Chapter 73: The World Is in Turmoil

The one who climbed onto the corner of the wall was none other than the eldest living Siming of the Yin-Yang School, his hair snow-white, grinning as he waved at Li Guanyi—then cried out "Ah!" and tumbled forward, accompanied by a stream of light invisible to ordinary eyes, where the Black Tortoise appeared and caught the old man.

"Long time no see, young friend, hahaha!"

The old man was delighted to see Li Guanyi.

Li Guanyi had no desire to ask how the old man had entered the Xue household.

The Eastern Continent's Star Observing School was one of the Shiwaisan Sect; the Yin-Yang School was a prominent discipline, and their approaches were somewhat similar—both cultivated spirit and Qi. Yao Guang could slip in silently; it was no surprise that Siming, clearly older than Yao Guang, possessed such abilities.

Li Guanyi told his aunt, took a few taels of silver, and took the old man to an outside tavern. The old man ordered slightly better wine today—three wen per cup, vastly different from the one-wen wine.

That was because less water had been mixed in.

The old man tilted his head back and swallowed it in one gulp; the strong liquor burned down his throat, flushing his face red.

He smacked his lips and praised: "Good, good."

"Much better than the imperial wine. The palace wine is too soft, no afterburn, only enough to make you slightly tipsy. This wine stirs you up—if it can't make you utterly drunk, it's no different from sweet dew and milk curds."

Li Guanyi did not agree with the old man's view.

He merely asked curiously: "It's been nearly half a month—why have you come back?"

Siming greatly enjoyed this nickname and laughed heartily: "Of course the matter is settled. Should I stay and humbly beg those high officials to listen to my ramblings? Zu Xiaoyou has entered the court and now oversees the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. Wang Tong, that brat, has become a Grand Academician."

"General Yue Qianfeng has achieved his goal—though I wonder when he'll return."

"The red-and-purple-clad nobles in the palace lost, yet still pretend to be amiable, exchanging banquets and smiles, while inwardly they wish to peel each other alive—yet they force smiles. This old man feared he'd laugh himself to death, so I came back to find you."

The old man chuckled as he spoke of palace affairs.

The Black Tortoise also had a cup poured before it. As he spoke, he made no effort to conceal it, yet everyone around ignored the old man and the boy—no doubt the Yin-Yang School's methods. The Hundred Schools, the Shiwaisan Sect—close combat was never the match for martial warriors.

But cultivation isn't solely for fighting.

They possess mysterious arts.

The old man drank a few cups, then used his chopsticks to pick up a few peanuts, tossed them into his mouth, and chewed slowly: "Now things have settled into a lull. Both sides are waiting for a turning point. It sounds mystical, but it's simply the upcoming grand sacrifice of Chen State in forty or fifty days."

"Hmph, grand sacrifices are typically held between the tenth and twentieth years of an emperor's reign."

"To report to ancestors and earth spirits that he has labored diligently, that the nation is peaceful and prosperous—it's a matter of claiming credit, yet it costs untold tens of thousands of taels. This time is special: it seems all nations will send envoys."

"The Imperial Prince of the Jiang clan of Ying State, the Khan of the Turkic steppes, the royal family of Tuyuhun in the Western Regions."

"And countless other minor tribes besides."

"With so many nobles coming and going, Chen State must host them all. Given the Chen imperial court's grandeur, the expenses cannot be small. Such a grand event—a state sacrifice—is equal in weight to war, and often accompanied by a general amnesty."

"It is to report one's achievements to the ancestors—under such circumstances, bloodshed is inappropriate. Only in this situation is there the greatest chance for Yue Pengwu's pardon. Yet the other nations' arrivals surely aren't merely to celebrate Chen State's prosperity."

Li Guanyi said: "To eliminate General Yue?"

The old man nodded: "General Yue is Chen State's pillar. To Ying State, he is a mortal enemy."

