Chapter 59: A Youth's Spirit Like the Moonlight

The assassin looked at the young man before him.

At Li Guanyi's age, this was precisely the period when a youth grew the fastest. Over the past month or so, Li Guanyi's diet had been sufficiently guaranteed, and combined with his practice of martial arts, his stature had shot up by a good measure — sharp and fierce in bearing, his heroic spirit pressing close.

Sword brows and starry eyes, with a mole at the corner of his eye.

On a woman it would be a standard beauty mark, but on him it happened to disperse some of the youthful sharpness and ferocity.

The assassin's pupils contracted violently. The dust-covered images in his mind surfaced once more — the burning palace, the man who maintained his dignity even at the very end, and that blade whose edge was matchless, like himself…

"You, you…"

His voice trembled.

Li Guanyi stepped forward and pressed: "Who gave the order?! Who was pursuing them, and why?! Who are my parents? Where are they?!"

"My parents, my aunt, and me!"

"What were we dragged into!"

A barrage of questions pressed in, cornering him like a siege, causing sweat to break out on the assassin's forehead.

The assassin refused to answer. He actually tried to resist the Eastern Lands Star-Gazing School's technique. At this moment, he looked more like the professional assassin from Li Guanyi's memory — the agony twisted his features, the veins on his forehead bulged, he clenched his teeth tightly, fresh blood seeped from the corners of his mouth, and he would not utter a single word.

Li Guanyi said: "What is the answer?"

"Speak!"

The assassin's mind buzzed.

It was as if, amid Li Guanyi's interrogation, he heard the cry of dragons and the roar of tigers.

His mental defenses shattered. His lips trembled, and he spat out the name that had left the strongest impression regarding this series of questions, blurting out instinctively:

"The Regent…"

His voice froze. The bulging veins on his forehead stalled for a beat, then pulsed violently several times.

Then burst!

His heart and neck exploded outright.

A great spray of blood surged out like a waterfall. Within the blood, a remnant shadow lunged toward Li Guanyi and Yao Guang. By the time Li Guanyi saw the thing, his body had already moved on its own.

The long cry of the azure dragon rose in his ears.

The youth's hair at the temples flew upward as he stepped sideways, shielding Yao Guang behind him.

The firelight of coiling dragon scales was almost visible to the naked eye, spiraling before Li Guanyi.

He used the Azure Wolf Guard stance to block this lunging blood.

The searing flame's temperature was pulled to an extreme in an instant. The incoming blood all turned into a crimson mist, then slowly vanished. The thing that had lunged out was also burned to ash. Yao Guang crouched low, pinched up a curled-up insect between her fingers, and said:

"…The other side has someone like me."

"A special curse was placed on him."

"Once a certain piece of information is touched upon, the gu worm in his heart will awaken."

"To pounce on and kill whoever learns the information."

In Yao Guang's palm, the curled-up worm was about to scatter into smoke and dust, but was gathered in by starlight. She said:

"Leave this thing to me to handle."

Li Guanyi said: "What is this?"

Yao Guang answered: "Gu."

"However, it is not the insect gu passed down in the lands beyond Chen State's southwest, among the mountain strongholds."

"It is sorcery gu."

"The Central Plains have martial artists, the Hundred Schools of Thought, and beyond the Hundred Schools there are also the Shiwaisan Sect — Star-Gazing, Fate-Divining, and Sorcery Gu. They themselves branched away from the Daoists, the Yin-Yang School, and the Medical School, walking different paths."

"Star-Gazers often dwell in the mountains beyond the world, Fate-Diviners wander the mortal realm, and where Sorcery Gu gathers, it is either the court or great clans. From this, your enemy should be a figure within the imperial court."

The Azure Wolf Guard — or rather, the Crimson Dragon Guard — formed naturally by the Dharma Phase slowly dispersed.

Li Guanyi felt the special nature of the supreme Entry foundation that General Xue Shen had spoken of.

