Chapter 102: The Divine Weapon of the Army-Breaking Star Arrives!

Li Guanyi looked at this gilded waist token, the three great characters 'Jinwu Guard' imprinted upon it.

The waist token carried considerable weight, heavy in his grip.

This was what the sons of those martial-merit aristocratic houses yearned for; traditionally only the descendants of great houses and officials of the fifth rank and above were eligible to enter, and even then they had to pass a selection. The Son of Heaven's forbidden troops, clad in resplendent heavy armor, gripping crossbows and blades, majestic and imposing.

These were the aspects most attractive to those ordinary noble sons.

But for Li Guanyi, this represented only one thing.

One of only two identities that could enter the imperial palace and become a guard of the Fire Qilin Pavilion.

Li Guanyi had already prepared himself to go and contend with those martial-merit sons, but he had not expected that he had only been outside admiring the scenery with Khan Qibili, and upon returning he saw this waist token. Seeing that Li Guanyi seemed not to have come back to his senses, lacking his usual quick-wittedness.

The girl beside him lightly kicked his shin and whispered:

"Why don't you hurry and thank Auntie?"

Li Guanyi came back to his senses and said: "Thank you, Auntie."

Noble Consort Xue smiled slightly and said: "As long as Guanyi likes it."

"As for those martial-merit sons, Auntie will say something unpleasant — you need not take them seriously. If they set a trap, we need not walk into it; just treat them as a pack of mad dogs. There will be time to deal with them later."

"Let them also have a taste of their own favorite 'oppressing others with power.'"

Li Guanyi was about to speak.

Noble Consort Xue stopped him and said softly: "I know you study the civil arts and practice the martial, and have earned the praise of Master Wang Tong, who wished to take you as a disciple — you have the bearing of a gentleman. But towards good people, be a modest and courteous gentleman; towards these people, you must let them know that, compared to family background, you are far stronger than them."

"Once this child is born, he will be an Imperial Prince of Chen."

"Yet he too will have to call you 'elder brother.'"

"Imperial kin."

One sentence to set the matter in stone, yet also a piece of advice.

Li Guanyi smiled slightly and said: "Your nephew understands." Noble Consort Xue smiled; she felt this child was very clever and that she need not waste her breath. So she had the maids bring out the after-meal tea and refreshments. Jiangnan's pastries were naturally delicate and delicious, the tea's fragrance light and subtle.

Although it was already very late, and night had fallen, Old Man Xue Daoyong still led Li Guanyi and the others away.

In these chaotic times, the imperial palace's inner quarters were heavily guarded.

Being able to enter today was already an act of grace by the Emperor's decree; even so, when the time came they still had to leave swiftly, or else it would be a great offense. In the carriage on the way back, Xue Lao said with a smile: "Thinking of those martial-merit sons, these past few days they've been rubbing their fists and palms, determined to have a fight with you, to compete and compare."

"This time they'll probably be throwing punches at cotton, terribly frustrated."

"They probably won't be able to sleep all night. But, Guanyi, you must also be careful — among them there are indeed some with real ability. And regardless, these noble sons will occupy all the remaining positions in the Jinwu Guard; the rest will probably swarm into the forbidden army in a horde."

"When you go to take up your post in three days, serving in the Jinwu Guard."

"Your new colleagues will probably give you quite a welcome."

The old man stated the problem that would follow in an offhand manner.

Once it reached this stage, it was considered internal affairs of the Jinwu Guard, and the Xue family could not easily interfere further.

Li Guanyi gripped the Jinwu Guard waist token and said: "It doesn't matter; they are no match for me."

"If they want a fight, I'll oblige."

The old man burst into hearty laughter.

Returning to the Xue family's residence in Jingcheng, Li Guanyi went to his own courtyard and discovered that the rockery he had once cleaved in two with a single blade had been restored to its original state — it must have been at Xue Lao's instruction. The old man's thoughts were meticulous; this was surely to conceal Li Guanyi's realm cultivation.

