Chapter 426: Auspicious Nightmare, the Master Jiankuang

The little Fire Qilin seemed to sense something, sprinting forward; Li Guanyi followed close behind, quickly catching up to find a cave filled with fresh bamboo shoots. The Fire Qilin dug them out, delighted: "So tender!"

"Take them all!"

Li Guanyi watched as the Fire Qilin ate the shoots, exhaling a puff of flame to roast them, peeling off the outer skin and sprinkling chili powder—aroma filling the air. On his bronze ding, he sensed auspicious energy.

A stream of malevolent energy suddenly surged from his right hand, growing dense.

The malevolent energy seemed to form a pulling force, rising and pointing toward a direction, becoming wildly active. Li Guanyi pondered: "What's there?" The energy shifted form, clearly urging Li Guanyi to follow.

His right hand was naturally pulled upward, toward that direction.

A tremendous force seemed ready to drag Li Guanyi along, transmitting a brutal sense of suppression—as if this malevolent energy were the sovereign, forcing Li Guanyi to become its puppet.

Li Guanyi's palm twitched, then settled calmly, refusing to be pulled; he merely gazed steadily at the strand of malevolent energy coiled around his hand.

His five fingers slowly closed.

"You want to take me with you?"

Though this weapon's malevolent energy had no consciousness, it carried an instinctive arrogance and oppressive aura—provoked by Li Guanyi's response, it surged violently, as if the entire sky and earth darkened.

The air echoed with countless roaring voices, the clashing of blades and swords.

A chilling malevolent energy pressed down.

Ripples formed in the void, faintly coalescing into a figure clad in heavy armor, face obscured yet radiating authority, booming:

"I am the divine weapon of Jiuli. Who are you, to defy me?"

"Descendants must revere me as lord."

"Kneel!!!"

This national treasure of the southwestern frontier instinctively sought to suppress Li Guanyi, to force his submission—with wild, domineering might, embodying the ultimate essence of 【Rong】.

Li Guanyi lifted his gaze slightly; the Nine Tripods instinctively rang out.

But Li Guanyi's spirit stirred, halting the Nine Tripods—the auspicious vessel of the state—from instinctively repelling this killing weapon's energy. His five fingers slowly clenched, gripping the fist, pinning the malevolent energy tightly.

The spiritual essence of Jiuli's divine weapon iron froze.

Li Guanyi's lips curled slightly; golden-red ripples surfaced in his eyes, expanding gradually. His robes stirred without wind, golden-red light condensing into dragon scales, suddenly spreading wide.

A mournful dragon's roar shook heaven and earth.

A massive crimson dragon glided through the air, scales rippling with motion.

The Crimson Dragon Manifestation appeared!

Li Guanyi sat there, and the cave's temperature instantly rose.

The Ancient Crimson Dragon Manifestation coiled around his arm, scales real and not illusory, fangs bared, coldly staring at the Jiuli divine weapon's malevolent energy. Though the Jiuli energy had no mind, it was instantly roused.

"Yinglong!!"

"Ying your damn self!"

Li Guanyi said: "Either get out, or behave."

The Jiuli divine weapon iron's malevolent energy was no weaker than Li Guanyi's, and its nature was unyielding—it intended to clash head-on. The Nine Tripods, representing the pinnacle of 【Si】, rang several times, aiming to suppress this pinnacle of 【Rong】.

But Li Guanyi halted the Nine Tripods, fixing his gaze on the manifested malevolent energy.

"Three."

"Two."

"One…"

The Jiuli energy, awakened by Li Guanyi's own weapon's malevolent energy and the southwestern human destiny, remained arrogant and defiant, refusing to respond. It sneered, swinging its weapon toward Li Guanyi's neck.

Li Guanyi laughed.

The dragon's roar erupted violently; a terrifying force flipped the malevolent energy's form. Golden-red light exploded from his eyes as his Eighth Realm Master power surged.

"With me—"

"Kneel!!!"

Li Guanyi clenched his fist; the Ancient Crimson Dragon's roar shook heaven and earth. The Manifestation unfolded, seized the malevolent energy's form, and slammed it downward—the earth trembled violently.

Ripples spread outward in all directions.

Bamboo groves within several li were instantly flattened and snapped.

Bamboo shoots flew, leaves scattered.

Golden-red light surged sharply upward.

