Chapter 423

Mu Taihong's spirit tautened; he possessed formidable Wu Gong, and that faint sound could not possibly have escaped him—the Xuan Hu, divine bird, eyes wide with fury, fixed on the auspicious creature beside it, quietly biting through a bamboo shoot.

Eat eat eat, all you know is eating!

Mu Taihong gripped his blade, spirit taut, strode forward, suddenly coiled his strength—suddenly a gale roared through the air, a chilling blade flash slashed down, shattering the bamboo ahead, yet inside the stalks lay only a Shitie Beast, slowly chewing on bamboo.

In the southwest there is an auspicious beast, said to have been the mount of the ancient Jiuli ruler, yet over these years no true auspicious beast has been seen; as for ordinary Shitie Beasts, they are plentiful in the southwest.

Not all divine beasts and auspicious creatures are like the Fire Qilin, unique and singular in their kind.

Mu Taihong exhaled, saying: "So it's just a Shitie Beast…"

He slowly sheathed his blade, his spirit relaxing.

He casually picked up a fruit and tossed it over, saying: "Suck suck suck."

"Come eat."

"Ha, forgot—you're not a dog."

Auspicious beast: "…………"

Mu Taihong exhaled, feeling the commotion had startled him badly—his back was damp with sweat; he knew this was no place to linger and left at once, sighing in frustration: "Damn it, that Changfeng Lady, Xue Shuangtao, left too early."

"Otherwise, we could've seized this traitorous minister stirring unrest in the southwest."

"Bound him, sent him back to Chen."

"Your Majesty would be overjoyed—wealth and honor would be ours for the taking!"

Mu Taihong then recalled the Changfeng Lady's delicate appearance in male disguise, his heart stirring—but he remembered she was often accompanied by two others: one with snow-white hair and a wild aura, none other than the Fourth of the Shida Sect Masters, the Mad Wang Chen Chengbi.

Beside her, a woman radiated icy poise, also possessing the prowess of a Sect Master.

He dared not act rashly; such thoughts could only linger in his mind, cursing inwardly before he departed—and only after he was far away did the auspicious beast's teeth slowly lower, gently biting through the bamboo shoot.

Chew chew.

Xue Shuangtao?

It sounded familiar; the Xuan Hu slightly lifted its gaze and spoke in human voice: "Is that the one with the wooden hairpin?"

Auspicious beast suddenly understood: "You mean the one who brought three full carts of fruit?"

"A whole basin of beast milk."

"The one who came specially looking for us?"

A few days ago, Chen's envoy arrived; that woman-in-disguise Changfeng Lady somehow obtained intelligence and truly found us—back then, the auspicious beast had tried pretending ignorance, but failed.

At the time, moonlight on the water rippled gently; the Changfeng Lady squatted by the bamboo grove's lake, smiling as she extended her hand, cradling a freshly peeled tender shoot, her smile gentle and grand: "If you agree…"

"As long as I live, I'll give you endless bamboo shoots—year-round, however many you want, I'll give you; whatever flavor you desire, I'll prepare it for you—how's that?"

"Is this deal worthy of your attention?"

The girl smiled faintly, her eyes clear brown irises.

Auspicious beast said:

"She said someone named Li Guanyi might come later."

"Told me to look out for him."

Auspicious beast sighed, finally deciding to move: "In any case, first let's retrieve these twenty-four pearls."

……………………

On the journey toward the southwest.

The Bronze Cauldron let out several howls, then fell still; Li Guanyi grinned, thinking the southwest divine beast was truly hard to deal with; the Nine-Colored Divine Deer's voice was soft as it comforted: "That child might just be shy?"

"Go meet Him yourself—you'll find things much better."

Li Guanyi nodded; the Bronze Cauldron gradually calmed, and as he advanced deeper into the southwest, he increasingly sensed the shifting tide of great fate—internal Qi surged, his Foundation Establishment eighth-layer base subtly strengthening.

Even the injuries left from his battle with Jiang Su

Were gradually healing in this process.

This was the way of great fate.

Departing from Zhenxi Xiongcheng in the western frontier, the journey to the southwest was long—even riding a divine dragon-horse, it took ten days to reach the southwest border; along the road, travelers grew increasingly numerous.