The refreshments in the imperial palace had been too sweet and mild. Li Guanyi casually tossed a few of Zhao Da Bing's special salt-baked peanuts into his mouth, crunching them, letting the taste in his mouth recover, then sat cross-legged, his mind settling upon the bronze cauldron.

The Fire Qilin's branded aura became distinct.

This was not a Dharma Idol.

At least, not yet.

This was a force — a force originating from the divine beast Fire Qilin.

It was the force that had caused Its aura to plummet by half in an instant. Li Guanyi raised his palm, sensing this violent aura; the martial artist's perception of his own body told him that even with his current physique, unleashing this force would likely injure him.

He could only use it once.

But the intensity of this force was no less than a single-strike Dharma Idol ultimate technique from General Yue Qianfeng or Xue Daoyong.

This was the Fire Qilin's gift to him.

A life-preserving talisman.

Even in these chaotic times, in this Jiangzhou city, a single-strike ultimate technique from the top fifty of the Divine General Ranking was enough to erupt with terrifying might, allowing Li Guanyi to survive certain death. Even if General Yuwen Lie cast aside all face to launch a sneak attack, this single move — Fire Qilin's Rage — would be enough to wound the opponent unawares.

Truly a weighty gift...

Li Guanyi murmured to himself.

The weight of a gift lies not only in the intensity of the power, but also in the price the giver paid.

The Fire Qilin had given him all hope of Its own escape.

Imprisoned for ten years, under the forceful sealing of the Four Images Spirit-Sealing Array, It had still accumulated such a force — one could see that the Fire Qilin had a breath of spirit sustaining It, yet this breath of spirit had sustained It for a full ten years, and upon meeting Li Guanyi, It gave it all away!

As if some knot in Its heart had been untied.

It seemed the breath of spirit that had sustained Its desperate struggle for ten years had finally found satisfaction.

It gave up Its own hope of survival, so that Li Guanyi could leave safely.

Li Guanyi clenched his fist and was silent for a long while.

Perhaps a person who had weathered many storms would silently accept the Fire Qilin's kindness, then lie low, then leave, live well, and use this force to make a name for himself — but if he too did this, he would no longer be a youth.

He loosened his hand.

He resolved to go see the Fire Qilin.

Li Guanyi meditated in his heart, took up his brush, and recorded all the variations of the Four Images Spirit-Sealing Grand Array that he had memorized.

He planned to visit the Daoist temple tomorrow to seek guidance from the ancestral elder.

His time studying the 'Huangji Jingshi Shu' had ultimately been too brief. Even with a master of the calculation classics like Zu Wenyuan — the foremost under heaven — to teach him, he still could not fully integrate and master it. Being able to glimpse, within the imperial palace, a trace of the Fire Qilin Palace's location, and then make contact with the Fire Qilin, was already an extraordinary feat, a rare talent.

He wrote down many variations in one breath, among them his own understanding.

While recording these variations, Li Guanyi's understanding of this array deepened further; when he finished writing, the starlight on the horizon had already faded faintly. The boy tossed down his brush, gazed at the table covered in array diagrams, and leaned forward onto it.

Fire Qilin, power.

And about his parents—was there truly foreign power involved?

Li Guanyi thought of these matters for a long while before falling asleep. The next morning, after washing up, he had no interest in watching the Golden Guard selections of the martial nobles; instead, he rode a swift horse, bought buns along the way, ate them as he traveled, and headed for the Daoist temple to seek out Zu Wenyuan.

Old Zu was flipping through the Juan Sect scrolls.

Li Guanyi stepped forward to pay his respects and recounted every variation he had encountered the day before.

Then he sat quietly, lowering his gaze to the ripples on the tea in his cup. He worried Old Zu might sense something, and had already prepared to speak—when Zu Wenyuan, flipping through the scroll, showed a flicker of surprise, then smiled and said:

"Excellent, excellent. I never expected you'd have such insight into this array."

