Chapter 432: Master of Divine Weapons, the Three Outer Sects

The Nine Li malevolent energy was extraordinarily dense; to outsiders, it merely looked like Li Guanyi standing alone, his palm pressed against the Nine Li divine weapon, Jin Tie, but in truth, Li Guanyi had already endured countless battles.

Again and again, the massive Nine Li divine weapon, Jin Tie, shifted forms—spreading like water, collapsing, then coalescing in Li Guanyi's hands. Duan Qingyu and others stared, their expressions tightening with disbelief, gazing at the southwestern treasure that had remained utterly motionless for millennia.

"This is!!!"

"Is it about to reveal its true form?"

Under the gaze of the southwestern generals, the Nine Li divine weapon, Jin Tie—over three zhang tall—collapsed and converged like flowing water, twisting in Li Guanyi's grasp into a long shaft and blade: unmistakably a heavy, dominant battle halberd.

The patterns on the halberd's blade resembled ancient, simple vertical pupils.

It trembled violently, radiating a chilling, murderous aura.

Duan Qingyu recalled the southwestern legends and said: "The Bingzhu's sword and halberd?"

Li Guanyi gripped the heavy halberd, but the vertical pupil on it suddenly opened, unleashing a piercing, wailing shriek—as if resisting Li Guanyi. Before Li Guanyi's eyes, the malevolent energy coalesced into a figure, taking the exact shape of the halberd in his hand.

Li Guanyi and the Bingzhu's malevolent energy moved simultaneously.

He swung the halberd left and right; the two blades crashed together violently in midair.

The sound that erupted was like ten thousand swords and spears ringing in unison.

Li Guanyi's Wu Gong originated from Xue Shenjiang, blended with Chen Baxian's spear techniques; having fought countless battles across the land, he had long since fused them into his own style—but the malevolent energy's apparition was no less extraordinary, wielding the halberd with flawless mastery.

Their clash stirred waves upon waves of turmoil; Duan Qingyu and others were forced to retreat from the courtyard. Even with naked eyes, they could see the martial malevolent energy gathering into a dense mass, nearly solidifying into black wind—so intense that even high-rank Jingwu cultivators felt their faces scraped raw merely by proximity.

This strange phenomenon gradually drew the attention of nearby civilians.

The people of the southwest had all heard the legends of Nine Li.

Knowing that this national treasure, the Nine Li divine weapon, Jin Tie, was undergoing change, they refused to leave. Duan Qingyu noticed this shift and halted Tai Bo Yong's attempt to disperse the crowd.

"Don't drive them away, Bo Yong. Go, summon every civilian."

"Tear down the walls and pavilions of every noble's and general's courtyard surrounding the Southwest Wang Fu—let the people see this clearly."

"Find the witchcraft masters in the city and use arrays to broadcast what's happening here to every corner. Also, summon the chess masters—turn this place into a chessboard and spread the news throughout the entire city."

Tai Bo Yong stared in shock at the seemingly lazy Southwest Wang.

Duan Qingyu's expression was solemn.

Tai Bo Yong said: "Your Majesty?!"

"If the common folk gather here and witness this, what if they riot? If…"

He suddenly realized something and rushed on:

"If Li Yaoshi pulls out this divine weapon, his prestige may surpass yours—let alone the son of Tai Ping Gong, Qin Wu Hou. If Li Yaoshi then develops ambition and rebels from the Tiance Prefecture…"

"Won't our southwest have merely escaped the wolf's den only to fall into the tiger's lair?!"

"This man is heroic and mighty—he is surely a peerless figure of this age. Even if Qin Wu Hou is strong, can he easily subdue him?"

"I don't doubt him—but there's an old saying in the Central Plains: 'He who wields a sharp blade naturally develops murderous intent.' Li Yaoshi is a genius of the realm, the chief strategist-general of the Tiance Prefecture—but if he controls the southwest, a territory spanning thousands of li, and commands the hearts and voices of millions…"

"He may not remain loyal to the Tiance Prefecture."

"If he leads us into war in this chaotic age, wouldn't that be…"

The Southwest Wang stared fixedly at the swirling, storm-like malevolent energy within the Southwest Wang Fu, his eyes unblinking, sweat soaking his temples, yet he smiled and asked: "Where in this world is there a surefire, risk-free deal?"

"To gain something, you must lose something."

"Can we expect to have all the advantages?"

