Chapter 48

The Dharma Form embodies one's essence, energy, and will, manifesting the interplay of yin and yang qi.

Changsun Wuchou bowed with a smile, but his fox Dharma Form drew near Li Guanyi, as if probing.

Perhaps it was some kind of observation technique.

But as the fox approached the youth, the bronze tripod trembled; the dragon and tiger Dharma Forms lunged forward—the red dragon's tail still rested on the bronze tripod, yet its rhombus-patterned scales coiled around the fox's neck, while the Bai Hu lunged in beside it.

Though merely two immature Dharma Forms, they forcibly tore away large portions of the fox's qi, causing the fox to recoil in fear.

For some reason, Changsun Wuchou suddenly felt a flicker of instinctive panic.

Such emotion had never arisen during his solitary travels through the Western Regions; the ancient method he had learned to probe another's qi had lost its effect—the result was utter darkness. The youth in the ink-blue robe stood there, as still and dangerous as a mountain tiger. He bowed slightly and said, "I am Li Guanyi."

"Greetings, Mr. Changsun."

Changsun Wuchou studied the youth, frowned slightly, then immediately suppressed his unease and nodded with a smile.

"Truly, a young hero."

Li Guanyi watched Changsun Wuchou depart.

He turned and entered the Xue residence; the red dragon and Bai Hu carried back the torn fox qi, and the bronze tripod seemed to glow with flowing light—but this fox was not worthy to enter the tripod; one spot on its rim flared briefly then dimmed, and the fox qi scattered completely.

The Bai Hu and red dragon Dharma Forms each absorbed a portion.

Both glowed brighter, both slightly stronger than before.

Changsun Wuchou was led to the Tingfeng Pavilion, where Xue Daoyong personally received him. Changsun Wuchou strode forward and bowed deeply, calling him "Uncle," but the white-haired Xue Daoyong hurried forward to support him, patted his shoulder, and chided, "Nephew, what is this?"

"So formal?"

The two exchanged glances and smiled, understanding passing between them without words.

Changsun Wuchou rose naturally; Xue Daoyong invited him inside to sit and drink tea. After several cups, Changsun Wuchou smiled and said, "You must have received the letter Brother Xue sent you earlier? Today I've come precisely regarding this matter."

When the Po-Yun Zhen-Tian Bow first sang, Xue Daoyong had been reading that very letter. He chuckled, "Of course."

Changsun Wuchou whispered, "The descendants of the Tanguts dwell in the Western Regions; now the Tuyuhun occupy their lands. You opened the path—we sold them salt, iron, and weapons. With arms in hand, their Left Prince happened to die suddenly."

"They've already begun fighting the Tuyuhun."

"It has stabilized our borders with Ying and Chen."

"Old Master, truly a masterful move."

"You made tenfold profits and made the Tanguts shield Chen from the Tuyuhun."

Xue Daoyong replied, "Though I am a merchant, when Marshal Yue departed and the border faced peril, I too must use my own means to hold it. Alas, I am but an old, decrepit man now—no longer able to ride and fight."

Changsun Wuchou smiled in agreement.

Xue Daoyong asked, "What of the Tanguts?"

Changsun Wuchou answered, "They have courage."

Xue Daoyong sipped tea, flipping through the transaction Juan Sect records, and said coolly, "We can aid them a while longer—until they are strong enough to balance the Tuyuhun."

"Afterward, Nephew, you will sell weapons and salt and iron to the Tuyuhun."

Changsun Wuchou looked at the old man, knowing the bloodshed behind his words, and said, "Old Master profits for himself while stabilizing the border—but alas, the Tuyuhun and Tangut tribes of the Western Regions will continue to fight endlessly."

Xue Daoyong laughed, "Nephew serves the great clans of Longxi—isn't this the best outcome?"

The two raised their cups in laughter; the tea, clear as jade, slipped down their throats like the vastness of the Western Regions. Xue Daoyong said, "Barbarians treat sword and horse as plow and field—they often raid our borders. I have seen it."

"Those not of our kind, their hearts are different."

"For the Central Plains, a chaotic Western Regions is the best Western Regions."

Changsun Wuchou said nothing to this man who had lived through chaos and witnessed barbarian invasions—the lion of a turbulent age. He smiled and said, "We've finished discussing trade here. Here is the latest map of the empire's territories. May I discuss the empire's trade with Uncle Xue?"