Li Guanyi said: "You're the greatest calculator in the world—can't you figure it out?"

The old man chuckled: "Divine power cannot match the power of aspiration. All I can calculate are whether things are good or bad, who they benefit or harm—I lack such ability. But you, Li Guanyi, have given me so many variations."

"Clever and sharp—you might as well have seen the Fire Qilin array firsthand."

"When I first encountered this array, I only thought a little more than you did."

Zu Wenyuan smiled gently.

The greatest calculator in the world, the Daoist Priest of the Altar, had eyes clear and calm. Though his hair was white with age, his gaze remained as serene as a child's. The Daoist Priest of the Altar held rank second only to the two Daoist Primordials, yet he did not cultivate martial arts—he had no capacity for combat.

He possessed the power to see through all things, yet now he merely smiled gently.

His eyes held not a single ripple—calm, clear—and he comforted him:

"In the world of calculation, everything is possible."

"With a genius like you, one glimpse is enough to deduce the entire array."

"For you to perceive these variations is only natural."

"But…"

The old man raised a finger, pointing to a point on Li Guanyi's array diagram, and smiled gently:

"Look here, and here—you made an error. It's not twenty-six variations, but twenty-eight. If you tamper here, it will trigger other variations. Yet within the array's living transformations, such variations have alternative solutions."

"If the array only produced twenty-six variations, it means seven nodes within the array are faulty. If the array's operator isn't incompetent, then he has divided loyalties."

"This cannot happen in reality."

"Right? How could seven nodes be deliberately hidden?"

"It defies logic."

"Let me tell you the solution."

"Though this does go beyond the content of the Book of Supreme Cosmic Order."

The old man smiled and asked:

"I wonder, Li Guanyi—would you be willing to spend some time listening to this old man ramble?"

Li Guanyi thought of how the old man had sent him to deliver the scroll to Zhu Que Gate, which led to encountering Yuwen Lie, then Bai Hu's ascension, and finally the Emperor's invitation to the imperial banquet—he sensed a pattern.

He straightened his robes, composed his expression, and bowed deeply forward:

"Please take me as your disciple."

Zu Wenyuan's expression froze.

The old man chuckled, reached out, grabbed the collar of this snake-slithering-up-a-pole boy who reacted instantly the moment he saw advantage, and lifted him up. He gently tapped the boy's head, laughing and exasperated: "You—you're the sneakiest of them all!"

"Look, even this, the old man couldn't calculate."

"So you see—even the Book of Calculation can't do everything."

"Go back to learning your Qi-Perception Art. You think you can become a Daoist Priest so easily?"

That day, the old man taught Li Guanyi about arrays.

Yet even these array variations did not exhaust the transformations of the Four Symbols Sealing Spirit Array—this was merely an array crafted by Si Wei in his thirties. That madman who claimed he would erect a heavenly array to engulf all Nine Provinces was truly a peerless genius.

Li Guanyi felt as if he'd spent hours solving the hardest advanced math problems.

His head throbbed; he rubbed his temples.

Old Zu seemed to sense his state. He stopped speaking and said gently: "Go rest. If you keep studying, you'll forget everything. The way of martial and literary arts is tension and relaxation—this is true of calculation too."

Li Guanyi reluctantly rose and left. The old man watched the array diagrams and nodded approvingly.

He rose and walked out of the room, watching the boy ride away. As Li Guanyi grew distant, he turned and waved back—then mounted his horse and departed. The old man waved goodbye with a smile. A young Daoist priest, curious, asked: "Priest, this young layman comes every day—is he trying to become your disciple?"

"Why won't you accept him?"

"Is he unsuitable for our Daoist sect?"

The old Daoist smiled and shook his head, recalling the young man who had ridden out to meet him as he entered Yicheng, and the things he had calculated since. He gazed at the sky.

