Chapter 235: All Swordsmen in the World, Come Drink in the Imperial Palace!

When the white-haired Murong Longtu returned, he carried a single flask of wine—not fine wine, merely Jiangnan's Yizhi Chun—but the rarity was that this wine could be bought here, which delighted Murong Longtu greatly.

The old man poured himself a cup of wine and sat alone beneath the tree, drinking under the moon.

The bright moon hung in the sky; its moonlight, like gauze, fell downward. The old man's shadow was cast upon another spot, as if also raising a cup—thus, his solitary drinking seemed to gain a touch of warmth and joy.

Li Guanyi had been pulled over by Yao Guang; no one else had noticed the carefree old man. The silver-haired girl stood behind Li Guanyi, reached out, and shoved his shoulder hard, nudging the youth toward that direction.

Yao Guang herself stood there, gesturing for Li Guanyi to go over alone.

The youth took his cup and walked over, sitting beside Murong Longtu. The green-cloaked sword madman said something to him, prompting Li Guanyi to sit down as well. The old swordsman lifted the flask and poured the young man a cup; the two laughed and chatted.

The silver-haired girl stood at a distance from this spot.

She squatted beneath the tree, propping her chin on both hands, quietly watching the youth whose features had fully matured, observing Li Guanyi and Murong Longtu laughing and talking—her expression serene, yet with a faint trace of quiet sorrow.

A palm suddenly descended from above, ruffling Yao Guang's hair.

It was rude, thoroughly messing up her hair.

The owner of that palm sat down, wearing clothes no longer new, his white hair disheveled, his features still bearing traces of youthful vigor—but now only agedness and unruly indifference remained. Master Siming said: "What, missing your mother?"

"You were raised by your master and mistress since childhood, but after all, you're that guy's daughter—they probably didn't dare raise you as their own daughter, or your father, that petty man, would've come knocking."

"Don't resent them, hmm… no, forget it, go ahead and resent your old man."

"Even if your mother's identity was special and she used some special medicine, if your father hadn't been so promiscuous and arrogant, he wouldn't have fallen for it, right? It's all over now, no need to dwell on it."

"Don't concern yourself with your parents' affairs—there's me, and that boy Li Guanyi. What more do you have to say?"

The black tortoise beside Master Siming lifted its claw to cover its eyes.

Master Siming vigorously ruffled Yao Guang's hair until her silver locks were a wild mess.

The girl's face showed no expression.

But deep in her eyes, a storm seemed to be rapidly gathering.

At the very moment Master Siming lifted his hand, Yao Guang reached out, gripping his palm firmly with both hands, then opened her mouth.

A row of teeth, like seashells—pale, neat, tiny.

Capable of crushing hard baked buns.

She bit down hard on the old Master's palm. He sucked in a sharp breath, his forehead twitching—but he saw the girl, who had shown no emotion at all until now, finally revealing a sliver of feeling. The old man's eyes softened slightly.

Deep feelings don't last long; supreme wisdom brings injury—especially for people like us.

We've seen too much, thought too much, buried it all inside—we won't live long.

The old Master sat beside her, lifted the flask, took a casual sip of strong liquor, watching the two generations over there—the old fool beside him, and this little thing still clamped onto his palm.

Yao Guang could get along with anyone—whether Bujun, Yuan Zhi, Lei Laomeng, or Nangong Wumeng—but only this old Master Siming seemed, intentionally or not, to easily stir ripples in Yao Guang's heart as an Observer of Stars.

And it was subtle, hovering between deliberate teasing and unintentional foolishness.

Master Siming sighed. The strong liquor burned down his throat like the night's chill. The summer air after dusk was oppressively stifling. The old man thought of Yao Guang's origins and sighed again.

The offspring of a martial legend cannot be borne by just anyone.

Back then, the Whale Fisher had dosed her.

But unfortunately, the Whale Fisher was the type of extreme, arrogant, reckless man.

He swallowed the bait—and then swallowed the one who set it.

Originally, two beauties served him, but the Whale Fisher showed up at their door. Master Siming sighed inwardly: "The Mo Sect's most outstanding leader in three hundred years, seeking the bloodline of the latest martial legend—what kind of madness is this?"

"No wonder that reckless fellow dumped this little girl with the Star Observers and fled himself to the vast emptiness beyond the South Sea… The world is so large—there, indeed, was the safest place."

