Chapter 483: Innate Arrogance

The Turkic Khan's expression was calm; he had been sitting in his tent, eyes closed, resting, but now he opened them, gazing far off, sensing through his qi resonance that the surging energy was shifting.

The Second Divine General, King of the Steppe.

The Khan murmured to himself: "The destiny lingering in that glacial land has been disturbed."

"Indeed, you've come after all… It seems that the strange beast beneath the ice is of great importance to you—so important that you've come in person to retrieve it."

"How utterly foolish, Qin Wang."

"A man of your stature does not sit where danger lurks. You possess such martial prowess and territory—what in this world could be more important than your own life?"

The Turkic Khan rose, gripping his divine weapon, sensing it tremble slightly with excitement, and said: "Yet such confidence and composure—what a true king's aura! Last time we clashed across distance, it was unsatisfying."

"Since you've come, don't leave."

Without hesitation, the Turkic Khan assembled three thousand elite Tie Futu troops.

He issued orders to summon Mu Zhahe, the Seventh-ranked Divine General on the Divine General List, a peak Ninth Heaven Divine General and the Steppe's greatest archer; together, their warhorses surged across the grasslands like thunder, racing straight toward the source of the shifting destiny.

Even the fiercest wolf packs on the steppe give their all when hunting a single rabbit.

How much more so when the one arriving is a lion?

The Turkic Khan had seen this world too many times—how often had victory, within reach, slipped away through arrogance? His Wu Gong surpassed Qin Wang's, and this land was the very heart of the steppe's strongest destiny.

And Qin Wang, likely came alone.

The Turkic Khan knew clearly: he would probably never again have a better chance to defeat Qin Wang.

Heaven's timing, earth's advantage, human harmony—all stood firmly on his side.

How could he let it pass?!

How could he ignore it?!

If he let this chance slip, he would remember it for life; when he finally died, he would harbor silent, unrelenting fury, unable to let it go.

If so, then give it everything.

Pour out all strength!

The army galloped forward, bolstered by the destiny-formed battle array, racing swiftly to the locus of the shifting energy—yet found no one. After investigation, the conclusion was that Qin Wang, sensing something amiss, had immediately changed direction and fled.

Mu Zhahe said: "Great Khan, he fled further north."

The Khan said: "Good. Chase him."

The army surged forward at great speed; far ahead, they spotted a horse with a rider galloping wildly. Mu Zhahe gripped his warbow, nocked an arrow, let out a long howl, and the arrow transformed into a beam of light, piercing straight through the rider.

The entire army cheered.

But neither the Khan nor Mu Zhahe smiled.

They rode forward, only to find it was merely a startled warhorse, its back bearing nothing but a straw dummy wrapped in a common steppe cloak, stuffed with dry hay and tanned pelts.

Inside was paper, bearing a single line of writing.

Mu Zhahe picked up the papyrus scroll, saw it bore Central Plains script; he assumed it was Qin Wang's message—but upon a single glance:

【Congratulations, you got the wrong one】

And beneath it, a crude ink-drawn smiley face.

Mu Zhahe's face twitched, then flushed crimson in an instant.

Six words—but paired with the furious momentum of their pursuit—they somehow stoked rage, just like the legendary Divine General rumored to rank among the top ten on the Divine General List, famed for provoking emotions.

"Bold indeed, Qin Wang!!!"

Mu Zhahe's mood turned foul; he crushed the scroll in his fist with bitter hatred.

He drew his waist saber, ready to slash the horse to pieces—when a sharp metallic ring rang out; his blade was blocked by the Khan's saber. Mu Zhahe froze. "Brother?!"

The Khan spoke calmly: "We've been tricked, yet you take out your rage on a horse? If you're truly angry, if you truly have the skill, your blade should swing at your enemy, your opponent—not at something else."

He used his weapon to deflect Mu Zhahe's, then sheathed his saber, extended his broad palm, and patted the chestnut horse's neck, chuckling: "Strong build. A fine warhorse. Take it with us."

He lowered his hand: "When we find Qin Wang again—"

"We'll bring him back on this very horse."

