Chapter 167: I Shall Bear the Standard for the Young Master!!!

Li Guanyi turned to look at the monk; Master Zhige's gaze was calm as he took the scroll, flipping through its text, his eyes as still as Pinghu, no ripples rising again.

Li Guanyi's expression did not change; he merely smiled.

"Merely curious about the secret history."

"Are you also interested, Master?"

The monk gazed at the scroll, gently stroking it, and hummed softly: "This humble monk's dharma name is Zhige; before ordination, I was a general under Tai Ping Gong, enduring life and death, slaying countless lives. Later, when Tai Ping Gong perished, I fell into perceptual obstruction, raging like a demon."

"With the world so chaotic, I once believed heroes must dominate it by force."

"In my youth, I challenged schools across the land, earning considerable fame in the martial world—until I met Tai Ping Gong, joined his banner, and carried his standard amid the world's strife. Back then, I still believed such a world had different people who knew justice existed."

"After… this event, I felt only that good men like Tai Ping Gong received no good end, that the world was chaos, and no one was beyond killing—so I went on a rampage, succumbing to demonic deviation. My master subdued me, guarded me for three months, until my savagery was quelled."

"Only then did I attain complete enlightenment and return to the Buddha's path."

"Now, looking at this scroll again, all past events are like fleeting clouds—already ten years gone… The world changes every single day; words of lament are beyond expression."

The monk Zhige pressed his palm against the scroll, his expression serene. Before he descended the mountain, the old abbot had gazed at his disciple for a long while, finally sighing gently and giving him a thick green bamboo staff. The abbot said his cultivation of the Buddha's teachings—non-killing, non-deception—had lasted ten years.

He had walked eighty trials, yet still had one final heart trial remaining.

"This descent to rescue Yue Pengwu is your final trial."

The aged monk whispered: "If you cross it, you may return to be my final disciple; but if you do not cross it…"

"Then you are no longer my disciple, and I, no longer your master."

Zhige lifted the scroll, intending to set it down, but paused slightly.

He sensed that when Li Guanyi handed him the scroll, he had slipped something else within.

It was a tiger tally, its pattern unmistakably belonging to General Yue Qianfeng; Master Zhige's eyes flashed a sharp glint, yet his face showed no change, only calm observation of the young man before him.

General Yue Qianfeng's nature was coarse yet meticulous; Zhige trusted he would not entrust the tiger tally to anyone he did not trust.

Master Zhige's heart stirred slightly; his tone remained gentle: "Since you enjoy reading these historical scrolls, there are many more here. Today, taking you as our hostage allows you to see more of Chen's secrets—and know that our coming is the way of true men."

He gripped Li Guanyi's hand.

Then he walked toward the scroll chamber.

Master Zhige was renowned in the martial world—a disciple of a great Buddha master, once a top general; all respected him. No one thought twice as he led Li Guanyi into a blind spot, turned, lips moving, yet a voice echoed directly in Li Guanyi's mind.

"Who are you? Why do you have General Yue Qianfeng's tiger tally?"

He is General Yue Qianfeng's close brother.

Li Guanyi wanted to say this, but beyond Master Zhige, he trusted no one; if this were overheard by any spy or traitor outside the Luzhou Sword Immortal, this was a matter of utmost secrecy requiring utmost measures.

This identity was insufficient to gain full trust.

Outside, Dan Tai Xianming and Emperor Chen Dingye had laid a net of surveillance; around them lurked spies and traitors—he must win the absolute trust of this general. The boy looked at him, feeling he stood upon a chessboard, each step must be decisive, once taken—

There can be no turning back.

Heroes of the world are all gamblers.

Zhige watched the boy raise his right hand, his battle robe falling to conceal it.

With one hand, he channeled inner Qi and wrote a unique pattern in midair.

It resembled a great banner, its surface scarred by clashing blades, transforming into birds, light and flame scattering—reflected in Master Zhige's eyes as shimmering radiance; his body froze, disoriented, as if before him stood that man still smiling at him:

"For covert communication, there are cipher scripts—secrets known only to you and me."

"Hahahaha, remember—the name of this pattern is—"

"The banner never fades; the fire passes on, vast and grand, sharing the same robe with you…"

Voices intertwined; Master Zhige's throat forced out air, almost instinctively reciting the words—as if alongside that commander of old. Li Guanyi's inner Qi slowly dispersed; Master Zhige's body remained rigid for long moments, his hand trembling slightly.

