Chapter 33: Master Comes to the Door

The White Tiger roared to heaven, its sound unceasing; Xue Daoyong simultaneously blocked the sound with his own vast qi, and outside the Tingfeng Pavilion, the wind and waves remained calm—but subtle changes, impossible to fully suppress, had nonetheless occurred.

It was the third month of spring; the Seven Stars of the White Tiger spanned the vast western night sky, and Can, the star forming the White Tiger’s paw, was among the brightest constellations in the heavens—anyone who looked up could see it clearly.

“The light of the Seven Stars of the White Tiger has suddenly increased by one stellar magnitude.”

A young voice spoke, filled with surprise and light curiosity.

By “stellar magnitude,” he meant the faintest starlight visible to the naked eye under a clear night sky—a figure wearing a hood, not tall, revealing a snow-white chin, with features impossible to define: either a beautiful boy or an energetic girl.

All that could be confirmed was that it was a youth.

Those who observe celestial patterns are always different.

The celestial patterns and the world’s rules grow somewhat blurred on them.

This is a blessing—and a cost.

The figure lifted his head, holding a polished disc of high-purity East Sea crystal—a device invented by the Mo School, allowing one to see distant places.

Yet to perceive a change in stellar magnitude with the naked eye was still utterly incredible.

The old man beside the bonfire fell silent for a moment, then said:

“The Four Symbols have circled the Central Heaven since ancient times, for lengths of time beyond reckoning—even during past imperial successions, the stars never shifted.”

“Over a hundred years ago, when the Great Emperor of Zhongzhou lost his power, the Wu Gong spent the night in the Phoenix Pavilion where the Empress Dowager resided; the young emperor, sword in hand, came to seek vengeance—and that day, the Purple Palace burst into fire at midnight, burning for three days and three nights, the Great Emperor and his palace reduced to ashes—yet the Purple Star above remained bright.”

“The officials of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau were thus sentenced to death by slicing.”

“How absurd—this was human calamity, yet over a hundred died because the stars above refused to dim; they understood nothing of celestial signs, only wished all things to bow to them—how could the descendant of that wandering hero have become so foolish and stubborn?”

“The Seven Stars of the White Tiger do not change their brightness lightly; the last time they glowed was five hundred years ago—but back then, it was not spring, and they were not in the west; they signified the world’s great pacification, when the White Tiger Star Lord descended to earth to quell the Central Plains.”

The old man traced a complex star chart on the ground with a twig, speaking softly:

“Every event carries meaning; the movement of stars often reflects a portent of the mortal world—or rather, when something happens in the mortal world, the stars above shift accordingly. The brightening of the Seven Stars of the White Tiger signifies that the current generation’s Four Symbols Grand Master has come into the mortal realm—a celestial deity who governs war.”

“Look—Can is brightest; this means the tiger’s claws and fangs have awakened ahead of time, unable to contain themselves.”

“The age of chaos is coming.”

He pondered long, then looked toward the hooded disciple: “Yao Guang, you must find him.”

“Fulfill the duty of the Eastern Continent’s Star Observing School—maintain peace in the mortal world, and do all you can to prevent the true age of chaos from arriving.”

The youth could no longer suppress his curiosity:

“Master, can the age of chaos be prevented?”

“If it could, why, since ancient times, has chaos never truly ended—even during times of peace?”

The old man fell silent for a long while, then sighed: “The world has been in turmoil too long. Chaos must come. When it does, heroes across the land will grasp their weapons and step forth—like stars crossing Qilian and Taihang Mountains, rising into the night sky. The celestial signs have foretold that age—but we still hope to delay its arrival.”

The youth frowned: “Why?”

The old man reached out and stroked his disciple’s head: “In times of peace, a farmer who supports his family is his own hero. But do you know who the greatest hero is in an age of chaos?”

“Who?”

The old man lowered his gaze, his eyes flickering with the bloodshed of over a century ago: “The one who kills the most.”

The youth shuddered.

“For no matter what kind of hero—”

“Even one with noble ideals, once drawn into this chaos, their path will be paved with piles of white bones, their blades drenched in blood. They raise their spears for a peaceful world—but beneath their horses’ hooves lie countless corpses.”

“Some say this is the price of renewing the world. We, however, always hope the cost may be smaller.”

“Go, Yao Guang.”

The old man touched his beautiful disciple’s hair, solemnly:

“Find the White Tiger Grand Master—who has been absent for five centuries, now returned to the mortal realm.”

“Find him before the other branch of the Star Observing School, the Breaker Army faction that craves chaos, finds him. Even if you cannot stop chaos from coming, you must aid him—become the hero who will define this age.”

