Chapter 376

Li Guanyi left the Anxi Protectorate, and under his will, the entire protectorate began a frantic transformation, from top to bottom, with the most brilliant young strategists and internal affairs teams undergoing change.

Li Guanyi's expression was calm and composed; he first wrote a reply to Li Zhao Wen, agreeing to fight side by side against the Wolf King on the battlefield, then sent the message via falcon.

Co-conspirator added.

Po Jun and the others would complete the full assembly of the force.

Military movements would inevitably draw attention, but with Po Jun's talent, dispersing these troops into small units through normal Anxi army deployments, naturally extracting these seven thousand from the two hundred thousand-strong army, was no difficult task.

Yet it still required some time.

This time was not long; Li Guanyi could wait. Rather, the closer this moment drew, the more he must remain composed, steady of heart. Winter was bleak, and the year's end neared—few days remained before the New Year.

Li Guanyi habitually wore armor and battle robes even within the city.

When he stepped out and looked around, all the trees in the city had shed their leaves, bare and stark—yet strangely fitting the desolate winter atmosphere; the city itself, however, was far more prosperous.

Li Guanyi suddenly felt the urge to take out a central plains ancient qin and tune its strings.

He raised his fingers and played; the melody flowed serene and unhurried. As generals and strategists passed by, they had all carried a heavy pressure within—few could remain calm when facing what might be the pivotal moment of the world's fate, pretending nothing was amiss.

Their faces bore varying degrees of solemnity.

Especially those who had received military orders—their restless hearts, battle fervor, and anxieties had accumulated like stones on their backs—until suddenly, they heard a clear, tranquil qin melody.

They instinctively turned toward the sound and saw: the vast, lonely courtyard, desolate under the winter sky, where the lord in white battle robes sat cross-legged, eyes lowered in quiet stillness, playing alone—possessing an air of dignity.

Tian Kehan Qibili, Hao Yuan Xia, Li Kedi, and other western frontier generals felt even greater reverence.

Though they did not fully understand the meaning behind Po Jun's earlier strategy—luring the enemy while sitting on the city walls playing the qin—now that Po Jun had been replaced by their lord, a strange sense of solemn composure emerged.

Just before he would stir and cleave the world's great tide.

He still remained so calm.

He could still play the qin.

They could only marvel: truly, he is our lord.

At this very moment, he is still calm and composed!

No wonder he is our lord!

The Tian Kehan of Khans, King of Kings!

Though the military advisor playing the qin on the walls seemed a bit foolish.

Still, whatever our lord does, he must have his reasons!

But if you asked Li Kedi or Yu Chichi Xiong how the music sounded, these battle-hardened generals who excelled in charging and killing would grunt for a long while, then raise their heads to the sky and answer:

"This qin… is played."

Li Guanyi, while playing the qin, suddenly felt his qin skills had declined greatly.

Yet as Li Guanyi played, he suddenly felt his qin skill had greatly declined.

The harmonics shifted, the melodic transitions grew stiff and unnatural—barely passable to casual ears, yet inferior even to his level at age ten. He pressed his hands on the strings, unsure why.

This feeling of longing had no reason, no origin; it came suddenly, like accidentally pricking yourself with a thorn—you feel nothing normally, but when you touch the right spot, it suddenly stings.

This longing had no reason, no origin—it came unbidden, like a thorn pricking you: you feel nothing until you brush against it, then pain flares.

Silent nostalgia, inch by inch, sinking into bone.

Reflecting carefully, his fame had grown louder, his Wu Gong higher—but with his aunt, who had been like a foster mother, they had grown ever more apart.

As a child, he thought the world was vast, his Wu Gong strong, his gold and silver endless—he could find a safe place with her and never worry again.

But now, grown, his Wu Gong rising, he realized it was not so.

This filled his heart with much desolation. Li Guanyi let out a light laugh, pressed his palm against the qin strings, and said, "There are more and more killings now—these hands are no longer the hands that play the qin."

This filled him with a deep desolation. Li Guanyi smiled faintly, his hand pressing the strings: "I kill more and more. These hands are no longer meant for playing the qin."

Li Guanyi looked to the side, where the young girl was walking by, holding something—it was Sa Atandi. The girl first shook her head vigorously, then shyly nodded. Li Guanyi smiled and explained:

Li Guanyi turned to the side, where Miss Sa Atandi walked past, carrying something. She shook her head vigorously, then shyly nodded. Li Guanyi smiled and explained:

"This is a central plains qin—the most orthodox musical instrument."

