Chapter 364: Dual Schemes for the Western Regions, Reunion with General Xue

Li Guanyi hugged Wen He tightly, then introduced him to the people of the Anxi Protectorate at that moment.

Khan Qibili, Yu Chi Xiong, Li Kedi, Bazhaer, Hao Yuan Xia—all had never seen Wen He, but seeing Li Guanyi, usually so composed, so delighted, they all guessed Wen He was extraordinary.

Yet upon closer inspection, he was merely an ordinary, amiable young man.

Khan Qibili noticed that the original Tiance Prefecture members all seemed to have instinctive reactions.

He felt puzzled.

Li Guanyi had only used the Black Tortoise Manifestation to connect with Jiangnan through the power of the Nine-Colored Divine Deer; his current understanding and familiarity with Jiangnan was certainly inferior to that of the strategists within the Western Regions, so he entrusted this matter entirely to Wen Lingjun and others.

So Li Guanyi had genuinely not expected it.

Wen He, who always prioritized his own schemes first, had arrived ahead of everyone else.

Fan Qing, Lei Ting, and Shi Dalin all instinctively reacted to this fellow, then immediately realized: this fellow was now one of the top strategists of the Fire Qilin Army's Tiance Prefecture, a absolute ally.

So Fan Qing put down his stool.

Lei Ting retracted his rope, and Shi Dalin set down his medicine pouch.

Oh, this fellow was now an absolutely reliable comrade.

Then it was time to make the other side suffer.

It was their misfortune.

Wen He, a product of the Scholar's Palace—a strategist who terrified allies but left enemies sleepless.

Wen He smiled and greeted everyone.

Everyone's first impression of him was excellent.

They all felt: this man was remarkably compatible, someone easy to get along with.

Po Jun rose with restraint, adjusted the fish-and-water sword—cast and gifted by Li Guanyi himself—and subtly, effortlessly, wore it in a prominent position.

Then he said naturally: "Since Master Wen He has arrived, please come inside."

Wen He seemed thoughtful.

Wen He stared at the sword.

Wen He smiled and said: "This is my faction's foremost strategist, the first to follow the Lord, the unparalleled strategist the Lord speaks of—the most powerful, most comprehensive strategist in the eight-hundred-year history of the Guanxing lineage!"

"Master Pojun Jun!"

"A great honor to meet you!"

"Was this sword truly forged by the Lord himself for you?!"

"Among all ministers and strategists, only you possess it—truly enviable!"

Po Jun's expression remained calm, lowering his eyes: "You..."

This brilliant strategist, who especially loved hand-to-hand combat, had mediocre swordsmanship but immense courage—he raised his hand and, under Wen He's wary gaze, slammed it hard onto Wen He's shoulder.

Po Jun lifted his head, his lips curled up, then suppressed the smile.

"You understand well!"

"Master Wen He!"

Wen He smiled and gently supported Po Jun's arm: "Who doesn't know you're the Lord's foremost strategist? Ah, I've heard so much of your noble demeanor but never had the chance to meet you—today seeing you, I'm truly delighted!"

Wen He, the master of self-interest, immediately found his place.

He found Po Jun's one, non-weak weakness.

To a man like Wen He, who carried dozens of abacuses in his mind, you just had to scratch the itch deep in Po Jun's heart.

Po Jun's smile never faded.

The interaction was extremely pleasant.

Wen He took out a Juan Sect scroll from his sleeve and presented it to Li Guanyi, then explained:

"Lord, upon arriving here, we dispersed into small groups from all directions; Master Yuan Xia and General Ling Pingyang each led a contingent—all troops who have fought in major battles."

"My grandfather came from the Central Plains; though I am from the Central Plains, I grew up in the Western Regions—returning here feels like coming home, so I arrived first with Master Yan Daiqing."

Li Guanyi suddenly felt a bit intimidated.

He instinctively glanced at Po Jun: "What about Daiqing..."

Po Jun's lip twitched: "Ah, he went to review the logistics scrolls."

"Yeah, he didn't look happy."

Li Guanyi chuckled awkwardly: "Well, if Daiqing is here, logistics can be trusted..."

"Oh? Is that so? Does the Lord expect me to conjure silver and gold out of thin air?" A voice came from outside; a young man entered, hair tied in a crown, eyebrows refined and haughty, face dark.