He looked at the Daoist sect, the mortal world, the dust of life, the realm.

He watched the boy ride his horse, wearing his Worn Weight blade, leaving the Daoist sect and entering the world. The horse's hooves struck the blue stone pavement—crisp, tap-tap-tap—with the dust of life on either side.

Zu Wenyuan's gaze was gentle.

He did not calculate. He merely brushed his sleeve and whispered:

"Cannot be spoken. Cannot be named."

"Once spoken, it loses its power."

The young Daoist's curiosity turned to frustration and regret. The old man laughed loudly and turned back into the room.

In this chaotic world, how many heroes there are.

So many.

Not just me.

Li Guanyi slowly rode home, deeply pondering the array variations all the way. When he returned, he found a carriage waiting at the gate. Curious, he was met by the steward, who led him inside—whereupon Li Guanyi saw a powerful warrior seated outside.

He carried a distinct scent—the scent of the Turks, who lived with cattle and sheep, never far from them, always carrying their odor. Their waist blades were heavy sabers designed for chopping and slashing. The Turkic warriors stared at Li Guanyi—the boy, wearing his Worn Weight blade, bore a stern and noble bearing.

These brave Turkic men bowed their heads, pressing their palms against their chests in reverence.

"We have seen you stand against Yuwen Lie of Ying State—you are a courageous hero in your youth."

"The Seven Kings have come to visit—please, enter!"

They spoke in unorthodox Central Plains speech; Li Guanyi stepped inside and saw the mighty Seven Kings, his gaze immediately falling upon a young man in a blue robe, handsome and refined, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, who also spotted Li Guanyi.

He rose and stepped forward with a smile: "Li Guan, we met during your travels—years have passed since then. How have you been?"

Li Guanyi froze; the handsome youth had already approached, gripping Li Guanyi's hands tightly and shaking them warmly, his smile gentle, whispering in a voice only the two could hear:

"Your false identity needs stronger support."

"Otherwise, won't you be exposed? Prisoner?"

Li Guanyi's pupils contracted.

The youth's words and demeanor were like a venomous snake, striking straight to the vital point; the boy raised an eyebrow and replied softly, in a voice only the two could hear: "I don't know what you're talking about."

Breaker smiled with satisfaction: "Good."

Resolute spirit.

The Seven Kings asked curiously: "So you two know each other?"

Breaker laughed loudly: "Yes! When he was young and traveling, we met. Don't you remember? I told you about my Central Plains friend—cultured and martial, that's him. Back then, we roasted meat together—he was an excellent cook. I asked him why, with such a fine background, he wandered outside."

"He told me a true man's ambition lies far beyond the horizon!"

"I never expected to meet an old friend again—that's why I got so excited and asked who you were. Don't you remember?"

The Seven Kings suddenly understood: "No wonder you were so eager to rush forward back then."

"So that's it."

"Hahaha, Your Highness, chat with Xue Lao—I haven't seen him in ages, we must talk." Seeing the boy was only fourteen, not the feared Central Plains hero or lord he'd feared, the Seven Kings would not let Breaker leave—so he now said cheerfully: "Mr. Go ahead."

Breaker smiled faintly and gestured forward; Li Guanyi raised an eyebrow and looked at Xue Lao.

The old man nodded; Li Guanyi knew it was safe and stepped out with Breaker.

He had come to test him; after a brief chat, he knew Li Guanyi was wary.

Breaker didn't mind, only smiling: "First meetings always come with gifts."

"Come, please!"

He led Li Guanyi to the carriage parked in the Xue family courtyard, then gestured for the boy to look at what it carried; Li Guanyi casually lifted the ox-hide tarp—and his pupils shrank sharply—

Inside lay a battle halberd!

The ink-black halberd shimmered with faint golden light; in the air, it roared like a tiger.

Divine Weapon—Tiger Roar Heaven Halberd!

The youth smiled softly:

"I am Breaker."