The old man fell silent for a long while, then finally muttered:

"Damn this world of martial arts…"

Master Siming looked toward the green-cloaked sword madman. The Black Tortoise's manifestation no longer feared Murong Longtu.

Master Siming saw a bird flap its wings and land on the shoulder of the swordsman, whose aura was vast as sword energy. The bird dared to peck gently at the white hair at the swordsman's temple. Master Siming's usually flippant, casual face grew complex.

"From extreme yang to the turning of yin and yang…"

"Not everyone possesses Murong Longtu's Wu Gong, his spirit, to sever ties of grudge and debt."

Murong Longtu poured Li Guanyi another cup. The youth drank—it was crisp on the tongue, with a lingering sweetness and tartness of plum. Murong Longtu pinched his cup and said: "It's Jiangnan wine—not strong, but the flavor is excellent."

"Made from plums, opened in spring—the name is Yizhi Chun."

"Your mother loved it most as a child, but her liquor tolerance was terrible. After drinking, she'd stagger and collapse, falling straight into the snow, her head hitting a plum tree."

"The plum tree would shake, and snow would cascade onto her head. She wouldn't be angry—just reach out and play with the snowflakes clinging to the plum blossoms."

"At that time, I sat beside the tree, watching her."

Murong Longtu smiled faintly, his eyes shadowed with sorrow: "Growing old, one starts thinking of such trivial things. How's your sword forging coming along, Guanyi?"

Li Guanyi said: "Still only the sword embryo."

He turned back and brought over a box wrapped in rhinoceros hide. Inside, on a black silk cloth, lay a sword embryo—forged from the weapon he won in combat during the Great Sacrifice.

It requires polishing, honing, sharpening, and nurturing before it can be completed.

On both sides of the blade were inscriptions.

On the front, small seal script.

【Tianqi Year 11, forged by Li Guanyi, offered to Bujun】

On the reverse, gilded jade-colored characters.

【Yushui Jian】.

Both were cast into the blade from the very beginning.

To make the three characters "Yushui Jian" look beautiful, the youth had gone to great lengths to create the gold-inlaid-jade design, expending considerable effort.

Murong Longtu gently brushed his finger along the blade and said: "You learned the sword-forging techniques I taught you quickly. By the time you finally forged this sword, you've mastered all the Murong family's forging secrets."

"But learning doesn't mean complete mastery."

"Sword techniques are few—what I wield and what you wield may look the same, but the effect is entirely different."

"Afterward, you must train harder."

Li Guanyi noticed the old man's tone and said:

"Great-great-grandfather…"

Elder Murong said: "Don't worry. I've just resolved some matters, settled some grudges, and suddenly felt something. Speaking of which, why have you all been lingering here all this time?"

Li Guanyi returned the Fish-Water Sword to its sheath. After its forging, it would become a Treasure Weapon, barely reaching that level—its trait should be sharpness. Li Guanyi had considered Bojun's fighting style; the man had low Wu Gong but loved brawling.

Giving him a razor-sharp treasure sword would yield the best results.

This was Li Guanyi's own experience from using the Murong Qiushui Sword.

Don't care about divine weapons, traits, or elemental affinities—the best weapon is the one that can pierce straight into the enemy's body.

Li Guanyi placed the sheath aside and replied:

"After all, Ying's national spirit is fierce. Though they now pretend peace with me, their vigilance against me won't lessen. The Ying Emperor has kept his civil and military officials in check; these ministers still work in unison and certainly won't let us march straight in."

"Having the Crown Prince personally receive us at this outward-facing city maintains proper etiquette."

"With provincial officials joining the banquets daily, they use softness to overcome hardness to block us. As time passes, we'll have no choice but to take the water route—and with these thousand troops, envoys, and logistics, we'll need warships."

"The Jiangnan navy will be split."

Li Guanyi sipped his wine. Elder Murong paid little mind—he was simply enjoying simple family joy with his great-great-grandson. Suddenly he laughed and said: "Then, shall we change locations for our drink?"

"Change locations?"

"For example, the imperial palace."

………………

In the prefectural city of Ying.

The Crown Prince was still reviewing simple documents from the Ministry of Revenue. He was a man of strategy, following the lead of that Grand Secretary Zhao, systematically reorganizing the prefecture's administration and removing many officials—he was a powerful Crown Prince with great prestige. Combined with the Tiger Barbarian cavalry facing him and the troops behind, he resolved everything in one seamless motion.

His cousin Jiang Cai calmly studied the terrain map, her voice steady:

"The Western Regions and the northern frontier beyond the passes will be two critical areas."