After resolving Jiangnan's financial crisis,

Master Yan Daiqing had been refreshed and invigorated for half a year.

Arriving here, he saw sixty cities in deficit—nearly blacked out and fainted on the spot, suddenly understanding why Wen He, who distrusted everyone else, had raced here with him at full speed.

Master Yan Daiqing was not refreshed and invigorated.

He looked at Li Guanyi, sighed, and bowed: "Lord, we are all your eyes and claws; you focus on the grand tide of the world—we cannot fight on the battlefield—this kind of work is ours to handle."

Li Guanyi said: "Thank you."

Master Yan Daiqing replied: "It is my duty."

This was the weakness of these young men who raised arms in this chaotic age—the world's wars erupted like wildfire and thunder, sudden and spreading instantly; Li Guanyi held cities but had no time to properly accumulate strength.

Now he controlled Jiangnan and sixty cities in the Western Regions.

Eight million people, divided between two regions—if united, they would form the foundation of kingship; with vast territory, just five years would fill the granaries, aided by farmers and Mohists in seed, technology, and application.

Ten years could nourish the people.

Another ten years would allow the Scholar's Palace to spread education and cultivate generations.

Thus, in ten years, peace would be secured.

But the rulers of the last era, each one a titan of their time, all saw the potential in Li Guanyi's forces—they would never give Li Guanyi the chance to develop in peace, just as Li Guanyi knew Yu Langwang could not sustain a prolonged war, and Hao Yuan Xia's lifespan was insufficient.

Everyone has their own strategy, and their own weakness.

At this stage, standing at their height, seeing the tide of destiny surge, each other's greatest weaknesses and likely strategies were already open cards and overt schemes—and the struggle unfolded precisely within this framework of overt schemes.

Po Jun again spoke strategy with Wen Mian.

Unfolding a map of the territories, Po Jun's gaze was lofty, while Wen Mian's eyes were sharp; the unremarkable strategist smiled and pointed to the border region between Chen and the Western Regions, once swallowed by Chen, saying: "This area seems to be under Lu Youxian's command."

"Let me take this region."

Wen Mian smiled:

"His defense is rigid to the extreme—perfect for me."

Lei Laomeng felt a chill run down his spine, watching Wen Mian's smile, a cold prickle crawling up his back.

Wen Mian shifted tone again: "As for your journey into the Tangxiang Wang Cheng, Lord, since you intend to go, safeguarding yourself won't be difficult—I'll make preparations, and I shall accompany you on this mission."

"None of you need worry."

Lei Laomeng grinned, muttering:

"You're not planning to hand the Lord over to the enemy, are you?"

It was just a jest among old comrades.

But Wen Mian replied seriously: "No. Strategy must align with the times."

"Given Yu Langwang's history, if I bound you and delivered you to him, it might trigger his past memories, plunging him into a rage of slaughter—then, he would recognize no kin, and no one could stop him."

"Whoever dares bind the Lord and present him to Yu Langwang will find his double-bladed halberd embedded in his brow before the next breath."

Lei Laomeng froze, muttering instinctively: "Ah, oh, yes, yes."

Then he paused, stunned: "You actually thought of that?!"

Wen Mian smiled:

"Only by saying this clearly can I prove I stand with the Lord."

"Distrust everyone—even your future self."

He spoke these words while locking eyes with Po Jun, who sipped tea and smiled; the two nodded slightly, having already exchanged a silent clash—Wen Mian spoke these words to ease Po Jun's mind.

When all the generals had withdrawn,

Po Jun and Wen Mian continued speaking for a long time.

It felt as if they had met too late; Wen Mian was natural, Po Jun aloof, yet their rapport was seamless, and they continuously pondered the situation in the Western Regions.

The current situation was tense; every step required anticipating a chain of reactions.

Li Guanyi went to prepare for the affairs of the Tangxiang Wangdu. Hao Yuan Xia remained silent for a long while, then stepped out with Li Guanyi, his voice hoarse: "Thank you. The lives of the Tangxiang people rest in your hands…"

"Under these circumstances, even if you had refused, it would not have been wrong."

Li Guanyi looked at him—this fourteen- or fifteen-year-old boy, his brow already bearing a steady gravity, yet growing ever thinner, as if forged into a blade.