The residual waves of the Crimson Dragon Manifestation shot into the sky.

The sky within several li was stained crimson-gold.

Like burning clouds, layer upon layer unfolding, the spectacle was magnificent.

When the Ancient Crimson Dragon Manifestation dispersed, the Jiuli malevolent energy's form had completely shattered, the energy now solidified and utterly submissive. Li Guanyi exhaled, his breath carrying faint golden-red flames.

"Couldn't you have done this from the start?"

Li Guanyi rose slowly, his sleeves swirling with faint crimson-gold light, trembling slightly before settling. His black hair fell as he clenched his fist, shaking his hand.

The malevolent energy flowed along his forearm, solidifying into a tangible form.

It took shape as dragon-scale gauntlets, fingers tipped with sharp protrusions—unforged yet radiating the aura of a divine weapon.

"... What exactly is this?"

Li Guanyi stared at the gauntlet-blade, unsure what to say. He patted the Fire Qilin's head, then looked down at the gauntlet on his right arm: "Alright, lead the way."

Jiuli malevolent energy: "…………"

A strand of Li Guanyi's temple hair lifted slightly, its tip tinged with crimson-gold.

The Jiuli malevolent energy instantly submitted.

………………

Meanwhile, deep within the southwestern frontier, Xiangrui suddenly sat up, whipping his head toward the direction they'd come from, eyes wide: "Something's wrong—extremely, extremely wrong!"

"Why do I sense the qi of the Jiuli Clan and the Ancient Crimson Dragon at the same time?"

"Holy shit, did they actually start fighting?!"

The auspicious beast froze, its bamboo shoot falling to the ground.

Instinctively, its claws swept out.

It grabbed the bamboo shoot and shoved it into its mouth.

Chewed. Chewed.

The Xuan Tiger and the Divine Bird couldn't see anything—they asked what had happened—only the auspicious beast extended a claw and pointed toward the murderous qi hundreds of li away: "That much battlefield murderous qi! That huge a mass! Don't you see?!"

"And that huge Crimson Dragon!"

"No, no, damn it—not only is the Jiuli Clan chasing me, but the entire Central Plains from that era has come too?!"

"I'm out! I'm out!"

The auspicious beast immediately took the Xuan Tiger and the Divine Bird and fled further.

But after traveling only a short while, it suddenly remembered something—the auspicious beast halted, let out a shriek: "No! My bamboo shoots!!!" For the sake of a meal, the auspicious beast turned right around and crept back toward its den.

As it approached, it saw its cave had been scorched by flames, the earth cracked open, and the bamboo grove outside its home uprooted—nothing remained.

The auspicious beast froze: "... Shit!"

"Jiuli murderous qi."

"Crimson Dragon fire essence."

"I'm out! I'm out!"

The auspicious beast was completely numb—bit down hard on the Xuan Tiger's nape and sprinted a thousand li, a monstrous beast the size of a small mountain, racing across the southwestern hills with speed rivaling a thousand-li steed.

It nearly triggered a beast surge.

Guided by the murderous qi, Li Guanyi arrived at the second location—but still could not find the auspicious beast; instead, he encountered a southwestern beast, a fierce tiger. The southwestern lands were mountainous, and the mountains teemed with strange beasts—this one was a fierce tiger.

Li Guanyi snapped off a bamboo stalk, gripped it in hand, and wielded it like a spear, swinging it like a coiling dragon as he carved his way forward.

Chen Duke Spear Technique—Shatter Mountains!

The mountain-sized fierce tiger was blasted flying by Li Guanyi's blow.

A hundred li away, the Cat Creature, watching stealthily, saw Li Guanyi unleash the Chen Duke Spear Technique that had once obliterated Qiongqi—and froze alongside the Sun Divine Bird, then fled for its life.

Veins bulged on Li Guanyi's forehead.

Damn it, what kind of beast is this southwestern auspicious beast?

Why is it so good at hiding?

Am I really that terrifying?

Am I?

………………

When Li Guanyi subdued the Jiuli murderous qi, Duan Qingyu and others noticed that the Jiuli Divine Weapon Iron in the southwestern Wang Fu suddenly trembled—on the colossal divine weapon iron, three zhang and three chi tall and several zhang in circumference, a fist imprint suddenly appeared.

The martial murderous qi surged even more fiercely.

