Chapter 58: Upon the Four Symbols of Heaven

Vast, boundless, the starry sky in all its myriad forms, yet I alone exist.

Before his eyes, a blinding white expanse seemed ready to bury Li Guanyi entirely, scattering his consciousness back into his true form—like the primordial age when ancient men gazed upward at the stars, dazed; Li Guanyi's consciousness nearly slipped from this state, plunging into pure dream.

But at that moment, the same qin melody he had listened to for years echoed once more within Li Guanyi's spirit.

It was not an external thing.

It was the trace and imprint left in his soul after years of daily, ceaseless practice.

It had become the most fundamental existence; even if Li Guanyi's consciousness fell into chaos, this melody would never fade—this was what was called the 【Qin Heart】, a thing in the Hundred Schools that was useless in chaotic times, yet precious beyond measure, equal to the 【Dao Heart】.

It had nothing to do with martial arts, could not kill or fight; on the surface, it served no purpose, yet it kept the heart from falling, allowing all worldly turbidity, the inverted chaos, to leave the true self intact.

Do not let this chaotic age turn you into a mad beast, Little Cat.

Li Guanyi seemed to hear Murong Qiushui's low hum, smiling, when he was three:

"Floating tones resemble heaven, pressed tones resemble man, open tones are like the earth."

"Little Cat, remember that?"

The qin melody drifted gently.

When Li Guanyi played the qin, his spirit coalesced; ten years of bitter practice had embedded the melody in his heart, keeping his spirit from scattering, clearing away all clutter. After two breaths of bewilderment, Li Guanyi regained his composure in this vast, overwhelming scene—where maintaining focus had been utterly impossible—and his spirit coalesced.

The melody gradually faded into his heart.

Li Guanyi raised his hand to his forehead: "Why did I suddenly remember Auntie's qin melody?"

"Where is this…?"

He raised his hand and saw wisps of white cloud-qi sweeping across his palm; he looked up and saw a great sun hanging in the sky, golden and immense, golden light falling upon the white clouds, forming layer upon layer of ripples.

Where exactly is this place?

Li Guanyi walked slowly forward, hearing tiger roars and dragon cries; he headed toward the tiger's roar, and the white clouds parted, revealing a massive Bai Hu standing still—majestic, towering, its fur longer than a normal tiger's, the tips of its tail glowing faintly gold.

It gazed at Li Guanyi.

Then it stepped forward, gradually shrinking as it drew near.

Finally, it stood at the same height as Li Guanyi.

Even then, it towered above normal beasts.

Its forehead gently touched Li Guanyi's; golden qi flowed into his spirit altar, and in an instant, an indescribable divine resonance struck him—the knowledge naturally existing in heaven and earth converged into something he could comprehend.

The power of the stars above fell to the mortal realm, each bearing its own nature.

And the supremely gifted martial cultivators comprehended this natural might, crafting their own divine arts and supreme techniques.

This was what was called sudden enlightenment of nature.

Li Guanyi, too, entered this state during his breakthrough.

This was the power of the Bai Hu Seven Mansions; generations of Bai Hu Da Zong received this power and from it comprehended unique techniques and divine arts; starlight gathered within Li Guanyi's body, and when this insight faded, Li Guanyi intuitively sensed the stellar force.

The Bai Hu constellation governs slaughter and warfare.

Li Guanyi raised his hand.

In this place, whether real or illusory, golden light coalesced at his fingertips, taking a savage form—just as Xue Shen had done after becoming Bai Hu Da Zong, forging his own supreme archery art; Li Guanyi now perceived his own Bai Hu technique.

The power coiled around his fingers, spinning faster and faster.

Finally, it became a golden stream of light with extreme armor-piercing and penetration power.

Li Guanyi flicked his wrist, and the stream shot far away, like a tiger's fang, emitting a sharp, piercing whistle; the Bai Hu's manifestation slowly retreated, solemn and majestic; Li Guanyi looked up at the surrounding white clouds.

As the Bai Hu manifestation retreated to its original position, the surrounding clouds suddenly dispersed.

With a thunderous, muffled boom, the clouds surged rapidly around the boy, then all streamed outward, revealing beneath his feet a floor of white jade-like stone, revealing boundless intricate patterns that spread outward from his feet in all directions.

Then Li Guanyi saw, around the Bai Hu manifestation, a circling Chi Long and a still Xuan Gui.

The Chi Long had already ignited; the Xuan Gui was real and tangible, yet its eyes held no divine resonance.

And there stood one empty dais.

The four manifestations stood at the four directions, and Li Guanyi stood at the center.

Surrounded by these towering, godlike manifestations, his heart naturally grew solemn.