Only great upheaval and trial can shape a person.

His homeland fallen, his nation destroyed by traitors, the people suffering unbearable hardship.

Family vengeance and national hatred burned like fire, searing his heart and lungs—this was the fiery youth, and such rage and sorrow kept him awake night after night; when he closed his eyes, he saw Tangxiang's past and present: nobles, slaves, Mo Sect.

Li Guanyi replied: "No thanks needed."

"I'm not doing this for your promise—so don't thank me."

Hao Yuan Xia froze. He had been about to offer gold and silver as payment, instinctively believing only wealth could move others—but Li Guanyi had cut him off so abruptly; he blurted: "Then you…"

Li Guanyi answered: "I only wish to save lives."

"Yu Langwang is like a half-elder to me. His military tactics are fierce and brutal—I also think the Western Region generals have not thought this through. With Yu Langwang's strategy, taking Tangxiang is easy—but to establish himself in the Western Regions, his methods are extremely ruthless."

"The people of the Western Regions hate him, yet now, the generals of the Western tribes fight for the throne with even greater cruelty than Yu Langwang ever showed—Tangxiang's people suffer, and the blame falls on these generals instead."

"Even if they become kings, they are merely puppets bearing Yu Langwang's infamy. We in the Central Plains are different—we have Shi Guan who record history, and former generals who compile military strategies into scrolls and preserve them."

"Use history as a mirror."

"Thus, the Central Plains consistently produce large numbers of mid- to upper-tier generals."

"They study past strategies extensively, then grow rapidly through actual combat—this is why the Central Plains are rich in martial virtue. Our generals are calmer—but in such circumstances, who can truly remain calm?"

Li Guanyi said: "Then, Yu Langwang is building prestige for his son, Chen Wenmian… He has truly laid out a path, step by step, for his son."

Hao Yuan Xia did not understand: "You're going to the Tangxiang Wangdu…"

Li Guanyi fell silent, then said: "I have someone to kill."

"I have something to do."

"I have a karmic debt to settle."

"I have a great dream I am not yet ready to wake from."

Hao Yuan Xia froze, watching Li Guanyi raise his hand; as it fell, he seemed to see again the boy in armor, roughly his own age, charging alone into the Ghost Market to save lives—the young Jinwu Guard.

But as the hand descended, the sleeve fluttered, his brow calm, scales glinting golden ripples in the sunlight, the white battle robe with its civil-military sleeves—once as youthful as himself—now bore the solemn stillness of a hundred battles.

He had become a Jun Hou, riding this world.

Qin Wu Hou said: "To heal, to save."

Hao Yuan Xia fell silent for a long time.

Li Guanyi patted his shoulder:

"If not for the chaos of this world, the people's suffering, how could I have come to this point? My original goal was simply to earn more than one or two taels of silver a month, to celebrate with my auntie by sharing half a roast goose."

Li Guanyi waved his hand, lifted his sword, and suddenly said: "One day, if there were no wars across the four directions—if Tangxiang's people, the Western Regions' people, and the Central Plains' people no longer fought—that would be best."

"Then, you and I could find a beautiful place, drink tea together, and talk of the stories of our age. I hope we are still alive then, and not yet too old."

"That we still have a past to speak of."

Hao Yuan Xia was deeply moved, tears welling in his eyes.

People from the Western Regions, the Central Plains, and all four directions gathered together.

They converged, holding the same dream.

Merely imagining that scene made his heart tremble—beautiful, grand, inconceivable, like a dream; and the more beautiful and grand the imagined scene, the more it exposed the absurdity and folly of this world.

Hao Yuan Xia almost instinctively rebutted: "How could that be possible!"

Li Guanyi said: "Why not possible?"

He extended his hand, pointing to the sky: "Look up." Hao Yuan Xia instinctively raised his head, seeing the vast, boundless sky of the Western Regions, the immense white clouds stretching across all directions. Li Guanyi said:

"You of the Western Regions and the steppes worship the Eternal Heaven—but do you still remember, Yuan Xia?"

"Beneath the sky, there is more than just the Western Regions and the steppes."

"Do you know what 'all under heaven' means?"

Hao Yuan Xia froze. His gaze rested on the vast, all-encompassing dome of the sky, then fell upon Li Guanyi beside him. For a moment, he could not tell whether he was looking at the young general, famed across the four directions, or at the boundless, silent sky.