He unrolled a leather scroll on the table; the old man chuckled, "Not yet."

"Today, I wish to be bold—may I invite one more child to observe?"

Changsun Wuchou smiled, "It seems the Xue family has found its pillar."

"If Old Master wishes it, I have no objection."

He had traveled alone through the Western Regions, where the Tuyuhun now dominated—but that land was too vast; Tanguts, Tiele, and remnants still lingered, struggling in resistance. Though Changsun Wuchou was a traveling merchant, he served the great clans of Longxi.

Together with the eldest son of Xue Laoyezi, they could sway the region's fate.

He had seen many young heroes; the three sons of his own great clan were all outstanding.

The Xue family was merely merchants—he remained composed.

The door opened, and with it entered a chilling aura of slaughter.

Changsun Wuchou's eyes, usually half-lidded when he smiled, widened slightly—he saw the youth in the blue robe. Li Guanyi wore a leather belt, a sword at his waist, held the Su Ni Bow in one hand, and wore a blue headband embroidered with flying cranes and auspicious clouds to keep sweat from his eyes. His brows were calm; his gaze held the stillness of a warrior.

Changsun Wuchou sat up straight.

It was him.

Xue Daoyong beckoned the youth to sit, pointing at him with pride: "Li Guanyi of Jiangzhou."

"My Fire Qilin!"

He pointed to Changsun Wuchou: "Descendant of the Right Brave Guard General of Ying, now serving the Duke beyond the pass. That great clan is vast—let Nephew Changsun introduce himself."

Changsun Wuchou looked at Li Guanyi and bowed with clasped hands: "Son of the Duke of Longxi, of the Li clan, Ji surname, second son, under Lord Er's patronage."

"Son of the Right Brave Guard General of Great Ying."

"Nephew of the Grand Ritual Officer of Great Ying, legitimate son of the Changsun clan—greetings, Young Master."

This was how aristocratic families exchanged introductions in this age.

One stated one's lineage: Li clan, Ji surname—meaning the ancestor was enfeoffed in Li territory, hence the surname, but Ji was the imperial surname granted by the ancient Central Plains Emperor.

Li Guanyi had no such foundation; he merely clasped his hands and bowed: "I have already met you, Mr. Changsun."

"I am Li Guanyi."

Changsun Wuchou smiled in acknowledgment.

He unrolled the map on the table—it showed not only Ying and Chen, but also the Tuyuhun territories of the Western Regions, the Northern Turks, the Khitans and Rouran in the northeast, Wu Luo Hou, great rivers and mountains, cities and villages—all detailed.

Xue Daoyong waved his hand, and all the windows of Tingfeng Pavilion closed; thirteen night pearls, each the size of a fist, illuminated the sides. Changsun Wuchou outlined the current state of the world, pointing to the Western Regions: "At this moment, the Western Regions are in chaos. With your uncle Xue's methods, the Tanguts are eager for revenge. Your country's Marshal Yue has been captured while protecting the people; his Yue Army stands at the border, facing off against the Tiger Man cavalry. Meanwhile, the Great General of Ying State leads troops northward, confronting Tie Futu's Iron Cavalry across the pass, to prevent those starving Turkic horsemen from pouring down and invading the Central Plains."

"The world is largely at peace…"

Li Guanyi sat quietly, watching these two men deliberate over the grand affairs of the world, studying the Juan Sect's map, clearly memorizing the route from Chen State through the pass into Ying State. Yet his gaze lingered on the map, the teachings of Xue Shenjiang echoing endlessly in his mind.

He could actually understand Changsun Wuchou and Xue Daoyong's words.

The Great Shang plots the state.

Xue Laoyezi used silver to disrupt the Western Regions and stabilize the border.

No wonder he was so delighted when he spoke of "The Great Shang plots the state, plots the world, plots eternal peace."

He must think I'm his confidant.

But where do I have such grand ambition?!

I'm merely a pretender.

Li Guanyi's mind wandered, and the knowledge taught by Xue Shenjiang surfaced in his thoughts, gradually becoming clear. Changsun Wuchou, noticing the boy, smiled and pointed to the map on the table: "Young Master, if the world's situation were to change, how do you think it would unfold?"