In the following days, the entire southwestern situation never improved; rumors spread faster each day, stirring the common folk's hearts, and every city's nobles and governors developed their own agendas.

The southwestern city lords bickered over whether to ally with the Qin Wu Hou, arguing fiercely—Tai Bo Yong and other elders were nearly driven to vomiting by the younger generation's antics; schemes, intrigues, all manner of plotting erupted.

Some tribal chieftains declared that, with the southwestern lands, they could stand between the three great powers—Chen State, Ying State, and Tiance Prefecture—and maintain balance and status among them.

Tai Bo Yong nearly choked on rage.

Waving long sleeves, scheming to form alliances and break them, trying to play all three of the world's supreme powers against each other and swallow everything?

All heroes under heaven are gamblers.

But these ones? They lack vision, lack depth, yet have enormous appetites—unwilling to pay any price, yet wanting all the benefits.

They treat the heroes of the world as jesters.

Tai Bo Yong watched coldly—his old comrades had already decided to lead their people and surrender to the Qin Wu Hou—but the younger generation mocked the elders as lacking courage and wisdom.

"An old man who won't die is a thief—no courage, no finesse."

"Hmph, lived sixty or seventy years and still fear a youth barely of age? Ridiculous! Ridiculous!"

They had thought it all out clearly: crafty stratagems wrapped in righteousness, cloaked in conspiracy, sowing discord, framing enemies—using the world's reputation to pressure the Qin Wu Hou. With the world's acclaim and the southwestern people's hearts behind them, how could he not bow?

They talked very well.

Extremely clever!

Even Duan Qingyu and Tai Bo Yong lost to these youths in Juan Sect simulations.

Thus, the young city lords grew even more self-satisfied.

They boasted they were no less than the famed ministers and generals of antiquity.

But at the peak of their arrogance, news arrived—

"Report—Nülin Long Wang attacked and seized two cities!"

"The Fire Qilin Army is swallowing Chen State whole."

"Report—"

"The Qin Wu Hou has advanced with a massive force of heavily armored cavalry and is nearing our borders!"

The emotions of the southwestern city lords froze.

……………………

Panic, disbelief, a reaction utterly unprepared.

Wait—where are the rules of interstate diplomacy?

We hold righteousness! We hold the people's hearts! We have dozens of stratagems—we can leverage momentum, launch direct assaults, have countless ways to force the Qin Wu Hou to bow— we have…

The chilling aura of advancing blades struck their faces—those who had just been grandly debating now turned pale—but this news was only the beginning; reports on the Qin Wu Hou and the Fire Qilin Army changed daily.

The great army arrived without disturbing the people, and along the way carved alliances signed by the lords of the southwestern cities to Qin Wu Hou; the common folk learned this army came not as an enemy, their hearts rejoiced, and as the army marched slowly, its momentum blazed like a rainbow.

Some civilians spontaneously followed.

On the other hand, the Western Yi City of the Ying state contracted its defenses and did not seize the opportunity to attack the vulnerable western territories.

The grasslands of the Seven Khans of the Turkic were farther north, within the Western Regions.

They had previously been crushed miserably by Yu Langwang.

But his sixth brother refused to believe it, leading troops to raid the western borders.

The Anxi Protectorate, under General Yue Qianfeng, decisively shattered them, expanded the frontier three hundred li, seized the Turkic grasslands, and subtly severed the portion of grassland held by the Seven Turkic Khans from the main territory of the Great Turkic Khan.

The Great Turkic Khan was forced to lead troops here personally.

General Yue Qianfeng fought fiercely, but after five rounds, spat blood and retreated.

Thus, every top general under heaven had now been confronted.

Meanwhile, the Fire Qilin, riding the tide of momentum, advanced relentlessly; the Western Regions' heavy armored troops were unaccustomed to water, but Shi Dalin and others had crafted special medicines that greatly alleviated seasickness.

Their tactic was to transport troops via waterways, then encircle cities with heavy armor.

They moved swiftly along water routes, transporting troops and logistics with speed.

They seized control of the waterways first—what they truly seized was the supply line; while the Chen state, forced to rely on land routes for support, faced the advantage of waterborne troop movement.

Fan Qing had thoroughly studied Lu Youxian's military treatises.

Upon capturing any territory, he immediately began building fortresses to hold it.

That methodical, steady warfare made the Chen army feel as if they were facing Lu Youxian himself.

