Chapter 337: The Date of the Decisive Battle

Since Yang Guang's three failed expeditions to Goguryeo, the once-flourishing Great Sui began to decline at a speed unimaginable to ordinary people, with rebel armies rising up in every region.

The aristocratic clans, wanting to reap benefits from the remains of the collapsing Sui Court, not only sat by and watched the chaos unfold across the world but even secretly fanned the flames.

The Eight Gangs and Ten Associations of the pugilistic world stepped onto the stage, attempting to grab a share of the spoils in these troubled times, either attaching themselves to aristocratic clans or declaring themselves kings.

Meanwhile, deeply rooted powers that had spanned the world for hundreds of years—the Cihang Monastery, the Jingnian Zen Sect, and the Demonic Sect Two Paths and Six Branches—began planting their influence across the world, treating this chaotic era as a continuation of their struggle for orthodoxy.

Countries like Goguryeo, the Turkic, and Tuyuhun were even more covetous of the Shenzhou land, attempting to stage the tragedy of the Five Barbarians' Invasion of the Central Plains once again in these chaotic times.

The Great Sui was already on the verge of falling apart; once Yang Guang died, the world would immediately usher in an era of great contention, with heroes vying for the deer, and countless bold and heroic figures fully displaying their learning in the chaos to leave their names in history.

But now, a great hand has suppressed all the waves, making the entire Great Sui calm and tranquil.

——At least on the surface, that is.

And this great hand is none other than the "Imperial Tutor" Yu Liancheng.

This person appeared out of nowhere, and his rise was unimaginably fast. The righteous paths, evil paths, aristocratic clans, and pugilistic forces that should have shone brightly all became his foils.

With his own strength, he suppressed the world.

Although the Three Great Grandmasters are unreachable peaks, this Imperial Tutor—who beheaded Du Fuwei, eradicated the experts of the Yuwen Clan, and treated Yang Guang like a marionette—also stands at the clouds, looking down upon the common people as a peerless expert whose strength is definitely not below any of the Three Great Grandmasters.

If one were to say this person could defeat any one of the Three Great Grandmasters, the people of the world would likely not be too surprised.

Yet he actually intends to challenge all three of them alone.

Although everyone considered this move extremely arrogant, as long as the hot blood in their chests had not yet cooled, upon hearing this news, they all put down their current tasks and rushed toward Daxing City. It could be said that wine drinkers abandoned their cups and gamblers scattered their games, each seemingly willing to abandon everything just to not miss this rare event of the century.

……

The grasslands.

A man is striding toward the Central Plains.

This man is tall and burly, with a powerful and perfect physique; his skin glimmers with a bronze luster, and his Qi and Blood are unimaginably vigorous, as if every inch of his muscles contains explosive power.

He carries the Moon Wolf Spear on his back, his whole body radiating an unimaginably vast heat that reflects the scorching sun in the sky, causing the surrounding weeds to wither and turn yellow.

He takes a step forward.

He does not look back.

Once he starts walking forward, he will never look back.

This person is the number one powerhouse of the grasslands, famous for decades, and ranked alongside Ning Daoqi and Fu Cailin as one of the world's Three Great Grandmasters: the "Martial Venerable" Bi Xuan.

Suddenly, Bi Xuan stops his steps and looks up at the scorching sun in the sky.

"Yu Liancheng!"

Bi Xuan murmurs to himself, and then a strong fighting spirit erupts from his eyes.

He radiates a strong, aggressive aura like fire, his black hair flying, as if an incredible War God has descended into the mortal world.

Bi Xuan is a born warrior with an innate sense for danger. And now, as a Grandmaster-level expert, he has a vague intuition about danger.

The outside world thinks Yu Liancheng is overestimating himself by challenging the Three Great Grandmasters, but after accepting the challenge, Bi Xuan feels an unprecedented sense of danger in his heart.

Bi Xuan can be certain that Yu Liancheng is more terrifying than anyone imagines.

Going on this trip likely carries a threat to his life.

But Bi Xuan still decides to go.

This has nothing to do with Yu Liancheng stationing troops on the grasslands; although Bi Xuan is the guardian God of the Turkic, a Grandmaster expert like him can already, to a certain extent, transcend the boundaries of nation and race, viewing everything with a detached perspective.