In casual conversation, people now spoke with the southwest's distinctive accent.

Food styles had changed too, growing bolder in flavor; Li Guanyi saw someone roasting chili peppers on a heated stone bed, crushing them, mixing them with dried chilies to eat with rice—the taste was excellent, but Master Wen Qingyu seemed utterly shattered.

After eating, he frantically drank water, coughing violently.

Then came fish mint, zhe'ergen—Master Wen Qingyu ate it and wore a pained expression.

Master Wen Qingyu, born in the Central Plains but raised in the west, found his diet incompatible with the southwest; Li Guanyi then recalled that Master Yan Daiqing seemed quite fond of spicy food.

Yet when they reached the southwest's largest city,

Li Guanyi prepared a formal letter of introduction and sent Master Master Wen He to deliver it—but after wandering around, Master Master Wen He returned, pulled Li Guanyi aside, and said: "Lord, things have changed."

Li Guanyi frowned: "Master Master Wen He, what's happened?"

The plain-faced youth said: "Three oddities: First, the city's guards are excessive—not like they're preparing to welcome guests; defenses are heavier than usual. I walked through the city and found the garrison's accents mixed, with hidden hostility between them."

"I inquired—apparently, the city guards have been recently replaced."

"Also, I saw Chen fabric only found in Chen, and too many people speaking Chen dialect—most of them move silently. This city has many dirt roads, damp ground, leaving footprints."

"Yet these people leave no sound."

"Unless everyone in the southwest has Wu Gong, these people are suspicious."

Li Guanyi's eyes narrowed: "What are you suggesting, Master?"

Master Wen He said: "The southwest has nominally submitted to Chen for nearly twenty years. With Chen Dingye's cunning and calculating nature, wouldn't he have planted some schemes here? Even if Chen Dingye didn't, didn't Tan Tai Xianming prepare something while he was alive?"

If Chen Dingye isn't enough,

The name Tan Tai Xianming made Li Guanyi's brow twitch.

Li Guanyi said: "Looks like this place isn't exactly welcoming us. Master, let's go—first, we'll capture a tongue."

Wen He nodded and said, "Captured."

Li Guanyi paused slightly.

"Has Mr. Wen already clarified?"

Wen He nodded.

Li Guanyi said: "... Where is that tongue now?"

Wen He's face wore a smile that said, "You understand, my lord."

Li Guanyi grinned.

The plain youth smiled and said, "My lord, I'm not that cruel or heartless—I merely gave him a cup of wine laced with seventy-two types of Ma Fei San, then tied him up to rest for a while."

"In any case, my lord, the southwest region still seems to harbor considerable trouble."

Li Guanyi expected Wen He to say they should proceed cautiously and observe the situation, but Wen He didn't even blink, saying, "Besides, General Chen Wenmian will arrive with his army soon."

"Why don't we first find a place to rest properly?"

Li Guanyi chuckled: "No wonder you're Master Wen."

Wen He said openly, "My lord flatters me."

"What do you think, my lord?"

Li Guanyi looked at the city and smiled: "Then let's follow your advice. But since we've come this far, let's enter the city, find an inn, and see what's truly inside."

Master Wen He smiled: "Excellent, my lord."

The group entered this great southwestern city; the architecture differed from that of the Central Plains, Jiangnan, and the Western Regions—more refined, with distinct bamboo-style elements. As for where to stay, they needed an inn.

Yao Guang personally cast a divination, extended a finger, and pointed to a modest-looking inn, saying quietly, "This one will be smoother."

The Fire Qilin also thought for a moment and chose the same inn:

"There's a thread of fortune here."

Li Guanyi also used the Qi-seeing technique taught by the late Master Siming—he saw a faint thread of human destiny rising from this ordinary inn. If not for the inn's owner having an unusual identity, then a special guest must be inside.

Thus, among the countless inns of this southwestern metropolis, they chose this one. Nangong Wumeng, whose nature was lively and who hailed from a Jianghu Sect on the borders of Chen State, had mostly traveled within Chen State.

After traveling north and south with Li Guanyi, she gradually grew fond of visiting places she'd never seen, dragging Yao Guang out to explore the city. Li Guanyi thought for a moment and handed her nine-tenths of the money pouch.

He said solemnly: "Nangong, you understand, right?"