When Lu Youxian's tactics now struck them head-on.

They suddenly realized how formidable that old turtle of a general had been.

The Fire Qilin Army advanced steadily, seizing towns and villages; as soon as they arrived, they summoned the people and publicly announced the abolition of Chen state's oppressive taxes and a three-year tax exemption.

They suppressed both large and small aristocratic families, returning unjustly seized lands to the people, and granting land even to those without any.

Third, they rectified judicial injustices, beginning to resolve long-standing wrongful cases.

Tax exemption, land distribution, justice restored.

Only these three things won the people's loyalty.

A Chen state spy secretly arrived, attempting to incite rebellion among the people—but was immediately reported; the Chen spy could not believe it: why would Chen's own people turn against Chen to aid Qin Wu Hou?

The simple, honest farmer replied: "They give us land."

"Following Chen, the taxes are too heavy—we can't survive."

He muttered, puzzled: "Besides, we're following the son of Tai Ping Gong—Tai Ping Gong's son—that's our Chen state's hero, isn't it?"

"Of course I choose Tai Ping Gong's son over you."

"Do you think I'm stupid?"

The aristocratic spy, bombarded by the farmer's questions, could not utter a single rebuttal.

As for fleeing aristocrats, Master Yan Daiqing handled them using the procedures tested by Master Wen Qingyu in the Jiangnan region—proven time and again—but as he did so, Master Yan Daiqing suddenly shuddered.

"For some reason, I feel something is amiss."

"I shouldn't have let Wen Qingyu go alone; the farther he travels, the more uneasy I feel…"

Fan Qing said: "Master, you overthink."

Master Yan Daiqing sighed: "Better to overthink."

Qin Wu Hou stirred the four corners; his military might was unmatched. Jiang Wanxiang sighed: Chen state was exhausted, its troops worn out, unable to stop Li Guanyi—so he mobilized his forces.

He attempted to shift Ying state's border troops toward the Jiangnan frontier to apply pressure.

But as this army moved.

The Yue family army, previously stationed at Chen's border to resist Ying, suddenly advanced nearly a hundred li without imperial orders—its spearhead sharp and menacing, directly aimed at Ying's vulnerable rear.

If that army dared advance toward Jiangnan,

the Yue family army would thrust a spear straight into Ying's back.

The Yue family's White Steed Corps, Elite Vanguard Corps, Victorious Victory Corps,

Enemy-Smashing Corps, Patrol Corps—five elite units stood forward; all core units of the Yue family army except the elite Backguard Corps were here, constantly waiting for their chance.

Thus, that army had to halt.

Jiang Gao proposed: "Why not ally with Qin Wu Hou and jointly crush Chen?"

Jiang Wanxiang stared at him long, then sighed: "Chen is easy to break—it's a small state, with few great generals. But if Qin Wu Hou rises, his arrogance will be uncontrollable. Our only course now is to weaken Qin Wu Hou and ally with Chen."

Jiang Gao stood stunned for a long while: "Father, you've changed."

Jiang Wanxiang froze.

Jiang Gao looked at Jiang Wanxiang: "Before, you said heroes and warriors of the world could all be enemies—upright, bold, fearless of anyone. But now, Father, you've lost that royal spirit. You seek to ally with Chen Dingye to weaken Li Guanyi."

"Not to join Li Guanyi in swallowing Chen, then still believe with infinite confidence that we can divide the world and settle it one-on-one—that Ying will not lose. When did you lose that pride?"

Jiang Gao gazed at his father's white hair with complex, sorrowful eyes.

"... You're afraid of him."

Jiang Wanxiang plucked a strand of white hair, then roared in fury: "Get out!"

"Get out!"

"GET OUT!!!"

He snatched the chessboard from the table and hurled it—it struck Jiang Gao's forehead, splitting open a deep wound; blood poured down. Jiang Wanxiang, overcome with rage, coughed violently. Jiang Gao was dragged away.

Jiang Wanxiang gasped for breath, then stared into the bronze mirror at his white hair. This once-mighty hero-emperor now felt a terror clutching his heart: even heroes grow old, even heroes fear death.

He truly feared that young Fire Qilin.

Even if he allied with the Poisonous Dragon, must he crush him at all costs?

