Chapter 166

This general, once on the Divine General List and later entered the Buddhist fold, had lost the fury and arrogance of his banner-bearing days; his brow and eyes radiated kindness, gentleness, and calm, yet within fifteen breaths, he shattered the defenses of five hundred armored imperial guards.

And in a single strike, he felled Ye Buyi and Zhou Liu, both already among the elite of the younger generation, wielding nothing but a green bamboo stalk.

The banner-bearer of the Taiping Army is always the strongest in physical strength.

He seemed surprised that he had not taken Li Guanyi down with his first move.

Instantly, he flicked his wrist; Li Guanyi offered no resistance, and his Cold Frost Halberd was knocked from his grasp. Yan Xuanji made no hesitation—he had intended to knock Li Guanyi unconscious, but in the next instant, as if hearing something, he changed his strike from a slash to a palm thrust and seized Li Guanyi by the collar.

Li Guanyi reached out and grabbed his weapon, even under these circumstances.

Yan Xuanji praised: "Good Wu Gong."

This former general, even after retreating into the Buddhist fold, still carried the style of a military commander—swift and decisive. Li Guanyi had no time to react before he was swept along, sprinting over a hundred paces, then turning to deliver a punch.

That punch struck the ground.

The imperial palace collapsed with a thunderous roar.

It sank straight into the earth.

Li Guanyi suddenly realized that his strength meant nothing compared to this monk's.

Li Guanyi understood instantly.

Yan Xuanji had used the location of Chixiao Sword to distract the imperial guards throughout the Chen palace.

He still possessed the old instinct of a general: strike where the enemy must defend.

As for knocking down the imperial guards, it was to spare them death—they had already fought to their absolute limit against a once-famous Divine General, and to kill them now for dereliction of duty would be unjust.

But why take me?

Li Guanyi's mind stirred with a suspicion, but he chose to suppress it—for the situation was unclear, the allegiance unknown, and speaking rashly might get him killed. This former battlefield demon seemed to have changed his nature, now showing the mercy of a true Buddhist disciple.

Yan Xuanji's movement was crude yet astonishingly swift; in an instant, Li Guanyi did not know where he had been taken, only faint, distant sounds reaching his ears—

'Damn it, such a treacherous emperor—he had ambushes! Sss—those are clan elites!'

'Damn it, this emperor quietly rebuilt the Guardian Shanzhuang? This formation!'

'Liu and his men are surrounded—they're dead!'

'Damn it, does this old emperor know we're coming? We've been tricked!'

'We can't regroup—let's gather what men we can first…'

Chaotic noises, the stench of blood, clashing blades and strikes never ceased. Li Guanyi recognized from these sounds that the emperor had laid a vast net within the palace, and with endless reinforcements of imperial guards and clan elites, the martial artists had lost their initial advantage and were now being overwhelmed.

Li Guanyi recalled what General Yue Qianfeng had once told him, and how Yue Qianfeng had stormed the palace before.

The goal was to uncover the map.

And the map was for these martial artists' second assault.

So that's how it was.

As the martial artists grew chaotic, Yan Xuanji appeared and knocked down a hundred or so surrounding imperial guards, then said: 'Friends, Chen clan elites have suddenly appeared—their bows and crossbows are fierce. Fall back into this hall!'

'I, a humble monk, will hold the rear!'

'Master Zhige, be careful.'

Yan Xuanji roared and smashed his shoulder into a pavilion, collapsing it.

With one hand, he lifted the pavilion and hurled it forward, forcing back the encircling troops. Several clan elites rushed in, but suddenly a sharp, watery sword qi spread out, driving them all back.

Yan Xuanji did not look back: 'Thank you, Sword Immortal.'

He used his fists and feet to carve out a brief refuge; the other martial artists rallied their remaining strength, fighting their way backward through the encirclement until they reached the palace. Yan Xuanji then tore down another pavilion and blocked the entrance, finally bringing some stability.

'The Chen imperial palace has special construction—it resists fire and water. You may rest easy.'

'Rest now.'

Suddenly someone asked: 'Master, what is this you hold…?'

Yan Xuanji lifted Li Guanyi slightly, speaking calmly: 'This man I know—he is Chen's most outstanding recent noble, the Fifth-Rank Junior Marquis of Qin Wu, deeply favored by the emperor.'