Slowly, he raised it, drew a deep breath.

Then he could no longer contain himself—he seized Li Guanyi's wrist. A thunderous surge erupted, toppling nearby scrolls; terrifying inner Qi surged like a beast's roar, startling others. The Luzhou Sword Immortal, sword in hand, turned his head; other warriors cried out in haste:

"Master! What happened?!"

"Master!"

Their nerves were taut as bowstrings; they drew swords and rushed over—only to see Master Zhige gripping the young officer's arm, eyes blazing red, as if enraged. When he turned, the first few warriors froze in terror.

Fierce, tyrannical, unrestrained!

Like a slumbering tiger awakening, roaring with wild abandon.

The brutal aura of battle instantly shattered the monk's Buddhist aura; the warriors before him turned pale, as if hearing hoofbeats—this was the imperial palace, yet in an instant, it became a battlefield of hell.

The great Buddha beads around Master Zhige's neck trembled, golden light shifting.

The Luzhou Sword Immortal's sword qi swirled; his fingertip pressed directly against the monk's spine, his voice cold:

"Master Zhige!"

This was the Sword Heart technique unleashed.

Master Zhige regained composure; his eyes still red, he stared at the boy. The youth remained calm, reached out, and pressed his palm over Zhige's hand, smiling as he spoke slowly: "Don't forget, Master. Don't forget—I am a Xue."

"I am Li Guanyi."

"Though my surname is Li."

"Behind me stands Xue Lao."

Master Zhige's body trembled; slowly, he withdrew his hand. All others assumed the young noble had quarreled with Master Zhige, so stirred even this deeply Buddhist master—quickly they pulled the two apart, fearing the master might break his precept against killing.

Master Zhige clenched his fists tightly, eyes blazing red, staring at the boy's retreating back.

As if seeing that laughing youth of old.

He gripped his Buddha beads fiercely; golden Buddhist light flowed along them, forming sutras—yet finally faded slowly into stillness, like a sigh. In Master Zhige's gaze, fire began to burn again…

"Master, this disciple Zhige."

"I have broken the precepts."

Boom!!!

A violent rumbling echoed, and the entire hall shook; Master Zhige gripped his bamboo pole in one hand and pressed it into the ground, forcibly holding the unsteady hall in place, when suddenly a martial artist shouted in panic: "Someone's smashing the walls outside! Fuck!"

"An Mo Family giant catapult—how the hell is there one here?!"

Li Guanyi saw through a crack: a massive Mo Family mechanism was operating, emitting a glow of internal Qi; obsidian stones were flung upward, then exploded into fierce flames midair before crashing down, leaving behind massive craters!

This thing is literally a meteor-maker!

Are all Mo Family devices this insane?

Such a siege-level weapon of this caliber could never be stored in the imperial palace—it must have been prepared long in advance, waiting for martial artists to gather, and yet, just before the grand sacrifice, they've unleashed this violence, while Yuwen Lie, Xue Lao, Prince Ji Yanzhong, and others were being entertained by the Emperor in another palace.

This was planned from the start.

They're using the palace as bait to wipe out these martial artists outright.

Such cold-handed audacity—whose is it? The Chen Emperor's, or the Dantai's?

"This place won't hold. At this level, Mo Family mechanisms can be dodged by martial artists, but they crush walls and buildings far more effectively than sword qi—buildings in front will be torn apart, Master, we must find an escape route!"

Master Zhige said: "Where's the map?!"

Others handed him the map; Master Zhige scanned it and said: "We must retreat—"

One man said: "There's a secret passage—my ancestor stole it from the imperial palace while stealing imperial relics; it leads directly behind, to the back garden, where the terrain is open, extremely dark, dimly lit, and come with me!"

As others nodded in agreement, the Luzhou Sword Immortal said: "The imperial garden may not be safe."

"Better to take this way."

She extended her finger, pointing to a dangerous exit; the martial artist stared in shock: "Sword Immortal, if we go out there, we walk straight into the Imperial Guard's encirclement—we'd be throwing ourselves into a trap! Your sword qi is lofty, you have the aura of a Grandmaster, but we don't!"