He did not need to actively summon it.

His body would instinctively unleash the corresponding stance.

This was a cultivation body most suited to the tangled slaughter of the battlefield. Compared to Entry, the Azure Wolf Guard could only resist the impact of weapons and lessen the injuries he took. After Entry, this dharma-phase absolute art had clearly undergone a qualitative leap — a method that combined offense and defense, one that even the covert attacks of the Sorcery Gu lineage were burned away by.

Only the expenditure had grown far greater as well.

With his current inner qi from the "Battle-Breaking Song," Li Guanyi could only unleash it at full power three times before his inner qi would be spent.

Li Guanyi understood this in his heart.

The "Battle-Breaking Song" could no longer keep up with the current expenditure of his stances.

He needed to obtain a more advanced cultivation method.

The crimson dragon's qi dispersed. Li Guanyi looked at the assassin before him — the veins on his forehead had burst open, his heart and throat were riddled with holes, fresh blood had spattered savage marks across the corner of the wall. Li Guanyi recalled the assassin's struggle and terror just now, and the name he had uttered at the end, and said:

"The Regent…"

Who is the Regent?!

What does the Regent have to do with being pursued?

The Regent of which nation? And what is the Regent's identity?

One thought after another surfaced in Li Guanyi's heart.

He felt that his origins and his past were shrouded in great clumps of fog. Just as he had seen part of it clearly, more mysteries appeared. But at least he now knew some things — that among those who had pursued him and his aunt back then, there were not only the Night-Riding Cavalry of the Ministry of War.

There were disciples of this Mohist branch school.

There were people within the court.

But with such force, how had he and his aunt survived and escaped for ten years?

Aunt…

Hmm? Auntie, I don't understand martial arts.

Auntie's reply flashed before his eyes.

Li Guanyi rubbed his temples.

He had to return, go back to the Xue family and ask Auntie clearly, search the family's archives for recent records, obtain a higher-level Wu Gong—otherwise his internal Qi couldn't keep up with the consumption—he was currently practicing a Manifestation Wu Gong whose techniques were brutal, far surpassing ordinary Cultivation Entry methods.

But the consumption was also extremely high.

Li Guanyi organized his many thoughts, looked at Yao Guang, and said: "I must return; otherwise, those two elders might do something unpredictable."

Yao Guang nodded, her voice calm:

"I will wait here. You may come to me anytime."

Li Guanyi looked at the dead assassin and said:

"He died here, and so much blood has splattered—it's probably unsuitable for living."

Yao Guang said: "Disciples of the Star Gazing School live simply; they only need shelter from wind and rain and basic food. You need not worry about me."

"Take his body away, and I will naturally handle the rest."

"When you have cultivated the Cultivation Entry Wu Gong, come here and join me in the Mystical Realm."

This period of contact, along with Yao Guang's recent display of abilities unlike those of ordinary martial artists, carried a serene, composed, transcendent aura—Li Guanyi trusted this silver-haired Star Gazing adept; she possessed various mysterious abilities distinct from those of martial artists.

Cleaning up the traces of blood was not a difficult matter.

Li Guanyi nodded, lifted the corpse.

He stepped forward, internal Qi circulating.

Even without changing his Wu Gong or cultivating Cultivation Entry lightness techniques.

Merely through the transformation of his internal Qi.

His speed was at least thirty percent greater than before.

Li Guanyi nearly slammed into the rock wall, barely turning to avoid it.

Yao Guang watched Li Guanyi depart, then turned to the assassin's bloodstains. She rummaged through her pack, found a wooden bucket.

She lifted the bucket, walked to the stream, and drew water.

Her wide sleeves accidentally got wet.

There was no ripple on Yao Guang's face; she reached out and rolled up her sleeves.

She lifted the bucket, and the wide sleeves slipped down again.

The silver-haired Star Gazing adept quietly folded the cuffs once more.

She lifted the bucket.

