Chapter 409: The Realm of the Martial Legend?

Ye Chongdao and Zhou Xianping both held weapons, guarding beside Chen Dingye, and thus saw the severed head inside the box—calm and solemn, hair and beard white, face scarred, yet radiating a fierce, domineering aura.

No hero of this generation fails to recognize this man.

Ye Chongdao gripped his weapon and whispered: "... Shenwu Wang."

In his sixty-year life, thirty years were spent as the most absurd Imperial Prince of Da Chen; then he drew his sword, rose to fame across the land, reached the pinnacle of power, sank into obscurity for over a decade, and rose again, sword in hand, to conquer this vast world.

Even they, toward this ferocious king of Chen, felt an indescribable complexity—he had once been their sharpest king, their greatest enemy, now reduced to a single head.

This meant Shenwu Wang had failed.

They all understood Chen Dingye's strategy; their expressions hardened instantly, turning to look at their陛下—Chen Dingye held the box, his face distant, hollow, having endured for days only to receive the death of Shenwu Wang.

It was as if the entire strategy had collapsed; the atmosphere in this camp froze in an instant. They stared at Chen Dingye, even the envoy secretly observing his every change.

This is a tactic to break the spirit.

It is meant to tell Chen Dingye that his strategy has utterly failed, and that now, Da Ying has no intention of continuing to fight—let both sides cease, recuperate, and rest.

But Chen Dingye suddenly burst into laughter.

His laughter was as it always had been—graceful, open, and bright.

He rose, bowed, and placed the box upon the table, smiling:

"Puyang Wang, elder brother."

"Long time no see."

"How have you been..."

"Why are you so weary?"

Ye Chongdao and Zhou Xianping felt a wave of sorrow, yet the envoy, unsure why, felt a chill creep into his heart. Chen Dingye kept the wolf king's head, turned to the envoy, and said: "You must be one of Ying's young generation—brave and cunning."

"Coming here, devising this scheme—it must have been perilous. You sought to thrust yourself forward, to earn the right to step onto this chaotic age."

The envoy replied calmly: "In war between armies, envoys are not slain."

"Your Majesty's wisdom and composure would never harm the dignity of a great nation by taking my life."

Chen Dingye laughed aloud: "Hahahaha! Good! Good!"

"Good that you won't kill me and harm your nation's dignity—you have courage, resolve, and strategy. If my elder brother were here, he would admire you greatly and drink deeply with you!"

"But alas, you have met me—this solitary one."

The envoy's expression tightened instantly—he saw Chen Dingye's eyes, now raised, deep and still, yet brimming with an unspeakable, ruthless killing intent. In the instant he saw the wolf king dead, Chen Dingye's spirit shifted again.

He reached out, closed the box, and whispered softly: "Kill him."

The envoy's face turned pale: "Your Majesty—"

The sharp clang of a blade drawing rang out, cold and deadly; the envoy collapsed into a pool of blood. No one dared touch Chen Dingye's blade or wrath at this moment; all felt their hearts tremble.

Chen Dingye reached out, cradling the box carefully, whispering: "When we were children—no, when I was young... elder brother, you used to take me out like this."

"You had grown tall, riding horses through blossoms, so carefree—I only followed closely behind. When you drank and listened to music, scattering silver coins, I clapped with ordinary singing girls, marveling at your unrestrained, bold spirit."

"Back then, how I envied you."

"When I climbed a tree and fell, you carried me just as I carry you now, striding proudly down the imperial avenue... Ha, all those days are right before my eyes..."

Chen Dingye finally placed the box inside his own tent, reached out, and stroked it softly: "... You spent a lifetime of sixty years in war—you were over a decade older than me, yet never knew peace."

"I'm taking you home."

He raised his hand, pressing it upon the hilt of his sword, his eyes—finally honed to a clear, sharp edge—lowered, and he whispered:

"If I still live..."

Ye Chongdao and Zhou Xianping followed Chen Dingye forward, but stopped just outside the tent, standing quietly, watching ahead. Long after, the tent flap opened, and Chen Dingye stepped out, his expression unchanged.