Li Guanyi tossed something into his arms—it struck his chest. Hao Yuan Xia fumbled, seeing it was a steamed bun. He looked up at Li Guanyi, who turned his back and waved dismissively, smiling easily:

"If you don't believe it, then I'll give you this dream."

"The dream of one nation under heaven."

"Will you step forward?"

Li Guanyi paused, seeing no response from Hao Yuan Xia. He lowered his eyes slightly, his demeanor carefree, and whispered:

"So even if your family has no one left, even if the world is in chaos, don't be afraid, don't seek death—even if one day you refuse to stay with me, even if you wander far across the desert and steppes."

"I will show you the day when, from where the sun rises to where it sets behind the mountains, from the vastest desert to the endless steppes, all under heaven, the four seas at peace, one nation, the people live in peace and contentment."

"Before that day comes, don't die."

Hao Yuan Xia's lips trembled. The psychological pressure he had borne these past days was terrifyingly immense. Opened by Li Guanyi's manner, he wore a complex expression and said: "If I truly see that scene… can I then step into another world?"

Li Guanyi raised his five fingers, clenching them:

"Will you still want to die then?"

"Ha. Eat something. Head to the Tangut capital soon."

"Save your people. Before that, you cannot fall."

After learning of Yu Langwang's strategy, Hao Yuan Xia, whose face had remained tense, finally showed a faint smile. He watched the retreating figure, opened his mouth, and tears fell in heavy drops he could not control. He knelt halfway to the ground, silent for a long while, voice hoarse:

"I only wish to share this dream with you."

"My King."

………………

Li Guanyi walked to the side of the courtyard and saw the silver-haired girl flipping through scrolls—Yao Guang was fulfilling Li Guanyi's request, attempting to link simple celestial phenomena with agricultural practices in the Western Regions.

To guide agriculture across the entire Western Regions, she was also compiling a simple manual, which would serve as the small booklet Fan Qing planned to distribute to every squad leader and above, so they could understand basic astronomy and geography.

That way, even if separated from the main force, they could use star patterns to determine their position, find the correct path, and locate water sources and oases.

This was one of the core elements for strengthening the army's sustained combat capability and survival ability, belonging to the military art of "Bing Jiqiao."

Yao Guang compiled it with great seriousness.

Li Guanyi deliberately made a sound. The silver-haired girl lifted her eyes, expressionless: "You've come."

Then she quietly shifted her position beside the long bench.

Li Guanyi sat beside her. Yao Guang handed him the compiled booklet. He studied it carefully, asked questions about its contents, and she answered calmly. After a moment, Li Guanyi said: "We're going to the Tangut capital…"

The silver-haired girl said: "Mm."

Li Guanyi said: "We might meet Xiao Yuxue."

The silver-haired girl nodded: "Mm."

Li Guanyi said: "Will you come with me, Yao Guang?"

The silver-haired girl said: "Mm."

Her voice was calm, the exchange simple, almost needing no words—pure trust.

Li Guanyi looked at the silver-haired girl before him, her eyes clear and serene, and thought: this time, he would finally break Mo Sect's restrictions on Yao Guang, fully reclaiming her emotional fluctuations, her feelings, her blood and bone.

The silver-haired girl looked at him, thought for a moment, and volunteered:

"Would you like to try Xue Shen's Mystical Realm?"

Li Guanyi said: "Good. Though it's only a faint echo of Xue Shen's residual will, he was the first divine general five hundred years ago—his perspective on the current situation might be valuable."

"Besides, it's been a long time since I last saw him. I've actually missed him."

The silver-haired girl nodded.

Li Guanyi and Yao Guang went to a safe place. The silver-haired girl took out the core mystic stone of the Mystical Realm and began preparing the array. Indeed, it was far faster than before. Soon, with familiar waves of array energy, Li Guanyi's vision reassembled the illusory yet real space.

Now, at this level, Li Guanyi could perceive the differences in the four directions of the array space, see the ripples forming as the array activated, the mystic stone's light shifting, the Mystical Realm manifesting in an inconceivable way.

Even now, Li Guanyi could not fully decipher this array.