Miss Sa Atandi said:

Li Guanyi answered, "My aunt taught me. I've studied the qin for many years; she also taught me her cultivation method for the spirit, but she never told me about my origins, my past, or my family's vengeance—she only taught me to play the qin and play go every day."

Li Guanyi replied: "My aunt taught me. I studied the qin for many years. She also taught me her Yuan Shen cultivation method—but never revealed my origins, my past, or my family's vengeance. She only taught me daily: play the qin, play go."

"Though I haven't played much these years, the childhood memories remain."

Li Guanyi played a few notes and finger techniques for Sa Atandi.

Li Guanyi played a few notes and showed her the finger techniques.

The girl's eyes brightened, yet she hesitated: "Your origins?"

"When I first learned of my origins, I was thirteen or fourteen. At first, I wanted to figure out what my past was like, but that very night, I realized I had no need to seek it out—my aunt didn't care."

"When I first learned of my origins, I was thirteen or fourteen. At first, I wanted to uncover them—but that night, I realized I had no need to. My aunt didn't care."

"She hid my past because she feared the flame of revenge would rise in my heart."

"If she had wished me to seek vengeance, I would have known my father's name and my enemies from childhood. I would have practiced sword every day—not played the qin. I would never have worn ragged straw sandals, running through the streets with a wooden stick."

"I would never have had those days when we argued over who should buy the roasted goose."

"I would have become a fire in the chaos, blazing across the world, then extinguished swiftly."

"Reduced to pale ash, scattered by the wind—leaving nothing behind."

Li Guanyi smiled gently: "Perhaps my aunt once considered telling me of my hatred—but in the end, she gave up."

"No matter how chaotic this world becomes, in her eyes, I am forever that little boy curled in her arms, listening to the lullaby her mother once sang for her."

Li Guanyi did not avoid speaking of his past—yet he still concealed his true name, revealing only the little-known childhood name he carried, his words thick with longing.

When his father perished, Murong Qiushui had carried him out, fleeing through Chen State, hiding and evading.

He was even younger than Li Guanyi is now.

【61】 Miss Sa Atandi listened to the legendary general's words—the tender, childish past, especially that name—and froze. Then, instinctively glancing left and right, she exhaled in relief, patted her chest, and whispered quickly:

"Fortunately, you only said this to me."

Li Guanyi asked: "Why?"

Sa Atandi looked puzzled and asked him:

"Can such words, such a title, be passed down to future generations?"

Dressed in battle robes, Li Guanyi smiled and asked: "What do you think?"

Sa Atandi thought for a moment, then answered him cautiously:

"Naive and childish."

She paused, then added seriously: "It doesn't sound like the heart realm of a overlord."

Then Li Guanyi burst out laughing:

"What exactly did Pojun and Yan Daiqing teach you?"

He handed the qin to the Miss, then stood up and answered seriously with a smile: "Since this is a rare voice of childlike innocence, I beg you to write it down and pass it on—let future heroes and kings laugh at me."

"Record it?"

Sa Atandi held the qin; she did not know that the Central Plains had specialists who recorded history—she merely planned to ask Master Yan Daiqing later, then saw the Divine General walking away, while Li Guanyi stopped at a certain spot.

On the flat rooftops of the Western Regions, the silver-haired girl stood quietly, gazing at the vast sky and earth, the distant mountains jutting abruptly upward—visible to the naked eye, yet actually extremely far away.

Among those mountains, the tallest and most majestic was Mount Juxu.

It was a place higher, more distant, and more sacred than the sacred mountain of the Tangxi Kingdom, where the Nine-Colored Divine Deer dwelled and where Xue Shen shot through it.

The silver-haired girl looked down at Li Guanyi.

Li Guanyi said: "Although I have the topographical maps obtained from the Tangxi Kingdom, having a map doesn't guarantee practical use—the climate and terrain of the Western Regions are too complex. Alone, I may not be able to lead these people across thousands of li."

"So, I may need to rely on your strength, Yao Guang."

The silver-haired girl's eyes fixed on Li Guanyi, her face expressionless: "Rely on?"

Li Guanyi said: "Yes. Though we have the topographical maps, both Hao Yuan Xia and I have poor sense of direction—the maps only show approximate locations of cities and oases, but they can't reveal today's wind, rain, or sandstorms."