The world's most beautiful martial beauty rolled her eyes: "Fine, fine, fine!"

"Just go around the pawnshops, street vendors, all those places, okay? Honestly, you're so poor."

Li Guanyi gave a thumbs-up: "You get it!"

Nangong Wumeng picked up the money pouch, weighed it in her hand, raised her eyebrows challengingly: "So, General, Great Lord, do you have any reward?"

"The mighty Qin Wu Hou, Supreme Commander of All Troops, Tian Kehan, Fifth Divine General of the Realm!"

"You can't just expect me to work for free, right?!"

Nangong Wumeng lowered her voice, her eyes gleaming, leaning close with a smile:

"Come on, call me 'sister.'"

Li Guanyi didn't hesitate—he clapped his hands together with a sharp snap:

"Sister Wumeng, I beg you."

Nangong Wumeng froze, her face flushing red, then sneered: "That's it?"

"Hmph, not even a little bit!"

"We've known each other for nearly four years—you—you—you don't actually think that's enough to defeat me, do you? Hah, laughable! I'm not the girl I was three years ago—I'm now..."

Li Guanyi said: "Who took away my fortune?!"

Nangong Wumeng said: "Tsk tsk tsk. How about you offer yourself in marriage? I might just accept it."

Li Guanyi raised an eyebrow, returning her challenge with one of his own:

"Fine."

Nangong Wumeng, who had been speaking nonsense, froze, then shot backward as if stepping on a spring—she crashed through the door, crossed her arms defensively, face flushed, eyes wide at Li Guanyi, stammering:

"Y-you, shut up!!!"

"You reckless child, shameless!"

"Y-you haven't even done the betrothal rites, the six offerings, the six formalities—what are you saying?!"

"You can't just say things like that, you!"

Nangong Wumeng's voice cut off abruptly.

Nangong Wumeng froze.

She spun around, snatched up Yao Guang, and screamed: "Aaaahhhhh, I'll remember you!"

"Next time, you wait, Li Yaoshi!"

Boom!

Nangong Wumeng's forehead slammed into the door, collapsing the inn's entrance, shouting as she fled, pinning the silver-haired girl under her arm—the girl's hair stretched straight, swaying back and forth.

Li Guanyi laughed out loud.

This guy, so weak yet so fond of provoking others.

Master Wen He had left early, wandering the city to gather intelligence.

Lei Laomeng went to the southwestern markets selling wild beasts, and, per Fan Qing's request, visited impoverished neighborhoods to investigate gambling dens and other such places to gauge public sentiment.

Li Guanyi sat at the inn's entrance, chatting with the Shopkeeper, discussing the city's architecture, mentioning that three hundred years ago, a sage had once stayed in the southwest.

He greatly improved the region's architecture and daily life.

Li Guanyi smiled: "What a remarkable person—he must have been a great elder. Too bad I can't meet him." The Shopkeeper, speaking in southwestern-accented official speech, replied: "Meet him? Ah, three hundred years ago—how could anyone still meet him?"

"Indeed."

The shopkeeper chatted idly with Li Guanyi, who took a sip of wine; the shopkeeper was making a dish of rice stuffed into bamboo tubes, and smiled, "You don't look like you're from around here in the southwest."

"Not from any other city in the southwest, either."

Li Guanyi laughed and said, "Sharp eyes, sir. I'm from the north, born in the Central Plains, surnamed Li, name Yaoshi, a disciple of the Scholar's Palace. Now that the world is in chaos, disciples of the Palace travel far and wide. I couldn't bear the turmoil, so I came to the southwest."

The Fire Qilin, in the form of a cat, had been busy with the snacks on the table. Hearing this, it froze, lifted its head, stared at Li Guanyi—who didn't even blink while lying—and fell into confusion.

The shopkeeper sighed, "Who says otherwise!"

"Just earlier, I heard news—yes, straight from the Southwest King himself. Don't doubt it; I've managed to run this inn precisely because I have my own connections."

"My third aunt's second son's childhood classmate, the old man next door—yes, he's a Captain under the Southwest King. Word is, the Central Plains' overlord, Qin Wu Hou, is coming here."

"They say he'll lead eighty thousand troops to attack our southwest!"

"Puh—cough cough cough—"

Li Guanyi nearly spat out his wine and choked himself.