'His lineage is the Xue family of the Outer Court; his grandfather is the State Duke of Zhongzhou, and his aunt is the emperor's current favorite concubine. Holding him gives us a hostage—at least, in special circumstances, he may be useful.'

Li Guanyi grimaced.

This monk is shrewd as a thief.

Li Guanyi had never imagined that the title he'd taken from Chen Yuyun would become the reason he was targeted. After Yan Xuanji's explanation, the martial artists fell silent, though their gazes at Li Guanyi remained far from friendly—many brimmed with hatred.

The emperor's favorite minister!

Those four words alone were enough for these martial artists to gut Li Guanyi with three cuts and six stabs.

Those who dared rush in with raw courage were all hardcases.

Yan Xuanji set Li Guanyi down: 'Xue Lao has saved countless civilians and performed heroic deeds. Unless absolutely necessary, I will not harm you, young layman. Please bear with me.'

Someone sneered: 'The emperor's favorite minister? Hmph. What kind of man does Emperor Chen Dingye favor? Heroes like Marshal Yue have been thrown into his underground dungeons, never seeing daylight. Loyal ministers are treated thus—those favored are all traitors!'

'Just slice him open!'

'Besides, we came here today with no intention of leaving alive.'

The crowd grew agitated.

Suddenly, a cold, clear female voice spoke: 'And if we rescue Marshal Yue?'

'Do we still need a hostage?'

'Or do we rescue Marshal Yue… only to have him die with you all?'

The martial artists fell silent, seething. Li Guanyi looked over—the speaker was a woman in white robes, her demeanor icy and detached, holding a sword. It had been she who repelled the Chen clan elites moments ago.

Yan Xuanji said: 'The Sword Immortal of Luzhou is right. Since you came here to rescue Peng Wu, you are comrades.'

'Though we now face peril, we must share the same boat.'

The Sword Immortal of Luzhou?!

Li Guanyi had just begun to ponder when he heard the name—and his scalp went numb.

The Sword Immortal of Luzhou?

Wait!

Isn't General Yue Qianfeng the one who was wounded by the Sword Immortal of Luzhou? How could the Sword Immortal of Luzhou be among these martial heroes sent to rescue Marshal Yue? Li Guanyi realized that General Yue Qianfeng's wounding was probably not the widely known rumor the martial world claimed it to be.

But it was strange that Yan Xuanji and the others didn't know.

Could it be that General Yue hadn't contacted these people at all?

If he hadn't contacted them, how could they know the imperial palace's map? How could they possibly storm in? If he had contacted them, why didn't Yan Xuanji know about the Sword Immortal of Luzhou?

Li Guanyi suddenly thought of something.

Someone intercepted the intelligence—but concealed part of it.

Then passed on the remaining true information.

Nine-tenths true, one-tenth false.

In this intelligence, the true map of the imperial palace was left behind, but the most critical details were concealed, so that the entire palace would become a vast, monstrous flesh-grinding trap, luring these martial heroes and the rescue party of Marshal Yue into it.

Even an insider like the Sword Immortal of Luzhou had been planted.

If there was one Sword Immortal of Luzhou, were there more martial experts?

Li Guanyi looked at these martial heroes, all indignant, all bearing the look of loyalty and bravery—he didn't know who to trust, and now, looking at them, he felt each one might be an insider, each a master from the Chen imperial palace.

This was an open strategy.

Even if Li Guanyi uncovered the scheme, he could do nothing. If he spoke out, it would only bring greater backlash; even if he captured every insider, the seeds of suspicion would already be sown, and no further cooperation would ever be possible.

And it would waste the most crucial time right now.

No matter what he did, he lost.

To manipulate these rescue heroes of Marshal Yue as if playing with them in the palm of his hand—such a move could only belong to…

'Dantai Xianming.'

Li Guanyi whispered in his heart.

He felt as if the old man sat right before him, calmly watching him.

Dantai Xianming was seen by commoners as a flatterer, devoid of talent; by officials as a scheming, corrupt old man; by Xue Lao as his lifelong rival; by the Emperor as an old fox; and by Pojun as the only worthy opponent in Chen. He was the brilliant strategist feared by the previous generations of Pojun.