"The climate of the Western desert can swallow an entire army."

"To accomplish this, I can only rely on your strength."

The silver-haired girl shook her head and answered calmly:

"But I have nothing and no power to lend you."

Li Guanyi froze.

The girl's clear eyes looked at him and replied:

"My power is already your possession."

She looked at Li Guanyi, then stepped forward suddenly—her silver hair lifted and fell—and she floated gently down. Li Guanyi reached out and caught Yao Guang firmly. The girl landed, bent over, and brushed the dust off her knees.

Then she extended her hand.

She said nothing more.

Li Guanyi only smiled and replied: "Good."

………………

The Western Regions army pressed forward, the Yu Langwang's forces grand and imposing; under these circumstances, Anxi City successfully completed its alliance with Chen and Ying states. On this day, the Lord of Anxi City, Tian Ge'er, personally attended a simple banquet.

Dressed in armor and battle robes, with some degree of disguise.

This made Qin Wu Hou and Tian Ge'er appear similar yet not the same person.

Although Li Guanyi knew that in the eyes of Yu Langwang, Jiang Wanxiang, and even Chen Dingye, his identity had likely been exposed—they stood atop the world's hierarchy.

At such heights, one sees more intelligence and deduces more truths.

This identity had not yet become common knowledge.

At the banquet, conversation flowed merrily, especially with the Chen envoy, who seemed to regard the kind and easily deceived Master Wen Qingyu as his inside agent and spy.

His attitude was especially amiable.

Master Wen Qingyu seemed unaware that this "dear friend" was using him to extract intelligence from Anxi City—he spoke with sincerity, revealing many "truths," truly a gentle and virtuous gentleman.

Lan Wendu, deputy general and military advisor to Lu Youxian, felt slightly embarrassed.

But remembering Lu Youxian's strategy, he continued to "deceive" this gentleman.

This was a strategy that ensured invincibility.

General Lu Youxian's city was heavily fortified, its defenses formidable—like a fortress. Without tenfold troops and months of brutal siege, no one could break through. Months ago, Yu Langwang had even chipped a fang against Lu Youxian's defenses.

And over these past months, General Lu Youxian had continuously reinforced, reinforced.

The city's defenses had reached a level where any general ranked below fifty on the Divine General List would abandon the attempt outright.

With this city, impregnable as gold and jade, we stand already invincible.

Lan Wendu's mind, inevitably, harbored this thought—complacency crept in.

Moreover, this Master Wen Qingyu seemed merely a harmless man beaten by Yan Daiqing. Yet Anxi Protectorate was clearly brimming with talent—yet he had never heard of anyone named Wen Qingyu.

Wen Qingyu? Who?

In such chaotic times, if he truly possessed great talent, how could his name not be known beyond these borders? Surely not everyone who knew his name had been silenced?

Hahaha, how could that be?

As Lan Wendu thought this, slightly wary, he looked up and saw Master Wen Qingyu smiling warmly and innocently—being beaten by Master Yan Daiqing.

Gentle. Harmless.

"…I overthought it."

Our Great Chen state's border defenses are unmatched in the world.

And after the three parties signed the alliance, Li Guanyi had quietly departed. General Yue Qianfeng went to confront Yu Langwang but did not appear openly. Yue Qianfeng and Yan Xuanji were also suitable to accompany Li Guanyi, but Yu Langwang knew they were here.

Yue Qianfeng and Yan Xuanji were renowned generals across the land, targets Yu Langwang would focus on—Li Guanyi could only leave them behind, meaning that this critical mission was now carried out entirely by the younger generation of warlords.

There was only one godlike archer general, Wang Shunchen, exceptionally skilled in high-mobility guerrilla warfare.

Aside from him, Li Guanyi's accompanying war generals were Ling Pingyang, Qi Bi Li, and Fan Qing.

Though not the most elite configuration, it was already the most suitable for the current situation; Hao Yuan Xia also desperately wanted to join this battle, but his Wu Gong was too weak, and his tactical acumen still lacked.

Moreover, the crown prince of the Tangut Kingdom was an identity that could draw immense attention—so he remained here.

During this period when all forces in the Western Regions were forming alliances and breaking them, everyone believed the final battle of the Western Regions would be when Yu Langwang, Anxi, Chen, and Ying joined forces—yet a surprise force precisely bypassed the Western Regions' newly assembled armies.