He wore Chen's royal armor—far more refined than the crude, heavy styles of the Western Regions or the steppes, and even more elegant than Ying's plain, sturdy designs. Though costlier, it balanced defense with majestic presence.

Chen Dingye's golden crown bound his hair, his dark armor draped with martial and civil sleeves, sword in hand, he walked forward to a high place. Ye Chongdao and Zhou Xianping followed behind, silent and solitary. Chen Dingye stood atop the height, gazing across the northern realm:

"Truly, high places are unbearably cold..."

"When I took this throne from my elder brother, I never imagined it would be such a weary position. Back then, I thought only that it might be a gloriously exalted place."

"But glory demands an equal price."

Chen Dingye raised his hand, palm cupping the wind, whispering: "Among blood kin, many have been discarded, many dead. Now, the eldest princess harbors hatred toward me, as if we were strangers; my elder brother is gone."

"Tianyi is my child with the Xue clan—already estranged; Chen Wenmian sees me as an enemy. Standing here, looking all around, I feel only loneliness, only desolation."

"So this is what 'solitary ruler' truly means."

Ye Chongdao and Zhou Xianping exchanged a glance, then whispered: "Your Majesty, our troops are exhausted, Yuwen Lie is fierce and bold, our nation has endured over a year of war and is worn thin. Since Ying has shown signs of retreat, should we withdraw?"

After speaking, Ye Chongdao and Zhou Xianping bowed their heads, awaiting Chen Dingye's reply.

Chen Dingye gripped his sword: "You speak truly. Given this ruin, withdrawing early seems to align with military doctrine and the grand strategic tide..."

"Ying's act strikes at our morale."

"Secondly, it tells me the tide has turned."

Ye Chongdao and Zhou Xianping said nothing.

Chen's strategy had two fronts; the wolf king on the western front had failed, failed to seize the entire Western Regions, and lost his life—this alone could declare the tide turned, yet here, information moves too slowly.

They did not yet know the full state of the world's situation.

At this moment, withdrawing in order, building defenses, and using the great nation's reserves to recuperate—even if it could not reveal a hegemonic future, at least it would stabilize the state and preserve Da Chen's foundation.

Chen Dingye said:

"But since I am the solitary ruler, since I am the wayward tyrant, let me do what such a role demands. Ying has used this act to provoke me, to tell me my brother's failure is merely because they, too, have decayed."

"If they had strength, why not march their armies here to punish me?"

"Do they dislike me?"

Ye Chongdao and Zhou Xianping watched as Chen Dingye's hair—once streaked black and white—gradually turned entirely snow-white, his white locks rising as the venomous dragon bared its fangs, drawing his sword to point forward:

"If I cannot achieve something, then let Da Chen's ancestral legacy perish upon me!"

"Why leave this matter to future generations?"

"Retreat??"

A flicker of malice passed through Chen Dingye's eyes; memories of the past flashed through him, and he said:

"Continue—"

"Advance— one hundred li!"

Emperor Chen Dingye, upon suffering his greatest blow and realizing his original strategy had completely collapsed, did not descend into utter madness under this immense pressure, nor did he sink into indulgence like the ruler of the Tangut Kingdom.

He drew his long sword and pointed it forward.

The Qiongqi凶煞 technique, which consumed lifespan, fully unleashed.

His lifespan began to plummet and burn away rapidly.

The Ying state's strategy succeeded, yet also failed.

Its success lay in the fact that Chen Dingye's heart was indeed stirred—just as the Wolf King's military pressure had shaken Jiang Wanxiang's aura and lifespan, Chen Fubi—or rather, the strategic defeat Chen Fubi represented—had disturbed Chen Dingye's inner state and damaged his lifespan.

But its failure lay in—

They had misjudged Chen Dingye; they had not anticipated that he would not collapse under this immense pressure, but instead struggle to his feet, gripping his battle sword even tighter, and let out a roar from within this desperate situation.

In the historical records later discovered, this monarch was a complex figure.

His early life and later years were as if lived by two different men.

Whenever the court grew more powerful and its foundations surged, he would sink into luxury and indulgence; but when those he could rely on died one by one, and he found himself in true desperation, he could still hold the situation together.