"I don't know what he may become in the future, but I believe in Li Yaoshi right now—he is filled with grandeur and courage, and certainly not a man of ambition. A true man, once met, can entrust his life; one sip of wine, and their hearts become as one."

The Southwest Wang waved his arm and roared: "Go!"

"If Li Yaoshi can pull out this Nine Li divine weapon, Jin Tie…"

"If Li Yaoshi pulls out this weapon, slumbering for millennia, before the eyes of a hundred thousand people in this entire Wang Cheng, then even if rebellion erupts—if Li Yaoshi still stands, the people's hearts remain, and our southwest will not collapse, will not fracture!"

"Wherever Li Yaoshi stands, there lies the destiny and the hearts of the southwest."

"As long as Li Yaoshi, who wields the divine weapon and commands auspicious fortune, stands…"

"The southwest stands."

Tai Bo Yong blurted out: "That's far too risky!"

Duan Qingyu roared: "If he has ambition, then I will give him the position of Southwest Wang—but our southwest will not be utterly split under our hands!"

"Compared to this, the Wang title is nothing but a damn nuisance."

"I take full responsibility for this!"

He cursed loudly, kicked Tai Bo Yong hard, sending the steady old general stumbling backward: "Go!"

Tai Bo Yong staggered several steps, watching Duan Qingyu, who gripped his weapon and prepared to rush in and assist Li Guanyi in separating from the Nine Li divine weapon, Jin Tie—and suddenly understood why, all those years ago, he had become the Southwest Wang.

Li Guanyi knew nothing of the changes outside; he focused entirely on battling the divine weapon's spirit. After dozens of exchanges, he swung the halberd, accompanied by the forms of a tiger and a crimson dragon, forcibly shattering the shape of the Nine Li malevolent energy.

But the Nine Li malevolent energy immediately dispersed again.

The dark, ancient halberd in Li Guanyi's hand began to shift once more.

The Nine Li divine weapon, Jin Tie—over three zhang tall—seemed without substance, flowing endlessly, transforming into a massive hammer. The Nine Li spirit swung the weapon down at Li Guanyi; the weapon was heavy and dominant. Li Guanyi raised his own hammer to counter.

Though young, he could truthfully say he had fought countless battles.

There were generals on the battlefield who used such heavy hammers; Li Guanyi understood the art of leveraging momentum with such heavy weapons. He clashed with the Nine Li divine weapon's malevolent energy—and after shattering this form, the energy coalesced again, becoming a long spear.

Li Guanyi flicked his wrist and thrust the spear forward.

The spear formed by the Nine Li malevolent energy descended like thunder.

Outside, the crowd grew ever larger. Tai Bo Yong and others tore down the surrounding high walls; people tiptoed or tilted their heads upward, gazing at the malevolent energy surging into the sky.

The malevolent energy churned the clouds and mist. In the humid southwest, where summer turned to autumn, the scene in the air resembled a mirage: Li Guanyi's battle against the Nine Li malevolent energy. Even the armies beyond the city walls saw this transformation.

Duan Qingyu suddenly noticed that the auspicious sign now stood within the courtyard of the Southwest Wang Fu.

The golden wind malevolent energy, potent enough to make even a sixth-tier Jingwu cultivator feel his flesh scraped raw, fell upon the auspicious sign—but the sign suffered no harm whatsoever. It stood quietly, its black-and-white fur faintly lifting, radiating a divine aura.

Majestic and solemn.

He seemed to stare blankly, as if recalling something.

Li Guanyi battled the shape formed by the Jiuli bloodlust, wielding numerous weapons in turn; Jiuli Bingzhu was naturally the supreme existence, yet here it was merely a manifestation of the bloodlust from divine weapons' metal, and Li Guanyi defeated it one by one, during the final clash.

The spear in the bloodlust's hand was snapped clean.

The bloodlust swirled, and the metal of Li Guanyi's Jiuli divine weapon transformed into a sword.

The Jiuli bloodlust slashed toward him with the sword.

Li Guanyi held the sword in hand, his mind clear; seeing the bloodlust charge, he flicked his wrist, and a clear chime spread from the blade's spine—though engaged in close-quarters combat, his One's Heart Realm instantly became distant and serene.

This sword was swung with perfect plainness, and in the void, a tiger roared, all beasts submitting.

【Slashing the Snake】

The sword that severed Bai Di's arm cut the Jiuli bloodlust's sword clean in two.