Jiang Gao looked at Jiang Cai. The slender woman pointed at the map and said: "You already know about the northern frontier beyond the passes, right?"

Jiang Gao nodded. His sister was one of the Five Strategists of this generation and had just returned from the northern frontier. Jiang Gao rubbed his temples and said: "The northern frontier beyond the passes is a vast region of warlord chaos. I recall those two former Taiping Army generals—Xue Tianxing and Yuan Shitong—are there."

Xue Tianxing, ranked fifty-seventh on the Divine General List.

Yuan Shitong, ranked fifty-fourth on the Divine General List.

Both were absolute fierce warriors of the Taiping Army. In the northern frontier beyond the passes, each supported a youth claiming to be the heir of Tai Ping Gong. Last year, the Yue Army arrived there; relations were initially harmonious, until Jiang Cai came and forged alliances.

Now, with the frontier situation changing, Xue Tianxing and Yuan Shitong's relationship was already like oil and water. Yue Pengwu saw them both backing other youths as the Great General's sons, raising the Great General's battle standard, and clashing violently.

Yue Pengwu was so enraged he spat blood.

Though poisoned, his temper remained fierce.

A terrible temper—he couldn't tolerate even a speck of dust.

After learning of these two generals' actions, he first went to counsel them. But both were older than him, and being fierce warriors, though concerned for him, their words carried condescension toward a junior.

Yue Pengwu claimed Li Guanyi was Tai Ping Gong's son; since the true heir had appeared, these two puppets should no longer propagate themselves as Tai Ping Gong's heirs. But Xue Tianxing and Yuan Shitong refused to abandon their Taiping Army name.

Their back-and-forth grew deeply unpleasant, especially on Xue Tianxing's side—his claimed Tai Ping Gong heir had somehow lost his mind.

He forged a handwritten testament supposedly left by Tai Ping Gong before death, bequeathing it to Yue Pengwu.

Yue Pengwu flew into a rage, nearly drawing his spear on the spot.

Though gravely ill, his aura still burned fiercely. Even with Yan Xuanji and General Yue Qianfeng's combined strength, they barely restrained him.

The Yue Army broke away from both sides. In the vast northern frontier beyond the passes lay the Third Divine General of the world—a former soldier of the Zhongzhou Academy, who had traveled the Four Directions and once served as a general in Ying. He was of the same generation as the Ying Emperor and had been close friends with the former Crown Prince.

At that time, the Ying Emperor was a son born of a concubine.

He couldn't even protect the woman he loved. Gao Xiang also loved her, but because he was merely a common Imperial Guard, he felt inferior. Though the top archer of his generation, he still chose to aid the Ying Emperor.

The Ying Emperor personally rode out with sword drawn to steal the bride. Gao Xiang stood atop a high tower, drawing his bow and felling all who blocked them—three quivers of arrows, and only one remained.

He gave that single arrow as a symbol of friendship to the Ying Emperor.

The young man lay on the grass, drenched in blood, yet laughed wildly, unrestrained and arrogant.

But later, the Ying Emperor revealed disloyal ambitions, imprisoned the former Crown Prince, and walked the path of a tyrant. To become Emperor, he remained silent for years, then married a noblewoman and gained clan support. Gao Xiang sighed deeply and fell silent.

He asked the Ying Emperor, now risen to power:

"Do you still remember your sword from when you were poor and young?"

The Ying Emperor remained silent for a long time, then answered: "Don't let people laugh."

Gao Xiang went to find the woman. She was already ill. The Emperor had built her the tallest tower and gathered treasures from across the land—no Empress of the Zhongzhou Chi Emperor's line had enjoyed such luxury.

Even after marrying the sole daughter of a great clan, he still made her Empress. But becoming Empress meant being trapped—this golden cage bird within the tower.

Gao Xiang wanted to take her away, but all he received was a quiet: "Big Brother Gao."

He ultimately left, leading his army northeast, cutting through Ying to reach the frontier.

After decades of warfare, he forcibly carved out an independent region between the steppe and the Central Plains.

More than ten years ago, when Zhou Liu's grandfather died,

Jiang Su moved to launch an expedition against Gao Xiang. The Ying Emperor sighed deeply, stopped Jiang Su, and personally led troops to the frontier. He rode his warhorse across the battlefield to the frontier fortress, brought no bodyguards, and simply snapped that arrow in two.

It signified the end of their youthful bond.