Mu Zhahe said: "Great Khan, can we find him?!"

The Khan replied calmly: "This is the steppe—my homeland, my domain. A foreign monarch enters my land; if I fail to detect him, fine. But now that his qi has been sensed, how could he be ignored?"

"Let's go. A king deserves the proper rites of reception."

"Throughout history, how many heroes and warriors did not fall on the battlefield, but were brought down by actions no one anticipated—leaving all to regret. This time, his coming is our chance."

Mu Zhahe's heart swelled with joy; he bowed deeply.

"Great Khan, will you kill Qin Wang?"

The Khan laughed heartily: "Kill him? Why kill him?"

Mu Zhahe frowned, then said:

"Qin Wang's rise is like an eagle diving from the sky—swift, unmatched. But precisely because of that, his command structure remains crude."

"Strategically, the entire Tiance Prefecture, Anxi Protectorate, Fire Qilin Army, Southwest Flying Army, all major military corps and battle divisions—all orbit around Qin Wang alone."

"In Central Plains history, such heroes are rare—but they exist."

"When alive, every force and hero around them submits, unites as one—like a perfectly forged divine blade, responsive wherever pointed. But once that central hero dies, everything changes."

"If he leaves an heir, the foundation may endure one generation. But if he leaves no heir, within five years, it will shatter—former comrades turn to enemies, warring, proclaiming themselves kings, emperors, countless of them."

"Kill Qin Wang, and the Central Plains will descend into chaos!"

The Khan laughed in astonishment: "Excellent. You've begun studying Central Plains military strategy and history—you're no longer the Mu Zhahe who only knew how to draw his bow and shoot eagles."

Mu Zhahe bowed respectfully: "When I was young, I was defeated by the hook-sickle formation of Chen State. I realized then I couldn't remain ignorant. I began reading—and that was two or three decades ago. Of course, I've changed."

The Khan said: "But you understand history—and still don't understand the human heart."

"There's an old Central Plains saying: 'The grieving army always wins.'"

"Yue Pengwu has already joined forces with Qin Wang. He, too, possesses the authority to rally hearts. If Qin Wang dies here, Yue Pengwu will spare nothing to avenge him—then won't the steppe be engulfed once more in smoke and fire?"

Mu Zhahe said, "Then what should we do?"

The Great Khan said, "The Central Plains have a strategy called 'holding the Son of Heaven to command the lords.' Today, Qin Wang is like the Son of Heaven, and the heroes and champions beneath him are like the lords. Killing him would only vent a moment's anger, but it would not benefit the realm."

"He should be kept here."

"If Qin Wang stays here and chooses to wed a noble daughter of our grasslands, producing the golden bloodline of our steppe, then the great momentum of the realm will be on our side."

Mu Zhahe was stunned. He cried out, "Great Khan."

"Qin Wang killed your very own nephew."

The Great Khan said decisively, "A foolish and incompetent nephew—how could he compare with the realm? There are plenty of beautiful women on our grasslands: tender ones, gentle ones, valiant ones. If Qin Wang is willing, my daughters and granddaughters are all free for him to choose from."

"Even if he wants them all, that would be fine!"

"He will become a great eagle of the steppe, and he will achieve a new hegemony."

"Thirty years from now, his son will be the new generation's hero of the grasslands, leading the Tie Futu into the Central Plains and unifying the realm once and for all. That will be a true sovereign—one who carries both the bloodline of the Central Plains' Qin Wang and the grasslands' golden Khan."

"One who can ride every corner of this realm."

"Would this not be a far better bargain than killing Qin Wang here?!"

Mu Zhahe imagined such a future and said, "The Great Khan is wise!"

The Tie Futu wheeled about, thousands forming ranks and surging forward. Bolstered by the Great Khan's battle formation and aided by the fortune of the grasslands, they pursued Li Guanyi's position at an unbelievable, astonishing speed.

………………

"The people of the steppe are skilled at herding and hunting. Trying to shake them off so easily is, as expected, not that simple."

Li Guanyi raised his head and looked back.

