Chapter 54: Entering the Land of the Supreme

Master Siming and the Mohist Seventh Mo Juzi waited at the side gate of Yicheng.

The fluctuation of primordial Qi between heaven and earth crashed against the old man's face like waves. He stared wide-eyed at the distant sky, where golden wind and crimson flame collided without cease. Xue Daoyong's Wu Gong suppressed General Yue Qianfeng, yet General Yue Qianfeng's Taigu Chilong Dharma Aspect faintly suppressed Xue Daoyong's Geng Metal Bai Hu.

Both were first-rate martial artists of this world.

Each had his own reason he could not avoid fighting, so this slaughter dragged on with no clear victor.

The Mohist said in a low voice, "Master Siming, can you tell who will win and who will lose?"

The old man first glanced at the Black Tortoise.

The Black Tortoise shook its head, indicating it could not tell.

Only then did the old man roll his eyes and say with perfect self-righteousness, "Martial artists like these—Qi like beacon smoke, churning heaven and earth—even the starlight above is pressed down by them. This old man's realm has not yet reached the point of expelling the interference of martial artists at this level."

The Mo Juzi fell silent for a moment, then said, "When dragon and tiger contend, there will inevitably be death and injury."

Master Siming also fell quiet.

The two looked toward the city gate. They were waiting for that greatest divination master under heaven to arrive here. And now, the contingencies of those great court figures were all at the other city gate, staring fixedly at General Yue Qianfeng, completely ignoring that divination master, Zu Wenyuan.

For those high officials who valued their lives most in all the world, a maddened General Yue Qianfeng was more dangerous than that divination master!

The divination master entering court would only possibly allow Marshal Yue to escape his predicament and damage their own interests.

When they said that Marshal Yue had joined hands with the enemies of the nation and endangered the state, they spoke with righteous severity, and those high officials were willing to remonstrate to the death to prove it—truly could be called facing death without fear.

But right now, the maddened General Yue Qianfeng—

could truly enter the court and take their heads.

General Yue Qianfeng could not possibly sweep Jiangzhou alone. Given Jiangzhou's defenses, this famous general had no troops, no divine weapon, no treasure armor, and would surely die here. But before he died, how many of those high officials would die?

No one was willing to gamble on whether he himself would be one of those unlucky few.

Master Siming sighed and said, "A feint to the east, yet striking the vital point. General Yue Qianfeng, General Yue Qianfeng—truly cannot tell you came from a Sa Lu Zi background."

The Mo Juzi said, "Most of the famous generals under heaven are what they call Sa Lu Zi."

Just at this moment, suddenly there was a commotion. At this time, there were not many commoners outside the city. General Yue Qianfeng had shouted his threats in advance, so people had long since taken shelter. Because General Yue Qianfeng was at the west gate, this gate had been opened to let the commoners into the city.

Yet, even with General Yue Qianfeng's threat, there were still wanted criminals who refused to charge head-on at those main city gates, going around the city, wanting to mix in with the commoners and rush into the city through this only open gate, even to the point of not hesitating to take hostages among the commoners.

The defending Captain gritted his teeth and said, "Close the city gate!"

The other defending soldiers were stunned: "But in that case, the other commoners…"

The Captain's tone was irritable: "I said, close the city gate!"

"If we let these fugitives into the city, which of us will bear the blame!!"

That was the key point.

Commoners killed or wounded, or fugitives entering the city—the latter had a greater impact on his official hat.

The Mohist Seventh Mo Juzi said calmly, "It is time for us to act."

"The passes of Chen Country no longer have any brave men."

The great gate slowly closed. Zu Wenyuan's figure was still outside. The Mo Juzi and Master Siming had already spotted their old friend and were about to act to intercept the fugitives and bring Zu Wenyuan in. But at this moment, the sound of arrows tearing through the air appeared—two arrows spun and pierced through two fugitives about to take commoners hostage.

Blood splattered. The commoners fled in panic toward the city gate.