The crowd erupted in argument; Li Guanyi stood on a formation, tracing the remnants of the distant Four Symbols Sealing Spirit Array, deducing that the lifeline truly lay in the direction the Luzhou Sword Immortal indicated—but she was also the one who injured Brother Yue.

Master Zhige seized Li Guanyi and said directly:

"This man is a hostage—I'll carry him."

"Brothers, no time to overthink—let's go!"

"Alright!"

Many martial artists rushed toward the direction the Luzhou Sword Immortal pointed, only to find it already blocked—rocks had collapsed, sealing it completely, turning it into a dead end; Li Guanyi's eyes darkened, realizing the one who set this trap was surely Dantai Xianming.

Unlike in storybooks, Dantai Xianming's schemes were ruthless and direct.

He leaves no trace of escape, blocks every possible path, then leaves only one—everyone knows it's a trap, but if you don't charge forward, you die; the classic encirclement with one gap.

"That man—he's the inside agent!"

"But the Luzhou Sword Immortal isn't cooperating with him…"

"The Luzhou Sword Immortal only injured Brother Yue when she worked with Xiao Wuliang—could she be playing a double agent? But even that was predicted by Dantai Xianming?"

Li Guanyi felt the old man's presence was like a lingering ghost.

Presumably, the old man once felt the same about Pojun.

His mind flashed with insight; he warned: "Watch out—there'll be an ambush outside."

The martial artist who spoke paused, then shouted angrily: "What do you know? That's my ancestor's path!"

"You're just a hostage we captured, a bargaining chip—how dare you speak nonsense!"

"You need a beating—slap his mouth!"

As he cursed, he raised his curved blade and swung it hard at Li Guanyi's mouth, aiming to knock out his teeth; but before his capture, Li Guanyi had kept Han Shuang Ji with him—he casually parried the blow from this Third Heaven martial artist.

The chilling aura of Han Shuang Ji suppressed the blade.

Master Zhige reached out and pressed both weapons down.

Li Guanyi scanned the crowd, seeing their wariness and hostility, then sneered: "Me?"

He retorted fiercely:

"I'm a Fifth-Rank-Under, Title-Granting County Baron!"

"I'm imperial kin! I wear crimson robes!"

"Dantai the Chancellor sent you in to be the inside agent, to lure them out—but I have no intention of dying with you! What, because I'm from the Xue family, and opposed to the Crown Prince's faction, does the Chancellor plan to kill me too?!"

The man's face twisted in panic, then he drew his sword in fury:

"You—you what?!"

"You slander me!"

Li Guanyi scoffed, flicking his robe and saying calmly:

"I wear crimson robes."

"Imperial kin!"

"What are you?"

"Why would I frame you?"

Since everyone held prejudice and hostility toward him, he might as well exploit their preconceptions, steer the situation, and at this point, Li Guanyi could only do his best—first pin down one of them, to make these martial artists more cautious and reduce casualties.

Master Zhige and the Luzhou Sword Immortal subdued the man, but the roaring outside never ceased—if the palace collapsed, they'd be crushed; staying here meant being slaughtered, and chaos erupted among them—this was the flaw of martial artists.

Master Zhige kept Li Guanyi close and said to the martial artists:

"It's clear now—we've all been tricked."

"But we came here today knowing death was inevitable; staying here means death, charging out still offers a chance to live; in this situation, even if we know there's an inside agent, it's useless—they must've realized it too."

"Dantai Xianming has abandoned you. Then why not charge out with us?"

"Find a way to survive."

The monk closed his eyes, then said:

"I will personally break through the formation for you all."

The crowd fell silent; they watched as he reached out, gripped the bamboo pole, flicked his wrist, and plunged it into row upon row of Juan Sect scrolls—even scrolls kept in palaces storing forbidden texts were covered in fine silk to keep out dust.

He rolled the pole, wrapping the silk around it, then held the bundle in one hand.

Silk fluttered wildly, resembling a grand banner!

Zhige lowered his gaze, turned to look at Li Guanyi, and spoke softly.

The voice rose within the heart of this young man.

"Young Master."

"This time, I shall still carry the banner."

"I will carve a path of blood for you."

The monk, gripping the bamboo pole bearing the seemingly ordinary banner, charged forward, shoulder slamming open the secret passage's door, then hurled the traitor out—only to be pierced instantly by countless arrows; the opposing side fired flaming arrows.