The sword spun upward, then fell; the bloodlust formed from the divine weapon seemed finally to quiet, gazing at Li Guanyi—as if, at last, a trace of consciousness had returned. Its gaze shifted, settling upon the common folk and soldiers beyond.

The Jiuli manifestation's eyes fell upon the Shitie Beast.

It reached out, and with its final motion, stroked the Shitie Beast's head.

The Shitie Beast instinctively lifted its head to nuzzle.

At that moment, the bloodlust dispersed—black wind layers collapsed in succession; the Shitie Beast watched silently as the Jiuli form dissolved once more into nothingness, lonely and desolate.

Li Guanyi exhaled.

Finally over…

He looked at the object in his hand—the weapon had disintegrated, becoming a three-zhang-tall pile of metal, faint golden characters appearing in the void: "I claimed the realm, contended with the Lord of the Central Plains, gathered all the metal of the land, forged this weapon—capable of endless transformations, mastering enemies and securing victory."

"Alas, my achievements remained incomplete; I could only produce this—merely a prototype."

"It was never forged into a true weapon."

"The ancient Taigu Chilong's roar is already at my ear; war draws near."

"If any future soul may obtain it, forge it with fire, temper it with water, under the clash of thunder and flame—then this divine weapon shall be complete, shifting at will, becoming the sovereign of all divine weapons, capable of subduing every divine weapon!"

Li Guanyi stared at the three-zhang-tall Jiuli divine weapon metal, resembling a statue.

Shifting at will.

A weapon of Bingzhu rank?

Capable of subduing all divine weapons—what audacity.

Alas, it is still incomplete…

The golden characters slowly faded.

Li Guanyi faintly sensed that his battle with the bloodlust manifestation on this metal had itself been a forging process—his own aura had been forged into the divine weapon metal during their clash.

Even more stringent than the bonding of Chi Xiao Sword or the Tiger Roar Battle Spear.

Unless one possesses both the Qi of human destiny and the aura of a supreme general who conquers the four directions, the Jiuli divine weapon metal cannot awaken.

And if one cannot defeat the Jiuli bloodlust manifestation in direct combat,

Even if the divine weapon metal awakens, this "forging" cannot be completed, and the Jiuli divine weapon metal will not recognize its master.

How powerful, he wondered, was this prototype, forged by Jiuli Bingzhu's painstaking efforts, believed capable of defeating the Lord of the Central Plains in that age? A faint heat and curiosity stirred in Li Guanyi's heart.

At that moment, the Nine Provinces Cauldron rang out.

Li Guanyi felt the Qi of human destiny pouring into his body at an astonishing speed.

In the eyes of all the people of Wang Cheng in the southwest, what they had just witnessed seemed like a myth reborn—bearing auspicious signs, the man who retrieved the twenty-four pearls wielded a weapon and battled the legendary hero, emerging victorious.

Now, Li Guanyi pressed his hand upon the divine weapon metal, beside him the solitary auspicious aura stood solemn and still.

As if the legend passed mouth to mouth had reappeared—if someone now raised an arm and called out, it could ignite a wave across the entire southwest Wang Cheng.

Nangong Wumeng's cheeks flushed slightly; she pursed her lips:

"He's… kinda impressive, huh."

"That guy."

The silver-haired girl slightly lifted her chin, her face expressionless.

Yet somehow, she radiated smugness.

Nangong Wumeng reached out, embracing the silver-haired girl and ruffling her hair wildly: "What are you so proud of?"

Wen He remained calm, calculating the coming situation.

The Nine-Colored Divine Deer stared at the auspicious aura and said:

"He's a sturdy kid, indeed."

"But why is he thinner than before?"

The Nine-Colored Divine Deer's gaze was gentle and tender:

"Didn't eat properly? You must take better care of yourself—eat more."

Everyone had their own thoughts—Nangong Wumeng was inwardly delighted, Wen Qingyu pondered the grand tide—when an untimely voice broke through. All turned; the gate beside the courtyard opened, and Lei Laomeng emerged, bearded and bloodshot-eyed:

"Ah, Military Advisor."

"I did it!"

Mr. Wen He froze: "... What?"

"What what? The thing you mentioned!"

"Hah! I finished it!"

Lei Laomeng grinned, pulling out a box. Inside, twenty-four luminous pearls lay in neat rows. Exhausted from days of labor, his beard unkempt, he raised a thumb and said:

"We couldn't find pearls this large—even if we had real pearls, finding twenty-four identical ones was impossible, and real pearls are too expensive. Suddenly, I had an epiphany: why must the pearls we present be real?"