The more perilous the situation, the more striking his character and resilience became.

That day, Yuwen Lie faced the combined forces of Chen Dingye and the Turkic Kehan.

He fought with calm composure, holding his ground.

Yuwen Lie held out for several days, but due to unrest in the rear—where commanders of major cities led troops to reinforce the emperor and wage war against the Wolf King—his supply lines were severely disrupted and weakened, and his army gradually began to crumble.

The Second Divine General, the Turkic Kehan's Tie Futu cavalry, clashed with Chen's night riders.

Yuwen Lie received orders and was forced to retreat a hundred li on both fronts.

In this battle, the Ying state, which controlled most of central and northern territories, saw its influence in the Western Regions severely diminished; Chen and the Turkic steppes struck simultaneously from above and below, forcing Ying to retreat in defeat.

Chen lost its strategic positioning in the Western Regions, and lost its fierce covert agent, the Divine Martial King.

The Ying state's Grand Tutor had his eyes shattered by the hand of a martial legend.

He lost two hundred li of borderland.

In this battle, both great central states suffered crippling blows—indeed, they were grievously wounded; across the vast Western Regions battlefield, the struggle between these two nations became a duel between the Wolf King and Xiyicheng.

In the end, it led directly to the annihilation of the Tangut Kingdom.

After this battle, Chen Dingye personally rode his warhorse to the front lines.

He lifted his long spear, and before the vast army, on the nation's new border, raised his banner-spear; the ancient battle flag fluttered, and Chen Dingye, wearing his helmet, gazed at the patterns upon his banner.

"This isn't the right place to plant it…"

Finally, he lowered his head and ordered Ye Chongdao to bring a new banner.

He replaced the banner himself, caressing the blood-red wolf-patterned flag, and somehow, he remembered his childhood—when his elder brother had tucked him under his arm, the young Divine Martial King riding with him through falling petals, as people around them gazed with envy.

Chen Dingye, his temples now utterly white, whispered:

"Actually…"

"I've always envied you, elder brother."

He raised the blood-red wolf-patterned banner high, and with some complex emotion, cried out—

"Great Chen, ten thousand victories!"

"Divine Martial King!"

The wolf banner waved freely across the Ying state's territory.

"Ten thousand victories!!!"

……………

In the Western Regions, news of Li Guanyi's awakening spread quickly; the chief strategists of the Anxi Protectorate all arrived, and upon entering, they saw Li Guanyi still in decent spirits.

The silver-haired girl slept peacefully beside him, her black hair spread out; the young general, clad in a white undergarment, gently rested his left hand on the silver-haired girl's ear, while his right hand lifted to his lips in a hushing gesture.

Perhaps because his hair had fallen loose, or perhaps due to his injuries,

the once fierce and blazing Divine General now possessed an unusually gentle aura.

All the strategists and generals understood, and fell silent.

The moment they saw Li Guanyi, their hearts settled.

Li Guanyi himself was the very core of the entire Western Regions; during this time he lay unconscious, though Bojun, Fan Qing, and others appeared calm on the surface, their true states had changed.

To Sa Atandi, these details were especially clear.

Mr. Master Wen He's frequency of bothering Master Yan Daiqing dropped from three times a day to once every three days!

And the number of times Master Yan Daiqing beat up Mr. Master Wen He plummeted to a shocking zero!

Even when Mr. Master Wen He provoked and taunted him, Master Yan Daiqing would merely glance at him lazily, then close his eyes like a celestial crane, utterly unwilling to move.

This was unnatural. Very unnatural.

Meanwhile, Master Yuan Zhi began wandering around Mr. Master Wen He with a rope in hand.

It seemed he was preparing for Mr. Master Wen He's escape.

But when Li Guanyi awoke, Mr. Master Wen He was beaten by Master Yan Daiqing on his way here—though this time, the beating came with ecstatic joy.

Both men entered the room, refreshed and invigorated.

"Ahahaha, Lord, you're finally awake!"

"If you hadn't woken up, this brat Master Wen He was going to run away!"