Like a thousand faces for a thousand men.

The old man seemed to be observing Li Guanyi across the situation, calmly.

The boy suddenly understood how Dantai Xianming had felt facing Pojun's open strategy—these supreme strategists saw the great tide, calculated human hearts, and pursued a level far beyond the tricks of ordinary multi-layered schemes; they sought the vast tide itself.

Li Guanyi could only be grateful that Dantai Xianming, this world's supreme strategist, had been pulled directly off the chessboard by the inexperienced Pojun; otherwise, this scheme would have had further developments—this was merely the first stage.

And the only way to break the deadlock was—Yan Xuanji.

Yan Xuanji had not confined Li Guanyi; he even allowed Li Guanyi to move freely. Li Guanyi turned around and found himself in one of the palace's more secluded halls, filled with scrolls upon scrolls of Juan Sect records. Li Guanyi pretended to stroll casually and began flipping through the Qiandejuan Sect records.

Then, under the pretense of asking questions, he requested a private conversation with Yan Xuanji.

But as Li Guanyi flipped through a few, he froze slightly—these records were all secrets, the most forbidden kind. Li Guanyi fell silent, then swiftly searched, and in the middle of a bookshelf, found the records from ten years ago—he pulled them out.

Li Guanyi held the scroll, feeling a slight difficulty in breathing.

He opened it and saw the text: 'Tai Ping Gong died.'

Li Guanyi's hand clenched like iron. He knew he should put the scroll down and draw Yan Xuanji's attention—but he couldn't tear his eyes away, and quietly read on.

'Before the Great Sacrifice, the Chancellor personally invited Tai Ping Gong and his wife to a banquet, hosted by the Emperor.'

'The banquet was poisoned… we had already poisoned Tai Ping Gong, but by accident, the poison fell on his wife and his newborn child. But this poison was a secret toxin of the Ying state, as precious as a divine weapon, and Tai Ping Gong's attention was briefly diverted.'

'But the Chancellor said we could wait no longer.'

'If we waited longer, Tai Ping Gong, a general with instincts like a wild beast, would react in an alarmingly short time. So, on the third day, we invited them. Tai Ping Gong was cautious—he would come only for the Chancellor's invitation.'

'We first poisoned his wife with a deadly toxin. As Tai Ping Gong transferred his energy to save her, we launched a sudden assassination. This was a chain strategy—his wife, already grievously wounded saving their child, could not withstand such poison…'

'And Tai Ping Gong's love for his wife would never let him abandon her.'

'Kill his son, wound his mother; kill his wife, destroy his general.'

'A parent's love for their child is so fierce they would sacrifice themselves—even if they knew the final goal was to weaken themselves, they could never abandon the child. This was an open strategy—a certain death plan.'

Li Guanyi's body stiffened. He stared at those two lines, reading them again and again. His childhood memories were hazy, but now he felt a pain from his bloodline, his nose tingled, and tears nearly fell.

Li Guanyi knew he was nearing the truth. He gritted his teeth and kept reading.

'What a cold, ruthless strategy—how vile… everything unfolded exactly as we predicted.'

'Tai Ping Gong, no—Tai Ping Wang, spared no effort to prolong his wife's life. But Dantai the Chancellor had not anticipated that his wife, to save Tai Ping Wang, would sever her own heart meridian and die in his arms.'

'Three hundred elite guards from the Guardian Shanzhuang, three thousand Imperial Guards formed a formation.'

'Led by a general from the Heavenly Warrior Ranking.'

'We entered the hall. Inside, everything was dim yellow. The scent of wine filled the air, mixed with the stench of blood. Lanterns lay overturned, igniting fire. The finest silk of Jiangnan burned quickly, as if in final farewell.'

'We saw a woman in a red dress lying in his arms.'

'Tai Ping Gong's battle spear lay before him. He sat on the floor, embracing his wife. His hand tightly gripped hers. The divine weapon spear whistled in the wind, and we saw its surface stained with blood.'

'It was evolving into a divine weapon, in extreme rage and sorrow.'

'Two divine generals led the Imperial Guards forward.'