The cuffs fell again.

Yao Guang steadied herself, sighed, pinched off one of her long hairs, rolled up her sleeves again, tied them with the silver hair, revealing her Bai Xi palms and wrists, then finally nodded.

She lifted the water, turned.

It was too heavy, so she walked unsteadily.

The water sloshed inside the bucket, making Yao Guang sway back and forth—the swaying grew larger and larger; the girl's face remained expressionless, then she stopped, drew a deep breath, strained to raise her arm, and hurled the water onto the walls and bloodstains in the corners.

The water washed away the bloodstains.

Yao Guang pulled out a straight wooden stick used for roasting buns, tied with rag, soaked it in water, and began diligently mopping the floor.

Mop. Draw water.

Splash!

Mop!

Finally, Yao Guang stared at the stubborn stains, pressed her lips together.

She chose to cover the spot with rags, then carried her book to another corner, exhaled in relief, patted her clothes, lit a campfire, knelt before it, and quietly read.

She gave up.

………………

The literary gathering in Yicheng had not yet ended; when Zu Wenyuan, the top scholar of the day in the School of Arithmetic, arrived, the renowned scholars had completed their duties and had not left.

The Hundred Schools were not without combat ability, but when two martial warriors clashed fiercely, they truly could not intervene; before battle, they had various means to weaken opponents, abilities to subdue enemies without fighting.

Yet when actual bloodshed erupted, they could only flee far away and curse the crude martial warriors.

Changsun Wuchou stepped forward, saw the girl standing quietly, and said: "Young Lady Xue."

Xue Shuangtao turned, a cut on her neck; though the bleeding had stopped, it still seeped slightly. Her earlier bravery, and later success in persuading the scholars to pressure General Lu Youxian into immediately sending aid, showed decisive judgment—Changsun Wuchou greatly approved.

The Xue family's tiger of turbulent times stood beside her—not some refined lady from a noble household.

Changsun Wuchou comforted her:

"The fight is over. I saw the Bai Hu Manifestation suffered no serious injury."

"Xue Lao should be fine."

"If Xue Lao is safe, Young Master Li should be unharmed too."

"The battle just now heavily suppressed the surrounding Qi; though he is brave, he could hardly break out—he likely did not enter the core combat zone…"

When martial artists clashed at their peak or unleashed certain special techniques, their Manifestations would be stained with Qi and flame, briefly appearing. That was why Changsun Wuchou could not aid Li Guanyi—he was a traveling merchant with martial skill, but followed the School of Diplomacy, and also cultivated the merchant lineage of Fanzi from the Hundred Schools.

Fluent as a waterfall, he alone maneuvered among the thirty-six western tribes.

Interweaving and entangling, using special Wu Gong and abilities to disrupt the minds of wealthy merchants and nobles.

Making it easier to achieve his goals was his strength.

But close-range combat—within ten steps, one man against a nation, brutal slaughter—was beyond his capability. He sighed, thought of the second missive, and felt a headache—the second missive had foreseen changes in Yicheng and ordered him to protect the boy.

But in this situation, he was powerless.

He could only later coordinate with Xue Shuangtao to assign troops to assist.

Changsun Wuchou felt Li Guanyi's actions were somewhat foolishly impulsive, but thinking of his age, he could say nothing more; for a middle-aged man like himself, what counted as a flaw might well be the brightest streak in a young man's character — youthful recklessness, high spirits.

Who, in their youth, has never had such a dream? When everyone else is afraid to step forward, you alone turn the tide.

After all, he is still a young man.

Changsun Wuchou said: "He will be fine."

Xue Shuangtao nodded. Her hands were clasped in front of her, her posture perfectly straight, still conforming to the deportment of a noble lady, but her fingers were pressed tight. It seemed Changsun Wuchou's comfort had taken effect; her emotions had eased considerably. She said: "It was the retainer who woke me up."

"Grandfather is out there fighting; I shouldn't be afraid in here. I should do what I ought to do."