He coughed violently: "How many?!!"

Did you learn arithmetic from Master Master Wen He?!

The shopkeeper gave him a look as if he'd been startled, patted Li Guanyi's shoulder, and said, "Don't doubt it, kid. You look barely eighteen or nineteen—you've never seen an army on the march, have you? No matter, no matter."

"How many people in this world have ever seen such a sight?"

"Eighty thousand troops? Ha, there's probably a million of them. Qin Wu Hou has strategists as numerous as clouds, generals as plentiful as rain. Even that man from the western lands, Master Yan Daiqing, known as the City Burner and Butcher, who amassed boundless karmic debts, was subdued by Qin Wu Hou."

Li Guanyi sat frozen, holding his wine cup, speechless.

Huh??

Huh???

Why does this story sound like someone else's?

Li Guanyi smirked inwardly: If he had a million-strong army capable of conquering the realm, why would he go through all this trouble? Give him a million elite Fire Qilin troops, and he could pacify all four corners.

Li Guanyi sighed, chatting idly while eating the southwest's specialty dishes.

The shopkeeper served him the southwest's three traditional teas—first bitter, second sweet, third with lingering aftertaste—and foods like erkuai and ersi. The old shopkeeper cooked beside a small brazier, roasting small cubes of tofu until they puffed up, crispy outside and tender within, to be dipped in chili powder.

He ate a bite of tofu, drank a sip of tea, shook his head, smacked his lips.

Chatted a few more words with regular patrons.

It was truly comfortable and free—clearly, the mountains blocking the way made the Central Plains' struggles and the western rivalries feel entirely different. The Fire Qilin was busy with a kind of winter melon preserve he'd never seen before, fighting over it with great enthusiasm.

Li Guanyi drank his tea, then suddenly sensed something amiss. The bronze tripod hummed faintly. He lifted his gaze slightly and saw a large man enter the inn, wearing a dark-patterned robe, dignified and imposing, around fifty, yet younger-looking than Lu Youxian.

In Li Guanyi's eyes, the man's destiny flowed visibly, forming a faint divine form—he too had reached the Eighth Heaven. He entered without a word, walked straight to a window seat on the third floor, and sat alone to drink.

Li Guanyi set down his wine bowl. His pupils saw the man's formidable aura, a subtle flow of human destiny entering his bronze tripod. He stirred inwardly—he knew this must be the one the Yao Guang divination and his own vision of the Dao of Kings had pointed to.

He grabbed the Fire Qilin, still gnawing on the winter melon preserve, and placed it on his shoulder.

He ordered a bottle of fine wine and strode over.

Duan Qingyu drank alone, troubled by matters of Qin Wu Hou. On one hand, the tens of thousands of troops Qin Wu Hou led had clearly defeated Lu Youxian, yet showed no sign of halting—no one knew where they'd gone next.

On the other, he sensed vaguely that not all city lords in the vast southwest were willing to ally with Tai Ping Gong's son. Deeply troubled, he left the Wang Fu today to drown his sorrows at this usual drinking spot.

The inn wasn't special, except for one thing: long ago, he and Li Wanli and Chen Fubi had drunk and competed here.

Many years had passed; old friends were gone. Out of affection for them, he held deep fondness for this place.

He drank barrel after barrel, using the fiery liquor to dispel the gloom in his chest.

Suddenly he sensed something. He lifted his gaze slightly and saw a young man approaching—dressed in plain blue robes, with a jade hairpin, possessing quiet dignity. Li Guanyi had slightly masked his aura with the Jiangnan Mist and Rain Twelve Storied Tower Art, and smiled:

"Old brother, impressive drinking!"

Duan Qingyu was easygoing and bold; he hadn't expected anyone to speak to him, but wasn't annoyed. He laughed: "Hahahaha, drinking alone is crude—sorry to embarrass you, young sir."

Li Guanyi said, "Such boldness is admirable."

He bowed slightly and smiled: "I'm Li Yaoshi, a merchant from the Central Plains, a disciple of the Scholar's Palace. I came here to escape the chaos. I'm a stranger in a strange land, but seeing you drink so freely, I came over to chat. Please don't take offense."

Duan Qingyu, seeing his open and unrestrained manner, laughed heartily: "Why would I take offense?"