Li Guanyi looked at the world, recalled Xue Shenjiang's teachings, and instantly formed his own judgment.

He automatically reached for the brush beside him.

He turned it around and tapped once on the table.

"Here."

Changsun Wuchou and Xue Daoyong looked over.

"The Western Regions?"

"The border is crumbling; Ying State fights the Turks. Tuyuhun has no rear worries. If it were me… I wouldn't let the Tanguts clash with Tuyuhun now."

The boy sat quietly, his expression calm.

He was still young, his eyes still held the air of a scholar.

Yet in a fleeting moment, it seemed as if the greatest general of the age sat behind him—dressed in black armor, sleeves hanging, fingers holding a go stone, facing the entire world.

When Li Guanyi raised his hand, it was as if the Shenjiang had crossed five hundred years of time, his finger landing on the map.

"Let the Tanguts hold back for now, feign weakness; Tuyuhun will surely seek to exploit the stalemate between the Turks and Ying State to march south and seize the Land of Heaven, compensating for its own weaknesses. At this moment, if the Tanguts suddenly strike to sever their path, Tuyuhun will surely collapse."

"The frontier clans of Ying State will not miss this chance—they will advance."

"At this moment, if a capable general leads elite cavalry out from Chen State's border…"

"They could plunder Tuyuhun's lands. Chen State, the Tanguts, and Ying State together could shatter this Western Regions hegemon and divide its territory three ways."

"…………"

Li Guanyi snapped back to reality—it was not the Mystical Realm. He withdrew his hand, ashamed, and said:

"Merely talking on paper, empty rhetoric. I apologize for the embarrassment."

Thank goodness Xue Shenjiang wasn't here—otherwise, my forehead might already bear several "zheng" characters.

Xue Daoyong said: "... This military strategy resembles the ancient texts left by our ancestor."

Changsun Wuchou laughed heartily: "Hah! Young brother, you've got a point. For your age, that's impressive."

Changsun Wuchou and Xue Daoyong exchanged glances.

They both casually dismissed Li Guanyi's ideas as naive.

Yet each caught a flicker of astonishment in the other's eyes.

That night, when Li Guanyi left the Xue household, he returned to bring his aunt back to the Xue residence; Changsun Wuchou rested outside, while Xue Daoyong stared at the map of the world's situation, silent for a long while, then said: "... Could he truly be a martial god descended from heaven? His strategy is still crude, lacking many details—barely passable."

"Yet it's wildly imaginative, like a deer's antler hanging in midair."

"He clearly knows nothing of military fundamentals, yet possesses first-rate vision."

"Who trained him? Could someone skip the basics entirely and teach strategy from the start?"

The old man gazed at the secret letter on the table—the court's order for him to confront General Yue Qianfeng. He sighed: "Those who drop the pieces in the game become pieces themselves. It's unavoidable, isn't it? General Yue Qianfeng?"

The old man sighed: "I truly don't wish to fight against Marshal Yue's general."

…………

Changsun Wuchou was writing a letter.

It was addressed to the second young master of the Lord of Longxi.

It spoke only of scenery and daily life, yet he paused, brush hovering.

He wrote in the Xianbei script of the frontier:

"... I was sent here to negotiate with the Xue family regarding the Western Regions, hoping to delay Tangut attacks and ally with Chen State to break Tuyuhun's dominance. I met a young boy whose judgment of the Western Regions and the situation matches yours exactly—and he is the same age as you. His name… Jiangzhou, Li Guanyi."

Though addressed to the second young master, the letter read:

"Second Young Lady, you might find this interesting."

The letter was tied to the claw of a flying eagle, which took flight. After a day and night of swift flight, at the next sunrise, it reached the frontier lands of Longxi, where the Li clan of the Ji surname had guarded for generations. The eagle cried out, and the letter fell.

As the great sun rose, an invisible bird caught the letter.

It spread its wings, feathers glowing with fire, a magnificent phoenix descending in the sunlight.

It landed on the shoulder of a thirteen-year-old girl.

The girl had phoenix eyes and a vertical red mark on her brow—her bearing, a dragon-phoenix blend, strikingly beautiful.

On her shoulder, her innate phoenix manifestation lay lazily.

She opened the letter.

She raised an eyebrow.

"... Same as my judgment?"

(End of Chapter)