It had been painstakingly crafted by the Yao Guang of five hundred years ago, refined by martial legends. Li Guanyi stepped forward, and as the light shifted, it reformed into the shape of Xue Shen. Xue Shen stood with his back to Li Guanyi, clad in battle robes, calm and carefree:

"Long time no see."

"Though I feel no passage of time here, boy, you've gathered much fierce battlefield aura—surely you've seen many wars?"

Li Guanyi said:

"Yes. But now I'm blocked at the Tangut Wang Cheng, unable to enter."

Xue Shen raised an eyebrow: "The Tangut kingdom? They have a Ducheng?"

The old man from five hundred years ago looked puzzled.

Li Guanyi could only roughly describe the situation: it should have been the former Tuyuhun Dacheng, and the Tuyuhun Zhenxi Xiongcheng had been continuously expanded and fortified upon even older foundations.

After Li Guanyi described the location, Xue Shen thought for a moment, then his expression turned strange: "If it's that place, isn't it near the Tanguts' sacred mountain?"

Li Guanyi nodded.

Then Xue Shenjiang grew even stranger, stroking his chin:

"Why does what you describe sound so much like the arrow I once shot?"

"The place where I killed the Tian Kehan?"

Li Guanyi froze.

Xue Shenjiang had once shot an arrow over three hundred and eighty li, piercing through the sacred mountain of the Tangut state, and slain the Great Tian Kehan inside the steppe alliance's main tent—his fame spreading far and wide, proving him the Number One Divine General, and the very motivation behind Xue Lao's lifelong cultivation.

Even the Nine-Colored Divine Deer still remembers how this man pierced the sacred mountain.

Xue Shenjiang admitted: "I don't understand the current situation across the four directions. Back then, I left a secret passage there, one that leads directly from outside the city into the interior—I intended to use it to mobilize troops if things turned bad."

"If the people of the Western Regions still don't know how to build walls, I wonder if that secret passage from five hundred years ago is still usable…"

A secret passage?!

Five hundred years? It certainly wouldn't still work.

Li Guanyi asked instinctively: "Do you know who built your secret passage?"

Xue Shenjiang replied succinctly: "The Mo Juzi."

Li Guanyi grinned, his eyes flickering with delight:

"If this secret passage was built by the Mo Juzi, it might still be usable."

"Then it's not impossible it could still work…" Li Guanyi had originally planned to use the Yao Guang Miracle Art to sneak close, but entering the city still carried danger—Xiao Yuxue was ruthless, and Li Guanyi feared she still had countermeasures against Yao Guang.

If this secret passage exists… it's not a bad option.

Xue Shenjiang now stood with his back to Li Guanyi, his bearing as elegant and unrestrained as ever; he turned to face Li Guanyi and smiled: "It truly has been a long time—you've ended up in the Western Regions? No matter, no matter."

"I haven't practiced in ages—let me see what you've become."

"If you defeat me, I'll tell you the location of the secret passage."

Li Guanyi still smiled.

His nature hasn't changed since those days.

After enduring the struggles, killings, and storms of the Jianghu, Li Guanyi suddenly missed those days back in Yicheng.

Xue Shenjiang raised his hand and summoned two battle halberds, tossing one casually to Li Guanyi, smiling with calm mockery: "Judging by your age, not much time has passed—come, let me see your Wu Gong."

"Though today I am but a reflection—"

"I'll let you have ten moves… no, five."

Li Guanyi gripped the halberd and said: "Thank you, Elder."

He gripped the halberd with both hands, his brows lifting slightly, then raised the weapon high, his aura surging: "Elder, watch out!" The halberd slashed down with speed and force exceeding Xue Shenjiang's reflection's expectations.

At first it seemed slow, but as it neared Xue Shenjiang, it suddenly erupted with divine power!

The speed shifted from slow to fast in an instant.

Leaving behind a lingering afterimage.

Xue Shenjiang swept his hand out—and instantly felt the terrifying destructive force approaching.

Then, the Crimson Dragon roared, the Tiger bellowed.

The Dragon and Tiger energies surged around Li Guanyi, exploding—his spiritual intent blazing, the weapon's divine power pushed further!

The metallic shriek echoed like a tiger's roar.

The might was fierce!

Xue Shenjiang's smile froze.

"????"

"Master Realm?!!"

?? Xue Shenjiang is online, everyone, please vote for monthly tickets!

? Good night, good night (peacefully)