Then he said: "Her child is my Crown Prince!"

Immediately, he turned his horse and returned to the world.

Since then, Ying ceased military action against the northern frontier beyond the passes and focused instead on the southern realm and the steppe. The Third Divine General, known as 【Swift as a Shooting Star, Roving the Battlefield】, remained stationed at the frontier, preventing barbarian tribes from entering the Central Plains through that route.

Now, the warlords of the frontier have quietly begun forming a coalition, aiming to encircle Xue Tianxing and the other two former Taiping Army generals. The situation there is turbulent. Jiang Gao sighed long and said: "Uncle Gao has always been calm. Why act this way now?"

Jiang Cai twirled a strand of hair at her temple and said:

"He wants these warlords to slaughter each other. Besides, Uncle Gao has never cared about this place. His only goal is to stop the Tujue steppe's Tie Futu from entering through the northern frontier beyond the passes. He owes allegiance to no nation—he merely guards the ancestral land of the Central Plains."

"But the warlords' joint attack was my strategy."

Jiang Gao blinked in surprise.

Jiang Cai looked at him and said: "Don't you know why Xue Tianxing and Yuan Shitong argued with Yue Pengwu? Because unless they did, they couldn't survive peacefully beyond the Northern Frontier."

"Or rather, the more powerful Li Guanyi's Fire Qilin Army becomes, the less harmonious the former troops of Tai Ping Gong can remain among themselves—if they unite, they will be feared and attacked, making their survival even harder."

"They're all famed generals—how could they not see through this? They're just putting on a show."

Jiang Gao shook his head with a smile and said: "But surely even the letter to Yue Pengwu was fake?"

Jiang Cai thought for a moment and said: "That was probably the doing of that so-called 'son of Tai Ping Gong,' acting too clever by half."

The woman reached up and pressed her palm to her forehead: "There are too many fools in this world."

"Some people always do things no one can predict. I've stirred up storms beyond the Northern Frontier; the other warlords will cling tightly to the Tai Ping Army—if possible, wiping out that Tai Ping force would be best."

She placed black and white stones across the board, black qi forming a dragon, white qi clustered below and in the upper right corner.

Jiang Cai said: "Look—here is the Fire Qilin Army, here are the remnants of Tai Ping Gong's forces, separated at opposite ends, neither capable of major impact—but if they connect, it's like the qi of Go stones becoming linked."

"Then the tiger presses its paw, the dragon soars—and the momentum begins."

"That's why I told you not to worry about Li Guanyi, but to watch the Regent—Jiangnan is crisscrossed with vital routes, yet it is actually a 【solitary land】, possessing the foundation to hold but lacking the base to expand."

"But if he gains the Northern Frontier, it's different—even if General Gao Xiang holds it, he cannot take it. Yet if our court changes, the Fire Qilin Army and the Tai Ping Army, one above and one below, launching simultaneously, will ignite fires on two fronts—there will be great peril."

Jiang Gao shook his head with a wry laugh: "Sister, what are you saying again? To link the qi of the Northern Frontier with Jiangnan—our Ying State's ministers and generals aren't just eating their meals."

"Besides, Father is still in his prime; all civil and military officials are willing to die for him—what great change could there be?"

Jiang Cai looked at him: "Jiang Yuan already harbors ill will toward you—don't you realize it?"

Jiang Gao fell silent for a long while.

His hand brushed the Juan Sect's scrolls as he smiled faintly and whispered: "Yes, I know. But he is my brother—my own flesh-and-blood brother, same father, same mother, bound by blood."

"After Mother passed away, apart from Father, he and I are the closest people left in this world."

"I still remember when Mother was gravely ill, Father dealt with the aristocratic clans and Tai Ping Gong, and my brother and I held her hands together, falling asleep without realizing it. I woke first and watched the sunlight on my brother's eyelashes—I thought, this person shares the same blood as me—and suddenly my heart softened, and I felt less afraid of Mother's departure."

"But Father will eventually leave this world—and if I break ties with my own brother, I will truly be alone."

"I refuse."

Jiang Cai gazed deeply at him, helplessly saying: "Your Majesty raised you to be virtuous and kind—I don't know if that's good or bad. Enough. What I said just now was just idle talk."

"I'll find a way to extinguish that qi."

"At least block it."

"Now, the Western Regions and..."

Suddenly, a clamor rose from outside, followed by the neighing of warhorses. Jiang Cai froze, then said: "Li Guanyi and the Fire Qilin Army—dare they charge straight through the pass?!"