"My Lord, are you well?!"

"My Lord!"

Li Guanyi sat on the bed, watching the flood of people rush in; the silver-haired girl blinked her eyes awake, Yuan Zhi smiled, Po Jun shot over to Li Guanyi's side in one leap, Wen He lounged lazily, and Master Yan Daiqing remained composed, though his hand inside his sleeve trembled.

Ling Pingyang and Fan Qing stood quietly outside; Fan Qing, this steady war general, could not stop himself from crouching down and standing up again, vigorously rubbing his face with his thick, calloused hands, his eyes red and swollen.

The footsteps outside were heavy, like those of mules or horses.

General Yue Qianfeng, still wrapped in medicinal herbs, strode in laughing loudly: "Ahahaha! I knew you were fine! Slept seven days—your bones must be stiff! Come, come, have a drink with your Brother Yue!"

Mr. Po Jun strained to squeeze out two tears, then swept his finger aside:

"Bring in General Yue Qianfeng—and his wine!"

"Throw him out!"

No one dared move against General Yue Qianfeng, this fierce general.

But fortunately, two veteran generals from the Tai Ping Gong era were still here.

Then General Yue Qianfeng was dragged out, one on each side, by Wang Shunchen and Yan Daiqing.

Yet no sooner had Po Jun spoken than he couldn't help laughing himself: "Alright, alright, General Yue Qianfeng, put down the wine and come in. My Lord has just recovered—he cannot drink. If you want to drink, we'll drink with you."

"Hahahaha, yes! We'll drink with you!"

"We'll get General Yue Qianfeng completely drunk and laid out on the ground!"

Everyone burst into laughter; the atmosphere in Anxi City was peaceful and joyful, utterly unlike the somber mood of Chen State or Ying State, filled with a comforting warmth. After visiting Li Guanyi, they were all shooed out by Po Jun.

Po Jun said: "My Lord, the world's situation remains unsettled; our intelligence network is heavily disrupted. The outside world knows nothing of your condition, and in this chaos, we struggle to discern which of the many rumors are false."

"But the dust will settle soon enough."

"My Lord, rest well—we will organize the intelligence for you..."

His voice paused, then Po Jun added: "Yet, My Lord, after Wolf Wang Chen Fubì entered Ying State's territory, the last message we received was that he never emerged. Though rumors swirl wildly across the land..."

"But battle lines do not lie."

"The Wolf King is likely lost."

Li Guanyi paused, then said: "I know."

He whispered: "This battlefield was chosen by my uncle, by the Wolf King himself. A man like him revealed his ambition and cruelty even as Regent. Perhaps, as he said, a man like him finds his true end only on the battlefield, wrapped in horsehide."

"On the battlefield, there is no distinction between good and evil."

"I only hope that even in death, he met it with honor, without humiliation."

Po Jun exhaled in relief. Li Guanyi was deeply emotional; he had feared this would leave a wound in his heart. Seeing him accept it so calmly, he felt reassured and smiled:

"A hero like the Wolf King deserves respect, whether friend or foe. Even in death, he should be honored as a warlord and a Wang Hou. My Lord need not worry on this point."

Po Jun bowed again, then left; his peripheral vision lingered on the quiet silver-haired girl beside him—he had seen her sleeping when he first entered.

Po Jun gritted his teeth in fury.

His lips wouldn't even curl.

But he had seen how this silver-haired girl had stayed by his side for seven days and seven nights, and how she had healed Li Guanyi's Yuan spirit wounds. Finally, he said: "My Lord, Miss Yao Guang has labored greatly these past seven days."

He looked at the silver-haired girl's weary face, and suddenly smiled inwardly with pride.

This time, you've won!

Bai Mao!

Next time, next time I'll make you understand—the Po Jun lineage surpasses your Yao Guang lineage.

Aside from spending more time beside My Lord, your star-reading arts, your ability to discern directions, your years of wandering the Jianghu with him, your so-called shared life and death, your beauty, and your age matching My Lord's...

What else do you have?

What do you have to beat me with?

Hmph!