The flowing light of the Nine Provinces Cauldrons shifted in his eyes, allowing him to see with his naked eyes the changes in fortune. What he now saw was, some hundred-plus li behind him, a pillar of light surging skyward with the color and texture of steel.

Beacon smoke and wolf-dust!

When he had detected that the cunning old Khan had left traces of fortune around the Gu worm, Li Guanyi had fashioned a dummy from his belongings, dripped blood on it, and sent it running in another direction.

He himself had concealed his aura and slipped away.

Over half a year ago, when forging the third cauldron, Li Guanyi and the Great Khan had crossed blows from afar. That time, it had taken the aid of the Ancient Crimson Dragon to end in a draw. And now, here he was, on the grasslands.

On the steppe, facing the Lord of the Steppe—the world's second-ranked divine general.

On the other side, there was a high chance of a force of soldiers as well.

Anyone who understood the style of military warfare would know this was not an equal fight. Under the surging momentum of a great army and the augmentation of a grand formation, those top-tier divine generals were terrifyingly powerful. Their methods and might were beyond what any lone martial hero, fighting one-on-one, could match.

This was bad. Right now, Li Guanyi was utterly alone.

If it were just a fight against the army, so be it.

Li Guanyi was fairly confident he could withdraw unscathed—but the casket in his arms…

Li Guanyi reached out and pressed against the casket at his chest. His expression darkened slightly. Gu worms were extremely fragile exotic beasts. A great army's slaughter, with its murderous aura piercing the heavens, was enough to shorten a man's lifespan. The killing intent of military forces was itself a form of combat.

This worm would very likely be scared to death on the spot.

Even the Crimson Dragon couldn't save it.

Li Guanyi therefore avoided battle, but judging from the changes in the aura behind him, the effect was limited.

That Turkic Great Khan was dead set on having a fight with him.

A mere Thirteen Khan, yet valued so highly by the Great Khan.

Li Guanyi could hardly comprehend it.

It was as if he'd laid eyes on the finest thing under heaven—had the man gone mad?

Since he had already been discovered, Li Guanyi no longer concealed himself. His aura erupted, and his speed surged once more. The movement technique of a ninth-realm Grandmaster of the military school was like a ferocious exotic beast charging headlong.

At the same time, Li Guanyi's spirit drew inward, and he struck the Nine Provinces Cauldrons within his body.

The Nine Provinces Cauldrons let out a low, resonant hum, again and again.

Li Guanyi attempted to resonate with the Nine Provinces Cauldrons in Jiangnan.

Although he was not within the Nine Provinces' domain, after being recast, these Nine Provinces Cauldrons had formed a deeper bond with Li Guanyi. He successfully sensed the presence of the Nine Provinces Cauldron in Jiangnan, and within it, the lingering spirit of the Ancient Crimson Dragon.

The Ancient Crimson Dragon's spirit said lazily, "What is it, boy?"

Li Guanyi said, "We are on the steppe. I must trouble you, Senior, to come over."

"Huh?"

The Ancient Crimson Dragon lifted its gaze slightly.

It was currently within a Mystical Realm inside the Kingdom of Chen, and was feeling quite at ease.

After the Southwest King Duan Qingyu and others led the Southwest Flying Army to the Mystical Realm, the first thing they did was prepare a full set of rituals for worshipping the divine and offering sacrifices to the auspicious beast. It was quite the bother, but also very grand.

Even the Ancient Crimson Dragon was somewhat moved.

These people from Tiance Prefecture—

They really knew their etiquette!

There was burning of incense and prayer, sacrifices and pleas, endless fine wine, fragrant tea, and the five sacrificial beasts. There were even people assigned specifically to clean the dragon's scales, attending to it in complete comfort.

The Ancient Crimson Dragon sighed, wondering what kind of life it had lived in the past several thousand years.

That had been a thug's life, a general's life.

But never that of an auspicious beast!

This, damn it, was what an auspicious beast should be!

No wonder that little dumpling refused to leave the Southwest—so comfortable.

The Ancient Crimson Dragon took a sip of wine and answered leisurely, "Your Wu Gong has already reached Grandmaster. In the present age, those stronger than you can be counted on two hands. Your speed is fast enough too. If you don't want to walk yourself, there's still that cat of yours."