The Four Symbols watched him.

The clouds parted, and his vision ahead cleared; Li Guanyi saw a path leading to a distant peak—seemingly the summit of countless mountains and rivers—surrounded by thick white clouds and drifting afterimages, and at the very top of the steps stood a jade throne.

The jade throne above, overlooking the Four Symbols.

Li Guanyi unconsciously took a step forward.

In the next instant, immense pressure crushed down; Li Guanyi's shoulders sank, feeling intense spiritual oppression; the white jade steps beneath his feet seemed unable to bear his weight, cracking and crumbling inch by inch, and Li Guanyi fell downward.

Li Guanyi snapped his eyes open.

Before him were rock faces; beside his ears, the soft sound of a stream flowing over stones; the boy gasped for breath, then a calm voice soothed the sudden agitation in his heart: "You've awakened."

Li Guanyi turned his head and saw Yao Guang kneeling before him, reading a book.

She wore no hood; her silver hair fell quietly at her temples, her robe hem stained with blood.

Li Guanyi looked down and saw his wounds had all been treated, wrapped in clean cloth; with his body's enhancement after entering the realm, the wounds no longer pained much—only a faint tingling itch as his blood and qi surged rapidly, healing the injuries.

Yao Guang looked at him: "You've entered the realm. Try perceiving the changes in your body."

This was the rocks beyond the water ravine; Li Guanyi looked up and sensed the difference—like suddenly gaining a new sense, or opening his eyes for the first time, instinctively perceiving a special force within heaven and earth.

He clenched his fist; his physical strength had risen a distinct level.

But Li Guanyi sensed a force brimming with destructive power in his palm.

If he unleashed it, it would explode with far greater destructive force than before.

He had entered the realm.

He did not yet know how effective it was.

He sensed his power; the bronze ding hummed faintly; a misty aura swirled in the boy's eyes; on his right, a Bai Hu, five feet tall and seven feet long, paced slowly, its form seeming real; on his left, a Chi Long, ten feet long, lay coiled in silence, its scales shimmering with flickering firelight.

And a boy, his clothes stained with blood, sat within it.

Yet no one else could see this scene.

Li Guanyi could clearly feel his own strength, just as holding a blade or sword told him the likely effect of a strike; now, he could channel internal Qi to draw in the Qi of heaven and earth, deliver a punch that shattered through his body with internal force, and wield many techniques without needing to manifest a Law Form—yet still summon its power.

The Bai Hu Law Form could cover weapons and fists and feet.

It enhanced sharpness and defense, while the Chi Long cultivation body made every punch and kick radiate scorching fire force, which could not be applied to ordinary weapons—standard hundred-forged blades could not withstand prolonged infusion of fire force.

But the actual effectiveness still needed to be tested in real combat.

But he did not know whether he had truly received the Yin-Yang School's inheritance.

The Law Form born from the ancient tortoise imprint left by Master Siming and the unknowably aged Black Tortoise lay lazily dormant, not even showing its head, let alone responding to his command; Li Guanyi recalled the Black Tortoise's words that he should seek him after entering the Realm's Realm, and resolved to look for him.

He recalled the scene he had just seen.

The Black Tortoise, the empty dais, the rows of jade steps, and the distant, faintly visible Bai Yu throne—Li Guanyi instinctively pressed his hand against the bronze ding on his chest, sensing that what he had seen was connected to the bronze ding.

Inside the bronze ding, the jade nectar was nearly full.

In just the brief moment it had swept across the battlefield, it had filled the ding to nine-tenths and eight-hundredths.

If not for the final portion requiring special means to complete—such as contact with a divine weapon, or like General Yue Qianfeng's public display of supreme arts—Li Guanyi believed the ding would have filled completely and still had room to spare.

Entering the Mystical Realm, jade nectar, Law Form, visions from the dream.

Many matters surged upon him at once.

Li Guanyi steadied himself and asked, "Was I just breaking through here?"

Yao Guang replied: "No."

Her voice was calm: "You just entered the Mystical Realm, but such places have too concentrated star force; after activation, it harms your recovery, so I brought you out. The message left by Xue Shenjiang instructs you to fully master the Realm's Realm, cultivate the corresponding cultivation art, and achieve some success before—"

"Entering the Mystical Realm with me."

Li Guanyi raised an eyebrow.

With Yao Guang.

He recalled the records within the Po Yun Zhen Tian Bow—Xue Shenjiang's records with Yao Guang of the Donglu Star Observation School five centuries ago—and understood slightly; now that he had entered the Realm's Realm, he should be able to gain further inheritance from the Po Yun Zhen Tian Bow.