'But they stopped a hundred steps away, instinctively halting, as if still obeying their commander's orders. Finally, gritting their teeth, summoning every ounce of courage in their lives, they stepped forward—until they entered the hundred-step radius of the divine general.'

'Then Tai Ping Gong raised his head.'

'Everyone instinctively saluted, chanting his general's name.'

'He smiled, but said nothing. Then we saw Tai Ping Gong rise, cradling his wife in his arms—the gentle beauty, eyes closed, head resting on his shoulder, as if still alive. Then Tai Ping Gong drew the spear that had torn the heavens with only his right hand, pointing it at the elite troops before him.'

'Come. The final battle.'

'I felt that Tai Ping Gong still looked as he had the first time we met—confident, valiant, like the sun. This time, holding the woman, gripping the divine weapon, though poisoned with a toxin capable of killing a divine dragon, he still blazed like a blazing sun.'

'Tai Ping Gong stepped forward and said…'

Li Wanli fought for the peace of the world in this life, and this was his final battle.

He fought for his wife and children.

Comrades, step forward—

Come and claim your death!!!

We faced the crushing weight of ten thousand troops; death consumed everything, even the great hall. The two famed generals were tossed aside like rags. The elite force, Guard Shanzhuang, shattered completely. But Tai Ping Gong spared me. He said he remembered how, long ago, I once carried two sick children across ten thousand li.

He said, "You are a good man. I will not kill you."

I do not know why, but I dropped my weapon and wept uncontrollably. After that battle, Guard Shanzhuang vanished. The two famed generals died beneath Tai Ping Gong's spear tip. In the end, he ordered the Fire Qilin to set the palace ablaze, then carried his wife step by step into the burning hall.

"You are dead. I cannot live alone."

"I have carved a path to life for our children. Now, for this final stretch, I walk with you."

I could only watch as Tai Ping Gong entered the palace. The Princess returned, but her martial arts were not the Cold Ice Divine Art—she could not force her way into the palace engulfed in Fire Qilin's flames.

After that, the Princess switched to the Kunlun Heart Scripture.

I went to find Dan Tai Xianming. I could not accept it—why?

You treated Tai Ping Gong so well back then. Why are you like this today? When Tai Ping Gong was lost in the southwest, only Dan Tai Xianming believed he still lived. After Tai Ping Gong earned his merits, it was Dan Tai Xianming who personally went to petition for his rewards.

Dan Tai Xianming personally delivered the military records to Tai Ping Gong. At that time, Tai Ping Gong had a huge appetite; most of his salary was eaten by him, and he often borrowed money.

For Tai Ping Gong, whose father died early, Chancellor Dan Tai Xianming was both brother and father.

Tai Ping Gong reached this position thanks to Chancellor Dan Tai Xianming's aid. I still remember: during the Regent's era, we all sat on the ground beneath a tree, drinking and composing poetry. Tai Ping Gong got so drunk he vomited on Chancellor Dan Tai Xianming, who personally carried him back.

But this final banquet, the one leading to death, was also personally arranged by Chancellor Dan Tai Xianming.

"We use our most elite guards to kill our strongest general. We kill his son to wound his mother. We drive his wife to death to bind his heart. What are we doing?"

"I record this now, as history. The truth must not be lost to future generations."

"General, the humble foot soldier Wan Qinghui comes to beg forgiveness!"

The scroll was stained with a blinding crimson—clearly, the Captain who recorded all this had died in grief. Li Guanyi's hand trembled as he stared at the list of names that followed. This scroll had once been discovered by the Emperor, who, enraged, ordered the Shi Guan to burn it.

But the Shi Guan entrusted with this scroll refused. So Emperor Chen killed him.

The Shi Guan's son continued to report the truth faithfully. Emperor Chen killed seventeen Shi Guan in succession.

Even when it reached distant branches, they still refused. Emperor Chen fell silent for a long time, then merely sealed it as forbidden text, preserving it here. Li Guanyi's eyes turned red. Now, at last, he knew the full truth. The boy slowly closed the Juan, silently reciting the names in his heart.

Dan Tai Xianming, Emperor Chen Dingye.

His hand clenched tight.

A calm voice came: "You're very interested in this?"

Li Guanyi turned his head.

The monk Yan Xuanji watched him quietly.