This place already had a formation and spirit artifacts prepared; flames erupted instantly, sealing off even this escape route. A general laughed loudly: "Hahahaha, what a fool!"

"By order of Chancellor Dan Tai, I have waited here long enough!"

"Shoot! Shoot arrows!!!"

They fired instantly—the flames surged terrifyingly, turning cyan-purple; the intense heat began to vitrify the earth. Wave after wave of arrows flew in—each one a piercing, qi-shattering arrow, specifically crafted for martial cultivators—and upon impact, each exploded into a burst of fire.

After such repeated barrages of flaming arrows, just as the commander believed there was no possible escape.

Whoosh!!!

A green bamboo pole thrust out, and ink-black silk danced wildly amid the flames.

Like a 'grand banner'!

Then it swept violently—the flames shattered. A subordinate general cried out in fury, cursed the thief, spurred his horse forward—and was struck directly by the green bamboo pole.

Man and horse crashed into the earth!

Skull shattered, blood sprayed everywhere!

Horrifying to behold!

In that instant, Zhige, who had not taken a life in ten years, gripped the green bamboo and felt his own heart pounding—he had exerted too much force; his armor was shattered, the bamboo broken—but beneath it glowed a serene, faint light.

It was a long staff of mixed-gold dark iron!

His old weapon, now reappearing in the mortal world as he broke his vow of non-killing. Zhige froze, remembering his master's words when he descended the mountain, his master's gentle gaze: "What binds you is not Buddhist doctrine."

"If you do not return, you are no longer my disciple…"

"No longer Zhige."

Zhige suddenly opened his mouth, laughing through sorrow and pain, then twisted his wrist!

The green bamboo shattered completely.

The dark iron weapon reappeared, sweeping once—the flames scattered, the banner flew wildly. The monk stepped forward, eyes blazing; in mere moments, every captain's flesh and blood burst open, dying gruesomely. The blood-soaked monk returned like a Rakshasa reborn, standing before the young man, roaring with laughter:

"Under Tai Ping Gong's command—Yan Xuanji!"

"Charge into formation!"

The remaining generals and commanders, hearing this, were stunned and enraged; the commanding officer still present turned pale and shouted: "Shoot! Shoot! Launch every crossbow, every arrow—shoot them dead!!!"

"Shoot! Don't care about the cost!"

"Shoot that bastard dead!"

Arrows flew everywhere at once—the sound of snapping bowstrings filled the air.

A dense hail of arrows soared skyward, radiating thick, overwhelming qi—each specially forged to target martial experts and divine generals. Yan Xuanji wore only monk's robes, utterly defenseless. He threw himself before Li Guanyi, shielding him with his own body against the storm of arrows.

Yan Xuanji, his expression unreadable, sighed with a smile:

"Young Master, being tied to a commander is a doom of a thousand deaths, ten thousand deaths."

"I will carve a path for you. Afterward, live well."

Li Guanyi's right hand hung low, gripping Han Shuang Ji; the divine weapon, Tiger Roar of the Bronze Cauldron, howled within its sheath. As the arrows fell, Li Guanyi saw frost suddenly forming on the leaves of the trees.

Aunt Chen Qingyan?!

Li Guanyi froze—then the chill vanished, replaced by scorching heat.

The intense heat expanded the air into a swirling gale, causing every arrow to veer off course, spinning wildly in the wind—until a single spark ignited them all. Flames blazed fiercely, fueled by the earlier reckless barrage of fire arrows.

The flames converged, surging skyward, illuminating the night.

They took shape as scales, dragon claws, dragon horns—and a dragon's roar echoed through the night!

A colossal crimson dragon manifestation coiled above the palace complex. Soldiers with bows looked up to see a gargantuan divine dragon roaring at them. The heavens turned gold-red, like a mythic battle—battle spirit vanished instantly, replaced only by terror.

Boom!!!

The crimson dragon gathered and soared into the sky. A burly man clad in armor, gripping a battle halberd, appeared here with the most fearless posture.

Rank 34 on the Divine General List—General Yue Qianfeng!

His halberd pointed forward, and he roared: "Chen Dingye!!!"

He called the Emperor by his personal name.

Then his brow lifted, and he cursed:

"Come out and die!!!"