The Qi beneath Master Siming's feet parted the commoners from those blade-wielding villains, while the sword in the Mo Juzi's hand swept out calmly, opening a path into the city for the people. The soldiers on the city's defenses watched the chaos below, gripping their spears in fury, wanting to open a path for the commoners, but the Captain refused to bear the responsibility.

The sound of hooves striking the bluestone slabs was urgent.

The fierce robes seemed to carry the wind.

The Mo Juzi sheathed his sword and, as he turned, saw a youth riding a swift horse, a blade at his waist, one hand gripping a bow, the other holding a waist token, shouting loudly:

"Chen Country ninth-rank Wu Sanguan, Li Guanyi!"

"Open the gate!"

The soldier turning the mechanism for the city gate breathed a sigh of relief.

Someone was taking responsibility, so he was no longer afraid. Then he let go with great relief, the mechanism spun sharply, and the great gate swung open. The previously anxious commoners rushed inside. Li Guanyi saw the fugitives behind them. He did not know how these criminals—each one carrying sins of killing the innocent, rape, and plunder—had appeared.

A soldier misunderstood Li Guanyi's purpose and shouted loudly:

"Is my lord going out to intercept them?"

"Heavy blades are not suited to mounted combat."

"Please take a spear!"

The defending soldiers saw this young Wu Sanguan charge into the fray, their hearts surging. One raised his hand and hurled hard—the spear in his grip flew out. Li Guanyi reached up and caught this Chen Country standard-issue long spear, and following the momentum of his horse's charge, raised his hand and threw. The long spear carried the wind and pierced through a criminal with a scar on his cheek.

This criminal was just then lunging toward a refined old man.

Eighteen years ago, this brute had passed through a village, saw wind-dried meat hanging on a household's wall, and asked to stay the night.

That household brought out their daily food to entertain him, but this big man was indignant that they had not taken down that cured meat to give him to eat. So in the night he rose and killed eighteen people, ate the cured meat, and only then left in high spirits.

This spear thrust was vicious, pinning him to the ground.

The refined old man's gaze showed not the slightest ripple. The youth galloped past, brushing shoulders with the old man, and said softly, "Old sir, hurry into the city!"

As he swept past the criminal pinned to the ground, he reached down and grabbed the spear.

Following the momentum of his mount, he pulled it out in one motion.

The spear blade naturally tore a terrible wound inside the man's body.

In the past, Li Guanyi had not understood some of the moves of those ancient powerhouses he had faced. But now, riding on horseback, those techniques that had felt awkward in foot combat suddenly flowed like water, natural and effortless, as if they should always have been so.

Throw the spear, pin and kill, gallop wildly, pull the spear, tear the wound.

Then the mount surged forward, and he raised his arm.

The criminal, vicious against ordinary people, was hurled flying by this tremendous force.

He crashed heavily to the ground, plainly not going to survive.

The Mo Juzi sheathed his sword and said, "The mounted spear art of a fierce general on the battlefield…"

"Every time I see it, I still find it domineering."

"Even if the mount is just an ordinary warhorse rather than a strange beast, its might still surpasses that of a martial artist of the same realm."

And 【Master Siming】 was already dumbstruck.

Huh???

This—this kid, how did he charge out?!

No, this isn't the time to think about that.

His body had already strode out in great strides, grabbing the arm of the refined old man Li Guan had rescued along the way, saying: "Young Friend Zu, you've finally come!"

"I've been waiting here for you for a long time!"

The Mo family's Juzi nodded slightly, his qi circulating, withdrawing the sword momentum he had just been preparing to unleash. He watched the youth leave the formation, shoot the fleeing criminal, watched the warhorse carry him out of the city, brush past the old man named Zu Wenyuan, and gallop off into the distance. The Mo family's Juzi said:

"A single man charging out of formation—the Chen Kingdom still has its brave warriors."