From the very beginning, the strategic premise had already lost the majestic spirit of a sovereign winning with righteous might; Jiang Wanxiang had countless reasons to justify it—wasn't it foolish to choose actions detrimental to the state merely for the sake of so-called righteousness?

Yet he felt, deep down, that he had begun to fear defeat.

His decisions had grown cautious.

He no longer greedily craved victory.

He had lost the heart to seize the realm with righteous might.

Was this mindset right or wrong? Should he pursue profit, or that spirit?

Is the method of alliances and divisions, securing the realm through pure interest, correct? Or is it superior to seize the realm with righteous might, swallowing ten thousand li in one breath?

Of these two methods, these two mindsets— which is truly right?

Beneath the oil lamp, Jiang Wanxiang stared at his white hair reflected in the lamp and the bronze mirror, until sunrise, when suddenly he understood; he extended his finger, gazed at the skin of his palm, plucked a white hair, and after a long while, looked out the window at the rising sun and said:

"... I'm not afraid. So this is it."

"I've truly grown old…"

"Hah, even I grow old, even I grow old—this heroic spirit within my chest grows old too. In just a few months, I've become someone unrecognizable…" Jiang Wanxiang overturned the bronze mirror, closed his eyes for a long while, tears slipping from the corners.

Young heroes shine bright; in age they decay. Youth reveals sharp edges; old age retreats into caution.

I cannot escape it either.

I truly envy you, Chen Fubì!

The State of Ying still chose to ally with the State of Chen, dispatching troops to suppress the Jiangnan region.

But this time, no other generals were sent.

Instead—

He Ruo Qinhu, minister and trusted confidant of the Second Imperial Prince.

The Crown Prince's faction, General Yuwen Lie.

Both generals launched simultaneous assaults on Jiangnan; the realm trembled. Since Qin Wu Hou intended to strike directly from the Western Regions, swallowing the southwest and tearing apart every Chen city along the waterways, aiming to consume all Chen territory from the western riverhead to the sea, then I shall swallow your destination.

If I cannot stop you in the Western Regions, can I not hold firm in Jiangnan?

The Tiance Prefecture's famed generals all reside in the Western Regions and Zhenxi Xiongcheng; in Jiangnan, only fifteen thousand Fire Qilin troops and a host of civil administrators remain—no reserve of famed generals.

The famed generals of Tiance Prefecture are all in the Western Regions and Zhenxi Xiongcheng; in Jiangnan, only one hundred fifty thousand Fire Qilin troops and a large number of civil administration talents remain, with no reserve of famed generals.

This campaign into Jiangnan is the State of Ying's final effort to halt Li Guanyi's rise; in the eyes of the court's high officials, Jiang Wanxiang's dispatch of both Yuwen Lie and He Ruo Qinhu clearly also weighed the matter of the Crown Prince's succession.

The Crown Prince's thunderous shout signaled his own transformation.

It awakened Jiang Wanxiang's lingering heroism; before the specter of death and aging, this Emperor of Ying made one final struggle in choosing his heir.

If Jiangnan can be swallowed, the Crown Prince still has hope.

If Yuwen Lie's might proves overwhelming, he will choose the Crown Prince.

But if He Ruo Qinhu succeeds, he will choose Jiang Yuan; if Jiangnan falls, allowing Qin Wu Hou's power to solidify, he will choose Jiang Yuan.

This battle represents both the transformation of the realm and the future of Ying.

The futures of countless people and the great tide of the world will shift because of it: Will Qin Wu Hou's momentum be halted, and Crown Prince Jiang Gao ascend the throne of Ying? Or will Qin Wu Hou's blade remain invincible, and Second Imperial Prince Jiang Yuan become Emperor?

The futures of countless people and the grand tide of the realm will change because of this: will Qin Wu Hou's momentum be halted, with Crown Prince Jiang Gao ascending the throne to rule the state, or will Qin Wu Hou's military might remain invincible, making the Second Imperial Prince Jiang Yuan emperor?

This expedition deploys elite armies led by General Yuwen Lie and He Ruo Qinhu, facing only Jiangnan's logistical and civil personnel.

This expedition deploys elite forces led by General Yuwen Lie and He Ruo Qinhu, facing only the rear logistics and civil administration of Jiangnan.

But unfortunately—

There is another Master Jiankuang.

Master Jiankuang Murong Longtu, and one final sword.

To hold Jiangnan!

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