"I've been drinking alone, and no one dares speak to me—I was bored stiff. Come, come, since you're here, sit down, drink more. I'll tell you about the beauty and delicacies of the southwest."

"Hahahaha, Shopkeeper, bring more wine! On me—this is the southwest's welcome to this young brother!"

The shopkeeper answered with a nod.

Li Guanyi thanked him.

Duan Qingyu, as the Southwest King, was naturally bold and generous. As lord of the southwest's city lords and tribes, he treated even a random stranger who spoke to him with kindness—he'd never use his status to bully the weak.

Duan Qingyu, the Southwest King, possessed supreme Wu Gong. When drinking, he swallowed everything in one gulp, seeking only release and relief. He never expected this man from the Central Plains could match him.

It reminded him of old friends. He drank more and more freely. The Central Plains man, Li Yaoshi, matched him drink for drink. Duan Qingyu's spirit rose—he challenged the boy to a drinking contest. After all, men always develop fierce competitiveness over small things.

Duan Qingyu was half troubled, half stirred by spirit.

He refused to believe it.

He couldn't beat Li Wanli's son in a fight. Now, at the very place where he once drank with Li Wanli, he couldn't even outdrink a Central Plains man!

The world didn't work that way!

The shopkeeper kept running back and forth with wine. In no time, the two had emptied the entire inn's wine stock. The shopkeeper's forehead was sweating, his grin stretched wide.

Today had been a glorious sale.

Duan Qingyu finished his last bowl of wine and roared with laughter: "Brilliant! Brilliant! Drinking—when two people do it, even strangers like you—is far better than drinking alone!"

"Today's wine is on me!"

"Old Shopkeeper, charge it to my account. Young brother, if we meet again someday, hahahaha—enjoy your time in the southwest!" He rose to leave, when suddenly several men sprinted in, racing straight to the third floor toward Duan Qingyu.

The leader was Mu Taihong. Seeing Duan Qingyu drinking incognito, his eyes flickered. He shouted loudly:

"Disaster, Your Majesty!"

"Our southwest kingdom's treasure—the twenty-four pearl gems—are missing!"

Duan Qingyu was stunned, then leapt to his feet in furious shock, grabbing Mu Taihong by the collar.

"What did you say?!!!"

Mu Taihong said: "The national treasure is lost. The lords of all southwestern cities have gathered at Wang Fu. Your Majesty must return at once—this matter is immense, truly a matter of our great nation!"

Duan Qingyu understood the gravity: years ago, he had gifted Tai Ping Gong to save the nation; even then, Tai Ping Gong's prestige had drawn resentment from the city lords. Now, with the national treasure recovered, its significance to the southwest was immense.

He rose to leave, but Mu Taihong had already decided to use this to ruin the Southwest King's reputation—and through it, to sabotage Qin Wu's affairs—so he must escalate it. Suddenly he pointed at Li Guanyi and the other diners in the tavern:

"This matter is grave. Everyone already knows. Your Majesty, these people are outsiders—they must be taken back and detained for now."

"These Central Plains folk suddenly appear here and know of this matter. I fear they will expose it. Please take this one back too. When the matter is settled, he will be released."

Duan Qingyu roared: "If not for your careless words, this would never have happened!"

"This is our southwestern affair—why drag outsiders into it?!"

Li Guanyi sensed the human destiny qi rising from Duan Qingyu, and turned his head to see—toward Wang Fu—wave after wave of destiny qi surging upward, pulling together all the southwestern city lords who had been scattered across their own cities. The bronze ding trembled violently, stirred by the surge of destiny qi. Li Guanyi's heart stirred:

"Since this matter is so grave, that… Elder need not go so far."

"I believe the southwest would not wrong me."

Li Guanyi answered calmly.

Duan Qingyu was moved, and gave Li Guanyi's shoulder a heavy slap: "Rest assured—I will handle this. Young brother, come with me. The southwest will never wrong you."

Li Guanyi smiled and nodded, composed and unruffled.

Upon the Nine Cauldrons, destiny qi howled.

On the third one-ninth section of the bronze ding, a faint glow ignited.

Three of the Nine Cauldrons—the foundation of a hegemon's legacy.

The matter is accomplished.

?? Ah… lying dead