For this battle, Bi Xuan is heading to the Central Plains more for his own sake.

Ever since his Flame Sun Extraordinary Technique reached great success, he has been almost invincible in the world; even though his power has become deeper and purer with the passage of time, he has never been able to touch a higher level.

And Bi Xuan has a premonition that if he can survive this battle, he will inevitably ascend to a higher level and step into the realm he has dreamed of.

With this thought, Bi Xuan's steps become even firmer, as if even the collapse of heaven and earth could not stop him in the slightest.

……

The vast and mighty Dahe rolls in from the west and winds its way to the east, with a magnificent atmosphere that is breathtaking.

Below, a fishing boat is moored by the bank, lying about five zhang from the turbulent bank of the Dahe, swaying and rising with the waves, yet it is not swept downstream by the current.

Sitting on the boat is an old man wearing a high hat and a wide belt, with five long whiskers; his face is ancient and simple, and he wears a thick brocade robe, making his already tall and upright figure appear even more majestic like a mountain. He is concentrating on fishing, quite like a detached hermit who has drifted out of the city.

Hailed as the number one person in the Central Plains, the "Free Man" Ning Daoqi suddenly reveals a smile at the corners of his mouth, his eyes showing the innocent and sincere look of a child: "The fish has taken the bait."

One sees Ning Daoqi gently lift his fishing rod, and a large fish leaps out of the water. Under the moonlight, this large fish is shimmering, actually formed by condensed water rather than a real fish. But at this moment, this "water fish" is flapping and shaking in mid-air, just like a living creature.

If experts like Shi Zhixuan or Bi Xuan were here, they would surely discover that Ning Daoqi's "Water Fish Leaping into the Void" has attained the profound mystery of the Dao, and his "Eight Strikes of the Free Hand" has likely reached an unfathomable realm.

Splash!

The water fish falls back into the water, creating ripples circle after circle.

Ning Daoqi lies back down, his posture leisurely and lazy, as if he has fallen into a deep sleep; only after turning over occasionally does one hear him softly say: "Between heaven and earth, who is the fish? Who is the fisherman?"

……

Liaodong.

On the city wall.

A middle-aged man carrying a sword stands with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky.

The stars are scattered, and the bright moon is shining.

This person has an unusually narrow and long face; every one of his features is a flaw, and when these flawed features are crowded together, it makes his forehead appear protruding, his chin jutting out like a monkey's, and his curved nose bridge disproportionately high and large, which also makes his deep eyes and mouth appear particularly small.

Purely in terms of appearance, this middle-aged man is ugly and strange; if it were a timid person, they would likely not dare to look a second time after the first glance.

But this man has a Zhuo Er, transcendent temperament that makes people not only ignore the flaws brought by his appearance but also be conquered by his strange charm, believing him to be an out-and-out handsome man.

Goguryeo soldiers are constantly patrolling on the city wall, and when their gazes fall upon this man, they are immediately filled with reverence and worship. It is as if this middle-aged man has transcended the category of humans and is the God in their hearts.

That is right, this man is the guardian God of Goguryeo—Fu Cailin.

"The stars are like a Chessboard, and people are like chess pieces. No matter how dangerous the game, there is always a possibility of finding life in death." Fu Cailin smiles slightly, a fighting spirit rising, and the long sword on his back seems to sense its master's intent, humming and trembling.

……

Lingnan.

Song Clan Master Song Que walked out of the Blade-Grinding Hall where he had resided for many years. He cast his gaze toward the direction of Daxing, his extremely handsome face revealing a trace of fighting spirit: "Yu Liancheng, Fu Cailin, Ning Daoqi, Bi Xuan... With the world's experts gathered, how could I, Song Que, be missing?"

Song Que stepped out with long strides.

"Come, Yu Liancheng. Let me see if you are truly a peerless expert worthy of being the master of the world, or merely a fame-seeking fraud to serve as my whetstone."

Imperial Palace.

Shi Qingxuan sat upon a blue stone, a melody from her flute soaring like the sounds of heaven.

In a room not far away, Shi Zhixuan slowly sipped his tea, quietly listening to his beloved daughter's flute music. Since being defeated by Yu Liancheng and having his meridians sealed, he had been left here, listening to Shi Qingxuan's flute music every day.