"After weighing Bai Yu against beast bones, I found Bai Yu better for imitation—but even more expensive. So I chose another solution."

"I used the bone of a strange beast, painstakingly crystallizing, carving, polishing, and refining each one—twenty-four in total, each perfectly round, indistinguishable from the real thing!"

"Not disgracing the mission, how about it? Can I give this to the Lord?"

Lei Laomeng, weary yet magnanimous.

Wen Qingyu looked at Lei Laomeng, his lips parting slightly.

"…General Lei."

"Huh?"

"This pearl… isn't needed."

The long-suffering commander of the Qilin Army's Logistics and Artifice Division, Grand Artificer Lei Laomeng of the Tiance Prefecture: "…"

After understanding the matter, Lei Laomeng leaned back and laughed heartily: "Hah! So that's how it is—the Lord is truly the Lord; he's already resolved this trouble. My Lord is safe!"

Lei Laomeng collapsed backward, arms spread, laughing with unrestrained joy.

Wen He picked up the pearl—it was indistinguishable from the real thing, perfectly smooth, flawless; if placed beside the true pearl, few would notice the difference.

"Truly, a masterpiece beyond human skill."

"General Lei, may I have this object…"

Wen He froze, seeing General Lei Laomeng sprawled on the ground, fast asleep; he smiled faintly: "You've worked hard, Grand Artificer."

Nangong Wumeng asked curiously: "Mr. Wen He, what do you intend to do with this?"

Mr. Wen He replied gently: "I thought—could these be used to trade back the real ones from the Prince of the Southwest? Those are valuable goods indeed!"

Nangong Wumeng: "…………"

"No, no—this is a swap between the Lord and the Prince of the Southwest. You shouldn't do this."

"Isn't that… inappropriate?"

The silver-haired girl nodded as well.

Wen Qingyu smiled without changing expression: "I was merely joking earlier."

"I was only teasing."

"How could Wen Qingyu do such a thing?"

Nangong Wumeng very much wanted to ask.

Don't you?

But Wen Qingyu picked up the pearl and said: "I merely hope to give these twenty-four fake pearls to Master Yan Daiqing, and tell him they're his military funds."

"Then, when he's about to use them in his Juan Sect records."

"Tell him they're fakes."

"Just a joke."

"That's all. Nothing cruel or excessive."

Nangong Wumeng: "…………"

She suddenly understood Master Yan Daiqing's feelings.

Cats always dislike dogs.

Whenever Wen Qingyu imagined Yan Daiqing's joy, and then his reaction upon discovering the fakes, his usually plain, coldly detached face broke into a cheerful smile.

"Ah, what a trip to the Southwest."

"Truly, a most rewarding journey."

……………………

As the people of Wang Cheng quietly watched the unprecedented phenomenon, a sudden change occurred—the army beyond Wang Cheng launched an assault, its martial energy surging into a great army-soul formation that struck the city walls.

A thin, faint glow rose from Wang Cheng, briefly blocking the impact.

Duan Qingyu immediately led troops to defend the city; the citizens, having witnessed the revival of the Jiuli Divine Weapons of iron and steel, were filled with soaring morale, reaching its peak—young men brought their hunting bows and crossbows to the walls to assist in defense.

But soon, the defenders on the walls turned pale.

They saw snakes slithering from the forests beyond the walls, spiders the size of fists, scorpions as large as dogs, centipedes as thick as wrists—covering the ground, staring toward the city, hissing.

Tai Bo Yong's expression shifted slightly: "Wugu?!!!"

"The Wugu lineage of the Shiwaisan Sect—damnable! No wonder Meng Dahao and Mu Taihong had confidence—they've persuaded the Wugu lineage to leave seclusion."

Wugu was one of the Shiwaisan Sect.

The Shiwaisan Sect comprised three lineages: Zhanming, Guanxing, and Wugu.

Each possessed abilities beyond ordinary martial artists and sorcerers, yet due to various reasons, they had withdrawn from the mortal world, unknown to common folk.

The Zhanming lineage had been shunned by every generation of monarchs since ancient times.

The Guanxing lineage had once served as advisors to the overlord eight hundred years ago; after the overlord's defeat, when the Red Emperor seized the realm, this lineage vanished into seclusion, emerging only in times of great chaos to aid worthy heroes.