"Even if Grandfather gave the order, even if he ran into danger, the retainers are not permitted to act on their own."

"So I had no choice but to make this decision."

"If it weren't for Li… if it weren't for the retainer charging out on horseback, I'd probably still be crying and whimpering in fear like those other girls. We've only known each other for a little over a month, yet it feels as though we've known each other for a long time."

Changsun Wuchou understood: it was because Xue Shuangtao had no peers of her own age around her that this had come about — so-called childhood sweethearts are like this. If they were ordinary folk, childhood sweethearts would only ever remain childhood sweethearts; the friendships of youth, once grown, are sundered by this world's grim hierarchies and positions.

He melted into the chorus of "Master," "Young Lady."

At this moment he would not speak such mood-killing words befitting an adult.

He merely smiled gently and said: "As the saying goes, some grow old together yet remain strangers; others meet under a carriage's awning and feel like old friends."

Xue Shuangtao laughed and said: "It's just that he has talent and feeling, and courage too, and he's always a money-grubber — you can never quite figure him out."

A clamor of voices came, voices of congratulation.

It was Xue Daoyong who had returned.

Xue Shuangtao's eyes lit up. At last she lost her composure, and like a girl of fourteen or fifteen, she ran quickly toward him. Changsun Wuchou let out a breath of relief. Xue Shuangtao saw Xue Daoyong, and the emotions she had just been holding back surged up all at once; she nearly burst into tears.

It was only because she had to maintain the dignity of the Xue family that she held back — yet still she covered the distance in three quick strides.

Then she threw herself into the old man's arms and cried: "Grandfather!"

"You're safe, you're safe!"

Xue Daoyong patted his granddaughter's hair and said nothing, only a complicated look on his face.

There were still many people about. Xue Shuangtao suppressed the urge to pour out her heart to this, her dearest kin, stepped back out of the old man's embrace, retreated two paces, her eyes darting about. Not finding the other person, she said: "Grandfather, where is Li Guanyi? He rode out in pursuit too!"

"Did he not catch up with you?"

The old man's expression was complicated; the other retainers, too, could not find words.

The old man sighed and looked at his granddaughter. He could draw the heaviest bow in all of Chen, loose an arrow that pierced through a span of fifty li; in his youth he had traveled alone as a merchant across ten thousand li of road. His breadth of spirit could set pieces upon this world's board, stirring up the Western Regions' winds and clouds with the lightest touch.

Yet at this moment he could not bring himself to meet his granddaughter's gaze.

Slowly he raised his hand; in it was a broken bow.

He placed the bow into Xue Shuangtao's hands.

Xue Shuangtao recognized this bow, and the color drained visibly from her face.

That bow was strung with golden thread, fashioned from rhinoceros horn, crocodile dragon sinew, and blended with the glue of South Sea sharks.

Valued at one thousand five hundred and thirty guan.

The bow was broken, and upon it was the blood of a young man.

There was no need to say anything more.

Xue Shuangtao, clutching the broken Suni Bow, staggered two steps and sank down onto the ground. The emotions she had managed to hold back at the sight of her grandfather finally burst forth at this moment; the two surges of feeling converged, and tears fell in great heavy drops. The image of the young man galloping away, riding forth wherever righteousness called, was seared into her heart.

The impression left by the past rose up within her heart at this moment.

And then, like the clarity of moonlight, it was branded in by death, and could never be erased.

It would be like a hand brushing past a blade's edge — even when she grew old and her hair turned white, she would recall it suddenly, and it would still sting.

"Since ancient times, beauties have gifted swords to heroes. I may not be any beauty, but I too believe what Grandfather said — that Mr. will one day be a hero."

"Then I shall gift this Suni Bow to Mr."

The Suni Bow fell to the ground, its broken body and string trembling ceaselessly.

The tears, falling in great heavy drops, diluted the blood of the young man's high spirits.