During this time, his evil personality had never once emerged, and he had attained an unprecedented sense of peace.

Two days ago, Yu Liancheng had tossed him a book, which was the improved version of the Undying Seal Technique.

Perhaps, it would not be long before the Evil King could unify his two personalities.

When that time came, his strength would inevitably ascend to a brand-new level.

As the flute music ceased, Shi Zhixuan cast his gaze toward Shi Qingxuan outside the window and sighed leisurely: "Yu Liancheng, you must not die; otherwise, my daughter will be heartbroken."

As time passed and news of the Three Great Grandmasters appearing one after another spread, the world was shaken once again. Martial artists flocked to Daxing City in an endless stream, and every day, a large number of martial artists carrying swords and blades arrived in Daxing, travel-worn and weary.

For a time, business in Daxing's taverns and inns boomed, and prices rose rapidly. At the same time, because martial artists were gathered together, enemies fought each other, or people took action over a single verbal dispute, creating many bloody conflicts in the city.

The entire Daxing City was soon placed under strict martial law. Squads of Imperial Guards were frequently deployed, patrolling every corner of the city and keeping a close watch on all martial artists. Once a fight or brawl broke out, troops would immediately move in to suppress everything.

Amidst the chaos, the day of the Awakening of Insects finally arrived.

Countless martial artists gathered around Yue Ma Bridge. The river, once filled with painted pleasure boats and singing and dancing, was now packed so tightly it was impassable. The taverns on both banks were filled to capacity with a deafening roar of voices, and even the civilian houses near the river were rented by martial arts gangs at high prices.

From ancient times to the present, this would be the most sensational battle in the world. It was also destined to be remembered by future generations; even as time passed and dynasties fell, this battle would inevitably be recounted and discussed by descendants forever.

Just as the crowd was discussing the event, the boats on both banks of Yue Ma Bridge seemed to be pushed aside by an invisible giant hand, clearing a waterway.

A small skiff traveled upstream against the surging river. There was no one steering the boat, and at the bow stood an old man with a stature as imposing as a mountain, wearing a high cap and a wide belt, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Ning Daoqi!"

"It is the 'Hermit' Ning Daoqi who has come."

It was unknown who shouted, but the already noisy banks erupted as if a bomb had been detonated, causing waves of commotion. This unshakable number one person of the Central Plains had finally appeared.

Immediately afterward, the crowd saw a man with a long, narrow face and strange features approaching through the air. This person held a long sword, and his bearing was extraordinary, making people completely overlook the ugliness of his appearance. Who else could it be but the "Yi Sword Master" Fu Cailin?

Before the crowd could digest this, a dull sound of footsteps rang out. Although it was only one person, the sound was like muffled thunder, causing everyone present to feel a sense of oppression.

Soon after, the crowd saw a burly man as imposing as a god stride onto Yue Ma Bridge. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, and wherever he looked, no one dared to meet his gaze, as if being stared at by him would instantly turn them into prey trembling under the Moon Wolf Spear.

The person who arrived was the "Martial Venerable" Bi Xuan.

The Three Great Grandmasters had arrived.

These three peerless peaks of the Martial Dao were usually difficult for ordinary people to even catch a glimpse of. Yet now, they were gathered at Yue Ma Bridge, all for the sake of a duel with a young man.

If this had been in the past, even one of them would have been considered a fantasy, completely absurd.

But now, it was happening right before everyone's eyes.

"Yu Liancheng, I, Bi Xuan, have arrived. Why do you not come out quickly to meet your death!!" Holding the Moon Wolf Spear and standing tall on Yue Ma Bridge, Bi Xuan raised his eyebrows and let out a sharp shout, which sounded like a thunderclap and could be heard for miles, so clearly that even an elderly person who was nearly deaf could hear it perfectly.

The crowd also craned their necks in anticipation.

The Three Great Grandmasters had arrived, and it was time for Yu Liancheng to appear.

And how this shocking, world-defying battle would be staged and how it would end was truly exciting.

"Since the three of you have arrived as promised, I, Yu, should treat you well!" A voice that seemed to drift from the void beyond the heavens rang out, suddenly echoing in everyone's ears and hearts.