【Master Siming】 gripped Zu Wenyuan's arm, raised his head to look in the direction the youth had gone, and muttered helplessly: "I tell you."

"I really can't read his fate anymore."

The Black Tortoise did not answer.

【Master Siming】 said: "But no matter what, there's one thing I can read clearly—that kid's fortune is at its peak, the qi of both the literary and martial paths is converging upon him, he'll be fine. Young Friend Zu, come quickly. The great momentum of this world, the literary and martial worlds of the jianghu have all taken their seats at the table—we're just waiting for you!"

At that literary gathering, the youth rode out alone from the formation, and for a long while there was only deathly silence.

Xue Shuangtao clenched both hands tightly, staring fixedly into the distance, the worry in her heart now heavier than before.

Wang Tong, who needed to maintain the literary qi fortune of this occasion, spoke; the others instinctively turned their heads to look at him, and this gentleman said:

"The Confucian school of self-cultivation speaks of benevolence, righteousness, and courage, but these are all acquired through later cultivation; when one truly faces a great matter, what one actually does is the true benevolence, the true righteousness, the true courage. Today's discourse on benevolence and righteousness needs no further evaluation."

Thus the Confucians saw benevolence, the Mohists saw righteousness, and the brave saw courage.

Thus the literary fortune had reached its absolute peak.

Li Guan gripped his long spear and urged his horse into a wild gallop. General Yue Qianfeng, in order to draw attention, had chosen a battlefield not far from Yicheng—only a dozen or so li away. This road led to the mountains and waters outside the city; Li Guan often traveled it and knew it intimately. This warhorse was fierce-tempered, and since it could enter the Xue family's stables, its hoof-speed was naturally extremely fast.

He galloped the whole way, tree-shadows drifting on either side, and in the distance beyond the tree-shadows and mountains.

The roars of Bai Hu and the Crimson Dragon brought thunder and flame, their light illuminating the heavens, twisting the reflections of the trees. The closer he got, the more violent the reaction of the bronze cauldron within Li Guan's body became. The literary qi had already reached its peak, and now the martial qi was also rising unceasingly; the two qi of literary and martial propelled the Dharma Idol.

Li Guan had already stuffed the warhorse's ears and removed his own forehead-band, covering the horse's eyes to keep it from panicking. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly paused slightly—he saw that behind the Dragon and Tiger Dharma Idols, there was yet another Dharma Idol!

It was an enormous owl.

Its black wings hid within the drifting clouds, coldly looking down upon the struggle between dragon and tiger.

There was a third party's force!

Li Guan urged his horse forward, his heart stirred with alarm. He had originally assumed that the master of this Dharma Idol intended to join forces with Xue Daoyong to kill Yue Qianfeng, but upon seeing the position of the owl Dharma Idol, a chill crept into his heart.

The owl Dharma Idol was behind Bai Hu, and its cold gaze was locked onto Bai Hu as well.

Li Guan had been taught by General Xue.

He made a judgment almost instinctively—

The master of this owl Dharma Idol was not joining hands with Xue Daoyong; rather, the target of his killing intent was precisely that old man.

Once the other party achieved his aim, from the outside it would appear as though Xue Daoyong had died at the hands of Yue Qianfeng.

Given the Xue family's prestige, if the Imperial Noble Consort's father died at the hands of the Marshal Yue's subordinate, then that Marshal Yue would surely be further implicated and doomed to death; and with Xue Daoyong slain in battle, the Xue family's vast commercial power would be leaderless, like a piece of fat meat ripe for the taking.

Judging by profit alone.

Even if they were all on the Chen Kingdom's side.

Joining hands with Xue Daoyong to defeat Yue Qianfeng was not as good as covertly plotting against Xue Daoyong.

This was a stratagem to kill two birds with one stone—to kill with a borrowed knife.

Li Guan's mind made an instant judgment; he suddenly understood the ruthlessness of those high officials in the court. He wanted to warn those two, and instinctively raised the Rainbow Bow in his hand. Bai Hu's power circulated, the golden wind raged, but this arrow, cold as light, simply could not shoot that far.