It pierced into the Western Regions in an extremely cunning manner.

Silent and unseen.

The next day.

Po Jun took command of the entire army on Li Guanyi's behalf, with Wen He as his deputy; Master Yan Daiqing managed logistics; they actively advanced with 150,000 troops toward Yu Langwang's direction, displaying overwhelming momentum and perfect execution; meanwhile, both Chen and Ying also launched their offensives.

Po Jun personally drove this grand strategic maneuver.

In an instant, the Western Regions erupted into turmoil.

Po Jun knew well that although Yu Langwang's military strength was terrifying, the allied forces behind the Western Regions numbered in the tens of thousands, and Chen, Ying, and Li Guanyi's combined forces—excluding logistics—pure combat troops alone had certainly reached the million-level. It seemed a massive million-troop grand battle was about to begin.

But this should be a 【campaign】, not a single battlefield.

This million-level force would come from three, even four factions, deploying across multiple cities and troop concentration points in the vast, sprawling Western Regions, engaging in struggle and competition, with over ten top generals riding the battlefield together.

This was unquestionably a battle destined to be recorded in history.

Po Jun stared at the battle map and murmured:

"... Such a world, such heroes."

"What kind of battle could possibly sever this three-hundred-year chaos...? If such a day ever comes, it would not merely be a campaign with multiple battlefields deploying over a million troops."

Po Jun muttered to himself:

"That would be when both sides' supreme commanders lead their million-man armies onto a single 【battlefield】 to decide the fate of the world. Even throughout history, such vast, world-defining battles could not have occurred more than a few times."

"Heroes of the world."

"Who among them can deserve it? Who among them can deserve it!"

He Ruo Qinhu and Lu Youxian had not anticipated Li Guanyi's suddenly absurd strategy—in fact, the moment Li Guanyi formed his alliance with them, Po Jun immediately pressed forward according to Li Guanyi's plan, and renowned generals were now active on the battlefield.

Neither side had anticipated Li Guanyi's actions.

Meanwhile, Yu Langwang, observing the battle reports while preparing his forces for a grand war, pondered deeply, set the strategy aside, and said: "... Solid and steady, like a boulder rolling down a mountain—can't be called wrong, only called solid."

"What do you think, old monk?"

The Western Regions' Living Buddha replied: "Old monk does not understand military formations or tactics."

The old wolf king laughed: "I'm just struck by this—I gave Helian Bo's letter to that boy, originally to see what he'd do. But this strategy he's produced? It's nearly on par with Chen Wenmian's level."

"But is Li Guanyi truly only this capable?"

"Or is this merely a disguise, and the boy is hiding something sinister, waiting to strike?"

The old monk looked at the aging wolf king, who wore armor as heavy as a mountain, smiling, eyes gleaming—the wolf king remained the supreme general, never trusting battle reports or intelligence, stubbornly believing only in his own judgment and instinct.

The Western Regions' Living Buddha asked: "What do you think he intends to do?"

The wolf king smiled: "What does that boy intend to do? How would I know?"

"But if this new generation is only this level, then I cannot afford to fall too soon, hahaha—even if he is Li Wanli's son, if he cannot defeat me, let him be crushed beneath my feet."

The aged wolf king rose, donned his helmet, concealing his snowy white hair, still standing as towering and immovable as a mountain, radiating an overwhelming, chilling pressure upon the old Living Buddha, who solemnly said:

"In this world, only the sword and the knife can fight, can seize."

"Where is there room for mercy or concession?!"

"Let the fighting begin!"

The wolf king advanced his lines; both sides were now competing for control of forward fortresses, outposts, supply routes, and midline grain depots—on the battlefield, renowned generals rode everywhere.

General Yue Qianfeng, He Ruo Qinhu, Xiao Wuliang, Qin Yulong—all had gained victories, each riding their own battlefronts.

Anxi claimed its Western Regions forces were still gathering at the frontier, advancing slowly.

Lu Youxian pressed forward, matching Anxi's pace.

Ye Buyi's Night Riders, Gong Zhenyong's Halberd Infantry, Zhou Liu's Hook-and-Gou Lian Qiang Qiang Infantry and Cavalry—all launched successive surprise attacks; these young-generation war generals, under strategist Zhou Ping, successfully executed multiple strategic strikes, crushing older Western Regions generals.

They were then blocked by Chen Wenmian.