"They come to Chen State with the intent of securing advantages for their own nations."

The old man sighed deeply: "A pot of rotten porridge."

Li Guanyi asked: "If General Yue is so powerful, why was he imprisoned?"

The old man replied: "He is strong, but martial strength is not invincible. With the accumulated resources, methods, and extraordinary talents of a great nation, if one strikes with intent against the unaware, even a martial warrior can be brought down. Moreover, Chen State's chancellor is a high-level Confucian master."

Li Guanyi said nothing further, only felt the upcoming Chen State sacrifice in a month's time was a trouble.

The old man chuckled: "You're not going—why sigh?"

Li Guanyi said: "I am going."

Siming's drinking motion halted.

Li Guanyi said: "The Emperor issued an edict—I must go."

He told the old man the details.

The old man's eyes widened, then suddenly flew into a rage, slamming his cup hard onto the table and roaring:

"How has the lineage of Chen Xingguo lost its ancestral spirit? To balance civil and military power in court, they strip the general of his command; to appease the aristocrats, they drag a boy like you onto the stage?!"

"His ancestors still had three parts of boldness."

"He won his achievements through Wu Gong—how have his descendants become such spineless cowards?!"

"Fool! Fool!"

The old man raged, then suddenly doubted himself: "Could it be that my piss on his ancestor's grave long ago drowned the ancestral smoke? No, that can't be—it made the tree grow lush and thick."

"Could it be that when I pissed on his grave back then, I extinguished the green smoke of his family's ancestral tomb? Doesn't seem like it—clearly that one tree was growing with lush branches and leaves."

The old man finished his tirade and said:

"The Emperor has recited your poems. The sons of court literati and military nobles have long resented you. But since you're in Guanyicheng, where the Xue family holds great power, they dare not leave the capital easily. Once you reach Jingcheng, they'll surely come looking for trouble."

"The Emperor recites your verses, and the sons of civil officials and military merit-holders in Jingcheng have long been displeased with you. It's just that you were at Yicheng, where the Xue family's influence is strong, so they couldn't easily leave the capital. Once you arrive in Jingcheng, they may come to make trouble for you."

"As for reputation—hmph—Wang Tong and Zu Wenyuan will return soon. If you wish, you can study under them for a while; their great literary fame will shield you. In this age, Wu Gong protects you, but a literary reputation that shakes the world makes every faction respect you."

"As for reputation, hmph, Wang Tong and Zu Wenyuan will be returning in a few days. If you're willing, spend some time studying with them, and you'll naturally have the reputation of a great scholar shielding you. In this era, Wu Gong can protect oneself, but a literary fame that stirs the realm can make every faction respect and value you."

"Only in chaotic times does literary fame carry such weight. Wang Tong and Zu Wenyuan are now blazingly popular, their fame immense—even the red-and-purple-clad nobles in court must bow slightly. If you gain such a reputation, even if aristocratic heirs hate you to the bone, they dare not act recklessly."

"Only in chaotic times does literary fame have such an effect. Wang Tong and Zu Wenyuan are at the height of their popularity right now, their fame immense—even those in the court wearing Zhu Zi robes must lower their heads slightly. If you had such literary fame, the sons of those great families, no matter how much their teeth itch with hatred, would not dare go too far."

Li Guanyi nodded.

He understood this.

He knew these things.

In chaotic times, self-preservation requires not only Wu Gong but also reputation. He already had some martial skill, but his name was obscure. He thought of the situation in Jiangzhou City and decided that having a literary reputation was better than none. Wang Tong had many disciples—many were sons of Ying State's aristocratic families.

Join his school, gain a title.

When he went to Ying State, at the very least he could rely on the name of fellow disciples to get by.

And if true upheaval came, it would be a force and a support.

To advance and retreat—perfect step.

Isn't this what that saying means?

Wait for me to grow strong, and once strong, change will come?

Wait... why am I thinking about these things?