Po Jun lifted his chin, then turned and left, convinced the silver-haired girl had understood his meaning—that the ancient, generational feud between the Shiwaisan Sects carried an epic, mournful weight.

Li Guanyi said: "Strange. Why has Mr. Po Jun been blinking so much today?"

The silver-haired girl thought, then replied seriously:

"Perhaps she has an eye ailment?"

Li Guanyi pondered, then said: "Is that so? Next time, I'll get some medicine from Shi Dalin for Mr. Po Jun."

He tried to rise and walk, but instantly frowned—a sharp, continuous pain rose from deep within his body.

Bearing the weight of hundreds of thousands of troops had already crushed his body; under such pressure, he had clashed fiercely with the Divine General Jiang Su for a long time—his internal injuries were severe.

He had survived, but his hidden wounds were fine and deep, piercing into his bones.

Li Guanyi clenched his fist, feeling the Everlasting Immortal Body slowly repairing his flesh, and the Nine Cauldrons' vitality still flowing—but the Nine Cauldrons of the Western Regions enhanced battle fury and bloodshed; only the Nine Cauldrons of the Jiangnan region carried the gentle spring air, the breath of growth.

If the Jiangnan Nine Cauldrons were加持, his wounds would heal faster.

Li Guanyi thought this, and the silver-haired girl asked: "What's wrong?"

Li Guanyi smiled: "Nothing."

The silver-haired girl stood beside him, supporting him, naturally wrapping her arm around his, using her shoulder to bear his weight. The war general who, in full strength, could wear Heavy Armor and charge through battle unchallenged, now lay weak and wounded.

But Li Guanyi was thinking of what Po Jun had just told him.

The Wolf King...

Li Guanyi felt an indescribable emotion toward this bold, cunning, ruthless warlord.

Now, from the grand perspective, the Wolf King had ended on the battlefield he chose. For a man like him, perhaps no end could be more fitting.

Yao Guang helped Li Guanyi walk outside. Perhaps it had been too long since he'd seen sunlight—he felt his body rusted. As he breathed, he tried to activate his cultivation.

His body's cultivation naturally stirred.

In the past, when his cultivation shifted, his qi flowed smoothly; now, every part felt like needles and blades carving him—agonizing. Each time Li Guanyi winced, the silver-haired girl quietly reached out and took his hand.

He said nothing, revealed nothing, merely accompanied her in silence.

After all that was said.

It was only 【I am here】.

【I will always be here】.

These two matters.

Li Guanyi felt calm within, smiling as he asked, "I've been unconscious for so long—how is the city now? It's rare to be without armor; come with me and take a look, Yao Guang."

The silver-haired girl nodded and walked with him. As Li Guanyi walked, he circulated his Qi, sensing his body's condition—even he himself, seeing this state, would have to praise it.

What a thoroughly revitalized hollowed-out body.

Qi enters, nine out of ten exits.

How strong is Jiang Su's physique and methods?

I must learn from her later.

Li Guanyi reviewed his battle with Jiang Su in his mind; each time he reflected and recalled, he gained great insight, while also adjusting his body—until, as his Qi completed several circuits and returned to his dantian, that aura bestowed by the Yu Langwang still remained—

No, it was different from before!

Li Guanyi halted his step, eyes widening.

As his internal Qi returned to the dantian, he felt an indescribable sensation—that his essence, energy, and spirit had been lifted once more, that state of transcendent dominance, overlooking the four directions, the complete unity of soul and physique in serene mastery.

He had felt this grandeur, once, in that fleeting moment.

This was precisely.

The legendary realm of martial cultivation.

Suddenly, enlightenment struck Li Guanyi—he spun around sharply, his gaze piercing, and saw Master Siming behind a stall three hundred zhang away, hidden behind two large dry banana leaves, along with the silver-haired Whale Fisher, two sneaky followers.

In an instant, their gazes met.

Upon realizing he had been discovered,

both the Whale Fisher and Li Guanyi froze.

He sensed me?!

Him?

How is this possible!

He truly noticed?

The Array Chief confirmed this in his mind, his expression slowly hardening:

"Huh???"

"He broke through?!!"

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