………………

Above the Tingfeng Pavilion’s pond, the mist-formed White Tiger’s roar finally faded with the quieting of the divine weapon; the mist dissolved, returning to water, crashing down into the pond with the roar of East Sea waves—inside, the ornamental koi had already turned to a stinking pool of blood.

Xue Daoyong stared fixedly at the pond, then at the now-calm [Cloud-Piercing Thunderbow].

The old man sensed the bow had changed.

Who?

Who!!!

He whirled around, entered the Tingfeng Pavilion, spread out a sheet of white paper, and recalled every event of the past month in his mind, recording them all in dense detail, then used cinnabar ink to mark every possible cause of the [Cloud-Piercing Thunderbow]’s anomaly.

A letter from Shuobei.

Envoy of Ying State.

Grand Masters of the Jianghu. And…

After listing names that could shake a region, the old man’s gaze settled on the final name—his eyes flickered with unusual light. Finally, he lifted the cinnabar brush and drew a heavy circle around it.

【Li Guanyi】

The old man stared at the name.

It might be him—but more likely not; he had not yet entered Chen Guo. At this age, Xue Daoyong himself had already entered; at eighteen, he possessed mastery over archery, fists, and feet, capable of traveling ten thousand li across warlord-torn lands.

Should he test him?

The old man suddenly smiled.

Calm, bold—as a hunting tiger.

He dipped his brush and wrote after the youth’s name:

【Li Guanyi, promoted one tier】

He paused.

Then erased the line.

【Li Guanyi, Guest Minister of the Upper Courtyard, may come daily for meals】

With a flick of his wrist, he casually tossed the brush aside, gazing at the Cloud-Piercing Thunderbow with a faint expression.

Test him?

No need—testing still carries risk of failure.

Even one percent possibility is enough.

Bet heavily.

……………………

Li Guanyi opened his eyes, lost in thought.

He had learned that technique—but this time was different: this time, Li Guanyi had first comprehended it himself, then the jade fluid surged in, boosting his proficiency—but even so, it only granted him mastery, not perfection.

Li Guanyi had already discerned the bronze cauldron’s nature.

The jade fluid inside was likely tied to his own realm; since he had not yet entered, when practicing the unentered art of Breaker Eight Blades, he could achieve instant perfection—but the first technique of the Xue family’s ultimate art was a Manifestation art, and he could only barely grasp it.

The prerequisite was that Li Guanyi himself understood the technique’s essence and could perform it himself.

Then his proficiency would instantly max out.

He held the Su Ni bow, gifted by Xue Shuangtao, feeling familiar—as if he had held it for years. The Xue family’s ultimate art, “One Arrow, Cold as Frost,” could be used at will—but Li Guanyi knew it was an illusion.

Manifestation arts require a perfected Manifestation.

Li Guanyi’s two Manifestations could barely emerge—and they often fought over which one would surface first; the little White Tiger was beaten by the Crimson Dragon, yowling in protest.

He needed to enter the realm first—so his inner qi could leave his body and fuel the Manifestation.

Only then could he truly master the martial art.

The youth sighed: “Entering the realm…”

To leave Chen Guo safely, he needed an entered realm art; to master martial arts, he needed to enter the realm; even if he wished to keep “borrowing” the Cloud-Piercing Thunderbow’s legacy, he still needed to enter the realm—but…

He had planned to leave Chen Guo immediately, yet he looked at the Su Ni bow and the heavy blade.

A flicker of hesitation arose in his heart.

Such abundant aid could not be ignored.

Yet the Night Gallop cavalry hunting him, and his aunt’s words about the imperial family, reinforced his resolve to leave Chen Guo—but he could not ignore the Xue family’s kindness; a drop of water’s favor must be repaid with a spring.

Li Guanyi decided to “review” the 【Three Levels of Entering the Realm】 in his mind.

Previously, it had merely been “imprinted.”

At that moment, the White Tiger Manifestation on the bronze cauldron suddenly bristled, roaring—though the Manifestations could barely emerge, their connection instantly amplified Li Guanyi’s perception.

Was this a trait inherent to Manifestations? Li Guanyi had no time to think—his primal instinct for detecting enemies had already made him snatch up the Su Ni bow, turn, nock an arrow, and leap out of his room, drawing the bow with the skill of years.

Beneath the moonlight, an old man scaled the wall.

An old man with white hair crouched atop the wall, his target unmistakable.

He came straight for the youth, eyes fixed on Li Guanyi’s room, grinning as he stroked his beard: “I am the 【Si Ming】.”

“Young man, you and I, ah no—”

He paused, then exclaimed warmly:

“You and I are destined to be master and disciple!!!”

(End of Chapter)