Jiang Gao had already rushed out.

To prevent Li Guanyi's fierce generals from entering Ying State's territory, this post held one thousand Hu Man cavalry, two thousand supporting cavalry, and three thousand heavily armored infantry—six thousand troops in total, all fierce and valiant.

The encampment faced the Fire Qilin Army directly.

It was meant to suppress them with overwhelming force, to make Li Guanyi retreat in despair.

Jiang Gao arrived swiftly, but saw the enemy camp unmoved—the Fire Qilin Army as usual. He blinked in surprise, then immediately noticed the Ying State's Hu Man cavalry beginning to move; famed generals had donned armor and weapons, their expressions grim.

Jiang Gao said: "General Feng, what's happening?!"

The general replied: "Someone has breached the pass!"

The Crown Prince looked—and froze slightly.

The intruder was only an old man and a youth: a blue-robed swordsman walked forward, carrying a wine flask, his temples slightly stirred by the wind, saying: "Guanyi, leave the army here—so Jiangnan and your Fire Qilin Army won't clash with Ying State's troops."

"Today, it's just an old man going to Ying State to demand an explanation. How about it—will you come with me?"

Feng Yuanmeng's expression darkened; he raised his hand.

Three thousand heavy cavalry raised their spears; three thousand armored crossbowmen lifted their bolts; famed generals led the formation into a spirit manifestation—a pack of wolves—this was the exact formation Li Guanyi must avoid.

Elder Murong asked Li Guanyi: "Wine should be drunk where the scenery is finest. Do you know where the most comfortable place to drink is?"

"The Ying State imperial palace."

"Come, Guanyi—walk with this old man."

The opposing general's eyes widened; sweat dripped from his brow. He roared:

"Stop!"

"Mad Sword, stop!"

He paused, watching the old man step forward, his spirit taut—then he could bear it no longer. He could not let the Mad Sword advance another step. He suddenly bellowed: "Attack!!!!!!"

The sharp, powerful sound of the highest-tier mechanical crossbows fired—once, a sharp hum.

Three thousand crossbows fired as if they were one.

Arrows erupted violently; the formation roared. The Mad Sword gripped his sword, calm and unhurried. The world said that military formations ruled the battlefield, invincible—no matter how great a master you were, under the trampling of an army, death was the only end.

But on this day, the blue-robed old man carried his wine flask and calmly crossed six thousand armored soldiers. He killed no one; his sword never left its sheath—he truly looked like he was going to have wine with his distant grandson.

Six thousand armored troops could not stop an aging old man!

He had only walked a short distance with Li Guanyi, yet it seemed as if he had crossed a thousand li, arriving before the Ying State imperial city. The old man tied back his white hair; his blue sleeves fluttered as he gazed ahead.

The broad imperial road before the palace stood open, empty.

Yuwen Lie stood clad in armor, spear in hand.

Behind him, the Bai Hu spirit manifestation pressed its paw, head raised, roaring.

The Fifth Greatest Divine General charged personally!

Elder Murong held his wine flask in his left hand; Li Guanyi followed behind him.

Yuwen Lie charged fiercely, his aura blazing skyward.

A clash between supreme masters!

Elder Murong's aura was momentarily shattered by Yuwen Lie.

But his steps did not pause; he took another step, and the aura Yuwen Lie had brutally severed reconnected, regrowing anew—yet the Divine General's charge could not be launched again so swiftly. Yuwen Lie turned back, and the man in the blue robe had already reached the palace's forbidden gate.

The blue-robed Master Jiankuang lifted his gaze to the palace beneath the moon, and to the highest tower—the Zhaixing Pavilion.

Suddenly he laughed aloud and said, "The south of the river holds nothing."

"I bring but a branch of spring."

"Old man has come here to invite you for wine."

His wrist flicked slightly, and wine poured forth from the flask; the old man's palm turned, his finger curled and snapped—then the roar of sword qi surged skyward, striking the palace gate.

Boom!!!

The palace gate, symbol of secular absolute authority, was shattered open.

Behind it, three hundred imperial iron cavalry tumbled before a single figure.

The blue robe flared fiercely.

The Master Jiankuang, breaches the gate, drinks wine!

?? Recommend a book, friends!

? The Great Qi's Virtuous Master

? All true celestial immortals and divine generals do not inhabit living bodies; if they speak through a human, they are surely demonic heretics or impure spirits. Young friend, I sense a karmic bond between us!