The former minister, the former Crown Prince, clashed in battle—both revealed their full strength; Ye Buyi broke through to the fifth realm mid-battle, and with Gong Zhenyong and Zhou Liu's forces, held off the white-robed Chen Wenmian.

Yet Chen Wenmian, wielding his battle spear, withdrew calmly.

He Ruo Qinhu surged forward fiercely.

Fight! Fight! Fight!

The entire Western Regions suddenly plunged into fierce competition, drawing the gaze of all four corners of the world—yet before this, deep in the distant Western Regions, beyond the reach of Mount Juxu, peace and revelry reigned.

The Western Regions, primarily nomadic, differed sharply from Central Plains culture; regions near Chen and Ying territories had built some cities, but the deeper one went, the more dominant the tribal alliances became.

Within the Tian Kehan's tent, Western Regions nobles enjoyed music and dance, drank and reveled; though it was deep winter, it was far from the harshness outsiders imagined—the Western Regions aristocracy had their own ways of pleasure.

Among them were many uncles of the various Western Regions khans, chancellors of tribes, and officials.

Dozens of minor and major nobles, magnates, and chieftains.

They had left the cities and traveled toward Mount Juxu to await the royal court, moving slowly, unhurried, merely drinking and reveling; when the wine flowed freely, someone asked: "But even though we are gathering beneath the Sacred Mountain to sacrifice to the Heavenly Gods,"

"why have we moved our troops toward Anxi?"

"Our greatest enemies are Yu Langwang Chen Fubi and those traitors who betrayed us, usurped our titles, and called themselves khans—why don't we send troops and warriors to fight Yu Langwang, and instead deal with Anxi?"

The chancellor of the Shatuo Kingdom, drunk, laughed loudly: "Hahaha, you're wrong—you only see the simple hatred, but our lord and all the khans and chanyus see much farther."

"Think: what good would killing Yu Langwang do us?"

"To fight would cost us dearly—but then, who would immediately swallow Yu Langwang's power? Not Chen or Ying, but that so-called Celestial Tian Kehan of the Central Plains."

"All of them are Central Plains people!"

The Prime Minister of the Shatuo Kingdom said: "We exhausted ourselves fighting among ourselves—fellow Western Regions generals—pouring out our strength and blood, yet in the end, the Central Plains people still seized our land."

"Now that the Central Plains have risen, they will surely come to crush each of our Western Regions kingdoms. Doesn't this mean we paid a horrific price merely for fleeting revenge? What a truly disastrous deal."

The Western Regions nobles here all suddenly understood.

The Prime Minister of the Shatuo Kingdom added: "But consider this."

"What if we attack Tian Ge'er? We don't need to fight him—we only need to delay him, wait until the Western Regions descend into chaos. Chaos? Isn't that perfect? Total disorder is precisely our chance to reclaim control over them."

"Besides, even if the Western Regions never unite, what of it?"

"Are you not all kings? Are you not all nobles? Do you not all possess countless sheep and cattle, countless slaves? Whether the Western Regions unite or not, whether the world unites or not—what does it matter to us?"

The uncle of the King of the Dayuan Tribe worried: "But what if someone comes here? What do we do? For instance, that Yu Langwang—he is terrifying and formidable."

"And that Tian Ge'er—some say he is the incarnation of Eternal Heaven."

"He killed your king's younger brother among ten thousand men."

"What kind of dreadful being is this? Is he even human?"

The Prime Minister of the Shatuo Kingdom smiled reassuringly: "We are now deep in the heart of the desert, far from the battlefield. Those men kill and die—none of it concerns us. The meat of our sheep and cattle remains delicious, the mare's milk wine still intoxicating, the beauties still delightful!"

"Just as you said."

"If anyone does come, he won't be human."

"He will be a celestial god sent down by Eternal Heaven—a punishment for the fires of war upon the earth."

Hearing this, the others relaxed and resumed drinking and merrymaking, though for some reason, the noise outside grew louder; the Prime Minister of the Shatuo Kingdom frowned, rose, and stepped out to shout: "What are you doing? Don't you know today's feast is for these honored guests..."

His voice froze.

He pulled back the heavy royal tent—and the sounds of battle reached him.

Screams suddenly surged; the wind carried the stench of slaughter and blood; his gaze stretched far.

An army had appeared here, out of nowhere.

Like the wrath of Eternal Heaven.

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