"What matter could possibly require this one to trouble you to come all the way back from the steppe?"

"I'm not going. Not going."

Li Guanyi's voice came through the bronze Nine Provinces Cauldrons:

"There's a fight to be had."

"The Turkic Great Khan leads his army."

"Speed."

The ancient crimson dragon, who had been dignified and splendid, and had come to understand the beauty of auspicious omens, paused:

"…………"

The craftsmen who had been tending to the scales of this 【Lord of Crimson Flame Sweeping the Heavens, Candle-Dragon Sun-Swallowing Heavenly Lord】, while also trying to figure out how to pilfer some of the old dragon's scales for research, only felt the ancient crimson dragon's body stiffen.

The next instant, a gust of wind suddenly came, and then their vision blurred, and they all landed on the ground.

Accompanied by a dragon's roar, the ancient crimson dragon took flight directly.

Auspicious omen?

Ha, auspicious omen my ass!

The Southwest King Duan Qingyu had used a ceremony passed down in the southwest to let the ancient crimson dragon understand the beauty of so-called auspicious omens, but unfortunately, Qin Wang only needed three short sentences to make the ancient crimson dragon forget all about it completely.

The ancient crimson dragon erupted with fiery aura all over its body, charging toward the direction of the grasslands, laughing wildly:

"You've finally found a place to fight?"

"Hahaha, the current world's number two teaming up with a great army—good, good, good!"

"That's the spirit!"

"Boy, wait for me!"

"This old man is coming!"

……………………

On the grasslands, Li Guanyi heard the wild laughter from the Nine Cauldrons' side and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Then he turned his head to look at the grassland cavalry charging toward him at an unbelievable speed under the augmentation of destiny, and exhaled a breath.

The world's number one heavy cavalry, under a top-tier commander, consuming destiny—

The speed of a short-distance charge was truly astonishing.

Li Guanyi estimated the time for the ancient crimson dragon to arrive, and the time for the heavy cavalry charge behind to reach him, and finally stopped his steps.

The Fire Qilin was stunned, then immediately realized something: "Is it time to fight? Guanyi."

Li Guanyi nodded: "Mm."

The distance was too far; even if the ancient crimson dragon came, it would take time, and that time was already enough for the world's number two, the Turkic King, and Li Guanyi to make contact.

When the Fire Qilin had already prepared for battle, it suddenly felt its body lifted into the air.

Li Guanyi reached out his hand, plucked the Fire Qilin off his own shoulder, then set it down, and said: "But you have to leave."

The Fire Qilin was dumbfounded.

"Huh? Leave??? By myself?"

"Yes."

Li Guanyi took out that box from his bosom; the gu insect inside the box seemed to have sensed something, trembling with a faint fear—different from its playing dead to preserve itself when encountering a strong foe, this fear was real.

The clash and slaughter of great armies could scare even a person to death.

Let alone a gu insect that was already extremely frail?

The fierce and baleful aura of the military strategist had, since ancient times, been the most restraining against the arts of witchcraft and gu.

Li Guanyi raised his hand, pointed two fingers together, and tapped on this box; a streak of flowing light flashed, and he tapped several times in succession, using the Whale Angler's way of formations to recreate the formation he was most adept at, the 【Five Elements Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation】.

This grand formation was still from his younger days, in the imperial palace of Chen.

Learned when sparring with Hou Zhongyu.

It was also the method he had used most smoothly over these years.

The flowing light rose, then slowly dispersed and faded.

The gu insect inside, which had been trembling at the approach of the military strategist's baleful aura, quieted down. Li Guanyi stuffed the box into the mane on the Fire Qilin's neck, and said: "This thing is precious; you carry it and hurry back at once. I've left a trace of my aura on you."

"When you meet the ancient crimson dragon, have him take you back to Jiangnan immediately."

"Hand this thing over to Great-Grandfather."

The Fire Qilin was stunned, and said: "What about you, Guanyi!"

Li Guanyi said softly: "I told you, I only have one Great-Grandfather."