Li Guanyi paused, driving the thoughts that had suddenly surfaced in his mind away. He had clearly only been thinking about living a good, peaceful life with his aunt, but the thoughts that came after seemed to have shifted somewhat.

Perhaps he had been influenced.

Li Guanyi rubbed his forehead. People influence one another. He pressed these distracting thoughts down.

He poured a cup of wine for the old man and said:

"Then I shall stay here, sweep the couch in welcome, and await the two seniors."

The old man laughed out loud: "Sweep what couch?"

"Those two have long wanted to meet you, and there's also a fellow from the Mohist school who might come looking for you. If they weren't in such a rush to enter Jingcheng, having to put on an act for those high officials and nobles at court, they would have come to find you long ago."

"Where would an old fellow like me get a turn?"

"Still, you definitely won't have any problems, hahahaha. After all, you are the Bai Hu Da Zong found by the Eastern Lands Star-Gazing School." The old man teased, lifting his wine cup. Just as he was drinking, Li Guanyi said: "I'm afraid I'm not the true Bai Hu Da Zong."

The old man spat out a mouthful of wine on the spot.

He coughed violently, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and said:

"You—how do you know? No, I mean, what are you talking about?"

The old man's reaction confirmed Li Guanyi's view.

He said: "I seem to have seen, through the light of the Seven Mansions of Bai Hu, the true Bai Hu Da Zong."

"Will there be a struggle between him and me? Old man."

The old man hesitated, but on such a question he did not conceal anything and said frankly: "There must be. After all, no matter what, you too bear the starlight of Bai Hu. The starlight of the Seven Mansions of Bai Hu will also bring an increase in power. For heroes contending for the world, one can never have too much strength."

He gave an example: "Take the throne—blood brothers and father and son alike can slaughter and poison each other."

"In an ordinary family's household, they will quarrel over inheritance until they never speak to each other again."

"And the position of Bai Hu Da Zong represents too many things—power, reputation, status. In these chaotic times, it is even more important than a throne. A thousand gold pieces can turn brothers against each other. Do you think this position and destiny will make you two fight?"

Li Guanyi smiled: "Of course it will."

The old man wanted to comfort this youth.

In his eyes, Li Guanyi was sometimes like a tumbleweed, or a dandelion or something, carrying a scent of being far from home, full of wariness and unease. But he saw Li Guanyi lift his wine cup, and the youth thought for a moment, then said: "Then let us fight."

The old man froze.

Li Guanyi had thought it through seriously. He said: "I need the power of the Seven Mansions of Bai Hu as well."

"Only with this power can I live better in these chaotic times. Besides, even if I wanted to share the power with him, he wouldn't feel at ease unless he killed me. So there's no choice, and no need to choose again."

"Then let us fight."

"Until one of us dies."

The old man saw Li Guanyi unconsciously reveal his own longing and desire.

This youth who, at their first meeting, had talent and brilliance, but whose first instinct was to draw his weapon to protect his child—like a lion baring its fangs for the first time, roaring at his fated enemy—had changed. Perhaps he had met someone.

The old man suddenly laughed out loud:

"Hahahaha, good, this is what counts as good."

At last there's a hint of a hero about him.

Master Siming did not say this aloud. He just drank cup after cup of wine, then suddenly remembered something and said with a smile: "Speaking of which, there's one more thing I came back for. Now that you've entered the realm, I should pass on the Yin-Yang School's teachings to you."

"All foundations lie in the dual Qi of Yin and Yang. Only upon entering the realm does a practitioner of the Yin-Yang School truly achieve something."

"You may cultivate the true transmission, and this true transmission is the Qi-Gazing Art."

Li Guanyi was puzzled: "Qi-Gazing Art?"

The old man stroked his beard. The Qi-Gazing Art was the orthodox transmission of the Yin-Yang School, and the Yin-Yang School was one of the prominent schools. In this world, those who call themselves disciples of the Yin-Yang School are as numerous as cattle hairs—some read feng shui for people, some read fortune and destiny.