The Wugu lineage arose from turmoil in the Red Emperor's court centuries ago—first purged for using witchcraft to curse the Emperor, then further calamity struck when that same Emperor, obsessed with the elixir of immortality, brought ruin upon himself.

The death of the empire's outstanding heir directly caused the golden age forged by Xue Shen and the Duke of Chen to decline, inching steadily toward the chaos of three hundred years ago.

The Wugu lineage scattered thereafter.

The "wu" portion dispersed, becoming heretical arts.

The "gu" portion flowed into the Southwest, beyond the reach of central powers, taking root and flourishing—until three hundred years ago, when a Grand Master of Yin-Yang came here and challenged the Wugu heir to three duels, winning all three.

They agreed: Wugu must not emerge, nor use its arts to bring chaos to the mortal world again.

The Wugu Holy Maiden, her heart wounded, deliberately served a cup of wine laced with gu insects, intending to kill the Grand Master.

The Yin-Yang Grand Master, though fully aware, seized the Wugu Holy Maiden's wrist and made her feed him the poisoned wine—yet even as he drank, he smiled calmly, gazing into the eyes of the Wugu heir.

Later generations said that on that day, the Yin-Yang Grand Master drank the gu insects.

But he also planted another kind of love-gu within the Wugu heir's heart.

In the end, the match was declared a draw.

The Wugu Holy Maiden of that generation indeed never plunged into chaos, never entered that vortex; she lived out her days in peace, and when she died, hearing a clear, distant flute melody from the hills, she paused, smiled, and closed her eyes.

When later generations came to search, they found no trace of the man, only a faint image of a figure in green robes, white hair hanging to his waist, a green bamboo staff at his side, gone without a trace—this was the age when heroes roamed the world, when the Chen and Ying states tore apart the realm, and when the Tuyuhun began to reveal their dominion.

Yet the founder of the Ying state had died; before his death, Chen Wu Di planted trees before his tomb; the Tuyuhun had also grown old, like a lion guarding the remnants of Buddhist power, while Beicheng stood firm across the land.

Three years ago, the Mo Juzi of the Mohists changed hands; a rare female Mo Juzi passed away.

She left behind improved farming tools, repeating crossbows, thirty-seven water weirs built in the southwest, and the title of "Land of Abundance."

When the female Mo Juzi of the Mohists died.

The Grand Master of the Yin-Yang School turned white overnight.

She left the Academy.

And bestowed the title of leader of the Yin-Yang School.

Upon a beggar boy she had known for thirty days on the roadside, whose eyes were nearly blind.

And now, after centuries of seclusion, the witch-cult lineage reappeared, commanding countless insects and venomous snakes from the southwestern forests to assault the city—these warriors feared no blade or spear, yet these snakes sent shivers down the spine.

Li Guanyi had successfully imprinted his soul upon the Jiuli Bingzhu's golden iron; he turned his gaze aside, and the auspicious Shitie Beast lifted its head, unable to nudge Jiuli, silent for a long while, then said: "What's the point."

"I didn't want you to pet my head anyway."

It lowered its head, looked at Li Guanyi, and said:

"They're coming to fight—I'll help you."

"These eighty-one tribes are all brothers of the old Jiuli clan—he wouldn't want them fighting each other, so I'll help you."

Li Guanyi said: "Alright."

His hand left the massive Jiuli Bingzhu's golden iron; suddenly, the entire city heard a long howl, shaking the clouds—yet the malevolent aura of Jiuli had not yet dissipated, and Li Guanyi soared into the air, his aura blazing like a rainbow.

The great auspicious beast charged forth, and the Sun Bird spat a torrent of flame.

Golden fire coiled around the beast's four paws; its fur lengthened, its eyes glowed with golden radiance, and it lunged forward in flight—the warrior and the auspicious beast emerged as if through faded time, flying from the slow, ethereal mirage in the sky.

They landed heavily upon the battlefield before the city gate, golden flames surging upward.

The auspicious beast raised its head and roared.

Li Guanyi raised his hand; the Jiuli Bingzhu emitted a ringing cry, transformed into a streak of light, shot into the heavens, passed over the gazes of the entire city's people, over the eyes of the rebel soldiers, and descended here.

The divine weapon simultaneously enveloped Li Guanyi and the auspicious beast.

Thousands of years ago.

The form of Jiuli Bingzhu!

Manifest!

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