"I can't afford to gamble."

"And I also don't dare, don't wish to gamble."

The gu insect was far too precious and far too fragile.

The military strategist's baleful aura and the Son of Heaven's destiny both naturally restrained this thing.

But these two streams of qi—both Li Guanyi and the Great Khan possessed them. Once the two sides clashed in great battle, setting aside whether the Great Khan would suddenly make a move against the gu insect, the collision of the two streams of aura alone would already be extremely dangerous to the gu insect.

Li Guanyi thought of that old man who had come out of death seclusion and traveled all this way seeking him, thought of their years together, thought of that elder's gentle gaze, and of that great battle three years ago.

'My lifespan is no more than three years.'

'Or perhaps one sword strike.'

The Blue-Robed Master Jiankuang, after his final battle, had left a strand of sword qi within his body. The old man had spoken those words to every martial master under heaven capable of single-handedly assassinating Li Guanyi at that time.

'Within these three years, when this last trace of resonance fades, Murong Longtu will die in the jianghu. But within these three years, if anyone casts aside their dignity to make a move against my child—'

'Then Murong Longtu's sword will fall upon them.'

'Gentlemen, feel free to try.'

Over these three years, to say nothing of the killing on battlefields, there truly had not been a single Grandmaster who went to assassinate Li Guanyi. Even the God of War Jiang Su only faced Li Guanyi on the battlefield, because they knew that old man was still there.

Murong Longtu had left a sword for him.

And Li Guanyi was also willing to leave one for that old man.

To come and go as one pleases—that is the way of our kind.

Full of feeling and loyalty, beyond law and heaven.

Come, then.

Fight, then!

Li Guanyi looked at the smoke in the distance, reached out, and rubbed the Fire Qilin's head, as if he had many words to say, as if to comfort, as if to confess—but in the end, he only said: "It's just one battle."

"Go. Don't worry—I have my own way."

The Fire Qilin looked at Li Guanyi.

It had spent a long time with Li Guanyi, felt his resolve, and nodded. It knew well what was urgent and what was not, and did not cause trouble or sulk at this critical moment.

The Fire Qilin raised its head and roared, revealing its true form, shielding the box and the gu insect that Li Guanyi had fortified with his array, then departed atop flames shaped like lotus petals.

Only a few breaths had passed since the Fire Qilin surged upward.

An arrow shot forth like a pillar of light, striking toward the Fire Qilin.

The sound of its passage was piercing, majestic.

Mu Zhahe, the Seventh Divine General of this generation, the foremost archer of the steppe.

Seeing the Fire Qilin take flight, he did not hesitate—fired a single arrow from nearly a hundred li away, carrying the rage and resentment of being toyed with—and when it reached this place, its power, at the Ninth Heaven level, had not diminished much.

But as the pillar of light drew near, it was severed by a crescent-shaped arc of aura, shattering into fragments like fallen stars that rained downward, failing to stop the Qilin.

Far away, Mu Zhahe's pupils contracted slightly; he already knew who had struck, and said:

"Qin Wang…"

The entire Tie Futu army fell into solemn silence.

The Great Khan rode calmly and said: "It seems our guest has arrived."

"We should go meet him."

"Follow me."

He rode his dragon-horse; the Tie Futu army surged forward like thunder, its aura overwhelming and unyielding as it swept across dozens of li—then they saw their opponent.

Mu Zhahe gripped his bow tightly.

The Great Khan pulled his reins taut.

His eyes, sharp as a hawk's, fixed ahead.

The steppe stretched vast and desolate; when the wind blew, the grass rippled like waves—and there stood a young man alone, his sleeves fluttering, beside him a grim war halberd.

Merely by his presence at this moment, one man seemed no less formidable than the Great Khan, who had come with thousands of iron cavalry.

A true man stands guard for whom? He halts and holds the rear for whom?

The wind blew, and Li Guanyi gripped his halberd.

Like the Master Jiankuang of old, he lifted his gaze and looked upon the ten thousand troops ahead, and said:

"Stop."

?? Please vote for monthly tickets, friends~