwhelming force comes, their resolve may waver."

"So..."

"So?" Li Zhong repeated, face dark.

Cao Cao Xuanwei smiled: "So you must help me! With you as the new commander of the Select Vanguard Camp—just having defeated me, your fame shaking all four camps—you leading a hundred elite cavalry first will create the momentum for loyalty to form!"

Li Zhong stared at him for a long time, wondering how someone who had just lost could act like a victor, standing there with a commanding aura, expecting him to kneel and bow.

Cao Cao Xuanwei's smile was pure, his eyes saying: Ever since I realized we are the same, I knew you would help me!

Li Zhong took a piece of Imperial Guard Xuanjia armor from the armory, donned it. As the heavy golden aura of Xiao Xie Xuan Iron coalesced under the Tai Bai Xiao Xie Xuan Gang, deep malevolent energy radiated from the black armor.

Cao Cao Xuanwei dispersed the crimson flames and red plumes surrounding them, and announced to the silent troops below the parade platform: "Decree: Li Zhong, squad leader of the Select Vanguard Camp, has triumphed on the parade platform. Bestowed: one hundred sets of Imperial Guard Xuanjia armor. Appointed: Commander of the Select Vanguard Camp."

He turned to Lu Yan, commander of Wuchuan, and smiled: "What do you think, Commander?"

Lu Yan, contrary to his earlier timidity, hesitated: "But... Li Zhong has yet to earn a single merit..."

Below, Chen Chong stepped forward suddenly and spoke: "Eleven years ago, my unit went to Heishui Marsh and was pursued by the Prince Gouwen of the Xiao Xie Xuan Snake tribe. Our entire squad fled for our lives, but Brother Zhong held the rear—we escaped only because of him."

"Brother Zhong only said he delayed them a moment, and that was how we escaped!"

"For eleven years now, we've heard no word of the Xiao Xie Xuan Snake tribe's Gouwen—surely he was slain by Brother Zhong!"

"Nine years ago, the Rouran barbarian cavalry breached our borders and destroyed twenty-one tribes that had submitted to us. Yet someone gathered and led a thousand remnants of these broken tribes, fought three battles, and repelled ten thousand Rouran cavalry..."

Chen Chong spoke again, recounting another event from nine years past.