Xue Shenjiang's single arrow, its light cold as frost, had long been Li Guanyi's ultimate weapon.

But this would have to wait until they returned to the Xue family.

Right now, there was something more important.

Li Guanyi looked at the captive, who wore a black sack over his head.

He seemed utterly calm, never uttering a word.

"No wonder he's an assassin…"

Li Guanyi murmured in admiration.

Then he pulled the sack off the assassin's head and saw his face—terrified, bruised and swollen, mouth wide open, as if screaming continuously—but a transparent shimmering light sealed his lips shut; he opened his mouth, screaming desperately, yet not a single sound escaped.

This only deepened his panic, fear flashing in his eyes.

Li Guanyi froze, then turned to look at Yao Guang.

Yao Guang had already pulled up her hood, revealing only two strands of silver hair and a smooth chin; her expression was serene, her tone unrippled: "You couldn't let him see what just happened. While you were breaking through, you couldn't allow him to make noise and disturb your rest. You may rest assured—it was perfectly safe."

Without sound or motion, the starlight sealing the assassin's mouth vanished.

The assassin could now speak, and cried out at once: "I'll tell you everything! I'll tell you everything!"

"Just let me go, and you can sever my Wu Gong, cut my tongue and hand tendons—I swear I'll never reveal a single word about you!"

He gasped heavily, staring at the thirteen- or fourteen-year-old boy who had entered the Realm's Realm, and the white-haired woman.

Li Guanyi said: "Shouldn't you keep it secret?"

The assassin retorted: "I only take money to kill. I have no reason to sacrifice my own life. Assassins aren't suicide warriors."

Li Guanyi didn't know whether this assassin qualified as professional.

The assassin steadied himself and said: "That crossbow bolt in your shoulder was mine. You left me alive only because you wanted to know something. I'll tell you everything I know. You can cut my tongue, sever my hand tendons."

"But the final part must be done after I leave—I'll write it down and bury it under a stone. Otherwise, whether I live or die, you must at least let me see a chance to survive before I cooperate with you."

"Otherwise, I'd rather you kill me now."

Li Guanyi confirmed: this was a very professional fellow.

Yao Guang said: "Please wait a moment."

She extended her Bai Xi palm, fingers tracing through the air, leaving behind golden shimmering trails that coalesced into an ancient pattern; she gently tapped it into the assassin's forehead. His voice froze. Yao Guang turned her head toward Li Guanyi, a strand of hair falling over her temple, and nodded softly:

"Now, you may ask."

"He will not utter a single lie."

Fear flickered in the assassin's eyes.

Li Guanyi looked at the assassin and asked: "Who are you? Where are you from?"

The assassin answered without hesitation: "Wen Xi, disciple of Xia Mo, Chen Kingdom's division."

The Mo School had many disciples; when scattered, some of the Xia Mo disciples drifted into narrower paths of chivalry, and the most extreme among them became assassins.

Li Guanyi asked: "Who sent you?"

The assassin's face showed a flicker of struggle: "It was… the Chancellor."

"Dan Tai Xianming."

"He said the Xue family's power was too great, interfering in the realm's affairs, harboring disloyalty toward Chen. Consort Xue is pregnant; if a Imperial Prince is born, the Xue family's influence will overturn the court, causing the Empress to lose favor, and Consort Xue's son to become Crown Prince—this is a grave matter of replacing the elder with the younger."

"They ordered us to kill Xue Dao Yong of the Xue family, and also to drive back General Yue Qianfeng."

Li Guanyi recorded this, then thought for a moment and asked: "Do you have any proof?"

"Can you write a confession?"

Give it to Master Siming.

Return kindness with kindness.

The assassin's face turned deathly pale; he refused: "You've severed my tendons."

Li Guanyi fell silent, regretting that he had gone too far just now.

He instinctively looked toward Yao Guang.

Yao Guang met his gaze.

Her eyes returned to the assassin's face; her voice was calm, unruffled, answering Li Guanyi's unspoken need: "I can use the Yin-Yang School's art to imprint his traces onto his Qi, bind that Qi to a jade stone, and when the jade shatters, this scene will replay."

Li Guanyi rejoiced; he rolled over and found the pills Xue Daoyong had given him.

They were pills to nourish wounds and restore primordial Qi; Li Guanyi swallowed them whole, handed the jade vial to Yao Guang, and after the assassin, his face twisted in defeat, recounted everything, Li Guanyi turned to his most important question: "Just now someone said, ten years ago..."

"Did you, ten years ago, once hunt down a woman carrying a three-year-old child?!"

The assassin's face turned instantly deathly pale.