But most have no real skill. The true Qi-Gazing Art can read feng shui, read fortune, read the edge of blades—it is something essential for strategists of the Military Yin-Yang tradition.

But these abstruse and mystical things—this kid in front of him would definitely not like them.

The old man saw the wariness and refusal rising on Li Guanyi's face.

This kid doesn't like mystical nonsense, nor does he like studying. That heroic air just now was as if the old man had drunk too much and seen things wrong. How could he make this kid take the initiative to learn something as tedious as the Qi-Gazing Art?

Master Siming stroked his chin, smiled, and said: "Yes, the Qi-Gazing Art."

He held up one finger and said, word by word:

"You can pick up money one hundred percent of the time!"

The Xuan Gui was dumbfounded.

The youth said: "Old man, do you really think I'm the kind of person greedy for money?"

Master Siming was taken aback.

Li Guanyi shook his head, a hint of regret in his eyes, and said frankly:

"Money is only for living well, not the whole of life. You've got the point wrong."

Master Siming wondered if he had misjudged.

Li Guanyi clenched his fist, pressed it to his lips, coughed once, straightened his back, and said: "But, well, I think having more skills never weighs one down. Learning one more thing is also a good thing. Don't you agree, old senior?"

So the old man pointed at Li Guanyi and laughed out loud.

What an interesting kid!

Where does one find such a young talent?!

In this mortal world, how many heroes there are.

Heroes differ, yet generation after generation they appear. It is precisely because of this that he is unwilling to die beneath the Qingshan.

The old man laughed heartily as he drank, and drunkenly departed this mortal world.

That day Master Siming seemed quite happy, and in the end drank far too much. Li Guanyi helped him back to his lodging, where the old man braced one hand against the wall and retched in front of the latrine for a good while, then suffered a splitting headache, repeatedly swearing he'd never again touch that three-copper-coin wine.

The water was diluted too little.

Up top!

He taught Li Guanyi the basics of Qi-Reading, and Li Guanyi actually did find two copper coins — the joy of picking up money on the road was even greater than the joy of earning it. The next few days were peaceful, until the seventh day, when a reply arrived from beyond the passes of Longxi in the State of Ying.

Changsun Wuchou sprinted to deliver this letter into Li Guanyi's hands.

Li Guanyi let out a breath of relief.

The reply had finally come.

He didn't know what that Second Young Master had managed. Li Guanyi was still rather worried that the Second Young Master, in a fit of impulse, would just charge straight out and end up injured himself. But before he had time to open the letter and see how the Second Young Manster was faring, he was found by a close guard of Old Man Xue Daoyong.

The message was that the old man wanted him to go to the Listening Wind Pavilion.

Contrary to his usual manner, the close guard this time simply stood to the side and waited.

Li Guanyi thought for a moment, tucked the letter into his chest, and followed the guard over.

The Listening Wind Pavilion was quiet, its doors and windows all shut. When Li Guanyi entered the Listening Wind Pavilion, the old man was sitting there, a night-luminous pearl illuminating the map of the realm below. The old man stared fixedly at this map of the world, so absorbed he didn't even notice Li Guanyi come in.

His face was Solemn.

Li Guanyi sat down, and only then did the old man turn around, looked at him, and said: "Guanyi, you've come."

"How is your Wu Gong coming along?"

Li Guanyi didn't mention that the Jade-Arm Divine Bow Art had already reached minor completion, planning to stall for a few more days before saying anything.

He only said: "It's all right."

Xue Daoyong nodded and said: "Today news arrived — the realm is about to change."

Li Guanyi said:

"What news could make the whole realm change?"

The old man looked at him, pushed a letter over, and said concisely:

"Tuyuhun."

"Has fallen."

"Guanyi, do you have any idea what's going on?"