It was not enough.

Li Guan narrowed his eyes slightly, gritted his teeth, and the Dharma Idols of both the Crimson Dragon and Bai Hu manifested simultaneously behind him. Then, these two Dharma Idols were mobilized by Li Guan at the same time; the bronze cauldron hummed violently, the two qi of literary and martial were also mobilized, and everything about Li Guan seemed to be poured into this one arrow.

Essence, qi, spirit!

Converging!

In the end, the power of Bai Hu converged upon the bow-body.

And the Crimson Dragon, like a coiling great pillar, slowly wound itself around the arrow.

Li Guan raised the bow, and the Rainbow Bow let out the most powerful cry it had ever released.

Crimson Dragon, Bai Hu.

Dragon and tiger converged, and without the youth himself even realizing it, they gave birth to a wisp of pure power. Then he released the bowstring; the string trembled like a dragon's cry, the arrow spun and tore, shooting toward the heavens, aimed directly at the owl Dharma Idol!

This arrow absolutely could not wound the master of the owl.

He did not even move his hand, easily dissolving the force of the arrow itself, but he had not expected that a mere youth could possess the power of dragon and tiger, and because the dragon and tiger were contending in the sky overhead, he had overlooked the peculiarity of the arrow.

The Crimson Dragon's power upon the arrow compressed, then suddenly exploded into a ball of raging flame; dragon's cry and tiger's roar burst forth.

Yue Qianfeng and Xue Daoyong's pupils contracted; they simultaneously withdrew their moves and turned, and saw the youth galloping on horseback, and the position where the arrow had exploded—

Both men's thoughts stalled for a moment.

In the old man's heart there rose a wisp of disbelief.

Then his emotions became complex; he sighed, feeling a deep comfort as an elder:

"He came to help me?! Good child…"

Yue Qianfeng recognized this youth galloping toward him and the qi of the Formation-Breaking Song brimming within him, and suddenly burst into loud laughter, laughing with the utmost abandon. When he had abandoned everything and fought alone, yet someone he had once taught came to his aid—what exhilaration! What sheer joy!

Hahaha! Good!

What a fine accomplice!!

Both men instinctively assumed that this youth, risking life and death, had come to save themselves.

Li Guan raised the war-bow in his hand, pointing at the owl over there, and said:

"Careful!!!"

The master of the owl-bird Dharma Idol's aura had already been exposed, and the killing intent and hostility between the two who had just been fighting paused for an instant at the moment this third party intervened; they were all seasoned veterans of the world, and almost immediately understood what the sudden appearance of a hidden expert in this place represented.

Xue Daoyong said as usual: "Villain, meet your death!"

Bai Hu let out a long howl, and Yue Qianfeng also let out a long howl as he struck; a crimson dragon soared into the sky, charging toward the opponent to fight.

Yet just as they were about to strike each other, they abruptly shifted; dragon and tiger merged into one stream, reversed their hands in a single strike, and simultaneously killed toward the place of the owl-bird.

The death trap had been broken.

Their killing intent had both fallen upon the third party who had wanted to entrap them both at once.

Li Guanyi realized this point.

The arrow he had just put his full strength into had drained his energy; just like the first time he fought in the Mystical Realm, he had exerted too much force, his palm was trembling, and sitting astride his horse, gasping for breath, he burst out laughing.

Thrilling, thrilling!

Having entered the game in this life, his spirit soared high and bold.

His state of mind was thoroughly exhilarated, like a bright moon in the vast sky, without a single speck of dust remaining.

Thus dragon and tiger converged, civil and martial arts merged into one stream.

At last they gathered within his body, beginning to transform into a new power; his cultivation base began to break through, and this breakthrough came naturally, without even needing the aid of a cultivation method.

This heart is bright and clear — no need for further words!

Entering the realm.

The very highest grade!